So what a fun story this was. Ex-Marks the Spot takes us on such a fun ride through Taipei and feeling like you get to be there with the characters.

I enjoy stories set in different countries. For this particular book it was fun to look up the locations they were traveling to. Even though it’s distracting, like pictures of a Whale that appeared to be made out of plastic jumping from the River. There is so much and the element of the scavenger hunt shrouded in mystery just made the story so fun to read.

As far as the secondary characters, we don’t delve too much into them. It was obviously mostly focused on Gemma and Xander but we do get glimpses into what other people go through. Gemma unfortunately ends up in Taipei and had hardly known anything about her culture previously. Where different characters have different takeaways for what it means to them to be in Taipei. It was interesting to learn about others' journeys.

Ha the scavenger hunt was fun and if you like books like that, this is definitely one you would want to check out. I also really liked Gemma and Xanders chemistry as well as the tension that happens between them. Sometimes you want to smack Xander and sometimes you are like umm can you guys please get together already.

I don’t want to spoil anything but the elements that have made me love Gloria Chao’s other books are definitely in this one. Loved it, such a fun read.

I went into this for the cute romcom and treasure hunt hijinks, I was not expecting for a sucker punch of feelings!

Overall, I had a really good time with this. The clues and how they all kept coming together was so cleverly done and kept the story moving forward even if half the time (okay much more than that) I had no clue about what the solution was going to be.

I really appreciated Chao’s decision not to translate all of the mandarin, because that made me feel even more connected to Gemma who didn’t understand unless it was translated for her.

Thank you to NetGalley and Viking Books for Young Readers for the ARC!

super sweet/cute enemies to lovers which is a type i reallhy like and this one was a super good example of it. 4 stars. tysm for the arc.

First off, thank you so much to NetGally and PenguinTeen for giving me the opportunity to share my thoughts on this book before it comes out!

Now onto my review
4.5 ⭐️
The book follows Gemma as she solves clues left by her grandfather, that she believes will lead her to a massive inheritance, that will help her to cover her collage funds.
Along the was she has to work with her annoyingly charismatic rival and ex Xander. As the two of them work together solving challenges and unwittingly bonding. Gemma discovers that her feelings are not as dead as she thought…

This book was such a fun read! The plot was interesting and fun to tag along with, by chapter 4 I was already so invested in the characters. The banter was on point and I loved solving the puzzles. It also had very strong messages of familial love witch I love to see in books. The setting was so beautiful! Taipei sounds like such a gorges city and the food don’t even get me started on the food! I was drooling 🤤
The romance was adorable! The only was I can think to describe it is corny in the best posable way. The banter as I mentioned was so much fun, but I think my favourite bits were the personal jabs. They just hit so well and thats one of the things I love about the second chance trope.
It was wholesome and cute, and the whole ‘family feud’. And them having to work tougher. Just the best.

Thank you to NetGalley, Gloria Chao, and Penguin Young Readers Group | Viking Books for Young Readers for my free ebook ARC copy in exchange for my unbiased review.

I wish I had had more books like this one to read when I was back in the YA demographic and I'm so glad it is here now. This novel by Gloria Chao has so much to love.

Gemma Sun is graduating high school with her ex and now rival Xander when she learns of an inheritance from a grandfather she had never known. Gemma is confused as said grandfather is supposed to have died a long time ago but it appears he passed recently and left her with a box.

Needing answers, Gemma asks her mother for the truth and finds out that they were both shunned by her grandfather. So, why did he leave her this box and would it lead to being able to afford college and financial security for her mom?

Unfortunately, in order to find out, she will need to team up with, you guessed it...Xander. He has a way for her to get to Taiwan and follow the clues her Gong Gong left her to get to her inheritance.

Also, unfortunately, Gemma doesn't speak Mandarin and Xander does.

