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cait's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-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
Content Warnings
Minor: Death of parent, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Body shaming, Bullying, Medical content, and Cancer
xvicesx's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I was in two minds about the rating, but ultimately it's a very enjoyable book and I stayed up until late into the night to finish it so it deserves its 5 stars.
I very much loved Axie Oh's "The Girl Who Fell Under the Sea" and I bought this book on the back of that then took a very long time to feel in the mood for it. It aged like a fine wine.
XOXO is a fast paced, feel good novel with low stakes and beautiful friendships in the difficult world of K-pop idols. The characters are relatable, lovable, and you learn a couple things along the way about a fairly difficult lifestyle in my mind. Really enjoyed it!
I very much loved Axie Oh's "The Girl Who Fell Under the Sea" and I bought this book on the back of that then took a very long time to feel in the mood for it. It aged like a fine wine.
XOXO is a fast paced, feel good novel with low stakes and beautiful friendships in the difficult world of K-pop idols. The characters are relatable, lovable, and you learn a couple things along the way about a fairly difficult lifestyle in my mind. Really enjoyed it!
Content Warnings
Minor: Death of parent, Bullying, and Chronic illness
unana's review against another edition
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
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying
daisyofthemoon's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying
abby_can_read's review
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.
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.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer and Bullying
Moderate: Death of parent, Grief, Stalking, and Medical content
bookishmillennial's review
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: Grief, Classism, Death of parent, Acephobia/Arophobia, Stalking, and Bullying
natashaleighton_'s review against another edition
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!
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!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Death of parent, and Cancer
Moderate: Grief and Medical content
Minor: Stalking
achay91's review
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Grief, and Death of parent
Minor: Alcohol and Terminal illness
pages_of_sav's review
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Bullying, Death of parent, and Cancer
novella42's review
funny
hopeful
inspiring
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? No
4.75
I think this is the most enjoyment I've had with a romance novel this year. It's nothing earth-shattering but it was fun. I admire the author's skill with pacing. I picked it out as a comfort read between heavier nonfiction topics and it was a balm to my heart. Cute and sweet.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Medical content and Bullying
Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Death of parent, and Cancer