Loveboat, Taipei (Loveboat, Taipei, #1) by Abigail Hing Wen

Jul 08, 2019 Melanie rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Recommended to Melanie by: Lily ☁️

Shelves: contemporary, young-adult, own-voices, buddy-reads, read-in-2020

I loved this so much. This really is a love letter to belonging and seeing all your different parts, and the parts you came from, and exploring those parts and connecting deeper to your culture. This is also a story very much about what it means to be asian american and how sometimes those two parts can make you feel not enough for either half. This was beautiful, and the story was so good, the romance (and love triangle) was everything, and I feel so honored to have read this. <3

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Jul 08, 2019 Lily ☁️ marked it as 2020-pub

Shelves: poc-author, asian-rep

If this book doesn’t end up being my favorite read of 2020, I shall perish.

But in all honesty, this is the rep I’ve been waiting for my entire life?? Someone pinch me.

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Aug 15, 2019 ✨ A ✨ marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Shelves: 2020-release, arcs-to-read

This. This is the content we need.

ARC provided by publisher via edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.

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Dec 23, 2019 Jen Ryland added it · review of another edition

Shelves: beware-of-love-triangle, cheating

Super cute - loved the setting, the themes of family, friendship, and following your dreams.
The romance situation is messy so if that is an issue for you, be warned. But this was really fun!

Read more of my reviews on JenRyland.com! Let's be friends on Bookstagram!

Thanks to the publisher for providing an advance copy for review!

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Dec 26, 2019 Kayla Brunson rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2019, arc, disappointment

I really wanted this to be as beautiful as that cover, but I was sadly disappointed. I seriously felt like I was maybe too old for this and most of the scenarios that take place in this book.

I was all for our main character Ever for about 40% of the book. From there I went from being hesitant about what her character would do to straight up disliking her. That’s right, I don’t like our main character. She does a few things that rub me the wrong way and I have no shame saying that I wanted to ...more

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Jan 04, 2020 Yna the Mood Reader rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: the-ffbc-book-tours, 2020-year-of-the-asian, arc, armed-with-a-bingo, startonyourshelfathon

"My parents sent me to discover my heritage, but in the process, I’m also finding parts of myself, even if that self isn’t who they want me to be."

Series: Yes, according to Goodreads.
Genre: YA Contemporary
POV: First
Cliffhanger: No

Content Warnings: Love square/quadrangle. Asian stereotyping. Racism. Graphic description of injuries. Leaked nude photos. Mentions of depression & self-harm. Sexual content.

Read if: you love Crazy Rich Asians and/or American Panda.

Let me start this ...more

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Dec 13, 2019 Alexa rated it really liked it

Shelves: friends-with-arcs, read-in-2019, wishlist

Loveboat, Taipei is like Crazy Rich Asians meets American Panda, but is also very much a contemporary YA that stands all on its own. Ever Wong’s summer plans are completely disrupted when her parents send her off to Taipei to attend Chien Tan, an educational program meant to help Ever with her Mandarin skills and appreciation of her culture. But what Ever discovers is that the program is affectionately known as Loveboat, a summer-long party where adults turn a blind eye and teens have the ...more

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Dec 13, 2019 Nursebookie rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Loveboat, Taipei by Abigail Hing Wen

I was beyond excited to be one of the first chosen to read this ARC. I have been waiting for something like this to be written, specifically about the young adult Taiwanese American experience - not just about the Chinese or Asian experience growing up in America, but as a Taiwanese specifically and to have it written ever so accurately by someone who understood, is pretty special.

College bound Ever Wong was sent to Taiwan the summer before entering college ...more

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Jul 09, 2019 caitlin ✶ rated it liked it · review of another edition

And as I lunge and whirl my bo staff, dancing to the ancient drum beats, I feel all the parts of myself coming together: glad that a part of me is Chinese, a part of me American, and all of me is simply me.

Loveboat, Taipei by Abigail Hing Wen is one of my most anticipated 2020 releases. From its absolutely riveting cover, to its own voices Asian representation, there was no way I wasn't gonna read it.

A big reason why I wanted to read Loveboat, Taipei so much was because it centers on

And as I lunge and whirl my bo staff, dancing to the ancient drum beats, I feel all the parts of myself coming together: glad that a part of me is Chinese, a part of me American, and all of me is simply me.

