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Kakigori Summer
A wry and tender novel from the author of Fault Lines about three very different sisters reunited in adulthood for one short summer, for readers of Hello Beautiful and Blue Sisters.
Rei, Kiki, and Ai are three sisters divided by distance and circumstance. Ambitious Rei works in finance in London; Kiki is the single mother of a young son, working in a retirement home in Tokyo; and Ai, the youngest, is a peripatetic Japanese music idol. Having lost both parents, one way or another, the sisters rely on each other as family, far-flung as they are.
When Ai is embroiled in a scandal, Rei and Kiki pause their own lives to rescue their baby sister. Over the course of a summer spent in their childhood home on the Japanese coast, the sisters will reunite with their sharp-edged grandmother, care for Kiki’s irrepressible son, and silently worry about Ai, all while carefully not talking about the circumstances of their mother’s death fifteen years before. But silence between sisters can only last for so long…
A transporting and redemptive novel, Kakigori Summer is a hopeful meditation on love and loss, sisterhood and family, and a profound exploration of the stories we tell ourselves about our past that enable us to move forward into the future.
Rei, Kiki, and Ai are three sisters divided by distance and circumstance. Ambitious Rei works in finance in London; Kiki is the single mother of a young son, working in a retirement home in Tokyo; and Ai, the youngest, is a peripatetic Japanese music idol. Having lost both parents, one way or another, the sisters rely on each other as family, far-flung as they are.
When Ai is embroiled in a scandal, Rei and Kiki pause their own lives to rescue their baby sister. Over the course of a summer spent in their childhood home on the Japanese coast, the sisters will reunite with their sharp-edged grandmother, care for Kiki’s irrepressible son, and silently worry about Ai, all while carefully not talking about the circumstances of their mother’s death fifteen years before. But silence between sisters can only last for so long…
A transporting and redemptive novel, Kakigori Summer is a hopeful meditation on love and loss, sisterhood and family, and a profound exploration of the stories we tell ourselves about our past that enable us to move forward into the future.
336 pages, Paperback
First published June 10, 2025
224 people are currently reading
9089 people want to read
About the author
Emily Itami
5 books397 followersEmily Itami is the author of Fault Lines. She grew up in Tokyo before moving to London, where she now lives with her young family. She has been widely published as a freelance journalist and travel writer.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 220 reviews
September 24, 2025
It’s been four years since I fell in love with Emily Itami’s debut novel Fault Lines and I’m happy to say it was worth the wait for her second one!
When singing idol Takanawa Ai is caught coming out of a love hotel with the older married head of her record label, the Japanese public and media are quick to turn on her - not him. Caught in a spiral of deep depression, her two older sisters Rei, a no-nonsense, highly successful London businesswoman, and Kiki, a caregiver for the elderly and single mom step in. They take her to their childhood home in Kakigori for the summer - the village where they lost their mother to depression years ago. It’s also home to their sharp-tongued elderly great grandmother, Obaachan, who regularly offers ALL the opinions they never asked for! She’s very prickly, but begrudgingly lovable in her own way.
An interesting aspect to the story is that the sisters are what the Japanese would call “hafu” (mixed race), in this case having been born to a Japanese mother and a British father. This mirrors the author herself, so her inclusion of that experience in Japan was fascinating. The culture is deeply rooted in tradition, and I loved learning more about their ideas and customs. It was the book vacation I needed!
While it’s a journey through grief and healing, there’s so much humor and general “feel goods” in this story. It has the easy-breezy feel of summer in a small village, away from the chaos of jobs and crowds and the general demands of life, which was really soothing considering the state of the world right now. The author’s humor is sarcastic and witty - my favorite!
These sisters are very different, so I loved that the story was told through each of their POVs. Oldest sister Rei, like Obaachan, has very strong opinions and doesn’t always sugar-coat how she says them, but behind the tough exterior, she just wants to protect her younger siblings and give them a little of what they lost, even at her own expense sometimes.
Kiki buried her pain in a string of relationships that resulted in a very adorable, precocious blond-haired 5-year-old son named Hikaru who speaks fluent Japanese and refuses to learn English, thank you very much! He stole my heart and this book, honestly.
Ai, like their mother, struggles with periods of darkness that are intensified by the unrealistic and untenable expectations the Japanese put on female idols. She’s a very creative and gifted musician and hearing her struggles in her own words as she made it through them felt affirming and hopeful. I felt her sadness, but cheered for her as she pushed through it!
This was an immersion read, and I have one big piece of advice: I would NOT try to listen to this without the book to follow along. I loved the narration by Ami Okumura Jones, who’s British-Japanese herself, but the pronunciation of the Japanese words and concepts would’ve been very hard to understand without seeing the words, and the sisters’ voices weren’t always distinguishable from each other.
If you enjoy a slower-paced, slice-of-life literary/family fiction novel with heart, humor and excellent writing, I highly recommend this. I can only hope it’s not another four year wait for Emily Itami’s next book!
★★★★ ½
Thanks to Libby/my library for both the Kindle and audio copies.
When singing idol Takanawa Ai is caught coming out of a love hotel with the older married head of her record label, the Japanese public and media are quick to turn on her - not him. Caught in a spiral of deep depression, her two older sisters Rei, a no-nonsense, highly successful London businesswoman, and Kiki, a caregiver for the elderly and single mom step in. They take her to their childhood home in Kakigori for the summer - the village where they lost their mother to depression years ago. It’s also home to their sharp-tongued elderly great grandmother, Obaachan, who regularly offers ALL the opinions they never asked for! She’s very prickly, but begrudgingly lovable in her own way.
An interesting aspect to the story is that the sisters are what the Japanese would call “hafu” (mixed race), in this case having been born to a Japanese mother and a British father. This mirrors the author herself, so her inclusion of that experience in Japan was fascinating. The culture is deeply rooted in tradition, and I loved learning more about their ideas and customs. It was the book vacation I needed!
While it’s a journey through grief and healing, there’s so much humor and general “feel goods” in this story. It has the easy-breezy feel of summer in a small village, away from the chaos of jobs and crowds and the general demands of life, which was really soothing considering the state of the world right now. The author’s humor is sarcastic and witty - my favorite!
These sisters are very different, so I loved that the story was told through each of their POVs. Oldest sister Rei, like Obaachan, has very strong opinions and doesn’t always sugar-coat how she says them, but behind the tough exterior, she just wants to protect her younger siblings and give them a little of what they lost, even at her own expense sometimes.
Kiki buried her pain in a string of relationships that resulted in a very adorable, precocious blond-haired 5-year-old son named Hikaru who speaks fluent Japanese and refuses to learn English, thank you very much! He stole my heart and this book, honestly.
Ai, like their mother, struggles with periods of darkness that are intensified by the unrealistic and untenable expectations the Japanese put on female idols. She’s a very creative and gifted musician and hearing her struggles in her own words as she made it through them felt affirming and hopeful. I felt her sadness, but cheered for her as she pushed through it!
This was an immersion read, and I have one big piece of advice: I would NOT try to listen to this without the book to follow along. I loved the narration by Ami Okumura Jones, who’s British-Japanese herself, but the pronunciation of the Japanese words and concepts would’ve been very hard to understand without seeing the words, and the sisters’ voices weren’t always distinguishable from each other.
