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melizto's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
this book was... something
it was kinda corny lmao i felt like i was 13 again reading a fanfic on wattpad, and everything was happening so fast??? one sec she's doing something and then boom 3 secs later something else is happening idk anyways im not good at reviews im only giving it 3 stars bc its my girl jessica and it made me laugh a little bit bc it was kind of ridiculous at some parts lol
it was kinda corny lmao i felt like i was 13 again reading a fanfic on wattpad, and everything was happening so fast??? one sec she's doing something and then boom 3 secs later something else is happening idk anyways im not good at reviews im only giving it 3 stars bc its my girl jessica and it made me laugh a little bit bc it was kind of ridiculous at some parts lol
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, and Cursing
Minor: Adult/minor relationship
samchase112's review against another edition
informative
lighthearted
reflective
medium-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
2.75
I came for the K-pop, and I only really stayed for the K-pop. I knew the industry was horrible to its stars, but wow, so much awful stuff goes on here. This was a glitzy, dramatic look at K-pop and high class Korean society, but it was also an analysis of the life of young trainees. I was kinda disappointed with the ending; I feel like we got so much of the buildup that the result was too quick. And there was no resolution with Akari?! Justice for Akari. My favorite relationship was definitely the one between Rachel and Leah, her sister - those two were adorable! Overall, this was a fun one, even if I kinda had to struggle through it. I would definitely only recommend it if you are already a fan of K-pop or Jessica Jung, because otherwise it's just not worth it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, and Sexism
Moderate: Emotional abuse
Minor: Death of parent
scarlettreadsbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
When I first heard that Jessica Jung had written a book all about the K Pop industry, I had to read it! Jessica was in one of the most famous K Pop Girl Groups on the planet, Girls Generation. I was such a fan when I was a teenager.
When I first started reading Shine, I wasn’t sure if it was a book for me. But by the end I absolutely loved it. We follow Rachel, a K Pop trainee who’s whole life has been dedicated to becoming an Idol. The book discusses a lot about the industry itself, such as the harmful environment all trainees are subject to and the sexism faced for the female Idols. It’s worth noting that there are a lot of toxic topics, such as overworking to the point of exhaustion and eating disorders.
It was by far one of the cheesiest books I’ve read this year, but it was a really great YA with a lot of drama 🍿
And there is a sequel coming out this year?! YES PLEASE!
Thank you so much to @electricmonkeybooks for sending me this #gifted copy!
When I first started reading Shine, I wasn’t sure if it was a book for me. But by the end I absolutely loved it. We follow Rachel, a K Pop trainee who’s whole life has been dedicated to becoming an Idol. The book discusses a lot about the industry itself, such as the harmful environment all trainees are subject to and the sexism faced for the female Idols. It’s worth noting that there are a lot of toxic topics, such as overworking to the point of exhaustion and eating disorders.
It was by far one of the cheesiest books I’ve read this year, but it was a really great YA with a lot of drama 🍿
And there is a sequel coming out this year?! YES PLEASE!
Thank you so much to @electricmonkeybooks for sending me this #gifted copy!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Misogyny, Racism, and Sexism
bookswithsoumi's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Review: As a decade long fan of K-pop, SM Entertainment artists, Girls’ Generation, AND Jessica Jung, I knew I had to read this book when Jessica first announced it. As far as I know, this is the first YA book that really explores life as a trainee, and definitely the only book written by a former idol!
In addition to the protagonist being a woman of color, I appreciated that the love interest is a person of color as well, especially a biracial one! Jessica did a wonderful attempt of describing a biracial person and an American’s perspective living in South Korea. Feelings of being an outsider are common, and you don’t have to be a Korean-American living in Korea to connect with Rachel.
Jessica also wrote out every fangirl’s dreaming of getting close to their idol. Jason, the Korean- Canadian love interest, is Korea’s number 1 idol. Out of the men Jessica has been romantically linked to in the past (Tyler Kwon, Taecyeon, and Donghae, who happens to be my bias in Super Junior), none of them stand out to me as the basis for Jason Lee’s character. Perhaps Jason was an amalgam of all the K-pop stars she has met over the years, including Henry Lau, Chinese-Canadian idol, who is very talented with various musical instruments and from Toronto, just like Jason.
