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qirhh's review
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
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
4.25
brittanica_bold's review against another edition
3.0
In short, this was a little underwhelming for me. I was expecting a lot more to happen both from a character/romance standpoint as well as from the standpoint of the cause they were fighting for.
While a lot of the reactions and outcomes in the book (does that sound non-spoilery enough??) probably mirrored reality very well, that’s not why I picked up the book. I was looking for a spine tingling young romance with a charitable foundation power couple. Instead, I got two people who sniped at each other more than they liked each other and very little progress on the charity front.
Danny was straight up a jerk to Clementine sometimes always being on the defensive. It was like, dude, you’re right but do you have to be so belligerent about it? That’s a no go for me in my MMC. And Clementine very much had a Mary Sue thing going on for most of the story. She excelled at everything she did, she had a bunch of extra-curriculars, and she had a great group of supportive friends. Towards the end she did get the swift kick she needed, but I also felt that her realization of that was pretty glazed over. She ended up doing better, but it was almost like the character development there was a passing reference.
They weren’t super likeable characters for me, but they were fine enough for the overall story.
For the nonprofit, we saw a lot into the day-to-day boring aspects (ie, canvassing), but I didn’t feel enough really came out of the nonprofit being involved. They were definitely involved throughout the whole story and were the overarching reason our MCs started hanging out, but I was hoping for more success from the efforts, even if it was more detail into their goings on at the end of the story. Perhaps an epilogue could have been used here to state the fruits of their labor around the foundation a bit more.
Another criticism I have is I was expecting more communications to happen via their online personas than actually did, especially once one of them found out who the other was. I was a bit disappointed in how little they interacted online throughout the whole thing as I thought this would be a main feature of the book.
What I did really like was the comradery from their friend groups, as well as their internal monologues. Their friends were total MVPs! No matter what was thrown at them, their friends always had their backs and were always cheering them on. Their monologues had me dying at times! They were funny, realistic, and self-deprecating to the max, and were honestly just so good. I remember thinking a lot of the same things when I was young, dumb, and full of...lust.
I also liked the sense of community the author built, which was a large part of the overall story. All the Aunties and Uncles, all of the various shop owners with different backgrounds, and the whole Chinatown backdrop was captured very nicely.
Final Thoughts:
Overall, I liked the idea behind this, but it lacked in execution for me. A fine read for anyone looking for an introductory to the world of YA romance.
Rating: 3 stars
Thank you to NetGalley, HarperCollins Children’s Books, Quill Tree Books, and Livia Blackburne for the opportunity to read this book. The review expressed above is honest and my own.
While a lot of the reactions and outcomes in the book (does that sound non-spoilery enough??) probably mirrored reality very well, that’s not why I picked up the book. I was looking for a spine tingling young romance with a charitable foundation power couple. Instead, I got two people who sniped at each other more than they liked each other and very little progress on the charity front.
Danny was straight up a jerk to Clementine sometimes always being on the defensive. It was like, dude, you’re right but do you have to be so belligerent about it? That’s a no go for me in my MMC. And Clementine very much had a Mary Sue thing going on for most of the story. She excelled at everything she did, she had a bunch of extra-curriculars, and she had a great group of supportive friends. Towards the end she did get the swift kick she needed, but I also felt that her realization of that was pretty glazed over. She ended up doing better, but it was almost like the character development there was a passing reference.
They weren’t super likeable characters for me, but they were fine enough for the overall story.
For the nonprofit, we saw a lot into the day-to-day boring aspects (ie, canvassing), but I didn’t feel enough really came out of the nonprofit being involved. They were definitely involved throughout the whole story and were the overarching reason our MCs started hanging out, but I was hoping for more success from the efforts, even if it was more detail into their goings on at the end of the story. Perhaps an epilogue could have been used here to state the fruits of their labor around the foundation a bit more.
Another criticism I have is I was expecting more communications to happen via their online personas than actually did, especially once one of them found out who the other was. I was a bit disappointed in how little they interacted online throughout the whole thing as I thought this would be a main feature of the book.
What I did really like was the comradery from their friend groups, as well as their internal monologues. Their friends were total MVPs! No matter what was thrown at them, their friends always had their backs and were always cheering them on. Their monologues had me dying at times! They were funny, realistic, and self-deprecating to the max, and were honestly just so good. I remember thinking a lot of the same things when I was young, dumb, and full of...lust.
I also liked the sense of community the author built, which was a large part of the overall story. All the Aunties and Uncles, all of the various shop owners with different backgrounds, and the whole Chinatown backdrop was captured very nicely.
Final Thoughts:
Overall, I liked the idea behind this, but it lacked in execution for me. A fine read for anyone looking for an introductory to the world of YA romance.
Rating: 3 stars
Thank you to NetGalley, HarperCollins Children’s Books, Quill Tree Books, and Livia Blackburne for the opportunity to read this book. The review expressed above is honest and my own.
idoart_2010readingedition's review against another edition
challenging
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
izzys_internet_bookshelf's review against another edition
3.0
3/5
I was in a way contempt while reading this book. I had a nice time reading it, I enjoyed the story and the characters. I’ve read so many versions of You’ve Got Mail it is now important that I must watch it, soon.
I was in a way contempt while reading this book. I had a nice time reading it, I enjoyed the story and the characters. I’ve read so many versions of You’ve Got Mail it is now important that I must watch it, soon.
marwithreads's review
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
that_little_drop_of_poison's review against another edition
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-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? No
4.25
doremelodie's review against another edition
3.0
I think it was supposed to be an inspirational Asian American perspective of how gentrification and cultural appropriation has made it difficult for the older Asian immigrants that have grown comfortable in their ways while the new generation has become more involved in their culture and supporting their community. However, I felt like the whole book was slightly cringy and very predictable. Both Clementine and Danny are supposed to have big characters but they seem so inflated without actual material.
minhjngo's review against another edition
3.0
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher of HarperCollins, and the author Livia Blackburne for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Blackburne writes an entertaining YA story about Chinese/Asian Americans and the importance of Chinatowns/Asian ethnic enclaves and community. Blackburne's usage of the internet, social media, and social media activism remain topical and relevant to contemporary Asian/Chinese American activism. Blackburne's discussion of cultural tradition vs modernization/Westernization/fusion/adaptation echoes past debates within the Asian/Chinese American space and scene. Blackburne's discussion of these themes occurs with the main protagonist, Clementine Chan, and her love interest, Danny Mok. If readers are familiar with Chinese American history, they'll know and understand Clementine Chan as Chinese Americans have engaged in modernization/Westernization/fusion/adaptation throughout history. That's one of the ways in which Chinatown has been created and how Chinese Americans have survived in America. Think of Westernized Chinese food like chop suey, PF Changs, or General Tso's Chickens. Readers will also appreciate learning more about traditional Chinese tea culture. One minor critique is exploring more of the class dynamic between Clementine and Danny and how class as well as gender inform their lived experiences. I wished Clementine could unpack her class experience more and Danny with misogyny and being an Asian man. Nonetheless, this was a quick and fun breeze to read through.
jcmbank's review against another edition
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? Yes
3.0
cboddie's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
6th & up