This was an interesting story! A Japanese inspired fiction with magic realism. I’ve always enjoyed the books i’ve read with Magic realism and this was no exception, it was fantastic and immersed me in the story completely. A portal to a pawn shop and a parallel world?? How fun is that!

The first thing that caught my eye in this book is the gorgeous cover; I absolutely love it. The story itself is also captivating. I really love the unique and magical worldbuilding. The concept of a magical pawnshop where you can sell your regrets is fantastic. I wish it were real but oh well! The author's storytelling is incredible, making this a magical and emotional read for me. I highly recommend it. Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Watermoon - by Samantha Sotto Yambao

Here is what you can expect

whimsical adventure
studio ghilbi vibes
set in Tokyo Japan
unique magic system (magical pawn shop)
true nature vs choosing your own path
romantic subplot (so cute)
plot twist and surprises

What a beautifully written book! I enjoyed the storyline and amazing character development. Watermoon to me explores the true nature of a person vs the power of choosing your own path and living for that journey. It also explores what the characters are willing to sacrifice in order to obtain what they’re looking for, while also learning life’s lessons along the way. Samantha painted such astonishingly magical imagery that the reader truly feels they are apart of this world. The pacing kept me intrigued throughout the entire story.

Below are a few of my favorite quotes from Watermoon. There were so many but these were standouts for me.

“ Books do not find value when they are written. They find value when they are read.”

“Arriving at one’s destination is never promised. Only the journey is waiting is part of that journey.”

A HUGE Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Del Rey for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

I loved the whimsical, magical feeling of this book. I feel like you should go into this story knowing as little as possible, so I'm not going to say much about the story itself. I will say I felt like this story really swept me away to another world. Much like many of the patrons, I too stepped through a door to an unexpected, but beautiful place.

So many cool concepts, but thinking about this world for even an additional minute reveals how flimsy it really is. Unfortunately, the vibes were not enough to carry the meandering plot and the romance (which had so much potential) felt really rushed. Some extremely interesting magical concepts, the author is obviously very creative and talented! I think I just needed a bit less wandering, a bit more urgency, and some stronger worldbuilding in order for the ending to hit the way it was meant to.

Water Moon is a whimsical novel with a dark side.

I appreciate the gradual introduction into Hana’s world. At first, it’s not immediately clear that the pawn shop isn’t in a world that’s not much different to the ‘real’ world. However, as soon as Keishin enters Hana’s world that starts to change. It quickly becomes apparent that although there are many elements that seem magical and beautiful to Hana’s world, it lacks the one thing that truly gives people purpose-- choice.

Throughout the book, Hana and Kei both literally and metaphorically search for a choice. To Hana, whose life map is written on her skin, choices are things that come from chaos and uncertainty. As scary as that seems to her, the freedom that comes with choices appeals to Hana and binds her closer to Kei. She’s forced to confront the rebellious part of herself that she’s spent her whole life trying to ignore.

Meanwhile, Kei battles his own ideas of how a world “should” be. As a scientist, Kei believes that everything has a logical way of working. He’s so set in his ways that although he has all the choices in the world he doesn’t know how to make use of them. Hana’s world forces him to acknowledge that sometimes things just happen because they do and that sometimes things don’t have to make sense to be valid.

Water Moon bounces from one unbelievable setting to another with such frequency that it is a little difficult to fully absorb one before we’ve already moved on to another. Although the novel has point of view chapters from multiple characters and all the characters introduced add something to the narrative, this novel is really about Kei and Hana as they are the one common thread that connects so many different settings. Although the book is about finding Hana’s father, really the only reason to care about the success of the mission is in relation to how it will affect Hana and Kei’s relationship.

As I appreciated the gradual introduction into Hana’s world, I also appreciated how the insidious workings of that world grew more apparent as the consequences of their journey grew more dire. The revelation of what happens to the pawn shop’s regrets and where the Shiikuin come from brings the plot full circle in a way that was unexpected.

This novel is a marriage between The Night Circus and Days at the Morisaki Bookshop and will appeal to a cult following of readers. It is a novel that you must only pick up when you’re in the mood to spend a large amount of time in the clouds.

I want a real shop where you can sell your regrets please, and I want it now. You cannot create a storyline like this and not expect someone to scream “I need this right now”. Yes, I know there are consequences and yes for someone who believes in science, this is a ridiculous story but let the girl dream for a minute :)

Pawnshop hidden behind the facade of ramen restaurant - ones who do not have any regrets see the restaurant, the others enter into a dream world where decisions can be unmade. Hana’s parents were the ones running the pawnshop. Her mother was taken by the dark forces for the crime she committed and since then it was only Hana’s father and herself. The day when it was her turn to run shop was approaching and when that day came she was supposed to do more than she bargained for along with the physicist who joined forces with her.

I really liked the wholesomeness and sadness the story brought to life. I know it is weird to be amazed by the sadness of the situation, but that emotional heaviness made the idea of decision making more important and irreversible. Technically this was about a pawnshop saving you from your decisions but at the end it is the decisions who made us who we are.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5

When I first came across Water Moon on NetGalley, I was captivated by its intriguing premise: A woman inherits a pawnshop where you can sell your regrets. If that doesn't interest you, I don't know what will.

