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my rating |
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| 4.55
| 108
| unknown
| Nov 07, 2023
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it was amazing
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I’m on BookTube now! You can find my channel here! =) ”I have yet to find a better view than this one." Jason took Tae Hyun’s hands and turned them to I’m on BookTube now! You can find my channel here! =) ”I have yet to find a better view than this one." Jason took Tae Hyun’s hands and turned them to face each other. "No matter where we are, you're always what I want to see." **I received an advance copy of this book from Jetspace Studio and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. Thank you so much for giving me a chance to read this ARC!** The first thing I have to say about “Idol Moves” is that this book strengthened not only my love for Tae Hyun and Jason as a couple, but also for KT Salvo as an author! This story was amazing and even though I already loved the first book “Idol Minds”, this second instalment really knocked it out of the park for me. I loved every second I spent with this book and right now all I want is a third book so I can get more of those two awesome men and their friends! Jason and Tae Hyun effortlessly moved into my heart and they came to stay. I mean the mere fact I requested both books as an e-ARC and read them in the very same year they came out as ARCs should tell you enough about my enjoyment. I never do that. Ever. But I did it with this series, because it’s exactly what I craved for and wanted to read for ages: A book about two male idols that fall in love and fight for their HEA with everything they have. ”None of the choreographers he’d worked with at KBR were options. And many of the independent choreographers he’d spoken with said they would’ve loved the work, but KBR’s vengeful gaze and long reach prevented them from taking it. It was like that with everything. Resources Tae Hyun had easily accessed before were suddenly beyond his grasp.” And boy, did they fight for it! In the first book Jason and Tae Hyun were outed by the press and after years of denying who they truly were they decided they didn’t want to hide anymore and openly admitted they were in love and dating. So in the first book we got a little bit of the falling-out between them and their companies, but the story was more focused on how the two men fell in love and less on the repercussions they would have to face. In “Idol Moves” however we’re confronted with the harsh reality of what it means to be out and proud when you’re a k-pop idol in South Korea. Tae Hyun and Jason are working on Tae Hyun’s solo career and KBR certainly doesn’t make it easy for him to start one. They are everywhere and they use all their power in order to keep him away from the big stages in his home country. “If he were at all superstitious, he might be worried. But he wasn't. Because what Seong Hyeon probably didn't know was that Jason generally always expected the worst from people. His parents had taught him that by never once rising to meet his expectations." Jason and Tae Hyun wouldn’t be the men they are if they’d allow them to thwart their dreams, though. Both of them know what they want and how to achieve it and they decided they wouldn’t back down. No matter how hard Tae Hyun’s former company tries to silence them, they fight back as good as they can. At times this was really frustrating to witness, though, and I felt so much for Tae Hyun and his helplessness whenever he was confronted with another obstacle that was put in his way. Still, their struggles felt very realistic and I’m pretty sure that things like this would actually happen to openly gay idols in South Korea. Being a part of the LGBTQIA+ community is still not easy over there. You only have to read articles about real idols that came out and you’ll know what I mean. Korean society is very traditional and as always, it needs time to grow and to evolve. I really liked that KT Salvo didn’t shy away from addressing those issues and gave them room in this book. The pushback Jason and Tae Hyun received made this story feel so much more realistic and showed how much work still needs to be done. ”I still think I might cry.” “Then cry. You may be an idol, but you’re a person, too. Let everyone see the real you. It’s only gonna make them love you more.” Tae Hyun grabbed onto Jason’s arms and squeezed. “Now you’re gonna make me cry, hyung.” “Then cry,” Jason lovingly purred. “But I’ve already seen the real you. And I love you the most.” Anyway! What I really loved about this book was the fact that Tae Hyun and Jason fought for their love but also allowed themselves to acknowledge their powerlessness and weaknesses. They struggled, but they spoke about it and they let themselves feel their disappointment and resentment for the people they’d known and who let them down. They grieved the loss of their lives before they came out, yet at the same time they embraced the freedom that came along with it. The way KT Salvo wrote their character arcs! It’s amazing. Chef’s kiss! Perfection! And yes, Jason and Tae Hyun changed so much from the first book but they still didn’t lose their essence and what made them, them. If that makes any sense?! ”I thought I was good at sanding up for myself, sunbaenim. But I see I could take lessons from you. Thank you.” Jason snorted. “I know how to be an asshole in three languages.” Those two men were so strong and my heart broke for them whenever they were confronted with another