I Guess I Love Here Now had all the makings of a sweet and juicy K-drama!

It was one of the most entertaining experiences I’ve had while reading a book, I was just so invested in the characters and their stories. I quite honestly did not want this book to end because I wanted MORE of each and every character. Melody was for sure my favorite because I could relate to her in many ways, mostly the having to move to a different country aspect.

Overall I think it’s a very relatable story and I only wish we could get more of it.

It was very cool to see how people would live in another country through the eyes of a new resident instead of a tourist. However, it was hard to connect with the main character because she was so unaware of her privilege. Her reactions to things were blown out of proportion at times, even for a teenager. Happy she got her romance, but hard to sympathize with her struggles.

I GUESS I LIVE HERE NOW
By Claire Ahn

I had the opportunity to visit Seoul pre-covid in the tail end of 2019 and I know that reading this book will make me long for another visit - with the food, sights, and sounds of Seoul that Anh writes in this debut novel. The story is about 16 year old Melody Lee who suddenly gets uprooted from her life in America to move to Seoul with her mother, to live with her father.

I enjoyed reading this debut novel for the characters, the immersion to the Korean culture, all told in themes that resonate finding one’s identity, friendship, and family secrets.

Yes, to everything about this book! It was so good. I truly love the selection of books for young adults today and I know I sound like a broken record.

But kids need these stories and I am so glad they have them now.

Longer review to come.

I'm not Korean, nor have I experienced any of the situations Melody is experiencing, so I can't judge this book based on that, but I really enjoyed the story and how Melody's change in views of Korea happened over time! It took me a while to get to know Melody and enjoy being in her head, but once it happened it was really delightful! I'm glad I got to pick up this book and would recommend it to K-drama/pop fans and people who don't pay attention to that stuff alike1!

I thought I'm moving out of my YA era but this book reminded me why I enjoy reading YA books.

Imo, the likeability of YA coming-of-age novels is anchored on the character development of the protagonist.

At first, I'm feeling lukewarm towards Melody, the MC, because she is very opinionated and stubborn but this personality is definitely me during high school.

I didn't expect to see myself in this novel since this book surrounds a story of a Korean-American struggling to fit in two worlds while also exploring more about her family but the MC's straightforward and 'never-say-die' mantra resonated with me.

This book shone by presenting a complicated family dynamics shrouded by secrets and years of separation. I'll admit that it was hard to take it all in the first half but the revelation was worth it.

The romance development was okay but I think I didn't enjoy it much because I was more focused on Melody/Solmi's relationship with her parents. It was a good addition and Wonjae is the definition of a good boy.

K-drama vibes, family secrets and drama, teenage angst, unexpected romance, and following your dreams - these are some of the things included in this book.

I definitely recommend if you're looking for a YA coming-of-age story that will transport you to the in and out of South Korea with extra sprinkles of K-drama goodness.

RATING: 4stars

I had so much fun with I GUESS I LIVE HERE NOW! While I’ve been staying at home to limit my family’s germ circles, I have been feeling very wander-lusty and this book is perfect for transporting to Seoul. All in all, IGILH is a soothing blend of exploring a beautiful city, eating delicious food, and experiencing teenage angst & puppy love. I may be biased because of my love for Korean food but I was definitely won over by the descriptions of all the scrumptious dishes on every other page. I think the strict parent-child Asian stereotype is overstated in a lot of Asian American books and so I wish that there was more deviance from that stereotype in this book.

My Thoughts:
Melody "Somi" is a sophomore going to be a junior living with her mom in New York City. For as long as she can remember, she and her mom have lived in New York while her father has lived in Korea. But as she turns 16, her mother suddenly moves them to Korea to live as a family in Seoul with her dad. Suddenly Melody is sent out on business dates by her father, she is thrust in a new international school and is even put into honors Korean even if she does not speak Korean.

Although she is a parent of Korean immigrants, Melody only knows her American identity. This K-drama type of book is about her finding out about her Korean culture, getting to know her dad and aunt better, as well as finding romance. Like the other books I have been reading, this is more about the elite, rich Asians, even if originally, Melody did now know how rich they were. She tries to hold on to the public transportation lifestyle for as long as she can, even if she has use of her fatherʻs driver.

