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3.16 AVERAGE
3.16 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
As you can see, I gave this book a high rating. The rating is not necessarily for content and quality and accuracy, but rather intensity and drama. I personally enjoy chaotic, romance-driven plots and combining that with k-pop just makes it even better for me. It’s like watching a teen drama. In this sense, I was thoroughly intrigued throughout the course of this book, which to me is a sign the book was compelling enough to make me feel, so I felt it should receive a decent rating for how it managed to give me that teen drama feeling I was craving for the moment.
informative
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Vomit
Moderate: Eating disorder
Minor: Body shaming, Death of parent
This was such a greattt book I already live Jason and Rachel !! I didn’t realise there was going to be a second book and I was about to scream I needed more!!! Can’t wait for the next book to continue this story!!!
emotional
lighthearted
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
this book is … confusing. it’s clearly meant for teens, but is written at a middle school level, but also has f*ck used liberally throughout. what is jessica’s demographic here? kpop fans, i guess, but this book is barely about kpop despite being totally about kpop.
for a book that promises the gritty details about being a trainee, the reader barely gets any of that. there are hardly any scenes with her training in any sort of detail, the mc doesn’t live in a trainee house so there’s no content there, and at the end of the book, the debut group is announced on a whim with no lead up.
maybe this is a romance novel, but it can’t even romance well. rachel is annoying, somehow both conceited and shy, and is just as mean as the “mean girl” character, mina (congratulations on literally naming your mean girl mina). this book wasn’t even fun trashy, it was just bad.
for a book that promises the gritty details about being a trainee, the reader barely gets any of that. there are hardly any scenes with her training in any sort of detail, the mc doesn’t live in a trainee house so there’s no content there, and at the end of the book, the debut group is announced on a whim with no lead up.
maybe this is a romance novel, but it can’t even romance well. rachel is annoying, somehow both conceited and shy, and is just as mean as the “mean girl” character, mina (congratulations on literally naming your mean girl mina). this book wasn’t even fun trashy, it was just bad.
funny
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
only a 3 because i’m a former golden star but other than that…i’m sorry jessica but this is bad 😭
I expected to enjoy this story; I have always liked this style of novel, one where you're invited into a world that you don't know anything about - can't know anything about, honestly - by someone who does know. Getting all of the inside secrets and details is really fun to me. Shine definitely delivers on the machine of K-pop, something that I was completely clueless about.
And honestly, yikes.
I am horrified by some of the details, and unfortunately I'm sure that the ones that are the worst are completely true. (Micromanaging girls' diets, weigh-ins and the horrific comments that go along with them, manipulating these children on a global scale without their knowledge or consent, the insane expectations the way the adults speak to these kids.) It makes me feel a little bit glad that I haven't been drawn into K-pop fandom - I don't know that I could participate in that without feeling incredibly icky.
Having said all of that: This was a good, entertaining read. The authenticity lends to the horror, yes, but it also lends to the sort of dishy in-the-know vibe and atmosphere of the story. Rachel is a compelling narrator, Jason is a believable love-interest, the family feels real, the awful mean girl tone of the other trainees (Mina particularly) is genuinely upsetting without turning the girls into caricatures.
It works, I liked it, I want to read the sequel. Do proceed with caution (triggers would include disordered eating and negative discussions of weight and bodies; misogyny and sexism; mistreatment of children; gross media and celebrity gossip culture). I do think this walks a good line between showing the glamour of this whole k-pop machine and laying bare its ugliness.
ARC provided for review by the publisher via NetGalley.
And honestly, yikes.
I am horrified by some of the details, and unfortunately I'm sure that the ones that are the worst are completely true. (Micromanaging girls' diets, weigh-ins and the horrific comments that go along with them, manipulating these children on a global scale without their knowledge or consent, the insane expectations the way the adults speak to these kids.) It makes me feel a little bit glad that I haven't been drawn into K-pop fandom - I don't know that I could participate in that without feeling incredibly icky.
Having said all of that: This was a good, entertaining read. The authenticity lends to the horror, yes, but it also lends to the sort of dishy in-the-know vibe and atmosphere of the story. Rachel is a compelling narrator, Jason is a believable love-interest, the family feels real, the awful mean girl tone of the other trainees (Mina particularly) is genuinely upsetting without turning the girls into caricatures.
It works, I liked it, I want to read the sequel. Do proceed with caution (triggers would include disordered eating and negative discussions of weight and bodies; misogyny and sexism; mistreatment of children; gross media and celebrity gossip culture). I do think this walks a good line between showing the glamour of this whole k-pop machine and laying bare its ugliness.
ARC provided for review by the publisher via NetGalley.
hopeful
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Definitely written for a middle school age group. The plot at times goes so fast that it almost seems far-fetched. Readers who have no familiarity with Korean culture will need to brush up on some terminology as the author references terms without explaining them anywhere for the non-Korean readers.
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No