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I Love You So Mochi
Kimi Nakamura loves a good fashion statement.
She's obsessed with transforming everyday ephemera into Kimi Originals: bold outfits that make her and her friends feel like the Ultimate versions of themselves. But her mother disapproves, and when they get into an explosive fight, Kimi's entire future seems on the verge of falling apart. So when a surprise letter comes in the mail from Kimi's estranged grandparents, inviting her to Kyoto for spring break, she seizes the opportunity to get away from the disaster of her life.
When she arrives in Japan, she's met with a culture both familiar and completely foreign to her. She loses herself in the city's outdoor markets, art installations, and cherry blossom festival -- and meets Akira, a cute aspiring med student who moonlights as a costumed mochi mascot. And what begins as a trip to escape her problems quickly becomes a way for Kimi to learn more about the mother she left behind, and to figure out where her own heart lies.
In I Love You So Mochi, author Sarah Kuhn has penned a delightfully sweet and irrepressibly funny novel that will make you squee at the cute, cringe at the awkward, and show that sometimes you have to lose yourself in something you love to find your Ultimate self.
She's obsessed with transforming everyday ephemera into Kimi Originals: bold outfits that make her and her friends feel like the Ultimate versions of themselves. But her mother disapproves, and when they get into an explosive fight, Kimi's entire future seems on the verge of falling apart. So when a surprise letter comes in the mail from Kimi's estranged grandparents, inviting her to Kyoto for spring break, she seizes the opportunity to get away from the disaster of her life.
When she arrives in Japan, she's met with a culture both familiar and completely foreign to her. She loses herself in the city's outdoor markets, art installations, and cherry blossom festival -- and meets Akira, a cute aspiring med student who moonlights as a costumed mochi mascot. And what begins as a trip to escape her problems quickly becomes a way for Kimi to learn more about the mother she left behind, and to figure out where her own heart lies.
In I Love You So Mochi, author Sarah Kuhn has penned a delightfully sweet and irrepressibly funny novel that will make you squee at the cute, cringe at the awkward, and show that sometimes you have to lose yourself in something you love to find your Ultimate self.
308 pages, Hardcover
First published May 28, 2019
About the author
Sarah Kuhn
67 books672 followersSarah Kuhn is the author of Heroine Complex—the first in a series starring Asian American superheroines—for DAW Books. She also wrote The Ruby Equation for the comics anthology Fresh Romance and the romantic comedy novella One Con Glory, which earned praise from io9 and USA Today and is in development as a feature film. Her articles and essays on such topics as geek girl culture, comic book continuity, and Sailor Moon cosplay have appeared in Uncanny Magazine, Apex Magazine, AngryAsianMan.com, IGN.com, Back Stage, The Hollywood Reporter, StarTrek.com, Creative Screenwriting, and the Hugo-nominated anthology Chicks Dig Comics. In 2011, she was selected as a finalist for the CAPE (Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment) New Writers Award.
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April 7, 2021This was so cute, and absolutely perfect for spring! I loved Kimi. She was such a vibrant character from the start and a pleasure to follow. I loved watching her journey of self discovery as she figured out what she wanted to do with her life, dealt with the pressures of expectations, and finally found her footing and realized something she loves as a hobby could be a career as well. The setting of Japan was very immersive. I felt transported there and it made me really want to visit one day. There is a bit of insta love with Kimi and Akira, more like insta like really, but I still enjoyed their little love story. Watching Kimi come to realize who she is and bonding with her grandparents was my favourite part though. It really warmed my heart. If you're looking for a cute, fluffy, quick read that will just make you feel all warm and fuzzy, check this one out!
September 2, 2022
Some days, you just need a super fluffy romance book. Never mind that I don’t actually like romance books or rom-com movies that much.
I Love You So Mochi is a sweet, light, Japan-centered romance. The way Japan is portrayed in this book is from a more touristy perspective than a real cultural understanding, which makes sense because Kimi was technically a tourist. This book covered some of the traditional foods (mochi, duh) and touristy scenery of Kyoto (which by the way is gorgeous - I stayed there for three days and it was beautiful).
The plot of this book is a relatively normal Asian-rom-com type of storyline; strict parent who tries to force the kid into their chosen career; said kid (aka the protagonist) pulls some act of rebellion or self-discovery, such as secret dating or in Kimi’s case, flying off to Japan to meet her estranged maternal grandparents.
Kimi Nakamura’s mother is an artist. She is also dead set on making Kimi an artist too. Kimi, unfortunately, does not share the same artistic passion as her mother does - unless she’s sketching and sewing. Fashion is viewed as “frivolous” by her mother, not an appropriate career choice for someone with so much potential (very Asian-tiger-mom type stuff). As a senior with college applications looming, Kimi is stuck.
When she and her mother have a fallout, Kimi files to Japan for spring break to live with her maternal grandparents - who distanced themselves from her mother after she moved to America to become an artist. When she arrives in Kyoto, she decides to set off on a ~journey of self-discovery~ to determine her passion and career (a little too cliché, but we’ll take it).
Of course, she just happens to fall in love with the cute boy at the mochi stand.
Basically, the plot is pretty trope-y and not super original. But the delivery was pretty fun and cute, and I liked that along with the romance it managed to convey a few things about what it’s like to be Asian-American.
Kimi, like me, is a first-generation Asian-American. As a result, she’s not white enough to gain as much respect as the blonde girls (being slurred at outside a restaurant with her mother due to their race), but she also faces so much culture shock when she visits her parents’ home country (not understanding customs, being called out for being American).
I could relate to her so much. From the annoying little tells of people who think they’re not being racist, to the cultural confusion of visiting somewhere that you’re supposed to understand, I could feel everything. You don’t know how aggravating it is to never be “American enough” in America, but too much of a foreigner in your parents’ native land. It’s like there’s some gray area that no one else knows about except for the people stuck there with us. And Kimi’s perspective really delivered that.
The setting of Kyoto really helped. I think it was not very culturally-accurate, but like I said it was from a tourist perspective anyway. In fact, Kimi spends most of the book lost. But the places that she saw (some of which I went to) and the things that she did were a lot more foreigner-based than anything.
But her narrative was so colorful and exciting. The way she captured light and shapes was such a creative touch and it really showed her passion for designing and fashion.
The fashion ideas from Kimi and how it added to her narrative was amazing. I think it was unique how you could read Kimi processing her surroundings into dresses and fabrics, and how you could see the cultural imprint on her ideas. It was a really cool way to add more imagery and characterization to the book.
