Januaryโs Theme: Healing Fiction
The 2026 Hoopla Reading Challenge begins with an invitation to slow down, reflect, and reconnect with hope. Healing fiction focuses on emotional growth, quiet transformation, and everyday resilience. Who couldn’t use that? We think it’s a fitting way to kick off our year of reading challenges.
Feel-Good Stories from Japanese and Korean Creators
Many healing fiction titles also fall under feel-good books, offering warmth without sacrificing depth. Japanese healing fiction is known for its calm, reflective tone. Korean healing fiction literature blends emotional insight with cultural richness.
That’s why for our first 2026 Hoopla Reading Challenge, we’re focusing on Japanese and Korean books and comics that fit our Healing Fiction theme. Here are some suggested titles in our January reading challenge:
Healing Fiction eBooks

The Ghost Catย by Alex Howardย
Following a cat through his nine lives in Edinburgh, the novel begins in 1902, when Grimalkin becomes the Ghost Cat, haunting an old tenement for 120 years. Over time, he observes the cityโs transformation and inhabitants and discovers reflections on existence, time, and lasting feline companionship.

The Second Chance Convenience Storeย by Ho-Yeon Kimย ย
Dok-go, living in Seoul Station with no memory of his past, finds a lost wallet that changes his life. The store owner (and former teacher) Mrs. Yeom offers him kindnessโand a jobโafter he saves her store. As he becomes part of the community, someone is determined to dig up his past.

What You Are Looking for Is In the Libraryย by Michiko Aoyamaย
In Tokyo, enigmatic librarian Sayuri Komachi asks each visitor what theyโre truly seeking, intuitively recommending the perfect book. As people at crossroads in work and dreams visit her library, her unexpected choices spark reflection, guidance, and quietly life-changing transformations.
Healing Fiction Audiobooks

Before the Coffee Gets Coldย by Toshikazu Kawaguchi and read byย Arinaย Iiย
In a hidden Tokyo alley, a century-old cafรฉ offers more than coffee: a chance to revisit the past. Over one summer, four patrons attempt time travel, discovering strict rules applyโespecially that each journey lasts only until their cup of coffee grows cold.

The Man Who Died Seven Timesย by Yasuhiko Nishizawa and read byย Kaipo Schwabย
Young Hisataro Fuchigami randomly relives a day nine different times. When his grandfather is murdered, he must use each loop to uncover clues, navigate family motives, and solve the mystery before his time-bending power expires. Witty and playful.

The Dallergut Dream Department Storeย by Miye Lee and read byย Shannon Tyoย
Hidden within the collective subconscious, a magical dream department store welcomes humans and animals alike. New employee Penny navigates whimsical colleagues and curious customers when a priceless dream is stolen, uncovering the enchanting rules of this surreal world.
Healing Fiction Comics

In the Twilight of Our Adolescenceย by Waka Hayashiย
This slice-of-life manga follows two boys growing from adolescence into adulthood. Popular, accomplished Yusei forms a quiet, secret bond with overlooked classmate Nakagawa as they experience friendship, love, mistakes, and the tender uncertainties of youth and everyday life.

Seoul Before Sunriseย by Samir Dahmaniย
Friends Seong-ji and Ji-won drift apart after starting university in Seoul. Balancing studies and night shifts, Seong-ji meets a mysterious woman who paints empty homes, drawing her into a quiet, dreamlike world where creativity, loss, and self-discovery intertwine.

A Silent Voiceย Vol. 1ย byย Yoshitokiย Oimaย
Shoya, once a school bully, tormented Shoko, a deaf classmate, driving her to leave. Years later, they reunite, forcing Shoya to confront his past and seek redemptionโbut can he truly make amends for the pain he once caused?

Strayย by Ryu Kamioย
After nine years imprisoned for a crime he didnโt commit, Hachiya Ken is finally free, but his past looms large. Confronted by Hana, the spirited daughter of a ghost from his history, they face betrayal, power, and political corruption, forcing Ken to seek redemption.
Your Challenge: Start Your Year with Healing Fiction
Browse Hoopla’s curated January selections and choose a title (or two) that piques your interest. No matter what title you choose, healing fiction can provide a restorative reading experience. It’s a perfect way to start 2026 with intention, comfort, and connectionโmeaningful yet gentle reads to start the new year.
Happy New Year and Happy Reading!
*Title availability may vary.