such a cute and whimsical read. if only the full moon coffee shop existed, that would be my go to every full moon. i loved how all the stories and characters are intertwined together. the astrology aspect of it, i wasn’t expecting, but thoroughly enjoyed! everything about this made me reflect on my own life and had me really thinking. absolutely loved this!

This book is so cute! Translated from its original Japanese, the story is about a coffee shop run by talking cats. If you help just the right cat, you just might find yourself there, getting life advice from a feline friend. A quick and sweet read, full of whimsy. Sometimes the star chart stuff could get a little dull, but otherwise, I adored this.

Thanks to #netgalley for providing this copy in exchange for an honest review.

I DNF's halfway through. Some positives were the creativity of the shapeshifting cats and magical pop up coffee shop.

I generally really enjoy similar stories. A novella made up of various somewhat intersecting vignettes that focus on the character's internal struggles, life changes, etc. However, this book's pacing felt clunky and slow. I couldn't find any connection and struggled to be interested throughout.

*3-3.5 stars
A cute and charming story about five people who encounter magical beings working in a pop-up cafe called the Full Moon Coffee Shop, who try to guide these people in how to live better lives by the use of their astrological charts--the message being: You must first know yourself. In the end, the reason for helping these particular people is made plain. A quick read, but might be best suited for those who are into astrology.

I heard this song in my head throughout my reading, lol:
'When the moon is in the Seventh House
And Jupiter aligns with Mars
Then peace will guide the planets
And love will steer the stars

This is the dawning of the age of Aquarius
Age of Aquarius
Aquarius
Aquarius!'
(from The Age of Aquarius by The Fifth Dimension)

Many thanks to the author and publisher for making an arc available to me via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

I am a sucker for books that contain cats. Recently, I have also become very interested in reading Japanese literature. So, when I read the blurb for The Full Moon Coffee Shop and saw that it contained cats and Japanese literature, I knew I wanted to read it. And I am glad I did because this book was a cute read and a little strange.

The Full Moon Coffee Shop’s synopsis centers around four individuals (Mizuki, Akari, Satsuki, and Takashi), their current lives, and how they ended up at the coffee shop. The book was very well written, and I had zero issues following the storyline.

I warn that you might wonder how everything is connected (I certainly did wonder). The author does a beautiful job of gradually explaining the connections between the people. The connection between the cafe and the main characters isn’t fully explained until the end of the book.

The main characters were flawed, but not in a way that would ruin the book. The author did have each character have an awakening of sorts, which carried over into the other storylines.

The cats and the astrology made the book. I liked that the cats were named after the planets. I also liked that the author included drawings of each person’s astrology chart. It was nice to see a layout of what each cat (and there were four that gave the main characters TED talks) was talking about. I was able to visualize it. Also, I liked that the author didn’t fundamentally change the cats. Instead, they were furry creatures who stood on their hind legs, did astrology, and served up custom-made coffee/tea/desserts to the shop patrons.

The end of The Full Moon Coffee Shop was interesting. The author shows how the main characters changed because of their interactions at the coffee shop. In addition, the way the main characters met and the good deeds that they did together were explained. I was in tears reading that. They weren’t sad tears but happy tears. I wish I could tell you all more!!

The idea of a dreamy cafe where cats serve you food and drink tailored to your tastes and give you advice to get your life together? Honestly I need this in my life. It should totally be a thing.

The cage was so cute and cozy. I love it. I love the cats. It was hopeful and kinda sweet. The cats did lose me a bit when they'd get too into astrology or pile on Mizuki for not being married and having kids. But overall this was just such a cute cozy story and fun to read.

This will definitely appeal to fans of 'Before the Coffee Gets Cold' and other recent similar books, but it sadly just wasn't for me. I thought the inclusion of cats would make me like it more, but they weren't featured as heavily as I'd hoped (I think I'd've preferred this story in a visual medium, like as manga or a show). I know tons of people will love this, though.

This book was a cozy, cute, fun read! I love a book with talking animals and a struggling human! The writing seemed to drag a little but I kept coming back!

This was just the thing to bring a bit of magic to a cozy afternoon of reading. I'd definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a book that will hit like a warm cup of coffee on a brisk day. Being set up like short stories, yet still interwoven into a whole piece, reading the book feels like taking bites of a little treat.

Personally, I've always believed that cats are good luck.

