The writing style kept me from enjoying this book. It was very cringey and mediocre. Good concept, just needs more editing.

The Full Moon Coffee Shop was an sweet and intriguing novel. It's more of a cozy fantasy and perfect for someone with an interest in astrology. I wasn't the ideal reader for this - but it is a quiet and peaceful book with a lot of whimsy so I'm sure many will find something to love in it. Thank you to Random House, Ballantine, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this novel.

I want to take a moment to think NetGalley, as well as the publishing company for sending me an arc in exchange for my honest review.

This was such an adorable book and it integrated magic and real life very easily. If you are looking for something to make you smile and to bring you joy, then I would definitely consider picking this book up. I really enjoyed the astrology side of this book and it was very interesting because not only did the book give me information, but I was able to look up some more stuff for myself to really immerse myself in the book.

I received an advance copy via NetGalley.

<i>The Full Moon Coffee Shop</i> is in the mode of several other recently translated Japanese books that feature light fantasy elements, tied-together short stories, positive life changes, and quite often, cats. In this cats, the cats can be human-sized as they run their titular coffee shop, or like normal cats.

The stories revolve around a down-and-out forty-something female scriptwriter. Her glory days are past, and she's now writing scripts for side characters in a dating game. But things are about to change for her and those around her, for they will gradually be invited to partake in life-changing drinks and desserts at the cat-run cafe.

The book is gentle and cozy. It's easy to picture this as an anime. It's a fairly short book by US standards, a fast read. I didn't expect the huge emphasis on reading horoscopes, though; in many ways, this is alike a primer of astrology and what it means for planets to be in retrograde. I was left craving something more... original, I suppose. Even so, it's still a fun read and an ideal escape during troubled times.

Mai Mochizuki's The Full Moon Coffee Shop is a charming novel full of magic, hope, and...talking cats. The premise of the novel is just lovely and a good reminder that it's never too late to follow your dreams or to leave regrets in the past. A quick read, perfect for cat lovers and for those who might be feeling a little lost themselves.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I enjoyed this book and think you will to.

This book was such a layered surprise! I was expecting a cozy book about cats and coffee and was given an astrology-filled journey with luck, chance, and fate woven in. Also, the fact that talking cats run this cafe for off-track individuals is quite unique.

While this read is a far departure from what I normally read, it was an enjoyable one. The cats giving the characters their star charts was a peculiar idea that must mean more in Japanese culture because it was extremely odd to me. I wish I could give it more than three stars but due to the oddities, it just was not a fit for me. There were good themes throughout and it wrapped up nicely in the end.

“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.”

I am at a disadvantage reading this book. I know nothing about Japanese symbolism or good luck icons. Plus, I am not one to read fantasy.

That said (or written), this is a sweet story about being kind and connections. It felt that there was something missing. Though I cannot say exactly what it was. Maybe some nuances were lost in the translation.

Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy..

Huge thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for allowing me to read this early! This was a very interesting read, but not the exact vibe I thought it was going to be. I was expecting this to be a bit more cozy cafe and not a more futuristic space kind of cafe. It was really fun to see how astrology was incorporated into the story as well.

Interesting premise. Magical realism is always a favorite.

Three different stories of people that are wanting a change in an aspect of their lives when the full moon cafe appears and the human sized cat employees give them just the right treat with a heavy dose of astrology to show them their path forward.
I would have liked more focus on the cafe and was surprised by the amount of astrology. Definitely for people that really love astrology.

Thanks to netgalley and random house for an eARC.

3.5 rounded up! ⭐️⭐️⭐️.💫

I really enjoyed this story!

The Full Moon Coffee Shop was such a quick, cute read! I’ve been a fan of cozy fantasy books and movies since I was little, and from the moment this story took a magical turn, I felt as though I’d stepped into one of the whimsical worlds I’ve loved since childhood 🌿✨

Read if you enjoy…

✨ Magical realism
🐈 Talking cats!
🌕 Astrology

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing, and Mai Mochizuki for providing a digital arc in exchange for an honest review!

4 stars
One Liner: Beautiful! (but not for everyone)

Cats are a symbol of good luck in Japan and might even help a person figure out their lives! The Full Moon Coffee Shop is a celestial enterprise with no fixed location. It finds people who need help and appears with food and advice.
In this book, a school teacher-turned-screenwriter, an ambitious manager, an actress, and a shy young man find guidance from an unexpected source. How do the cats of the coffee shop help their beloved customers?
The story comes in the first-person POV of Mizuki Serikawa and Akari Nayakama and the third-person POV of Takashi, each divided into neat sections.

