3.5*
Izumi Tanaka, or Izzy, has lived with her mother in California for all of her life. She lives in a predominantly white area and it is her group of best friends who sustain her. These girls are outsiders, just like Izumi and they make up an ethnically diverse support system for one another. When Izzy uncovers the secret identity of her father, her world is turned upside down.

Finding out that her father is really the Crown Prince of Japan is not only shocking but mind-blowing. Still, she wants to meet him and so she leaves for Japan. To say that the California girl is not prepared for Japanese royal life, is an understatement. It’s a totally new culture with strict rules of behavior and many obstacles that complicate the already difficult situation of meeting her father and grandparents for the first time. Plus, the media is obsessed with this new-found Princess.

The story has a cute premise but the acceptance of this stranger into the royal family is a little too tidy. Still, one can’t help but like Izzy as she tries to navigate royal life, the press and a budding romance. The romantic entanglement might be seen as contrived, but it adds a further element to the visit to Japan. Teens will like Izzy’s spunk and her ability to adjust to the new surroundings. Her relationship with her mother, like that with her friends, is one of solid support. It’s nice that the book showcases a healthy mother/daughter connection.

The audio book was nicely narrated and added to Izzy’s spirited take on things. Despite some issues, there’s so much appeal about the idea of someone suddenly becoming a princess. It’s like a childhood dream come true.

This YA contemporary follows Izumi, a Japanese-American teen who discovers that she's a literal princess. Before she can even process this revelation, she's being flown to Japan to meet the father she never knew (AKA the Crown Prince of Japan) and the rest of the royal family. But Izumi quickly realizes that royal life isn't as idyllic as she thought.⁣⁣
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At home, Izumi felt like she wasn't American enough, but now, she feels like she's not Japanese enough. She's also dealing with the press, resentful cousins, the pressures of living up to her family's royal legacy, and a forbidden romance with a young bodyguard. Will Izumi be able to carry the weight of the crown and get her happily ever after?⁣
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I absolutely adored this YA novel that had a hilarious, outspoken protagonist! I know many teen readers will relate to Izumi's desire to find her place & explore her cultural identity, and her fear of not living up to expectations. The romance was sweet, and I adored Izumi's super feminist mom & her friend group.⁣⁣
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In terms of representation, most of the characters are Japanese and Japanese American, with supporting characters from other Asian identities.⁣
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Tokyo Ever After is an absolute must-read for fans of The Princess Diaries or other royal reads! I can already tell I'll be recommending this one a lot to teens at my library.

If you blend Princess Diaries with Crazy Rich Asians you would get Tokyo Ever After. This story is full of backstabbing cousins and cultural mishaps. Nothing but perfection will be tolerated.

Izumi was told by her mother that her father was a one-night stand with a foreign exchange student whose name she didn't remember. Imagine Izumi’s shock when she finds out her father is the crown prince of Japan. On top of that, he wants to meet her. Izumi travels to Japan, where she is thrown head-first into the society scene. Queue the paparazzi and drop dead gorgeous protection officer.

This book was a cute and fun but also addresses important questions on belonging. I definitely recommend it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for a free copy of the audiobook in exchange for my honest opinion.

I'd hoped that this would be a more realistic approach to the plot from The Princess Diaries. I was not disappointed. Izumi finds out her dad is royalty and has to figure out how to fit into his world. As an American who grew up middle class in a small town, her life experience doesn't prepare her for the expectations and pressures of palace life. But it's more than just that standard fish out of water story. It's a tale of a girl between cultures. In the US she is visually different. Japan she stands out in habits and personality. She's also used to a more liberal life and the culture she encounters in Japan is fairly traditional. While the plot is fairly predictable the characters are pleasant and dynamic. A fun listen well worth your time.

What happens when you find out you are royalty? Izumi Tanaka is a teenage high school student who is dealing with fitting in and navigating her world when her world turns upside down. Her friend Nora finds out that Izumi is secretly related to the Crown Prince of Japan. When Izumi asks her mother about her dad, her single mom is faced with opening a new world to her daughter, a world that she kept quiet for over a decade.

Tokyo Ever After is a fun, fast read. I would recommend this book to others who enjoy Young Adult books or someone who is interested in stepping out of their comfort zone.

I also enjoyed the tone of the narrator and how she made the characters come to life.

