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3.16 AVERAGE
3.16 AVERAGE
All I want to do is talk to my library teens who are kpop fans about this book.. I think they will really love it, as a window into the life of a hopeful kpop star written by one who knows the ins and outs of the business. Basically, I miss geeking out with them...
This book was 100% everything I expected it to be and I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of it.
Rachel Kim has always dreamed of being a K-Pop star, and as a trainee at DB in Seoul, she has a chance. She works really hard for this dream (unlike her fellow trainees, she attends high school during the week and trains at DB on the weekends). She deals with mean girls, and the world of K-Pop is not sugar coated...these girls are rigorously trained to be perfect in every way. When Rachel takes her chances into her own hands after a bombed audition by filming a viral video, she is launched from the world of trainee onto the stage with her crush (and biggest K-Pop star in the world, Jason Lee). Rachel must decide what is important to her as she perseveres through many trials and as she works hard to show the world and herself that she's got what it takes to truly shine.
I loved this book by the cover and description, and actually knowing nothing about K-Pop, really loved reading it and learning more about this world. I always look for stories that are set in places and have characters that are different from where I live/who I encounter on a daily basis, and I think Rachel is an excellent protagonist. Nothing is ever handed to her, and she does work really hard. Her family works really hard. She is pitted against girls that she might have been friends with in another life, and she has to constantly prove herself to executives who look for any reason to cut these girls from the program. I think Rachel is an excellent example of showing how hard it can be to work for what you truly want. (The only unrealistic aspect of all of this was the video she sings going viral so quickly, but sometimes things like that do happen.) She falls for a boy even though she isn't supposed to, and she exposes readers and Jason to the double standard within the entertainment industry. The book does this extremely well.
The book is also kind of fluffy and always fun, and was a thoroughly delightful read. I gobbled the whole thing in one sitting. I guess I wish the ending had been a little bit happier, but readers know that Rachel has got a lifetime of hard work ahead of her, no matter which life she chooses. Teens will love this book. I loved this book.
Content warning: There are a few instances of underage drinking and Rachel suspects she gets drugged at a party, but there is nothing graphic about it. There is some kissing, but it never goes farther than that. There's also bullying, but again, that's just the world these girls inhabit. I imagine there could be some great discussion about this between parents/teens or educators/teens.
Rachel Kim has always dreamed of being a K-Pop star, and as a trainee at DB in Seoul, she has a chance. She works really hard for this dream (unlike her fellow trainees, she attends high school during the week and trains at DB on the weekends). She deals with mean girls, and the world of K-Pop is not sugar coated...these girls are rigorously trained to be perfect in every way. When Rachel takes her chances into her own hands after a bombed audition by filming a viral video, she is launched from the world of trainee onto the stage with her crush (and biggest K-Pop star in the world, Jason Lee). Rachel must decide what is important to her as she perseveres through many trials and as she works hard to show the world and herself that she's got what it takes to truly shine.
I loved this book by the cover and description, and actually knowing nothing about K-Pop, really loved reading it and learning more about this world. I always look for stories that are set in places and have characters that are different from where I live/who I encounter on a daily basis, and I think Rachel is an excellent protagonist. Nothing is ever handed to her, and she does work really hard. Her family works really hard. She is pitted against girls that she might have been friends with in another life, and she has to constantly prove herself to executives who look for any reason to cut these girls from the program. I think Rachel is an excellent example of showing how hard it can be to work for what you truly want. (The only unrealistic aspect of all of this was the video she sings going viral so quickly, but sometimes things like that do happen.) She falls for a boy even though she isn't supposed to, and she exposes readers and Jason to the double standard within the entertainment industry. The book does this extremely well.
The book is also kind of fluffy and always fun, and was a thoroughly delightful read. I gobbled the whole thing in one sitting. I guess I wish the ending had been a little bit happier, but readers know that Rachel has got a lifetime of hard work ahead of her, no matter which life she chooses. Teens will love this book. I loved this book.
Content warning: There are a few instances of underage drinking and Rachel suspects she gets drugged at a party, but there is nothing graphic about it. There is some kissing, but it never goes farther than that. There's also bullying, but again, that's just the world these girls inhabit. I imagine there could be some great discussion about this between parents/teens or educators/teens.
