This was such a cute read! I loved the concept of a pawnshop where you sell your regrets. Hana and Kei were such interesting characters and I loved how we learned so much about them in a short time. The story really dove into the concepts of how our choices can define our entire lives. How regrets can affect us deeply and make us wish we had made a different decision. The romance was very cute! Even though it happened very quickly I didn’t feel it was rushed. It was written very well. The whole story was also very whimsical and I loved the writing style. Overall very solid read!

A sweet fairy tale heavily inspired by Spirited Away - if you enjoy Miyazaki movies, this could be up your alley. I found the story a bit simplistic and the characters a little flat but I loved the world that was conjured and really enjoyed the adventure.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for a n honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC of this novel, however, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

So, I got an ARC of this and I try not to DNF ARCs, but I honestly just can't go on with this. I'm bored out of my mind. I think this is supposed to be like that soft healing fiction, but I find that my intrigue is too low to continue. I don't care about the circumstances or the characters enough to continue on. There is one aspect that I am a little intrigued by and I may come back and try again when I'm more in the mood for something slower and with lackluster dialogue, but that is not right now. I'm trying to get my reading back to where I want it to be and not sink it even more into the abyss. So, this is just not for me and I'm DNFing at about 30%. I'm clearly in the minority so if you're interested in magical pawn shops and "other worlds" then this could be a great read for you. Also, if a bit of insta-love doesn't bother you. Or a general lack of characterization. The more I think about it the less this worked for me. The cover is pretty though.

I love the setting of this book - a very uniquely Japanese brand of whimsy (with every fairytale’s hidden weight dragging at the levity and casting shadows) married to a portal fantasy that shows us glimpses of so many dreams and unusual stories. Each setting and the story behind it unravels beautifully and with the utmost care. I could have slipped through puddles into new locations forever.

Unfortunately, in a move that should shock no one who knows me at all, I was not sold on the romance. And particularly not two very distinct moments that happen at the end of- and I think that’s because, despite being the star of the whole book, we don’t ever truly understand Hana. She’s held at such a remove, acting more as Keishin’s guide than as the driving force. It makes her choices a little bewildering. I think this is honestly because we didn’t get to see much of her life before the events of the book kick off - instead we’re told about her parents, the pawn shop, and her role… but we’re not shown Hana herself.

Also I genuinely don’t understand what the point was in having that chapter with the elevator. It’s never mentioned again and it comes at a really weird time in the narrative for a flashback.

Overall, though, if you want to read a book that can transport you into a whimsical if unforgiving magical multiverse, this book is absolute for you.

4.25
What a magical ride! Reading Water Moon is to be swept away on a daydream carried by an origami crane.
An original and fast paced romantacy with minimal spice, from the Japanese influences to the dream-like setting, everything was perfect!
This book comes out January 14th and I will absolutely be purchasing a copy!
Thank you to Del Ray/Penguin Random House for the ARC!

Thank you to the publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest review!
I've read a few magic realism books this year but this one was by far the most surprising and best one. Reading it felt like I had been thrown into a Studio Ghibli film and I would honestly love to see it being adapted into an animated film! The whimiscal, cozy and dreamy world in the book was a wonderful and beautiful. This book is absolutely perfect for reading in the winter time while being curled up under the blanket and drinking a warm cup of cocoa or tea.

In terms of characters, I didn't feel too much of a connection to either Kei or Hana, but I did find their relationship and its development interesting and it really added to the story.

Overall, if you're looking for a cozy book with whimiscal feels to read this one is perfect for you!

I loved Water Moon for the world building and whimsical nature of the story. There’s some very cool settings early on that I wasn’t expecting and it kept me reading the whole book just to see more of it. There’s weakness here is the characters, who never really stood out to me or felt special in any way.

Note: ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Water Moon is by far the most surprising book I’ve read this year. It’s surprised me with how delightful, imaginative and whimsical it was while also offering a grounded and thoughtful story. I DEVOURED this book. I will reread it constantly. An instant new favorite book. Truly exceptional.

In a market full of flashy exciting books that can’t start to overwhelm and underwhelm you this book is like a comforting cup of warm tea you drink by the fire while you watch the rain pour outside. It’s as fond as a memory. Tender. Imaginative. Beautiful.

A truly special book that I’ll never forget.

Someone needs to hand this to Miyazaki STAT, it would make sure a cool adaptation. The worldbuilding here was amazing.

Thank you to the publisher for my arc in exchange for review!

first off if you love Studio Ghibli anything, you need to pick this up ASAP.

The world, the story, the characters it felt like i was reading a studio Ghibli story. the world was both rich and comforting but I also loved how it also shows you that people are just human. They make mistakes. No one is perfect and some go very far to protect the ones they love.

Unfortunately this just didn't end up being for me. The world building felt a lot like telling and not showing with every other scene being a dialogue of a character explaining exactly what was going on and I felt like the characters weren't very in depth. I couldn't understand our main characters feelings or actions, it seemed that they would just be whatever they needed to be to move the plot forward and not actual people making actual choices and doing actual (though magical) things.

The concept is very cool and there was amazing 'worlds' just within the first 100 pages and I wish I could have liked everything else around it.

I have DNF'd at around 35% when a character revealed something that made no sense to me from what I understood of the character and realized I didn't understand anything about said character and that very little was given to help me understand said character.

