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4.04 AVERAGE
4.04 AVERAGE
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
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:
No
We're so back!!!
Yes the concept is convoluted and kind of dumb, but I didn't care! I was here for the drama and like him being the only one that sees her while they do objectively very strange challenges for a language exchange program mostly to get them having ~ moments ~ together.
There were some more serious themes about body image and self-doubt which I think were dealt with well, and it didn't feel like the female protagonist's development was completely due to a boy taking an interest in her which I liked.
This feels more in the vein of I Hope This Doesn't Find You and This Time It's Real which I really liked from Liang - fairly light and readable YA with a female main character who is needing to face some truths about herself.
Yes the concept is convoluted and kind of dumb, but I didn't care! I was here for the drama and like him being the only one that sees her while they do objectively very strange challenges for a language exchange program mostly to get them having ~ moments ~ together.
There were some more serious themes about body image and self-doubt which I think were dealt with well, and it didn't feel like the female protagonist's development was completely due to a boy taking an interest in her which I liked.
This feels more in the vein of I Hope This Doesn't Find You and This Time It's Real which I really liked from Liang - fairly light and readable YA with a female main character who is needing to face some truths about herself.
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Ann Liang once again proves she cannot write a bad romance novel! Ugh, that book was so cute and uplifting, and, overall, the perfect summer read. Following Leah as she travels to China— which is beautifully described, by the way— in an attempt to reconnect with her roots was such a pleasure. The whole book truly is a love letter to China, so much so that the setting almost became a character, and I loved how Leah found herself there. The romance was incredible in typical Ann Liang fashion and the supporting cast of characters was extremely endearing. I loved it.
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Yeah the romance was cute, but I was drooling at their two-week tour of China (I yearn for travel)
Content Warnings
Moderate: Eating disorder, Racism
funny
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
emotional
funny
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
This was a cute and dreamy YA romance about second chances, forgiveness, and acceptance. I thought the romance storyline was cute but honestly I didn’t think the fact that he literally got her expelled from a school was addressed well enough. I did think the way Cyrus treated Lia was adorable and sweet, which was perfect for a YA novel. I also really appreciated the development of the flirty, charismatic friend Oliver, who could have easily just been there for comic relief had the author not included the scene with him and Lia talking about crushes.
I also like all the description of Shanghai—the whole story had a kind of dreamy quality to it, which made it a perfect summer read!
One thing I didn’t enjoy, though, was specific to the audiobook: the narrator gave Cyrus a nasal, monotonous voice. It didn’t seem to suit him and wasn’t my favorite to listen to. The other characters didn’t seem to have that different of voices, so I wonder why she made that choice for the main love interest.
All in all, this was a sweet YA romance and I enjoyed it.
Read if you like sweet YA romances and stories about moving on from your past and discovering your present.
I also like all the description of Shanghai—the whole story had a kind of dreamy quality to it, which made it a perfect summer read!
One thing I didn’t enjoy, though, was specific to the audiobook: the narrator gave Cyrus a nasal, monotonous voice. It didn’t seem to suit him and wasn’t my favorite to listen to. The other characters didn’t seem to have that different of voices, so I wonder why she made that choice for the main love interest.
All in all, this was a sweet YA romance and I enjoyed it.
Read if you like sweet YA romances and stories about moving on from your past and discovering your present.
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No