Excellent novel with creativity, self-identity, and community at the center of the story. I loved the exploration of how being Asian-American is not a one-size-fits-all experience and the power of standing up for yourself in times of discrimination, even when it's hard.

This was a really enjoyable book that is fun but also tackles some tougher issues (microaggressions/white privilege etc.). For a YA novel this had a lot of depth. The music piece of the story and the strong character will keep teens interested.

Shim’s sophomore novel follows Riley Jo, an aspiring guitarist who is trying to navigate the music industry, which doesn’t really seem to be built for people like her. I was immediately taken with the humor and sincerity, and I think many will relate to how Riley longs to get out of her hometown. When she gets accepted into Carlmont, an arts-focused boarding school, Riley can’t turn down the opportunity. Soon, though, Riley finds herself in over her head, fighting for her place in a band that could catapult her into the music industry. But Riley is up against nepo babies, an advisor that maybe doesn’t have her best interests at heart, and other people’s doubts.
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I will say that the tenor of this book is more serious than Shim’s debut The Noh Family, as it does discuss topics such as nepotism, anti-Asian racism, and stereotyping, but it’s still a fun read. At its heart, it’s a story about a girl who is trying to live her life in the face of others thrusting their assumptions upon her, which I think a lot of us have lived through as well. Riley struggles because she’s Korean-American but plays acoustic guitar instead of violin, and is more interested in indie rock than K-pop. I also like the way that Shim tackles the pitfalls of being in a more “diverse” place. I enrolled in a diverse college after graduating from a very white high school, and thought would be more accepting, but I also know that discrimination happened there. I saw a lot of the same thing happening here.
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I think music lovers are going to love this one.
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As someone who loves anything having to do with entertainment and the music business, I knew I was going to enjoy this book! It is a fun and delightful read about an Asian American teen who is navigating the music industry and it’s prejudices. It has great representation and dove deeper into the Asian American experience than I expected for a novel like this. When Riley Jo gets the opportunity to attend Carlmont Academy, a whole new world of discovery is opened for her, along with all new struggles and adversaries.

This book asked SO MANY great questions throughout it. Riley Jo faced some prejudices in places that I was shocked she did, especially when it comes from the parents of her Korean American roommate. The author does a really wonderful job or portraying the Asian American experience as we watch Riley Jo navigate being in LA and how it is different from Arkansas and all the people she meets along the way. I thought the music industry aspects were handled well and I liked how realistic it was.

The characters are wonderful and really easy to vibe with, and I thought they stood out in their own ways. Riley being a hard worker was really refreshing to see, and I loved the theme of needing to work hard to achieve your dream. Overall, I think this is a great read for any budding musicians wanting to get a taste of what the music industry would be like, while also having great diversity and discussions.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the arc of this book. all opinions are my own.

This was fantastic. I really enjoyed it! I'd recommend it.

I really enjoyed this one. I liked how Riley grew throughout the book. I found Aerie to be really frustrating at times and thought she was being too black and white with Riley. The last 1/4 of the book went a little too fast for me and felt very rushed.

I loved The Noh Family so I was excited to check out Grace’s next work.

Riley Jo is like your average Korean American teen. She lives in Arkansas and has always wanted to be a musician, so when she really wants to join a performing arts school all the way in L.A. how could her parents not let her. Things are starting out really great, until she starts to butt beads with her bandmates.

This story definitely hits the head with race and nepotism. So much so that some characters fell flat for me. I just felt disconnected and like they were “too young.” It’s definitely a coming-of-age and growing up. I’m older so I’m not hip to today’s slang, so some of it was a little out there for me. But I did love the finding inner voice and music aspect the story takes us on.

An incredible story of finding yourself, understanding the world you live in and facing racial stereotypes.

I don’t know how I’ve ended up reading so many books that take place in Arkansas lately but, more of this please! I first added this book to my TBR after seeing a short blurb but never read the full synopsis so I didn’t quite know what to expect, and really enjoyed what I found. NOT YOUR AVERAGE JO is such a solid YA contemporary, dealing with difficult issues through the narrative of something of a coming of age story. Grace K. Shim has created a nuanced and relatable protagonist in Riley Jo who’s fun to root for. I’m also just a fan in general of stories that actually talk about the nuances of racism and bigotry while also not pinning all of that into things as simple as location. There’s also a deep love of music and the storytelling that comes with it. Definitely worth the read and I definitely recommend it!

