I loved the concept of this book - a pawnshop where, instead of jewellery, you leave choices behind. The idea of freeing yourself from choices that have haunted you is so tempting, but of course there is a cost. We follow Hana Ishikawa on the day she has taken over the running of the pawnshop from her father. Into her shop walks Keishin, a physicist looking for answers to the biggest questions. The two embark on a mysterious and fantastical quest to find Hana's father. There are lots of wonderful ideas, like using puddles to travel between dimensions, riding rumours and folding time like paper and some of the concepts are exquisitely expressed. One of my favourites is: 'Books do not find value when they are written. They find value when they are read. Every book here is worthless and priceless at the same time.'

Ultimately though, I struggled to keep up with all the twists and turns and at times I felt the story fell over its own feet. It was like a series of captivating ideas, eloquently articulated, but the threads that knitted them together were frayed. I'd recommend reading for the charm of the language, but it's not a book I'd read again.

Big thanks to NetGalley and the author for letting me read the ARC!

Rating: 5/5


I was blown away by "Water Moon," and I couldn't be more pleased with the experience. The book has quickly risen to the top of my list of favorite reads for 2024, and we're only halfway through the year! The plot is exquisitely crafted with intricate details, and the characters are portrayed with such profound emotional depth that it's truly captivating. I am astounded by the author's ability to build such a rich and fascinating world within the confines of just 400 pages. "Water Moon" is an exhilarating read, and the plot maintains its momentum without ever feeling sluggish or repetitive. Yambo's skillful portrayal of complex world-building and mythical structures is a testament to the book's engrossing nature, allowing readers to immerse themselves in the worlds through the characters.

Speaking of the characters, Hana is a marvelously complex and compelling figure. Witnessing her utilize her life skills outside of the pawnshop was a delightful departure, and it was refreshing to encounter a male main character with motivations that extend beyond the typical romantic entanglements. The characters possess aspirations and lives beyond the central storyline, providing them with a depth and dimension that make them incredibly relatable. One of the most endearing qualities of Hana is her candidness, adding a charming and authentic element to her persona. Everything is exactly as she says, no hidden meanings here.

Though despite my enthusiasm for the book, my least favorite part of any review is mentioning the negatives or aspect(s) that didn't quite resonate with me. I found the rapid development of the main characters' relationship somewhat implausible. Hana, confined to her world within the pawnshop, and Kishein, familiar only with his own realm and devoid of knowledge about Hana’s, seemingly bridged a significant gap of understanding too swiftly to establish a believable relationship. While their connection was delightful to read, I felt it lacked the necessary build-up to justify the depth of their closeness when it materialized and I would have appreciated a more gradual evolution between the main characters. Additionally, I believe that providing a more thorough explanation or translation of the Japanese terms used in the book would greatly enhance the reader's understanding. At times, the terms were not properly explained, leading to confusion and a sense of missing important context.

Overall, I'm incredibly eager for the release of this book and for others to delve into this enchanting narrative. I would gladly relive the experience of reading this book for the first time.



"I may never get to where I want to go, but I can look back in my like and say that I did not waste a second of it being bitter that I was not someplace else. 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."

Magical, evocative tale of of two strangers from different worlds meeting and falling in love, while going on a unique, metaphysical adventure.
Truly beautiful and unusual scenes painted vividly but simply - I could really see some of these incredible mini-worlds brought to life in film / animation.
I dipped in and out of this book and so I found the twisting and turning narrative slightly meandering but could have just been my reading context - overall, I was fully invested in Keishin & Hana's journey, keen to unpeel the mysteries at the heart of each of their origins, and I found the ending very beautiful and satisfying. Recommended, especially for those who like Studio Ghibli, Japanese fiction, fantasy romances etc. Thanks to NetGalley & the publishers for the chance to read.

In the heart of Tokyo, where cherry blossoms dance and ancient spirits linger, lies a pawnshop unlike any other. Water Moon, penned by the talented Samantha Sotto Yambao, invites readers into a world where regrets can be sold, and dreams are woven into reality. With a touch of Studio Ghibli magic, this novel takes flight on the wings of whimsy.

