Thank you NetGalley and Random House UK, Transworld Publishers and Bantam for the ARC.

Unfortunately, I didn't have time to read this book. I have seen a lot of reviews of people enjoying this book.

This fantasy mystery novel is a curiously compelling read that transports you beyond this world , for fans of Studio Ghibli, Starless Sea and Before the Coffee Gets Cold with a touch of Alice in Wonderland and Weathering with You. Certainly not lacking in excellent plot twists, but unfortunately in emotional depth which was a pity.

I think the songs that best match the vibes of the book are Ed Sheeran’s “All of the Stars” and Taylor Swift’s “Wonderland”.

Water Moon is Yambao’s 5th novel and first UK debut. I could tell from the stunning descriptions in the opening chapters that she has a natural gift for storytelling. One example is when Toshio is speaking to the mysterious lady who enters the shop about the pottery with kintsugi, she says that some people hide their damage better than others, and it is spoken “so softly it was as if she were worried that her voice might shatter the bowl” – it captures the essence of the woman here! She is desperate, she feels broken and fragile. Beautiful!

I think the Japanese culture was introduced and explored very well, with mention of the kintsugi technique which repairs broken pottery with lacquer mixed with powdered gold (a reminder to embrace imperfections – “Broken things have a unique kind of beauty, don’t you think?”). Hana also feels like if the pawn shop had a name, it would be Ikigai (which is Japanese for “reason for living” or “sense of purpose”). We also have a great paragraph about Studio Ghibli ruining Kei’s experience with buses ever since seeing the Catbus (couldn’t agree more!).

I really love the concept of this story! The different things that make Hana’s world different from ours were unique and reminded me of Alice in Wonderland: like the shells that don’t sound like the ocean but tell jokes instead, crane birds that are made out of paper, prayers that are listened to instead of spoken, trains that are not guaranteed to ever show up, even after 50 years (though, it could be argued that trains not running on time can sometimes feel that way in our world haha) – oh and if you are missing any socks, chances are they or any forgotten things have arrived at stall 510 in the market place. It was a lot of ideas thrown together and, while some are random, it worked rather well. Curiouser and curiouser, indeed.

However, from the moment when Keishin shows up, the beautiful descriptions I mention feel like they vanish and the pacing shifts drastically from slow to fast. Too fast, methinks. The bond between Kei and Hana is really sweet but missing a lot of depth so I didn’t feel for them as much as I’d have liked. I mean, take this example: “Keishin brushed his lips against her wrist. Hana’s cheeks flushed. She pulled her hand away.” This otherwise lovely moment feels super quick and even unrealistic! Surely there could have been more of a time-standing-still moment, how they feel in this moment. Please, don’t give us nothing!

The world-building happens as the reader goes, so we are essentially finding things out at the same time as Kei – which I consider a weaker aspect as there is no history or backstory behind a lot of it. Some thoughts: how did the Whispering Temple come to be? Why is it invisible? How is time folded into paper? It’s just a: this exists, this conveniently happens and that’s that.

Other than the obvious bad guys called the Shiikuin (“caretakers”), nobody was evil. I thought we would have had people who were actually working for them, especially since Hana is always talking about how things are not what they seem. I wondered if Haruto would be considering his initial description of looking “strikingly beautiful”. Yet not a single person snitched or double-crossed them? That’s not very realistic and is a wasted opportunity.

Now, don’t get me wrong, let’s look at this from an anime perspective, particularly the likes of Studio Ghibli (Spirited Away, Howl’s Moving Castle, Castle in the Sky) and CoMix Wave Films (Your Name, Weathering with You, Suzume). Most of these films I have listed that these Studios made have straightforward (albeit sometimes confusing) plots with some interesting magical elements and a bond between the male and female love interests that could be considered not that deep just enough to show some chemistry. As far as I am concerned, this follows that sort of blueprint just fine.

The multiple plot twists near the end I wasn’t expecting and they were great, though it took me a moment to get my head around. There were so many I felt like “another one, thank yew” haha.

Haruto has to be actually the only character that struck me the most. Talk about a character who deserved the world: I have never felt more sorry or sad for a character in my life. The gorgeous man with incredible talents, the unrequited love, the sacrifice he makes anyway. I love you, sir!

🩵🩵🩵 “And you are an ocean, Hana. Gentle and quiet, yet powerful enough to sweep away any man or ship. I drowned in you a long time ago and I did not even know it.” 🥹

What an adventure this story was 😭! Going in blind made it even better. It took my breath away & sparked my imagination like never before - honestly, I’ve never visualised a book so vividly in my mind before. This was a wonderful story I wish I could read for the first time again.

Thank you for the ARC Bantambooks UK 💫

I looked forward to reading this book as I enjoyed the food detectives novels and others of this genre.
Unfortunately this book was not for me, I found it too whimsical and not engaging.
I have read other reviews and most people seem to live it.
Thank you NetGalley and Samantha for this ARC.

Thank you to Bantam Books for the advance reader copy for my honest review! I so loved taking part in a community read along for this title, the sense of collective experience really worked with the dreamy whimsy of WATER MOON.

I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a read which truly takes you on a journey. Where each turn holds something familiar and yet skewed just enough with dream logic that you say, “ah, I know you, and yet…” WATER MOON is a dream within a dream, with a nightmare just hanging around the corner. There is delight and there is whimsy in the worldbuilding, puddles which are portals, the “ah, but why ~wouldn’t that be made like that?” essence when it comes to familiar items turned on their heads; but there are also sinister elements which lend a true air of tension to the story.

While I would say that this is mostly vibes, and a little plot, the pure heart within its pages is what I stuck around for. I was involved with the plot, I wanted to know what happened, but I was mainly just happy to be alongside Hana and Keishin as they journey to find Hana’s missing father before a sinister force can get to him first. Hana is our guide through her world, leading the ever-analytical Keishin through it on a quest he takes up to discover true wonder. True purpose. Along the way, some truths are shared, and the power of choice is revealed.

It had the same feeling as a Studio Ghibli film, where the protagonists are racing against forces which have great capacity for harm, but the colours are saturated and there are pretty, wonder-inducing things to distract you on the way. I delighted in Hana and Keishin’s relationship, though their connection felt the tiniest instant. But again - it’s Ghibli. It’s that, “ah, I know you” feeling, and so it worked for this type of story.

I truly I feel like this will become a comfort read for me, as it walks a thin line between comforting and just dark enough that it reminds me not all choices are good, and not everything that seems wonderful is so - but it also reminds me that there is wonder to be found in the smallest of things, as long as we don’t forget to look.

Bookreview: Water Moon🌊🌙 by Samantha Sotto Yambao
If you could sell your regrets to a pawnshop would you take it?
This book is my first 5 star read of 2025 and boy does it deserve it.
This dreamlike enchanting fantasy novel feels like watching a studio ghibli movie. It is beautiful, bizar, and gives you all the emotions.
Somewhere in Tokyo there is a pawnshop you will only walk into it (instead of a ramen bar) when you are truly lost, and pawn of your life choices and deepest regrets.
Hana takes over the shop from her father but on her first day it is suspiciously ransacked and she things her dad went away on a dangerous journey. A strange man walks into the store and does not need her help but offers to go with her instead. They enter a mystical world and so the ghibli movie begins...
I basically read this book in one sitting because I could not put it down. Every single page brought magic and awe due to the author's writing style and imagination. It was a mysterious trip and I highly recommend you try it out yourself! Water Moon is out TODAY so please pick it up to start your reading year off with some cosy magical goodness!💗

Have you ever felt like the rain is following you?
Then perhaps, you are not meant for this world, my friend.

Tomorrow is the day. Hana’s father, Toshio, will retire, and she will take over the pawnshop.

When Hana wakes up the next day, however, things look quite different.
A stranger named Keishin stumbles inside, looking for ramen. Unlike any other client, he offers help instead of needing it.

“The most interesting things are invisible”

Despite danger and possible consequences, my heart did not speed up. The book is written in a beautiful way that let me enjoy what was written.
I never felt any urge, other than to get to read the next words. The whispers of nothing you can see and touch.

Riding on songs, travel by rumours, and visiting a nightmarket in the clouds. Their dreamy quest takes me places I have never even dreamed of, and I adore every bit of it.

Of course, there is a sweet sense of humour, too.
Would it be possible with sweet music between the two?

This is the most beautiful book I have ever read. Made up be the most beautiful sentences I can ever remember reading. With eyes like Kei, the wonders revealed themselves to me.

WaterMoon has a lovely concept in the storyline, a pawnshop where you leave behind your deepest regret, for a lifetime freedom from the torment of "what if".

But, the execution left me wanting more. I may be in the minority here but the lead characters felt wooden and the romantic storyline lacked depth for me to really buy into their tribulations and in the end I really didn't care much for the outcome of them.

From the very first page, 'Water Moon' cast a spell on me. The idea of a pawnshop where you can trade away your regrets for peace of mind is utterly captivating. It's a haunting image, and the book explores this concept with such grace.

The settings are vividly described, so alive with detail that I felt like I was right there, breathing the same air as the characters.

The story is rich with layered meaning and subtle morals, inviting contemplation without ever feeling preachy. This is a truly sublime reading experience that will linger long after you turn the final page.

Highly recommended for fans of magical realism and of course, Studio Ghibli (I honestly feel like an adaptation would be incredible).

I would like to thank NetGalley and Random House UK for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a beautifully written story. It’s a fantastical delight, that takes you on a journey with such mesmerising descriptions, a real treat for all the senses. It is filed with wise teachings about life and the choices we make and the implications of them, creating impact on outcomes and how it affects not only ourselves but those around us. The story touched my inner child too, I would have absolutely loved to be able to achieve some of the ways of travel and adventures experienced.

I was completely elated with the ending and it left me with such a warm affection and satisfaction of a book wrapped up so eloquently. I found it to be such a splendid and heart warming read!

I also absolutely love the book cover, it’s so pretty and reflects the story wonderfully!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and all involved in making it possible for me to read an ARC copy of this wonderful book for an honest review.

On a backstreet in Tokyo, there’s a pawnshop that can only be found by those who are lost. It’s a place where they can pawn difficult life choices and their deepest regrets. Hana is taking over the running of the pawnshop from her father. On her first morning as the new owner, she finds the shop ransacked, her father gone, and one of its most precious acquisitions stolen. When her first customer stumble into the shop, he offers her help with tidying up and finding the stolen choice. Together, the two must journey through a mythical world to find Hana’s father and the missing choice. They travel through rain puddles, into the pages of a book, visit a night market in the clouds and ride on paper cranes. But as Hana and Keishin get closer to each other and to finding what they seek, Hana will have to make a choice of her own that could tear them apart.

Water Moon was absolutely captivating and magical. I loved the imaginative world and all the different places Hana and Keishin visit on their quest to reclaim the lost choice – this is a novel with top tier world building: I could visualize the places as I was reading. I enjoyed the element of the quest and while I felt I was watching the characters go through their adventure rather than feel deeply connected to them, this worked for me as it gave me the feeling of watching their story unfold. Water Moon would make an absolutely beautiful novel to see adapted and I hope Studio Ghibli pick it up. In the meantime, it’s definitely one that you should add to your TBR if you enjoy magical worlds, enchanting world building and a touch of whimsy.

This is a cosy, romantic fantasy that I think is being accurately compared to Ghibli. If you like Studio Ghibli, I'm confident that you will like this. I also think you would certainly like it more if you are the type to see the images of what you are reading in your mind, because it's a beautiful book, full of whimsy. I think for me, because I read this straight after two much darker, more action-packed reads, This felt a little flat in terms of characterization. I more read this for vibes. With that being said, I still enjoyed it. I might skim over it again in a few days when my nerves have settled from the last books as I think I will love it more when I'm in more of a cosy mood. I think it will be fun to annotate a physical copy.

What a heart-wrenching and heartwarming novel, that takes you on a truly unique journey. I have never read anything like it.

Water Moon felt quite reminiscent of the Midnight Library, in the way it makes you reflect on the choices we all make in life, and was a very creative plot in doing so. I found myself highlighting so many poignant excerpts.

The prose was truly fantastical and contained so much vivid imagery. My one challenge was that almost every chapter introduced us to entirely new fantasy elements, and the world building felt quite never-ending, and thus, it took me longer to read than usual.

With that being said this was a truly unique read, and I would highly recommend it!

Warm thanks to Samantha Sotto Yambao, Random House UK and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I'm so grateful to have received this as an arc through Netgalley. It's been on my to read list for a little while since I wanted to read it close to release date but oh how I wish I picked it up sooner!

The book is beautifully written and while it has plenty of action and plot line to keep you enticed, the fantasy elements and the writing was enough to solidify this as a five star on vibes alone!

The world building and lore rooted at this book is fed to reader in a way that doesn't make it seem like you're wading through passages of how things work because it all fits together within the plot of the story and while I'm sure there'll be people out there that picked up on the plot twist, it took me by surprise but I loved it!

