Wow. This was such a mind-blowingly imaginative book! I loved every moment of it. For a moment there, I did think it was going to have a Before Ever After style ending, but it circled back for the happily ever after I love. Samantha Sotto Yambao has never disappointed, and this book is full of the beautiful lyrical writing and thought provoking ideas I've come to expect from her. I loved everything about this book! Grab it ASAP!!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy of this amazing book!

An utterly charming novel with a beautiful cover that whisks you away to another world, on an adventure about regrets and the choices we make. The creative world-building enchants and delights, but the characters and their chemistry leave something to be desired in the middle act, amid pacing problems. Would definitely recommend for a light, breezy fantasy novel with some fresh ideas!

I'm not really that much a fan of fantasy, but I enjoyed this more than I expected! I was intrigued by the synopsis, the idea of a cozy little ramen shop in the back streets of Tokyo. This was such a whimsical story that reminded me at times of the movie "Inception". A balance of romance/ friendship as well as adventure. The only drawback for me is that at times I did feel a little lost in the plot (as I often do with fantasy books) and at times some of the characters seemed a little one dimensional, but regardless I did enjoy this for the most part and I do appreciate all the world building and the beautiful imagery.

This was good, but not great. There was definitely a lot of positives: The biggest one would be the world building was well done and the imagery was beautiful, I really enjoyed that transportive element of it. However the most prevalent negative was the characters. I just felt like I couldn’t connect with them and they lacked depth. I also had a hard time believing in the relationships with some of the characters. I wish that aspect would have been better, it would have really elevated the reading experience for me.

ARC provided by NetGalley

I really enjoyed this! It was the perfect whimsical fantasy. I wouldn't exactly call it low-stakes, but it was the type of book I wanted to curl up in. The perfect balance of romance and friendship. Of adventure and introspection. The subtle twists in Water Moon absolutely blew my mind, and even though some took a few minutes to register, I was blown away when they hit me. I'd definitely recommend this! And I'll definitely be checking out the rest of Yambao's books!

Thanks to Netgalley for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review!

this was so sweet and whimsical.
admittedly, I got lost in the plot around the 70-80% mark but I think that’s because I was reading this book before bedtime a lot when I am sleepy and half awake.
the setting was wonderful and the characters were so charming. definitely recommend!

water moon | samantha sotto yambao
where abstract meets physical and choices come alive • rating [5] 🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

A scientist finds himself at a magical pawnshop hidden in the guise of a ramen shop and into an adventure that challenges all he knows about the physics and workings of the world. His guide, the daughter of the pawnshop owner who is now in search for her father and the answers of her past, present, and future. The dream world that Samantha Sotto Yambao brings us is beautiful, intriguing, and frightening. It is reminiscent of the movie Inception combined with animated Japanese fantasy classics Spirited Away and Howl’s Moving Castle. Once you get your footing into the story, the details really pull you in. It brings into question whether peace and tranquility of a set path in life is worth sacrificing freedom. It’s a little fantasy, romance, suspense, and philosophy combined into one novel.

What a delightful book! I haven't had this much fun with a fantasy novel in a while. The world was so lush and creative and the magic itself was fascinating and well thought out. It all just felt so *pretty* and I could have spent another 40 or so pages just enjoying my time in the world that Yambao created.

in high school, i had a teacher who told us two things in life were certain: death and (no, NOT taxes!) choices. from the moment we are born to the moment we die, we make a series of choices that, ultimately, come to define us and write our lives into permanence. incredibly charming, inventive, and insightful, water moon is a novel about exactly that: the choices we make, the regrets we have, and how we learn to live with both. you and i, we take decisions for granted, even (or especially) the ones that seem the most inconsequential. but a life of choices is a life of luxury — because how mundane, how hopeless, is a life predetermined? and if choices are a luxury, then certainly, the same can be said about regrets.

in the way that it is executed, water moon is unlike anything i have read before. it overflows with sotto yambao’s creativity as she constantly introduces some novel facet of her parallel world that somehow manages to be even more magical than the last. and in doing so, she offers new perspectives of our own world, encouraging us to reevaluate what we thought we already knew. and aren’t those the best kinds of books? the ones that challenge you? the ones that change you.

this one’s for the escapists, the adventurers, the dreamers — my favorite kind of people. indulge yourself, if only for a moment.

<i>Water Moon</i> has to be the most magical book I have ever read. It was the most wonderful treat for a reader’s imagination.

