This was a very interesting story, I enjoyed it. But I did not love the FMC as she was slightly annoying to me at times, which kept me from loving this book. Overall I found it to be a fun read and glad to have read it.

Cute, YA contemporary romance but it did feel a little juvenile for me at times. Relateble in the sense that most people remember their first break up and how painful that can feel. There were some things that felt out of place, like her entire youtube channel for planning things. Overall, cute enough but im not sure ill read more from jennifer chen.

Truly the exhibit parts make this book come to life and are absolute highlight for me. Additionally, the arcs for the characters were nice to follow along to.

Artifacts of An Ex was a cute YA contemporary romance. I think most of us remember what it's like to have a first break up. Except getting your stuff delivered back to you in a box isn't exactly what anyone is hoping for. I do think that it gave Chloe an interesting idea. Turning the stuff you get back from your ex into an art exhibit. I think this is something that would work better when you can see it, because reading about it just doesn't give it the justice it deserves.

There were also some aspects that I didn't completely understand, like Chloe's YouTube channel for her planning stuff. I like the idea, but it didn't fit the story? I do feel like Chloe really grows as a character. She realizes things kind of took over her real reason for this exhibit and fixes it. The romance is cute, but I think it would've worked just a little better if we also had Daniel's POV.

All in all, Artifacts was a cute YA contemporary read. I would definitely read another book by Jennifer Chen.

Artifacts of an Ex is a lighthearted, young adult, contemporary romance about a high schooler named Chloe who has recently moved from NYC to LA and the chaos that ensues in her life after that move.

What it's about: Chloe is an incredibly organized, aspiring art curator who gets dumped by her NY boyfriend via snail mail shortly after her family has relocated to LA to help take care of her ailing grandma and her café business. Chloe decides to use her heartbreak from being dumped and channel her energy into creating an art exhibit of found objects that represent relationships/the end of relationships of other teens. During this process she meets Daniel, an aspiring filmmaker/her love interest, as well as some other noteworthy side characters like Francesca and Vincent and her LA adventures kick off.

What worked: The concept for this is very fun. The idea of taking everything that represents your relationship and then putting it in a "breakup box" isn't anything new but taking said box and then turning it into a found objects art installation for teens (kinda) is. I've seen a similar concept in a movie and was curious to see how it might be different in the book and I think the author did a good job making the concept her own. I will say that while it's certainly similar to the movie in terms of plot beats, it was also very much its own story.

The culture/diversity in this also felt great. I'm not Asian and would certainly not comment on the authenticity of what was included in the book but I really enjoyed the different aspects of Chloe's family and culture that were included in the book. The quest to recreate Ahma's pineapple cakes was such an unnecessary but wonderful side plot that helped make all the characters involved more likeable and the different references to various Asian and Latin cultures, events, and foods helped make the world feel more real and full.

The writing/tone for the novel were also (for the most part) great. I personally did not always love the writing and thought it felt immature at points but every time I felt that way I reminded myself that I'm essentially twice the age of the actual target audience and so "immature" by my standards is really just age-appropriate for a teen and that adjustment in my own personal expectations definitely helped me enjoy the book more.

The side characters! Honestly I think the supporting cast on this book do a lot of heavy lifting in making the book enjoyable. The side characters at times come across as more nuanced and developed than the main ones to be honest and every time one of them showed up I knew someone was about to make sense and the story would get better/move forward so I very much enjoyed them. If the author continues writing in this same universe I would definitely be interested in reading more about some of them.

Finally, the book was honestly just fun?? It dealt with some heavier topics for sure but for the most part this is a book about a teen, experiencing exaggerated teen things, and being dramatic about it until her friends call her out and help ground her. It felt realistic and relevant for a young adult audience and I think it had some really good takeaways about values/how you view yourself.

Also it's short. Maybe some people don't like that but I love a world where I can read a book that isn't 400+ pages unnecessarily.

