The book captivated me from the very first pages. Engaging plot and unique characters. An enchanting magical world.

Water Moon very quickly draws you in with the mysteriousness of the restaurant/pawn shop. The creativity and detail Yambao puts into creating the world is wonderful. It's full of twists and turns but not overly complicated. And while you expect the main characters to get their happy ending (because that's the basis of storytelling) there are a couple twists at the end that I was not expecting. I thought the pacing of the book was good. Fast enough to help the concept of Kei and Hana being on the run but not so fast that details get missed. I also think the cover art is beautiful.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I started this book and it has a slow buildup, but over time it got much better. The characters were interesting and the story was beautiful. It made me kinda sad but it was a great book, plus the cover is very pretty

I received this DRC from NetGalley.

I enjoyed this one. I think the author did a good job in introducing us to this world and incorporating a lot of creative ideas. In particular, I liked the mode of transportation that was used towards the end of the book. The book is pretty fast paced, since the characters are on the run the whole time, which kept it an entertaining and quick read. There are also several reveals that occur. I felt like one of the big ones was kind of brushed off too quickly. But I still overall appreciated how many things were explained.

This is a great book for some people... but maybe not so for others. It is a sentimental story that begins in a mysterious, magical pawnshop hidden away in Asakusa, Tokyo, where a young woman is about to inherit the management of the store from her father. The shop is where people pawn their regrets. If that premise appeals to you, I recommend this book with the caveat that you should check out a sample and read the first couple chapters before you buy it.

Because Chapter Three is as far as I got before I stopped reading. I don't DNF a book lightly. I have to be certain that there is no way I could bring myself to finish it. However, after a few pages, the young woman mentions how the shop is her "ikigai" and my initial reaction wasn't "Oh that is sweet." Instead it was, "oh, no, are they also going to mention other romanticized concepts marketed to the West, like the bittersweet tradition of 'kintsugi' as a metaphor for how people should fix what is broken?" That is the moment I realized that I was feeling too cynical to enjoy this story.

When (to my lack of surprise) kintsugi got mentioned a few pages later, I stopped reading. So I only finished the first two chapters before I realized this was not for me.

I've lived in and around the Tokyo Metropolitan area for many years, so I'm coming into this story with my own experiences and feelings has made it apparent that I that do not seem to mesh well with the author's approach. I see deep, emotional concepts like ikigai and the practice of kintsugi discussed outside of Japan, especially to western audiences, but when it comes to living there as an average person, it never really is mentioned much. I've never seen kintsugi used to fix a bowl, for example -- if you break a bowl these days, you won't fix it with gold in Japan. It takes time and effort, so some folks might, but you can usually buy a new ceramic bowl for cheap at the store.

Asakusa feels rather romanticized as well -- I've been there many times and I do find the side streets pretty and somewhat otherworldly on the surface, but I tend to think of the place as a huge tourist trap. Imagining a secret shop there doesn't intrigue me due to my own experiences, so I know that reading this book would be difficult. It's not the fault of the world the author has built -- it's mine for not being the right reader for the book. With this particular approach to Japanese culture and with flowery metaphors that don't suit my preference, I was not finding any connection with the characters nor their pawnshop clients.

I did not enjoy this story and stopped reading early on, but I will give it a 2 stars because I am required to give it a star rating on Netgalley and I can give it credit for being a really cool concept and book cover. I also think it is a book for those who enjoy a particularly sentimental style of writing with a romantic view of Japan. I recommend that you read a few pages before you buy. If you vibe with with the world and the writing style, you'll likely be in the right headspace to enjoy it.

This book’s cover is what drew me in and I’m so glad it did! The book was a dream-like escape for me. I loved the fantasy and atmosphere which was lots of fun to imagine. This is a beautiful, twisty, thought-provoking and just absolutely good book to read. I enjoyed it and hope others do, too!

Kai ruined it for me, and not it a good way. Like most, I lost the connection as soon as he entered the pawnshop. He was so unbelievable as a character and the instant love connection felt so forced that his entire existence in this book was an insult to logic itself.
The attempt to solve the underlying mysteries that were so well-established early on dropped off almost immediately, and it ultimately ruined the world-building. The constant hunting quest to go this place and find that nonsense didn't do it for me, and the prose felt forced. If I were to sit here and analyze it further, it felt like two different authors co-wrote this to complete a manuscript. If the author could go back in with a stronger alpha reader or a developmental editor I think this could be totally savable and redeemable, but based on Kai's presence I doubt it.

