Thank you, NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group Ballentine – Del Ray, for this advanced reading copy of this beautiful, lyrical, poetic book.

On the morning of Hana inheriting her family’s mystical pawnshop, she wakes up to the shop ransacked and her father missing, along with the shop’s front door open to the “outside” world and the previous visitor to the pawnshop regret missing. Intersecting and inspecting the clues her father left, Hana navigates her world with the help of a curious stranger who stumbles into the mix. The reader is thrust into a world they can only imagine! A world where traveling by jumping into a pool of water to get to another part of town is possible, or journeying to a village where everyone helps to get ready for night to come by painting the stars. Not only is Hana giving the reader and Keishin a glimpse into her world and navigating the clues to find her father, but she is also running from the Shiikuin, who are known to punish those for disrupt the balance of their world. But Hana gets so much more as she uncovers the truth of her family’s past. Will Hana and Keishin find her father without getting caught by the Shiikuin and return the balance to the pawnshop? You will have to read the book to find out!

As I read more fantasy books, I am intrigued by the mimicry of folklore and the different cultures the stories represent. Japanese culture is beautiful and portrayed whimsically. This book was beautiful and poetic. The author dropped many life lessons and words of wisdom throughout this book as Hana and Keishin journeyed through the mystical world. Her world maintained balance by not mirroring the mistakes of our world. The people had their futures mapped out on their bodies, which was revealed when it rained. They knew their professions, who they would marry, and how they would die. Not only that, they were grateful and did not live with greed. I purchased this book and will be rereading this.

Water Moon was a magical trip through a fairy-tale like setting, with ponds that will let you transverse universes, the ability to travel on the wings of a rumor, a night sky lit with stars made of hope manifested, and candles that record the prayers of the person who last whispered to them.

Each new leg of the adventure that Hana and Keishin found themselves in while being pursued by the terrifying Sheikun brought me the pure joy of one of my favorite aspects of reading fantasy: getting to see the creativity of the author on display as we get new little morsels of whimsy in their fantastical world. Samantha Sotto Yambao has created a lovely, albeit at times cold and terrifying, world that felt like a magical dream as I discovered more along with Keishin, our reader stand-in. Along the way, we explore the theme of choices, how the choices we make define us, the regrets our choices may leave behind, and the reality that we will always have a choice, for better or for worse. The characters in the story were charming and interesting, but the setting and world-building is truly what shines throughout. While there is information we learn at the end that adds helpful context to some of the relationships we see develop throughout the story (avoiding spoilers), the one piece in this story that fell flat for me personally was the instant-love between Hana and Keishin. For me as a reader, I know I enjoy more of a slow-burn build up between characters destined for romance, but this is just a preference and does not at all deter me from recommending this book to other readers! This books is perfect for fans of Studio Ghibli-esque tone or style, or those who want a cozy fantasy read without sacrificing the suspense or emotional impact of the plot lines.

Water Moon is a beautifully written, thoughtfully crafted, and flawlessly executed novel—I was genuinely so impressed.

The prose is lyrical without being overdone, the story rich with emotion and nuance. Every element, from the character development to the pacing, feels intentional and deeply considered.

It’s the kind of book that quietly stays with you

I received an advanced copy of Water Moon from Netgalley and the publisher and am leaving this review voluntarily.

I wanted to like Water Moon so badly. I had heard it was reminiscent of Studio Ghibli films, and I was ready for the whimsical, slightly nonsensical journey I was about to go on. Unfortunately, I was left utterly confused and somewhat bored.

After reading some books in the magical realism genre, I'm beginning to think that they are not for me. While I can deal with some lack of structure and a bit of "well, that makes no sense to me, but I guess it makes sense in the non-rules of this world," when absolutely nothing is explained, I have to draw the line. I was so completely lost through half of the book I had read before I DNF'd. The first few chapters were fascinating, but things started rushing downhill once Hana's father disappeared, and Keishin showed up.

I am entirely behind Hana knowing what's going on and being able to navigate the confusing world she lives in. She lives there. She should absolutely have things figured out. Keishin, on the other hand, lives in the real world and yet, when introduced to these fantastical notions like traveling through puddles, has next to no questions. His unwavering acceptance of everything that was going on made me unnaturally annoyed. How are you not freaking out, Keishin? Hana isn't because this is normal for her. This is not normal for you.

Also, there were chapters of backstory (love it) that were apparently Keishin and Hana telling the other person those stories (don't love it). Does that make sense? We would be doing something, have a chapter of backstory that I thought was just backstory, and then we would come back to the present day, and one of them would comment about said story. I would sit there and scratch my head because there was no indication that that backstory was a story they were telling the other person. I'm unsure if I worded any of this correctly, but just know I was as confused as you are.

The romance wasn't doing it for me. The writing was trying to be lyrical but, in the process, lost what it was actually trying to say. I thought Hana's world was beautiful and fascinating, but it wasn't enough to keep me reading. The characters were flat and highly prone to oversharing with a stranger if the backstory stories are any indication. I don't know. There was a lot.

