You can tell by the way this is written that this book is deeply emotional to the author. It's about a pawnshop where you can sell your regrets. That is so unique to me and the way the story unfolds has so much care and thought behind it. I simply love this cover and I can't wait to see it's future editions. This author is one to watch.

You only come across a novel like Water moon by Samantha Sotto Yambao rarely: one so imaginative that you get lost in it.
It’s hard to describe the feeling of reading a dream you may have once had but the saga of Keishin and Hana is exactly that. Hana is a pawnbroker’s daughter, set to inherit the shop the next day. In this store, whose door is a portal from our world to theirs which only opens to those who need it, they don’t pawn goods, but the memory of the choice you didn’t take. Hana and her father erase regret from the path not traveled and provide contentment and peace in return. Hana is ready to take up the mantle for the rest of her life when on her first day as owner, her father disappears along with a choice that was supposed to be given to the Shiikuin, monsters who rule Hana’s world. Keishin, a physicist from our world, ends up in the shop moments after Hana’s world is turned upside down. He relentlessly offers to help her find out what happened to her father, taking in the new world with a wide eyed wonder. Hana finally agrees and what ensues is a tour around Hana’s world by modes of travel such as puddle portals, flying paper cranes, rumors, and even being folded into paper. The creativity of this world is beyond fun. I can’t believe I haven’t read any other books by this author before.
The logic in Yambao’s worlds is breathtaking, unlike any other magic system I’ve read before. I love how little details come together to make an entirely new world that makes an incredible amount of sense. The way she writes the dreamworld style is reminiscent of Murakami, but so much more accessible. The general reader can follow this story without a problem, while also having their mind blown.
I also loved the characters, Kei and Hana were complemented each other so nicely. I enjoyed how they took so long to actually decide to be together. The ending was lovely as well.
This is a 5/5 for me. I can’t wait to read more of her books!

Everyone in life has, at one point, been faced with a choice. Those choices have consequences, and sometimes we hold onto those choices because of regret, sadness, grief—whatever it may be. But what if there was a place you could, say, give them away?

A pawnshop perhaps?

A pawnshop where choices are currency and your payment for them? Green tea powder in a little wooden box wrapped in a hand painted silk scarf, that brings relief to its seller and tastes different to each one who drinks it.

When Hana’s father goes missing the same day she is to take over her family’s magical pawnshop, her world turns over.

With the help of the mysterious Kei, a scientist who finds her pawnshop the same day her father vanishes, they set off on the adventure of a lifetime.

Puddles that are portholes, smoke that carries prayers, candles that whisper, travelling through scrolls, and paper cranes that’s are alive.

Water Moon is methodical and languid story. While beautifully written, it is slow, and I felt it could have done with a bit more fleshing out. Kei comes in and all of a sudden they’re in this world and he’s just… accepting it. He’s a scientist who’s been taken to a fantasy realm. I expected him to be more resistant. There is an element of romance to this novel, but I find their chemistry lacking. It’s kind of just…there from the get go without any real substance. Her fated husband that’s been predestined—Haruto—had more chemistry with her if I’m being honest. But you only meet him for a moment.

Now, this is not to say I didn’t enjoy the novel. I just don’t believe it was for me. It reads almost like poetry or a dream I can barely remember after waking. It is beautiful, but it is a slow slow read throughout, that I found myself reading two chapters before bed because I would get sleepy. And, if I’m being honest, it took me the entirety of having this book to finish it. It did, at one point, become a chore.

Overall thoughts: Water Moon, is a beautiful, artistic rendering of Japanese culture. It is a slow read, the chapters are shorter, and the novel isn’t too long. Do I believe it needs some fleshing out? Yes. But was it a bad story? Absolutely not. It was like reading a dream sequence. If that’s for you, fantastic. I absolutely love fantasy novels, I just think this one missed the mark a bit.

I would suggest, as publication is still further out, that they add a pronunciation and definition chart to the novel— if they haven’t already— for names/ places/items. This doesn’t just help the reader know what they’re reading/read, or know how to say something, it also (in this case) helps educate them on Japanese culture.

