Very much cozy reading. I felt like author did a great job putting me right there with the main character, when she discovers the cat for the first time I like could see him vividly. It was short, but good. Fun read.

I really loved the premise of this novel and was drawn in by the description. I enjoyed the first story within the book, but was turned off by all of the astrological information and references. in some cases, it felt like nonfiction because of this. I love the imaginative aspect of a coffee shop run by cats that only opens on the full moon and give the author a credit for allowing that coffee shop to be a place where it struggling humans could find connection and answers to their life challenges.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

"The Full Moon Coffee Shop" by Mai Mochizuki is a charming and heartwarming novel that brews together friendship, romance, and a touch of magic in the cozy setting of a quaint coffee shop. Mochizuki's evocative writing transports readers to the bustling streets of Tokyo, where the aroma of freshly brewed coffee mingles with the enchanting allure of the full moon. Through the eyes of the protagonist, we are introduced to a colorful cast of characters, each with their own dreams and desires, who find solace and connection within the walls of the titular coffee shop. The novel's gentle pace and endearing characters create a warm and inviting atmosphere that envelops readers like a comforting hug. As friendships blossom and love blossoms under the glow of the moon, Mochizuki reminds us of the transformative power of community and the simple joys of human connection. "The Full Moon Coffee Shop" is a delightful read that will leave you craving both caffeine and companionship, long after the final page is turned.

This is a sweet, cozy story that also manages to be thought-provoking and inspiring.

A substitute teacher and the group of students she would walk home at the end of the school day once showed great kindness to some cats. Now, years later, the Full Moon Coffee Shop shows up for each of them. The coffee shop is run by speaking cats who can change into human form, and who are each named after a different astrological body. They choose specific food and drink tailored to each customer, and offer to read their star charts. In this way, the cats of the coffee shop are able to help each of these former schoolmates understand what is holding them back in life, and how to get back on course. There are lessons on being less hard on oneself and others, improving one's state of mind and focus by making one's surroundings more pleasant, admitting one's true desires to oneself, and more. It's a very nice story!

I am not 100% sure about the English translation of this book, as there were some idioms that miss the mark - although I suppose it's possible these are expressions used in the UK and not the US and so I'm just not familiar with them (just as the book uses the British English term "anticlockwise" rather than the American English "counterclockwise"). Things like "plumping for a suit" , "looking pretty flash", "splashing out on" the fancy dishes, and referring to singles (as in romantically unattached people) as singletons. I was a bit worried when the book opens with a male tortoiseshell cat, which, while not impossible, is unlikely (1 in 3000 tortoiseshell cats are male, and that's because they are born with an extra X chromosome). Although I suppose it's certainly not less likely that the cat will also be the physical form of a heavenly body come to bestow wisdom on people who have earned favors by being good to cats!

This is not the kind of book that will keep me thinking about it for a long time to come, but it IS the kind of book that gave me warm fuzzy feelings while also offering opportunities for introspection.

As I flipped through the pages of this delightful short story, I found myself wishing for a magical cat café of my own to help guide my thoughts. The narrative is straightforward and to the point, making it an easy and enjoyable read. The idea of a mystical place where one could receive advice over delicious treats is enchanting, and I couldn't help but yearn for such a spot in my own life.

The story is filled with nuggets of wisdom that left me with plenty to ponder, served with a side of astrology for those who enjoy a celestial touch. While I'm not particularly into astrology, I found that the advice offered in the story was both sound and practical. It’s the kind of guidance that resonates, regardless of the stars.

Overall, this story is a charming escape, providing food for thought in a whimsical setting. If you’re looking for a brief but meaningful read, this one might just point you in the right direction.

I would like to express my deep gratitude to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Ballantine Books and NetGalley for their generosity in allowing me to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Oh how I loved this. I just wished it had been longer. It was one of those books that you didn't want to end, and CATS. So happy to have found this.

Many heartfelt thanks to the publisher and netgalley for the e-arc!

I enjoyed thiz unexpected magical story of a 40-year old woman who re-finds herself. Her friends too. The cars, magic system, astrology, mythology and lore, combined with a wonderful prose and way of storytelling, all make me want to recommend this book to others to also enjoy. If the blurb interests you, please don’t hesitate to read the book.

I loved this little story of connection. Every character was connected, knew about the others.
I really liked the simple writing.

The only downside to this book, was I wanted more.

This could have added over 100 pages to bring forth a more rich experience for the reader, but on the whole, it is a complete work.

I absolutely adored how it all came together at the end, from the old man, to the cats, to primary school.

This is an absolute cozy read, this is for anyone who just wants a great story with a happy ending/beginning.

Horoscope reading cats? If you can suspend your disbelief long enough to finish this short book, you may find it charming and delightful and full of insight. If like me, you always feel that there is much lost in translation, you may just groan a lot.

Yes, it was a quick read, and yes, there are life lessons to be noted here. But sadly, this little novel about how to live your best life was a bit too "twee for me. And I do like cats.

