ASAP by Axie Oh

 

SPOILER ALERT. It's not necessary to read the first book in this series, XOXO, but it will greatly enhance your reading pleasure with this one. Previous characters do play a role.

“Sori has worked her whole life to become a K-pop idol, until she realizes she doesn’t want a life forever in the spotlight. But that’s not actually up to Sori—she’s caught between her exacting mother’s entertainment company and her father’s presidential aspirations. And as the pressure to keep her flawless public image grows, the last person she should be thinking about is her ex-boyfriend.

Nathaniel is off limits—she knows this. A member of one of the biggest K-pop bands in the world and forbidden from dating, he isn’t any more of an option now than he was two years ago. Still, she can’t forget that their whirlwind romance was the last time she remembers being really happy. Or that his family welcomed her into their home when she needed it most. . . .

So when Nathaniel finds himself rocked by scandal, Sori offers him a hideaway with her. And back in close quarters, it’s hard to deny their old feelings. But when Sori gets an opportunity to break free from her parent’s expectations, she will have to decide: Is her future worth sacrificing for a second chance at love?” - taken from Goodreads.

This book centered around Nathaniel from XOXO and Sori, Jenny’s friend. These two try to toe the K-Idol line and ignore their feelings for one another. But when things go awry, Nathaniel and Sori find that the one person they can rely on is each other. A cute and quick romance read. 

Visit Axie Oh’s website.

XOXO by Axie Oh

“Cello prodigy Jenny has one goal: to get into a prestigious music conservatory. When she meets mysterious, handsome Jaewoo in her uncle’s Los Angeles karaoke bar, it’s clear he’s the kind of boy who would uproot her careful plans. But in a moment of spontaneity, she allows him to pull her out of her comfort zone for one unforgettable night of adventure…before he disappears without a word.

Three months later, when Jenny and her mother arrive in South Korea to take care of her ailing grandmother, she’s shocked to discover that Jaewoo is a student at the same elite arts academy where she’s enrolled for the semester. And he’s not just any student. He’s a member of one of the biggest K-pop bands in the world—and he’s strictly forbidden from dating.

When a relationship means throwing Jenny’s life off the path she’s spent years mapping out, she’ll have to decide once and for all just how much she’s willing to risk for love.” - taken from Goodreads.com

Jenny is a talented cellist whose dream is to attend a prestigious music school in New York City. Practice comes first and boys aren't in the picture. When a chance encounter with the mysterious Jaewoo in her uncle's karaoke bar turns into a night of adventure, Jenny is a little disappointed when he mysteriously disappears and she never heard from again. Fast forward several months and Jenny is in Seoul meeting her ailing grandmother for the first time. Enrolling in an elite music academy while she is there, Jenny is thrown when Jaewoo suddenly reenters her life. Even more surprising is to find out that he is a member of one of the biggest K-pop bands. And he remembers her.

Just a sweet story to lose oneself in.

Visit Axie Oh’s website.

 

I’ll Be the One by Lyla Lee

“Skye Shin has heard it all. Fat girls shouldn’t dance. Wear bright colors. Shouldn’t call attention to themselves. But Skye dreams of joining the glittering world of K-Pop, and to do that, she’s about to break all the rules that society, the media, and even her own mother, have set for girls like her.

She’ll challenge thousands of other performers in an internationally televised competition looking for the next K-pop star, and she’ll do it better than anyone else.

When Skye nails her audition, she’s immediately swept into a whirlwind of countless practices, shocking performances, and the drama that comes with reality TV. What she doesn’t count on are the highly fat-phobic beauty standards of the Korean pop entertainment industry, her sudden media fame and scrutiny, or the sparks that soon fly with her fellow competitor, Henry Cho.

But Skye has her sights on becoming the world’s first plus-sized K-pop star, and that means winning the competition—without losing herself.” - taken from Goodreads.com

Skye Shin is an overweight Korean-American teen. Her mother holds her own strict Korean beliefs about weight towards her daughter. Skye goes against her mother's wishes and makes both the dance and vocal portions of a K-Pop star search contest. It's not an easy road as Skye  comes up against a judge who has the same opinions as her mother. Finding herself at the center of a worldwide stage, can Skye succeed in changing people’s minds about body image? An uplifting read. 

Visit Lyla Lee’s website.

 

Shine by Jessica Jung (Shine book 1)

 

“What would you give for a chance to live your dreams?

For seventeen-year-old Korean American Rachel Kim, the answer is almost everything. Six years ago, she was recruited by DB Entertainment—one of Seoul’s largest K-pop labels, known for churning out some of the world’s most popular stars. The rules are simple: Train 24/7. Be perfect. Don’t date. Easy right?

Not so much. As the dark scandals of an industry bent on controlling and commodifying beautiful girls begin to bubble up, Rachel wonders if she’s strong enough to be a winner, or if she’ll end up crushed… Especially when she begins to develop feelings for K-pop star and DB golden boy Jason Lee. It’s not just that he’s charming, sexy, and ridiculously talented. He’s also the first person who really understands how badly she wants her star to rise.” - taken from Goodreads.com

First of all, the author Jessica Jung is a K-pop legend and former lead singer of the Girls Generation. To me, this book felt authentic. If what Rachel and the other female trainees at DB Entertainment went through in the book really occurs, the K-Pop industry must really be cutthroat. It did take me a couple of chapters to get into the story, but once I was in, I was hooked. I couldn’t put it down to see where Rachel’s story would go. Pleasantly surprised by the ending, I cannot wait to see where the next book goes.

Book two, Bright, is due out in October of 2021. 

Visit Jessica Jung’s website.

Somewhere Only We Know by Maurene Goo

“10 00 p.m.: Lucky is the biggest K-pop star on the scene, and she's just performed her hit song "Heartbeat" in Hong Kong to thousands of adoring fans. She's about to debut on The Tonight Show in America, hopefully a breakout performance for her career. But right now? She's in her fancy hotel, trying to fall asleep but dying for a hamburger.

11 00 p.m.: Jack is sneaking into a fancy hotel, on assignment for his tabloid job that he keeps secret from his parents. On his way out of the hotel, he runs into a girl wearing slippers, a girl who is single-mindedly determined to find a hamburger. She looks kind of familiar. She's very cute. He's maybe curious.

12:00 a.m.: Nothing will ever be the same.” - taken from Goodreads.com

With this book, Maurene Goo has become one of my must-read authors. I loved The Way You Make Me Feel, but Lucky and Jack captured my heart that I found it nearly impossible to put this book down. Lucky is a huge K-pop star living a completely sheltered and controlled life. Desperate for a hamburger after she finishes her latest concert tour, Lucky sneaks out of her hotel after taking a sleeping pill. What occurs next is a Good Samaritan named Jack finding and taking care of her, not knowing her true identity.

When Jack, a freelance paparazzo, discovers who he has brought home, he devises a plan to capture candid photos of the squeaky-clean star to further his career. What Jack doesn't expect is to fall in love with Lucky. This book is absolutely beautiful. Maurene Goo fans, there's even a tiny little glimpse of the characters from The Way You Make Me Feel. 

Visit Maurene Goo’s website.