A lot of people are going to like Water Moon. It truly is a beautiful story. Unfortunately, I might have to take a step back from magical realism as they aren't my cup of tea.

This book was cozy, mysterious, and thought-provoking. Every part of this book was unique and creative, and at times felt like a fever dream, but in a fun way. The descriptions and fantastical elements made this story like nothing I’ve ever read before, and it definitely wasn’t what I expected at first. However, it was quite slow and took a bit to really draw me in.

I enjoyed the characters and the world, and was always wondering what would come next. The romance didn’t feel that believable to me, and was a bit to insta-love for my taste, but I still found myself rooting for the two main characters. I enjoyed the story’s focus on choices, and how even small ones can alter a person’s life for good or bad.

While this wasn’t my typical style of book I did enjoy my time with it and would recommend to others.

I spent most of the time I was reading this wondering if it would be peak White Person to compare this to “Spirited Away,” and I ultimately came down on the side of “maybe but it’s also correct” so. The comparison stands.

I absolutely adored the world building. The museum of choices? Paying for things with seconds of time? I thought they were bright and exciting and I would read a book about almost any of the settings in Hana’s world.

Provided those books were written by someone else. Overall the language felt really stiff and stilted - especially any dialogue. The pacing was all over the place and the instalove did not work for me. I think there are people who will enjoy this book - but if you are the type of person whose immersion is broken by cringe prose? Probably give this a skip.

I started off loving this SO much but the characterization was just so poor in the end. Specifically the dynamic and relationship between the main two characters felt so ridiculous and immediate to me that I couldn’t take it seriously at all, I have truly never seen insta-love done this obviously before. There is no reason these characters like each other, they don’t KNOW each other and they have no emotional or chemical connection whatsoever. The setting and world building however was marvelous but in the end I still needed to DNF half way through because the writing for these two characters was just so flat and unsatisfying.

Thanks to Netgalley for an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for a review!

I read this one around its release and have finally put my thoughts together. There were elements of this book that I enjoyed (like the whimsical elements of the world that give it the Ghibli comparison) but a few things fell flat for me. I wish we had more of the magical pawn shop-such a cool idea!

I didn’t love how the relationship was insta-love and some of the dialogue was trying to be so lyrical and beautiful that it just felt unrealistic to how people talk.

I felt like some interesting facts that were included about the characters backstories didn’t end up being relevant to the plot and I think more could’ve been done with them. Despite there being a solid narrative through line that explained the journey the characters took, I felt like things were a bit disjointed and like each individual scene was included just to show off another part of the world but didn’t flow together.

Most flashbacks seemed irrelevant (the elevator scene….) and I didn’t understand their inclusion except to try to give the characters more depth but I think I would’ve preferred those pages to have been used to explore the characters directly leading up to or during their adventure.

I have always had a fondness for fantasy novels that pull from real life. The alternate realities that could lie waiting in rain puddles. This book was extremely clever and beautifully written.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read a free copy of this novel in exchange for my honest opinion.

Studio Ghibli feels BUT the plot can get a bit overcomplicated at times and the romance almost falls flat because of it. Still an enjoyable read and really interesting concept, but overall I was a bit disappointed when everything was said and done.

A read that feels cozy and magical. Walking into a mysterious world very different from our own. An emotional ride.

3.75 ⭐️s
I have mixed but positive feelings about Water Moon. I think in part, because I was expecting a cozy tale (why, Im not sure). There are definitely cozy, wonderous descriptions throughout. However, there is also adventure, mystery, and love. Of which, i dont think any were fully explored? I still have a lot of questions regarding Hana's life. Overall, this tale seemed more centered on the environment/world/realm more so than the MCs, Hana and Keishin.
I'd love to see Water Moon adapted into film. As other reviews have stated, there are big Studio Ghibli vibes.
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Del Rey for the eARC!

It was romantic in different ways. The way they talked about the world around the main character, and how they interacted was in itself peaceful and romanticized. I also thoroughly enjoyed the relationship between the MC and love interest.

Oh my goodness this book was so beautiful. The writing is lush and poetic. The entire story was such a dream. I don't think I've ever read anything like this. It's going to stay with me for a long time.

Ya’ll. I love portal fantasy. I love it so much and this is romantic portal fantasy done in a pitch perfect way. The world created in this book gets deeper and more twisted the further you go but these characters continue to evolve right along with it so even when the big twists come, you are sold on them as the messy, perfect creatures they are. Read this book when you are ready to have your heart broken and come back stronger from it. Drink this book: enjoy with a really natty, unfiltered Riesling full of aromatics and not exactly what you expect it to be.

I wanted to love this book much more than I did. The synopsis of this book sounded so cool but unfortunately, I felt like the characters in this were one dimensional. I also started to lose interest once the romance element was introduced. I never really found myself rooting for the couple and just wanted to move on to the other parts of the plot. While I still enjoyed some elements of the story, overall, I found myself wanting more from it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free digital Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for a review.

