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満月珈琲店の星詠み #1
The Full Moon Coffee Shop
Translated from the Japanese bestseller, this charming and magical novel, inspired by the myth of cats returning favors to those who care for them, reminds us that it’s never too late to follow our stars.
In Japan cats are a symbol of good luck. As the myth goes, if you are kind to them, they’ll one day return the favor. And if you are kind to the right cat, you might just find yourself invited to a mysterious coffee shop under a glittering Kyoto moon. This particular coffee shop is like no other. It has no fixed location, no fixed hours, and seemingly appears at random to adrift young people at crucial junctions in their lives.
It’s also run by talking cats.
While customers at the Full Moon Coffee Shop partake in cakes, coffees, and teas, the cats also consult them on their star charts, offer cryptic wisdom, and let them know where their lives have veered off course—because every person who visits the shop has been feeling more than a little lost. And for a down-on-her-luck screenwriter, a romantically stuck movie director, a hopeful hairstylist, and a technologically challenged website designer, the feline guides will set them back on their fated paths. After all, there is a reason the shop appeared to each of them…
In Japan cats are a symbol of good luck. As the myth goes, if you are kind to them, they’ll one day return the favor. And if you are kind to the right cat, you might just find yourself invited to a mysterious coffee shop under a glittering Kyoto moon. This particular coffee shop is like no other. It has no fixed location, no fixed hours, and seemingly appears at random to adrift young people at crucial junctions in their lives.
It’s also run by talking cats.
While customers at the Full Moon Coffee Shop partake in cakes, coffees, and teas, the cats also consult them on their star charts, offer cryptic wisdom, and let them know where their lives have veered off course—because every person who visits the shop has been feeling more than a little lost. And for a down-on-her-luck screenwriter, a romantically stuck movie director, a hopeful hairstylist, and a technologically challenged website designer, the feline guides will set them back on their fated paths. After all, there is a reason the shop appeared to each of them…
240 pages, Hardcover
First published July 8, 2020
About the author
Mai Mochizuki
77 books130 followersMai Mochizuki was born and raised in Hokkaido and now lives in Kyoto, and originally wrote Alice in Kyouraku Forest as a series of novels. She's written numerous other titles, including 4th Kyoto Book Award winner Kyoto Teramachi Sanjou no Holmes which was turned into a manga and anime series.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,078 reviews
August 20, 2024
The Full Moon Coffee Shop
By Mai Mochizuki, Translated from the Japanese bestseller by Jesse Kirkwood
“In Japan, cats are a symbol of good luck. As the myth goes, if you are kind to them, they’ll one day return the favor.”
And when there is a glittering full moon in Kyoto-a mysterious Coffee Shop may randomly appear.
It has no fixed location, and no fixed hours, and it is only open to “certain” young people who need a bit of guidance-those who have been kind to a feline in the past.
It’s also run by talking cats.
I loved the premise, and knowing that this was MAGICAL REALISM, I was open to the idea BUT when the cats appeared standing 2 meters tall and on their hind legs, wearing aprons and holding trays-it lost its appeal-the cats felt more like CARICATURES, than the beautiful enigmatic creatures that they are.
Also, our felines are serving up more than cakes, coffees and teas, providing wisdom about where their patrons lives have veered off course by interpreting their ASTROLOGICAL STAR CHARTS.
I wasn’t expecting that.
The book is divided into three small parts as the cafe is visited by a “down-on-her-luck” screenwriter, a romantically stuck movie director, a hopeful hairstylist and a technologically challenged website designer, who all have a connection to one another. It can easily be read in one sitting or one vignette at a time.
Wanting to read some Japanese literature this year, and loving cats, I downloaded three books with a similar premise. I preferred the first that I reviewed because the cats in that one, managed to bring about the desired outcome by just BEING the fascinating creatures that cats naturally are.
This might work better for readers intrigued by ASTROLOGY than for readers like myself who are true cat lovers.
2.75 ⭐️
AVAILABLE NOW
Thank You to Ballantine Books for the gifted ARC. It was my pleasure to offer a candid review.
By Mai Mochizuki, Translated from the Japanese bestseller by Jesse Kirkwood
“In Japan, cats are a symbol of good luck. As the myth goes, if you are kind to them, they’ll one day return the favor.”
And when there is a glittering full moon in Kyoto-a mysterious Coffee Shop may randomly appear.
It has no fixed location, and no fixed hours, and it is only open to “certain” young people who need a bit of guidance-those who have been kind to a feline in the past.
It’s also run by talking cats.
I loved the premise, and knowing that this was MAGICAL REALISM, I was open to the idea BUT when the cats appeared standing 2 meters tall and on their hind legs, wearing aprons and holding trays-it lost its appeal-the cats felt more like CARICATURES, than the beautiful enigmatic creatures that they are.
Also, our felines are serving up more than cakes, coffees and teas, providing wisdom about where their patrons lives have veered off course by interpreting their ASTROLOGICAL STAR CHARTS.
I wasn’t expecting that.
The book is divided into three small parts as the cafe is visited by a “down-on-her-luck” screenwriter, a romantically stuck movie director, a hopeful hairstylist and a technologically challenged website designer, who all have a connection to one another. It can easily be read in one sitting or one vignette at a time.
Wanting to read some Japanese literature this year, and loving cats, I downloaded three books with a similar premise. I preferred the first that I reviewed because the cats in that one, managed to bring about the desired outcome by just BEING the fascinating creatures that cats naturally are.
This might work better for readers intrigued by ASTROLOGY than for readers like myself who are true cat lovers.
2.75 ⭐️
AVAILABLE NOW
Thank You to Ballantine Books for the gifted ARC. It was my pleasure to offer a candid review.
October 12, 2024
With a name like that, I'd been expecting something quaint and old-fashioned, but this looked more like a trendy pop-up café. Its soft lights glowed against the dark backdrop of the riverbank.
The Full Moon Coffee Shop by Mai Mochizuki is a mystical novel about a pop-up café appearing to people in need of some time off, a custom order made specially for them, and some external perspective on their lives.
While the premise is interesting, the external perspective received by each customer is entirely too dependent on astrological charts. I expected a little astrology from the description, but tying up everything from the choice of their profession to their romantic interests and general luck with random events to just a series of Zodiac houses based on the time and place of birth was too trite for me. I would have liked at least a little conversation about their lives and opinions first that weren't immediately attributed to astrology or their 'phase of life'. Or a food/ drink order customized more to the people's personality or mood than just their age.
I did enjoy the mystical vibes surrounding this café and whom it appears to, but it seems like the advice was given only to this group of people due to a special connection in their earlier years. Overall, I'd recommend the book to anyone interested in or familiar with astrology.
Thanks to NetGalley and the Random House publishing group - Ballantine for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
🌟🌟
The rating is 1 1/2 stars, rounded up to 2 stars for NetGalley and Goodreads as there might be some concepts lost in translation.
[Half a star for the premise and the whole book; 1/4 for the characters; Half a star for the writing; 1/4 star for the world-building; Zero stars for the story arc - 1 1/2 stars on the whole].
The Full Moon Coffee Shop by Mai Mochizuki is a mystical novel about a pop-up café appearing to people in need of some time off, a custom order made specially for them, and some external perspective on their lives.
While the premise is interesting, the external perspective received by each customer is entirely too dependent on astrological charts. I expected a little astrology from the description, but tying up everything from the choice of their profession to their romantic interests and general luck with random events to just a series of Zodiac houses based on the time and place of birth was too trite for me. I would have liked at least a little conversation about their lives and opinions first that weren't immediately attributed to astrology or their 'phase of life'. Or a food/ drink order customized more to the people's personality or mood than just their age.
