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onthesamepage's review against another edition
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
3.0
ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Even though it deals with some heavier topics like misogyny in gaming, classism, and bullying, the overall tone of this is still really light-hearted and fun. The story is set in Indonesia, which made for a refreshing change. Kiki is a fun main character to follow. She has her flaws, and the author doesn't try to polish those away, but you also can't help but feel for her. I also really liked Liam, as well as a few of the side characters that brought a lot of humor to the story.
There were a few things that happened in the book that didn't make much sense to me, because I couldn't understand why a character would do something like that, but that didn't really hinder my enjoyment. Would definitely recommend for the target audience.
Even though it deals with some heavier topics like misogyny in gaming, classism, and bullying, the overall tone of this is still really light-hearted and fun. The story is set in Indonesia, which made for a refreshing change. Kiki is a fun main character to follow. She has her flaws, and the author doesn't try to polish those away, but you also can't help but feel for her. I also really liked Liam, as well as a few of the side characters that brought a lot of humor to the story.
There were a few things that happened in the book that didn't make much sense to me, because I couldn't understand why a character would do something like that, but that didn't really hinder my enjoyment. Would definitely recommend for the target audience.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying and Misogyny
Moderate: Classism
andreea__'s review
This books is so frustrating!! I can't stand the people from her school and they way they treat her. She doesn't deserve any of this. The mysoginy and bullying is ughh. I read books to escape reality not to be made more aware of it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Classism, and Misogyny
nicolepaul_ine's review against another edition
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism, Misogyny, and Bullying
Moderate: Classism
fkshg8465's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
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
5.0
I really like this author. She has a wide range of genres, and I think I’ve read all her books - at least the ones I could find at the library. As an adult, I’d probably give this book four stars because it’s way too cheesy for me. But given it’s a YA book, I think she’s captured the heart of how most teens think and talk and hope and feel. So five stars it is. Plus, I love that she tackled bullying of women both online and in person.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism, Bullying, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Emotional abuse, Sexism, and Toxic relationship
natashaleighton_'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? Yes
4.5
A surprisingly heartfelt, You’ve Got Mail Style Rom-Com that offsets its witty charm and humorous quips, with a deft exploration into sexism, toxic masculinity and online harassment of girls that I found refreshingly relevant.
Though not really a gamer myself (Pokemon and Animal Crossing being pretty much my only experience), I enjoyed exploring both the perks and pitfalls of the gaming community from a female centred perspective.
And what a perspective it was! Kiki was such a confident and compelling protagonist, with flaws and insecurities that brought depth to her character— which I found utterly endearing. Her relatable foray into the world of first love, starting a new school and the awkward task of making friends is certain to be a just as much of a hit with teen readers as well.
As I previously mentioned, we do explore some highly important subject material, such as the emotional and psychological impact of bullying (both on and off-line) and the multitude of problems that an environment of misogyny and toxic masculinity can cause.
However, the biggest highlight for me was the witty banter and character cameos from Jesse Q. Sutanto’s previous YA Rom-Com (Well, That Was Unexpected) which imbued the perfect amount comic relief to break up the more emotionally intense scenes. Especially with the return of the precocious Eleanor Roosevelt Tanuwijaya, whose elaborate (and secret) school wide dating service brings Kiki face to face with her online gaming bestie— who doesn’t know she’s a girl.
The romance was really good, in a slightly angsty will-they-won’t-they-kind of way but I did really enjoy it. Our male love interest was an adorable cinnamon roll and he and Kiki’s IRL interactions are the absolute cutest. My only criticism is that the pace did dip a little in the middle—however, Kiki’s resilient attitude and determination not to give into her bullies,and drive to change her school’s outdated (and sexist) policies, did lead to a satisfyingly uplifting conclusion that did definitely make up for it.
So, if you’re an avid gamer or adore YA Rom- Coms with a message then I highly recommend checking this out!
Also huge thank you to Rachel Quin and Electric Monkey Books for the finished copy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism, Misogyny, and Bullying
Moderate: Sexual harassment, Classism, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Racism
ellaandcoffee's review against another edition
dark
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying and Sexism
Moderate: Body shaming, Emotional abuse, and Classism
bookishmillennial's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
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? It's complicated
disclaimer: I don’t really give starred reviews. I enjoy most books for what they are, & I extract lessons from them all. I hope my reviews provide enough information to let you know if a book is for you or not. Find me here: https://linktr.ee/bookishmillennial
Oh my gosh, this has to be one of my top young adult coming-of-age/romance reads of the year! Jesse Q. Sutanto writes fierce young characters so well, and I adored this story about Kiki fighting the patriarchy of her uppity, conservative private school!
