From Little Tokyo, with Love by Sarah Kuhn | Audiobook Review

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

"I absolutely adored this funny, fierce, big-hearted book." --Morgan Matson, New York Times bestselling author of Save the Date
Celebrated author Sarah Kuhn reinvents the modern fairy tale in this intensely personal yet hilarious novel of a girl whose search for a storybook ending takes her to unexpected places in both her beloved LA neighborhood and her own guarded heart.
If Rika's life seems like the beginning of a familiar fairy tale--being an orphan with two bossy cousins and working away in her aunts' business--she would be the first to reject that foolish notion. After all, she loves her family (even if her cousins were named after Disney characters), and with her biracial background, amazing judo skills and red-hot temper, she doesn't quite fit the princess mold.
All that changes the instant she locks eyes with Grace Kimura, America's reigning rom-com sweetheart, during the Nikkei Week Festival. From there, Rika embarks on a madcap adventure of hope and happiness--searching for clues that Grace is her long-lost mother, exploring Little Tokyo's hidden treasures with cute actor Hank Chen, and maybe...finally finding a sense of belonging.
But fairy tales are fiction and the real world isn't so kind. Rika knows she's setting herself up for disappointment, because happy endings don't happen to girls like her. Should she walk away before she gets in even deeper, or let herself be swept away?

Why Did I Listen To From Little Tokyo, with Love by Sarah Kuhn?

From Little Tokyo, with Love by Sarah Kuhn is pitched as a modern day fairy tale. So, of course I was DOWN to read this book. Coming across it in the reviewer section of the Volumes app felt like serendipity. While I am take it or leave it with Emily Woo Zeller’s narration style – I knew I had to give this one a shot via audio. I found myself in the mood for a solid contemporary young adult book and that is exactly what I got, thankfully.

What’s The Story Here?

Sarah Kuhn’s From Little Tokyo, with Love stars Rika, a teenage girl who is an orphan who lives with her two cousins and her aunts. Rika works at her aunts’ restaurant. Thankfully her cousins who are named after Disney princesses are awesome and her aunts are genuinely good people. Rika is biracial, however, and never really felt a sense of belonging in Little Tokyo. She has an encounter with film star Grace Kimora at the local Nikkei Week festival and comes across an old photograph of her aunt and Grace. It is then that Rika has the idea that Grace may be her mother. With the help of another celebrity that she just so happens to encounter — Hank Chen — Rika goes on an adventure to find out if Grace actually is her mother and to find some answers.

How Did I Like From Little Tokyo, with Love?

I cannot stress enough how much I adored From Little Tokyo, with Love. Kuhn turns the whole fairytale on its head. I loved that no one really was evil or anything. Rika’s lesbian aunts were actually pretty awesome. Her cousins also had this wonderful enthusiasm and were so supportive of Rika. Plus there are the segments with Rika’s judo skills which was a blast to read about. I also loved the development of the romance between Rika and Hank (aka Henry) Chan. It is SO well written and sweet. Straight up, Henry is absolutely a kind and wonderful romantic lead and not one bit toxic.

How’s The Narration?

Honestly, given that I am typically on the fence with Emily Woo Zeller’s narration, I actually loved her narration of From Little Tokyo, with Love. The audiobook was 10 hours and 21 minutes long and I jumped back and forth between listening at 1.5x speed and 2x speed. Zeller was easy to understand. Her narration was not overwrought or TOO MUCH, in fact it was just perfect. I am so glad I listened to this book and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend if you’re looking for a sweet contemporary fairy tale.

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April (Books&Wine)

April is in her 30s and created Good Books And Good Wine. She works for a non-profit. April always has a book on hand. In her free time she can be found binge watching The Office with her husband and toddler, spending way too much time on Pinterest or exploring her neighborhood.

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