I have a confession to make: I’ve only been reading YA Contemporary books these days.
(oh look, she CAN use capital letters…😋)
I think that contemporary is my comfort genre, because lately it’s been taking me a while to get into fantasy and sci-fi novels – but I’m happy to start a YA contemporary anytime. And while I do think it’s important to read more than just one genre, there’s just something so special about getting lost in a fluffy read for a few hours!!
In fact, I’ve found so many new favorites these past few months. A few of my recent reads were The Henna Wars by Adiba Jaigirdar and I Love You So Mochi by Sarah Kuhn –both of which have equal amounts of fluff and powerful moments. I really enjoyed these books and can’t wait to talk about them, so let’s just get right into my reviews…
The Henna Wars by Adiba Jaigirdar
When Nishat comes out to her parents, they say she can be anyone she wants—as long as she isn’t herself. Because Muslim girls aren’t lesbians. Nishat doesn’t want to hide who she is, but she also doesn’t want to lose her relationship with her family. And her life only gets harder once a childhood friend walks back into her life.
Flávia is beautiful and charismatic and Nishat falls for her instantly. But when a school competition invites students to create their own businesses, both Flávia and Nishat choose to do henna, even though Flávia is appropriating Nishat’s culture. Amidst sabotage and school stress, their lives get more tangled—but Nishat can’t quite get rid of her crush on Flávia, and realizes there might be more to her than she realized.
MY REVIEW:
What I Loved…
- The main character, Nishat, and her growth: While this story features a beautiful f/f romance, it’s mostly about Nishat and how she longs to be able to be comfortable in her own skin. Throughout the novel, I adored reading about how she grew to be more confident in herself! I also loved how Nishat’s culture was sprinkled throughout the story.
- The powerful sibling relationship: The beautiful relationship between the main character, Nishat, and her younger sister Priti made me smile so much! I loved reading how they stuck up for and supported one another. I also enjoyed the playful banter between the two as well, it was so well-written and definitely made me grin while reading.
“I will.” Priti nods very solemnly. “I promise to love you the most, no matter what. Even when we’re old and disheveled and dying and you’re somehow more annoying thank you already were, I’ll still love you.”
- The adorable romance that didn’t take over the entire focus: I loved seeing the relationship between Nishat and Flávia grow, it was definitely adorable! However, what I enjoyed even more than that was how the romance wasn’t the main focus, it still left room for other serious themes to bloom.
- The themes and messages: My favorite part of The Henna Wars was hands-down the themes and messages. This novel addressed many topics like cultural appropriation, racism, and homophobia, and it was at times heartbreaking to see what Nishat went through every day! Still, themes of change, growth, and acceptance were woven throughout the story. And if you’re worried that the content is too heavy, don’t! The best part is that The Henna Wars managed to sprinkle in lots of light content along the way.
But sometimes just being yourself—really, truly yourself—can be the most difficult thing to be.
What Fell Flat…
- The pacing and writing style: At times, the pacing of The Henna Wars was slow; I found myself feeling just a bit bored in some parts. The writing style could also be very minimal, I would have loved to see more emotion expressed! However, these are just little nitpicks in my part – the positives definitely outshone what fell flat!
MY FINAL THOUGHTS…
Overall, The Henna Wars definitely met my expectations and took me on a powerful journey of emotions! Its’ well-written relationships, representation, and impactful themes stole my heart, and I really hope that you love it as much as I did.
I Love You So Mochi by Sarah Kuhn
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 brave, fabulous, and like the Ultimate versions of themselves. But her mother sees this as a distraction from working on her portfolio paintings for the prestigious fine art academy where she’s been accepted for college. 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 loses herself in Kyoto’s outdoor markets, art installations, and cherry blossom festival–and meets Akira, a cute med student who moonlights as a costumed mochi mascot. 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.
MY REVIEW:
What I Loved…
- The humor and writing style: I mean, the title itself is the cutest pun ever, so I knew that the writing style was going to be adorable — and it was! Kimi was such a lovely main character, and the way her voice was written was extremely unique. In fact, I Love You So Mochi probably has one of the most uniquely-written prose I’ve ever read! The author wrote the perfect balance of detailed descriptions, emotion, and humor, which had me hooked the entire time I was reading.
She will not be defeated by the canvas! She will triumph over artist’s block! She will… she will… um, make lots of brilliant paintings and stuff! Rawr!
- The family relationships: A huge part of I Love You So Mochi centers on the relationship Kimi has with her mother and grandparents, and I loved reading about that! These family bonds were written so well, and I was so grateful for the wholesome themes and messages that this added to the novel.
- The romance: The romance was also the sweetest thing ever! Akira was very precious and you could tell that he really cared about Kimi. As their relationship progressed, I couldn’t stop smiling. Again, this relationship was so wholesome and filled me with happiness!!
“When you go home, I want you to remember that you are boundless,” he says. “That your dreams are not limited by anything—not uncertainty.”
What Fell Flat…
- A little “too light”: While I loved reading the adorable prose and humor at times, in other parts I was looking for more. I wished the author had explored the themes a little more to add depth!
- Repetitive and predictable: While I’m fine with YA Contemporaries being a little predictable (I mean, we know it’s most likely going to have a happy ending haha), I Love You So Mochi was pretty repetitive in Kimi’s internal struggle to find her passion. Right from the start, you could tell what she would find out at the end, which made the story lag.
MY FINAL THOUGHTS…
Even though it lacked a little depth and could be repetitive, I Love You So Mochi was the perfect YA Contemporary for me to read snuggled up in a blanket!! The wholesome themes made my heart swell, and the main character’s voice was unique and hilarious.
I hope you enjoyed reading these mini-reviews, I wanted to write in a more bite-sized format (as well as actually use capitalization haha) today! 😊 Also, can we please take a moment to appreciate the BEAUTIFUL covers of both of these novels? Honestly, they’re both so stunning and I love the art displayed on each cover!
have you read The Henna Wars or I Love You So Mochi? do you enjoy books with strong family relationships? what genres have you been into lately? what’s your favorite book cover ever??
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