I had the opportunity to read Dinner at the Nighty Library by Hika Harada, translated by Philip Gabriel. The premise immediately intrigued me—a mysterious library open only during the late hours of the night, filled exclusively with the personal book collections of deceased authors. It sounded like the start of a magical, bookish journey.

Unfortunately, the story didn’t quite live up to its potential. While it had cozy elements and several quotes that resonated with my love of books, writing, and collecting, the overall plot felt meandering and at times, directionless. The narrative often shifted between character perspectives without clear transitions, which made it difficult to stay grounded. Some plot points were introduced and then quickly dropped without explanation, which left the story feeling disjointed.

That said, there were parts I genuinely enjoyed. The quiet glimpses into the everyday lives of the library’s employees were charming, and I especially loved the descriptions of food—dishes inspired by Japanese literature, which added a unique cultural touch.

I can’t help but wonder if readers more familiar with the specific authors and books mentioned might get more out of it. As someone who recognized only a few references, I felt like I might’ve missed out on some of the deeper layers.

In the end, I didn’t dislike the book, but it didn’t quite deliver the magical reading experience I’d hoped for. I’d give it a solid 3 stars. ⭐⭐⭐

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the Arc!

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. Overall, this was an interesting and relaxing read, but nothing significant really happens. It seems to be a style of book common in Japanese culture, which was unique. However, the translation from Japanese to English was stilted and appeared to miss some of the cultural nuance. There also seemed to be a few mistakes in the translation as well. The basic premise is that a mysterious owner of a private library in rural Japan hires workers with a variety of backgrounds to operate a library containing the personal book collections of famous authors. The library is only operated at night, and the storyline follows primarily one character with sections of the chapters from other characters’ POVs. It held my attention for the most part and wasn’t a difficult read, but it did take me longer to get through it than what is typical for me. There really wasn’t any significant plot line that moved the story along, and some of the plot seemed stilted and a bit disjointed. I chalk this up to something getting a bit lost in translation where the words were translated word for word but the “spirit” of some of the content got a bit lost.

Dinner at the Night Library is a soft, slightly offbeat novel for readers who love books about books,especially the quiet, literary kind.
Otaha Higuchi is burned out at her job in a chain bookstore when she receives a mysterious invitation to work at a library that only opens at night and only houses books by deceased authors. What follows isn’t plot-heavy or fast-paced. Instead, the novel builds slowly through small rituals, nightly meals, and quiet moments of connection with a cast of fellow bookish misfits.

There are a few strange turns that don’t always land, and some of the references may resonate more if you’ve read the books being mentioned. But the concept, honoring literature through curation, food, and community is compelling.

Readers who enjoyed Days at the Morisaki Bookshop or The Nakano Thrift Shop will recognize the tone: tender, slightly surreal, and focused on the comfort of repetition. It doesn’t reinvent the genre, but it offers a gentle addition to it.

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC and the opportunity to read this early.

Dinner at the Night Library is a cozy novel, that follows a group of bibliophile characters that staff the Night Library. There is a fun sense of mystery with the identity of the library's owner, and each of the characters all have something in their past that they are dealing with.

I enjoyed seeing the relationships between the library employees, and especially their staff dinners and the meals that were created by foods referenced in books. The story is low stakes, but a small conflict arises, when books are found that shouldn't be there, that could cause the library to close. I enjoyed the way that Harada brought everything together and the way the book wrapped up at the end.

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐓𝐨 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭:
* Low Stakes
* Food Based on Books
* Curating Book Collections
* Workplace Friendships
* Quirky Characters
* Multiple POVs
* Family Expectations

𝐈𝐬 𝐈𝐭 𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐲?
🥶 (No)

I think readers who enjoy world building set among books, that is a fairly quick read, but with slow pacing would enjoy Dinner at the Night Library.

DINNER AT THE NIGHT LIBRARY REVIEW
RATING: 4
GENRE: Fiction

Dinner at the Night Library is a cute and cozy Japanese novel. While it is similar to a lot of the popular healing Japanese fiction books, this novel doesn’t take shape in an episodic manner like the others. Instead, it’s more a slice of book focusing on Otaha Higuchi’s new job at the peculiar Night Library in the outskirts of Tokyo.

The novel is a relatively quick read and highly enjoyable as we observe Higuchi’s navigation into the world of libraries. She encounters many different types of people that work at the library - whom briefly learn a bit about their backstory. One of the quaintest things about this library is that there is an on-site cafe that features food from various books.

For those who enjoy books about books and the love of reading, Dinner at the Night Library is the perfect read. I’m excited to pick up my own copy on pub date 9/30/25. Thank to Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing & Hanover Square Press for an advanced reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this glimpse into a truly unique workplace as well as the array of interesting characters and circumstances. It was a nice chill read, but there were times that I wanted more, and no greater point than at the very end of the book which left me thinking 'that can't be it'.

The Night Library is a special collection of authors' libraries, open only at night and run by a mysterious owner. Dinner at the Night Library chronicles the lives of some of the Night Library employees, with each chapter an episode in the "life" of the Night Library. It follows Otoha from her hiring to moving into the attached dorms to integrating into the library though the POV character switches between chapters. The "dinner" part of the title draws from the special cafeteria in the library, in which the chef prepares materials drawn from literature. Dinner at the Night Library explores broader literary society, including bookshops, authors and those connected to them, through library employees' interactions.

This was...fine. Stylistically, the writing was stilted as were many of the character interactions. I kept reading mostly to try to pin down what wasn't working for me.

