Küsse unter Kirschblüten - Tokyo Ever After

Tokyo Ever After #1

by Emiko Jean, Katarina Ganslandt (Translator)

Izumi Tanaka siempre se ha sentido fuera de lugar -realmente no es fácil ser una chica americana de origen japonés en el pueblecito más remoto de Carolina del Norte-. Izumi, Izzy, ha crecido con su madre y juntas son un equipo inseparable. Pero cuando Izzy descubre una pista sobre quién podría ser su padre, a quien no ha conocido nunca#, su vida cambiará como nunca se podría haber imaginado convirtiéndose en la princesa heredera de Japón.

Pero ser princesa no será el perfecto cuento de hadas: primas conspiradoras, una prensa acosadora, un guardaespaldas guapo pero ceñudo que podría ser su alma gemela, y miles de años de tradición y costumbres que tendrá que aprender prácticamente de la noche a la mañana.

Izzy pronto se encontrará atrapada entre dos mundos y entre diferentes versiones de sí misma. ¿Se derrumbará bajo el peso de la corona o vivirá su cuento de hadas?

¿Cuál de los dos caminos tendrá un final feliz?

Genres: Romance, Young Adult, Contemporary, Fiction, Audiobook, Japan, Royalty

400 pages

First published May 18, 2021

About the author

Emiko Jean is a New York Times best-selling author of adult and young adult fiction.Her books have been published in over thirty languages. Her work has been featured on Good Morning America as a GMA book club pick, by Reese Witherspoon as a young adult book club pick, and in publications such as: Marie Claire, Entertainment Weekly, Time, Cosmopolitan, Shondaland and Bustle. She lives in Washington with her husband and two kids.

Reviews

[Hailey (Hailey in Bookland)]

I was soooo excited for this book and I'm so glad I wasn't disappointed! This was everything I wanted and more. Rich in Japanese culture, I was totally transported alongside Izumi as she learns she is actually a princess. She comes to know her father and also assume the role in a monarchy and culture that she is still learning about. She has to deal with the scrutiny of the press, and with a blooming romance between her and her guard. This was fun, light, fluffy, and heart warming, and just so dang good. I loved Izumi and how she took everything in stride. I felt like she had a positive outlook on things which was nice. I liked the direction the story took with her father. I expected that relationship to be rocky but it was lovely to see how he took in Izumi as if he had known about her her whole life. The romance is kind of an enemies to friends to lovers deal and it was a lot of fun to read. It is kind of insta love-ish, but I think it worked in this situation. I just honestly had a blast reading this. It had a lot of characters you couldn't help but love, seeing Izumi's friends bolster her in difficult situations, seeing her mom caring for her, and her father ultimately, it was a book that kept me smiling. There isn't a ton of conflict, though there is definitely enough to keep the plot going, but I liked how it was a more joyful read. Definitely a book to pick up when you need something heartwarming!

[Nilufer Ozmekik · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh well this is amazing combination of Princess Diaries and Crazy Rich Asians; a Japanese American teenage girl finds out the father she never met is coming from royal family! Actually he’s freaking crown prince of Japan ! Now her two different worlds will be collided into each other. Could she fit in the both parts without feeling like a true outsider?

Izumi is quick witted, entertaining, so much sympathetic character you may truly relate with! When she has been raised in Northern California by single mom, she already felt how to be an outsider in her secluded, tiny, mostly white community. And now she flies to Japan to fill her responsibilities as a princess but firstly she has to learn the rules of being a royal to get the approval of her ancestors!

And when you add forbidden love into equation with lots of entertaining supporting characters, this book turns into one of the most enjoyable read& chill feel good journeys!

Even though there are some plot holes, undeveloped dialogues between the characters and too insta love between the MCs, I still enjoyed this soft, funny, heartwarming, swoon, sweet romance and self discovery story!

Gather your refreshments and munchies, dive into this heartfelt journey to have relaxing, quality reading time!

I’m delightfully rounding up 3.5 stars to 4 crown, hot bodyguard, loss in translation, multi cultural interest stars!

Special thanks to NetGalley and Flatiron Books for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.

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[jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

what a cute, light-hearted story! the pitch is spot-on when it says this is ‘crazy rich asians’ meets ‘the princess diaries.’ and i would even add in ‘what a girl wants’ - it actually even borrows the iconic “born to stand out” line from the movie. so naturally, i loved this! lol.

other than being set in japan, i cant exactly say this book adds anything new to the stories previously mentioned. which didnt bother me as i enjoy all of the tropes used in them - girl finds out shes royalty, falls for the brooding bodyguard, tries to fit in but realises shes fine just the way she is and lives happily ever after.

its a classic YA story. one that is quick, adorable, and has me looking forward to the sequel!