Added to that, the writing style was pretty much perfectly suited to this kind of book. It was light and colorful, but with a more serious undertone and a lot of good comedic content added in. The narrative of this book fit perfectly with everything else. I didn’t pay a lot of attention to the writing, because this isn’t really the kind of book where it’s a prominent factor, but that’s kind of a good thing.
Following Kimi’s journey was a ride. I loved how she kind of just wandered through Kyoto with Akira. There were definitely a few cliché plot moments and not a lot of creativity plot-wise, but the delivery of this concept was great.
“And suddenly I realize that making things real is more than just “pretty fun.” Making things real means I feel so many things all at once and on a truly visceral level—deep in my bones and my heart and my soul. And right now, all of those things feel amazing.”
The romance was pretty good. Kimi and Akira’s personalities worked really well together and I loved that neither of them questioned each other’s weirdness. It was kind of refreshing to see a relationship where they were both so openly passionate about things and shared them with the other person. There aren’t a lot of relationships like that in real life.
It was, unfortunately, a bit of an insta-love thing. Kimi and Akira met and even though it was a bit of an awkward first meeting, they had ~automatic chemistry~. I guess this book kind of had an excuse, because it is actually a contemporary romance and there probably wasn’t a lot of room in the pacing to make it slow-burn or suspenseful.
It’s a little cheesy that Kimi and Akira’s relationship was based on a ~journey of self realization~ but honestly, it was cute and while I didn’t ship them, they were a good couple.
There was no love triangle in this book. That made me so fucking happy. You don’t even know how glad I was that there was no other love interest.
It was a little too convenient, in my opinion, that Akira spoke English, because I remember from my trip to Japan that not a lot of people spoke English. But it was nice to see the language barriers for Kimi.
Overall, this isn’t really a deep, critical-thinking, intense book, but it’s a really fun, sweet read with a cute cultural setting and a lot of good themes. I needed something light and fluffy, and for some reason this rom-com type book did the trick for me. The whole self-discovery thing was a bit cheesy and super fluffy, but it was actually great for the characterization and I loved how relationships were explored as a part of that.
“Watching you embrace your passion is beautiful. And I hope you keep doing that, no matter what else might get in the way. You are so creative, so talented—the way your imagination overflows when you’re inspired …” He shakes his head, smiling slightly. “You have this endless well of passion and when you love something, you love it so fiercely. I am in awe of that. I am in awe of you.”
I Love You So Mochi is a sweet, light, Japan-centered romance. The way Japan is portrayed in this book is from a more touristy perspective than a real cultural understanding, which makes sense because Kimi was technically a tourist. This book covered some of the traditional foods (mochi, duh) and touristy scenery of Kyoto (which by the way is gorgeous - I stayed there for three days and it was beautiful).
The plot of this book is a relatively normal Asian-rom-com type of storyline; strict parent who tries to force the kid into their chosen career; said kid (aka the protagonist) pulls some act of rebellion or self-discovery, such as secret dating or in Kimi’s case, flying off to Japan to meet her estranged maternal grandparents.
Kimi Nakamura’s mother is an artist. She is also dead set on making Kimi an artist too. Kimi, unfortunately, does not share the same artistic passion as her mother does - unless she’s sketching and sewing. Fashion is viewed as “frivolous” by her mother, not an appropriate career choice for someone with so much potential (very Asian-tiger-mom type stuff). As a senior with college applications looming, Kimi is stuck.
When she and her mother have a fallout, Kimi files to Japan for spring break to live with her maternal grandparents - who distanced themselves from her mother after she moved to America to become an artist. When she arrives in Kyoto, she decides to set off on a ~journey of self-discovery~ to determine her passion and career (a little too cliché, but we’ll take it).
Of course, she just happens to fall in love with the cute boy at the mochi stand.
Basically, the plot is pretty trope-y and not super original. But the delivery was pretty fun and cute, and I liked that along with the romance it managed to convey a few things about what it’s like to be Asian-American.
Kimi, like me, is a first-generation Asian-American. As a result, she’s not white enough to gain as much respect as the blonde girls (being slurred at outside a restaurant with her mother due to their race), but she also faces so much culture shock when she visits her parents’ home country (not understanding customs, being called out for being American).
I could relate to her so much. From the annoying little tells of people who think they’re not being racist, to the cultural confusion of visiting somewhere that you’re supposed to understand, I could feel everything. You don’t know how aggravating it is to never be “American enough” in America, but too much of a foreigner in your parents’ native land. It’s like there’s some gray area that no one else knows about except for the people stuck there with us. And Kimi’s perspective really delivered that.
The setting of Kyoto really helped. I think it was not very culturally-accurate, but like I said it was from a tourist perspective anyway. In fact, Kimi spends most of the book lost. But the places that she saw (some of which I went to) and the things that she did were a lot more foreigner-based than anything.
But her narrative was so colorful and exciting. The way she captured light and shapes was such a creative touch and it really showed her passion for designing and fashion.
The fashion ideas from Kimi and how it added to her narrative was amazing. I think it was unique how you could read Kimi processing her surroundings into dresses and fabrics, and how you could see the cultural imprint on her ideas. It was a really cool way to add more imagery and characterization to the book.
Added to that, the writing style was pretty much perfectly suited to this kind of book. It was light and colorful, but with a more serious undertone and a lot of good comedic content added in. The narrative of this book fit perfectly with everything else. I didn’t pay a lot of attention to the writing, because this isn’t really the kind of book where it’s a prominent factor, but that’s kind of a good thing.
Following Kimi’s journey was a ride. I loved how she kind of just wandered through Kyoto with Akira. There were definitely a few cliché plot moments and not a lot of creativity plot-wise, but the delivery of this concept was great.
“And suddenly I realize that making things real is more than just “pretty fun.” Making things real means I feel so many things all at once and on a truly visceral level—deep in my bones and my heart and my soul. And right now, all of those things feel amazing.”
The romance was pretty good. Kimi and Akira’s personalities worked really well together and I loved that neither of them questioned each other’s weirdness. It was kind of refreshing to see a relationship where they were both so openly passionate about things and shared them with the other person. There aren’t a lot of relationships like that in real life.
It was, unfortunately, a bit of an insta-love thing. Kimi and Akira met and even though it was a bit of an awkward first meeting, they had ~automatic chemistry~. I guess this book kind of had an excuse, because it is actually a contemporary romance and there probably wasn’t a lot of room in the pacing to make it slow-burn or suspenseful.
It’s a little cheesy that Kimi and Akira’s relationship was based on a ~journey of self realization~ but honestly, it was cute and while I didn’t ship them, they were a good couple.
There was no love triangle in this book. That made me so fucking happy. You don’t even know how glad I was that there was no other love interest.
