6 Books to Watch if You Loved XO, Kitty

A few weeks ago, I took a good old American “Mental Health Day” and after catching up on some much needed sleep and making a nourishing lunch, I became one with my couch and watched the entire second season of Schmigadoon. That left me with almost a whole day left though, so I started scrolling through Netflix, and made it about thirty seconds in before seeing the title slid for XO, Kitty and immediately flooding with nostalgia for To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before.

I clicked play, and I got off my couch like….7 hours later, the season finished, and my brain scratched, and immediately joyously happy for having spent my day as such.

As I do with all popular TV shows, even though I have no free time to read right now, I went looking for read-alike articles, and was a little devastated that when I initially looked, I didn’t see any! Maybe I wasn’t using the right key words, but I knew I needed to give comp titles to scratch the brain itch of everyone else who loved the K-Drama vibes, the boarding school chicness, the fake dating/coming out story lines, and more.

Now, of course, I’m a librarian. I can write an amazing read-alike list without reading the whole book…and that’s the case here. So take that with a grain of salt! I haven’t finished every title on this list, but when you search for TV/movie read-alikes you just want vibes, right?

Well…enjoy the vibes!

Made in Korea by Sarah Suk

There’s nothing Valerie Kwon loves more than making a good sale. Together with her cousin Charlie, they run V&C K-BEAUTY, their school’s most successful student-run enterprise. With each sale, Valerie gets closer to taking her beloved and adventurous halmeoni to her dream city, Paris.Enter the new kid in class, Wes Jung, who is determined to pursue music after graduation despite his parents’ major disapproval. When his classmates clamor to buy the K-pop branded beauty products his mom gave him to “make new friends,” he sees an opportunity—one that may be the key to help him pay for the music school tuition he knows his parents won’t cover…What he doesn’t realize, though, is that he is now V&C K-BEAUTY’s biggest competitor.Stakes are high as Valerie and Wes try to outsell each other, make the most money, and take the throne for the best business in school—all while trying to resist the undeniable spark that’s crackling between them. From hiring spies to all-or-nothing bets, the competition is much more than either of them bargained for.But one thing is clear: only one Korean business can come out on top.

Seoulmates by Susan Lee

Hannah Cho had the next year all planned out—the perfect summer with her boyfriend, Nate, and then a fun senior year with their friends.But then Nate does what everyone else in Hannah’s life seems to do—he leaves her, claiming they have nothing in common. He and all her friends are newly obsessed with K-pop and K-dramas, and Hannah is not. After years of trying to embrace the American part and shunning the Korean side of her Korean American identity to fit in, Hannah finds that’s exactly what now has her on the outs.But someone who does know K-dramas—so well that he’s actually starring in one—is Jacob Kim, Hannah’s former best friend, whom she hasn’t seen in years. He’s desperate for a break from the fame, so a family trip back to San Diego might be just what he needs…that is, if he and Hannah can figure out what went wrong when they last parted and navigate the new feelings developing between them.

Flip the Script by Lyla Lee

The first rule of watching K-dramas: Never fall in love with the second lead.Hana knows this. She’s been consuming K-dramas her whole life, and now she’s finally living out her dream in Seoul, Korea—playing a lead role in a buzzy new K-drama, and all while dating her costar and K-pop heartthrob Bryan Yoon. Millions would kill to be her. Yet underneath the glittering façade, the truth is much more complicated.Her “relationship” with Bryan comes with a strict contract, designed to help the two costars drum up interest in their show. But when viewership numbers fall, the producers add another lead actress to create a love triangle on the show. And it’s not just any lead actress—Hana’s rival on the show is none other than Minjee, her former best friend, classmate . . . and crush. While they compete for Bryan’s affections onscreen, Hana and Minjee fall in love behind the scenes—but if anyone finds out, the scandal will end their careers.Hana didn’t mean to fall for anyone, and certainly not the adversary threatening her top billing. But hiding in secret isn’t working for them. In this simmering, joyous novel, author Lyla Lee delivers a tender romance between two brave girls who know that when the script isn’t working, it’s time to rewrite it. 

Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins

From the glittering streets of Manhattan to the moonlit rooftops of Paris, falling in love is easy for hopeless dreamer Isla and introspective artist Josh. But as they begin their senior year in France, Isla and Josh are quickly forced to confront the heartbreaking reality that happily-ever-afters aren’t always forever. Their romantic journey is skillfully intertwined with those of beloved couples Anna and Étienne and Lola and Cricket, whose paths are destined to collide in a sweeping finale certain to please fans old and new.

Her Royal Highness by Rachel Hawkins

Millie Quint is devastated when she discovers that her sort-of-best friend/sort-of-girlfriend has been kissing someone else. Heartbroken and ready for a change of pace, Millie decides to apply for scholarships to boarding schools . . . the farther from Houston the better.Soon, Millie is accepted into one of the world’s most exclusive schools, located in the rolling highlands of Scotland. Here, the country is dreamy and green; the school is covered in ivy, and the students think her American-ness is adorable.The only problem: Mille’s roommate Flora is a total princess.She’s also an actual princess. Of Scotland.At first, the girls can’t stand each other, but before Millie knows it, she has another sort-of-best-friend/sort-of-girlfriend. Princess Flora could be a new chapter in her love life, but Millie knows the chances of happily-ever-afters are slim . . . after all, real life isn’t a fairy tale . . . or is it?

Love, Decoded by Jennifer Yen

High school junior Gigi Wong strives to be the best. After all, that’s what everyone expects of her—her parents, friends, and even potential colleges. Thankfully, her best friend, Kyle, is always there to listen with a smile and a delicious bowl of ramen. Still, with her future—and her dreams—on the line, how is she to stand out when her classmates seem so perfect too?Her answer comes in the form of an app writing contest. If Gigi can secure the nomination to represent her school, she has a chance at a prestigious tech internship. That’s sure to get her applications noticed . . . All she needs is a winning entry.When transfer student and new friend Etta confides that she’s struggling to fit in, it gives Gigi an idea. What if she takes what she’s learned from shadowing her aunt Rose, a professional matchmaker, to create a fun friend-making app? Perfect! When Gigi’s app goes viral at school, she’s the center of attention–and a major scandal. She never meant to hurt anyone, let alone Etta and Kyle. Can she save all she worked so hard for and the relationships that mean so much to her?