Are you ready for a freezing cold adventure full of heart-pounding action? Imagine a world in perpetual cold, backbreaking work just to get enough food to barely quiet the rumble in your belly, suiting up in cold weather gear any time you even think about stepping foot outside your house…welcome to Snowglobe where a television show is the reason many people continue to live and serve those in higher power.

While it may sound odd at first, this plot isn’t that hard to imagine when you really start to compare it to our daily lives. How many of us slog through the day to day only to come home and crash on the couch for some endless scrolling on our devices and some trashy reality TV only to do it again the next day and the next? Thankfully our situation isn’t quite as dire as those who live in the dystopian world of this book, but it does put things in perspective.

Chobahm is your typical teenage girl in just a few ways: her obsession with reality TV and her life at home squabbling with her twin brother. The rest of her existence is filled with dreams of one day living inside Snowglobe and escaping the daily grind of working at the power plant that fuels the city that is protected from the endless tundra that is the rest of her world. Though it seems that she doesn’t have much hope of ever living a different life, one day her big break comes, though at the expense of the loss of one of her heroes. Suddenly, Chobahm is welcomed inside the glittering warmth of Snowglobe and literally living her dream.

We all know that often, in books and in life, things that seem to be too good to be true are, but maybe things will actually start to look up for Chobahm and even her family, or at least that is the hope she is holding onto. There is a dark side to Snowglobe and the reality stars that are broadcasted on TV 24/7 and unfortunately it isn’t long until things start to get dicey for her, leaving her wondering if life inside really is better than her old life outside.

Reading a book set in endless winter might not be the smartest pick if you’re snowed in with -30 degree windchill, but perhaps the bitter cold helped me commiserate with Chobahm and the other characters in this story a little bit. There were quite a few loose ends that I hope will be tied up in the anticipated sequel. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see!

Review of a Digital Advance Reading Copy from Random House Children’s Books

I am a fan of K Drama and K SF (not so much K Pop), but I dig the emotion and the storytelling used to convey messages, lessons, and whatnot. I think that Snowglobe does this very well. The dangers of climate. The dangers of overexposure in a media-driven world. The dangers of greed, etc. etc. Snowglobe covers many of these topics. There are twists and turns aplenty and you will get Hunger Game, Squid Game, and honestly, there was a strong Snowpiercer vibe happening for better or worse. If you dig dramatic apocalyptic literature, then Snowglobe is the book for you. You will dig it and it will dig you. The loss of a star is purely on the the fact that some of the scenes take a very long time to get going and there is some confusion as to what the point is at some parts, but it all comes together nicely by the end. I guess there is a sequel and I will definitely read that upon its release.

I really enjoyed the premise of this book… it reminded me a lot of Snowpiercer with a Hollywood twist. I am interested to see how this duology ends as I felt a little let down with the resolution in this book- I just wanted more so I’m hopeful that is the case in the next book!

Thank you to NetGalley for sending me and ARC of this wonderful book! This does not affect my rating or opinions of the book.

rating 4/5
I loved the plot twists in this book but I felt as though it really didn’t pick up until halfway through the book and then I couldn’t put the book down. It has the tension of squid games but less like a game show. The feeling of being watched/ your life being broadcasted 24/7 is what kept me intrigued. The little breakaways and not knowing what’s going to happen next make it an easy read. I recommend to anyone who liked the ambience of squid games because it gives off that feeling while reading.

I enjoy dystopian adventures, so I was anxious to get started on this one. The author introduces is to a world where it's always a cold that the reader would find hard to comprehend. Our heroine and her family make the best of their situation. Then our heroine's situation changes. I couldn't put this one down, especially after the midpoint of the story. I found myself saying "wait, what?" frequently. Definitely some loose ends, but that really makes the whole story more believable.

Content Warning: death

I have to start off by saying this is translated from Korean to English and for the most part it’s a pretty good translation with some words here and there that were a little off.