Definitely one to recommend to anyone and everyone

Hana is about to take up her father’s job as a pawnbroker. This isn’t a choice she has had to make, she simply had to fit comfortably into a future already decided for her. Things were supposed to be easy, but instead on her first morning as the shop’s owner, she finds the place in utter chaos and her father gone, with hints scattered across the shop’s mysterious wares. To save him, Hana has to make a choice that might well break the comforting routine of her life and make her consider her trade in another light. For she and her father don’t deal in material stuff. They deal in choices and regrets, enabling customers to leave their shop with a weight lifted off their shoulders.
This novel that is out on January 16 is utterly enchanting. The author deals very creatively with the Japanese culture that seeps into every corner of the narrative set in Tokyo and mostly beyond. Here, paper cranes are a means of transport and the door to a ramen restaurant may open onto unexpected realities. There was a fragile but well-kept balance of light and dark, which meant that the more whimsical aspects of the character’s journey were anchored in profound feelings and reflections on choice, free will and regret.
The parts of the book I enjoyed less were purely subjective and have nothing to do with the quality of the book. Mainly, I wasn’t a fan of the very episodic nature of the narrative, with the characters jumping from one location to the next without staying long enough to really appreciate their surroundings (but that’s what comes with being chased). The romance also didn’t work for me, but it rarely does. It felt a little rushed at the beginning, and was patched up a little too quickly at the end as well after the usual fall-out. So, really, nothing major! There is plenty to love if you’re looking for a very magical, Japanese-inspired adventure set partly in our world and partly in a very dream-like land where time and space works differently.
CW: alcohol, internalised fatphobia.

Exquisite. Simply exquisite! 4.5⭐

Water Moon is the perfect example of a well-written Japanese fantasy book. Perfect for fans of Studio Ghibli films, Water Moon takes you on a magical adventure in another world. A world where everything and everyone has its place and order is a way of life. Choices don't exist. Hanna's world is the exact opposite to ours yet, her world relies on ours to function.

There were so many layers and hidden depths to the story. My favourite thing about Japanese fiction is how "vague" it first appears. You really have to look beneath the surface and you'll discover many hidden nuggets of wisdom that'll constantly have you pausing to reflect on.

The only thing that makes this 4.5⭐ over 5⭐ was the pacing feeling off. It often felt like we were rushed out of a scene before we could really emotionally appreciate what was happening.

I'm so excited to see what else this author writes and am dreaming of Water Moon being made into a film.

Thank you Netgalley and PRH for the opportunity to read an eArc.

Water Moon is a stunning and extraordinary novel by none other than Ms. Samantha Sotto-Yambao.

I am thrilled to see it soon available to other readers and even told my close friends and family about it. I am sure that with its enchanting story and wonderful characters, this book will undoubtedly captivate readers.

I highly recommend it!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for granting me an E-ARC!

I really liked the prose in this novel, The writing style is very lyrical with a lot of memorable and heartwarming quotes throughout.
I would definitely recommend if you would like a studio Ghibli feel to your books

i'm not sure how to rate this book. i mean, it was cute. the reading experience for me was like watching a studio ghibli movie due to the whimsical places the story takes us to, but it lacked that certain magical element.

i think a big reason why i couldn't fully enjoy the book was the whole execution. the dialogue was stilted, the writing was clunky with some awkward phrasings, and the pacing was extremely messy throughout the whole book. the characters felt very one-dimensional, they behaved/talked unnaturally most of the time, and their insta-love was not even believable.

the biggest strength of this book by far is the dreamlike setting and the originality/creativity of this whimsical world. if you're just looking for a cute magical realism adventure, you might have a good time, but if you're looking for something with more substance beyond all the whimsy, i don't think this book is gonna offer that.

I absolutely fell in love with Water Moon and could not put it down. I loved the magical world-building and I immediately found myself loving Samantha Sotto Yambao's writing style. It was so whimsical and beautiful! It definitely gives my Studio Ghibli vibes and I am all here for that.

I really enjoyed the whole premise of this story and I loved that it was not only a story about love but about choices, fate and the cost of regrets. The idea that people could pawn off their regrets really stuck with me and I have not stopped thinking about it. Also I need puddle jumping to become a thing, travelling would be so easy and fun!

Hana and Kei were fantastic characters and I loved learning about the world and it's traditions through their individual perspectives. Their romance was beautiful yet also full of suspense because of how forbidden it is, I couldn't help but root for them because I loved them so much!

Water Moon is a beautiful and magical story that is so creative and unique. I cannot wait for you all to read it and fall in love with it like I did.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.