Water Moon

This is the kind of book that makes me wish I was better at describing beautiful writing. As I read, there were so many instances where I found myself highlighting lines that spoke not just to me but about life in general in such a perfect way, as if I was reading a book of proverbs. I genuinely can’t wait to see some of the popular highlights on Kindle once the book is released, and I usually ignore those.

I absolutely love how wildly inventive the world of Water Moon is. When Keishin stepped into Hana’s pawnshop, it was like Alice falling through the rabbit hole, but unlike Alice, wandering through Wonderland lost and alone, he had a guide in Hana. The places they visited and ways they moved through the world were always so fun and fascinating. Each location had it’s own special brand of wonder or whimsy, like the Museum of Education, which couldn’t be entered without a ticked purchased with a grain of time when you made a mistake, because its visitors learn from other people’s mistakes. As Kei and Hana traveled on their quest to find Hana’s father, I was invested for multiple reasons: I wanted to know where her father was, I wanted to see how Kei and Hana’s relationship evolved, and I couldn’t wait to see what Samantha Sotto Yambao would come up with next.

The romance between Kei and Hana is sweet, and at first I wished they had fallen just a little more slowly, but I can see why they were so easily drawn to each other. Hana had a lot of inner turmoil over her feelings for Kei having ground up in a world where people have no choice but to follow the path fate has set before them and that was central to a lot of her decisions not only when it came to Kei but throughout their entire journey. Which, by the way, I wasn’t expecting to be so dangerous! It was so exciting and a lot creepier than I thought it would be, and I loved that.

I received an arc of Water Moon from Random House/Del Rey via Netgalley.

At its core, Water Moon by Samantha Sotto Yambao is a story about choices, fate, and the lingering shadows of the past. It follows Hana, a pawnshop owner, who lives a life burdened by the unanswered questions surrounding her father who disappeared and the circumstances surrounding her mother's death. When Kei unexpectedly stumbles into her life, he promises to help her uncover the truth. Together, they navigate a world where the boundaries between destiny and free will blur, uncovering truths about themselves, the price of rewriting one’s past, and the cost of paving a new future.

I went into Water Moon expecting magical realism, lured by its promises of subtle, transformative magic intertwined with the mundane. What I found was something else —an urban fantasy dressed in magical realism’s clothes, occasionally flirting with its depth but never fully committing.

The novel starts strong, with evocative prose and intriguing world-building that hints at layered meanings. The opening chapters had me hooked, setting up a story that felt like it might deliver on the atmospheric, introspective magic I was hoping for. But as the pages turned, my excitement waned. The middle dragged, filled with fascinating ideas that were dangled like shiny objects but never fully explored or realized. By the time I reached the end, I felt a lingering sense of "what could have been." The conclusion wasn’t bad by any means, but it left me wishing for a deeper, more resonant payoff.

The book is sprinkled with lines that ache with potential: "Time has no borders except those people make," and "Losing your way is oftentimes the only way to find something you did not know you were looking for." These quotes capture the essence of what the story could have been—a meditation on choice, fate, and the invisible lines we draw around our lives. But instead of leaning into these philosophical undercurrents, the narrative often defaults to more conventional urban fantasy tropes.

One of the most compelling elements is the concept of the pawnshop of choices and the Shiikuin. The idea of trading choices and the consequences of those trades could have been a powerful metaphor for agency and regret. Instead, it feels like a missed opportunity, wrapped up in plot mechanics rather than thematic exploration. The book teases big questions about fate and freedom but shies away from delving into them with the depth they deserve.

The dynamic between Hana and Kei hints at complexity but ultimately plays it safe. Their relationship takes center stage a bit too often, and they fall for each other with unrealistic speed. Their interactions could have benefited from more tension and ambiguity, as the narrative opts for a straightforward path rather than exploring darker, more intricate twists.

Despite its shortcomings, Water Moon isn’t without merit. The writing is beautiful in places, and certain passages resonate deeply: "She was the moon in the water, close enough to touch, yet beyond reach," "Death is kind and swift. Longing is a life sentence," and "...life is about joy in the space between where you came from and where you are going..."These moments of lyrical introspection hint at the book's potential, even if they ultimately highlight its failure to fully realize it.

In the end, Water Moon is a story that feels like it’s constantly on the brink of something profound but never quite gets there. It’s the kind of book that makes you think, "Oh, I see where you’re going with this... but wouldn’t it be better if...?" I was looking for magical realism, but it turned out to be more of an urban fantasy with lyrical writing, leaving me more frustrated than fulfilled. But if you’re willing to accept it for what it is, there are moments of beauty worth savoring.

I might not have been the intended audience for this book.

Water Moon was an okay read. The idea behind the book is what sparked my interest. However, it fell short.

The writing style and themes were a lovely idea but fell flat. This book was all over the place. The characters were one dimensional with an unnecessary romance. We go on this journey only for it to be anticlimactic in the end. It jumps around (not entirely bad).

I would say that this is a decent story for a teen to read.