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3.98 AVERAGE
3.98 AVERAGE
Slow-burn high school romance, academic enemies to lovers ❤️ oh it was quite enjoyable! Started reading this a while back but then put it down, and after watching XO kitty, I had to pick this up again! So glad I did because I really enjoyed this cool little story with elements of magic and Chinese culture interspersed. There were a few things I thought could have been explored more and there were a number of holes in the reading of this where I was a little lost, but overall still a fun read.
funny
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
“All this time, I’d thought the nickname Study Machine was a compliment of sorts. That it meant productivity, above-human levels of discipline, that I was programmed for success.
Now I wonder if it describes someone devoted to doing at the expense of feeling. Something barely alive.”
There is so much to love here: the unique take on invisibility powers, the enemies-to-lovers romance, the school setting and nuanced characters with their secrets, the wonderful cultural specificity in setting and characterization...I binged this book an had a blast! There's a wonderful examination of our workaholic world and competitive school settings, especially in the Chinese cultural context of post-one-child act, as well as the fear of failure that paralyzes so many millenials and gen Z-ers. I just wish this examination would've gone a bit further, and that we would've seen her inability to sustain the relentless pace she somehow magically keeps up throughout the whole book.
I love this concept of monetizing invisibility, “capitalizing on vulnerability”… and all the possibilities of this power. It really gives a new spin on the idea of invisibility, and what it means to have power. I love that it’s outside of her control, making her use of it challenging. As a neurodivergent person, it made me think of how my autism can be a power but also feel like a curse, especially in how difficult it is to control when our strengths and weaknesses are activated.
I appreciated that her real problems were called out, though not sure they are fully addressed in act 3. The narrative gets at her problem of wanting to be seen, how that’s not the solution, but the pride, the fear of failure, the craving to be rich—those felt like the deeper problems that were acknowledged but not fully addressed, the real reasons she didn't want to be invisible. She takes responsibility in her act 3 choice but it doesn't feel satisfying, or even completely ethical--how they deal with the app. Changing the app after the fact to focus the blame on Andrew was kind of deceptive and not completely true. It didn't feel like the "solving the problem the right way" that act 3 should have. I think the narrative could've shown there were better options. I wanted to see in her lowest of low reconciling more with her perfect image ruined, of everyone knowing she was poor. It seems like this drops away in the end which was disappointing, as I feel that her pride and poor background were the real heartbeat of the story.
Though I'm not sure what to make of the ending and the ultimate message it leaves readers with, I really, really loved this read, A great read for discussion and conversation.
Now I wonder if it describes someone devoted to doing at the expense of feeling. Something barely alive.”
There is so much to love here: the unique take on invisibility powers, the enemies-to-lovers romance, the school setting and nuanced characters with their secrets, the wonderful cultural specificity in setting and characterization...I binged this book an had a blast! There's a wonderful examination of our workaholic world and competitive school settings, especially in the Chinese cultural context of post-one-child act, as well as the fear of failure that paralyzes so many millenials and gen Z-ers. I just wish this examination would've gone a bit further, and that we would've seen her inability to sustain the relentless pace she somehow magically keeps up throughout the whole book.
I love this concept of monetizing invisibility, “capitalizing on vulnerability”… and all the possibilities of this power. It really gives a new spin on the idea of invisibility, and what it means to have power. I love that it’s outside of her control, making her use of it challenging. As a neurodivergent person, it made me think of how my autism can be a power but also feel like a curse, especially in how difficult it is to control when our strengths and weaknesses are activated.
I appreciated that her real problems were called out, though not sure they are fully addressed in act 3. The narrative gets at her problem of wanting to be seen, how that’s not the solution, but the pride, the fear of failure, the craving to be rich—those felt like the deeper problems that were acknowledged but not fully addressed, the real reasons she didn't want to be invisible. She takes responsibility in her act 3 choice but it doesn't feel satisfying, or even completely ethical--how they deal with the app. Changing the app after the fact to focus the blame on Andrew was kind of deceptive and not completely true. It didn't feel like the "solving the problem the right way" that act 3 should have. I think the narrative could've shown there were better options. I wanted to see in her lowest of low reconciling more with her perfect image ruined, of everyone knowing she was poor. It seems like this drops away in the end which was disappointing, as I feel that her pride and poor background were the real heartbeat of the story.
Though I'm not sure what to make of the ending and the ultimate message it leaves readers with, I really, really loved this read, A great read for discussion and conversation.
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
“Descartes was wrong, you know, when he said, ‘To live well, you must live unseen.’ To live well, you must learn to see yourself first.”
this book was great. not only did it have an amazing enemies to lovers arc, it also reminds the reader that success and fame aren’t the most important things in life. it’s stuff like spending time with friends and family, finding what truly motivates you and makes you excited to wake up in the morning. this book came at a good time where i’m feeling anxious about achieving a respectful career but i also feel myself not focusing on those important stuff that i just mentioned. overall, this was a gorgeous book and can’t read more from ann liang.
this book was great. not only did it have an amazing enemies to lovers arc, it also reminds the reader that success and fame aren’t the most important things in life. it’s stuff like spending time with friends and family, finding what truly motivates you and makes you excited to wake up in the morning. this book came at a good time where i’m feeling anxious about achieving a respectful career but i also feel myself not focusing on those important stuff that i just mentioned. overall, this was a gorgeous book and can’t read more from ann liang.
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix