Thank you Netgalley, publisher Del Rey, and author Samantha Sotto Yambao for providing an eARC in exchange for a review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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I've seen reviews mention the borderline stereotypical romanticizing of Japanese concepts and practices such as ikigai and kintsugi. Instead, I'll talk about what I noticed that hasn't been talked about much: this is an incredibly dark story in disguise, is lazily written and recycles the same patterns, and my biggest issue: is very staunchly pro-life (or, maybe better said, anti-abortion).

Water Moon is a horror story hiding behind Ghibli-esque whimsy. (In fact, if you'd like to play a drinking game for this review, take a shot every time I say "whimsy" or "whimsical".) For every seemingly charming event or phenomenon, there is a sinister monkey's paw twist to accompany it. Yes, memories can take physical shape in the form of beautiful pearls, and they must be carved out of your flesh, sometimes from deep within your muscle or organs, and there is no magical healing; have fun stitching yourself up. And it's true you can travel to a teahouse by falling asleep and turning right at the end of your second dream, but if you don't cross the Midnight Bridge which connects night and morning, or if you you fall into the river below the bridge, then you don't wake up and, yeah, die. You can also get pulled into, or pushed into, the river and murdered, so you'd think you could just avoid the river, but no, since you must cross the bridge to wake up. The train station has a pop-up tent village surrounding it because the trains don't adhere to a schedule and arrive when they arrive, much like Gandalf or the Queen of Genovia so it's entirely possible to spend a lifetime waiting for a train, to fall in love, get married, start a family at the train station, only for your spouse to be like "Oh shit, my train's here, bye," and leave. It seems to me readers aren't noticing the darkness behind the whimsy. Reminds me a bit of The Simpson's Treehouse of Horror VI segment "Attack of the 50ft Eyesores"

Reading comprehension matters. And I'll touch on this more in a moment.

But first, I want to talk about the chapter endings. They're formulaic. I identified a minimum of 16 chapters (flipping through on a kindle is a bit tricky, so I feel confident I might've missed some) that all ended with dialog statement, dialog question, dialog statement that is either shocking or nonsensical or cliffhangery. I won't include all the examples (dear god) but here's three-- keep in mind this is from the ARC so it's not final-- to give you an idea:

1. Chapter 8 ends with: "Because I lied to you too." The woman backed away from him. "About what?" "Who I really am."
2. Chapter 25 ends with: "My father wanted you to turn back time," Hana said. "No, Hana." Haruto sat at a table and pulled a small sheet of paper from one of the colorful stacks laid on top of it. "He wanted me to fold it."
3. Chapter 44 ends with: "Soon. There is something that both of you must do first." "What must we do?" Keishin said. "Drink."

It's giving soap opera/telenovela and it's done so often I started trying to make predictions if the chapter ending would follow this formula.

Circling back to reading comprehension and how remarkable it is to me that no one seems to be commenting on the violently glaring trigger warning, this book, for touting on about how choices are important and choices matter and choices are sacred and choices are beautiful and choices are what makes us human... the big climax, the big reveal, the big plot twist is the MMC was the choice that the FMC's mom stole, and she stole it so it could be returned, because the MMC's mother aborted him and she regretted it, so that was the choice she pawned: her choice to abort her pregnancy so she didn't have to be a teen mother and give up the future she wanted. But abortion is wrong, and it's so much better that that choice was undone and now the MMC is alive and the world is a beautiful place because he wasn't aborted.

“Because in a vault full of choices, you were blinding. You are meant to do great things, Kei. Not for your mother. Not for revenge. For yourself. You will find answers to all of your questions, and those answers will change your world."

This is a recycled version of "Don't abort your fetus, what if they grow up to discover the cure to cancer?"

This really didn't sit well with me. I'm still not sure I feel good about giving this a three star rating, but one star wouldn't be fair, either. The story was fine, if tedious, until this point, although not the most well-written (surprising, given this is the author's fifth work). I don't really want to downrate the whole book based on this one event, even though the book spends the entire length leading up to this point. I feel very conflicted, and so might end up changing this rating at a later time after I've had a while to sit with it. At any rate, I'm still convinced everyone who gave this book a 4 and 5 star rating didn't catch this event. It's never explicitly stated, rather danced around with flowery allusions and implied, although talking about being able to chase your dreams with the help of a wire coat hanger feels pretty fucking loudly telegraphed to me but if someone was skimming, then they could have certainly missed it.

Although I'm giving this a three star rating, it's really just because nothing else feels appropriate and three stars is the equivalent of "average", neither good nor bad. For now, I won't be recommending this book unless it comes with trigger warnings and a disclaimer, and the marketing tactic changes from "look how cutesy and whimsical and fantastical this is, uwu ramen shops and origami" to "look how some things that seem beautiful can truly be sinister, let's explore facades, and beware that all that glitters is not gold."