Kiki's parents transfer her to a new private school (the same one George Clooney goes to in Well, That Was Unexpected) against her wishes and she tries her best to fit in. However, once she gets there, she quickly realizes that she is up against a vehemently strong status quo, which is led by billionaire nepo-baby and top student, Jonas. After she challenges him during a group project meeting, a target lands on Kiki's back for major bullying and side-eye from the rest of the student body, deeming her "Crazy Kiki". Kiki attempts to go to the school principal for assistance, but repeatedly gets gaslighted, mansplained, and dismissed.
On top of all this, she has been battling it out virtually via the video game Warfront Heroes as "dudebro10" and finds out her online bestie "sourdawg" goes to her new school too! The only problem is - sourdawg thinks dudebro10 is a boy because of the username! Kiki only did this to be treated with respect and dignity, as the rampant misogyny in the gaming world was exhausting emotional labor that she did not want to navigate - she just wanted to play the game!
Additionally, Kiki agrees to be part of her younger classmates'/friends' new app "Little Aunties," and hopes to be matched with someone she develops a friendship with, Liam! However, Kiki also makes new friends with Tris, who also likes Liam! At her core, Kiki is a girls' girl and gives us lovely examples of healthy and strong female friendship, which can sometimes be rare in high school representation! Gosh, so much going on hahaha.
Amidst all the hijinks and drama, Kiki's journey is unfortunately not unique. I felt this was an empowering, relatable, and timely story of a young woman fighting back for her agency, dignity, and respect in a world that was set up for men to run it. Kiki encounters misogyny and sexism in almost every space she enters - home, school, online, and she refuses to let it define her. The examples that JQS highlighted in Kiki's story were too familiar - during a time where more and more femmes and nonbinary folks are entering spaces that were once predominantly spaces for cis-men, we need more and more stories like this and more conversations about recognizing the harms of the patriarchy, and combating it in every damn space!
The final scene where Kiki gives a presentation about the ways in which she was treated differently when online gamers knew she was a girl versus when they assumed she was a boy was chef's kiss. I felt so satisfied with this ending, and I was so proud of her!
I listened to the audiobook and highly recommend it - the narration by Risa Mei is excellent!
Oh my gosh, this has to be one of my top young adult coming-of-age/romance reads of the year! Jesse Q. Sutanto writes fierce young characters so well, and I adored this story about Kiki fighting the patriarchy of her uppity, conservative private school!
Kiki's parents transfer her to a new private school (the same one George Clooney goes to in Well, That Was Unexpected) against her wishes and she tries her best to fit in. However, once she gets there, she quickly realizes that she is up against a vehemently strong status quo, which is led by billionaire nepo-baby and top student, Jonas. After she challenges him during a group project meeting, a target lands on Kiki's back for major bullying and side-eye from the rest of the student body, deeming her "Crazy Kiki". Kiki attempts to go to the school principal for assistance, but repeatedly gets gaslighted, mansplained, and dismissed.
On top of all this, she has been battling it out virtually via the video game Warfront Heroes as "dudebro10" and finds out her online bestie "sourdawg" goes to her new school too! The only problem is - sourdawg thinks dudebro10 is a boy because of the username! Kiki only did this to be treated with respect and dignity, as the rampant misogyny in the gaming world was exhausting emotional labor that she did not want to navigate - she just wanted to play the game!
Additionally, Kiki agrees to be part of her younger classmates'/friends' new app "Little Aunties," and hopes to be matched with someone she develops a friendship with, Liam! However, Kiki also makes new friends with Tris, who also likes Liam! At her core, Kiki is a girls' girl and gives us lovely examples of healthy and strong female friendship, which can sometimes be rare in high school representation! Gosh, so much going on hahaha.
Amidst all the hijinks and drama, Kiki's journey is unfortunately not unique. I felt this was an empowering, relatable, and timely story of a young woman fighting back for her agency, dignity, and respect in a world that was set up for men to run it. Kiki encounters misogyny and sexism in almost every space she enters - home, school, online, and she refuses to let it define her. The examples that JQS highlighted in Kiki's story were too familiar - during a time where more and more femmes and nonbinary folks are entering spaces that were once predominantly spaces for cis-men, we need more and more stories like this and more conversations about recognizing the harms of the patriarchy, and combating it in every damn space!
I listened to the audiobook and highly recommend it - the narration by Risa Mei is excellent!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Gaslighting, Bullying, Sexism, Sexual harassment, and Classism
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
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