If you enjoy a slower-paced, slice-of-life literary/family fiction novel with heart, humor and excellent writing, I highly recommend this. I can only hope it’s not another four year wait for Emily Itami’s next book!
★★★★ ½
Thanks to Libby/my library for both the Kindle and audio copies.
July 21, 2025
Kakigori Summer by Emily Itami is like diving into a triple scoop of nostalgia, sisterhood, and seaside scandal.
We follow the three “haafu” sisters—Rei, Kiki, and Ai—reuniting in their coastal Japanese childhood home after the youngest sister Ai, a pop idol, lands herself in a headline-making scandal. Rei’s the London banker keeping her cool, Kiki’s balancing life as a single mom (with adorable son Hikaru), and Ai’s retreating from fame and public shame
Itami nails the small-town, coastal Japan aesthetic—warm ramen stalls, lantern-lit evenings, and slow revelations. The sisters tiptoe around their mother’s mysterious death 15 years prior, adding a melancholic undercurrent. The dynamic between them—Rei’s dry control, Kiki’s warmth, and Ai’s fragile identity—feels authentic and moving. Plus, Hikaru’s linguistic and cultural journey (half-Japanese, quarter-Finnish, all charm) brings extra sweetness.
If you're after a tender, culturally rich slice-of-life story that mixes sisterly bonds, reputation repair, and seaside serenity, Kakigori Summer is a refreshing read with a small bittersweet brain freeze.
We follow the three “haafu” sisters—Rei, Kiki, and Ai—reuniting in their coastal Japanese childhood home after the youngest sister Ai, a pop idol, lands herself in a headline-making scandal. Rei’s the London banker keeping her cool, Kiki’s balancing life as a single mom (with adorable son Hikaru), and Ai’s retreating from fame and public shame
Itami nails the small-town, coastal Japan aesthetic—warm ramen stalls, lantern-lit evenings, and slow revelations. The sisters tiptoe around their mother’s mysterious death 15 years prior, adding a melancholic undercurrent. The dynamic between them—Rei’s dry control, Kiki’s warmth, and Ai’s fragile identity—feels authentic and moving. Plus, Hikaru’s linguistic and cultural journey (half-Japanese, quarter-Finnish, all charm) brings extra sweetness.
If you're after a tender, culturally rich slice-of-life story that mixes sisterly bonds, reputation repair, and seaside serenity, Kakigori Summer is a refreshing read with a small bittersweet brain freeze.
September 19, 2025
This story started out a little slow paced for me and it took me awhile to get invested in the characters. I loved the snippy banter between the sisters and their great-grandmother. If you read and like the character, Olive Kitteridge you will definitely like Obaachan. A good story about how messy life can be and how good it can feel to come home.
February 8, 2025
took me a week to finish this because i kept stopping. it felt like a tv show because the story is slowly unravelling. but it is a beautifully written novel that dives deep into the messy, complicated, and unbreakable bond between three sisters. it's set against the nostalgic backdrop of a Japanese summer, it’s a story about love, loss, and the things we leave unsaid—until we can’t anymore.
Rei, Kiki, and Ai couldn’t be more different. Rei is a driven finance professional in London, Kiki is a single mom working in a Tokyo retirement home, and Ai is a rising pop idol whose career is suddenly derailed by scandal. When Ai’s troubles force them to reunite at their childhood home by the sea, old wounds resurface—especially the painful mystery surrounding their mother’s death fifteen years ago.
this story made me cry so hard because you can feel how real the sisters feelings for each other were. their dynamic is full of love but also tension—the kind that only exists between people who know each other too well. they dance around difficult conversations, but their care for each other is always there, shown in quiet moments rather than big declarations. it perfectly captures the way family relationships can be both comforting and frustrating at the same time. the setting adds another layer of depth. the descriptions of their grandmother’s coastal home, the sticky summer heat, and the simple pleasure of eating kakigori (shaved ice) make the story feel immersive and nostalgic. it's the kind of book that makes you want to sit outside on a warm evening and just soak it all in.
despite the themes of grief and family secrets, it never feels too heavy. there are moments of humor and warmth, especially through Kiki’s energetic young son, who brings a refreshing lightness to the story. their no-nonsense grandmother is another standout character, adding both wisdom and sharp commentary in equal measure.
their life story leaves you with that bittersweet feeling—like remembering a childhood summer that changed you in ways you didn’t realize at the time. it's a story about how love endures, even in silence, and how sometimes, going home is the first step toward moving forward.
if you love emotional, character-driven stories with a strong sense of place, this book is a must-read. it's heartfelt, beautifully written, and lingers with you long after you’ve turned the last page. i really felt it all and a good book does that.
thank you Mariner Books. i enjoyed this so much.
Rei, Kiki, and Ai couldn’t be more different. Rei is a driven finance professional in London, Kiki is a single mom working in a Tokyo retirement home, and Ai is a rising pop idol whose career is suddenly derailed by scandal. When Ai’s troubles force them to reunite at their childhood home by the sea, old wounds resurface—especially the painful mystery surrounding their mother’s death fifteen years ago.
this story made me cry so hard because you can feel how real the sisters feelings for each other were. their dynamic is full of love but also tension—the kind that only exists between people who know each other too well. they dance around difficult conversations, but their care for each other is always there, shown in quiet moments rather than big declarations. it perfectly captures the way family relationships can be both comforting and frustrating at the same time. the setting adds another layer of depth. the descriptions of their grandmother’s coastal home, the sticky summer heat, and the simple pleasure of eating kakigori (shaved ice) make the story feel immersive and nostalgic. it's the kind of book that makes you want to sit outside on a warm evening and just soak it all in.
despite the themes of grief and family secrets, it never feels too heavy. there are moments of humor and warmth, especially through Kiki’s energetic young son, who brings a refreshing lightness to the story. their no-nonsense grandmother is another standout character, adding both wisdom and sharp commentary in equal measure.
their life story leaves you with that bittersweet feeling—like remembering a childhood summer that changed you in ways you didn’t realize at the time. it's a story about how love endures, even in silence, and how sometimes, going home is the first step toward moving forward.
if you love emotional, character-driven stories with a strong sense of place, this book is a must-read. it's heartfelt, beautifully written, and lingers with you long after you’ve turned the last page. i really felt it all and a good book does that.
thank you Mariner Books. i enjoyed this so much.
May 11, 2025
I’m a sucker for stories touching on brokenness, family relationships, quiet character pieces which are less about what happens than who and why. Francesca Main described Kakigori Summer by Emily Itami as ‘dreamy’ and she’s not wrong. There’s something otherworldly about this gorgeous tale of sisters and a summer together. The far-reaching impact of their mother’s death, when they were young, still apparent.
Three sisters, half Japanese, half English, living across two continents. The eldest Rei losing herself in work, responsibility and denial, a burntout half-life in London. Middle sister and single mother Kiki is raising her young son in Tokyo, whilst working as a carer for the elderly. In stark contrast, younger sister Ai is stratospherically famous, a J-pop star. Her face on billboards and teenage hearts throughout Japan.