2.75 stars.

Thank you to Random House/Net Galley for this lovely e-ARC.

Where do I even begin with this unique and breathtaking tale? I went into Water Moon blind with nothing but the small blurb and a stunning cover to guide me. As soon as I was a few chapters in, I knew I was hooked and this story did NOT disappoint.

Water Moon weaves together a story of many themes, including love, loss, hope, regret, dreams, destiny, and true friendship.. The tale is told by Samantha Sotta Yambao in such a beautiful and intricate way that it brings the characters and their stories to life on the pages. People say that there are stories that change your life and I have to admit that Water Moon was one of those books for me.

The characters of Kei and Hana are expertly crafted and the worlds they explore together are both awe inspiring and mesmerizing. Even the side characters draw you in to their lives and stories. I genuinely don’t know how to explain all of my feelings about this book in words. It’s one of my top books of 2024 and I want to read everything else from this author!

So instead, I can only implore you to give it a try. This book may not be for everyone, but it was a breathtaking experience for me.

Thank you to the publishers, the author, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this incredible experience.

Overall, i found the book was ok. Didn't grab my attention as I would hope and was not fond of the writing style.

Hana is set to be the new owner of her family’s magical pawn shop because her father is retiring. The morning she’s set to take charge, she awakens to find the pawn shop has been ransacked and her father gone. A man named Kei walks in and, after hearing of her trouble, agrees to help her find her father.

So begins Water Moon, a story that I’d read for a couple of hours, put down, and then return a couple of days later. This story had so much going on, which wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. There was plenty of action, but the romance was meh. I wasn’t really rooting for Hana and Kei to get together, especially after all the twists and turns were said and done. There was a lot I didn’t see coming so that kept me reading. The ending was so abrupt, though, that I wanted to throw my phone across the room. If it had been a physical book I would have.

I’ve seen on Goodreads and StoryGraph that this book has more pages than my ARC. It doesn’t need to be longer in my opinion. I read it for the action, stayed for the plot twists. The Japanese elements were interesting. I may try something else by the author.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC.

Thank you Netgalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

4.5

Well... where shall I start? A studio-ghibli esque parallel world where we can go and pawn our regrets. Hana, takes over her father's shop as he retires, but mysteriously disappears the following day. She meets an unlikely stranger and they embark on an adventure to find her father.

My first Samantha Sotto Yambao book and I must say I am impressed. I applaud that there is a proper cultural sensitivity advisor for this. On top of that, vivid descriptions and creative aspects of the parallel universe kept drawing me in, I missed being in a place I had never been! I keep reminiscing about the moments, the experiences that we all encounter in life. Yambao's work makes you wonder all of those lost "could-have-beens". Almost each chapter had a deeply profound statement that struck a chord in me. Each of the sacrifices, and CHOICES the characters make truly captivated me, I cannot stop raving about it.

I don't regret that some plot aspects were expected, it just makes it the more heartbreaking when you finally realize what things mean, and what we mean to our world and the reality we live in

I want to swim in Samantha Sotto's imagination. This world is one of the most creative and unique things I gave ever read, and I loved it. I wanted to hear more and more and more, and I NEED to see this in movie format so I can actually take in all the visuals she has created.

I absolutely adored the majority of this book. It was just the ending where things started to feel too rushed, especially the transitions between scenes, and the ending was a little flat for me.

With incredible world building and immersive prose, Water Moon is unlike anything I've read before. While following Hana and Keishin on their magical adventure, the imagery and creativity from start to finish provided a reading experience that rivaled the first time I read Harry Potter as a youth. I was pleasantly surprised by this cozy fantasy, and thoroughly enjoyed it's philosophical layers. This is the type of story that unlocks new elements every time you read it, and I can absolutely see myself picking this up again in the future. A near perfect book in my opinion, its only flaw being several cheesy, ill fitting romance scenes.