From the very first page, Water Moon envelops you in its ethereal embrace. The protagonist, Hana, inherits a pawnshop that transcends time and space; a place where people trade their deepest sorrows for a chance at redemption. The previous shopkeeper, her father, disappears. This sets Hana on an adventure to find him and unravel the mysteries of his disappearance and her own past.

The whimsical elements of this story (and you know we enjoy our whimsy here) are reminiscent of Studio Ghibli’s masterpieces. Picture Miyazaki’s enchanted forests, where spirits flit between ancient trees, and you’ll find echoes of Water Moon. The prose dances like falling leaves, painting scenes of moonlit gardens and paper cranes floating in the breeze. Yambao’s vivid descriptions evoke a sense of wonder, inviting readers to step beyond reality’s veil.

The heart of the novel lies in its characters. Hana’s journey is both personal and universal; a quest for healing, forgiveness, and second chances. Her father, with his cryptic wisdom, adds layers of intrigue. And then there’s Keishen, the physicist who stumbles into the pawnshop, unraveling the fabric of reason on which he had based his life. Their interactions ripple through the narrative, leaving trails of stardust.

As the plot unfolds with near-perfect pacing, we encounter love, loss, and the core theme of the novel; the delicate balance between fate and free will. Yambao deftly weaves these threads, creating a tapestry that tugs at our hearts.

Water Moon is a cup of jasmine tea on a rainy afternoon; a blend of nostalgia and hope. It whispers, “What if?” and invites us to explore the corners of our souls. Whether you’re a dreamer or a skeptic, this novel will leave you pondering the other world’s secrets long after you’ve closed its pages.

I cant recommend Water Moon highly enough. Dive in, let the ink-stained waves carry you, and discover the magic hidden within your own regrets.

Simply stunning. The worldbuilding is some of the best I've ever read and I loved exploring every part of Hana's world.

*ARC received from Netgalley; all opinions are my own.*

TLDR: Beautifully written and feels like a cosy dream! Can't wait to read again when I get a physical copy!

First off, the writing and imagery are phenomenal and so well thought out. The author does an amazing job at setting the wildest and most unimaginable scenes and describing them so well. Not once did the story feel far-fetched and overwhelming, and it's a credit to the author!

If you want a cosy and whimsical read that you can get swept away in, then Water Moon is a perfect pick—plus that cover? Stunning, and I can't wait to see it in real life.

I cannot explain how much I loved this book. I'm usually the type of person who forgets about a book after a few weeks, but this one has stuck with me. It's full of adventure and love in every way. Definitely one for fans of Studio Ghibli, I can absolutely see this being made into a move with the Studio!

This book is like reading about a Dream and had a particularly strong soporific effect on me and I had to put it down as I kept falling asleep it wasn’t because I was bored but because I felt like I was falling into the book . I put the book down for a few days and return to it when I was in the better mood to take the novel.
Like the concept of the novel, which was that a young Japanese girl inherited her fathers strange job. The family owned a pawn shop which was sat behind the facade of a Ramen shop. If visitors to the facility needed to get rid of a memory, they could pawn the memory which would be extracted from them , and returned to the mysterious and rather sinister group The Shiikuin.
The novel is Dreamlight and somewhat cartoonish in quality. It made me think of the studio Ghibli cartoons series.
Personally I found that there were too many different concepts crammed into this book, time travel ,alternative realities, a sinister group of individuals chasing the goodies I find it hard to keep up and got a little bit lost at times. for me there was too much fantasy and and not enough reality.


The author does have a very distinctive writing style personally it wasn’t really for me, but I could see that it would appeal to a lot of other people
I read a copy of the novel on NetGalley UK. The book will be published on the 16th of January 2025 by random house UK Transworld publishers.
This will appear on NetGalley UK, Goodreads, and my book blog sarahSbooks.wordpress.com. After publication it will also appear on Amazon UK.