fight they didn’t see coming. No matter if it were Tae Hyun’s parents or his close friends, there was a lot of resistance and at times it seemed like all those obstacles would suffocate them and their love. Thankfully, there was a lot of unexpected solidarity as well and that made it a little easier for them to push through and to carry on. Still, to read about the pushback from within their own rows was extremely painful and after reading this book I love Naomi, Yun Seo (Tae Hyun’s sister) and the Song brothers even more! No, seriously, Seong Min and Seong Hyeon are the best bodyguards and human beings ever!!! My love for them is as deep as the ocean and their friendship and bonds with Jason and Tae Hyun are everything. ”His parents thought they owned him. Just as Chang Min had. Tae Hyun shook his head again. Nobody owned him. Not his parents. Not his ex. Not his former record label. Only Jason seemed to realize that. You’re not my possession, he’d told Tae Hyun multiple times. Of course, he’d choose Jason over his family.” ”Jason was suddenly tired, too. He was tired of carrying those feelings when he’d already moved on. He had a life. He had someone he loved. He didn’t need that anger anymore.” Due to all of those experiences, Tae Hyun as well as Jason came such a long way and I can’t say how much I love them for finding their own way and accepting themselves. They found their voices and I’m so invested in them and so proud of how far they’ve come. I know, the way I talk about them you’d think they are actual people, but to me they feel so real they might as well be. ;-) After everything they went through, it’s a miracle they still didn’t lose their humour and I was happy to see that we got a lot of funny scenes as well. Of course, we also got steamy ones and they always fit so perfectly into the storyline. For me they emphasised the strong relationship between Jason and Tae Hyun and their additional small and tender moments throughout the entire book had me on my knees. The love between those two men knows no boundaries. ”Whatever lingering anger he might’ve felt had dissipated as he listened to his lover’s sobs. The blossoming ache in his heart made his back pain pale in comparison. There was honestly nothing that Tae Hyun could’ve said to him that would’ve made him feel any differently. The man he loved was in much greater pain, and no amount of arguing would make Jason love him any less.” Conclusion: All told, I absolutely loved and adored “Idol Moves”! This book was amazing and the character arcs were so well done, it was pure pleasure to read about Jason and Tae Hyun’s journey. Just like with the first book this story had everything, I ever wanted and craved for and it’s still the only written m/m k-pop/k-drama I know. KT Salvo is definitely a pioneer of that genre and I can’t wait to read more of them. The lives of idols, the LGBTQIA+ rep, the steamy scenes, the deep love of the two protagonists, the awesome side characters, the humour and the suspense made this one hell of a ride and all I can say is: I want more! Can I have a third book, please? _____________________________ I already enjoyed the first book but this one!? I LOVED it!!! It was amazing and the character developments were so good! It had everything I want in a k-pop/k-drama romance and I’m just ahhh and I read the last 35% like nobody’s business because the suspense was real!!! I want more! Can I wish for a third book in this series? It’s Christmas so please? *lol* Full RTC soon! This was so, so good! <333 ______________________________ I’m extremely lucky I got an ARC for this and I’m going to read it before it expires! I really enjoyed the first book “Idol Minds” and I’m more than just happy to dive into this one! Jason’s and Tae-Hyun’s story was so good, I loved it in the first book and I’m so glad I can read more about their relationship and their struggles. Everything only just begun in the first book, so here I am craving for more. And more I got! *lol* This is going to be good! =)) Find me on: My Blog Instagram ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Dec 11, 2023
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Dec 24, 2023
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Dec 11, 2023
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Kindle Edition
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| 9798985502282
| B0BQFZS322
| 4.26
| 292
| unknown
| Feb 21, 2023
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really liked it
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I’m on BookTube now! =) *I received this book as a free eBook ARC from NetGalley and Jetspace Studio in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for I’m on BookTube now! =) *I received this book as a free eBook ARC from NetGalley and Jetspace Studio in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for approving my request.