A wonderfully magical book that would make the perfect Studio Ghibli production. It is dark, mystical, romantic, perilous and amusing sometimes all at once. Fantastical alternative realities and expertly crafted world-building set in modern Tokyo.

An absolute joy of a book.
My thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley. This review was written voluntarily and is entirely my own unbiased opinion.

This was amazing. A brilliant novel about the lights of life and what happens when we get in our own heads

Thank you to Bantam Books for the ARC of Water Moon. I also took part in a read along organised by the publisher, which was a great way to have discussions about the novel. Honestly, I did read ahead of schedule because I couldn’t help myself!

Water Moon contains a pawnshop in Tokyo where you can sell your regrets. After the retirement of her father, Hana becomes owner, but she wakes up on her first morning with her father and their latest acquisition both missing. When a stranger shows up to the pawnshop, she accepts his offer for help and they embark on a magical journey.

I went into this book knowing pretty much nothing beyond the broad synopsis, and I am so glad I did! I was thoroughly surprised by the intricacy of the world building and the unique setting. This kind of magical realism doesn’t offer a lot of explanations, but that only makes the world that more magical and mysterious.

The author artfully describes so many fascinating locations within Hana’s world. I won’t give any specifics as I don’t want to spoil anything, but some details that stood out to me were the use of paper, the methods of transport, and the perceptions of our world. The world building was by far my favourite part of Water Moon!

I flew through this book! The chapters alternated between past and present and we got to see the viewpoint of multiple characters, which really helped to encompass the whole world.

There is a big focus on the idea of fate and choice in people’s lives. How would the world change if you made a different choice? Is fate set in stone? All the characters have to grapple with these ideas in different ways, and I found it very interesting to see how things played out, especially as more plot twists came about. They make mistakes and change their minds, but that is all part of life.

Romance also features, and while it is not the focus of the book, it is still really important. It was heartwarming to see the characters connect and struggle through revelations. They were constantly trying to shield the other from harm.

One thing I would change would just be to make the end section of the book a bit longer and more fleshed out. So much was revealed in quick succession, so I would have loved just a bit more length in the novel to slow the pace a little bit for the ending. In particular, I wanted more about Hana’s parents, and I could have done with some more lengthy conversations between her and Keishin.

Despite this, I still thoroughly enjoyed Water Moon and I think I will remember it for a long time. If you like the mystical nature of magical realism, especially that of Japanese fiction, I highly recommend this book. Water Moon is a magical adventure which also makes you think deeply about human nature and how we make choices in our lives.

Thank you once again to the publisher for sending me a copy in exchange for a review!

4.5 stars

Water Moon by Samantha Sotto Yambao is a captivating fantasy novel that masterfully intertwines nostalgia and hope. At the heart of the story are well-crafted characters who bring depth and warmth, drawing readers into a world that feels both familiar and otherworldly. The narrative is fast-paced and engaging, making it a breeze to read, while Sotto Yambao’s lyrical prose adds a layer of beauty to each page. Although the story leaves some readers wishing for more, the journey itself is rich and rewarding, making Water Moon a truly enjoyable and heartfelt escape into fantasy.

Water Moon gave me Ghibli vibes throughout the story but I wasn't completely invested. I think the flow of the story was very slow and too long at times. I enjoy magical realism most of the time but this one I am not completely sure about it. Maybe it would work better for me as a film rather than a book.

Such a beautiful heartfelt book. People who don't know they want to sell their regrets end up at Hana's father's pawnshop instead of a delicious ramen restaurant somewhere in Tokyo.

One day, the first day Hana Ishikawa is the pawnshop’s owner, she finds it completely ransacked. What's worse one of the shop’s acquisitions has been stolen, and her father has gone missing. At that moment Minatozaki Keishin, a scientist, enters the shop, who offers help instead of seeking it. When they find clues that all this was staged, they embark on a quest for Hana's parents that leads them to parallel and surreal worlds.

There is the theme of choice and predestination in this book. Hana isn't supposed to go after her father but should stay in the pawnshop and follow her father's footsteps. Yet she goes her own way which provides her with answers. Stubbornness and making your own choices are rewarded.

I loved how Shambao interweaved science and the surreal. Keishin is an openminded scientist and Hana is interested in his scientific world. It's very hard to pull off, but she does it.

The parallel world's are great: paper worlds, under the ground, the night market in the sky... It's all very dreamy and cute. Of course it reminds me of the Japanese literature that I adore but it's so lovely and poeticallly done.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing House/Ballantine/Del Rey for this ARC.

The first word that comes to mind after readings this book is creativity. The other world in which the story takes place, an alternative world that shares some doors with ours, is wild and imaginative. The crazy ideas that come to our minds when we are kids taken to another level of creativity and world building, with complex and detailed descriptions 
A whimsical, dream like world that holds some very ugly secrets that still don't take away from the allure of such a place.
The plot is full of twist that I didn't see coming at all, leaving me speechless at the end. The characters have interesting thought processes that make reading each one of their POV very, very interesting. Although the romance felt a bit lacking for me, it was overall beautiful and I really enjoyed this story.

This is a beautiful, sweeping atmospheric read from start to finish and gave me MAJOR Suzume vibes. Also, that cover? *chef's kiss*

The book transcends time and space while deeply exploring the complex emotions of family, loss and grief. Hana and Keishin are amazing characters that have to embark on a journey to uncover some mysteries and the writing it beautiful throughout.

A whimsical and lyrical read for fans of magical realism.

This is the story of a pawn shop that is disguised as a ramen restaurant and only the chosen ones will find the pawn shop where they can trade their regrets and life choices.

In the morning that she is meant to take over the shop from her father Hana finds the shop ransacked and her father missing. Along comes a stranger and rather than asking for help he offers it. Hana and the stranger need to find her father and the missing choice that has been taken.

This was so interesting, magical and was written beautifully but it did have a habit of jumping ahead in some of the paragraphs, and then I thought had missed part of the story. This led me to end up rereading parts to check. It has very mystical elements and I enjoyed the fmc and mmc characters. This is fantasy that has the world building down to a T without dragging it out. The ending was just perfect! Loved it!

Such a magickal book, right up my street! I loved the whole story and got totally lost in it.

Thank you to the author, publisher and netgalley for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

The best part of having finished fourteen books in August is that I had FIVE 5 star reads to choose a favourite from. Sometimes that would actually be a bad thing, a real ‘which is my favourite child?’ dilemma, but this choice felt easy for me.

Water Moon was a NetGalley ARC, and yes, I know I said I’d sworn off them for a while, but wow am I glad I was chosen to read it. Although very different in subject, it gave me such strong The Starless Sea vibes, and that’s one of my absolute favourite books of recent years.

As a Japanophile, it also had me hooked on that score. I can’t even begin to describe it in a way that does it justice while avoiding spoiling anything, so all I’ll say is to check it out if you love putting logic and real-world facts to one side and just being swept away on an impossible adventure. Absolutely stunning.

A really enjoyable read. I have never read or seen any Ghibli comics or films but this book is how I imagine them to be like. There are lots of magical elements some of them very dark but there will a moral at the end. Great characters too.

Water Moon by Samantha Sotto Yambao is a beautifully enchanting tale that weaves together fantasy and mystery in the heart of Tokyo. At the centre of the story is a pawnshop like no other—hidden from the eyes of most, it only reveals itself to those who are truly lost. Instead of material goods, this peculiar shop allows its visitors to pawn their life choices and deepest regrets.

The story follows Hana Ishikawa, who wakes on her first day as the shop's new owner only to find it ransacked, its most precious item stolen, and her father mysteriously vanished. Her life takes a further unexpected turn when a charming young physicist stumbles into the shop, offering help instead of seeking it, unlike the other troubled souls who frequent the shop. Together, Hana and the stranger embark on a mesmerising journey through a mystical world, traversing rain puddles, flying on paper cranes, and visiting a night market in the clouds.

As the pair draw closer to uncovering the truth behind the theft and Hana’s father’s disappearance, the stakes grow higher. Hana faces her secret and must make a choice that could change everything—perhaps irreversibly. The escalating threat from the Shiikuin adds a thrilling tension, as Hana and her companion race against time and reality, inching ever closer to a shattering revelation.

Samantha Sotto Yambao has crafted a spellbinding story full of imaginative twists, intricate world-building, and deeply emotional moments. Water Moon is a unique and inventive fantasy that captivates the reader with its dreamlike atmosphere and complex characters. A refreshing and well-executed tale that leaves you thinking long after the final page, it is a must-read for fans of magical realism and whimsical journeys. This book showcases the brilliance of the author’s mind, and I eagerly await more of her works.

Read more at The Secret Bookreview.

A Ghibli-esque adventure through another world. An easy to read, creative and whimsical story full of lyrical writing. However the pacing is off - something fantastical and crazy happens in every chapter, leaving little room for character development or fleshing out the romance between Hana and Keishin. Not one for me.

I was lured into reading this with the Japanese setting, and as I started it I thought it might be a bit of an interesting sci fi type story. Had I known it was magical realism, I might not have bothered (do we call this speculative fiction now? I don't really know...) but anyway, suddenly people are jumping through puddles into an alternate world (I think) and I got nervous.

It actually wasn't as bad as I'd thought...I decided to let the whole thing wash over me and not worry about what was going on. Even when someone got folded into origami to travel somewhere else I just la la la'd my way through. Mainly because of the physicist character, who I liked, and who I wanted to know more about. I like Kei more and more, and Hana less and less.