C'était chouette, voir les difficultés des stars je trouve ça bien. Ça permet de mettre un peu de contexte dans la tête des futurs artistes. J'aurai préféré un one shot mais finalement suivre la star de Kpop ça peut être bien aussi. Je vais mettre le deux dans ma WL.
This is not a bad book. From a YA perspective, the plot and writing are fine and fairly standard.
Still I am disappointed. If you have been a kpop fan for any significant length of time, you know all the rules trainees live under: no dating, train all the time, no SNS, etc. A lot of what happens in the book around Rachel’s training life would probably not happen, including spending so much time with the “golden” boy, having a cell phone, having such a high profile song. I am not sure about the weekend only trainings. Maybe that part is true. I was hoping for more juicy content but there was none.
The other question is who is who. Here are my guesses:
Mina: Sooyoung
Eunji: Hyeyeon
Lizzie: Sunny
Akeri: at least partially Tiffany
Jason: Donghae + Taecyeon + Tyler Kwon
Mr Noh: LSM
Next Boyz: DBSK
Still I am disappointed. If you have been a kpop fan for any significant length of time, you know all the rules trainees live under: no dating, train all the time, no SNS, etc. A lot of what happens in the book around Rachel’s training life would probably not happen, including spending so much time with the “golden” boy, having a cell phone, having such a high profile song. I am not sure about the weekend only trainings. Maybe that part is true. I was hoping for more juicy content but there was none.
The other question is who is who. Here are my guesses:
Mina: Sooyoung
Eunji: Hyeyeon
Lizzie: Sunny
Akeri: at least partially Tiffany
Jason: Donghae + Taecyeon + Tyler Kwon
Mr Noh: LSM
Next Boyz: DBSK
Want to see more bookish things from me? Check out my Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCferU-BCL2dlFjWdD0rS75Q
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review*
Rachel Kim has dreamed of being the next K-pop star since she was 11 years old. Now 17, she is a trainee on the verge of debuting with DB Entertainment, the leading K-pop recruiters in South Korea. When the opportunity to sing a duet with Jason Lee, DB Entertainment's hottest K-pop idol, she must decide what she's willing to give up to make her dreams come true.
Although the book reads extremely fast and easily... This was very average to me, and I don't know if that is because I am not a fan of K-pop and don't understand the hype surrounding it, or if it actually was just an average book. I didn't care much for what happened to Rachel or Jason. I did feel for Rachel, and how incredibly stupid Jason was in not recognizing the sexism and double standards the girls in the industry faced on a daily basis. I also hated the girl-on-girl hate that was so rampant in this book. Every single girl was terrible to one another, and I get that its a competitive scene, but COME ON.
I will say that I gave this book a 3 instead of the 2.5 I was going to give it because it almost felt like a thinly veiled memoir for Jessica and what she may have gone through as a K-pop star.
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review*
Rachel Kim has dreamed of being the next K-pop star since she was 11 years old. Now 17, she is a trainee on the verge of debuting with DB Entertainment, the leading K-pop recruiters in South Korea. When the opportunity to sing a duet with Jason Lee, DB Entertainment's hottest K-pop idol, she must decide what she's willing to give up to make her dreams come true.
Although the book reads extremely fast and easily... This was very average to me, and I don't know if that is because I am not a fan of K-pop and don't understand the hype surrounding it, or if it actually was just an average book. I didn't care much for what happened to Rachel or Jason. I did feel for Rachel, and how incredibly stupid Jason was in not recognizing the sexism and double standards the girls in the industry faced on a daily basis. I also hated the girl-on-girl hate that was so rampant in this book. Every single girl was terrible to one another, and I get that its a competitive scene, but COME ON.
I will say that I gave this book a 3 instead of the 2.5 I was going to give it because it almost felt like a thinly veiled memoir for Jessica and what she may have gone through as a K-pop star.
challenging
inspiring
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
It’s awesome that there are enough K-pop YA books for there to BE tropes, but damn is this one tropey. And the ending rises so unnaturally from the story it actually seems to be telling.
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
emotional
funny
informative
inspiring
Loveable characters:
Yes