Thank you for the e-ARC!

I found this very enjoyable overall - definitely more of a character driven book rather than plot driven for the majority of the book, though it transitions to be a bit more plot driven towards the end as it sets up for the sequel (How to Hold Someone in Your Heart).
I enjoyed the writing style of this quite a bit - I feel like normally novels translated from Japanese have a sentence structure that’s a little bit tricky for me to get used to but I didn’t notice that at all when reading this.
I’ll definitely be reading the sequel when it comes out, and any other books that may follow!

Thank you to Scribner for the advance copy in exchange for my honest, unbiased review.

This book quietly unravels big questions about death, the afterlife, and what makes it all meaningful. It’s gentle in tone but emotionally heavy, asking the reader to sit with grief and thoughtfully consider who they’ve touched in their lifetime. At least it did for me.

The pacing is consistent and the prose is simple, which makes the story accessible even as it explores tough emotional terrain. The storyline feels thoughtful and moving, guiding you through the character’s losses with a soft and gentle hand.

That said, the emotional weight doesn’t always hit as hard as it could. Was something lost in translation? As popular as this is across the world, it feels like the original Japanese language must have lent depth the English version doesn’t quite access. Hard to say since I’ve never read the original. Still, even with that being said, I felt like the heart of the story came through; a sincere, bittersweet reflection on how we’re remembered and what we leave behind.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy

Lost Souls Meet Under a Full Moon by Mizuki Tsujimura is a mixed first and third person multi-POV Japanese contemporary fabulism. When someone has died, they are allowed to meet one person who is still living who wants to meet with them. The go-between hears the wishes of the living and sets up the meetings with the dead if they have been approved. But they can only meet for one night and are limited by the light of the full moon.

This is both in the same sphere as the other cozy Japanese light fantasies (books like The Vanishing Cherry Blossom Bookshop, Before the Coffee Gets Cold, and The Full Moon Coffee Shop) but also different. The other books in this subgenre have a cozier feeling that gives some sense of closure and I didn’t get that as much with Lost Souls Meet Under a Full Moon, especially the third story. This could be a cultural difference or it could be that this is a subversion of those grief narratives and this is more about the messiness of grief and the messiness of humans and less about the comfort that comes from having your feelings acknowledged.

The really interesting story to me was the third one because it takes a turn that I have yet to see in any of the books in this subgenre. The lead POV, Arashi, is jealous of her best friend and theater rival at their high school and then proceeds to plan to kill her. The time line is a bit wonky so I feel that we don’t get a super clear picture of what exactly happened and Arashi will probably never get a clear idea either and she has to live with that, with no closure, no redemption, no answers. And I can’t say that I blame the author for taking that route because should Arashi get closure? Should she feel absolved of her actions? She’s still a student but she also still planned the death of a friend.

The stories are slower-paced and deeply introspective. Despite the premise being that it’s about conversations between the living and the dead, there isn’t that much dialogue. It’s a lot more about the story and feelings of the living and their relationships with the dead, no matter how loose or any previous malice. In the very first story, the POV character doesn’t really know the person she wants to speak with and there is also very little closure, but we see why she needed to have that conversation and what she thought she was going to get out of it even if that’s not what happened.

I would recommend this to fans of Japanese light fantasy/fabulism and readers of books about grief that don’t necessarily give comfort to the reader or POV characters

In five interconnected stories, we see a go-between bring a living person and their dead loved one back together for one night. It’s billed as a sort of magical realism with simple, spare prose that will feel familiar to those who have read any Murakami or Samantha Sotto Yambao’s Water Moon.

I’m on the fence about this one. On one hand, I think it avoids that particular obnoxiousness of feel-good fiction in which everything is cloyingly sweet. Each of the relationships between the living and the dead are varying degrees of unbalanced or disturbing. For example, the first story is about an ordinary woman who clearly can’t connect with most people and asks to meet with a dead idol. There’s also the businessman who wants to see his dead fiance, and he started dating her when she was a teenager. In my opinion, the go-between we’re introduced to is a sort of fun-house mirror version of Light Yagami from Death Note.