I did enjoy the mystical vibes surrounding this café and whom it appears to, but it seems like the advice was given only to this group of people due to a special connection in their earlier years. Overall, I'd recommend the book to anyone interested in or familiar with astrology.
Thanks to NetGalley and the Random House publishing group - Ballantine for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
🌟🌟
The rating is 1 1/2 stars, rounded up to 2 stars for NetGalley and Goodreads as there might be some concepts lost in translation.
[Half a star for the premise and the whole book; 1/4 for the characters; Half a star for the writing; 1/4 star for the world-building; Zero stars for the story arc - 1 1/2 stars on the whole].
April 19, 2024
Epilog super, ale trochę nie podobał mi się wątek astrologii
August 27, 2024
Thank you to PRH and Ballentine Books for this very generous, and very cute ARC!
I wanted to like this so much more, because cats AND coffee, but it leaned really hard into astrology. I respect it, but can't really wrap my lizard brain around it so this'll just be a 3 stars for me.
I wanted to like this so much more, because cats AND coffee, but it leaned really hard into astrology. I respect it, but can't really wrap my lizard brain around it so this'll just be a 3 stars for me.
August 2, 2024
4 stars
One Liner: Beautiful! (but not for everyone)
Cats are a symbol of good luck in Japan and might even help a person figure out their lives! The Full Moon Coffee Shop is a celestial enterprise with no fixed location. It finds people who need help and appears with food and advice.
In this book, a school teacher-turned-screenwriter, an ambitious manager, an actress, and a shy young man find guidance from an unexpected source. How do the cats of the coffee shop help their beloved customers?
The story comes in the first-person POV of Mizuki Serikawa and Akari Nayakama and the third-person POV of Takashi, each divided into neat sections.
My Thoughts:
Firstly, thanks to Lady Clem and Jayme for their reviews. I requested the book knowing what to expect. It has cats, astrology, and magic realism. My favorites!
This is a set of interconnected stories where each character gets the limelight in each section (but also has a teeny role in others). It's a short book too. I finished it in a single sitting.
The narrative is mellow and soothing almost throughout. The first-person POV makes this more of ‘telling’ than ‘showing’ but I still enjoyed it.
The descriptions of the food (not your regular kind) are magical. I would love to taste those teas, coffees, and desserts.
Astrology is the core element of the book (even the section titles are based on it). A bit strange that the book uses Western astrology when the setting and characters are Japanese. Maybe it was done to make it easier for readers to understand the concepts.
What I love the most is how various threads were connected as the story progressed. The stakes are low, so you won’t find any angst here. But what you will find is enough food for thought to introspect about ourselves, perspectives, actions, and decisions. Quite a few takeaways from the book if we want to.
Classical music is another theme in the book. But my lack of familiarity with it meant I couldn’t fully benefit from how cleverly the songs were selected for different situations.
The epilogue neatly ties up the loose ends and manages to surprise with another little story. I wish there was an author’s note.
The bits with mercury retrograde got me chuckling. Guess what, we are in the shadow phase for another one now after starting the year with it. Haha… though it’s Mercury who will be laughing!
To summarize, The Full Moon Coffee Shop is a sweet, heartwarming, and lovely read about second chances, understanding ourselves, and hoping for a better and happier future. This is the first book in the series, so I’ll be waiting for the next ones to be translated!
Thank you, NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group (Ballantine), for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
#NetGalley #TheFullMoonCoffeeShop
One Liner: Beautiful! (but not for everyone)
Cats are a symbol of good luck in Japan and might even help a person figure out their lives! The Full Moon Coffee Shop is a celestial enterprise with no fixed location. It finds people who need help and appears with food and advice.
In this book, a school teacher-turned-screenwriter, an ambitious manager, an actress, and a shy young man find guidance from an unexpected source. How do the cats of the coffee shop help their beloved customers?
The story comes in the first-person POV of Mizuki Serikawa and Akari Nayakama and the third-person POV of Takashi, each divided into neat sections.
My Thoughts:
Firstly, thanks to Lady Clem and Jayme for their reviews. I requested the book knowing what to expect. It has cats, astrology, and magic realism. My favorites!
This is a set of interconnected stories where each character gets the limelight in each section (but also has a teeny role in others). It's a short book too. I finished it in a single sitting.
The narrative is mellow and soothing almost throughout. The first-person POV makes this more of ‘telling’ than ‘showing’ but I still enjoyed it.
The descriptions of the food (not your regular kind) are magical. I would love to taste those teas, coffees, and desserts.
Astrology is the core element of the book (even the section titles are based on it). A bit strange that the book uses Western astrology when the setting and characters are Japanese. Maybe it was done to make it easier for readers to understand the concepts.
What I love the most is how various threads were connected as the story progressed. The stakes are low, so you won’t find any angst here. But what you will find is enough food for thought to introspect about ourselves, perspectives, actions, and decisions. Quite a few takeaways from the book if we want to.
Classical music is another theme in the book. But my lack of familiarity with it meant I couldn’t fully benefit from how cleverly the songs were selected for different situations.
The epilogue neatly ties up the loose ends and manages to surprise with another little story. I wish there was an author’s note.
The bits with mercury retrograde got me chuckling. Guess what, we are in the shadow phase for another one now after starting the year with it. Haha… though it’s Mercury who will be laughing!
To summarize, The Full Moon Coffee Shop is a sweet, heartwarming, and lovely read about second chances, understanding ourselves, and hoping for a better and happier future. This is the first book in the series, so I’ll be waiting for the next ones to be translated!
Thank you, NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group (Ballantine), for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
#NetGalley #TheFullMoonCoffeeShop
March 3, 2024
Jestem typem czytelnika, który uwielbia literaturę dziwną - książki pełne niepokoju, groteski, nieprzewidywalne, ale jednocześnie kocham też książki, które przynoszą mi poczucie spokoju, a ich lektura to dla mnie definicja komfortu. Jedną z takich książek jest właśnie „Kawiarnia pod Pełnym Księżycem”. Chociaż nie jest to jedna z tych książek nieprzypominających żadnej innej, to ma w sobie pewnego rodzaju melancholię, magię oraz urok, a tym samym skrywa piękne momenty w najprostszych fragmentach. Trudno nie zachwycić się magiczną kawiarnią prowadzoną przez koty, która pojawia się jedynie podczas pełni. Bez wątpienia czas spędzony przy tej opowieści będzie miły, przyjemny i kojący, a takich historii czasami potrzebuje każdy z nas. Realizm magiczny przeplata się z trudnościami codziennego życia, tak jak piękne detale w tym wydaniu. „Kawiarnia pod Pełnym Księżycem” zauroczy każdego, kto wierzy chociaż w odrobinę magii.
March 21, 2024
4.25 ⭐
Un libro dalle note soft e molto cozy, un libro che ti scalda il cuore e ti avvolge come un abbraccio unito il tutto a una scrittura molto semplice ma con il tipico stile giapponese; queste sono le sensazioni che ho sentito per tutta la durata della lettura.
Questo è un libro perfetto per chiunque sia alla ricerca di un attimo pausa per sorseggiare un caffè e perdersi a osservare con meraviglia il paesaggio circostante; oppure per chi nella fretta della vita di tutti i giorni ha perso se stesso e ha bisogno di fermarsi per ritrovarsi mangiando un dolce capace di riportarti indietro ai tuoi ricordi più felici della tua infanzia.
