Author Spotlight on Emiko Jean
This Author Spotlight on Emiko Jean looks at the YA roots of this very versatile author and her branching out from YA romance and fantasy to write adult romance and suspense. Looking at her books will also help you decide What to Read After YA so let’s take a look!
Author Spotlight on Emiko Jean
Emiko Jean is the author of 6 books in 9 years, all in different genres and sub-genres.
Amazing!
Her first book was a YA suspense novel called We’ll Never Be Apart back in 2015. As I’ve said many times when discussing crossover authors, suspense and mystery weren’t all that “hot” back in the 2010s, when everyone was reading dystopian and fantasy trilogies.
She wrote YA Fantasy called Empress of All Seasons in 2018, then must have gotten really busy writing, because she published her Tokyo Ever After duology in 2021-2022 and also an adult rom come called Mika in Real Life (2022).
In 2024, she was back to suspense in the adult lane with The Return of Ellie Black.
I’ve really enjoyed all the books I’ve read by her, so let’s take them chronologically.
We’ll Never Be Apart by emiko jean
Ever the lonely champion of YA suspense and mystery back in 2010s YA, I reviewed We’ll Never Be Apart back in 2015.
In my review, I said that I loved its good twin-bad twin characters (I watched a lot of soap operas with my mom back in the 80s so I love a good evil twin plot) and psychiatric hospital setting.
Tokyo Ever After by emiko jean
I also reviewed Tokyo Ever After when it came out in 2021. Fun fact: more twins!
I am a fan of YA books about royals, as evidenced by my ongoing lists of YA Fantasy Royal Books, YA Historical Fiction about Royals, and YA Contemporary Books About Royals.
Tokyo Ever After felt like one part Princess Diaries (awkward girl learns she’s actually a princess) one part What a Girl Wants (girl learns her mystery father is actually a member of British nobility and travels to London to meet him) and a tiny bit Crazy Rich Asians.
What I really liked: Izzy is a fun character. She’s relatable and real, close to her mom and her friends, and an outspoken feminist. Tokyo Ever After lets you live our all your princess fantasies, complete with a forbidden romance. But the story isn’t all fluff and fantasy. The book addressed the issue of growing up feeling different in a mainly white community, of being raised outside your cultural heritage, of the elitism of royalty, and of royal succession laws in Japan.
I also loved that Tokyo Ever After is a great travelogue that lets you see the sights in Tokyo and Kyoto, vicariously enjoy amazing Japanese food, and live out all your royal fantasies.
tokyo dreaming by emiko jean
I also read Tokyo Dreaming in 2022.
One of the things I loved about the Tokyo Ever After series is its emphasis on staying true to yourself.
In this second book, Izzy has (somewhat) adjusted to life as a princess. She has also successfully (What a Girl Wants-style) managed to get her parents back together, but the royal advisors refuse to approve their marriage.
Izumi decides that if she become the perfect princess, breaking up with her boyfriend and applying to university. She also starts dating an “appropriate” guy. Yes, hello 2010s YA Love Triangle!
Of course, this isn’t that bad 2010s kind of love triangle, more like a forced fauxmance that isn’t going anywhere. Eventually Izzy decides to stop trying to be someone she’s not and follow her heart.
the Return of ellie black by emiko jean
The Return of Ellie Black is Emiko Jean’s 2024 adult suspense.
Just a warning that this book has some dark themes. It’s kind of a darker version of The Reappearance of Rachel Price.
My full review of The Return of Ellie Black is on my adult mystery and suspense books website. Complete with spoilers!
BUT YA has some dark books too. If you loved Sadie by Courtney Summers, or The Project by Courtney Summers, this might be a great fit for you as one of your Books to Read After YA!
Talk to me in comments! Have you read anything by Emiko Jean and what did you think?
I believe I DNFed We’ll Never Be Apart ages ago (though I don’t remember why). D: I’d love to give her Tokyo Ever After series a try though — they sound more up my alley considering what I’ve been enjoying recently. 😀 However I LOVE Coutney Summers, so maybe I’ll love The Return of Ellie Black! Thanks for sharing, Jen!
Ha – it was a little out there, so no worries. Tokyo Ever After is SO good!! And completely opposite from The Return of Ellie Black 🙂