Thank you Netgally and the publisher for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Water Moon is a whimsical and imaginative fantasy novel that transports readers to a dreamy world set in Tokyo, centered around a unique pawn shop where you can trade your biggest regrets. This book evokes the magical essence of Alice in Wonderland and Caraval, offering a delightful and unpredictable adventure from the very beginning. The characters are beautifully developed, and getting to know them through the memories they bring to the pawn shop adds depth and intrigue to the narrative. Water Moon is, without a doubt, one of the most magical books I’ve ever read. It’s a wonderful trip into a fantastical world that is both enchanting and thought-provoking. If you’re looking for a book that combines lyrical prose, beautiful world-building, and a whimsical storyline, Water Moon is a must-read.

Off a street in Tokyo lies a ramen shop, but a chosen few find a pawn shop instead. This pawn shop is magical - instead of pawning off jewelry and other things, people pawn off their life choices and deepest regrets. When Hana, the owner, wakes up to a ransacked shop, a precious item stolen, and her father missing, she and a stranger, Kei (a physicist who talks to a ghost of someone in his past), go on a journey to find the item and her father. At first, Hana is apprehensive about taking Kei with her, but she realizes that his presence might be needed after all.

Throughout reading this book, I fell in love with the magical worlds Yambao describes. Riding on paper cranes, being transported via rain puddles, shopping in a night market in the clouds - all seemed so mystical and intriguing and it left me wanting to experience it. The characters were well written and interesting too. There were a bunch of twists and turns I didn’t see coming. Where was Hana’s father? What happened in Hana’s past? How will Hana choose? Overall, I really liked this book, and I am looking forward to reading more of the author's stuff. Special thanks to NetGalley and RandomHouse for this ARC!

Rating: 3.5 Stars
This was a fun read mostly due to the unique worldbuilding. Every setting was described so vividly and beautifully, my favorite part was the characters going to a new location just to see what the next setting was going to be like.
Speaking of characters, sadly they didn't leave as much of an impact on me as the world did. Hana and Keishin were interesting when they were introduced, but besides their arcs about making choices, which even then felt limited, I felt like they hadn't changed all that much. Hana definitely felt like she had changed the most though. I know characters don't exactly have to be different by the end of a story, but we spend a good chunk of time on their inner conflicts, so it's hard to stay invested when the characters aren't that easy to get attached to. The ending also felt rushed compared to how long we spent getting there.
The saving grace of this book, besides the world, is definitely also the writing. The author has beautiful prose, and describe everything similar to a fairy tale, which is definitely the vibe I felt reading this. The only bit I didn't really like was some of the dialogue, which sometimes felt it was trying a little to hard to be deep. Some lines felt like they were trying to become iconic quotes outside the book. But this is a personal thing. I prefer realistic dialogue for characters, but the way characters talked here definitely fit the writing of the book.
So overall, good writing, nice prose, so-so characters. I thought the book was fine, but I could see some people loving this.
Thanks Net Galley and Random House Publishing Ballantine for providing me an e-ARC copy!
Review to come on my Goodreads 01/21/2025

★★★★1/2


Plot
Hana inherits her father’s magical pawnshop that specializes in pawning regrets. When she wakes up on her first morning as the new owner, she notices that something is wrong. This sets her off on a quest where she begins to question everything she knows.


Characters
Hana: Our main character. Inherits her father’s magical pawnshop.
Toshio: Hana’s father and former owner of the pawnshop.
Keishin (Kei): A man who enters the pawnshop one day and befriends Hana.
And many more characters that are difficult to mention without spoiling!


World building
The modes of transportation were unique and fit in well with the world, while having conceptual consistency with real-life. What I didn’t understand were the limitations of these modes of transportation. Sometimes it was totally easy and acceptable to travel through puddles and paper; other times it was seemingly impossible to do so? For how frequently our characters traveled to and from places in a pinch, I would like to better understand <I>how</I> travel works in this world.


Writing
The writing is gorgeous. I was hooked on the first paragraph! Yambao conjures up the dreamiest, coziest, and whimsical-est imagery. Sometimes, this falters when the action kicks into high gear, but even in those moments her writing remains vibrant. There were also a lot of sentences that captured the essence of the story and showed glimpses of foreshadowing so simplistically and beautifully.