There were parts of this that moved a little too fast or were a little unbelievable. Like a parent just kind of giving her an email and being like idk try to contact your prince dad. It was also kind of ridiculous that she was surprised by all the prying of the public and the rules she had to follow when her mom literally told her that's why they didn't stay together. But beside all the unbelievable parts in the beginning I really like the message of Izumi discovering who she is and the struggle of figuring out her heritage and where she belongs. I love that she came into her own and found a path that encompasses both worlds.
There were parts of the book that moved too fast but I'm not necessarily the target audience so I didn't want that to effect my rating.
The narrator did a great job distinguishing the different characters.

I get why this was compared to the princess diaries but I also don’t because it is so not comparable to such a class masterpiece. This was a waste of my time and soooo boring and slow, I highly considered dnf-ing a million times. Not only is it boring, way too focused on romance, hella cliche, but our main character Izumi is dumb and I don’t have time for any of it.

Audiobook Review: Tokyo Ever After, A Novel by Emiko Jean, Narrated by Ali Ahn
(Published by Macmillan Audio, May 18, 2021)

Audiobook: ★★★★☆ (4.25 Stars)

A vibrant, middle-class Northern California nineteen-year-old teen from picturesque Mount Shasta finds out about her hitherto unknown father from her secretive single-parent Mom, a science and botany teacher.

He's the beau she'd met at Harvard, the teen finds out.

Izzy writes to him blindly, faraway in Japan, not knowing what to expect, first attempt to contact after nearly two decades.

But she gets nary a response.

Months later, as Izzy arrives back at their Alpine paradise lane under the shadow of a volcano, she sees a gaggle of cars and a small crowd gathered in front of their house.

Someone among them calls out to the unsuspecting teen:

"Princess Izumi!
Your Highness, Princess Izumi!"

Past the security contingent and the Japanese and international media, she finds waiting inside their modest two-bedroom affair her mom biting her nails at the edge of sheer panic along with the Japanese Ambassador who holds an engraved Royal invitation for Izzy to visit Japan to meet for the first time ever her father, who happens to be the Crown Prince of the Chrysanthemum Throne, the world's oldest monarchy.

Izumi Tanaka, it turns out, is considered a descendent of the Sun Goddess Amaterasu. And she gets to live in splendor at the Imperial Palace at Akasaka, Central Tokyo, Japan.

So begins the journey of the American teen who may one day possibly, just possibly, be the first Empress of Japan!

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Apart from a tour of Tokyo and Kyoto, and interesting depictions inside the Imperial Palace household agency, Author Emiko Jean flavors her cross-cultural young adult novel with cultural tidbits which I though were important to understand the Japanese pride and psyche: 起死回生 (Kishi kaisei), the return to life from the horrid fire bombing demise of Tokyo; and 義務 (Gimu) the fierce Japanese sense of obligation and duty, among many.

With a few tweaks and the right exposure, promotion and team, the story line of this novel could have a similar reception to the smash hit "Kimetsu no Yaiba" (Demon Slayer) I mentioned above, which grabbed the imagination of young adults, children and people of all ages in unprecedented proportions in Japan, the USA and the rest of the world.

Beyond all other considerations, from the moment we first hear the word "Princess Izumi", to that first meeting with the Emperor and Empress, to the appellation affectionately applied to the resilient princess after adversity, "The Iron Butterfly", this is one magical novel!

Review based on an audiobook galley from Macmillan Audio and NetGalley.

I absolutely love this book. I had to buy a copy for my shelf.

This book is heartwarming, charming and hilarious.

Izumis friend Nora finds a journal on her moms night stand and finds a secret. Izumi doesn’t know her dad and it’s about to revealed.

All girls dreams of being a Princess. Izumi is about to find out what that life is all about

This is like the Princess Diaries meets What A Girl Wants but set in Japan…and Ya’ll know I LOVED it.

I’m hoping this is the first in a new series about the Japanese royal family. I adored learning about the Imperial family and the customs surrounding them.

I’m so thrilled that Reese chose it as a YA pick. It’s a perfect summer read.

Thanks NetGalley for this preview!

I loved Izumi! Her journey to find her father was predictable but unique and watching their relationship develop felt so genuine. The writing and characters felt rich and exciting. I was hooked on this book and could not turn the book off! I loved the slow build up of the romance and the girl gang was amazing. I cannot wait for more of this series!!

