Review: The Full Moon Coffee Shop

Title: The Full Moon Coffee Shop

Author: Mai Mochizuki

Publisher: 27th August 2024 by Hachette Australia

Pages: 240 pages

Genre: Japan, Magical Realism, fantasy, cats

My Rating: 3.5 cups

Synopsis:

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…

My Thoughts

The Full Moon Coffee Shop by Mai Mochizuki is a magical novel about a Kyoto pop-up café that will suddenly appear (no set location or hours) to people needing advice and guidance in their life. Out of this cafe come talking cats, consulting astrological charts. 

‘In the middle of the temple grounds was what looked like a mobile coffee shop … Just then, a large tortoiseshell cat wearing an apron emerged from the truck and set out a sign. The sign read: The Full Moon Coffee Shop.’

The cafe suddenly appears to select people who have lost their way in life and the cats not only serve food and drink but also a reading from the character’s astrological chart. This will assist them to overcome their current obstacle and guide them once more in the right direction. It’s a cute and very quick read about understanding what motivates us and channeling that to lead a fulfilling life. 

‘And that is the story of the strange moonlit night on which I learned to know myself - and finally move forward with my life.’

If you like cats and you like astrology and you are a fan of Before the Coffee Gets Cold, Days at the Morisake Bookshop and Butter, then you are in for a treat. 

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

Review: The Oxenbridge King

Title: The Oxenbridge King

Author: Christine Paice 

Publisher: 31st July 2024 by HarperCollins Australia

Pages: 335 pages

Genre: Fiction, Fantasy

Rating: 5 cups

Synopsis:

Imagine, if you the lost soul of King Richard III; a talking raven; a lost, lonely angel; and Molly Stern - heartbroken, grieving, a bit stroppy and definitely not feeling herself.

When the worlds of the lost soul of a King and the angel sent to collect him collide messily with the 21st century world of Molly Stern, anything can happen. Hilary Mantel meets Sarah Winman, with a dash of Neil The Oxenbridge King is endearing, quirky, tender, lyrical and magical - and entirely original.

The lost soul of Richard III is trapped in the afterlife, below the last Abbey he visited while alive. Though his soul has been between worlds for hundreds of years, up in the real world, it's 2012 and Molly Stern has a broken heart from losing her father and a recent breakup. Leaving London, Molly goes home to seek solace from her Aunt Peggy and Uncle Frank in Oxenbridge, but there are strange noises in the basement of her childhood house, and Peggy and Frank seem to have domestic troubles of their own, and nothing feels right. When the soul of Richard III is startled from the Abbey catacombs and the angel sent to collect him goes missing in action, all their worlds messily and unexpectedly collide, with surprising and definitely unexpected consequences.

Inspired by the discovery of the bones of Richard III found buried underneath a car park in the UK, award-winning poet Christine Paice has fashioned a beautiful, singular, warm and funny novel that weaves in and out of time and space and possibility. The Oxenbridge King is a love story, a meditation on what survives of us when we're gone, and how, in the end, love and family is everything.

My Thoughts

Let me be honest from the outset. I am on a bit of a King Richard III binge. Ever since finishing Annie Garthwaite’s novels I have become obsessed with learning more about this King - the last English king to lose his life in battle. Annie portrayed Richard in such a modest way that would make many historians fire up in opposition - especially Shakespeare and his damning play.Therefore when this intriguing book came up promising an engaging spin - I was in!

‘The king with a crown that didn't belong to him, but all kings had blood on their hands. That's how they stayed king.’

The Oxenbridge King is such a unique and extremely satisfying read and, I promise, no prior knowledge on Richard III is necessary - but it certainly does increase the enjoyment. Inspired by the actual discovery of Richard III’s bones this book is a fantastical journey if you allow yourself to swim with the tide. With Richard’s soul trapped he is reliant upon a talking Raven (his link between heaven and earth) to become free and ascend to the afterlife. Yet, Richard is a very, very minor player in this tale. 

‘Life happens, we're all caught and tugged by desires we claim not to know anything about.’

This is a tale of the contemporary characters and it is warm and funny, full of love and forgiveness in this life. No major events here except how souls can become lost when on earth and learning about the things that give us direction and make us feel love, getting us back on the right path. At first I thought,’this is a bit weird’ but then I just went with it and found it truly delightful. 

‘… maybe one day we'll discover the great villain of history isn't so bad after all.'

If you are looking for something that is left of centre, a retelling from a different direction with a touch of magic then look no further. As the blurb promises, Oxenbridge King is ‘tender, lyrical, surprising, and magical - think Sarah Winman with a dash of Neil Gaiman’. 

