I feel like if the story was longer, it could've been better and more fleshed out but I wasn't wild about astrology, it's not something I'm into or know very much of. It could've been something lost in translation for me as well. I always find Japanese-translated works to be a bit stilted so the story really needs to grabs me. The cats were cute and funny. I liked how the different stories tied into each other. Similar to Before the Coffee Gets Cold but I enjoyed that better than this one. May or may not read a sequel.

This was a fun, light and quick read. I enjoyed the interconnected lives of those who visit the cafe as well as the imagery of the location and the cats. The astrology side of the story was interesting to me. While very heavy on it, I enjoyed the perspective. Overall, it was a good read for me.

Thank you Random House Publishing Group and Ballantine for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

A cute series of tales surrounding a group of people with interlocking lives in the heart of Japan and how one visit to a mysterious Full Moon Coffee Shop changes their lives forever. It was a quick read, but with a simple message- don’t give up on what it is you want in life. Reach within and find yourself and your purpose through the stars and fate. Whether it’s love or a flourishing career, these ideals will reach you with a little help from some cute, fluffy baristas!

This was so damn cool, liked the story, the developments and the characters. Definitely one to look out foor. I loved the mystic behind and the whole legends of the cats . Really love it

I adored this book. It was fun and cozy and the story of what that school group was important was lovely under current tying it all together. Five out of Five Stars.

This one didn't quite work for me, but mostly because I don't know too much about astrology, and found the depth that they go into here to be too much without a full explanation. If this book came with a quick and dirty guide to astrology in the back, I would have enjoyed it more.

I will say, I did like the way they brought everyone's stories together in the end.

Though I know I haven't, I really got the strong vibe that I'd read this before.

Tbh, I glazed over a huge chunk of this book. I'm not into horoscopes and any time they talked about natal charts or planets in retrograde I was zoning out. This one wasn't for me.

This book would have been DNF for me under different circumstances and if it wasn’t so short. For the most part, I just didn’t “get” it. Character development is really important to me and of course, a book of this length can’t offer this. The end of the book was somewhat redeeming for me as I enjoyed how the characters and their circumstances all came together with a message about good deeds not going unnoticed. It was a nice wrap up for the cats, the old gentleman and the four characters.

The Full Moon Coffee Shop follows a group of people who stumble upon a magical cafe run by talking cats. The coffee shop shows itself to people who seem to be stuck in life or are down on their luck. The cats of the dream-like cafe offer wisdom and advice by consulting the customers' birth charts. I would recommend this title to someone looking for a low stakes, cozy, hopeful read. I enjoyed the short stories following different characters who each have their own problems and personalities. I liked seeing the links and connections between each of the characters; the stories don't seem so disconnected from each other when you're reading familiar names and seeing some of the first characters progress through their lives. This is not my typical genre, so I wasn't gravitating towards it. I was not a big fan of the astrological aspect of the book, which was a pretty big part of the story. The cats explain astrology and star charts, but it seemed a little much for me. It's not something I'm very interested in, so it kind of lost me when they droned on about their birth charts and horoscopes.
Overall, I did enjoy this read, but it wasn't exactly my favorite kind of read.

Lovely book with a lot of good advice as well as a brief look into astrology practices. I found the pacing to be odd though and didn’t connect to any of the characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group- Ballantine for the Advanced Reader Copy, in exchange for my honest review.

This was a magical story about a mysterious coffee shop that randomly appears for people that need a little bit. Sounds like your typical Magical Realism premise, except that it is run by cats.

The story is divided into three sections of an interwoven story. The book is translated from its original Japanese. Personally, I think that some of the concepts were lost on me based on my lack of knowledge of the culture. And the other odd thing was that there was a heavy aspect of Western astrology represented.

Overall it is a charming and quick book. I was not necessarily grabbed or blown away by it but enjoyed it on an average basis.

3 stars.

What happens at The Full Moon Coffee Shop? Read this book to find out. It’s a fantastic book! A must read!

This was short, sweet and magical realism. This was not what I was expecting, but it was so good! I loved the magical realism, the cats and the astrology. I wanted more astrology, but appreciated how it was worked into the story in such a natural way. I enjoyed the intertwining of the stories and characters. I was so wrapped up in the book and wanted to go to the full moon coffee shop so badly! I would love for this book to continue with different storylines and more astrology! This won’t be for everyone but people that enjoy cats, magical realism and astrology will adore this page turner! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. ☕️🐈‍⬛♉️

Initially, I wasn’t sure what to think about this story. As things progressed I found I really liked it. I liked the magical realism and I liked all the little insights sprinkled throughout the story. I liked the flow of the story and also enjoyed the way things connect in the end. This was a cute short read that others should give a try.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the ARC of The Full Moon Coffee Shop!

This was a relatively cute and easy read! It’s very heavy on astrology which honestly I’ve never been into, and don’t really understand which is why I’m giving 3 stars. I did enjoy the story and thought the concept was sweet.

If you’re very into astrology this is definitely worth a read!

I thought this was a cute book with a unique premise. It was easy to read and quite enjoyable. I have loved most translated fiction I've read recently and this was no exception!

Unique cozy translated fiction. I loved the descriptions of the coffee shop and food. This book had great atmosphere. However, I felt that there was a bit more telling than showing, and the over explanation bogged it down for me. But! It was pretty cute and moved quickly. I'm happy to have had the opportunity to read it!

