3.5 rounded down. So I started this off not feeling it. I thought Gemma was acting a little spoiled *I have a right to know where I came from; I deserve to know my grandfather* girly, if your parent deemed it unsafe; respect it. If you're an adult, go do your thing without dragging your mom through the mud. Her reason from estrangement was 100 percent valid. Not Gemma saying there's nuance there and he made mistakes because he was a product of the hardship he experienced. That statement could literally be applied to anyone. Hitler not getting into art school, guess the genocide was just a side effect of the hardship he experienced. And true story, my history teacher was an Andrew Jackson sympathizer and said the EXACT SAME words about him.

Parents make their decisions to keep their kids safe and Gemma was being a lil ungrateful hooligan (this was not written by doormat mom). I'll die on this hill because you don't need to have to know your family to feel whooe. You don't need to know your grandparents if they treated you or someone else like crap. And that's why I'm deducting a star and a half for this because it's truly sending the wrong message to the youths meant to be reading it imo. It's clear this author must have a great relationship with her family, but some of us don't lol ☠️

Once Gemma got me to Taiwan, I was thoroughly entertained. Very National Treasure -esque. The culture presentation was so wonderfully incorporated into the writing. I love how the author included language, history, food, and places. I googled each location, and lm tell you... I need to go see the Jade Cabbage at the National Palace Museum now w my own eyes. The sort of inheritance hunt was very well done and quite culturally rich.

Not Gemma getting diarrhea tho. Not Gemma spilling her grandpa's ashes onto her partner lmao lmao lmao. Maybe I should give the star back for all that 😂

And in the end, the grandfather never noted the words "I'm sorry" throughout his series of elaborate puzzles and notes. I mean... There was even an entire journal. Where was the apology? Did I miss it? WHY WAS THERE NO APOLOGY. Closest thing we got was "I never stopped loving" which seems like the same creepy manipulative gas lighting shit some estranged narcissistic person would do.

I'm clearly triggered lol. This book was good. Just couldn't get past the relationship issues personally. Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House LLC for early access this title is exchange for an honest review. Please note my review is based on uncorrected text.

The cover art is stunning - I gave it five stars!

The book blurb seems interesting.... Unfortunately, there was no option to change the font to make the letters bigger. The text was so tiny that I couldn't read it despite wearing glasses. I have no idea why it's this way. Usually, I can change the font of the books on Netgalley without any problem....

always a sucker for a YA enemies-to-lovers story!! Although it took me a bit to immerse myself fully in the story, this was so cute and adventure-filled. i will never get sick of seeing Asian representation in books. Seeing Gemma discover who she is and the roots of her family and culture was so beautiful. I LOVED the tresure hunt concept. If you miss classic YA stories but want to go on an adventure, pick up this one :)

Ex Marks the Spot by Gloria Chao is an absolute gem of a YA adventure! Gemma’s life flips upside down when a mysterious man delivers two surprises: news of her late grandfather and the start of a treasure hunt tied to her inheritance. The catch? She must travel to Taiwan and team up with her ex-rival, Xander, to unravel the clues.

This story is a perfect blend of thrilling puzzles, heartfelt exploration of family and cultural identity, and a swoon-worthy romance. Set against the vibrant backdrop of Taipei, it’s a journey of discovery, growth, and second chances. If you’re into adventure-packed stories with heart, you’ll love this one! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

I am typically happiest reading angsty ya books so no one should be surprised that I love this. We have teenage enemies to lovers with beautiful Taiwanese representation. It has a hunt, puzzles, learning about the past as well as chance for Gemma to learn about her culture and perhaps find love.

This is well worth picking up.

Read if you enjoyed: Asking For A Friend, Betting on You or To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before

Pub date: Dec 31

Thank you penguinteen for the earc, I loved this as much as I thought I would!

It has always been Gemma and her mom, that’s all she’s ever had for family. Then a will is delivered to her door and she discovers that her mom has kept secret an estranged grandfather whom she’ll now never know. When the opportunity arises to find out more about her Taiwanese heritage, albeit with her ex and nemesis Xander, she doesn’t hesitate. This starts a journey of not only her own history, but of her entire culture that was largely unknown to her. Some doors are opened, other are closed, but Gemma comes away with a whole new perspective on life, family, and what relationships really mean.

The discovery of family and friendship of all forms in this novel is truly great. Going through Gemma’s experiences, the reader is easily able to empathize and connect. The puzzle that is her grandfather’s legacy mixed with the rivals to lovers storyline is enjoyable and keeps you turning the pages. A fun read. 4 stars.