However, these discordant bits, emphasized by the POV character switching for each chapter, never go anywhere particularly interesting. And even if I throw out my expectations around some sort of twist and view the stories very literally, I still feel that way. We find out more about the go-between, but only the specific rules that govern it rather than where it came from or why it truly exists, and the characters don’t seem that curious. There’s a reveal close to the end of the book, but it lacks emotional resonance.

I see other reviews full of effusive praise for how the book addresses regrets, compassion, and loneliness. Just because I didn’t connect with this one doesn’t mean you won’t!

Somewhere in the in-between, people meet beneath the glow of a full moon. Yes, it’s a concept we’ve seen before and a current trend, but I’m not mad about it. I connected with a few characters more than others, yet each one was intriguing in their own way. Told through a series of short stories, this book keeps you engaged from start to finish.

this was quite a beautiful story about death and the opportunity to talk to the one person who passed you wish you had one more chance to talk to. Would you do it if you were able? I really loved the short stories within the story and the concept.

This was a very intriguing story that resonated with me and stayed with me for a while after finishing the book. I enjoyed delving into each of the characters' individual stories and seeing what would happen with their full moon meetings. I can't say I fully understood the motivations behind all of them, which can very likely be chalked up to me being a cultural outsider, but I still found it engaging. I would be interested in reading more about the go-between, and it looks like a translation of the sequel is coming next month, so I'll have to add that to my TBR list.

One of my favorite reads so far of the year 2025.
Five interconnected stories about the "go-between" a young person who is able to connect the living with a person who has passed away for one night only. All sorts of rules & conditions apply & not everyone will be allowed to experience this service. You get to see one person only in your life & the person you are requesting to see is also only allowed to see one person so they may turn you down in the hopes someone they are wanting to see will request them.
The stories of the people who requested visitations from loved ones who had passed & why was in turn sad. heartbreaking & at the same time life affirming.
Learning about the history of the go-between & the family who provided this service was fascinating.
This is the second title I have read by Mizuki Tsujimura as I read Lonely Castle in the Mirror last June and also gave it 5 stars.

I highly recommend this title to everyone!

Thanks to Scribner & Netgalley for the advance readers copy

"Lost Souls Meet Under a Full Moon" is a poignant, beautifully crafted collection of interconnected short stories centered around a young "go-between" who helps the living reunite with loved ones who have passed—under strict rules: both parties must consent, and only one meeting is allowed. Set against a richly atmospheric Japanese backdrop, the book explores the many forms of grief and longing through heartfelt encounters, while also delving into the go-between’s own compelling story. A unique and emotionally resonant "what if" tale with strong character development.

Thank you NetGalley and Scribner for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Lost Souls Meet Under a Full Moon introduces readers to a magical Tokyo where people can spend one night reconnecting with someone who has died. With four meetings and a glimpse into the life of the teenage boy who arranges them, this book will take you on a journey of grief, love, and closure.

This is a magical realism novel, but it feels a bit like a short story collection until all the little pieces start to connect at the end. There are four characters who are given their own chapters to focus on the meeting they wish for. From celebrities, to family, to friends, to lovers, there are all sorts of dynamics to explore. I found some meetings to be more interesting than others, but they all have their own unique elements to draw readers in.

The fifth and final chapter brings readers into the life of Ayumi and the side of the Go-Between most people don't get to see. This was easily my favorite part of the book, as it deepened the world and magic system while also tying up the loose ends the rest of the story created. As it walks back through the meetings from the first four chapters, the book begins to feel more like one full story rather than a collection of short stories.

Anyone who loves Before the Coffee Gets Cold, character-focused stories, and explorations of grief should pick this book up. It's the perfect thought-provoking read for anyone who wants to dive into emotions and hard to explain feelings.

Review on Goodreads (sophreadingbooks https://www.goodreads.com/sophreadingbooks) expected 8/19/2025
Review on Instagram (sophiesreading https://www.instagram.com/sophiesreading/) expected 8/19/2025

Thanks to NetGalley and Scribner for a copy of this arc, opinions my own.

