What do you think?
Rate this book
Faking Reality
Sara Fujimura's Faking Reality is another charming multicultural romance by the award-winning author of Every Reason We Shouldn’t , a National Public Radio Best YA Book of the Year.
Can a reality star princess transform the boy-next-door into her Cinnamon Roll Prince?
Dakota McDonald swore after “The Great Homecoming Disaster” that she’d never allow her romantic life to be a plot line in her parents’ HGTV show again. But when the restaurant run by the family of her best friend (and secret crush), Leo, is on the line, Dakota might end up eating her own words.
Leo Matsuda dreams of escaping the suffocating demands of working in his family’s restaurant, but the closer he gets to his goal―thanks to the help of his best friend (and secret crush) Dakota―the more reasons there are for him to stay.
Can a reality star princess transform the boy-next-door into her Cinnamon Roll Prince?
Dakota McDonald swore after “The Great Homecoming Disaster” that she’d never allow her romantic life to be a plot line in her parents’ HGTV show again. But when the restaurant run by the family of her best friend (and secret crush), Leo, is on the line, Dakota might end up eating her own words.
Leo Matsuda dreams of escaping the suffocating demands of working in his family’s restaurant, but the closer he gets to his goal―thanks to the help of his best friend (and secret crush) Dakota―the more reasons there are for him to stay.
320 pages, Paperback
First published July 13, 2021
17 people are currently reading
747 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 83 reviews
September 3, 2021
I’ve got a lot of mixed feelings about this one… Full review to come once I figure out what this was actually about/how it was supposed to make me feel. 3 stars as a placeholder.
*****
Thanks to NetGalley & Tor Teen for an eARC of this book. The following review is my honest reflection on the text provided.
I'm not sure what I expected when I picked up Faking Reality , but I was ultimately disappointed. Full of expected tropes, it was not the unique YA contemporary romance promised, and it sorely lacked any depth or character development to at least make it enjoyable.
There were moments when Dakota was an interesting protagonist; she was honest with her emotions and had a unique family dynamic, especially with the reality tv filming. But unfortunately, it felt like none of her projects ever played out fully and even the whole reality tv thing was never really explained. It seems pretty unlikely that a reality show on HGTV would be so popular for over a decade that it would inspire SNL skits...
I can understand why Dakota was in love with Leo - they've grown up together. With her unusual family and celebrity, it makes sense she would be interested in the most stable, normal person in her life. However, Leo is kind of a jerk, and their relationship ends up being pretty unhealthy. Even when he knows how Dakota feels about him, he's not shy with the romantic PDA in front of her with no care for how it would make her feel. He can't stand her being interested in anyone else but has no desire to be with her. And as soon as Leo starts dating Lindsay and Dakota starts dating Alex, I just felt bad for Lindsay and Alex. There was no attempt to develop these characters or relationships, and it was clear they were just there to cause drama until Leo realised he was *gasp* interested in Dakota.
I did appreciate the Japanese elements in the narrative; they felt authentic and added a much-needed dose of realism in a very unrealistic story. The scenes in Leo's family's restaurant were the most enjoyable to read.
The more time passes, and the more I think about it, I can't seem to figure out the point of Faking Reality . If this had been about two friends overcoming feelings to remain friends, or two childhood friends falling for each other, it would have felt more contemporary and less expected. But, instead, the dependence on tropes led to a predictable and unnecessary story.
*****
Thanks to NetGalley & Tor Teen for an eARC of this book. The following review is my honest reflection on the text provided.
I'm not sure what I expected when I picked up Faking Reality , but I was ultimately disappointed. Full of expected tropes, it was not the unique YA contemporary romance promised, and it sorely lacked any depth or character development to at least make it enjoyable.
There were moments when Dakota was an interesting protagonist; she was honest with her emotions and had a unique family dynamic, especially with the reality tv filming. But unfortunately, it felt like none of her projects ever played out fully and even the whole reality tv thing was never really explained. It seems pretty unlikely that a reality show on HGTV would be so popular for over a decade that it would inspire SNL skits...
I can understand why Dakota was in love with Leo - they've grown up together. With her unusual family and celebrity, it makes sense she would be interested in the most stable, normal person in her life. However, Leo is kind of a jerk, and their relationship ends up being pretty unhealthy. Even when he knows how Dakota feels about him, he's not shy with the romantic PDA in front of her with no care for how it would make her feel. He can't stand her being interested in anyone else but has no desire to be with her. And as soon as Leo starts dating Lindsay and Dakota starts dating Alex, I just felt bad for Lindsay and Alex. There was no attempt to develop these characters or relationships, and it was clear they were just there to cause drama until Leo realised he was *gasp* interested in Dakota.
I did appreciate the Japanese elements in the narrative; they felt authentic and added a much-needed dose of realism in a very unrealistic story. The scenes in Leo's family's restaurant were the most enjoyable to read.
The more time passes, and the more I think about it, I can't seem to figure out the point of Faking Reality . If this had been about two friends overcoming feelings to remain friends, or two childhood friends falling for each other, it would have felt more contemporary and less expected. But, instead, the dependence on tropes led to a predictable and unnecessary story.
Blog | Bookstagram | Reddit | Twitter
February 16, 2021
I'm not sure what i was expecting from this book, but it wasn't what I got. When I picked this up, I wanted something that was light and fluffy. This was halfway there, but something was missing.
Part of the problem was that I never connected, or understood the characters. Dakota was a character on a reality show, but I never really understood what the show was... They fixed houses and built things, but we never really got to see them building things. And, she was uncomfortable with being the spotlight, which I understand, but also clashed with her being on a TV show.
And the romances in this were a mess. I never cared about Alex, because it was painfully obvious Dakota and Leo would end up together. Because of this, the entire middle of this just dragged on and on. There was nothing that made me care about the romances, so it fell flat.
This is one of those books that I just feel nothing towards. It wasn't good, but it wasn't bad. It's just there. It's not something I see myself rereading, and not something I see myself recommending.
Thanks to Netgalley and Sara Fujimura for providing a free copy in exchange exchange an honest review!
Part of the problem was that I never connected, or understood the characters. Dakota was a character on a reality show, but I never really understood what the show was... They fixed houses and built things, but we never really got to see them building things. And, she was uncomfortable with being the spotlight, which I understand, but also clashed with her being on a TV show.
And the romances in this were a mess. I never cared about Alex, because it was painfully obvious Dakota and Leo would end up together. Because of this, the entire middle of this just dragged on and on. There was nothing that made me care about the romances, so it fell flat.
This is one of those books that I just feel nothing towards. It wasn't good, but it wasn't bad. It's just there. It's not something I see myself rereading, and not something I see myself recommending.
Thanks to Netgalley and Sara Fujimura for providing a free copy in exchange exchange an honest review!
February 19, 2021
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.
For Dakota McDonald, her entire life has been a reality show - literally. Her parents are the stars of a well loved home refurbishment show, and when they unexpectedly found out they were pregnant during season 4, her entire childhood has played a role in the plot of the show. She's never really minded it, having her privacy at school and at her best friend, Leo's, family restaurant, but when she was pranked by her date at last years homecoming, resulting in a wardrobe malfunction, a viral meme, and even a SNL skit, she's wary for her personal life to be shown on screen. For the final season, and Koty's upcoming 16th birthday, the network want to host a massive Sweet 16 party for her, complete with a handsome date, to model tuxedos from a sponsor. To say Koty is wary would be an understatement, but when her relationship with Leo is put firmly in the Friend Zone, she knows she needs to do this to start to heal. Will she find someone to be happy with, or will her feelings for Leo be too much to overcome? For Leo, he wants to be able to step out from his responsibilities at the family restaurant, as the only son, and be able to go to Japan with Koty and others in the Japanese Culture Club this summer, but money is tight. Can he get over his fear of being in the public spotlight, and let Koty use her fame to help his yakisoba business at the school fair and more?
I will admit, this was a bit of an impulse request on NetGalley, but any book that is compare to My Big Fat Greek Wedding is bound to get my attention and though this wasn't a carbon copy, I can really see what that reference was made. Leo is from a Japanese family, as is Koty's mother, and they are both part of the Japanese Culture Club. Learning the language, watching Japanese shows, and talking about their family histories is really important for them both, and I liked how the book didn't sugar coat everything, and even touched on the topic of Japanese American internment camps during and following the Second World War. There's a trip to Nagoya that the school club is planning on doing this summer, and the city is important to both Koty and Leo, so to go on the trip would be a dream. For Koty, she can easily afford it, but it's more difficult for Leo, and she would do anything to help him get on the trip, even talking about her private life more online and on the show. However, it is awkward after they nearly kissed in the walk in fridge, and Leo firmly placed her in the Friend Zone. So, Koty tries to move on, and finds herself auditioning dates at the restaurant prior to her party - first actors who are arrogant and stuck up, and then Alex, a family friend of one of the production team, and they really hit it off. I liked Alex, and though it was clear that Koty and Leo were endgame, it was nice seeing Koty come out of her shell, try more normal, teenage things, and grow, before they got together.
For anyone who likes watching reality shows like the one depicted in the book, it was a joy to see the behind the scenes of what it is like being a 'star', and especially in today's day and age, when all of your actions are examined and criticised on social media and in the tabloids. Koty is treated as a DIY Princess, thought to be a diva, and some of the coverage about her is downright cruel, but she copes extremely well - though a little guarded. I really disliked the producer, Phil, who wanted his pound of flesh from Koty, and tried to get more and more juicy material for the show, even invading her privacy or causing scenes to be made all for ratings. I felt like Koty dealt with it all so well, though, especially when faced with trolls and others who wanted to pull her down, and the final scenes showed this off perfectly. Such a good YA read, perfect, I'd say, for summer reading!