↠ 4 stars

[Katy Jean Vance · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think there will be a lot of teenagers, probably American ones, who will really enjoy this novel. It’s the dream of finding out you’re somehow special and then when you don’t measure up, finding out that you’re actually fine just the way you are. Being celebrated for mediocrity in fact! Who doesn’t like that?

As a person living in Japan, there were some parts that just didn’t ring true. Izumi was in Japan for such a short time, so it’s really impossible that her language learning practice started with painting kanji. Hiragana first, katakana second, kanji a distant third. Dorayaki are made with anko, bean paste. They are delicious, but they aren’t made with Nutella. There was just something about the FEEL of it that felt like it’s written by someone who’s never been here.

As a reader, I had a hard time believing the start of the story. I know I need to suspend disbelief in a “turns out I’m a Princess” story, but the mom just turned around and let her go to Japan to see her ex-lover without even a conversation? Izumi flew all the way to Japan without even cracking the prep book sent to her? I don’t believe it for a second. Yes, she’s painted as a bit of a lazy, go with the flow teenager, but I think the complete lack of preparation for her visit is in contrast to her supposed extreme interest in meeting her father. I also think it’s a little insulting to teenagers. They’re not this... apathetic. I know. I teach them. These two things happen so early on in the story, by the way, that I don't think this qualifies as a spoiler. Finally, the secondary characters were all charming but felt like foils for Izumi rather than fully realized individuals.

But you know what? We have a ton of fluffy romance novels lacking in substances with white girls who discover their European royalty as the main character. Nothing wrong with a fluffy romance lacking in substance with an Asian girl discovering she’s Japanese royalty.

If I were in America, I would buy this book for my students because my quibbles with cultural accuracy are just that: quibbles. For my students in Japan though? Probably not.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay 🥰 This was a super cute, commoner turned princess, story. I was reminiscent of The Princess Diaries throughout. ❤️ It’s definitely predictable, but also very enjoyable. Definitely worth picking up! 👍

[— Massiel]

Y'all can I marry a cover? This cover is everything I ask for and didn't know.

[Emma☀️ · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a case of “it’s not you, it’s me”. I appreciated the representation and the exploration of identity but I was not invested in the story or characters.

[Avery · Rating 4 out of 5]

“I don't have an American half and a Japanese half. I am a whole person. Nobody gets to tell me if I am Japanese enough or too American.”

this was like the Princess Diaries and I ADORE the Princess Diaries, and it's a coincidence that I just rewatched those movies!

but anywho, I had decent expectations for this because it sounded something that I'd really like, and they were met! It was so funny and cute, but also could be serious.

The Plot

The plot was pretty fast-paced, which was nice, and I loved how the beginning went by quickly, like we didn't have to wait too long to find out that Izumi's the princess. Some things did progress quicker than I'd have liked, but I didn't excessively hate them to the point that I had to complain about it. But: I will say, some things that happen don't seem very realistic. The mom lets Izumi go go quickly (though I suppose it just depends on your parents), and just some other things that happened I don't understand (you can tell that I don't have another example to give 🤪)

I also liked how the more serious topics were handled, like how Izumi didn't feel like she belonged in her small town, and she was trying to find where she did belong, and that journey was just so fun and interesting to follow.

I loved the Japanese culture that was all throughout this book, and when they were exploring the cities. I've always wanted to go to Japan, it sounds gorgeous.

Also, this was also so funny. I smiled a lot and even laughed out loud a few times. Izumi and her friends were hilarious, especially Noora.

“I used to think the world belonged to me. But I was wrong. I belong to the world. And sometimes … I guess sometimes, our choices have to reflect that.”

The Characters

I loved Izumi as a character. Yes, she did annoy me a few times, but most characters do, no matter how much I love them. She made rational decisions most of the time, and I love how she never stopped being herself, even when she was supposed to be acting like a princess and using royal etiquette. I also really loved her friends. They were all so unique and Noora was definitely my favorite of them.

I also really liked Akio. He was cold and stiff at first, as the stereotypical bodyguard, but as he grew to care about Izumi, his armor crumbled and he was so cute. I also LOVED how loyal he was, not just to Izumi, but to his job and country as well.

I also loved the side characters. A certain side character I did love until SOMETHING came up, so that's disappointing.

“Shout out to all the girls who apologize too much.”