What didn't work: Full disclosure, I almost put this book down several times, the first time at the 2% mark. While this book is, for the most part, a light-hearted YA romance, there are times where what a character says/thinks is so out of nowhere/weird/borderline inappropriate that it completely took me out from the book and made me just shake my head and question what I was reading. These moments are rare but honestly jarring and annoying every time as they felt like they just didn't belong in the novel and if the book wasn't such a quick read, I might have just stopped reading at any one of these points.

One example of this is when the FMC sends an emoji "sext" of an eggplant and a peach to her ex-boyfriend (in her defense she did not know he was her ex yet) super early in the book. This isn't me being all pearl-clutching "omg inappropriate for a teen romance" because I know that actual human teens are sending things much more ~advanced to each other but it felt out of place for this book which is what I disliked. It was very much giving "adult trying to sound like a teen but they haven't spoken to a teen since they were one" and it didn't quite work. The other examples are similar in that they aren't necessarily sexual but they always come across as just very out of place/not matching the tone of the rest of the book.

Another negative (and quite honestly my least favourite part of the book) were all the Happy Planner Co references. I am a happy planner user. I actually really like my happy planner. happy planner co is mentioned explicitly, by name so many times in this book that it makes me never want to use one of their products ever again. I genuinely don't know if the author just really likes the company and that's why she mentioned them by name so much or what was going on with that but it needed to either be a fake company or just used less frequently because it made the book feel like an ad and took away from the overall story in my opinion. Every time I would think we had escaped the hpc references Chloe would need to use her planner for something and it would get brought up again and honestly infuriate me. All of the scenes could remain the exact same except they could take out some of the name drops for hpc and I really believe that would improve my overall enjoyment of the book but as it stands it felt like some scenes were written just so hpc could be name dropped and it made parts of the book very clunky.

Overall: I wanted to read this book because it sounded similar to a favourite movie of mine and I was curious about how the author would interpret the "heartifacts" concept but ultimately I think it was just a little bit too young for me. And that's okay! I still enjoyed the book for the most part and will probably recommend it to a student at some point in the future but for my fellow adults who still read YA I would say that this one is probably more in line with an actual teen audience.

2.5 stars for my own personal enjoyment, rounded up because I think actual young adults would like it better.

A big thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!

Artifacts of an Ex by Jennifer Chen is a light-hearted read with an intriguing concept, but it ultimately left me with mixed feelings. The story revolves around Chloe, a high schooler who, after being dumped via a "breakup box," decides to create an art exhibit centered around objects people have kept from past relationships. As she embarks on this project, she meets Daniel, a filmmaker who has been hurt by love before and is hesitant to date Chloe, fearing he might become her rebound.

The premise of the "heartifacts" exhibit is a creative one, and I enjoyed the initial idea of exploring heartbreak through physical objects. However, as the story progressed, I found myself feeling less engaged with the concept. The exhibit, while central to the plot, felt overexplained at times, with too much focus on the art pieces and not enough on the relationships or character development. The pacing also felt uneven, and I couldn’t help but feel like the book could have been much shorter without losing any substance.

Chloe herself is a likable protagonist, though I did find some of her quirks, like her obsession with Happy Planners, a bit out of place and distracting from the main story. I appreciated her dedication and passion for the exhibit, and her drive to push through her heartbreak was relatable. However, there were times when I found her a little frustrating, particularly in her interactions with Daniel. The romance felt lackluster, with Chloe often hung up on her ex and Daniel continuously pushing her away. The back-and-forth got tiring after a while, and I didn’t feel the emotional connection I was hoping for between them.

Daniel was a more compelling character, with his experiences and hesitations providing depth to his actions. However, like others have mentioned, I would have loved to see more from his point of view to understand his thoughts and feelings better. The lack of dialogue at times also detracted from the story, as certain exchanges felt too summarized and didn’t allow for deeper character connections. Additionally, the resolution of Chloe’s relationship with her ex left me feeling unsatisfied—there wasn’t enough closure to make it feel complete.

