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darquedreamer's review against another edition
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
kaleerusnak's review against another edition
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
beeguard10's review against another edition
4.0
This book follows Sunny and Candie, two former teen K-Pop idols following the demise of their trio and the death of the third member of Sweet Cadence, Minnie. They have not kept much contact since Minnie's death two years ago, but when Candie posts a video on her socials announcing her return to the spotlight, Sunny decides to follow her. She's looking for a comeback, but also for some answers. Because everything was going great for the three of them up until "the ritual" went off the rails two years ago...
This book is a compulsively readable true page-turner. It not only keeps you hooked in from the very beginning, needing to know what went wrong and ended with the on-the-rise K-pop trio torn apart even before one of the members ended up dead, but puts a thrilling twist on timely, deep topics such as impossible beauty standards and the ugly face of teenage stardom. Perfect for lovers of K-pop and The Craft, as well as those who obsessively watch interviews of ex-Disney and Nickelodeon stars who talk about the horrors the studio put them through.
This book is a compulsively readable true page-turner. It not only keeps you hooked in from the very beginning, needing to know what went wrong and ended with the on-the-rise K-pop trio torn apart even before one of the members ended up dead, but puts a thrilling twist on timely, deep topics such as impossible beauty standards and the ugly face of teenage stardom. Perfect for lovers of K-pop and The Craft, as well as those who obsessively watch interviews of ex-Disney and Nickelodeon stars who talk about the horrors the studio put them through.
alle_kat97's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
jaime_of_gryffindor's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
4.0
Gorgeous Gruesome Faces was such a fun and unique read! I went into this book without knowing much about it and I was pleasantly surprised by the direction this book went. I loved how this young adult horror story took place during a k-pop competition since I hadn’t read anything with a similar storyline. This book had a dual timeline and the chapters that took place in the past really helped to get to know the characters. I appreciated having some text messages sprinkled throughout the book as well, but the words were quite hard to read in spots. Overall was a great, enjoyable read and I love how it incorporated Asian mythology into the story.
Read this if you like:
📖 Sapphic Horror
📖 Speculative Thrillers
📖 K-Pop
This was a very strong debut novel. If you are looking for a young adult horror/thriller, you may want to consider checking this book out.
Read this if you like:
📖 Sapphic Horror
📖 Speculative Thrillers
📖 K-Pop
This was a very strong debut novel. If you are looking for a young adult horror/thriller, you may want to consider checking this book out.
emeryyy's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Before, Sunny Lee was a member of the popular teen group Sweet Cadence, along with her best friends Candie and Mina. But that quickly fell apart after a scandal and the death of Mina. Several years later, Sunny can't stop thinking about the cause of Mina's death. When she discovers Candie is taking part in a K-pop workshop in her own hometown, Sunny seizes the opportunity to finally get some answers. What she finds instead is a blur between reality and nightmares, terror-inducing visions, her competitors being injured in bizarre incidents, and a growing mystery she needs to solve if she wants to stay alive.
this is a sapphic thriller inspired by the k-pop industry, but k-pop actually doesn't play as big of a role as i expected. it's very unlike any other k-pop-inspired story that i've read (in a good way!). the story was immediately chilling and mysterious, and i didn't expect to be drawn in so quickly! it alternates between the past and present, which i enjoyed. there is some romance (and a lot of tension) but it isn't the focus
thank you to BookishFirst and Roaring Brook Press for the copy of this book!
this is a sapphic thriller inspired by the k-pop industry, but k-pop actually doesn't play as big of a role as i expected. it's very unlike any other k-pop-inspired story that i've read (in a good way!). the story was immediately chilling and mysterious, and i didn't expect to be drawn in so quickly! it alternates between the past and present, which i enjoyed. there is some romance (and a lot of tension) but it isn't the focus
thank you to BookishFirst and Roaring Brook Press for the copy of this book!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Body horror, and Violence
Moderate: Suicide
runawaytrain's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
The first half is a solid 3.75. Maybe I just didn't connect with the characters? However, it really picks up at the halfway mark and, while it doesn't becom more nuanced exactly, it does become more interesting.
thereserose's review against another edition
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
5.0
vinomanscott930's review against another edition
dark
hopeful
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Took about 2/3s of the way through the book to actually pick up, but it finished with a decent flourish. Backstory about K-Pop band/TV show was a little annoying in a 'girls can be catty at times' kind of way, but the rest of the story settled in.
minipanda's review against another edition
4.0
A sapphic horror with a K-Pop twist!
Sunny Lee was once part of a popular teen pop group that captured the hearts of fans all over the world. Unfortunately, rumors and scandals began to swirl around her, and her once-shining image was tarnished. As if that wasn't enough, tragedy struck the group when Mina, one of their beloved bandmates, passed away. The news devastated everyone, especially Sunny, who had been close to Mina. She was unable to cope with the loss and withdrew from the public eye.
However, when Sunny heard that Candie, her former best friend and bandmate, had joined a K-Pop workshop, she knew she had to follow suit. She had a feeling that Candie held the key to uncovering the truth about Mina's death. Sunny was determined to get to the bottom of things, and with Candie's help, she hoped to finally find the closure she needed to move on.
I love the story and find it quite compelling, especially with the incorporation of Asian folklore. However, the first half could benefit from a faster pace.
Overall, an entertaining read! Highly recommend to those who enjoyed I Feed Her to the Beast and the Beast Is Me or sapphic horror with Asian folklore.
***Thank you to NetGalley, Linda Cheng, and Macmillan Audio for graciously sending me the audiobook to review. As always, all thoughts are my own.***
Sunny Lee was once part of a popular teen pop group that captured the hearts of fans all over the world. Unfortunately, rumors and scandals began to swirl around her, and her once-shining image was tarnished. As if that wasn't enough, tragedy struck the group when Mina, one of their beloved bandmates, passed away. The news devastated everyone, especially Sunny, who had been close to Mina. She was unable to cope with the loss and withdrew from the public eye.
However, when Sunny heard that Candie, her former best friend and bandmate, had joined a K-Pop workshop, she knew she had to follow suit. She had a feeling that Candie held the key to uncovering the truth about Mina's death. Sunny was determined to get to the bottom of things, and with Candie's help, she hoped to finally find the closure she needed to move on.
I love the story and find it quite compelling, especially with the incorporation of Asian folklore. However, the first half could benefit from a faster pace.
Overall, an entertaining read! Highly recommend to those who enjoyed I Feed Her to the Beast and the Beast Is Me or sapphic horror with Asian folklore.
***Thank you to NetGalley, Linda Cheng, and Macmillan Audio for graciously sending me the audiobook to review. As always, all thoughts are my own.***