This was just okay for me. I think I am kinda burnt out on this specific genre. Overall I liked the writing but the story fell flat to me. I think I was also expecting more based on the book description. Maybe I should come back to this book when I am in a different headspace because I am sure I'd feel different about it.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this advance reader copy in exchange for a review.
For fans of Before the Coffee Gets Cold, this book taps into the desire we all have to reach out and sit with our loved ones one last time. Here, instead of a coffee shop, its a hotel and a Go-Between. In each chapter we meet the character, learn the backstory as to why they want to see their departed friend or relative, and see the story through the meeting and after effects.
I wanted to love it more, but the book left me a little empty. Maybe because I really enjoyed Before the Coffee Gets Cold and have seemingly read many books like this since (Aftertaste is one), I feel as this book didn't give me any sense of wonder or healing or even a desire. I liked it, just didnt love it.
3*

Lost Souls Meet Under a Full Moon falls into the new subgenre of Before the Coffee Gets Cold lookalikes. Various people find themselves meeting a young teenage boy who acts like a mysterious 'go-between' between the living and the dead. He will offer our characters a chance to meet with people who have died. There is a lot of reflection of life and death and loss within these pages, but unfortunately, a lot of these tales feel very similar to other books within this genre.
I think a massive disservice to this tale is that there was no real mystical setting for these supernatural meetings between the dead and the living. They simply met in a hotel room. It felt too mundane, too ordinary, and often felt like it harmed the otherwise mystical tales.

If I had this book months ago, I'm sure I would've massively enjoyed it. I'm just finding myself burning out on these types of books and there wasn't much here to make Lost Souls stand out amongst the crowd of its contemporaries.

i liked this! japanese translated cozy fantasies are always a genre dear to my heart, and i thoroughly enjoyed reading about the role of the go-between in bridging the living and the departed. there were a few times where i got confused following the story, but it was still very interesting seeing how the characters’ lives were able to change—whether for better or for worse—after their reunions with those they wished to see most.

what i appreciated most was being able to have a glimpse of ayumi’s story too; from his own personal upbringing, to inheriting the role of the go-between from his grandmother, to experiencing firsthand the power of empathy and memory, seeing how ayumi brings his own personal touch into his new profession was both heartwarming and bittersweet.

3.25 stars! thank you to netgalley and scribner for the opportunity to read this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Lost Souls Meet Under a Full Moon is a gem of a book. Through a series of short interconnected stories, readers are taken through a series of meetings with the go-between - a young man who is able to connect people with their loved ones who have passed away. These meetings have very specific rules however. Both the living and the dead must agree to the meeting, and only one meeting with one person is allowed. This book does a beautiful job of capturing the various expressions of grief and the reasons one may have for wanting to reconnect with a loved one.

Fans of Japanese novels like Before the Coffee Gets Cold, the Curious Kitten at the Chibineko Kitchen and other similar interconnected emotional vignettes should enjoy Lost Souls Meet Under a Full Moon. The vibes are similar in formula but different in content. It's either a genre you enjoy or don't but this is just about the only type of short story collection I tend to enjoy because it's one novel of stories that make up a whole.

Each of the stories centres a different narrator and the deceased person they long to meet - they were all of them interesting to me except for the second (the Eldest Son). In particular as a fan of Japanese literature and having read the play Rokumeikan referenced in the Rule of the Best Friend, the story surrounding best friends Misono and Arashi was very interesting as a different impact of meeting the deceased particularly given the many obvious parallels drawn to the play the girls were participating in.

Without the final story centring Ayumi and the powers of the Go-Between, this may have wound up a 3 star story but everything is so nicely tied together by the end that the understanding of the other stories comes further into focus. His family's story was really interesting and I enjoyed his side of the meetings he brokered as well.

