I received this book free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 Stars

I didn’t really know anything about this book before seeing it on Netgalley, also I literally know nothing about k-pop so I thought it would be an interesting read. I actually am disgusted about how double sided the K- pop industry is (I’m assuming since the author was in a real K-pop band a lot of this was taken from real life experiences). I also didn’t like that they were making the girls get weighed and barely eat but the guys could do whatever. It seems like a very hard place to be and I wouldn’t want to be there.
I did enjoy the story and I read it super quick, in just a few hours. My fave character was Leah ahah... if you know you know. Also Jason is a tool.
I’d recommend this to readers.

The description of this book is everything! I was really expecting to dive into this book and be obssesed but unfortunately it fell a little flat for me. It's kind of like gossip girl goes k-pop, off Broadway.

When you think about K-pop, most of us think of the global phenomenons of BTS or Gagnam Style. What we don’t know is how these superstars rose to their success in the ultra-competitive K-pop world. Jessica Jung, former leader singer of Girls Generation has been in the lead character Rachel Kim’s shoes and gives us a backstage pass into this intense world. When Rachel meets the rising superstar Jason Lee, she gets a peek at what lies beneath the shining facade of the industry. This book points a spotlight on the double standards that female performers in the industry have to face including harsh unearned criticism often from other women, and pressure to maintain appearances that male groups never have to face. The pressure to win a coveted spot in the next supergroup means finding a competitive edge, which might mean breaking rules like no dating or social media presence or using family money and influence to increase your chances. Shine ultimately is a story about perseverance and fighting for what you believe in. Being the best at what you do by working hard. Shine offers a peek into the fascinating K-pop world and will leave you wanting to know even more. Thank you to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster for the advanced copy.

Before I start my review, I would first love to say THANK YOU to the publishing company, Simon & Schuster Canada and NetGalley for providing me a copy of Shine by Jessica Jung!
Shine is about a Korean-American teen girl named Rachel Kim. She is picked up by one of Korea’s most famous agencies hoping to debut. At the agency, she is to compete and work with nine other girls...
I didn’t expect this book to be so addicting. I’ll admit when I requested this book, I did judge the book by it’s cover... I was expecting a cute and fluffy romance read about the K-Pop world and boy was I wrong! I never expected this to be such a powerful and eye-opener read.
This novel explores the brutal standards and toxicity of the K-pop industry. The idea of them “working hard” really takes on a whole new meaning. It was so brutal and the main character struggles through many hardships that the story felt soo authentic. While reading, I kept thinking to myself if this was real or not.
I’d like to say right off the bat before continuing on, that I’m not a huge K-pop fan. I do listen to some BTS from time to time, but in regards to the industry and girl groups I have not much knowledge... I decided to research the author (Jessica Jung) halfway through my reading and imagine to my surprise when I realized that not only was this her first novel (congrats to her), but that she was an INTERNATIONAL K-POP STAR! I don’t know if this is based on her experience, but one can’t deny that readers can’t take this novel about brutal standards and toxicity of the K-pop industry to a light now.
This novel was an entertaining one for sure. It was very well written. I loved the main character a lot. I loved seeing Rachel grow through her experience. I admire how she handled the competition and proved that passion and hard work is what will make you go far. She truly did “shine”...(I will leave now xD). Indeed, there were sooo many catty girls in the competition (I really wanted to slap them all). And it is saddening because all girls have the same passion, yet the K-Pop industry turns it around and promotes competitiveness instead...which brings out the worse in all of them. It is really a tough industry that is hidden to us all and I’m happy that these aspects were addressed.
I love how we get to see Rachel’s love for her friends and family. Indeed, there are many that will bring you down, but there are those who will support you and one should cherish them closely. I really love the bond between Rachel and her sister. Their moments together made me laugh out loud. There is a cute romantic plot line in this, but really this was more about self-love which I enjoyed.
Overall, this was a great read. I’m hoping there will be another book to this because I need more! (also I love the Canadian references!! Thank you so much!! This is much appreciated by me!-a fellow Canadian ;))

3.5/5

Wow. Ok. So.

