This is an adorable little palette cleanse type of book.

A coffee shop (run by cats) pops up on the full moon and uses astrology to help a loosely associated group of acquaintances to sort out their lives. As the story progresses, you learn how they are associated and what is prompting the intervention by the magical cats.

I definitely recommend this. As already stated, it's adorable. And I don't even actually like cats.

4.5 stars...thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this eARC. I really enjoyed this. It was translated from Japanese to English and the storyline was great. I enjoyed the astrological aspect of this short but sweet story. All the characters in some way know each other from their younger years and this cafe randomly pops up for them, to help guide them into a better way of living pretty much. It has magic, gods/planets, life changing events, cats, coffee. I definitely recommend it if you want something light and fluffy to read after something intense.

Per publisher request: this review is posted now on GoodReads, link below. Go-live date is today, this review will stay up indefinitely.

3.5 stars. I found a lot of this pretty repetitive, but it was very consistent with The Kamogawa Food Detectives: a few people, connected in childhood but no longer in contact, each have a similar encounter with the fantastical cafe. Each guest receives an explanation, which is repetitive for the reader; the explanations rely heavily on the well-informed cafe staff delivering long explanations to the guests. While not my preferred style, the high level of consistency between this book and The Kamogawa Food Detectives does make the style appear very purposeful.

The story is slower-paced with a strong sense of place. Suggest to readers who appreciate setting as a primary doorway.

eARC from NetGalley.

Apparently this is a Japanese sensation that has been translated to English. It's a fast read. Given that it's about a pop up coffee shop staffed by talking cats, there's magical realism. And more astrology than I liked.

Thank you for the opportunity for this ARC. Overall, super cute. If you're not into astrology or horoscope readings then this isn't for you.

Sweet book about a mysterious coffee shop, astrology, how learning about yourself helps you make decisions which are best for you instead of doing what society, parents and others want you to do. The Full Moon Coffee Shop shows up when a person needs it most and the staff just happen to be talking cats. The cats provide not only good advice but also a delicious drink or dessert. Set in Japan, this charming book tells the story of individuals whose life has hit a snag and the wisdom and coffee provided by the cats at the coffee shop help each of them get back to the best path for them. All the individuals know each other and the ending explains why these individuals were chosen to receive this gift. I would categorize this book as a young adult book, part fantasy, part advice book but all lovely and enjoyable.

This was a cute and sweet series of interconnected stories. I loved the magical realism - and definitely wish my cat could bring me the drink I most need at any given moment! I was surprised by the strong astrological elements - not turned off, just not what I expected. I did like the way things came full-circle in the end, and found it to be a delightful and quick read.

If you can imagine going to a café that is managed by cats, then this book is for you. It’s a little far-fetched but it has its charm. The message with some astrological highlights is to help customers “know thyself.”

No, I’m not a believer of astrological signs. But, then a lot of people look to the stars to make decisions in their lives. Each cat represents a planet and it made me think about the possibility that Venus, Mercury Retrograde, Pluto and all sorts of others could cause different reactions in our lives. Or, do we simply just blame the “full moon” when life’s events are not in our favor.

This is a short book that can be easily read in a day. The story focuses on a few individuals with their jobs and love affairs. It’s not complicated and points out in a quirky, inspirational way that we are in control of our lives and it’s up to us to find happiness. It would have been great if the book explained more about astrology for those of us without much of a clue.

My thanks to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book with an expected release date of August 20, 2024.

I struggled with this. Some things were clearly lost in translation and didn't make sense at all. It also got a bit boring half way through.

I received an ARC from NetGalley. Overall it was a nice story and i liked the concept. It was a pretty short read and at times i wasn’t sure how it all connected. I wonder if some was lost in translation. The cats were my favorite characters.

This was an interesting story about a cat cafe that appears for those who need it. There were several short stories where different people each met up with the cafe for different reasons. I liked the way all of the stories were tied together at the end. There was a lot of information about horoscopes in it which was a bit boring for me. This was a quick read and good for an easy beach read.

This was right up my alley! I am forgiving of translated books, but it's the best I can do as I know no Japanese. I Do enjoy manga, magical realism, coffee shops, and talking cats. Kyoto setting? Even better! Delightful read for a sunny afternoon. I will be looking for this book when it is published! I hope it has some illustrations. Those could only make it better!

I really struggled to give this my full attention, I wasn't as engaged as I wanted to be by the content of the book.

This was not a favorite for me. I thought the premise was interesting and loved the idea of the setting being based in a coffee shop - how cute and quaint. But the story itself was a bit too based in astrological signs and I really just wanted more of the characters. I am much more of a character driven girlie than plot, so if the plot falls flat but the characters are well fleshed out I’m still happy.

Overall, I don’t want to say too much because I don’t think this was a bad book or one I wouldn’t recommend, it just wasn’t in my wheelhouse of what I prefer to read.

If you’re into astrology and like some musical, cozy coffee shop vibes this could really work for you!

I continue to find Japanese stories fascinating in their method of weaving timelines and connections between people. This story did not disappoint, rising to my hopes and expectations. It was another charming story of choices and how they can be influenced by what has occurred in the past. My only issue with the story involved the astrology pieces, which seemed a bit daunting to understand. However, I feel it is more my lack of knowledge about the intricacies of horoscopes that was the problem rather than the text itself. Overall, it was a fun read and a good reminder why I continue to pick up translations from Japan.