The Romance

Now, here's my main issue (this seems to be a reoccurring theme lately)

I liked how it wasn't VERY insta-love. Like they didn't just see each other and were like "wow I'm in love with that person," I'm glad that they fought the feelings of attraction, but I feel like they gave into them way too quickly. Like, if there's gonna be an enemies to lovers, you gotta COMMIT to the enemies to lovers. Also, they were very devoted to each other, like very unrealistically devoted to each other, so much so that it was like nothing else mattered to them.

Anyways, I'm just glad that it wasn't too bad of an insta-love, because I have read much worse, so thankfully I just enjoyed the romance for how cute it was 🥰

“Now I understand
How lonely the sun must be”

the poems they sent each other were so cute

So overall, I really enjoyed this! It was really cute and fun and a great book to read if you're bored and need to pass the time!

4 stars

“Feelings are a real son of a bitch.”

<><><><><><><>
This was so fun and cute, just what I wanted

Rtc

[Booktastically Amazing · Rating 4 out of 5]

~Special thanks to Netgalley and Flatiron Books for giving me the opportunity to receive an ARC of this book~

This was a partially tepid read.
-Booksy, 2021

Rating: 👑👑👑👑 4.2 luscious crowns.

Hello, and be welcomed into another episode of
*talk show music*
Books That I Thought Would Be Amazing But That Turned Out Being A Slight Disappointment (or B.T.I.T.W.B.A.B.T.T.O.B.A.S.D for short)

Yes, I am aware that I always set my expectations inhumanly high, and that most times it is utterly my fault as to why I disliked the book, but hear me out. The whole story just SCREAMED Rom Com deliciousness waiting to happen and my brain being the bootiful specimen it is, obviously made it clear what I was walking into. I just- I had a humongous amount of hope set on this. Alas, that hope was stomped down in the final parts of this story.

Now, I shall talk about the good things first, as I seldom do.

The thing is, the writing was amazing. Relatable and so full of life, pungent in its realism, magnificent in its roots *intense hand motions because Booksy doesn't know what else to say*, beautiful in its facade. Truly amazing. One of the things I love most, gowns down, is that it wasn't perfect. It didn't STRIVE to be perfect, which is AMAZING. Since all YA books have plenty of metaphors that I absolutely adore, but I wasn't in the mood for it, at the time in which I was reading this. So thank you, dear book. For not disappointing me more. *smiles in petty*

The next thing on the list... *frantically checks said list* THE PLOT. Sorry, didn't mean to scream it.
*whispering* The plot.

It was fantastic. I know, SuRpRiSiNg. Perhaps I have read books with the same premise about a thousand times, perhaps the story has been repeated in so many instances it has ingrained itself into my memory. And PERHAPS, I am that same moron who always comes back to the nest. AKA, cheesy YA books that make me feel all fuzzy and warm and full of will to continue on (which I adore). Predictable at times? Absolutely. But you bet your fancy tiara I read through the night to finish it (and although it isn't a rare occurrence, I still lost sleep over it. Consider yourself lucky, TEA).
And a little tip, betrayal is in the midst.
(NOT A SPOILER, I SWEAR)

The characters

Oh, the beautiful characters. I can sincerely say that I was pleasantly bamboozled by the preciousness instigated by them. And since I can't go into detail (bring me my coffin, porfavor) I shall limit myself to gracefully trip through all the wires surrounding them.

The MC was wonderful.
Wonderully weird, and I'll be the first to tell y'all, I call dibs as BFF. And throw her off a cliff. *sweet grin*
But of course, I shall throw her off a 4 foot cliff, I'm not a savage you know. I shall explain myself a bit since I called dibs as her BFF and feel the need to do so.
Izumi was really kind (which I hated so much at times)
She was extremely fun and out of the roof speshul.
But, BUT (and not Kim K's) she. cried. so. much. And was more indicisive than ME. And that's saying a LOT. (the other day I couldn't decide between wearing a black satin dress or a midnight black dress. The pAiN)
And that annoyed me to the end of this frail ecosystem of ours. Yes, she was cool. Yes, she had the best friends a girl could ever ask for. And also yes, slight annoyance made itself present in her existence.

Closing the curtain on her, as previously stated, her friends were to die for. I would die for them. Fictionally. But I would die for them nonetheless. I adore how that the author actually gave the secondary characters PERSONALITY. I can't y'all-
I need a second-
*rigorous nose blowing*
They had PERSONALITIES. Which I could DIFFERENTIATE. That's it. That's all I can say about them without becoming a blubbering fool (don't you even say it, I know I'm a blubbering fool. I've accepted it)

(The Love interest doesn't exist in Ba Sing Sae)

And because I love a little rant here and there, ON TO THE THINGS I DIDN'T LIKE VERY MUCH OR SAW ANY USE, TO BE HONEST.

The love scheme (I've become slightly tired of repeating that the romance is crap) was the thing that brought this down.
0 to 100 real quick. WHERE WAS THE BUILD-UP.
THE TENSION.
WHERE-
Oh I know, right beside my 2nd grade drawings.
In the trash.
*more petty smiling*

On a closing note, even though it was a bit tepid and overly cliche. I REALLY enjoyed it. The story was interesting, the characters were precious and the drama was *queen's kiss* Perfection, dahling. I wish I could've said that the book as a whole was a masterpiece alas, it was missing something. A tea was awaiting to be mixed into this. Said tea being named, a different love int-

I truly recommend this to those who love a good romance once in a while, ones who want their heart to go into overdrive at times. If you like a fast read, full of drama and funny analogies and even better Tokyo sights and language, this is totally for you. And of course, Princess Diaries lovers. Oh, Oh! And laughs. Laughter is a good definition of how this story made me cackle at the wee hours in the morning. You are the real friend, dear pillow.

P.S: *starts fancily accented writing*

Dear Long lost uncle...
Even though you may not know me, nor I may not exist to you. Or vice versa.
I just wanted to bare my heart for a single moment and say

where the heck is my crown-

Vaguely thought out data graph. I have a little obsession with those things these days.

[aly ☆彡 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easily 5/5 stars!

To think I refused to read this because the cover is not enticing enough is disreputable! When will I learn to not judge a book by it's cover? Probably never.

This Princess' Diaries retelling is amazing and everything I could ask for in the royal trope.

RTC

[Rachel L · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was basically The Princess Diaries in Japan and I loved every single second of it.

Izumi Tanaka grew up in a small town in Northern California, never feeling like she ever fit in. When she decides to seek out her father whose identity was unknown to her. She discovers much to her shock, that he is the crown prince of Japan, making her a princess. Whisked away to Japan, Izumi is ecstatic to learn her roots and get to know her family. But there's a lot that goes into being a princess, will Izumi be able to handle it?

I feel like this book is everything a YA novel should be. Awkward teenagers? Check. Self identity crisis? Check. Romance with a hot bodyguard you initially hate? Check. Family drama? Double check. I loved Izumi as a main character and I think so many teens can relate to not feeling you belong like she did, no matter what your situation. Her enemies to friends to lovers romance with her bodyguard was so much fun. Overall a big win and I am ready to jump into the second book.

[CW ✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read my full review on my book blog, The Quiet Pond.

When I was a little kid and after watching The Princess Diaries, I had a childish dream and wished that I was a secret princess of a faraway kingdom. Reading this book was like wish fulfillment - Tokyo Ever After (and it's royal/bodyguard romance) literally had me screaming into a pillow because it was just so delightful and just so. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA. MY HEART OVERFLOWING WITH HEARTS AND RAINBOWS.

- Follows Izumi, a Japanese-American teen who lives with her solo mother, who discovers that she's actually a secret Japanese princess. In her search to learn more about her heritage and family, Izumi follows her father, the Crown Prince, back to Japan and confronts what it means to be royalty.
- This book is so sweet and silly and is absolutely not to be taken too seriously. This is the sort of book that you curl up with on a rainy day, to feel the sunshine and warmth of first love, self-discovery, and silly shenanigans.
- The family aspect of this book is so sweet. I loved Izumi's feminist mother, her shy and hesitant father who is really trying to do his best. The parental bonds that Izumi has with both parents is different - but I really enjoyed it.
- The romance. Oh my god, the ROMANCE. The royal/bodyguard romance was just so fluffy and ridiculous and silly. If you love super tropey stuff with no unwanted surprises, you'll find this really satisfying.
- I honestly had the best time reading this. I had so much fun and I just felt the sugary goodness of this book. Reading this book was such a wonderful and memorable experiences and is one of my favourite books this year.

Content warning: alcohol consumption, invasions of privacy

[Bella · Rating 4 out of 5]

first book in 2-3 months to give me that "i can't put this down" feeling and i'm feeling !!!!!!

[emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Pretty sweet and a great light read. The author tried to avoid the insta-love trope, and it ended up actually being totally insta-lovey but worse because the author tried not to make it too cringey, thus making it cringier. If that makes sense to anyone. :P

[Melissa ♥ Dog/Wolf Lover ♥ Martin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Super cute! Beautiful cover!! Great audio narration!

Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾

[Melanie (meltotheany)]

this is going to be everything

Blog | Instagram | Twitter | Tumblr | Youtube | Twitch

[anna ୨୧ · Rating 3 out of 5]

˗ˏˋ 𝓽𝓸𝓴𝔂𝓸 𝓮𝓿𝓮𝓻 𝓪𝓯𝓽𝓮𝓻



·˚ ◌༘͙ 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒕𝒔! ⋆｡🕯. -ʚɞ

{𝟑 ☆’𝒔}
{𝒑𝒂𝒈𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒕: 𝟑𝟏𝟓}
{𝟐𝒏𝒅 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅 𝒐𝒇 𝑱𝒖𝒍𝒚}
{𝒈𝒆𝒏𝒓𝒆: 𝒚𝒂 𝒓𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆}

˚ ◌༘♡ ⋆｡˚ ꕥ


~ 🍡 this was really lighthearted and fluffy + a great palette cleanser! <3



~ 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈/𝒑𝒍𝒐𝒕~ 🍡

╰┈➤ this was just what i needed in between me reading “a little life” it was fast paced and fun! I think it was cringey at times but that’s ya ig 😭 it really did deliver on the crazy rich asians and the princess diaries comparison! this follows our fmc Izumi or “Izzy” when she finds out her dad is the crown prince of Japan and naturally she becomes the princess. we follow her through figuring out how to be a princess and finding new friends + romance 🤭 it’s the typical ya stereotype for a coming of age novel. one thing i really liked is how we explore the Japanese culture! i was so hungry when i was reading this book lmao it made me crave Japanese food 😭 hence the dango 🤭 the setting is in Tokyo obviously, but it was so atmospheric i loved it!


~ 𝒊𝒛𝒛𝒚 ~ 🍡

╰┈➤ she was fine ig 😭 sometimes she had no common sense but other than that she’s okay. she could be cringey but i’m not going to fault her too bad for that bc this is ya 😭 i didn’t really care about her and akio’s romance 🙀


~ 𝒂𝒌𝒊𝒐 ~ 🍡

╰┈➤ going to be completely honest i forgot his name and had to check what it was 😭 i liked him at first but then it kinda just went downhill. he gave me the ick with all the poems he was writing and i couldn’t get over the fact that he nicknamed Izzy “radish” 😭 lmfao i couldn’t take him seriously after that 😭 anywho i don’t like him 😇


~ 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒎𝒐𝒎 & 𝒅𝒂𝒅 ~ 🍡

╰┈➤ yes i’m making a whole separate section for her mom and dad. honestly i would’ve loved to see a romance between them! their tension??? it was so much better than the actual romance in the book 🧍‍♀️



~ 𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒔 ~ 🍡

╰┈➤ if you want a quick fluffy read i recommend! also i really liked this one character he gave me kenji vibes but then something happened and now idk how i feel 😭 i hope he redeems himself in the next book.

˚ ◌༘♡ ⋆｡˚ ꕥ



ೃ⁀➷ 𝙖 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙥𝙡𝙚 𝙦𝙪𝙤𝙩𝙚𝙨:


・❥・”𝑰𝒏 𝒎𝒚 𝒐𝒘𝒏 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆, 𝑰’𝒗𝒆 𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒃𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒓𝒐𝒍𝒆. 𝑰 𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒅𝒐𝒏’𝒕 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒓 𝒑𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓. 𝑾𝒂𝒔𝒏’𝒕 𝒃𝒐𝒓𝒏 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒊𝒕. 𝑰’𝒗𝒆 𝒂𝒍𝒘𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒃𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒂 𝒔𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒌𝒊𝒄𝒌. 𝑴𝒚 𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒖𝒍𝒂𝒓 𝒑𝒖𝒓𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒆 𝒊𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒐𝒍𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒐𝒆𝒔, 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒚 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒂𝒄𝒌𝒈𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒎𝒂𝒚𝒃𝒆, 𝒊𝒏 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒃𝒊𝒈 𝒐𝒏- 𝒔𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒎𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕, 𝒔𝒂𝒄𝒓𝒊𝒇𝒊𝒄𝒆 𝒎𝒚 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒈𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒈𝒐𝒐𝒅.”

・❥・“𝒀𝒐𝒖�� 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒐𝒏𝒍𝒚 𝒃𝒆 𝒂𝒔 𝒃𝒊𝒈 𝒂𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒓 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒊𝒕 𝒊𝒏.”

˚ ◌༘♡ ⋆｡˚ ꕥ




➳ 𝒓𝒕𝒄! -༉‧₊˚✧ 3 🌟 this was fun! a little bit too ya at times but it was enjoyable.


