This book felt like a warm hug. I loved the intertwined stories and sprinkling of astrological elements. The later led me to looking up my own astrological chart and thinking about the impact on my current life. Definitely a must for those looking for a cute palette cleanser, or for fans of magical realism. Packs a nice punch for a short piece of work.

(Actual: 3.5⭐, rounded up) I love translated literature and read a lot of work from Asian (specifically Japan, Korea, and China) so this was such a sweet surprise to be given the opportunity to read an early copy of this book! As we all know, I absolutely adore magical realism as a genre and thought this did a good job of conveying and weaving in those such aspects throughout the course of the book. I also loved the nod to cat cafes haha because, while I've never been (I'm allergic 😢), they're so cute and fun! My one critique is that, despite being an astrology lover myself, I did find that whole aspect (i.e., of the cats making their predictions to their patrons predominately based off their star charts) a bit heavy-handed and wished it could have been just slightly toned down a little. That said, I still think this is a quick, breezy read, and is especially perfect for those who ARE hardcore lovers of astrology and want to see those kinds of in-depth interpretations more in fictionalized work.

The Full Moon Coffee Shop is a great book and one I wish had been a bit longer. Coming in at around 240 pages I was left wanting it to be a longer book. One thing I don't always say with books. It's great and so magical and I will read more by this author. If you are a fan of magical realism, Japanese literature and whimsical tales grab this book!

This Japanese translation & tale is so cute and whimsical. I loved the value of cats & the wisdom they can portray to a culture just by valuing them instead of condemning them. Thank you so much for letting me read this!

The Full Moon Coffee Shop follows a handful of people whose lives are all tangentially connected as they discover a coffeeshop run by celestial cats, who use astrology to give them life advice,
I found this book sweet and hopeful, but the astrology was often a bit more information than I could really process smoothly--it pulled me out of the book a bit at times. Aside from that, I did enjoy it--I liked the characters (sometimes I wanted a bit more about them, but overall did like that it was just little snapshots of their lives).

*thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine for an eARC of this book in exchange for my review*

This book was the epitome of lightweight and fluffy and cozy in the best way. A cafe appears in random locations only under the full moon and just when you need it most. Pour out your worries to a magical cat who serves you the perfect drink without you needing to order it and points you in the right direction for the next step of your life. Who doesn’t want that?? 🐈 🌕 🐈‍⬛

This book followed the paths of a handful of people whose stories intertwined once in the past, and again in the present, all with a need to learn something about life. The magical cats share their wisdom using the stars and the characters’ natal charts to help each person gain clarity and confidence. This is the meat of the story, and while there isn’t a driving beat or a climax to the plot, the whole thing fell together beautifully.

This book wasn’t deep, but it had everything it needed to be whole. I loved the sweet way the cats helped each of the characters, giving them hope and perspective. It was a perfect palette cleanser and a delightfully quick read.

This cozy little novella is reminiscent of a Studio Gibli movie... our main characters find themselves at a popup cafe run by large, talking cats. They have a drink and think about where things are going in their lives. They each have a gentle epiphany about what would make them happyy, before the cafe disapears into the night. This is one of those weird little gems where nothing actually happens in the plot, but you finish the book feeling like a richer person for having read it. It's absolutely charming.

I have been seeing this cozy fantasy book recommendation all over social media, and was eager to explore this translated Japanese novel. I paired the audiobook with my complimentary digital copy, and immersed myself into the lush, magical, and dream-like story. The author uses a magical coffee truck, staffed by talking cats, to deliver life altering advice for interconnected characters. Each character's interaction with the pop-up coffee truck read almost like a short story until the final epilogue with wrapped them up into one culminating narrative. Each character has recently had some bad luck, career change, or failed relationship. Using magically infused drinks and desserts, the cats provide solid advice grounded in zodiac context. When character re-emerge from their coffee shop experience, their fates seem to change, and they only vaguely remember their time at the coffee shop.

I really loved the variety of characters, and how their interconnectedness grew out of their childhoods. Exploring themes of fate, identity, and happiness, this cozy fantasy read is like slipping into your favorite cardigan.

The Full Moon Coffee Shop was a delightful escape. Mochizuki's illustrations are simply charming, and the story itself is a warm hug on a chilly night. I loved the gentle pace and the focus on the everyday magic of human connection. The characters are endearing, and the coffee shop setting creates a cozy atmosphere that's hard to resist. While the plot might be a bit predictable, it's the perfect read for a lazy afternoon or a quiet evening. It's a reminder that sometimes, the most extraordinary moments can be found in the simplest of places.

This is a cute quick read translated from Japanese. The Full Moon Coffee Shop only appears on the night of the full moon and at a different location each time. The different characters come across it at different times and come away with life changing experiences.

Have you ever had a moment in life where you’ve felt like what you’re doing is not paying off? No matter the work you put into that particular situation, you’re struggling to see the outcome? That’s where The Full Moon Coffee Shop comes in to help you. With talking cats who feed their customers deserts, cozy drinks and read them their astrology charts, they leave the cafe feeling rejuvenated and having a better understanding of how they can keep their lives moving forward.

I did rate this 3 stars, mostly for the fact it heavily leans into astrology - which is something I do not have a strong understanding of. Otherwise I loved the concept of this story. Talking cats who run a cafe, feed you and make you feel better? Immediately yes!

Well, now I can say I've read a book about cats operating a coffee shop? So there's that. And while this part of the story is a bit "out there" the core of this story is people trying to figure out life. I loved that these were really redemption stories after setbacks and letdowns. I do wish there were more cats, and I think this would be even better with some illustrations, but a quick, reflective read. Thanks to NetGalley for the look at this August 2024 release.