Water Moon stole my breath from my lungs and filled them with hope in its place. This lyrical novel is so brilliant and tenderly crafted, presenting a world that's both cozy and full of terrors.

What an evocative, beautifully dreamlike experience. As others are saying, the beginning is particularly compelling, but once things are truly rolling along, I do think the atmosphere and wonderful prose carries the novel to its conclusion.

This one started out so strong, and I was really invested in Hana's story. I loved the concept of the pawnshop hidden behind the ramen door, and the idea of being able to pawn choices to change the course of your life is such a magical, fabulous one! I was all in to figure out why her father disappeared, what happened to her mother, and how the uber-mysterious masked figures fit into the world... It seemed like I was going to find this one every bit as magical as Love and Gravity, which I adored.

Then Kei entered the pawnshop.

From there, frankly, I lost the threads and the connection to this story entirely. I found his character utterly unbelievable and the insta-spark between the two to defy logic or believability. The series of endless "let's go HERE!" objectives, seemingly set in an attempt to solve the underlying mysteries that were so well-established early on, fell flat for me and started to feel repetitive, even while the world-building grew ever more unique. But the world wasn't enough to hold me to the story, unfortunately, and my savage interest never returned.

This one was not a good fit for me at all. It felt uneven, almost as though it were written by two different authors piecing the story together. Three stars still for the fabulous start and wholly original world-building, but the story itself just didn't do it for me...

Thank you NetGalley for this amazing arc! This felt like a fever dream in the best way. The world building was great. It was quick and easy read. A unique fantasy story with interesting twists.

Point me to a crossroads because I would sell my soul to have Miyazaki drag himself out of retirement yet again to animate this gut-wrenchingly emotional and insanely fantastical story.

Huge thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, the author, and whomever clicked the button approving me for this ARC because I did not open this book expecting it to become one of my absolute favorite books I’ve ever read and I am beyond thankful.

I’ve been sitting here, just staring this review, trying to hard to come up with more to type but I’m honestly just at a loss for words and saying “five stars, fully recommend” just feels disgustingly insufficient.

2.5/5

I was stoked when I came across this in Net Galley, I loved the cover I loved the description - I was so excited to dive into this! I really enjoyed the first part of the book with Hana in the pawnshop - the ambiance and the descriptions of the shop itself and Tokyo outside of it and the mystery of the shop - captivating. Sadly, once Kaishin enters the story everything really fell flat for me. The character development is severely lacking and the whole story is just a fetch quest (go here to get that, then go here, oh no you're getting chased, gotta go here quick and on and on and on). I found myself skimming the book just to finish, it took me almost a month because I was so bored and disinterested. A huge let down for me and a big surprise since many of the landscapes and magical places they go to are very much up my alley but because of the fetch quest-y storyline I lost complete interest.

I initially applied for this book because of its beautiful cover on NetGalley, but it did not disappoint. I really enjoy Japanese literature and my Asian heritage so why not? It did take me awhile to get through it, but every time I picked it back up, I was transported into the magical land that Hana & Kei were traversing. I think I couldn't read it as fast because there was definitely a lot of world building and a lot of things are thoroughly explained in the book. It's whimsical and there are surprises waiting for you at every turn. Strap in!

“What I’ve experienced here feels like it would overflow from just one lifetime. I feel stretched, struggling, every second that I’m here, to fit everything into a tiny room that used to be my whole world.”

A beautiful, terrifying dream. Transitions crashing you off the path you thought you were taking. Delightful. Maddening. Unexpected.

If you need straight lines, this may not be your cup of tea. I loved the ride.

Thank you to Random House and the author for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley.

I really loved this book. It is beautifully written. My brain imagined every detail so vividly. It is a high stakes, thrilling adventure. I honestly was so captivated by this story. And the twists! So good. Love love love.

Thank you Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley for giving the opportunity to read this arc in exchange for my honest review.

