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Most Helpful Reviews 
In the past 7 days

Recommended

5.4 hrs on record

Posted: 8 August

Direct from Steam

As an avid reader and appreciator of all things book related, I was very excited for this game. There aren't many games available with bookworm vibes. While this game does deliver on a wholesome and cozy level, the gameplay loop becomes a bit dull after a while.

The customization features are well done. You have complete control on what books you want to sell, your colour scheme and decorations.

You unlock different locations on the map to set up your mobile shop daily. This is the part I found a bit “idly” and stale. You can explore the surrounding area a bit, and while it’s exciting the first visit, future visits become less so. I found myself just sitting around. Which is what you do most of the time, as you wait for an event to suggest a book to the customer. This is almost like a “mini game” and honestly, a really innovative touch. But beyond that, selling time falls flat and could use a speed up button.

There are some really neat things here that any bookworm would appreciate like the different genres, exploring the different titles and making suggestions to customers. And there are some quests to do, mind you I found a lot of them to be passive (like selling a certain genre in a location). Not all of them were like that, but they weren’t particularly engaging or memorable.

This game certainly deserves recognition because this is a relatively untouched sub-genre. So I feel like it’s important to support such endeavours. And I could genuinely feel the passion for books here and the ability to share that love with others. And I’ve enjoyed my 5 hours of gameplay. But can I see myself doing this for hours on end? Even with the decorating, unlocking different locations and quests, there isn’t enough variance in gameplay to keep me engaged and coming back.

So if you want to support this as a fellow book lover, by all means. But in terms of gameplay and getting your moneys worth, I think waiting for a sale makes more sense. Because I can see how the monotonous daily activity can get boring quickly.

If this game were a book, it would be short and sweet. One I’m grateful to have picked up and experienced. And whilst I probably won’t pick it up to read again, it has earned its little nook on my shelf ^_^

154 people found this review helpful

2 people found this review funny

Recommended

18.7 hrs on record (12.3 hrs at review time)

Posted: 7 August

Steam Key

Quite easily one of the best cosy games for 2025!!! The characters are wholesome, the seasonal events are adorable and I love that you get to recommend REAL books to customers! Also works amazingly well on steam deck!

89 people found this review helpful

1 person found this review funny

2

Recommended

3.4 hrs on record (1.8 hrs at review time)

Posted: 10 August

Steam Key

Not that long ago, I had to say goodbye to the comic shop I owned and operated and it's left a hole in my heart ever since. Getting to talk to the regulars and the new faces alike about the books they were buying, recommending things based on their tastes, and even making decisions about what to buy and how to stock the shelves, it all was so fulfilling and joyous. My partner bought me this game because he thought it might capture some of that joy and I'm so happy to say that he was right. Puzzling out what someone might be interested in is very fun, especially when you have to explore unconventional genres (finding a mystery in the kids' section, for example). I'm also blown away by the realism, I really wasn't expecting 99% of the titles to be real books! If you're well-read, it becomes easy to browse through your books because you don't have to stop to read what they're about. I also thoroughly enjoy just how deep the recommendation system is--you have to consider genre, setting, plot, length, publication date, even things like the author's gender and whether it has a happy, sad, and/or twist ending! I can't stop raving about this game, it's really hit the mark for me and I'll be playing it quite a lot, I expect. Thank you, devs, for creating this experience and allowing me to escape back to the best job I've ever had.

144 people found this review helpful
2 people found this review funny

Recommended

8.0 hrs on record (4.4 hrs at review time)

Posted: 11 August

Direct from Steam

I knew this game was right up my alley even before I started browsing through positive reviews. However, when I encountered the negative reviews...I immediately decided to buy it.

People complaining about "woke" ideas like "feminism" and "pronouns" and "themes?" There's something that gets my attention.

I knew I had to sign myself up for the ride thanks to the poor snowflakes that didn't realize the books in the game were...books that exist in real life. Can you imagine something like the Silence of the Lambs having...THEMES?!