A charming, short read that is perfect for fans of Studio Ghibli or “Before the Coffee Gets Cold” by Toshikazu Kawaguchi. It’s light but has meaningful life lessons and conversations that may help those who are struggling with the direction of their life. I would also recommend this to anyone who loves astrology! The story has a light and airy atmosphere that is mostly vibes and very little plot. If that’s your sort of thing, I thoroughly recommend, but as someone who loves complicated and heavy stories and atmosphere, I wasn’t grasped by the story. Very lovely and will be recommending it to my friends though.

Reading this was like a warm hug or getting to try the magical drinks or dessp9oí I'm erts served at the Full Moon Cafe. Different people all in a quandary in their daily life are given a chance to be served by the magical cats, learn important life lessons and receive grace for a past kindness that bonded them all. Refreshing and lyrical .

The blurb alone won me over to giving this book a try. With family from Japan, I have always loved the culture and to visit - the little shops, love of cats, and almost mystical beliefs. I love it all. Always makes me feel like the mind is more open to possibilities - both of this world and beyond.

This book has these possibilities (and talking cats), but I think somehow some of the magic of the stories may have been lost between letters, scattered between words, and swept away in the breeze that is 'translation'.

It is still a beautiful story full of mysticism and wonderful, telling the tales that are so rife in the world today - a life that has been created of loneliness through hard work and drive. To seek your dreams we do often get lost among the stars, isolated little specks of light. These little tales are about those people and the magical cafe that sees more than that is there; that serves more than just tea - they may serve a new destiny if you reach out for it.

The stories can be read one at a time or in one sitting. They are enjoyable, but I guess I just imagined more of of the cat characters since they really were at the center or premise of the book. Seemed almost like that cartoon character. But it could be the magic is lost in translation.

** Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to review this advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion **

4 stars
One word to describe this book: LOVELY.

Truly, what a love book. The Full Moon Coffee Shop focuses on the interconnected lives of three people in Kyoto. It falls into the genre that I call gentle magical realism. It's a cozy read perfect for fall.

A big thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the advanced copy.

Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine for the e-arc!
When I first saw this book, I was immediately intrigued! Charming and magical with a cat coffee shop reading astrological charts? Literal perfection in a book. This is a Japanese bestseller that was recently translated, and I hope the rest of the series will be translated as well. In this book, you follow a bunch of different characters as they find this coffee shop and get a bit of much-needed perspective on their lives.
For some reason, this book's formatting with the different characters that all intersect was very nostalgic for me. It reminded me of a similar story I read when I was younger, which contributed to the vibes of whimsy and nostalgia that this book invoked. The book is also a bit different than I initially expected with the shop, and the character is a bit more grounded than I expected. It felt like stepping into a new part of the world as opposed to a brand new world. Overall the book is heartwarming and beautiful with a more slow and tranquil pace. I found myself picking this up when I had a moment of downtime and felt very relaxed so it definitely fits that vibe.

This premise is amazing - a personalized cafe pops up only on full moon nights and is run by beautiful talking cats who help you solve your problems. Unfortunately, the execution fell flat for me. I normally love Japanese translated fiction but I wonder if some of the beauty of the writing was lost when it was changed into English. The sentences felt short and non-descriptive. Nothing in the writing transported me to the cafe despite me desperately wanting to be taken there. I did enjoy the dessert and drink descriptions though!

Astrology is a HUGE focus of this book which I didn’t know prior to starting it. This could be a huge draw to those who are interested in astrology, but I thought this was hard to relate to. I also found it exceedingly repetitive having 5 separate characters go through the shock of meeting talking cats and then having to learn the basics of astrology. I could see what this book was trying to convey, but ultimately it was just not for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for access to this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

I was excited to read this book because I love Japanese authors and translated works.

The Full Moon Coffee Shop by Mai Mochizuki is a magical realism novel set in a whimsical, ever-shifting café run by talking cats. These feline baristas serve more than just coffee-- they offer guidance through astrological readings to a group of troubled individuals. While the premise is intriguing, but the book’s heavy reliance on astrology overshadowed deeper character development and emotional exploration. However, the setting and cats add charm to the story. The book wasn't too memorable for me, but if you like astrology, magic realism, and introspective storytelling, this may be the story for you!

A cafe run by cats who give therapy via astrology is a really fun and interesting premise, but unfortunately I felt like the mark was missed on the execution here. The main issue I had was that the scenes in the cafe read more like info dumps on how astrology works rather than natural, flowing dialogue between characters. The scenes felt oddly paced and the interactions a bit robotic due to this- the cats and the ideas behind who they are was intriguing, but unfortunately that never went anywhere. The story was very sweet, but I personally didn't really like how the conclusion seemed to be that the characters' entire lives ended up hinging on astrology and how everything about their lives- from their careers to their romantic lives- ended up being dictated by their charts. It just felt a bit anticlimactic that the conclusion they reached was that in order to be happy, they had to follow their astrological charts and straying from them is what caused problems for them. That being said- I also feel like I really am not this book's target audience as I will admit that I personally don't really believe in astrology, and while I think it's fun and interesting to look into, I don't really hold any real belief in what it might say. I feel like if you enjoy astrology, and believe in it to some degree then you may very well enjoy these portions of the book and find enjoyment where I couldn't. Although I will add- even if I ignored the adherence to astrology, the characters and the dialogue also played a pretty big hand in why I enjoyed this book so much less than I was hoping too. It was a very interesting premise, and the ending was very sweet, but unfortunately it just wasn't for me.