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Books to read if you like XO, Kitty
I’ve been smitten with Jenny Han’s books since she released To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before.
I mean, hopeless romantic. Yup, that’s me.
Jenny Han writes in a flowing way. Her language is succinct and detailed, and it is this simplicity that drew me to her novels.
To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before was a tremendous smash on the big screen earlier in 2018!
XO, Kitty is a TATBILB spin-off TV series that is romantic, funny, and adventurous.
The series focuses on Kitty, Lara Jean’s younger sister, as she makes her way through high school in picturesque Korea.
Family, friendship, and self-discovery are among the topics that are meaningfully and relatably explored in XO, Kitty. Overall, the show is a great addition to the TATBILB universe.
Here’s a list of must-read novels if you liked XO, Kitty.
Not Here To Be Liked By Michelle Quach
Genres/Categories
YA, Contemporary Romance, Feminism.
Trigger Warnings
Sexism, racism, misogyny.
Synopsis
Eliza Quan is the ideal choice to serve as editor-in-chief of her school newspaper. That is, until Len DiMartile, an ex-jockey, challenges her and wins. Len seems more like a leader just because he’s tall, and male.
Eliza unintentionally triggers a feminist movement after her draft, where she had vented her frustrations on a school computer, gets released accidentally.
The school begs Eliza and Len to cooperate to show civility in this mounting conflict. But as they get to know one another, Eliza begins to feel imprisoned by a dreadful realization: she just could be falling for him.
My Thoughts
I went into reading this book thinking the cover was cute.
I came out of reading this a reformed feminist.
I remember reading the part where Eliza, in a rage blackout, starts typing out her feelings, commenting on the misogyny that went into selecting the editor-in-chief (mentioned in the synopsis).
She claims that she isn’t a likable person—some have even called her a word that I’m not going to use now. I truly understood her in that moment.
It didn’t matter if her demeanor wasn’t build to satisfy other people’s expectations. She was hardworking, and it was an unequivocal fact that she deserved more.
I loved this book’s take on feminism.
It teaches you that being a feminist doesn’t mean that you never have to have a relationship with the “patriarchy”.
It’s more about recognizing strengths and weaknesses that both aides possess, and optimizing them to work together toward something.
Hot British Boyfriend by kristy Boyce
Genres/Categories
YA, Romance, Contemporary.
Trigger Warnings
Overbearing parents, badmouthing, cyber-harassment, public humiliation.
Synopsis
Ellie Nichols flees to a foreign land to avoid embarrassment following the public rejection by her crush, a decision any young woman would make. She takes part in the study abroad program to England organized by her high school, to be precise.
While Ellie’s classmates may be enrolling in honors classes with the intention of improving their college applications, Ellie’s main objective for attending school is to regain her self-confidence and reconstruct her image. And a hot British boyfriend can be a major confidence booster.
Ellie decides to steer clear of repeating the errors she made in her last romantic relationship upon meeting Will, a captivating and charming British boy.
Therefore, she strikes an agreement with Dev, a high-achieving classmate whom she hasn’t really bonded with, but possesses a plethora of information regarding the subjects Will is interested in. She proposes that if he assists her in winning the heart of her crush, she will assist him in winning the heart of his.
But as she proceeds with her plans, she questions if they will be the solution to all her problems.
My Thoughts
This book has one of my favorite quotes ever.
“If you like doing something, then it’s not silly.”
Hot British Boyfriend has a swoon-worthy romance, of course. But it also talks a lot about passion and support.
We have Ellie, who loves making fairy gardens. Her passion for it bleeds through the pages. But she feels a certain shame in doing so because of what people might think and what trusted friends have said in the past.
The English countryside provides her much-needed respite from all the judging glances back home, be it because of misinterpretation or her hobbies.
The setting is important because she finds a support group—her roommate, the boy she’s possibly catching feelings for, and his roommate—that is as passionate as she is.
This inspires her to take charge of her life.
Hot British Boyfriend is a must-read for anyone who has seemed to have lost their way.
