This book was a unique read with cozy fantasy vibes throughout. I enjoyed the overall storyline and the world building. The magical realism made for a fun world to travel through and explore.

Highlights:
- The early chapters really pull you in with the concept of a pawnshop for trading in your regrets. The author touches on this heavy topic in a really beautiful way throughout the book.
- The magical locations were so interesting. Jumping through puddles, traveling on a song, stars made of kites, a market in the clouds, paper cranes come to life, and so much more. Each stop on the main characters' journey was filled with whimsy and magic that made for a really fun experience.
- Kei was a relatable character from "our" world. I really enjoyed his secondary plot line about his mother - his growth through his abandonment struggles and the resolution of that arc at the end was well done. In that same vein, I feel that Hana's main storyline involving her dad and mom was brought to an heartfelt conclusion.
- The villains of the story were sufficiently creepy which I appreciated because the sense of urgency felt earned.
- The general feeling of this book was full of whimsy and I really loved that.
- The author's prose was beautiful. She deftly touched on the concept of the importance of choice in shaping who we are.

Cons:
- While the world building was really special, I almost felt that the author was trying to do too much. There was so much jumping around to new locations that you didn't get to spend enough time in each spot. I would have preferred a slightly slower pace (or less locations) in order to learn more about each place or meet characters for longer periods of time.
- The love story, while sweet, did feel a bit like "insta-love" since they only knew each other for a few days.
- The resolution was a bit rushed. I didn't really understand what happened exactly and I think part of this was because there were no clear rules with the magic in the world.

Water Moon is a beautifully written, magical, and emotive tale of choices and consequences, ranging from the dreamy to the dark. When Hana inherits her father’s pawn shop that sits both in the real world and also in the world of whimsy and magic, she doesn’t expect his subsequent disappearance or the shop to be ransacked — nor does she expect Kei, a scientist and inhabitant of the real world, to be her companion on her search for answers and, ultimately, her father.

This is a poignant, enchanting read and very thought-provoking, stirring up lots of questions and encouraging gentle curiosity around our own choices, regrets, dreams, and desires. The characters are lovely and well crafted, the plot has just the right amount of suspense, and the prose is delicate. Highly recommended.

I received an e-ARC from the publisher, Transworld Publishers, through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This speculative daydream of a book will be right at home on the shelves of those who love Studio Ghibli and cosy Japanese fiction.

It follows Hana, heir to an otherworldly pawnshop that allows visitors to sell the choices they regret. When her father goes missing, along with one of the valuable ‘choices’ the pawnshop collects, Hana (and her latest customer, Keishin) must journey to find him before the terrifying custodians of her world can catch up. Their adventure takes them through floating markets, museums of bad decisions and a town that weaves hopes into stars. And on the way the pair must confront their developing feelings for each other, their concepts of what is real and true, and the freedom they have to make their own choices.

This is a heavily quotable tale, filled with wisdom and emotional growth. I like the main characters and - even though they seem to fall in love too quickly - rooted for their romance by the end. The side characters also play a huge part - pining, loyal Haruto being my favourite and tugging every heartstring I have.

I also adore the author’s imagination. The concepts - from travelling on the backs of rumours, to portals in puddles, to songs that quite literally transport you - made me smile at the inventiveness. It’s a book that causes you to dream and wonder.

i really loved everything about this! i just finished this late at night so i will write and submit my full review tomorrow!

Thank you to Random House UK, Bantam, and NetGalley UK for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

I absolutely flew through this book, which is quite peculiar in its dream-like writing, where one scene seamlessly shapeshifts into the next as the characters follow the different threads of their quest to uncover what happened in the protagonist's pawnshop / ramen restaurant. While really whimsical and charming, it is also dark and tense in parts, so it's best not to go into this expecting a cosy fantasy. I really enjoyed some of the world-building and awe-inspiring scenes constructed in this book, and the romance was also endearing. I had a really positive reading experience although I don't think this book is a new favourite; but I am sure it will be for many people, especially for its themes around regret and choice, some of the full-circle moments and the puzzle-like plot. I definitely recommend giving this book a go if you are a fan of speculative and/or Japanese fiction and I am really happy to have read it!