But when photos emerge of Ai involved in a clandestine kiss, the ensuring scandal draws Rei back home. The fallout is everywhere, paparazzi stalking them home, Ai’s name headline news. So the sisters do a moonlight flit. Jump on a train and head home to the remote seaside town where they grew up. Where their great grandmother still lives next door.
What unfolds is a summer of rest and restoration. Returning to a town that knows them, neighbours who greet them without fuss, old friends who share their memories of their mother. They can begin to breathe out.
But returning home also means facing the impact of mother’s death for the first time in years. Their grief, family trauma and mental health. Feeling at odds with the world and not fitting in. Afraid to let go and love.
However, before them is a summer of sunshine, beaches and people who have know them forever. Each other, the deepest bond; together or apart. And what truly matters. Love. Turning your face to the light and leaping into the unknown.
Profoundly beautiful. I read the final few chapters on my lunchbreak in our local park, quietly weeping at the perfection of the prose, the truth and love at the heart of this story, the transient joy of it all. This stupid, messy, heartachingly beautiful life. Utterly divine. My book of the year so far.
Pub. 19/6 @phoenix_bks
Three sisters, half Japanese, half English, living across two continents. The eldest Rei losing herself in work, responsibility and denial, a burntout half-life in London. Middle sister and single mother Kiki is raising her young son in Tokyo, whilst working as a carer for the elderly. In stark contrast, younger sister Ai is stratospherically famous, a J-pop star. Her face on billboards and teenage hearts throughout Japan.
But when photos emerge of Ai involved in a clandestine kiss, the ensuring scandal draws Rei back home. The fallout is everywhere, paparazzi stalking them home, Ai’s name headline news. So the sisters do a moonlight flit. Jump on a train and head home to the remote seaside town where they grew up. Where their great grandmother still lives next door.
What unfolds is a summer of rest and restoration. Returning to a town that knows them, neighbours who greet them without fuss, old friends who share their memories of their mother. They can begin to breathe out.
But returning home also means facing the impact of mother’s death for the first time in years. Their grief, family trauma and mental health. Feeling at odds with the world and not fitting in. Afraid to let go and love.
However, before them is a summer of sunshine, beaches and people who have know them forever. Each other, the deepest bond; together or apart. And what truly matters. Love. Turning your face to the light and leaping into the unknown.
Profoundly beautiful. I read the final few chapters on my lunchbreak in our local park, quietly weeping at the perfection of the prose, the truth and love at the heart of this story, the transient joy of it all. This stupid, messy, heartachingly beautiful life. Utterly divine. My book of the year so far.
Pub. 19/6 @phoenix_bks
September 29, 2025
In 𝘒𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘨𝘰𝘳𝘪 𝘚𝘶𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘳, three sisters return to their childhood home on the Japanese coast in the aftermath of a celebrity scandal. The siblings are very different from one another: Oldest sister Rei is a London-based finance executive whose life revolves around work. Middle child Kiki, a former rebellious teen, is now a single mom who divides her time between taking care of people at a retirement home and taking care of her young son Hikaru. The youngest, Ai, is a famous singer-songwriter and J-pop star who has recently done something self-destructive. At the beginning of the book, the siblings are separated by distance and circumstance, but they return home together to get away from the spotlight and inadvertently confront their personal demons and family history.
While the premise is very interesting, I admit I had trouble connecting to the storyline and characters. The story is beautifully written and wonderfully descriptive, but it was perhaps a bit too slow-moving for me. But overall, this is a solid novel that explores family relationships, racial identity, and mental health best suited for those who enjoy quiet, character-driven narratives. 3.5 stars.
While the premise is very interesting, I admit I had trouble connecting to the storyline and characters. The story is beautifully written and wonderfully descriptive, but it was perhaps a bit too slow-moving for me. But overall, this is a solid novel that explores family relationships, racial identity, and mental health best suited for those who enjoy quiet, character-driven narratives. 3.5 stars.
June 26, 2025
Kakigori Summer exploring on the sisterhood of 3 sisters born out of mixed parentage, to a Japanese mother and an English father. One parent missing from their life and another completely abandoned them in a far away country. Splitting into three separate narrative from the 3 sisters, this book showcased on each of their struggles and problems and how each of them cope with passing and loss.
Rie, the elder sister working in New York in a firm that gave her stable income grapples with her own anxiety, Kiki, a single mother and a caretaker for elderly living in Japan juggling between caring for her son and trying to be the middle ground of the siblings, and Ai, their youngest sister, a successful Japanese idol singer in a band called Kabuki involved in an extra marital affair scandal with her company's CEO. With Ai now being called National disgrace in Japan, Rei flew back to Japan and all of them packed their bags to crashed at their old house in the countryside to get away from the prying eyes. Slowly, the sisters reconnect their relationship, healed from their own past trauma and wounds, finding their joy and strength again by being together.
The story move perspective between these 3 characters - Rei, Kiki and Ai, Each with distinct voices and reading about their life gave the readers glimpses on the depths of their heart particularly Ai that is suffering from depression even way before she was caught in the scandal but her spiraling to the darkness was very heartbreaking. Yet, the way the book handled on her mental health was brushed off too quickly and I just want it more upfront and explored in a way that let Ai to voice out her own thoughts and darkness to her sisters. Sharing what's truly troubling her would be nice but somehow, the conflict was handled on surface only. There are mentions of their mother who died young, missing out on the ocean, unsure of suicide or drowning. Rei being the eldest brunt the responsibility to care for her younger sister which gave her anxiety problems and her guilt and wounds of her mother's death. Its heartbreaking to read and her constant struggles to keep the love she had with her.
As much as I want to like this book, it failed to grasp me in terms of characterisation. I wished I get more in depth of their thoughts and personality, while they differ from each other, there still sense of distance to feel the connection to these characters. The only character I adored is probably Hikaru, the 5 year old boy as he is like the light of the story being his charming self. I love the bond between Kiki and Hikaru, they made such a cute mother and son duo. Ai and Rei are like two sisters that need each other where Rei is more like a mother to Ai as her time with her own mother is short compared to her two older sisters. There is something very poignant about the sisterhood and the complexity of it, reminded me of my own relationship with 4 of my sisters (i can relate to Kiki since I'm the middle child out of 5 girls!). There are commentary on their mixed heritage or haafu in Japanese as they felt too foreign to be Japanese and sometimes too asian to be fit in outside of Japan.
What I do like about the story is mostly the simplicity of the life they have away from the bustling city, seeking refuge in their childhood home with their cranky great grandmother. Living a simple life, healing from their own wounds and trying to find stability in their life, searching for small joys and happiness in their current life just as it is
Thank you Times Reads and Ms Putri for the review copy
Rie, the elder sister working in New York in a firm that gave her stable income grapples with her own anxiety, Kiki, a single mother and a caretaker for elderly living in Japan juggling between caring for her son and trying to be the middle ground of the siblings, and Ai, their youngest sister, a successful Japanese idol singer in a band called Kabuki involved in an extra marital affair scandal with her company's CEO. With Ai now being called National disgrace in Japan, Rei flew back to Japan and all of them packed their bags to crashed at their old house in the countryside to get away from the prying eyes. Slowly, the sisters reconnect their relationship, healed from their own past trauma and wounds, finding their joy and strength again by being together.
The story move perspective between these 3 characters - Rei, Kiki and Ai, Each with distinct voices and reading about their life gave the readers glimpses on the depths of their heart particularly Ai that is suffering from depression even way before she was caught in the scandal but her spiraling to the darkness was very heartbreaking. Yet, the way the book handled on her mental health was brushed off too quickly and I just want it more upfront and explored in a way that let Ai to voice out her own thoughts and darkness to her sisters. Sharing what's truly troubling her would be nice but somehow, the conflict was handled on surface only. There are mentions of their mother who died young, missing out on the ocean, unsure of suicide or drowning. Rei being the eldest brunt the responsibility to care for her younger sister which gave her anxiety problems and her guilt and wounds of her mother's death. Its heartbreaking to read and her constant struggles to keep the love she had with her.
As much as I want to like this book, it failed to grasp me in terms of characterisation. I wished I get more in depth of their thoughts and personality, while they differ from each other, there still sense of distance to feel the connection to these characters. The only character I adored is probably Hikaru, the 5 year old boy as he is like the light of the story being his charming self. I love the bond between Kiki and Hikaru, they made such a cute mother and son duo. Ai and Rei are like two sisters that need each other where Rei is more like a mother to Ai as her time with her own mother is short compared to her two older sisters. There is something very poignant about the sisterhood and the complexity of it, reminded me of my own relationship with 4 of my sisters (i can relate to Kiki since I'm the middle child out of 5 girls!). There are commentary on their mixed heritage or haafu in Japanese as they felt too foreign to be Japanese and sometimes too asian to be fit in outside of Japan.
What I do like about the story is mostly the simplicity of the life they have away from the bustling city, seeking refuge in their childhood home with their cranky great grandmother. Living a simple life, healing from their own wounds and trying to find stability in their life, searching for small joys and happiness in their current life just as it is
Thank you Times Reads and Ms Putri for the review copy
July 30, 2025
Kakigori Summer was tell into 3 narratives that is Rei the eldest, Kiki and Ai the youngest.
Firstly, we will know the Rei’s story where she received a death-based text from Ai, following a call from Kiki. She was informed that Ai will lost her job because of national disgrace. Ai had been caught doing shame with a married man, Ichiro.
When Ai was a singer since she joined Loupie-Lou and moved to Kakibuki for some reasons. Kaki ask Rei to coming home and as an elder, she can handled the situation amd help Ai. But, one thing for sure is… Rei refused coming to Japan as she has a lot of work to do in London.
The three sister have their struggles and problems to face and cope with but at the same time do care for their relationship. With this three POV’s, readers know the reasons why they do on what they need to do.
From my observations, as a 2nd child, Kiki tends to be the one who care most to the family members. This type of person was transparent and easy to show what they feels. Kiki was like a ‘MELODI BERGERAK’ because she knows everything that Rei didnt eve know nothing.
While the eldest child usually prefer to hide their feelings and emotion eventhough they are care too. They show their loves unconditionally in different way. I love how all the characters take part in this book.
Rei arrived at Kiki’s home after she took some times to think and decide to coming home. They planned to help Ai find something else to do meanwhile Rei will cover the expense if as long as she was fine staying with Kiki.
Ahh! I love the simple life and enjoy the smallest happiness in life because the peace is difficult to get in a world that is always chasing after busyness. They try to find time together to reminisce about their childhood even though they have commitments. How i miss my siblings so much niw when we have nothing to do and thinks about the future.
Firstly, we will know the Rei’s story where she received a death-based text from Ai, following a call from Kiki. She was informed that Ai will lost her job because of national disgrace. Ai had been caught doing shame with a married man, Ichiro.
When Ai was a singer since she joined Loupie-Lou and moved to Kakibuki for some reasons. Kaki ask Rei to coming home and as an elder, she can handled the situation amd help Ai. But, one thing for sure is… Rei refused coming to Japan as she has a lot of work to do in London.
The three sister have their struggles and problems to face and cope with but at the same time do care for their relationship. With this three POV’s, readers know the reasons why they do on what they need to do.
From my observations, as a 2nd child, Kiki tends to be the one who care most to the family members. This type of person was transparent and easy to show what they feels. Kiki was like a ‘MELODI BERGERAK’ because she knows everything that Rei didnt eve know nothing.
While the eldest child usually prefer to hide their feelings and emotion eventhough they are care too. They show their loves unconditionally in different way. I love how all the characters take part in this book.
Rei arrived at Kiki’s home after she took some times to think and decide to coming home. They planned to help Ai find something else to do meanwhile Rei will cover the expense if as long as she was fine staying with Kiki.
Ahh! I love the simple life and enjoy the smallest happiness in life because the peace is difficult to get in a world that is always chasing after busyness. They try to find time together to reminisce about their childhood even though they have commitments. How i miss my siblings so much niw when we have nothing to do and thinks about the future.
June 21, 2025
I absolutely loved Emily Itami’s debut, FAULT LINES and couldn’t wait to read her latest, KAKIGORI SUMMER. This quick synopsis appealed to me immediately:
“𝘈 𝘸𝘳𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘍𝘢𝘶𝘭𝘵 𝘓𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘦𝘦 𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘥𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘴𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘢𝘥𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘴𝘶𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘳, 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘏𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘰 𝘉𝘦𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘉𝘭𝘶𝘦 𝘚𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴.”
Growing up with two older brothers, I constantly longed for a sister when I was a young girl, and have gravitated towards stories about sisterhood ever since. I wanted to be Jessica or Elizabeth from The Sweet Valley Twins! I inhaled those books!
To be perfectly honest, I had a love/hate relationship with this novel. I loved the slowness and quietness of it, but also hated it for that exact same reason. Ha! This novel moved at a snail’s pace—I feel like it took me 18 years to get through it! I wasn’t always very excited to pick it up. Even my husband noticed and asked, “You’re still reading that same book!?”
However, there’s still a lot to love about it. The writing is beautiful, descriptive, and lyrical. It’s what kept me from quitting, actually. It explores a lot of interesting themes like sisterhood, racial identity, motherhood, loss, and grief. I appreciated the mysterious element surrounding their mother’s death as well. I obviously cared enough to see how things wrapped up.
READ THIS IF YOU ENJOY:
- Sisterhood
- Motherhood
- Family drama and dynamics
- Multiple POVs
- Reflections on loss and grief
- Japanese coast setting
- Mental health
- Racial identity
- Slow-moving storylines
With that said, I believe that a “middle of the road” rating is fair just based on my overall (lack of) excitement for this book. My unwillingness to keep picking it back up is quite telling. 3/5 stars for Kakigori Summer! It’s out now!
“𝘈 𝘸𝘳𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘍𝘢𝘶𝘭𝘵 𝘓𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘦𝘦 𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘥𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘴𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘢𝘥𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘴𝘶𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘳, 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘏𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘰 𝘉𝘦𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘉𝘭𝘶𝘦 𝘚𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴.”
Growing up with two older brothers, I constantly longed for a sister when I was a young girl, and have gravitated towards stories about sisterhood ever since. I wanted to be Jessica or Elizabeth from The Sweet Valley Twins! I inhaled those books!
