This wasn’t as whimsical as I hoped it would be, I found it boring at times and couldn’t connect to any of the characters.

This was a quick read. A department store that sells dreams sounded like an interesting plot but I had a hard time connecting with the characters.

Such a fun read! Inviting, engaging, and so enjoyable from start to finish. I could not have enjoyed this more.

This was a fun and whimsical book that I thoroughly enjoyed. I felt like I was transported to another world while I was reading it. My only slight complaint was the chapters and structure. I would have preferred the long chapters be parts with chapters within them, especially as the POV changes within the chapters.

Overall this was a fun and worthwhile read that I would absolutely recommend

In this dreamy cozy fantasy slightly reminiscent of Before the Coffee Gets Cold in its wide array of characters, a new employee is hired at a department store selling all manner of dreams. It's a truly lovely read, full of fun introspection about the world of dreams and dreamers in an imaginative new way. I'd love to visit the Dallergut Dream Department Store myself!

The Dallergut Dream Department Store
by Miye Lee
translated by Sandy Joosun Lee
Fantasy
NetGalley eARC
Pub Date: July 9, 2024
Harlequin
Ages: 13+


There's a town in our subconscious where there's a department store that sells dreams and both humans and animals visit. Penny has dreamed of working at Dullergut's, and there not only does she meet famous dream designers, her co-workers become her family.


Who doesn't like an innocent cute cozy fantasy about where your dreams come from.

But sadly, even though this book is a best seller internationally, I really think a lot was lost in translation. There was more telling than showing and a lot of the story and characters felt flat. It didn't help that there were sudden jumps in the timeline that made it feel as if the characters' lives weren't important.

It is a cute story, and with how simple the story and writing is, even though it's listed for adults, I think this is a book more suitable for younger readers to enjoy.

2 Stars

If you're looking for a sweet, heartwarming, and charming story, this is absolutely the book for you. The dream department is such a cozy setting and I absolutely loved the concept of being a dream seller for all the people sleeping at night. The cast of characters are also down to earth, grounded, yet unique characters who all have their own charm and personality. Everything was so whimsical and cute, this is definitely a great cozy read for those chilly winter nights.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me early access to this book!

I was immediately drawn to the cover of the second book in the series by Miye Lee, very Wes Anderson! This book is one that did not disappoint. I loved the world they built in these pages. Time to head off to the Dream Department Store!

If you love the vibe of the book Before the coffee gets cold, this is definitely the book for you!

Such a fun whimsical book that dives into the concepts of the dream world. A quick thought provoking read.

I won't be posting a public review for this one our of respect for the author, but I wasn't able to finish all the way. I will say that at first, the book gave me a wave of nostalgia for a children's book called "Welcome to Dinsmore, the World's Greatest Store" which was structured very similarly. But I found that for the plot, it didn't have enough to drive me forward. I DNF'd at about the 60% mark, so by that point I expect there to be some plotline that I both can't anticipate and feel like I need to see resolved, but I didn't find that. This read more like a book of short stories. I also didn't see any development in the main character that helped me relate to or empathize with her.

This is a Korean number 1 bestseller and it’s about a girl who gets a job at a department store that sells dreams and it is very willy wonka coded because this store she gets the job at is very fantastical. You visit in your sleep to purchase your dream for the night. We follow her as she learns the ins and outs of selling and making dreams, and how dreams help people navigate their waking hours. There’s five floors to choose from to it’s a place to explore. Oh and we also get to know one of the other new workers at this department store so not just Penny. I thought it was incredibly creative though the writing did keep me from loving it. I still recommend giving it a try especially to you cat lovers because there are these cat like people who run around the department store trying to cloth sleepers in this dreamland. I don’t know. It’s strange, whimsical, I guess the writing fits the weird setting. All I know, the cover gets 5 stars alone.