For Dakota McDonald, her entire life has been a reality show - literally. Her parents are the stars of a well loved home refurbishment show, and when they unexpectedly found out they were pregnant during season 4, her entire childhood has played a role in the plot of the show. She's never really minded it, having her privacy at school and at her best friend, Leo's, family restaurant, but when she was pranked by her date at last years homecoming, resulting in a wardrobe malfunction, a viral meme, and even a SNL skit, she's wary for her personal life to be shown on screen. For the final season, and Koty's upcoming 16th birthday, the network want to host a massive Sweet 16 party for her, complete with a handsome date, to model tuxedos from a sponsor. To say Koty is wary would be an understatement, but when her relationship with Leo is put firmly in the Friend Zone, she knows she needs to do this to start to heal. Will she find someone to be happy with, or will her feelings for Leo be too much to overcome? For Leo, he wants to be able to step out from his responsibilities at the family restaurant, as the only son, and be able to go to Japan with Koty and others in the Japanese Culture Club this summer, but money is tight. Can he get over his fear of being in the public spotlight, and let Koty use her fame to help his yakisoba business at the school fair and more?
I will admit, this was a bit of an impulse request on NetGalley, but any book that is compare to My Big Fat Greek Wedding is bound to get my attention and though this wasn't a carbon copy, I can really see what that reference was made. Leo is from a Japanese family, as is Koty's mother, and they are both part of the Japanese Culture Club. Learning the language, watching Japanese shows, and talking about their family histories is really important for them both, and I liked how the book didn't sugar coat everything, and even touched on the topic of Japanese American internment camps during and following the Second World War. There's a trip to Nagoya that the school club is planning on doing this summer, and the city is important to both Koty and Leo, so to go on the trip would be a dream. For Koty, she can easily afford it, but it's more difficult for Leo, and she would do anything to help him get on the trip, even talking about her private life more online and on the show. However, it is awkward after they nearly kissed in the walk in fridge, and Leo firmly placed her in the Friend Zone. So, Koty tries to move on, and finds herself auditioning dates at the restaurant prior to her party - first actors who are arrogant and stuck up, and then Alex, a family friend of one of the production team, and they really hit it off. I liked Alex, and though it was clear that Koty and Leo were endgame, it was nice seeing Koty come out of her shell, try more normal, teenage things, and grow, before they got together.
For anyone who likes watching reality shows like the one depicted in the book, it was a joy to see the behind the scenes of what it is like being a 'star', and especially in today's day and age, when all of your actions are examined and criticised on social media and in the tabloids. Koty is treated as a DIY Princess, thought to be a diva, and some of the coverage about her is downright cruel, but she copes extremely well - though a little guarded. I really disliked the producer, Phil, who wanted his pound of flesh from Koty, and tried to get more and more juicy material for the show, even invading her privacy or causing scenes to be made all for ratings. I felt like Koty dealt with it all so well, though, especially when faced with trolls and others who wanted to pull her down, and the final scenes showed this off perfectly. Such a good YA read, perfect, I'd say, for summer reading!
July 16, 2021
3.5/ 5 stars
Faking Reality is a cute Young Adult contemporary romance.
The book takes place in Arizona. The narrator is Dakota/Koty (1st person POV).
Leo (16) and Dakota (almost 16) have been best friends since they were little kids. Dakota has been appearing on her family's HGTV show since she was a baby.
There were definitely things that I liked about this book. It was an enjoyable cute YA romance. I really loved the friendship between Dakota and Leo (and his family). And I loved the family aspect of the book. I really enjoyed everything to do with Leo's family's family-owned restaurant. And the HGTV show was a fun part of the book.
There was a lot of Japanese culture in this book, which was really interesting. I also really enjoyed Dakota's good friend Nevaeh (who was genderfluid).
It's a bit harder to pinpoint exactly what I didn't love about this story. There was a love triangle in this book, which was okay. But there were things about each guy that got on my nerves.
Also the story was cute. But there were times when the story dragged a bit.
Overall, this was a quickish YA read that is suitable for teens of all ages.
Thanks to edelweiss and Tor Teen for allowing me to read this book.
October 2, 2021
ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
This book was the definition of slow burn romance.
I knew that this book would be slow burn, I knew what I was getting into when I first read the blurb and I knew exactly that this book would be my cup of tea. Slow burn romance is one of my favourite tropes and even more so when it's friends to lovers who are oblivious of their feelings towards each other.
Faking Reality follows reality TV star, Dakota McDonald as she juggles school, her TV career and her secret crush on her best friend Leo Matsuda. Leo dreams of leaving his town and the small family restaurant he calls home, but as business starts going downhill, Leo has to partner up with Dakota to save the restaurant and confront his feelings towards her too.
I enjoyed this book, I really did, but I thought the story dragged out a bit unnecessarily especially in the middle when a character was added as a plot device to create a love triangle and build romantic tension. It would've been successful had it been less obvious that it would be Leo she would choose at the end. I couldn't help but wonder about the pointlessness of the love triangle and how much better the book would've been without it. Love triangles in my opinion need to be persuasive in nature as in, you cannot choose between them because both have such different but amazing qualities. Even better still are love triangles where the tension is built up so well that you genuinely don't know what direction the story will go and which person the main character will choose. The best love triangle I have seen so far in a YA book series has been with The Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare. I don't think I've read a book that executed a love triangle better than that of Will, Jem and Tessa.
Because of the love triangle which I stated didn't add anything more to the book, the middle dragged out unnecessarily. I enjoyed all the scenes and getting to know the characters better but I didn't see the relevance or importance of the scenes with Alex, knowing exactly who her heart would choose. It was so obvious from the start that I was just waiting until the slow burn romantic tension would break and Leo and Dakota would realise their feelings towards each other. In essence, I was just waiting for Alex to get out of the picture. The problem was he was in the picture for over 100 pages.
Story dragging and unnecessary love triangle aside, I really enjoyed the upbeat feel of this book. I think if I was younger and just getting into the YA romance/contemporary scene, I would've instantly declared this book a favourite. I would recommend it to younger readers of the YA spectrum, I think that is the true recommended age range for this book. It's a clean romance, nothing more than kissing involved and because it's slow burn it focuses more strongly on the emotional relationship between Leo and Dakota, chemistry, if you'd like. The chemistry between the two were the best aspects of this novel. I loved every scene with these two and swooned whenever they did cute "just friends" things like eating Japanese food or watching K-Drama together. It was really sweet and it was a perfect pick-me-up read.
I also liked all the side characters too (Leo still was my favourite). I liked Nevaeh and Aurora above everyone else and I enjoyed the scenes in the Matsuda restaurant. They were the best aspects of the book.
All in all, it was a cute book but it did have a loose plot, unnecessary love triangle and it was dragged out a bit in the middle.
ACTUAL RATING: 2.8 STARS
This book was the definition of slow burn romance.
I knew that this book would be slow burn, I knew what I was getting into when I first read the blurb and I knew exactly that this book would be my cup of tea. Slow burn romance is one of my favourite tropes and even more so when it's friends to lovers who are oblivious of their feelings towards each other.
Faking Reality follows reality TV star, Dakota McDonald as she juggles school, her TV career and her secret crush on her best friend Leo Matsuda. Leo dreams of leaving his town and the small family restaurant he calls home, but as business starts going downhill, Leo has to partner up with Dakota to save the restaurant and confront his feelings towards her too.
I enjoyed this book, I really did, but I thought the story dragged out a bit unnecessarily especially in the middle when a character was added as a plot device to create a love triangle and build romantic tension. It would've been successful had it been less obvious that it would be Leo she would choose at the end. I couldn't help but wonder about the pointlessness of the love triangle and how much better the book would've been without it. Love triangles in my opinion need to be persuasive in nature as in, you cannot choose between them because both have such different but amazing qualities. Even better still are love triangles where the tension is built up so well that you genuinely don't know what direction the story will go and which person the main character will choose. The best love triangle I have seen so far in a YA book series has been with The Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare. I don't think I've read a book that executed a love triangle better than that of Will, Jem and Tessa.
Because of the love triangle which I stated didn't add anything more to the book, the middle dragged out unnecessarily. I enjoyed all the scenes and getting to know the characters better but I didn't see the relevance or importance of the scenes with Alex, knowing exactly who her heart would choose. It was so obvious from the start that I was just waiting until the slow burn romantic tension would break and Leo and Dakota would realise their feelings towards each other. In essence, I was just waiting for Alex to get out of the picture. The problem was he was in the picture for over 100 pages.
Story dragging and unnecessary love triangle aside, I really enjoyed the upbeat feel of this book. I think if I was younger and just getting into the YA romance/contemporary scene, I would've instantly declared this book a favourite. I would recommend it to younger readers of the YA spectrum, I think that is the true recommended age range for this book. It's a clean romance, nothing more than kissing involved and because it's slow burn it focuses more strongly on the emotional relationship between Leo and Dakota, chemistry, if you'd like. The chemistry between the two were the best aspects of this novel. I loved every scene with these two and swooned whenever they did cute "just friends" things like eating Japanese food or watching K-Drama together. It was really sweet and it was a perfect pick-me-up read.
I also liked all the side characters too (Leo still was my favourite). I liked Nevaeh and Aurora above everyone else and I enjoyed the scenes in the Matsuda restaurant. They were the best aspects of the book.
All in all, it was a cute book but it did have a loose plot, unnecessary love triangle and it was dragged out a bit in the middle.
ACTUAL RATING: 2.8 STARS
March 18, 2021
Rating:
2.5-3 stars
Recommended for... fans of Fixer Upper, Japanese culture, and whiplash-inducing romance
The following book contains LGBT characters, some pop culture references
I can't quite put my finger on it, but I feel like there was just something about this book that made it hard for me to enjoy. It was missing something or something was off (or maybe I'm the problem,) but it just wasn't as enjoyable as I thought it'd be. Even though this had all the ingredients for a light, cute high school romance, it just didn't work for me.
