I DNF’d this one. It was a really cute concept but I just found myself so detached from the characters. It jumped around so much I felt like we were only in a place for a page or two. Also, Kei’s willingness to go with the flow just made no sense to me. Could be a great book for someone else just not for me!

I received an eARC of this book for review from Del Rey via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.

Unfortunately, this one just wasn't for me. I really like the premise of a hidden pawn shop were regrets can be left behind. The style was just to dreamlike for me. It's listed as fantasy, but it reads like magical realism and that genre usually doesn't work for me. This isn't an exception. If non-linear stories following secretive characters into undefined worlds work for you, give this one a try.

DNF @41%

This was such a delightful read. The magical realism and world building was spectacular and I read each page with enjoyment. Amazingly written and can’t wait to read more from this author
Thank you to NetGalley and​ Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine​-Del Rey​ for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review

3.75 ⭐️
In some ways Water Moon does remind me of a Studio Ghibli movie specifically in the world creation and building the absurdity of everything that yet still makes sense. However, it does not read with the same vivid colors like a Studio Ghibli movie because so much was told through dialogue rather than showed. I wouldn’t consider the characters Hana and Kei flat as much as I just didn’t really connect with them. I really enjoyed watching the two of them as they try to find and figure what happened to Hana’s father. I do almost wished their relationship was kept platonic, as sometime felt like the romantic aspect was thrown in last minute. There were many really good thoughtful quotes all throughout the book. If you enjoy reading whimsical japanese translated literature like “before the coffee gets cold”, “days at the morisaki bookshop”, etc you will likely enjoy this book as there’s many elements that reminded me of those.

The writing and the depth of this world, the other side of the coin that we are whisked into is enchanting in its beauty. Each description of Hana’s world is whimsical and totally unique. One problem I had was how quick we are moved from location to location, we never get to learn more about each spot. While the two main characters seem to fall fast, it makes sense when you get to the end of the book. Very very original and whimsical!

Lovely in the bittersweet way a lot of translated fiction from Japan seems to be (though to be clear, this was originally written in English).

The picaresque nature of the plot was interesting to read — it was one fantastical, dreamlike sequence after another — but I felt the story focused on the plot at the expense of the characters. I didn’t feel the emotional resonance from or between Hana and Keishin that I would have liked. That emotional connection and depth is necessary for the characters’ end-of-book sacrifices to pack the punch the author intends; without it, the climax falls flat.

A very light and whimsical read, I loved everything in this book. Really my only complaint is the romance, I thought it was completely unnecessary and would’ve worked better as a platonic relationship.

Thank you NetGalley!

3.5. Starting off by saying that the overall vibe of this book is incredible. Saying it’s like reading a studio Ghibli film is pretty on point. I definitely think the atmosphere is one of the best things the book has to offer. The setting is definitely unique and I loved reading descriptions of each new place and just overall learning about this other world.

We get some dialogue/prose that is 5 star worthy, absolutely beautiful, but then we’ll get hit with something on the next page that just…swings and misses. That part was a little confusing for me honestly.

The characters are where things really fell apart for me. Hana and Keishin instantaneously have this insane, strong bond that just doesn’t seem realistic at all. Despite the entire book following their journey to find Hana’s parents and watching their relationship develop throughout, there just wasn’t good chemistry between them. It almost feels like the book was originally written without a romance plot line and it was forced in after the fact. Beyond that, all the characters came off as very bland. We are constantly told they have this depth to them and I do think there is an honest attempt at providing that depth, but it just doesn’t hit. The book is really trying to be character-centric, so this is a really big miss for me.

Overall, I don’t think it sucked and think if you like Studio Ghibli and/or romantasy it’s worth giving a shot. I’m just disappointed I didn’t have as positive an experience as other reviews.

DNF at 60%. Oh my gosh, this hurts me. I have never dnf'd an ARC and I always go into ARC's optimistic and with the hope I'll like them. This book gripped me in the beginning but the incredibly fast pace kept me from being able to truly immerse myself into the story. By 60% I was so bored I couldn't even force myself to pick it back up and finish. Water Moon definitely has strong Studio Ghibli vibes, and while I adore that franchise, this book just didn't work for me. The insta love didn't help either. If you enjoy The Night Circus or The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern, I bet you'll love Water Moon. I, however don't like those types of books and had I know or seen other people compare it those titles, I never would have picked it tbh.