Regarding the ending, I found it to be a very good set up for the next book in the series. I am indeed excited to see how Rachel performs as an idol as she matures into her twenties. I can’t wait to be thrown into the world of music shows and concerts. Maybe even fighting over endorsements or commercial gigs?
Time to read: 8 hours over 8 days
Content Warning: Avoid this book if you do not want to read about drugs, drugging, alcohol, bullying, vomiting, weight watching (not explicitly eating disorders), or loss of consciousness.
Tl;dr: Read this book if you want a light-hearted novel that makes you feel like a K-pop trainee! Complete with all the stress of making rehearsals, dance practices, and typical teenage drama.
(Adapted from my review posted on Instagram @BooksWithSoumi)
In addition to the protagonist being a woman of color, I appreciated that the love interest is a person of color as well, especially a biracial one! Jessica did a wonderful attempt of describing a biracial person and an American’s perspective living in South Korea. Feelings of being an outsider are common, and you don’t have to be a Korean-American living in Korea to connect with Rachel.
Jessica also wrote out every fangirl’s dreaming of getting close to their idol. Jason, the Korean- Canadian love interest, is Korea’s number 1 idol. Out of the men Jessica has been romantically linked to in the past (Tyler Kwon, Taecyeon, and Donghae, who happens to be my bias in Super Junior), none of them stand out to me as the basis for Jason Lee’s character. Perhaps Jason was an amalgam of all the K-pop stars she has met over the years, including Henry Lau, Chinese-Canadian idol, who is very talented with various musical instruments and from Toronto, just like Jason.
Regarding the ending, I found it to be a very good set up for the next book in the series. I am indeed excited to see how Rachel performs as an idol as she matures into her twenties. I can’t wait to be thrown into the world of music shows and concerts. Maybe even fighting over endorsements or commercial gigs?
Time to read: 8 hours over 8 days
Content Warning: Avoid this book if you do not want to read about drugs, drugging, alcohol, bullying, vomiting, weight watching (not explicitly eating disorders), or loss of consciousness.
Tl;dr: Read this book if you want a light-hearted novel that makes you feel like a K-pop trainee! Complete with all the stress of making rehearsals, dance practices, and typical teenage drama.
(Adapted from my review posted on Instagram @BooksWithSoumi)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Vomit
snowhitereads's review against another edition
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
When I heard that THE Jessica Jung was writing a novel about k-pop I knew I had to get it. I rarely pre-order books, but this was one of the cases I HAD to.
Shine follows a teenager during her k-pop trainee days.
I do think it does a great job showing the hardships of k-pop trainees and idols and that not everything is rainbows and unicorns and not everyone gets along.
In regard to that I think it’s a great book for the people that romanticizes that industry.
It does touch on more serious topics such as bullying and eating disorders and body shaming, not always criticizing enough of that aspect of the industry in my opinion, so you might want to consider that before reading this book.
Now for the things that I didn’t really like.
I didn’t really like any of the characters. I didn’t find them likeable at all, and I never found myself actually rooting for them.
At times, this book reads more like fanfiction, especially when it comes to the romance part. That might be due to the inexperience of the author so there's room for improvement.
Overall, the story didn’t click with me but also keep in mind that I’m way past the target audience’s age for this novel so that might be why.
If k-pop is something that interests you, consider checking out this book but keep your expectations on the lower side.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, and Fatphobia
queenfury's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Eating disorder, and Sexism
Moderate: Drug use, Misogyny, and Vomit
Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Toxic relationship
hoshi's review against another edition
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying and Drug use
Minor: Body shaming
trisb's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Sexism, and Toxic relationship
booksthatgotmeshook's review against another edition
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Cursing, and Emotional abuse
astereads's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
When I found out that Jessica will release a YA-contemporary novel, I made a mental note; I will definitely read it. That'd be obvious, I grew up watching her and SNSD; they're a part of my youth. And to top it all, the premise looks promising; a trainee in one of the biggest K-Pop labels? Hell yes.
I like her writing style. It's straightforward, yet her points are well-delivered. It was easy to read. I could picture everything well in my head. I listened to the audiobook, and I love the narrator too! When I'd used to the narrator's voice, I listened to it at 2.0 speed. For the record, I usually stay within 1.0 to 1.5, or 1.8, if it's a re-read. I still got the emotion through her intonation. In conclusion, the combination of Jessica's writing style and the narrator is perfect.