I think part of it was the fact that the synopsis didn't really match the actual story. Most of the story was spent on Dakota's unrequited crush which is fine, but the blurb had set me up to expect a story about "secret crushes" and mutual pining. There wasn't anything particularly wrong with the story, but the false advertising threw me off. Like, the book's summary made it seem like Dakota was going to let her love life be HGTV fodder to save the Matsuda's restaurant, when she in actuality she was just "faking reality" to get a nice car.
I also wasn't a huge fan of the romance in this. A lot of it was just Fujimura telling us that different characters were kissing (they ranged from "G-rated" to "octopus arms,") and the relationships weren't developed enough to make it feel believable. It was a weird mix of unrequited love, jealousy, and fake dating, and it never came together to create a cohesive story. It also didn't help that I got second-hand embarrassment when I would read descriptions like "the person whose lips send arcs of electricity through her body."
I did like some of the non-romance aspects of the book, including:
🙋🏻♀️ Asian American rep - Even if I don't love the books, I'm always a fan of Asian Americans in YA. I read this on Lunar New Year, and there was just something special about simultaneously seeing characters eat kagami mochi on New Year's (which I know isn't the same day) and eating a bowl of tang yuan.
🍙 Food - the Matsuda's own a restaurant, so Japanese food played a part in the story. My love language, like Fujimara's, is food, so I loved the fact that Japanese dishes were showcased even if the descriptions had me craving miso Katsu.
🚫 One POV - The one good thing about the misleading summary was that Leo was not one of the narrators. Everything we learned was from Dakota's perspective, and as someone who's getting a little tired of the unnecessary use of alternating POVs in YA, I was very happy we got to stick with one protagonist.
🔨 Home Improvement - I have never had a desire to watch HGTV, but I actually found the parts related to "If These Walls Could Talk" pretty interesting. I don't know if I would actually watch DIY with Dakota (even though I probably should) if it were a real thing, but it was surprisingly entertaining to read about.
Unfortunately, the book as a whole didn't work for me. I never connected with any of the characters and wasn't invested in the story which was especially disappointing because I think this could've been a much stronger story with a little more focus. It definitely didn't help that the flashbacks were incorporated awkwardly, and the lack of transitions made the reading experience a bit disjointed. If this had been a little less scattered and had a little more direction, this might've been a very different review. As it is, I'm just left with a craving for yakisoba and a strong urge to go to Japan for tanabata.
Macmillan/Tor-Forge gave me an early e-copy of the book in exchange for an honest review because they're nice like that.
Recommended for... fans of Fixer Upper, Japanese culture, and whiplash-inducing romance
The following book contains LGBT characters, some pop culture references
I can't quite put my finger on it, but I feel like there was just something about this book that made it hard for me to enjoy. It was missing something or something was off (or maybe I'm the problem,) but it just wasn't as enjoyable as I thought it'd be. Even though this had all the ingredients for a light, cute high school romance, it just didn't work for me.
I think part of it was the fact that the synopsis didn't really match the actual story. Most of the story was spent on Dakota's unrequited crush which is fine, but the blurb had set me up to expect a story about "secret crushes" and mutual pining. There wasn't anything particularly wrong with the story, but the false advertising threw me off. Like, the book's summary made it seem like Dakota was going to let her love life be HGTV fodder to save the Matsuda's restaurant, when she in actuality she was just "faking reality" to get a nice car.
I also wasn't a huge fan of the romance in this. A lot of it was just Fujimura telling us that different characters were kissing (they ranged from "G-rated" to "octopus arms,") and the relationships weren't developed enough to make it feel believable. It was a weird mix of unrequited love, jealousy, and fake dating, and it never came together to create a cohesive story. It also didn't help that I got second-hand embarrassment when I would read descriptions like "the person whose lips send arcs of electricity through her body."
I did like some of the non-romance aspects of the book, including:
🙋🏻♀️ Asian American rep - Even if I don't love the books, I'm always a fan of Asian Americans in YA. I read this on Lunar New Year, and there was just something special about simultaneously seeing characters eat kagami mochi on New Year's (which I know isn't the same day) and eating a bowl of tang yuan.
🍙 Food - the Matsuda's own a restaurant, so Japanese food played a part in the story. My love language, like Fujimara's, is food, so I loved the fact that Japanese dishes were showcased even if the descriptions had me craving miso Katsu.
🚫 One POV - The one good thing about the misleading summary was that Leo was not one of the narrators. Everything we learned was from Dakota's perspective, and as someone who's getting a little tired of the unnecessary use of alternating POVs in YA, I was very happy we got to stick with one protagonist.
🔨 Home Improvement - I have never had a desire to watch HGTV, but I actually found the parts related to "If These Walls Could Talk" pretty interesting. I don't know if I would actually watch DIY with Dakota (even though I probably should) if it were a real thing, but it was surprisingly entertaining to read about.
Unfortunately, the book as a whole didn't work for me. I never connected with any of the characters and wasn't invested in the story which was especially disappointing because I think this could've been a much stronger story with a little more focus. It definitely didn't help that the flashbacks were incorporated awkwardly, and the lack of transitions made the reading experience a bit disjointed. If this had been a little less scattered and had a little more direction, this might've been a very different review. As it is, I'm just left with a craving for yakisoba and a strong urge to go to Japan for tanabata.
Macmillan/Tor-Forge gave me an early e-copy of the book in exchange for an honest review because they're nice like that.
August 31, 2021
I find it funny that this was maybe the first time I read any book by a Japanese descendant, considering how the Japanese culture interests me and I even took a course in the university about the generations of immigrants. But I'm digressing, although Dakota does mention some things I've seen in my course as she narrates.
Dakota is the daughter of the stars in a popular reality TV show and that's she's been all her life, which has led her to many inconveniences and a couple of traumas. Because if that, she prefers to live in her bubble, trusting very few people in. One of them is her childhood friend and major crush, Leo Matsuda. But now he has a girlfriend, she can't continue to dream of the day she'll be out of the friendzone and decides to find an actual date for the Sweet Sixteen extravaganza the show runner is planning for her in the last season.
I'd give this a 3+ but still not enough to round it up to 4. All the Japanese culture inserts are really nice and surely a good immersion especially for those not familiar, but it wasn't enough to save how messy the plot gets.
It may be a me problem, and other readers might love this—I did mention I don't find easily things about Japanese culture so they might not find it either—but Dakota and Leo's friendship bothered me a lot. And I feel it wasn't intentional or if it was the book didn't treat it the right way, because the way their relationship goes in the story felt very unhealthy. It's sad, because Leo is a great guy who just couldn't deal with Dakota's feelings for him. YA books are not here to teach anything, but I wish they had either showed a good way to solve the friendzone problem or showed it some other way. Less romance as the end goal and more coming of age, perhaps?
I also found it hard to connect with Dakota and even with Leo (because I kept hating how he was dealing with everything). To be honest, I can't say any character was my favorite, and their flaws would get me at times.
And as mentioned, the plot is a little messy. Maybe, it took too long for the book to get to the point, that is Dakota trying to get over Leo and find a date to her party. This only happens around halfway, actually. On the other hand, this gave the two enough time for their conflict to appear and explode.
I feel the actual audience will enjoy it much more than me, an old lady for them. There's a lot for them to enjoy along the way and maybe they won't be as bothered and judgmental with the main romance as I was. But for me, this story needed more editing to maybe become whatever the official summary leads us to think it is.
Honest review based on an ARC provided by Netgalley. Many thanks to the publisher for this opportunity.
Dakota is the daughter of the stars in a popular reality TV show and that's she's been all her life, which has led her to many inconveniences and a couple of traumas. Because if that, she prefers to live in her bubble, trusting very few people in. One of them is her childhood friend and major crush, Leo Matsuda. But now he has a girlfriend, she can't continue to dream of the day she'll be out of the friendzone and decides to find an actual date for the Sweet Sixteen extravaganza the show runner is planning for her in the last season.
I'd give this a 3+ but still not enough to round it up to 4. All the Japanese culture inserts are really nice and surely a good immersion especially for those not familiar, but it wasn't enough to save how messy the plot gets.
It may be a me problem, and other readers might love this—I did mention I don't find easily things about Japanese culture so they might not find it either—but Dakota and Leo's friendship bothered me a lot. And I feel it wasn't intentional or if it was the book didn't treat it the right way, because the way their relationship goes in the story felt very unhealthy. It's sad, because Leo is a great guy who just couldn't deal with Dakota's feelings for him. YA books are not here to teach anything, but I wish they had either showed a good way to solve the friendzone problem or showed it some other way. Less romance as the end goal and more coming of age, perhaps?
I also found it hard to connect with Dakota and even with Leo (because I kept hating how he was dealing with everything). To be honest, I can't say any character was my favorite, and their flaws would get me at times.
And as mentioned, the plot is a little messy. Maybe, it took too long for the book to get to the point, that is Dakota trying to get over Leo and find a date to her party. This only happens around halfway, actually. On the other hand, this gave the two enough time for their conflict to appear and explode.
I feel the actual audience will enjoy it much more than me, an old lady for them. There's a lot for them to enjoy along the way and maybe they won't be as bothered and judgmental with the main romance as I was. But for me, this story needed more editing to maybe become whatever the official summary leads us to think it is.
Honest review based on an ARC provided by Netgalley. Many thanks to the publisher for this opportunity.
September 1, 2021
Originally published on The Nerd Daily | Review by Andrea Reid
Faking Reality is a coming-of-age story dealing with themes such as empowerment, desire to escape, appearance versus reality, fame, family, love and heartbreak, wealth, culture and race, social media, and gender identity. This book really emphasised the importance of family, being true to oneself, and going after what you want. It also reinforced the fact that “reality” TV isn’t always real and isn’t always as glamorous as it seems. Faking Reality uses the friends to lovers trope and would be perfect for fans of Just Listen by Sarah Dessen, The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han, Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson, and Tokyo Ever After by Emiko Jean as well as fans of HGTV shows like Fixer Upper, Good Bones, and Home Town. It would also be a great fit for fans of Sweet 16 by Kate Brian and fans of the reality TV show My Super Sweet 16.
Read the FULL REVIEW on The Nerd Daily
Faking Reality is a coming-of-age story dealing with themes such as empowerment, desire to escape, appearance versus reality, fame, family, love and heartbreak, wealth, culture and race, social media, and gender identity. This book really emphasised the importance of family, being true to oneself, and going after what you want. It also reinforced the fact that “reality” TV isn’t always real and isn’t always as glamorous as it seems. Faking Reality uses the friends to lovers trope and would be perfect for fans of Just Listen by Sarah Dessen, The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han, Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson, and Tokyo Ever After by Emiko Jean as well as fans of HGTV shows like Fixer Upper, Good Bones, and Home Town. It would also be a great fit for fans of Sweet 16 by Kate Brian and fans of the reality TV show My Super Sweet 16.
Read the FULL REVIEW on The Nerd Daily
July 19, 2021
Rating: 3.5 Stars
It was never easy living life online, and Dakota’s reign as America’s DIY Princess was finally coming to a close. Once the cameras were gone, she would be able to live her life as an average teen. After the final episode of her family’s HGTV show, her first line of business would be turning her crush into something more.
When I picked up this book, I thought the romance would be the part that grabbed me most, but I found myself more interested in the challenges Dakota faced growing up on TV. Even before she was born, her parents’ fans knew about her, and she grew up right before their eyes. It was one of those things that was a blessing and a curse. It was a blessing to be part of successful show and get to create things with her parents. Dakota didn’t have to worry about how she would pay for college or anything like that. She did, however, have to live her life carefully because it seemed like someone was there waiting for her to mess up or ready to pass harsh judgments about her.
Constantly being in the public eye presented many challenges for Dakota. It was difficult for her to know who her real friends were or to do something as simple as date. This exploration of living in the spotlight was done really well, and I had a lot of compassion for Dakota and all the things she had to sacrifice for her family’s show. But this was also about Dakota trying to figure out who she was if she wasn’t the DIY Princess. That’s a lot for a teen to deal with, especially one whose entire life was defined by a show.
Other things I really enjoyed were being on the set of the show. The concept was interesting. They would do restorations, but incorporate history into them. I thought these parts were fabulous. In fact, I enjoy all Dakota’s builds and projects. I almost wish there was more of that.
It was also fun spending time at Leo’s family’s restaurant. There were many great moments of friendship and family bonding, but also food! So. Much. Food. I was really craving Japanese after reading this book. The food descriptions were quite vivid, and I had a long list of things I wanted to eat by the end of this story.
Overall: This was a sweet story about friendship, family, and change with a touch of romance, and lot of Japanese culture.
*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
BLOG | INSTAGRAM |TWITTER | BLOGLOVIN | FRIEND ME ON GOODREADS
It was never easy living life online, and Dakota’s reign as America’s DIY Princess was finally coming to a close. Once the cameras were gone, she would be able to live her life as an average teen. After the final episode of her family’s HGTV show, her first line of business would be turning her crush into something more.
When I picked up this book, I thought the romance would be the part that grabbed me most, but I found myself more interested in the challenges Dakota faced growing up on TV. Even before she was born, her parents’ fans knew about her, and she grew up right before their eyes. It was one of those things that was a blessing and a curse. It was a blessing to be part of successful show and get to create things with her parents. Dakota didn’t have to worry about how she would pay for college or anything like that. She did, however, have to live her life carefully because it seemed like someone was there waiting for her to mess up or ready to pass harsh judgments about her.
Constantly being in the public eye presented many challenges for Dakota. It was difficult for her to know who her real friends were or to do something as simple as date. This exploration of living in the spotlight was done really well, and I had a lot of compassion for Dakota and all the things she had to sacrifice for her family’s show. But this was also about Dakota trying to figure out who she was if she wasn’t the DIY Princess. That’s a lot for a teen to deal with, especially one whose entire life was defined by a show.
Other things I really enjoyed were being on the set of the show. The concept was interesting. They would do restorations, but incorporate history into them. I thought these parts were fabulous. In fact, I enjoy all Dakota’s builds and projects. I almost wish there was more of that.
It was also fun spending time at Leo’s family’s restaurant. There were many great moments of friendship and family bonding, but also food! So. Much. Food. I was really craving Japanese after reading this book. The food descriptions were quite vivid, and I had a long list of things I wanted to eat by the end of this story.
Overall: This was a sweet story about friendship, family, and change with a touch of romance, and lot of Japanese culture.
*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
BLOG | INSTAGRAM |TWITTER | BLOGLOVIN | FRIEND ME ON GOODREADS
February 20, 2021
3/5 stars
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Dakota has been hurt by romance before, especially considering the fact that her family's TV show made her embarrassment and pain go viral. She learned just how horrible it can be to have your entire life on TV. Meanwhile, she's wrestling with her feelings for her best friend Leo, whose family owns a Japanese restaurant. His life is rather suffocating, and he can't wait to be free.
I really wanted to enjoy this book, but it just wasn't what I thought it would be. I was excited to see Asian American rep, but I wish I could have enjoyed the story more.
First of all, the synopsis is somewhat misleading. Potential spoilers incoming, so skip to the next paragraph if you'd like to avoid them.
Putting aside the synopsis, I just couldn't get into the story. I never got very attached to Dakota or Leo. The whole TV show thing didn't really appeal to me--it wasn't described much except to discuss things that annoyed Dakota or made her life difficult. I also felt like the story moved slowly. The romance was a bit all over the place and took way too long to pick up. Some of the side characters seemed to get tossed to the wayside by the end of the book.
Ultimately, I enjoyed certain aspects of the book, but it wasn't enough to keep my interest.
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Dakota has been hurt by romance before, especially considering the fact that her family's TV show made her embarrassment and pain go viral. She learned just how horrible it can be to have your entire life on TV. Meanwhile, she's wrestling with her feelings for her best friend Leo, whose family owns a Japanese restaurant. His life is rather suffocating, and he can't wait to be free.
I really wanted to enjoy this book, but it just wasn't what I thought it would be. I was excited to see Asian American rep, but I wish I could have enjoyed the story more.
First of all, the synopsis is somewhat misleading. Potential spoilers incoming, so skip to the next paragraph if you'd like to avoid them.
Putting aside the synopsis, I just couldn't get into the story. I never got very attached to Dakota or Leo. The whole TV show thing didn't really appeal to me--it wasn't described much except to discuss things that annoyed Dakota or made her life difficult. I also felt like the story moved slowly. The romance was a bit all over the place and took way too long to pick up. Some of the side characters seemed to get tossed to the wayside by the end of the book.
Ultimately, I enjoyed certain aspects of the book, but it wasn't enough to keep my interest.
April 20, 2021
First let me just say all the things I love about this book
Asian representation, biracial representation, the mother making sure to represent and teach others about her family in their show and Fixer Upper vibes.
Ok to now form a proper review.
It's a book I wish I had as a teenager. Dakota is a girl that just wants to have a "normal" teenage life and not be surrounded by her families HGTV show (the Fixer Upper vibes). The only thing that really keeps her grounded is her best friend and maybe not so secret crush Leo. They have a fun friendship and obviously when you throw in some new romantic relationships things change. I liked how Sara had them both date other people and not make it so that Dakota got insanely jealous. I feel like that trope is too much sometimes. The lead tends to do dumb things when that happens. However, I think Dakota handled Leo dating someone very well. Maybe because that's how I would respond as well hahaha. It's a great way of showing that best friends can grow as separate people but still stay friends.
As the story goes on you see Asian representation all throughout the book and learn a bit of history of discrimination towards Asians. Dakota is biracial and she mentions a bit about how she feels about it. As someone who is also biracial I could relate to this. Dakota is also a girl that knows how to make and build things (I mean hello her parents have a HGTV show) and I feel like many teens or young adults might relate to that. I know that I was never into super girly things and liked to do hands on work like Dakota. Again I wish I had this book when I was younger!
Overall, I loved this story and would recommend it.
Asian representation, biracial representation, the mother making sure to represent and teach others about her family in their show and Fixer Upper vibes.
Ok to now form a proper review.
It's a book I wish I had as a teenager. Dakota is a girl that just wants to have a "normal" teenage life and not be surrounded by her families HGTV show (the Fixer Upper vibes). The only thing that really keeps her grounded is her best friend and maybe not so secret crush Leo. They have a fun friendship and obviously when you throw in some new romantic relationships things change. I liked how Sara had them both date other people and not make it so that Dakota got insanely jealous. I feel like that trope is too much sometimes. The lead tends to do dumb things when that happens. However, I think Dakota handled Leo dating someone very well. Maybe because that's how I would respond as well hahaha. It's a great way of showing that best friends can grow as separate people but still stay friends.
As the story goes on you see Asian representation all throughout the book and learn a bit of history of discrimination towards Asians. Dakota is biracial and she mentions a bit about how she feels about it. As someone who is also biracial I could relate to this. Dakota is also a girl that knows how to make and build things (I mean hello her parents have a HGTV show) and I feel like many teens or young adults might relate to that. I know that I was never into super girly things and liked to do hands on work like Dakota. Again I wish I had this book when I was younger!
Overall, I loved this story and would recommend it.
April 15, 2021
If you're in the mood for unique and cozy YA romance to lift your mood, Faking Reality by Sara Fujimara will be right up your alley. This book had a unique setup starring our main protagonist as America's DIY Princess, a teen who has a prominent social life. and is someone young content creators, or anyone with a social media presence can relate with. She's a pretty likeable character, with many little things that the author adds to her personality so that the readers can connect with her, and sure enough those things do their job. It's a fun ride as you reel through the the drama, fall in love with the quirky family and grow along with Dakota. It's a pretty light, feel-good romance, but there's also a well done representation of diverse cultures, which was refreshing to see.