Partner/ Netgalley and MacMillian Audio

Looking for a book that allows you to escape to another reality while also providing a strong dose of female empowerment? Well Tokyo Ever After does just that with wit and charm.

Izumi, aka Izzy, is preparing for her last few months of high school with her best friends when she uncovers that she is the daughter of The Crown Prince of Japan. What ensues is a wild ride as Izzy goes from American teenager to Japanese Princess. And how does this transition go - as filled with as many challenges as you can imagine. And yet throughout her journey she learns a lot about herself and what she believes in.

I greatly enjoyed this tale. It deals with a host of issues as Izzy figures out how her American life fits with her Japanese one. I was rooting for her the entire way and glad that she was able to determine not only what she wanted from it all but also acted on that.

Also delightful was the descriptions of the beautiful cities and the food of Japan. To say I would love to travel and visit is an understatement!

Also, if audiobooks are your thing - Tokyo Ever After has a fantastic Narrator. So definitely don’t miss out on this gem.

This book had me hooked! I listened to this audiobook in one setting and loved it! Was it cliche? Yep. Were there times I wanted to push my head into a wall? 100% (usually the scenes with Nora, Emiko Jean please find out how teenagers actually talk to each other). But the romance had me on the edge of my bed. I loved her mom and her dad was trying so hard, it was adorable. I was so immersed in the story that I didn't even have any time to think so that twist at the end shocked me to my core. Overall, it was a perfect book for the summer!

A modern twist on classic tropes creates unexpected depth in this YA novel. High school senior Izumi Tanaka feels mostly at home in her Northern California town. She's close to her single mom and loves hanging out with her "Asian Girl Gang," i.e. the only other three girls of Asian decent in the area. But when she and her bestie stumble onto a clue about her previously unknown father, they quickly figure out Izzy is the daughter of Japan's current crown prince. Once confronted, mom admits to the college romance and that she never told the prince about his daughter, but offers an email address of a mutual friend. The answer to Izzy's email request is the sudden arrival of the Japanese ambassador with a royal invitation to meet the prince in Tokyo. Driven by the desire to know her dad and finally experience a place where the people look like her, Izzy travels independently for the first time. Awaiting her is a media storm, a grumpy (if handsome) young bodyguard, nasty royal cousins, extensive training, and many opportunities to discover who she is and who she wants to become. While the story offers some of the expected beats in a Cinderella story, it is never over-the-top or melodramatic. The author keeps it fresh with realistic characters and scenarios, plus engaging descriptions of the various Japanese settings. Highly recommended for ages 12 and up.

Adorable!!! Do you miss the Princess Diaries, or want to introduce someone you love to this wonderful heartfield story but they say it’s “old”? Well, step right up because I have a new version and it is Tokyo Ever After. Izumi is a teenager who just wants to know more about the father she has never met. And with some help from her friends, and a little nudging of her mother she tracks him down. Surprise!! He is the Crown Prince of Japan. Set to rule upon the Emperor’s death. And dad has no idea she exists.

Izumi is taken to Tokyo to meet dearest dad and claim the life of a princess she should have always had. But this life is not easy. She does not speak the language, know the customs, etc. And studying for it is just like studying for a test! UGHHHH!. Plus she now has a royal entourage of Lady in Waiting and an annoying as heck security chief who is also super cute.

Life is not easy when you are playing catch up. Being a princess is not all tiaras and parties. It’s messy relationships, tabloids, and politics. It’s a tough life, especially when you think all you should be worrying about is graduation a few weeks away and getting ready for college.

This book was just heartwarming. It was such a fun read. Yes it was very YA, and that is the draw. It can be read by upper as well as lower YA and even some MG with little to no complaints.

Now that I have read this book I really want a Princess Diaries 3 movie that tells this story, but Anne Hathawy and Chris Pine show up at the wedding ( as Mia of course) to give a little advice about being a surprise princess. Disney PLEASE MAKE THIS HAPPEN!

This was such a fun book, that definitely reminded me of The Princess Diaries. Izumi finds out that her father is literally a prince, the Crown Prince of Japan, and when she decides to reach out and meet him, she is whisked away to the exciting, but incredibly complicated life as a member of the Japanese Imperial Family.