While the novel touches on important themes such as identity and resilience, some readers might find the plot predictable and the characters somewhat stereotypical. However, the narrative's exploration of authenticity and artistic integrity adds depth to the story, making it a worthwhile read for fans of YA fiction. Overall, "Not Your Average Jo" is a compelling tale that resonates with themes of empowerment and self-discovery, making it a recommended choice for those seeking a relatable and thought-provoking read in the realm of contemporary YA literature.

3.5/5

I originally wanted to read this book because 1) the main character is Korean like me and we are in desperate need of Asian representation, 2) she has my name 😍. As soon as I started reading, though, I was sucked in. From racism to microaggressions, Jo has been through it all. And the way the author handled these heavy topics was wonderfully done.

Jo Riley moves to Carlmont Academy from her no-name small town in Arkansas to pursue her music career. After experiencing her entire life as one of the only Asians, and only Korean, in her town, she thought LA would be different. They would be more accepting of her and woke. But when she gets there, she goes through a whole new aspect of racism.

One thing I really loved about this book was how it showed not all immigrants are the same. There isn’t one set way immigrant must act like—there isn’t one was to be Korean American, in the book. As someone who grew up very close to my culture, I could see myself as Jo’s roommate more than Jo. However, after being a wallflower all her life, it wasn’t fair of her to be expected to immediately choose to stand up against Asian Hate and other activism. Although these are very real issues we should address, not every Asian should be forced to take a stand the same way. And I loved how the author encapsulated that. Jo was different than her friends who grew up bilingual and learning about their culture, and that was okay.

Some things I didn’t like about the book was character development. Besides Jo, none of the other characters felt developed enough and had one defining trait, as was pointed out by another reviewer. Which was a shame because they all were amazing.

Another thing was why were there so many Gen-Z references? 😭 I know the book was supposed to be about a teen in this time and age, but the random hashtags and LOLs was not necessary.

In general, I really liked the book and its message. We really need more stories like this in the industry and Grace K. Shim is killing it.

Thank you so much to Penguin Teen and NetGalley for giving me an ARC of this one!

Not Your Average Jo is an insightful and entertaining story about Riley Jo, an Asian-American teenager who is navigating both the music industry and the prejudices that exist within it. I feel like this book did a good job at depicting the microaggressions and difficulties that Asian-Americans face not only in wider society but also in their own communities. It was cool to see how Riley Jo worked through what she faced at Carlmont, her school, and how she began to figure out her identity. It was a tad heavy on the plot at times and didn’t really focus as much on characters other than Riley Jo, and everything with the band getting to record deal seemed a bit of a stretch to me. I also just thought there were be a little more romance going in but I guess that is my bad. Overall this book was a good read and important, especially to young readers.

Rating: 3/5⭐️

This is a new offering from the author that gave us The Noh Family.

In Not Your Average Jo, Grace K. Shim crafted a coming of age story about a Korean-American teen who is dreaming to be a succesful musician only to face the harsh reality about the entertainment industry.

I like how NYAJ tackled a lot of topics in one novel - racism in general and in the entertainment industry, nepotism, following your dreams and aspirations, and self-identity.

There were times when the novel seems too crowded with all of the issues being discussed but the author was able to resolve in a realistic manner.

I'm also a fan of reading fiction books with music or entertainment element so I'm a bit biased when I say that this one is definitely close-to-life. Love it!

And lastly, the highlight about self-identity and asking the question if there is one way to be an Asian-American? That was such a masterpiece!

Overall, an enjoyable read and a strong follow up to The Noh Family.

I really enjoyed this coming of age story about Riley Jo a Korean American teen trying to find a place where she fits in while pursuing her musical interest. She deals with racial issues from different fronts but especially with the contemporary band that she is apart of in the school of the arts boarding school she gets accepted to in her senior year of high school. She learns she has to find her own voice in all of it. It was a great read.

Thank you Penguin Teen for gifting me an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Not Your Average Jo is a wonderful coming of age novel about an Asian-American girl joining a band at a performing arts school, all the while navigating her cultural identity in the face of external racism.