Some pretty good pacing, but I would’ve liked to see more tension and conflict and stakes. A lot of things got resolved quickly and the stakes always just seemed to be “trust this person and live, or don’t act at all and die.” And every time, whoever the characters decided to trust really was trustworthy. I did, however, like that a lot of questions were raised and then swiftly answered before the reader forgot about them with everything happening in this dreamlike world.

The characters were pretty flat. Because the world was so wacky in the best way possible, I didn’t mind this at all. I think giving the characters only a few traits and motivations helped balance out the world building and the plot, both of which were mind-bending.

Oftentimes, the dialogue felt stilted to make certain points about life, happiness, regret, etc. This occurred mainly when Hana or her father were speaking, a specific instance being her father’s conversation with the female client in the beginning of the book. I also noticed that Hana talked very stiffly (never using contractions, ever) for most of the book. At the end of the book we see her speak in a more relaxed manner. This was a great way to differentiate her from the other characters and show her development throughout the book.

Japanese terms are used often, but always with explanations or context clues for readers unfamiliar with these concepts.

The ending was so Murakami-esque.


Etc.
I love books that are split into parts because I feel like I can read them much faster than I’d otherwise be able to. (This book is split into 4 parts)

What Kei can see throughout the book confuses me. I don’t understand how? No further explanation to prevent spoilers.

I loved how neatly everything tied back together at the end. The story truly came full circle and left me feeling satisfied.


TLDR: Dreamy and mind-bending and worth the read.



Thank you Random House-Ballantine/Del Rey and NetGalley for the DRC! This title will be available January 14, 2025.

I absolutely LOVED this book. The magical realism was so special. I loved that I never knew what was going to happen next, oh we’re jumping in a puddle to travel, done. We’re traveling by way of a rumor? I’m in. We’re being folded into origami? Sounds like a great idea. The creativity of the author is unmatched. I am already recommending Water Moon to friends and they’re bummed they have to wait until 2025 to dive in to the read.

4.25 stars
I loved this book! Water Moon is about a ramen shop in Japan that sometimes isn't a ramen shop; for folks who need it, the door instead opens to a magical pawn shop in an alternate world. This pawn shop collects people's regrets over choices they made or didn't make. A number of things are quickly revealed and readers continue to discover new things about this alternate magical world and what's happening with our characters throughout the book. Early on, we find out that Hana, daughter of the pawn shop owner, is going to take over the pawn shop from her retiring father. We also learn that Hana's mother was killed a while ago in punishment for stealing one of the pawn shop's regrets. The plot gets really kicked off on Hana's first day as the new pawn shop owner when she wakes up and discovers that the pawn shop seems to have been ransacked by thieves and her father is gone. At this point, Keishin, a physicist, enters the pawn shop, though he doesn't seem to have a regret to pawn. He ends up joining Hana on her quest to figure out what happened to her father. This quest takes them through a beautifully built out world that involves a number of forms of magical travel, like traveling through puddles, traveling by folded origami paper, and traveling by rumors. It takes them to a night market in the clouds, a paper house, a ghostly onsen, and more. The writing and world-building were beautiful and lyrical. It was easy to read and felt hard to put down. It seemed like a quick read despite being on the long side, and it moved quickly. There was so much that happened; at the end of the book I really felt like I had gone through so much with the characters and the characters felt like they had grown and changed so much.
The only reason this book isn't a 5 star book for me is the numerous times throughout the book and in the ending resolution, there were moments that felt like deus ex machina. The characters would need to get somewhere and they would seem stuck and then the perfect solution would present itself.
Other than that, though, the book was incredible. And despite some deus ex machina parts in the end, the ending of the book was also quite cool, and for me, it had some reveals that I was surprised by and quite enjoyed.

A water moon, sometimes referred to as a mirror flower, is something that can be seen but not touched; like the moon reflected on the surface of water. This is often used to refer to something that is beautiful but unattainable, a far-fetched dream if you will. Throughout the book we experience a reflection of our own world, where things are not quite as they seem. The way that different transportation functions in the mirror world is akin to how you might travel in a dream, falling through a puddle of water and stepping out into a new world.