Un libro dalle note soft e molto cozy, un libro che ti scalda il cuore e ti avvolge come un abbraccio unito il tutto a una scrittura molto semplice ma con il tipico stile giapponese; queste sono le sensazioni che ho sentito per tutta la durata della lettura.
Questo è un libro perfetto per chiunque sia alla ricerca di un attimo pausa per sorseggiare un caffè e perdersi a osservare con meraviglia il paesaggio circostante; oppure per chi nella fretta della vita di tutti i giorni ha perso se stesso e ha bisogno di fermarsi per ritrovarsi mangiando un dolce capace di riportarti indietro ai tuoi ricordi più felici della tua infanzia.
September 27, 2024
Mai Mochizuki’s variation on a feel-good, life lessons story revolves around three interconnected characters, who each have a mysterious encounter with a place called The Full Moon Café. Mochizuki’s fictional café taps into Japan’s flourishing café culture in which small, independent cafes function as havens or meditative spaces. The Full Moon Café has no fixed location, it appears and reappears in different spots in Kyoto, and only during the full moon. It’s a mystical place managed by cats. These are special creatures, some look no different from ordinary cats, others are the size of humans but all of them can talk. The cats serve up specially tailored selections of food and drink to their chosen customers and then attempt to guide them towards solutions for the challenges each of them faces. First to be introduced is former teacher, and down-on-her-luck drama writer, Mizuki Serikawa who’s struggling to regain her self-confidence. Next up is Akari Nakayama, a former colleague of Mizuki’s whose perfectionist personality is stopping her from achieving her goals; then comes Takashi Mizumoto who runs an IT company that incidentally employs Mizuki as a scriptwriter for mobile games.
Once at the café, each character’s served a different combination of food and drink while the cats discuss each individual's horoscope, using this method to analyse past and present life choices, and what might be done to move forward in more positive ways. The portrayal of these shape-shifting cats seems to stem from cat-like yōkai (supernatural beings) not unlike the bakeneko or changed cat. But here, Mochizuki mingles aspects of Japanese mythology and folklore with elements of ancient Greek and Roman beliefs. There’re echoes too of Lewis Carroll in her depiction of the cats, there are even peripheral customers who suddenly transform into creatures like giant rabbits. The story’s fluidly told, the descriptions of Kyoto, its architecture and history are particularly vivid – the author regularly blogs about Kyoto’s landmarks, famous buildings and coffee shops. It’s a carefully-constructed narrative with a pleasing final twist that solidifies the links between the Café’s clients. However, I have zero interest in astrology, so that aspect of the story really didn’t work for me: astrological concepts are central to the plot. For readers who don’t have this problem, and relish “cosy” Japanese fiction, then I’m sure this will be a winner. Translated by Jesse Kirkwood.
Thanks to Netgalley and publisher Brazen for an ARC
Rating: 2 to 2.5
Once at the café, each character’s served a different combination of food and drink while the cats discuss each individual's horoscope, using this method to analyse past and present life choices, and what might be done to move forward in more positive ways. The portrayal of these shape-shifting cats seems to stem from cat-like yōkai (supernatural beings) not unlike the bakeneko or changed cat. But here, Mochizuki mingles aspects of Japanese mythology and folklore with elements of ancient Greek and Roman beliefs. There’re echoes too of Lewis Carroll in her depiction of the cats, there are even peripheral customers who suddenly transform into creatures like giant rabbits. The story’s fluidly told, the descriptions of Kyoto, its architecture and history are particularly vivid – the author regularly blogs about Kyoto’s landmarks, famous buildings and coffee shops. It’s a carefully-constructed narrative with a pleasing final twist that solidifies the links between the Café’s clients. However, I have zero interest in astrology, so that aspect of the story really didn’t work for me: astrological concepts are central to the plot. For readers who don’t have this problem, and relish “cosy” Japanese fiction, then I’m sure this will be a winner. Translated by Jesse Kirkwood.
Thanks to Netgalley and publisher Brazen for an ARC
Rating: 2 to 2.5
July 16, 2024
★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
Four interconnected stories about cats teaching astrology to adults in a mystical cafe
“ I’d always been much more interested in fictional love stories than in any romance of my own “
➸ I couldn’t figure out target audience!! Talking cats running an astrology cafe giving advice would strike me as middle reader, but the characters were all full adults.
➸ There was a heavy focus on explaining astrology, which honestly I found fun even though I was expecting more of a cat cafe vibe.
➸ It was such a cute and fun read, it was super quick and just what I needed to help me get through a reading slump.
“ Whenever you feel lost, stop for a moment. Get your bearings. You need to take a look at yourself, and accept what you see, before you can take a single step forward.”
“ Even a washing machine won’t spin right if it’s not level. ”
Not everything has to move forward all the time, you know …”
thank you to netgalley for giving me the opportunity to review this
Four interconnected stories about cats teaching astrology to adults in a mystical cafe
“ I’d always been much more interested in fictional love stories than in any romance of my own “
➸ I couldn’t figure out target audience!! Talking cats running an astrology cafe giving advice would strike me as middle reader, but the characters were all full adults.
➸ There was a heavy focus on explaining astrology, which honestly I found fun even though I was expecting more of a cat cafe vibe.
➸ It was such a cute and fun read, it was super quick and just what I needed to help me get through a reading slump.
“ Whenever you feel lost, stop for a moment. Get your bearings. You need to take a look at yourself, and accept what you see, before you can take a single step forward.”