To be perfectly honest, I had a love/hate relationship with this novel. I loved the slowness and quietness of it, but also hated it for that exact same reason. Ha! This novel moved at a snail’s pace—I feel like it took me 18 years to get through it! I wasn’t always very excited to pick it up. Even my husband noticed and asked, “You’re still reading that same book!?”
However, there’s still a lot to love about it. The writing is beautiful, descriptive, and lyrical. It’s what kept me from quitting, actually. It explores a lot of interesting themes like sisterhood, racial identity, motherhood, loss, and grief. I appreciated the mysterious element surrounding their mother’s death as well. I obviously cared enough to see how things wrapped up.
READ THIS IF YOU ENJOY:
- Sisterhood
- Motherhood
- Family drama and dynamics
- Multiple POVs
- Reflections on loss and grief
- Japanese coast setting
- Mental health
- Racial identity
- Slow-moving storylines
With that said, I believe that a “middle of the road” rating is fair just based on my overall (lack of) excitement for this book. My unwillingness to keep picking it back up is quite telling. 3/5 stars for Kakigori Summer! It’s out now!
June 9, 2025
4.5 I really, really liked this. Three "haafu" sisters - half Japanese, half European - wind up back in their small town in Japan after Ai, an Idol, gets in a PR/mental health crisis. Kiki, a single mother to an apparently adorable young boy, quits her job in a care home, and Rei takes a leave from her London investment firm to get Ai back on track. The town is also home to their crotchety grandmother and the ghost of their drowned mother. They each have their own demons to wrestle with but also need to exorcise their mother's end.
I loved the writing; I found the sisters to be fairly distinct, particularly Rei, and the descriptions of the area were lovely. It reminded me of visiting around Kesennuma, with the pines and the rocks and the sea. Also appreciated the Lawson shoutout - it really made me want to go back to Japan. Biggest though was the portrayal of sisterhood: it hit on the feeling I get with my own sister, of being home and sharing so much history. Just lovely.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc!
Quotable: "I know she can't stay, even though I wish she would. There are too many demons here. At the same time as getting it, though, I hate her for it - doesn't she know that she'll go back to England and think of us in Japan, and I'll stay here and think of her in England, and when we're together, that's home, and as good as it's going to get. I'm glad she's leaving, if she doesn't know that. Idiot."
"Lawson's like a long-lost friend."
I loved the writing; I found the sisters to be fairly distinct, particularly Rei, and the descriptions of the area were lovely. It reminded me of visiting around Kesennuma, with the pines and the rocks and the sea. Also appreciated the Lawson shoutout - it really made me want to go back to Japan. Biggest though was the portrayal of sisterhood: it hit on the feeling I get with my own sister, of being home and sharing so much history. Just lovely.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc!
Quotable: "I know she can't stay, even though I wish she would. There are too many demons here. At the same time as getting it, though, I hate her for it - doesn't she know that she'll go back to England and think of us in Japan, and I'll stay here and think of her in England, and when we're together, that's home, and as good as it's going to get. I'm glad she's leaving, if she doesn't know that. Idiot."
"Lawson's like a long-lost friend."
August 30, 2025
4.5 stars. I enjoyed this so much! The first half was very entertaining - this novel is about three sisters reuniting for a summer in their hometown in Japan after the youngest sister needs to hide and mentally recover from a scandal, and the oldest sister’s thoughts and reactions surrounding her having to put her type A life on hold in London to get to Japan were hilarious). I was having so much fun that second half of the novel caught me off guard with its really moving depictions of sisterhood, grief, and the diaspora experience.
Itami captured sisterhood so well - the very specific closeness and love, as well the very specific ways your sister can drive you up a wall because she knows you so well. And Itami’s carefully considered musings on the challenges of conceptualizing what “home” means when you belong to more than one place really resonated with me. Also, the middle sister’s five-year-old son, Hikaru, is the sweetest little boy in all of literature. And the many descriptions of Japanese meals and sweets made me want to book a flight to Japan as soon as possible.
In different hands, parts of this novel would likely have felt a little too sentimental for me. But I completely vibed with Emily Itami’s writing style. Really looking forward to reading Fault Lines soon, as well as whatever she writes next!
Itami captured sisterhood so well - the very specific closeness and love, as well the very specific ways your sister can drive you up a wall because she knows you so well. And Itami’s carefully considered musings on the challenges of conceptualizing what “home” means when you belong to more than one place really resonated with me. Also, the middle sister’s five-year-old son, Hikaru, is the sweetest little boy in all of literature. And the many descriptions of Japanese meals and sweets made me want to book a flight to Japan as soon as possible.
In different hands, parts of this novel would likely have felt a little too sentimental for me. But I completely vibed with Emily Itami’s writing style. Really looking forward to reading Fault Lines soon, as well as whatever she writes next!
August 10, 2025
3.5 stars
Rei Takanawa, the oldest of three sisters, works in finance in London, middle sister Kiki, a single mother to a five year-old, works in a retirement home in Tokyo and the youngest sister, Ai, is a famous member of a Japanese girl pop group. The three have only each other to rely on as their English father has been long absent from their lives and their mother died tragically fifteen years earlier.
When Ai is embroiled in a very public scandal, her two older sisters pause their lives to help her through her crisis. Kiki quits her job and Rei comes home to Japan and the three of them along with Kiki's son escape to their childhood home. The three sisters spend their summer living nextdoor to their great-grandmother in a small town on the Japanese coast helping Ai to heal and eventually coming to terms with the death of their mother fifteen years earlier.
Alternating points-of-view between Rei, Kiki and Ai, this is a sweet story about three very different sisters reunited for the summer and dealing with loss/family trauma. It's a slow-paced story and it took me a long time to get into it but about halfway through I felt connected to the characters and invested in the book. The plot encompasses some heavy topics including depression/suicide that are addressed in a compassionate way - an enjoyable read.
Rei Takanawa, the oldest of three sisters, works in finance in London, middle sister Kiki, a single mother to a five year-old, works in a retirement home in Tokyo and the youngest sister, Ai, is a famous member of a Japanese girl pop group. The three have only each other to rely on as their English father has been long absent from their lives and their mother died tragically fifteen years earlier.
When Ai is embroiled in a very public scandal, her two older sisters pause their lives to help her through her crisis. Kiki quits her job and Rei comes home to Japan and the three of them along with Kiki's son escape to their childhood home. The three sisters spend their summer living nextdoor to their great-grandmother in a small town on the Japanese coast helping Ai to heal and eventually coming to terms with the death of their mother fifteen years earlier.
Alternating points-of-view between Rei, Kiki and Ai, this is a sweet story about three very different sisters reunited for the summer and dealing with loss/family trauma. It's a slow-paced story and it took me a long time to get into it but about halfway through I felt connected to the characters and invested in the book. The plot encompasses some heavy topics including depression/suicide that are addressed in a compassionate way - an enjoyable read.
June 5, 2025
Lovely story of sisters, half Japanese and half British, who come together in a crisis by retreating to their childhood home with their undiscussed, unresolved issues.
The chapters are narrated by different sisters. Unfortunately their voices on the page, and as narrated, are quite similar. I often wondered who was “speaking” while listening.