The ending wasn't exactly done the way I wanted it go, but that's fine, I think, because it still delivered on its promise of a light-hearted, fun time.
And of course, I absolutely ship Dakota and Leo! They're adorable!
The ending wasn't exactly done the way I wanted it go, but that's fine, I think, because it still delivered on its promise of a light-hearted, fun time.
And of course, I absolutely ship Dakota and Leo! They're adorable!
July 2, 2021
DRC from Edelweiss and Macmillan
Fun rom-com about friendship, family, and following your dreams.
Dakota has been part of her parents reality show ever since she was born. It hasn't bothered much - she gets privacy at school and at her BFFs restaurant. But now that she is about to turn 16, she really wants to just be a "normal" teenager. This is going to be their last season and the producers want to go out with a bang - sweet 16 party. Finding a "boyfriend" who won't in turn break her heart and splay it allover social media like the last one did, is hard. Staying in the friend zone with Leo is also hard. Will they ever become more than just friends? Will she ever be able to live like a "normal" teen?
Really enjoyed this quick, clean, romance story.
Fun rom-com about friendship, family, and following your dreams.
Dakota has been part of her parents reality show ever since she was born. It hasn't bothered much - she gets privacy at school and at her BFFs restaurant. But now that she is about to turn 16, she really wants to just be a "normal" teenager. This is going to be their last season and the producers want to go out with a bang - sweet 16 party. Finding a "boyfriend" who won't in turn break her heart and splay it allover social media like the last one did, is hard. Staying in the friend zone with Leo is also hard. Will they ever become more than just friends? Will she ever be able to live like a "normal" teen?
Really enjoyed this quick, clean, romance story.
April 11, 2021
What a timely book. For every child star, and media star wanna be here is reality. I thought the author did a great job showing the balance of the benefits and downsides of being in the media. There will always be haters. It is a new world where you have no privacy. I appreciated the coping skills and therapy that were part of the story. We need to hear that. It isn’t all about the money.
That said, what a great book. I loved it. The characters were great - parents and teens alike. There is a lot to enjoy about this book. I would love to hear the friends stories now. They were interesting and I want more.
That said, what a great book. I loved it. The characters were great - parents and teens alike. There is a lot to enjoy about this book. I would love to hear the friends stories now. They were interesting and I want more.
August 10, 2021
Faking Reality is a wonderful read. Sara Fujimura wrote a great book. I love the Japanese culture that was showcased. The characters Dakota & Leo were the best. I would like to thank NetGalley for a eARC. I'm giving this book a 4 out of 5 stars. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
August 29, 2022
I tried, but just no. DNF
June 27, 2021
This is a cute book for those wanting a super clean romance title. It was heart warming and adorable. With cute characters and a great plot you will be swooning by the last page.
Go Into This One Knowing: Clean Romance
Go Into This One Knowing: Clean Romance
May 3, 2021
Cute story but it was slow in places and was hard to get through. I think the pacing should be looked at and some of the situations.
Thank you to NetGalley for an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.
Thank you to NetGalley for an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.
October 2, 2024
It's fair to say that this has to be the single most unlikely of the six hundred or so books I've reviewed at the Nameless Zine thus far. I enjoy a lot of different genres of fiction but YA romance really isn't on the list and factoring in the important reality TV angle moves it even further away from being something I might like. However, I know Sara Fujimura. I've shared a table with her at Phoenix Comicon, back when she was promoting her self-published debut novel, 'Tanabata Wish'. This one says Tor Teen on the spine because the awards she won for that book and its follow-up, 'Every Reason We Shouldn't', clearly raised awareness of her talent and she was snapped up by a major. I couldn't be happier to see a local author make it big and I had to check this one out.
What surprised me isn't that it's a decent book, because, of course, it is. What surprised me is how much I enjoyed it, being so far outside of my comfort zone and that's mostly due to two very clear reasons.
Firstly, I didn't dislike anyone—not the lead character, Dakota McDonald; not her best friend for almost her entire life, Leo Matsuda, who is shocked when she tries to kiss him and relegates her firmly into the friend zone; and not even the eventual third wheels who complicate matters, one for each of them. The reason I'm not a romance fan isn't because they're kissing books shorn of all swashbuckling adventure, but because I tend to dislike the characters, both male and female. I've always found them selfish, picky and discardable, which is the absolute last word any romance writer wants readers to associate with a character they're supposed to either identify with or ache for.
Now, I didn't identify with any of these characters because I'm a grandfather and they're all teenagers, and I didn't ache for Koty McDonald, which is good because that would have been weird. However, I felt like she was eminently worthy as a character, someone struggling to remain grounded given a celebrity life that she never asked for, and someone whose feelings for her best friend simply grew as she did. It can't remotely be a spoiler to point out that she ends up with Leo and I was happy for her, even if it took him far too long to wake up and smell the cinnamon rolls. OK, maybe I identified with him just a little on that front. My brain simply doesn't process flirting when it's done to me, so I'm good at oblivious.
Secondly, while the book exists to get Koty and Leo together at the end, Fujimura builds their world in a far more substantial manner than I ever expected from a YA romance. They each have lives of their own and both of those lives come with responsibilities. Koty's is more obvious because she's on television, a blessing and a curse, but the responsibilities she has to her parents and the show they present on HGTV are really no different from the responsibilities Leo has to his family and their Japanese restaurant. In both instances, they do what they need to do, but they also try to find a way to find what we might call a work/life balance, an even more awkward concept for them because they're still in school.
For Koty, she was literally born into stardom. Her parents, both forty-six at the time and four years into presenting a DIY show called If These Walls Could Talk, didn't expect to have a daughter, but she showed up anyway and literally grew up on television. That's great for the trust fund, of course, but not so good when her embarrassment at a homecoming dance is spoofed on 'Saturday Night Live'. Leo isn't famous at all, but he grew up doing whatever needed to be done at Matsuda, his family's restaurant, to keep it open and serving up food. Both appreciate their work but also want to escape it, so they can figure out who they are away from the lives they were given.
And it seems pretty obvious from moment one that they'll be doing that together. Koty practically lives at Matsuda, helping out even when it's not Monday when her family dines there like clockwork. She and Leo share a love of Japanese culture, Leo being Japanese American and Koty a quarter Japanese. They enjoy a TV show together called Kitsune Mask, listen to J-pop and study the language. They're planning to visit Japan together too, as part of a trip organised by their school's Japanese Culture Club. It's hard to imagine one without the other, which, of course, is where we kinda-sorta end up when Koty expresses a deeper level of feeling and Leo rebuffs her.
And so we focus on the details, while Koty and Leo either avoid each other or hang out together with a little awkwardness taking the sheen off the good, simple and free times they would otherwise be. And that's where Fujimura's worldbuilding works so well. I don't think romance fans like the scenes where a clearly destined couple completely fail to live up to their promise but they're necessary. After all, how is a couple supposed to get back together if they're not apart to begin with? The middle chunk of the book with Leo dating Lindsay and Koty dating Alex could easily have been an utter waste of space because we know deep inside our soul that neither of those relationships is going to work. What saves it is all that worldbuilding detail.
We never get to see If These Walls Could Talk, of course, and, having not watched 'Fixer Upper', I'm still not entirely sure how it would play, but we get to see behind the scenes and that worked for me. I liked the little details that firm up how different a life Koty has being on this show to the rest of us, like how part of that life is four months adrift because of the time it takes between shooting an episode and its eventual air date, meaning that they celebrate Thanksgiving in August and Christmas in September, to remain "current" on air.
We also don't get to eat at Matsuda, though I guarantee that every reader, whether they get invested in the romance or not, will want to work through their entire menu, but we similarly get to see behind those scenes and that worked for me too. There's a lot less adjustment needed and a lot more good old fashioned hard work, but I appreciated learning about how a restaurant functions just as much as I did how a DIY show functions. In many ways, the romance—or indeed the absence of it as these kids figure things out—was a minor angle for me, even if it would be the primary one for most readers.
I also liked some of the ground that Fujimura covers here. Not only are both leads at least partially of another race, without the book getting preachy at all, but there's an immersion into Japanese culture and cuisine that never gets gimmicky. It's all thoroughly grounded and told very believably. Knowing a little of Sara's background, having met her family, I can understand where that came from but it's still impressive that she could get so much of that down onto the page in such a grounded way. There's also a genderfluid friend for Koty and Leo in Neviah, whose pronouns we learn but who also never becomes preachy or gimmicky, even if their inclusion has to be underpinning for the central self-identity theme. That's clever writing.
And so I enjoyed this a lot more than I expected and for reasons I didn't expect to manifest. Next time I see a book with a pink cover and a title in whatever light shade of teal that happens to be, that details the eventual romance between a couple of teenagers, I should read that too. Nah, maybe not. But I am happy that I picked this one up. It's a lot more than just a local author making good.
Originally posted at the Nameless Zine in November 2022:
https://www.thenamelesszine.org/Odds-...
Index of all my Nameless Zine reviews:
https://books.apocalypselaterempire.com/
What surprised me isn't that it's a decent book, because, of course, it is. What surprised me is how much I enjoyed it, being so far outside of my comfort zone and that's mostly due to two very clear reasons.
Firstly, I didn't dislike anyone—not the lead character, Dakota McDonald; not her best friend for almost her entire life, Leo Matsuda, who is shocked when she tries to kiss him and relegates her firmly into the friend zone; and not even the eventual third wheels who complicate matters, one for each of them. The reason I'm not a romance fan isn't because they're kissing books shorn of all swashbuckling adventure, but because I tend to dislike the characters, both male and female. I've always found them selfish, picky and discardable, which is the absolute last word any romance writer wants readers to associate with a character they're supposed to either identify with or ache for.