I threw my TBR away the moment I got this ARC, and I was rewarded so well for it. From the very first line, I knew this would be a beautiful read.

This novel put me to sleep - in a good way. It's a whimsical, dream-like fantasy story about a pawnshop and its newest owner. It's about choices, fate, and the cost of regret. Nothing is as it seems in this story. The characters are endearing, and the plot has surprising depth for a cozy fantasy, with some good twists. This one's for the Studio Ghibli and Makoto Shinkai fans.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for an eARC of the book in exchange for an honest review!

"Unanswered questions were like boxes you never opened, their contents vanishing and reappearing, stretching and contracting, being nothing and everything all at once."

You know that moment after waking from a particularly cozy dream when your brain struggles to separate the world you dreamed in from the real world? You rub at the sleep in your eyes and try to recall the details of the dream, but everything is fuzzy around the edges and then by mid-day, all you can remember is that you dreamt something lovely. Water Moon is just like that- a fever dream that is just as whimsical as it is heartfelt and thought provoking.

The blurb doesn't quite do the full scope and depth of this story justice and I am 100% certain if I stick to my regular review format, I will accidentally include spoilers and I think this book has the best impact going in the way I did, completely unaware of anything other than that very intriguing blurb. However, I will say this, I am a big fan of the kind of stories that punch you right in the feels and Water Moon is precisely that in the very best way. You won't be sobbing into your pillow, but the beautiful prose and the emphasis on choices coupled with the kind of world building that any Studio Ghibli fan will love, will have you clutching your kindle (or physical copy, because you're gonna need one to annotate, trust me) and holding your breath.

Some final thoughts:
This is definitely a recommendation for anyone who loves the whimsy, romance and tenderness of Howl's Moving Castle. I would also recommend this book to my fellow fans of authors like Hannah Whitten, Olivia Atwater and Rachel Gillig-as the lovely prose and unique world-building will likely vibe well for you.

I want to send a very heartfelt and sincere thank you to Samantha Soto Yambao, Del Rey, Random House and NetGalley for sharing an e-ARC of this beautiful story with me.

“A woman inherits a pawnshop where you can sell your regrets, and then embarks on a magical journey when a charming young physicist wanders into the shop, in this dreamlike and enchanting fantasy novel.”

I stole the blurb because it was too perfect. This book feels like reading a daydream, if that makes any sense. (Of course it doesn’t, that’s the point of daydreams.) It’s whimsical and sweet and delightful, but also wistful and at times bittersweet. It’s about choices made and discarded, regrets, and how those things come to define us.

There’s a ramen shop on a particular street. This ramen shop is popular, with lines that often stretch out the door. But occasionally when someone walks through the door, they instead enter a pawnshop with a kindly proprietor, offering a cup of tea and gently asking about choices and regrets. Perhaps you’d like to unburden yourself? They can help with that, you know.

What happens to those choices once sold? What happens if one goes missing?

“.. life is about finding joy in the space between where you came from and where you are going. I may never get to where I want to go, but I can look back on my life and say that I did not waste a second of it being bitter that I was not someplace else. Happiness does not exist in a place. It lives in every breath we take. You need to choose to take it in, over and over again.”

If you liked Before the Coffee Gets Cold, or if you like the whimsical worlds of Seanan McGuire’s Wayward Children, this is a book made for you.

Thank you NetGalley and Del Rey for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review! Water Moon is available January 14!

Samantha Sotto Yambao’s "Water Moon" is a mesmerizing blend of fantasy and emotion. Set in a magical pawnshop hidden in Tokyo, the novel follows Hana Ishikawa, who inherits the shop only to find it ransacked and her father missing. Alongside a charming physicist named Keishin, Hana embarks on a mystical journey to retrieve the stolen item and find her father.

The novel’s unique premise—where people can pawn their regrets—sets the stage for a deeply imaginative and heartfelt tale. Yambao’s world-building is enchanting, with travel through rain puddles, flying paper cranes, and night markets in the clouds. The story is both whimsical and profound, exploring themes of love, loss, and redemption.

Readers will be captivated by the dynamic between Hana and Keishin, and the richly crafted, dreamlike world. "Water Moon" is a stunning novel that will transport you to a place where magic and reality intertwine, leaving a lasting impression.