Nevertheless, the stories of each sister and their shared trauma are engaging and interesting. The author sprinkles in some information about Kanji - for example, the symbol for sky is also used on taxis when they are open or available, causing one character to wonder (as a child) if the “sky taxis” could take to the air. These delightful asides added character depth, as did their thoughts about being “mixed race.”
My thanks to the author, publisher, @HarperAudio, and #NetGalley for early access to the audiobook of #KakigoriSummer for review purposes. Publication date: 10 June 2025.
The chapters are narrated by different sisters. Unfortunately their voices on the page, and as narrated, are quite similar. I often wondered who was “speaking” while listening.
Nevertheless, the stories of each sister and their shared trauma are engaging and interesting. The author sprinkles in some information about Kanji - for example, the symbol for sky is also used on taxis when they are open or available, causing one character to wonder (as a child) if the “sky taxis” could take to the air. These delightful asides added character depth, as did their thoughts about being “mixed race.”
My thanks to the author, publisher, @HarperAudio, and #NetGalley for early access to the audiobook of #KakigoriSummer for review purposes. Publication date: 10 June 2025.
December 7, 2025
Books about sisters always make me wish I had a sister but alas I do not and I'm the eldest daughter to boot. The eldest, Rei, moved to London years ago. The middle child, Kiki, is a single mother working as an elderly caregiver. The youngest, Ai, is only twenty-one but already managed to become a celebrity musician and get embroiled in a sex scandal with her married employer. Rei and Kiki drop everything to rush to Ai and help her recuperate from a depressive episode back at their childhood home in the deep countryside. When the summer ends, their lives resume again but everything has changed. For the better, I must clarify.
Structure-wise, the narration alternates between the three sisters so we get three POVs. The distribution is not even because, well, Ai is not well and her thoughts circle around the same morbid topic. A lot of what we learn from Ai is from her sisters' chapters. I liked that these sisters have a genuinely good relationship with one another. There's no melodrama or rehashing of past trauma, and everyone helps take care of Kiki's son like a real community. It's clear that the sisters love each other unconditionally and having each other helps them navigate life much more easily as 'haafus' (controversial term referring to people who are half-Japanese).
I would classify this book as healing fiction because there's no real dramatic arc or plot twists; the pace is languorous and meandering. I mean, it's summer in Japan and they have no internet connection, so they spend lazy days doing fun summer activities together. They don't fix each other's problems directly but the space they hold allows for slow but sure growth.
Structure-wise, the narration alternates between the three sisters so we get three POVs. The distribution is not even because, well, Ai is not well and her thoughts circle around the same morbid topic. A lot of what we learn from Ai is from her sisters' chapters. I liked that these sisters have a genuinely good relationship with one another. There's no melodrama or rehashing of past trauma, and everyone helps take care of Kiki's son like a real community. It's clear that the sisters love each other unconditionally and having each other helps them navigate life much more easily as 'haafus' (controversial term referring to people who are half-Japanese).
I would classify this book as healing fiction because there's no real dramatic arc or plot twists; the pace is languorous and meandering. I mean, it's summer in Japan and they have no internet connection, so they spend lazy days doing fun summer activities together. They don't fix each other's problems directly but the space they hold allows for slow but sure growth.
July 26, 2025
Mini Audiobook Review: Thank you so much to Mariner Books for sending me a complimentary copy!
This book is out now!
I am conflicted on how I feel about this book. I love the premise of this book of the sisters who are not close (in proximity) to one another and just each have so much going on in their lives. I was the most invested in Ai's storyline. As someone who is fascinated by the celebrity culture, I was interested in her perspective being in the middle of a scandal.
The book has a lot of generational depression discussion. The eldest two sisters knew that their mom was depressed but did not realize that their youngest sister had also been depressed. The way that it is described by Ai was just so heartbreaking. It just continues the theory that just because a person may seem like they have it all, does not mean that they are happy. I thought the discussion surrounding their mother's depression and then death was very moving and poignant.
I primarily read this one via audio. This book had 3 point of views but only 1 narrator - Ami Okumura Jones. I had no issues with the narrator. I thought her narration was fine but I just wish there were 2 others to help distinguish the characters especially early on.
I'm not sure what didn't connect for me. Perhaps if I read with my eyes I would have felt more of a connection to the characters and parts just felt like it dragged. I would read this author again because I thought she did a good job at describing the characters and their dynamics. I think this book could be a good pick for book clubs.
This book is out now!
I am conflicted on how I feel about this book. I love the premise of this book of the sisters who are not close (in proximity) to one another and just each have so much going on in their lives. I was the most invested in Ai's storyline. As someone who is fascinated by the celebrity culture, I was interested in her perspective being in the middle of a scandal.
The book has a lot of generational depression discussion. The eldest two sisters knew that their mom was depressed but did not realize that their youngest sister had also been depressed. The way that it is described by Ai was just so heartbreaking. It just continues the theory that just because a person may seem like they have it all, does not mean that they are happy. I thought the discussion surrounding their mother's depression and then death was very moving and poignant.
I primarily read this one via audio. This book had 3 point of views but only 1 narrator - Ami Okumura Jones. I had no issues with the narrator. I thought her narration was fine but I just wish there were 2 others to help distinguish the characters especially early on.
I'm not sure what didn't connect for me. Perhaps if I read with my eyes I would have felt more of a connection to the characters and parts just felt like it dragged. I would read this author again because I thought she did a good job at describing the characters and their dynamics. I think this book could be a good pick for book clubs.
June 16, 2025
i truly am a sucker for books about sisterhood💗💗
it was a bit boring at times and i thought the direction was weird at times but overall very heartwarming
it was a bit boring at times and i thought the direction was weird at times but overall very heartwarming
August 29, 2025
I love a good sister story! Three sisters come together to pull the youngest, Ai, through severe depression after her pop star career implodes. Rei, the oldest, basically raised her sisters, and lives a constricted life in London, consumed by her career in finance and a constant sense of dread. Kiki, the middle sister, works as a caregiver in a senior home while raising her young son, Hikaru. Kiki and Rei “save” Ai and retreat to their small, seaside hometown. Over the summer, as the sisters reconnect with each other and their great-grandmother, they all discover ways to move forward, despite their losses, and strengthened by their ties to and love of each other.
August 10, 2025
I give this one 3.5 stars which rounds up to 4.
I received a copy of this book for free from the publisher for promotional purposes.
This was a moving family drama!
The book starts off strong. The story is about 3 sisters who reunite at their childhood home on the Japanese coast. Immediately, I was invested in the story and the scandal involving the youngest sister. The ending was also very strong. It was touching and packed an emotional punch. However, the middle of the book was slow and dragged on. The momentum the book had in the beginning was lost.
The story is told in alternating points of view of the 3 sisters, Rei, Kiki, and Ai. I found the POV changes to be inconsistent. Rei seemed to dominate most of the book, while Ai barely had any chapters (and hers were almost always the shortest). It was hard to connect with all of them because of this.
As for the writing style, the book is beautifully written and makes poignant points about life throughout. One of my favorite quotes came from the last chapter. Ai states, “There’s no ending to a story, just like there isn’t any beginning. There’s only where you choose to start telling it, and where you decide to stop. The thing that goes on, and on, and on, is life, in all its grimness and sorrow, and pockets of beauty and love so spectacular they’re almost too bright to see” (pg. 325). I found this quote to be so true!
