This story captivated me from the beginning and did not let go. A magical story story surrounding choices, love, and paper cranes, we follow the story of Hana and Keishin as they travel through a land unlike ours to find answers to choices made in a world where your path is written in ink from the moment you are a small child. The story begins with pawnshop that can only be entered by clients willing to pawn off life choices. Hana's father is preparing for his retirement, while Hana worries about business she will be inheriting. Keishin, a young scientist, finds himself in Hana's pawnshop on her first day as the new owners, and is pulled into her world of teleporting puddles and life like paper cranes.

With every chapter, I fell more in love with the world Yambao has created. Nothing is as it seems in this world and I could spend so many more books exploring every city/town and person Hana and Kei meet on their journey.

Thank you Netgalley, Samantha Sotto Yambao, and Random House Publishing for this ARC!

A pawnshop where you can sell your regrets.

I was immediately intrigued upon hearing the premise of this book, but I had no idea what an incredible dream-like adventure was waiting for me. The fast-paced plot and twists and turns had me on my toes from beginning to end!

This was truly one of the most unique and creative books I have ever read while expertly balancing philosophical topics like choices, fate, and the costs of regret.

Tropes/Themes
-Cozy high-stakes Asian fantasy
-Studio Ghibli vibes
-Endearing characters
-Whimsical Elements

Thank you NetGalley, Samantha Sotto Yambao, and Random House Publishing for this eARC! All opinions are my own!

Water Moon
by Samantha Sotto Yambao
4.5⭐️

This was absolutely magical and enchanting! I love this fuzzy fever dream like world so much! I literally have almost nothing to compare it to but it does have similar vibes to Daughter of the Moon Goddess. I am obsessed with the magical journey that they went on! I think the pacing was a little slow at the beginning and it takes a while to get used to the style of writing and pov changes but it was such a cool experience!

The last 20% of the book had me in a chokehold, it was so intense and heart wrenching. I could not have stopped reading if I tried. The way I was so stressed for Hana and Kei.

Also this book has one of the most amazing book covers ever! It matches the vibe of the perfectly! I can’t wait to finally see it in person!

Moon water

Cute story, interesting concepts to the world and magic in it. Comes across like a strange dream world. Strange coincidences and bordering manipulative behavior from dad.

It must have been a wicked trip for the physics professor to go through something like this. Bizarre and make him question everything about the world he thought he knew.

the poetic nature of the narrative led to a beautiful artistic rendering of Japanese culture. I felt like I was watching a studio Ghibli film in my head. the unfortunate reality was that the plot progression reminded me a lot of my attempt at reading The Starless Sea. That book, much like this one, will be a polarizing read. You will either adore it with all your heart or be angered that you wasted your time.

The second the love interest was introduced, problems started to air themselves out. The insta-love plot line on the male love interest's part dragged the overarching plot down with it. His characterization makes little sense. He is a physicist who adheres to the laws of the natural world, yet when he is introduced to a fantastical world, he simply relents and accepts it.

As the story goes on, this imaginative world the author has created exposes its depth as superficial. There are no rules and no established world building. The reader must simply take a back seat and go with the flow. I am not the type of reader who can do that.

I thought this is an amazing story of what you see isn't what you get. What I thought would be a story about an ordinary pawnshop is actually a door into an extraordinary world where many beings depends on the item that is left behind at the pawnshop. The story begins with a man (Keishin) who walks into the pawnshop and ends up helping Hana, the pawnshop owner, to try and find out what happened to her father and in that moment the beginning of a wild ride through a strange and amazing world begins where birds are made of origami and the Museum of Education is entered through door in the sand that only opens up when you give away one of you memories. And through the journey that is both exciting and scary Keishin and Hana solve the mystery and fall in love, but there are so many twist and turns in the story that you really don't know what is going to happen next. And isn't that what you want in a great story.

I kept thinking that this story reminded me a lot of a kaleidoscope and Alice in Wonderland all in one, where every pond and tree isn't a pond or just a tree but entry into a part of a world that is both weird and wonderful, but the world also has its dangers that makes it restricted by what you can do, and who is allowed to participate in it and it all begins again at the pawnshop.

I want to thank Penguin Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Del Rey and NetGalley for an advance copy of a story truly out of this world

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing - Ballantine for the eArc!

Hidden in between the doors of a simple Ramen restaurant is a pawnshop. No one expects to walk into it, but they arrive when needed. In the pawnshop they don’t simply pawn off items, they pawn off their life choices. Hana is supposed to take over the shop after her father retires, but when she awoke on her first day she finds out someone robbed a choice and that her father is missing. Along with her supposed to be her first client, they embark across her world to find what was lost.

I absolutely adored the world Yambao has created. Its Studio Ghibli influences and vibes were on point! I could easily imagine the world in Miyazaki’s style. The inky home of the Horishi, the paper realm where Haruto resides and works, and even the cloud sea are memorable and magical. It was easily my favorite part of the novel.

Overall, I did like Hana and Keishin as protagonists well enough, they bounced off each other pretty well most of the time. My main issue with them was that they kept going back and forth between being annoyed and being in love with each other. I did feel the romance aspect was a bit too fast at times, but by the end, I was pretty okay with it with a reveal. But even then, he was way too fast to get over it. One major issue I have was with the ending. It felt way too rushed. Snap, there is a scene, and then BOOM another scene before you even have a chance to process it. It could’ve easily been 50 pages longer in my opinion.

In my opinion, if you want to read a book on vibes alone, I would recommend it! Just don’t go expecting the deepest relationship going in.

This was a very enjoyable book! I liked the story's magical realism and the idea of alternative worlds. The world building and magic were very creative and original, and I don't think I've read anything else quite like this! I thought that Hana and Kei worked well together and balanced each other very well, and I really enjoyed their dynamic throughout the book. I liked how there was a very small bit of romance, and that it didn't overpower the story. The magic system, the plot, and the overall vibe were very whimsical and fantastical, and I had a really good time reading this! My only issues were the insta-love between Hana and Kai (but that wasn't a massive problem), and how the book wrapped up; I feel that the ending could have been a bit less convenient, almost, but I was mostly satisfied with it. Overall, I would recommend this book :)

This book felt like something out of a dream. It was whimsical and so beautiful. I was transported to a different world, and I loved every second of it. The main storyline is occasionally broken up by a chapter of memories, but I felt like it fit quite well with the general vibe of the book. I quickly found myself caring for the characters, and I was immediately obsessed with the magic! It felt like I was a kid in a candy store, and I just wanted to see *more*. I was just in awe of all the different magic and strange ideas, it was truly so much fun. And, oh my gosh, the twist I never saw coming.

This book was so good, if you’re looking for a dream-like book full of whimsical magic that makes you feel happy, this it the book for you.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for this arc in exchange for an honest review!

Water Moon distilled down is a dream like quest story about a girl looking for her missing father. The strengths of this book really is the setting. It felt magical and entrancing. We get to see so much of the world Hana brings us through. I do think the pacing gets a little off here and there but I kept being drawn in for more. I loved the main characters and believed in their connection. This book is definitely one where you just have to accept the reality that is being present and remove logic. It really is like being in a dreamland where anything is possible.

This is a portal fantasy romance book with the two main characters coming from worlds connected by a pawnshop in Japan where customers exchange their memories and regrets for money. The new proprietor of the shop in the magical world, Hana, meets a scientist from our world named Keishin on her first day in business and the two embark on an adventure looking for Hana's father owing to their suspicions that he has set a series of events in motion which may soon subject them to a harsh penalty by the monstrous enforcers of this world. The two journey through a dizzying assortment of bizarre settings pursued by the bad guys, fearing death or torture. They discover secrets about Hana's past and about the world itself, and in the process fall in love. There are some harrowing scenes along the way, both with regard to the main duo and in flashback.

I myself am not a fan of the "romantasy" genre and had trouble accepting the scenes between Hana and Keishin, mostly told in dialogue which struck me as hard to believe. Hana was betrothed to another man in her world who both cared for her and was treated badly for helping them, and I didn't like what he suffered. Also, the way the characters' quest was structured seemed too easy. Without an ultimate goal in mind that they would have had to try to break down in steps, they instead just happened to go though a long series of incidents that just happened to advance them steadily along the way, over and over, as though they were on a railroad track the the destination. In the version of the book I read, the ending was a sort of epilogue to the main action that didn't feel completely earned. But other than these structural elements, I would like to give praise to the book for its innovative worldbuilding and the unusual vision of an otherworldly Japan, which I would not mind seeing in other stories by this author. I know this book will have a devoted fandom when it arrives in stores.

I read this book in the form of an advance reader copy through Netgalley in exchange for sharing my review

WATER MOON
RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
GENRE: General Fiction, Magical Realism

Where do I even begin? I initially came into the book thinking it would be in the same vein as other Japanese fiction like Before the Coffee Gets Cold or The Kamogawa Food Detectives, but instead found a beautiful and amazing story of Hana and her mystical world that is powered by human choices. Hana and her father run a pawnshop that deals in trades that involve human decisions and choices. In exchange, the person forgets that they had previously made this choice and it is wiped from memory.

We begin the book with Hana’s father’s retirement from the pawnshop with her slated to become the new owner. However, things take a turn when she finds the shop ransacked and her father missing. We meet Keishin, a visitor, who stumbles onto the chaos and decides that he will assist Hana in finding her father.

I won’t give too many details but I thoroughly adored this book. I am also a fan of anime and I think this book could easily be adapted into one. The words provide so much visuals that I would love to see how it would look on screen. For those who love Studio Ghibli movies, this book is a MUST read. I promise you will fall in love with Hana’s world and won’t be able to stop thinking about it.

