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luckies_universe's review
2.0
I wanted to like this book a lot, and for a moment, I was kind of into it. The weather's getting warmer which means it's the perfect time to settle down with a cute summer romance, especially a loosely-based Cinderella story featuring a biracial main character and an array of other BIPOC characters.
I just felt like the message the author wished to portray in the story overpowered the story itself. This book is very clearly about growing up biracial in America, feeling lost and out of place, battling racism within and without your own community, finding friendship and acceptance and facing your fears. On their own, these are important messages, and I love reading about them, but to me it seemed like the author was trying to put in too many core themes instead of sticking to one or two. It made the story far too long and it lacked direction and purpose. The dialogue so obviously pushed the key messages and it made the actual story (a girl trying to find her mother and falling in love) feel like background music.
I've read a lot of books from POC authors like S. K. Ali, Adiba Jaigirdar and Gary Lonesborough which tackle racism and self-acceptance in Young Adult literature in skillful and nuanced ways, giving readers equal parts story and message. I guess I just had high hopes for Little Tokyo and was really excited to read it, I couldn't help but feel a little let down.
I still want to read the author's other book, I Love You So Mochi, as I've heard it's much better compared to Little Tokyo.
I just felt like the message the author wished to portray in the story overpowered the story itself. This book is very clearly about growing up biracial in America, feeling lost and out of place, battling racism within and without your own community, finding friendship and acceptance and facing your fears. On their own, these are important messages, and I love reading about them, but to me it seemed like the author was trying to put in too many core themes instead of sticking to one or two. It made the story far too long and it lacked direction and purpose. The dialogue so obviously pushed the key messages and it made the actual story (a girl trying to find her mother and falling in love) feel like background music.
I've read a lot of books from POC authors like S. K. Ali, Adiba Jaigirdar and Gary Lonesborough which tackle racism and self-acceptance in Young Adult literature in skillful and nuanced ways, giving readers equal parts story and message. I guess I just had high hopes for Little Tokyo and was really excited to read it, I couldn't help but feel a little let down.
I still want to read the author's other book, I Love You So Mochi, as I've heard it's much better compared to Little Tokyo.
rfrockwood's review
3.0
Not a favorite, but appreciated the insights into the Asian American experience. Also liked the approach to understanding anger and healthily managing it. Pretty strong language so don't know if I would casually recommend it.
witchipedia's review
5.0
<3 It took me some time to get into the writing style, but by the end I was ugly crying so hard that I couldn’t care less. This book is a love letter to the mixed community- I recommend it for mixed folks, fellow hafu folks, and anyone wanting to learn more about the mixed experience.
mrs_bookdragon's review
4.0
Good and cute romance with some fun mystery thrown in. I liked the humor and all the funny things that happened.
xavia's review
3.0
From Little Tokyo, With Love is a beautiful book about accepting yourself. All of your self.
It focused a LOT on Rika's feelings of not belonging. She's too Asian to be just American, but not Asian enough for her community to truly accept her. She's constantly told she is "half" and "to angry" and "a disruption" and "a mistake" and while she tries to just let these things roll off of her it's very clear that she has internalized those things and made them a part of her.
It's a beautiful story of self acceptance and a look at these "tight knit communities" and how they operate.
My problem is with the way the book was executed. I think this story should have been about Rika reconnecting with Grace and with her sisters. No romance (which, is saying a lot because the romance is often my favorite part of a story). But with the message this book was trying to impart, I think the focus should have strictly been on Rika's search for Grace. While that is the main over all goal, so much of it is overshadowed by this boy Rika's only known for four days. I just think it would have been more powerful is she went on this quest with Belle and Rory.
Additionally, I think I would have liked to get some of Grace's perspective. Instead of info dumping the backstories at the end of the book, I think I would have liked to live some of those moments with Grace. A duel perspective between Rika and Grace. So we can understand both of them, instead of just... dangling Grace like a carrot.
Truthfully, because this book actually focuses so little on Grace, I didn't actually feel the catharsis I expected when Rika finally met her. She felt flat. And frankly like a child. I didn't care.
So while I loved this book for it's deep dive into what it's like to "not belong" in a culture or group, the execution left a lot to be desired. Because of the way the plot DOES go, I wish the book was a good 100 pages shorter.
It focused a LOT on Rika's feelings of not belonging. She's too Asian to be just American, but not Asian enough for her community to truly accept her. She's constantly told she is "half" and "to angry" and "a disruption" and "a mistake" and while she tries to just let these things roll off of her it's very clear that she has internalized those things and made them a part of her.
It's a beautiful story of self acceptance and a look at these "tight knit communities" and how they operate.
My problem is with the way the book was executed. I think this story should have been about Rika reconnecting with Grace and with her sisters. No romance (which, is saying a lot because the romance is often my favorite part of a story). But with the message this book was trying to impart, I think the focus should have strictly been on Rika's search for Grace. While that is the main over all goal, so much of it is overshadowed by this boy Rika's only known for four days. I just think it would have been more powerful is she went on this quest with Belle and Rory.
Additionally, I think I would have liked to get some of Grace's perspective. Instead of info dumping the backstories at the end of the book, I think I would have liked to live some of those moments with Grace. A duel perspective between Rika and Grace. So we can understand both of them, instead of just... dangling Grace like a carrot.
Truthfully, because this book actually focuses so little on Grace, I didn't actually feel the catharsis I expected when Rika finally met her. She felt flat. And frankly like a child. I didn't care.
So while I loved this book for it's deep dive into what it's like to "not belong" in a culture or group, the execution left a lot to be desired. Because of the way the plot DOES go, I wish the book was a good 100 pages shorter.
itsmethebibliophile's review
4.0
**Thank you to NetGalley, the author, & the publisher for a chance to read to & review an ARC of this book!**
Please find my extended feedback below...along with some spoilers (beware).
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Things I Liked:
-I really enjoyed the cultural elements of this story
-I liked the spunk of the main character
-I enjoyed the story and plot overall
Things That Didn't Sit Quite Right With Me:
-I felt that there was a good bit of "fluff" at times.
Overall, I gave this book 4 stars. It would be a good read for people who enjoy reading stories with strong cultural elements & a bit of mystery.
Please find my extended feedback below...along with some spoilers (beware).
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Things I Liked:
-I really enjoyed the cultural elements of this story
-I liked the spunk of the main character
-I enjoyed the story and plot overall
Things That Didn't Sit Quite Right With Me:
-I felt that there was a good bit of "fluff" at times.
Overall, I gave this book 4 stars. It would be a good read for people who enjoy reading stories with strong cultural elements & a bit of mystery.
cossettereads's review
4.0
3.5 rounded up i think !!!
overall v. cute & wholesome !
content warnings for: racism, homophobia, absent parents, panic attacks/anxiety, invasion of privacy
overall v. cute & wholesome !
content warnings for: racism, homophobia, absent parents, panic attacks/anxiety, invasion of privacy
caylieratzlaff's review
4.0
This was absolutely adorable and wholesome and gave me warm fuzzies and also was such an intricate look at the idea of belonging along with Asian American disparities and issues within the AAPI community.
4/5 stars because 1) the font of the book was awful and 2) I love Rika and Henry but what the heck was the need for the car scene like…bruh.
4/5 stars because 1) the font of the book was awful and 2) I love Rika and Henry but what the heck was the need for the car scene like…bruh.