Loveboat, Taipei by Abigail Hing Wen is one of my most anticipated 2020 releases. From its absolutely riveting cover, to its own voices Asian representation, there was no way I wasn't gonna read it.

A big reason why I wanted to read Loveboat, Taipei so much was because it centers on characters spending the summer in Taiwan learning Mandarin. In 2019, I did the exact same thing, except I went to China and not Taiwan! Reading about Ever and her friends' experiences made me remember my memories from my own trip. I even found myself relating to a few of the shenanigans they went through!

Fair warning: This book features a love triangle. But fear not! In my opinion, it was handled super well. For a while, I genuinely had no clue who Ever was gonna end up with, and both men in the love triangle had their own "pros and cons."

The main reason why I didn't enjoy this book as much as I could've was the pacing. At 423 pages, this book is on the long side, especially for a contemporary. I didn't think that it needed to be that long. There were many parts wherein what's going to happen next is fairly obvious, yet the book dragged instead of getting to Point X already.

Loveboat, Taipei stars a huge cast of all-Asian (!!) characters, and I loved that every character, even the minor ones, were properly fleshed out.

Ever Wong, the main character, is the child of first-generation immigrants. Her parents have sacrificed everything for her, and they've planned for her to go to med school her entire life. However, Ever can't handle the sight of blood, and all she wants to do is dance.

Why give me honey when you knew my future was diabetic?

It was so easy to empathize with Ever's struggles, because on one hand, she knows what her heart wants, but her parents have also done so much for her. The passion she felt for dancing was palpable on the page, and you could tell how happy dancing---or even just choreographing a dance---made Ever.

At the same time, she (and, to be honest, most of the characters) made a few choices that were a tad frustrating, but I loved that this added realism to their characters, because we can't expect teens---or anyone, really---to be perfect human beings.

Xavier Yeh is the brooding bad boy we've seen about a million times in fiction, and I wasn't here for it. His character was given more depth in the end, but I honestly didn't care. :/

Rick Woo is every Asian parent's dream child---smart, sporty, charismatic---but we get to see what's hiding under his seemingly perfect exterior. Undoubtedly my favorite character in the book, he was the perfect balance between nerdy and charming, and some of his moments with Ever made me swoon so much.

Set against the backdrop of Taiwan, this unapologetically Asian story is about love and finding yourself. It tackles so many relevant issues: financial privilege, Asian stereotypes, beauty standards---too many to count. I would've loved it so much more if I hadn't had such a hard time with the pacing. But take my rating with a grain of salt, because a lot of early reviewers have given this 4 or 5 stars!

Thank you so much to the publisher for granting me an e-arc via Edelweiss!

Content Warnings: sexual content, drinking, attempted sexual assault, abusive parent, depressed side character, slut-shaming

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Jan 09, 2020 The Nerd Daily rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Originally published on The Nerd Daily | Review by Tracy Truffles

A concept in books that I personally adore and think a lot of authors should incorporate more into their novels are important themes that can create change in the real world for readers. Topics that are important to communicate and talk about to the young adult audience whether they can directly relate to it or not, and Loveboat, Taipei definitely came through with some of those themes.

We are introduced to Ever Wong, this young, Originally published on The Nerd Daily | Review by Tracy Truffles

A concept in books that I personally adore and think a lot of authors should incorporate more into their novels are important themes that can create change in the real world for readers. Topics that are important to communicate and talk about to the young adult audience whether they can directly relate to it or not, and Loveboat, Taipei definitely came through with some of those themes.

We are introduced to Ever Wong, this young, passionate character who loves dancing more than anything else and wants to pursue it as a career. Unfortunately, coming from a strict Taiwanese family who immigrated to the United States, she is somewhat forced into studying and going into a career in Medicine even though she faints at the sight of blood. Out of nowhere, instead of spending her last summer with her friends, she’s shipped out to Taiwan for a program (which is actually a real program!) called Chien Tan. This program brought a lot of fun to this event, as she finds out that it’s mostly used for matchmaking rather than teaching young Asian-Americans Mandarin and more about their ancestral Taiwanese culture.

This book was just so plain interesting and relatable. Although I don’t come from a family forcing me to study medicine at college, I’ve had friends who were thrust into careers they were not passionate about. The idea of children living out the dreams of their parents seems relatively common in many families, especially of immigrant families trying to get by in a new foreign country. It really hit me many times when Ever spoke about her gratitude towards everything her parents sacrificed for her and her sister, but it can be said that there is a line and it can be crossed when it comes to trying to dictate someone’s future.

The writing in this was so easy to read, you could easily speed through this contemporary and because of that, you can really feel the rush and the excitement as things happen. It did not feel like a book over 400 pages for sure but it was not necessarily fast-paced – this novel just showcased the idea of ‘time flies when you’re having fun’ really well, especially when the worst happens and the story visibly slows as Ever has to navigate her new and alarming situations.

The plot was interesting because it wasn’t solely based around Ever finishing or surviving through this program (without getting caught going out with her friends) but also about how she can find a way to still pursue her passion of dancing in Taiwan while she was there.

I also really loved the character development in the book, which there was more than I originally anticipated. We get to see Ever learn from her mistakes, especially when she realises that breaking every rule in her parent’s book doesn’t mean it’ll make her happier. That defiance isn’t the answer to feeling real freedom and that things don’t always seem like what they appear when it comes to friendships and family relationships. It’s truly a coming-of-age novel and emphasised the importance of communication among family, friends and having the courage to put your trust in someone, whether it’s about telling a secret, telling the truth or just staying true to yourself and your beliefs.

My only qualm with this book is that I’m not a fan of love triangles at all, and there was kind of one in the book – almost a love quadrangle too at one point. It was the worst and best way to represent complicated relationships in an environment where these teens aren’t entirely expected to find their future spouses but there is the underlying expectation that you’ll at least find or experience love there.

Finding out that this program is real also made this more exciting; as if I’m reading a story that is partially and/or has potentially actually occurred in real life. A dramatised version of it obviously because the drama was real in Loveboat, Taipei. It made me more aware of how cool it would be if more countries did this to first-generation or second-generation teens, to learn more about their family’s culture and ancestry. It’s definitely something I’d sign up for!

Overall, this was such an enjoyable, fast read. I’d say it has some great representation, specifically for dyslexia which I don’t see often in YA books and it is a very strong debut for Abigail. Definitely, recommended! ...more

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Dec 01, 2019 Kelsea rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: arc, reviewed, favorites

It's hard to know where to start with this review - I usually have the hardest time reviewing books I love (knowing I'll never do them full justice), but I'm going to try my best. Because I need to convince EVERYONE to read this book! Yes, that means you.

I'm going to go with a totally cliche line, but it's so so true. This book made me feel seen. Growing up, I never thought about the lack of Chinese American characters in books... until I read my first Amy Tan novel. And still, every time I read It's hard to know where to start with this review - I usually have the hardest time reviewing books I love (knowing I'll never do them full justice), but I'm going to try my best. Because I need to convince EVERYONE to read this book! Yes, that means you.

I'm going to go with a totally cliche line, but it's so so true. This book made me feel seen. Growing up, I never thought about the lack of Chinese American characters in books... until I read my first Amy Tan novel. And still, every time I read a book with a Chinese American main character, I'm reminded once again of that moment. That realization. Oh, there others who share my experiences. There are others out there like me.

Loveboat, Taipei made me tear up for many reasons, but especially for the personal cultural connection. There were things in the story - little things - that made me realize _____ is actually a cultural thing, not just a quirk of my family. It was shocking to realize that I honestly don't know whether a lot of things my family does are "Chinese" things or "my family" things.

I read Loveboat, Taipei over Thanksgiving weekend, while I was visiting my family. My mom is from Taiwan, so of course I talked her ear off about the book. Those conversations actually led to her telling me more about her childhood. I told her the premise of the story and she told me her best friend from college had gone to one of these programs and came back with a boyfriend! I'm forever grateful to Abigail Hing Wen for writing a book that sparked those conversations. Conversations that allowed my mom to reminisce and me to listen and learn.

I should add that my parents weren't nearly as strict as Ever's parents, but I had Chinese friends whose parents were. I thought that aspect was written really well, with a lot of compassion for both sides (teen and parent). I love how that element played out.

And beyond all of the personal cultural connections for me (that won't be relevant to a lot of readers), this story is just plain fantastic. Romcoms are really far from my usual genre choices and I tend not to enjoy romance plots or subplots in general. I accepted this book from Epic Reads because it's an #ownvoices story set in Taiwan, but I wasn't sure if I'd enjoy the romcom aspects. Wow, was I wrong!

