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A review by lastblossom
The Full Moon Coffee Shop by Mai Mochizuki
hopeful
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
tl;dr
The literary equivalent of a good cup of coffee: A warm, comforting piece that goes by quickly with no complications.
Thoughts
This book is cozy AF. A magical coffee shop shows up once every full moon, revealing itself to weary adults who feel lost in life. Also, cats do horoscope readings. If that sounds like your cup of tea (or coffee, as it were), you can probably stop reading this review and just go read the book. If you're scanning the reviews wondering "Sure that's a premise, but what is this book ABOUT?" I am here to tell you that the premise is it. Full Moon Coffee Shop is a series of vignettes from various POVs that follow the same outline. An adult is struggling with their life. They find a coffee shop. A horoscope reading happens, and they decide to make changes in their life. Move on to the next adult. It's extremely charming and low stakes, without too many complications or plot twists. There is a narrow thread that stitches everyone's stories together, so we don't fully abandon characters after their chapter is over, but overall the book feels like it's designed to be a comfort read without any extra complications. There's a bittersweet nostalgia at play; you can practically hear the piano soundtrack set against a beautifully moonlit scene as characters consider the decisions that brought them to where they are. The prose dedicates space to enticing descriptions of food and magic. Seemingly mundane moments of human connection are the pillars of the story in a way that I found genuinely touching. The translation feels very straightforward, especially in the horoscope portions.
Overall, recommended for fans of astrology, magical cozy vibes, or anyone who has called themselves "literally Kiki" from Kiki's Delivery Service.
Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for a review copy. All thoughts in this review are my own!
The literary equivalent of a good cup of coffee: A warm, comforting piece that goes by quickly with no complications.
Thoughts
This book is cozy AF. A magical coffee shop shows up once every full moon, revealing itself to weary adults who feel lost in life. Also, cats do horoscope readings. If that sounds like your cup of tea (or coffee, as it were), you can probably stop reading this review and just go read the book. If you're scanning the reviews wondering "Sure that's a premise, but what is this book ABOUT?" I am here to tell you that the premise is it. Full Moon Coffee Shop is a series of vignettes from various POVs that follow the same outline. An adult is struggling with their life. They find a coffee shop. A horoscope reading happens, and they decide to make changes in their life. Move on to the next adult. It's extremely charming and low stakes, without too many complications or plot twists. There is a narrow thread that stitches everyone's stories together, so we don't fully abandon characters after their chapter is over, but overall the book feels like it's designed to be a comfort read without any extra complications. There's a bittersweet nostalgia at play; you can practically hear the piano soundtrack set against a beautifully moonlit scene as characters consider the decisions that brought them to where they are. The prose dedicates space to enticing descriptions of food and magic. Seemingly mundane moments of human connection are the pillars of the story in a way that I found genuinely touching. The translation feels very straightforward, especially in the horoscope portions.
Overall, recommended for fans of astrology, magical cozy vibes, or anyone who has called themselves "literally Kiki" from Kiki's Delivery Service.
Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for a review copy. All thoughts in this review are my own!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Infidelity and Grief
Minor: Death and Fire/Fire injury