This book was so charming and cozy. I really enjoyed it. I wish that real life would be as enchanting as to produce a mysterious pop up cafe that serves the perfect treats and advice for whatever dilemma is currently plaguing you. I'm not really big into astrology being a determination of someone's fate, but the mythology that went along with the astrology was really interesting.
While I was reading this I could think of several people who would absolutely love it. It's the epitome of a cozy read.

The full moon Coffee shop is a whimsical story very much in line with a Studio Ghibli movie. The story follows different people down on their luck who find themselves at this pop-up coffee shop. While there the cats who run the shop gives advice based on Star Charts.

I really like that all the characters are linked in some way not just because they went into the shop. They know each other outside the shop and have ever worked together. These people managed to have met though there are thousands of people in Japan. It was not likely, but they did it somehow.

The cats play a large part of why I like this story. Cats in Japan are a symbol of good luck and fortune. The cats of the full Moon Coffee shop use astrology and the Zodiac to show their patrons see where they may have gone wrong and to guide them to a new purpose

This book is a relaxing read. A much-needed palette cleanser after reading a bunch of horror novels. within these pages is a warm and compassionate story that feels like receiving a hug. So get a warm beverage and fuzzy blanket and cozy up with this delightful book.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an ARC of The full Moon Coffee Shop.

Summary: "A charming and magical novel that reminds us it’s never too late to follow our stars." "In Japan, cats are a symbol of good luck. As the myth goes, if you are kind to them, they’ll one day return the favor. And if you are kind to the right cat, you might just find yourself invited to a mysterious coffee shop under a glittering Kyoto moon. This particular coffee shop is like no other. It has no fixed location, no fixed hours, and it seemingly appears at random. It’s also run by talking cats. While customers at the Full Moon Coffee Shop partake in cakes and coffees and teas, the cats also consult their star charts, offering cryptic wisdom, and letting them know where their lives veered off course."

Rating: In Asian literature fashion, this is a book about nothing and everything at once. About following your heart, stars and of not being too late to follow a new path.

The Full Moon Coffee Shop is a cozy, low-stakes, cat themed tale that follows three individuals on their path to finding meaning life. Only those who need the cafe will have it appear to them. Specifically, those feeling lost in life. This story is filled with astrological star charts and wise tales to guide their customers to a fuller meaning of life all while having cats serve them coffee and baked goods.

While I love fantasy, this book was definitely different than any other book I have read. At times I felt I had a hard time connecting to the characters and keeping track of the astrology at play in their lives. It’s a very interesting concept and may have made more of an impact had I previously been educated in astrology and star charts. If this is something you are interested in, I highly recommend.

Overall rating: 2
I really fought to finish this one. It was really sweet and heartwarming in some aspects but on the other hand it was…mehhhh.

I absolutely loved the premise, but didn’t love the execution. I loved the idea of a magical cafe that is hyper-specific to an individual’s personality! I also loved how every character was connected, despite the book being an anthology/composed of short stories. The imagery was gorgeous and well planned, and I loved the addition of cats! Until the cats stood up on two legs and started talking.

This book was super reliant on astrology, like super intricate charts. And *everything* was explained by the astrological charts. I love astrology as much as the next girl, I just wish there was less reliance on astrology. People exist, breathe, and make decisions that aren’t always based on the star’s positions. The overuse of the charts kind of felt like a cop out to me, or a prolonged excuse to avoid adding depth to the characters. I unfortunately couldn’t emphasize or connect with any of the characters—they mostly felt underdeveloped and unremarkable. For me, it would’ve been nice to add in star charts as support instead of a main focus.

I honestly just think the book wasn’t for me! For people ready to delve into the intricacies of astrology, this book is definitely for you! It’s a rich book with many unique elements (and cats!).

* I received an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

A novel ringing with themes of change, acceptance, and love, The Full Moon Coffee Shop is an amazing read that reinforced my love of Japanese literature.