Review based on a digital Advanced Reader’s Copy provided by Penguin Young Readers Group - Viking Books and NetGalley. Thank you!

Ex Marks the Spot:⁣
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Thank you @prhaudio @penguinteen for my gifted copies! #PRHAudioPartner⁣
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Puzzle, decoder, cryptogram friends unite! This was such a fun book that I could appreciate all the fun puzzles and riddles along the way. ⁣
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Gemma and Xander are basically rivals. As co-valedictorians, there’s zero love lost between the two. Gemma has her mother, Xander basically has the world. But when Gemma finds out her grandfather has passed, she begs Xander to get her into his program TARP so she can go to Taiwan and find out about her grandfather. Hopefully, she can find out about herself along the way.⁣
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This book has really good complicated dynamics, and for that I loved it. I know the exact feeling Gemma feels when others are able to embrace their culture instead of assimilate. I love that her new friends were not full of judgement and embraced her openness. ⁣
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The journey to find the end of the puzzle was everything. I loved the clues, how they were spelled out, the play on words, everything. I didn’t really see the romance aspect, but it also doesn’t deter from the beautiful story either. ⁣
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Audio was wonderful. Yu-Li Alice Shen does the solo narration and it was wonderful listening to all the different places, pronunciations, and overall banter between Gemma and Xander. It’s a short audio, which I was able to start and finish in the preparation of getting all the presents wrapped for Christmas. There is a PDF that should accompany it, and I think that would be helpful with some of the puzzles. I couldn’t picture it in my head, so I’m glad I had a digital copy to refer back to.⁣
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Overall, I loved it. A solid YA read. Out 12/31.⁣
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QOTD: What day is it? JK. But really, what are you reading?

A heartfelt thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Young Readers Group/Viking Books for Young Readers for sharing this adventurous YA novel's digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest opinion.

Ex Marks the Spot is a puzzle solving, inheritance chasing, chance in a lifetime trip whirwind read that has similarities with The Inheritance Games and Anna and the French Kiss.

Gemma Sun is a less privileged high school student raised by a single mom whose estranged grandfather just died. She is given a letter from him with clues to finding her inheritance and manages to score one last spot on a trip to Taipei the summer before college. The wrinkle in the plans is that she has the travel in the same group as her ex, privileged golden boy Xander.

Ex Marks the Spot is a coming of age, adventure seeking, finding yourself and your culture wonderful ya novel bridging the gap between high school and college.

Sure the enemies to lovers, family secrets, cultural exploration tropes are all present, but for me, these tropes were fresh and worked.

Chao made me believe I was in Taiwan with her lush prose and detailed mouth-watering explanation of the culinary delights. She also writes teenagers in a believable way.

This was a fun, quick, charming read!

Gemma just graduated high school, and is now facing upcoming college tuition bills, which she and her single parent mom don't have any savings for. When her grandfather, whom she'd been told died years earlier, dies at that time, leaving a treasure hunt in his will, Gemma knows this will be the answer to her financial troubles. But the clues lead her to Taiwan, another expense she can't afford, and a place & culture that her mother ensured she knows nothing about. But Gemma needs the money. Even if it means begging a few favors from her enemy/ex boyfriend, who happens to be leading an all expenses paid trip to Taiwan...

This book was a great mix of character journey, riddles, and Taiwan culture.

Gemma and her mom always struggled to make ends meet. So, Gemma is desperate to find whatever treasure her grandfather's clues will lead to. Desperate enough to beg her ex boyfriend to add her to his group trip to Taiwan, the very place her grandfather's treasure hunt leads to.

I enjoyed all the Taiwanese cultural aspects. Gemma knows nothing about her Taiwanese roots, not even the language or cultural norms, so everything is explained for the uninformed reader in a natural way. The descriptions of the places Gemma & her group toured made me want to visit Taiwan, see all those sights, and eat all those foods. (Seriously, there should be a food craving trigger warning.) This book gave me a great cultural immersion without leaving my seat.

The story flowed nicely between Gemma's touring the country & her treasure hunt, mixing the two plots where possible, and diverging from the tour group when necessary. Her new friend in the tour group had interesting small side plots. I really appreciate that they weren't just flat characters along for the ride. I also like how Gemma's money struggles felt very realistic. How she was always mindful of her spending while everyone else splurged like normal tourists.