Thank you to Random House - Ballantine Books and Net Galley for the chance to read this ARC. I loved it so much and will definitely recommend everyone to check it out when it releases on 01/24/25.

I first have to admit that this book is not of a genre I usually, if ever, read. I just haven't been a fantasy lover, preferring more realistic storylines. I'm also not entirely sure why I chose to read it in the first place. It could be the cover, which I found to be very appealing. Or the title (I love anything having to do with moons). Or perhaps its being described as a story about a pawnshop where you can sell your regrets. Who wouldn't want to visit there? Whatever the reason, I'm so glad I decided to give it a try. Samantha Sotto Yambao has changed forever my feelings towards the fantasy genre!
In addition to this unique pawnshop, there are other fantastical elements that add to the magic and adventure of the story. Folded paper cranes that come to life and assist the main characters on their journey. Puddles of water, that when you jump in them, become portals to another world or location. Being able to buy and sell increments of time. All of these things add to the beauty and sense of adventure in this well-written Japanese fantasy. Well done!
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Del Rey for the early reading copy!

DNF at 40%
This was just unbelievably boring to me. I wanted to enjoy it so much because the atmosphere was set up well. But nothing in the story ever followed through with being enough to keep me wanting to know more. Both leads were uninteresting and all of the male love interest's choices make no sense, he is even continuously defending his choices to the main character. Unfortunately not for me, although I do think it could make a good animated movie.

An absolute dream of a book!
I went into this not really knowing what to expect. From the summary I gathered that it was a sort of whimsical fantasy story. I typically avoid these kinds of books, but the plot intrigued me so much and I decided to take a chance. I am so happy that I did. This novel easily earned a spot on my favorites shelf!

My favorite aspect of this book was how Yambao was able to capture what it feels like to dream. The way we travel realms in this book was amazingly unique. It really does feel like you are going on an adventure inside a dream. I have never been a lucid dreamer, but this perfectly encapsulates what it must be like.

Add this to your list now!

4.8 / 5.0

Water Moon should be the next Studio Ghibli production. This exquisite story, about a magical ramen shop in a back alley of Tokyo, will give you all the feels and leave you pondering your own adventure as the reader. I felt like Bastian from The Neverending Story in how the themes of Water Moon are presented and explored.

This is one amongst many books I have read this year that really made me think critically and steep myself into the complexity and wonder of humanity.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for access to the eARC.

This book is best consumed while imagining it like a Studio Ghibli movie. You should let yourself suspend reality and let your imagination take the reins. I never knew what was going to happen next, and yet every time, it was kinda in awe to read what the author thought of next. Don't think too hard about it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey for the eArc!

I was so excited to read Water Moon by Samantha Sotto Yambao, a Japanese fantasy/magical realism novel. The lyrical prose allowed me to float along with this dreamy story, keeping up with the brisk pace. I was enchanted with the paper cranes, time travel train, and the pond magic. To avoid spoilers I suggest reading the blurb, but stop there and jump into the book. The range of emotion that Yambao pulls from her readers is intense, yet satisfying. I would recommend this lovely read to those who enjoyed The Kamogawa Food Detectives and, The Restaurant of Lost Recipes by Hisashi Kashiwai. Samantha Soto Yambao. Or to any reader of magical realism, fantasy, or cozy other- worlds.
A big, heartfelt thank you to #DelRey, #RandomHouse and #WaterMoon #NetGalley #SamanthaSottoYambao for sending an e-ARC of this lovely book.

A modern day Alice in Wonderland that follows Keishin through a ramen restaurant's door into a pawnshop from another world.

Water Moon introduces a magical world parallel to our own where nothing is as it seems. The world is whimsical and fun, however at times it can be a little overwhelming as Hana consistently introduces Keishin to new parts of her world. I think the author has a wonderful imagination I just found it a bit hard to retain all the info being introduced.

There are many lovely quotes and sentiments throughout the book (I've never highlighted so many lines on a kindle book before), however the character development leaves a little to be desired. I didn't feel particularly strongly about either of our mcs or their relationship and would've been fine with any ending to their story.

My favorite part of the story was how Samantha Sotto Yambao connected all the pieces. As a reader I truly appreciate when things come full circle.

Watermoon transports us into a paradoxical world of typical humans with every day normal decisions to make, alongside a world of magic and wonder. But everything is not as it seems. Hana runs a pawnshop in which clients pawn their choices and regrets. Upon Hana's first day in charge of the pawnshop, she finds things are awry when she enters the stop to find her father missing and a choice stolen from their vault. A client that enters as Hana begins to speculate what may have happened, appears different than most clients, and offers his help to help her solve this mystery. This was a book of wonderment, magic, and had some romance sprinkled in as well.