Samantha Sotto Yambao’s Water Moon is a beautifully immersive journey through a world where regrets can be traded, and magic hides in the everyday. The novel follows Hana Ishikawa, who inherits her father’s mystical Tokyo pawnshop—a place where people barter their deepest regrets for a chance at a different future. But when her father disappears and the shop is ransacked, Hana teams up with a charming physicist to uncover the truth, leading them through portals hidden in rain puddles and markets suspended in the clouds.

What truly shines in Water Moon is its worldbuilding. Every new place Hana and her companion visit feels like stepping into a dream, with each location offering its own vignette-like moment. The novel almost reads like an interconnected collection of short stories, each with its own quiet magic and melancholy. Sotto Yambao’s lyrical prose makes these settings come alive, capturing both wonder and wistfulness in equal measure.

What kept this from being a full five-star read for me was the depth of the characters. While the world was stunningly crafted, I wanted to feel a stronger emotional connection to Hana and the people she meets along the way. At times, they felt more like conduits for the novel’s ideas than fully realized individuals. That said, the novel’s exploration of regrets, destiny, and the weight of our choices makes for a thought-provoking and rewarding read.

Highly recommended for readers who love immersive, magical worlds and stories that ask big existential questions.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

4 stars. This was beautiful. Loved this and normally i'm not so much into fantasy. thanks netgalley & the publisher for the arc in exchange for an honest review

I originally rated this book 3.25 stars, but after sitting overnight and thinking about it, I actually enjoyed this book so much more.
This story is about how every decision you make affects a bigger part of your future - think the butterfly effect, and it does it beautifully.

The part that made me originally rated this lower was that I don’t think we got enough time in the worlds within this story. They were so beautiful and imaginative. Everyone comparing this to Spirited Away is so right - it gives those vibes and has a similar magical realism that pulls you in, but I wanted to get to know the world more.

Secondly, the last half of the book felt very rushed and I did find myself having to go back and read pages over to make sure I fully understood the plot twists that came up and it could have used some polishing.

Overall though, I absolutely adore this book so much. It was such a fun read and I read this all in one sitting basically. I need more cozy magical realism fantasy books, please.

A big shout out and thank you to the publisher for providing me with a complimentary copy of Water Moon in exchange for an honest review!

The concept of Water Moon is so absolutely phenomenal, that I must’ve spoken about it to literally anyone who saw me sitting with my Kindle these last few days. Every single person found the premise as interesting as I did—irrespective of what genre of fiction they generally enjoy. A magical pawnshop that makes deals over regrets and choices. It doesn’t get better than this and I stand by that statement.

My favourite kind of reads are those whose tone you can sense from the beginning. The best part is when said tone remains the same throughout the book. From the moment you begin Water Moon you’re aware of how the book will likely read. The best way I can compare it is to the lull you feel while sitting beside the sea, listening to the sound of the waves, while the rest of the world sleeps. This music remains throughout the book, giving off that sense of whimsy and magical realism until the very end.

However … what made this book alluring is also what makes it hard to grasp. Everytime it nears you and you reach for it, it slips through your fingers and leaves you with nothing to hold on to. The plot of the story is honestly quite simple (with the perfectly complex set-up laid out), however to me the execution of it made it hard to follow through in terms of enjoying it. With whimsical adventures that take you on several detours, time shifts that take away from the moment to provide some insight that was often a bit surprising to me and made me think required some trigger warnings perhaps, I was more often than not reeling in confusion. The connections made across chapters, situations and characters fell short in my eyes because the whimsy didn’t have anything firm holding them together. Imagine tying together something as infinite and impossible to grip as waves, it’s impossible. Personally for me, the thread of the story’s purpose diluted to give way to beautiful scenery, whimsical imagery and a dreamlike storytelling.

The world in this book is … vast. This means the world building is continuous and happens at every turn. The things work in the heroine’s world—whose functions are often the reverse of how it is in the outside world—takes up a lot of space in this book. The aforementioned adventures that line up to take turns appearing, often take up more scene space in the book and real estate in the mind than anything else about the world, thus making every revelation not as hard hitting as they had the potential to be.

The characters were… it’s hard to define them without spoiling something that happens in the book that would be the perfect example of how they appear. Every character has moments of depth and moments of being … insubstantial. It’s hard to put a pin on the relationship/connection between the main characters given the speed at which everything takes place. We somehow know a lot and nothing about them at the same time, if that makes sense. There are monumental scenes that take place but the gaps in understanding only further expand with each scene because of how unconnected they seem. At least, that was my experience.

The pace was thus, something I struggled with as everything felt both wonderfully immersive and confusingly unclear at the same time.

However, if you’re looking for a dream-like experience that takes you to places you could never imagine, with lots of wonderful cultural references and traditions, then dive right in! This might be just the book for you!

Please do check trigger warnings before reading, there were things in this book that I was surprised to find and I wouldn’t want someone who might struggle with those themes to walk in blind. Happy reading.