The Full Moon Coffee Shop centers a coffee shop like no other, one that appears under the Kyoto moon when you happen to need it most. Oh, and it's run by talking <i>cats.</i> Weaving together the stories of four individuals stuck at pivotal junctions in their individual lives, Mochizuki crafts a story about change and finding one's way.

I'm a big fan of Japanese speculative fiction especially when magical realism comes to play, and this book delivers with a unique premise and heartening messages. I love the theme of everything being interconnected and the foundational idea of good deeds being rewarded. I also found the inclusion of astrology interesting, especially in gaining insight into each character and their individual life tribulations. Those interested in astrology as well as mythology will certainly enjoy this book!

My main complaint can be summed up as "not enough show, quite a bit tell." I feel like the nature of the story and how it's set up lends itself to being more tell than show and while that doesn't necessarily compromise the main intention of such a story, I do feel as though the reader's attachment and investment in the characters suffers a bit as a result. The stakes just don't feel quite as high when we are simply just "told" about each character's background and the context for their coffee shop visit rather than being provided that exposition narratively.

Nonetheless, the story concludes in quite a satisfying way and with a clear message. I recommend to those looking for a quick story that fulfills a certain human desire for the reassurance that all will be well even when life isn't quite going the way you want it.

Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the advanced reader's copy of this book!

3.25 Stars
When I saw that this included a coffee shop that appeared and disappeared, as well as talking cats, I was all in! I didn't even look at any other summaries or reviews, so I didn't realize that this is a translation of a Japanese bestseller inspired by a myth. Because of this, I was not expecting this format or storyline. That's not a bad thing, it just made this an odd experience at first.

The book seems like 3 separate short stories with some crossover characters in them. Each are at a crossroads in their life when this coffee shop appears to them. The talking cats bring them what they feel they need, and spend time talking to them about their star charts. They explain how certain events and people effect their lives in relation to these charts and help them come to a better understanding of themselves. By the end we learn how all of these people are connected and why the cats appear to them..

The book was well written and was and good way to pass a rainy day. I am not usually a fan of short stories and having that feel to me made this a book that was not as engaging as it might be for others. If you are a fan of short stories, definitely give this one a try.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Cozy, cats, sweet treats, and astrology all in beautiful Japan set to the tone of magical realism.

A short and simple read that will make you wish you had a plate of ice cream and hot coffee at the ready while a cat purrs on your lap or reads your birth chart and planets. I was sad to put this down. I'd like to follow just one more person as they stumble upon the full moon cafe and learn about the stars and planets in a way that helps them learn who they truly are to fix the messes they're currently in.

I adored how the characters were interconnected, and then learning the bigger back story which threaded them unknowingly together. There were a few messages I think failed to land. For our first heroine when discussing a past lover she wanted a ring from but he wasn't that into her, the cat implied it was only her fault. There was a lesson to be learned there, not to neglect relationships because they will fall apart, but it didn't seem to apply to the situation and his fault was not mentioned. Left a sour taste in my mouth but a later incident with the actress was the inverse where a man failed to take accountability and recieved backlash. So I wonder how much of it was a small translation loss ...

Despite the few items that I could criticize I was sad there wasn't more to enjoy. I'd pick up more of this.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House - Ballantine for the eARC of The Full Moon Coffee Shop in exchange for a free and honest review.

This was such a cute, cozy, and quick read. It follows 3 separate people who've all crossed paths in their lives - as they discover a mystical coffee shop under a full moon run by talking cats. Each person has a life lesson they need to learn and the cats are their to not only serve delicious treats, but also offer up great life advice based off each person's astrological chart.

Perfect for a fall pick me up - especially if you're in the mood for something light, happy, and filled with conversation about delicious food. While I do find myself interested in astrology, I found the parts of the novel where the cats explained the aspects of the astrological charts to be more boring than entertaining - those sections tended to read more like a textbook than a fantasy novel for me.

Otherwise it was very cute, very uplifting, and just a feel-good fantasy read.

Soon to be released translation of the best selling Japanese novel. A mysterious coffee shop appears in the oddest places and only during a full moon. Magically run by beautiful cats with celestial names, served are treats tailored to the customers needs along with astrological readings. Soon the connections between the customers becomes apparent and why each one has a special need. Enjoyable read with some hidden depth.

