Guest blogger Kelsey Rodgers is a student at SJR State and has been a regular attendee of the Vikings Read More Book Club on the Palatka campus since Fall 2022. This is her third post to the Book Blog.

I have gained a reputation for bringing strange and dramatic books into the Vikings Book Club over the last couple of semesters. I am often captivated by weird and surreal plot lines that lead to human-like antidotes. However, this fall semester has brought a new twist to my book selections.

This summer, I was lucky enough to study abroad in Ireland for ten days. It didn’t take me long to get the urge to go to a local Irish bookstore. I came across a book with a glittery cover called Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi. Then, I did the unthinkable as a reader: I judged the book by its cover. I had also mistaken the book for another book that had been recommended to me. Shortly after, I walked out of the store holding the book shining as the sunlight hit its surface.

The book’s setting takes place at a café that has been open for more than a hundred years. It is mainly known for its ability to let customers time travel. Unfortunately, many people do not get to experience it because of the large number of rules they must follow in order to do this. The main rule is to drink the cup of coffee they pour for you before it cools down. The plot seemed like it would have been complex and strange at first. However, I was surprised by the simplicity of the book.

The novel left me with a feeling like I do when I watch the show Gilmore Girls. It was a rather cozy read for me. Like the show, the characters were closely intertwined with each other. This created a sense of family dynamics within the characters. It delved into topics of grief and romance with a soft yet humorous tone. It had a repetitive nature that was quite nice in contrast to my usual gravitation to dramatic climaxes and plot twists.  

One of the main reasons I love reading is the ability to experience different writing styles. I learned while reading this book that even the simplest of moments can be impactful to the reader. The characters' love for each other is shown through small actions. I was able to feel that love without large amounts of metaphors or similes. Although, I still do love my dramatic books. I now understand how important it is to have a balance of simplicity and action while creating the plot for a story.