This romcom is anything but frivolous. It's ridiculously fun, but it also touches upon a LOT of powerful themes. True to the genre, the book doesn't really dive into "gritty" issues (nothing on screen), but they are deeply emotional and relatable themes. I'm in awe of the author for balancing entertainment and depth so, so well. It's fun and important. That is HARD to do.

I think the only thing I wish there'd been more of is local Taiwan. I wanted to experience the city more. But I also understand that this is just my personal desire because of my own family's background and that this book was SO packed that it would be hard to add in much else.

Anyway, as with most reviews I've written about books I love, this review is all over the place. It's just hard to figure out what to put in specifically without listing every single element and telling you how well done it was. Instead of a big list, I'll sum it up for you: this book is compassionate, entertaining, powerful, and phenomenal and you need to read it!

It's out January 7, 2020, and I highly recommend pre-ordering! ...more

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Dec 02, 2019 Danielle (Life of a Literary Nerd) rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary, poc-main-character, cover-envy

I wanted to love this so much, but unfortunately I found the story so disjointed and rushed it was a struggle for me to get through it. While Ever's passion for dance was powerful and I really enjoyed her exploration of her Chinese American heritage and the pressures of family responsibility, the story did nothing to hold my attention. I thought the characters were kind of all over the place without satisfying growth and there were quite a few heavier topics that were mostly glossed over. ...more

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Jan 01, 2020 Sara rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: arc, young-adult, contemporary, fiction, romance

ARC received in exchange for an honest review

Loveboat, Taipei is a story about discovery - finding out who you are when you’re defined by a culture you don’t understand. And it’s also about escaping the suffocating pressures placed on you from well meaning, but overbearing parents. Ever is one such girl. Forced to give up her dreams of studying dancing, when her parents discover her wearing a leotard and practicing dance instead of studying for med school, they send her to ‘discover her ARC received in exchange for an honest review ❤️

Loveboat, Taipei is a story about discovery - finding out who you are when you’re defined by a culture you don’t understand. And it’s also about escaping the suffocating pressures placed on you from well meaning, but overbearing parents. Ever is one such girl. Forced to give up her dreams of studying dancing, when her parents discover her wearing a leotard and practicing dance instead of studying for med school, they send her to ‘discover her heritage’ at an infamous school in Taipei. But what her parents don’t know is that this school is secretly known amongst the pupils as ‘Loveboat’ - a hot bed of rule breaking and sexual tension, where relationships are made and broken. And free for the first time in her life, Ever is determined to break all the rules.

It took me a while to warm to Ever. At first I found her painfully naive, overly trusting and she gives her heart and friendship too easily. It’s simple to think that Ever is like this because of her closeted upbringing - she’s in surroundings completely out of her comfort zone, but at times her behaviour during the first part of the book is just irritating. However, we see a lot of growth in her character which I really appreciated. She makes a lot of mistakes, and with each one we see her struggle with her guilt but also her acceptance of her decisions. It made her relatable and realistic.

I also found that the novel managed to cover a number of interesting and insightful topics, including casual racism (for example adopting Westernised names instead of using their traditional Chinese names, which were beautiful), pressures from being first generation Asian Americans and the cultural divides this creates between parents and children, and many others. I found these topics incredibly fascinating to read about, and they’re handled in an intelligent way.

The plot starts out really strong, with the students exploring Taipei through a cat and mouse game to break out each night to go clubbing. They dance and drink the night away, with hedonistic carefree tendencies and close knit friendships that really propelled the story forward. I also found the descriptions on Taiwan and its culture, which are scattered throughout, very descriptive and immersive. I will say however that the pace slows a lot at the half way mark, and a number of cliche trophies start creeping in - including a love triangle that I didn’t really enjoy and a ‘fake dating’ aspect that I personally don’t like. I also wasn’t keen on the love interests, and thought Ever treated one of them particularly badly (although she does at least admit to her bad behaviour).

I also didn’t like some of the mental health representation. It felt a little forced, and used mainly for plot advancement with no redeeming aspects to it. It felt like it was used to demonise a character rather than show it in a positive, healthy light.