“ Even a washing machine won’t spin right if it’s not level. ”
Not everything has to move forward all the time, you know …”
thank you to netgalley for giving me the opportunity to review this
November 24, 2021
เมื่อนักอ่านสายมูได้มาเจ���นิยายสายมู ความปลื้มปริ่มก็บังเกิด 🤩🤩
อ่านจบคือไปอ่านวิธีดูดวงดาว ทำ natal chart ของตัวเองเลยจ้าาา มูแล้วมูให้สุดอย่าได้แคร์
นิยายมีจุดศูนย์กลางที่ร้านกาแฟจันทร์เต็มดวง ที่จะปรากฏที่ไหนไม่มีใครรู้ แต่ผู้ที่กำลังหลงทางกับชีวิตจะได้เจอร้านนี้
🌕🌕 ร้านกาแฟจันทร์เต็มดวงมีแมวคอยต้อนรับ จัดหาเครื่องดื่ม ของหวานที่เหมาะสมกับเรื่องราวของแต่ละคน แถมการพยากรณ์ดวงชะตาด้วยเสร็จสรรพ
ขนาดเราเองเป็นสายมู แต่ไม่ได้สนใจเรื่องดวงดาว อ่านช่วงแรกยังรู้สึกว่างมงายไปมั้ยเนี่ย แต่อ่านไปซักพัก มันไม่เชิงทำนายดวงชะตา แต่เป็นเรื่องของดวงดาวประจำเรือนเกิดที่ส่งผลกับวิถีชีวิต นิสัยใจคอ แต่ไม่ได้กำหนดเส้นทางชีวิตเรา
“สิ่งที่ดำรงอยู่บนโลกใบนี้คือ’กฏแห่งกระจกเงา’ ซึ่งกำหนดว่า ‘สิ่งที่เราทำจะสะท้อนกลับสู่ตัวเรา’ หากสร้างความเจ็บปวดให้คนอื่นสิ่งนั้นจะสะท้อนกลับมาอย่างใหญ่หลวง”
ชอบตอนจบที่ค่อยๆเฉลยว่าทำไมร้านกาแฟจันทร์เต็มดวงถึงปรากฏตรงหน้าผู้คนเหล่านี้ เพราะเป็นกรรมผูกพันที่เคยทำร่วมกันมานั่นเอง
โดยรวมเป็นนิยายฟีลกู๊ดอบอุ่นหัวใจอีกหนึ่งเล่ม อ่านจบแล้วอยากไปนอนมองดวงดาวที่ไหนซักแห่ง 🧐🧐
อ่านจบคือไปอ่านวิธีดูดวงดาว ทำ natal chart ของตัวเองเลยจ้าาา มูแล้วมูให้สุดอย่าได้แคร์
นิยายมีจุดศูนย์กลางที่ร้านกาแฟจันทร์เต็มดวง ที่จะปรากฏที่ไหนไม่มีใครรู้ แต่ผู้ที่กำลังหลงทางกับชีวิตจะได้เจอร้านนี้
🌕🌕 ร้านกาแฟจันทร์เต็มดวงมีแมวคอยต้อนรับ จัดหาเครื่องดื่ม ของหวานที่เหมาะสมกับเรื่องราวของแต่ละคน แถมการพยากรณ์ดวงชะตาด้วยเสร็จสรรพ
ขนาดเราเองเป็นสายมู แต่ไม่ได้สนใจเรื่องดวงดาว อ่านช่วงแรกยังรู้สึกว่างมงายไปมั้ยเนี่ย แต่อ่านไปซักพัก มันไม่เชิงทำนายดวงชะตา แต่เป็นเรื่องของดวงดาวประจำเรือนเกิดที่ส่งผลกับวิถีชีวิต นิสัยใจคอ แต่ไม่ได้กำหนดเส้นทางชีวิตเรา
“สิ่งที่ดำรงอยู่บนโลกใบนี้คือ’กฏแห่งกระจกเงา’ ซึ่งกำหนดว่า ‘สิ่งที่เราทำจะสะท้อนกลับสู่ตัวเรา’ หากสร้างความเจ็บปวดให้คนอื่นสิ่งนั้นจะสะท้อนกลับมาอย่างใหญ่หลวง”
ชอบตอนจบที่ค่อยๆเฉลยว่าทำไมร้านกาแฟจันทร์เต็มดวงถึงปรากฏตรงหน้าผู้คนเหล่านี้ เพราะเป็นกรรมผูกพันที่เคยทำร่วมกันมานั่นเอง
โดยรวมเป็นนิยายฟีลกู๊ดอบอุ่นหัวใจอีกหนึ่งเล่ม อ่านจบแล้วอยากไปนอนมองดวงดาวที่ไหนซักแห่ง 🧐🧐
June 11, 2024
I received a review copy of this book from Octopus Publishing via NetGalley for which my thanks.
Along the lines of the Before the Coffee Gets Cold and Kamogawa Food Detectives books in its broad structure and emotional appeal, but also with a little more depth as well as uniqueness in having its base firmly in astrology (the only piece of fiction I’ve read so far to be so), The Full Moon Coffee Shop not only turned out every bit the delightful and heartwarming read I was expecting but even more, and quite a perfect start for my #ReadingtheMeow2024 reads.
The first in a series and translated by Jesse Kirkwood, as the book opens we meet a former primary school teacher Mizuki Serikawa who now writes scripts for games (mostly for the side characters) and has all but lost interest in life, no longer taking any pride in her appearance or care of herself, and surviving only on instant ramen. A last-ditch attempt at reviving her TV-series writing career (in which she was once at the top) seems to fail sending her further into depression. But then at the restaurant where she met and was let down by young and successful producer Akari Nayakama, she finds not only surprise fans but also an invitation to a strange café she’s never heard of before. Reluctant and after some dithering, she does make it to the place—amidst the beautiful cherry blossoms, just by the river Kamo in Kyoto and to her surprise finds a place run not by humans, but cats. Besides feeding her some delicious pancakes (Full Moon Pancakes with butter and Astral Syrup), these cats (who are special in another way that we soon see) give Mizuki insights into herself and into the age we live in that she had never considered before. Using astrology and Mizuki’s chart, they help her see things from a new perspective and understand where she’s perhaps been going wrong in life, giving her new purpose and motivation.
We then learn more about the producer, Akari Nakayama who shares a deeper link than we first realise with Mizuki as also with actress Satsuki Akiwara whom also Akari has had to deal harshly with, than we first realise. As these two ladies and after them various other connected characters find their way to the Full Moon Coffee Shop, which opens up magically at different locations in Kyoto, its various special cats, from a Singapura named Caelus to Cranus the tux help them understand themselves as never before. Readers also begin to see how these characters are bound together, but fate it seems connects them and our magical café in another way too!
This was a book I jumped at when I saw it listed both because of the cats (no surprise there) but also because its name ‘The Full Moon Coffee Shop’ reminded me very much of a Kdrama I enjoyed some years ago, Hotel Del Luna (still one of my favourites that I’ve watched) where a hotel for spirits who haven’t been able to cross opens every Full Moon night, with the characters helping the spirits find the answers they are seeking. The Full Moon Coffee Shop did in a sense turn out the same, a café magically appearing every Full Moon night only to those who need it—not spirits in this case but real, live human beings who’ve perhaps lost their way or been unable to find what they’re really looking for in life.
The cats who run the café—and there’s a whole set of them—make this additionally special. As we read on, we realise they are no ordinary cats. However, even more of a surprise awaits us as the book gradually reveals deeper connections. In fact, the book is full of these, seemingly serendipitous happenings, meetings and links but which turn out to have more to do with fate, perhaps than chance. Everything links back and together so beautifully by the end, that one can’t help but have a smile on one’s face.
What set this book apart from the others I’ve mentioned and makes it more than just cats and people in need of help, though is the astrology. Because it is astrology and birth charts that these cats use to give our various characters better and deeper understandings of themselves. And along with them, the reader too gets to learn a fair bit about it, different stages of life, the influences of the stars and planets, how each person’s unique chart shapes they way things can turn out for them—not necessarily fated in that it can’t be changed but more like a map that helps one navigate life, especially the obstacles likely to arise in one’s way or one’s own fears. What I found even more interesting was the broader insights into the age that we live in, once again from the perspective of astrology. It was fascinating to learn how things transition across ages in terms of values and value systems, natural and manmade occurrences and how humans too must adapt to these changes (to which we are much more resistant than we might realise), with lessons from each age to be carried into the next—an aspect of the book which had a lot more profundity than I was expecting. It also left me curious as to why the author chose to base the work on Western astrology rather than the Japanese/Chinese systems (a question to which I haven’t yet found the answer).
Beyond the astrology, characters and even the cats, the book has much more--there’s Western classical music referenced all through (Pathetique and Nessun Dorma among them), plenty of delicious sounding food (desserts, really—all of which one would want to eat) and also very much the lovely city of Kyoto and many of its landmarks (with a very brief visit to Osaka too)—among them the Gokonomiya Shrine, Daiko-ji temple and the Otesuji shopping arcade.
All these elements together make it a rich reading experience, with emotional appeal, charm and much to interest one’s intellect too. At its heart though is also just humanness or humaneness, the compassion, love and concern for fellow creatures that makes us (or ought to) who we are and what really sets everything off for this story.
As a cat-themed pick, I did find myself wondering at one point whether characters other than cats could have done the same ‘job’—perhaps they could, but with the backstory we learn eventually, one realises though that it had to be the cats!
Along the lines of the Before the Coffee Gets Cold and Kamogawa Food Detectives books in its broad structure and emotional appeal, but also with a little more depth as well as uniqueness in having its base firmly in astrology (the only piece of fiction I’ve read so far to be so), The Full Moon Coffee Shop not only turned out every bit the delightful and heartwarming read I was expecting but even more, and quite a perfect start for my #ReadingtheMeow2024 reads.