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

 

Review: Perilous Times

Title: Perilous Times

Author: Thomas D. Lee

Publisher: 30th May 2023 by Hachette Australia

Pages: 534 pages

Genre: fantasy, fiction, retellings

Rating: 4 cups

Synopsis:

An immortal Knight of the Round Table faces his greatest challenge yet—saving the politically polarized, rapidly warming world from itself—in this slyly funny contemporary take on Arthurian legend.

Being reborn as an immortal defender of the realm gets awfully damn tiring over the years—or at least that's what Sir Kay's thinking as he claws his way up from beneath the earth, yet again. 

Kay fought at Hastings, and at Waterloo, and in both World Wars. After a thousand years, he thought he was used to dealing with a crisis. But now he finds himself in a strange new world where oceans have risen, armies have been privatized, and half of Britain’s been sold to the Chinese. The dragon that's running amok, that he can handle. The rest? He's not so sure. 

Mariam's devoted her life to fighting what's wrong with her country. But she's just one ordinary person, up against a hopelessly broken system. So when she meets Kay, a figure straight out of legend, she dares to hope that the world's finally found the savior it needs.

As the two quest through this strange land swarming with gangs, mercenaries, and talking squirrels, they realize that other ancient evils are afoot. Lancelot is back too--at the beck and call of immortal beings with a sinister agenda. And if their plans can’t be stopped, a dragon will be the least of the planet’s worries.

In perilous times like these, the realm doesn't just need a knight. It needs a true leader.

Luckily, Excalibur lies within reach - and Kay's starting to suspect that the hero fit to carry it is close at hand.

My Thoughts

Perilous Times is a book that defies genres with its quirky mix of Arthurian lore, futuristic dystopian themes set against an environmental stance on climate change. Yup! You read right, an eclectic mix that really works! Set in future England when global warming has all but ruined the world, it is the Knights of the Round Table that are called upon to save the day - or not?!

‘So the idea was, whenever Britain was in peril, we'd come back from the dead and sort things out. … Whenever people need help. So maybe it was the dragon, or maybe it was you, but … that’s why I’m here. I’m here to help.’

The overall combination is what attracted me in the first place and the witty, clever writing is what kept me to the very end. It is a clever premise with compelling characters, rich world building and a thrilling plot. It’s crazy but somehow it works. I feel that resurrecting Arthur and the Knights is not just for novelty but also to illustrate the complex issue of past solutions not working in the present climate (pardon the pun).

‘I've been working for a very long time to try and save men from their own stupidity. To try and stop them from poisoning their own planet. And it hasn't worked. So my intention is to bring back the one man who might actually listen.’

Apart from the central theme of climate change there are really rich themes under the microscope here - the role of women and refugees, governments and politics and the capacity of individuals to make a difference. Woven throughout (so as not to get bogged down) is much humour. These poor Knights have been called upon throughout the ages and are forced to confront a range of time periods that throw at them everything from guns to helicopters. So why not add a dragon to the story with some serious magic and you just about have it covered. 

‘I can see the earth rendered barren . .. a lifeless husk with burning skies. It looms ahead of us. Almost inevitable, now. So few shoots of green. We've ignored so many of them. So many chances wasted. Now we have so few left.'

This is an entertaining and compelling read that cleverly balances out the serious with the silly. It is a clever mix and I think it’s a winner in turning legends around and highlighting the plight of our planet in an engaging and memorable way. It’s crazy but somehow it works.

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the author in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

 

Review: Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries

Title: Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries

Author: Heather Fawcett

Publisher: 31st January 2023 by Hachette Australia

Pages: 315 pages

Genre: fantasy, fae, fiction

My Rating: 3 cups

Synopsis:

A curmudgeonly professor journeys to a small town in the far north to study faerie folklore and discovers dark fae magic, friendship, and love, in this heartwarming and enchanting fantasy.

Cambridge professor Emily Wilde is good at many things: She is the foremost expert on the study of faeries. She is a genius scholar and a meticulous researcher who is writing the world's first encyclopaedia of faerie lore. But Emily Wilde is not good at people. She could never make small talk at a party--or even get invited to one. And she prefers the company of her books, her dog, Shadow, and the Fair Folk to other people.

So when she arrives in the hardscrabble village of Hrafnsvik, Emily has no intention of befriending the gruff townsfolk. Nor does she care to spend time with another new arrival: her dashing and insufferably handsome academic rival Wendell Bambleby, who manages to charm the townsfolk, get in the middle of Emily's research, and utterly confound and frustrate her.

But as Emily gets closer and closer to uncovering the secrets of the Hidden Ones--the most elusive of all faeries--lurking in the shadowy forest outside the town, she also finds herself on the trail of another mystery: Who is Wendell Bambleby, and what does he really want? To find the answer, she'll have to unlock the greatest mystery of all--her own heart.