It was a little too convenient, in my opinion, that Akira spoke English, because I remember from my trip to Japan that not a lot of people spoke English. But it was nice to see the language barriers for Kimi.
Overall, this isn’t really a deep, critical-thinking, intense book, but it’s a really fun, sweet read with a cute cultural setting and a lot of good themes. I needed something light and fluffy, and for some reason this rom-com type book did the trick for me. The whole self-discovery thing was a bit cheesy and super fluffy, but it was actually great for the characterization and I loved how relationships were explored as a part of that.
“Watching you embrace your passion is beautiful. And I hope you keep doing that, no matter what else might get in the way. You are so creative, so talented—the way your imagination overflows when you’re inspired …” He shakes his head, smiling slightly. “You have this endless well of passion and when you love something, you love it so fiercely. I am in awe of that. I am in awe of you.”
September 18, 2019
I read this all in one sitting and it definitely was not a bad way to spend my afternoon! It was sugary sweet.
July 31, 2020
My goodness, I Love You So Mochi is just so delightful! I was in the mood for a light-hearted romance, and this book just hit the sweet spot - I enjoyed reading this so, so much and it was faultlessly feel-good and just good.
- Follows Kimi, a Japanese-American teen who flies to Japan to visit her grandparents to try and figure out what she wants to do in life. There, she meets Akira, a Japanese teen who aspires to be a doctor and dresses up as a mochi mascot.
- THIS WAS JUST SO CUTE. 😭 This book is thoroughly light-hearted without being shallow and this book made me smile so many times. So full of heart and warmth!
- I loved Kimi and I think she will be a relatable character for teens. For most of her life, she's felt like she's been pushed into something and now has no clear idea of what she really wants. Her journey - and her emotional journey - to understand herself was really well-done and wholesome.
- I actually adored Akira and really looked forward to every time Kimi and Akira interacted with each other. Their romance was sweet and meaningful.
- I also loved the relationship between Kimi and her grandparents. We don't often see relationships between grandchildren and grandparents, so this was lovely - even more so, for me, because they were Asian grandparents.
Trigger/content warning: I didn't pick up on anything, but if I am missing anything, please let me know!
- Follows Kimi, a Japanese-American teen who flies to Japan to visit her grandparents to try and figure out what she wants to do in life. There, she meets Akira, a Japanese teen who aspires to be a doctor and dresses up as a mochi mascot.
- THIS WAS JUST SO CUTE. 😭 This book is thoroughly light-hearted without being shallow and this book made me smile so many times. So full of heart and warmth!
- I loved Kimi and I think she will be a relatable character for teens. For most of her life, she's felt like she's been pushed into something and now has no clear idea of what she really wants. Her journey - and her emotional journey - to understand herself was really well-done and wholesome.
- I actually adored Akira and really looked forward to every time Kimi and Akira interacted with each other. Their romance was sweet and meaningful.
- I also loved the relationship between Kimi and her grandparents. We don't often see relationships between grandchildren and grandparents, so this was lovely - even more so, for me, because they were Asian grandparents.
Trigger/content warning: I didn't pick up on anything, but if I am missing anything, please let me know!
July 29, 2019
book #9
completed! for the reading rush ✓ i am Spent y'all. i need to sleep for the next two weeks to rest my eyes
very cute, very wholesome, very precious
very cute, very wholesome, very precious
August 13, 2020
me: okay I need to focus on my arc and sequel piles
also me: okay I'm going to pick up this book which is neither an arc nor a sequel
In the sweltering heatwave that seems to be affecting the uk and other parts of europe right now, I Love You So Mochi was the perfect read - light, cute, and undemanding. Following Kimi as she goes to Japan to meet her grandparents and hopefully gets inspired about the path she wants to take in life, it's full of iconic Kyoto locations, cute romance and really sweet grandparent dynamics. It's excellently paced (though the first 20+ pages where she was still in America, I was impatient for her to get to Japan) and at just over 300 pages, it feels like a light summer treat.
In Japan, Kimi connects with a boy called Akira, who's working at his uncle's mochi store as a mascot, but who wants to be a doctor. Now, Akira was so cute and kind and funny - I really liked him. But I Love You So Mochi doesn't focus solely on romance, which is amazing - it also had really strong family and friendship bonds too. I'm a big fan of 'grandparent' dynamics, I guess you could call them, where a younger character has a really good bond with an older character - often a grandparent. They're very sweet, and very wholesome. And in this book, I loved how kind Kimi's grandfather was, but also how she slowly bonded with her grandmother. I also loved Kimi's relationship with her mother, and Kimi has great best friends too.
What I also liked about I Love You So Mochi was actually that there was no translation for the Japanese. Kimi can't speak Japanese, so she always converses in English (besides calling her grandparents 'ojiisan' and 'obaasan' for grandfather & grandmother), so most of the Japanese included by Japanese speakers were colloquial add-ons ('hai', 'sou da ne', 'ne', etc) placed in English sentences, so you could actually get a sense of what was being said through context, but I felt it helped the story feel more fluid and natural. But then again, I can speak and understand Japanese fairly well, so it's not going to be something that bothers me, and maybe it would bother other readers, who knows!
I liked the ending, too - I felt it wrapped up the story well, but also left it open enough for readers to think about where Kimi's life was going to take her. In fact, I was sad it ended! It really was such a fun book. I'd really like more YA stories like this, about teens going to see their relatives over a holiday break, and learning more about themselves and where they've come from. They're always so fulfilling to read.
> 4 stars
also me: okay I'm going to pick up this book which is neither an arc nor a sequel
In the sweltering heatwave that seems to be affecting the uk and other parts of europe right now, I Love You So Mochi was the perfect read - light, cute, and undemanding. Following Kimi as she goes to Japan to meet her grandparents and hopefully gets inspired about the path she wants to take in life, it's full of iconic Kyoto locations, cute romance and really sweet grandparent dynamics. It's excellently paced (though the first 20+ pages where she was still in America, I was impatient for her to get to Japan) and at just over 300 pages, it feels like a light summer treat.
In Japan, Kimi connects with a boy called Akira, who's working at his uncle's mochi store as a mascot, but who wants to be a doctor. Now, Akira was so cute and kind and funny - I really liked him. But I Love You So Mochi doesn't focus solely on romance, which is amazing - it also had really strong family and friendship bonds too. I'm a big fan of 'grandparent' dynamics, I guess you could call them, where a younger character has a really good bond with an older character - often a grandparent. They're very sweet, and very wholesome. And in this book, I loved how kind Kimi's grandfather was, but also how she slowly bonded with her grandmother. I also loved Kimi's relationship with her mother, and Kimi has great best friends too.
What I also liked about I Love You So Mochi was actually that there was no translation for the Japanese. Kimi can't speak Japanese, so she always converses in English (besides calling her grandparents 'ojiisan' and 'obaasan' for grandfather & grandmother), so most of the Japanese included by Japanese speakers were colloquial add-ons ('hai', 'sou da ne', 'ne', etc) placed in English sentences, so you could actually get a sense of what was being said through context, but I felt it helped the story feel more fluid and natural. But then again, I can speak and understand Japanese fairly well, so it's not going to be something that bothers me, and maybe it would bother other readers, who knows!
I liked the ending, too - I felt it wrapped up the story well, but also left it open enough for readers to think about where Kimi's life was going to take her. In fact, I was sad it ended! It really was such a fun book. I'd really like more YA stories like this, about teens going to see their relatives over a holiday break, and learning more about themselves and where they've come from. They're always so fulfilling to read.
> 4 stars
June 11, 2019
Check out more reviews @ Perspective of a Writer...
The Buzz
I Love You So Mochi has been flying around the Asian book blogger blogs. It caught my eye due to the title, based on a Japanese confectionery made from pounded rice and molded around a yummy filling. My favorite are ice cream mochi... I was dying to see how they were incorporated into the story.
The Premise
Kimi Nakamura has been practicing her art since she was a child at the knee of her wannabe artist mother. Lately though its taken a turn away from fine art and she's been playing around with clothes and making her friends "feel brave, fabulous, and like the Ultimate versions of themselves." This is such a true dilemma for a soon to be college student. All through college friends were going into fields they didn't enjoy because of a parent's expectations. And they didn't even know it!! I feel like I Love You So Mochi is for all of those high schoolers who are feeling uncertain about what they love to do and need answers.
What made I Love You So Mochi step out into the limelight for me is the fact Kimi explored her feelings about college and career while visiting her estranged grandparents in Japan. There she meets a boy who points out the things he sees about her... And this helps her to see some truths about herself she's never realized before now. Getting a tourists eye view of Kyoto along with Kimi was super fun and a great way to incorporate her exploring her career choice. And Akira was so darling! Things aren't tied up perfectly but end on a satisfying note that will inspire other college bound students to honestly evaluate their future.
My Experience
What can I say? I sat down and read I Love You So Mochi in almost one sitting! I found Kimi's friendship and school life really made her stand out to me compared to other characters in similar circumstances. She has some of the best friends in Bex and Atsuko! She didn't treat them the best but also tried to understand what she was going through and embrace what they knew of events.
I really fell in love with Kimi though when she got to Japan. She really didn't know what the customs were and hadn't had time to look them up and familiarize herself. This made her start there fun and different. It was natural conflict that made her experiences feel more real and the conflict with her grandmother more pronounced.
I feel like this natural foreshadowing and story support within the writing of I Love You So Mochi to be quite strong and made the read so pleasurable. Even the conflict and resolution with Akira rang true. And the men in Kimi's life supported her so much! Her dad, grandpa and Akira's uncle all were so winningly fun and witty without taking the focus off the female relationships. They all felt like real people that I would run into on the street one day. All hallmarks of a great read for me, definitely a top winner for 2019!
Why is I Love You So Mochi a Great College-Bound Read?
- I love Kimi's relationships!
Her girlfriends honestly were so fun! I love how she bonded with one friend because they both had Asian moms. Her grandparents were so touching! Honestly I loved her tongue in cheek grandpa but it was her grandmother who won my heart. And her realistic and loving mother-daughter relationship made me tear up.
-I love seeing Kyoto!
GAHHHHH all the fun places that she went, some with Akira, and some alone or with her grandparents. I felt like I was there and got to learn about some tourist things I would love to do if I visited Japan.
-I love the fashion design!
Kimi really has an eye for fashion and it reads like a Project Runway original. The dresses, the outfits, the designs. I loved them all and really was rooting for her to realize where her love lies.
-I love her letters to mom!
These were absolutely incredible. I wish they had commissioned drawings to represent the photos she sent along with her emails to her mother. To try to explain her passion for fashion! So inspiring to follow what you love.
-I love the mochi date!
I won't say more than this so as to tantalize you for what I mean but it includes mochi... and is the ultimate date at just the right time. It was fun and so sweetly epic!
Cover & Title grade -> A+
I love the whimsical tone to the cover and title for a book that deals with a pretty huge deal in a teens life. The art is imperfect but so darling and perfect for Kimi and Akira's story. What else is there to say?! YOU NEED I Love You So Mochi ASAP!!
Okay I will say this about I Love You So Mochi... there is A LOT to love in this sweet contemporary about a girl returning to her roots and finding her passion. There is a little love, friendship and family that mixes into the best filling for mochi!!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Authenticity
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Writing Style
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Plot & Pacing
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ World Building
Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review. It has not influenced my opinions.
______________________
You can find this review and many others on my book blog @ Perspective of a Writer. Read my special perspective under the typewriter on my reviews...
Please like this review if you enjoyed it! *bow* *bow* It helps me out a ton!!
May 28, 2019
The ARC of this book was provided by the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
2.75 stars
Full review here
This book just wasn’t for me.
I appreciated the descriptions of Kyoto and all that there is to see and do there. They were all very good. They were probably one of the things I liked most in this book, alongside the development of a deep relationship between Kimi and her grandparents.
My main issue with this novel is that there isn’t really any conflict. Kimi goes to Japan to avoid her mother who seems disappointed because her daughter does not want to be a painter like her. Kimi’s passion is fashion and making clothes, we know that from the beginning. Yet somehow it takes Kimi basically the whole book to figure out that fashion is not a distraction, it can be a real plan for her future and also a job opportunity. That’s what got me on my nerves, the whole book is a journey toward something we know from page 1.
The romantic aspect of this novel was just okay. Akira is a very sweet boy but I did not see a spark between him and Kimi. Their relationship didn’t work for me.
2.75 stars
Full review here
This book just wasn’t for me.
I appreciated the descriptions of Kyoto and all that there is to see and do there. They were all very good. They were probably one of the things I liked most in this book, alongside the development of a deep relationship between Kimi and her grandparents.
My main issue with this novel is that there isn’t really any conflict. Kimi goes to Japan to avoid her mother who seems disappointed because her daughter does not want to be a painter like her. Kimi’s passion is fashion and making clothes, we know that from the beginning. Yet somehow it takes Kimi basically the whole book to figure out that fashion is not a distraction, it can be a real plan for her future and also a job opportunity. That’s what got me on my nerves, the whole book is a journey toward something we know from page 1.
