Hana's first day running a Tokyo pawn shop that deals exclusively in choices takes a turn when she discovers that her father has gone missing. We follow Hana through a beautifully crafted world beyond the streets of Tokyo as she searches for her father and faces choices of her own.

Water Moon is a thoughtful examination of fate, longing, and regret. The rules of the magical/fantastical elements at times felt a bit loose, and some of the legs of the adventure could've benefitted from more depth and less breadth, but overall, this was a touching, cozy read that would be great for someone looking for a lighter fantasy novel.

Thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Thanks to Del Rey for an e-ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!

DNF'd at 41%! I wasn't a fan of the following: pacing, character's growing romantic attraction, and, to some extent, writing style. I appreciated some of the emotional sentiments, but the writing style was kinda lackluster for me. Hana and Keishin's growing attraction was even more lackluster than the writing style unfortunately. Neither characters were compelling on a thematic level and the pacing wasn't helpful either. I have only read up to this point because of the short chapters. Once the chapters took me more than 20 minutes, I started to notice how Hana and Keishin lacked chemistry. At last, I couldn't bother to keep going after they kissed.

Another thing about these two characters are why they like each other: they have never met anyone like them. For Hana, she was sheltered while growing in an otherworldly pawnshop. Nothing about Keishin's eyes could convince me why Hana would fall in love with him. For Keishin, he got an opportunity to see the world beyond what he thinks he knows about our universe as a physicist. He was instantly attracted to her and wanted to keep being in her personal space too many times. The only thing I have found interesting about him is his abandonment issues, which was mentioned only a couple of times. Nothing about these two can convince me that they are in love (this is not a romance, so uncertain on HEA).

The mystery behind Hana's father's disappearance is making this book longer than it should be. Hana and Keishin go to many places in her otherworld, but I never felt settled in any of them. We are just hopping around until we find more clues, which led to more questions than answers honestly. Unfortunately, this was a complete miss for me.

So, first of all, I don’t think I’d classify this as cozy fantasy, despite the marketing. Having that expectation actually made it harder for me to get into the book. Once I let they go, though, I fell in love with the story. It’s weird, wandering, and fantastical in the best way. There’s certainly romance, but there’s adventure at the heart of everything. A weird world where nothing is as it seems… with a deeply unexpected (to me) reveal late in the novel.

I loved Water Moon. It felt whimsical but not untethered. For each element of magic and myth there were deep emotions that felt real and personal to Hana and the reader. This was such a fun and sweet journey that had me hooked!

I thought I knew what the story was going to be after the first chapter, but I was so wrong. Water Moon took me on an adventure unlike any I’ve experienced before. It’s magical, fantastical, and reality-bending, with a touch of romance to boot. Samantha Sotto Yambao masterfully weaves a tale that feels both otherworldly and deeply human. This was a super special read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the advanced copy. This was a journey I won’t soon forget!

I remember seeing the announcement for this book and eagerly awaited it ever since. The concept is original and beautiful, about a pawnshop that buys your regrets, and Hana and Keishin’s search for Hana’s father. I started reading this for the Ghibli vibes and the most gorgeous cover I’ve ever seen, and it 100% fulfilled the itch for me. I loved both the main characters, how relatable they were, and particularly really loved Keishin and how sweet he was to Hana. Overall, a delightful, whimsical, and heartfelt story about our choices in life and the cost of regret.

As much as I really wanted to love this because I absolutely loved the premise, I feel like it was hard for me to kind of connect with the characters and the writing style and therefore I didn't feel as invested in it as I was hoping to be. The ideas here were really fun, so it was probably more of a me thing.

There were definitely some parts that worked for me, but overall was a miss. I feel I would give Sotto Yambao another try in the future though.

This is a quiet dreamlike book where, like a dream, you just move from scene to scene without much reaction. Hana works at her father's pawnshop (where the only customers are people who thought they would be eating at a beloved ramen restaurant but instead magically end up at a store where you can pawn your regrets and be free of lost hopes). She's about to take over, but on the morning of the first day of her father's retirement, she wakes up to find him gone, and the store ransacked, with one of the wares missing. The story develops from there; it's a very visual world, with magic that would work well on a screen, some romance, and some adventure. Somehow, I still found myself outside the story, but other readers might find themselves caught up in it.

Thanks to the author, the publisher, and Netgalley for my free earc in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley for the free copy in return for a fair review!

