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A review by breedawnwriter
ASAP by Axie Oh
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
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? Yes
5.0
"I'm content being loved and appreciated by the few people who I love and appreciate. That's enough for me."
This was the kpop book of my dreams! I didn't read XOXO before reading this one, but I think this one works as a standalone. If you've already read XOXO, I imagine this one would be a really cute spinoff.
What I Loved:
- The way adult problems are differentiated from teenager problems. This is a pretty subtle point that comes out more toward the end, but it's something I really appreciated. A lot of novels don't take the time to let the characters discover that some problems are meant for adults, while other problems are okay for teenagers to solve. I'm being vague to avoid spoilers, but I hope this makes sense.
- The romance, obviously. I know some people felt like Sori and Nathaniel have zero chemistry, but I'm not one of them. I absolutely adored every interaction that they had. Their relationship was so complicated and I love that it didn't turn toxic or co-dependent.
- Sori and Jenny's friendship. I guess they're enemies in XOXO, but in ASAP, they're practically besties. I do wish there was a little more of their friendship on-page, but I really did love them.
- The focus on found family. This was not something I noticed happening until the very end, and it was a lovely little surprise.
- The high stakes. If a YA novel doesn't actually have life-or-death stakes, then you better find a way to make the stakes FEEL like life-or-death. And Oh delivered on this beautifully.
- The kpop references. There was exactly one BTS reference, and that was enough for me.
What I Didn't Love:
- The overall lack of plot? Sometimes it felt like we were just hopping from scene to scene without a clear end-point. I don't necessarily know how to explain this, but there did seem to be a lack of overarching structure to the story that I think could have really elevated it just a bit more.
Overall, this is a really fluffy, light novel about friendship, second chances, the kpop industry, broken families, found families, and what it means to grow up. I would highly recommend to anyone who's looking for their next kpop or found family book.
I received an ARC from HarperTeen in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
This was the kpop book of my dreams! I didn't read XOXO before reading this one, but I think this one works as a standalone. If you've already read XOXO, I imagine this one would be a really cute spinoff.
What I Loved:
- The way adult problems are differentiated from teenager problems. This is a pretty subtle point that comes out more toward the end, but it's something I really appreciated. A lot of novels don't take the time to let the characters discover that some problems are meant for adults, while other problems are okay for teenagers to solve. I'm being vague to avoid spoilers, but I hope this makes sense.
- The romance, obviously. I know some people felt like Sori and Nathaniel have zero chemistry, but I'm not one of them. I absolutely adored every interaction that they had. Their relationship was so complicated and I love that it didn't turn toxic or co-dependent.
- Sori and Jenny's friendship. I guess they're enemies in XOXO, but in ASAP, they're practically besties. I do wish there was a little more of their friendship on-page, but I really did love them.
- The focus on found family. This was not something I noticed happening until the very end, and it was a lovely little surprise.
- The high stakes. If a YA novel doesn't actually have life-or-death stakes, then you better find a way to make the stakes FEEL like life-or-death. And Oh delivered on this beautifully.
- The kpop references. There was exactly one BTS reference, and that was enough for me.
What I Didn't Love:
- The overall lack of plot? Sometimes it felt like we were just hopping from scene to scene without a clear end-point. I don't necessarily know how to explain this, but there did seem to be a lack of overarching structure to the story that I think could have really elevated it just a bit more.
Overall, this is a really fluffy, light novel about friendship, second chances, the kpop industry, broken families, found families, and what it means to grow up. I would highly recommend to anyone who's looking for their next kpop or found family book.
I received an ARC from HarperTeen in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism
Moderate: Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Infidelity, and Sexual content
Minor: Blood, Alcohol, and Bullying