The Full Moon Coffee Shop is an interesting quick read. It’s a story about finding yourself and some of the help we need along the way. If you enjoy astrology, talking cats, and bit of oddness, this might be the book for you.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Full Moon Coffee Shop is a cafe that somehow randomly appears to people in need. It is "run" by several cats who are conversant in astrology and who use that astrological knowledge to guide the people whom they deem need help in their lives. It turns out that the people chosen by this coffee shop are all interconnected in various ways, as are the cats. I thought this was going to be more along the lines of Before the Coffee Gets Cold that helps people reflect on their lives. I was disappointed to find out that it was more attuned to astrological readings. I would have preferred less astrology; I found it to be distracting.

This book was a 2.5 for me, I rounded up. I was interested in the concept. It sounded cute. It was a very quick read, but unfortunately I felt I had to force myself to finish. In the beginning, I was reminded of Studio Ghibli movies and I quite like them, but the astrology bit and the rest of the story around the characters lives felt disjointed. I'm sure things just got lost in the translation, but the writing felt juvenile. It is hard to tell the authors true intentions and voice from the translation and I wonder if translations are just not my cup of tea.

Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for this ARC!

I haven't had many 5 star reads this year, but this novella was really good. It was like a cozy little fantasy, not super high stakes and with happy resolutions. The Full Moon Coffee Shop reminded me a lot of Before the Coffee Gets Cold, but more interconnected. And with more cats. There was also a fun intertwining of Japanese culture with Roman mythology. Overall, this was just a cute read.

The Full Moon Coffee Shop is a story of regaining confidence, finding yourself, and reconnecting with old friends.... or maybe new lovers. Each character has their own reason for needing the coffee shop and each character has their star charts done by the enigmatic cats at the cafe. This is not a cat cafe; this is a cafe run by cats.

The cats are mostly named after the planets, though they also seem to have characteristics of Roman Gods/Goddesses. The patrons of the cafe seem to be a mixture of humans and supernatural beings. Each person is connected to each other in a really cute way. Since it's such a quick read, I don't want to give too much away. If you're a fan of cozy fantasy, astrology, and of course cats, you'll definitely like this book.

Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the advanced copy, all opinions are my own.

Thank you to Random House - Ballantine and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

The Full Moon Coffee Shop by Mai Mochizuki is an amazing series of anecdotes regarding a magical cafe. In a series of stories that interconnect at the end of the novel, a series of down-on-their-luck strangers stumble across a cafe in the middle of Kyoto. There, they are served magical elixirs by talking cats who tell fortunes using a mix of astrology and horoscopes. If the people follow the wisdom that the cats give them, then they have their opportunity to change their lives for the better in all areas - work, family, romance, etc. Will they choose to follow the cats' advice?

Here is an enchanting excerpt from the Prologue:

"As if summoned by the music, a cat appeared on the railing of my balcony. Perhaps it belonged to one of the other residents. After all, pets were allowed in my apartment block. It was a regular tortoiseshell cat, its fur a pretty mix of brown and black. In spite of the obvious danger, it picked its way along the railing with a dainty assurance. I found myself gazing at it in total admiration. Maybe it was the clear blue sky, or the pink cherry blossom trees in the distance, but the whole scene resembled a painting."

Overall, The Full Moon Coffee Shop is an amazing cozy fantasy that will appeal to fans of Before The Coffee Gets Cold and Days at the Morisaki Bookshop. One highlight of this book is the beautiful and adorable premise. I couldn't wait to read about the titular magical coffee shop. I loved reading about how the cats communicated with the humans and read their star charts. While this genre, cozy fantasy, isn't new, especially in Japan, I still enjoyed reading this book. I felt that it was like a breath of fresh air and just what I needed to clear my reading palate.

Another highlight of this book is how it is a work of translated, translated from Japanese originally. I really think that there are not enough books being translated from other languages into English. I am so glad to be able to support this book and its author. If I had to complain about 1 thing, I would say that this novella were a bit longer. I will definitely check out the sequel if it comes out in English though. If you're intrigued by the excerpt above, or if you're a fan of cozy fantasy stories in general, you won't regret checking out this book when it comes out in August!

I really enjoyed this. It's a short and cozy read. If you're into astrology and magical realism I definitely recommend it. Everything is so beautifully connected.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an e-arc. All thoughts and opinions are my own.