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.

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.