Now, I didn't identify with any of these characters because I'm a grandfather and they're all teenagers, and I didn't ache for Koty McDonald, which is good because that would have been weird. However, I felt like she was eminently worthy as a character, someone struggling to remain grounded given a celebrity life that she never asked for, and someone whose feelings for her best friend simply grew as she did. It can't remotely be a spoiler to point out that she ends up with Leo and I was happy for her, even if it took him far too long to wake up and smell the cinnamon rolls. OK, maybe I identified with him just a little on that front. My brain simply doesn't process flirting when it's done to me, so I'm good at oblivious.
Secondly, while the book exists to get Koty and Leo together at the end, Fujimura builds their world in a far more substantial manner than I ever expected from a YA romance. They each have lives of their own and both of those lives come with responsibilities. Koty's is more obvious because she's on television, a blessing and a curse, but the responsibilities she has to her parents and the show they present on HGTV are really no different from the responsibilities Leo has to his family and their Japanese restaurant. In both instances, they do what they need to do, but they also try to find a way to find what we might call a work/life balance, an even more awkward concept for them because they're still in school.
For Koty, she was literally born into stardom. Her parents, both forty-six at the time and four years into presenting a DIY show called If These Walls Could Talk, didn't expect to have a daughter, but she showed up anyway and literally grew up on television. That's great for the trust fund, of course, but not so good when her embarrassment at a homecoming dance is spoofed on 'Saturday Night Live'. Leo isn't famous at all, but he grew up doing whatever needed to be done at Matsuda, his family's restaurant, to keep it open and serving up food. Both appreciate their work but also want to escape it, so they can figure out who they are away from the lives they were given.
And it seems pretty obvious from moment one that they'll be doing that together. Koty practically lives at Matsuda, helping out even when it's not Monday when her family dines there like clockwork. She and Leo share a love of Japanese culture, Leo being Japanese American and Koty a quarter Japanese. They enjoy a TV show together called Kitsune Mask, listen to J-pop and study the language. They're planning to visit Japan together too, as part of a trip organised by their school's Japanese Culture Club. It's hard to imagine one without the other, which, of course, is where we kinda-sorta end up when Koty expresses a deeper level of feeling and Leo rebuffs her.
And so we focus on the details, while Koty and Leo either avoid each other or hang out together with a little awkwardness taking the sheen off the good, simple and free times they would otherwise be. And that's where Fujimura's worldbuilding works so well. I don't think romance fans like the scenes where a clearly destined couple completely fail to live up to their promise but they're necessary. After all, how is a couple supposed to get back together if they're not apart to begin with? The middle chunk of the book with Leo dating Lindsay and Koty dating Alex could easily have been an utter waste of space because we know deep inside our soul that neither of those relationships is going to work. What saves it is all that worldbuilding detail.
We never get to see If These Walls Could Talk, of course, and, having not watched 'Fixer Upper', I'm still not entirely sure how it would play, but we get to see behind the scenes and that worked for me. I liked the little details that firm up how different a life Koty has being on this show to the rest of us, like how part of that life is four months adrift because of the time it takes between shooting an episode and its eventual air date, meaning that they celebrate Thanksgiving in August and Christmas in September, to remain "current" on air.
We also don't get to eat at Matsuda, though I guarantee that every reader, whether they get invested in the romance or not, will want to work through their entire menu, but we similarly get to see behind those scenes and that worked for me too. There's a lot less adjustment needed and a lot more good old fashioned hard work, but I appreciated learning about how a restaurant functions just as much as I did how a DIY show functions. In many ways, the romance—or indeed the absence of it as these kids figure things out—was a minor angle for me, even if it would be the primary one for most readers.
I also liked some of the ground that Fujimura covers here. Not only are both leads at least partially of another race, without the book getting preachy at all, but there's an immersion into Japanese culture and cuisine that never gets gimmicky. It's all thoroughly grounded and told very believably. Knowing a little of Sara's background, having met her family, I can understand where that came from but it's still impressive that she could get so much of that down onto the page in such a grounded way. There's also a genderfluid friend for Koty and Leo in Neviah, whose pronouns we learn but who also never becomes preachy or gimmicky, even if their inclusion has to be underpinning for the central self-identity theme. That's clever writing.
And so I enjoyed this a lot more than I expected and for reasons I didn't expect to manifest. Next time I see a book with a pink cover and a title in whatever light shade of teal that happens to be, that details the eventual romance between a couple of teenagers, I should read that too. Nah, maybe not. But I am happy that I picked this one up. It's a lot more than just a local author making good.
Originally posted at the Nameless Zine in November 2022:
https://www.thenamelesszine.org/Odds-...
Index of all my Nameless Zine reviews:
https://books.apocalypselaterempire.com/
June 22, 2021
HGTV meets My Super Sweet 16 with a friends to lovers trope! Read my full review here - https://butterflybookblog1.weebly.com...
March 30, 2021
Dakota McDonald is America’s DIY Princess. Koty has spent her entire life in the public eye as part of her parents HGTV renovation show. While there are benefits to living in this fictional world of reality tv, like never worrying about money, getting all sorts of free stuff, and a nice new car for her sixteenth birthday, Dakota also must deal with the downside. Her life is constantly in the limelight and under the scrutiny of the fans, and not always nice ones. Because people constantly use her for their fifteen minutes of fame, or to take down the DIY princess, Koty has some trust and boundary issues. Especially after an incident at last year’s homecoming dance that went viral. She has a small circle of friends that she has let in and keeps most everyone else out. This protects here, but also protects the people in her life from the paparazzi. Luckily, the show is wrapping up its final season ending on a high note by throwing Dakota a huge sweet sixteen bash that will air live. As the show is coming to an end Dakota can finally figure out who she wants to be after it all ends.
This was sweet YA fiction book. While it passes itself off as a romance, the romance is pretty light throughout the book and I wouldn’t say that it is the main focus. The focus is really Koty’s journey of becoming someone new outside of the reality tv world. It has themes around identity, being there for those you care about, and overcoming obstacles, which many teens will connect with. I liked that it had characters that are diverse in their race and gender, allowing those teens to see themselves in a book. It was also interesting to see a bit of Japanese American history embedded within the story.
This was sweet YA fiction book. While it passes itself off as a romance, the romance is pretty light throughout the book and I wouldn’t say that it is the main focus. The focus is really Koty’s journey of becoming someone new outside of the reality tv world. It has themes around identity, being there for those you care about, and overcoming obstacles, which many teens will connect with. I liked that it had characters that are diverse in their race and gender, allowing those teens to see themselves in a book. It was also interesting to see a bit of Japanese American history embedded within the story.
August 30, 2021
After her BFF rejects her declaration of love, a teen HGTV reality star has to audition boys to be her date to a televised Sweet Sixteen bash that she's already dreading.
I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from the publisher in order to write this review.
I loved the voice and cast of this adorable YA romance. The protagonist is a quarter Japanese and Fujimura incorporates Japanese culture and language seamlessly throughout the narrative. I also appreciated the "reality diva" twist: that the protagonist stars in an HGTV show where she gets to renovate houses and other building projects. It is refreshing when a "TV princess" shows up in steel-toed work boots. The gradual build of the romance was actually less engaging for me than the protagonist's personal growth, wrestling with issues of privacy and agency and the pros/cons of being a ratings success. I highly recommend this one to fans of fun, hopeful, but thought-provoking YA contemporary fiction!
I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from the publisher in order to write this review.
I loved the voice and cast of this adorable YA romance. The protagonist is a quarter Japanese and Fujimura incorporates Japanese culture and language seamlessly throughout the narrative. I also appreciated the "reality diva" twist: that the protagonist stars in an HGTV show where she gets to renovate houses and other building projects. It is refreshing when a "TV princess" shows up in steel-toed work boots. The gradual build of the romance was actually less engaging for me than the protagonist's personal growth, wrestling with issues of privacy and agency and the pros/cons of being a ratings success. I highly recommend this one to fans of fun, hopeful, but thought-provoking YA contemporary fiction!
Read
March 24, 2021An enjoyable look at a culture vastly different from my own. We often take that for granted and should try to learn more about the surroundings we have.
February 16, 2021
Loved it!!! Such a great book that has you looking deeper into people and who they are. It will keep you wanting to read it all the way to the end.
July 27, 2021
Review originally posted on my blog: I Heart Fictional People
IN A NUTSHELL
Dakota has fallen for her best friend, but Leo has friend-zoned her. They’re at that age where they want to be independent and grow into who they want to be, but will they grow apart or eventually find their way back to each other?
WHAT I LIKED
Uniqueness. I absolutely loved how different this book was! We’ve all read the friend-zoned teenage crush storyline, but Sara Fujimura expanded on that and made it her own. Dakota isn’t your typical teenager. She has grown up in the spotlight her entire life. Her parents’ very successful HGTV show was popular before she was even born, so it’s all she knows. The challenges of being a reality TV star while also trying to navigate other teenager issues was a twist that I really enjoyed. We really never understand the pressures or how hard it is for a teenage celebrity who just wants to be “normal”, and I think this book handles this so well. And then there’s Dakota and her natural DIY and building talent. I really enjoyed this, and I loved how she embraced it and found a way to really turn it into something. Again, not your typical teenager.
Diverse characters. Yes! I love, love, LOVE the diversity! I love how there was so much representation in this book, which I think is not only important but real as well. We have the Japanese main characters, the Hispanic potential boyfriend, and even the nonbinary good friend, to name a few. I’m not one to preach about diversity (even though I should), but this just warmed my heart. Growing up half Chinese with gay cousins and Mexican best friends, all of our cultures and beliefs and opinions were constantly blending together, and I think this book accomplished showing that very real reality. And I couldn’t get enough of the Japanese food, culture, and language. I really felt immersed into their world.
