Mai 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.
I guess it was only a matter of time before someone wrote an adult novel about giant fluffy talking cats! Right? I mean, right??
"I unlocked the door and was struck with a familiar aroma when I stepped inside. It was a blend of the incense from the Buddhist altar— the sweet tea olive incense Dad always used— and Mom’s cooking. It was the smell of home." p81
Final Review
(thoughts & recs) After I was approved for this arc, I read the first book, THE FULL MOON COFFEE SHOP, in preparation. I didn't like the execution of the concept, as anthropomorphic animals are not my favorite. But this installment doesn't seem to lean into that element so much. Human characters think they're dealing with other humans in costume. I just found it easier this time to suspend my disbelief and accept the story conditions. Because of that, I had a pretty good time with this one. I do recommend reading these as a series, as the concept sometimes gets needlessly complicated. It'll improve your read of BEST WISHES if you have all the backstory.
I recommend this one to fans of contemporary Japanese cat stories, magical realism, and anthropomorphic animals for characters. If you enjoyed this, be sure to check out The Blanket Cats by Kyoshi Shigematsu and The Tortoise's Tale by Kendra Coulter.
My Favorite Things:
✔️ I love the descriptions of the coffee shop: "A clear, bright half-moon hung in the night sky, and nights like this, with a young moon glowing in the sky, are for study. The power of the half-moon as it moves toward a Full Moon pours into everything and is helpful for all manner of improvements." p9
✔️ I really like it when characters get emotional resolution. "I’d rejected happiness this entire time. I’d believed I needed to accept punishment and atone for what I’d done. I’d actually wanted this situation I’d found myself in where no one ever chose me for anything. It all made so much sense. My tears wouldn’t stop , as if all the pain I’d carried was now being washed away." p58
Thank you to Mai Mochizuki, Jordan Taylor (translator), Ballantine Books, and NetGalley for an accessible digital arc of BEST WISHES FROM THE FULL MOON COFFEE SHOP. All views are mine.
The Full Moon Coffee Shop is making an exception and appearing at Christmastime, regardless of the moon phase. Cats that transform into humans, they serve what each customer needs, not wants, and the shop pops up when they sense someone needs them, helping them find their heart’s desire with pointed questions, astrology, and of course the special dishes they serve. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this unique, feel-good fantasy ably translated from Japanese by Jordan Taylor.
This collection of interconnected anthology stories felt riddled with undertones of christian and conservative propaganda under the guise of a cute astrology cozy cat coffee shop book.
"Best Wishes from the Full Moon Coffee Shop" is a glossy, whimsical novella that blends magical realism, astrology, and holiday sentimentality into a series of loosely connected vignettes. Set during Christmas and populated by gods and goddesses who shift between cat and human forms, the story feels like a blend of a Japanese fairytale and a Dickensian ghost story—with a heavy dose of aesthetic charm and celestial symbolism.
The narrative follows three main characters:
Satomi, whose boyfriend plans to propose on Christmas Eve, though she’s unsure about her future;
Junko, her sister-in-law, who is estranged from her father and navigating new family dynamics (including a strangely delayed dog adoption from the café’s magical cats);
and Satori’s employee, a young woman grieving her father’s death who ultimately reconnects with her mother, stepfather, and half-brother.
Each character is guided by planetary deities who offer moral lessons tied to reincarnation, forgiveness, and personal growth. The book leans heavily on astrology, even including star charts for each character and emphasizing the ascendant sign as a marker of past-life strengths. While this may appeal to astrology enthusiasts, the execution often feels twee and overly expository.
The café staff—celestial beings in disguise—are given their own chapters, but their personalities blur together despite the effort to tie their roles to planetary movements. The result is a story that feels more like a concept pitch for an animated film than a fully realized novella. The emotional beats are present, but often feel distant or overly orchestrated.
While the book has moments of charm and visual richness, it’s weighed down by its own aesthetic and moral framing. Readers looking for a cozy, magical holiday tale with strong visual and astrological themes may enjoy it, but those seeking deeper character development or narrative cohesion might find it underwhelming.
Best Wishes from the Full Moon Coffee Shop was just as scintillating and magical as the first book in this interconnected standalone series.
