Ex Marks the Spot

 

Stars: 4 for being as comfy and delicious as your favorite pajamas

My Thoughts:

This devour-worthy story has mystery, a great scavenger hunt and enough regret and drama to keep readers surprised. While Gemma always thought she had no family besides her mom, a surprise visit from a lawyer about an inheritance in Taiwan from her recently deceased grandfather puts her in a tailspin. Not only does she need the "inheritance" for her college, but she needs to figure out how to get to Taiwan. Of course her high school academic rival (and her ex) is running a summer program to Taiwan. Gemma must swallow her pride and dig up some pitiful story to get a spot on the Taiwan trip.

Gemma hates Xander, but luckily, Xander (Alex) does not hate her, so he uses his enormous charm with his family to accept her at the very last minute. The two teens were not ready for the "blood feud" type of resentment between  Xander's mom towards Gemma's mom, but between Gemma's grandfather's riddles  and Gemma's utter inability to speak anything but English, she has to learn to trust Xander and clue him in on what she is trying to do. She really is a fish out of water. Together, they travel around Taiwan and learn more about both of their grandfather's lives. The most interesting part of this book is not the romance between Xander and Gemma. That is inevitable. The real hook is the story of these two families. It is the misunderstandings, the hidden lives, the loss of relationships, and the understanding of a loved one even after they are gone. 

From the Publisher:

For Gemma's whole life, it has always been her and her mom against the world. As far as she knew, all her grandparents—and thus her ties to Taiwanese culture—were dead. Until one day when a mysterious man shows up at her door with two shocking the news that her grandfather has just recently passed, and the first clue to a treasure hunt that Gemma hopes will lead to her inheritance.

There's just one major problem: to complete the hunt, she has to go to her grandfather's home in Taiwan. And the only way she can get there is by asking her ex and biggest high-school rival, Xander, for help. But after swallowing her pride, Gemma finds herself halfway across the world, ready to unearth her life-changing prize. Soon Gemma discovers that the treasure hunt is about much more than money—it's about finally learning about her family, her cultural roots, and maybe even finding true love.

Publication Information:

Author: Gloria Chao

Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers (December 31, 2024)

Paperback: 384 pages

Grade level: 7-9