ARC Book Review: *Wonderstruck* by Seraphina Chen**

Rating: 5/5🌟

Seraphina Chen's *Wonderstruck* is a captivating and heartwarming YA romance that beautifully explores themes of self-discovery, resilience, and the complexities of high school life. With its well-drawn characters and engaging storyline, this novel is a delightful read that will resonate with both teens and adults.

The story centers around Serena Inthavong, a high school senior determined to live life on her own terms after years of playing it safe. As she navigates the challenges of her final year at Skyline High School, Serena's return to cheerleading and the drama-filled hallways provide a realistic backdrop for her journey of self-discovery. Serena's character is relatable and inspiring, as she faces her fears and learns to embrace her true self.

Tyler Westman, on the other hand, is the quintessential high school golden boy who begins to see through the superficiality of his popularity. As he juggles lacrosse, family responsibilities, and the pressures of college applications, Tyler's path intersects with Serena's, leading to an unexpected and profound connection. Tyler's character development is compelling, showcasing his transition from a carefree teenager to someone seeking deeper meaning and authenticity in his life.

The chemistry between Serena and Tyler is palpable from their first interaction. Chen expertly crafts their relationship, allowing it to grow organically amidst the chaos of high school life. Their journey together is filled with genuine moments of vulnerability, laughter, and growth, making their bond feel both realistic and deeply moving. The dual perspectives provide a comprehensive view of their inner struggles and the ways they help each other navigate their respective challenges.

*Wonderstruck* shines in its portrayal of high school life with all its highs and lows. The drama, friendships, and pressures are depicted with authenticity, making the setting come alive. Chen's writing is both heartfelt and engaging, capturing the essence of teenage turmoil and the magic of first love. The narrative flows seamlessly, keeping readers hooked from beginning to end.

One of the novel's strengths is its exploration of emotional trauma and the importance of facing one's fears. Serena's journey is particularly poignant as she confronts her past and learns to trust herself. Tyler's storyline adds depth, highlighting the struggles of balancing multiple responsibilities while staying true to oneself.

In summary, *Wonderstruck* by Seraphina Chen is a beautifully crafted YA romance that offers a perfect blend of emotion, humor, and inspiration. With its relatable characters and engaging plot, this novel is a must-read for fans of contemporary young adult fiction. Highly recommended for anyone looking for a heartfelt and uplifting story about love, growth, and finding one's place in the world.


A delightful and emotionally resonant read, *Wonderstruck* is sure to leave readers feeling inspired and moved. Seraphina Chen has crafted a story that beautifully captures the essence of teenage life and the transformative power of love.

This was actually very cute. I like dhow they got to know each other, and their cute dates. I liked them so much and the third act had me screaming. I thought it was cute. I enjoyed this a lot.

I got an e-arc of this book on NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

First of all thanks to Netgally for allowing me to read this book.

This book was an amazing read, super easy to read with a captivating story and amazing characters. Serena and Tyler are two teenagers in their last year of high school who are going through hard times in their lives while trying to discover who they are and who they want to be in the future.
It's a beautiful coming of age story about two flawed characters who happen to love each other.
Their chemistry is amazing since the moment they meet until the end of the book. And let me tell you Tyler, is 100% boyfriend material and we all should have a Tyler in our lives.
I really do hope we get Jared and Ali's story in the future.

I really really enjoyed this book! The tension was perfect it was a slow burn but not a boring slow burn things still happened. This was the perfect friends to lovers! I cried at the end!!! But honestly I loved how it still touched on important things like parent loss , parental abandonment etc ! Such a great book

✨I like it when I make you laugh like that. Not when someone else does it.✨

This was such a cute story, a little to YA for me but I wanted to give it a chance! It’s an easy read- read in one sitting.

✧*̥˚ ❝𝓗𝓮 𝓵𝓸𝓸𝓴𝓼 𝓪𝓽 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓵𝓲𝓴𝓮 𝓱𝓸𝔀 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓵𝓸𝓸𝓴 𝓪𝓽 𝓼𝓾𝓷𝓼𝓮𝓽𝓼.❞ *̥˚✧

𝑻𝒓𝒐𝒑𝒆𝒔:
♥ sport romance
♥ cute romance
♥ friends to lovers
♥ slow burn
♥ brothers best friend
♥ sunshine x sunshine.

