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3.16 AVERAGE
3.16 AVERAGE
Wow! This was GOOD! Especially since the author was a former KPop star. I’m ready to slap the antagonist, which was truly the whole DB organization!!! Can’t wait for book two!!!
I got this book for review and would give it 3.5 for review*
I really enjoyed this take on the K Pop word and the glitzy world but also the harshness of this world. I also did really like the romance that did develop in this book, it took a odd turn at the end that i did not expect. It was a super fast pace read and i wish the ending had been fleshed out a tad more. I am excited to see where book 2 goes.
I really enjoyed this take on the K Pop word and the glitzy world but also the harshness of this world. I also did really like the romance that did develop in this book, it took a odd turn at the end that i did not expect. It was a super fast pace read and i wish the ending had been fleshed out a tad more. I am excited to see where book 2 goes.
For starters, ive been a fan of jessica for over 10 years so i was obviously going to read this, however, i was unsure of what to expect from this...i mean i was expecting some tea. As the story went on, i got swept into rachel’s world and i enjoyed it! Its no surprise that kpop is a very cutthroat industry but i was not expecting for Jessica mention the sexism, slave-like contracts, as well as the racism she faced as an asian in the USA. This aspect made me realise that even though the book is written for younger audience, it still highlights the problems and prejudice she has faced before and I genuinely appreciate her for shedding light on this. also, its a 3.5/5 but goodreads isnt letting me rate it properly and honestly....jason, mr noh and mr choo can choke. ALSO IS MINA DATING MR HAN???
fast-paced
*I received a free advanced copy of this novel from Edelweiss+ and the publisher in exchange for an honest review*
Shine was actually way better than I expected it to be. I did judge the book a little but thinking it was going to be something fluffy about the K-Pop world written by a K-Pop star but the book was way more than that. It didn’t show everything as bright and full of rainbows and happiness. Things are mean in that world and it just makes you wonder if this was what the author went through before she left her group and decided to do her own thing. I couldn’t put the book down because I had to know what would happen to Rachel and everything that went along with it. The book was well written and you saw Rachel grow through everything. She was shy in the beginning and by the end she wasn’t going to let anyone tell her what to do and scare her. While the tag line makes it seem like the book will center on her story with Jason it’s really about her loving herself. Yes the story of their relationship does play a decent roll but in the end it’s part of her character building and doesn’t drive the plot with her being a love sick little teenager. Having a male star highlights how different the characters are treated and shows that the women will always be treated worse and held to different standards.
It was very well written and a lot happens in it’s 352 pages but you don’t even realize how long the novel is because it’s so hard to put down. I would recommend it because of this fact and because it highlights a world that most people will never experience and doesn’t show it through rose colored glasses. That’s the best part of it all. All of it shows how things either really are (coming from someone that lived through it) or could be. I feel bad saying that I didn’t expect it to be as good as it was because I thought it was going to be about how awesome being in K-Pop is but it’s the opposite. It’s a woman telling her story of how hard life is for someone like her and you really feel for the characters and how easily the women are pushed around and over looked.
Shine was actually way better than I expected it to be. I did judge the book a little but thinking it was going to be something fluffy about the K-Pop world written by a K-Pop star but the book was way more than that. It didn’t show everything as bright and full of rainbows and happiness. Things are mean in that world and it just makes you wonder if this was what the author went through before she left her group and decided to do her own thing. I couldn’t put the book down because I had to know what would happen to Rachel and everything that went along with it. The book was well written and you saw Rachel grow through everything. She was shy in the beginning and by the end she wasn’t going to let anyone tell her what to do and scare her. While the tag line makes it seem like the book will center on her story with Jason it’s really about her loving herself. Yes the story of their relationship does play a decent roll but in the end it’s part of her character building and doesn’t drive the plot with her being a love sick little teenager. Having a male star highlights how different the characters are treated and shows that the women will always be treated worse and held to different standards.