I haven’t read in a dystopia book in awhile and this sounded interesting! Famous and wealthy people live in a place called Snowglobe and everyone else lives outside of it. But people get to watch what happens in Snowglobe on their tvs. Plus Earth is in a deep, deep frost so everyone outside of Snowglobe is dealing with freezing temperatures and life is a struggle. Chobahm is one of these people who lives outside of Snowglobe and works in a factory with her family. She gets a chance to go there, she takes it without knowing what she is getting into.

When I started reading this book I didn’t know what was going on and then I told myself to think of it like the k-dramas I watch and I got into the story! I think what I really enjoyed were the twists in the story that come past the halfway point. The twists really surprised me and I was hoping for a resolution to the story but this is only the first book in a series it seems.

I don’t know if I will read the second book only because like I said some of the translations felt off but the twists were really pretty good and makes me want to find out what happens next.


My Thoughts:

This one was really interesting but some of the translations were kind of off which made some of my reading experience not the smoothest. I did love the dystopian atmosphere and the twists in the story though, and thought this would make a pretty cool K-drama show or series. I’m not sure if I will read the sequel but I do want to see what happens next, so we shall see.

While the rest of the world is cold and struggles to survive, the people of Snowglobe have comfort and wealth. In exchange, their lives are made into tv shows for the people outside. Everyone wants to get in there but few ever do, so when Chobahm gets offered an unexpected chance, she takes it. Learning about how far people will go for Snowglobe and for the shows it produces is really what drives this book along. It is very compelling and hard to put down, playing out like a soap opera with tons of twists and turns.

Note: arc provided by the publisher via netgalley in exchange for honest review

First off, this cover is beautiful! This is dystopian fiction at its best. I love the story Soyoung has built. This Snowglobe world is what everyone strives for but it isn't at all what it seems. Chobahm lived outside the snowglobe watching the life of Goh Haeri on her shows made inside the globe. She wants nothing more than for her life to be like hers. When she gets to take Haeri's place, it isn't what she expected at all.

Set in the future where the Earth's climate is frozen. Chobaim is 16 and works at a power plant that powers her village along with the Snowglobe. The Snowglobe is a city covered in a dome that is climate controlled and most of the people who live there want for nothing. They live in big homes, have plenty to eat and wear fancy clothes. Chobaim and her family only have the basics to survive. The people who live in Snowglobe are filmed all the time and their lives are shown as reality tv to those who live outside the Snowglobe. Chobaim is given the chance to live in Snowglobe to replace an actress named Haeri who has died. Chobaim will take over her life and in exchange she will have a chance to be a director and her family will receive money. Chobaim discovers that life as Haeri isn't as wonderful as she thought. Plus there are secrets revolving around Haeri. I liked this book and its setting in the future where the average temperature is -50 was unique. The only part that confused me were the magic mirror/portals since they weren't explained at all

This one was a great YA read that reminded me a bit of The Hunger Games meets Under the Dome but with a bigger message in the reasoning behind the Dome that encapsulates the one city kept out from the dystopian frozen future. This dystopian thriller is highly plot-focused, though the characters are well-fleshed out. There is a plot twist involving the identity of some characters that leads to a less character-driven plot as their identity is tied to everything in the plot (I tried to make that make sense without spoilers). This is a fast-paced read that starts slightly slower, but once it is going it is nonstop. I enjoy it when a thriller has that type of pacing.

So many questions…
So much potential…
So many plot twists, my head is still spinning!

The book starts off strong, introducing us to Chobahm and life outside of Snowglobe.
I just wish there had been a little more world building of life inside Snowglobe. I felt once Chobahm arrived in Snowglobe, everything became a whirlwind of people and events without slowing down enough to really get a feel for the people or what was happening. I also would have enjoyed a little more character development, perhaps instead of so many to keep up with, simply focus on just a handful because there are definitely a lot of characters to keep up with!

With that said, the author still does a great job bringing this world and way of living to life…to the point I actually could imagine something like this happening. Perhaps not quite to this extreme but definitely can see parts becoming a future reality. Maybe that’s why I wanted more world building…this is a world that could become reality instead of feeling so far-fetched.

Actually, it’s all a lot to keep up with! Interesting and entertaining but wow, I got a little confused jumping from one thing to another so quickly. However, I still thoroughly enjoyed reading Snowglobe. It’s a fast-paced read, one I couldn’t put down because I wanted to know what would happen next.