I was very excited to read The Dallergut Dream Department Store based on the premise (a store where you shop for your dreams!) and a friend’s early review. But unfortunately, it missed the mark for me. I understand that it’s intended to be a cozy read, but instead of the low stakes conflict I expected, it really had no conflict at all. Every time I thought the plot was about to get interesting, the conflict was simply shrugged away. Frankly, I was bored. The best part of the book was the afterward, where we’re finally given more than a surface view of the characters. I really wanted more about the people outside of the strange dream world - the ones who were actually dreaming. If it were more rooted in the real world with visits to Dallergut interspersed, it would’ve been a much stronger story for me. This was just too vague.

This book was such a fun look at dreams and the roles they can play in our lives. I loved following the main character as she, and us, learn more and more about the Dallergut Dream Department Store. It was also fun to see some "real life" examples of those customers before and after a dream was purchased, cementing some of the lessons that Penny learns in the business of selling dreams.

In the heart of a magical little town that's all about dreams, you can find the Dallergut Dream Department store. We get to explore everything about this magical place through the eyes of dream superfan and new hire, Penny. It's a place where people visit to find the dreams that will help restore and inspire them, even if they don't remember it upon waking. And the people in charge of making and selling those dreams are as interesting as their jobs suggest.

It's a lovely story with fun little moments and some surprisingly emotional ones as well. The creativity is fascinating and I loved seeing the things Mi-ye created. We don't just get the things that happen in Dallergut but how they affect dreamers' lives once they wake up. It's magical and light in the perfect way that keeps you turning pages because it's relaxing and pulling you into the story.

I would have loved more stories about the employees at the store and the people who make the dreams. It's the kind of book that makes you wish you could step into its world.

Delighted thanks to NetGalley and Hanover Square Press for the wonderful read!

I enjoyed this quirky cute novel. The Dallergut Dream Department Store reminded me a bit of The Good Place tv show. It was full of heart and had a quirky sense of humor that made you think. I read this book a few months ago (just slow on the review) and it is still a book I think about often. Penny was a likable main character as well the rest of the cast of characters. This book definitely made me smile.

As someone who has suffered from nightmares in my life, this book was so satisfying and thought provoking for me. I saw others utilize the word whimsical or whimsy when describing this book prior to reading it and I couldn’t agree more with them. The book was so imaginative and I really enjoyed the cozy vibe before bed reading.

This was an interesting story and pretty original. I liked the idea of the book from the moment I heard about it. I think it was a good read but I may have been expecting more based on the early reviews I read. It is imaginative and creative and very thought provoking. I know that there are times when the story pops back into my mind. Overall, enjoyable and an easy read. Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I need to stop relying on "if you like these books you'll love this one" because while this was a good enough story to read the entire thing, after finishing I wonder why I didn't just stop. It wasn't a profound story; it wasn't great, it was mediocre. Cool concept, but not a lot happened in the entire book.

This was very whimsical and I really enjoyed it. The concept was super interesting and I liked seeing the intricacies of the world and how the department store worked. We follow a lot of characters but I thought they all added something to the story. The story is warm and uplifting right until the final chapter. This might of just been for me but that last chapter hit me so hard. I think each reader will have an emotional reaction to some aspect of the story. Overall this would be a great book for a comfort read, it’s more vibes than following a direct plot but I still had a great time.

Thanks to Netgalley, Miye Lee and Hanover Square Press for this e-ARC

Wonderfully whimsical story about dreaming, from their conception to their influence on the waking world. The reader follows Penny on her new employment at the Dallergut Dream Department Store, the most famous shop that sells every kind of dream possible to their sleepy customers. There's everything from prime dreams, designed by superstar dream developers, to short nap dreams and those aimed at your furry pets.

I loved the overall atmosphere of this. It felt at times like the film Mr Magorium's Wonder Emporium in its use of the fantastical in an often mundane, logical way without any overarching explanations. There's stories within stories, interconnecting dreams and blends of emotions that come together in a satisfying, magical way. It's a warm, cosy cup of hot chocolate of a read that doesn't really serve a purpose other than to add a bit of wonder into your life. There's no solid conclusions, no plot even as such, and no dramatic tension or peril for thr characters. It's just people helping people, often involving giant furry talking animals who cover up naked sleepers, to have nice dreams. And sometimes that's all you want in a novel.