First off, writing style is great. It flows well. Dialogue is good. Follows YA norms and standards. Plot was good and pace was good for the most part.
Rachel Kim is, I think, a greatly written character. She has more depth than you think, as does her entire family. I really liked her morals (though she did get caught up in “the boy” - but so does every YA heroine so I can’t be too mad).

I liked the world building. I could see all the influences the real world had on Jessica Jung’s story and I like all the new and different things she added to make it her own universe.

Little background about myself before I move on: I looooooved Girls Generation and used to be a big Kpop fan. For the most part now I don’t really keep up with anything anymore. I have also studied Korean for 4 years so I understand a good bit of Korean language and some culture aspects.
So I really wanted to read this book because of Jessica and I’m really interested in the topic.

Good things: I loved the commentary about the industry. Sexism, mysogyny, opportunism, capitalism, lookism. Honestly I am here for Jessica going off about it. All those parts were great and I thought powerful. Really glad that she could write about them in this light.

Questionable parts: basically every time a romanized Korean word was used. They are just thrown into this book like crazy. And since Rachel is bilingual it was really hard to keep track of when she was speaking Korean and when she was speaking English (if ever, I truly don’t know).
Also I really hope they add a glossary because you for real need some knowledge of the Korean language to read this book. It is straight up inaccessible to people who do not know some Korean. I didn’t even know some of the romanized words and I’ve studied for 4 years!
I also really hope they italicize the romanized words because it can be jarring to see random Korean words in an otherwise fully English sentence. Like “eemo”. How would a reader know she didn’t just spell emo wrong lol. Italicization would greatly help this distinction.

So yeah, decent book if you 1) have a good base knowledge of Korean language or 2) are willing to do some research of romanized Korean. Unfortunately, the overall inaccessible-ness of this book to larger audiences, my rating had to go down at least a star.

And so, as someone with the ability to read this book without being too confused, it was fun and meaningful to me. I look forward to reading future instalments.

Go Jessica!

Jessica Jung was formerly in a Kpop group, as well as was a solo artist. This book follows Rachel Kim who has been training for years with the hopes of debuting in a Kpop group. The book definitely discusses how toxic the Kpop industry can be. It touches a little on the weigh ins and fat shaming and calorie counting, but more so focuses on the double standard of how men vs women are treated.

I had a lot of fun following Rachel on her journey, which was full of drama at times. I really loved her relationship with her sister and how strong that bond was throughout the book, as well as the friendship she has with two girls from her school. There was also a romance throughout the story.

When I got to the end, I was surprised it was over. It felt unfinished, and a lot of questions weren’t answered. However, there is a sequel coming out next year, so hopefully that answers all my questions. Overall I had a lot of fun reading this and I highly recommend for a quick, fun read, and to learn more about the Kpop industry!

This book was a crazy ride! It felt completely unrealistic and totally steeped in truth all at the same time. Also, OMG those descriptions of food? Mouthwatering. I was practically drooling through this entire novel. It got so bad I had to do a T&T run so I could snack on some cuttlefish chips while reading.

Some of the plot points, particularly the frenemy/rivalry between Rachel and Mina felt immature and unnecessary, and I often questioned both of the girls motives – even Rachel’s, whose perspective the story was told from. It felt like she (Jung) was trying to justify Rachel’s behaviour by implying Mina was worse; but honestly the whole ordeal made me find Rachel a much less compelling and likeable character.

The romance between Rachel and Jason Lee was not my favorite, though I did like how the novel left it at the end. As a Canadian, I also enjoyed all the little references Jason made to our home country. Overall though, his character was pretty hard to bare, but I don’t think that was necessarily unintentional on Jung’s part, so I can forgive it.

What I did really love however was the pointed critiques of the K-pop industry that Jung embedded within her novel. That was truly where this story – and Jung as an author – shone. (No pun intended.) Jung didn’t shy away from anything; from the immense pressure the entertainment execs place on their trainees, to the unhealthy body expectations, and the blatant sexism of the industry. And watching all that culminate in Rachel changing from a naive hopeful trainee to a cynical star was a gripping transition, and made me more even more excited to see what Jung has planned for her upcoming sequel.

Thank you to the publisher, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers/Canada, and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC of this book. All thoughts are my own.

