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lisashelves's review against another edition
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Sexism, Classism, and Misogyny
bgoodbookclub's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
I know this is YA but it is frustrating how there were parts where the main character makes the same mistakes over and over. How do you get in trouble in class and get upset about it and then do the same thing the next period? I really like that Kiki stands up for herself and enacts change but at first I was like sis catch the hint! I do think it all comes full circle at the end and I am happy that Kiki stood up for herself but it felt very YA to me.
The principal is so insufferable!!! Every scene with him infuriated me.
The blackmail part of the book was very cringey to me and made me want to turn the book off. Personally I would have just confessed so listening to Kiki suffer through it was very painful to me. I'm an oversharer so I could not relate to that part at all.
I really think this book is so great for young people to hear that they don't have to put up with bullying, sexism, and misogyny even though it is culturally present.
Also admittedly, I have not seen You've Got Mail so that could factor into part of my review of the story!
Thank you to NetGalley and PRH Audio for an ARC of this one!
The principal is so insufferable!!! Every scene with him infuriated me.
The blackmail part of the book was very cringey to me and made me want to turn the book off. Personally I would have just confessed so listening to Kiki suffer through it was very painful to me. I'm an oversharer so I could not relate to that part at all.
I really think this book is so great for young people to hear that they don't have to put up with bullying, sexism, and misogyny even though it is culturally present.
Also admittedly, I have not seen You've Got Mail so that could factor into part of my review of the story!
Thank you to NetGalley and PRH Audio for an ARC of this one!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Misogyny, Sexual assault, Bullying, and Sexual harassment
bellebookcorner's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
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
Pick up this YA contemporary romance if you love:
✨️ friends-to-lovers
✨️ hidden identity
✨️ high school romance
✨️ funny & lighthearted
This book is not just about a simple and sweet teenage love story, but it also brought up several important topics like cyber-bullying, sexism, toxic masculinity, and school bullying that still happen in real life.
Kiki’s (FMC) character is loveable and feels very relatable. I can feel her rage and her sadness of being helpless to the point of losing her old self.
I also admire her for being able to stand up for herself and how she encourage others to do the same with the help of her supportive friends and family.
Kiki’s rebellious act and her relationships with her best friends had me laughing and smiling since I used to did the same thing with my friends in real life like shorten the uniform’s skirt, going to a café after school, texting during class, etc.
I also love the blooming sweet romance between Kiki and Liam. Liam is such a sweetheart and I kinda wished he had his own POV in this book.
I also love the blooming sweet romance between Kiki and Liam. Liam is such a sweetheart and I kinda wished he had his own POV in this book.
The ending was a little bit rushed but overall it’s such a page turner!
As an Indonesian, I can totally relate to a few things mentioned here which I found enjoyable and entertaining.
Highly recommended especially for teenagers and I’m really looking forward to read the next book from this author!
Didn’t See that Coming is a standalone book but a few characters from 'Well That was Unexpected' made an appearance here and if you’re curious about Sharlot and George’s story then you can check that one out.
Nevertheless, you can enjoy reading this book without having to read 'Well That was Unexpected'.
Thank you to TBR and Beyond Tour, Netgalley, the author and publisher for giving me an e-ARC of the book and for having me on this book tour. I’m leaving this review voluntarily!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Sexism, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Misogyny, Classism, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Sexual harassment and Racism
battyaboutbooks's review
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
🦇 Didn't See That Coming Book Review 🦇
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
❝ The patriarchy is very far from being smashed. In fact, maybe they're even a little bit worse, because we pretend that the patriarchy is done and we're in a society with gender equality, so we can't even fight it because the fight's over. How do I fight something that's already playing dead but is still very much alive behind closed doors? ❞
❓ #QOTD What are your favorite video games? ❓
🦇 Kiki Siregar is a badass gamer girl brimming with confidence and sass. She never hesitates to be herself...unless she's online. When she gets harassed as a girl playing a single-shooter game, she decides to recreate herself and anonymously starts playing as a guy. She even makes a friend--Sourdawg, who loves baking so much that he's the human equivalent of a sweet cinnamon roll. When Kiki's parents transfer her to an elite private school her senior year, she learns that the harassment doesn't only happen online. Worse yet: Sourdawg attends the same school. Can Kiki be herself in such a strict school, and uncover Sourdawg's identity in the process?