Mostly, I enjoyed all the layers of secrets buried not just in the clues her grandfather led her to, but also in her journey to solve them. Gemma discovers that her grandfather's early death wasn't the only lie she was told. As she solves each clue, more truths are revealed, giving Gemma a glimpse of the grandfather she never got to meet. The treasure hunt itself was very well done. The are lots of plays on words in humorous & interesting ways. Just like was done with the book title.

Family, secrets, American-Taiwanese culture, maybe even some romance... The treasure hunt leads Gemma not just on a riddle solving journey, but also on a journey that will dig up her family's past, uncover skeletons, and on a journey that will teach Gemma some truths about herself and her own past, future, and current relationships.

e-ARC from NetGalley.

Chao just keeps getting better and better, and this book may just be her magnum opus.

Ex Marks the Spot follows Gemma, a Taiwanese-American girl, as she manages to snag a last-minute spot on a fully funded student trip and ventures to Taiwan on a treasure hunt left to her by her estranged grandfather. Only, she's on the trip with her ex ... and there being money at the end of this hunt is the only hope she has for paying for college ... and her mother never wanted her to learn anything about her heritage, so she doesn't know Mandarin or Chinese food or anything about the culture ... and no one knows that's why she's here.

Everything about this book worked. The character dynamics. The back stories. The setting. The humor. The angst. The exploration of Taiwanese culture and the basis of the miscommunication - I was just as confused as they were, so I can't even judge them for it.

But it was the treasure hunt! Oh, the treasure hunt! Absolute, complete, and pure genius! I don't know how she came up with it, how she made it work, how she even figured out the puzzles to design them in the first place.

I loved this! I have no notes. No complaints. Just affection in my heart.

My thanks to NetGalley and Viking/Penguin Random House for the ARC of 'Ex Marks the Spot' in exchange for an honest review.
A whole lotta stuff going on here. Childhood sweethearts-to Hight School enemies-to-maybe back to Sweethearts......an international treasure hunt loaded with confounding clues, riddles and Mandarin language symbols.....and a something-of-an-outcast teen girl coping with the treasure hunt, the sweethearts to enemies, an extra player to make it a romantic triangle....and her frustrating quest to connect with her Taiwanese culture and discover her own identity. I'm already fully exhausted from all that on her behalf.
Gemma's late grandfather left her the treasure hunt clues which lead to Taiwan and possibly a much needed inheritance to help with her upcoming college tuition. . But the only path to Taiwan is through that ex-sweetheart/current enemy Xander, who's organized a summer tour through that country for himself and other Asian students. Sparks fly, incredible complex treasure clues get revealed through the stunning landscapes, mountains of mouth-watering Taiwanese cuisine are consumed. and deep family secrets rock Gemma and Xander's worlds together.
Truly intricate, maddening treasure clues, but if you're no puzzle fan (like me), you might feel tempted to skim through those section and go right to the emotional moments. And as much I'm impressed at the cleverness of the hunt on display, it's Gemma and Xander's journeys to self-revelations that make up the story's beating heart and that 's what really kept me turning the pages to the end.
As our leads delve into the world of their grandfathers, the book evokes some beautiful picture-postcard imagery and enough delectable food to make you want to schedule an immediate flight out. . Ambitious and entertaining.

I loved learning about Tawain and its culture as Gemma explored the country for the first time to try and feel connected to a grandfather she never knew. She searched for clues from a scavenger hunt that her grandfather left behind for her in hopes it will lead to an inheritance. On her journey, she learned more about herself and her family while making friends and recruiting her sworn enemy to help her figure out the clues. The scavenger hunt itself was sometimes complicated regarding the clues, and the explanations were glossed over with Gemma stating she pretended to understand the logic as Xander explained it to her. I also did not care for the sudden romance that sparked up from nowhere between Gemma and Xander; she spent four years hating him and suddenly decided she liked him. Besides these two things, this was a cute read. Thank you NetGalley for an ARC.

I am in awe of how beautiful this book is. Ex Marks the Spot is an excellent story that explores deep topics while still maintaining a fun, whimsical feel.

First and foremost, Gemma feeling disconnected from her culture is so realistic and handled with such care. This is the part of the story that stuck with me the most, as well as feeling like you must hide your true self in order to be liked by others. These topics are so important to discuss and I think Gloria Chao did an amazing job with this book.

These characters were so well done. Every character offered something to the story. They were fleshed out and did not feel one-dimensional. Gemma is an absolute lovely character. She wasn’t always perfect, she made mistakes, and couldn’t see that things weren’t always black and white. I enjoyed reading her growth over the story! Xander is a very interesting character. He was easy to understand and feel for. Trisha and Val were close favorites for sure!