The first in a series and translated by Jesse Kirkwood, as the book opens we meet a former primary school teacher Mizuki Serikawa who now writes scripts for games (mostly for the side characters) and has all but lost interest in life, no longer taking any pride in her appearance or care of herself, and surviving only on instant ramen. A last-ditch attempt at reviving her TV-series writing career (in which she was once at the top) seems to fail sending her further into depression. But then at the restaurant where she met and was let down by young and successful producer Akari Nayakama, she finds not only surprise fans but also an invitation to a strange café she’s never heard of before. Reluctant and after some dithering, she does make it to the place—amidst the beautiful cherry blossoms, just by the river Kamo in Kyoto and to her surprise finds a place run not by humans, but cats. Besides feeding her some delicious pancakes (Full Moon Pancakes with butter and Astral Syrup), these cats (who are special in another way that we soon see) give Mizuki insights into herself and into the age we live in that she had never considered before. Using astrology and Mizuki’s chart, they help her see things from a new perspective and understand where she’s perhaps been going wrong in life, giving her new purpose and motivation.
We then learn more about the producer, Akari Nakayama who shares a deeper link than we first realise with Mizuki as also with actress Satsuki Akiwara whom also Akari has had to deal harshly with, than we first realise. As these two ladies and after them various other connected characters find their way to the Full Moon Coffee Shop, which opens up magically at different locations in Kyoto, its various special cats, from a Singapura named Caelus to Cranus the tux help them understand themselves as never before. Readers also begin to see how these characters are bound together, but fate it seems connects them and our magical café in another way too!
This was a book I jumped at when I saw it listed both because of the cats (no surprise there) but also because its name ‘The Full Moon Coffee Shop’ reminded me very much of a Kdrama I enjoyed some years ago, Hotel Del Luna (still one of my favourites that I’ve watched) where a hotel for spirits who haven’t been able to cross opens every Full Moon night, with the characters helping the spirits find the answers they are seeking. The Full Moon Coffee Shop did in a sense turn out the same, a café magically appearing every Full Moon night only to those who need it—not spirits in this case but real, live human beings who’ve perhaps lost their way or been unable to find what they’re really looking for in life.
The cats who run the café—and there’s a whole set of them—make this additionally special. As we read on, we realise they are no ordinary cats. However, even more of a surprise awaits us as the book gradually reveals deeper connections. In fact, the book is full of these, seemingly serendipitous happenings, meetings and links but which turn out to have more to do with fate, perhaps than chance. Everything links back and together so beautifully by the end, that one can’t help but have a smile on one’s face.
What set this book apart from the others I’ve mentioned and makes it more than just cats and people in need of help, though is the astrology. Because it is astrology and birth charts that these cats use to give our various characters better and deeper understandings of themselves. And along with them, the reader too gets to learn a fair bit about it, different stages of life, the influences of the stars and planets, how each person’s unique chart shapes they way things can turn out for them—not necessarily fated in that it can’t be changed but more like a map that helps one navigate life, especially the obstacles likely to arise in one’s way or one’s own fears. What I found even more interesting was the broader insights into the age that we live in, once again from the perspective of astrology. It was fascinating to learn how things transition across ages in terms of values and value systems, natural and manmade occurrences and how humans too must adapt to these changes (to which we are much more resistant than we might realise), with lessons from each age to be carried into the next—an aspect of the book which had a lot more profundity than I was expecting. It also left me curious as to why the author chose to base the work on Western astrology rather than the Japanese/Chinese systems (a question to which I haven’t yet found the answer).
Beyond the astrology, characters and even the cats, the book has much more--there’s Western classical music referenced all through (Pathetique and Nessun Dorma among them), plenty of delicious sounding food (desserts, really—all of which one would want to eat) and also very much the lovely city of Kyoto and many of its landmarks (with a very brief visit to Osaka too)—among them the Gokonomiya Shrine, Daiko-ji temple and the Otesuji shopping arcade.
All these elements together make it a rich reading experience, with emotional appeal, charm and much to interest one’s intellect too. At its heart though is also just humanness or humaneness, the compassion, love and concern for fellow creatures that makes us (or ought to) who we are and what really sets everything off for this story.
As a cat-themed pick, I did find myself wondering at one point whether characters other than cats could have done the same ‘job’—perhaps they could, but with the backstory we learn eventually, one realises though that it had to be the cats!
September 25, 2024
─ 𝟑.𝟓 ☆ 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐬 🐈☕️ 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐜𝐨𝐳𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝
“𝒴𝑜𝓊 𝓀𝓃𝑜𝓌, 𝓌𝒽𝑒𝓃 𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓃𝑔𝓈 𝒻𝑒𝑒𝓁 𝓉𝑜𝓊𝑔𝒽, 𝑜𝓇 𝒻𝓇𝓊𝓈𝓉𝓇𝒶𝓉𝒾𝓃𝑔, 𝒸𝓇𝓎𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝒸𝒶𝓃 𝒹𝑜 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝒶 𝓌𝑜𝓇𝓁𝒹 𝑜𝒻 𝑔𝑜𝑜𝒹. 𝒲𝒶𝓉𝑒𝓇 𝓌𝒶𝓈𝒽𝑒𝓈 𝑒𝓋𝑒𝓇𝓎𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝒶𝓌𝒶𝓎.”
☾ Magical Realism
☾ Cats, cats and more cats
☾ Second chances
☾ Heartfelt moments
☾ Light, cozy, fast pace read
Overall what this book was for me, a very cozy magical realism mood read. I enjoyed all the sweet moments and how the characters treated each other, even when there were tough moments of having to reject a person that was part of your childhood memories, for example.
Only thing that, despite me enjoying, didn’t hit right on this book, was the amount of Astrology the author put into it. I was expecting to have some enjoyable cute moments with cats and characters interacting, based on the premise of serving the customers with these magical drinks and food, chatting with them, giving advice, things like that you know? But instead it ended up being heavily focused on the astrology, and not as much on the rich food and drink experience they could have had, so this concept of astrology could be either a hit or miss, and for me it was a miss.
Overall, a lovely book. I just love cats so much, I picked this up because I have 4 of them and they are the loves of my life.
“𝒰𝓃𝒹𝑒𝓇𝓈𝓉𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝓎𝑜𝓊𝓇𝓈𝑒𝓁𝒻, 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝓎𝑜𝓊’𝓁𝓁 𝒷𝑒 𝒶𝒷𝓁𝑒 𝓉𝑜 𝒸𝒶𝓇𝑒 𝒻𝑜𝓇 𝓎𝑜𝓊𝓇𝓈𝑒𝓁𝒻. 𝒜𝓈 𝓁𝑜𝓃𝑔 𝒶𝓈 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝒹𝑜 𝓉𝒽𝒶𝓉, 𝓎𝑜𝓊’𝓁𝓁 𝓈𝒽𝒾𝓃𝑒 𝓁𝒾𝓀𝑒 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓈𝓉𝒶𝓇 𝓉𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝒶𝓇𝑒.”
“𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝓈𝓉𝒶𝓇 𝓉𝒽𝒶𝓉 ℐ 𝒶𝓂?”
“ℋ𝓊𝓂𝒶𝓃𝓈 𝒶𝓇𝑒 𝓈𝓉𝒶𝓇𝓈 𝒾𝓃 𝓉𝒽𝑒𝒾𝓇 𝑜𝓌𝓃 𝓇𝒾𝑔𝒽𝓉, ℳ𝒾𝓏𝓊𝓀𝒾. ℰ𝓋𝑒𝓇𝓎 𝑜𝓃𝑒 𝑜𝒻 𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓂.”
