This week’s #spellbooksaturday was a perfect example of one of those magical moments when the right book finds you at the right time. Current events have left my heart aching, and with a desire for escapism, I devoured…
Water Moon by Samantha Sotto Yambao
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
[Content warning: death of a parent, mention of abortion, mention of murder and assault, etc.]
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 ones—those who are lost—will find a place to pawn their life choices and deepest regrets. Hana Ishikawa wakes on her first morning as the pawnshop’s new owner to find it ransacked, the shop’s 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 Hana’s father and the stolen choice—by 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 own—and risk making a choice that she will never be able to take back.
[source: bookshop.org]
I’ve always been charmed by the idea of magical worlds that may intersect with our own, and Water Moon was a delight from start to finish. With creative world-building and a propulsive story, readers are gifted with a unique meditation on the worlds we create for ourselves when living with loss, regret, and the burdens of duty… and how love might free us.
Have you read Water Moon? What were your thoughts? Share in the comments!
I have a Bookshop.org list of #spellbooksaturday features for folks to peruse, but in the spirit of transparency as a Bookshop.org affiliate, I receive a small percentage of book sales purchased through my links. If you find that off-putting, feel free to shop directly through bookshop.org or your own local bookseller! My only goal here is to resist Amazon and the mega-rich.
DID YOU ENJOY THIS SPELLBOOK SATURDAY FEATURE? SHOP THE LIST ON BOOKSHOP.ORG, OR CHECK OUT SOME MORE READING RECOMMENDATIONS…
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