ೃ⁀➷ 𝓹𝓻𝓮-𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓭: i need something a little more lighthearted to read alongside ‘a little life‘ 😭 apparently this is a mix of the princess diaries and crazy rich asians!! 🤭 i’m immediately invested.

[Melissa (Semi Hiatus Until After the Holidays) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars, rounded up
This is a delightful and enjoyable young adult novel. Kind of a Princess Diaries for today's generation--a fairy tale story wrapped in romance wrapped in an exploration of race and fitting into culture. It's a fresh take on a very familiar storyline, so don't let the synopsis make you shy away from it. Emiko Jean's writing is stellar and will keep readers engaged with the plot in a new way.

I loved Izumi/Izzy, she's snarky and funny, yet also vulnerable and tender-hearted at the same time. Her group of friends is everything and their banter made the book all the more fun. Izzy was raised in Northern California by a single mom, and quite by accident she discovers the identity of her father--who is the crown prince of Japan and doesn't know she exists. In a whirlwind, she is whisked off to meet him and get immersed in his world. She never felt like she fit in as an Asian in America, but she also doesn't feel like she fits in as an American Asian in Japan. She connects with her bodyguard and some sparks fly between them--but is the romance real?

I was honestly surprised that I enjoyed this book as much as I did. I think that Izzy's vulnerability and desire to create her own path through such unfamiliar territory made me love her as a character and root for her success within some out-of-this-world circumstances. The romance was not as strong as I would have liked, but overall I can forgive that. Like I said, I did appreciate the exploration of Izzy being caught between two different worlds. I almost wish that this book would have been written a bit later and addressed more of the Anti-Asian backlash that has been occurring recently. But this is not that book, so moving past that, it's a sweet romance that will put a smile on your face.

Sequel Tokyo Dreaming coming out next year! So excited to experience more of Izzy's life.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.

[Shealea · Rating 1 out of 5]

As a diehard fan of the The Princess Diaries, I immediately included Tokyo Ever After on my list of most anticipated 2021 book releases.

It's an honor to be able to read this book early, and it is a shame that I'm writing a less-than-glowing review. Here are my initial thoughts:

📌 My feelings for this book can be summed up with a single emoji: 😬

📌 As much as I hate comparing AOC-authored books to their white counterparts, I think Tokyo Ever After would have greatly benefited if it was expanded into a series, much like The Princess Diaries.

📌 This book had so much potential and it could've really been a game-changer for YA contemporary. But unfortunately, much of this story, especially its plot points, were not fully actualized.
- Izumi's character development felt rushed and heavy-handed.
- Character relationships were weakly established, while others just didn't come across as genuine and organic. Particularly the bodyguard romance.
- Many of the plot resolutions are delivered in a way that makes them contrived and unsatisfactory.
- Generally, the pacing missed its mark.

I'm leaving this unrated for now, because I'm not too sure if I can confidently recommend it to other readers.

Disclosure: I received a digital ARC of Tokyo Ever After from its publisher (via NetGalley) in exchange for an honest review.

🌻🍃 More bookish content on Shut up, Shealea 🍃🌻
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[Tatiana]

20% DNF. I understand why people like this (princess and her bodyguard have a "thing" going on), but the only aspect of this book that ended up interesting me was Japan and its imperial family. Everything else was bland and boring, particularly the characters - which is, when reading a contemporary romance is a no-go for me. So I went ahead and listened to a 24-lecture Great Course on understanding Japan instead, as any normal reader would do, right?

[nay ୨୧ · Rating 3 out of 5]

ꕀ﹒🎏 〈3.25 stars 〉𖦹 ya romance, contemporary
now playing —— one way to tokyo by honne ↻

⌗ Izumi who founds out her unknown father is none other than the Crown Prince of Japan, travels to Japan to meet the father she’s never known of and discover the country she always dreams of. In Japan she meets hungry press, conniving cousins, a bodyguard who might just be her soulmate, and thousand years of traditions to learn overnight.
⌗ this is for : lovers of princess diaries and gossip columns, entertaining and fun fmc, the setting of japan, and my asian girlies who grew up in predominantly white communities 🫶🏻

❛ For all the girls who lead with their hearts❜

as someone who grew up having ‘princess diaries’ on repeat to watch on the tv, i liked this book as to how similar it is to the movie and it just felt like i was re-experiencing a story i have always loved but with a japan setting 🤍

the humorous writing combined with the fun and entertaining fmc that is Izumi made this such a fun little book to read, and i love that there is a gossip column part and the name ‘tokyo tattler’ is so smart and cute!!