Shine follows a seventeen-year-old Rachel Kim, a trainee in one of Korea's largest K-pop labels, and her journey to debut as a K-pop idol.
If you asked whether I like the story of not, my answer would be; complicated. On one side, I love how Jessica addressed important issues in K-pop industry, such as the double standards between male and female idols, how difficult it is for non-Korean (in this case, a Korean-American) to find their place in the industry, pressure from their parents, and bullying.
There's this scene when Rachel Kim was supposed to bow to Chu Mina, a senior trainee, but she shook Mina's hand instead because they're the same age. At that moment, I thought it must be hard being her; in the US, she didn't look like American to be called American, while in Korea, she didn't know how to act like Korean. I thought the issue wouldn't be explicitly explained, but she addressed it later in the story.
But on the other hand, those issues weren't neatly done. For me, they're all mixed together and rather messy. Some chapters ended abruptly, and those issues weren't completely resolved before moving to another scene.
Rachel Kim is the main protagonist, and the story was told from her point of view, AND she's really frustrating. She's okay initially, but when I expect character development, she did the exact opposite. I'm aware that she's a 17-year-old girl, but I don't know?? I expect more than just watching her repeat her mistake all over again. It's not just her, but also Jason Lee. At some point, I thought that they deserve each other. And I know their relationship would be a disaster.
It's true that I can't connect with any of the characters, but I love Leah Kim. I was genuinely smiling during her fangirling part and tearing up during the resolution; love her so much!
Despite my disappointment towards all the characters (except Leah Kim) and how messy the conflicts were written, I'd recommend this book for you. Not just because I love Jessica Jung or to get you questioning your decision to support K-pop (toxic) industry, but I want to make you aware that there are people in this world who are willing to do anything, good or bad, or somewhere in between, to reach their dreams. And maybe this book could inspire you.
I like her writing style. It's straightforward, yet her points are well-delivered. It was easy to read. I could picture everything well in my head. I listened to the audiobook, and I love the narrator too! When I'd used to the narrator's voice, I listened to it at 2.0 speed. For the record, I usually stay within 1.0 to 1.5, or 1.8, if it's a re-read. I still got the emotion through her intonation. In conclusion, the combination of Jessica's writing style and the narrator is perfect.
Shine follows a seventeen-year-old Rachel Kim, a trainee in one of Korea's largest K-pop labels, and her journey to debut as a K-pop idol.
If you asked whether I like the story of not, my answer would be; complicated. On one side, I love how Jessica addressed important issues in K-pop industry, such as the double standards between male and female idols, how difficult it is for non-Korean (in this case, a Korean-American) to find their place in the industry, pressure from their parents, and bullying.
There's this scene when Rachel Kim was supposed to bow to Chu Mina, a senior trainee, but she shook Mina's hand instead because they're the same age. At that moment, I thought it must be hard being her; in the US, she didn't look like American to be called American, while in Korea, she didn't know how to act like Korean. I thought the issue wouldn't be explicitly explained, but she addressed it later in the story.
But on the other hand, those issues weren't neatly done. For me, they're all mixed together and rather messy. Some chapters ended abruptly, and those issues weren't completely resolved before moving to another scene.
Rachel Kim is the main protagonist, and the story was told from her point of view, AND she's really frustrating. She's okay initially, but when I expect character development, she did the exact opposite. I'm aware that she's a 17-year-old girl, but I don't know?? I expect more than just watching her repeat her mistake all over again. It's not just her, but also Jason Lee. At some point, I thought that they deserve each other. And I know their relationship would be a disaster.
It's true that I can't connect with any of the characters, but I love Leah Kim. I was genuinely smiling during her fangirling part and tearing up during the resolution; love her so much!
Despite my disappointment towards all the characters (except Leah Kim) and how messy the conflicts were written, I'd recommend this book for you. Not just because I love Jessica Jung or to get you questioning your decision to support K-pop (toxic) industry, but I want to make you aware that there are people in this world who are willing to do anything, good or bad, or somewhere in between, to reach their dreams. And maybe this book could inspire you.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, and Sexism