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Water Moon
Water Moon: A Novel | Samantha Sotto Yambao
A woman inherits a pawnshop where you can sell your regrets, and then embarks on a magical journey when a charming young physicist wanders into the shop, in this dreamlike and enchanting fantasy novel. On a backstreet in Tokyo lies a pawnshop, but not everyone can find it. Most will see a cozy ramen restaurant. And only the chosen onesthose who are lostwill find a place to pawn their life choices and deepest regrets. Hana Ishikawa wakes on her first morning as the pawnshops new owner to find it ransacked, the shops most precious acquisition stolen, and her father missing. And then into the shop stumbles a charming stranger, quite unlike its other customers, for he offers help instead of seeking it. Together, they must journey through a mystical world to find Hanas father and the stolen choiceby way of rain puddles, rides on paper cranes, the bridge between midnight and morning, and a night market in the clouds. But as they get closer to the truth, Hana must reveal a secret of her ownand risk making a choice that she will never be able to take back.
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Nessavamusic
Water Moon: A Novel | Samantha Sotto Yambao
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Mehso-so

This book had a lot of potential. It has a very unique sci-fantasy world and a very interesting premise. The problem is the book tries to shoehorn in a romance with two incredibly bland and boring main characters. I really probably would have DNF‘d this if it wasn‘t for my personal bookclub. I think this could have been longer to develop characters more or have just not bothered with the romance. 2.5⭐️
March #bookspin finished a bit late.

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Jolynne
Water Moon: A Novel | Samantha Sotto Yambao
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Pickpick

This was a pleasant fantasy. The world building was fun and imaginative. I even made it through the romance.

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JenP
Water Moon: A Novel | Samantha Sotto Yambao
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Pickpick

Im giving this a pick although not normally the sort of book I read. I very much needed a light read and this was a cotton candy sort of read that required minimal thought or emotional energy. It‘s fluff and cutesy and the writing is okay but it certainly transported me to a fun adventure and was a distraction from life and the darker books I‘ve been reading.

slategreyskies I love the cover! #covercrush 🤍 2d
JenP @slategreyskies I bought it for the cover. Also inside you get instructions on how to fold it into a boat 2d
slategreyskies That‘s so cool! A definite winner! 🛶 📚😎 2d
24 likes3 comments
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Jen2
Water Moon: A Novel | Samantha Sotto Yambao
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Pickpick

Good

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Bookish_Gal
Water Moon: A Novel | Samantha Sotto Yambao
Mehso-so

Audio. The whimsical tone of this book made it difficult for me to keep up with as an audiobook. As such, may have rated differently. It‘s a cozy show book, with a Studio Ghibli type atmosphere. Enjoyed hearing about the Otherworldly places; though the characters went through them too quick to fully appreciate them. The romance felt forced throughout, unnecessary. Even with the ending twist - which was well placed.

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BookBr
Water Moon: A Novel | Samantha Sotto Yambao
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Pickpick

I thought this was a beautiful book — inside and out. Whimsical in some ways, terrifying in others, thoughtful and thought-provoking. The imagery was bright and real, the journey engrossing, and Kei and Hana‘s developing relationship was lovely. I didn‘t see the final twist in the tale coming, and the plot moved at a good pace to a satisfying conclusion. But I‘m a sucker for a happy ending. Also, I loved folding the cover into a wee boat😍

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BookBr
Water Moon: A Novel | Samantha Sotto Yambao
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My next read — seems like a good premise for a quiet Sunday…

annahenke This was such a unique read. I finished it a couple of weeks ago. I loved it! 2w
13 likes1 comment
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Mattsbookaday
Water Moon: A Novel | Samantha Sotto Yambao
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Panpan

Water Moon, by Samantha Sotto Yambao (2025)

Premise: The new proprietress of a magical pawn shop teams up with an unsuspecting physicist to track down her missing father.

Review: I was really excited about this one, but I have to say it completely let me down.
Cont.

Mattsbookaday The premise and atmosphere felt like a delicious cross between Japanese ‘healing fiction‘ and a Studio Ghibli film. But instead this just dragged, as the two characters go from quirky location to quirky location. At the end of the day, nothing happened and I didn‘t care. Bookish Pair: a far better version of something like this is Ben Okri‘s Astonishing the Gods (1995)

Rating: ⭐️⭐️💫
2w
4 likes1 comment
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HeyT
Water Moon: A Novel | Samantha Sotto Yambao
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Pickpick

This was very magical and lyrical but a little bit lacking in substance. The world building was great and I enjoyed my time in the world I just wanted a little bit more than what I got. Very Studio Ghibli vibes.