Realistic. Okay, not only did the diversity make this realistic but so did the life and decisions of a teenager. We’ve all been there. We have a crush on someone who doesn’t see us as more than a friend, or who doesn’t see us at all. Or on the reverse side, we are in such a hurry to grow up and be more experienced that we overlook what is right in front of us. And then there’s the things we don’t want to admit, like getting jealous over someone else giving your “just a friend” attention. Sometimes I found myself getting annoyed with the choices these characters were making, but I didn’t count it as a negative because it was so authentic, which I really appreciated.
The growth. I’ll keep this short to avoid spoilers, but I really enjoyed watching Dakota and Leo grow as individuals. In the beginning, they’re almost lost, and then at the end, they find themselves. It was a beautiful thing to witness.
WHAT DIDN’T WORK FOR ME
Only one viewpoint. Okay, clearly, this wasn’t a huge deal for me since I still gave the book a five-heart rating, but when I sat down and asked myself, what could have been better, this is what came to mind. The description of the book had me thinking that we would get to see Leo’s point of view too, but it really is told from Dakota’s viewpoint. This is completely fine, but throughout the book, I really wanted to know what was going on in that boy’s head!
OVERALL THOUGHTS
Sara Fujimura is the author I never knew I needed. I expected a sweet romance (with a beautiful cover by the way), but I ended up getting so much more. The romance was cute, but everything else, the fame, the culture, the family, the diversity, just made the book perfect. I wanted more. I didn’t want the book to end. It was such a real but sweet story that took me by surprise. I 100% recommend it. And I can’t wait to read more from this author.
*Thank you so much to the author/publisher and Jean Book Nerd for a hardcover copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!*
IN A NUTSHELL
Dakota has fallen for her best friend, but Leo has friend-zoned her. They’re at that age where they want to be independent and grow into who they want to be, but will they grow apart or eventually find their way back to each other?
WHAT I LIKED
Uniqueness. I absolutely loved how different this book was! We’ve all read the friend-zoned teenage crush storyline, but Sara Fujimura expanded on that and made it her own. Dakota isn’t your typical teenager. She has grown up in the spotlight her entire life. Her parents’ very successful HGTV show was popular before she was even born, so it’s all she knows. The challenges of being a reality TV star while also trying to navigate other teenager issues was a twist that I really enjoyed. We really never understand the pressures or how hard it is for a teenage celebrity who just wants to be “normal”, and I think this book handles this so well. And then there’s Dakota and her natural DIY and building talent. I really enjoyed this, and I loved how she embraced it and found a way to really turn it into something. Again, not your typical teenager.
Diverse characters. Yes! I love, love, LOVE the diversity! I love how there was so much representation in this book, which I think is not only important but real as well. We have the Japanese main characters, the Hispanic potential boyfriend, and even the nonbinary good friend, to name a few. I’m not one to preach about diversity (even though I should), but this just warmed my heart. Growing up half Chinese with gay cousins and Mexican best friends, all of our cultures and beliefs and opinions were constantly blending together, and I think this book accomplished showing that very real reality. And I couldn’t get enough of the Japanese food, culture, and language. I really felt immersed into their world.
Realistic. Okay, not only did the diversity make this realistic but so did the life and decisions of a teenager. We’ve all been there. We have a crush on someone who doesn’t see us as more than a friend, or who doesn’t see us at all. Or on the reverse side, we are in such a hurry to grow up and be more experienced that we overlook what is right in front of us. And then there’s the things we don’t want to admit, like getting jealous over someone else giving your “just a friend” attention. Sometimes I found myself getting annoyed with the choices these characters were making, but I didn’t count it as a negative because it was so authentic, which I really appreciated.
The growth. I’ll keep this short to avoid spoilers, but I really enjoyed watching Dakota and Leo grow as individuals. In the beginning, they’re almost lost, and then at the end, they find themselves. It was a beautiful thing to witness.
WHAT DIDN’T WORK FOR ME
Only one viewpoint. Okay, clearly, this wasn’t a huge deal for me since I still gave the book a five-heart rating, but when I sat down and asked myself, what could have been better, this is what came to mind. The description of the book had me thinking that we would get to see Leo’s point of view too, but it really is told from Dakota’s viewpoint. This is completely fine, but throughout the book, I really wanted to know what was going on in that boy’s head!
OVERALL THOUGHTS
Sara Fujimura is the author I never knew I needed. I expected a sweet romance (with a beautiful cover by the way), but I ended up getting so much more. The romance was cute, but everything else, the fame, the culture, the family, the diversity, just made the book perfect. I wanted more. I didn’t want the book to end. It was such a real but sweet story that took me by surprise. I 100% recommend it. And I can’t wait to read more from this author.
*Thank you so much to the author/publisher and Jean Book Nerd for a hardcover copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!*
July 21, 2021
Faking Reality is a young adult contemporary by Sara Fujimura. I really enjoyed Sara’s last book, Every Reason we Shouldn’t, so when I saw she had a new book coming out and that it was about a reality tv show family, I was soooo in! Faking Reality is a a super cute and fun read. I loved this book! Our main character Dakota is no stranger to the small spotlight. Her parents have had a home refurbishment show for longer than she has been alive. In fact, her birth and childhood became a major story plot of the show, so everyone feels like they know her, whether or not they have met in real life. I find that aspect of reality tv fascinating, and I was so interested to see it explored in Faking Reality.
The main focus of Faking Reality is Dakota’s (or Koty) relationship with her best friend, Leo and Koty’s 16th birthday. Because the TV has decided that they want to go all out and throw a major birthday bash, a la “My Super Sweet 16”- Style! Though this book was a ton of fun, there are some pretty heavy topics discussed. I loved delving into Japanese culture through food, history and traditions, but some of Japanese culture is tough to read about because some pretty horrible things happened, like with the Japanese Internment Camps in WWII. So be aware that some pretty heavy topics are brought up, but I so appreciated the way that Sara Fujimura incorporated them into the story.
The romance is also adorable and I loved getting to know all the characters. I think this book is a super fun read for fans of reality tv, because I love seeing some behind the scenes, prodding and nudging from producers, I love to see the juxtaposition of how people are portrayed on a show vs. how they are in real life. I loved seeing that play out in the story. That being said, I do wish we got to see a little more of the actual renovation aspect of the show (but that just might be the reality TV junkie in me. I just can’t pass up a reality tv show!) However, I did really appreciate watching Koty try to date and see her come out of her shell a little bit. If you are a fan of interesting characters, modern coming of age stories, and plenty of Japanese culture and food (yumm!), then Faking Reality is a great book for you to check out!
The main focus of Faking Reality is Dakota’s (or Koty) relationship with her best friend, Leo and Koty’s 16th birthday. Because the TV has decided that they want to go all out and throw a major birthday bash, a la “My Super Sweet 16”- Style! Though this book was a ton of fun, there are some pretty heavy topics discussed. I loved delving into Japanese culture through food, history and traditions, but some of Japanese culture is tough to read about because some pretty horrible things happened, like with the Japanese Internment Camps in WWII. So be aware that some pretty heavy topics are brought up, but I so appreciated the way that Sara Fujimura incorporated them into the story.
The romance is also adorable and I loved getting to know all the characters. I think this book is a super fun read for fans of reality tv, because I love seeing some behind the scenes, prodding and nudging from producers, I love to see the juxtaposition of how people are portrayed on a show vs. how they are in real life. I loved seeing that play out in the story. That being said, I do wish we got to see a little more of the actual renovation aspect of the show (but that just might be the reality TV junkie in me. I just can’t pass up a reality tv show!) However, I did really appreciate watching Koty try to date and see her come out of her shell a little bit. If you are a fan of interesting characters, modern coming of age stories, and plenty of Japanese culture and food (yumm!), then Faking Reality is a great book for you to check out!
September 9, 2021
Overall, this was a cute book. My problem with it though was the summary in the inside cover not matching the actual content. The inside flap makes it sound like Dakota and Leo both have secret crushes on each other: "Dakota McDonald swore after the Great Homecoming Disaster that she'd never again allow her romantic life to be a plotline in her parents' HGTV show. But when the restaurant run by the family of her best friend (and secret crush), Leo, is on the line, Dakota may end up eating her own words. Leo Matsuda dreams of escaping the suffocating demands of working in his family's restaurant. But the closer he gets to his goal-thanks to the help of his best friend (and secret crush), Dakota-the more reasons there are for him to stay..."
See what I mean? This made me think "Oh, this is going to be told in alternating voices." When I briefly flipped through the book, I did not see Dakota's or Leo's name. I thought "Hmm, maybe we get one or chapter from him." No, that was not the case. That is why it made this book somewhat challenging. I was waiting for feelings to be revealed, but it took AWHILE for that reveal. Then you had all this other stuff happen between Leo and Dakota that slowdown the reveal, which made me feel like the summary lied to me.
While the summary does have truth to it, the part about Leo having a secret crush on Dakota is suspect in light of page 69. Then we have pages 277. I was like "Dude, what are you doing?!" Then we have page 298. I do like the pop reference with Han Solo, but I am not sure what is going on in Leo's head. For something that is being framed as secret crushes between friends, it did not really live up to that, especially since we never heard directly from Leo without it being through Dakota's lenses.
There are two side characters in this book that I think should have their own story. First, we have Alex Santos. There is lot here that could easily make him a main character. Second, we have Rayne Lee. She would also make good main character. Actually a number of the side characters could star in their own book.
Verdict: This was cute. Personally, when it comes to the secret crush plotline, I prefer The Quantum Weirdness of an Almost Kiss. Yet, Faking Reality does have its moments.
See what I mean? This made me think "Oh, this is going to be told in alternating voices." When I briefly flipped through the book, I did not see Dakota's or Leo's name. I thought "Hmm, maybe we get one or chapter from him." No, that was not the case. That is why it made this book somewhat challenging. I was waiting for feelings to be revealed, but it took AWHILE for that reveal. Then you had all this other stuff happen between Leo and Dakota that slowdown the reveal, which made me feel like the summary lied to me.