The Full Moon Coffee Shop's format of storytelling was quite interesting. I loved having the three main characters lives, all of whom intertwined with each other, be the focus of the story. All of the main characters were unique and interesting and I found myself rooting for each of them to find their own happiness by the end of the story. I felt especially taken by Mizuki's story. I feel that the struggle to become content and satisfied in a life that isn't what one had before is likely very relatable to many people, no matter what phase of their life their in.

Additionally, I'll always love cats and wise cats that work at a cafe is even better. One of my absolute favorite books is The Traveling Cat Chronicles - also a translated Japanese book - and I felt that the writing style (and presence of cats that are so much smarter than humans would ever think) of The Full Moon Coffee Shop and TTCC are very similar. I love the short and concise delivery while keeping the prose stylistic.

The reason that I give The Full Moon Coffee Shop and 4/5 as opposed to a 5/5 was due to the aspects of astrology throughout the novel. Astrology is huge in this story and being the connector between the coffee shop and the main characters, I felt a bit disappointed with how it was written. Of course, this could be due to the translation but in my opinion, the astrology parts of the story came across and info dumps and almost too detailed. During these moments in the story, the tone seemed to abruptly change from amazing storytelling to a lesson on astrology. Additionally, it seemed a bit strange that the astrology in question was American astrology as opposed to a form of Japanese/Asian astrology. The story made me feel fully immersed in the Japanese culture and lives of the main characters, until the moments when astrology came up, which was often.

All in all, I really did love The Full Moon Coffee Shop (I read it in one sitting!) and would recommend it to those looking for a cozy novel full of hope and cats!

Wow! Beautiful! I audibly squealed at the end!

The Full Moon Coffee Shop follows the interconnecting characters separate visits to a magical pop-up cafe. The story is stunningly written and an absolute joy to visualize. I only wish it were longer, as I want more trips to the Full Moon Cafe!

This book is about a mystical coffee shop that only appears to those who need it most. The café is run by cats that help the patrons by guiding them and helping them chart their futures. The book involves four characters who are at a crossroads or struggling with the path they are currently on. On the surface, it seems whimsical and cute, but it has more profound themes. The self-reflective and understanding of our purpose brings clarity to the characters and, ultimately, their fulfillment in staying true to themselves. It was uplifting and created a pause for my direction and purpose. The characters and their stories are beautifully woven with a dash of humor. I recommend this book to anyone who loves magical cats and loves stories about finding destiny.

I received an Advanced Readers Copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group, Ballantine Books.

First let me say I am giving this book 5 stars because I really enjoyed reading it. It offers life lessons to each of the characters that can easily be applied to our own lives. My only complaint was that since it was translated from Japanese the names of the characters and places were very unfamiliar so at times it was hard to keep track of. If you can get past that, it is a very enjoyable read, relatively short and you just might learn something about yourself in the meantime.

The Full Moon Coffee Shop by Mai Mochizuki
Is a feel good novella about a coffee shop that appears in a dream, doesn’t take orders, and offers astrological advice to change lives. This is a touching compilation of interconnected stories of people who have wandered off track in their lives and the beings who help them.

I haven’t read anything by Mai Mochizuki before, but this novella has a very distinct style that is calm, considered, and thoughtful. It offers insights into life. Some people may find it preachy, and it is interesting that there is a large component where astrology is explained to the reader, but overall I enjoyed the story. It was a quick read, but had some nice insights into human behavior.

This story isn’t like anything I’ve read before. If you like the idea of a coffee shop run by cats and if you like the idea of star charts you will love this book. It was a little slow getting into but then I was hooked. I would definitely recommend this book for a light and quirky read!

I really wanted to love this one since the premise is one that I absolutely love, but it was hard for me to connect with the characters and the story in the execution. I think that the star chart + astrology stuff became too much of a focus in the explanation and various readings, but there were some charming moments. It was nice to see the various vignettes tie together. Some might enjoy it, but I wish that it had a bit more cozy cat cafe vibes and a stronger hook.

