Review - Starfish by Akemi Dawn Bowman

Title: Starfish

Author: Akemi Dawn Bowman

Pages: 320

Publisher: Ink Road

Release Date: 5th April 2018

Blurb from Goodreads: 

Kiko Himura has always had a hard time saying exactly what she’s thinking. With a mother who makes her feel unremarkable and a half-Japanese heritage she doesn’t quite understand, Kiko prefers to keep her head down, certain that once she makes it into her dream art school, Prism, her real life will begin.

But then Kiko doesn’t get into Prism, at the same time as her abusive uncle moves back in with her family. So when she receives an invitation from her childhood friend to leave her small town and tour art schools on the West Coast, Kiko jumps at the opportunity in spite of the anxieties and fears that attempt to hold her back. And now that she is finally free to be her own person outside the constricting walls of her home life, Kiko learns transformative truths about herself, her past, and how to be brave.

A luminous, heartbreaking story of identity, family, and the beauty that emerges when we embrace our true selves.

 Goodreads | Amazon UK | Amazon US









My Review:
 

*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to Black & White Publishing and NetGalley*

Kiko Himura has never felt comfortable in her own skin. She's half-Asian and finds confrontation and social situations stressful. Kiko blames herself for her parents' divorce and seeks approval from her mother who puts Kiko down at every opportunity.

Kiko escapes in her art and dreams of leaving home to study at Prism, an art college.

Kiko's plans fall apart when she doesn't get a place at Prism. To make things worse, her abusive uncle moves in.

Then Kiko bumps into her childhood best friend and she gets the chance to leave town and look at art schools in California.

Can Kiko overcome her anxieties and become the person she wants to be?

Can Kiko ever have the relationship she wants with her mother?

Starfish is an emotional and powerful read about learning to accept yourself.

I really liked Kiko as a protagonist and felt sorry for the things she had been through.

I liked Jamie, Emery and the friends that Kiko made.

The romance was sweet but not overpowering.

I thought anxiety was portrayed very well.

The plot was interesting and held my attention. I found myself blinking away tears several times.

I enjoyed the writing style and definitely plan to read the author's next book.

Overall this was an enjoyable read that I would recommend.