This book was a delightful surprise! A cozy coffee shop run by talking cats who offer astrological advice along with your latte, where each character who wandered into the coffee shop had their own unique story and struggles, and the cat baristas helped them find guidance and healing. While the astrology element might not be for everyone, I found it added a fun and insightful layer to the story.

This story translated from Japanese into English follows a magical cafe that appears in Kyoto on a full moon, but only to those who need it due to feeling lost in their life in some aspects. This book has been described as a ‘healing classical’ and it’s definitely magical, partly due to the reference to astrology and some certain cats. I listened to the audio of this from NetGalley and I found the audiobook to be good. The narrators maintained a good pace throughout and were clear to understand, even at 3.0x speed. I enjoyed the story because it was comforting and had the charm of translated Japanese fiction. As a cat lover, I loved the inclusion and place of cats in this book and found them a unique way to present the message of the book and wrap up the story links. I do think however that this audiobook would appeal to those more with an interest in astrology, i found this element a bit too heavily included for me. I did however like that each character had their own places and time to shine in the story along with the mention of some delicious sounding drinks that were served to them. I encourage you to pick up this book if you feel a bit (or a lot) lost or confused in life, and need something heartwarming to reassess your view of the world and especially if you follow/ believe closely in astrology.

"To make your own way in life first make first you must know yourself."
I loved this. With multiple narratorsit it is storytelling at its best . A beautiful, gentle tale of self discovery sprinkled with some very satisfying karma.
Clever, elegantly written, I lost hours simply relaxing and listening. The perfect decompression companion.

The full moon coffee shop is a heartwarming, feel- good novel that follows the narration of magic, warmth and comfort.

On the magical night of the full moon there is a portable coffee shop in Kyoto that guides the individuals who have lost their way. Whether it's their emotions vulnerabilities or doubts of the future, this magical cafe is run by cats who not only serve delicious desserts and drinks but also read their astrological chart. In turn gives them clarity and a sense of direction. There are several individuals who although at first seemed not connected by any means only to later on revealed to have interconnected past and present.

I listened to the audiobook version of the book and the three narrators did a commendable job. The story is utterly captivating and i finished it in a single sitting. This book has a magical pull where one cannot stop but wander into the intricacies of their lives. Each narration brings you a resonating delight of finding that lost spark and look forward to a better tomorrow. And the cats were so intelligent, I mean they are intelligent of course but in this book they had an amazing knowledge of astrology and their unique personas undeniably drew magnetic pull to the storyline as a whole

The full moon coffee shop made my day filled with hope and love. I'm definitely going to re- read it soon.

I received an audio ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

On a night lit by the full moon, when you're feeling your lowest, you might walk by a place you thought you knew and find a charming little pop up cafe with cats as its staff members. Talking cats. That give you all the life lessons you did not want to hear. Oh, and read you your horoscope.

This first volume is a series of interconnected stories centering around a substitute teacher-cum-scriptwriter and her old students. Mochizuki gives a smattering of small, useful advices in this book, that can be applicable to many life situations, not only for those whose first house is in Taurus or Saturn :)
Though the main characters are the humans, the cats definitely take the cake with their playful banter and colorful personalities.

I had some concerns regarding the depiction of Jirou, though ultimately I think the writer's intentions were good. It just felt a bit icky, the way he was played the second time he appeared.

We have three different narrators in this volume, with varying skill levels which sometimes made it hard to engage with the book. I appreciate that only Japanese readers were chosen and they pronounced Japanese words and names perfectly, but the first lady and the gentleman sometimes struggled to find the rhythm of the sentence or their words sounded very Japanglish. While listening to the first narrator, it was also sometimes hard to differentiate between the characters. I didn't always know who was speaking.

All in all, I'm looking forward to the next volume, and to my heart being wrenched anew, but maybe next time I will stick to the text version.

The Full Moon Coffee Shop is a sweet story that focuses around a coffee shop that is only visible to those most in need, and is run by talking cats. The story follows a number of different people who are at a time in their lives where they are feeling lost and they are all invited into the Full Moon Coffee Shop. They are offered hot drinks, cake and astrological wisdom to help them on the way in the future.

This is not my usual genre, but I was intrigued to read it as I thought it sounded magical and I love cats. It was a quick read and worked fine as a ‘palate cleanser’ but I didn’t love it.

My thanks to NetGalley and the Publishers for sending me this ARC in return for an honest review.