A decent contemporary that I applaud for its diversity. The first half was definitely on to a winner for me, but unfortunately it falls victim to a few too many tropes for me to rate higher. I’d still be interested in this author’s future work though, as there was a heap of potential here. ...more

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Dec 18, 2019 Tiffany Chiang rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 2020-releases, all-time-favs, physical-arc-wishlist, asian-representation, yarc2019, contemporary, heartwarming-contemporaries, really-want-to-read

FULL REVIEW

When I first heard the plot and storyline for Loveboat, Taipei, my heart immediately grew 10x as this was the representation I had always been dreaming of my entire life.

After flying through the pages in less than a day, I’m so happy to say that Abigail Hing Wen’s story not only met my expectations, but she went above and beyond, crafting a plotline that kept me continuously on my toes and yearning for more. From the heart-skipping romance to moments of self-discovery, this book was ...more

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Dec 02, 2019 USOM rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)

I figured I would love Loveboat, Taipei based on its comparison to Crazy, Rich Asians. Not to mention my current mood for some YA contemporary. But what I didn't realize is how much I would love Loveboat, Taipei. Wen manages to balance this romantic thrum with important discussions of tropes and beauty standards. Loveboat, Taipei strikes the perfect balance between introspective, ...more

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Jul 15, 2019 Sana marked it as anti-library · review of another edition

Shelves: arcs

I HAS IT

-----------------------

A POC ROM-COMMMM ...more

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Dec 29, 2019 Nenia ⚡ Aspiring Evil Overlord ⚡ Campbell marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Shelves: poc-interracial

FOR FANS OF CRAZY RICH ASIANS YOU SAY?

#sold

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Nov 15, 2019 Fanna rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: asian, first-person, diverse, hauled-in-2019, young-adult, 2020-releases, arc, cover-love, contemporary, digital-review-copy

January 7, 2020

Loveboat, Taipei is a well put together mix of Asian-American representation and young adult themes. It uses tropes from its genre but doesn't let it be a cliche: a teenage moving far from her parents, finding new friendships, a love triangle and coming of age. A great YA contemporary romance that can effectively tug at the reader's heartstrings and be swoon-worthy at bits.

Sum it up in points!

- Asian-American representation
- overseas summer school program
- parental pressures, ...more

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Jan 05, 2020 Anniek rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: author-of-colour, mc-of-colour, asian-author, asian-mc

I'd seen a ton of positive reviews about this and it sounded really good to me. And this definitely wasn't a bad book, but it just didn't work well for me. It just really wasn't my kind of book.

I had a really hard time following the main character's motivations, because I felt like she didn't have a clear personality from the start. More importantly, though, this book felt very alienating to me as an aroace autistic reader, because it focuses so much on boys and dating, in a way that made me ...more

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Dec 16, 2019 Beth, BooksNest rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Thank you to Simon & Schuster for gifting me with an ARC of this book.

Ever is on the brink of leaving school and starting college, where she wants to study dance but her parents are insisting on med school. Her life is going mildly well, but she definitely isn't happy and then her parents decide to send her from Ohio to Taiwan to learn about her Asian culture and learn Mandarin. She makes a snap judgement and doesn't want to go, but as soon as she arrives it suddenly feels like she's in her Thank you to Simon & Schuster for gifting me with an ARC of this book.

Ever is on the brink of leaving school and starting college, where she wants to study dance but her parents are insisting on med school. Her life is going mildly well, but she definitely isn't happy and then her parents decide to send her from Ohio to Taiwan to learn about her Asian culture and learn Mandarin. She makes a snap judgement and doesn't want to go, but as soon as she arrives it suddenly feels like she's in her place.

Ever is a creative brain that wants to break free and this trip allows her to do this now she isn't under her parent's watchful eye. I've never really read a book about dance before so it was interesting to learn about Ever's passion. I found it quite refreshing that she seemed to be a different type of main character. Don't get me wrong, I love reading about outcasts etc, but do you sometimes think that most contemporary YA's main characters have to be unpopular outcasts? I love these types of leads because they represent the group of us that didn't quite fit in, but also there's never many that centre around someone who wasn't bullied, or disliked or cast out for some reason. So I enjoyed that Ever was a different type of main character.

I felt so immersed in this book that I actually dreamt I was in the locations it mentioned one night, if that's not good storytelling from Abigail Hing Wen then I don't know what is! The setting felt rich and beautiful and the writing style made it all so natural and enjoyable to read about. This combined with learning about Asian culture and heritage and seeing how parenting styles differ between the characters was so interesting. This book is filled with East Asian rep which was brilliant to read about. It also looks at the relationship of these characters with their parents and some of the pressures put on them. Honestly, it opened a massive door for me to learn more about Ever's culture.

