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agateg's review
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!
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!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer and Bullying
Moderate: Stalking, Panic attacks/disorders, and Medical content
samcanuel's review
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
stardustandrockets's review
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
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying and Stalking
Minor: Cancer and Death of parent
hannaemilia's review against another edition
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
Content Warnings
Moderate: Medical content and Bullying
Minor: Death of parent and Grief
kelly_e's review
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
ghostingfranticfreya's review
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Bullying and Death of parent
doodeedoda's review
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Bullying, Death of parent, and Grief
lilycollings'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
theespressoedition's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I started off XOXO by listening to the audiobook. It hooked me right away, but the minute I switched from audio to ebook, I couldn't put it down! This is nothing against the narrator, but for this book, I personally felt as though reading it with my eyes was the way to go.
It was a very quick and easy read and I wound up finishing the majority of it in one sitting. Like I said, I couldn't put it down. The story was addictive to some degree. I've always been a sucker for a celebrity romance, but the way this one was written was really special. It didn't feel as "generic" as some others that I've read. I rarely found myself rolling my eyes at the romance - only once in a while when that "insta-love" vibe became heavier. However, as someone who personally fell in love with their husband in what felt like the blink of an eye, I can't really provide solid critique on this. Sometimes, when you know, you know (plus, they really did have more than an instant to fall for one another, since they were at school together over the span of at least a month).
What actually stood out to me more than the romance was the friendship. While I expected the focus to be on Jenny's grandmother and mom, it followed the friends she made at school even more closely. I kept assuming that there would be some crazy backstabbing or something dramatic, but I was pleasantly surprised that the relationships were really pure and sweet. I loved seeing the dynamics change in the friend group and how they got to know one another better.
I've never personally watched a k-drama, but I've heard that this story mimics the style of those very closely. If that's the case, sign me up to watch all the k-dramas, because I absolutely LOVED the way this was written.
If you're looking for something lighthearted, with found family, celebrity love, and lots of inspiring "reach for your dreams" moments, you gotta read XOXO!
It was a very quick and easy read and I wound up finishing the majority of it in one sitting. Like I said, I couldn't put it down. The story was addictive to some degree. I've always been a sucker for a celebrity romance, but the way this one was written was really special. It didn't feel as "generic" as some others that I've read. I rarely found myself rolling my eyes at the romance - only once in a while when that "insta-love" vibe became heavier. However, as someone who personally fell in love with their husband in what felt like the blink of an eye, I can't really provide solid critique on this. Sometimes, when you know, you know (plus, they really did have more than an instant to fall for one another, since they were at school together over the span of at least a month).
What actually stood out to me more than the romance was the friendship. While I expected the focus to be on Jenny's grandmother and mom, it followed the friends she made at school even more closely. I kept assuming that there would be some crazy backstabbing or something dramatic, but I was pleasantly surprised that the relationships were really pure and sweet. I loved seeing the dynamics change in the friend group and how they got to know one another better.
I've never personally watched a k-drama, but I've heard that this story mimics the style of those very closely. If that's the case, sign me up to watch all the k-dramas, because I absolutely LOVED the way this was written.
If you're looking for something lighthearted, with found family, celebrity love, and lots of inspiring "reach for your dreams" moments, you gotta read XOXO!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cancer
Minor: Bullying
librariana's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Bullying, Death of parent, and Stalking