Kei and Hana are our main characters, neither of whom is quite content with their place in life and longs to reach for more. They each want to reach for their own water-moon. Hana runs a magical pawnshop that trades choices for peace of mind, until one day her father vanishes with the brightest choice she has ever seen before. The Shiiukin are the rulers of this world, and I kind of imaging them to look like dementors, who collect the choices at the end of every week. Kei is from our world and he stumbles into Hana, immediately the two are drawn to each other and begin to gravitate towards one another.

Please note that I read an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) and some of my misunderstanding may have been in part due to the translation, although I believe this is a beautifully written book and likely well translated. They get to know each other by exchanging stories about their families, and particularly when they were sharing about how their mothers both left in a similar fashion before they could remember, I was very concerned about where this was going to go. To be honest my initial thought was "Oh no they have the same mother. They are related. We are about to get siblings falling in love with each other." Thank goodness that was not the case and became much less of a concern throughout the story.

A beautifully written, introspective allegory of how choices shape the people we become and how our lives are populated. Yambao also chose to explore what not having choices might do to shape a person's point of view or way of living. Pure magical escapism while having an existential crisis. This was excellent. If you like Before the Coffee Gets Cold this is one you should definitely consider picking up. I was enthralled with adventuring through the mirror realm.

To the publisher specifically, there was a slight scientific inaccuracy with the Super K. I have a masters degree in Physics and did neutrino work with SNO. Super K is similar to SNO, they are both underground telescopes filled with heavywater and PMT's. Heavywater or deuterium is H3O, so it has a bonus hydrogen. Usually it is suspended in de-ionized water, which re-ionizes as neutrinos interact with the water inside causing it to become slightly acidic. It is a REALLY slow process. The dissolved wrench would technically happen, just over like 12 years. So Hana is in no danger to touch it with her hand, if anything Kei would be concerned about contaminating the water itself with whatever oils/impurities are on Hana which would cause Super K to function less well. This is not particularly important to the plot, but was something that stood out to me specifically as being incorrect. It is likely to just be accepted by like 99% of readers, I happen to have a lot of experience with neutrino telescopes.

This book follows a girl named Hana. She inherits a magical pawnshop where people trade their regrets. The first day on her own, she wakes up to find her father is missing, and the shop robbed and in shambles.Later a customer enters the shop, finding Hana in need of help. After many rejections Hana finally agrees to let Keishin help her find her father.

I believe this book is best not knowing much about it, and just diving in.
I knew from the first chapter this was going to be good. I was sucked in and couldn't put this book down.
It has the vibes of Studio Ghibli, meets Everything, Everywhere All at Once.
It was all the cozy, whimsical vibes you'd want in a fantasy novel.

This story was beautiful and thought provoking, and takes you on the most imaginative ride. I know this is a book I'll be thinking about for a while.

Thank you netgalley, Random House Publishing Group, and author for this ARC!

There is a warning printed on automobile rearview mirrors, something like "objects are closer than they appear," and there should be a similar warning for Water Moon, "objects are not as they appear". A ramen shop is a pawn shop but only for regrets; currency is dreams, regrets, and memories; and two young people searching for missing parents find each other in this magical story. The story tries to paint itself into an anime movie, but much of it felt surreal for me. The plot is an adventure quest, not on the level of an epic fantasy, perhaps, but not "low stakes" like a cozy fantasy either. It was a pleasant read that I would recommend to those who enjoy a bit of whimsical fantasy with tinges of darkness at the edges and a touch of light romance. (3.5/5)
I received advanced access to this book thru NetGalley (for which I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Del Rey) for an honest review. The opinion expressed here is my own.

Wasn’t too sure if I would like this one and turns out I was correct. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for gifting me this arc.

A delightfully enchanting tale. I absolutely adored the mystical world Hana lives in and all the small things that make it so appealing. Puddle jumping, the cranes, the tea room, the pawnshop, everything. This author has quite the creative imagination and I look forward to seeing more from them! This is definitely a wonderfully easy read with a world that is easy to imagine and a plot that just keeps you wondering just what comes next!