📚 review 📚
water moon - samantha sotto yambao

this book is a masterpiece. i have no notes… its a beautiful, whimsical fantasy with a lot of philosophical thinking.
this is hard for me, its one of those books that is sublime but i can’t even really explain why - it has before the coffee gets cold meets the starless sea via studio ghibli vibes and i loved every moment.

every page lives rent free in my brain. this might be my favourite book of the year. it might be a new favourite of all time…

this is out in january - get on and preorder it, I will be.
thank you @netgalley for the early copy

This book is beautiful, start to finish!
A lovely story an and an amazing surprise of a new author for me. The structure and the journey was so smooth and the creativity was a dream.

I loved it, I read a lot and this isn’t my usual genre but I adored Water Moon

A great fantasy world has been created here, with vivid detail, original ideas and a great plot to keep you hooked. It was the cover that drew me in and I really enjoyed being transported to a different time and place. The characters are good but the plot and world building are what make this novel. One to watch in this space for 2025!

In Tokyo, Hana takes over as the owner of her Dad’s pawnshop, which is the beginning of a mystical, magical journey through strange worlds.

It’s the basis for an excellent fantasy book and I can see what it is aiming for here: a prose representation of a Studio Ghibli book, or the more fanciful side of manga that doesn’t involve exploding heads or teenage girls. It’s got the semblance of that, it is hidebound by it’s didactic narrative - barely a page passes without some life lesson, which often obscures the fantastical nature of the writing.

It’s the second book from the Far East I’ve blogged on this year (after The Marigold Mind Laundry) where the brilliant concept; is polluted by the ‘life lessons’. More imagination and less illumination would have made for a better read. It’s published by Bantam on January 16th, 2025 and I thank them for a preview. #watermoon.

Water Moon - Samantha Sotto Yambao
Release Date: 16th Jan 2024
Rating: 4/5 Stars

——————

This book is beautiful. The cover art captured my eye but I was so glad I read Water Moon, the cover completely hits the vibe. I don’t think I have ever read a book quite like it.

The world building is exquisite. The way Samantha paints a picture with words makes you feel like you are with Hana and Keishin in the pawn shop or travelling through puddles.

The premise of the novel is unique and whimsical. Parallel worlds, most people will see a ramen restaurant, but to those who need it, they will enter a pawn shop which deals in choices, regrets and tea.

Each different location feels rich, vivid and alive. Samantha’s creativity knows no bounds.

My only downside - I struggled in the beginning to understand what was happening as the world of the pawn shop is set up, and the history of Hana and her family is introduced. At around the 10% mark this completely changed, and everything that the beginning of the book was setting up started falling into place and you understand why it was included the way it was. Do not let this put you off!

If you ever just want to read a book, which feels like you’re travelling through a vivid magical dream, this is it.

Thank you to NetGalley, Bantam, Random House UK, Transworld Publishers and author Samantha Sotto Yambao for providing me with an eARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

3.5 rounded up to 4 - A lovely, wistful, magical story! The dreamlike atmosphere and world of this book is one of my favourite I’ve ever encountered and I would happily read more books set in the same universe. Every chapter was a delight and so much of it is so inventive and clever.
I loved the characters as well, and considering I’m a big romance fan, I really thought this book would just be absolutely perfect for me. Annoyingly, the romance story missed the mark for me though - I loved the two main characters individually but I just really didn’t like their chemistry. The pacing of their relationship is very odd and doesn’t develop in a smooth and natural way, which, considering how fast-paced the rest of the book is, didn’t really work for me. A lot of developments and changes are very abrupt and, although I like the fact that the book goes by really fast and keeps you on your toes, it becomes a bit frustrating and underwhelming at times. It could have made me feel so much more longing and so much more wanting, but there was just really never any ‘off time’ to do that in.
Still, it was a fun time, a beautiful magical world, and two very loveable main characters, so there really can’t be that much to complain about - I just know with a few tweaks this book could have gone from something I like to something I really love so I am disappointed.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!

