Ex Marks the Spot

Ex Marks the Spot by Gloria Chao is about a girl named Gemma Sun who learns that her grandfather has just died and left her the first clue to a treasure hunt. Gemma hopes it will lead to an inheritance, but the treasure hunt takes place in Taiwan, a country she has never been to and knows very little about. She gets help from her ex-boyfriend and school rival, Xander. After solving puzzles together, Gemma starts to connect with her culture more and learn about her family’s past. She also starts to learn more about who she really is. This story has themes of adventure, romance, and discovery.

Ex Marks the Spot was a very interesting book about romance and a treasure hunt. It's also about finding your identity and where you came from. This is very interesting and relatable, as I believe many people would like to know about their ancestry. Seeing Gemma change throughout the book inspired me to do the same. Gemma’s struggle to connect with her Taiwanese heritage felt really interesting, especially when she had to rely on Xander to learn about the truth. The puzzles made the story fun and interesting, as it contained some mystery. Even though Xander and Gemma had a rough past, their relationship grew through the story. The book taught me that even though they were on a treasure hunt, the real treasure was the things you learn and the relationships you make.