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3.17 AVERAGE
3.17 AVERAGE
I didn’t have any expectations for the book but it gave a harsh insight to the reality of being a kpop trainee. However, I feel the story didn’t deal with the consequences of the Jason-Rachel-Mina “love triangle” well. How did the public accept Rachel and Mina’s debut and considering they were supposedly in a love triangle, they must have been questioned about the scandal a lot. I just wished they wrapped up that storyline better.
Rachel was also such a Mary Sue and clearly a self insert so I felt disconnected reading some parts of the book. I also wish they touched more on her favouritism within the company. Other than that, the book was enjoyable for the most once it gets past its rocky beginning. It’s not a perfect book by any means but it’s great nonetheless.
Rachel was also such a Mary Sue and clearly a self insert so I felt disconnected reading some parts of the book. I also wish they touched more on her favouritism within the company. Other than that, the book was enjoyable for the most once it gets past its rocky beginning. It’s not a perfect book by any means but it’s great nonetheless.
Admit i read this for tea on 9/30 but all i got was a boring dramatic kpop fanfiction. With a Jessica self-insert.
Leest heerlijk snel weg, en is zeer interessant als je meer te weten wil komen over de k-popwereld. Voor een hoogstaand, diepgravend verhaal of ingewikkelde karakters moet je niet bij Shine wezen, maar voor een lekker verhaal, dat spanning en achterbaksheid combineert met glamour en liefdesdrama, zeker wel.
As a debut novel, I think this is pretty amazing, especially that we know a little bit of the author's background. Jessica wrote a book with a decent favor of good young adult contemporary. Her way to write, the way she put some backstory of little thing, is pretty much good. I like how she maintain the vibes and turned the plot into a very interesting story.
As expected as ex-members of a girlgroup, ex-trainee of big kpop agency, we can see how real this book is. She hinted that Rachel and this book is inspired from herself but I hope that people would remember that this book is a fiction. She might put some of her past experiences but it doesn't mean that everything in this book was her shading to her previous group, or at least that's my opinion.
The book talking about Rachel Kim, a Korean-American who become trainee in DB Ent, an kpop idol agency in Korea. Her family come join her moved back to Korea so she can focused on training. Her mom is kinda strict that Rachel isn't allowed to lived in the trainees dorm and since Rachel is kinda the CEO's favorite then the fav is guaranteed. Because of that, Rachel is somehow kind of 'bullied' by some other trainees and there come our antagonist Choo Mina. Mina comes from crazy-rich family but her father demand her to be a perfect trainee, perfect idol, perfect daughter. The book shows about how the rivalries between trainees to get any spotlight, how they have to maintain their body weight, how they should giving perfect performances, as kpop idols are.
There is some romance in this book which I kinda find it a bit cringy. It kinda helps the main plot but still some details are pretty cringy for me. Overall I think the story is pretty interesting. Once again, I didn't expected much from Jessica but this is quiet nice I should give it a thumbs up. Maybe some part is still lacking but well, it's a debut novel so it's kinda understandable? At least it's better than what I was thinking it is.
Since I heard that there gonna be another book, a continue of this, I hope that it gonna be good as well.
As expected as ex-members of a girlgroup, ex-trainee of big kpop agency, we can see how real this book is. She hinted that Rachel and this book is inspired from herself but I hope that people would remember that this book is a fiction. She might put some of her past experiences but it doesn't mean that everything in this book was her shading to her previous group, or at least that's my opinion.
The book talking about Rachel Kim, a Korean-American who become trainee in DB Ent, an kpop idol agency in Korea. Her family come join her moved back to Korea so she can focused on training. Her mom is kinda strict that Rachel isn't allowed to lived in the trainees dorm and since Rachel is kinda the CEO's favorite then the fav is guaranteed. Because of that, Rachel is somehow kind of 'bullied' by some other trainees and there come our antagonist Choo Mina. Mina comes from crazy-rich family but her father demand her to be a perfect trainee, perfect idol, perfect daughter. The book shows about how the rivalries between trainees to get any spotlight, how they have to maintain their body weight, how they should giving perfect performances, as kpop idols are.
There is some romance in this book which I kinda find it a bit cringy. It kinda helps the main plot but still some details are pretty cringy for me. Overall I think the story is pretty interesting. Once again, I didn't expected much from Jessica but this is quiet nice I should give it a thumbs up. Maybe some part is still lacking but well, it's a debut novel so it's kinda understandable? At least it's better than what I was thinking it is.
Since I heard that there gonna be another book, a continue of this, I hope that it gonna be good as well.
funny
relaxing
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Uma chance de brilhar
Sinceramente, só li esse livro por causa da Jessica Jung, que é ex-SNSD. Como escritora, ela é uma ótima cantora !!
Eu gostei do livro, mas ele é claramente voltado para o público pré-adolescente. Os personagens, apesar da idade, são infantis demais, fora que algumas temáticas que foram abordadas não tiveram continuação depois de certo capítulo.
É bem levinho e fácil de ler. Porém, teve uma coisa que me incomodou: as roupas da principal. Você tá me dizendo que a Jessica Jung largou o Girl's Generation pra lançar a Blanc & Eclare (linha de moda), e ela faz a Rachel se vestir com um VESTIDO DE ONCINHA?? Meu Deus, que continuasse como cantora. Todas as roupas descritas no livro são extremamente bregas.
Mas achei legal a abordagem de expor como a indústria do Kpop é tóxica e machista. Uma diva !!
Sinceramente, só li esse livro por causa da Jessica Jung, que é ex-SNSD. Como escritora, ela é uma ótima cantora !!
Eu gostei do livro, mas ele é claramente voltado para o público pré-adolescente. Os personagens, apesar da idade, são infantis demais, fora que algumas temáticas que foram abordadas não tiveram continuação depois de certo capítulo.
É bem levinho e fácil de ler. Porém, teve uma coisa que me incomodou: as roupas da principal. Você tá me dizendo que a Jessica Jung largou o Girl's Generation pra lançar a Blanc & Eclare (linha de moda), e ela faz a Rachel se vestir com um VESTIDO DE ONCINHA?? Meu Deus, que continuasse como cantora. Todas as roupas descritas no livro são extremamente bregas.
Mas achei legal a abordagem de expor como a indústria do Kpop é tóxica e machista. Uma diva !!
Rounded up to 3.5 stars
2024 Popsugar Reading Challenge prompt: A book about K-Pop
I literally picked up this book because I knew it would fulfill a prompt about K-Pop. I was hooked really early on. Even though this book is fiction, I am sure that a lot of what people in K-pop have to deal with was most likely true. And if so, I feel really bad for them.
There was so much pressure and deceit throughout the entire book. Apparently, this book is a duology, so I’m very curious as to what the sequel will bring.
2024 Popsugar Reading Challenge prompt: A book about K-Pop
I literally picked up this book because I knew it would fulfill a prompt about K-Pop. I was hooked really early on. Even though this book is fiction, I am sure that a lot of what people in K-pop have to deal with was most likely true. And if so, I feel really bad for them.
There was so much pressure and deceit throughout the entire book. Apparently, this book is a duology, so I’m very curious as to what the sequel will bring.
funny
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I think this book and writing style just isn't for me. Love k-pop, could not get into this book at all.
This is not a tell all of Jessica's life with SNSD, it definitely has aspects inspired by her life as a trainee as SMENT, so if you're looking for a tell all, don't read it. The aspects that were inspired by her life, I feel like it's very easy for SONES and fanes of Jessica are able to pick up on. It's very obvious Rachel is Jessica herself as a trainee. There's another character in the book that is also directly inspired by how Jessica left SNSD (which I'm sure we'll never ever learn the full details).
As for the trainee life of a big entertainment in the book, it's not a surprise if you've been part of the K-pop community, the eating disorders/dieting, the toxicity between trainees, sleeping with executives/debuted artists, netizens who bully, etc. None of these things come as a surprise to me and I'm glad Jessica brought them up, especially the double standard of how the korean entertainment industry treats male and female celebrities. For a YA debut novel, I think she did a great job incorporating these things, it'll be very interesting to see if she'll incorporate celebrity suicides in her second novel as two of her label mates have committed suicide within the past ten years (Jonghyun of Shinee and Sulli of F(x), the group Krystal (sister) is in).
Overall thought, it felt like I was being thrown back to 2009/2010 to where teenage Shelley was binge reading an ungodly amount of fanfiction. It almost felt like it was plucked from Ao3 or Asianfanfics. It was a fun read, but felt like this was meant for newer kpop fans since this did not feel like reading new content.
Also...totally think Jason Lee is based off of Henry Lau's personality. Looks wised he's probably a combo of Lee Donghae, Ok Taecyeon and Daniel Henney. Choo Mina is probably based off of Sooyoung.
As for the trainee life of a big entertainment in the book, it's not a surprise if you've been part of the K-pop community, the eating disorders/dieting, the toxicity between trainees, sleeping with executives/debuted artists, netizens who bully, etc. None of these things come as a surprise to me and I'm glad Jessica brought them up, especially the double standard of how the korean entertainment industry treats male and female celebrities. For a YA debut novel, I think she did a great job incorporating these things, it'll be very interesting to see if she'll incorporate celebrity suicides in her second novel as two of her label mates have committed suicide within the past ten years (Jonghyun of Shinee and Sulli of F(x), the group Krystal (sister) is in).
Overall thought, it felt like I was being thrown back to 2009/2010 to where teenage Shelley was binge reading an ungodly amount of fanfiction. It almost felt like it was plucked from Ao3 or Asianfanfics. It was a fun read, but felt like this was meant for newer kpop fans since this did not feel like reading new content.
Also...totally think Jason Lee is based off of Henry Lau's personality. Looks wised he's probably a combo of Lee Donghae, Ok Taecyeon and Daniel Henney. Choo Mina is probably based off of Sooyoung.