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3.62 AVERAGE
3.62 AVERAGE
I'm a big fan of Maureen Goo, so I was really looking forward to reading this. While I enjoyed it well enough, I'm sorry to say that it didn't grab me like her previous titles.
Somewhere Only We Know takes place primarily over the course of one day in Hong Kong. Our protagonists are Lucky, a wildly successful K-Pop star on the verge of her American debut, and Jack, a photographer moonlighting as a paparazzo while working up the courage to reject his parents' plan for his life. Both are hiding something: Lucky has shed her famous persona, relishing the chance to be a normal girl for a day, while Jack has figured out who she is and is hoping to document their day together and make his big break as a photographer. For both, this day in Hong Kong is a chance to reevaluate their plans and make some tough choices.
I had two big problems with this book, and the first was Jack. I just found it too skeevy that he was secretly photographing her the whole time and that he was using her to make his big break. The second problem was the pacing: I just don't buy that kind of insta-love, especially with all the lies between them. Between those two concerns, I spent most of the book waiting for reality to come crashing down on them, which didn't make for a fun reading experience. This book actually took me weeks to complete, since I actually kind of didn't want to know what was going to happen next. I ended up devouring the final chapters in just one sitting, but I'm still conflicted on how it wrapped up. Some scenes had me cheering and practically pumping my fists from my couch, but certain major plot points were too quickly and tidily resolved.
All in all, I'm pretty conflicted about this title. I was personally a little disappointed, but that won't stop me from recommending it to the teens in my library. I enjoyed it well enough for a fluffy romance, and I suspect I would have liked it a lot more as a teenager.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley to read in exchange for an honest review.
Somewhere Only We Know takes place primarily over the course of one day in Hong Kong. Our protagonists are Lucky, a wildly successful K-Pop star on the verge of her American debut, and Jack, a photographer moonlighting as a paparazzo while working up the courage to reject his parents' plan for his life. Both are hiding something: Lucky has shed her famous persona, relishing the chance to be a normal girl for a day, while Jack has figured out who she is and is hoping to document their day together and make his big break as a photographer. For both, this day in Hong Kong is a chance to reevaluate their plans and make some tough choices.
I had two big problems with this book, and the first was Jack. I just found it too skeevy that he was secretly photographing her the whole time and that he was using her to make his big break. The second problem was the pacing: I just don't buy that kind of insta-love, especially with all the lies between them. Between those two concerns, I spent most of the book waiting for reality to come crashing down on them, which didn't make for a fun reading experience. This book actually took me weeks to complete, since I actually kind of didn't want to know what was going to happen next. I ended up devouring the final chapters in just one sitting, but I'm still conflicted on how it wrapped up. Some scenes had me cheering and practically pumping my fists from my couch, but certain major plot points were too quickly and tidily resolved.
All in all, I'm pretty conflicted about this title. I was personally a little disappointed, but that won't stop me from recommending it to the teens in my library. I enjoyed it well enough for a fluffy romance, and I suspect I would have liked it a lot more as a teenager.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley to read in exchange for an honest review.
KDrama in book form and she did it so well. Piggyback ride and everything.
*4.25
This book was really, really cute! I had so much fun reading it! Super quick, super sweet and super wholesome. I really loved the characters and their arcs. Great read-a-thon book!
This book was really, really cute! I had so much fun reading it! Super quick, super sweet and super wholesome. I really loved the characters and their arcs. Great read-a-thon book!
At this point, I'm starting to realize that something about Goo's writing doesn't quite click for me, which sucks because I one hundred percent want to love these books. Somewhere Only We Know is fun and fast-paced, and I do think Goo fans will be happy with this one.
Somewhere Only We Know is Roman Holiday kpop style, and that sounded so boss because I also love Roman Holiday (Young Gregory Peck HOT DAMN). There were some choices here that didn't really work for me, which I will detail, but on the whole it was cute and kept me flipping pages. As with the rest, I never got into flaily ship mode, which was disappointing but I did like it.
