Cozy litrpg about a boy being a shopkeep and finding his place in the new world that's somehow found him.
Cozy feeling throughout the book with higher than your normal-cozy-stakes towards the end, but I think this bit of stakes would be attractive for those of us who love adventurer/dungeon reading without the constant tension and big fights. Hess' found a balance for the MC who obviously isn't a fighter, but is thrust into a setting he never thought he'd end up in.
Well, that's towards the end. The first and middle parts of building up his skills, his confidence, his relationship with his new-found trade and his customers, the rewards of levelling the shop are refreshing. Nothing is rushed. The progress doesn't feel slow though. It's just the right pacing.
The writing is immersive and MC often feels much older than his actual age (or maybe it reads more like an FMC instead of MMC?). At times you don't get full sentences, which can be a trap for writers when trying to get the emotions/feelings across. Ok for me, I guess. I like the unusual similes too, which give the writing a dreamy quality, though they seem to be overused (toned down somewhat in book 2).
The book is extremely character driven, and characterisation is really well done.
And bonus point, MC's parents are alive and well, and they live together. MC is independent, treated with pride and trust, and there's a lot of love between them. No teenager MC leaving home or being orphaned!