The plot is developed so well. I was fully invested and didn’t want to put this book down! The puzzles were so fun and while I did predict the ending, it was executed so beautifully that I couldn’t be happier!

Overall, this revived my love for young adult romances. Before this I had felt like I was outgrowing YA romances, but this was such a refreshing read. The banter was just perfect. The plot was intriguing and exciting. The characters were so lovable and funny. I was smiling, laughing, and even shed a few tears while reading this. I will definitely be looking into this author’s other work!

Thank you NetGalley and publishers for the arc. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Ex Marks the Spot by Gloria Chao was a great story!
This contemporary YA was so engaging and very entertaining.
With fun characters and engaging plot I was hooked till the very end.

My gosh, this book was absolutely everything <3

Ex Marks the Spot is a truly masterful combination of academic-rivals-to-lovers romance, an exciting inheritance puzzle, and a profound exploration of Chinese diasporic identity. There is something to love for everyone, from the hilariously relatable main character to the heartfelt examinations of complex familial relationships. I can see some cultural identity-related parts being a bit hyper-niche for readers looking for strictly YA romances or mysteries, but I personally never felt this was the case as Chao excels at explaining (without info-dumping) certain cultural elements.

The romance between Gemma and Xander was so enjoyable! Their chemistry was genuine and never felt forced, and although their rivalry ultimately springs from a misunderstanding, it felt authentic to the high school setting. Chao is just so good at adding emotional stakes to every situation, and the misunderstanding was never trivialized or portrayed as silly because of the clear emotional fallout it caused. Gemma’s hurt from such an embarrassing incident was a very realistic reaction for a ninth grader, and I especially related to the way she occasionally overthinks or comes to certain conclusions. As an academic overachiever in high school, I really identified with both Gemma and Xander. It was incredibly satisfying seeing the way they gradually rebuilt trust and came together as more mature and empathetic individuals.

I’m not the biggest fan of puzzles, but wow did I love the puzzles in this book! Perhaps because of the added cultural elements, but all the puzzles were tricky without being unrealistically difficult or trivial. I definitely felt a bit clever figuring out a few of the puzzles even with my limited knowledge of Mandarin, but I thought Chao did a fantastic job of explaining solutions for readers who don’t know Mandarin. Aside from the setting, the puzzle was such a clever way to introduce non-diasporic readers to Chinese/Taiwanese culture without feeling overbearing or superficial, and Gemma is the perfect protagonist to experience them through. Her complicated relationship with her family’s culture, from being unable to speak Mandarin to not understanding superstitions, was very authentic and relatable. This is the kind of diasporic representation I need in the YA space! The book’s core themes of cultural estrangement and reconciliation resonated deeply with me, and Gemma’s ultimate realization that she doesn’t need to fit into either “world” because everyone’s lived experience is different made me quite emotional. This was something I struggled with relentlessly throughout high school, so seeing this represented on page genuinely made me teary-eyed.

The representations of intergenerational trauma, reconciliation, and familial relationships were fantastic. Again, this is the kind of nuanced diasporic representation the YA romance/contemporary space desperately needs. Not only did I relate to every single relationship, Chao continuously subverts racial stereotypes. Gemma’s mother was a fascinating character I’d love to know more about, but even with her limited time on page, I loved that she went against every stereotypical Chinese tiger mom stereotype. Her past trauma genuinely made me hurt for her because I know so many other women who experienced similar things. Even though she could be misguided at times, her unyielding love and support for Gemma resonated deeply with me. Similarly, even though he never once makes an appearance on page, Gemma’s Gong Gong quickly became one of my favorite characters. The final reveal had me fighting back tears—what a cathartic and hopeful conclusion to such a painful life.

As a member of the Chinese diaspora, Ex Marks the Spot is the book I needed when I was younger. Sure, it’s not the “perfect” book (I had very minor issues with the large cast of characters and some of the middle pacing), but it was one of the most perfect books emotionally. Expertly balancing an up-market concept with heartfelt explorations of cultural identity and belonging, Ex Marks the Spot is easily one of my favorite reads of the year.

