A fun and boundary-pushing take on typical K-drama romances.
A rookie K-drama actress experiences love triangles both on screen and off.
After uprooting her family’s life in Florida to pursue an acting career in Seoul, 16-year-old Hana Jin finally scored a leading role in a much-anticipated television series. But when the ratings for the first episode aren’t what the network hoped for, Hana is thrown into a fake dating relationship with her male co-star, K-pop idol Bryan Yoon. On top of that, the network surprises everyone by bringing in Hana’s former best friend, actress Minjee Park, to play Hana’s on-screen rival for Bryan’s character’s affections. But the love triangle on the show isn’t the only one that’s developing. Bryan shows real feelings and interest in Hana, but she can’t deny her developing attraction to Minjee. While trying to secure her position on the show, bisexual Hana must learn to navigate the harsh entertainment world and her complicated love life. K-drama viewers especially will love this lighthearted, page-turning homage to the genre that is filled with many recognizable tropes and behind-the-scenes looks at the industry. Hana’s career, interactions with the network, and encounters with fans and paparazzi demonstrate the intense, often overwhelming lifestyle and pressures of being an actress in Korea. With the inclusion of LGBTQ+ themes, the story challenges Korea’s heteronormative culture and media. The novel also transports readers to popular destinations in and around Seoul, beautifully highlighting Korean food and culture.
A fun and boundary-pushing take on typical K-drama romances. (Romance. 13-18)Pub Date: May 31, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-06-293693-6
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Katherine Tegen/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: March 1, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
PERSPECTIVES
An ode to the children of migrants who have been taken away.
A Mexican American boy takes on heavy responsibilities when his family is torn apart.
Mateo’s life is turned upside down the day U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents show up unsuccessfully seeking his Pa at his New York City bodega. The Garcias live in fear until the day both parents are picked up; his Pa is taken to jail and his Ma to a detention center. The adults around Mateo offer support to him and his 7-year-old sister, Sophie, however, he knows he is now responsible for caring for her and the bodega as well as trying to survive junior year—that is, if he wants to fulfill his dream to enter the drama program at the Tisch School of the Arts and become an actor. Mateo’s relationships with his friends Kimmie and Adam (a potential love interest) also suffer repercussions as he keeps his situation a secret. Kimmie is half Korean (her other half is unspecified) and Adam is Italian American; Mateo feels disconnected from them, less American, and with worries they can’t understand. He talks himself out of choosing a safer course of action, a decision that deepens the story. Mateo’s self-awareness and inner monologue at times make him seem older than 16, and, with significant turmoil in the main plot, some side elements feel underdeveloped. Aleman’s narrative joins the ranks of heart-wrenching stories of migrant families who have been separated.
An ode to the children of migrants who have been taken away. (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: May 4, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-7595-5605-8
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Feb. 22, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head.
The finely drawn characters capture readers’ attention in this debut.
Autumn and Phineas, nicknamed Finny, were born a week apart; their mothers are still best friends. Growing up, Autumn and Finny were like peas in a pod despite their differences: Autumn is “quirky and odd,” while Finny is “sweet and shy and everyone like[s] him.” But in eighth grade, Autumn and Finny stop being friends due to an unexpected kiss. They drift apart and find new friends, but their friendship keeps asserting itself at parties, shared holiday gatherings and random encounters. In the summer after graduation, Autumn and Finny reconnect and are finally ready to be more than friends. But on August 8, everything changes, and Autumn has to rely on all her strength to move on. Autumn’s coming-of-age is sensitively chronicled, with a wide range of experiences and events shaping her character. Even secondary characters are well-rounded, with their own histories and motivations.
There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head. (Fiction. 14 & up)Pub Date: April 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-4022-7782-5
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: Feb. 12, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2013
BOOK REVIEW
SEEN & HEARD
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