The story literally takes off from there as Gemma becomes immersed in Taiwan with its amazing food, scenery, and traditions. She follows the clues her Gong Gong left her with confusion about why he would go to the trouble of having her go on a wild goose chase in the first place and confusion about a boy named Brett who seems to have eyes for her.

All the while, Xander is there to help translate and decipher clues that will bring Gemma closure and both of their families together in ways they never imagined.

This novel was like a quick trip abroad with a sassy heroine, love triangle, puzzle-solving and mouthwatering images of the most delicious food. It was a hybrid of travelogue, Duolingo app, recipe book, romcom with banter with The Inheritance Games vibes and sooo much more.

I thoroughly enjoyed the elaborate quest and look forward to more from Chao.

I have been loving all of these treasure hunting books that have been coming out, and this one was no exception! This is an enemies to lovers book that includes puzzles and lots of adventure. The description of Taiwan and the food was irresistible. The characters fit perfectly into this book and I loved them. I would highly recommend this to anyone to read!

Cute little romance book! I’d read more from this author. I loved the atmospheric writing! Thank you NetGalley for the advanced reader copy.

This was a really cute closed door romance, I loved learning about the culture more. I liked the twist of her grandpa's story and loved that she got to know her culture better.

Ex Marks the Spot follows Gemma Sun, who discovers a puzzle in her estranged grandfather’s will that sends her on an inheritance hunt through Taiwan and forces her to work with her ex. Soon, she’ll discover that her family has hidden more than treasure.

From the moment I read the summary of the book, and saw it was rivals turned lovers, I was hooked. I am a fan of stories where characters find their roots, and discover themselves along the journey,

Gemma Sun is a very compelling protagonist, and you can't help be drawn into her adventure and hope things work out for her. I was thoroughly invested in her story, and it was very well researched, fast paced and quick read,

The writing was lyrical and very atmospheric.

It was a great read.

This book was so interesting that I couldn't put it down. Growing up as a Chinese American in the 60s ad 70s, I still could relate a lot to the feelings the main character experiences. Family relationships as well as peer relationships are important to our culture. This book would be a great read for other teens to better understand Asian culture. I would highly recommend this for a high school class and definitely as a book for the school library!

I honestly love this! It was just so real and beautifully written. I feel like the author should have more fame than they do. She is entirely too talented for me to have not heard of her before now! Definitely excited to see more from her, this book was just perfect.

Absolutely adored this one! The cover is great, the title is a pun, and the story is a treasure hunt of both personal and exploratory varieties. What more is there to like? I could not put it down! Highly recommend this one. :)

A fun, entertaining read about a scavenger hunt in a foreign country with the underscore of romance.

I liked the way this book explored the way Gemma wanted to connect to her extended family and discovered so much more about her grandfather along the way. The twists are a bit predictable, but I still love their inclusion and it means that all the hints along the way were well employed. I love the word play in both languages. The romance was fine. I did not like the inclusion of the first romance, though I do like how that one was resolved.

I had a good time with it. Fans of Inheritance Games will enjoy this one.

Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for the opportunity to read and review.

Ex Marks the Spot by Gloria Chao is a lively and engaging adventure-romance that takes readers across Taiwan, following Gemma, a broke student, and her ex-boyfriend as they embark on a treasure hunt sparked by her late grandfather’s cryptic clue. What initially seems like a simple hunt turns into a deeper exploration of culture and unresolved feelings between the characters. The unexpected tension and history between Gemma and her ex add emotional depth that makes their journey even more engaging.

I loved how the book dives into Taiwanese culture, food, and landscapes, making me feel immersed in the country’s vibrant atmosphere. The romance is light-hearted, and their dynamic brings a fun and adventurous spirit to the story. However, I did feel the puzzles were too easy, with solutions that came too quickly, and the phonetic Chinese dialogue, without translation, sometimes made it hard to follow.

That said, the lightheartedness and banter between the characters, along with their youthful, adventurous energy, more than made up for it. The treasure hunt becomes more than just a quest for riches—it’s about rediscovering themselves and their bond. Overall, it’s a fun, enjoyable read for anyone who loves romance with a dash of adventure!