My Thoughts

Emily Wilde’s Encyclopedia of Faeries is a unique story that combines fantasy, mystery, history, and some romantic aspects. An academic inquiry into the world of the fae - be prepared for something completely different and outside the box.

"Remarkable?" I repeated.

"Well, it's never been done before, has it? An encyclopedia of faeries? This will form a cornerstone of all scholarship on the subject for years to come. Probably it will lead to the formation of new methodologies that will enhance our core understanding of the Folk."

Emily is an introverted researcher who travels in order to study faeries in an effort to compile an encyclopedia. It is written in a diary format which has its pros and cons and whilst the writing is good, it does get a little lost at times. Looking at reviews, people either loved or hated it! It was either magical or downright boring. What I can say is that it reads as a cosy fantasy, somewhat slow paced with quirky characters and a few abrupt occurrences that surprised me. I am not yet sure how I feel about it. I really wanted to like it as the premise is so inviting, especially the whole secrets of the Hidden Ones. Then it seemed to get lost within itself, convoluted and at times, quite dark. A strange mixture. 

This book is quite ambitious (it is book 1 as it will be part of a series) and is sure to appeal to many. It didn’t convince me but it had an understated charm that I found appealing. Readers who enjoy a slower academic fantasy, especially surrounding faerie mythology are sure to be on board.

‘The Folk cannot be understood. They live in accordance to whims and fancies and are little more than a series of contradictions. They have traditions, jealously guarded, but they follow them erratically. We can catalogue them and document their doings, but most scholars agree that true understanding is impossible.’

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

Review: The Empress of Time

Title: The Empress of Time

Book #2 The Keeper of Night duology

Author: Kylie Lee Baker

Publisher: 19th October 2022 by HQ Fiction Young Adult AU

Pages: 405 pages

Genre: fantasy, young adult, historical fiction

My Rating: 3.5 cups

Synopsis:

Half British Reaper, half Japanese Shinigami Ren Scarborough is no longer the girl who was chased out of England—she is the Goddess of Death ruling Japan’s underworld. But her problems have never been greater. Her Shinigami see her as a foreigner on the throne. Her brother, Neven, is gone, lost in the deep darkness. And her fiancé, Hiro, has been killed by her own hand.

Then Ren receives the most troubling news yet—Reapers have been spotted in Japan, and it’s only a matter of time before Ivy, now Britain’s Death Goddess, comes to claim her revenge.

Ren’s last hope is to appeal to the god of storms and seas, who can turn the tides to send Ivy’s ship away from Japan’s shores. But he’ll help Ren only if she finds a sword lost thousands of years ago—an impossible demand.

Together with the moon god Tsukuyomi, who shares an uncanny resemblance to his brother Hiro, Ren ventures across the country in a race against time. As her journey thrusts her into the middle of scheming gods and dangerous Yokai demons, Ren will have to learn who she can truly trust—and the fate of Japan hangs in the balance.

My Thoughts

The Empress of Time is the conclusion to Kylie Lee Baker's The Keeper of the Night duology. The story follows Ren Scarborough, who is half-British Reaper, half-Japanese Shinigami.

‘Deep down below the land of the living, in a place where light could not reach, I lived in a castle of shadows.’

I enjoyed the first book and was interested to see how Ren’s story would conclude. Readers were eager for this second book as book one had finished on such a cliffhanger. Most, including myself, were surprised that rather than picking up where it left off there was a huge time jump of many years. This was disconcerting. Although a little slow to start, the action picked up and ultimately bought the same feels as book one.

‘The night stole the parts of you that no one wanted- all your lies and broken promises and disappointments.’

The strong themes from book one continue - race, identity, neglect and acceptance - and it was satisfying that the author continued with Ren’s struggles in finding her place. The resolutions and conclusions were complete, so if you enjoyed book one it is worth your while finishing this duology.  On a personal note, I do feel that this second instalment did not have the same impact as the first. 

‘This is what love is …. love only became real when it was no longer easy. Like Death and time and darkness, it demanded payment, and I would give everything I had.’

If a weaving of Japanese folklore, mythology and dark fantasy appeals to you, be sure to check out this series. With concepts of the struggles of finding one’s place, especially for someone of mixed heritage, this is sure to speak to a wide YA audience. 

‘She had tried to live in the land where she was raised, and then the land where she was born, and finally the land that she had stolen. But every time, the soil dried up, the stars dimmed, and the tides retreated as if to say, This will never be yours. You are the queen of nowhere, and you deserve nothing.’

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.