**Watermoon** is a fantastical, soul-stirring adventure that will sweep you into a world brimming with magic, mystery, and heart. Imagine a market held on a cloud, stars turned into kites, and paper cranes that seem to take on lives of their own—this is the breathtaking world that Hana must navigate when she inherits her father’s magical pawn shop. But there’s a twist: on her first day running the shop, Hana discovers it's been ransacked, and her father has disappeared. What follows is a mind-bending journey that takes Hana and her unlikely companion, Kei, from one enchanted location to another in search of answers.

Kei, a curious physicist from the "real world," stumbles into Hana’s shop and soon finds himself caught up in the adventure of a lifetime. Together, they dodge the ominous Shiikuin, masked figures who collect the "choices" that people pawn—choices tied to their regrets and burdens. The worldbuilding here is nothing short of magical, as each new setting Hana and Kei visit feels like stepping into a living dream.

But this isn't just a whimsical fantasy—it's a deep, contemplative exploration of regret, connection, and the lives we live between the lines of magic and reality. The chemistry between Hana and Kei adds a warm, touching element to the plot, and the romance that blooms feels as natural and ethereal as the world they explore.

With a pace that keeps you hooked and a plot that unravels beautifully, **Watermoon** is a story full of surprises, twists, and powerful life lessons. It’s cozy yet thrilling, light yet profound. If you're a fan of magical realism, fantasy with heart, and adventures that leave you thinking long after the last page, **Watermoon** is the book you didn't know you needed. Highly recommend!

Sadly, it was only on starting this that I realised it just wasn’t for me. I try to read widely but some genres are those I just can’t get through, however much I might want to. Fantasy can be just too ‘other’.

A lovely idea for a plot and I hope it finds its audience.

Magically hidden at the end of a Ramen restaurant queue is a Pawnshop, a place where you can rid yourself of you deepest regrets for a price

Hana is waking up as the new owner of the shop, now her father has retired, but finding the place ransacked and a strange man at her door is not what she expected

The stranger, Kei, offers her his help to track down her missing father and Hana is reluctant to accept but sees it is her best chance

The two will make a magical journey across worlds Kei could never have imagined, but to what end for the pair....

I loved this book, couldn't put it down. The writing and the world just drew me right in and unravelling the story with Hana and Kei was amazing

Perfect for Ghibli or whimsical story fans

Out January 16, thank you to NetGalley and Random House/Bantam for the review copy. All opinions my own

There is a clear popularity at the moment for cosy Japanese novels with a hint of fantasy. A great example of this is the Toshikazu Kawaguchi series about a magical cafe where a cup of coffee lets you revisit moments from your past (Before the Coffee Gets Cold) but also books like The Nakano Thrift Shop by Hiromi Kawakami. In what feels like a bit of a combo of these two ideas specifically comes Samantha Sotto Yambao's Water Moon, a fantasy set in a magical pawnshop which you find yourself in rather than the ramen shop you thought you were entering and in which people come to trade away poor decisions that they continue to live with for a box of green tea.
Hana wakes up on the first day on which she is to take over the family pawnshop to find the place ransacked and her elderly father missing. Not long after that Kei, a physics student, finds his way into the shop and without blinking, offers to help her in her quest. That quest is to find her father and recapture the magical item that went missing with him, but also, possibly to find out what actually happened to her mother. And so begins a fantastical journey through various weird places and (of course) a romance.
Water Moon is a cosy, romantic fantasy that draws on Japanese myth and culture. There are plenty of beuatifully rendered scenes and riffs on real world ideas (prayer candles that remember prayers, a world that exists in the form of a black and white painted scroll). Water Moon could be more than this but fails to be. The characters are poorly drawn and not at all engaging (or believable as human beings), there is more telling than showing and the plot progression, while peppered with surprises, is kind of obvious. The book feels deliberately designed to appeal to a particular type of reader. And those who just want to go with the vibe, this book will be perfect. Others should look somewhere else.