❛ In my own life, I’ve never been the leading role. I just don’t have that star power. Wasn’t born with it. I’ve always been a sidekick. My singular purpose is to bolster heroes, stay in the background, and maybe, in one big on-screen moment, sacrifice my life for the greater good❜

i thought that this book felt more coming-of-age and finding-your-own-identity focused rather than the romance and i liked that. for the romance, imo it felt sudden, and even though there WAS some buildup but i still thought it was moving pretty fast, or maybe i’m just a slowburn freak idk 😔 maybe i AM the problem??

❛ ”Where do I fit in, then?”
“Well,” Noora says. “I’m not sure, but I think you fit pretty well next to me … and Glory and Hansani, but mostly me, because I’m the best.” She grins. “That’s something, right?”❜

i love the friendship Izumi has with her friends back in mount shasta! the fact that i can feel the love they have for each other through mostly only text messages in this book is amazing. female friendships are always so so special to me in any book 🫶🏻 idk what’s wrong with me but for the romance books i’ve read lately, i’ve liked the friendships more than the romance lol 😭

彡🎏 finished 11/7/24 𖦹 .. ✶

[Jessica (Odd and Bookish) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I give this book 4.5 stars which rounds up to 5.

This was such a cute read!

The premise is everything. A Japanese American girl discovering she is a princess? Yes please! As a whole, I thought the premise was well executed. There was a good balance between the humorous adjusting to royal parts and the more serious discovering who she is parts.

I really liked that the book included a family tree with a brief description of everyone in the family. It made the book so easy to follow.

Character-wise, I loved Izumi’s all Asian friend group (nicknamed Asian Girl Gang, or AGG for short). It was so nice seeing a female lead with a large friend group to support her. Also, one of her friends was half-Filipino just like me. I always love seeing Filipino representation in books, even if it’s just a small side character.



I also enjoyed the writing style. It was engaging and flowed well.

The Own Voices aspect was also really strong, especially in regards to feeling like a foreigner. The book highlighted how visiting Japan while being Japanese American feels strange since she’s not “Japanese” enough. That is so true. Being American is an added layer of identity and affects how others perceive you. I’m Filipino American and there is a difference in how people in the Philippines view you if you’re American born versus Philippines born.

However, the book is on the predictable side. If you’re familiar with the lost royalty trope or have seen The Princess Diaries movies, then a lot of the plot points are nothing new.

Additionally, the romance in this book is a little insta-lovey. I felt like the book didn’t even need a romance sub-plot; it was already strong on its own.

Overall, I throughly enjoyed this Own Voices take on lost royalty! I recommend it if you love stories about royal families.

[Larissa Cambusano · Rating 4 out of 5]

i adored this book so much more than i thought i would!!!!

the princess diaries vibes were everything 🤩 i loved the plot so much. it was funny and really sweet. izumi was an icon, i was amazed by her the entire book. i will say, for the first time ever i didn’t care about the romance.. at all🧍🏻‍♀️they were cute, but i just didn’t feel the chemistry or love. the plot and izumi herself were much more interesting to me.

BUT HER MOM AND DAD??? now that was amazing. the tension, the love, second chance??? i’d love to read their story 🫡

[ellie જ⁀➴ · Rating 3 out of 5]

➳ 3.75 ☆! 🪷

“shout out to all the girls who apologize too much.”

➳ picture 'the princess diaries' but make it japanese with a 'bodyguard' trope! this book was so cute. and it honestly couldve been a 4 stars. but anyways, i highly recommend if you need something easy + fun!

➳ but besides this book being fun, it also has other topics discussed. such as finding yourself and where you belong. let me rephrase hat: our MC, izumi, finds out she's a princess,(sounds like a fairytale, right?) well thats just it, because it's true! bit she doesn't quite know where she fits in the culture there is just different. since she's an asian-american coming to terms with japanese traditions it was a big change for her. and i really admire what she said here 🫶🫶

"so what if i'll never be accepted? i accept myself. its all so transparent. a revelation as bright ad as clear as sunset. i dont have an american half OR a japanese half.i am a whole person. nobody gets to tell me if im japanese enough or too american."

anyway, i really like both our main characters. but tell me why im invested in the parent's relationship too 😭 bottom line, go try this out! it was a really refreshing read and i cant wait to try the sequel tehe. highly, HIGHLY recommend <3

to the girls who lead with their heart.

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🪷|preview!
i remember one of my fav booktubers recommended this book so i put it as my tbr. soo here we are! need a lil pallet cleanser, and the synopsis seems so interesting 🫶 i hope everyone's month has been going well! xoxo

[Claude's Bookzone · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well that was light but still adorable.

