Reviews

Sunny Song Will Never Be Famous by Suzanne Park

ameserole's review against another edition

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4.0

I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Sunny Song Will Never Be Famous was so much fun to dive into. It was just really cute and easy to listen to. In it, you will meet Sunny. She's spunky (in a way) and completely adorkable in others. I'll also admit that she tends to dive into her bratty side from time to time as well.

In other words, she's like a regular teenager. Definitely obsessed with social media and likes. So it's no surprise that she wants to have the best summer ever.. and for her ideal summer list to go out the window.

Mostly because one of her home cooking videos goes drastically wrong and she's now off to camp. Social media detox camp. Which, yes, I did laugh about this because I didn't think this camp was a thing. I mean.. it still might not be but who knows.

While she thinks this camp is going to ruin her life and summer.. it actually ends up being a lot of fun. I think I liked Sunny a bit more after she went to this place because she was actually having fun and not stuck to her phone. She's meeting new people and developing new crushes - which, yes, I totally agree with. I wanted more from them.

In the end, Sunny definitely became more likable to me and it made this book a lot more fun to listen to. Definitely happy that I got the chance to dive into this and look forward to my next book by Suzanne!

aldarakamey's review against another edition

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4.0

This book was read thanks to NetGalley.

This book was a nice surprise the book tackled the social media addiction and how it could affect our lives, but also I love how likable the characters are, that is my favorite trail in a leading character, I love book when I can relate or understand the character.

So yes I recommend this book.

beastreader's review against another edition

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3.0

This is a sweet, charming read. It does give off summer vibes with Sunny being sent to summer camp. While Sunny is younger by more than half my age, I can relate to the social media obsession that she had with trying to gain followers and the best content. I have gotten a little obsessed with Instagram. When I do take some breaks, I realize that it was great not to be so attached. Luckily, I am not at the point of needing to attend a detox summer camp.

I did like Sunny and her summer crush, Theo. Theo is a sweetheart. I am still laughing when I think back to the moment that Sunny met Theo and found out who he was named after. In regards, to the other campers; I did and could not really form a bond with them. This is a little where my age comes into play but also because to me the other campers did come off as juvenile. I am not saying that Sunny was not that way too in the beginning but Theo's non social status rubbed off on her. Overall, I still did like this book.

rcpope's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

adrzeck's review against another edition

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3.0

Should one use your social media/tech skills for personal gain (evil) or help others (good)?
What if you get sent to Iowa since you can't get your face out of your screen?
Maybe you should stop reading this review on the line and go outside.

mandukation's review against another edition

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funny lighthearted reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

alongreader's review against another edition

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4.0

This is the third of Suzanne's books I've read, and I think I've got her pegged now. (That sounds awful, I don't mean it to.) These are fun but slightly frothy romcoms featuring Korean-Americans and often some kind of online activity. I always love reading about influencers and thisd book didn't disappoint.

An example of froth; I don't know anything about the wannabe boyfriend, Rafael Kim, except that Sunny has a crush on him. He barely features and he's not talked about, because his role is Wrong One First; he doesn't need a personality, he just needs to be different from Right One Last. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but a couple of scenes in school would have meant I cared more about whether Sunny would get him or not.

Everything is like that. I enjoyed the read, please don't get me wrong, but it all could have done with a little more depth. Time at the camp seemed to leap by very quickly in odd chunks - Sunny arrived, then it was three days later, then it was two weeks, then three, then home time - and it just felt strange. I really enjoyed all the things that were happening, and I guess I want more of them. Even the 'issues' - an instance of racism against Sunny, and the central issue of whether 'tech' is bad - were skimmed over very lightly. The online comunity can be a wonderful, accepting place, and it's a shame we didn't see more of that; we only heard about three influencers despite the wealth of other online experiences in the camp. Let's hear more about the esports guy, or the online comedian!

If you go into this expecting a fun, light teenage romcom, you'll really enjoy it and even laugh out loud at spots. If you think you're getting an indepth discussion, or learning how to deal with your teenager, you'll be disappointed. But that's ok. Sometimes you just need something light and fun, and that's exactly this book.

smalltownbookmom's review against another edition

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4.0

This is a fun summer YA read that focuses on the dangers of social media obsession and the importance of finding a healthy screen-free balance in life. Perfect for young teens AND adults both. Sunny is a Korean-American 17 year old building her social media 'empire' and when a live brownie video goes viral for the wrong reasons she gets sent to an organic digital detox farm in Iowa to learn better habits. Lots of relevant issues for people finding it difficult to live in the present. This book also addresses micro-aggressions and prioritizing real life relationships over online ones. I loved the sweet romance that develops between Sunny and Theo (the young organic farmer) and how Sunny helps the old age home residents learn how to use social media to stay connected to their families. It was also really great to see how supportive her traditional Korean parents were in accepting Sunny's life choices. Full of important messages this is a great book for anyone who has a hard time being present in their real life. I am #TeamSunny all the way and highly recommend this book! Thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for my advance listening copy that releases June 1st.

jesseonyoutube's review against another edition

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4.0

Does anyone else also really love books about bloggers?

A refreshing, comedic debut about a Korean teenager who wants to be a cyber star. BUT after a viral video goes wrong #BraGate, Sunny is hauled off to a social media detox camp where she is forced to explore herself, navigate industry competition, and maybe even fall in love.

Sunny Song is a book that will make you cringe from the relatable awkwardness. There were so many times where I shared in Sunny's embarrassment and this endeared me to her. I liked this book a lot and chucked so many times. Sunny is a character that I would genuinely love a serious from. I would kill to follower her post-high school as she navigates her career. The book does a satisfying job exploring the lives of kids who aren't exactly thrilled about college and want to take a different path. We don't get to see that often and it was really really well done.

3.75/4 stars!

kaylareadsbooks's review against another edition

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5.0

I really liked this! It was a lot of fun!