Reviews with content warning for Bullying - XOXO

Reviews tagging 'Bullying'

XOXO by Axie Oh

67 reviews

beatriks's review against another edition

lighthearted reflective fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Cute YA romance, meet cute, secret love, forbidden romance, and on the nor-love side:
A story about friendship, family, finding your voice, parental expectations, and a snapshot of K-pop, Korean traditions and cuisine.

I enjoyed reading this book a lot and liked the writing style.
It wasn’t overly realistic but I don’t mind.

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enchantedelfie's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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serendipity421's review against another edition

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emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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foldingthepage_kayleigh's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

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bookcheshirecat's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful medium-paced

Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

“I’m saying, people do strange things to protect their hearts. But when you’re afraid, your heart is closed, and it’s never the right time, but when your heart is open, and you’re willing to be brave enough to take a chance, the time is always right.”

➽ I'm not a K-pop fan, but this book was still so much fun!! I know lots of people love K-pop, but I don't know much more about it than I see online. XOXO definitely isn't only for K-pop fans though! It follows Jenny, who's a talented cellist and flies to Korea in order to support her sick grandmother. After a harsh criticism in her latest rehearsal, she's worried about her musical, career but has the unique opportunity to attend her dream school abroad! I loved the family dynamics, as Jenny connects with her grandmother and also sees the difficult relationship her mom and grandma have.

➽ Jenny has a fun night in Los Angeles with a boy called Jaewoo before her flight ... only to find out that he's an idol in Korea! He's attending her new school, but as a member of a famous K-pop group, he's not allowed to date anyone. Jenny and Jaewoo still feel drawn to each other though and grow closer despite their romance being forbidden!

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looseleafellie's review against another edition

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lighthearted fast-paced

5.0

This book follows cello player Jenny, who meets K-Pop star Jaewoo in her home city of Los Angeles and spends a wonderful day with him before he’s whisked away never to be seen again. But when she heads to Seoul to visit her sick grandmother, she finds that Jaewoo and his band are now her classmates at her new elite arts academy! Jaewoo’s management company forbids him from dating, but with their romance blossoming, will love find a way?

This was an adorable rom-com that made me feel sixteen again! The writing is also very smooth and the chapters simply flew by.

Amid the challenges and drama the characters face, friendship and romance shine through. While I love a celebrity romance — and Jaewoo and Jenny were certainly very cute — I also loved how Jenny became friends with the initially-frosty Sori. I really felt how hard it was going to be for Jenny to return to the US after having such a great time with her new classmates in Seoul.

I know nothing about the K-Pop industry, and don’t listen to K-Pop much, but the story made me feel the hype nonetheless! The conflicts between the stars and the management companies were super interesting and made me kind of angry for the poor kids. I don’t know how accurate it was to real life, but I felt super invested in the characters’ quest for fame and the risks they had to take to navigate the system.

Overall, if you’re looking for a light fun romance with a decent dose of angst, this one is for you! Just pack a snack because the descriptions of Korean food made me HUNGRY.

CWs: cancer, bullying, dieting mention.

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agateg's review against another edition

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emotional funny inspiring lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

“Because the people who live for tomorrow don't take risks. They're afraid of the consequences. While the people who live for today have nothing to lose, so they fight tooth and nail.”

Cello prodigy Jenny has one goal: to get into a prestigious music conservatory. When she meets mysterious, handsome Jaewoo in her uncle’s Los Angeles karaoke bar. In a moment of spontaneity, she allows him to pull her out of her comfort zone for one unforgettable night of adventure. Three months later, when Jenny and her mother arrive in South Korea to take care of her grandmother, she’s shocked to discover that he’s a member of one of the biggest K-pop bands in the world—and he’s strictly forbidden from dating. When a relationship means throwing Jenny’s life off the path she’s spent years mapping out, she’ll have to decide once and for all just how much she’s willing to risk for love.

I fell head over heels in love with the story the moment I opened the book. This story is every kpop and kdrama fan's dream come true. I loved the fast pacing of the story and how instantly drawn to the characters I was. Jenny was an adorable main character and I saw so much of myself in her. Jaewoo was to die for, the biggest sweetheart of all sweethearts. I loved the found family aspect of the book, seeing Jenny make friends and truly discover to love life. I do wish to see more of Nathan and Sori because my heart breaks for them and their love. Truly a book that reminds me why I love ya so much!

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samcanuel's review against another edition

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adventurous funny lighthearted slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.5

I really liked the premise of this book! There were many cute characters and lots of fun details. My biggest issue with this book is that I didn’t like the main character, Jenny, all that much. Also, she and her love interest had no chemistry. I wasn’t really rooting for either of them. The ending, also, felt rushed and a little random. I wouldn’t go out of my way to recommend this book, but I wouldn’t try to steer anyone away from it either.

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stardustandrockets's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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hannaemilia's review against another edition

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funny hopeful lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

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