By light I mean I felt like we were fluttering quickly across the surface of the tale. In a story with so much lost love I would have imagined a few moments in the novel where I might have been presented with an opportunity to tear up, but it never happened. I enjoyed that Izumi blundered her way through some situations that required traditional etiquette as I did that a few times during the year I lived in Japan. I came out grinning so that's a win in my opinion.

[Nicole · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was a let down. I should’ve trusted the reviews.

I accidentally came across Tokyo Ever After> and when I read a bit about it, I decided to give it a shot. What drew me in was discovering Japan from the eyes of someone new to the culture. Unfortunately, it was instead a boring love story (as many reviews already mentioned) and I couldn't relate to Izumi at all. She's very mediocre for a main character. I might be too harsh but at the same time, I couldn't relate her (nor the teen me) in any way. She was true to herself, at least. I give her that.

[Darla · Rating 5 out of 5]

My heart is so happy after finishing this book. Such a surprising feel-good story. Comparisons have been made to The Princess Diaries and Crazy Rich Asians. There are some similar plot elements while giving us the best of each in a unique new princess tale. Don't worry, the girl power is very strong for both Izumi and her mother. Emiko Jean has blessed us all with a story that examines themes like cultural identity, royal protocols, betrayal, rivalry, parenthood, and personal growth. It is a perfect read for Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. If you want a modern princess tale, this is the perfect book for you. Recommended for 12 and up.

Thank you to Flat Iron and Edelweiss+ for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.

[Bookishrealm · Rating 4 out of 5]

I waited too long to write a review for this so be sure to check out my video review here: https://youtu.be/D5Vfq-O_97c

[Jacob Proffitt · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is very much a "give it the premise" story, but it flows pretty well once you do. I mean, what are the chances that you'd be a princess of Japan, really? I thought it was a bold stroke pulling in the current imperial family of Japan in what would be a huge scandal. Not that royals aren't prone to scandals, but when is the last time you heard of one coming out of Japan? Well, okay, now that I think of it, I'll bet you'd hear about that kind of thing much more if you were in Japan... and now I'm running myself in circles on a dumb tangent.

Suffice to say that this is an excellent YA story with a great protagonist and interesting plot. Izumi is instantly sympathetic, and that's enough to pull me through the unlikely bits (like the royal bodyguard who is young enough not to trip squick meters for the still-in-high-school Izumi). Further, I really loved seeing Izumi become attached to her heritage and to see her growing love for the culture and people. I very much enjoyed seeing Japan through her eyes and with her appreciation for the things she was learning.

Anyway, if this sounds interesting at all to you, I recommend indulging the impulse. I will say that the romance itself is a bit thin, though. I'm not sure I buy them together, really, which may impact my desire to pick up future volumes in the series (I understand the author has made noises about adding more). I hate when a teen romance spends the next three books pulling you in and out of a young relationship just to keep plots going a bit longer...

At any rate, this was a solid four stars and a story I very much enjoyed.

A note about Chaste: There isn't really any room for any sex in the story, so I'm glad none was shoved in. There are some kissing scenes and a dance or two. And those were lovely. But also pretty chaste. There's not even any real discussion of sex, though some juvenile humor does go a little crude.

[paige (ptsungirl) · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Your life can only be as big as the container you plant it in."

°•*⁀➷

This was a short and sweet little story. I read somewhere that it was like Crazy Rich Asians for young adults. Royalty instead of crazy rich. Everything inside its pages makes it so that I have to agree. I loved the Crazy Rich Asians books... so of course I adored this as well.

I'm not much of a young adult reader which is why my star rating doesn't exactly reflect how much I actually liked this.

This book follows a young girl who never knew who her father was. When she finds out he's royalty, she's thrown into a world she knows nothing about and seemingly thrives for all intents and purposes. I loved watching her and her father get to know each other, and love each other. Her Dad did two things I absolutely loved:

He tells her that if he had known he had a daughter, he would have done anything to make her a part of his life. In whatever way he could. Despite tradition. Since tradition is such a large idea in any culture, it was a sweet notion, and one that seemed to ring true with everything he did for his daughter.

He tells her that he'll banish anyone that makes her sad, or breaks her heart. I loved and hated this only because it took so much reality out of the book for me... but I adored his commitment to keeping her in his life no matter what.

This was just such a special book for anyone who feels lost because they didn't grow up with one or both of their parents. Such a lesson the reality that, not all children who grow up with a parent are unloved because of it. Not every parent has to learn to love their child when they didn't know they existed. Sometimes there's as happy a beginning as an end.

So soft, so happy. I'm so glad I gave this a go.

- Paige