* The premise of this book was pretty easy: A former k-drama star falls in love with a former k-pop idol and their forbidden romance causes a lot of trouble. So far, so good but “Idol Minds” is so much more than meets the eye. I’ve to admit that I was a little bit sceptical at first because in the first couple of chapters Jason isn’t exactly the most likable character and Tae Hyun seems to be a little bit standoffish. But then, then those two meet and right from the very first chapter they are in a room together you can feel that sizzling chemistry the blurb spoke about. The interesting thing is, they don’t like each other and hate each other’s guts which made for a very intriguing baseline for their future relationship. They just rub each other the wrong way but at the same time they can’t deny that they are attracted to each other and want to give in. I really loved their chemistry and the way they interacted. They might have started off at the wrong foot but they were reasonable enough to try to make things work. At first just job-wise but the more they talk with each other, the more they begin to understand where the other one is coming from and this was really so nice to see. They communicate and they open up and learn to speak about their past and most importantly they allow themselves to heal. Both of them have been hurt and while Jason hid it behind his Hollywood bad boy image, Tae Hyun dealt with it by never letting anyone get too close to him. Both their character arcs were well written and I had a good time finding out what happened before. Interestingly the author didn’t shy away from going for steamy scenes either and I think if I had to define their relationship it would be insta-lust that gradually turns into more. I mean they both were aware of each other before they met, they are both public figures after all, so insta-lust seems to be an adequate way to describe what happened between them. The more they get to know each other the more they start to flirt as well and I personally lived and breathed for their easy banter. Jason is a direct, unapologetic and extremely flirty character and Tae Hyun might be reserved and sensitive but he still knows how to handle Jason’s antics. So you can bet I had a field day reading their conversations and enjoyed them immensely. Another thing I have to mention in my review is that I absolutely adored the women in this book. No matter if it was Yoo Mi, Tae Hyun’s best friend, or Naomi Jason’s manager who is like a young mother hen that watches out for him, they both were amazing and added so much to the story. It’s always nice to read about strong women and those two definitely fell into that category. Plus I think the author did a very good job of portraying the k-pop industry as well. Jason and Tae Hyun have to learn to navigate its deep and cunning waters and there was a little nice mystery element in the story that had me guessing and wondering who the culprit might be. I’m not going to spoil anything about this here though, so you’ll have to read the book yourself if you want to find out what I’m talking about. ;-) What I will talk about are a couple of trigger warnings you should be aware of when going into the book. The topics aren't addressed all too strongly, but I still wanted to mention them just in case: (view spoiler)[homophobia, abusive parents, suicide (talked about on page), racism, MCs being outed (hide spoiler)] Conclusion: This said, I really enjoyed “Idol Minds” and whilst the first 20% or so made it a little bit hard to like the characters the rest of the book definitely made up for it. I guess you could say Jason and Tae Hyun are good for each other and bring out each other’s better qualities, which in all honesty, makes their love even more believable in my eyes. All told I’m pretty sure that everyone who loves k-pop and steamy m/m romances that feature strong female side-characters will have a good time with this book. I definitely did. ___________________________________ When I started reading “Idol Minds” I didn’t know if I’d love this story. I was thrown right smack into the book and Jason didn't seem to be a very likeable person at first. But oh boy, did I get proven wrong! I ended up enjoying his character arc so much and I absolutely loved the entire story line. Also the chemistry between Tae Hyun and Jason. Ahhh! <333 This was the perfect read for me and I enjoyed it immensely! Full review to come soon! Stay tuned! ;-) ____________________________________ I got this book as an e-ARC from NetGalley and Jetspace Studio and I’m so happy I was approved for it because this one sounds like a rare treat. I mean it’s m/m and the MCs are a former k-drama star and a former k-pop band member. Both of their careers aren’t going all that well and they are kinda forced to work together. Well, and apparently they fall in love. This is exactly the kind of book I like to read and I’m more than just ready to jump into it. XD Wish me luck! Find me on: My Blog Instagram ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Jan 27, 2023
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Feb 03, 2023
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Jan 27, 2023
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Kindle Edition
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| Cho, Kat
*
| 1368064647
| 9781368064644
| 1368064647
| 3.77
| 5,089
| May 17, 2022
| May 17, 2022
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liked it