Thanks to NetGalley and Scribner for the opportunity to read this as an eArc. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

**Features:**

- Story about grief, loss, and things left unfinished
- Episodic story with each section focused on a different character
- Magical realism
- Book in translation (originally written in Japanese)

**Synopsis:**

Everyone has their own reasons for contacting Ayumi Shibuya, but the end goal is always the same: arrange a meeting with someone deceased. The rules are simple. The meeting can only take place for one night (sundown to sunup) during a full moon and each party must agree to the meeting before it takes place. The catch? Both the dead and living can only have one such meeting in their entire life or afterlife. Ayumi is the Go-Between; the person who makes such arrangements a reality. But trickier than finding the Go-Between might just be figuring out what to say to one already gone and not knowing what they might say back.

**Thoughts:**

There are many books that explore reconnecting with someone you lost, but not many of them explore it for such complicated relationships. Each section of this book focuses on a different character who seeks out Ayumi with the last section being about Ayumi himself and tying all of the subtle threads connecting these separate stories together. Whether dealing with family members, friends, lovers, or distant acquaintances, there were always elements outside of ‘love’ that drove the characters to seek out the Go-Between and they often gave me mixed feelings about their meetings. Though I naturally connected with some characters’ stories more than others, there wasn’t a single section that didn’t make me reflect or find meaning in ways I didn’t expect. That being said, this is a story told in snapshots that will seem unrelated until the very end and, even then, there are some things left ‘unresolved’. Where I thought all of this was done in a way that was very fitting, I could see this being frustrating for some readers.

I read the English translation of this book and I thought that, overall, the translation was well done and the writing itself is beautiful and poignant. There are some areas where the phrasing and wording does not quite fit English conventions, but these are minor and the meaning is still clear. My only major critique would be that it took a little too long to start seeing what these seemingly separate stories were building towards. Once it becomes clear and is directly addressed, it completely changes your viewpoint on events in a way that is really cool and satisfying.

This was an interesting exercise about grief, what-ifs, and final words. Although some of the stories were rather sad, I didn't take much inspiration from them and I think it's because the translation felt distant and impartial.

<i>When a life was lost, who did it belong to? What were those left behind meant to do with the incomprehensible, inescapable loss?</i>

A contemplative novel about—among other things—death, duty, family, loss, and love. For all that it is about such weighty topics, there is a gentleness that keeps the book from feeling oppressive in its themes.

<i>Lost Souls Meet Under a Full Moon</i> will never be a favorite of mine, but I believe it will stay with me for a long time.

Three and a half stars, rounded up.

Three and a half stars rounded up for Lost Souls Meet Under a Full Moon. The premise of the book is an interesting one, a G0-Between facilitates meetings between the dead and the living. In the book, four different people reach out to a Go-Between to reconnect with someone that is no longer living, all for different reasons. The fifth part of the book is about Ayumi, who is transitioning into the role as the Go-Between from his grandmother, and is the person the other four people meet.

The book is somewhere between a novel and a short story collection. Ayumi appears in each of the other four peoples stories, and they each appear in the story told from his perspective. This helps provide more of a connection between the stories of each person, but doesn't provide the cohesiveness across the whole book that being told from one POV does.

Tsujimura does a good job of creating characters that want to connect with a deceased one for all different reasons - hope, validation, forgiveness and clarity. Not all the characters are likeable, in fact, there were a couple that I didn't like at all. But it reflects a real world where all types of people seek answers.

My favorites were the story of a man seeking answers on his fiancee that disappeared and the story of Ayumi himself. It felt like a backstory was built out better on these two, especially Ayumi's, where he has to decide if he wants to connect with one of his deceased parents before he officially takes over the role of Go-Between from his grandmother. Serving in a training role with the others gives him the opportunity to see that the answer to his parents' deaths may be right in front of him, and he may not need to see either one of him to understand why they died.

The way each person spent time with a decedent was interesting, but I wish Tsujimura showed more the longer term of outcome of being able to have that conversation. The reader sees it some with the two women, but only from Ayumi's point of view as they run into each other after the visit.

A complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.