Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of Mina's Matchbox.

I've enjoyed the author's previous books and really like the way she writes.

Mina's Matchbox isn't the typical genre I read; I requested the ARC because of the author.

Mina's Matchbox is about twelve-year-old Tomoko who stays with her aunt's wealthy family in Ashiya, a coastal town in Japan.

During her year long stay, she becomes part of this enigmatic family and becomes privy to their family rituals, routines, and secrets.

The writing is warm and rich, filled with nostalgia and happy and bittersweet memories as Tomoko recounts this pivotal year in her life.

She recounts the memorable year with her sickly, but charming cousin Mina, her kind aunt and handsome uncle, and the family's German matriarch.

It was wonderful to read about a family who welcomes Tomoko into their family with open arms; there's no bickering or backstabbing, no harping or harsh words, but there are secrets; her uncle disappears for weeks at a time, her aunt drinks too much, and Mina's obsessive hobby of collecting matchboxes is due to her wish to escape from her sickly health.

The narrative is a coming of age story, a time in Tomoko's life she reminisces about fondly and with appreciation, establishing friendships that will last decades into the future.

There's no suspense or urgency, no shocking revelations; this is about a teenage girl who steps into a new life far different from the one she's left behind in Tokyo and how this experience will shape her character.

This isn't for everyone, including me but I read it because I admire the author.

Also, great cover!

Vintage Ogawa. A slow-burn novel that drew you in and kept you interested. Once you started reading, you couldn't stop. You can't help but find yourself immersed in a time and place of a memory that feels rich and meaningful. I loved getting to know this family through Tomoko's eyes - her perspective as a child and then again as an adult. A thoughtful and nostalgic story.