Ex Marks the Spot

by Gloria Chao

Overview

A swoony rivals-to-lovers romance . . .
Family secrets that can't stay buried . . .
A globe-spanning treasure hunt with puzzles to solve . . .

This latest YA novel by acclaimed writer Gloria Chao takes readers on a soaring adventure through love, loss, and the lively streets of Taiwan.

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 things: 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 Gemma can get there is by asking her ex and biggest high-school rival, Xander, for help. But after swallowing her pride, she 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.

Filled with ingenious puzzles, a vibrant Taipei setting, and a delicious romance, Ex Marks the Spot is an exciting adventure by award-winning writer Gloria Chao, perfect for fans of Loveboat Taipei, The Inheritance Games, and Thirteen Little Blue Envelopes.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780593692714
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	12/31/2024
Pages:	384
Sales rank:	149,287
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.25(h) x 0.78(d)
Age Range:	12 Years

About the Author

Gloria Chao is a screenwriter and the award-winning author of American Panda, Our Wayward Fate, Rent a Boyfriend, When You Wish Upon a Lantern, Ex Marks the Spot, and the forthcoming The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club. She graduated from MIT, then became a dentist before realizing she'd rather spend her days in fictional characters' heads instead of real people's mouths. When she’s not writing, you can find her on the curling ice, where she and her husband are world-ranked in mixed doubles.

Visit her tea-and-book-filled world at GloriaChao.wordpress.com and find her on Instagram and Twitter @GloriaCChao.

Editorial Reviews

09/16/2024

Taiwanese American 18-year-old Gemma Sun is used to being considered boring and socially awkward, especially compared to her popular and charismatic Taiwanese American ex-boyfriend Xander Pan, whom she detests after an unpleasant breakup (“He accused me of being no fun”) and whose connection to their culture she envies. Then she’s contacted by an attorney, who tells her that her grandfather recently died and that he’d left Gemma old newspaper clippings with a secret message prompting her to visit his apartment in Taipei. The news causes a rift between Gemma and her mother; she told Gemma that he’d died a long time ago, and Gemma now blames her for her loneliness and disconnect with her heritage. Reluctantly, she enlists Xander, whose involvement in the Taiwanese American Roots Pursuit program helps secure Gemma a trip to Taiwan. As a non-Mandarin speaker, Gemma struggles to decipher her grandfather’s elaborate clues, prompting Xander to persuade Gemma into letting him help her in exchange for part of whatever’s at the end of their search. What follows is a whirlwind adventure through Taipei, which Chao (When You Wish Upon a Lantern) depicts using vivid prose that details Taiwanese tourist life alongside a simmering second-chance romance. Ages 12–up. (Dec.)

Publishers Weekly

"A whirlwind adventure through Taipei, which Chao depicts using vivid prose that details Taiwanese tourist life alongside a simmering second-chance romance." —Publishers Weekly

"Chao artfully weaves in themes of Asian American identity, generational trauma, and compassion as each clue that Gemma uncovers leads to another compelling revelation. A thoroughly enjoyable romp that’s also rich in self-discovery and romance." —Kirkus Reviews

"A beautiful story about discovering your roots and understanding the difficult choices adults make." —Booklist

"Smart and utterly swoon-worthy, Ex Marks the Spot has Gloria Chao’s signature humor and so much heart. Whether you’re looking for the perfect rivals-to-lovers rom-com, a love letter to diaspora communities, or a thrilling, beautifully written adventure around Taiwan, it’s impossible not to fall in love with this book."
—Ann Liang, New York Times bestselling author of I Hope This Doesn’t Find You

"Gloria Chao does it again with an adorable and endearing YA romcom! A sweet love story that highlights culture, family, acceptance, and allowing people to be their true selves. A beautiful (and delicious) exploration of Taiwan from an honest and thoughtful diaspora lens. Fun, humorous and delightful!"
—Kat Cho, New York Times bestselling author of Once Upon a K-Prom

"Irresistibly entertaining and deeply sincere, Ex Marks the Spot is a propulsive journey through culture, family, self-discovery, and the love we find hidden in the most exquisitely unexpected places. Gloria Chao continues to deliver the kind of funny, relatable stories we all deserve!"
—Julian Winters, award-winning author of Prince of the Palisades

From the Publisher

2024-09-28
Recent high school graduate Gemma Sun goes on a treasure hunt in Taiwan.

Gemma, who’s from “Podunksville, Massachusetts,” is looking ahead with excited trepidation to attending Amherst College. But covering the tuition weighs on her mind since she and her single mom have limited finances. So she’s shocked to hear that her grandfather in Taipei, whom she had believed to be long dead, was in fact estranged from her mom and died only weeks earlier. His attorney shows up with their inheritance: a box filled with old newspaper clippings. Gemma quickly realizes that the articles contain clues hinting at a big treasure for her to find in Taiwan. Her mother agrees to let her go—if she can pay her own way. The tightly written plot moves quickly as Gemma swallows her pride, asking Harvard-bound ex-boyfriend and nemesis Xander Pan to allow her to participate in the all-expenses-paid Taiwanese American Roots Pursuit program he founded (and which she previously scorned). There Gemma explores Taiwanese culture—and her own independence. As she solves puzzles and her hunt for her grandfather’s treasure escalates, she also must collaborate with Xander to get to the solution, bringing them closer together in the process. Chao artfully weaves in themes of Asian American identity, generational trauma, and compassion as each clue that Gemma uncovers leads to another compelling revelation.

A thoroughly enjoyable romp that’s also rich in self-discovery and romance.(Fiction. 12-18)

Kirkus Reviews