This book deserves more hype than I've seen it get. I'm so glad I received an ARC to be able to read this before it's UK release date of January 2020. ...more

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Dec 12, 2019 Taschima rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: e-arc-titles-to-review

This was such a great read!! I was seriously into the teen drama; it actually reminded me of when I was a teen and all the trouble me and my friends would get into. Good times, but also very glad they are long past because with the fun also comes the DRAMA, the CONFLICT, the occasional backstabbing and broken hearts... it was all captured beautifully in Loveboat, Taipei.

Ever loves dancing, but her parents have her on the path to go into Med School which in their eyes is the only thing that would This was such a great read!! I was seriously into the teen drama; it actually reminded me of when I was a teen and all the trouble me and my friends would get into. Good times, but also very glad they are long past because with the fun also comes the DRAMA, the CONFLICT, the occasional backstabbing and broken hearts... it was all captured beautifully in Loveboat, Taipei.

Ever loves dancing, but her parents have her on the path to go into Med School which in their eyes is the only thing that would make their personal sacrifices for Ever's future worth it. This puts Ever in a very tight spot, because she is stuck in between her duty to her parents (who only want her happiness, which for them it means financial security) and her own dreams. While trying to decide her ENTIRE FUTURE her parents throw Ever another curve--her mother sold a precious family heirloom in order to get Ever on a trip to Taipei. Her family thinks this will be a fun educational way for Ever to connect with her roots, but it turns out to be so much more. On to a summer of breaking rules, breaking hearts, and falling in love.

*THERE IS A LOVE TRIANGLE* The romance was just so adorable! It actually really surprised me because it wasn't entirely straight forward. I actually ended up loving both love interests. While I understand why the main character choose the way she choose, and it was right for her, my heart was on the other guy. I hope the next book in the series showcases this other main love interest, I would love to continue their story. As well as Ever's Taipei best friend, Sophie. Who ended up doing very crappy things (that I saw coming a mile away) but in the end she ended up being an interesting and unusual person. Also looking forward to reading more for her in the future.

Loveboat, Taipei also helped to point out my own blind spots when it comes to Asian culture. I definitely only know the very tip of the iceberg when it comes to the culture, and I hope to educate myself further in the future. The author delved into family traditions, obligations, depression, co-dependent relationships, slut shaming, the stereotypes that Asian men and women face on a day to day basis, and also the racism. There was a lot of discussion between the teenagers on all of these topics; they also actively worked toward subverting the stereotypes. Did I mention this was a great read? There was a LOT packed in it, but it was all done in a seamless way that kept you wanting more and not in a way that felt preachy.

I don't think I was bored or uninteresting for a single minute. I can't wait for the sequel, truly. The cover is also GORGEOUS! Which never hurts ;) ...more

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Dec 24, 2019 Bookphenomena (Micky) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: triangles, ya-contemporary, 2019-read, pback-arc, pback-owned, mature-ya, family, friendships, 2019-dec, ya

3.5 - 4 stars

LOVEBOAT, TAIPEI had a narrative voice that just shouted ‘give me more’ vibes and I enjoyed the reading experience. I’ve heard this book heralded as a more mature & Taiwanese ‘To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before’ and it did give me some of those vibes at times. This is a more mature YA from a sexual perspective but the characters weren’t always mature in their decisions and actions.

This book brought an enjoyable coupling of American-Asian and authentic Taiwan culture as the 3.5 - 4 stars

LOVEBOAT, TAIPEI had a narrative voice that just shouted ‘give me more’ vibes and I enjoyed the reading experience. I’ve heard this book heralded as a more mature & Taiwanese ‘To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before’ and it did give me some of those vibes at times. This is a more mature YA from a sexual perspective but the characters weren’t always mature in their decisions and actions.

This book brought an enjoyable coupling of American-Asian and authentic Taiwan culture as the protagonist Ever was sent to a summer school in Taipei. The students were all sent by their parents for a summer immersion into the language and customs, but that was not the focus for the students. They were rebellious rabble-rowsers, looking to hook-up, drink alcohol, have fun and break the rules. Ever had a list of rules from home.