The second hand embarrassment early in the book was sometimes hard to get through as I felt so hard for how Izumi was trying and not always exceeding to live up to the new expectations that had been thrust upon her. But I loved how she managed to find her own way through her new life and still be true to herself.

Tokyo Ever After by Emiko Jean, 336 pages. Flatiron Books, 2021. $16. CENTERING ME
Language: R (53 swears, 4 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: PG
BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL
AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH
Growing up Japanese-American, Izumi has always felt out of place. And then Izumi and her friends find out that her dad is actually the crown prince of Japan, making her a legit princess. On the trip of a lifetime, Izumi flies to Japan to see if maybe she belongs somewhere after all.
With a fun twist on The Princess Diaries story, Izumi has to learn to navigate being royal in a new country with a language and culture foreign to her. I could tell that a lot of the situations were meant to be funny, but I mostly cringed in embarrassment for her instead of laughing. Thankfully, the cringey parts became less frequent, and I was able to get into Izumi’s story the farther we dove into Japan. I loved learning with Izumi about this culture I’ve never experienced, and I rejoiced as Izumi gained the strength to define herself by putting in the work necessary to gain the family, love, and culture she wanted -- no longer allowing those around her to tell her who she is. This is a lesson I hope to carry with me. The mature content rating is for alcohol use, innuendo, and mentions of sex and sexual organs.
Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

I listened to this audiobook while helping my mom paint, and I thought the narrator to be perfect for portraying Izumi as well as the perfect choice to tell her story!

I cannot begin to express how much fun I had reading Tokyo Ever After! I felt like I was walking alongside Eden as she travelled from the U.S. to Japan as well as when she walked the more metaphorical road to self-discovery. Tokyo Ever After made me laugh and cry, along with feeling a bunch of other feels along the way.

And did I mention how much I loved being transported to Japan with Eden? For those of you who don’t know, I absolutely love Japan! I’ve been there twice now, and plan to go again once the world is safer. I actually even saw the Tokyo Imperial Palace the last time I went (although only from the outside because it was closed that day)!

If this book had been longer, I would definitely not have complained. I hope that Emiko Jean makes this a series, haha. Or that she writes more YA contemporaries like this! I just really really enjoyed this story. And the characters! They were all so very believable, making me feel things ranging from love to hate for them. I loved Eden for the most part, although at some points I was frustrated with some of her choices, these things were very minor, and I reminded myself that she’s a teenager, took a deep breath, and moved on, haha.

Overall, Tokyo Ever After was super fun to read and I will be recommending it to all of my reader friends! Again, I also really hope that Emiko Jean writes more contemporary, and I’ll be picking up her other books–Empress of All Seasons and We’ll Never Be Apart–while I wait to see what she’ll write next.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing an audio book in exchange for an honest review!

Izumi is a 17 year old Japanese American teenager living in California. She's never known her father; and it comes as a complete surprise when it turns out that he's actually the crown prince of Japan. Izumi travels to Japan and is quickly thrust into royal life and the challenges it brings.

Things I liked about this book:

✔ The wording and writing style; Izumi's inner voice felt authentic and was relatable
✔ I liked learning about Japanese culture while enjoying the story
✔ I think the newspaper excerpts added to the story and made it more interesting

Things I didn't like as much:
◽ I find it hard to believe that Izumi's mother just let her leave for Japan so suddenly, as well as the fact that her
friend discovered the truth so quickly
◽ The romance felt a bit forced and fast-paced for my liking

All in all, I enjoyed this book! It was a light and fluffy read (listen?) that made me want to buy a hard copy of the book. Also, the cover is amazing!

Izumi was adorable. I thought she was such a great MC. She is witty and adventurous. I felt her emotions throughout the book were well done and relatable. Becoming a Princess over night can not be easy and I'm glad that we got to see her vulnerable at times. I thought the book portrayed her struggle between her American life and Japanese heritage. She doesn't quite fit in in either world and I thought that this part of the story really added some good depth to her growth.

I loved the friendship between Izumi and her friends back home. They supported her through everything and all the times she contacted them about what she was going through felt authentic. It was definitely a highlight of the story for me.

The other highlight was of course the romance! I'm a sucker for a good forbidden love affair and their relationship was so sweet.

This book was adorable. It was the perfect light and fluffy YA contemporary. The audio was well done and I enjoyed it. I would definitely recommend!