Claire Ahn joins the growing group of AAPI writers creating stories for YA audiences. She is in company with authors like Maureen Goo, Axie Oh and Grace Kim.

From the Publisher:
Melody always wanted to get to know the Korean side of her Korean American heritage better, but not quite like this. Thanks to a tiny transgression after school one day, she's shocked to discover that her parents have decided to move her and her mom out of New York City to join her father in Seoul—immediately! Barely having the chance to say goodbye to her best friend before she's on a plane, Melody is resentful, angry, and homesick.

But she soon finds herself settling into their super luxe home, meeting cool friends at school, and discovering the alluring aspects of living in Korea--trendsetting fashion, delectable food, her dad's black card, and a cute boy to hang out with. Life in Seoul is amazing...until cracks begin to form on its shiny surface. Troubling family secrets, broken friendships, and a lost passion are the prices Melody has to pay for her new life, but is it worth it?

Claire Ahn's charming debut lets you taste every bite of kalbi, bathe in the glow of Seoul's neon lights, and feel every high and low of Melody's journey across the world and within her heart.

Author: Claire Ahn
Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers
Publication date: May 24, 2022

This was a really cute and heartfelt story about change and getting to know who you are!

This story starts off with Melody having the perfect life. She loves her friends and the high school she attends and she feels like she's on top of the world. When Melody makes one bad decision after school, her life is turned upside down. Melody and her mom pack up their life in New York City and move to the country where her ancestors are from, Korea. Here she will have to start all the way over and she doesn't know if she will every fit in again.

Given that I am not Korean and I've never had to make a huge move like that in the middle of my high school career, I could definitely empathize with Melody and this huge life change. Like Melody, I too have felt felt lost, confused, inadequate, and left out but after reading this book made me feel seen heard and understood.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Teen for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. This was a quick read for me but that's never a bad thing. I loved the representation of Korean culture. The characters were likable and I really enjoyed this!

This was a fairly quick weekend read for me. I really enjoyed reading this although I have to admit I was starting to get thirsty and hungry from reading the book. There are a lot of drinks and food mentioned. I definitely would read future books from Claire. I have to say that I loved the description of Korea and all the food. I had to admit I googled what they were and in doing so it made me even hungrier. I also goggled the places and they were beautiful to see.

Our main character Melody lives in one of my favorite cities in the world, NYC with her mom in a very small apartment. Her dad lives in Seoul to run the family law firm and visits them a few times a year. Melody struggles to have a connection with her dad since he is never there.

Melody is a junior in high school and she is hoping that next summer she will land an internship at one of the best interior design companies. Things seem to be going on track for Melody until one day, Sop (her best friend) and Melody are caught smoking weed. Her mother is furious. Then what seems to be a blink of an eye her mother informs Melody to start parking because they are moving to Seoul. Melody is shocked and feels like it’s her fault for the sudden move. Her mother reassures her that’s not the case but you can’t help but wonder why was this move so sudden? She won’t give Melody the reason why this sudden move is happening. I know I was curious why it did happen out of the blue.

Upon landing in Seoul, Melody is shocked to discover that her father is rich and has a luxurious lifestyle that she knew nothing about. At first, Melody struggles with her new life in Seoul and the one she left behind in NYC. She is struggling in school ( her father has put her in a private school and expects her to achieve all A’s) and the high expectations from her family to be perfect and to follow in her father’s footsteps to be a lawyer. She doesn’t want that, she wants to be an interior designer. How can she prove to them that this is her passion and that landing this summer internship is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity?

I loved that this had a little element of romance to the book (a slow burn that is very typical of first love) but I think the thing I loved the most was Melody discovering things about her parents she never knew about and that it ended up bringing her parents and her closer than when she first got there. How much do we really know about our parents before they became parents? Do we know how they grew up, what their dreams were etc?