The story follows Hana, daughter of the pawnshop owner who is officially taking over now that her father retired, and Keishin, a doctor (“the useless kind”) who happens to stumble into Hana’s pawnshop on the morning she needs him the post. We follow their journey through Hana’s mystical world as they go in search of Hana’s father who has gone missing.

The premise immediately pulled me in: a cozy ramen restaurant that’s a front for a magical pawnshop. After my best friend showed me this, I immediately knew I had to read it. And as soon as I got my hands on the ARC, I dove in.

And I mean literally dove in. Headfirst, no hesitation, just plain desire to discover. And I got dragged to the most magical world that shared the most unique things with me that my wildest imagination could never conjure up. Yamsbao’s creativity truly baffled me again and again and left me in awe. I’m hiding the next part behind a spoiler but it shows examples of what kind of magical things to expect. I do recognize that this is an ARC and therefore may be subject to change so if changes do occur after I’ve compared it with the finished copy I will adapt this part. <spoiler>They travel to new places by jumping into pools and puddles; by crossing the bridge of dreams and by riding songs and rumors. They draw doors in the sand and open them with a key given to them by a sand kitsune, and they seek answers at the night market in the clouds.</spoiler>

Yamsbao’s writing pulled me in instantly. It was magical, lyrical, and perfectly descriptive to bring this vivid world to life. The words flowed naturally and made for an easy read despite all the unfamiliar, never-seen-before content for the reader.

I loved all the characters but especially the main characters, Hana and Keishin. They were adults who carried their flaws and imperfections beautifully. They felt like actual human beings rather than the great perfect undefeated hero. It was a refreshing change. I loved the dynamic and chemistry they had together. It flowed and developed naturally after the initial attraction and the communication between them was really great. They handled the situations very maturely which I really appreciated.

The plot had a beautiful balance of heart-racing action scenes and soft scenes in which you can really immerse yourself in the ethereal beauty of this mystical world. There was never a dull moment, never a redundant scene. The plot flowed and developed as naturally as everything else. Even the plot twists are crazy and unexpected.

The magic in this book is indescribable and incomparable. But in terms of overall vibes, if there’s one book that comes to mind in terms of such imaginary magic it’s <i>Caraval</i>. That is not to say that they are similar; far from it. But I think both have that wildly unique form of magic that requires a vivid imagination and feels so whimsical. So if you liked the magic in <i>Caraval</i> I think you’ll love the magic in <i>Water Moon</i>.

Water Moon releases January 14, 2025. Plenty of time to get excited for this release because it is one you don’t want to miss. Fans of Glibli movies, especially <i>Spirited Away</i>, will find this book a treat.

If you could "pawn" a regret and forget all the memories tied to it, would you?

The Water Moon begins with Hana, who is taking over her father's unique pawnshop, on the eve of his retirement. This magical pawnshop is only found by people who desperately need it and specializes in pawning regrets. When Hana wakes on her official first day as the pawnshop owner, her father is missing, the place has been ransacked, and something valuable has been taken. From there, we are brought on a magical journey that feels like a fever dream in search of answers. The world Hana takes us through is magical and complex, while the characters seem simple. The theme "lack of choice" continuously appears throughout the book and I wonder if the characters fell flat to emphasize blindly accepting fate? "It was easier to chew on misery if you did not know what happiness tasted like."

Thank you NetGalley, Random House Publishing, and the author for giving me access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group Ballantine for an ARC of Water Moon.

My absolute favorite part of this book was the magical creativity. The locations felt like a whimsical dream and I could picture them so clearly in my mind. It was definitely more of a romance story than I expected, which isn't a deal breaker for me, but I think it should be labeled as such. I also had a difficult time keeping the Japanese names straight in my mind, which of course is no fault of the authors, but it interrupted the flow of the book for me and is something I think other English-only-speaking readers may struggle with as well.

3.5 stars, rounded up.

I got to thirty percent in this book but couldn't finish.
I really tried to get through this book and I got
through part one but I just think this book isn't for me. The world building is nice and interesting. The characters and plot however I felt were very lacking. They both could use more depth and I just couldn't connect to the characters. This is for a person who really loves pretty magical worlds and doesn't mind how the characters and plot don't have much to them. I guess someone who just gets lost in aesthetics. I won't be posting the review online since I didn't finish it as I feel that would be disrespectful. Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for this book in exchange for an honest review.

