Reviews tagging 'Stalking'

XOXO by Axie Oh

27 reviews

kaneebli's review against another edition

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funny 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? Yes

3.5

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yvo_about_books's review against another edition

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funny hopeful lighthearted fast-paced

4.5

Finished reading: May 7th 2024


"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. "

I confess that the main reason I bumped this title towards the top of my TBR was that I needed a title starting with X for the Popsugar challenge. I've been meaning to try Axie Oh's writing for a while though, so it was by no means a struggle to do so... I'm so glad I did now, because I ended up having a fantastic time reading XOXO. I think this book came at exactly the right time for me, because I was craving a cute and mostly uplifting romance and this is exactly what this story turned out to be. I loved the whole music element and while I'm not exactly a K-pop fan nor did I know just how big of a thing it was, it was still easy to follow XOXO. The main characters were easy to warm up to, and I loved spending time with Jenny and the rest. The romance was cute in general, but also had a dose of forbidden romance and drama along the way... I could have done without the love triangle vibe, but as a whole I wasn't too bothered by that. I especially loved the descriptions of the South Korean setting and the food, which definitely made me crave Asian food. I ended up having so much fun reading this story, and I already can't wait to read the sequel with Sori in the spotlight. This was my first time reading Axie Oh, and I already know she will appear on my list of favorite new author discoveries of 2024! 
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abby_can_read's review against another edition

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

4.0

đź“–
I enjoyed this book. It was well written and the characters were fun. I liked the relationships between characters, the plot was lighthearted and a little predictable, and the pacing was good. I'm a developing K-Pop fan -- I have two groups I love and I'm excited to find more. 
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bookishmillennial's review against another edition

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funny lighthearted 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
disclaimer: I don’t really give starred reviews. I hope my reviews provide enough information to let you know if a book is for you or not. Find me here: https://linktr.ee/bookishmillennial 

“When you’re scared and your heart is closed, the time is never right. When you’re brave and your heart is open, the time is always right.” 

Gosh, this was so cute. I listened to the audiobook & really enjoyed the meetcute between Jenny & Jaewoo as they sang karaoke together 🥰 The missed connection afterwards is so fun, as she tries to reach out to him afterward & is essentially ghosted. However, they’re reunited when she and her mom move to Seoul, South Korea to take care of her ailing halmoni & Jenny realizes Jaewoo attends the new elite arts academy that she is accepted to! What a small world! 

I loved the k-pop storyline of the XOXO members, and how they could not date anyone. The media and paparazzi play a big part in the XOXO members’ anxieties and motivations, so I recognize asking a girl to be your “secret friend” really sucks, but I do sympathize with the sentiment of trying to protect your friends from the media circus that comes with being a teenage k-pop star. I will never be famous (thank goodness) so I can only imagine the chaos you are thrown into & never knowing who you can wholly trust is probably exhausting! 

Anyway, I loved Jenny’s coming-of-age story about choosing the future her mom laid out for her as a classically trained cellist at the Manhattan School of Music, or contemplating if she really could have it all. Axie Oh writes such sweet young adult stories, and I will continue to read them! 
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natashaleighton_'s review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

A really sweet coming of age style romance that explores family, friendship and forbidden romance that’s perfect for fans of  K-Dramas, K-Pop and the secret/ forbidden romance trope. I really enjoyed this one and loved the dynamics and friendships we see grow. 

I loved Jenny, Jaewoo as well as pretty much all of the supporting cast, but Sori and Nathaniel definitely stole my heart —I cannot wait to see more of them in upcoming spinoff, ASAP. Grief and complex family ties to feature so I do advise check TWs beforehand. But, other than that a really lighthearted and heart warming read!
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12dejamoo's review against another edition

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adventurous funny inspiring fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I just had the best time reading this. It had my favourite thing in a romance book which is a good supporting cast of friends (give your heroes friends!! It’s important!!) and it also had just the right amount of romantic tension and payoff. The characters all felt very real and fleshed out and so believeable as teenagers and the setting was so fun. I know nothing about K-pop but the book didn’t assume any level of knowledge, but also it didn’t feel like I was being dumbed down to. Not every Korean term was translated, but the context was always there for someone like me who has no clue about the language. Overall it just felt like a lot of love went into the writing of this book and the joy just spilled off the pages.
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danajoy's review against another edition

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3.25

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minyoonhwi's review against another edition

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adventurous hopeful 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? Yes

5.0

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zombiezami's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced

4.0

This was such a sweet book. I really enjoyed how the author gave such a detailed look into Korean culture and society. My one complaint is that Jaewoo didn’t feel that developed as a character compared to others. I felt the main character had more chemistry with Sori, honestly.
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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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