5/5 stars
Thank you to Viking (Penguin Teen) for the physical and e-ARCs! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I love a good story all about reconnecting with heritage. This book reminded me of a Netflix movie I saw and LOVED but this was in much more detail and imagination, especially with the scavenger hunt for treasure (family secrets). This book was a fun adventure-themed romance story where two people who have had their fair share of past issues must work together as a team. The humor between these two was definitely on point and the comic relief helped shape the story. When it came to the puzzles in the book, I was immediately devouring the book more and more because of my love for games like Tombraider and Uncharted. It was definitely a book that not only is filled with adventure, tender love/reconnection, and also the discovery of a culture that you may not have known about before.

this book was chaotic fun. we love a good scavenging hunt that inevitably mirrors the immigrant’s struggle toward their own heritage. the fun bantering romance was also a delight to follow along. the book does the job that it set out to do and i have nothing much to say about it except that i enjoyed the ride. thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the earc!

Ex Marks the Spot follows Gemma as she teams up with her rival Xander to complete the treasure hunt her grandfather had left for her. Gemma has always struggled with her heritage, especially since her mom wanted to be as American as she could. Now she's getting the chance of a lifetime to go to Taipei and learn about the grandfather she never got to meet. This was such a culturally rich story and I loved every minute of it.


Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin for the ARC!

Gemma Sun believes all of her grandparents are dead until a lawyer shows up at her front door explaining that her grandfather recently passed and delivering his will. The will sends Gemma on an adventure to find the treasure her grandfather left behind, which she hopes will help her pay for college.

I liked that the story took Gemma back to Taiwan and helped her reconnect with her heritage. The descriptions of locations and foods in Taiwan were fantastic and created an immersive story. I also really enjoyed that Gemma was forced to work with her nemesis, Xander Pan, whose family doesn’t like hers after a previous disagreement between their grandfathers. Their collaboration didn’t feel forced and added another layer to the story. I was able to predict the twist between the grandfathers, but I thought the clues were clever. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I would highly recommend!

4.5/5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Young Readers Group for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Gemma is glad to have graduated high school. She never really stood out, plus, she had to face her ex, Xander, every day. But now, college is only a summer away! Gemma worries about how her mom, her only family, will pay for it, but she knows they’ll make do.

When a lawyer shows up and tells Gemma that the grandfather she’d been told was dead years ago actually only recently passed away, and has left her a mysterious puzzle that leads all the way to Taiwan, where he was born, Gemma is determined to get to the end of it. After all, the treasure that this scavenger hunt promises could pay her college tuition! There’s one problem, though: the only way Gemma can get to Taiwan is by tagging along on Xander’s planned trip for Taiwanese-American students across the country. But surely, the treasure at the end of this is worth spending some time with her ex, right?

I received an advanced reading copy of Ex Marks the Spot in exchange for an honest review.

Ex Marks the Spot is a young adult novel by Gloria Chao. I’ve been a fan of Chao since I read American Panda years ago, and I’ve continued reading her books. I was thrilled to get an advanced reading copy of her most recent one, and I quickly dove into it!

I loved how this book is several things in one. It’s rivals-to-lovers, it’s an international treasure hunt, and, my favorite part, it’s a character’s journey to connect to her past. From the beginning we learn that Gemma doesn’t speak Chinese, knows little about her family, and has never been to Taiwan. In fact, she and her mom are more likely to have pot roast than stir fry at home. And while Gemma has come to accept the state of things, she’s always felt that something was missing from her life. Finding out that she had a grandfather out there, it changes everything for her. This treasure hunt quickly becomes more than just trying to find an inheritance—it becomes a way for Gemma to connect to her past both by being in Taiwan and by learning about who her grandfather is.

And more than that: to learn more about herself! I kind of identified with Gemma, with the feeling of not being enough of one or the other, and how competitive she is. We learn why she feels all those ways, and we see her growing and changing, especially as she’s forced to put the mission aside temporarily and truly enjoy Taiwan, a place that holds so much meaning for her, even if she doesn’t fully know what it means yet.

And then there’s Xander. Are you surprised that I’d bring him up? I liked how Chao developed him just as much as she did Gemma, making sure that he’s a well-rounded character, and one who would both drive Gemma crazy while also making her feel much more than she originally would. Xander and Gemma have a history that extends to way before they started dating when they were fourteen, and a lot of this book is about them discovering that too.

This was another great read by Chao, and one I think any fan of rivals-to-lovers, finding one’s roots, or treasure-hunting will enjoy. I see people who can read Chinese characters especially having a great time with some of these puzzles (although Chao kept them accessible to those who don’t read it as well!).

Ex Marks the Spot will be released on December 31st (New Years Eve!). You can preorder your copy from Viking Books for Young Readers here.