I only have one question and that is will there be a sequel to this? I am curious to know what Melody is going to do with the summer internship. Is she going to take it or will she spend the summer in Seoul? The book ended so abruptly and I was sitting there in shock. There definitely has to be a sequel right?

This was such a fun read! While it's a tad shaky in the beginning, this book quickly picks up with Melody moving to Korea! It's obviously a huge adjustment for her, and I do think she handled it well! A situation like that could've been very easy to write as childish or whiny, but Melody was justified in her emotions and I was right there with her.

If it's one thing I'm a sucker for, it's a good friend group and this book DELIVERS. I loved every member of the character cast and the romance was so cute. My favorite thing was seeing how they supported each other through every up and down and it was very wholesome.

Overall, this was such a heartwarming book and I highly recommend.

i loved this story! the Korean culture was interesting to read about and the cast was very fun. i absolutely adored the mentions of food and thought it was an enjoyable part of the novel.

thank you to netgalley and penguin teen for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

What a cute (with heavy topics) book. First of all, this is a must read if you love food. THE FOOD TALK! I enjoyed that aspect of the book so much and even learned a ton about Korean food.

This book follows Melody who is, all of a sudden, uprooted from her home (where she lives with her mom) in NYC to go live in Korea with her father so the three of them live together again. We follow her journey as she leaves the only city she knows, leaves her best friend and school. And we live her journey as she makes new friends, attends a new school and builds a relationship with her father.

I loved the mix of cuteness and deep topics. I didn't love all the characters, but I also believe there are just cultural differences and that's probably why. Great book and highly recommend!

This book is so cute and was a fun summer read. I really enjoyed learning about a different culture and this book really made me want to visit Korea.

The author describes so many delicious foods and this book succeeded in making me hungry while reading. I want to be able to try all of the foods described! At some points I found myself skimming parts of the text with really in depth descriptions.

I liked Melody as our main character and I could understand her feelings about being abruptly uprooted from her life in New York in order to move to Korea. Melody feels out of place at first in Korea, but she forms a great group of friends and they explore the city together and discover a ton of new places. The romance in this book is so sweet and I really enjoyed it. I also really liked how passionate Melody was about following her dreams of being an interior designer, I thought it was a really fun element to add to the story.

Overall I enjoyed I Guess I Live Here Now!

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Teen for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book, it was a refreshing read. It is an important peek into Korean life and what it would be like for someone to endure struggles that I wouldn't experience or understand. I really liked this one, and love that it's a debut novel too! A great starter for her name!

"All these parents puppeteering our futures. For what reason? Because they so firmly believe they know what’s best for us? Or because they care so much about their own reputations that they’re willing to prioritize them over their children’s happiness?"

“I smile when he says my Korean name. The name I always heard spoken in a tone of disappointment now sounds more comfortable to me. It finally feels like my name.”

This book definitely fell in line with K-Dramas with the family drama, going somewhere new, making friends and budding romance. There were some really funny moments and I enjoyed the friends in this book (despite some knowing a level of privilege & wealth I may never know). This book also made me feel like I really wanted to go to Korea and experience the foods I can and the history!

I loved this book so much! From the very first page I was hooked! I loved the relationship that Melody has with her mom and the way the relationship with her dad grows. This had all the drama of a k-drama! I loved the way Melody learns about her heritage and connects to Korea. Yura is so kind and I love the way her and Kimbeom just basically adopt her. I would have liked more time with Wonjae and her dad!

I really enjoyed this book. When reading about Melody’s life you go on a journey through Korea with her. The food is described so well that you better not read this on an empty stomach. I loved all the crossroads she came to in her life and how she had to handle them. I loved her new friendships in Korea while still trying to maintain her friendship with Soph. There were a lot of lessons taught in this book but the biggest one to me was to make sure you always go for the life you want and not what others want for you

I Guess I Live Here Now had A LOT to bring to the table, but where Ahn truly shined was in the imagery and descriptions. I truly found myself transported to another land and felt like I was there for real. I fell in love with the world that Ahn built and for that reason alone I would recommend it to anyone seeking a getaway! This is also a wonderful description of what happens when someone must pick up everything and live in an entirely new world.