The romantic aspect of this novel was just okay. Akira is a very sweet boy but I did not see a spark between him and Kimi. Their relationship didn’t work for me.
Want to read
April 18, 2018...finds romance with a med student who moonlights as a costumed mochi mascot.
Lol, I'm here for it! Sounds like an adorable Asian drama plot.
Lol, I'm here for it! Sounds like an adorable Asian drama plot.
June 8, 2019
oh my god i loved this so mochi. review to come!
update: i loved this book so mochi.
before i start talking about the story, let’s just take a moment and appreciate the fluffiest piece of art that is the cover of this book. also, the title is so punny and adorable, which adds to the cuteness even more.
one of my favorite things about the book is that it’s set in kyoto, a part of japan that almost never appears in ya novels. it’s underrated, really – with its beautiful shrines and cherry blossoms, kyoto is one of the most beautiful places in the world.
in this book, we meet kimi, who was an aspiring artist until she finds out that she has lost all motivation for something she has been doing for her entire life – painting. on the other hand, akira, a japanese boy whose uncle runs a mochi shop, has always known what he wants to be – a doctor.
kimi always feels frustrated with what she and her friends call asian mom math. being pressured by her mom, she grew up believing that art is the thing she loves most. this happens for me too – my parents and i have very different expectations for myself, and sometimes it can be quite difficult to satisfy both.
akira, on the other hand, is encouraged to pursue his dreams. the only person stopping him from doing so is himself. he helps his uncle with his mochi shop, and with the rent being raised, he believes that it is his responsibility to work hard for the shop and to give up his med school dreams to keep it going.
i really like how kimi and akira are always there for each other on every step of their self discovery journey. akira makes it his mission to help kimi find out her goals in life, while kimi motivates akira to chase after his passion.
and that slow burn romance. can someone please buy me an airplane ticket so i can fly to japan and find a boy who gives me mochis when we go on dates? akira is the sweetest, most precious character in the universe. i think i have a new book boyfriend.（●´∀｀）ノ♡
the romance is beautiful, and so is kimi’s relationship with her family and friends. kimi has never met her estranged maternal grandparents from japan before, and i really liked seeing how they eventually warm up to her.
as for her parents, it’s clear that they want the best for her, but don’t know how to express it (in other words, asian mom math). i loved kimi’s emails to her mom – they are so honest, and full of raw emotion, and i tore up a bit at the very end (not going into detail here, i don’t want to spoil it for you!)
and kimi’s friends are the best. they don’t even get mad when kimi suddenly abandons them and their spring break plans for a spontaneous trip to japan, and are supportive of every decision kimi makes. we need more friendships like this in ya novels!
i love you so mochi is an adorable, sweet and heartwarming novel about love and family. i loved it so much, and i’m sure you would too!
read this on my blog:
https://marshmallowpudding.home.blog/...
update: i loved this book so mochi.
before i start talking about the story, let’s just take a moment and appreciate the fluffiest piece of art that is the cover of this book. also, the title is so punny and adorable, which adds to the cuteness even more.
one of my favorite things about the book is that it’s set in kyoto, a part of japan that almost never appears in ya novels. it’s underrated, really – with its beautiful shrines and cherry blossoms, kyoto is one of the most beautiful places in the world.
in this book, we meet kimi, who was an aspiring artist until she finds out that she has lost all motivation for something she has been doing for her entire life – painting. on the other hand, akira, a japanese boy whose uncle runs a mochi shop, has always known what he wants to be – a doctor.
my love of fun is complicated by parental expectations and a burning need to not disappoint anyone.
kimi always feels frustrated with what she and her friends call asian mom math. being pressured by her mom, she grew up believing that art is the thing she loves most. this happens for me too – my parents and i have very different expectations for myself, and sometimes it can be quite difficult to satisfy both.
akira, on the other hand, is encouraged to pursue his dreams. the only person stopping him from doing so is himself. he helps his uncle with his mochi shop, and with the rent being raised, he believes that it is his responsibility to work hard for the shop and to give up his med school dreams to keep it going.
i really like how kimi and akira are always there for each other on every step of their self discovery journey. akira makes it his mission to help kimi find out her goals in life, while kimi motivates akira to chase after his passion.
and that slow burn romance. can someone please buy me an airplane ticket so i can fly to japan and find a boy who gives me mochis when we go on dates? akira is the sweetest, most precious character in the universe. i think i have a new book boyfriend.（●´∀｀）ノ♡
the romance is beautiful, and so is kimi’s relationship with her family and friends. kimi has never met her estranged maternal grandparents from japan before, and i really liked seeing how they eventually warm up to her.
as for her parents, it’s clear that they want the best for her, but don’t know how to express it (in other words, asian mom math). i loved kimi’s emails to her mom – they are so honest, and full of raw emotion, and i tore up a bit at the very end (not going into detail here, i don’t want to spoil it for you!)
and kimi’s friends are the best. they don’t even get mad when kimi suddenly abandons them and their spring break plans for a spontaneous trip to japan, and are supportive of every decision kimi makes. we need more friendships like this in ya novels!
i love you so mochi is an adorable, sweet and heartwarming novel about love and family. i loved it so much, and i’m sure you would too!
read this on my blog:
https://marshmallowpudding.home.blog/...
July 25, 2020
Que livro mais amor!
Uma história sobre autoconhecimento, família, sonhos e amor. Fiquei nostálgica lembrando dos dias que passei no Japão. Poder revisitar lugares especiais nas páginas de um livro torna a leitura ainda mais especial :)
Uma história sobre autoconhecimento, família, sonhos e amor. Fiquei nostálgica lembrando dos dias que passei no Japão. Poder revisitar lugares especiais nas páginas de um livro torna a leitura ainda mais especial :)
May 1, 2020
Super cute! Probably more like a 3.5.
June 5, 2020
2.5 stars
This could've been way better, I mean it had a combination of many things I love about YA contemporaries and I manly mean food! But sadly all the food can't fix the "let's ignore things until they fix themselves up" attitude the characters had in this.
This could've been way better, I mean it had a combination of many things I love about YA contemporaries and I manly mean food! But sadly all the food can't fix the "let's ignore things until they fix themselves up" attitude the characters had in this.
Want to read
November 22, 2018How cute is that cover???
May 5, 2020
THIS WAS SO CUTE AND FLUFFY! the family feels! the super sweet romance! the finding yourself & fashion design & exploration of japan!! would highly recommend.
March 20, 2022
4.5 stars. I really enjoyed this one. :)
May 22, 2019
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Her mother's dream was for Kimi to become the next great Asian American artist. The only problem was it was not HER dream. While standing at a crossroads in her life, Kimi received a plane ticket and an invitation to visit her estranged grandparents in Japan. She saw this as the perfect escape from her mother's crushing disappointment, but it was exactly what she needed to find her passion.
