When you look at the moon hanging above you in the night sky, what do you see? 

Cheese? A face staring back at you? A timepiece? The home of a rabbit? The smile of The Cheshire Cat? A werewolf’s bane? The root cause of lunacy? The source of oceanic currents and waves? An unwitting participant in the Cold War’s Space Race? 1 of 293 natural satellites orbiting the seven planets in our solar system? (Yes, I’m including Pluto and its moons in this count.)

Or do you see the moon as an integral player within the interconnected celestial bodies visible from our limited vantage point on the earth’s surface, which, through their movements, influences your life?  

Unsurprisingly, it’s this last entry that concerns The Full Moon Coffee Shop. It’s the lens by which the unique proprietors of this roaming establishment interpret the world and the lives of those who find themselves partaking of their unparalleled bill of fare and advice. 

Whilst The Full Moon Coffee Shop isn’t a mystery in the traditional sense — it is mysterious, not because of the lens of understanding used by those working at the cafe (that’s merely the foil by which the plot moves forward), but what connects this particular string of patrons together.

What I love even better about The Full Moon Coffee Shop is that you don’t need to subscribe to its particular worldview to enjoy the book. All you need to do is accept it as their POV, and the rest unfolds beautifully before your eyes. 

Let me tell you, after inhaling all 228 pages (several times), I understand why The Full Moon Coffee Shop was translated into English from its original Japanese. It’s a first-rate read. I would recommend The Full Moon Coffee Shop to anyone needing an engaging, delightful, and/or gentle read right now.