A hopeful tale. This is such a pretty story of overcoming ourselves to attain what we truly desire. Sometimes that means taking the time to understand our innermost wants.
This is magical realism at its finest.
Lovely.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the Arc.

This was a cute book, a coffee shop ran by talking cats. It's three little stories about different people visiting the shop. However it had a heavy focus on astrology which went over my head. Nice vibes but a bit too intense for me on the astrology front.

I love reading translated fiction and the cover had cats so i was sold and i ended up really loving the story. The narrator was great and kept me wanting to just continue listening.
I loved the themes of the book of second chances and discovering ourselves.
If you love before the coffee gets cold or the kamogwa food detectives then you would enjoy this.

I honestly had no idea what this one was about before reading it, but it turned out to be such a lovely, soothing read, and especially calming on audio - one of those listens where you can feel your shoulders drop 🙌

This explores the myth of cats returning favours in Japan, and also goes quite deeply into astrology - not usually my bag but I actually found it all quite fascinating and whimsical. We have different stories and characters who all connect in some way or another, but are all going through a difficult time - until they come across the Full Moon Coffee Shop and its rather feline team full of wisdom for them.

As with many of these cat-centric reads, it’s definitely quirky and imaginative, whilst also bringing some really compelling and heartwarming characters to the reader. I love different characters lives weaving together and connecting in what I shall forever call the “Love Actually” way, and this one was especially well done and satisfying. It’s also a super short read which I finished across a single morning, so perfect for small book September!

Quiet sweet, and I can see fans of BEFORE THE COFFEE GETS COLD enjoying this, but it felt a little twee to me.

3.5 stars.

Under a glittering full moon, a Kyoto coffee shop with no fixed location or opening hours appears only where and when it's needed. Serving fragrant teas, the finest coffees and delicious desserts, it is entirely run by talking cats. In the middle of the night, the coffee shop's feline guides take the guests on an astrological journey which forces the characters to face up to the past, in order to discover their destiny.

This was a fun short story which immediately reminded me of mangas. It was cosy, lighthearted and fluffy (pun intended). I did expect a bit more depth going in, but it turned out to not be that kind of story.

I chuckled a few times as the ‘advices’ truly reminded me of the monthly horoscopes in magazines 😄, including the multiple mentions of ‘mercury in retrograde’.

I would recommend this if you’re in the mood for an easy-listening, easy-read book you could just escape into.

Though the book itself got bogged down in places, the narrators were emotive and distinct, bringing their respective sections and characters to life in a very grounded way.

Another book from Japan with it's quirky story of a coffee shop run by cats who are heavily into astrology. The people that find their way here will receive a delicious snack or drink and an astrological reading that will help them find what is missing in their lives. Each of the stories is quite different, however they all are connected. It's a lovely read, however does get a little bogged down in some in depth astrology theory. Otherwise the characters are charming, the story is gentle and uplifting, and I really want to try one of their desserts!

It was a cute, heartwarming and insightful book. It's a short book with characters with everyday problems, who find themselves in a magical café where they end up finding the answers to their existential crises, making their lives a little better.
I really enjoyed the ending and seeing what the characters had in common and how it relates to astrology.
The setting is wonderful for autumn and I really enjoyed the calm and pleasant narrative.
Recommended for lovers of coffee, cats and stories of self-improvement with an emotional and sweet touch.
Really enjoyed the different narrators on the audiobook, and the reading of the japanase words.

This was such a sweet little book and one I think is gonna stay with me for a while. I loved the coffee shop and the cats and how after listening to a lot of it you could sometimes recognise the cats from their descriptions.

This book is heavy on astrology so if you don’t like astrology don’t read it. I’m not particularly into it, though I did find it interesting. Most of the book wasn’t too hard to read, but the first time the cats started to explain the astrology, I found there was a bit too much explanation. After you’ve got the rundown though, it’s easier to follow and doesn’t feel like so much of an info dump.

I loved the fact that two of the narrators on this had heavy Japanese accents. Though it took a moment to adjust to them (and if you struggle with strong accents, maybe read this book in print form), it just added so much authenticity to the book that you don’t get when the narrator has an American accent. I would love more books with strong accents like this in the future.

Overall, I really did enjoy this book. It was just what I wanted from it.

To me, this book can easily be divided into two main components: Plot and Vibes. As far as Vibes are concerned, it absolutely delivered! The mysterious cafe, the magical cats, the zodiac symbolism – it was like a Pinterest board come to life. The author was inspired by artwork to write the book, and that’s really reflected in the atmosphere. Everything is so vividly imagined, and feels very visual and tangible.