I do want to give credit to the stunning cover. I truly wish I enjoyed this book so I could buy a physical copy to display on my shelves.

Thank you Netgalley and Random House Publishing for a copy of this ARC. All opinions are my own.

I am never sure what people mean when they describe a book as cozy. I do not think this is quite cozy but there are moments that it has that are very cozy, helping increase my understanding of the term.

On Hana's first day in charge of the pawnshop for choices, she meets a strange man. Rather than needing her help, he offers to help. Her father is missing and the shop has been ransacked. As they journey through her magical world, the reader is transported into new ideas and locales that bend our way of thinking.

Samantha Sotto Yambao creates a delicate and intricate world through the pawnshop. A world that I just want to revisit. The chemistry between the characters is interesting but makes sense by the end of the book.

This novel is entirely different from what I expected but I loved it and will wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone looking for a fantastic and fantastical read.

Thank you to Net Galley and Random House Publishing Group- Ballantine for the DRC. All opinions are my own.

This book felt like watching a Studio Ghibli movie, in all the best ways possible. Just enough whimsy but not so much that you lose track of what you're reading.

A mind-bending adventure that has you questioning the decisions you've made and whether you still carry any regret of choices you've made, one way or the other.

I read this book in two days and I couldn't put it down. The pacing is phenomenal and keeps you hooked.

Wow, this book has been one of my favorites this year. The best part of the story, in my opinion, is the setting. The author takes us through multiple locations that feel both enchanting and immersive. I was captivated by how beautifully the world is painted, creating a whimsical, cozy, and magical atmosphere that made every scene come alive. I’m grateful to NetGalley and Random House for the opportunity to read and review this book.


This review will be posted on Goodreads on December 23, 2024

This was sooooo close to 4 stars for me! I told a friend that this book felt like the author wrote down all her dreams for like a year and put them in a book ... in the best way. It was dreamy and creative and fantastic. The pure amount of originality and creativity in this book blew my mind. It felt like falling into a dream. The only reason it didn't make it to 5 stars is because I felt a little confused by some of the explanations/plot points, so would have appreciated a bit more easy-to-follow explanation of why things are the way they are. But overall, this is an incredible reading experience.

**I was provided an electronic ARC from the publisher through NetGalley.**

DNF @ 37%

Samantha Sotto Yambao presents Water Moon, a dreamlike fantasy inspired by Japanese tradition and culture. Readers follow Hana as she takes over the magical pawnshop that her father has run, purchasing people's life regrets and choices. When her father is mysteriously missing, Hana encounters a charming stranger who offers help finding him.

Full disclosure. I knew there was a potential that this would not be my thing. I also knew that this was an upcoming choice for Illumicrate and Owlcrate. I have studied and enjoyed Japanese cultural traditions and have enjoyed Japanese translated works, but understand that there is more of a tendency toward slower plot development. This was the weakness of this book for me.

The writing in this book is beautiful. Fans of The Night Circus or The Starless Sea or Piranesi will be right at home. Even Strange the Dreamer or Before the Coffee Gets Cold. Unfortunately, I actively dislike this writing style. I pushed through with the other listed books because I had access to the audiobook (or because the short story format allowed for the text to be broken up neatly). As I only have the ebook for Water Moon, I caught myself constantly avoiding picking it up again. As such, I'm going to cut my losses here.

To be clear, I would absolutely recommend this book to people who like the dreamy, lyrical writing style. Wishing the most success for the author and for this book to find its audience.

This was such a delightful read! It transported me back to watching Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland as a kid. I've seen many comparisons to Studio Ghibli, which I can't speak to directly, but they seem pretty spot on! I absolutely loved this book!!

We follow Hana, who has just taken over her father's pawn shop. The twist... their customers are people from our world who stumble upon the shop looking for ramen and end up pawning a choice they made in life. On her first official day after her father retires, she wakes up to find the pawn shop broken into, her father missing, and a choice stolen from the vault. In walks Keishin, a physicist, who comes into the shop looking for ramen.

This story was beautifully written, and I was fully immersed in Hana and Keishin's journey to find her father. It asks the reader to suspend disbelief right from the start regarding the magical pawn shop, and I was completely sold. The mix of Hana's magical world and Keishin's scientific perspective was incredibly engaging. I'm not usually a fan of contemporary elements in fantasy and typically steer clear of cozy stories, but there was a clear purpose behind every step of their magical adventure, and it worked so well for me.

Thank you, NetGalley and Del Rey, for providing an early copy in exchange for this honest review.

Unique, creative premise, engaging characters and alternate reality made this a robust page turner. I loved the unexpected twists, and fantastical world building and the well paced writing style. Highly recommended

Thanks to NetGalley and Del Rey for an advanced reader copy.

When I first saw the description of this book, it sounded so beautiful - I ended up really taking my time with this book to best visualize and take in.

This story was such a beautiful and multi-faceted tale told from multiple pov/memories. The world building was so unique and intricate that it was so easy to picture it in my mind as if I were reading a graphic novel. The ideas were fun and new.

The characters were intriguing, but I felt like I didn’t end up knowing them as well as I thought I might by the end. I had so many questions for individuals as well as worlds because I wanted to know more before the book was over. The ending came and went so quickly keeping some lingering thoughts in the back of one’s mind.

All in all, it was a nice story full of fantasy, hopes, regrets, romance and potential. Definitely intrigued to look into other work by Samantha Sotto Yambao now!

Thank you so much to the author Samantha Sotto Yambao, Random House Publishing - Del Rey and NetGalley for this eARC of Water Moon!

Water moon review

The vibe of this book is exactly as promised, right out of a studio ghibli movie. However I’m sad to say that’s all it gives is a vibe. The story pacing is off, the main characters are very flat( 2 dimensional) and the dialogue and interactions between the various characters just felt forced and unauthentic. The world building has a lot of potential, its descriptions are easy to picture and beautiful. I couldn’t get on page with the main characters motive and reasonings which made this read less enjoyable. Again, the premise is actually very clever and thought provoking, It reqlly got me thinking about the choices we make everyday and the consequences they bring, and how one small choice can set your path in a completely different direction. I also felt like the journey the characters went on during this story was excessive. I understand they had to learn and obtain information from each stop, but I was just too much and caused me to loose interest in the path they took. This book took me 156 days to get through simply because I kept loosing interest. The conclusion felt a bit rushed but at least the last page was happy. Again this book is mostly vibes with a lot of thought provoking aspects, making one reflect on life and all the choices we make.

3.75 stars

Whimsical, with beautiful imagery.

Keishin appears at Hana's magical pawn shop door on the day that her father disappears. He insists on helping Hana find her father and is thrust into a world unlike anything he could imagine.

The two main characters are contrasting in that one feels trapped by their fate and wants freedom to decide and the other is hampered by decision, leaving major life decisions up to fate. They are similar in that their lives have been defined by a decision that their mothers made.

One of my favorite things was how decisions were discussed. Sometimes, you don't have a choice and when you do, you may regret your decision no matter which choice you make. How have decisions and mistakes impacted who you are?

The beginning and end of the book are stronger than the middle. As the plot ramps up, there is somewhat of a clue seeking and chase. I think that the chase could have been done in a way that was more logical and less because the author thought it was necessary to ramp up tension right at that moment. Each location visited is a new and vivid world, with new rules to learn. This is fascinating at first, but there are too many places visited. The Shiikuin play a major role in the plot, but their powers, how the Horishi system began, and their relationship with Hana's world doesn't get addressed in a satisfying way. The last chapter is a nice call back, but it wraps everything up too quickly and doesn't address some of the lingering questions.

Water Moon is a spellbinding tale blends mystery and romance into an exploration of love, destiny, and self-discovery. Set against a vividly imagined world inspired by Philippine folklore, the novel tells the story of Luna, a young woman who is drawn into a mystical journey when she discovers a cryptic connection to an ancient legend involving the moon and the sea.

The writing alternates between emotional moments and high-stakes adventure with a perfect balance that keeps the pages turning.

The novel’s themes of resilience, sacrifice, and the power of human connection resonate universally, making it a compelling read for lovers of magical realism and mythic fiction alike.

A big thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing an eARC!