3.5/5

When American Chloe Chang takes a DNA test through 23andme on a whim, she did not expect to find a whole new side of her family tree. Excited to meet her long-lost relatives, Chloe flies out to Korea and discovers the Noh family is a lot more complicated than she realized. Fabulously wealthy, the Nohs represent Korea’s elite, and Chloe is thrust into a world of luxury. She soon realizes that the Nohs have many secrets though, and their reasons for wanting to know her may not be what they seem…

This book is inspired by K-dramas, and I love that because it made the plot really over the top in terms of drama. My jaw was on the floor towards the end of the book as the big reveals were made! I did think that because of the tropes used, this book could come off as a little formulaic, and I could guess how some of the plot lines would unfold, but I appreciated how the story ended nonetheless.

I would recommend this book for fans of young adult fiction! Thank you so much to Penguin Teen and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Chloe Kang travels to South Korea so she can finally meet her dad's side of the family and learn about this whole other part of her life that has been hidden from her up until this point.
Being in Seoul is definitely a totally new experience for Chloe and I honestly enjoyed seeing her discover some of the amazing things the city has to offer thanks to the help and the company of her friend Miso.

The whole ordeal with her family was a little ridiculous in some aspects and some parts were also pretty predictable. To me it was pretty clear what the endgame of the family was and that's why I found Chloe to be a bit naive since she didn't realize it for quite some time. It was a little frustrating as the reader to keep reading while she remained in the dark.

The story overall wasn't bad but it also didn't pull me in.

Ahhhh!!! This was such a whirlwind of a story. It had all the trappings of a good kdrama with an added twist. I loved being part of Chloe's world, and I was swept up in it as much as she was. Chloe is a strong character full of heart, and her growth as a character is admirable. This story navigates questions of family and belonging well and in a way that was deeply relatable. Shim's writing is solid and I can't wait to see what's next to come from this debut!

I've never watched a K-drama. So really, i have no idea why I picked this one up. I thought it had a pretty cover, but I don't even think I read the synopsis. Long story short, I went into this one with no expectations and no idea what I was getting into. I ended up enjoying it though!

I think that's partly because I was in the right mood for something like this. If I read it a month from now, I mightve hated it. But right now, I needed pure fluff/drama. I needed a thoughtless read, and this was perfect for that. It was wildly entertaining, even though it had its flaws.

And really, it used those flaws to its advantage. It was predictable, sure, but it used that predictability to build anticipation and capitalize on the drama. Our main character wasn't exactly likeable, but she was an interesting character, and her growth was awesome. Even the "bad" things about this one were good, which isn't something I say very often.

Another thing - the setting of this one was tons of fun. The clothes, the sights, the people, it was all so vivid. Picturing it all was so fun, especially because it was as foreign to our main character as it was to me.

Although the relationships frustrated me until the end, I loved the way the resolved. Chloe was a character I grew to love, and I supported her decisions at the end with my whole heart. I loved watching her mend her relationship with her mom, it was super touching, and probably my favorite part about this book.

Although I went into this book expecting a romance, and didn't get one at all, I still really enjoyed it! Can't say I'm a huge fan of the cliffhanger, and probably won't pick up the next book (if there is one) but this was still a fun read

Thanks to TBR Beyong Tours for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review

Thank you Penguin Teen for a gifted copy of Grace K. Shim’s THE NOH FAMILY, out on May 3! This is a K-drama inspired YA novel, chock-full of the type of chaebol family drama you only see on television...

Chloe, an Oklahoman Korean American, has never known her father, who died in an accident before she was born. She’s grown up with a single mom who seems to be too busy at work to care for her, and her aspiring fashion designer dreams seem to be coming to an end because they do not have enough money to pay for her to attend FIT. But when she receives a message from a long-lost relative, she is whisked to Seoul into a life of luxury—it turns out that her father’s side of the family is one of the richest families in Korea.