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AroundTheBookWorld
Water Moon: A Novel | Samantha Sotto Yambao
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Pickpick

This was a truly amazing read. It had so much whimsy and emotion in it. The ending had me on the verge of tears. I strongly recommend reading this book. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
#WaterMoon #SamanthaSottoYambao #book #books #bookyourself #bookunion #bookutopia #bookunicorn #bookunicorns #bookunhaul #bookish #bookishfeature #bookishfeatures #bookishlife #booksoflitsy #Fantasy #Romance #MagicalRealism #Fiction #Mystery #Adult #Cozy #Audiobook #Japan #Romantasy 💝💝

Becker You convinced me. Stacked! 3w
21 likes1 comment
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AroundTheBookWorld
Water Moon: A Novel | Samantha Sotto Yambao
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Bookwomble Given that he died in Britain in 1939, in exile from the Nazis due to his "degenerate" ideas, and was Jewish, he didn't know that a Holocaust worse than that of medieval times was only a couple of years away ?️✡️?️ 3w
22 likes1 comment
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AroundTheBookWorld
Water Moon: A Novel | Samantha Sotto Yambao
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AroundTheBookWorld
Water Moon: A Novel | Samantha Sotto Yambao
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annahenke
Water Moon: A Novel | Samantha Sotto Yambao
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This is such a wistful, whimsical ride. Magical and so atmospheric of a place. Very intriguing!

AlaMich Beautiful cover! 1mo
78 likes4 stack adds1 comment
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AroundTheBookWorld
Water Moon: A Novel | Samantha Sotto Yambao
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K.Wielechowski
Water Moon: A Novel | Samantha Sotto Yambao
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Pickpick

On the morning that Hanna takes over running her family‘s magical pawnshop, she wakes to find it ransacked and her father missing. With real-world physicist Kei in tow, Hanna sets off to find her father, find the truth about her mother, and return what her father stole.
Traveling by puddle, dream, paper crane, boat, among others, the pair follow her father‘s path through different worlds while being chased by the Shiikuin who also seek her father.

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bookish_wookish
Water Moon: A Novel | Samantha Sotto Yambao
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Putting all other books aside because this one finally came in at the library. I‘ve been (im)patiently waiting for it!

40 likes2 stack adds
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RowReads1
Water Moon: A Novel | Samantha Sotto Yambao
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Cathythoughts Sounds good. Stacked. 2mo
44 likes1 stack add1 comment
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BookmarkTavern
Water Moon: A Novel | Samantha Sotto Yambao
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Pickpick

A pawnshop where clients can exchange their regrets. A missing father. & a visitor from another world. Hana‘s world gets turned upside down.

I‘ve seen this described as Studio Ghibli vibes, which is true! & it‘s also a moving story about letting our fears control us, & the purpose of regret & acknowledging our choices. & a sweet love story. I just wish we could have spent more time in the locations, especially the Library of the Lost!🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑

BiblioLitten Stacked it at Studio Ghibli! ☺️ 2mo
85 likes7 stack adds1 comment
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JenP
Water Moon: A Novel | Samantha Sotto Yambao
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I went to Barnes and noble to buy the new Okorafor which they didn‘t have 😭. How is it they don‘t have it in store but I can buy 500 copies of fourth wing? 😑

I was annoyed but I left with three other books.

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ChaoticMissAdventures
Water Moon: A Novel | Samantha Sotto Yambao
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Pickpick

This was my last book of '24 Pub Date Jan 14 '25
I think this is going to be so big this year! What a gorgeously written and magical story. Hana is taking over her family's pawnshops and her first day her dad goes missing and the shop is tossed over. A man from the normal world stumbles in and they traverse Hana's magical world together. This reminded me a bit of What Dreams May Come, and a bit Ghibli
Beautifully written & something for everyone

ChaoticMissAdventures P.s. I love when a title is a bit odd but as you read the meaning of it unfolds and becomes totally poignant. 3mo
30 likes1 stack add1 comment
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julesG
Water Moon: A Novel | Samantha Sotto Yambao
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Pickpick

If you are looking for a cosy read that gives you Studio Gibli vibes, this is the book for you.

A hidden world behind the mundane reality, full of magic and wonder, and poetically described. A young pawnbroker brought up in this magical world and a young physicist from the 'real' embark on an adventure to find the pawnbroker's father.

I liked the whimsical nature of the book, it reminded me of The Starless Sea. ⬇️

#NetGalley #ARC #MountARC

julesG ... Yet, I didn't like the insta-love between the two characters. Furthermore, the physicist just took this other world at face value; it doesn't follow the laws of nature, but he doesn't once question it. I would have liked to see a tiny bit of disbelief. 3mo
BookmarkTavern I‘ve got this arc too! Can‘t wait to get to it! 3mo
58 likes2 comments