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3.17 AVERAGE
3.17 AVERAGE
I LOVED THIS YA ROMCOM! I’m so sad I waited so long to read it. I stand for all books k-pop related and this one was my favorite, hands down. I think because of how authentic and real it was and after learning the author is a former K-pop girl group member it all made sense. I can’t wait for book 2 in this series to release! Also the audiobook made it even better because of all the Korean culture pronunciations that I’m sure I would have butchered if I read myself.
Very quick read about a girl going through the soul-sucking process of becoming a k-pop star. The target audience will lap this up, and while I'm not the target audience, I did enjoy it. The fact that it's written by Jessica Jung gives it authenticity but it also makes me sad to realize that there are so many mean girls out there.
A dark confection of a novel that makes for good pandemic reading.
A dark confection of a novel that makes for good pandemic reading.
The way it took me a year and a half to finish this…
There was so much filler in the middle of this that could’ve been reworked so that the ending didn’t feel rushed and leave so many questions unanswered.
She should really stick to fashion and music.
There was so much filler in the middle of this that could’ve been reworked so that the ending didn’t feel rushed and leave so many questions unanswered.
She should really stick to fashion and music.
"Didn't anyone ever tell you? This glamour? This fame? It's all an illusion set up by the label. The execs. And then they'll take everything away from you, framing you as an irresponsible, high-maintenance diva, so that no other label will want to touch you with a ten-foot pole."
Interesting read. This def focused more on the trainee life as opposed to the life of a Kpop star. While some tropes felt like guilty pleasures (such as standing up to bullies, performing better than competitors, etc), this book read as a middle-school read. It followed a basic YA base and it was a fast, easy read. Some parts were cringy and the logic didn't fully flow throughout either.
Why would Rachel be getting herself in trouble in this way and then cry over how important this is to her? It seemed contradictory to put yourself at risk of not debuting by going for someone who has already debuted (especially when another trainee is already out to destroy your life).
Also, how did Rachel manage to debut at the end anyway after the drinking/drugged video of her from the beginning of the book. I feel like that would've been game over.
Also, why is Jason relevant? He sounds so odd and unreliable & I wasn't interested in him in the slightest.
Where was Mina's redemption arc? It doesn't make sense how she's going to keep acting the way she is now that they're debuting & why she's planning on sabotaging Rachel. You bring down Rachel, you bring down yourself and the whole group. But then again, this may be to highlight how bullying is prevalent within the industry (even amongst groups that appear to get along on TV).
Not my cup of tea tbh but entertaining and very quick read (sped through this in a day)
Interesting read. This def focused more on the trainee life as opposed to the life of a Kpop star. While some tropes felt like guilty pleasures (such as standing up to bullies, performing better than competitors, etc), this book read as a middle-school read. It followed a basic YA base and it was a fast, easy read. Some parts were cringy and the logic didn't fully flow throughout either.
Why would Rachel be getting herself in trouble in this way and then cry over how important this is to her? It seemed contradictory to put yourself at risk of not debuting by going for someone who has already debuted (especially when another trainee is already out to destroy your life).
Also, how did Rachel manage to debut at the end anyway after the drinking/drugged video of her from the beginning of the book. I feel like that would've been game over.
Also, why is Jason relevant? He sounds so odd and unreliable & I wasn't interested in him in the slightest.
Where was Mina's redemption arc? It doesn't make sense how she's going to keep acting the way she is now that they're debuting & why she's planning on sabotaging Rachel. You bring down Rachel, you bring down yourself and the whole group. But then again, this may be to highlight how bullying is prevalent within the industry (even amongst groups that appear to get along on TV).
Not my cup of tea tbh but entertaining and very quick read (sped through this in a day)
Wow, I was not expecting much when I went into this book, but I was definitely pleasantly surprised.
[b:Shine|50855956|Shine (Shine, #1)|Jessica Jung|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1580350020l/50855956._SY75_.jpg|73696907] introduces us to the K-pop industry through the eyes of Rachel Kim, a Korean-American trainee who is deadset on debuting, much like the rest of the trainees at her entertainment company. From obnoxious girls to stage-fright, she's seen it all, but suddenly everything just gets worse. Why? Well, the entertainment company's golden boy Jason Lee is interested in her and nothing can ruin a trainee's chance at debuting better than juicy dating gossip (even a drug scandal would be better). But, alas, how can Rachel resist the whims of our handsome, sweet, and thoughtful male lead? If things weren't bad enough with trying to keep their relationship hidden, she must confront gender and racial prejudices, as well as keep herself afloat in this rather cutthroat industry of backstabbing girls and strict executives.