And I was not disappointed.

At the heart of this enchanting fantasy novel is a mystical pawnshop that can only be found by those who originally intended to dine at a ramen shop but somehow end up trading their deepest regrets instead. Patrons exchange life choices they wish to change for something that belongs to them, and these regrets transform into birds, locked away in a vault and shared with fearsome supernatural entities known as shiikuins, who wear haunting masks.

Hana has spent her life in this extraordinary shop, learning to decipher emotions, resentments, and regrets under the guidance of her father. He teaches her through scavenger hunts, leaving cryptic clues behind for her to unravel. But everything changes when Hana wakes up on her first morning as the Pawn shop owner to find the shop ransacked, its most precious acquisition stolen, and her father missing.

Enter a charming physicist—an unusual customer who, instead of seeking to sell his regrets, offers his help instead.

Together, they embark on a breathtaking journey through an ethereal world to uncover the mystery behind the theft and Hana's missing father. Along the way, they traverse rain puddles that lead to other realms, soar on paper cranes, cross the bridge between midnight and morning, and explore a night market nestled in the clouds.

With its intricate world-building, poetic prose, and unexpected twists, Water Moon kept me enthralled until the last page. Samantha Sotto Yambao's imagination shines brilliantly, weaving a dreamlike narrative that blends fantasy, mystery, and emotion.

Overall, Water Moon is a beautifully crafted, unique, and thought-provoking novel that offers both whimsy and depth. I eagerly look forward to reading more of Sotto Yambao'sYambao'sworks in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group—Ballantine | Del Rey for sending me the e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Water Moon by Samantha Sotto Yambao was such a unique read. A magical realism that starts in a pawnshop where you sell your regrets. Hana, the daughter of the pawnshop owner, has lived a life that was written on her skin since she was born. When her father retires, leaving the pawnshop to her, but disappears the morning she is meant to take over, she must begin making choices she never felt she could make. Her first client Keishin, a scientist, comes into a seemingly ransacked pawnshop and finds himself drawn to this other world that appears in place of a Ramen restaurant.

The two of them embark on a journey through ponds, into temples where prayers live in smoke, traveling through songs and rumors, a museum of paper cranes that hold memories, and so many more incredibly profound ideas. Yambao takes seemingly ordinary concepts and spins them into fantastical elements that left me mystified at each turn of the page. Time, choices, regrets, life and death, fate and destiny; this novel gives you a new perspective on all of it. The writing was breathtaking. I found myself slowing down just to be able to take it all in.

I was in awe by the way the story unfolded and right up until the last page I was on the edge of my seat. Yambao’s writing was so captivating, I don’t think I’ve read anything like it. This book will sit with me for a while, but no regrets from me having read it!

I highly recommend this to everyone. My largest take away is that everything is interlinked from a passing conversation to a simple choice we make. If we are only guaranteed two things in life: choices and death; what will you choose to do with the time you are given?

Thank you NetGalley for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Water Moon by Samantha Sotto Yambao is one to savor like a steaming bowl of delicious ramen on a cold, rainy day. The blend of magical realism, fantasy, and romance is beautifully woven with scenes and characters brought to life in engrossing detail. I was totally swept away into this other world and lovely relationship between Hana and Kei.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

This was described as a sort of cozy fantasy. I think it hit the mark for the kost part although there was some definitely dark moments as well. The different realms in the "other" world were fantastical, beautiful, and deadly.

I loved how cozy and magical this book was!! It was such a creative execution and unique story. This book has a combo of mystery, magical realism, adventure, romance, and speculative fiction and I loved how it was all weaved together.

Reading this truly felt like I was teleported into another world. The world building definitely felt inspired by Studio Ghibli and the story even made a reference to it. If you enjoy the cozy/nostalgic feel of Studio Ghibli but want high stakes and an epic adventure with the most swoon worthy romantic moments, THIS IS FOR YOU😌

I took off a star only because I felt a slight lack of connection to a few characters and because the story slightly felt rushed. I wish this story could be expanded on further!! I truly loved it.

like The Starless Sea!!! so so good and dreamy! made me homesick for another world. the prose is lyrical and magical and the characters are loves le

Water Moon, by Samantha Sotto Yambao, is not the kind of book I would normally pick up. I’m all for plots that revolve around choices and people having to reflect on whether they made the correct ones. But a story that centered on the romantic journey of two strangers as they wade through a world built on regret? It took a little bit of effort to break out of the science fiction fortress I had built up recently. But one of my goals was to tear down those walls, even a little bit, and Water Moon made an impression.

Hana is about to inherit her father’s pawnshop. This is no ordinary pawnbroker, as he trades for people’s past regrets. The only way one can enter the shop is if they are in need of unburdening. The morning after her father retires, Hana wakes up to the shop in disarray. As she is trying to clean up, looking for clues as to where he may have gone, Keishin opens the door. Instead of asking for help himself, he offers to help Hana unravel the mystery of her father’s disappearance before he is found by the horrifying spirits that govern Hana’s world.