The side characters and the general atmosphere of the book were enjoyable, and I liked the small touches of culture, like the stationery and food references. These added a cozy charm to the story, though I wasn’t entirely convinced by the pacing and development. Overall, Artifacts of an Ex is a cute, easy read, but the lack of tension in the romance and some pacing issues held it back from being a standout for me. It’s an enjoyable book if you’re looking for something light and fluffy, but it didn’t quite hit the emotional depth I was hoping for. 3 stars.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for an Advanced Reader's Copy.

Chloe moves across the country from NYC to LA and gets dumped. After the breakup she channels her emotions into creating an art exhibit called "Heartifacts," showcasing memories/items from past relationships of hers and others. Chloe and Daniel work together to make the exhibit a success. Chloe starts to develop feelings, but Daniel is tired of being a rebound.

This was a delightful YA romance that explores themes of love, loss, and self-discovery through the art. The concept of the “Heartifacts” was unique. Chloe and Daniel’s romance was sweet and swoon worthy filled with witty banter, heartwarming moments and undeniable chemistry. I loved Chloe’s character – she was relatable with learning to navigating being dumped by someone she loved and living in a new city, and showed personal growth by the end. It was a charming romance book about the power of art and young love.

I enjoyed this book, but it honestly fell a little flat for me. Maybe I felt too disconnected from the main character and that’s okay.

The premise is great, an artsy girl who decides to make something out of her recent breakup - something that could help others get over their breakups and look back at them as something that may help with closure. And along the way she meets someone new…

I liked Daniel, he was the sweetest and cutest. Chloe’s interactions with him were cute, and heartfelt. He was a cinnamon roll and most of the time I was bothered with the way Chloe’s heart wasn’t in it. Of course, Chloe learns from these experiences and there is some character growth, but I think by that point I personally was already disconnected from her.

Thank you to the author and publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.

3.5 ⭐

A light-hearted, YA love letter to Planner Girls

This book was super sweet, but also reads as a little overly immature.

Books like this feel a bit like a palette cleanser to me. They're quick and overall pretty joyful. It's a nice way to break-up some of the darker more tragic or dystopian books. If the worst thing that happens in the book is the 16 year old FMC gets dumped, well things are probably going to be okay.

The diversity in this book is really great. I loved reading about a Taiwanese main character with Korean, Latina, and Filipina side characters. Especially in Los Angeles where we have so many different people! As an LA local, getting to see my city from the perspective of different characters is always a blast.

The premise of this story as a whole is actually super fun and a little quirky even. I had a good time with this low-stakes book. My only complaint is that it was a bit odd to include mentions of sex in this book. While it wasn't happening on the page, it still didn't seem to be a necessary inclusion and there are so many mixed opinions of sex in YA that I think it could've been left out all together. Artifacts of an Ex seemed to have a similar age demographic to a Lynn Painter YA novel and I think those manage fine with only general tension and kissing.

Overall the book didn't blow me out of the water or amaze me in any way but I do think it has some similar vibes to the To All The Boys series and I think it's a cute book for an older high school or younger university student :)

Thank you St. Martin's Press/Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the eARC!

Honestly, there was just waaay to much going on in this book. A teenager moves across the country from NYC to LA and her ex sends her a shoebox with mementos of their dating history with a note saying they should break up.

So she curates an art show with breakup boxes. She's also a day planner influencer. And this new guy she meets (also a teen) is a documentarian. And her grandmother has dementia. And the family can't remember the pineapple cake recipe. And they run a coffee shop that she's supposed to work at while curating and influencing. And her teenage ex is a famous artist. And it's all just TOO MUCH which didn't allow me to connect with any of it.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

n/a. started netgalley and did not have it set up correctly so trying to get it accurate now. have added the book to my tbr since it has been released now so i can still give the book the love it deserves. thank you for the opportunity.

This book has been on my Netgalley for a bit and I haven’t picked it up. I haven’t been into romance in a minute, so I’m not the right person to review it anymore.

