Tokyo Dreaming by Emiko Jean
Rating: 4.25/5
Publication Date: May 31st, 2022
I received this for the publisher in exchange for a review. This does not affect my review which is unbiased and honest.
At first, I was a little sad about some events in the beginning BUT THEN Emiko Jean threw in some of my favorite tropes and I was instantly hooked! I can’t even talk about the tropes because it’ll ruin the fun of the beginning of the book so you’ll just have to trust me!
I will say though that I didn’t know how this book would keep up the cuteness from the first book, but I was definitely pleased with how this book as executed and the topics that it explored without becoming repetitive with the drama of the first book! This definitely made an impression on its own and I really enjoyed the ride!
NOW WHEN YOU READ THE BOOK YOU’LL UNDERSTAND BUT I WAS ANGRY ABOUT THE ENDING. While I UNDERSTAND it and it was perfectly fine, I was just sad for MYSELF. (Again, I can’t say anything because it will spoil it all but if you have read it I wanna know how you feel!)
Overall, I liked that this one explored a different way of finding yourself and being happy with your choices and taking care of yourself. I definitely related to Izumi’s need to please others!
What I liked about this (which is the same as what I loved about book 1) was the family and friendship dynamics! It was lovely to see Noora and Izumi’s friendship change and grow as they changed as well!
My Mechanical Romance by Alexene Farol Follmuth
Rating: 5/5
Publication Date: May 31st, 2022
I received this for the publisher in exchange for a review. This does not affect my review which is unbiased and honest.
I love seeing smart girls be smart and funny and absolutely unapologetic about being themselves! Bel was such an interesting character and I really loved how she slowly discovered things that she loved despite feeling like she had nothing figured out!
And Mateo?! He was absolutely adorable and nerdy and also needed a hug. I loved getting to see his POV and see his relationship with his parents and how he struggled to match up with how others saw him versus what he wanted to be.
While I loved their relationship, I think what really made the book enjoyable for me was how each character got their own arc and grew. Usually when reading a dual POV it can be hard to differentiate between the two characters but this book did such a good job of individualizing each of the POVs and creating amazing growth outside of the relationship.
If you want a book with iconic first kisses, robotics competitions, trying to figure out what you want to do with your life, interesting family dynamics and wonderful supportive friendships, then you should definitely check this one out!
Star is All Booked Up 