This is such a fantastical novel and the world building is incredible. Reviewers say it gives Studio Ghibli vibes but I can’t comment as I have never seen any Studio Ghibli work. All I can say is the pictures that the words created in my mind were amazing - a market held on a cloud, stars that are kites, flocks of paper cranes and paper houses that fold up and disappear. Hana’s father runs a magical pawn-shop - a shop that people from the outside world find when they need it - but they do not pawn items, they pawn choices, regrets, all that is holding them back and making them unhappy. In the pawnshop, these choices become birds, birds that are caged and are collected at intervals by the Shiikuin - scary masked figures who speak with the voice of many. On the day that Hana is to take over the shop - her father has retired - she finds evidence of a break-in. One of the birds, the choices is missing as is her father. Her assumption is that he has run into the outside world chasing the thief. But a second look makes her think that this is not the case. At the same time a stranger enters the shop - Kei - and this time he is not there to leave a choice - he chooses to help Hana go to find her father. And the quest starts with them jumping in a puddle to take them to a place where they may find answers, at the same time avoiding the Shiikuin who are now looking for Hana to punish her for breaking their rules. As Hana and Kei move from place to place in their search the descriptions of these magical places - they are just superb as is the relationship that develops between Kei and Hana. There are twists and revelations along the way because as Hana says to Kei at some point, nothing is as it seem. A really excellent fantastical adventure with a sprinkling of romance and magic.

Water Moon is an experience. The dreamscape like world that Samantha Yambao has created is nothing short of a marvel. Each character and element is straight out of our wildest dreams. Travelling through puddles, markets in the clouds, and origami that’s alive..these are just some of the stupendous things you’ll find in the book.

But it’s not all walk in the park. Underneath this mesmerizing world where everyone seems satisfied is a dark secret. Devoid of choice and dictated in their life by a preordained path of duty, the inhabitants of this world don't know any other way to live.

It’s perfect if you love the mystical worlds of Studio Ghibli or if you are looking for an adventure. This story is sure to suck you right in and leave you wanting for more. Can't recommend it enough.

4.5⭐

Hana just inherited her father's magical pawn shop, but on his first day of retirement Hana found the pawn shop ransacked and her father missing. Keishin was a wunderkind physicist standing before the open door of a ransacked magical pawn shop, defying everything that was logical to him he went to help Hana into her magical world.

Water Moon was a magic girl x normal guy fantasy romance set (mostly) in a very Ghibli-esque other world existing on the other side of modern-day Tokyo. It was cozy but not low-stakes, contemplative, adventurous, heartwarming, wistful, exciting, and of course magical. It was light and easy to read but the subject matter went quite deep. I really enjoyed it! The story unfolded really well, with a steady but fast pacing and a central mystery as the driving force. The romance and worldbuilding was very well-developed but a bit rushed at the beginning and end (barely mattered to me because it was very cute). I liked how in-depth we got to know the main characters; the narrative sometimes went back in time to examine some significant events in their lives. I especially liked how the normal guy was a physicist, and his character offered very interesting perspectives as the story went deeper into the magical world. The dialogues sometimes went a little too deep (think The Alchemist) compared to normal conversation, but it is the nature of the story.

eARC provided by NetGalley and Transworld Books.

“Happiness does not exist in a place. It lives in every breath we take. You need to choose to take it in, over and over again.”

This is one of those wonderful fantasy stories, which we often come across in Japanese, Korean or other South East Asian fiction. It is a story entwined with magic but also speaks to the heart of great life truths like the quote (from the book) above. In general I am not a reader of fantasy but these kind of stories are my exception to that statement and this was another book I adored and would wholeheartedly recommend.

In Water Moon Keishin, a boy from the human world, gets transported to Hana’s magical world through a portal in a ramen shop in Tokyo. It is Hana’s first day of running the family pawn shop where people from the human world can come and trade burdensome regrets and return to the human world lighter, without memories of these, going forward. When Keishin enters the shop, he finds it in an absolute mess. Hana’s father is missing, it appears that he has chased away some intruders but we soon realise that he has, in fact, gone in search of his wife who Hana believed had died many years ago. Keishin decides to try and help Hana find her mother and father and together they go on a magical adventure through Hana’s world where nothing is as it seems. Through the journey a bond develops between the two of them and Keishin finds he feels more alive than he has ever felt before. Hana’s world is dangerous though so will the pair succeed in finding Hana’s parents and what will happen when they do, for Keishin cannot remain in a world he doesn’t belong to…

This is such a wonderful book. I did not want to the adventure to end!

