Loveboat, Taipei is Abigail Hing Wen's extraordinary debut is jam packed with diverse representations that are done the right way (and the only way they should be done). Contemporary is by far not my favourite genre--but this book might just change that.

[ taken from goodreads ]

Perfect for fans of Jenny Han and Sarah Dessen, and praised as “an intense rush of rebellion and romance” by #1 New York Times bestselling author Stephanie Garber, this romantic and layered Own Voices debut from Abigail Hing Wen is a dazzling, fun-filled romp.

“Our cousins have done this program,” Sophie whispers. “Best kept secret. Zero supervision.”

And just like that, Ever Wong’s summer takes an unexpected turn. Gone is Chien Tan, the strict educational program in Taiwan that Ever was expecting. In its place, she finds Loveboat: a summer-long free-for-all where hookups abound, adults turn a blind eye, snake-blood sake flows abundantly, and the nightlife runs nonstop.

But not every student is quite what they seem:

Ever is working toward becoming a doctor but nurses a secret passion for dance.

Rick Woo is the Yale-bound child prodigy bane of Ever’s existence whose perfection hides a secret.

Boy-crazy, fashion-obsessed Sophie Ha turns out to have more to her than meets the eye.

And under sexy Xavier Yeh’s shell is buried a shameful truth he’ll never admit.
 

This contemporary blew me away so much that it has now been added onto my favourite Goodreads shelf!

This book is something else! I am so happy to be leaving my 2019 reading with this amazing (and refreshingly diverse) young adult (and CONTEMPORARY!) read!

Although I am not Chinese, but a Caucasian reader, I was overjoyed to see more ethnic diverse representations! I hope this continues well into the new year and never stops!

Unlike Ever, I have parents who are not strict on me but keep me in line when necessary. I still found her relatable, though! She always follows her parents rules, and I try not to step out of line. But I think we could learn a lot from each other: that sometimes it is necessary to rebel from the rules when something so precious such as dreams and aspirations are on the line, and that rules can also be followed on your terms.

Loveboat, Taipei is a very delightfully refreshing read that I didn't want to put down. I was engaged throughout, which subverts from my past contemporary genre reading experience. However, I will say this one thing: sometimes the narrative can become borderline cringey. The situation with the distribution of particular images--but I realised that this was because I was cringing as if it was happening to me or someone close to me--as well as an event that happened near the end of the book that I originally thought its' sole purpose was to make a character - or two - slightly more developed. As I read past this scene, I didn't cringe as much, though, because I understood why it was included.

Loveboat, Taipei by Abigail Hing Wen is a diverse read - not just ethnically, but in relation to learning difficulties, too - that I will recommend to anyone who wants/is trying to spread their wings and fly.

YES! Definitely! 100%! Sign me the heck up (and keep your fingers crossed that I might get an ARC to book 2!)




Did you feel the same way about me on this book? Let me know in the comments!

Thanks for reading!

Stay awesome,