When a young scientist stumbles into a mysterious pawnshop that buys your greatest regrets, he and the new shopkeeper end up on a wild goose chase looking for the shopkeeper’s father through realms of dreams and nightmares, finding the devastating answers to questions they never asked. This standalone adult contemporary Japanese-inspired fantasy was a wonderful breath of fresh air for me.

The story’s setting is the particular star here, from the author’s careful and empathetic portrayals of the pawnshop’s business, to vivid descriptions of worlds etched in ink and museums built of memory cranes. The author also lovingly paints both protagonists' viewpoints so we get their unique ways of processing while still obscuring enough for some surprise twists later.

I think the only weakness was the story’s climax, when shopkeeper Hana finally finds her missing father. The story had pinned Hana’s determination to reunite her family as her goal, yet when she actually makes it to her destination, not only does she barely get to talk to him, but a surprise revelation about the scientist Kei draws away focus from what should be the emotional climax for Hana. While I know the plot needed to advance in certain ways, I wish she could’ve processed some of the answers uncovered during her journey with her family instead of by herself, as reaching closure before she found her father didn’t feel realistic.

Otherwise, I would highly recommend this book for the thoughtful meditations on the meaning of fate and purpose, while whisking this reader away on a dreamy adventure. I will be gazing into every puddle now, hoping to find another world within.

A beautiful and dreamy landscape of what ifs.

Oddly enough I found the pawnshop at the center of the story to be the least interesting part of this world, at least from a conceptual standpoint. I tend not to like high concept fantasy like this as well as other subgenres, but this has both an atmospheric aura about it that is wonderfully drawn, and some conceptual thought exercise-driven plot points that are intriguing to ponder.

While the pawn shop itself is a bit too out there and vague for me, the ideas of traveling on a rumor or hiding in a secret were fascinating, and while we didn’t find the central relationship of particular interest, the individual characters are well drawn and compelling.

Have you ever read a book that leaps into your heart and holds it the entire time? This book put a smile on my heart and I enjoyed every moment of it! 5 Stars!
Placed in Tokyo, Hanna is taking over running a special pawnshop after her father retires. A pawnshop that accepts a person's regret. Not everyone can find the pawnshop, but a handsome stranger does, soon after a startling event. Now they must work together to rescue family, time and themselves.
The reader is taken on a wonderful adventure, where time is bent, and not all is what it seems. The writing is very descriptive, and you can't help but visualize the scenes. The scenes are beautiful and magical! The characters are lovable, relatable, and sometimes scary.
The writing is beautiful. Wonderful gems about time, choices, and love.
"People revisit the past to relive pleasant memories, chase away bad ones, or both."
This book is lyrical, and magical, and warms your heart.
A book to re-read!
I am so glad Netgalley granted me an eARC of this book!

Water Moon feels like Alice in Wonderland but make it a J-Drama. This was one trippy quest romance. I didn't see the twists coming, but some of them felt unpleasant. The writing style is devoid of adjectives in a way that makes it feel like a sparse translation of a dream. I wanted more from the language and the characters, who felt as one dimensional as the sentences. A doctor, but not the useful kind, and a pawnbroker, manipulator by trade, both were not especially likeable. Despite that, major points earned for the dreamy, imaginative quality of the prose. The stops along the quest were varied and unique, extremely interesting to read. It would have been even better if I cared more about the characters along the way too.
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Del Rey for this ARC!

After seeing Water Moon in many “most anticipated books of 2025” lists, I was intrigued. Okay, the cover *may* have had something to do with it as well. I’m happy to report that the gorgeous cover suits the essence of the story - fantastical, mysterious, and full of possibility.

The whimsical setting was one of my favorite aspects about this book. Yambao creates some vivid imagery through her lush descriptions, bringing this dreamlike world to life. The writing has many profound moments, I found myself highlighting many quotes throughout the book.

Despite this book including many elements that I typically gravitate toward, there was just something off about it for me. I think my biggest issue was that it felt like the characters were constantly on the move, which made the pacing feel too rushed without proper development. Another big point of contention was the instalove situation. A gradual romantic development would have felt more authentic.

While I enjoyed my time reading Water Moon, I just didn’t love it as much as I wanted.

*Thank you to the publisher for providing an eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***

A pawnshop where clients can exchange their regrets. A missing father. And a visitor from another world. Hana’s world gets turned upside down in a world where nothing is quite as it seems.