The book does end in a cliffhanger…a big “wait…what!?” confusing cliffhanger that I’m still trying to wrap my brain around.

I look forward to book two and honestly see this having great potential of becoming either a movie or series.

Also need to mention the absolutely gorgeous cover! Definitely one to get a physical copy!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

3.75 (no spoilers)
This was an interesting read. I love the concept: a dystopian-frozen country where people live well and with wealth only inside the Snowglobe. A type of Truman's show where actors and directors put on a show for everyone to watch on TV. The main star and adored Haeri is gone. No one knows because the director brings a girl into the show to hide this from the viewers. Now Chobahm is Haeri, but as fast as she loves the idea of having an amazing life as Haeri she also finds out the horrible truth of Snowglobe. I couldn't put it down, but when we hit sixty percent of the novel things turn around in such a way that it's very surprising (still trying to decide if I liked it or not) fast paced and filled with plot twists then Chobahm decides to handle it all. Although it's a duology the events of book one are mostly resolved and could be enjoyed as a standalone. I appreciate the cover and inner cover being so pretty. I love it when the publisher rewards the readers with an extra step. 
Thank you Netgalley and Publisher for the e-arc.

THIS. BOOK.

Entirely unputdownable throughout, mixed with delightful dystopia reminiscent of The Truman Show. Despite being an elite refuge amidst the -50 degree tundra, Snowglobe has a sinister side. This brings in a ton of tropes that I love - identical twins swapping places, uncovering societal corruption, family drama, SO MANY. I did have some qualms about some of the events, but I'm fine chalking that up to YA magic.

I cannot wait to read the second book in this duology, especially given how Snowglobe ended. What's next??

*Thank you to Delacorte Press and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review*

This review contains small spoilers that are also mentioned in the description of the book.

About:
Chobahm lives on the outside with her twin brother, mother, and grandmother. She works at the power plant, while watching the lives of those that live in Snowglobe on reality television and dreams of becoming a director some day. Life on the outside is not great. It's always around -50 degrees Fahrenheit, families are impoverished, and jobs are grueling.
Her favorite reality show to watch is Goh Around, starring Goh Haeri. Tragically, Goh Haeri dies and Chobahm is chosen to take her place. Once inside Snowglobe, Chobahm finds out that reality television isn't what it seems and it might not be so glamorous to live on the inside.

Thoughts:
This was a very fast read for me. This book is translated from Korean to English and it is good to keep an open mind about the translation before reading this book. I am a fan of K pop and have read other books about the Korean culture and from Korean authors. I don't typically read dystopian novels, but this book kept my interest until the end. A mix of a K drama meets the Truman show. I look forward to the second book in this duology to see how the characters progress and what happens next!

For readers that enjoy:
- Dystopian books
- Korean culture
- K Dramas

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House for the ARC.

This is a return to old school (early 2000s) YA dystopian. Imagine Hunger Games meets Truman and you get the idea. While wholly unbelievable and with huge logic holes, I can easily see this being made into a K-Drama series on Netflix and being very successful. For me, it started out fine by kind of petered out about half way through and then devolved into silly by the end.

Story: Chobahm lives in one of the many frozen villages that surround Snowglobe - a city inside a climate controlled dome. The residents of the villages support themselves by spending all day running in 'hamster wheels' in order to create electricity to power Snowglobe and the meager amounts of heating and food they receive. The Snowglobe residents repay the villagers by being on 24 hour reality tv shows of their life that is broadcast to the hamster wheels for entertainments. Goh Haeri is Snowglobe's biggest star; Chobahm looks so much like her it is surprising. When Haeri's director appears asking Chobahm to take the place of Haeri (who apparently committed suicide), Chobahm sees the opportunity to live in the warmth of Snowglobe and provide for her family. But things are not always as they seem.....

As with so many dystopians, the haves do nefarious things to the have nots in order to maintain their positions. In Snowglobe, the power is behind one prominent family as well as the directors of the various shows. The directors never have to leave Snowglobe but the actors may be forced to return to villages at any time if they do not cooperate. Our heroine soon learns that the directors are vicious and heartless - and are manipulating the lives of the actors cruelly.