Overall, if you enjoy slower paced stories about family, give this one a try!
I received a copy of this book for free from the publisher for promotional purposes.
This was a moving family drama!
The book starts off strong. The story is about 3 sisters who reunite at their childhood home on the Japanese coast. Immediately, I was invested in the story and the scandal involving the youngest sister. The ending was also very strong. It was touching and packed an emotional punch. However, the middle of the book was slow and dragged on. The momentum the book had in the beginning was lost.
The story is told in alternating points of view of the 3 sisters, Rei, Kiki, and Ai. I found the POV changes to be inconsistent. Rei seemed to dominate most of the book, while Ai barely had any chapters (and hers were almost always the shortest). It was hard to connect with all of them because of this.
As for the writing style, the book is beautifully written and makes poignant points about life throughout. One of my favorite quotes came from the last chapter. Ai states, “There’s no ending to a story, just like there isn’t any beginning. There’s only where you choose to start telling it, and where you decide to stop. The thing that goes on, and on, and on, is life, in all its grimness and sorrow, and pockets of beauty and love so spectacular they’re almost too bright to see” (pg. 325). I found this quote to be so true!
Overall, if you enjoy slower paced stories about family, give this one a try!
July 24, 2025
I really enjoyed this book! It was a great story of three sisters who meet up back in Japan for a summer. I really appreciated the writing, the descriptions and the characters! From the book jacket “ Rei, Kiki, and Ai are three sisters divided by distance and circumstance. Ambitious Rei works in finance in London; Kiki is the single mother of a young son, working in a retirement home in Tokyo; and Ai, the youngest, is a peripatetic Japanese music idol. having lost both parents, one way or another, the sisters rely on each other as family, far flung as they are. A transporting and redemptive novel, Kakigori Summer is a hopeful meditation on love and loss,sisterhood and family, and a profound exploration of the stories, we tell ourselves about our past that enable us to move forward into the future.
February 14, 2025
Went into the book with high hopes but struggled to connect with the sisters or feel engaged by the plot.
I wish there was more depth given to each sister’s story vs jumping between the three. Switching between perspectives every few chapters made it hard for me to feel invested or connected to each sister. As soon as I would start to understand their point of view, another sister would start sharing her perspective and I would lose my footing again. I was also expected more growth from each character. The parts about sisters’ collective grief felt the strongest.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.
I wish there was more depth given to each sister’s story vs jumping between the three. Switching between perspectives every few chapters made it hard for me to feel invested or connected to each sister. As soon as I would start to understand their point of view, another sister would start sharing her perspective and I would lose my footing again. I was also expected more growth from each character. The parts about sisters’ collective grief felt the strongest.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.
December 9, 2025
Kakigori Summer is a super character driven book about three sisters whose lives have taken them in completely different directions. When the youngest goes through a scandal in the music world, the sisters get back together and go to their hometown. While there, they reconnect and we learn a lot about their past while also watching them deal with a lot of things during their current lives. This book explores a lot about identity and sisterhood!
I absolutely looooved this book. Way more than I ever expected to! There's this incredibly calm...almost soothing quality to the way Emily Itami writes even when the sisters are going through some pretty heavy things. The whole story feels soft and melancholy but also warm and full of little pockets of joy!
Rei, Kiki and Ai felt real to me in a way that almost startled me. Their whole dynamic...like their childhood history, the distance, the tenderness, the misunderstandings, the love...all of it was soooo beautifully layered. I loved seeing who they used to be, who they've become and the ways they've changed while still saying fundamentally themselves. Their relationships with each other, with their grandmother, with their nephew/son, and even with their parents' memories were written with such care.
As someone who gets the complicated feelings of being half Asian and half white, the identity parts of this story hit sooooo freaking deeply. Itami captures that quiet inbetween space SO well...that feeling of belonging everywhere and nowhere at the same time.
This wasn't a fast paced or dramatic book. It's not twisty or flashy. It moves at this steady, smooth pace but it was never boring. It wasn't the type that gives me that need to binge it one sitting but I found myself thinking about these characters constantly whenever I wasn't reading. I got so invested in them that as I got closer to the end, I was sooo not ready to let them go. I already know I'll be wondering about these sisters for a long time into the future!
The writing is emotional but funny in subtle ways and very easy to read. I learned some fun British things and a lot of Japanese cultural details and I got completely swept up in this family's world! And considering I only picked this up because I won it in a Goodreads giveaway and I had zero expectations?!?! I'm honestly shocked at how much it blew me away! This might be in my top 3 for the year?!
Emily Itami has officially earned herself a spot in my "must read more" list. This book was so thoughtful and quietly powerful and was a total surprise!!!
I absolutely looooved this book. Way more than I ever expected to! There's this incredibly calm...almost soothing quality to the way Emily Itami writes even when the sisters are going through some pretty heavy things. The whole story feels soft and melancholy but also warm and full of little pockets of joy!
Rei, Kiki and Ai felt real to me in a way that almost startled me. Their whole dynamic...like their childhood history, the distance, the tenderness, the misunderstandings, the love...all of it was soooo beautifully layered. I loved seeing who they used to be, who they've become and the ways they've changed while still saying fundamentally themselves. Their relationships with each other, with their grandmother, with their nephew/son, and even with their parents' memories were written with such care.
As someone who gets the complicated feelings of being half Asian and half white, the identity parts of this story hit sooooo freaking deeply. Itami captures that quiet inbetween space SO well...that feeling of belonging everywhere and nowhere at the same time.
This wasn't a fast paced or dramatic book. It's not twisty or flashy. It moves at this steady, smooth pace but it was never boring. It wasn't the type that gives me that need to binge it one sitting but I found myself thinking about these characters constantly whenever I wasn't reading. I got so invested in them that as I got closer to the end, I was sooo not ready to let them go. I already know I'll be wondering about these sisters for a long time into the future!
The writing is emotional but funny in subtle ways and very easy to read. I learned some fun British things and a lot of Japanese cultural details and I got completely swept up in this family's world! And considering I only picked this up because I won it in a Goodreads giveaway and I had zero expectations?!?! I'm honestly shocked at how much it blew me away! This might be in my top 3 for the year?!
Emily Itami has officially earned herself a spot in my "must read more" list. This book was so thoughtful and quietly powerful and was a total surprise!!!
July 17, 2025
Lovely and so heartwarmingly written. Loved the characterization and how the theme revolved around siblings and sisterhood interactions— of one’s emotional unease, relationship mess and life mishap—with a glimpse to culture, of identity, on grief as well healing. I followed 3 half-Japanese sisters; Rei (a London banker), Kiki (a single mother in Tokyo) and Ai (a J-pop idol now caught in scandal) through their tales of reuniting and spending the summer together when Rei had to fly back to Tokyo and joining Kiki in saving a soul adventure when Ai fell into a depression and became sort of a national disgrace due to her scandal.