My Thoughts:
Firstly, thanks to Lady Clem and Jayme for their reviews. I requested the book knowing what to expect. It has cats, astrology, and magic realism. My favorites!
This is a set of interconnected stories where each character gets the limelight in each section (but also has a teeny role in others). It's a short book too. I finished it in a single sitting.
The narrative is mellow and soothing almost throughout. The first-person POV makes this more of ‘telling’ than ‘showing’ but I still enjoyed it.
The descriptions of the food (not your regular kind) are magical. I would love to taste those teas, coffees, and desserts.
Astrology is the core element of the book (even the section titles are based on it). A bit strange that the book uses Western astrology when the setting and characters are Japanese. Maybe it was done to make it easier for readers to understand the concepts.
What I love the most is how various threads were connected as the story progressed. The stakes are low, so you won’t find any angst here. But what you will find is enough food for thought to introspect about ourselves, perspectives, actions, and decisions. Quite a few takeaways from the book if we want to.
Classical music is another theme in the book. But my lack of familiarity with it meant I couldn’t fully benefit from how cleverly the songs were selected for different situations.
The epilogue neatly ties up the loose ends and manages to surprise with another little story. I wish there was an author’s note.
The bits with mercury retrograde got me chuckling. Guess what, we are in the shadow phase for another one now after starting the year with it. Haha… though it’s Mercury who will be laughing!

To summarize, The Full Moon Coffee Shop is a sweet, heartwarming, and lovely read about second chances, understanding ourselves, and hoping for a better and happier future. This is the first book in the series, so I’ll be waiting for the next ones to be translated!
Thank you, NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group (Ballantine), for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
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More links will be updated later

What a cute and fun book! Life lessons, invisible string, and celestial cats? What more could you ask for? This was a quick read and I think the translation was really well done. I love how the author connected each section to make a cohesive story.

★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

Four interconnected stories about cats teaching astrology to adults in a mystical cafe!

“ I’d always been much more interested in fictional love stories than in any romance of my own “

➸ I couldn’t figure out target audience!! Talking cats running an astrology cafe giving advice would strike me as middle reader, but the characters were all full adults.
➸ There was a heavy focus on explaining astrology, which honestly I found fun even though I was expecting more of a cat cafe vibe.
➸ It was such a cute and fun read, it was super quick and just what I needed to help me get through a reading slump.

“ Whenever you feel lost, stop for a moment. Get your bearings. You need to take a look at yourself, and accept what you see, before you can take a single step forward.”

“ Even a washing machine won’t spin right if it’s not level. ”

Not everything has to move forward all the time, you know …”

thank you to netgalley for giving me the opportunity to review this

link to goodreads review : https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6657902294

A short, breezy, low-stakes read.

Various people, including a scriptwriter, TV producer, IT entrepreneur, and hair stylist, feeling a little lost in life, encounter a cafe at night run by cats. Over coffee drinks and desserts, they get advice and astrological readings, and come away with some perspective.

This was a charming novella (I think? The length suggests a novella) and I loved the little illustrations of the desserts. It was a little odd how all these people who happened to be in primary school together somehow encountered each other around the same time, but it kind of made sense by the end. Seeing the original Japanese title, I think if it was translated more literally I could have gone in with more accurate expectations, but I had no idea astrological readings and zodiac stuff were going to be so heavily featured. I personally don’t have much interest in that stuff so it didn’t appeal to me, and I didn’t find the lessons/themes particularly deep. Not much of a plot or a strong arc, but I don’t think that’s what this story was going for, so I enjoyed it as an easy bright read.

Thanks to Netgalley for the eARC!

I would give this a 2.5/3 stars. It was a really cute shorter story and made me want to go look up my own natal astrology chart and dig into what it all means. I find stuff like that interesting so I think the concept and topic were what kept me reading, but I don’t know if it was the translation, or the way it’s written, but some of the dialog wasn’t very captivating. I think the delivery method of the message was a little off. The dialog between the character at the cafe and the cats seemed rushed on some and drawn out on others. It seemed like they were just trying to offer some guidance on their journey in life and redirect them on the paths that they were on.
I did love that all the stories tied together in the end and that each person was connected through how they helped the cats and their relationship with Mizuki. I like the idea of the cats being tied to the full moon coffee shop, but it did get a little weird with the full-size cat.

Full Moon Coffee Shop could be described as cozy magical realism. The characters' stories overlap in tidy ways that keep the reader interested. No deep lessons for living your life here - unless you want there to be. All-in-all, a gentle, fun read. I would not be surprised to see a future Netflix (Prime, Hulu...) series based on this charming book.

The Full Moon Coffee Shop by Mai Mochizuki (Author) and Jesse Kirkwood (Translator) is set in contemporary Japan and opens with a former tv scriptwriter whose career took a downward turn; she is now writing scripts for a dating game. The eponymous Full Moon Coffee Shop appears, as you might imagine, at the full moon; the waiters are talking cats who can read your birth chart and help you with your problems. I felt this was a mosaic novel; there are different narrators who all experience similar events, but their life experiences in the past have a link that is fully revealed at the end. The experience of reading it, from a narrative standpoint, is fairly static, an exploration of character rather than a plot that surges forward and up into a climax; it was very mindful, if that word can be applied to reading. I felt it could definitely fit into the "cozy vibe."

What a lovely cozy fantasy! Fans of Legends & Lattes, You Cant Spell Treason without Tea, Bookshops & Bonedust will all love this one.

Thank you to NetGalley for this eARC copy gifted in exchange for my honest review.

The Full Moon Coffee Shop is a whimsical and magical read about a coffee shop run by cats who have the ability to speak. These cats serve drinks and wisdom and make people believe in themselves.

Highly recommend for those who love Before the Coffee Gets Cold.