I was very interested in the premise, and I thought the first couple of chapters were very well written, but the second the love interest was introduced, clever writing took a backseat and everything started happening at lightning speed.

What worked for me: The vivid descriptions of the world. The ideas for the world. The concept for the plot.

What didn’t work for me: The insta-love. The lack of character development. The superficial depth given to this imaginative world. The plot execution and constant jumping back and forth.

I’m sad to say that by the 3/4 mark, reading this book became a tedious chore. I’m sure some people will like it, but this was not for me.

I received this book as an ARC on NetGalley and IMMEDIATELY fell in love with the prose and the premise. It is beautifully written and perfectly weaves in Japanese and other Eastern concepts and worldviews to create an exciting new world and adventure that keeps you wanting to learn even more. I now want to read everything by Samantha Sotto Yambao

Beautifully written, "Water Moon" is engaging and evocative, a delight to read slowly. The sensory elements, for instance, the gift of the green tea, help bring life to the story. I envy someone who is about to read this for the first time. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.
#WaterMoon
#NetGalley

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an e-ARC of this book!

This story was so fun and magical! Hana's world and its many realms were just so imaginative and innovative; I was so impressed with the author's world building and her ability to wove such profound thoughtfulness and insight into how the magic worked in each realm. The book was like if Chihiro from Spirited Away was to venture beyond the inn and explore the spirit world we didn't get to see in the movie, this was the world and adventures we would've experienced with her. The whimsicalness of the story was also reminiscent to me of Mary Poppins, and I loved that as well.

As blown away as I was with the world building, the character-work left little to be desired for my liking. Sadly, I didn't connect with really any characters in this story or cared what happened to them (other than maybe Haruto). As a character driven reader, this definitely was a disappointment for me. I felt like Keishin and Hana were bland like rice, palatable but not much flavor. They didn't really have a distinct voice or personality, and overall fell flat for me. I wasn't invested in their romance, and felt their dialogues together were also very rigid, which pulled me out of the story at times.

Overall I had a fun time with this book and the journey it took me on, and am so happy I got the opportunity to read it.

This was so creative and unique. I loved both ordinary and magical sides. I find fantasy can sometimes feel repetitive, and that did not happen with Water Moon. At times you were flying origami flamingos, or jumping into water any would take you to another place entirely. And even with the magic being unusual, I was able to understand everything. This story follows Hanna and Keishin, on a long journey to find their own truths. If you are looking for a lot of romance, this isn’t the book for you. But if you’re looking for a magical ride .. you’re good to read on.

~🄱🅁🄴🄰🄺🄳🄾🅆🄽~

➢ Writing: ★ ★ ★ ★ ✰
➢ World-building/Setting: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
➢ Creativity: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
➢ Atmosphere: ★ ★ ★ ★ ✰.5
➢ Plot: ★ ★ ★ ★ ✰
➢ Characters: ★ ★ ★ ✰ ✰
➢ Romance: ★ ★ ✰ ✰ ✰.75
➢ Pacing: ★ ★ ★ ✰ ✰

••••••

The concept of this book is so creative and whimsical, it kind of reminded me of a Studio Ghibli film when I read the description. It was definitely one of my most anticipated releases, and the release date is so far away so I am glad I got to read the arc of this.

One of the places this book shined the most was with the world building. There were so many creative aspects to it that were unlike anything I had ever read before; birds made of people’s regret, traveling through puddles, smoke that can carry prayers, tattoos that are maps of your life, pearls that can hold memories, time that can be bought and sold, moments folded into origami, and those were just some of my favorite elements. The writing style was another highlight, it really helped work to create the whimsical atmosphere throughout the story.

Even though I wound up enjoying this story, I did feel like it got off to a somewhat rocky start. The first five or so chapters go back and forth between the present day and the night before, which just felt pointless to me and made it hard to get invested initially since we were being thrown around so much. I would have much preferred to read the beginning in a linear timeline, starting with the day her father retired and his last customer followed by that night when him and Hana were celebrating then into the next morning as I feel like it would have made a much smoother read. Also there is a flashback after that in Kei’s perspective in which we get a flashback inside of a flashback, and rather than making a whole new section completely I think it would have read clearer to just have him recall that moment as all these flashbacks started to make things feel unnecessarily messy.

Another thing I felt could use some polishing was the relationship development between the main characters. There are so many excellent opportunities to establish a stronger connection between the two, but the moments would always be cut too short. Some of my favorite parts were when Hana and Kei would hide in memories, and I wished those interactions would have been extended some so I could have been more invested in their romance. The pacing of the book was very fast, and even though I enjoyed that, it sometimes felt like we were so busy moving from location to location we didn’t get to establish as much of a connection to the characters as we could have.

From that point on however things definitely began to pick up and I could definitely see this making an amazing animated film because it read just like one. Like I said before, the world building is so imaginative that once we got to see some of it come into play the story became much stronger. I also really enjoyed the twists that came into play in the last half, I didn’t see them coming and they added an extra layer to the story.

••••••

Overall, even though this story had some minor shortcomings, mostly in the beginning, that kept it from reaching its full potential, I still found myself wanting to pick it back up each time I took a break. I feel like with a bit of polishing and extended interactions between the main characters this book could have been absolutely perfect, and regardless of the small issues I had I would still recommend people to pick up this book because it was still a very whimsical read.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!


~🄾🅅🄴🅁🄰🄻🄻 🅁🄰🅃🄸🄽🄶: ★ ★ ★ ✰ ✰.75~

I did not like this! If it wasn't an ARC I would have DNF'd it, but alas.

The concept seemed charming to me, very whimsical magical realism: a mysterious pawnshop that trades in life choices, a missing father, and an otherworldly journey to find him. But it was so poorly executed, in my opinion.

WHAT I LIKED: I liked Haruto's storyline. He was interesting to me, and I wish he was involved in the narrative more. I liked the idea of a pawnshop that takes regrets, that can only be reached by people who have regrets.

THE REST OF IT: The characters had absolutely no charm, I was not attached to either of them, and they did absolutely nothing to endear me to them. I was hoping that the romance element would be a supplement to the ethereal and magical setting, but it wasn't. It was instalove, and it felt like the only thing either character ever talked about.

Their dialogue was painful to read, written in a way that made it feel like all the conversations were just the first draft, like it was never sifted through and edited down to be more readable and natural.

The magical world was also a disappointment to me. I'd seen some reviews (after receiving my eARC) that call the world here "Ghibli-esque". This is always a red flag for me, because in my personal life experience (NOT UNIVERSAL) I have learned that people who flippantly make this comparison between "Studio Ghibli" and other vaguely magical realism properties have no idea what they're actually talking about. They don't know what film, specifically, to draw comparison with, and they don't know what those films are about besides charming, highly gif-able hand drawn 2-D animation.

Studio Ghibli has made many films, which span many different themes, tones, and art styles. One thing that is consistent, though, is they are tight films. Very concise-- and they have to be. Every scene, every shot, every cut, and every line of dialogue, needs to justify itself to earn its place in the film. Because the amount of time and labor required for all of these tiny elements is insanely high! People can lose sight of that because of the existence of those famous "nothing" shots, where nothing seems to be happening. But those are a deliberate and important choice as well, and the filmmakers are acutely aware of the seconds and minutes of storytelling they are using in these calm, "empty" shots, and thus must make the most out of their action and dialogue scenes.

It didn't feel like the scenes and locations in this book were being used to their full effect. It truly felt like the author had all these sentimental & unique ideas for a rich magical world, but never really justified their existence in this narrative. The way all these magical things work was explained, clearly, so clearly it sort of felt like getting hit over the head, but that's not necessarily a good thing. So many words were spent explaining to us, the audience, how this delicate magical ecosystem works, all the while our main characters are paper thin and their motivations entirely one note. It was unbalanced and it worked against the story, in my opinion.

AND, I was ESPECIALLY mad when I was reading the book, and the male love interest literally REFERENCES Ghibli in his internal monologue! Well, obviously people are going to draw similarities between these two works, because the author drew a bold, red, Sharpie marker line between them! That's just a personal thing, combined with the weird fact that referencing pop culture wasn't a consistent element of the character's thoughts and speech, this was sort of a one off reference. But still, this review is about my personal experience, so I'm mentioning it 👍.

Well, that's my overall impression after having read this book. The twists were not twisty to me, some of them straight up seemed like stuff we all already knew, but the writing made it seem like it was being revealed to us, the audience, as well as the characters.

Of course, this could be the perfect book for you, I don't know. Different strokes. If you love this, I'm happy for you. But do look up some true facts about the Titanic, please. For me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. Water Moon will be published January 14, 2025.