samcanuel's review against another edition
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.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Death, and Death of parent
Minor: Sexual content, Grief, and Terminal illness
kelly_e's review against another edition
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
Title: XOXO
Author: Axie Oh
Genre: YA Romance
Rating: 2.75
Pub Date: July 13, 2021
T H R E E • W O R D S
Oversimplified • Cliché • Cultural
📖 S Y N O P S I S
Jenny, a Korean American teen and classically trained cellist with aspirations of pursuing it professionally, experiences a disastrous performance that shatters her confidence. At her uncle's Karaoke bar she meets a mystery boy, one with the potential to upend all her plans. Sparks fly, he drags her out of her comfort zone for one incredible night, and then he simply disappears.
Fast forward three months, when Jenny travels to Korea with her mother who intends to care for her own ailing mother. She soon discovers Jaewoo is enrolled at the same elite arts school as her, and that he is one of the biggest K-pop stars in the world.
💭 T H O U G H T S
I picked up XOXO to fill the letter X for my A-Z Reading Challenge. This isn't something I would normally read, and it's very obvious this is YA, coming across as a story that's been done a million times before.
It was cute, the writing was pretty basic, and there's a lot of teen angst. I didn't necessarily feel any connection (or liking) for any of the characters. Everything just felt too easy and convenient. It touches on a lot (stalking, cancer, bullying, etc.) but doesn't flush any one of those things out fully.
I appreciated that it didn't focus solely on the romance, rather it was Jenny's friendship with her roommate Sori, the familial dynamics, and learning about Korean culture that I liked most.
With all the said, this just wasn't the book for me. I like a little more depth in my reading, but it's pretty much what you'd expect it to be, if that's your thing you'd probably enjoy it.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• K-pop or K-drama fans
• YA romance readers
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"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."
Author: Axie Oh
Genre: YA Romance
Rating: 2.75
Pub Date: July 13, 2021
T H R E E • W O R D S
Oversimplified • Cliché • Cultural
📖 S Y N O P S I S
Jenny, a Korean American teen and classically trained cellist with aspirations of pursuing it professionally, experiences a disastrous performance that shatters her confidence. At her uncle's Karaoke bar she meets a mystery boy, one with the potential to upend all her plans. Sparks fly, he drags her out of her comfort zone for one incredible night, and then he simply disappears.
Fast forward three months, when Jenny travels to Korea with her mother who intends to care for her own ailing mother. She soon discovers Jaewoo is enrolled at the same elite arts school as her, and that he is one of the biggest K-pop stars in the world.
💭 T H O U G H T S
I picked up XOXO to fill the letter X for my A-Z Reading Challenge. This isn't something I would normally read, and it's very obvious this is YA, coming across as a story that's been done a million times before.
It was cute, the writing was pretty basic, and there's a lot of teen angst. I didn't necessarily feel any connection (or liking) for any of the characters. Everything just felt too easy and convenient. It touches on a lot (stalking, cancer, bullying, etc.) but doesn't flush any one of those things out fully.
I appreciated that it didn't focus solely on the romance, rather it was Jenny's friendship with her roommate Sori, the familial dynamics, and learning about Korean culture that I liked most.
With all the said, this just wasn't the book for me. I like a little more depth in my reading, but it's pretty much what you'd expect it to be, if that's your thing you'd probably enjoy it.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• K-pop or K-drama fans
• YA romance readers
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"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."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying
Moderate: Stalking, Death of parent, Cancer, and Death
Minor: Medical content
ghostinglilycollings's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
It's like the cutest k-drama in written form featuring idols and I cried.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Death, and Cancer
sunsetcity's review against another edition
funny
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Grief, and Death
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