“𝒴𝑜𝓊 𝓀𝓃𝑜𝓌, 𝓌𝒽𝑒𝓃 𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓃𝑔𝓈 𝒻𝑒𝑒𝓁 𝓉𝑜𝓊𝑔𝒽, 𝑜𝓇 𝒻𝓇𝓊𝓈𝓉𝓇𝒶𝓉𝒾𝓃𝑔, 𝒸𝓇𝓎𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝒸𝒶𝓃 𝒹𝑜 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝒶 𝓌𝑜𝓇𝓁𝒹 𝑜𝒻 𝑔𝑜𝑜𝒹. 𝒲𝒶𝓉𝑒𝓇 𝓌𝒶𝓈𝒽𝑒𝓈 𝑒𝓋𝑒𝓇𝓎𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝒶𝓌𝒶𝓎.”
☾ Magical Realism
☾ Cats, cats and more cats
☾ Second chances
☾ Heartfelt moments
☾ Light, cozy, fast pace read
Overall what this book was for me, a very cozy magical realism mood read. I enjoyed all the sweet moments and how the characters treated each other, even when there were tough moments of having to reject a person that was part of your childhood memories, for example.
Only thing that, despite me enjoying, didn’t hit right on this book, was the amount of Astrology the author put into it. I was expecting to have some enjoyable cute moments with cats and characters interacting, based on the premise of serving the customers with these magical drinks and food, chatting with them, giving advice, things like that you know? But instead it ended up being heavily focused on the astrology, and not as much on the rich food and drink experience they could have had, so this concept of astrology could be either a hit or miss, and for me it was a miss.
Overall, a lovely book. I just love cats so much, I picked this up because I have 4 of them and they are the loves of my life.
“𝒰𝓃𝒹𝑒𝓇𝓈𝓉𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝓎𝑜𝓊𝓇𝓈𝑒𝓁𝒻, 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝓎𝑜𝓊’𝓁𝓁 𝒷𝑒 𝒶𝒷𝓁𝑒 𝓉𝑜 𝒸𝒶𝓇𝑒 𝒻𝑜𝓇 𝓎𝑜𝓊𝓇𝓈𝑒𝓁𝒻. 𝒜𝓈 𝓁𝑜𝓃𝑔 𝒶𝓈 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝒹𝑜 𝓉𝒽𝒶𝓉, 𝓎𝑜𝓊’𝓁𝓁 𝓈𝒽𝒾𝓃𝑒 𝓁𝒾𝓀𝑒 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓈𝓉𝒶𝓇 𝓉𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝒶𝓇𝑒.”
“𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝓈𝓉𝒶𝓇 𝓉𝒽𝒶𝓉 ℐ 𝒶𝓂?”
“ℋ𝓊𝓂𝒶𝓃𝓈 𝒶𝓇𝑒 𝓈𝓉𝒶𝓇𝓈 𝒾𝓃 𝓉𝒽𝑒𝒾𝓇 𝑜𝓌𝓃 𝓇𝒾𝑔𝒽𝓉, ℳ𝒾𝓏𝓊𝓀𝒾. ℰ𝓋𝑒𝓇𝓎 𝑜𝓃𝑒 𝑜𝒻 𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓂.”
March 18, 2024
Była niezła. Miała kilka fajnych elementów, podobało mi się połączenie losów bohaterów i finał uważam za satysfakcjonujący, ale kocia kawiarnia nie odegrała w tej książce tak kluczowej roli jak można byłoby tego oczekiwać, stanowiła tło, a na pierwszy plan wysunęła się astrologia, co niestety nie należy do moich zainteresowań i trochę mnie to znudziło. Podobało mi się doprowadzenie bohaterów do walki o siebie, ale całość była powierzchowna i pozbawiona wszelkich emocji. Nie chwyciła mnie za serce, a a trzech przedstawionych historii najbardziej podobała mi się pierwsza. I epilog też przypadł mi do gustu. Jednak to za mało, mam wrażenie, że jako fanka tego typu książek szukam już plusów na siłę, nie kupiła mnie, po prostu ujdzie.
To przyjemna książeczka na jeden wieczór, nie wymaga zbyt wiele od czytelnika, na dłużej z nami nie zostanie, ale ma super dodatkowe elementy, jak np. ilustracje! Czy księżycowe dania. I za to chętnie podniosłabym gwiazdkę, ale nie o to chodzi.
To przyjemna książeczka na jeden wieczór, nie wymaga zbyt wiele od czytelnika, na dłużej z nami nie zostanie, ale ma super dodatkowe elementy, jak np. ilustracje! Czy księżycowe dania. I za to chętnie podniosłabym gwiazdkę, ale nie o to chodzi.
October 25, 2024
I was gifted "The Full Moon Coffee Shop" to read and provide a review. The concept of a quaint coffee shop appearing under a full moon, complete with talking cats, was both fun and entertaining. It offered a swift read, and I appreciated how the stories were interwoven.
In Japan, cats symbolize good fortune. Legend has it that kindness towards them will be repaid. If you're kind to the right cat, you might be invited to a mysterious coffee shop beneath a shimmering Kyoto moon, managed by talking cats.
As customers savor cakes, coffees, and teas, the cats provide consultations based on star charts, impart cryptic advice, and reveal where lives have strayed — every visitor to the shop feels somewhat lost. For a struggling screenwriter, a love-torn movie director, an aspiring hairstylist, and a tech-challenged website designer, these feline mentors will realign them with their destined paths.
I anticipated a whimsical, cozy tale, but the heavy reliance on astrology and birth charts was off-putting for me. While I believe many readers would enjoy this element, and a touch of it could have been delightful, its overemphasis somewhat spoiled the experience for me.
In Japan, cats symbolize good fortune. Legend has it that kindness towards them will be repaid. If you're kind to the right cat, you might be invited to a mysterious coffee shop beneath a shimmering Kyoto moon, managed by talking cats.
As customers savor cakes, coffees, and teas, the cats provide consultations based on star charts, impart cryptic advice, and reveal where lives have strayed — every visitor to the shop feels somewhat lost. For a struggling screenwriter, a love-torn movie director, an aspiring hairstylist, and a tech-challenged website designer, these feline mentors will realign them with their destined paths.
I anticipated a whimsical, cozy tale, but the heavy reliance on astrology and birth charts was off-putting for me. While I believe many readers would enjoy this element, and a touch of it could have been delightful, its overemphasis somewhat spoiled the experience for me.
August 20, 2024
The Full Moon Coffee Shop is deliciously cozy and magically sweet. Following four timelines (which all intertwine in the best way), each character goes through their ups and downs, only to end up at the Full Moon Coffee Shop, where cats read your fate in the stars and serve you without taking your order. I think this will be the perfect bite-sized fall read!
I will say, the writing was a bit blunt and simple for me. It's impossible to tell if this was due to the translation, or if this was just how the writing was to begin with, but sometimes it felt clunky in a way. That's pretty nitpicky, and I know most people don't care about things like that, but if you're looking for whimsical, flowery prose, this will probably not deliver on that.
Overall, fun and fast!
I will say, the writing was a bit blunt and simple for me. It's impossible to tell if this was due to the translation, or if this was just how the writing was to begin with, but sometimes it felt clunky in a way. That's pretty nitpicky, and I know most people don't care about things like that, but if you're looking for whimsical, flowery prose, this will probably not deliver on that.
Overall, fun and fast!