I don't want to say too much about this because I found so much love for this book was in the not knowing. I was absolutely enchanted by this and could totally see this being one of my favourite reads of 2025.

I clearly hadn't read the blurb properly as this wasn't anything like what I was expecting. Instead, I got something better.

The comparisons to Ghibli are apt, you can definitely see the fantastical world becoming an excellent film adaptation.

I really enjoyed this and would love to re-read it in print (it feels more serious in print!) to see what I'd missed.

I really enjoyed Hana's journey and the relationship with Kei. It definitely kept me guessing as I didn't see the twist coming. The world building was fantastic, each new place was captured so well - a few places were a quick chapter and could have been longer but the story moved quickly. I couldn't get a sense of the time though - they had 3 days to solve the mystery but they stayed at least 3 nights in places - maybe the Shiikuin didn't want to collect all the other birds? It felt like there was a deadline that was ignored, but that's really a minor quibble.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced ebook copy in exchange for an honest review.

Watermoon is like being in a dream. It’s beautifully written with vivid imagery and stunning descriptive language that feels like a big warm hug. It’s utterly whimsical and completely Studio Ghibli coded.

I loved how the book focuses on choices and how we make them, what choices we make and how that can change the path of destiny. I also loved how our protagonist, Hana, is always sought out for help, but eventually she finds someone who wants to help her, which I thought was a really nice touch.

Throughout the whole book you feel like you’re going on an adventure. There are lots of different worlds/scenes played out and flashbacks and time bending moments that I was so invested in!

The ending was a twist that I didn’t necessarily expect but definitely welcomed it, it became quite dark and the pace really picked up which left me gasping out loud!

This is a phenomenal read, it’s cozy, and cute, and interesting, and unique, and diverse and 100% one for the TBR!

I absolutely loved every second of it!

Water Moon was magical, whimsical, adorable, interesting, thought provoking - so many things in one book! I saw another review describe the author as a storyteller and I couldn’t think of a better word to describe her. The magical world she created was just wonderful, I loved the depth of this book and how it discusses choices and regrets in a magical but still impactful way. It was steeped in Japanese mythology references and honestly it felt like I was watching a Studio Ghibli film while I was reading.

This book was one of the easiest 5⭐️ of the whole year from me. I could reread it immediately and I don’t even reread books! I don’t have a bad word to say at all.

A whimsical, waterfall of a novel that carries you from one charmingly visual location to the next. The atmosphere shifts from breezy and awe-inspiring, like you were in one of the many forests depicted in a Studio Ghibli movie, to sharp and tense as metallic humanoid guardians hunt down our runaway pawnshop heir, Hana, and (our) other-worlder, Keishin. A ceaselessly contemplative effort into choice, existential purpose, life's paths, "what ifs", and having the courage to make the choices that ring truest to you and your happiness. Highly enjoyable and immersive.

Thanks to Netgalley and Bantam Books/Random House UK for providing me with the e-ARC/DRC in exchange for an honest review.

This book sweeps you into a magical realm where choices and regrets hold transformative power. Hana's journey to uncover the truth behind her father's disappearance becomes a poignant exploration of love, loss, and self-discovery, with each twist revealing deeper emotional stakes. Beautiful world-building and lyrical prose will transport readers into a vivid, dreamlike adventure that stays with you long after the last page. I could not put this book down! I will be recommending this book to everyone! Especially fans of Studio Ghibli!

Whimsical, disorienting, emotional experience. This book is something else, a twisting turning journey that gets very dark as it explores cause and effect across two very different worlds. Hana has always known her fate, and has an important if disturbing role to play in her own world, But that changes when her father disappears and Kei, a stranger from another world, appears at her door.

Hana and Kei's fates become tied together as they journey through a series of incredible adventures and revelations as they search for Hana's father . After a slowish start, I found myself becoming more and more invested in what was happening as the reader is taken breathlessly from scene to scene in search of a truth that is always more complicated than it at first seems. Totally fascinating and absorbing, this is a very visual book on a grand scale and yet is also able to manipulate the smallest of emotions.