I'm not a regular listener of K-pop by any means but the entire world fascinates me. So I was super excited when my wish to read an ARC of Shine was granted.

This is quite the ride! While I hope that some of the experiences Rachel has to endure are embellished for theatrics, I'm not entirely convinced they are. If you've read any of the headlines about K-pop stars and their struggles with the pressure, you know that some of the scenarios Rachel experiences are inspired by real events and tactics.

Added to that is Rachel's questioning of own self identity as an American Korean and the notion that she doesn't quite belong in either place despite how hard she tries. Her struggle helps to shape her character and her reactions to the various things thrown her way.

The only reason this isn't a 5 star read for me is that it lagged a little in the middle. However, I loved how everything came together in the end and can't wait to see what happens next!

Guys, I really wanted to like this. I really did but this book just fell totally flat to me! I thought this book was going to really dive into the problems of the K-Pop industry, which it kind of does (??) but not to the extent that I was expecting. The plot really felt all over the place. I am not sure if it was the format of the novel (maybe there will be more page breaks in the finished copy) or the way the book is, but I felt I was being told so many things, rather than shown. Also, the characters in the book were all surface level, and there was no real development for any of them? I didn't feel any sympathy (or quite frankly, even care) for the events that were happening to them. From the start, I had a feeling I was going to enjoy it, but I was hoping for the best. Sadly, I feel like I should have put this down right away as it just disappointed me.

I was excited to read this one and I picked it up multiple times hoping to learn a bit about the K-pop culture but I just couldn't get into it. I think the main character might have just been a bit too young for me to relate, that being said even from just reading the first few chapters the writing was really great and I know that the young adults its aimed at will really enjoy this book.

Welcome to k-pop.

I've never been very immersed in k-pop or the culture surrounding it, but this book brought a world to light that I had only ever heard rumors and gossip about. Apparently, all the rumors are true. Sort of.

Being written by a former k-pop star, I expected Shine to deliver. Who could better write about the world of k-pop than someone who lived in it? The answer, I've concluded after mulling over the differences between this novel and the other YA contemporaries featuring or centering around k-pop, is no one. Jessica Jung writes about this crazy, "shiny" world from the perspective of Rachel: a trainee under DB Entertainment who has to prove herself to the executives and overcome her fear of cameras in order to debut before her time is up- before she turns twenty.

Rachel's journey is written as one with a sort of before and after: before she realizes just how screwed up some aspects of k-pop can be, and after. I, for one, was looking forward to the "after" portion before I started reading: calling out the problematic elements within the culture surrounding k-pop, especially women in that industry? Count me in! But Jung did a terrific job of making it clear that it doesn't actually matter if you're in the before or the after. The only difference it truly makes is how much power- or the lack thereof- you realize you have.

Beyond the truths revealed about what it's really like in k-pop within Shine, this is also a pretty damn good novel. It's filled to the brim with cliches and characters that you want to slap one second and hug the next, but it's addicting in its drama. The main character, Rachel, is likable and very well-written. Actually, Jung's writing as a whole surprised me with how good it was. Cohesive and short, but detailed enough to create a faux-shiny world to live in, it's clear that she has talent.

All in all, Shine was everything I wanted. A fun, drama-filled, eye-catching novel with characters you root for and media twists to make your head spin. It was chaotic- a lot of things happened at once- but Jung handled the multi-faceted life of a girl going through k-pop training, friends and boy drama, and high school excellently. Maybe not the deepest of novels or something I'd go back to again and again, it nonetheless is a great way to spend a few hours if you need some entertainment.

Recommended to anyone who's interested in the world of k-pop.

Jessica Jung really has my respect for publishing something as ballsy as this.

Great book, and absolutely love how it is written by a real k pop star from experience. It makes the glamorous fame more down to earth and real. Overall, a great storyline and well developed characters—kind of like a kdrama too which I liked.

Thank you to Netgalley, Jessica Jung, and Simon Pulse for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

What a fantastic story!!!! I thoroughly enjoyed it and had a hard time putting it down because I just got sucked into it so easily and wanted to know what was going to happen next!!!!