I swear, I didn't stop grinning for hours after reading this book. I simply loved everything about it.
Kimi was fantastic! She was charming, smart, funny, and talented, oh so, talented. I loved her passion for fashion, and her zeal for discovering new things.
Akira was terribly sweet. I was delighted by all his nerdy suaveness, his ambitions, his authenticity, and his love for his family. I was so happy that this life-sized mochi danced his way into Kimi's life, because he absolutely made her time in Japan really special.
Kimi's family played a big role in her journey as well. Her relationship with her mother was complicated. As a matter of fact, there were three generations of women working through their complicated feelings for each other, but underneath it all, you knew there was love. The relationship that developed between Kimi and her grandmother was beautiful, and a step in the right direction for her grandmother to begin mending the bridge between herself and her own daughter. Then, there were the letters Kimi wrote to her mother. They were beyond wonderful, and it was really lovely how Kimi uncovered so many truths about her mother as she was trying to figure herself out. Lots of sweet and touching moments here, folks. I must mention, that her dad and grandfather were also too precious for words.
The romance was like biting into mochi - soft and gooey and so sweet on the inside. I adored Kimi and Akira together, and I wish I had a jump ahead to see what their future held.
Japan and Japanese culture were featured prominently by Kuhn, and I inhaled every site, morsel, and bit of information she sent my way. The places she chose to have us visit were all so wonderful, and they weren't simply backdrops to the action, but rather, Kuhn incorporated them well into the story. And, as for the food, my mouth watered continuously. Bless you, Kimi, and your hearty appetite. You know I am trying to find some sweet potato Kit Kats now too.
Overall: I had an incredible time with Kimi on her journey to finding her passion. It was filled with so many new discoveries, new experiences, and lots of love.
*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
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Her mother's dream was for Kimi to become the next great Asian American artist. The only problem was it was not HER dream. While standing at a crossroads in her life, Kimi received a plane ticket and an invitation to visit her estranged grandparents in Japan. She saw this as the perfect escape from her mother's crushing disappointment, but it was exactly what she needed to find her passion.
I swear, I didn't stop grinning for hours after reading this book. I simply loved everything about it.
Kimi was fantastic! She was charming, smart, funny, and talented, oh so, talented. I loved her passion for fashion, and her zeal for discovering new things.
Akira was terribly sweet. I was delighted by all his nerdy suaveness, his ambitions, his authenticity, and his love for his family. I was so happy that this life-sized mochi danced his way into Kimi's life, because he absolutely made her time in Japan really special.
Kimi's family played a big role in her journey as well. Her relationship with her mother was complicated. As a matter of fact, there were three generations of women working through their complicated feelings for each other, but underneath it all, you knew there was love. The relationship that developed between Kimi and her grandmother was beautiful, and a step in the right direction for her grandmother to begin mending the bridge between herself and her own daughter. Then, there were the letters Kimi wrote to her mother. They were beyond wonderful, and it was really lovely how Kimi uncovered so many truths about her mother as she was trying to figure herself out. Lots of sweet and touching moments here, folks. I must mention, that her dad and grandfather were also too precious for words.
The romance was like biting into mochi - soft and gooey and so sweet on the inside. I adored Kimi and Akira together, and I wish I had a jump ahead to see what their future held.
Japan and Japanese culture were featured prominently by Kuhn, and I inhaled every site, morsel, and bit of information she sent my way. The places she chose to have us visit were all so wonderful, and they weren't simply backdrops to the action, but rather, Kuhn incorporated them well into the story. And, as for the food, my mouth watered continuously. Bless you, Kimi, and your hearty appetite. You know I am trying to find some sweet potato Kit Kats now too.
Overall: I had an incredible time with Kimi on her journey to finding her passion. It was filled with so many new discoveries, new experiences, and lots of love.
*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
BLOG | INSTAGRAM |TWITTER | BLOGLOVIN | FRIEND ME ON GOODREADS
August 12, 2024
3 reasons why I had better am destined to love this book:
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- the cover is trés adorable
- Mochis are one of my favorite dessert treats
- my dream is to visit Japan one day
Blog | Twitter | Instagram | Tumblr | Bloglovin’
June 17, 2023
OML. How can something be this cute and adorable! The title, the cover, the story, the romance, the writing... EVERYTHING is so cute. This should be made into a shoujo manga or anime ASAP!! 😩❤
March 4, 2021
I LOVE YOU SO MOCHI tells the story of Kimi Nakamura, a Japanese American high schooler who is passionate about designing clothes despite her mother’s disapproval. After an explosive fight with her mother, Kimi receives a letter and plane ticket from her mysterious Japanese grandparents and takes them up on their offer to visit over Spring Break. After meeting and staying with her grandparents for the first time, Kimi is learns more about her family and also discovers a lot about herself along the way.
I was so excited for this release, and really wanted to like it. Unfortunately, this book didn’t work for me. I loved Kimi’s grandparents and the descriptions of Japanese food in this book are amazing, but otherwise I didn’t find this story to be very realistic.
The biggest thing for me was that everyone Kimi meets in Japan speaks English. This might be my own narrow view, but in the three times I’ve been to Japan, I’m always overwhelmed by only hearing Japanese and not hearing any English. Kimi, like me, doesn’t speak Japanese and she has no problem getting off the plane and navigating the airport, the complex train system, or even ordering street food without the aid of a native speaker. I would understand it a little more if this wasn’t her first trip to Japan, or if Kimi was an extremely confident,
problem solving teen. But she’s portrayed in the book as an anxious teenager that would rather dream up fantasies rather than take risks and experience life in reality. Once she meets up with her grandparents (who’s fluency in English wasn’t explained until halfway through the book) she also meets a boy who conveniently knows how to speak English, and even multiple bystanders speak to her in English as well. I’m sorry, but I’ve never had some random person speak English to me in Japan. Maybe hello or something, but not conversational English. Even when we asked a police officer (who is trained to speak English in case of emergencies with tourists) for directions his English wasn’t as good as the English speakers in this novel.
I also thought the “fight” that Kimi and her love interest have was a little unbelievable and unnecessary. The way they make up is a little cliche, too. I liked the self discovery arc that Kimi goes on, but the outcome was obvious to me and I wasn’t sure what took Kimi so long to get there. Overall, this is a sweet book with a heartwarming ending, but I felt underwhelmed and a little irritated throughout the book.
