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bethpeninger's review against another edition
3.0
United States Publication: January 14, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Del Rey for this advanced reader's copy. In exchange, I am providing an honest review.
Hana Ishikawa inherited her family pawnshop upon her father's retirement. This isn't your traditional pawnshop; it only appears to those who need it and specializes in allowing people to pawn their life choices and deepest regrets. When she wakes up on her first day of being totally in charge, she finds the pawn shop in disarray and a choice someone pawned missing. Stunned and in shock, Hana is unsure what to do when a stranger enters the shop. Mistaking him for a customer, Hana is surprised to find out he wandered in without a need to pawn a choice, and he's surprised to find himself not in the ramen restaurant he was hoping to be in. When he notices her predicament, he offers his help, and to her surprise, she agrees. What follows is a fantastical adventure that bends his scientific mind and exposes her quandary over the kind of life she is living.
This is a really imaginative book. It did not go the way I thought it was going to. That is, I didn't expect the fantastical adventure Hana and her stranger go on or the story that unfolds as a result. I didn't really like the book the further I got into it. I felt the longer the story went on, the more it dragged. I also had to re-read certain parts to ensure I understood the intricacies of the story unfolding. The rating is for the imagination and work it took for Yambao to create the characters and storyline she did.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Del Rey for this advanced reader's copy. In exchange, I am providing an honest review.
Hana Ishikawa inherited her family pawnshop upon her father's retirement. This isn't your traditional pawnshop; it only appears to those who need it and specializes in allowing people to pawn their life choices and deepest regrets. When she wakes up on her first day of being totally in charge, she finds the pawn shop in disarray and a choice someone pawned missing. Stunned and in shock, Hana is unsure what to do when a stranger enters the shop. Mistaking him for a customer, Hana is surprised to find out he wandered in without a need to pawn a choice, and he's surprised to find himself not in the ramen restaurant he was hoping to be in. When he notices her predicament, he offers his help, and to her surprise, she agrees. What follows is a fantastical adventure that bends his scientific mind and exposes her quandary over the kind of life she is living.
This is a really imaginative book. It did not go the way I thought it was going to. That is, I didn't expect the fantastical adventure Hana and her stranger go on or the story that unfolds as a result. I didn't really like the book the further I got into it. I felt the longer the story went on, the more it dragged. I also had to re-read certain parts to ensure I understood the intricacies of the story unfolding. The rating is for the imagination and work it took for Yambao to create the characters and storyline she did.
a_little_bookwyrm's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
chrissy22's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
A whimsical, Studio Ghibli vibe throughout. The world-building was descriptive enough that I could picture everything. The writing was lyrical. I did think the characters and their growth could’ve been more fleshed out and their development more poignant. I feel it could have had more adult themes when it came to development. I also deducted points for it being insta-love. It happened way too quickly without any build or struggle which made this, along with not enough risk taken for character development, feel more YA than adult. I also thing climax and main conflict could’ve been more fleshed out given how it was so centered throughout the plot. A lot happened off page.
Overall, did really enjoy this book. It was magical.
Overall, did really enjoy this book. It was magical.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Blood, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Cancer and Abortion
kindredbooks's review against another edition
4.0
This fantasy other world with all its secrets and magic will take you away, carried away by paper cranes and chased by monsters. Definitely some Spirited Away vibes here that I appreciated.
aubreyv's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
4.0
nofy's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
woahnellie's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
this book was so interesting! it wasn’t quite what i expected and because it was told in vignettes there were some moments that i felt moved too fast. but i loved the world building and i thought it was such a fresh and interesting world to dive (quite literally) into
emmyrandomreport's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This book was very interesting. Just when you think you have a grasp of the world something new happens and changes that world.