Thank you so much to @penguinteen and @netgalley for the ARC of Ex Marks the Spot! I had a blast reading it.

Ex Marks the Spot by Gloria Chao
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It’s always been just Gemma and her mom. So when a lawyer shows up and informs her that her grandfather (whom she thought died years ago) left her something in his will, she jumps at the chance to get to know him better. The box he left her seems to be a clue to a scavenger hunt of sorts, and she will need the help of her Ex, Xander.
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What I liked:
-By the end of the second chapter I was hooked. I needed answers to all my questions!
-I. Love. A. Scavenger. Hunt. (Seriously, put one in every book, please)
-The enemies-to-lovers energy in this story was absolutely fantastic. I hated Xander (and yet I wanted them to get together so bad). The banter, the frustration, the longing, it was all so good.
-Again, I LOVED the scavenger hunt.
-Gemma and her mom’s relationship. 🥰💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜
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5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I loved everything about this book, except that Netgalley would not let me send it to my Kindle and I had to read it on the Netgalley Shelf app (I do not like the Netgalley shelf app).

I read what this book was about and it sounded so good, so I requested it. Once I started reading it, I was also reading another book, so it took me a bit to get into this.......but once I got going it was hard to put down. I like how it was sort of a mystery, and there were clues that the main characters had to figure out, along with their relationship. I also love a happy ending.
This book shows persistence and even if you get embarrassed you still move on. It also shows that things may be hard, but don't give up. This is a good book for high school students to read.

Thank you to NetGalley, Viking Books for Young Readers, and Penguin Young Readers Group for this advanced copy! You can pick up Ex Marks the Spot on December 31, 2024.

Gloria Chao wove a really sweet and emotional story together about embracing your cultural legacy on your terms and letting your past inform your future. Gemma Sun has always believed it's her and her mom against the world, but when her grandfather leaves her a treasure hunt/puzzle to follow to lead to his inheritance, Gemma leaps at the chance to learn more about her Taiwanese background and extended family.

I loved the treasure hunt itself and how Gemma was forced to work with her ex-boyfriend and rival, Xander Pan, to get to the bottom of the hunt (especially given his personal connection to Gemma's grandfather). While I do think this book slowed down and spent a bit too much time on some of the in-between moments of the story, I can appreciate why the author included them. We see Gemma open up more with fellow teenagers who can relate to her experiences, and we see Gemma's confidence grow with each passing moment.

The last half of the book really had me hooked and eager for more, as Gemma and Xander traveled closer and closer to the "X" at the end of the hunt. I'd definitely recommend picking this up if you're in the mood for puzzle-solving and familial bonds (just don't read while you're hungry, because all the food mentions were 10/10 enticing).

Ex Marks the Spot is a fun treasure hunt/romance, but where it excelled for me was the deeper exploration of family, cultural roots, and the impact of generational secrets.

Even with a slow start, the story was quite interesting and enjoyable. I loved the writing and the story and the adventure it took the characters on. I loved how it discussed culture and the romance it had.

Thank you to Net Galley and Penguin for the ARC. I really liked the beginning, it was quite funny and I was enjoying Gemma's character, her rivalry with Xander, and exploring Taiwan. However, it became a bit boring, and the actual treasure hunt was not that interesting. The pacing became a bit odd and the dynamic between Gemma and Xander became just ok.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC of this book!

3.5 stars, rounded up.

Ex Marks the Spot is a fun treasure hunt/romance, but where it excelled for me was the deeper exploration of family, cultural roots, and the impact of generational secrets. Gemma and Xander were great characters, though I would have liked to see a touch more fun banter, etc. and a bit less outright hostility. Their ending was super cute though! I really enjoyed how they both unraveled truths about their families as the treasure hunt progressed. I think this is a perfect book for teen readers who want a little romance, but for that not to be the driving plot of the story.