I made the decision to request an arc of this book because it was about k-pop so that meant: 1) it was about Korean culture, 2) it was about k-pop of which I know nothing about, and 3) I knew I was going to learn about a culture I know very little about! And did I ever!!! After reading this book I am feeling the need to listen to some k-pop and watch some k-drama shows haha. Seriously, though, what an interesting way to learn about the culture and a genre of music that is so popular and well known!

The “behind the scenes” of the k-pop world Rachel finds herself in is cut-throat and certainly is a reminder that we only see what others want us to see and you never truly know what’s real! I loved reading about the different hot spots in this story, the food, and, as mentioned a million times now, the culture. I find Asian cultures so interesting and I really love reading Asian stories! I also appreciate the many Canadian references and the time spent in Toronto and area!!!! Always fun to read about your country and your area(ish) in novels!!!

I could see myself picking this book up again and I feel it is the kind that you could pick up more detail with each read!!! If Korean culture or k-pop is of interest to you give it a shot!!!

I COULD NOT put this book down!

For a debut author, Jessica Jung's new release is a must-read. Shine takes a look at the inside of the K-pop industry, and the trainee experience. Along with how it can affect a trainee's life - both physically and mentally.
If you are anything like me, you LOVE K-pop; whether it be BLACKPINK, BTS, EXO, or Stray Kids. The character depth, the realism, and the settings were all described so well! I loved how though Jason and Mina were undoubtedly very important parts of the story, Rachel still got the chance to shine through (pun intended) and tell us about her own personal experiences and personal thoughts.

I loved how Korea, Toronto, and New York were so well described as important settings in the novel. We got introduced to the climates, the attractions, and the types of people there were, all in a span of only their own chapter(s)!

Even though Ms. Jung's writing style is still not fully developed, the book was still very easy to flip through and understand. I loved how she incorporated some simple Korean phrases into the novel to add a touch of homeliness. (Also, I'm proud that I could understand most of the Korean in here, as my reading skills are still somewhat juvenile.)

All the aspects in the book were above average, leading to an OUTSTANDING BOOK, overall!

I am so happy that I had the amazing experience of reading this book for the first time, as I can't wait to enjoy this book later on in my life once it debuts!

I have so many things to say about this book, that I’m probably going to have to do a separate spoiler review on it. Needless to say, I’m not a fan of this book. I think that the series shows promise and the writing was better than I expected, but let’s get a few things out of the way.

First of all, anyone who’s looking for the equivalent of a youtube expose video on Girl’s Generation is going to leave disappointed. While there are moments that feel very catty and probably close to Jessica Jung’s view of how things went, there doesn’t seem to be a direct one to one comparison for everything that happens. There are parts that feel very autobiographical, but that’s not the whole of the book.

Shine focuses on one main antagonist rather than the full group since this is before SNSD would have debuted. The main character here is still a trainee and so is her rival.

Two, there as aspects of wish fulfillment here, but this is a story about Jessica/Rachel first and her romance second. The driving force here is to succeed in a brutally tough industry.

Three, if you daydream about becoming a kpop star then you’d probably like this book. I’m not someone who would ever want to be in the industry, so I can understand that this book isn’t made for me. I’m not the target audience. That said, I think that Jung does an admirable job of trying to lift up young women through her main character (even if her other characters end up tearing them down).

If you’re even vaguely curious, give it a shot. I was pleasantly surprised, so maybe you will be too.

Jessica Jung's debut novel SHINE's bright. The story line tugs on my KPop heartstrings and speaks to my literary soul. It's fun and a little angsty. Reading like a Kdrama or a day in the life of a dramatic teenage girl, Shine is a great read that will draw in KPop fans and YA coming of age readers alike. While a work of fiction, you can definitely see the passion, the struggle, the hurt and the love Jung had during her career as a memeber of KPop girl group. Any Kpop fan has heard of the grueling, unkind, sacrificial side of KPop glamour and I love that we get a morsel of that feeling.
While there is nothing profound in Jung's writing, you get a story that is real, heartwarming, endearing and a testament to Asian family expectations. I loved the dynamics and chemistry between all the characters. Rachel is resilient and smart with the heart of any 17 yr old who wants the world and love.
I am looking forward to book #2, Bright.
4/5

Rep: Korean representation

TW: bullying, body-shaming, dieting, mention of physical punishment

My Review: An Interesting Exposé of the K-pop World

I really enjoyed this book! It grabbed my attention from page one and I raced through it in 3 hours!