𝑻𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒔: 𝑻𝒚𝒍𝒆𝒓 ♡ 𝑺𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒂
Tyler and Serena are such deep, relatable characters with their own flaws and quirks. The book isn't just about their romance; it's also about them finding themselves and accepting who they are. Their chemistry is off the charts, and the way their relationship grows feels so natural and refreshing.

Tyler is completely head over heels from the get-go—new book boyfriend alert!! Serena is such a sweetheart; I just wanted to hug her at times. Her personality is so endearing, and her senior bucket list brought back memories of my own. And those cute nicknames they have for each other? Absolutely adorable!

𝑸𝒖𝒐𝒕𝒆𝒔:
➺❥ ❝And there goes that laugh, the one I want to add to my favorite playlist and keep on repeat.❞

➺❥ ❝You're not average, Serena. You're far more than average. You're out of this world.❞

➺❥ ❝If you haven't noticed, your looks could kill.❞

➺❥ ❝I like it when I make you laugh like that. Not when someone else does it.❞

➺❥ ❝Sometimes the past hurts us more than we realize. It might be time to confront it and move on.❞

➺❥ ❝You scare me so much, Tyler. You weren't supposed to mean this much to me. I never wanted to find love, because of everything I've gone through. But here we are. I fell for you and I'm still falling for you.❞

~ Thank you to NetGalley, and to the author, Seraphina Chen, for providng me with this e-arc in exchange for an honest review. ~

"And there goes that laugh, the one I want to add to my favourite playlist and keep on repeat"

Firstly, thank you so much to Netgalley and Seraphina for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review. I absolutely LOVED this book for about a million different reasons, but my review would be the length of a book if I listed all of them, so I'm going to list a few.

Story:
If you are looking for a cute, easy to read, fluffy, fast-paced romance, Wonderstruck is for you. From the first page, the book had me hooked, I couldn't put it down. The flow of the storyline was amazing, the plot line was consistent and smooth. I was literally either giggling or blushing almost that entire read, it was just so cute. This book is also a 'teen' romance (however it is recommended for 18+), and all of the relevant book, character and song references through the book had me DEAD. AND, I was craving egg rolls and boba that entire book. It was just so good and I can't wait for release day so I can grab this book in paperback for my shelf!!

Characters:
Tyler and Serena both have depth to their character, both flawed in one way or another. I loved how this book wasn't only focusing on a romantic progression between the characters, but an individual self-acceptance/discovery story. The chemistry between Tyler and Serena was just amazing, and the progression of their story just felt so natural and realistic, which was honestly so refreshing to read. AND THE NICKNAMES OMG AHHHHHH!!

Tyler: We LOVE a man who is absolutely whipped from page 1. New book boyfriend alert!!

Serena: Such a sweetheart, there were times through the book where I just wanted to give her a hug. I loved her personality so so much, especially the depth to her character. And her little senior bucket list just reminded me of my own senior bucket list, which was so sweet.

Tropes:
- dual pov
- friends to lovers
- brother's best friend
- coming of age
- she's his tutor
- he falls first and harder
- sunshine x sunshine

Quotes:
yes, my whole clippings section on my kindle is FILLED with Wonderstruck quotes, but here are a few:
- "Her laugh is infectious, her smile is so genuine. And those damn coffee-brown eyes."
- "Maybe I'm thinking with my heart and not my brain. Maybe I'm not thinking at all"
- "I'm tired of not being the main character in my own story"
- "I'm an idiot sandwich"
- "I have to admit, I'm finding it hard to concentrate with you looking like that"
- "You both look at each other a little too long to be just friends."

I'll be needing Jared and Alli's story real soon too!

THIS BOOK WAS AMAZING.
I really enjoyed everything in this book, the romance, the side stories, all of Serena’s history.

Tyler is defo one of my book bfs now. Also the nicknames 💗💗💗

I hope there will be a book abt her stepbrother and bsf.

Also all of the references to some of my fav books and Taylor swift and other singers was also amazing.

I read this book in one seating ! Tyler and Serena are so cute , reading about their relationship got me giggleing and kicking my feet , classic book Highschool romance and a trope I also found is brothers best friend ( or almost best friend ). I love that the rest of the characters ( nor Tyler ans Serena ) are included but still not too much since is some books they really forget about the main couple sometimes . Also he fell first and definitely harder !!