A light, sweet romance between two adorable teens:
-Chloe Chang , wants to become an art curator. She loves New York City, and hasn’t found her footing in Los Angeles, since she and her family now reside after getting alarming news about her mentally declining grandmother
-Daniel Kwak: a filmmaker who’s very reluctant to get into a romantic relationship with Chloe (who fell for him soon after meeting him). He’s had all sorts of failed relationships with girls who dated him as their rebound guy.

Chloe starts the book getting dumped by her NYC artist boyfriend, who sends back keepsakes through the mail that they accumulated during their time together. After talking with another young woman, also recently dumped by her girlfriend, Chloe decides to curate an art exhibit with hers, the other young woman's and others' failed relationship mementos which she calls Heartifacts.

Daniel decides to collaborate with Chloe on a short film to show in the exhibit, and the two travel to some of his favourite LA haunts for to capture for the video. Despite their best intentions, both fall for each other, and though Chloe thinks she's over her previous boyfriend, Daniel refuses as he's still hurting from all his rebound dates.

The two get to know each other well hanging out and talking for hours, and everyone around them, including Chloe's romantic parents and her sweet grandmother can see that the two should be together. Everyone but Daniel.

Chloe's dreams of becoming a successful art curator also has a bit of a rough start, but Chloe is a planner, and there is nothing she can't handle when equipped with her trusty planner, Post-it notes and multicoloured markers. Even winning over Daniel.

This was cute; both Chloe and Daniel are so adorable. Their families and close friends are equally great, and I loved how author Jennifer Chen not only created an entertaining story, but also dealt with the mental and physical difficulties of caring for an ailing grandparent. This book was just what I needed for a cozy, feel-good read.

Thank you to Netgalley and to St. Martin's Press for this ARC in exchange for my review.

This was such a fun, romantic exploration of art, love, and finding yourself. Great banter, fun chemistry, and a healing character arc. A total joy.

This book was a bit of joy. That youthful thought that you're going to be with someone for the rest of your life but life happens, You meet someone new that really makes you see things differently.

The way these two connected and the way their art expresses their current feelings. I thought it was a joy and I had so much fun.

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

Genre: Young Adult, Romance
Actual Rating: 4 stars
Spicy Meter: 1 fire emoji
Content Warnings: Mentions dementia. Contains some romantic content, but no explicit sexual content.

“Artifacts of an Ex” follows Chloe Chang, a budding art curator, as she channels the pain of a breakup into “Heartifacts,” an art exhibit showcasing mementos of past relationships (both hers and others). And in comes Damoel Kwak, to shake things up. He crushed on Chloe and Chloe claims to be over her ex, but he’s sure she’s not—and he’s not willing to become just another rebound, not when it comes to her. With a clever mix of humor, emotional depth, and cultural nuances, the book explores themes of love, loss, and self-discovery.

So, I’m not the only one with an “Ex Box” apparently. “Artifacts of an Ex” strikes the perfect balance between comedy and deeply emotional times, making it a memorable read. Fans of Jenny Han and Emily Henry will appreciate the mix of romance and personal evolution—I know I did.

With its themes of artistic expression and rediscovering love, “Artifacts of an Ex” is an ode to the transformative power of creativity. It’s a perfect read for anyone who’s ever held on to a keepsake from the past, wondering what it still means.

ARC provided by NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press / Wednesday Books in exchange for an honest review.

Publication Date: November 14, 2023

Artefacts of an Ex offers a unique take on heartbreak and healing, with relatable moments and clever insights. However, the pacing can drag, and some sections lack the emotional depth to truly resonate.

Getting dumped via USPS is pretty savage. Jennifer Chen's Artifacts of An Ex is a light and fun YA romantic comedy for fans of Jenny Han.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me.

What a cute and fun read! It's lighthearted and fluffy which exactly what I want most of the time. It's a great book for those looking for cute romance, adorable friendships and great writing.

I really wanted to read this book but it seriously disappointed me! I dnf'd it at 70% because it was boring me so much. I couldn't relate or even empathise with the Main Character, i really thought she was so annoying. The story had a great potential, and im sad I didnt like it.
Props to the artist who draw the cover, it really is something, and definitly part of why I wanted to read it in the first place