October 12, 2024
If I could have rated this book a big, fat zero, I would have. First few pages drew me in but soon after I lost interest. If I had wanted a tutorial on astrology I would have read a book on astrology! Save your money on this one or if you see it in the library, pass it by.
August 9, 2024
I had a feeling I was going to like this one based on the premise alone, but I was pleasantly surprised by just how much I enjoyed this short, cozy read! The Full Moon Coffee Shop had such a warm and cozy feel to it and I found that it was the *perfect* book to read either before bed or with a morning cup of coffee.
Vibes:
-cats! so many cats!!
-TALKING cats
-coffee shop
-magical realism
-reconnecting with old friends
-astrology
If any of these appeal to you, I think you'll really enjoy this book. From what I can tell, this is the first English translation released from a Japanese 5-book series. I really look forward to reading the rest of the books in the future!
Thank you so much to the publisher and to NetGalley for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
Vibes:
-cats! so many cats!!
-TALKING cats
-coffee shop
-magical realism
-reconnecting with old friends
-astrology
If any of these appeal to you, I think you'll really enjoy this book. From what I can tell, this is the first English translation released from a Japanese 5-book series. I really look forward to reading the rest of the books in the future!
Thank you so much to the publisher and to NetGalley for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
July 18, 2022
"'Kedai Kopi Bulan Purnama' tak punya lokasi tertentu. Kadang di jalan pertokoan yang kau kenal baik, kadang di stasiun penghabisan, kadang di bantaran sungai yang sunyi. Kedai ini berpindah-pindah tempatnya, muncul di mana saja sesuka hati. Dan, di kedai ini para tamu takkan ditanyai pesanan."
Buku ini adalah novel yang menceritakan hidup beberapa karakter yang bersinggungan di masa lalu dan secara tidak langsung, bersinggungan pula di masa sekarang. Cerita dimulai dengan kehidupan Serikawa Mizuki, seorang penulis skenario wanita paruh baya yang pernah jaya namun mulai kehilangan sinar pada karya-karyanya. Setelah mendapatkan 'pukulan' terbaru, secara ajaib dia tiba di Kedai Kopi Bulan Purnama yang dikelola oleh para kucing raksasa, menghidangkan berbagai sajian lezat dan obrolan hangat dengan 'bantuan gugusan bintang' yang membantu Ibu Serikawa menghadapi hidupnya.
Walau saya tidak percaya zodiak, namun buku ini sangat menghibur. Kalau kamu juga suka cerita Jepang dengan unsur realisme magis yang melibatkan kucing (Halo Murakami & Miyazaki Sensei!), maka buku ini cocok untuk kamu. Saya suka bagaimana dilema dan konflik batin setiap karakter disampaikan dengan baik tanpa berlebihan. Saya juga suka bagaimana penulis mendeskripsikan latar kota dan sajian dengan detail dan menggugah. Ilustrasinya juga kawaii!
Sangat cocok untuk dibaca saat santai. Oh iya, saya beli buku edisi Indonesia terbitan Penerbit BACA, dapat postcards yang super gemassss!
Buku ini adalah novel yang menceritakan hidup beberapa karakter yang bersinggungan di masa lalu dan secara tidak langsung, bersinggungan pula di masa sekarang. Cerita dimulai dengan kehidupan Serikawa Mizuki, seorang penulis skenario wanita paruh baya yang pernah jaya namun mulai kehilangan sinar pada karya-karyanya. Setelah mendapatkan 'pukulan' terbaru, secara ajaib dia tiba di Kedai Kopi Bulan Purnama yang dikelola oleh para kucing raksasa, menghidangkan berbagai sajian lezat dan obrolan hangat dengan 'bantuan gugusan bintang' yang membantu Ibu Serikawa menghadapi hidupnya.
Walau saya tidak percaya zodiak, namun buku ini sangat menghibur. Kalau kamu juga suka cerita Jepang dengan unsur realisme magis yang melibatkan kucing (Halo Murakami & Miyazaki Sensei!), maka buku ini cocok untuk kamu. Saya suka bagaimana dilema dan konflik batin setiap karakter disampaikan dengan baik tanpa berlebihan. Saya juga suka bagaimana penulis mendeskripsikan latar kota dan sajian dengan detail dan menggugah. Ilustrasinya juga kawaii!
Sangat cocok untuk dibaca saat santai. Oh iya, saya beli buku edisi Indonesia terbitan Penerbit BACA, dapat postcards yang super gemassss!
July 8, 2024
Disclaimer: I received a review copy for free via Netgalley, and am voluntarily leaving my honest thoughts. Many thanks to Ballantine Books for the opportunity!
I really wanted to love this one since the premise is one that I absolutely love, but it was hard for me to connect with the characters and the story in the execution. I think that the star chart + astrology stuff became too much of a focus in the explanation and various readings, but there were some charming moments. It was nice to see the various vignettes tie together. Some might enjoy it, but I wish that it had a bit more cozy cat cafe vibes and a stronger hook.
I really wanted to love this one since the premise is one that I absolutely love, but it was hard for me to connect with the characters and the story in the execution. I think that the star chart + astrology stuff became too much of a focus in the explanation and various readings, but there were some charming moments. It was nice to see the various vignettes tie together. Some might enjoy it, but I wish that it had a bit more cozy cat cafe vibes and a stronger hook.
November 6, 2024
Zabavno, taman za čitanje u prevozu, ali prekratko i imala sam osjećaj nedovršenosti, te stoga ni mačke ni astrologija ni to što je japanska književnost u pitanju nijesu mogle da izvuku ovu knjigu do četvorke, pa za ovo sveto trojstvo idu i 3⭐️!
December 7, 2024
Чаша лунна светлина по японски в компанията на куп особени котки, астрологична карта и няколко поизгубили пътя си души в начеващата епоха на Водолея в днешно забързано Киото. Особената нотка на безжалостна откровеност и нежна топлота е доста приятна и сгряваща.
June 11, 2024
bardzo mi się podobała, troche silly ale w przyjemny sposob
October 6, 2024
. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC for early review.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.
The Full Moon Coffee Shop, written by Mai Mochizuki and translated by Jesse Kirkwood, is officially one of my favourite books of the year. As a massive fan of Sailor Moon, nothing appeals to me more than astrology-based characters, beautiful Japanese locations, quests for love and romance, and, of course, cats that are some sort of supernatural alien acting as a guiding force for the plot. I'm also a lover of tarot, astrology, and cats that talk, so this story spoke to me on many levels and I ate it up in a single sitting.
I think my favourite aspect of the story is how everyone is linked. Even though this takes places in the bustling and busy prefectures of Japan, all of the characters have some sort of link to each other, even if they don't remember or realize it. The down-on-her-luck scriptwriter is a former coworker of the stressed movie director, and is the current scriptwriter for the technology-challenged game dev. That sort of overarching connection exists between all of the characters of the story and makes it feel so incredibly magical when you bump into one of them outside of their point of view chapter. For as large as Japan is, these people all manage to find each other.
I'm sure that the dialogue is a bit different in the original untranslated work, but I found many of the characters to be funny and extremely modern in their way of speaking, and that allowed me to feel very connected to them. The translation is really, really beautiful and I don't feel like I hit any bumps of confusion. Which is amazing, considering how much deep astrological explanation exists in the story, both in dialogue and exposition. The cats of the Full Moon Coffee Shop take as much time as they need to explain to their patrons about their natal charts, planetary houses, and star signs. Informing each character of how the planets are currently affecting their lives and successes, their romances and failures, all while serving them the most delicious-sounding food in the world. I never felt like I was lagging behind or too confused to keep reading at my usual pace.