Right off the bat, Water Moon just hits you with waves of whimsy and it instantly pulled me in with its riptide. I enjoyed that it felt fanciful while dealing with deep, introspective issues. The book didn’t make light of the fact that people carried around the weight of their choices. It engages with them with a sincerity that some might find overwhelming, but I was totally open to. It helps that Yambao’s prose perfectly captures the weight of everything. It’s filled with metaphor, focusing on the feelings the characters express instead of the actions they are taking. The opening scene is allowed to breathe freely, giving the reader a window into a woman weighing the possibility of trading her choice made decades ago for a box of tea and the weight lifted off her shoulders. It was the perfect tonal framing that sets up the rest of the story.

The two leads are my kind of leads. The girl from a whimsical world that is grounded in the harsh rules that govern her kind and a scientist boy just waiting to be taken on a journey that shatters reality. It was such a good pairing because it sort of knocks against some of the tropes I am used to from Western 2010s romantic comedies about boys saved by manic pixie dream girls. Hana feels resigned to her fate but manages to buck against it in small ways. She has a headstrong mentality that rubber bands between knocking down the walls that hold her in and pushing against the insane ideas offered by Keishin. It makes her feel like someone who has been hemmed in and needs to escape but is unsure about her abilities to defy fate. I found myself enamored by her straightforward attitude that revealed the rules that governed her world. She was stubborn but open in an odd mixture that peeled back the contradictions of her realm.

And Keishin is my sweet summer man. Nothing hits like an educated man who understands the rules of the universe but is constantly searching for his mind to be blown. I think part of it is a projection of sorts since I am constantly looking for something to tear away the wallpaper of our world to discover the secrets we’ve pasted over. But Keishin is just so goddamned stubborn in his need to help Hana find her father. He was the perfect foil to Hana in the sense that he shared some similar qualities, but the parts where they differed caused the romantic and narrative tension. He was cute and sometimes exhibited the ideal qualities of a himbo imbued with the knowledge of high-level physics. The trips into his mind to talk with the ghost of his mentor were fun and heartwarming. He was someone who was open to the strands of fate and ziplined on them so hard and fast his weight bent them ever so slightly.

The two of them paired together was like peanut butter and jelly. It was invigorating to watch them dance. The push and pull of their budding relationship felt natural. There weren’t moments of forced miscommunication to string you along. It was the natural forces of their personalities and the tension of what they wanted vs what they expected that carried the day. And you smash that together with a story about a world fueled by the regrets of another; it makes for a whimsical yet grounded tale of love. Water Moon is bedazzled with aphorisms, anecdotes and pieces of, for lack of a better term, eastern philosophy. At times it could maybe be a little saccharine, but I often found my heart and throat tightening over the bittersweet revelations. It made the romantic elements hit that much harder because fate felt arrayed against the two in ways that most stories bungle. I genuinely wanted them to find a way to be together.

And while the romance does feel front and center, it’s not the only good part of Water Moon. It is filled with some sad stories and some happy ones. The search for Hana’s father uncovers the many demons that populate their realm. How the choices they have stolen and the choices they made have their own repercussions. And where Water Moon takes you is unexpected, much to my delight. Now, that may be because my romantic reading muscles are not worked out very well, but still, I had a blast.

Water Moon, by Samantha Sotto Yambao, was a real delight in these turbulent times. It didn’t spirit me away from the real world, but I don’t think that was its goal. It felt very deliberately grounded in the fact that our choices can hurt people, including our own selves. It was a pleasant romance with two leads that I would easily fight and die for. So if you’re looking for a little magic, a little philosophy and watching two stubborn people dance for each other, you can’t go wrong with Water Moon.

Rating: Water Moon Fall into the deceptively deep puddle that is this book.
-Alex

An ARC of this book was provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The thoughts on this book are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for an advanced copy of this novel. Water Moon is the first book I've read by Ms. Yambao, and it has been a magical experience. This novel is a thought-provoking, whimsical journey of the choices people make and the people they affect. I highly recommend this novel and look forward to reading additional novels by this masterful writer.

I thorouhgly enjoyed this book. However, the only gripe that I had with this book was that the pacing was a little bit off. It dragged in the middle which is why I cannot give it a full 5 stars. But the scenery was lovely and i really felt like I was in the book.

DNF @ 34%.

A slow, cozy read with a lot of whimsy. The fantasy elements are intriguing, and the premise of the female MC's responsibilities are well fleshed out. Wasn't a fan of the interventions of the male MC. Ultimately a little too slow for me.

⭐️: 4.25

I enjoyed the sense of whimsy that persisted throughout, a quality that seems to be rare in books with adult protagonists. It was like reading a Studio Ghibli film. The pacing seemed a tad off. I felt like scenes at the beginning were longer, but scenes that were equally as important seemed rushed in the end. You also need to have your “fantasy logic” cap on. They escape on a cloud of paper cranes? Sure. Why not?

Overall, an utterly delightful non-Western, modern day fairy tale.

A magical journey between worlds, Water Moon had everything I love from Japanese culture and from fantasy stories. Kei and Hana's journey was unpredictable from beginning to end.