This book was cozy, cute, and lighthearted, but honestly became a little boring over time. That being said, it was still a nice fun read if you're looking for something easy!

thank you to netgalley for a free arc of this story in exchange for an honest review
this was a cute and cozy fantasy story! an overall heartwarming story about discovering yourself and finding the strength to change. i'm a sucker for astrology so i enjoyed the astrological/fate aspect of this but i liked that there was also a sense of personal responsibility involved, how the stars guide us but don't define us. plus i'm also a sucker for interconnected stories. unfortunately the writing could've been a little better but that could be a translation thing

This is a cozy read- a coffee shop magically pops up right when people are experiencing some distress in their lives and the waiters (who happen to be talking cats) offer advice based on the person's astrological sign. They also are given a customized drink (though the drink doesn't have any magical powers). This is a fun, lighthearted story about listening to yourself and making changes when needed.

"𝒜𝓉 𝓉𝒽ℯ ℱ𝓊𝓁𝓁 ℳℴℴ𝓃 𝒞ℴ𝒻𝒻ℯℯ 𝒮𝒽ℴ𝓅, 𝓌ℯ 𝒹ℴ𝓃'𝓉 𝓉𝒶𝓀ℯ 𝓎ℴ𝓊𝓇 ℴ𝓇𝒹ℯ𝓇; 𝒾𝓃𝓈𝓉ℯ𝒶𝒹 𝓌ℯ 𝒷𝓇𝒾𝓃ℊ 𝓎ℴ𝓊 𝒹ℯ𝓈𝓈ℯ𝓇𝓉𝓈, 𝓂ℯ𝒶𝓁𝓈, 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝒹𝓇𝒾𝓃𝓀𝓈- 𝓈ℯ𝓁ℯ𝒸𝓉ℯ𝒹 𝒿𝓊𝓈𝓉 𝒻ℴ𝓇 𝓎ℴ𝓊."

𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝔾𝕚𝕤𝕥:
In Japan, cats symbolize good luck, and kindness to them may lead to an invitation to a magical coffee shop under a glittering Kyoto moon.

The Full Moon Coffee Shop, run by talking cats, appears randomly to young people at crucial life moments. While enjoying cakes and coffees, customers receive star chart consultations and cryptic wisdom from the feline hosts, guiding them back on track.

For a struggling screenwriter, a romantically stuck director, an aspiring hairstylist, and a tech-challenged designer, the coffee shop's mystical appearance holds a special purpose, helping them find their fated paths.

𝕋𝕙𝕖𝕞𝕖𝕤 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕋𝕣𝕠𝕡𝕖𝕤:
💫 Zodiac & star charts
💪🏼 Self-discovery
☕️ Cozy magical realism
🐱 Wise cats
🫶🏼 Kindness

𝕊𝕚𝕞𝕚𝕝𝕒𝕣 𝕍𝕚𝕓𝕖𝕤:
📚 𝗨𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗵𝗶𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗗𝗼𝗼𝗿 𝗯𝘆 𝗧𝗝 𝗞𝗹𝘂𝗻𝗲
⇢ ᴍᴀɢɪᴄᴀʟ ᴛᴇᴀ sʜᴏᴘ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴀɴ ᴏᴡɴᴇʀ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʜᴇʟᴘs ᴘᴀᴛʀᴏɴs ᴍᴏᴠᴇ ғᴏʀᴡᴀʀᴅ
⇢ ᴡʜɪᴍsɪᴄᴀʟ, ᴍᴀɢɪᴄᴀʟ ʀᴇᴀʟɪsᴍ
📚 𝗟𝘂𝗻𝗮𝗿 𝗟𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗯𝘆 𝗟𝗮𝘂𝗿𝗲𝗻 𝗞𝘂𝗻𝗴 𝗝𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗻
⇢ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴄᴇ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴀ ᴢᴏᴅɪᴀᴄ ᴛᴡɪsᴛ
⇢ ʜᴇᴀᴠʏ ᴇᴍᴘʜᴀsɪs ᴏɴ ʀᴇʟᴀᴛɪᴏɴsʜɪᴘs ᴀɴᴅ ᴄᴏɴɴᴇᴄᴛɪᴏɴs ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴏᴛʜᴇʀs

𝕄𝕪 𝕋𝕙𝕠𝕦𝕘𝕙𝕥𝕤:
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for reaching out and gifting me an advanced copy of Mai Mochizuki’s 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝘂𝗹𝗹 𝗠𝗼𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗲 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝗽!

This was a cozy read with a magical realism twist (which I love) and a heavy emphasis on Japanese culture and astrology. I loved the premise of the story— a peculiar coffee shop run by talking cats that only appears during a full moon. Patrons are served personalized menu items that deliver exactly what they need- to fulfill their appetites and their lives.

If this story had a *smidge* more character interactions and plot development, and a *smidge* less star charts and astrology info dumping, it would have been perfect. Don’t get me wrong, I loved learning more about how star charts work and the impact they have on our lives, but the multi-page explanations and diagrams often took me out of the plot.

Overall, I liked how everything wrapped up and I found it to be a unique and heartwarming story. Make sure to check it out when it releases on 𝗔𝘂𝗴𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝟮𝟬, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰!

𝕄𝕪 ℝ𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘:
⭐️⭐️⭐️ (𝟯/𝟱)

𝕊𝕡𝕚𝕔𝕖 ℝ𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘:
🫑 (𝟬/𝟱)

This book was really difficult for me to get into because of the setting. I couldn’t relate to it and I couldn’t follow what was going on. The story didn’t grab me as much as I needed it to.