💜 Kiki is FIRE. She's sassy, independent, and refuses to sit silent when the world tries to pre-package her into the pristine image of what men expect her to be. Kiki is perhaps one of the most self-assured, confident YA characters I've encountered this year. Unfortunately, the misogyny and sexism she faces lead to reverse character development, causing Kiki to doubt herself. She's forced to fall in line with ultra-conservative rules that favor boys over girls. Sutanto does a wonderful job of conveying the realities women face both on and offline. Even if you're not a gamer, the messages here are universal. Sutanto is also skilled at creating realistic, likable characters. Did I agree with every choice Kiki made? No, definitely not. Did I feel for her and want to give her a huge, warm hug? Definitely. The interactions between Kiki and supporting characters (namely Sourdawg online and her love interest at school) are the adorable fluff you need to offset the disgusting misogyny she experiences from both GROWN MEN and frustrating teenage boys. Thank you, Sutanto, for not dragging out Sourdawg's identity, either. Every secondary character is a delight as well.
🦇 My only real hangup with this story was the pacing, which does drag a little. However, Sutanto does a wonderful job of demonstrating how a "rebellious" female in a conservative, Asian culture can defy outdated concepts of misogyny and sexism without disrespecting her culture or elders outright. Kiki also defies every stereotype and bias thrown at her as Sutanto demonstrates the reality of our times. Whether in Asia or America, these problems still exist. We're not done fighting for gender equality. It's just playing dead, making the fight all the more difficult.
❝ I guess it's much easier for the school if a harassed girl keeps her head down and learns to accept abuse, but I am done keeping my head down. I'm done swallowing my anger and pretending that everything's okay. I'm not crazy just because I speak my mind. I'm a person with equal rights to those of everybody else here, and I am done staying silent to make boys feel comfortable. ❞
🦇 Recommended for fans of You've Got Mail and Jesse Q. Sutanto's Well, That Was Unexpected. This is a sweet, thought-provoking YA romance with a refreshing perspective on inequality, bullying, and feminism; a worthy read!
✨ The Vibes ✨
🎮 Gamer Girl / Secret Identity
🕹️ Friends to Lovers
👾 South Asian Rep
🕹️ Down With the Patriarchy
🎮 Contemporary YA Romance
⚠️ Cyberbullying, Toxic Masculinity, Class Differences, Gaslighting
🦇 Major thanks to the author @jesseqsutanto and publisher @randomhousekids @delacortepress for providing an ARC of this book via Netgalley. 🥰 This does not affect my opinion regarding the book. #DidntSeeThatComing #NetGalley
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
❝ The patriarchy is very far from being smashed. In fact, maybe they're even a little bit worse, because we pretend that the patriarchy is done and we're in a society with gender equality, so we can't even fight it because the fight's over. How do I fight something that's already playing dead but is still very much alive behind closed doors? ❞
❓ #QOTD What are your favorite video games? ❓
🦇 Kiki Siregar is a badass gamer girl brimming with confidence and sass. She never hesitates to be herself...unless she's online. When she gets harassed as a girl playing a single-shooter game, she decides to recreate herself and anonymously starts playing as a guy. She even makes a friend--Sourdawg, who loves baking so much that he's the human equivalent of a sweet cinnamon roll. When Kiki's parents transfer her to an elite private school her senior year, she learns that the harassment doesn't only happen online. Worse yet: Sourdawg attends the same school. Can Kiki be herself in such a strict school, and uncover Sourdawg's identity in the process?
💜 Kiki is FIRE. She's sassy, independent, and refuses to sit silent when the world tries to pre-package her into the pristine image of what men expect her to be. Kiki is perhaps one of the most self-assured, confident YA characters I've encountered this year. Unfortunately, the misogyny and sexism she faces lead to reverse character development, causing Kiki to doubt herself. She's forced to fall in line with ultra-conservative rules that favor boys over girls. Sutanto does a wonderful job of conveying the realities women face both on and offline. Even if you're not a gamer, the messages here are universal. Sutanto is also skilled at creating realistic, likable characters. Did I agree with every choice Kiki made? No, definitely not. Did I feel for her and want to give her a huge, warm hug? Definitely. The interactions between Kiki and supporting characters (namely Sourdawg online and her love interest at school) are the adorable fluff you need to offset the disgusting misogyny she experiences from both GROWN MEN and frustrating teenage boys. Thank you, Sutanto, for not dragging out Sourdawg's identity, either. Every secondary character is a delight as well.
🦇 My only real hangup with this story was the pacing, which does drag a little. However, Sutanto does a wonderful job of demonstrating how a "rebellious" female in a conservative, Asian culture can defy outdated concepts of misogyny and sexism without disrespecting her culture or elders outright. Kiki also defies every stereotype and bias thrown at her as Sutanto demonstrates the reality of our times. Whether in Asia or America, these problems still exist. We're not done fighting for gender equality. It's just playing dead, making the fight all the more difficult.
❝ I guess it's much easier for the school if a harassed girl keeps her head down and learns to accept abuse, but I am done keeping my head down. I'm done swallowing my anger and pretending that everything's okay. I'm not crazy just because I speak my mind. I'm a person with equal rights to those of everybody else here, and I am done staying silent to make boys feel comfortable. ❞
🦇 Recommended for fans of You've Got Mail and Jesse Q. Sutanto's Well, That Was Unexpected. This is a sweet, thought-provoking YA romance with a refreshing perspective on inequality, bullying, and feminism; a worthy read!
✨ The Vibes ✨
🎮 Gamer Girl / Secret Identity
🕹️ Friends to Lovers
👾 South Asian Rep
🕹️ Down With the Patriarchy
🎮 Contemporary YA Romance
⚠️ Cyberbullying, Toxic Masculinity, Class Differences, Gaslighting
🦇 Major thanks to the author @jesseqsutanto and publisher @randomhousekids @delacortepress for providing an ARC of this book via Netgalley. 🥰 This does not affect my opinion regarding the book. #DidntSeeThatComing #NetGalley
Content Warnings
Moderate: Classism, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, and Bullying
cozylifewithabby's review
5.0
Thank you to NetGalley and Delacourt Press for a free E-arc in exchange for my honest review. Didn't See that Coming is a Young Adult Romance about a gamer girl and her online friend. It is a follow-up to We'll That Was Unexpected as it follows characters introduced in that story. You don't need to have read the first book first, but I strongly suggest it as this book does have spoilers for that one. (And they are both fantastic!) This story has miscommunication, fake dating, "enemies to lovers," friends to lovers, and strong female friendships. It also covers topics such as feminism, bullying, misogyny within the gaming world and the world at large, cyber bullying, and the ups and downs of coming of age. At the 20% mark I just couldn't put the book down. The characters are either lovable or love to hate and the story holds so much hope. One of my favorite Young Adult reads this year.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Misogyny and Bullying
Minor: Rape and Sexual harassment
lauren_miller's review
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Note: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
TW: bullying, sexism, gaslighting, classism, dashes of racism
Note: You do not need to have read "Well, That Was Unexpected" to read this book (but it might help!)
I was immediately drawn to this book because a) the cover is adorable and b) during the pandemic I went down a gamer drama rabbit hole (think "You Are My Glory" and "Falling Into Your Smile"), so the premise—girl pretending to be a guy online ends up meeting her virtual bestie and falling for him IRL—was totally up my street. And on premise alone, this book totally delivered.
But it was wayyy more intense than I was expecting. Instead of slice of life teen drama, this was like "The Heirs" meets online gaming, and not necessarily in a good way.
At its heart, this book is about girls being mistreated, sometimes violently, because of their gender. Our main character Kiki opted to start playing under a bro handle b/c of rape and death threats, knocks to her intelligence and strategizing abilities, and being punished for speaking up. Which is then mirrored by her new high school experience; at Xingfa, the students are cruel in person and on social media, wealth means power, and being a female makes you a second-class citizen. Kiki becomes a pariah, #CrazyKiki, because she dares to question the social hierarchy and incredibly conservative expectations of students and, more importantly, faculty. She gets bullied in the classroom and online, gaslit into remaining silent for the sake of image, and ultimately ends up emotionally traumatized.
And the saddest part?? At one point, a few female side characters commiserate with her over experiencing the same thing when they started at Xingfa. The culture of misogyny is so prevalent, so deeply ingrained at Xingfa that instead of speaking up for Kiki, they apologize for remaining bystanders; they've been pushed down, snuffed out, silenced for so long that ALL they can do is apologize.
While this book made me laugh and smile and swoon, it also had me crying literal tears of frustration. And in the end, I'm not sure if the ending was cathartic enough for me. The resolution, while totally acceptable by kdrama standards, was pretty unbelievable and convenient, and Jonas—the main perpetrator of the bullying—and the faculty didn't *really* learn their lesson.
The romance was cute. The female friendships were good. The characterization and atmosphere were perfect for the age range of the book (seriously, are the author's kids teenagers yet??? b/c the voice and tone were spot on!). The look into the hodgepodge of cultures and expectations that is Jakarta was fascinating. There were parts I genuinely had fun reading! But I came away kinda exhausted and under-satisfied. This could be the empath in me; this could be a more universal experience by readers. Only time will tell...
That said, I definitely see myself picking up more from this author. Like, even though I'm potentially setting myself up for the same emotional rollercoaster, I desperately want to read Sharlot and George Clooney's installment now. And I imagine if you liked that one, you'll for sure like this!
4 out of 5 stars
TW: bullying, sexism, gaslighting, classism, dashes of racism
Note: You do not need to have read "Well, That Was Unexpected" to read this book (but it might help!)
I was immediately drawn to this book because a) the cover is adorable and b) during the pandemic I went down a gamer drama rabbit hole (think "You Are My Glory" and "Falling Into Your Smile"), so the premise—girl pretending to be a guy online ends up meeting her virtual bestie and falling for him IRL—was totally up my street. And on premise alone, this book totally delivered.
