Otherworldly Izakaya Nobu 2 (Otherworldly Izakaya Nobu #2)
by Natsuya Semikawa (author) and Virginia Nitouhei (artist)
My Rating: 4 stars
Genre: Fantasy/ Manga
Age Category: Adult
Blurb:
Japanese-style pub “Nobu” is open for business in an odd, foreign world, and the ever-welcoming Shinobu and Chief are happy to serve up unusually tasty bar food to an array of strange customers. A little thief, an obnoxious messenger, and a pair of squabbling craftsmen are all ready to chow down! Kisu tempura, sashimi, omusoba, and shuto and more are on the menu… The delicious aromas of food and drink bring everyone together in this gourmet tale of humanity!
My Review
I received a free copy from the publisher through Netgalley and voluntarily reviewed it.
After reading the first book in this series I wasn’t sure whether I wanted to continue the series, but I liked the premise and decided to give book 2 a try. I am glad I did as I really enjoyed this book and had fun reading this one.
To me this book felt less formulaic than book 1 with every chapter feeling different and having an interesting development or twist. And they were all just fun to read. I also liked the new character who joins as a dishwasher and how she fit in with the rest of the team.
I liked every chapter of this one, but especially the the one with the guy who doesn’t like squid was great especially the last page of that chapter as well as the the guy who wants schnitzel and how that played out. I also liked the chapter with two arguing shop owners who actually are friends. The last chapter was an interesting glimpse into how Nobu connects modern day japan and this fantasy world.
There is plenty of food and new dishes that play a role in this book. The art is well done and I like the way the izakaya plays a role in people’s lives. It was fun to see more of the same characters as well as new ones.
To summarize: While I was on the fence about continuing this series after book 1, I am glad I decided to pick up book 2. I had fun reading this one and enjoyed all the chapters in this book. I felt this one felt less formulaic than book 2 and every chapter felt fresh and interesting. The squid and schnitzel chapters were probably my favorite, but all the chapters are great. There’s more food, good artwork and recurring and new characters. I look forward to book 3!
Links:
– Goodreads
– Amazon
– B&N
You can also read my review on Goodreads.
Always good when you take a gamble on continuing a series and the book is a good surprise. I love that it was unexpected and didn’t follow a formula for you like the first one did.
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I am glad I continued with book 2 as I enjoyed this one way more than the first book. I hope they will add the later books to Netgalley in the future as well.