Translated from Japanese, The Full Moon Coffee Shop is a short but beautiful novel about how connected people are and the past meeting the present. It has a lovely full circle that’s soft and sweet, and peppered with desserts and drinks that sound delicious and magical, and plenty of talking cats. There’s also a great deal of astrology, which often went right over my head, but I liked how it connected to each character. This was a delight to read, and has exactly what I always expect and get in Japanese novels.

The Full Moon Coffee Shop has three chapters. The first two are devoted to two different women who once worked with each other, and who also have a connection to each other only one of them is aware of, though the second chapter also includes a third woman. The third chapter is split between two characters who are also connected to each other and the first two women. Despite each chapter focusing on a different character, the story deftly links them together, exploring their pasts as they were once part of the same group and played a huge role in the life of another person. It skillfully threads their lives, past and present, together, linking them in both times while also offering them a unique way of jumping over the hurdles in their present lives during their special visits to the magical Full Moon Coffee Shop, owned and run by talking cats who read the stars. This is a story that offers a unique way of saying thanks.

There’s something beautiful and soft in every book I’ve read so far that’s been translated from Japanese. These characters are so full of heart and feel so deeply, and it’s always kept so tightly locked up that getting these glimpses into their deep personal and emotional lives always feels like a treat. I love that each chapter focused on a different character or two. It could make the novel feel episodic and the characters’ problems easily solved, but there’s just so much emotional depth that I never minded. Instead, I was more intrigued by how they were all connected and what it would lead them to. I loved finding out just how they happened to know and remember each other, and getting the different sides gave yet another layer of depth.

Then there’s the Full Moon Coffee Shop itself. This place felt like pure celestial magic. Appearing only during full moons, not everyone is invited to just drop by. Each character somehow finds themselves there because they’re a little lost and could use some of the help the cats who run it offer. I loved that cats run the shop, and they’re not shy about it. They’re actually quite forthright, as I always expect cats to be if they could talk. They’re not exactly ones to mince words, and I liked that they just felt so unapologetic. The astrology part wasn’t exactly my favorite. I wasn’t expecting it, and I know next to nothing about it, so I sometimes felt like I was grasping at straws trying to decipher the wheels and what the cats were saying. Fortunately, the characters were able to put it together, and it did become easier to figure out as each chapter played out, but it felt like a massive info dump in the first chapter. The other chapters do a great job of streamlining it and building on what was given before, so it was easier by the end. The cats, though, were an absolute highlight for me, and it was fun getting to know them and their personalities.

I liked the human characters, too. Mizuki is a former star scriptwriter for TV shows who fell into obscurity when her stories were deemed irrelevant. My heart really felt for her, and I really liked that she was a recurring figure throughout the rest of the novel so the reader gets to find out exactly what happened to her after her visit to the Full Moon Coffee Shop. Akari is a former colleague of hers. She reveals an unexpected connection to Mizuki, so feels terrible about some bad news she had to deliver, though she’s also dealing with problems in her romantic life. I liked that her chapter also involved a disgraced actress who visited the coffee shop with her, and it was fantastic to watch her story play out as well. I was a little disappointed Akari wasn’t seen as much, but she’s connected to the last couple of characters, so that was lovely to see. Takashi discovers he has an unexpectedly amazing connection to Megumi, and his story involves a bit of romance that ends up playing a minute yet satisfactory role as he meets Megumi again. I loved diving into each of these characters and where they came from. The reader doesn’t get to spend a lot of time with any of them, but there’s a great deal of depth given to each of them and their emotions, so I came out of it feeling like I absolutely knew them.

The Full Moon Coffee Shop is a lovely novel. It’s a quick read, but offers plenty of food for thought as well as a heartwarming story. I loved seeing how connected the characters were. Their stories did seem like they were resolved rather quickly once they finished visiting the coffee shop, but perhaps they were just ready for a change and that’s why the coffee shop appeared to them, to offer that nudge in the right direction. Aside from all the astrology, I really enjoyed this. It’s sweet and soft, and I absolutely loved all the cats, and that one final connection all the characters had that’s discovered at the end managed to make me misty eyed.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a review copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

Note: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. Thank you, NetGalley and publishers.

The Full Moon Coffee Shop is a little slice of cozy fantasy blended with magical realism. A series of characters discover both the cafe and a new perspective on life and challenges. Especially recommended for those who loved the Heartbeat Library or Tales From the Morisaki Bookshop.

Cats, tasty beverages, Japanese culture, and magical realism? Yes, please! A cute, short novel in translation, The Full Moon Coffee Shop follows several different characters who are seemingly stuck in their lives who all stumble upon a pop-up coffee shop in which they are served delicious beverages and desserts designed specifically for them by talking cats.

I found the premise absolutely delightful, however the majority of the story focused on astrology and natal charts. I can usually get fully behind magical realism, but the astrology for me personally was a bit too much woo, even though the lessons that the characters learned were universally important. The overabundance of astrology explaining why the characters chose to make the life decisions they did overtook the enjoyment of the journey of the characters themselves. I would have happily enjoyed reading further about their lives after their nightly stop at the Full Moon Coffee Shop.

For those who love astrology, this book is definitely for you. Unfortunately, this one was one that I liked, but ultimately did not fall in love with.

Thank you to NetGalley, Ballantine Books, and Mai Mochizuki for an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.