Would you rewrite your destiny if it meant losing a part of your past?

On a back street in Tokyo lies a pawnshop, but not everyone can find it.

Most will see only a cosy ramen restaurant. And just the chosen ones – those who are lost – will find a place to pawn their life choices and deepest regrets.

Hana Ishikawa wakes on her first morning as the pawnshop’s new owner to find it ransacked, the shop’s most precious acquisition stolen, and her father missing. And then into the shop stumbles a charming stranger, quite unlike other customers. For he offers help, instead of seeking it.

Together, they must journey through a mystical world to find Hana’s father and the stolen choice – through rain puddles, hitching rides on paper cranes, across the bridge between midnight and morning, and through a night market in the clouds.

But as they get closer to the truth, Hana must reveal a secret of her own – and risk making a choice she will never be able to take back.

Step into the captivating and romantic fantasy novel that will sweep you away on an unforgettable adventure – perfect for fans of Studio Ghibli, Erin Morgenstern, and Before the Coffee Gets Cold!

This was my first time reading anything by this author, and while I did enjoy parts of the story, overall, it ended up being a bit disappointing for me. I went into this hoping for so much more, but it fell short in several ways. I listened to the audiobook, and while the narrator did a decent job, I found that this story was difficult to fully follow in audio format alone. There were so many themes, messages, and dreamlike sequences that some scenes became hard to visualize or fully grasp while listening. I think my experience would’ve been much better if I had either followed along with a physical or digital copy or read the book traditionally instead of relying solely on the audiobook.

As for the content, there’s no language and only one mild spice scene, though honestly, it felt a little out of place for a cozy fantasy. I’d personally rate this one at one pepper.

This is definitely a slower-paced story, which I normally don’t mind, but the pacing here felt disjointed at times. I kept waiting for something major to happen, then something finally would, only for the story to slow down again shortly after. That said, I did appreciate the short chapters because they kept the book moving at a steady pace overall. I also went into this expecting more of a magical adventure and less of a romance-focused story. Because it’s a cozy fantasy, the adventure elements stayed fairly low stakes, but I personally wanted a little more tension, conflict, and emotional weight.

Unfortunately, I also didn’t care much for the romance. I never really felt the chemistry between the couple, and it leaned too heavily into insta-love and insta-lust, which is a trope I’ve never enjoyed. There wasn’t enough time for the relationship to develop naturally, so the romance ended up feeling forced to me. I honestly think the story would’ve been stronger if it had focused more on the fantasy elements instead. I also wanted deeper character development and growth, but because the story prioritized the main plot and themes, the characters themselves didn’t feel as fleshed out as I had hoped.

That said, there were still many things I genuinely loved about this story. The world itself was incredibly magical, whimsical, and creative. It honestly felt like watching a Studio Ghibli film, especially something like Spirited Away, mixed with a Japanese version of The Twilight Zone. The story takes readers through so many strange and imaginative adventures that it ended up feeling like a very unique reading experience. The imagery and world-building were absolutely stunning, filled with dreamlike settings and surreal moments. At times, though, it almost became too dreamy, too artistic, and too philosophical, to the point where it started feeling like a fever dream, which occasionally made it difficult to follow or fully visualize. Still, I really appreciated the Japanese mythology, folklore, and cultural influences woven throughout the story.

At its core, this story explores the choices we make, the regrets we carry, and how we learn to live with both. There were a lot of relatable and universal themes throughout the book, and I can absolutely see this being the kind of story readers revisit multiple times and discover new meanings with each reread.

Overall, while there were many individual aspects of this story that I truly enjoyed, the book as a whole ended up being somewhat disappointing for me. Even so, I would consider rereading it someday to see how it resonates a second time around and what new messages might stand out to me. There is potential here.

If the premise sounds interesting to you and you enjoy cozy fantasy stories that are whimsical, highly imaginative, and don’t mind narratives that feel surreal and fever-dream-like at times, then I still think this could work really well for you. I’d also be interested in trying more books by this author to see if her other stories connect with me more.