*A free copy of this book was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review*
I was so excited for this release, and really wanted to like it. Unfortunately, this book didn’t work for me. I loved Kimi’s grandparents and the descriptions of Japanese food in this book are amazing, but otherwise I didn’t find this story to be very realistic.
The biggest thing for me was that everyone Kimi meets in Japan speaks English. This might be my own narrow view, but in the three times I’ve been to Japan, I’m always overwhelmed by only hearing Japanese and not hearing any English. Kimi, like me, doesn’t speak Japanese and she has no problem getting off the plane and navigating the airport, the complex train system, or even ordering street food without the aid of a native speaker. I would understand it a little more if this wasn’t her first trip to Japan, or if Kimi was an extremely confident,
problem solving teen. But she’s portrayed in the book as an anxious teenager that would rather dream up fantasies rather than take risks and experience life in reality. Once she meets up with her grandparents (who’s fluency in English wasn’t explained until halfway through the book) she also meets a boy who conveniently knows how to speak English, and even multiple bystanders speak to her in English as well. I’m sorry, but I’ve never had some random person speak English to me in Japan. Maybe hello or something, but not conversational English. Even when we asked a police officer (who is trained to speak English in case of emergencies with tourists) for directions his English wasn’t as good as the English speakers in this novel.
I also thought the “fight” that Kimi and her love interest have was a little unbelievable and unnecessary. The way they make up is a little cliche, too. I liked the self discovery arc that Kimi goes on, but the outcome was obvious to me and I wasn’t sure what took Kimi so long to get there. Overall, this is a sweet book with a heartwarming ending, but I felt underwhelmed and a little irritated throughout the book.
*A free copy of this book was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review*
May 23, 2019
(free review copy) SO SWEET!!! And inspiring. The setting, the story, the romance, the food, the friends, the family dynamics - ALL OF IT.
October 26, 2020
... I need a moment. Full review to follow.
August 2, 2020
This was the cutest freaking book I have ever read, it melted my cold dark soul and now I am extremely soft and in need of a pug cafe
December 2, 2020
"I want you to remember that you are boundless."
📚 Series? No.
📚 Genre? YA Contemporary Romance
📚 Cliffhanger? No.
❤ Yna's Daily December 30 Day Review Challenge ❤ DAY 1 😊
I picked this book up the day I felt like I needed something cute, sweet, and Asian. Well, is there anything more perfect for that description than a book with this cute cover (and Mochi on the title!)?
Kimi, our lead, is a Japanese American and this book opens the story with her having to fly out to meet her grandparents in Japan. This is the perfect time for the trip, as she is having problems with her mom in terms of her future. (But don't all Asian kids experience this? lol)
So, anyway, in Japan, she discovers a culture she has yet to explore. She gets to know her parents more. And, of course, she meets a guy named Akira. Their meet-cute is like the cutest because he was wearing a Mochi costume!!!
There's so many things I liked about this book, so maybe let me list them down:
• Kimi's dreams
• Her learning Japanese culture
• Family dynamics
• Exploring Kyoto
• JAPANESE FOOD
• The romance
• Cute friendships
• Themes like growing up, the future, dealing with pressure
• Finding your identity
All in all, I loved I Love You So Mochi so mochi!
☁ THE CRITERIA ☁
🌼 Blurb:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌼 Main Character:⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
🌼 Significant Other: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌼 Support Characters:⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
🌼 Writing Style:⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
🌼 Character Development:⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
🌼 Romance: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
🌼 Pacing: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
🌼 Ending: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
🌼 Unputdownability: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌼 Book Cover:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
☁FINAL VERDICT: 4.45/5 ☁
📚 Blog ♡ Booktube ♡ Bookstagram ♡ Facebook ♡ Twitter 📚
September 3, 2020
this was cute, fluffy, and made me want to visit japan really badly! i loved all the relationships and rep, but found the mc a little frustrating at times — but that’s the nature of her growth. overall, would recommend if you’re looking for a light read :)
May 22, 2019
This is probs like 2.5 stars from me
*I feel like this entire review has spoiler-y content, so if you don't want to know anything besides how I felt, here you go:
Not-believable romance, weird parental expectation that didn't seem believable, super fun fashion design mc swoon-worthy descriptions of Kyoto and very cute grandparent relationship scenes. *
I'm kind of sad I couldn't get behind the main conflict in this book. There were so many precious scenes that really hit me, but they were all twinged with my disbelief for basically the entire plot.
Alright so Kimi has been painting her entire life. When she finally gets into this prestigious art school and must create her final amazing painting that will encompass her as an ~artiste~, she can't. Her mom is super excited for her to follow *her dreams* and follow in her footsteps as a painter.
Instead of painting her super important piece of art, she's been "messing around" and sketching some super bad ass outfit sketches and created her own garments out of scraps of clothes and other material that sparks her creativity.
When Kimi's parents find out she hasn't actually started her painting and she maybe dropped her advanced art class, shit hits the fan. How could she throw away this oppourtunity!! This is all she's ever dreamed of!! (Just like me your mom who is also an artist!!)
Her mom says she needs to stop "distracting herself" with drawing and making clothes and think about her career as an artist. That messing around making clothes won't help her get a job in the future.
-- ok. This is the first place this story lost me. This entire internal conflict of Kimi deciding she no longers wants to be a painter (did she actually ever want it?) and "not knowing what she wants to do with her life" (hellloooo maybe the thing you're obsessed with and actually good at? i.e. fashion design) just doesn't make sense to me. For some reason in my mind the idea that her mom would be so rigid about what kind of artist she wants her daughter to be just doesn't seem realistic? Because both of those professions are considered artists. Just different mediums.
And throughout the entire book she's trying to "find herself" in Japan and figure out what she really wants to do, but her passion of clothes-making is almost never seen as an option. She even goes to her grandma's friend's clothing store full of clothes she's created herself and she still doesn't admit that its a viable job option. like?????? I get there's some self denial in there, but it really didn't make sense to me.
*spoilers for the end*
eventually when she gets back home her mom realizes she was being freaking annoying and that her dream of being a fashion designer is just as valid as her dream of being a painter. like duh??? idk. I feel like this narrative would make more sense if the initial job was more of a stable/boring job and not just a different sect of artist. It doesn't hole the same amount of parental expectation or something? I'm not sure.
*romance spoilers*
lol they told e/o they were in love after ....... 2 weeks. There was basically zero conflict in this "love story" and whatever there was, was taken care of in 1-2 days. and I get that this is a short timeline so things kind of have to move that quickly, but... it didn't feel genuine to me. I wanted more struggle!!! More tension!!!