The actual plot was… fine. I liked the main characters and their intertwined lives, but I would have liked them to come back together a bit more at the end. Their starting points were all interlinked, it just would have been nice to have that be more significant as their stories went on.

The audiobook has three different narrators, which I really liked – it gave each character a distinct voice, and all the narrators did an excellent job. It did really highlight, though, how separate their storylines were, and made them feel slightly more detached from each other.

Overall this was an enjoyable listen for whimsical fantasy fans, but didn’t quite deliver on the plot for me.

I received a free copy for an honest review.

A coffee shop that appears out of nowhere, attracting people who need just a push to get their life back on track. But the catch is, the cafe takes no orders! With a mix of astrological approaches & magical realism, guiding people to help them discover their lost charm it a sweet story.

The book has a calm narrative, despite the troubles of life it speaks of & it makes a really good cozy book to read when you feel low on a gloomy day. It's surely not a reread type, but the aspects of magic amalgamated so well into the story that you will enjoy the journey.

This gave me many parallels to ‘Before the Coffee gets Cold’ in that we have a host of various characters who seem to stumble upon a mysterious and magical coffee shop just when they need them. The people are all connected from childhood or through various degrees of separation which we discover as the book progresses.
If you’ve been stung by the Japanese cat book “scam” (cats on the cover but not in the book!) don’t worry, they are a big feature of this read!
What’s very different here is the focus on astrology and the influence of the planets on our lives and personalities. I learnt a lot although couldn’t always remember the information as I let this book gently wash over me.

I found it a little repetitive to be honest, as we hear a lot of stories and memories twice just from the different characters’ perspectives, which often I found redundant and didn’t add anything much of interest.
Overall it’s a cosy, reflective read that makes you think about decisions made in life, human connection and the way the stars might be watching out for us.

I liked listening to it as an audiobook and enjoyed the different narrators who I believe are Japanese native speakers, which gave it a really authentic feel!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for access to this book.

"The Full Moon Coffee Shop," by Mai Mochizuki and narrated by Sadao Ueda; Tomoko Komura; and Yuriri Naka is a heartwarming tale that effortlessly blends magical realism and self-discovery. From the moment I pressed play on the audiobook, I was enchanted by the unique premise: a transient coffee shop in Kyoto that opens only under the full moon, run entirely by talking cats. It’s not just a narrative; it's an experience that wraps you in its warm embrace, much like a cosy cup of tea on a chilly night.
The story revolves around a cast of characters who find themselves at a crossroads in their lives—a screenwriter struggling to find her voice, a lovesick director yearning for clarity, a stylist seeking validation, and a video game developer grappling with failure. As they found their way to the enigmatic coffee shop, I felt as though I was joining them on a journey of reflection and insight. The cats, each with their distinct personalities and wise advice, served as both guides and companions, gently nudging the characters to confront their pasts and discover their destinies.
Listening to the audiobook was a delightful experience! The trio of narrators—Sadao Ueda, Tomoko Komura, and Yuriri Naka—brought the characters and their stories to life with such vividness. Each narrator’s unique voice added a layer of depth to the narrative, creating a wonderful dynamic that kept me engaged from start to finish. I felt as if I were sitting in the café, sipping aromatic coffee and soaking in the wisdom dispensed by these charming feline baristas.
What truly resonated with me was the underlying theme of kindness, particularly towards animals. The interactions between the characters and the cats reminded me of the bond I share with my pet—one that is filled with unconditional love and an unspoken understanding. It made me reflect on how enriching our connections with animals can be in our journeys of self-discovery.
The wisdom imparted by the café’s staff, combined with the heartwarming stories of its patrons, offered me insights that I didn’t anticipate. Some of the advice hit home so strongly that I found myself pondering it long after the audiobook concluded. It’s a testament to Mai Mochizuki’s skill in weaving life lessons into her storytelling in a way that feels both magical and grounded.
This story explores themes of destiny, choices, and the delicate balance between dreams and reality. However, the unique twist of talking cats and a mystical coffee shop set this tale apart, making it a refreshing addition to the genre.
I finished the audiobook in one day—it was nearly impossible to pause! The combination of a captivating plot, rich character development, and a touch of ethereal magic left me wanting more.
I truly enjoyed this experience and am looking forward to discovering more from Mai Mochizuki in the future.