Y’all. The amount of emotional manipulation is this book was so intense. Straddled with both Korean social norms and a world of the rich hostile to newcomers, Chloe gets drawn into uncomfortable situation after uncomfortable situation, while I was sitting there like NO CHLOE NO. There is a little bit of romance, but since it’s not the core focus, it sort of fell into the background.

I didn’t enjoy it as much as another K-drama inspired YA novel, XOXO, but it was still entertaining. Based on the ending, it seems like there might be a sequel...?

The Noh Family definitely fed my K-drama heart. It was such a fun book version that took typical K-drama tropes and both teased about them and incorporated them.

I really wanted to hang out with Chloe and Hazel to talk about K-dramas. Like I was going to be hey have you watched this one. Especially when they were talking about the umbrella moment. I also felt bad for Chloe. Some things I figured out pretty early on but I think as someone who watches a lot of dramas she wanted to see what she wanted to see. Especially since she was so desperate for a connection with her dad.So as much as I want to say she is naive it’s really not that. I think hopeful, wishful maybe would be more of the correct term.

There is definitely a lot of family dynamics going on here. Not just with her new found family but also with her mom. I think her complications with her mom went with her continuing to leave her in the dark. Even when she discovers her dad's identity her mom still doesn’t exactly fill her in.

It was just a fun book to read if you are fan of dramas. I wouldn’t say there is really romance, maybe little inklings but I think the book is a lot more about family and identity. Of course also food. There were so many things I wanted to eat. I was already aware of the corn dogs still have not had a chance to try them but they are on my list. Ha ha.

Not to be spoilery but what!? No amnesia lol. I’m like someone always forgets who they are in K-dramas. Ha ha. Although I don’t see that often in newer ones anymore.

The book is definitely fast paced and easy to read. I did it in about two days. Even though you had an idea about some things, I was curious how they were going to work out in the end. So I had to keep going.

This is definitely a really fun read for those with a heart that beats for K-dramas.

From the first paragraph, I knew this book would be a good one. I immersed myself into the book from the first chapter and I cannot say enough good things about this book! Honestly amazing! The writing is incredible and the plot is just one to die for. I am absolutely obsessed with this book. My favorite part would have to be the character development throughout the book. Character development is something I look forward to and this book did not disappoint.

This was such a charming read, such a perfect book if you’re a fan of KDramas, like myself. It was so intriguing and I kept reading and reading until it was finished on one sitting! Definitely enjoyable!

*Spoiler free*

I would be lying if I said I wasn't pulled to this book because I share a name with the main character. Though, in my defense, that was only part of the reason! It also sounded really good, and slightly wild. A girl connecting with her estranged father's family, and they turn out to be really freaking rich. But something feels slightly off. It sounded very intriguing, and I was eager to see what I thought of it.

This book surprised me a whole lot, in the best possible way. It's a contemporary, but it's almost like it's got a tinge of a thriller to it. It's a complete joy to read, dazzling, dramatic, and hilarious.

I really, really liked Chloe, and I was surprised at how much I enjoyed her entire journey, both emotional and physical. She yearns to feel connected, to find the family she feels like she's been missing her whole life. This book is flashy, and it knows it's flashy, but there is also this emotional depth to it, and it meshes so well with the glitz and glamor that surrounds it. It doesn't sound like those two things would go together, but Chloe is such a strong and loveable character that it works, and it works well.

One of my favorite parts of this book was the dramatics and the rich people chaos that ensued. It sneaks up on you, until you're reading and suddenly your heart is pounding because things are happening and oh my gosh THINGS HAPPENED. It's the best kind of surprising.

This is such a wonderful coming of age book, filled with enough humor and hijinks to make extremely interesting. It's about finding and connecting with identity, and about family and where it's found. It's nuts, but there is such heart tucked inside it as well. It's very, very good.

Full review will be up on pop-culturalist close to the pub date (release week). This is an incredible book perfect for fans of Asian dramas! It’s one of my highly anticipated releases and I’m so happy to have a copy of it.