XOXO
Author: Axie Oh

Published: July 13, 2021 by Haperteen

Cello prodigy Jenny has one goal: to get into a prestigious music conservatory. When she meets mysterious, handsome Jaewoo in her uncle’s Los Angeles karaoke bar, it’s clear he’s the kind of boy who would uproot her careful plans. But in a moment of spontaneity, she allows him to pull her out of her comfort zone for one unforgettable night of adventure…before he disappears without a word.

Three months later, when Jenny and her mother arrive in South Korea to take care of her ailing grandmother, she’s shocked to discover that Jaewoo is a student at the same elite arts academy where she’s enrolled for the semester. And he’s not just any student. He’s a member of one of the biggest K-pop bands in the world—and he’s strictly forbidden from dating.

When a relationship means throwing Jenny’s life off the path she’s spent years mapping out, she’ll have to decide once and for all just how much she’s willing to risk for love.

 

REVIEW

I loved loved XOXO. It was the perfect book I needed. Well written and a lot of fun.

So if you have ever seen the K-Drama EXO Nextdoor this reminded me a lot of that. Which made me so incredibly happy, I’ve been looking for something that captures that feeling for a long time. I loved that it’s this fun idea of an idol and regular person (even though she is talented on her own) meeting by chance. Really this needs to be it’s own K-drama.

I loved Jenny. She is a talented cellist who has all the needed technique but has been so focused on it that she has lost her spark. Her Uncle offers a bit of a challenge and she finds herself taking some risk. I really liked seeing her develop from someone who is so focused on their goals that they lost sight of other parts of themselves. To find how she can have all the things, she just needs balance.

There are so many other characters to love and I don’t even want to delve into them too much because it’s fun to get to know them through the story but I loved Jaewoo as well. It was fun to see his character evolve as well as he deals with his own issues of being a Kpop idol. There are just so many great and cute moments. 

It’s always hard to put into words when you love a book sooo much how great you think it is. This book makes me smile when I see the cover. I can’t wait to reread it when I need a pick me up. I just really really really want this as a K-Drama or I would even take a Manwha or maybe both. 

Broken Web by Lori M. Lee

Title: Broken Web

Author: Lori M. Lee

Published: June 15th 2021 by Page Street

The Soulless has woken from his centuries-long imprisonment. Now, he lurks in the Dead Wood recovering his strength, while Sirscha and her allies journey east to the shaman empire of Nuvalyn. Everyone believes she is a soulguide—a savior—but Sirscha knows the truth. She’s a monster, a soulrender like the Soulless, and if anyone discovers the truth, she’ll be executed.

But there’s nothing Sirscha won’t risk to stop the shaman responsible for the rot that’s killing her best friend. While the Soulless is formidable, like all shamans, his magic must be channeled through a familiar. If Sirscha can discover what—or who—that is, she might be able to cut him off from his power.

With Queen Meilyr bent on destroying the magical kingdoms, Sirscha finds herself caught between a war brewing in the east and the Soulless waiting in the west. She should be trying to unite what peoples she can to face their common enemies, but instead, her hunt for clues about the Soulless leads to a grim discovery, forcing Sirscha to question who her enemies really are.

REVIEW

I have such a great love for this series and Broken Web just reiterated that for me. I really enjoy the characters and the plot of the story.

I love Sirscha and how tough as nails she is. I also like that the other characters support her but this is really her story.

I love the friendship between Sirscha and Saengo and how it can not be swayed. No matter what odds are against them, they obviously have one big elephant in the room between them. They still have such faith and trust in each other and know that the other has their back. No questioning, no doubts and I think that's such an important part of the story.

I for some reason thought this series was going to be a duology so I was a little worried with the direction things were going with reveals and such. When I realized it wasn’t everything made a lot more sense. I did need to shake my head around to remember a little more about Ronin. I knew he had kept the Deadwood in check and of course the Soulless but I forgot little things about him. I was not confused though in the story at all. There is also a lot of action and a lot of politics in this installment and it is all setting up for what I’m expecting to be an exciting book three. The reveals were pretty interesting and what the Shamanborn mean to different groups.

I feel like the story just has some great imagery that gives you that dark vibe. Like with the deadwood but just even the towns too. 

I really like the dynamics of the different characters. Although we find Sirscha alone quite often or just only with Saengo. We do have interactions with some characters we expected and some new ones. I think Sirscha needed to do some growing on her own though so it worked out.

I’m looking forward to the third installment. I want to see where the reveals, the politics and of course the magic takes us.