ugh. this is why i hate 3 star ratings. they cast such a wide net - high end 3 star reads are totally and completely different from low end 3 stars. and yet, they are both 3 stars…

this is definitely on the higher end of the scale. its very similar to ‘once upon a k-prom,’ which i adored, so this had me fangirling all over again. and honestly, im not a fan of kpop, but i LOVE reading about it. so i wish there was a little more of the band/other boys in this, but i enjoyed reading about the “normal” side of things. and i also thought the childhood friends to sweethearts was done really well.

and the only reason im not rounding up is because of the ending. its just wayyy too abrupt and open-ended for my personal liking. honestly, if a sequel isnt the plan, then an epilogue definitely should have been included.

but overall, a quick and fun read. for sure one to pick up if you want to scratch that kpop itch.

thank you, random house childrens, for the ARC!

? 3.5 stars145 s Nilufer Ozmekik2,555 52k

Well, I d K-Pop angsty drama theme with romcom vibes! Pop star meets ordinary girl next door that rekindles their unresolved feelings give us gender versed Notting Hill vibes with well approached representation of bisexuality of MC!

The romance between Lulu and Kite adorable. The realistic approach to chaotic side effects of fame, repercussions of trying to be star at demanding and competitive K-Pop industry were perfectly developed.

I was so close to give five stars after reading the first half but when I started to read the rest, I got so agitated because things started spiraling out of control and extra messy! It seemed another author sat down in front of the computer to finish the rest of the book or the same author’s dark side took control and threw as much as angst she could to disturb us!

I don’t know the main reasoning but I didn’t the sudden turn of events. So I’m giving my three solid stars just because of its promising first half and likable characters!

I wish the second could be rewritten! The entire drama could be handled better without too much exaggeration!

So many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children’s for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts.123 s zoe293 2

This book was good fun that I would ly recommend to the younger side of YA, not so much the older side. Until about 50% into the book I was prepared to give it 5 stars, and I don't think the second half was bad by any means, but it lacked that "oomf" power that would bring the novel from good to great, and subsequently moved it more into average.

I'm a sucker for a famous x non-famous romance, ESPECIALLY when they're childhood best friends to strangers. I absolutely LOVED that the main character was bi--I didn't expect it and it was such a pleasant surprise. her bisexuality also isn't only talked about once and never brought up again, but is unapologetic from the first chapter. I felt her identity was so well written, not just added for some quick diversity points, and was one of my favorite aspects of the book.

The buildup of Kite and Lulu's relationship was really fun to read about, however once they got together I feel their relationship got a bit stagnant. Kite, in my opinion, didn't have a good enough reason to be acting the way he was acting towards her for a period in the second half, and I would've d his mental health regarding the Kpop industry to be further expanded upon. So much opportunity for a character study into an Idol in the Kpop industry which notoriously overworks their Idols, yet I felt that stone was only half turned.

The representation of teenage fandom spaces was at times accurate but at times very over-the-top cringe. As somebody who used to dabble in Kpop fandom spaces, we all know how insane the fans can be, especially given how young they are. Young fans often don't have the critical thinking skills to know how to act towards other people and their idols in fandom spaces, which was very well communicated in this novel, though I did feel the dialogue in the online posts sometimes felt cartoonish and out of touch.

Overall, I thought this was fun. It has a strong lead character, a good depiction of female friendships, and a sweet romance. I think this book would be really good for 10-13 year olds, and it might have upper-YA crossover appeal but judging by the other I would say probably not. As aforementioned, I did wish the book delved further into Kite's character, maybe by adding a dual-POV, because his character had lots of potential to be interesting that was wasted. Anniek2,083 818

This was a very cute YA romance for the most part, but a little too heavy on the drama for my taste in the second half. I would however love to know what happens next!

I didn't know this book would have LGBTQ+ rep, I hardly knew anything about it going in - the MC is bisexual, and the rep is very casual, which I loved!1-2022-releases 2-ya 3-contemporary ...more12 s Chloe F161 64

Thank you to Netgalley for allowing to read and review an early copy of this book!

I’m just gonna start off by saying I love Kpop books and I saw this one and I d the synopsis so I decided to read. I actually really enjoyed this book but some parts I had some issues with. The ending, I don’t think was done very well. There was two conflicts and I didn’t think it made sense. I felt the two main characters should have more interaction and more scenes together before both of those conflicts. I saw another review talk about it and yeah the second half of this book was a little chaotic. But I did the romance a lot and the nickname Kite had for Lulu “Lovely” I thought was really cute. I do wish we had a chance to see more parts with Lulu and Kite as a couple . Also, this book has bisexual rep! (the main character LuLu is bisexual). I do think this book has potential so I hope the ending is changed but other than that I’d give this book a 3/5! Again thank you to Netgalley :)arcs-i-got9 s Aly2,923

This was a pretty cute book. I do the 'former friends and now one person is famous' trope and that this showed the good and bad sides of being famous. The way Lulu and Kite rekindled their friendship and then morphed into a romance was cute and I rooted for them to make it. I don't know a lot about K-Pop, but the fandoms seem pretty intense. There are some extra parts that show social media comments and news reports that helped show the scope of what Kite being in a band means and I d how it was put together. 2022 audiobook contemporary ...more8 s steph (semi-hiatus)200 23

Is it just me or did the main plot thread of having a bestie turned K-Pop idol sound extremely familiar? At first, I wasn't sure but then I remembered Once Upon A K-Prom by Kat Cho did the same thing, makes sense. Regardless of the similarity, this was the better book to some extent but by better, I just mean bland and highly predictable. Sadly.7 s celine221 69

3.5 U EXPECT ME TO BE FINE ON THAT ENDING?!!?!!? WITH NO EPILOGUE???

anyways.... i genuinely enjoyed reading this (apart from that ending which shouldn’t be allowed). the struggles of being k-pop idols, the harsh reality of fans online, showing a certain side of u online and invading ppl's privacy- but also the discovery of making relationships work, losing ppl who weren't worth yr time and the power of friendships and family

also loved lulu as a bi chinese mc !! and also ester being filipino and steph being vietnamese. overall a cute summer book with asian rep, childhood friends to strangers to lovers, neighbours and famous tropecel-core underrated would-rec5 s Jenni585 19

This book happens in the summer before senior year. Lulu and her friends have planned an epic summer: sleepovers , restaurant nights, and theme parks. Lulu works in her mom and aunt's bakery, but doesn't have a relationship with her father, who had left her mother for his mistress during her freshman year. He doesn't even show up for her graduation. This strained relationship was talked about quite a bit in the story and then dropped.

Lulu's summer plans are spun for a loop though, when her neighbor Kai comes back to town. Kai had moved to Korea to become a star in a K-Pop band back at the end of the 8th grade, so it's a shock when he shows up 4 years later. Lulu is a fan of his band and he had been her best friend before he left Will he still be friendly, when they didn't keep in touch for all this time? And will he even remember her, now that he's a star?

It was strange that Lulu insists on calling Kai by his stage name, Kite, despite having known him since elementary school. I thought this showed that she still saw him as a K-Pop star instead of her childhood best friend. Also, the ending for this book? It just ended. There was no satisfying conclusion. I thought my kindle had died, but then I came to the acknowledgements page.This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.Show full review4 s TheGeekishBrunette1,353 38

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for a complimentary earc to review!

Any book that mentions K-pop I end up reading, lol. It’s a keyword that really gets my attention. I have thoroughly enjoyed books with the topic and then there have been others that have felt flat for me in certain areas. This particular book was kind of a mixed-bag. The first half was very enjoyable and I d where the story was going. The second half felt a bit muddled and nothing really progressed very far with the relationship/romance.

The book is told from Lulu’s perspective. She grew up next to a boy who was a friend and eventually tries his luck at joining a K-pop group. Friends-to-lovers isn’t always my thing but I am down for a celebrity relationship any day. I d that even though he was famous he didn’t let it go to his head. He was still very down-to-earth and took care of this stray cat. Cats are the best and he is a cinnamon roll for doing that.

Their interactions from the beginning were slow and even though they eventually started to hang out more I didn’t feel their relationship ever picked up. It kind of stayed in neutral and didn’t have me feeling any particular way. The author also tried to put another hurdle in their relationship at the end and by end I mean at around 94% or so. It made the ending feel rushed and incomplete for me even if they resolved in not so many words.

The majority of the book focuses on the pressure that can come with being in a group. It is taxing and can really wear down on someone’s mental health. I did the talk that surrounded the subject. I feel most books with a K-pop group miss out on this dialogue because they don’t usually go into the detail this one has, especially with the intense fans. Both Kite and Lulu handled it well and it makes them stronger.

Overall, this was good but it just didn’t a bit more in certain areas.2022-reads arcs-earcs3 s Dragons*?4Ever ??•???•??893 18


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