ARC Review: XOXO by Axie Oh

XOXO
by Axie Oh
Publication Date: July 13^th 2021
Publisher: HarperTeen
Find This Book: XOXO
Rating: 5/5

I was given an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Jenny, a cello prodigy, finds herself suddenly (though temporarily) moving to Korea when the grandmother that she's never met before is diagnosed with cancer. Jenny and her mother move from LA to Seoul for 6 months while her grandmother undergoes treatment, and Jenny gets into the prestigious Seoul Arts Academy for the semester.

Her one goal? To use SAA's end of term showcase to get into her dream conservatory school: the Manhattan School of Music. The only problem? The hot boy she had a meet-cute with in LA turns out to be a student at her new school and he can be... distracting!

In XOXO, Axie Oh perfectly portrays the hurdles and stresses of being an art student, as well as the tensions and love in parent/child dynamics, AND the unique position one finds themselves in when returning to their motherland. The plot hinges on Jenny not knowing much about K-pop, when she accidentally meets a member of one of the most famous K-pop bands in the world and sparks fly. Only after she moves to Korea where K-pop and Korean Idol Culture is everywhere, does she see a poster for the band XOXO and realize that Jaewoo isn't just another student, he's a popular idol. When having a relationship means throwing both of their lives off the paths they've carefully mapped out, how much are they willing to risk for love?

Axie Oh breaks down Idol Culture in order to create this dramatic yet sweet love story that tests what Jenny and Jaewoo really want and need. Additionally, it's set almost entirely in Korea, so get ready for the wanderlust! This was the perfect mini-vacation to enjoy from the comfort of my couch. Last but certainly not least, if you consider yourself a foodie and love yummy food descriptions, this is the book for you. Axie Oh describes so much delicious food, I was practically drooling.

XOXO is definitely a must-read for contemporary romance readers.

Top Ten Tuesday #14

Created by The Broke and The Bookish
Hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl

7 Books on my Spring 2021 TBR

1. Winterkeep by Kristin Cashore

I was so excited for this January 2021 release but I needed to re-read Graceling, Fire, and Bitterblue first. I finally finished my reread last week, so Winterkeep is definitely one of my next reads!

2. The Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare 

I have owned this series for years now, as it was recommended to me over 10 years ago now. I actually messed up a bit and read The Mortal Instruments all the way through instead of reading Clare's books in publication order so I'm a bit upset that some of this series has already been spoiled for me in The Mortal Instruments finale... Nevertheless, I'm starting this series ASAP!

3. Meet Cute Diary by Emery Lee

I was just approved for an eARC of this book on NetGalley and I'm excited to dive in! It's a rom-com about Noah Ramirez, a trans boy who runs a romance blog that gives hope to other trans readers. Involving internet shenanigans and fake-dating, I'm excited to see what Lee has in store for us!

4. Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo

Is anyone else super excited for the upcoming Shadow and Bone show?!?! I know that I am! I actually read Six of Crows in February of 2020 and just went back and read the original Grisha trilogy in February of 2021. I've got to prepare for the show in April! Now I've just got to finish off my show preparations by reading Crooked Kingdom.  I've really enjoyed the Grishaverse so far and definitely see myself reading the King of Scars books too, but probably not this Spring.

5. A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue really turned me on to V.E. Schwab's writing. I absolutely loved it! I recently picked up a copy of A Darker Shade of Magic and I hope to be able to pick it up to read soon. Magical Transportation between different versions of London sounds so fascinating!

6. A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson

This one was actually on a previous Top 10-- my list of books I meant to read in 2020. I just checked out an ebook copy of it from my library, so here's to finally making this read a reality! I love a good thriller, especially when it's a murder mystery.  Will Pip and I find the real killer??

7. The Bright & The Pale by Jessica Rubinkowski

A magical duology inspired by Russian culture and mythology, and with a gorgeous cover to boot! This is Rubinkowski's debut, and I'm looking forward to getting my hands on it.

I could go further, but I think this is a realistic goal for the rest of Spring 2021. 

What's on Your Spring TBR?

ARC Review: Take Me Home Tonight by Morgan Matson

Take Me Home Tonight
by Morgan Matson
Publication Date: May 4^th 2021
Publisher: Simon Schuster Books for Young Readers
Find This Book: Take Me Home Tonight
Rating: 5/5

I was given an ARC of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Morgan Matson’s Take Me Home Tonight was utterly charming. I absolutely loved the book’s message about expanding your horizons and trying new things. I think it’s a really common storyline for high school seniors to freak out about not knowing what they want to do and then “find” themselves, and it was refreshing to see the exact opposite happen in this book. Stevie and Kat start out so sure of themselves and their world until it shatters around them. These two best friends realize how big the world truly is and how many opportunities they truly have available to them. This is such an important message to be sending, and it’s what I would go back and tell my younger self if I could. Maybe you love something you haven’t even considered yet. Before one thing becomes THE THING that pays all of your bills, try as many things as you can and find out what makes you happy. What makes you happy doesn’t have to be one thing, it can be lots of things, and just because you don’t think you can “make it” professionally doesn’t mean that you should cut whatever that is out of your life. You don’t have to be the best, you don’t have to do everything professionally, you just have to enjoy your hobbies and your free time.

Another component that made Take Me Home Tonight so special, was that it centered Stevie and Kat’s friendship and highlighted important platonic and familial relationships that they have and/or struggle with. It was especially endearing to watch Stevie navigate interacting with her step-siblings. Whether ‘traditional’ or ‘blended,’ families are complicated. Suddenly having three older siblings can be daunting and there are good and bad ways to cope with that change. Stevie isn’t perfect, well, really none of the characters are perfect, but their faults don’t define them. Their faults show them where they need to grow. 

Lastly, The Teri Timeline, as I like to call it, was such an unexpected and fantastic twist and I can’t wait to be able to talk about it with others!

ARC Review: My Contrary Mary by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows

My Contrary Mary

by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows

Publication Date: June 22^nd 2021

Publisher: HarperTeen

Find This Book: My Contrary Mary

Rating: 5/5

An ARC of this audiobook was provided to me by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This series as a concept had me so unbelievably excited. After completing a trilogy of historical Jane retellings, Hand, Ashton, and Meadows have set their sights on Marys. The very first, My Contrary Mary, is a Mary Queen of Scots retelling. Get ready to be transported to Renaissance France where Mary is a ward of the French Court! 

The book's narration comes from several shifting POV's (primarily Mary), as well as some third-person narrator comments. The narrator's are really what makes this book so special. They are absolutely hilarious, providing a 'so-here-is-the-scoop' tone. They are terrible gossips, but charmingly witty at the same time. They are that friend in college/high school that you always turned to when you wanted to hear about the latest scandals without going through the effort of snooping things out for yourself. Before the book even properly started I was cry-laughing at the dedication: "For the people who feel like they have to be perfect; and for France. We're sorry for what we're about to do to your history, but it was your turn."

I found myself enjoying the return to the Eðian/Verity dynamic (shapeshifter/pure humans) as a metaphor for the disparity and tensions between Catholics and Protestants at the time. It is a cool way to reframe this time period, and was pretty genius! 

On top of the comedy, the characters were so well developed. I truly felt for Mary and Francis, and even the side characters like Mary Livingston and Ari. Their actions and motivations felt real, and the stakes and betrayals in court were gutting. While of course this is a series of Marys, in a sense each book is also a stand alone, which I think is a boon to the work. Readers don't necessarily have to read The Lady Janies series to enjoy this latest work. Comedy and Historical Fiction blend together effortlessly in this gem of a book. Bonus points? Bonus points! On top of everything, I actually feel like I learned a lot reading this book. The plot was surprisingly historically accurate, if we overlook the whole fantasy shapeshifting element haha.

All in all, My Contrary Mary is a must-read, and I impatiently await the additions of Mary Shelley and Mary Read to the new Mary series!

ARC Review: The Initial Insult by Mindy McGinnis

The Initial Insult 

by Mindy McGinnis

Publication Date: February 23^rd 2021

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books

Find This Book: The Initial Insult

Rating: 5/5

An ARC of this audiobook was provided to me by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. 

Wow, and can I say it again? WOW. I have read This Darkness Mine, so I had an idea of what I'd signed up for with a Mindy McGinnis book but my mind was still blown by her impressive prose. McGinnis has crafted two amazing main characters, Tress and Felicity, that switch POV's throughout the book. This creates an interesting dynamic of perspectives as we settle into a Cask of Amontillado type situation. That's right, someone is getting entombed behind a brick wall Edgar-Allan-Poe-Style! I absolutely loved this premise, and I found the flashbacks to their friendship falling apart (told by both sides) to be completely fascinating.

McGinnis has perfectly crafted yet another psycho-thriller and I can't wait for the second half of this duology. I thought I knew where this was going but was so intrigued by the flashback stories that I didn't care too much, and then BAM! My expected ending did NOT happen. I was so shocked I had to re-listen to the last couple of chapters to confirm I wasn't dreaming! The ending was so abrupt it left me reeling, and it would have been a perfect ending point to the entire story, no second half needed, if I wasn't left with so many unresolved flashback questions. You could say I'm 'dying' to find out what happens next!

**The one thing that I do have to warn about is that there is some sexual content, so this might not be the 'young adult' book for everyone!

ARC Review: Rebel Daughter by Lori Banov Kaufmann

Rebel Daughter

by Lori Banov Kaufmann

Publication Date:  February 9^th 2021

Publisher:  Delacorte Press

Find This Book: Rebel Daughter

Rating: 4/5

I was given an ARC of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Rebel Daughter starts off strong with heartfelt characters and careful attention to historical detail. It really felt like I’d been visiting 1st century Jerusalem every time I picked up this book! The best part is that all the details felt natural, time-traveling descriptions never bogged down the plot or emotional depth of scenes. The story is of Esther, the daughter of a priest, worries for her marriage prospects and for her family as tensions erupt in her home between the Jewish people and their Roman conquerors. As war erupts, Esther struggles not only to keep it together but also to keep her family together. A story where people and friendships are not as they seem, Rebel Daughter bears witness to all the strong women who have shaped and desperately survived history.

My only critique is that there a couple jarring time-jumps. One between chapters is excusable and between chapters can be a murky passage of time, but the one that happens between mere paragraphs not demarcated in any way ruined the immersion for me. It took several pages to re-adjust back to the plot. I realize that the time jumps probably fit with a historical timeline, but it could have been padded or headlined for a smoother flow of the story.