Gemma Sun has always believed it was her and her mom against the world. But when she unexpectedly learns that her grandfather has recently pa5/5 Stars
Gemma Sun has always believed it was her and her mom against the world. But when she unexpectedly learns that her grandfather has recently passed- a grandfather she believed had died when she was much younger- Gemma begins to question everything she ever knew. Her grandfather set up a treasure hunt in his will and Gemma is determined to complete it, even if it means dealing with her academic rival.
This was an absolutely fantastic read. I would have completed it sooner, but I just didn't want it to end. There were a couple moments in the beginning where I almost couldn't keep reading. I am very susceptible to secondhand embarrassment and YA novels tend to use that frequently. But it was a nice change in pace that this one only had a couple moments.
I loved the growth that all of our characters gain throughout the novel, no matter how small of a role they played. There were multiple characters that were dealing with figuring out what their Taiwanese heritage meant to them, and they each found themselves in ways that worked for each of them. And in terms of our heroine, Gemma's character developed in multiple ways. She connects with her heritage after growing up completely Americanized, her relationship with her mother is both weakened and strengthened, and she even learns more about her rival.
Also, I am an absolute sucker for a good treasure hunt. And this one was a well thought out hunt that felt reminiscent of National Treasure. The ultimate conclusion of the hunt was so satisfying. Plus, adding a dash of potential romance and you can't really go wrong!
If Gloria Chao's other works are as beautifully written as this, then I will absolutely be reading more!
Disclaimer: I received an advanced copy through NetGalley....more
Read this originally when I was a teen. This is still one of my favorite reads. And honestly, now that I'm an adult with a kid, this hits so 5/5 Stars
Read this originally when I was a teen. This is still one of my favorite reads. And honestly, now that I'm an adult with a kid, this hits so much differently. ...more
Part of me forgot how much I love this series. But it was like meeting an old friend you haven't seen in a long time. I think the last time I5/5 Stars
Part of me forgot how much I love this series. But it was like meeting an old friend you haven't seen in a long time. I think the last time I read this was over a decade ago and I got just as much enjoyment (if not more!) than when I was a kid first reading it. ...more
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