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yvo_about_books's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
4.5
Finished reading: May 7th 2024
"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. "
I confess that the main reason I bumped this title towards the top of my TBR was that I needed a title starting with X for the Popsugar challenge. I've been meaning to try Axie Oh's writing for a while though, so it was by no means a struggle to do so... I'm so glad I did now, because I ended up having a fantastic time reading XOXO. I think this book came at exactly the right time for me, because I was craving a cute and mostly uplifting romance and this is exactly what this story turned out to be. I loved the whole music element and while I'm not exactly a K-pop fan nor did I know just how big of a thing it was, it was still easy to follow XOXO. The main characters were easy to warm up to, and I loved spending time with Jenny and the rest. The romance was cute in general, but also had a dose of forbidden romance and drama along the way... I could have done without the love triangle vibe, but as a whole I wasn't too bothered by that. I especially loved the descriptions of the South Korean setting and the food, which definitely made me crave Asian food. I ended up having so much fun reading this story, and I already can't wait to read the sequel with Sori in the spotlight. This was my first time reading Axie Oh, and I already know she will appear on my list of favorite new author discoveries of 2024!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content, Grief, Abandonment, Infidelity, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Stalking, Bullying, Death, Cancer, and Injury/Injury detail
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
abby_can_read's review against another edition
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
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
novella42's review against another edition
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
danajoy's review against another edition
3.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Medical content, Stalking, and Death of parent
zombiezami's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
4.0
This was such a sweet book. I really enjoyed how the author gave such a detailed look into Korean culture and society. My one complaint is that Jaewoo didn’t feel that developed as a character compared to others. I felt the main character had more chemistry with Sori, honestly.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Outing and Stalking
Moderate: Cancer, Bullying, Death of parent, Death, Medical content, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Terminal illness, and Cursing
Minor: Car accident and Alcohol
sophiesometimesreads's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
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? No
4.0
This book was cute and I had a good time with it. If you enjoy fluffy YA romance with good found family, and are also interested in K-pop, then this book is probably a good one for you!
The romance was a little predictable and it did feel like a fanfiction at times, but it was still a whole lot of fun. I believe it was written to be in a similar vein to a Kdrama so that's probably why it read like this, though I don't think it made the book bad at all and didn't impact my enjoyment (if anything, it made me want to watch a Kdrama).
The biggest selling point for this book though, in my opinion, is the friendships and the found family throughout the book, that's what really made this book for me.
There was an opportunity for this book to fall into the love triangle trope, too, and I really liked how it didn't end up going in that direction, it was refreshing. I liked that the conflict was centred around the characters within the realtionship and not about others.
Overall, a really light hearted and fun read. I kept thinking about these characters and their relationships for days after finishing it, too, so it definitely left a lasting impression.
The romance was a little predictable and it did feel like a fanfiction at times, but it was still a whole lot of fun. I believe it was written to be in a similar vein to a Kdrama so that's probably why it read like this, though I don't think it made the book bad at all and didn't impact my enjoyment (if anything, it made me want to watch a Kdrama).
The biggest selling point for this book though, in my opinion, is the friendships and the found family throughout the book, that's what really made this book for me.
There was an opportunity for this book to fall into the love triangle trope, too, and I really liked how it didn't end up going in that direction, it was refreshing. I liked that the conflict was centred around the characters within the realtionship and not about others.
Overall, a really light hearted and fun read. I kept thinking about these characters and their relationships for days after finishing it, too, so it definitely left a lasting impression.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content and Cancer
Moderate: Death of parent and Stalking
foldingthepage_kayleigh's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer and Medical content
Moderate: Bullying and Death of parent
bookcheshirecat's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
“I’m saying, people do strange things to protect their hearts. But when you’re afraid, your heart is closed, and it’s never the right time, but when your heart is open, and you’re willing to be brave enough to take a chance, the time is always right.”
âž˝ I'm not a K-pop fan, but this book was still so much fun!! I know lots of people love K-pop, but I don't know much more about it than I see online. XOXO definitely isn't only for K-pop fans though! It follows Jenny, who's a talented cellist and flies to Korea in order to support her sick grandmother. After a harsh criticism in her latest rehearsal, she's worried about her musical, career but has the unique opportunity to attend her dream school abroad! I loved the family dynamics, as Jenny connects with her grandmother and also sees the difficult relationship her mom and grandma have.
âž˝ Jenny has a fun night in Los Angeles with a boy called Jaewoo before her flight ... only to find out that he's an idol in Korea! He's attending her new school, but as a member of a famous K-pop group, he's not allowed to date anyone. Jenny and Jaewoo still feel drawn to each other though and grow closer despite their romance being forbidden!
Content Warnings
Minor: Bullying, Classism, and Medical content