I loved how 2020 being this tumultuous time (both from a COVID perspective and a political lens, in my opinion), was explained as a shift in the age of astrology. I further loved how the author took this shift in age to enhance periods of transition in our 3 main character’s lives. Through their stories, we watched each woman’s views on their lives and what they really wanted out of them (ie, their true wishes) transition a part of themselves into the next phase of their lives. From a burnt out career woman realizing it's ok to want a family as well, to a young temp worker sacrificing her happiness due to an internal atonement from past guilt who gets a visit from a most unexpected guest, to a woman who grew older and was able to understand that her parents were flawed like any other human but was also granted lifechanging news via an old friend, each woman was able to realize their true wish buried in their core and move forward on a clearer path for their futures. Not only were their stories incredibly relatable, but the experiences and emotions explored definitely gave me chills several times throughout the stories.
I loved how each story was interconnected, with the women being in each other’s lives in some respect. We also saw characters from the first book make a reappearance or at least be mentioned, which was fun to see as well. I love seeing how all things are connected, much like astrology itself 😊
Finally, I liked the insights we got into the different planet’s studies and group dynamics. As the “workers” at the full moon coffee shop doling out the wisdom to patrons, it was interesting to see what their “lives” where like behind the scenes. I liked seeing the individual personalities and seeing where friendships lay. The fact that it all just made sense in line with astrology as well made it incredibly fascinating!
Thank you to NetGalley, Ballantine Books, and Mai Mochizuki for the opportunity to read this book. The thoughts and opinions expressed above are honest and my own.
I can’t believe this book had the audacity to make me tear up when book one had already done the same thing. I’ve already met my quota for the year! I had to put the book down for a few hours so that my tear ducts didn’t try to get up to any more nonsense. I thought the structure of the story was better in book 1, but this sequel brings the same gentleness and insight into the human condition to new characters. The writing style is simple but moving, and easy to read. Like the previous book, it’s divided into several connected points of view and I enjoyed how the story flowed between them. This author never fails to write a moving piece. This book can be read without reading the first one, but I still recommend reading book 1 first, as there are some cameos from book 1 that can be better appreciated having read it. Recommended for anyone looking for a light but thoughtful read and also to those interested in starting out with books in translation, for a peak into Japanese life without too much confusion.
Este libro no podía haber sido más ideal para esta época del año. Es la segunda parte de El café de la luna llena, pero llega cargado de un ambiente navideño que lo vuelve todavía más cozy, reconfortante y perfecto para quienes buscamos esa dosis de healing fiction que a veces nos hace tanta falta.
Al igual que en el primer libro, volvemos a esta cafetería mágica, regentada por gatos (que en realidad son los dioses a cargo de las constelaciones) y que aparece solo los días de luna llena para quienes están perdidos, necesitan reencontrarse o buscan un pequeño empujón del universo. Allí, entre bebidas deliciosas, comida casera y una carta astral, cada personaje recibe el mensaje que necesita escuchar.
Aunque no soy particularmente creyente de la astrología, me sorprendió lo bien que el libro transmite enseñanzas bonitas y reflexivas sin sentirse forzado. Y aunque la premisa de “gatos parlantes que dan sabiduría ancestral” pueda sonar descabellada, la historia nunca se siente rara: lo que predomina es el corazón del mensaje.
Me gustó tanto como el primero, quizá incluso más por su atmósfera navideña. Es el tipo de lectura ideal para diciembre: suave, acogedora, que te acompaña con ternura y te deja el corazón un poquito más lleno. Si buscas algo que te abrace desde la página uno, esta es una muy buena elección.
This book is an interesting one for sure. I enjoyed the magical realism and I loved the concept of the cats, though the usage of the imagery seemed less important throughout. I love the idea of a magical coffee shop showing up when you need it most!
I have 2 main struggles with this book.
1. The astrology: I actually do love the idea of incorporating it as a concept. My difficulty was as someone who's not well versed in astrology or planetary alignments, it was very hard to follow and I ended up having to accept my confusion. I think that astrology could have been used more effectively that would be appreciated by those who know nothing and those who know a lot.
2. Honestly, 2 of the 3 stories fell short for me. The first story wrapped in a way that felt surprising but I figured, that's okay it just wouldn't be my choice. But the last one in particular, it out a really bad taste in my mouth. I was feeling a 3.5 ⭐ for a lot of the book but that last story and what it was communicating, just not for me.
Overall, I think people in general could enjoy, especially if you like books like Before The Coffee Gets Cold and Well Prescribe You Another Cat.
Thank you, NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!
I read the first book and was charmed by it. When I saw a chance to read this one through Net Galley, I jumped at the chance. Like the first one, this is almost like separate short stories, They are strongly connected by relationships between the characters as well as by the cats and the cafe. There is magic and a strong emphasis on astrology to help the characters resolve problems so their lives can be richer and more complete. This one was just as enjoyable as the first. I hope there’s another one coming at some point.
Il primo libro di questa serie non mi era piaciuto, questo secondo libro l'ho trovato invece molto migliorato, a partire dall'ambientazione durante il periodo natalizio, che aggiunge piacevolezza e suggestività alla storia! L'autrice ha corretto il difetto del libro precedente (i troppi, lunghi e complicati spiegoni sull'astrologia) dando qui spiegazioni astrologiche molto più brevi e semplici. Anche la storia dei personaggi l'ho trovata migliorata, questa volta le varie vicende sono più coinvolgenti e raccontate meglio (di base i personaggi sono diversi rispetto a quelli del primo libro, perché in pratica questo libro è formato da tre storie di personaggi differenti ma legati tra loro. Ma poi a lettura avanzata si scopre che alcuni personaggi di questo libro sono legati a quelli del primo libro, dando maggior senso alla serie e una sensazione di continuità alla storia che ho apprezzato). Insomma, il concept è sempre il solito, ma qui ho trovato tutto più soddisfacente!
Just like the first book, this was really wholesome, sweet and meaningful, but it had sad parts too, and they did make me feel them. It's still focused on astrology somewhat but it toned down how much of the story is spent talking about that successfully. I felt connected to the characters and their stories. A lovely final book for 2025!
Przy kontynuacji książki, którą się naprawdę polubiło, naturalne są obawy, czy ta kolejna część jest w ogóle potrzebna i czy nie jest tworzona trochę na siłę, a trochę dla pieniędzy. Może historia już się wyczerpała? Może to, co autorka miała w sobie do opowiedzenia, już zostało opowiedziane.
Z posłowia na koniec książki możemy się dowiedzieć, że Mai Mochizuki miała podobne przemyślenia i nie chciała stworzyć czegoś, co po prostu by było i odcinało kupony od pierwszej części. Zanurzyła się jeszcze głębiej i moim zdaniem wyciągnęła z tej historii jeszcze więcej i nadała więcej magii.
Kocham atmosferę tego świata, że wszystko się ze wszystkim łączy, że losy bohaterek "Prawdziwego życzenia" przeplatają się ze sobą, one wszystkie są obecne nawzajem w swoich życiach, a każda nosi głęboko w sobie swoją historię. Całość połączona jest też delikatną nicią z bohaterami pierwszej części.
Set at Christmas time, the magical cats of the Full Moon Coffee Shop return to help three women find their true wishes through knowledge of astrology. It's a charming story with very interesting characters, and although it's book two in this series, it works fine as a standalone.
Many thanks to the author and publisher for providing me with an arc off this new novel via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.
Pod pewnymi względami lepsza od pierwszej części. Książka dalej ma pięknie melancholijny wydźwięk, a elementy astrologiczne nie są aż tak dominujące jak w poprzedniej części. Choć historia chwyciła mnie chwilami za serducho, to jednak jej zakończenie nie do końca mi pasowało.
Beautifully written [with gentle and kind insight on what makes us do what we do and how often we need rescued], this book of interconnected stories, anchored by the Full Moon Coffee Shop and the cats that run it [that, due to it being Christmas, is open at all times, not just the full moon], is a story I never expected *NOR* one I knew I really, really, needed, and while I spent much of the book in tears, I am so glad that I was able to read this truly lovely book.
Thank you to NetGalley, Mai Mochizuki, Jordan Taylor - Translator, and Ballantine Books/Ballantine for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
What a lovely story! Honestly, it wasn’t what I expected, but I would classify this book as magical realism. Overall, it offers a beautiful reflection on how complicated we are as human beings, and how deeply the society and family we grow up in shape us. A few chapters genuinely made me emotional, which I didn’t anticipate but truly appreciated.
Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the eARC!
I enjoyed reading this sequel to the Full Moon Coffee Shop. I liked hearing more about each person’s astrological charts as well as the Christmas theme. This was a cozy and light-hearted read.