It's a strange, magical fantasy romance. I'm not sure about the ending. I wasn't sure about some of the middle. Some of it is great, and some of it was dull, but it kept me reading.

A little pawnshop in the middle of Tokyo. Only people who wonder over a choice are able to visit it. Here you can get rid of your choice and your regrets.But the day that Hana takes over the store starts with a shock. Her father and a choice missing, the store destroyed, and a customer at the door who appears to have a choice but offers help. Together they travel through a puddle and dreams to find her father and discover the secrets of her world. What sounded like a great fantasy setting in Tokyo became quite hard to read for me personally. It was just too much. Halfway through the fantastic setting I was tired of all the new things introduced. I've read some reviews comparing this novel to Morgenstern's Starless Sea, and this should have been an indication as I did not like that book. I found the Male Love Interest rather bland and the lovestory unnecessary. I am sure this title will find many fans and I think it was just bad timing for me to read this.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book!

The story takes place on the backstreets of Tokyo: a magical pawn shop that can only be found by people who intended to eat at a ramen place but entered here to trade their deepest regrets and some life choices that needed to be changed in exchange for something that belongs to them. Regrets turn into birds to be caged in a vault, to be shared with shiikuins, who are wailing, scary people (somewhat supernatural entities) wearing masks.

Hana Ishikawa has been raised in this shop, learning to read people’s emotions, their resentments, and regrets with the help of her master father who reached her lessons by sending her scavenger hunts, leaving clues behind for her to solve the puzzles.

Now her father, Ishikawa Toshio, decides to retire, and this will be Hana's first workday, even though she wakes up with a terrible hangover-induced headache, finding the store intruded upon, everything strewn around, the furniture turned over, and the door that separates her from the outside universe (the real world) open! Her father is nowhere to be seen. It seems like somebody tried to steal something from the store because one of the acquisitions is missing, and her father might have followed behind the thief to catch him.

But the incident in the store seems staged, which raises more questions about the whereabouts of her father. And this is not the only struggle she has to deal with. A charming stranger bangs on the door, helping her to clean the ice cut at her feet, bandaging her, intrigued by the mystery of the pawnshop just like any other puzzles he likes to solve as an aspiring scientist. His name is Minatozaki Keishin, still talking to the ghost of a man who tried to save his life, getting attracted by Hana’s stubbornness and calmness.

Even though Hana initially rejects his help, she realizes she cannot bring her father back alone. They team up, revealing many secrets about her own life, and she realizes there’s a possibility that her mother might be alive and her father went missing to go after her. But this is not the only secret she finds that may change everything she thinks about her purpose, her family, and her meeting with Keishin in the pawnshop might not be such a coincidence.

What if the entire truth shatters everything into pieces and there won’t be a future for them to be together as their worlds get more apart at each second and the threat of Shiikuin gets escalated?

Overall, this is a creative, unique, well-executed fantasy with surprising twists I never saw coming. The world building was truly fantastic and magical! I loved the brilliant mind of the author and am looking forward to reading more of her works in the near future.

Water Moon
Samantha Sotto Yambao
Chapter 36 Page 289

||: Keishin set his fork down and looked at his stepmother as though seeing her for the first time. He had never heard her speak more openly or plainly. A part of him felt relieved to have her say those words to him. It wasn't that he didn't care for her. He did. And he knew that she cared for him. But being his father's wife did not magically transform her into his mother, and neither did him calling her ‘Okaa-san’ make him her son. Calling anything by a false name only made it feel less true and yet, there was another part of Keishin that felt sad to hear his stepmother speak this way. Their lie, like most lies, had been a balm to a truth that chafed. :||

Hana is doing her best to follow in the footsteps of her father, the pawnshop owner who buys valuable pieces, choices from his human customers, in exchange for.. Tea. Always the same. Green tea.
But Hana knows better than to question anything that is said or done within the confinements of her fathers little tea shop. Everything is not as it seems.

Just like the morning she woke up on her very first sat as the pawnshop owner. Meeting Kei, travelling the realms of her World, revisiting old haunts, dear friends and new faces, to face fears and cruel reminders. What has be.. Will never be again.

If only she could go back to the beginning where things were simpler. If only she had remembered what her father had taught her. She wouldn't be in a place that no matter what she chose.. broke her heart. At the end of the day a choice needs to be made. And Hana knows better than anyone'.. A choice should never be made lightly.

This book was sensational, it allowed my imagination to literally create the most wonderful places. It was surreal and yet the small girl inside of me ran around both Hana and Kie as they explored. Amazing book, for all ages!x

Thank you so much to Samantha Sotto Yamboa, Random House UK Transworld Publishers and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and relay my honest feedback.

This book draws you in to a unique fantastical world. Full of whimsy, emotion and twists! I loved it.

i really enjoyed this book! i will have to reread it tho to fully appreciate it all over again! thank you so much for the galley 💖