Jokes aside, I have a couple of degrees in English Literature and a deep love for anything cozy, and this game is gorgeous. I'm super happy to pluck away at it every now and again, especially since there are plants involved.

276 people found this review helpful

11 people found this review funny

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Recommended

63.9 hrs on record (25.2 hrs at review time)

Posted: 9 August

Steam Key

I can't stop myself. The game is amazing from the art to the music even down to the mechanics. The game has lofi to match the cozy feel, and the game is adaptable without changing the core value of the game.

It picks you up and gives you a big hug by a cozy fire and a good book. What more could you ask for. I have been watching this game for some time and the day the game released my husband had already bought it for me and had it installed before I got home. I think he was hoping I would stop talking about it, but I can't. I find myself waking up early before work and pulling all nighters just to play more.

Most games like this you beat in 8 hours but here I am going on 19+ hours and I still have so much to do but with no pressure to focus on one thing or another.

The game is amazing and the discord community matches the cozy vibes. I even asked about a potential glitch and the developer reached out and look into it with in an hour. You can tell the team has such a passion.

I know who my game of the year vote goes to!

53 people found this review helpful
3 people found this review funny

Recommended

48.2 hrs on record

Pre-Release Review

Posted: 7 August

Steam Key

Product received for free

Get your tea and blanket ready to spend some cozy time in charming Bookstonbury! No time-pressure, just fun.
It's so obvious how much love and care the devs put into it, so many great details :)

Every morning, you load up your tiny shop with secondhand books that you can buy from the ads in the newspaper. You decorate it (items have an effect on book sales, customers etc.), and choose a location to go to. There's things to discover/interact with in the locations, people to get to know, stories that unfold and of course you sell books and recommend books to some customers. The books in the game are mostly real books, only a few made-up ones are added.
This game has been very addicting for me. Just one more day! I think it's the perfect game for book-loving gamers. It also reminded me of some books that I've wanted to read for ages, but still haven't...

There's absolutely no time pressure in anything. By default, to start the recommendation process there is a certain time period (can be adjusted in the settings), but there's also a setting to automatically accept recommendation requests. Also, if you don't accept one, it has no consequences.

I was lucky to be one of the last playtesters, so I got to play the game with very little bugs. (That's why I have so many hours played already.) I needed about 25 hours to get to the credits, 40 hours total to finish everything story-related and the Steam achievements. You can continue to play as long as you want afterwards.

59 people found this review helpful
3 people found this review funny

Recommended

18.5 hrs on record (4.5 hrs at review time)

Posted: 8 August

Direct from Steam

I like it but the recommendations are broken. A customer just called Othello by Shakespeare "too recent"....? How?
I like the art style, the dialogues are cute.

32 people found this review helpful

23 people found this review funny

Recommended

8.6 hrs on record (0.5 hrs at review time)

Posted: 7 August

Direct from Steam

This game is everything I hoped for and more! After waiting two loooong years, and playing the demo multiple times in anticipation, I'm so glad to be able to finally enjoy this game - and the day before my birthday no less!

The art style is beautiful, the gameplay is so fun, and I can't wait to sink more hours into this game! The developers, artists, sound team, everyone who worked on this game has done a remarkable job and should be insanely proud of all their hard work.

38 people found this review helpful
1 person found this review funny

Recommended

11.4 hrs on record (5.1 hrs at review time)

Posted: 8 August

Direct from Steam

personally offended by customers not liking my book recommendations because wdym reading Jujutsu Kaisen hurts your brain?

i get even more offended when customers reject The Little Prince. Like, how dare you say The Little Prince doesn't make you smarter? baby, that book is everything to me >:(

p.s. shoutout to the devs for adding real and all kinds of books into the game <3

29 people found this review helpful

14 people found this review funny

Recommended

27.6 hrs on record (16.0 hrs at review time)

Posted: 12 August

Direct from Steam

As a book lover, this game was right up my alley! No gardening or quests with time crunches, just good vibes, selling books, and talking to neighbors. This is the perfect cozy game and I hope it never ends.

24 people found this review helpful
1 person found this review funny