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whatannikareads's review
adventurous
informative
lighthearted
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
mmmm i'm settling at a 3.5 for this! if you've been a longtime fan of k-pop, i don't think you'll learn anything particularly new here. it's nice to verify that some of the things you've heard about k-pop idols—dating ban, diet watch, groups not being as frinedly behind the scenes, etc—are true, based on jessica's writing. i think the plot flew by enough for me to continue wondering what happened next, but didn't really go the extra mile in all of the plot directions that were brought up. but since i realized afterwards that this is meant to be the first book in a series, i think it makes better sense on how the book panned out. im mildly interested enough to check out the next book! it's not too strenuous of a read anywa—good fluff.
my biggest critique is that miss jessica wants me to believe that the hottest k-pop idol in all of the land is a guy named Jason....................has there ever been a hot Jason, let's be honest.
my biggest critique is that miss jessica wants me to believe that the hottest k-pop idol in all of the land is a guy named Jason....................has there ever been a hot Jason, let's be honest.
Content Warnings
Minor: Drug abuse, Vomit, Misogyny, and Body shaming
bookswithsoumi's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Review: As a decade long fan of K-pop, SM Entertainment artists, Girls’ Generation, AND Jessica Jung, I knew I had to read this book when Jessica first announced it. As far as I know, this is the first YA book that really explores life as a trainee, and definitely the only book written by a former idol!
In addition to the protagonist being a woman of color, I appreciated that the love interest is a person of color as well, especially a biracial one! Jessica did a wonderful attempt of describing a biracial person and an American’s perspective living in South Korea. Feelings of being an outsider are common, and you don’t have to be a Korean-American living in Korea to connect with Rachel.
Jessica also wrote out every fangirl’s dreaming of getting close to their idol. Jason, the Korean- Canadian love interest, is Korea’s number 1 idol. Out of the men Jessica has been romantically linked to in the past (Tyler Kwon, Taecyeon, and Donghae, who happens to be my bias in Super Junior), none of them stand out to me as the basis for Jason Lee’s character. Perhaps Jason was an amalgam of all the K-pop stars she has met over the years, including Henry Lau, Chinese-Canadian idol, who is very talented with various musical instruments and from Toronto, just like Jason.
Regarding the ending, I found it to be a very good set up for the next book in the series. I am indeed excited to see how Rachel performs as an idol as she matures into her twenties. I can’t wait to be thrown into the world of music shows and concerts. Maybe even fighting over endorsements or commercial gigs?
Time to read: 8 hours over 8 days
Content Warning: Avoid this book if you do not want to read about drugs, drugging, alcohol, bullying, vomiting, weight watching (not explicitly eating disorders), or loss of consciousness.
Tl;dr: Read this book if you want a light-hearted novel that makes you feel like a K-pop trainee! Complete with all the stress of making rehearsals, dance practices, and typical teenage drama.
(Adapted from my review posted on Instagram @BooksWithSoumi)
In addition to the protagonist being a woman of color, I appreciated that the love interest is a person of color as well, especially a biracial one! Jessica did a wonderful attempt of describing a biracial person and an American’s perspective living in South Korea. Feelings of being an outsider are common, and you don’t have to be a Korean-American living in Korea to connect with Rachel.
Jessica also wrote out every fangirl’s dreaming of getting close to their idol. Jason, the Korean- Canadian love interest, is Korea’s number 1 idol. Out of the men Jessica has been romantically linked to in the past (Tyler Kwon, Taecyeon, and Donghae, who happens to be my bias in Super Junior), none of them stand out to me as the basis for Jason Lee’s character. Perhaps Jason was an amalgam of all the K-pop stars she has met over the years, including Henry Lau, Chinese-Canadian idol, who is very talented with various musical instruments and from Toronto, just like Jason.
Regarding the ending, I found it to be a very good set up for the next book in the series. I am indeed excited to see how Rachel performs as an idol as she matures into her twenties. I can’t wait to be thrown into the world of music shows and concerts. Maybe even fighting over endorsements or commercial gigs?
Time to read: 8 hours over 8 days
Content Warning: Avoid this book if you do not want to read about drugs, drugging, alcohol, bullying, vomiting, weight watching (not explicitly eating disorders), or loss of consciousness.
Tl;dr: Read this book if you want a light-hearted novel that makes you feel like a K-pop trainee! Complete with all the stress of making rehearsals, dance practices, and typical teenage drama.
(Adapted from my review posted on Instagram @BooksWithSoumi)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Vomit
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