I was struggling to figure out what to put in this spot so close to the end of our review marathon, but then I stumbled upon this curious little story that's all about the power of books. What could be more perfect for this site?
WHOEVER STEALS THIS BOOK (Kono Hon o Nusumu-mono wa), based on the light novels by Nowaki Fukamidori with art by Kakeru Sora. First published in 2021 and first published in North America in 2024.
PLOT:
Mifuyu lives in a town that lives for books. Her ancestors were avid collectors who created their own private library, one that has been locked away from the public for generations after a number of them were stolen. She's come to hate her family's legacy almost as much as she hates how much the town around revolves around books. Things only get worse when her dad ends up in the hospital, forcing her to enter her family's library to keep an eye on its keeper, her reclusive aunt Hirune. During her visit, Mifuyu finds a strange talisman and an even stranger white-haired girl name Mashiro. The talisman turns out to be a curse, one that forces Mifuyu and Mashiro to enter the stories of the missing books to recover them.