The ending of this story made me cry, big time. There are a lot of books that market themselves as "cozy fantasy" or "low stakes," or "like being wrapped up in a warm blanket." But I think the Full Moon Coffee Shop truly deserves these kinds of descriptions, because it made me feel like I really was wrapped up in a cozy, low stakes, warm blanket, with a nice cup of cocoa by a cheerfully crackling fire, listening to the sound of classical music forever drifting through the air.
The Full Moon Coffee Shop, written by Mai Mochizuki and translated by Jesse Kirkwood, is officially one of my favourite books of the year. As a massive fan of Sailor Moon, nothing appeals to me more than astrology-based characters, beautiful Japanese locations, quests for love and romance, and, of course, cats that are some sort of supernatural alien acting as a guiding force for the plot. I'm also a lover of tarot, astrology, and cats that talk, so this story spoke to me on many levels and I ate it up in a single sitting.
I think my favourite aspect of the story is how everyone is linked. Even though this takes places in the bustling and busy prefectures of Japan, all of the characters have some sort of link to each other, even if they don't remember or realize it. The down-on-her-luck scriptwriter is a former coworker of the stressed movie director, and is the current scriptwriter for the technology-challenged game dev. That sort of overarching connection exists between all of the characters of the story and makes it feel so incredibly magical when you bump into one of them outside of their point of view chapter. For as large as Japan is, these people all manage to find each other.
I'm sure that the dialogue is a bit different in the original untranslated work, but I found many of the characters to be funny and extremely modern in their way of speaking, and that allowed me to feel very connected to them. The translation is really, really beautiful and I don't feel like I hit any bumps of confusion. Which is amazing, considering how much deep astrological explanation exists in the story, both in dialogue and exposition. The cats of the Full Moon Coffee Shop take as much time as they need to explain to their patrons about their natal charts, planetary houses, and star signs. Informing each character of how the planets are currently affecting their lives and successes, their romances and failures, all while serving them the most delicious-sounding food in the world. I never felt like I was lagging behind or too confused to keep reading at my usual pace.
The ending of this story made me cry, big time. There are a lot of books that market themselves as "cozy fantasy" or "low stakes," or "like being wrapped up in a warm blanket." But I think the Full Moon Coffee Shop truly deserves these kinds of descriptions, because it made me feel like I really was wrapped up in a cozy, low stakes, warm blanket, with a nice cup of cocoa by a cheerfully crackling fire, listening to the sound of classical music forever drifting through the air.
July 29, 2024
*3-3.5 stars
A cute and charming story about five people who encounter magical beings working in a pop-up cafe called the Full Moon Coffee Shop, who try to guide these people in how to live better lives by the use of their astrological charts--the message being: You must first know yourself. In the end, the reason for helping these particular people is made plain. A quick read, but might be best suited for those who are into astrology.
I heard this song in my head throughout my reading, lol:
'When the moon is in the Seventh House
And Jupiter aligns with Mars
Then peace will guide the planets
And love will steer the stars
This is the dawning of the age of Aquarius
Age of Aquarius
Aquarius
Aquarius!'
(from The Age of Aquarius by The Fifth Dimension)
Many thanks to the author and publisher for making an arc available to me via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.
A cute and charming story about five people who encounter magical beings working in a pop-up cafe called the Full Moon Coffee Shop, who try to guide these people in how to live better lives by the use of their astrological charts--the message being: You must first know yourself. In the end, the reason for helping these particular people is made plain. A quick read, but might be best suited for those who are into astrology.
I heard this song in my head throughout my reading, lol:
'When the moon is in the Seventh House
And Jupiter aligns with Mars
Then peace will guide the planets
And love will steer the stars
This is the dawning of the age of Aquarius
Age of Aquarius
Aquarius
Aquarius!'
(from The Age of Aquarius by The Fifth Dimension)
Many thanks to the author and publisher for making an arc available to me via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.
May 4, 2024
Grabbed this book by mistake and let me tell you… it was really the MISTAKE.
I cannot even explain to you how bad this book was. Neither due to my poor vocabulary nor to my lack of willingness but I just simply feel I have already wasted enough time on it.
I cannot even explain to you how bad this book was. Neither due to my poor vocabulary nor to my lack of willingness but I just simply feel I have already wasted enough time on it.
September 2, 2024
The Full Moon Coffee Shop is a pop-up that appears randomly to people who are feeling lost. Imagine their surprise when they discover that the coffee shop is run by cats! Talking cats on two legs are their servers, bringing them the coffee, tea or cake that they feel they need. Additionally, they consult their star charts to bring them advice and wisdom to help solve the dilemmas they are facing.
This was a short book/audiobook with a wonderfully whimsical premise. While I did enjoy it, I expected it to follow a more whimsical path, and the astrological elements, while interesting, didn’t all seem to mesh well for me. Again, I enjoyed the characters, both human and feline, but it wasn’t what I expected.
This was a short book/audiobook with a wonderfully whimsical premise. While I did enjoy it, I expected it to follow a more whimsical path, and the astrological elements, while interesting, didn’t all seem to mesh well for me. Again, I enjoyed the characters, both human and feline, but it wasn’t what I expected.
April 4, 2024
Nie spodziewałam się takiego natężenia astrologicznego mumbo jumbo. Do mnie takie rzeczy nie trafiają, oprócz tego nie było tu jakichś bardzo odkrywczych refleksji, ale lubię słuchać tych komfortowych historii, nawet jeśli książka jest średnia to zawsze znajdę coś dla siebie , tak było i w tym przypadku. Warte dla tych dwóch czy trzech uśmiechów.
February 6, 2024
Librino molto carino sul raggiungimento della felicità con la guida delle stelle.
Ho apprezzato il caffè gestito dai gatti e le storie che alla fine si intersecano in un modo che non avevo del tutto previsto.
Manca qualcosa, però.
Ho apprezzato il caffè gestito dai gatti e le storie che alla fine si intersecano in un modo che non avevo del tutto previsto.
Manca qualcosa, però.
April 20, 2024
Perfekt als Geschenk für Katzenfans.
Kurzweile, schöne Geschichte über den Mut, Fehler einzuräumen und Neuanfänge zu wagen.
Die Verbindung zwischen den Katzen und den Menschen, denen sie helfen war eine wirklich süße Idee.
Für mich war das Thema Astrologie allerdings etwas zu viel, da es mich persönlich einfach nicht interessiert.
Sprachlich hat mich in der Übersetzung manchmal der Dialekt der Übersetzerin gestört, da er für mich weder zu dem Charakteren noch dem Handlungsort passte (allen voran "Kinkerlitzchen" und "Pillepalle"). Ich finde es schade, wenn Übersetzer scheinbar überhaupt kein Gefühl für Sprache haben...
*Leseexemplar vom Verlag via NetGalley erhalten*
Kurzweile, schöne Geschichte über den Mut, Fehler einzuräumen und Neuanfänge zu wagen.
Die Verbindung zwischen den Katzen und den Menschen, denen sie helfen war eine wirklich süße Idee.
Für mich war das Thema Astrologie allerdings etwas zu viel, da es mich persönlich einfach nicht interessiert.
Sprachlich hat mich in der Übersetzung manchmal der Dialekt der Übersetzerin gestört, da er für mich weder zu dem Charakteren noch dem Handlungsort passte (allen voran "Kinkerlitzchen" und "Pillepalle"). Ich finde es schade, wenn Übersetzer scheinbar überhaupt kein Gefühl für Sprache haben...
*Leseexemplar vom Verlag via NetGalley erhalten*
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