It’s not really due to their relationship either. The characters are who they are, and while they do face challenges through the story, it’s never due to their identities. This is a big reason why the book is so comfortable. Who these characters are, how they fit into society, is never a source of conflict. The identities of the characters in this book are important, but they’re identities that these characters are also comfortable with. Both the main characters, Nova and Tam, are queer Chinese Americans. When I say that “Mooncakes” feels safe, part of that is because of how inclusive a book this is. The story follow her reuniting with an old crush of hers, Tam, the a genderqueer werewolf that is fighting a demon in the forest. “Mooncakes” main character is Nova, a young witch who lives with her lesbian grandmothers. By the end, it feels nice to just be in the same world as these characters, to see them interact, to happy and comfortable in their presence. The book, over the course of its two-hundred-and-fifty pages, is a great exercise in creating a space that feels warm, welcome, and inviting.

And I don’t mean either of those in a negative way. The two words that best describe “Mooncakes” are safe and comfortable. Their latent feelings are rekindled against the backdrop of witchcraft, untested magic, occult rituals, and family ties both new and old in this enchanting tale of self-discovery. Pursued by dark forces eager to claim the magic of wolves and out of options, Tam turns to Nova for help. As a werewolf, Tam has been wandering from place to place for years, unable to call any town home. One fateful night, she follows reports of a white wolf into the woods, and she comes across the unexpected: her childhood crush, Tam Lang, battling a horse demon in the woods. She works at her grandmothers’ bookshop, where she helps them loan out spell books and investigate any supernatural occurrences in their New England town. Nova Huang knows more about magic than your average teen witch. A story of love and demons, family and witchcraft.

Mooncakes by suzanne walker