The author does the most incredible job of discussing and portraying the complexities of the Asian American experience. She didn’t just touch on the classic “lunchbox” moment or “where are you from?” comments, but actually deep dived into the true destructive nature of micro aggressions, how the model minority myth continues to silence Asians, white privilege in the music industry, and how there isn’t just ONE way to be Asian-American. The book also touched on the biases in the Asian community itself, which is extremely important and eye-opening as well. All of this narrated, through the perspective of a headstrong young girl trying to find her voice, made the book feel so much more impactful and authentic. I have truly never felt so seen and understood in a book, it made me very happy.

My main qualm with this novel was the insane amount of “quirky gen-z slang” in the first half. Having to constantly read the words “hashtag”, “Nom” or “I’m LOL-ing” thrown into random sentences was a bit unbearable. It just didn’t feel natural or necessary, and I wish authors (in general) would understand that you don’t need to use trending social media references or slang to relate to younger audiences, because it usually comes off as forced or cringy.

Otherwise, the book was great.

A massive thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!! I really enjoyed this book; definitely something I will tell my friends about!

I loved the story, the world building and meeting the different characters. I felt completely immersed in the story and couldn't stop reading it.

I picked this up for two reasons
1. Bentonville, AR being the hometown of the MC (I'm from Little Rock, AR!) and
2. It sounded like a really fun coming-of-age story, and it indeed was.

Also, the cover is so cute!

I love that we are in an era with diversely written books with diverse characters and backgrounds. This was not something readily available when I was younger (I'm 34), so I am so glad today's teens are getting to enjoy such a massive selection of amazing stories like this one.

I am admittedly a bit older than this books intended audience, but will recommend it to my teen nieces and younger social media audiences.

Tysm for the ARC, Penguin Teen!

Actual rating: 3.5

This book was okay, I do think it lacks development both for the main character as well as the flow of the plot. Felt a bit choppy for me and I wish things were more fleshed out.

I did really like Riley’s journey! While I am not Asian, I do belong to a minority group in America and I found myself relating to the struggle between being an “activist” versus just trying to do the best for your own life. It’s a topic I haven’t seen addressed before in a book and I really do commend the author for capturing it so well!

I’m having a hard time figuring out exactly how I feel about this book, because it did some things really well and other things not so much.
Let’s start with the negatives: every character except for the main character was painfully underdeveloped and flat. Each of them could be defined by one thing about them and that’s it. And since there are quite a few characters in this, that was a huge bummer.
Other things were underdeveloped, too. For instance, Riley’s favorite musician is Skylar Twist, who we never hear much about, but is essentially supposed to be the Taylor Swift equivalent here. Yet Taylor Swift is mentioned many times in this story, perhaps more than Skylar is ever mentioned, so Skylar could have easily just been Taylor Swift. Who Riley’s favorite musician is is a super small detail of the story.
And throughout the story, we get snippets of a documentary one character is working on, and the format of it is so confusing, and not only that but some of the people he gets video interviews of don’t live anywhere near there and there would have been no way for him to actually get footage of them.
There were smaller details throughout the story as well, that required a lot of suspension of disbelief and took me out of the story.
This was also possibly the most awkward book I’ve ever read. Character interactions are all SO awkward, and Riley is really put on the spot or thrown under the bus so many times. I get that some awkwardness is needed, because the subject matter *is* awkward, but dang!

Ok, enough about the things that could have made it a better story, and on to the things that made it an enjoyable read.
This book did a great job of keeping secrets from the reader, so there are things the main character doesn’t know, and I kept reading because I really wanted to find out with her. And they didn’t have to be BIG secrets, either.
The reason I wanted to read this book was because I too am an Asian (albeit west asian) woman in music, and I related a lot to not being “marketable” and the music industry presenting a lot of obstacles (though my struggles are of course not quite the same). I thought this book did a great job of portraying that, and I loved reading about someone navigating what constitutes discrimination and when the sacrifices you’re making are too much for something like a record deal to be worth it.

Though there’s a lot that I thought weakened the story, it was overall an enjoyable read with very important messages about standing up for yourself and feeling like you belong.