January 2, 2017
Sophia has lived in Japan and other countries during her itinerant life, but her family is preparing to leave Tokyo to return to the U.S., leaving her seven days to do all her favorite things—eat the snacks she’ll no longer be able to get, go clubbing, sing karaoke, and have wild nights out with her friends. The arrival of Jamie, a boy from her past, upends Sophia’s final week in town and may promise romance. Vinesse laces her debut novel with references to Japanese culture, cuisine, and daily life, though the story generally centers on the experiences of white teens abroad. As Sophia and her friends jump from one drama to the next, yelling and fighting along the way, it’s not entirely clear what holds their friendship together beyond a shared circumstance as expats. Readers will appreciate the rowdy nighttime tours of this vibrant city and Sophia’s will-they-won’t-they flirtations with Jamie, but despite countdown clocks that open each chapter and Sophia’s awareness of her dwindling time in Japan, the story doesn’t make the most of the built-in urgency of the premise. Ages 15–up. Agent: Molly Ker Hawn, Bent Agency.
January 15, 2017
Fans of Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist and Lost in Translation will find good company in this whirlwind romance set in Tokyo.Born in Japan to a Polish-American mother and French father (now divorced), white high schooler Sophia Wachowski has spent her life crossing continents to set up home. After spending the last four years in Tokyo among other expat teens from a variety of countries, Sophia is New Jersey-bound, as her professor mother must return to Rutgers. What should be her last week of simply hanging out with best friends is interrupted by the return of Jamie Foster-Collins, the American white boy who used to have a crush on her and left three years earlier to attend boarding school in the U.S. In just one week, things get messy among friends: secrets, betrayals, and unresolved feelings are revealed. But things also get interesting with Jamie: awkward tension gives way to romance. Sophia's countdown watch enhances the intensity, reminding her (and readers) that she has little time to fall in love. The plot can be predictable, but weaving in and out of Tokyo's karaoke rooms, coffee shops, night clubs, monuments, and food, food, and more food, the story still delights. Issues of belonging, siblings, divorce, sexuality, and memories of the past add depth to Sophia's romantic struggles. Have some tissues handy for the ending. (Fiction. 14-18)
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February 1, 2017
Gr 9 Up-Sophia's last seven days of living in Japan are supposed to be perfect. She has plans to hang out with her two close friends and see everything that the electric city of Tokyo has to offer. But when Jaime, a friend from her past, makes a jarring reappearance right at the beginning of her final week, Sophia is unable to concentrate on anything. With Jaime in the picture, suddenly everything she thought was secure starts to crumble around her. Will Sophia be able to see the good that can come from change before her time runs out? This highly readable novel about finding home and discovering oneself will have fans of Stephanie Perkins's Anna and the French Kiss swooning. While the character development makes this title a page-turner, the ways that Vinesse realistically weaves in the Japanese setting are the true strengths of the book. The well-placed details effectively capture not only Tokyo but also the experience of studying or living abroad. Though the story plays with the typical teen romance trope of a girl pining for the guy she believes is out of her league, the plot twists and strong writing will keep even the most jaded reader entertained until the very final pages.
Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
July 1, 2017
Sophia's not happy that her last week in Tokyo overlaps with the return of Jamie, the boy with whom she had a falling-out three years ago. But once Jamie's back, they finally acknowledge their feelings for each other--despite Sophia's impending departure. Reminiscent of Jennifer E. Smith's novels, this introspective love story gives readers an insider's look into a fascinating city.
(Copyright 2017 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)