I’ve also had the pleasure of interviewing Kristy Boyce, the author of Hot British Boyfriend. Check it out!
Glimpsed by G. F. Miller
Genres/Categories
YA, Contemporary Romantic, Magical Realism.
Trigger Warnings
Divorce, parental abandonment, drinking, stalking (mild)
Synopsis
Charity is a fairy godmother. She doesn’t wear a poofy dress or go around waving a wand, but she does make sure the deepest desires of the student population at Jack London High School come true.
And she knows what they want even better than they do because she can glimpse their perfect futures.
But when Charity fulfills a glimpse that gets Vibha crowned homecoming queen, it ends in disaster. Suddenly, every wish Charity has ever granted is called into question.
Has she really been helping people? Where do these glimpses come from, anyway? What if she’s not getting the whole picture?
Making this existential crisis way worse is Noah—the adorkable and (in Charity’s opinion) diabolical ex of one of her past clients—who blames her for sabotaging his prom plans and claims her interventions are doing more harm than good.
He demands that she stop granting wishes and help him get his girl back. At first, Charity has no choice but to play along. But soon, Noah becomes an unexpected ally in getting to the bottom of the glimpses. Before long, Charity dares to call him her friend…and even starts to wish he were something more.
My Thoughts
Ever wondered if the fairy godmother from Cinderella got her happily ever after?
I don’t think I’ve ever thought about other characters in a fairytale. But I have to admit, they were vital for the story.
Cinderella wouldn’t be at the ball with Prince Charming without her fairy godmother. Snow White wouldn’t hit as hard without the dwarfs.
Glimpsed will aid many of your musings.
It also gives you insight into what it means to help others for a lifetime.
How sometimes, even if the aid of others is rewarding, not putting ourselves first can be mentally and physically debilitating.
Glimpsed made me think critically about fairytales. It made me swoon, laugh, and then cry. It gave me a fresh perspective on self-love.
And…it made me wary of pepper spray.
Check out my interview with G. F. Miller, Author of Glimpsed!
If I’m Being Honest by Emily Wibberly and Austin Siegemund-Broka
Genres/Categories
YA Contemporary Romance
Trigger Warnings
Name-calling, bullying, parental abandonment, parental separation, humiliation, overbearing parents.
Synopsis
High school senior Cameron Bright’s reputation can be summed up in one word: bitch. It’s no surprise she’s queen bee at her private L.A. high school—she’s beautiful, talented, and notorious for her cutting and brutal honesty. So when she puts her foot in her mouth in front of her crush, Andrew, she fears she may have lost him for good.
In an attempt to win him over, Cameron resolves to “tame” herself, much like Katherine in Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew. First, she’ll have to make amends with those she’s wronged, which leads her to Brendan, the guy she labelled with an unfortunate nickname back in the sixth grade. At first, Brendan isn’t all that receptive to Cameron’s ploy. But slowly, he warms up to her when they connect over the computer game he’s developing. Now if only Andrew would notice…
But the closer Cameron gets to Brendan, the more she sees he appreciates her personality—honesty and all—and wonders if she’s compromising who she is for the guy she doesn’t even want.
My Thoughts
This book is unlike any YA novel I’ve read.
I have to applaud Cameron, the protagonist, for getting through all the stuff happening to her—getting ostracized by her friend, people name-calling her, being called pathetic by her father, and dealing with her ignorant mother—without having a mental breakdown.
For Cameron honesty is the best policy and I love it. But, she’s chastised for her honesty?
If I’m being honest I don’t see how that matters. Lying is so much worse than telling the truth.
I love that she didn’t care about people’s opinions, but in the end, I also admire her realization that even if she wanted to be nicer, she didn’t have to go through astronomical levels of lying.
Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew plays into the plot when she’s coming to that realization.
There’s talk about passion here too—be it the romantic kind or the career kind.
If I’m Being Honest is funny, relatable, and empowering. It’s the kind of story that motivates you to be true to yourself and chase after your goals.
Not to mention, it’s romantic!