Straight A’s
Dress like a Nun
Curfew of Ten
No Drinking
No Wasting Money
No Dancing with a Boy
No Kissing Boys
No Boyfriend

A triangle emerged that I wasn’t super excited about but in actuality, it was pretty palatable. Xavier and Rick were two very different characters and the more I got to know them both, the more I thought they were both great friends and potential boyfriends for Ever. There was a lack of tying up of ends in one direction and I am really hoping that book two will journey down this character’s path.

There were friendships that seemed empowering and positive and there were friends to hate with a passion. I struggled a little with Ever’s quick forgiveness and I’m still holding a grudge.

This book is generally fun but it did tackle some serious topics of domestic abuse and exploitation (of which, I’m not going to elaborate on). I appreciated that Abigail Hing Wen actually ‘went there’ with sexual relationships rather than glossing over or pretending that things wouldn’t go that far. This made it a much more tangible story.

I think this was a great author debut and I am definitely looking forward to reading the next book. I enjoyed the Taiwan context as I knew little about the country but I now know just a little more.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster for the early proof copy.

This review can be found on A Take From Two Cities. ...more

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Dec 04, 2019 Marie rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: arcs, 2020-releases

I had such a great time with that one! Loved the romcom, loved the deeper themes within, finding yourself, first love, finding what you want vs. your parents expectations and more. I just really had a great, great time reading this wonderful book and would 200% recommend it.
Full review coming soon :)

Thank you to HarperCollins International for the e-ARC of this book via Edelweiss. This did not, in any way, influenced my thoughts and rating.

My Blog - Drizzle & Hurricane Books - Twitter - ...more

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Jan 13, 2020 Frank-Intergalactic Bookdragon marked it as to-read

Shelves: 2020, contemporary, cover-luv

Synopsis: with a hint of La La Lan-
Me: *aggressively slams to-read button*

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Dec 24, 2019 trufflebooks rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2019

4/5 such a STRONG debut and makes me want to learn chinese like right now.
Full RTC. ...more

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Dec 08, 2019 Kat rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: friends-to-lovers, good-friendship, poc-main-character, good-romance, lgbt-secondary-character, siblings

the good:

- it's all about finding & accepting yourself
- learning to stand up for yourself and others
- new friends
- love
- the dramaaaaaa
- Mandarin. is that another language I want to have a closer look at?
- talks about the issues of growing up Asian American
- the characters, much love
- the descriptions of Taipei. I want to go there. and not be like the shitty tourists mentioned in the book

the bad:

- love triangle, kinda.

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Dec 06, 2019 Kelly added it · review of another edition

Shelves: ya-fiction, read-in-2019

This was fine, though probably overlong (and I'm wildly curious about the fact there's a sequel to this coming). But it digs deep into immigrant families, into cultural heritage, and into what it means to appreciate your family's history and sacrifices while also honoring what you want for your own future. I didn't care about the romances here and felt all of the secondary characters were pretty one-note, but Ever herself was well-drawn, dynamic, and complex.

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Jan 08, 2020 Dayla rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: family, romance, contemporary, books-for-review, travelling

Review first appeared on my blog: Book Addict 24-7

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars!

Loveboat, Taipei by Abigail Hing Wen has been on my radar since I first heard about it near the end of the summer in 2019. I have loved Taiwan for almost a decade and it is probably near the top of my to-visit travel destinations on my bucket list. Learning more about this beautiful country via the experiences of a reluctant teenager was more than I expected, just ...more

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Nov 20, 2019 A Lib Tech Reads rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: first-reads, reviewed

Loveboat, Taipei
Rating: 3/5
Note:Special thanks to Harper Collins for providing a copy for review. My thoughts are also posted on the Palmer Library review blog.

My feelings are torn because when a book mentions Taipei in the title, I’m expecting there to be lush descriptions of my home country with details about the food, people, and culture. This was not the case for this book; instead, Taiwan is merely a setting and the story is largely focused on a hormone-fueled vacation. This is not a bad ...more

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Dec 16, 2019 Kat rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2020-releases, arc-review-book

* Thank you HCC Frenzy for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review *

ACTUAL: 4.25 stars

Ever Wong is in for a very memorable summer when her parents send her to Taiwan. To her surprise, Chien Tan is known for endless summer hook-ups, counselors turning a blind eye, and never ending nightlife parties. Not too mention, the cute guys that she is very interested in getting to know. It is definitely a summer Ever will never forget.

This novel turned out to be very different than I expected. ...more

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