I really enjoyed the first half of this book and found the whole story atmospheric and immersive, like stepping into a dream world full of fantastical whimsy. But the second half grew tedious and I did not care for romance. I would have preferred it as a friendship.

The story opens with Hana, a girl who loves her father and is dutifully resigned to the fate etched in a map on her skin. She is set to inherit his pawnshop. A pawnshop people stumble upon when waiting in line for the ramen restaurant next door, not even knowing they were looking for it. They come with regrets, and the pawnbroker skillfully manipulates them into giving up a choice they made at a crossroads in their life in exchange for peace of mind. Or so they believe.

In our world, we are plagued by the chaos of choices and the regrets of choices not made; I found the philosophy of this fascinating and relatable. But in Hana's magical world, everyone knows their place and their choices have been robbed from them. They manage to eke out happiness and contentment with their families, always with wistfulness and an ache.

But then Kei stumbles upon Hana's pawnshop, on a day when it has been ransacked and her father is missing and she knows her world will never be what she expects again. They are instantly drawn to each other and fight the attraction until they give in. I didn't even like the love triangle with Hana's intended, Haruto or Haruto himself. He was sort of an interesting character who longed for a girl who treated him with indifference, and he was a workaholic, like everyone in this world. His paper folding to bend time was interesting though. There was lots of betrayal in this book that made the people who sacrificed for those they loved seem ugly.

The writing style was beautiful, lush and evocative. I did love the other world and how whimsical it was. But the story was just too cozy for me. Their dialogue became boring as they spent huge chunks of it philosophizing over choices or narrating events as they happened. I felt like Hana had a lot of lost potential; she was an unlikable character but I was drawn to her predicament, but she was never a very complex character. She was chasing her father around and then she was chasing Kei. In theory they were choosing love but they seemed resigned to their fate, like choosing love and your own path also comes with regrets and sadness.

And Kei. I found the intersection of physics and magical whimsy interesting, and I understood that his motivations for falling in love with Hana's world were tied up in his mommy issues. But for a physicist I expected him to be more skeptical, instead of acting like a religious convert. He also followed Hana around like a puppy without concern for his own safety, which I didn't find romantic. Then at the end he loses Hana, five years pass and he gets married to a woman who clearly cares for him. Then he stumbles upon Hana in a convenience store, who wants to join his world, and he instantly cheats/dumps his wife to run back to her... gross.

Plus the story got boring to me. There were stakes, but nothing really happened other than them bounding from one magical whimsy to another in chase of her father and on the run from magical enforcers.

So I had hoped this book would become my whole personality because I absolutely love Japanese magical realism, but in the end I was bored. Lots of people will love this though, if you love cozy magical realism and don't mind instalove. I thought the story would have been better without romance. The story relied on the romance to drive it forward and the romance never pulled me in.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance review copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I really enjoyed the vibes and the world was very creative and had a lot of incredibly neat ideas. Unfortunately I felt the execution of certain parts was off—mainly in how dialogue-heavy most of the book was (often just a back and forth exchange without re-establishing where the characters were or allowing them to react to the information they were exchanging, which left the characters feeling flat) and the romance and the ending both felt rushed and a bit contrived to me. However, this was a very quick read and I did enjoy the unique aspects of the other world.

I think if I were to describe Water Moon in one word, that word would be "frustrating." There was so much about this book that was honestly pretty great: the vibes, the atmosphere, the world, the plot. But unfortunately this was all brought down by one pretty significant aspect that bothered me for the vast majority of the book, and that would be the romance. I just did not like it at all, it was way too much instalove for my taste, and some of the stuff that Keishin was saying to Hana like ten minutes after they met had me rolling my eyes so hard. They grew on me by the ending of the book but unfortunately not enough to rate this higher than three stars.

Water moon is unlike any other book I've ever read. The creative prose of this book was incredible and so immersive. I could clearly picture the world that Yambao had created. The world building and the scenery were the stars of the show. I loved the theme of a person's choices having a ripple affect in our lives and those around us - how these might lead to regrets but they ultimately make us who we are.

I thought the plot was really well done, integrating appropriate flashbacks for more context while moving the story forward. Our story's villains were creepy and believable, and I thought the twists were so well done and I didn't see them coming at all! The only thing that I wasn't 100% sold on was the romance. As a personal preference, I would have liked to have seen them be platonic friends. However, I don't believe everyone will share my sentiment on that!

I highly recommend this to those looking for a fleshed out, whimsical world! I would pay good money for this to turn into a Ghibli movie.

Thank you to Netgalley and Del Rey for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

BIPOC Fantasy in which a woman who inherits a pawnshop where you can sell your regrets must embark on a magical journey to find her missing father and a precious stolen acquisition.

1/5 stars: This is Sotto Yambao's stand-alone BIPOC Fantasy that features a woman who has just inherited from her father the pawnshop her family's run for generations where you can sell your regrets finds herself embarking on a magical journey through a mystical world to find her father and a precious stolen acquisition—by way of rain puddles, rides on paper cranes, the bridge between midnight and morning, and a night market in the clouds with a charming young physicist. But as they get closer to the truth, she must reveal a secret of her own—and risk making a choice that she will never be able to take back. Written in multiple POVs, Sotto Yambao's writing and character work are nicely done. Sotto Yambao touches on some sensitive topics; so take care and check the CWs. Unfortunately, this just wasn't a book for me; leading me to DNF it at 9%.

I received this eARC thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Del Rey in exchange for an honest review. Publishing dates are subject to change.

Oh my gosh where do I start! This is a book that I desperately wish I could pick up for the first time again. Water moon was an enchanting read, with its vibrant world building and magical, it has the feeling of studio Ghibli movie it is heartbreaking and thought provoking. Hana and Kei were very interesting characters to follow and I feel like very perfect for this dream like book. I couldn't recommend it more if you're a fan of fantasy. This is a book that will definitely be on my mind for a while to come.

This book has such a cozy, atmospheric, and immersive world with tons of layers to the world building for such a quick read! It has all the elements of a cozy mystery and a cozy fantasy, and they are executed well. The twists and turns were surprising and satisfying, and the setting of the book is just perfection. I will definitely be purchasing a copy of this for my bookshelf!

dnf at 50%

i think this might not have been my genre of fantasy. it’s very vibey and dreamlike and i prefer my fantasy more grounded cause i just felt really lost. i’ also wasnt feeling the connection between the characters. it’s a lil too instaattraction for me. i think there are readers w ho will enjoy this one but thats just not me unfortunately.

Studio. Ghibli. Vibes. But more Spirited Away, this world is beautiful but also and really creepy, than Totoro.

This was a beautiful book and I felt utterly transported. I loved seeing the world through Keishin’s eyes and the juxtaposition of him as a scientist with this world that completely defied all logic. And I loved Hana and her growth throughout the book.

Ultimately, it’s a story about how our choices and our regrets are a part of us and help to shape who we become. 4.5 stars.

Would you sell your regret? This novel is an amazing fantasy, from the world building to the magical system. The author has created this fantastic tale that is a complete emotional experience. To some, they come to get a bowl of ramen from a restaurant. To others, with a burden of regret, they find the pawnshop. We first meet Toshio who is retiring from the pawn shop, passing it down to his daughter Hana. Calamity ensues as the pawnshop is burglarized and Hana is left to unravel the mysteries. I definitely recommend this book, pub date is January 14, 2025. Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing-Ballantine and Samantha Sotto Yambao for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for an honest review.

This was an absolutely beautiful and well worth every second. I wish I could read it again for the first time. This was a great amount of fantasy, magic, family and love. I think that everyone needs to read this. I went in mostly blind and I am happy I did so that is where I will leave it. But trust all of the amazing reviews that you will hold this book close to your heart forever.

Ok I’ve had a few days to process this and still don’t even know what to say.

Water Moon was beautiful and magical and heartbreaking and I loved every second of it.

I LOVE magical door books and as soon as it started, I was hooked.

We follow the main character Hana on her first day of work since taking over the magical pawn shop her father runs tucked inside a little pocket dimension masquerading as a ramen shop. Only those who need to trade in choices find the shop, if its services are not needed you do in fact get to eat at the most popular ramen restaurant in Tokyo.

Hana wakes up for her first day and things go quite opposite of how they should, leading her on an expedition through her magical world with a stranger from our world. Chaos follows them through and both Hana and Keishin (the stranger who insists upon helping her) keep their own painful secrets while learning to trust each other.

My favorite part of this was seeing Hana’s world. It was so unique and wholly original that I was fascinated every time they moved on to a new place. I almost wish we had more time to explore all the parts of her universe.

I never could have guessed the ending and all the little twists and turns broke my heart. I was crying so hard while reading it my kids came to check on me and make sure I was ok lol

I never imagined a pawnshop could lead to such a magical place.
This book brings you love, heartbreak, understanding and just the right amount of fantasy.
Go on the adventure with Hana and Kei as they search for her father and discover so many secrets and truths along the way.

There were so many twists that kept me on the edge of my seat and I truly didn't see the end in any way. This book is a page turner; you won't want to stop once you get started.

This said “Studio Ghibli” vibes and that was 100% accurate. What a lot of people forget about Studio Ghibli is that it’s not all whimsical, magical worlds; there’s always a sense of danger, even horror elements mixed in to give the stories stakes. This is no different. The enforcers of this world are terrifying, the manner in which they are formed even more so, and the entire underlying premise of a lot of the whimsical elements is beautiful and also somewhere between wistfully sad and horrific. The imagery was outstanding and there was clearly so much love put into so many of the fantasy elements.

As much as I loved the world, and really enjoyed the story arc of following Hana on her mission, I was much less enamored with the romance element. I wish it had been left out altogether instead of having an instalove story and reason for Kei to tag along. I feel like he could have just wanted answers to the magic of the world and become friends with Hana instead of, less than three days after meeting her, being willing to throw away his entire life multiple times for her. I generally found the chemistry lacking, which makes sense on some level from Hana but also made that storyline less satisfying.

This grabbed my attention from the start and held on tight. The magical realism and world building was spectacular and I read each page with enjoyment.


Recommended!


Thank you to Del Rey and NetGalley for the DRC

A elegant and lyrical fantasy about love, what it means to have choices, and fate. In Hana's world, fates are tattooed into your skin and souls depend on the choices and regrets from the human real world given up to the magical pawnshop. When disaster befalls Hana's ordered world - and when the handsome physicist Keishin falls into the pawnshop from real-world Tokyo -- she must embark on a journey by puddles and origami cranes and make world-altering choices.

4.5 stars

This was amazing!! All the comparisons to this feeling like a Studio Ghibli film are SO accurate so if you love those movies you are pretty much guaranteed to be obsessed with this! The only reason this isn’t 5 stars for me is because of the pacing. There were times when it felt way too slow but then the ending was almost rushed. Some of the dialogue also felt almost out of place but at the same time the prose is beautiful with countless quotable lines.

The cover is beautiful. The book had an original idea and had very magical writing. I just think it went in the wrong direction. I would have probably been happier if the entire book just stayed in the pawn shop and each chapter was a different character coming to trade than what the story turned into.

Completely and utterly obsessed with this. Such a beautiful and whimsical story with amazing characters and lovely writing. Love!!

Thank you Del Rey and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Water Moon was a lovely read with strong Studio Ghibli vibes and a fascinating world that was both dream-like, whimsical, and terrifying. I liked Yambao’s writing and the way she rendered the other world is stunning. I will admit the premise made me a little nervous; I am a hater when it comes to The Midnight Library, so seeing people compare the two wasn’t ideal. I don’t personally agree with that comp, and while there were times this story veered into twee territory and there were definitely parts I could have done without, they didn’t really take away from my enjoyment and I’d probably re-read this.

Ishikawa Hana was raised to take over her father’s magical pawn shop in Tokyo, where people trade away their regrets. Their regrets are turned into birds, and the Ishikawas keep the birds until they are picked up by the shiikuin, who are surprisingly terrifying and sinister for what I had been expecting. On the day after her father’s retirement, Hana wakes up with a hangover and to find the store ransacked, and a charming stranger has entered at the worst possible moment. I don’t know if I’d personally call this cozy—it’s not not cozy, either, but there was a slightly unsettling undercurrent that I don’t particularly associate with the subgenre. I thought this was fun, but you’re also held at a certain distance, so people who really want that sort of connection might struggle with this. I liked Hana as a character a lot and felt that I understood her point of view, and while I also liked Keishin, I didn’t particularly care for their relationship. I don’t typically read for romance, though, and there was other stuff for me to consider that made it easier for me to go “yeah, sure, what the hell” about it. I imagine if I did read for romance it would chafe a lot more because it does tend to lean towards insta-lust, but I came here for vibes and whimsy and I do think I got that. It’s sweet and easy to read (sure, at times it veers on too sweet for me, but you win some, you lose some). I think most people will probably like this well enough, and I think it’d make a neat animated limited series.