The story was interesting when Chobahm was on the outside but once she was in Snowglobe, I felt like I was reading every other Dystopian from 15 years ago - Divergent, Hunger Games, The Chosen, etc. The idea of a perpetual life-long reality tv show has also been done before in the form of Truman (the Jim Carrey movie). Chobahm isn't especially intelligent, does a lot of incredibly stupid things/makes poor decisions, and none of the other characters are particularly interesting. I was bored about half way through, feeling like I had read this story before only with a layer of Korean culture to differentiate it from its American counterparts.

The plot holes here are truck sized. Characters act very illogically to push plot points, and the whole thing lacks sophistication and charisma. It's a piece that likely works much better as a movie or TV series where good actors can elevate the very 'been there, seen that' situations. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.

Oh my god--Snowglobe is the dystopian YA I've been waiting for! I've never stopped loving dystopian stories even when they flatlined, but it was hard to find truly good dystopian stories during the drought. But I'm so hopeful that Snowglobe will light this genre back on fire. This story already has an amazing pitch so I won't bother trying to summarize it here. What I do want to talk about is how this book confirms my firm belief that a K-drama flair can breathe new life into dead or dying trends because this story has so many of the K-drama tropes that make those dramas so compulsively watchable. I won't spoil the book here, but suffice it to say that there are so many delicious twists, unhinged characters, deeply flawed yet sympathetic characters, and truly diabolical villains. All of this is set in a fascinating dystopian world that is so terrifyingly similar to our present-day obsession with entertainment, fame, voyeurism, and social media that this setting could very well be considered near-future. Snowglobe is such a fast-paced, unputdownable read! I've already recommended it to some of my favorite readers and will continue to scream about it for a very long time!

I was given this book my NetGalley in exchange for my review. My review contains small spoilers.

This book really caught my attention. I was interested in it because it was a post apocalyptic world, but I was captured by the second chapter and it really pulled me in. The writing had a few grammatical errors, and a few sentences that I had to reread to because the words didn't seem to go together in a way that made sense, but that's to expected in a translated book. I really enjoyed the story, the characters, and the world, however I wanted more. The end of the book said there's a sequel coming, but if it's going to be written in the same way I worry that I'll still be left wanting more. I want more of the characters, more of the world building. I'd love spin off stories about each of the girls, the director, the president and her family. This world was so interesting and really grabbed my attention. And the twists! Just when I thought I had things figured out one of the girls would say something and reveal another layer of deception and more twists and it kept me on my toes like not many books do. I didn't want to put it down, and I read the book in one sitting. Honestly though it could have been 1000 pages and I probably would have loved every bit of it. I can't wait until publication so I can own this book, and I definitely want to own the Korean copy as well. And 2025 can't come fast enough so I can have the sequel!

I loved the plot, setting, and characters. This was a fantastic idea for a book and the pacing was great.
I was just a little disappointed because there wasn't much action. This was described as "hunger games meets squid game", so I was expecting fights for survival, terrifying games, action, and thrilling scenes. Unfortunately you don't get much of that in this book. I am hoping that the next book in this duology has more action.

This book reminds me a lot of Hunger Games and little bit Divergent. Living in a world that is completely frozen over and the only ones that are safe in the snow globe are the rich and famous. Chobahm who looks like Haeri is selected to take over her life after she passes away. She learns real fast that this life is not as easy and safe as she has thought.

Wow. I loved this. Park did a wonderful job driving you into Snowglobe and creating connections to the characters. The world of Snowglobe was something of the Truman show, while also taking on its own life. You meet an array of characters that all present different views of the world they’ve been handed.

It presents a really interesting view of wealth, social presences, and family. I found myself really invested in the different motives and ideas behind each character too.

However, this book is also hard to review without giving too much away. You must just trust the storyline and follow the characters. It does get a little hard to follow the characters towards the end, but that will make sense once people read! Interested to see how the sequel turns out.

Thank you, NetGalley for the ARC.