I’ve seen this described as Studio Ghibli vibes, which is absolutely true! The ethereal feel of the different places we visit with Hana and Kei felt like I was grasping at smoke while I was reading. I just wish we could have spent more time in the locations, especially the Library of the Lost!

And it’s also a moving story about what happens when we let our fears control us, and how difficult it is to acknowledge the consequences of our choices and the purpose of regret. It’s also got a very sweet love story, although it developed a little too quickly for my taste.

Thanks to both NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for this arc.

This was absolutely delightful. For me, cozy fantasy is very hit or miss. It's all about that delicate balance of fluff, over-description, and just enough plot to keep you interested. While this book had a bit of a rocky start, I am happy to report that this book was lovely and had exactly what I wanted.

To start with the good, it just excels in whimsy, fun, and frivolity. Technically, all that happens in this book is that we watch the characters wander from place to place in a magical world, following the breadcrumbs of a mystery Hana's father has left behind. However, I think that exact thing is what I loved so much about this. This book feels no need to establish some elaborate world building to wow the reader with. It just allows itself to display fun and interesting things because it wants to. They travel through rain puddles, the ocean is made of clouds, and there are museums of memories, because why not? It was just very, very fun, and I enjoyed this whimsical journey.

As for complaints, this book did have me a bit underwhelmed, as I found myself constantly confused or uninterested by the plot at first. Thankfully, it's just a bit of a weak start, and I'd say it took me about 100 pages to be fully invested, at which point I could barely put this down. There is also a bit of insta-love in this. It didn't bother me too much as the romance isn't the main focus of the plot, but it is worth noting.

Overall, I had such a fun time with this, and it was a very enjoyable and relaxing read. While it may not be the most expertly written novel I've read, if you like cozy fantasy or cozy mysteries, you should absolutely give this a shot.

100/100 or 5.0 stars

Stunning. I loved everything about this universe that Yambao created.

I love maigical realism, and this was done in such a cool and engaging way. I didn't want the book to be over, which has been a long time since I felt that way while reading. I will absolutely be trying to find a physical copy now that the book is out, as I want this in my physical library.
The writing and atmosphere were impeccable. I will read anything else that Yambao writes going forward!

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of Water Moon.

Occasionally, I’ll read a book in a genre outside my comfort zone to break up the monotony of the thriller/suspense books I always read.

Water Moon sounded intriguing; I don’t read fantasy, but the premise really drew me in.

It started out interesting, but as I kept reading, I started to get annoyed.

The constant jumping back and forth between these surreal worlds was distracting. The descriptions are beautiful and what these worlds do and are capable of, but we never stay long in them to find out more.

There’s little exposition and depth to these magical places, before we move on to the next fantasy realm.

I’m not a fan of romance for romance sakes and I’m against “I love you” the second the main characters lay eyes on each other.

That meant the insta-love connection between Kei and Hana was a huge turnoff for me, especially since they kept speaking lovey-dovey to one another.

And don’t get me started on the love triangle. Sheesh

Writing is good, but dialogue is formal, stilted. People don’t speak like this in real life, fantasy world or not.

Hana is barely developed; it’s her fate to operate the pawnshop for her life but that doesn’t mean she has to be boring and without a personality.

Kei is okay, a little more developed but he sounds pretty boring and his Freudian mommy issues made him less of a catch and more someone who needed to get on Dr. Freud’s couch ASAP.

If anything, I wanted to find out more about the Shiikuin. They reminded me of the Dementors from Harry Potter.

When I began putting this book down to read something else, I knew it was a bad sign. It took me almost two months to finish this.

The premise had great potential but cheesy romance tropes and corny dialogue drained the fantasy and magic out of the narrative.

This book is a slow, slow, slow build... but it is lovely. I struggled through the first 40% of this one in print. It didn't feel like it was really going anywhere. Once I snagged a copy of the audiobook I got it. This book is beautiful, it just takes time which some will, understandably, not want to give. My only complaint is that the love story was a weak link, not unnecessary, just a little insta-love for this type of book.

I loved the idea of this book, but I struggled to stay focused reading with how many jumps in time there were. It was such a beautiful concept and writing, but I would have preferred it to be slightly more linear.

Really whimsical and magical world that focuses on themes such as regret, choices, and free-will. An easy recommendation for all cozy fantasy readers and general readers.