This was such a magical read! I truly felt like I was transported to various dimensions and realm. This is perfect for readers who enjoy fantasy with some horror (call me a wuss but I found the Shiikuin scary). Fans of Studio Ghibli will love this. This is the Japanese fantasy genre at its finest: whacky, whimsical and filled with wisdom - there's nothing I didn't enjoy!

Fantasy tale with philosophical elements - quite good.

In Japan, Hana, who works in an unusual pawnshop, and Kei, a physicist, embark on a quest in a fantasy world full of surprises and revelations. The places that they go through and the characters and creatures that they encounter are elaborate and interesting. There are life-changing issues that arise and it's a voyage of discovery for both of them. It's not totally my kind of book but enjoyable enough. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily..

I was asked to review this book by Netgalley. A book I may not have picked up but that is the beauty of reviewing and super glad I did. This almost was trancelike, dreamy, and sleepy. This story is abour a pawnshop essentially and the new owner.

As you get older you look back on choices good and bad, and regret too. This story contains all of this so it is thought provoking too. There is fantasy and the story has some good twists and turns too. Beautifully written.

Due for publication January 16th 2025 so save your Christmas money and buy this book when it is published recommended.

This book was absolutely gorgeous to read. The world building was truly beautiful, and so unique - I’ve never come across a world like it in my many years of reading fantasy! Water Moon had me gripped from cover to cover, whisking me away to an enchanting, whimsical fantasy world with a dark underbelly, to solve mystery after fascinating mystery. The characterisation was truly fantastic, with meaningful backstories and excellent character growth.

The premise of the book is simple: For generations, Hana’s family have run a pawnshop, one which Hana is about to take over following her father’s retirement. It’s no regular pawnshop, dealing in gold, silver and jewels - this pawnshop deals in choices and regrets, and only those who are lost in life can find it. On Hana’s first morning as the owner of the shop, she finds it ransacked, with a pawned choice from the previous day stolen and her father missing. In stumbles Keishin, a man unlike any other Hana has met because instead of looking for help from Hana, he instead offers it. The book follows Hana and Keishin as they enter Hana’s world and search for her father and the missing choice. Will they find what they’re looking for?

I’d usually try to think of books to make comparisons to, maybe do a ‘fans of x will love this book’, but I cannot honestly think of anything I’ve read that I could compare with this. In a genre filled with a lot of sameness, Water Moon truly stands out and is unashamedly different. All I can do is urge anyone who likes the fantasy genre to give this a try!

4.25* rounded down to 4*

I really enjoyed this novel, is was beautiful, whimsical and very cinematic, it would be an excellent read for any fans of Studio Ghibli. Sotto Yambao creates such an interesting world that sits along side our own that makes you question the limits of reality and look at the beauty of our own world in a totally different light. Her exploration of choices and fate is exquisite, she really makes you think about how our choices and regrets shape us and those around us.

I really enjoyed her depiction of Hana and Kei, they were both interesting characters and their relationship provided a great lense to see Hana's world through. I think their feelings for one another were a bit fast for my liking, it would have been nice to see them build a bit more, but I understand why Sotto Yambao decided to do this. I did find the one section of slightly more explicit romance a little jarring as the rest of the novel seemed to be more closed door, but it's a minor thing in the face of a great book.

Overall I had a great time reading this book, I thought it was very creative and cinematic, I would definitely recommend it to any film fans.

Thank you to Samantha Sotto Yambao, NetGalley and Penguin for the ARC ebook, this book was so much fun to read and review.

An evocative title and cover illustration; this strong imagery delivers in a story that moves from one location to another, in a world that makes emotions tangible and the unfamiliar somewhat relatable. The world building is intense and frantic, which could sometimes feel a bit disorienting save for the cryptic set-ups by the main character - almost like a cliff hanger at the end of each chapter before changing locations. This has the effect of a brief respite before launching into the next scene. The story telling is very visual, so much so that I would say maybe one less set-piece could be sacrificed to flesh out the two lead characters a little more. I loved that we were given a lot of water, in various forms (rain, puddles, oceans) and the different ways that time is described/how different characters experience it. Overall, a nice, quirky read. I'm encouraged to read more from the author and more speculative fiction in general.