Recommend for those who like cozy book vibes with minimal plot and who aren't put off by stylized writing.

An easy five stars for me! I loved the setting of this story and all the characters included. I loved that we were shown glimpses of their personal stories and how they ended up at the night library. I'm really hoping this a series as I loved this setting so much. The translation was also very well done.

This wasn’t what I expected. As a librarian, this book intrigued me. I also loved that we’re finally getting more translated books by Asian authors. The book was very leisurely paced, almost atmospheric and whimsy in its narrative. There was nothing complex or suspenseful. Unfortunately, the pacing was a little too slow for me. I also speak Japanese and thought the translation a bit rough to follow along.

As a librarian, this book held great appeal for me. I found myself commiserating with the library workers in the story, feeling protective of the books and also the desire to share great books with others so that they can experience the joy of a good book! This would make an ideal book club selection. While the recipes aren’t included in the book, you could easily find matching ones to prepare and enjoy during your discussion. A thoroughly enjoyable, quick read.

"Dinner at the Night Library" was about what I expected. There were no real thrills, but the translation was well done and I enjoyed the characters.

This was a really cozy, atmospheric read. I had expectations for what this book would be like but it surpassed them — the concept felt wholely original and was really well executed. I would love to visit the night library and the author painted the story so well that it almost feels like I got to.

This was a delightful story for book lovers. It was a simple story of a girl working at the Night Library and the day to day situations and events that would arise. As a fan of Before the Coffee Get Cold, I knew this would give the same melancholy and wholesome feeling while reading this book. Details about the important of book preservation and the nuances of book life was intriguing to read about.

The cast of characters are likable but complex with having their own intricate backgrounds while connecting with each other while working at this library. I was left wanting more depth to some of the characters by the end but in summary I loved this book lover’s slice of life story. I could see this being a fun slice of life anime adaptation!

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced reader’s copy!

I enjoyed learning about the staff's backstories and what brought them to The Night Library. The concept of the nightly dinners being connected to the books was delightful. Overall, it was a cozy and feel-good read.

Thank you, NetGalley for the advanced copy.

This was a light and cozy feel good read. I love Japanese translated fiction and even though there weren't any cats, it was still great! I loved the description of a night library and having authors books they had after they pass away. The dinners didn't add much value to the overall story but they were still great to read about (I mean who doesn't want to make something that they've read from a favourite book!) I enjoyed the characters and learning about them and this is definitely a bookstore I would love to visit!

Dinner at the Night Library presents a fascinating concept, but its focus feels somewhat muddled. On the positive side, the idea of a night library is truly engaging—I enjoyed learning about its inner workings, the staff, and the various visitors who passed through its doors. That part of the story was rich and compelling.

Where it faltered for me was in the emphasis on food, especially given its prominence in the title. The dinners—meals recreated from or inspired by literature—could have been an intriguing theme in their own right. However, they felt disconnected from the main narrative, more like tangential interludes than meaningful contributions to the story. Their inclusion often disrupted the flow and didn’t seem to serve a clear purpose.

Honestly, I think the book would have been stronger if it had focused solely on the night library and the relationships and events unfolding within it, without the elaborate descriptions of the meals.

If you are someone that has been enjoying this new burst of translated literature, specifically Asian translated stories, then you will likely love this one too. It is short and beautiful. As a librarian, I may be a bit biased but this book really spooke to me and the subtle nudges into introspection that I am starting to realize are a part of this genre, are greatly appreciated. 5 stars.

3.4 stars

Otasha Higuchi knows she wants to work with books and it seems her dreams have come true when a mysterious owner offers her a job at the Night Library outside Tokyo. Open from 4 pm to 1 am (oooh, the perfect hours for me!) the Night Library stores the real life, hard copy libraries of deceased authors so scholars or other interested parties can come see and commune with the books the authors treasured during their lives.

Otasha comes to know the other employees, a delightful, varied bunch and bonds with them over book-themed meals in the cafe (I think I could read a whole book about book-themed meals. What a delightful concept!). Some strange things start happening at the Library. What is going on? And then there is what is supposed to be a temporary closure of the Library, but what if the unknown owner never reopens it?

I haven’t read any of the recent spate of books translated from the Japanese that I’ve seen that, at first glance, remind me a bit of this one. They mostly seem to be about bookstores and cats…you know the ones. Anyhow, this seems like it would fit right in among those, but it captured my attention because I love the idea that I could see the beloved books of my favorite authors. Each year I do the Book Riot Read Harder book challenge (which I love and recommend if you read a lot) and within the past couple of years one of the prompts was to “read one of your favorite author’s favorite books,” which was such a great one! This is that, writ large.

But I digress. This book is gentle, lulling, nothing really major happens. It’s a very low-stress book which may be just the thing, sometimes.

Perhaps I’m alone in thinking that Japan, or at least the urban areas have become fully Westernized, but clearly, according to this book, I’m as misguided with that thought as I am with so many, many things. There are clear strictures regarding differences in the sexes, the attention paid to rank and just general formality that wouldn’t exist if this book were set in America. So interesting!

I thought the translation was a bit stilted, in a way I’ve experienced with a few other books written in Japanese. There were a lot of sentences that started with “So…” Oh, and back to the meals, fans of AoGG will love the themed meal which sounds delicious, if simple, and, in fact, I’m craving it right now on this very warm Spring day (I’ll leave it for you to discover, no spoilers.).