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3.17 AVERAGE
3.17 AVERAGE
I loved this book the romance is so cute! I loved it.
emotional
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Okay so I read this hot on the heels of the Nevernight Chronicles as I desperately needed something light and fluffy after the gory-murder fest that is Mia Corvere’s tale.
And boy I chose a good’n with “Shine.”
Shine is pure cheese on top of cheese.
It’s an entertaining read, quick and easy and fun. Fair warning, it’s filled with cringe inducing moments, and the character development/character relationships are about as deep as a shallow puddle BUT it makes up for it with insight into Kpop trainee life and the cutesy fairytale moments that feel as though they were ripped straight outta a Kdrama.
The romance is... okay I guess. However this book is at its best when exploring the double standards of the kpop industry and when it’s following Rachel Kim’s cutthroat journey to debut.
I’m not gonna lie, I’m gonna read the sequel. I want to see Mina and Rachel become friends instead of enemies and I want to see how different Rachel’s life is with the added pressure of actually debuting.
I can live without Jason Lee though.
And boy I chose a good’n with “Shine.”
Shine is pure cheese on top of cheese.
It’s an entertaining read, quick and easy and fun. Fair warning, it’s filled with cringe inducing moments, and the character development/character relationships are about as deep as a shallow puddle BUT it makes up for it with insight into Kpop trainee life and the cutesy fairytale moments that feel as though they were ripped straight outta a Kdrama.
The romance is... okay I guess. However this book is at its best when exploring the double standards of the kpop industry and when it’s following Rachel Kim’s cutthroat journey to debut.
I’m not gonna lie, I’m gonna read the sequel. I want to see Mina and Rachel become friends instead of enemies and I want to see how different Rachel’s life is with the added pressure of actually debuting.
I can live without Jason Lee though.
fast-paced
really amateur writing though i do love jessica and i am intrigued with her insight on the kpop world behind the scenes, though she is not very subtle at all i guess she doesn't have to be, she wanted to tell a story and she did. i will read bright though
First of all, the author Jessica Jung is a K-pop legend and former lead singer of the Girls Generation. To me, this book felt authentic. If what Rachel and the other female trainees at DB Entertainment went through in the book really occurs, the K-Pop industry must really be cutthroat. It did take me a couple of chapters to get into the story, but once I was in, I was hooked. I couldn’t put it down to see where Rachel’s story would go. Pleasantly surprised by the ending, I cannot wait to see where the next book goes.
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
one star for the sheer entertainment it provided me. other than that, it's really really not good, even by YA standards.
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I am pretty deep into K-pop, so you can imagine my excitement to not only read a book about the genre, but a book written by someone who has experienced it first hand. It's easy to see the parallels between Rachel's journey toward becoming a K-pop idol and what Jessica Jung must have experienced as part of Girls Generation. I love the not-so-subtle shade thrown at SM Entertainment (DB Entertainment in the book), particularly about not allowing their artists to write their own lyrics and the duplicity surrounding their contracts. Also, the drink-wielding, sunglasses clad, flamboyantly dressed Mr. Noh bears a striking resemblance to a certain CEO.
I was expecting (and looking forward to) all that. What I was not expecting was the clear calling out of the rampant sexism and double standards between girl groups and boy bands. It was delightfully refreshing and something that definitely needs to be addressed. Unfortunately, it wasn't mentioned explicitly until the last quarter of the book, so I felt there wasn't enough time to fully explore the topic. Hopefully the sequel will allow Rachel to take larger strides in standing up for herself without succumbing to the same bullying and mistreatment that she experienced. I understand the vindictiveness depicted between female trainees is probably very accurate, but it's not just something I personally like to read about. Especially when the main characters solution is to almost stoop to their level just to survive or ignore it and hope for the best.
The book isn't all just back-stabbing and sabotage, though, in the same way K-pop idols are not all stilettos and glitter. The main messages of pursuing your dreams, the weight of duty, and the struggle to find where you belong is something any reader of any age and any culture can take to heart. At one point, Rachel rejoices at how she can share her culture and her love of music through K-pop and Jessica Jung succeeds in doing the same thing through Shine.
I was expecting (and looking forward to) all that. What I was not expecting was the clear calling out of the rampant sexism and double standards between girl groups and boy bands. It was delightfully refreshing and something that definitely needs to be addressed. Unfortunately, it wasn't mentioned explicitly until the last quarter of the book, so I felt there wasn't enough time to fully explore the topic. Hopefully the sequel will allow Rachel to take larger strides in standing up for herself without succumbing to the same bullying and mistreatment that she experienced. I understand the vindictiveness depicted between female trainees is probably very accurate, but it's not just something I personally like to read about. Especially when the main characters solution is to almost stoop to their level just to survive or ignore it and hope for the best.
The book isn't all just back-stabbing and sabotage, though, in the same way K-pop idols are not all stilettos and glitter. The main messages of pursuing your dreams, the weight of duty, and the struggle to find where you belong is something any reader of any age and any culture can take to heart. At one point, Rachel rejoices at how she can share her culture and her love of music through K-pop and Jessica Jung succeeds in doing the same thing through Shine.
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced