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bookishmillennial's review against another edition
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!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Acephobia/Arophobia, and Classism