It was very well written and a lot happens in it’s 352 pages but you don’t even realize how long the novel is because it’s so hard to put down. I would recommend it because of this fact and because it highlights a world that most people will never experience and doesn’t show it through rose colored glasses. That’s the best part of it all. All of it shows how things either really are (coming from someone that lived through it) or could be. I feel bad saying that I didn’t expect it to be as good as it was because I thought it was going to be about how awesome being in K-Pop is but it’s the opposite. It’s a woman telling her story of how hard life is for someone like her and you really feel for the characters and how easily the women are pushed around and over looked.
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A quick read, highly entertaining!
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Let me tell you right now, as a massive fan of Girl’s Generation – the K-Pop group of which Jessica was a part for almost 10 years – and a supporter of her individual works following her (ugly) departure, I prayed this book would be good. I felt she needed it to be good to better solidify her multitude of talents.
But it wasn’t.
Now, I wasn’t expecting anything earth shattering – it was a YA book written of her own experiences and probably aiming to capture the unique flavor of Korean Dramas, only recently gaining western popularity. I figured it would be a light, low-stakes read with some PG, fluffy romance. And it just barely made it there.
This book is barely good. Monotone characters, manufactured 3rd-act-tension in a thin cliche plot, and a romance with little to no history all make this your classic YA novel. It’s not gonna win any awards but neither should it be avoided. It is probably a nice fit for it’s 14-year-old audience range who want to picture themselves just trying to be famous in the shiny new world of Kpop but a bit of disappointment for anyone else.
Let me tell you right now, as a massive fan of Girl’s Generation – the K-Pop group of which Jessica was a part for almost 10 years – and a supporter of her individual works following her (ugly) departure, I prayed this book would be good. I felt she needed it to be good to better solidify her multitude of talents.
But it wasn’t.
Now, I wasn’t expecting anything earth shattering – it was a YA book written of her own experiences and probably aiming to capture the unique flavor of Korean Dramas, only recently gaining western popularity. I figured it would be a light, low-stakes read with some PG, fluffy romance. And it just barely made it there.
This book is barely good. Monotone characters, manufactured 3rd-act-tension in a thin cliche plot, and a romance with little to no history all make this your classic YA novel. It’s not gonna win any awards but neither should it be avoided. It is probably a nice fit for it’s 14-year-old audience range who want to picture themselves just trying to be famous in the shiny new world of Kpop but a bit of disappointment for anyone else.
3.5 stars
As a relatively new lover of K-pop I knew I couldn’t miss former Girls Generation member Jessica Jung’s debut contemporary novel about the cutthroat nature of the trainee program every idol has to make it through before their debut. Jung’s writing style is fun and bubbly a la Jenny Han while also remains true to the nature of the K-pop industry (or at least what is have heard of it). The main character Rachel is strong and hardworking while also being relatable with her camera shyness. I like that all of the dancing, singing, and acting didn’t come naturally to her. We saw just how hard she trained her talent over the course of the novel. Of course, me being me, I didn’t totally love the romance, though I did appreciate the fact that Jason seemed to understand at the end how differently he was treated vs how Rachel, Mina, and all of the other girls were treated. I have hope for him yet.
I’m really excited to see how the next book plays out.
As a relatively new lover of K-pop I knew I couldn’t miss former Girls Generation member Jessica Jung’s debut contemporary novel about the cutthroat nature of the trainee program every idol has to make it through before their debut. Jung’s writing style is fun and bubbly a la Jenny Han while also remains true to the nature of the K-pop industry (or at least what is have heard of it). The main character Rachel is strong and hardworking while also being relatable with her camera shyness. I like that all of the dancing, singing, and acting didn’t come naturally to her. We saw just how hard she trained her talent over the course of the novel. Of course, me being me, I didn’t totally love the romance, though I did appreciate the fact that Jason seemed to understand at the end how differently he was treated vs how Rachel, Mina, and all of the other girls were treated. I have hope for him yet.
I’m really excited to see how the next book plays out.
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
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
Let's be honest, I only borrowed it because I knew that Jessica Jung wrote it. I did not expect much from this book tbh. The story overall was okay? Sometimes it was too similar to wattpad fanfictions, and even cringe at some moments... but I really loved Rachel, she is an amazing mc, love her determination and passion.