4.5- this was a surprising and very enjoyable read! I am loving translated works, and this is no exception. This story had a little bit of everything, romance, mystery, and fantasy. It had a very dreamlike and whimsical quality that is not super common to other novels of this genre which I feel really enhanced the story. Well developed, fast paced, and exciting plot with a very satisfying conclusion. The story demonstrated a beautiful allegory for the power of choice and the ability for humans to create their own destiny. Even though the romance was a subplot, I still felt invested in the romance and felt the relationship moved the story along. Overall, I very much enjoyed!

Thank you to Random House Ballentine and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review

first book of 2025! this comes out in a few days, and it was whimsical and lovely and I was tearing up by the end. a read that goes down like a warm cup of tea

Water Moon tells a tale of self discovery in a whimsical world that takes fantasy to a new level of scenery. The unique settings such as the bridge between midnight and morning make this story a breath of fresh air.
Thank you Del Ray and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy.

“The last few minutes of sleep were always thicker, creamier, and more delicious than all the hours that came before them.”

I cannot properly state my love for this book. This was INCREDIBLE. The characters were so human and the imagery was so tangible. I’m in awe and will be promptly purchasing a copy to hold.

This was such an unexpected hit for me! I wasn’t really sure what to expect but requested the ARC when I found out it was going to be the January book for one of my SE boxes. It did NOT disappoint. In the description it likened it to a Ghibli film and it was right on the mark with that comparison! The writing was super descriptive (without being overly descriptive) and made it so easy for me to picture this world. The twist at the end of the book was fun- I wasn’t able to guess a portion of it, but some of the events took me by surprise. Water Moon was so whimsical, and the world building was so intriguing, I found myself wanting to know more about the world instead of feeling bogged down by all of the details. This has definitely inspired me to pick up more works by this author in the future!

My thanks for the ARC goes to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group; Ballantine; Del Rey. I'm voluntarily leaving a review, and all thoughts are my own.

Genre: Speculative Fiction, Fantasy, Asian Literature, Asian Fantasy, Mythology, Magical Realism
Spice Level: Fade to black (with one comment outside of the black)
Structure: Flashbacks, parallel world


**WATER MOON** is already receiving my guess for being the most unique novel of 2025! Here's why: it exudes Studio Ghibli vibes, the parallel world is sweeping and unique, and the monsters caught me.

I was expecting something similar to some of the other Japanese novels I've read where someone comes to the shop and through the magic finds solutions. This novel still has the feeling of vignettes that link together with overarching themes of resilience, choice, healing, change, family expectations, fate, and love. Some readers are going to say this isn't for them because of the dream-like quality. It's much more of an idea book than a character driven story, and to me, the characters are the vehicle for the reader to move through the ideas. Think allegorical.

The language and imagery in the book is lovely. The ideas are thoughtful. There was a moment when I was reminded of *The Little Prince* and another where I felt like I had a dash of *Piranesi*, and then throw in a little TJ Klune, and even a bit of *Cloud Cuckoo Land*. If any of these stories are your jam, you should definitely pick this up.

I also feel like *Water Moon* is insightful into the Japanese culture with the sense of honor and family and the mythology behind the story. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will read more by this author. My rating would be between a 4 and 5 because I would have liked a little more with the characters (especially the insta-love) in addition to the ideas.

Happy reading!

Water moon is whimsical, charming, and enchanting. This is a good book, but I think that it wasn't for me personally.

I appreciated and loved the aspects of Japanese culture in this book. The torii gates, konbini, and the Hana cards that I grew up playing was so special to read for me. I loved seeing Japanese names, even my grandma's name Emiko in the book.
I think that it was just a little bit too cozy for me. The science aspects were a tad too overpowered towards the beginning and the romance was too insta-love for me. I was confused at how fast the characters developed a connection, it almost came out of nowhere. The plotline kinda lost me for a bit and I struggled to stay invested in the story.

Although I rated this a 3 stars, I would still recommend this book to others because I can totally see its appeal. If you liked "Before the Coffee Gets Cold" then there is a good chance that you'll like this one too. I wasn't a fan of that book and it gave me similar vibes. I just think that the writing style in this book just wasn't my preference.

Thank you Netgalley, Random House Publishing, Del Rey for this arc in exchange for an honest review!

On a backstreet in Tokyo lies a pawnshop, but not everyone can find it. Most will see a cozy ramen restaurant. And only the chosen ones—those who are lost—will find a place to pawn their life choices and deepest regrets.

Hana Ishikawa wakes on her first morning as the pawnshop’s new owner to find it ransacked, the shop’s most precious acquisition stolen, and her father missing. And then into the shop stumbles a charming stranger, quite unlike its other customers, for he offers help instead of seeking it.

Together, they must journey through a mystical world to find Hana’s father and the stolen choice—by way of rain puddles, rides on paper cranes, the bridge between midnight and morning, and a night market in the clouds. But as they get closer to the truth, Hana must reveal a secret of her own—and risk making a choice that she will never be able to take back.

This was quite different from anything I've read before, and I loved it. What a creative story! Well-written, well-executed wild ride. I will definitely be keeping my eye on this author - I look forward to reading more from her!

I received an advanced complimentary digital copy of this book from Netgalley. Opinions expressed are my own.

4.5 stars

What a lovely book. The writing is soft, reflective, and very readable.
The world is whimsical yet dark. Love the way the author reveals the plot, character development, and world-building in layers.
If you like the movie, Everything Everywhere All At Once, chances are you will enjoy this book. Water Moon would also make a great Miyazaki / Studio Ghibli film. It's got a lot of the quirky, emotional, reflective, and metaphorical ingredients that fit a Ghibli film.
This book is something to return to time and time again, to be enjoyed at all stages of one's life.
The one aspect that could have been better is the ending. It was still a good ending, just felt a bit rushed and a little too perfect.
This book seems to have multiple points where the book could have reasonably ended. And one of those other points may have made a better ending. But all in all, a wonderful read.

For more in depth thoughts, check out our spoiler-free podcast episode: https://spotifycreators-web.app.link/e/SP2aI7LB0Pb

Water Moon is a magical, heartwarming adventure that whisks you away to another world. It was like a dream - familiar, but I also had no idea what sort of enchanting thing would happen next. Throughout this adventure it explores choices, regrets, and destiny.

Thank you Del Ray and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy.

This book feels like a dream, like a bittersweet memory from a happier time that hurts to revisit, like reaching out to hug a loved one and grasping at fog instead.

This story is creative and new yet reflective, where every reader can find a piece of themselves.

A discussion on choices, fate, regret, love, loss, dreams, reality, and hope.

The pacing of this book was unique and a little confusing; our main characters go on a journey to these fantastical places but aren't there long enough for the reader to really settle into and enjoy. We are told wonderful, beautiful prose, then whisked off to the next place, left reeling, still digesting the descriptions in the midst of another location.

The line between reality, dreams, and headspace isn't just blurry, it's nonexistent. At times this adds to the books magical charm, and other times is confusing and I would need to reread passages or multiple pages to try to understand when and where we were.

Overall this book was enjoyable, with moments of reflection that were impactful and I'm sure I won't forget anytime soon.

For fans of Ghilbi, Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea, and Six Crimson Cranes, pick this up. You won't be the same afterwards.

Some of the people who walk through the door of a ramen restaurant instead find themselves in a pawn shop that purchases regrets. On Hana’s first day running the pawn shop after her father retires, she wakes up to find the shop ransacked, her father missing, and a mysterious stranger who has come through the door not to pawn a choice but to help her. This is the beginning of a magical adventure.

The author’s creativity shows in Hana’s world, where you can travel by jumping in a puddle, being folded in a piece of paper, or carried on a rumor or a song. Here, there are no choices; everyone knows and follows their path. There’s a whole museum dedicated to the choices made in our world that changed the course of history - a cautionary tale.

I enjoyed the writing, the unusual characteristics of Hana’s world, and the philosophical question of what it would be like to live in a world without choices. I was not a fan of the romance, and I didn’t particularly like the resolution of Hana’s search for her father. This book would make a cute and fun movie.

I could very easily picture the story of Water Moon as a Ghibli movie. It gave me the same otherworldly, dream-like vibes of Spirited Away and the spirit world from Avatar: The Last Airbender. I loved how unique and fantastical all of the different locations were, while still being so easy to imagine. Traveling through puddles, bargaining with memories, and how it all connects to the human world was so fascinating to me. I would’ve loved to step out of the story and dive deeper into the world just so I could explore it more on my own. For most of the story I felt like I was simply along for a wonderful ride, but in the end, it really hooked me. I enjoyed the ongoing theme of choices, regrets, and memories. I saved so many quotes that made me pause and reflect while reading.

Overall, for me, the pacing felt a bit quick and I would’ve loved if this story had been expanded to a duology. However, I can also see how the quick pace adds to the dream-like quality of the story. But this was a wonderful fairytale that I think everyone can get something different out of and will enjoy.

3.75 stars - Hana has grown up knowing that her life is tied to her family's pawnshop, tasked with dealing not in wares, but in regrets and in choices, and with her father's retirement, Hana will wake up tomorrow as it's new owner. Yet when morning comes, not all is as it should be. The pawnshop has been ransacked and both her father and one of the choices they are tasked with gathering and protecting are missing. The sudden and inopportune appearance of a handsome stranger offering assistance has left Hana in a tricky position - Kei is not from her world, but unwilling to take no for an answer, and Hana desperately needs to find her father before it's too late...

