I got this book for review and would give it 3.5 for review*

I really enjoyed this take on the K Pop word and the glitzy world but also the harshness of this world. I also did really like the romance that did develop in this book, it took a odd turn at the end that i did not expect. It was a super fast pace read and i wish the ending had been fleshed out a tad more. I am excited to see where book 2 goes. ( )

I got this book for review and would give it 3.5 for review*

I really enjoyed this take on the K Pop word and the glitzy world but also the harshness of this world. I also did really like the romance that did develop in this book, it took a odd turn at the end that i did not expect. It was a super fast pace read and i wish the ending had been fleshed out a tad more. I am excited to see where book 2 goes. ( )

One image that comes to my mind is of K-pop idols being dressed in designer wear from top to toe but having no penny in their purse. The way most idols don't get paid enough but are adorned in expensive hot couture pretty much sums up their 'glamorous' lifestyle. Not to mention that they don't get to eat what they want, hang out with whom they want or express themselves without worrying about how that would reflect on their group and company's image.

Trigger Warning: body shaming, sexism, bullying, violence

Of course, there are exceptions. Some idols do get to hang out with their friends and speak their mind and I'm happy about that. However, I would assume that the expectation to look a certain way is most likely enforced and even if the company doesn't coerce the idols, peer pressure and opinions from the general public are sure to take a toll on them. I recommend listening to the Dive Studios podcast featuring Ashley, Peniel and BM for insider information and candid talks on the life of a K-pop idol.

Sadly, looks like that one rumour about the wall sit and being beaten in the stomach to strengthen the vocals of trainees seems to be true, at least in some companies. This might as well be fiction. Whether Jessica Jung witnessed this or heard the rumours and decided to add such a scene, I have no clue.

I liked the spotlight on the double standards. From the way an idol dresses to their body language to the general expectations, female idols are judged more harshly than male idols. If you've followed K-pop, you know that a dating 'scandal' hurts the girl more than the boy. The amount of online harassment and bullying from the boy's fans is just cruel. Again, there are some exceptions.

Let me explain for those of you who are not familiar with this world. While some fans may rejoice that their favourite idols are dating and cheer them on, the ones who matter to the labels, aka, the ones who spend on expensive merchandise and tickets would usually throw a fit and drag their favourites if they were to date. To prevent this, K-pop companies ban their idols from dating, at least for a specific number of years after their debut. So when there is news of idols dating, it is considered scandalous.

I liked the way this book portrays the life of an idol trainee. One thing I found a bit hard to believe was how Rachel was unaware of basic cultural expectations while claiming to love K-pop from a young age. Even foreigners interested in K-pop know how the whole sunbae (senior) - hoobae (junior) dynamic works. So it's not very convincing that Rachel wasn't aware that she had to be respectful towards her same-age trainees who joined the agency before her.

My main problem with this book is the pacing. It's difficult to empathise with Rachel and go into deep thinking mode when the scenes jump abruptly. Eg. Chapters end with scenes where Rachel experiences some emotional turmoil. I want to feel bad for her and ponder about the way the K-pop industry and society, in general, are moulding kids. But then, the next chapter begins on a chirpy note due to a time-lapse. It's like the book drives me into overthinking and I want to go into an existential crisis, but it won't let me and keeps pulling me out by presenting a random scene. I guess that somehow relates to the theme of being a K-pop trainee/idol. The show must go on!

This was an interesting read. The depth of this book depends on your familiarity with K-pop and the amount of overthinking you are prone to. There is nothing new here about the industry that hasn't already been covered in the news or in rumours. This would be a light and predictable read for anyone familiar with the K-pop industry. If you are here expecting some tea to be spilt, you may be disappointed. For K-pop newbies and people not into K-pop, this book can shine a light on what happens behind the scenes.

Would likely pick up the next book in the series. My heart goes out to all the little kids who dreamt of being idols, went through so much pressure in the hopes of debuting someday but ended up being cut off. I feel worse for idols who realize they don't want this lifestyle after signing a long contract and to those in groups that are not popular enough to make money but just enough to not get disbanded. ( )

Wow! This was GOOD! Especially since the author was a former KPop star. I’m ready to slap the antagonist, which was truly the whole DB organization!!! Can’t wait for book two!!! ( )

One of the Goodreads reviews I read before this came in at the library, seemed to remark that this was a thinly veiled memoir. I misread the original review, it turns out. When I was reading the book, though, I kept thinking it -was- a memoir and that changed how I thought about it. I wasn't as judgmental of it. It's a memoir, I thought. Truth can be stranger than fiction. How often have people not believed me about things that were indeed very true in my experience? I thought to myself as I read. If it's a thinly veiled memoir, -how stressful- and -I really hope she's okay-. If it is indeed fiction written by someone who was in the industry, which I think it is, then at worst, it's trope-y and I have other stuff I took notes on. Mina is an antagonist whose behavior was petty at times yes, but far more frequently calculating, sinister and horrifying. She drugs Rachel's drink (it's suggested to be rohypnol) in order to sabotage her chances at performing with Jason, but that could have wound up fatal if Rachel was allergic to something in it. I did not get over this. They're not friends. They're never going to be friends. That was so unforgivable that I don't even know where to begin. And what worse? I know exactly why, on three different levels, Rachel didn't report it. So the book tries to suggest the beginnings of friendship between the two girls later on, and nooooo wow. Noooo. So Mina does something besides snap at, undermine, or insult Rachel for once. She's--too good a villain, basically, for me to believe they're going to be friends. I would have felt gaslighted by the book if it had kept trying with the "Haha, what's a little rohypnol poisoning in between girl group mates? Ahahaha teh funneigh." Rachel's vomiting and showing up in pajamas is supposed to be--what, cringy? Secondhand embarrassment? It was neither. It was straight-up the effects of being poisoned and I felt sick reading reading it, especially since I knew nothing would happen to Mina.

Mina is also one of the three characters with any personality, the other two being Rachel herself and Jason. I confused other people with everyone over and over again. I considered checking back and figuring out who was who, but the author could have easily characterized everyone better and I wouldn't have had to consider it. When Rachel is in New York, she remarks that she'd been so homesick for New York that she hadn't realized how much she missed Seoul. Uhh...what? WHAT? YOU WERE IN SEOUL THE WHOLE TIME, MORON. Just say you switched to abruptly missing Seoul despite missing New York tons originally! It's re-wording the sentiment to express it better and makes you look better. There's massive amounts of quirky, twee food--sparkles and glitter and rainbows--in Tokyo, and later New York at an engagement party. I felt like the author was trying too hard to...something. Everyone also orders massive amounts of food and the goal appears to be to induce a vomiting contest. That, and waste as much food as possible. This infuriated me. I was on food stamps for eight months and went to food banks for seven years, and buy poor person food now because I am slightly less poor, but super slightly. Sooo...I can be sensitive about eating habits in books.

By the 70% mark, I was bored and wanted to be done. A love triangle pops up at the 80% mark and I was too bored to be irritated. Lyrics in books are rarely formatted well. "The Hunger Games" song "The Hanging Tree" is an excellent example of an exception. Here, lyrics are written as sentences, but it's indeed explained that they're lyrics. I was still annoyed. There was an incredibly, incredibly cheesy romance between side characters. Rachel claims Akari is her best friend, but hardly interacts with her. She often spends time with Jason instead. When the book finally ended, it felt like a chapter transition. I was not surprised to find out this is going to be a series, and the ending was an indication of that. ( )