Due for publication in August 2024 this is a beautiful story about second chances and forgiveness. So often the person we need to forgive is ourselves. If you like cats and astrology this is the perfect tale for you.

I’ve read a number of translated Japanese books and they have a slow peaceful rhythm to them that relaxes one as you read. They also have some deep philosophical questions at their foundations but if that is too much just enjoy the story

"The Full Moon Coffee Shop" is a cozy, comfort read of Japanese fiction that follows several different characters, each going through their own issues and life blocks. This read a bit like an anthology, which each "story" being a character's interaction with the coffee shop and the talking cats, who like to give out some helpful life advice.

I really enjoyed the Astrology elements despite not knowing too much about the topic, so I appreciated the descriptions of what things meant and how star charts work. I also liked how each character's problems weren't all solved with easy, attainable answers, that they had to work for change.

Something that was difficult to get used to was the direct, explanatory style of writing--essentially written entirely as "tell", with very little "show." I attributed this to 1) the story is completely character driven, 2) it's fairly short, and therefore doesn't have words to spare on longer prose, and 3) it is a translated novel, so some things are bound to get lost in the move (jokes, references, grammar, etc). Despite this, Full Moon is still a cute, quick bite to eat (with some real delicious coffee and dessert descriptions to match) that is the perfect mood-lifter. I might have to reread it with some tea and cake.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I was invited to read this book by the publisher. I was glad they reached out to me as I really fell in love with this unique premise. A coffee shop that seems to wander and is run by talking cats? Yes, please! I would love to arrive at coffee shop, place in my path just for me, and have some cats tell me where I went wrong and then give me some advice. Maybe a storyline that has been done before, but too unique with the feline element. An enjoyable read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group/Ballantine for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

As soon as I read the synopsis for The Full Moon Coffee Shop, I had to request an ARC! Over the last few years, I have really enjoyed reading Japanese translated novels, as so many of them have had deep, meaningful themes.

Unfortunately, this one didn’t hit the same way. Nothing against the author or the book itself, I just don’t think I was the intended audience. I’m not big into astrology, so I found myself skimming or glazing over too much of the dialogue and pages. I loved the talking cats and the setting, but I think I was just expecting something different. While this book might not have been for me, I know that there will be a lot of people who will enjoy this!

This was a wonderfully done magical novel, it worked with what I was looking for and enjoyed about the genre. The characters had everything that I was looking for and were written perfectly in this world, they worked with the overall feel of the story and I was engaged with what happened. Mai Mochizuki has a great writing style and I was invested in what was happening.

I really enjoyed this sweet story about a magical coffee shop and the lives it touches. I have read a fair bit of translated Japanese fiction, many involving cats, and thought this new book by Mai Mochizuki was a great addition to the genre. The Full Moon Coffee Shop made me think of the Before the Coffee Gets Cold series and combines the stories of several people who are stuck in their lives with the magic of the very special Full Moon Coffee Shop and it’s wise feline staff.

Through the story we hear the stories of the different characters, the struggles they are facing and the advice they are given to make a positive change in their life. I enjoyed the underlying theme of music and the tasty desserts along with the magical element. I thought much of the advice was very clever and something to remember in my own life. The only thing that didn’t work as well for me were the long astrology descriptions.

I recommend this to anyone looking for a sweet, quick and cozy story with a little magic and some very helpful cats. I liked the way the stories ended up intertwining and thought that was well done.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group, Ballantine Books, and NetGalley for the digital ARC to review.

Thank you, NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group Ballantine for this advanced reader's copy. This book was absolutely adorable! The Full Moon Coffee Shop only appears at random, and it's run by CATS!! These are not ordinary cats, though. These cats serve coffee and cakes. All the customers who find the Full Moon Coffee Shop are in need of guidance. While customers have their coffee and cakes, the cats help them navigate through difficult paths in their lives. The cats consult star charts and help each customer find where they went wrong in their life and give their cat wisdom to help them when they return to their everyday life. Each customer is then led back into their real life to make changes to improve their life. This book was a fast and quite enjoyable read and I look forward to the next in the series to see what more the cats are up to.

Not really my cup of tea (haha get it? Because it’s about a coffee shop?) but really…. I didn’t enjoy this one. The premise is awesome and even the writing is beautiful but I just wasn’t vibing with the story. I do recommend trying for yourself if the synopsis sounds up your alley!

Cute and imaginative, THE FULL MOON COFFEE SHOP tells a magical story of cats giving second chances to the people who deserve them most.

In typical Japanese fashion, we have a beautiful story about humans being humans. This was really poignant and it touched my soul!

So this book sounds exactly like my cup of tea, but it wasn’t exactly. I was expecting more whimsy and less angst.

Knowing it is translated from the Japanese, the extremely detailed food descriptions make sense (they sound gorgeous).
But the extensive dissertations on various points of astrology bogged things down a bit.

Also, in the 3rd section of the book the narrative switches from something happening to the characters (or did it...?) to something the characters dreamed about (or did they...?) which knocked the magical feel down another notch.

It's a short book, and has a happyish ending, so I still recommend it. Especially if you are a fan of astrology.