The Pros: What worked for me

The pacing was on-point and there was never a dull moment. It really did feel like I was reading a korean drama - but one about K-pop. I could not put this book down, it was THAT addictive and intense!
The novel gives a behind-the-scenes reveal about the K-pop industry, and it is CRAZY! I can't imagine training 24/7 and having every aspect of my life controlled by others.
I'm really glad that the author speaks up about important themes in the industry like:
the toxic nature of the industry: the trainees undergo a ridiculous schedule and are constantly criticized over their looks, weight, and talent. They face so much anxiety and pressure to constantly compete and there is no guarantee of a pay-off.
the double-standards between males and females: there were so many instances where Jason got away with being late, or not eating what he wanted, or going off schedule ... but if Rachel had even a minor infraction, she was reprimanded severely. There is such a stark difference in treatment! Jason's mixed ethnicity makes him sexy, but Rachel being Korean American is a bad thing. Jason's looks are glorified but Rachel is criticized constantly. It made me sick to think of how much scrutiny she was going through - and how that same level was not applied to Jason.
The characters have depth to them!  Rachel, our MC, has a nuanced personality and my heart really went out to her. I also liked that the other characters were unique.
The story itself was interesting. Rachel is trying to make her way in the industry, trying to navigate the politics from the higher-ups as well as from her peers. All the while, she is trying to balance friendships, education, and a potential love interest.
Other notable mentions: there are underground places for k-pop stars to hang out without being mobbed by the public and there are also references to Canada, which I loved (cuz I'm Canadian and miss Timbits, so don't judge me!)

The Cons: What I didn't like

The romance in this novel was a bit of insta-love with very convenient meet-cute tropes. They weren't terrible, but it also wasn't my favourite part of the story.
There is a lot of body-shaming in this book. It's not surprising considering the rumors about the industry but I wish the author had taken the time to properly address the wrongness of it. In my opinion, it isn't enough to just mention the criticisms leveled at trainees; I wanted there to be a proper call-out that this desire to be thin is unhealthy and toxic, both physically and mentally.

Overall, I really liked this book! It was fast-paced, riveting, and had a decent cast of characters. It felt like an exposé but with a storyline I could get behind, and an MC whose fate I was invested in. I've heard there may be a sequel - if so, I will definitely be reading it!

When I read the premise of how this novel was CRA meets Gossip Girl in a Jenny Han way, I was definitely intrigued since I loved all of those things. I also love the world of K-Pop a lot too! The author is actually a former kpop star in the group Girls' Generation (which I've listened to briefly and really enjoyed their music), so I was def curious about this inside look into the kpop world.

The story follows Rachel Kim, who has been a trainee for 6 years now at DB - one of the biggest labels. Her whole family moved from New York so that she could follow her dreams of one day debuting. However, life of a kpop star is intensive and a lot of work. Her mom often bugs her about maybe considering the college route instead. We learn from the beginning of the book how competitive the world is and the double standard there is between girl performers and guy performers. We also see the toxic nature of this world too and how not everything is as it seems.

This book definitely read like something from Gossip Girl, because it had that drama dynamic between the main character and other characters. However, there's more to it than just the drama components. Jung delivers first love, family dynamics, fan culture, and what it means for someone to uproot their life from North America to come to Korea to pursue their dreams. I loved Rachel as a character because she ultimately just wants to do right by her family, her loved ones, but most importantly, herself.

All in all, it was a really fun read and it ends on a bit of a cliffhanger, so I'm excited to see how it will all unravel in book two!

Disclaimer: I received an advanced reader's copy of this book from Simon & Schuster Canada in exchange for review and consideration. All opinions are my own.

Singer, fashion designer and actress Jessica Jung’s debut novel Shine is the story of a young girl pursuing her dream to be part of the next K-Pop group. Topped with delicious food, glamorous landscapes and dramatic moments, the novel shines a light on the importance of Asian culture and representation, female empowerment and the motivation for our protagonist to become a K-pop singer in the first place.