But it was wayyy more intense than I was expecting. Instead of slice of life teen drama, this was like "The Heirs" meets online gaming, and not necessarily in a good way.
At its heart, this book is about girls being mistreated, sometimes violently, because of their gender. Our main character Kiki opted to start playing under a bro handle b/c of rape and death threats, knocks to her intelligence and strategizing abilities, and being punished for speaking up. Which is then mirrored by her new high school experience; at Xingfa, the students are cruel in person and on social media, wealth means power, and being a female makes you a second-class citizen. Kiki becomes a pariah, #CrazyKiki, because she dares to question the social hierarchy and incredibly conservative expectations of students and, more importantly, faculty. She gets bullied in the classroom and online, gaslit into remaining silent for the sake of image, and ultimately ends up emotionally traumatized.
And the saddest part?? At one point, a few female side characters commiserate with her over experiencing the same thing when they started at Xingfa. The culture of misogyny is so prevalent, so deeply ingrained at Xingfa that instead of speaking up for Kiki, they apologize for remaining bystanders; they've been pushed down, snuffed out, silenced for so long that ALL they can do is apologize.
While this book made me laugh and smile and swoon, it also had me crying literal tears of frustration. And in the end, I'm not sure if the ending was cathartic enough for me. The resolution, while totally acceptable by kdrama standards, was pretty unbelievable and convenient, and Jonas—the main perpetrator of the bullying—and the faculty didn't *really* learn their lesson.
The romance was cute. The female friendships were good. The characterization and atmosphere were perfect for the age range of the book (seriously, are the author's kids teenagers yet??? b/c the voice and tone were spot on!). The look into the hodgepodge of cultures and expectations that is Jakarta was fascinating. There were parts I genuinely had fun reading! But I came away kinda exhausted and under-satisfied. This could be the empath in me; this could be a more universal experience by readers. Only time will tell...
That said, I definitely see myself picking up more from this author. Like, even though I'm potentially setting myself up for the same emotional rollercoaster, I desperately want to read Sharlot and George Clooney's installment now. And I imagine if you liked that one, you'll for sure like this!
4 out of 5 stars
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Gaslighting, Sexism, and Misogyny
Moderate: Classism
Minor: Racism
ktdakotareads's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
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
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Misogyny, and Sexism
ddnreads's review against another edition
emotional
funny
inspiring
tense
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
4.5
POOR KIKI!!!!
OVERALL I LOVE IT
High school romance is definitely my jam. BUT high school romance in JAKARTA?! sign me up!!!
I love how this book managed to wove online gaming sexism, cyber bullying, school bullying, and mysoginistic into a still sweet tender love story. A story of becoming a woman. Of becoming unapologetically YOU. Of a girl stands up on herself and managed to find courage with her friends.
F*** the racist mysoginistic school that only want to SAVE FACE among other bullying problems. Sadly, it happened a lot in Indonesia, and it reflected clearly here. I love love how Kiki finally take "revenge" on this.
Oh my sweet green flag boy🫶🏽🫶🏽🫶🏽
Hope u rot in hell for those red flags boys yikes
If you're into gaming, high school romance, friends to lovers, and problematic school, give this book a go!!! 💖💖💖💖
Ps. It's a standalone book. However, if you have read Well That Was Unexpected, you'll find one or two familiar names here. EVEN IF YOI HAVEN'T (bcs I haven't too), it's okay. The story is still very much understandable and enjoyable.
OVERALL I LOVE IT
High school romance is definitely my jam. BUT high school romance in JAKARTA?! sign me up!!!
I love how this book managed to wove online gaming sexism, cyber bullying, school bullying, and mysoginistic into a still sweet tender love story. A story of becoming a woman. Of becoming unapologetically YOU. Of a girl stands up on herself and managed to find courage with her friends.
F*** the racist mysoginistic school that only want to SAVE FACE among other bullying problems. Sadly, it happened a lot in Indonesia, and it reflected clearly here. I love love how Kiki finally take "revenge" on this.
Oh my sweet green flag boy🫶🏽🫶🏽🫶🏽
Hope u rot in hell for those red flags boys yikes
If you're into gaming, high school romance, friends to lovers, and problematic school, give this book a go!!! 💖💖💖💖
Ps. It's a standalone book. However, if you have read Well That Was Unexpected, you'll find one or two familiar names here. EVEN IF YOI HAVEN'T (bcs I haven't too), it's okay. The story is still very much understandable and enjoyable.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying and Emotional abuse
cover2covertx's review
emotional
funny
reflective
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? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism, Misogyny, Bullying, and Emotional abuse
gkaltam's review
emotional
funny
inspiring
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying