walkintime's review against another edition
2.0
What a ride. I think I mostly got through with this book because I was buddy reading with my friend and, despite the poor writing, it was sometimes entertaining. Other times it just seemed like I was reading some sort of Wattpad fanfic about a K-pop trainee who was dating an idol. Characters like Leah felt so superficial which was very contraditory to me since the main character made it seem like she didn't want her sister to be on her shadow but it always came down to that. I'll probably only read the second book to keep my friend company and because this one ended in a cliffhanger. Jessica Jung thanks for the entertainment!
matilda_reads31's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.25
twiinklex's review against another edition
3.0
The rules are simple: Train 24-7. Be perfect. Don't date. Easy, right? Not so much.
Not gonna lie - I picked this up only because of the celebrity author even though I'm not a massive K-pop fan (though I enjoy it in moderate amounts) nor do I know much about Girls' Generation. I was surprised to learn that Jessica Jung had written a book in addition to her many talents and endeavours, about the K-pop industry no less.
Is this fiction novel based on Jessica's own life? Partially.
According to a TIME interview, the author says it's up to the reader to decide the line between fact and fiction: "It's going to be like an Easter egg hunt. Looking for clues and who's who, what's what, what's true, what's not."
I read the book without looking up anything first because I wanted to dive in on a blank slate. But the whole time, I felt like I was reading a memoir instead, even after reading articles about how Jessica said this is a work of fiction that's inspired by her own life.
You can find a lot of parallels between the book's protagonist and Jessica as well as their lives. Somehow I also have a strong feeling that the conversation between Kang Jina and her boyfriend in the book is one that Jessica actually had in real life.
All in all, this was a fascinating and enjoyable read regardless of how much of it is fiction. Now I just have to figure out who Mina (villain in the book) is supposed to represent in real life, hah.
Does this book spill tea about the industry? Partially.
I knew that the industry was tough, competitive and some might even say extreme, but I had no idea just how much. I mean, this is the first time I have heard of slapping a trainee's stomach to supposedly strengthen the diaphragm (also known as the wall sit punishment). And so much sabotage - it makes you wonder about all the behind-the-scenes rivalry in K-pop groups that appear close in public, all the things we don't see.
The rules of no dating, no phones, always have to be on a diet, no texting — those all still exist. Talking to my friends in the industry right now, nothing has changed. —Jessica Jung to TIME
I would have preferred if this book was a standalone or at least longer in length because there were still so many unresolved storylines by the end. What happened to Akari? And I need more Kang Jina! What's going on with all the execs? I was left feeling rather unsatisfied, hence the 3 stars despite it being an enjoyable read. Can't wait for the sequel!
kirstyreadsblog's review against another edition
3.0
Content warnings: fat shaming, vomit, slut shaming, sexism/misogyny, bullying, emotional abuse
Ok so you may have seen kpop content on my blog before and you may have seen me review kpop books before. If it wasn’t obvious I’m a fan of the genre. And I have been for 9 years now. When I was 17 I somehow stumbled upon Girls’ Generation (SNSD) on youtube (I think it was the Oh! music video) and was like “what on earth is this?” but I also couldn’t stop thinking about this group. Their music was catchy, they were super pretty and their choreography was fun. And that’s what began my love of kpop. So when I saw Jessica was releasing a book I was intrigued. I wasn’t sure what the book would be like based on my knowledge of Jessica as a person but I was preemptively excited because whilst there have been a lot of kpop novels recently, this would be the first with insider knowledge.
Rachel Kim has been a trainee in Korea since she was 11, its been 7 year and her chances of debuting are dwindling. Her family gave up their lives in the US to get her a chance to be a star, so of when rumours that DB Entertainment is launching a new girl group she knows she needs to fight tooth and nail to get a spot. But she isn’t the only one ready to fight.
This isn’t the tea spill it was hyped to be. I think anything that Jessica says in relation to her history with kpop is picked over with a fine-tooth comb due to the nature of her exit from Girls’ Generation, so I understand why people were hoping that maybe they would get some answers in this book. But I honestly knew that there wouldn’t be any serious gossip in this novel because that could end up in a lawsuit as laws in Korea about defamation are pretty serious. I also imagine when Jessica left Girls’ Generation and SM Ent. that she probably signed an NDA.
Continue my review on my blog: https://kirstyreadsblog.com/2020/10/09/shine-by-jessica-jung-review/
Ok so you may have seen kpop content on my blog before and you may have seen me review kpop books before. If it wasn’t obvious I’m a fan of the genre. And I have been for 9 years now. When I was 17 I somehow stumbled upon Girls’ Generation (SNSD) on youtube (I think it was the Oh! music video) and was like “what on earth is this?” but I also couldn’t stop thinking about this group. Their music was catchy, they were super pretty and their choreography was fun. And that’s what began my love of kpop. So when I saw Jessica was releasing a book I was intrigued. I wasn’t sure what the book would be like based on my knowledge of Jessica as a person but I was preemptively excited because whilst there have been a lot of kpop novels recently, this would be the first with insider knowledge.
Rachel Kim has been a trainee in Korea since she was 11, its been 7 year and her chances of debuting are dwindling. Her family gave up their lives in the US to get her a chance to be a star, so of when rumours that DB Entertainment is launching a new girl group she knows she needs to fight tooth and nail to get a spot. But she isn’t the only one ready to fight.
This isn’t the tea spill it was hyped to be. I think anything that Jessica says in relation to her history with kpop is picked over with a fine-tooth comb due to the nature of her exit from Girls’ Generation, so I understand why people were hoping that maybe they would get some answers in this book. But I honestly knew that there wouldn’t be any serious gossip in this novel because that could end up in a lawsuit as laws in Korea about defamation are pretty serious. I also imagine when Jessica left Girls’ Generation and SM Ent. that she probably signed an NDA.
Continue my review on my blog: https://kirstyreadsblog.com/2020/10/09/shine-by-jessica-jung-review/
theresiadea's review against another edition
3.0
Sebagai penggemar K-Pop terutama penggemar SNSD dan Jessica Jung, saya sangat menantikan novel ini. Menceritakan perjuangan Rachel Kim, seorang remaja berdarah Korea-Amerika dalam mewujudkan impiannya sebagai idola K-pop. Jujur, novel ini kurang memenuhi ekspektasi karena isinya hanya berkutat di bullying dan masalah percintaan saat masa training di dunia industri K-pop. Mungkin novel ini cocok untuk penggemar novel teenlit. Cerita dan konflik yang ditawarkan tidak terkesan monoton. Still worth to read
nightisyong's review against another edition
okay so uhhh where do i begin.
well, saw some reviewers saying that it's written like a fanfiction and i will say that's an insult to fanfiction writers because many of them write more-than-amazing fics FOR FREE. not saying that this book is really bad, though. it's just ... it's not my cup of tea, i guess.
i find the romance to be cringy. none of the characters interest me, i dont even care what they do. i also dont like mean girl characters, but it's definitely just a personal preferences. however, i like the way this book open up about the dark side of kpop.
well, saw some reviewers saying that it's written like a fanfiction and i will say that's an insult to fanfiction writers because many of them write more-than-amazing fics FOR FREE. not saying that this book is really bad, though. it's just ... it's not my cup of tea, i guess.
i find the romance to be cringy. none of the characters interest me, i dont even care what they do. i also dont like mean girl characters, but it's definitely just a personal preferences. however, i like the way this book open up about the dark side of kpop.
megs_s's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-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? Yes
4.0
alpharose's review against another edition
2.0
Reading it because rivetedlit has given us the chances for free. Honestly, the whole story keeps reminding me of fanfiction although we clearly see it tells about Jessica Jung's original characters. I just don't know what certainly the motives of all characters each. All i could get is about the Rachel Kim who's tryin her best so that she can brightly shine, achieve her dreams for her entire life and she's not totally innocent. Then, the Mina who constantly dislikes Rachel. Also, Jason that i don't know- too much lovey dovey between him and Rachel.
Shortly, it's more likely the story about trainees itself.
Or did she really write the real fact of her experience? The second seems more interesting and deserves more stars so i'll be waiting for the next book, i guess?
Shortly, it's more likely the story about trainees itself.
Or did she really write the real fact of her experience? The second seems more interesting and deserves more stars so i'll be waiting for the next book, i guess?
ufakbideneme's review
emotional
inspiring
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0