Thank you to Netgalley for a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Reading this felt the same way watching a Studio Ghibli film feels. It was dreamy and magical and sometimes nonsensical in the best way. While I loved the atmosphere, I struggled a bit with the MMC feeling like he no personality beyond scientist and liking our FMC and think feeling that way about him made the dialogue come across a bit clunky at times. Overall though it was really fun and the perfect standalone palette cleanser!

Whimsical, cozy, and feels like a dream.

Filled with vibes and atmosphere, interesting concepts, and life lessons.

I didn’t know when I started that this was a romance and honestly I could have done without it.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House (Del Ray) for sending this book (eARC) for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Water Moon is a whimsical and atmospheric story with a fascinating premise. A pawnshop disguised as a ramen shop where people trade in their regrets. The first few chapters are heavy and emotional as we learn how the pawnshop works. The writing was beautifully done and gave me an eerie feeling, like death was just around the corner. Once Hana takes over the pawnshop and starts looking for her missing father, the story becomes less emotional and more focused on the mystery. The world-building is vivid with magical elements like living paper cranes and teleporting puddles that create a dreamlike atmosphere.

That said, I found Hana to be a very unlikeable character. Her constant self-loathing and erratic decisions were frustrating, and her romance with Keishin felt unearned and out of place. This isn’t what I’d call a cozy fantasy because it dives into some really heavy topics, especially in the beginning. Even with those issues, I enjoyed the premise and the world-building.

Thank you so much to Netgalley, PRH Audio, and Del Rey for providing me with a review copy. 💖

One of the most magical books I've read in years. Heartwarming, heartwrenching with intricate world-building and dazzling prose... this book is perfect for fans of Studio Ghibli. I highly recommend it!

Unfortunately this was. DNF for me, but while it personally didn't appeal to me, the writing style was still nice. I adores the atmosphere and the vibes of the world, but I felt the pacing was just to slow and directionless for me. At 1/4 way through the book I just still was not invested enough in the main character to want to continue, the instant love between the two mains gave it kind of a YA feel, and unfortunately neither of them had enough depth for me to want to push through the slower moving plot.

Water Moon was a beautiful story that I didn't want to end. It was filled with such delicious prose and enchanting storytelling. This was such a unique concept and the delivery was exceptional. It kept me turning the page, both wanting to see what happened next, and not being ready for the story to end.


Hana owns a pawnshop that deals in choices, on the day she is to take over her father has disappeared and with him a choice he had procured. In the mist of her discovery of her father's disappearance, Kieshin stumbles into her shop and volunteers to help her on her journey. Together they discover the marvels and insidious nature of Hana's world. Their journey leads them to ponder what having choice means in a world where your life path is tattooed on your body.


I absolutely recommend you pick up this book. If you love whimsical fantasy, thought provoking questions, and prose that will blow you away, pick this up. Thank you to the publisher for providing an advance copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.


4.25/5 Stars

The first part of this story sets up Hana, who is taking over the pawn shop upon her father's retirement. At 20% in, it felt as though we were only just about to start getting a sense of the main plotline. There was a lot of switching between both POV and timeline. With very short chapters meant I was frequently questioning when and who we were with. I found myself very disconnected from the story, the pawn shop owners, the MMC, and found that I just didn't really care. The language was very flowery and things overall felt very dreamlike, which I don't enjoy. It might work for some people, but its not working for me, DNFing at 20%.

This review is based on NetGalley ARC provided in exchange for an honest, unbiased opinion.

This review contains spoilers

I really wanted to enjoy this book and went into this book expecting to give this a 5/5, but I think I may have gone in with too high of expectations.

What I liked about this book
- The writing, I loved the writing style and I think there are some really incredible quotes throughout this book.
- The structure, I really enjoyed how the book was separated into four parts and that the chapters were really short.
- The idea of the world, where it was very whimsical but also dystopian. I think if you thought about the world too hard there may have been plot holes but I don't mind that in a fantasy book. I feel like the world in this book was meant to have its own rules and not fully make sense, kind of like Alice in Wonderland.

What I didn't like about this book
- The instant love between the two main characters, I personally prefer a slow burn.
- The characters felt rather shallow, I was told about how the characters were changing from who they were more than I was shown that.
- The plot line reveal near the end with Keishin being the choice was a bit confusing to me. What it sounded like was that his mother was pregnant, but originally decided to abort the baby and marry for money instead, and then regretted it and gave that choice up at the beginning of the book. But then when the bird (the choice) escaped Keishin wasn't aborted, but his mom ended up leaving him anyway? And if that's the case I think this book might have a strong anti-abortion message that I don't vibe. I was a bit confused by that part so maybe I'm interpreting it wrong, and really all she regretted was walking out of his life, but if she didn't have an abortion I'm confused as to why the coat hanger line was added since it was clearly about abortion.

I think this could make a good studio ghibli movie, and I didn't hate this book, I just didn't love it either.

I almost have no words for the beauty of this story. It was ethereal and poetic and poignant and whimsical all in one. This story is one about regrets, and what a life would look like by taking a different path. It's about living with the pain of the choice, but also finding joy in the life you're living, despite the choices you've made along the way.

This book was unlike anything I've ever read before! The imagination of this author is outstanding! Jumping through puddles as a form of travel, the night sky being painted with hopes and dreams every night, traveling through folded paper doors, just to name a few of the whimsical pieces of this tale.

I needed this book to break me out of a reading slump. But I fear all that happened is that I'm falling further into one because I fear I'll never find a book quite like this again! I loved every moment of this book, and strongly suggest anyone who needs a change of pace to grab this one when it comes out!

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing House/Ballantine Books/Del Rey for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review!