Things I had HMMM feelings about:
- Somewhere Only We Know starts with Lucky tottering out of her hotel in slippers searching for hamburger after taking her sleeping pills and Ativan (really thought the book was going to make a point about anxiety but it's actually not a plot point at all).
- This was such a weird choice to me because it made everything about her meeting with Jack so creepy and uncomfortable?
- Also why is her name Lucky? I couldn't get Britney Spears out of my head the whole damn time.
- Jack's working as a paparazzo and in the end that comes out only because he leaves her alone with his phone which is not locked. WHO DOES NOT LOCK THEIR PHONE? Especially if they're secretly recording a pop star's day? This key plot point is nonsensical, I'm sorry.
These YA kdrama books all sound like my exact thing, but so far no dice. I'll absolutely keep trying them, but, hey, at least they're entertaining.
Somewhere Only We Know is Roman Holiday kpop style, and that sounded so boss because I also love Roman Holiday (Young Gregory Peck HOT DAMN). There were some choices here that didn't really work for me, which I will detail, but on the whole it was cute and kept me flipping pages. As with the rest, I never got into flaily ship mode, which was disappointing but I did like it.
Things I had HMMM feelings about:
- Somewhere Only We Know starts with Lucky tottering out of her hotel in slippers searching for hamburger after taking her sleeping pills and Ativan (really thought the book was going to make a point about anxiety but it's actually not a plot point at all).
- This was such a weird choice to me because it made everything about her meeting with Jack so creepy and uncomfortable?
- Also why is her name Lucky? I couldn't get Britney Spears out of my head the whole damn time.
- Jack's working as a paparazzo and in the end that comes out only because he leaves her alone with his phone which is not locked. WHO DOES NOT LOCK THEIR PHONE? Especially if they're secretly recording a pop star's day? This key plot point is nonsensical, I'm sorry.
These YA kdrama books all sound like my exact thing, but so far no dice. I'll absolutely keep trying them, but, hey, at least they're entertaining.
See this review and more on Books and Ladders!
DNF @ 34%
I loved [b:I Believe in a Thing Called Love|31145133|I Believe in a Thing Called Love|Maurene Goo|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1473268908s/31145133.jpg|47308195] and the synopsis of this one made me squeal with joy so I was very excited when I got it in my Fierce Reads box. But it just fell super flat for me. Jack and Lucky were not interesting characters to me, I really couldn't stand the back and forth ever changing perspectives, and I didn't care about the plot at all. It seemed like the more I read, the less I wanted to be reading. It was supposed to take place basically over a day but it felt like it dragged on forever. I think some people will really enjoy this one, but it definitely wasn't the book for me.
DNF @ 34%
I loved [b:I Believe in a Thing Called Love|31145133|I Believe in a Thing Called Love|Maurene Goo|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1473268908s/31145133.jpg|47308195] and the synopsis of this one made me squeal with joy so I was very excited when I got it in my Fierce Reads box. But it just fell super flat for me. Jack and Lucky were not interesting characters to me, I really couldn't stand the back and forth ever changing perspectives, and I didn't care about the plot at all. It seemed like the more I read, the less I wanted to be reading. It was supposed to take place basically over a day but it felt like it dragged on forever. I think some people will really enjoy this one, but it definitely wasn't the book for me.
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
What can I say, I enjoyed the story and loved to learn more about the culture and the food descriptions made me hungry. Plot wise, I wouldn’t say this story was very special, it was relatively predictable. But I liked the writing style and the story in general.
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This book is a beautiful exploration of a first relationship between two people with very different lives. It beautifully captures the first feelings of love and the experience of building trust between people. The way they develop and push each other is lovely. The setting is fun and different as well. Highly recommend!
I haven’t loved Maurene Goo books, but this one was a lot better than The Way You Make Me Feel. Goo’s characters always feel over-the-top and out of touch with reality. It’s hard to get lost in the story because they’re so unbelievable and unrelatable. Lucky was no different. Bubbly, effervescent, innocent, quirky, witty, smart, kind....but it never read realistic. That being said, I did really grow to love Lucky and Jack and was eager to see them find what they were searching for.