Having a voice-rich narrative with enthralling execution on its multiple POVs; from Rei to Kiki and Ai— definitely a fan to Itami’s style of writing (I favoured Fault Lines for the same reason too), her gentle and poignant tone was inviting with that cozy, quietness of one’s slice-of-life while reminiscing on their backstories, lifestyle and train of thoughts as well atmospherically luring me on the beautiful setting of their seaside hometown in Ikimura. The 5-year-old Hikaru was a bonus, loved that his character adding more dynamics to the whole sisterhood bunch— he can be so cutely random, both funny and caring esp with Ai.
“Your cheeks are wet.”
“Are they?”
“I’ll dry them for you Ai. It’s ok.”
Bit emotionally haunting for its familial tense; on the prolonged grief of losing their mother, that come and go hurdles on the biracial and cultural part as well Obaachan’s story that heartwrenched me at the end. Favoring how the author managed to tackle each healing journey and making it quite charmingly reflective; of each with their probs and traumas with nothing too dramatic or overstretched but rationale and relatable in a way. A peek to a love story in between (both of its beauty and stress) and I liked that kakigori ref to this whole mess summer getaway of the three sisters until to the last chapter. 4.3/5*
“I’m sorry, Rei.”
“You don’t have to be sorry. Just keep going. Just do that.”
(Thank you Times Reads for the gifted copy!)
Having a voice-rich narrative with enthralling execution on its multiple POVs; from Rei to Kiki and Ai— definitely a fan to Itami’s style of writing (I favoured Fault Lines for the same reason too), her gentle and poignant tone was inviting with that cozy, quietness of one’s slice-of-life while reminiscing on their backstories, lifestyle and train of thoughts as well atmospherically luring me on the beautiful setting of their seaside hometown in Ikimura. The 5-year-old Hikaru was a bonus, loved that his character adding more dynamics to the whole sisterhood bunch— he can be so cutely random, both funny and caring esp with Ai.
“Your cheeks are wet.”
“Are they?”
“I’ll dry them for you Ai. It’s ok.”
Bit emotionally haunting for its familial tense; on the prolonged grief of losing their mother, that come and go hurdles on the biracial and cultural part as well Obaachan’s story that heartwrenched me at the end. Favoring how the author managed to tackle each healing journey and making it quite charmingly reflective; of each with their probs and traumas with nothing too dramatic or overstretched but rationale and relatable in a way. A peek to a love story in between (both of its beauty and stress) and I liked that kakigori ref to this whole mess summer getaway of the three sisters until to the last chapter. 4.3/5*
“I’m sorry, Rei.”
“You don’t have to be sorry. Just keep going. Just do that.”
(Thank you Times Reads for the gifted copy!)
July 7, 2025
Big Thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the advanced copy! I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own
'Kakigori Summer' is the second book by Emily Itami, author of the 'Fault Lines. The book talks about the story of three sisters who are half Japanese and half English, something that, along with their mother's death when they were young, has marked their lives. The plot describes them coming together for a summer at their hometown, finding themselves, and rediscovering their family bonds as well as dealing with their own demons.
Overall, it is a sweet story, and the dynamics between the sisters and the kid, of course, are heartwarming and nostalgic. It is also interesting to learn slowly about their personalities and their stories prior to that summer.
However, the breaks between the chapters were too often and didn't serve the story, as it moved too fast from one POV to another. Also, the middle part was not as interesting as the beginning of the book. The ending took too long to wrap up the story, but it was an emotional one.
Finally, the writing was enjoyable and just right for the mood of the book.
'Kakigori Summer' is the second book by Emily Itami, author of the 'Fault Lines. The book talks about the story of three sisters who are half Japanese and half English, something that, along with their mother's death when they were young, has marked their lives. The plot describes them coming together for a summer at their hometown, finding themselves, and rediscovering their family bonds as well as dealing with their own demons.
Overall, it is a sweet story, and the dynamics between the sisters and the kid, of course, are heartwarming and nostalgic. It is also interesting to learn slowly about their personalities and their stories prior to that summer.
However, the breaks between the chapters were too often and didn't serve the story, as it moved too fast from one POV to another. Also, the middle part was not as interesting as the beginning of the book. The ending took too long to wrap up the story, but it was an emotional one.
Finally, the writing was enjoyable and just right for the mood of the book.
June 9, 2025
I went in with no expectations as this genre isn’t my usual. I was intrigued by the relationship between the sisters. I was pleasantly surprised to enjoy the entire book!
The cover is very cute and portrays the book well. The narrator, Ami Okumura Jones, has a lovely voice to listen to.
The story feels real with how a family acts together. It’s not always smiles and laughter. There can be days of sadness and struggles. Sometimes with books, they try so hard to show history and it comes off really cheesy. I felt like the sisters had an authentic relationship.
The book revolves around grief involving lost loved ones, youth, jobs, success in life and more. It’s about finding your place in life and the people you want to surround yourself with.
Thank you to Emily Itami, Ami Okumura Jones, NetGalley, and Harper Audio. I have written this review voluntarily and honestly.
The cover is very cute and portrays the book well. The narrator, Ami Okumura Jones, has a lovely voice to listen to.
The story feels real with how a family acts together. It’s not always smiles and laughter. There can be days of sadness and struggles. Sometimes with books, they try so hard to show history and it comes off really cheesy. I felt like the sisters had an authentic relationship.
The book revolves around grief involving lost loved ones, youth, jobs, success in life and more. It’s about finding your place in life and the people you want to surround yourself with.
Thank you to Emily Itami, Ami Okumura Jones, NetGalley, and Harper Audio. I have written this review voluntarily and honestly.
September 18, 2025
It was a solid read. I enjoyed different components of the book like the closeness of sisters and relationships but also was eh in terms of being super engaged.
June 22, 2025
Emily Itami needs the Sally Rooney popular literary fiction PR box treatment. I would read any book she writes in any genre about any subject. But 3 sisters with mommy issues trying to find themselves at their home by the sea????? GIVE ME 12.
Did I mention the most important relevant beautiful child in literature is in this book? Exactly.
I’m sorry but who else can write so perfectly and humorously. “I don’t like flying. It’s too much like the experience of being alive.”
You will laugh. You will cry. You will laugh until you cry. You will look into the process of adopting a fictional child.
Thank you to the publisher for my copy!
Did I mention the most important relevant beautiful child in literature is in this book? Exactly.
I’m sorry but who else can write so perfectly and humorously. “I don’t like flying. It’s too much like the experience of being alive.”
You will laugh. You will cry. You will laugh until you cry. You will look into the process of adopting a fictional child.
Thank you to the publisher for my copy!
October 31, 2025
3.5
A little slow and all the POVs sounded the same but I love sisters so much
A little slow and all the POVs sounded the same but I love sisters so much
August 17, 2025
This was a lovely summer read. I have given it 4 stars as I had to stop reading at times to look up the Japanese words!
July 18, 2025
Emily Itami has a way of writing women’s inner monologue, musings on motherhood, and descriptions of food and local culture that all come together to make for the most beautiful, delicious story. As with her novel, “Fault Lines”, there were passages in this book that took my breath away. I hope she publishes again very soon!
Want to read
October 30, 2024This is going to be a hit. I am already ready for the 2025 book of the summer, book of the year. So excited to read another novel by Emily!!
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