While the summary does have truth to it, the part about Leo having a secret crush on Dakota is suspect in light of page 69. Then we have pages 277. I was like "Dude, what are you doing?!" Then we have page 298. I do like the pop reference with Han Solo, but I am not sure what is going on in Leo's head. For something that is being framed as secret crushes between friends, it did not really live up to that, especially since we never heard directly from Leo without it being through Dakota's lenses.
There are two side characters in this book that I think should have their own story. First, we have Alex Santos. There is lot here that could easily make him a main character. Second, we have Rayne Lee. She would also make good main character. Actually a number of the side characters could star in their own book.
Verdict: This was cute. Personally, when it comes to the secret crush plotline, I prefer The Quantum Weirdness of an Almost Kiss. Yet, Faking Reality does have its moments.
July 6, 2021
*this book was sent to me by the publisher to give an honest review in return*
I liked this book which is about a girl named Koty who was kind of forced onto her family's show when she was born during season 4 and now the finale has come but that means she needs a date. After the Homecoming disaster, she doesn't have much trust in guys and the only person she wants to go with is her best friend (and crush), Leo. I enjoyed this book that involved a lot of diverse characters and information about Japanese food and culture. The pacing was slow but I do have to say the story plotline was well structured. Another thing I noticed when reading this book was that I was confused why it wasn't in both Koty and Leo's pov as the summary made it sound it would be. I went into the story thinking there will be two povs but was disappointed to only find Koty's.
The main character in this book is Koty who is a sophomore in high school. I enjoyed how she was a mature character and as a famous tv persona, she was a kind person and didn't care about her fame. There wasn't much character development in this book as most of the story was about Koty finding her partner for the dance. The side characters were well involved in this book and I enjoyed how the parents were also involved in the book. They were all well written and brought in many conflicts to the story. The romance in this book was okay as I felt it was a little forced and could have been better with Leo's pov being involved.
The ending of this book was very well done and I enjoyed the outcome of everything that happened. Sara did a great job with blending the Japanese culture into a contemporary romance book that I will never forget. Even though there were some minor problems with this book, I do have to say that I'm a huge fan of learning new cultures so that was just a major plus for me. Also, I enjoyed the storyline and thought it was well done. I think this book is perfect for fans of friends to lovers romance and Some Kind of Wonderful.
I liked this book which is about a girl named Koty who was kind of forced onto her family's show when she was born during season 4 and now the finale has come but that means she needs a date. After the Homecoming disaster, she doesn't have much trust in guys and the only person she wants to go with is her best friend (and crush), Leo. I enjoyed this book that involved a lot of diverse characters and information about Japanese food and culture. The pacing was slow but I do have to say the story plotline was well structured. Another thing I noticed when reading this book was that I was confused why it wasn't in both Koty and Leo's pov as the summary made it sound it would be. I went into the story thinking there will be two povs but was disappointed to only find Koty's.
The main character in this book is Koty who is a sophomore in high school. I enjoyed how she was a mature character and as a famous tv persona, she was a kind person and didn't care about her fame. There wasn't much character development in this book as most of the story was about Koty finding her partner for the dance. The side characters were well involved in this book and I enjoyed how the parents were also involved in the book. They were all well written and brought in many conflicts to the story. The romance in this book was okay as I felt it was a little forced and could have been better with Leo's pov being involved.
The ending of this book was very well done and I enjoyed the outcome of everything that happened. Sara did a great job with blending the Japanese culture into a contemporary romance book that I will never forget. Even though there were some minor problems with this book, I do have to say that I'm a huge fan of learning new cultures so that was just a major plus for me. Also, I enjoyed the storyline and thought it was well done. I think this book is perfect for fans of friends to lovers romance and Some Kind of Wonderful.
March 1, 2021
FAKING REALITY was a cute, YA contemporary that had was, for the most part, enjoyable.
I really liked getting to know all of the characters. They all had very distinct personalities and truly acted their age. Dakota and Leo's relationships may have been cringe-worthy at times, but this is to be expected from a bunch of sophomores in high school. They don't know what love is yet, and that honestly really shined through. I also thought the reality show setting was a really interesting premise and I liked how it showed how scripted the format truly is. And the food? I don't even like any of the Japanese food I've tried before but this book made me want to give it a second chance.
Unfortunately, there were a lot more negatives than positives for me. To start, the most obvious is that this book requires a HUGE suspension of disbelief. I love HGTV. I watch FIXER UPPER, LOVE IT OR LIST IT, HOUSE HUNTERS, you name it. However, even though Dakota's family's show was obviously based off of FIXER UPPER, there are some aspects that are hard to understand. The show in the book has been on for at least twelve seasons- the number is escaping me right now. You're telling me that after 12 seasons, people are still so invested in this show that SNL did a skit about Dakota? This isn't Grey's Anatomy. Even FIXER UPPER ended after five seasons and they were never honored with Saturday Night Live immortality.
Another big problem I had was the family relationships. In her narration, Dakota makes it out to seem like she and her family are as close as it can possibly get and they love each other so very much and they are the greatest family in the world. If this is true, then why do we see more of Leo's family than Dakota's? I didn't even know Dakota's dad's name until the birthday party at the end of the book.
Speaking of the party, one last complaint I had was how the entire situation with Phil was handled at the end of the book. Dakota's parents acknowledge that they don't agree with anything he's doing and they know that he's going to twist everything Dakota is doing to get more ratings, but they don't do anything about it. They have a conversation with her about how she needs to do the right thing but don't actually take any action against him when he was actively ruining their daughter's life.
Overall, FAKING REALITY had a lot of potential and I really enjoyed it for the most part. Unfortunately, it just wasn't the book for me.
I really liked getting to know all of the characters. They all had very distinct personalities and truly acted their age. Dakota and Leo's relationships may have been cringe-worthy at times, but this is to be expected from a bunch of sophomores in high school. They don't know what love is yet, and that honestly really shined through. I also thought the reality show setting was a really interesting premise and I liked how it showed how scripted the format truly is. And the food? I don't even like any of the Japanese food I've tried before but this book made me want to give it a second chance.
Unfortunately, there were a lot more negatives than positives for me. To start, the most obvious is that this book requires a HUGE suspension of disbelief. I love HGTV. I watch FIXER UPPER, LOVE IT OR LIST IT, HOUSE HUNTERS, you name it. However, even though Dakota's family's show was obviously based off of FIXER UPPER, there are some aspects that are hard to understand. The show in the book has been on for at least twelve seasons- the number is escaping me right now. You're telling me that after 12 seasons, people are still so invested in this show that SNL did a skit about Dakota? This isn't Grey's Anatomy. Even FIXER UPPER ended after five seasons and they were never honored with Saturday Night Live immortality.
Another big problem I had was the family relationships. In her narration, Dakota makes it out to seem like she and her family are as close as it can possibly get and they love each other so very much and they are the greatest family in the world. If this is true, then why do we see more of Leo's family than Dakota's? I didn't even know Dakota's dad's name until the birthday party at the end of the book.
Speaking of the party, one last complaint I had was how the entire situation with Phil was handled at the end of the book. Dakota's parents acknowledge that they don't agree with anything he's doing and they know that he's going to twist everything Dakota is doing to get more ratings, but they don't do anything about it. They have a conversation with her about how she needs to do the right thing but don't actually take any action against him when he was actively ruining their daughter's life.
Overall, FAKING REALITY had a lot of potential and I really enjoyed it for the most part. Unfortunately, it just wasn't the book for me.
Read
August 29, 2021I got an electronic advanced reader copy of this book from NetGalley. I'm going to leave a rating off of this book as well because I'm really not sure how to rate it.
Full disclosure: I'm really conflicted about this book. First of all, it took forever to get through because the writing style was so research-heavy for a YA romance novel. Also, the explanation of the Japanese made the writing stilted as well. It may have been better to just write out the Japanese phrases and let readers look them up and use context clues to figure out what was said. Three characters in the book annoyed the crap out of me: Leo, Alex, and Phil. I mean if I was Dakota, I would have dumped both Leo and Alex and dated myself or a much better guy. They were just so... immature? Self-absorbed? I'm not sure what it was about Leo and Alex, but at least with Phil you know everybody hated him. Then there's the whole American Dirt diaspora where, yes, the author married into a Japanese family and is close with her Japanese family, but she's also kind of benefitting off of the sales of a book about a part Japanese teen who doesn't seem to be concerned with cultural appropriation and its correlations with anti-Asian hate.
Don't get me wrong: the book is good. The storyline premises is good and entertaining. The character development just seems a bit off and you can feel the heavy research coming through the words on the page which makes it a hard read and a little hard to like a lot.
Full disclosure: I'm really conflicted about this book. First of all, it took forever to get through because the writing style was so research-heavy for a YA romance novel. Also, the explanation of the Japanese made the writing stilted as well. It may have been better to just write out the Japanese phrases and let readers look them up and use context clues to figure out what was said. Three characters in the book annoyed the crap out of me: Leo, Alex, and Phil. I mean if I was Dakota, I would have dumped both Leo and Alex and dated myself or a much better guy. They were just so... immature? Self-absorbed? I'm not sure what it was about Leo and Alex, but at least with Phil you know everybody hated him. Then there's the whole American Dirt diaspora where, yes, the author married into a Japanese family and is close with her Japanese family, but she's also kind of benefitting off of the sales of a book about a part Japanese teen who doesn't seem to be concerned with cultural appropriation and its correlations with anti-Asian hate.
Don't get me wrong: the book is good. The storyline premises is good and entertaining. The character development just seems a bit off and you can feel the heavy research coming through the words on the page which makes it a hard read and a little hard to like a lot.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 83 reviews