I think this book does a decent job of emulating what life is like as a K-pop trainee, which makes sense because it's written by someone who actually went through the grueling process. The romance is basic, but I appreciated the cute moments between Rachel and Jason. Also, much respect for Rachel for being able to step away from Jason and stick up for herself.
I don't have much to say about this book, other than it bluntly points out the flaws of the K-pop industry with teenagers being taken advantage of and used for publicity stunts, overbearing pressure from family and executives, and, of course, losing control of many aspects of your life from dating to spending time with family. I can only imagine how much worse it must be in real life with all the pretty smiles and dolled-up faces on camera that hide so many things.
Jessica Jung did a great job of portraying this industry and how important support is. Even if a majority of the book was completely predictable, the power dynamics between the executives and trainees (albeit how terrible they were) and the relationship between Rachel and her family were what kept the book going for me.
[b:Shine|50855956|Shine (Shine, #1)|Jessica Jung|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1580350020l/50855956._SY75_.jpg|73696907] introduces us to the K-pop industry through the eyes of Rachel Kim, a Korean-American trainee who is deadset on debuting, much like the rest of the trainees at her entertainment company. From obnoxious girls to stage-fright, she's seen it all, but suddenly everything just gets worse. Why? Well, the entertainment company's golden boy Jason Lee is interested in her and nothing can ruin a trainee's chance at debuting better than juicy dating gossip (even a drug scandal would be better). But, alas, how can Rachel resist the whims of our handsome, sweet, and thoughtful male lead? If things weren't bad enough with trying to keep their relationship hidden, she must confront gender and racial prejudices, as well as keep herself afloat in this rather cutthroat industry of backstabbing girls and strict executives.
I think this book does a decent job of emulating what life is like as a K-pop trainee, which makes sense because it's written by someone who actually went through the grueling process. The romance is basic, but I appreciated the cute moments between Rachel and Jason. Also, much respect for Rachel for being able to step away from Jason and stick up for herself.
I don't have much to say about this book, other than it bluntly points out the flaws of the K-pop industry with teenagers being taken advantage of and used for publicity stunts, overbearing pressure from family and executives, and, of course, losing control of many aspects of your life from dating to spending time with family. I can only imagine how much worse it must be in real life with all the pretty smiles and dolled-up faces on camera that hide so many things.
Jessica Jung did a great job of portraying this industry and how important support is. Even if a majority of the book was completely predictable, the power dynamics between the executives and trainees (albeit how terrible they were) and the relationship between Rachel and her family were what kept the book going for me.
Glitzy, poppy, and slightly terrifying. Obviously some of the drama is played up for the sake of a narrative, but if this is even close to what real K-Pop stars have to put up with from their management companies, they have my deepest sympathies.
Honestly pretty great! I am a big Girls Generation fan and they are the group that got me into K POP and idol culture. It was nice to get a bit of (what is probably) Jessica’s experience in the industry through the character of Rachel. Can’t wait to read the sequel which I already have!
I want to preface this review by saying I really don't know much about K-Pop as an industry. I was initially drawn to this book because of the fact it was a K-Pop artist who wrote it! I think overall, I enjoyed reading this book. It wasn't anything extremely note-worthy or memorable but I enjoyed reading it.
I agree with other reviews saying that this book is definitely trope-y and plays heavily off YA stereotypes, but I really did enjoy the conversations about double standards in the industry, sexism, and prejudice.
I probably will read the sequel when it comes out because I am curious as to how Jessica Jung will resolve the conflict she set up at the end of the book!
I agree with other reviews saying that this book is definitely trope-y and plays heavily off YA stereotypes, but I really did enjoy the conversations about double standards in the industry, sexism, and prejudice.
I probably will read the sequel when it comes out because I am curious as to how Jessica Jung will resolve the conflict she set up at the end of the book!