Fans of the contemporary young-adult genre will be able to glean the prevalent influence and style found in many beloved young adult series and adaptations, mixing genres of drama, romance and comedy, matched with recent references and celebrity name drops.

It might be a bit optimistic, but it would have been nice to see them build more on girl friendships, as there were just so many catty and rude characters at every turn that it seemed relentless. There was a glimpse of character development, which quickly relapses. However, this just might be a realistically honest take on how competitive and grueling life is as a trainee. Still, the novel could benefit from a variety of distinguishing personality traits, to differentiate the multiple characters introduced.

For fans of K-pop, Shine works as an insider look, hearing Jung’s innermost thoughts through the main character’s voice, having anecdotal stories when bringing up traditions and the environment to the rules and double standards of the trainee life, in the arduous journey to make it in the ruthless world of entertainment. Sprinkling in Korean terminology and common phrases throughout, it would be helpful to add a glossary to refer to all the words introduced for non-Korean readers.

As a long-time fan of K-pop, Jessica Jung and Girls’ Generation, this is a treat, as we can’t help but try to connect how much of the book is inspired by real events versus fiction. Describing her thought processes for each action, the book allows us to be engrossed in the perspective of the main character, what drives her and her passions. The narration is so detailed you can practically visualize each scene as it plays out. Overall, Shine is a thoroughly enjoyable and insightful read, and it will be interesting to see what the adaptation and sequel, Bright, bring.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada as well as NetGalley for granting me this advanced reader’s copy, it is greatly appreciated!

This book reminded me of the reasons I enjoyed Zoey Dean’s The A-List and the Alphas series by Lisi Harrison. Sometimes you just want a good dose of glitzy brain candy featuring über rich/famous kids; Shine will deliver.

Before I go any further, I want to say that certain parts of this book were undoubtedly problematic. I don’t condone fatphobia, and there is a not-insignificant amount of body-shaming and calorie-counting in this book that made me really uncomfortable. I understand wanting to realistically represent the toxicity of the K-pop industry, but this wasn’t something the book critiqued nearly enough (if it all). If these are things that are triggering or uncomfortable for you, I would suggest passing on this book.

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Shine follows 17yo Rachel Kim as she trains to become a K-pop star. She straddles two worlds, never quite belonging to either: too Korean for America, too American for Korea.

As the story progresses, we’re thrown into Rachel’s glamorous but cutthroat world. It was pure wish fulfillment fun to read about luxury hotels on Jeju Island and swanky international schools in Hannam-dong (who invite athletes like Adam Rippon to teach figure skating!!!). There were secret cafés for celebs—hidden by rundown warehouses designed to look like a slice of Paris—and engagement parties DJ’ed by Diplo.

But Shine also explores the brutal standards of the K-pop industry. Trainees move into a house together so they can practice from sunup to sundown, perfecting their voices, dances, bodies, and images. Label execs control every aspect of trainee life: no dating, no social media. Grueling physical punishment for anyone who can’t keep up. Intense dieting, body-shaming, and pressure to get plastic surgery. And performance reviews every month means you’re always at danger of being cut.

Above all, there are incredibly toxic double standards for men and women in K-pop. From fans who rip into female idols (while simultaneously fawning over the dude ones) to execs who won’t hesitate to ruin a woman if it ensures a man’s success, the road to stardom—and beyond—is an unforgiving place for girls like Rachel. I liked that the book didn’t try to sugarcoat any of this.

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For the most part, the writing in this book wasn’t bad, y’all!!! You’re definitely going to need some suspension of disbelief for all the k-drama worthy moments (Rachel and Jason’s meet-cute involves a bush, Snoopy pyjamas, and Rachel falling headfirst into his back) and you’ll be putting up with a lot of catty and cliché mean girls. But this wasn’t the disjointed sentences and clunky dialogue I’d been expecting—this book genuinely made me laugh, and I really liked the banter between Rachel and Jason (up until he went full dick mode in the second half).

My favourite part was reading about Rachel’s love for her family: her Umma the linguistics professor, whose love blinds her to everything but Rachel’s suffering at the hands of K-pop; her Appa the former pro-boxer; and my fave character in the whole book, her little sister Leah—who is hilarious and endearing and the BIGGEST fangirl.