rachelelsya's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
abvitali's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
lorelywrites's review against another edition
5.0
A beautiful, feel-good, laugh-out-loud story. It was a wonderful look into Asian-American culture and what it means to belong to more than one place. I loved the journey Ever went on, the realisations she had and the arc of her relationship with her parents. This held so much emotion and tradition and love and I cannot fault it!
amb1013's review against another edition
5.0
This book. I don't have the words to describe this book. All I wanted to do was keep reading! I'm ashamed but also not ashamed to say that I loved it! It kept a good pace and left out anything that would have been boring, but also included all the right details to paint us the perfect picture. This was the February Barnes & Noble book of the month which was fitting because it was a romance book (obviously). At first, I was apprehensive, but I'm happy to report that my expectations were blown away. I do admit that the ending could have been a little better because we ended up getting the relationship that we wanted so bad and then it just ended without any details about their life later on. All in all, I really loved it!
silvestrexcvii's review against another edition
4.0
as someone who’s actually from taipei i have to say i enjoyed this a lot. the description of taipei and all the places it mentioned are accurate; how there are tons of scooters is also true. i love how abigail smoothly incorporated the culture into the story although there are exaggerated and cringey parts. i appreciate the female mc’s character development,
[spoilers]
but i hated that she didn’t really make things clear between xavier and her. she simply told him they should be “friends” after avoiding him for days, and then whoosh she was with rick. ???she didn’t even give xavier a chance she just used him and then friendzoned him. she was mostly nice to him but i guess he was too kind (and too whipped probably).
[spoilers]
but i hated that she didn’t really make things clear between xavier and her. she simply told him they should be “friends” after avoiding him for days, and then whoosh she was with rick. ???she didn’t even give xavier a chance she just used him and then friendzoned him. she was mostly nice to him but i guess he was too kind (and too whipped probably).
kirstyreadsblog's review against another edition
4.0
Thank you to Simon & Schuster for sending me a copy of Loveboat Taipei in exchange for an honest review.
Content warnings: violence towards animals (snakes), alcohol & drunkeness, racism, leaked nudes/revenge porn, mentions of depression, ableism (challenged on page)
When I heard about Loveboat Taipei I immediately added it to my goodreads TBR. It just sounded like my perfect read. A summer camp type thing for teens in Taipei with no parents? That sounds messy and fantastic. And it was.
Ever Wong was looking forward to spending her summer dancing before she has to go to college to become a doctor. Then her parents drop the bomb that they are sending her to Chien Tan in Taipei. It’s supposed to be an educational trip to Ever can learn more about Chinese culture and learn Mandarin, but when she gets there Ever finds out the nickname of Chien Tan is “Loveboat”. Any plans of studying go out the window and Ever spends the first few weeks with her roommate partying the night away and trying to find a dance studio.
I haven’t been to Taiwan (it’s on my list), but I felt like I was there when I read this book. I could imagine all the street markets and nightlife, the street vendors selling food.
Continue my review here: https://kirstyreadsblog.com/2020/01/08/loveboat-taipei-by-abigail-hing-wen-review/
Content warnings: violence towards animals (snakes), alcohol & drunkeness, racism, leaked nudes/revenge porn, mentions of depression, ableism (challenged on page)
When I heard about Loveboat Taipei I immediately added it to my goodreads TBR. It just sounded like my perfect read. A summer camp type thing for teens in Taipei with no parents? That sounds messy and fantastic. And it was.
Ever Wong was looking forward to spending her summer dancing before she has to go to college to become a doctor. Then her parents drop the bomb that they are sending her to Chien Tan in Taipei. It’s supposed to be an educational trip to Ever can learn more about Chinese culture and learn Mandarin, but when she gets there Ever finds out the nickname of Chien Tan is “Loveboat”. Any plans of studying go out the window and Ever spends the first few weeks with her roommate partying the night away and trying to find a dance studio.
I haven’t been to Taiwan (it’s on my list), but I felt like I was there when I read this book. I could imagine all the street markets and nightlife, the street vendors selling food.
Continue my review here: https://kirstyreadsblog.com/2020/01/08/loveboat-taipei-by-abigail-hing-wen-review/
snchard's review against another edition
3.0
For all the prepub hype, this was a pretty standard boarding school style bildungsroman. It's well done, just a bit predictable. Ever discovers the power of friendship, chooses a side in the love triangle, comes to terms with her parents' expectations, pursues what she loves.
leahsbooks's review against another edition
4.0
Rounded to 3.5 stars.
There were so many aspects of this book that I loved, and a few that I didn't. So as usual, I'm going to start with the positives.
I enjoyed Ever's character, and watching her go through so many changes in this book. She is passionate about dance and choreography, but is torn between standing up for herself and her parents' desire for her to attain financial security by becoming a doctor. When her parents sign her up for a summer program in Taiwan, she finally gets a chance to spread her wings. She starts out by doing everything she can to flout the stifling rules set in place by her parents, and winds up embarking on a journey of self-discovery.
The culture in this book is amazing. The kids in the program talk about the pressures they face as Asian-Americans, balancing their own desires and that of their parents, as well as the stereotypes and expectations they face in society. They get to experience their culture in the country of their parents, and even learn more about what drives their parents, as well as themselves.
The romance felt a bit forced, to me. While I liked watching the characters interact, they felt a bit flatter than I was hoping for, and things felt overly dramatic at times.
However, the pacing was good, and the story was an interesting one. I loved seeing how things worked out at the end, and I definitely enjoyed most of it, although I would have hoped for a bit more character development on the side characters. And the narrator did a fabulous job with this, effortlessly switching between English and Mandarin, and I had no trouble following, despite my complete lack of understanding of Mandarin, because the author did a great job of clarifying the Mandarin terms.
There were so many aspects of this book that I loved, and a few that I didn't. So as usual, I'm going to start with the positives.
I enjoyed Ever's character, and watching her go through so many changes in this book. She is passionate about dance and choreography, but is torn between standing up for herself and her parents' desire for her to attain financial security by becoming a doctor. When her parents sign her up for a summer program in Taiwan, she finally gets a chance to spread her wings. She starts out by doing everything she can to flout the stifling rules set in place by her parents, and winds up embarking on a journey of self-discovery.
The culture in this book is amazing. The kids in the program talk about the pressures they face as Asian-Americans, balancing their own desires and that of their parents, as well as the stereotypes and expectations they face in society. They get to experience their culture in the country of their parents, and even learn more about what drives their parents, as well as themselves.
The romance felt a bit forced, to me. While I liked watching the characters interact, they felt a bit flatter than I was hoping for, and things felt overly dramatic at times.
However, the pacing was good, and the story was an interesting one. I loved seeing how things worked out at the end, and I definitely enjoyed most of it, although I would have hoped for a bit more character development on the side characters. And the narrator did a fabulous job with this, effortlessly switching between English and Mandarin, and I had no trouble following, despite my complete lack of understanding of Mandarin, because the author did a great job of clarifying the Mandarin terms.
stephhreads's review
3.0
The best way I can describe this book is... I feel like it could easily be a Netflix teen rom-com.
I appreciate diversity in YA and voices and stories that are reflective of my own experiences. But Loveboat, Taipei feels underdeveloped. The drama and plot are entertaining and Ever grows in her understanding of herself and her parents, but there is also something missing. All the right pieces are there: the personal growth, the complex cultural and generational divide with parents, the conversations about race and the immigrant experience, the reclamation of stereotypes, but the way the book treats these topics kind of feels like reading a bunch of news headlines without diving into the actual articles themselves. All these topics are complex and nuanced but I feel like the book only addresses them at a superficial level. Like reading a SparkNotes of the Asian American experience.
But I love seeing more Asian American representation in covers, authors, and characters, and I would totally watch this if it became a Netflix movie or series.
I appreciate diversity in YA and voices and stories that are reflective of my own experiences. But Loveboat, Taipei feels underdeveloped. The drama and plot are entertaining and Ever grows in her understanding of herself and her parents, but there is also something missing. All the right pieces are there: the personal growth, the complex cultural and generational divide with parents, the conversations about race and the immigrant experience, the reclamation of stereotypes, but the way the book treats these topics kind of feels like reading a bunch of news headlines without diving into the actual articles themselves. All these topics are complex and nuanced but I feel like the book only addresses them at a superficial level. Like reading a SparkNotes of the Asian American experience.
But I love seeing more Asian American representation in covers, authors, and characters, and I would totally watch this if it became a Netflix movie or series.