I'm actually so sad that I couldn't get behind the legit two main plots in this story lol. There were so many cute moments and scenes!! Her learning more about her grandparents and building a relationship with them? GOLD! The letters she wrote to her mom about how she began falling in love with clothing design? BEAUTIFUL! The descriptions while she roamed around the city? SO FUN! (I will say I'm a little sus about how easily they traveled around - esp to Nara- , but that was never really addressed so I'm just gonna ignore it.)
*Thank you to Edelweiss and Scholastic for this review copy!
*I feel like this entire review has spoiler-y content, so if you don't want to know anything besides how I felt, here you go:
Not-believable romance, weird parental expectation that didn't seem believable, super fun fashion design mc swoon-worthy descriptions of Kyoto and very cute grandparent relationship scenes. *
I'm kind of sad I couldn't get behind the main conflict in this book. There were so many precious scenes that really hit me, but they were all twinged with my disbelief for basically the entire plot.
Alright so Kimi has been painting her entire life. When she finally gets into this prestigious art school and must create her final amazing painting that will encompass her as an ~artiste~, she can't. Her mom is super excited for her to follow *her dreams* and follow in her footsteps as a painter.
Instead of painting her super important piece of art, she's been "messing around" and sketching some super bad ass outfit sketches and created her own garments out of scraps of clothes and other material that sparks her creativity.
When Kimi's parents find out she hasn't actually started her painting and she maybe dropped her advanced art class, shit hits the fan. How could she throw away this oppourtunity!! This is all she's ever dreamed of!! (Just like me your mom who is also an artist!!)
Her mom says she needs to stop "distracting herself" with drawing and making clothes and think about her career as an artist. That messing around making clothes won't help her get a job in the future.
-- ok. This is the first place this story lost me. This entire internal conflict of Kimi deciding she no longers wants to be a painter (did she actually ever want it?) and "not knowing what she wants to do with her life" (hellloooo maybe the thing you're obsessed with and actually good at? i.e. fashion design) just doesn't make sense to me. For some reason in my mind the idea that her mom would be so rigid about what kind of artist she wants her daughter to be just doesn't seem realistic? Because both of those professions are considered artists. Just different mediums.
And throughout the entire book she's trying to "find herself" in Japan and figure out what she really wants to do, but her passion of clothes-making is almost never seen as an option. She even goes to her grandma's friend's clothing store full of clothes she's created herself and she still doesn't admit that its a viable job option. like?????? I get there's some self denial in there, but it really didn't make sense to me.
*spoilers for the end*
eventually when she gets back home her mom realizes she was being freaking annoying and that her dream of being a fashion designer is just as valid as her dream of being a painter. like duh??? idk. I feel like this narrative would make more sense if the initial job was more of a stable/boring job and not just a different sect of artist. It doesn't hole the same amount of parental expectation or something? I'm not sure.
*romance spoilers*
lol they told e/o they were in love after ....... 2 weeks. There was basically zero conflict in this "love story" and whatever there was, was taken care of in 1-2 days. and I get that this is a short timeline so things kind of have to move that quickly, but... it didn't feel genuine to me. I wanted more struggle!!! More tension!!!
I'm actually so sad that I couldn't get behind the legit two main plots in this story lol. There were so many cute moments and scenes!! Her learning more about her grandparents and building a relationship with them? GOLD! The letters she wrote to her mom about how she began falling in love with clothing design? BEAUTIFUL! The descriptions while she roamed around the city? SO FUN! (I will say I'm a little sus about how easily they traveled around - esp to Nara- , but that was never really addressed so I'm just gonna ignore it.)
*Thank you to Edelweiss and Scholastic for this review copy!
March 31, 2021
“And suddenly I realize that making things real is more than just “pretty fun.” Making things real means I feel so many things all at once and on a truly visceral level—deep in my bones and my heart and my soul."
representation: Japanese American mc, lesbian Black side character.
[trigger warnings are listed at the bottom of this review and may contain spoilers]
★★★
This was cute but I had quite a few issues with it. Like how does the love interest have PERFECT English skills with literally no explanation???? I really liked the exploration of Japan and Japanese culture though!
trigger warnings: loss of loved ones (in the past).
representation: Japanese American mc, lesbian Black side character.
[trigger warnings are listed at the bottom of this review and may contain spoilers]
★★★
This was cute but I had quite a few issues with it. Like how does the love interest have PERFECT English skills with literally no explanation???? I really liked the exploration of Japan and Japanese culture though!
trigger warnings: loss of loved ones (in the past).
September 21, 2020
This book was freaking adorable. And also really made me want to go to Japan.
Kimi was raised with the plans of being an artist. Everything has been leading up to her going to art school and becoming a painter. But as Kimi gets older, she's been realizing that's not where her passion lies. After a giant argument with her mother, she agrees to spend spring break with her estranged grandparents in Japan and sets on a journey of self-discovery to find out who she really is and what exactly she wants out of life.
Now, I could tell you what her passion was from page 1, so I'm not sure why it took an entire book for Kimi to realize this, but it did and because of that we get to see her explore Japan through new eyes. Kimi was fun, a little all over the place, but at her core, she just wanted to honor her family and be happy. I found this book to be a great celebration of Japanese culture - from the beautiful bamboo gardens with it's history and superstitions to the correct way to make mochi. I was fascinated by all the sights just like Kimi.
But what I really loved about this book was how Kimi came to know her Grandparents. I loved watching them try to bridge the distance that was there and so much hope came from such a short visit. The true value of this book lies in it's heart. So adorable and I will definitely be looking out for this author.
Kimi was raised with the plans of being an artist. Everything has been leading up to her going to art school and becoming a painter. But as Kimi gets older, she's been realizing that's not where her passion lies. After a giant argument with her mother, she agrees to spend spring break with her estranged grandparents in Japan and sets on a journey of self-discovery to find out who she really is and what exactly she wants out of life.
Now, I could tell you what her passion was from page 1, so I'm not sure why it took an entire book for Kimi to realize this, but it did and because of that we get to see her explore Japan through new eyes. Kimi was fun, a little all over the place, but at her core, she just wanted to honor her family and be happy. I found this book to be a great celebration of Japanese culture - from the beautiful bamboo gardens with it's history and superstitions to the correct way to make mochi. I was fascinated by all the sights just like Kimi.
But what I really loved about this book was how Kimi came to know her Grandparents. I loved watching them try to bridge the distance that was there and so much hope came from such a short visit. The true value of this book lies in it's heart. So adorable and I will definitely be looking out for this author.
July 29, 2019
super juvenile and cringey at times, and the plot was pretty insta lovey but it was still fun and cute and fluffy. although, i wish akira had more character depth and personality as he was kinda lame.
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