Kamikaze Girls by Novala Takemoto

Just before I went to France, I was browsing through the books on Ebay as I was about to finish the book on my Kindle (Huckleberry Finn if anybody's interested). On Tumblr I'm always seeing those Kamikaze Girls GIFs on the Lolita blogs, and turns out, it's a book as well as a movie! Now, a book about the Lolita lifestyle is unusual and hard to find - which is why I became very excited when I found Kamikaze Girls. Buying the paperback despite being in love with the Kindle, I definitely didn't regret it when I began reading on my vacation! I am absolutely positive Kamikaze Girls is in my top five favourite books.
Momoko is a Lolita girl who dreams of living in Rococo-era France and adorns herself from head to toe in Baby, the Stars Shine Bright. Ichigo is a biker in an all-girl "Yanki" gang. How would the two get along when they are constantly at odds? This is what I love.
I love the relationship between the two girls; they go from almost hating each other, to becoming acquaintances, to tolerating each other, to being maybe-friends - then really needing each other. In their own way, both Ichigo and Momoko are very lonely. Ichigo may have her biker gang, but near the end she realizes that they're never really there for each other despite always confirming that they are friends. Momoko never had any friends at all - and she blames that on her cold and blunt personality. Maybe it's just me, but I actually don't think Momoko is as bad as herself and Ichigo thinks? I'm probably biased. Momoko is so much like me that it's scary! I'm probably just defending her because of it ahaha.
Together, Ichigo and Momoko set out to find a legendary embroiderer who can add some embroidery to Ichigo's Kamikaze coat. Turns out, this embroiderer is too good to be true! In fact, I may have missed something, but didn't Ichigo make up the embroiderer? Anyway, they can't find him and eventually Momoko sews the Kamikaze coat instead.
In the end, Momoko and Ichigo become really good friends; each doing things together that wouldn't suit their lifestyles just to make each other happy. Think a lolita girl playing Pachinko and a Yanki biker modelling for Baby!
Basically I just love these characters so much and Kamikaze Girls has inspired me so much! I literally couldn't put it down! For the first time, I have found a character that represents myself so much in every way, and I couldn't be happier. I really recommend the book Kamikaze Girls to any lover of lolita fashion and lifestyle - and the film is amazing too.  Shortly after the book I watched the film and it's slightly different in some parts, but still a really, really great watch!