This is a quirky little read that I didn't really know what to expect when I started writing it. It's really a small set of short stories that all end up interweaving through a group of adults who all shared the same walk to school group as children. As adults, they have lost their way so the very magical Full Moon Coffee Shop shows up to get them all back on track. I enjoyed this once I got the hang of the storytelling style. The astrology aspect, and how important it is to understand to the story, was surprising but not unwelcoming. It was very different from what I usually read and made for an interesting break for my brain.

A simple, sweet collection of vignettes that tie together masterfully. An expansion of the plot and the connections between characters would have made the book stand out more.

A delightful and charming story about a particular coffee shop run by cats... that will change it's customers lives. Everyone who has entered the coffee shop is given a star chart consultation by the cats and given some cryptic wisdom.... and every person will have the chance to be guided back onto the correct paths of their lives, from a screen writer who hasn't had any luck, a movie director who is romantically stuck, a hopeful hairstylist, to a technologically challenged web designer. Everyone who enters this whimsical cafe will find themselves being guided by the cats who work there to make a change and find the right path of their lives. This was such a charming and sweet read and I definitely think it would make such a cozy and delightful book to read at a coffee shop! It just evokes such a feeling of comfort and whimsy and I definitely would recommend it!

Release Date: August 20,2024

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Ballantine Books for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

The Full Moon Coffee Shop introduces its reader to a whimsical coffee shop managed by cats and which appears once in every full moon to those searching meaning in life. Its owners and employees, giant speaking cats, make delicious cakes, pastries and drinks to the customers, as well as provide astrological advise.

Although I love the premise and the development of each of the stories within this novella, it feels to me as if some things may be missing, as well as the idea of using astrology being too central. This is definitely more of a cozy read with magical realism at the forefront, in which the author discusses some of the traits of Japanese work culture and offers and escape to these in the form of the magical coffee shop appearing to those seeking change. I can suspend my disbelief and think that in this version of reality, astrology is more real than what I think is in our real world, however, it feels like the characters just straight up accept this advise without question, and the whimsy sometimes hinges too much on the astrology. It feels like astrology is the only solution to their problems, and things happen to fall into place the moment the characters get illuminated by this knowledge, which I don't fully love. Nonetheless, this was a fun, short and sweet read. I do wish that the coffee shop had been explored more, since its such a popular and beloved element of a lot of books.

The Full Moon Coffee Shop by Mai Mochizuki was a delightful read. The characters are well written and likable. Fantasy is not my normal genre, however, I really enjoyed this book and did not even question the talking cats. This would be a great pick for a book club discussion or for anyone looking for a comfort read. Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine books for the gifted e-book.

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The Full Moon Coffee Shop by Mai Mochizuki & Translated by Jesse Kirkwood. A series of stories about different interconnected people & how they’re brought into contact with the magical Full Moon Coffee Shop at the right time. There’s an emphasis on astrology & making smart decisions with astrology in mind, & overall themes of getting out of unhelpful patterns of behavior & doing something positive. I didn’t totally connect with this novella because it comes across a bit disjointed & didactic for me, but it was interesting to read. 2.5 ⭐️, out 08/20.

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I enjoy the way these Japanese tales are told. The writing is simple and straightforward, the stories move along very quickly. There is a huge dose of magical realism and astrology mixed in. This book fits in with a whole bunch of other charming Japanese literature I have enjoyed.

I really like how the story remains simply told but begins to build layers as connections are revealed. There is a lot of astrology incorporated in this story which I do not believe in my life but I enjoyed the way it was used in this story. It requires a suspension of belief and surrender to the conveniences of this quaint tale.

Thank you to the author & translator, publisher, and NetGalley for providing an Advanced Readers Copy of this book to be published August 20, 2024.

Coming August 2024! The Full Moon Coffee Shop is for lovers of astrology, cafes, and cats (yes please!). I especially recommend this novel for those who enjoyed Before the Coffee Gets Cold. In this coffee shop, various characters experience something truly magical. I love the lesson this book teaches and especially loved this cozy style of writing! This is an all-around, feel-good novel. Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for an ARC of this novel in exchange for my review 🐱☕️