At first I struggled a bit to really fall into this one, it just felt a bit slow, but as it progressed I realized it was slow in the way that a stroll through a park can be - leisurely with the intent of enjoying the beauty around you. This novel flowed gorgeously through an array of worlds, each touched with their own types of magic, that I can't think of a better comparison than a Ghibli movie. As much as this is an fantastical mystery, I think what I adored most was the strong undercurrent of love that wove throughout the pages. The relationship between not only the main characters, but even the moments of kindness and care that came from side characters gave this story such a warm glow. If you're looking for a not-quite-low-stakes but arguably cozy and dream-like fantasy, I recommend giving this one a try!

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group, Del Ray, and NetGalley for this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

**𝑨𝑹𝑪 𝑹𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘** 𝑾𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝑴𝒐𝒐𝒏 𝒃𝒚 𝑺𝒂𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒉𝒂 𝑺𝒐𝒕𝒕𝒐 𝒀𝒂𝒎𝒃𝒂𝒐

Release Date: January 14, 2025

3⭐️

This book is not for me, so I DNFed it. There are people out there that love the "what if" books where you go down a rabbit hole of "what if" I never got on that bus (or whatever it is), then the MC wakes up at the end of the book and realizes none of it was real.

I feel like that's where this book is going. There is a Pawn Shop in Tokyo where anyone who has made a choice in the past that they regret and cannot get past it, they can come to this Pawn Shop and "trade their choice away." So, they essentially forget they ever made that choice and they can move on with their lives. The FMC is inheriting the pawn shop from her elderly father, who has mostly lived inside a Sake bottle since his wife left.

Themes/Tropes:
🍁"what if" rabbit hole
🍁Black Box Magic


TW:
✨Alcohol Abuse

First, thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey & Penguin Random House for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Hana is set to take over her father's (magical) pawnshop, but on her first day as owner, she wakes to find the shop in disarray and her father missing. Enter Keishin, the shop's latest patron and Hana's new partner in crime. Together, they try to unravel the mystery of her father's disappearance before they're taken by demons seeking the price they're owed.

Water Moon is a ghibli-esque fantasy world with a budding romance and mystery to boot. I loved the descriptive scenes and the magic system here. It paints a really beautiful picture and I would love to visit all the places Hana and Keishin do.

Overall, I'd say it's closer to a 3.5 for me, but it was a really pleasant read. To me, I felt that this story had a slow start, but once I got about half-way I was really drawn into the mystery and kept stealing time out of my day to finish.

I wouldn't necessarily say this is a "cozy" fantasy, but it is definitely picturesque.

What a beautiful, tragic story. I was skeptical going into this because it was so out of my comfort zone, but I am so glad I read this book. I absolutely loved the setting and world building. It really captivates you, making you want to never put it down. The author does an amazing job describing things, you can see everything so clearly in your mind. Hana and Keishin's journey was extraordinary, and heartbreaking. So many things made me cry, but so many things also made me smile. I think those are the best kinds of storys.
The ending was perfect, and I highly recommend to anyone looking for a story that whisks them away to another world.

Big thank you to NetGalley, Random House, and the author for the ebook in exchange for an honest review.

Overall, while I loved the whimsical nature of the world we're in, the dialogue, characters and ending all fell flat for me. This book had so much potential. The actual world and the symbolism was so well done that I felt like I was transported to a new place, only to be letdown by the main characters.

The dialogue is clunky when compared to the vivid descriptions of the landscape, almost feeling robotic. I also found the characters to be one-dimensional, with too much focus on the instalove. Plus, we made a lot of repetitive stops throughout the journey, which slowed the pace down.

The ending in comparison was so rushed. It felt like she needed to sneak one more little twist, only for it to be resolved and then the book ends. Sure, it's happy, but it could have been more.

Hana has grown up in a pawnshop where choices are currency and puddles can transport you from one place to the next. Kei is a physicist returning home to Tokyo and his dream job. When a trip for ramen turns into a ransacked pawnshop and a mysterious girl in a fantastical place, everything Kei understands in the world is turned on end. As Hana and Kei seek answers along with her missing father, a greater story unfolds that will forever change them both.

This was a well written, brilliant fantasy and light romance. Both the world and character building was well done as each new facet of the story presented itself and worked to knit together. I loved the abstract and the normal, the secrets and the truths, the loneliness and the hope for connection, the anger and the forgiveness. A truly satisfying novel. 5 stars.

Review based on a digital Advanced Reader’s Copy provided by Random House - Bellantine, Del Rey and NetGalley. Thank you!