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I’m on BookTube now! You can find my channel here! =) "Was that what seven years did to someone? Did it take all their sweetest features and sharpen th I’m on BookTube now! You can find my channel here! =) "Was that what seven years did to someone? Did it take all their sweetest features and sharpen them just enough to make them dangerous? Because that dimple was a serious weapon." I already know I’ll have a difficult time putting my feelings for this book into words, because on the one hand it was a really cute love story about an idol and the girl-next-door falling in love, but on the other hand it tackled a lot of serious topics that weren’t addressed all that much?! I initially thought this would be a fluffy rom-com story but there was a lot more going on in “Once Upon a K-Prom” and I still don’t know how I feel about that. Hence my rating of 3,5 stars. I guess I’ll just have to start somewhere and then take it from there. ”But Robbie was my best friend and he wasn't moving twenty miles away. He was moving to the other side of the world. We'd clutched each other, tears streaming down our faces." I really liked the close friendship between Robbie and Elena, well, the one they used to have before Robbie was forced to move back to Korea and Elena was left behind. They were adorable and apparently already in love because you don’t wait 7 years to ask out your former bestie to prom without serious feelings being involved. XD So one day, all of a sudden Robbie ends up standing on Elena’s doorstep and asks her to go to prom with him. Of course Elena isn’t amused, because 1.) there is a camera pointed at them that records everything 2.) She’s a shy girl that avoids the spotlight like the plague and 3.) She didn’t hear from Robbie for YEARS and now he’s standing in front of her expecting her to say “yes.” Haha! I could understand why Elena wasn’t all too happy about this! XD ”Is it because you’re nervous going with someone like me?” Wow, he seriously thought I was starstruck by him. “To be honest, I don’t really follow your music,” I said, pursing my lips the way I used to see Allie do when someone annoyed her. “But I hear you’re doing well, so congratulations, I guess.” “What?” Robbie scowled and finally forgot to be handsome while doing it. Those two definitely started the rekindling of their friendship on the wrong foot, which was extremely amusing to read about. I kinda loved how Elena was totally not impressed by his status as an idol and only saw Robbie, the person, when he spoke with her. I’m sure not a lot of people treated him like that so spending time with Elena must have been a nice change to his normal life. And yes, sometimes we got a little glimpse of Robbie’s POV and this helped a lot to understand where he was coming from. ”Elena had looked so happy when she’d first opened the door, and then she’d looked horrified, like he’d been holding a knife instead of a rose. He’d fully expected her to give him the biggest hug as soon as she recognized him. The hard-squeeze hug that stole his breath that only Elena had ever given him. But instead, she looked like she’d rather die than touch him. Maybe that’s why he’d thrown up the idol shield. Because suddenly his nerves had taken over.” Elena tried really hard not to be charmed by him and truth be told the first 30% of the book were hard to read because everything was so damn awkward between them and Robbie as well as Elena put their foot in it …. every single time. All their interactions were extremely cringeworthy and for me this made it very hard to get into the book. I know the author did this on purpose, but this level of cringe just didn’t work out for me. So the first third of the book was hard for me to get through, but thankfully it got better after that. ”You don't deserve Robbie-oppa!" she said. "I don't want him," I finally said. "Why?" the girl's friend asked, stepping forward. "You think you're too good for him?" This was ridiculous. The fandom and how it reacted to Elena spending time with their idol was very realistic and I wasn’t surprised that she got a lot of hate at the beginning. There are many fans that think their idol isn’t supposed to be in love with someone and that if anything, they would be the right person for them. I know this is a thing in fandoms but I honestly don’t get how people can even think they might have a chance to have a relationship with their idol. Statistically speaking this is a chance of one in a million. Or considering how many fans k-pop idols have probably even 1 in ten millions. I personally like to admire my idols from afar and know that it’s very likely I won’t even see them at one of their concerts. The chance of a k-pop group coming to Austria is almost non-existent. *lol* There I said it. I know the odds and I’m fine with them and will still cheer for my idols. I wish them nothing but happiness and that they’ll find someone who will love them as much as they love them. Unfortunately, not everyone is like that and despite being an Idol Robbie had a lot on his plate. ”You don’t understand what it’s like to be told who you’re supposed to be. To not be allowed to breathe wrong for fear it will be in an article for everyone to read and judge. I’m told how to act, how to speak, how to think by a company. And I have to toe the line or else I’ll lose everything.” That were very clear words and even though no idol would ever dare to utter them in public, I’m pretty sure that it’s the truth they have to live with every day. So the idol representation and what it entails was done very realistically and I appreciated this. And speaking of things that were done well: I absolutely loved all the other band members and how they were a part of the story. Of course they didn’t get all too much room because Elena’s and Robbie’s love story was the focus of the book, but the little we got was fun to read and I liked their dynamic as a band. Also the fact that there was a profile of every band member in between some of the chapters added a nice touch to the story and made it more tangible. Jongdae (JD) who was Robbie’s cousin was a little too serious for me but I loved Moon and he definitely would have been my bias if the band had been real. *lol* We had a lot of things in common and I liked that he was always so cheeky and direct. Bias material right there. XD ”I don’t think this is what Hanbin-hyeong meant by ‘fall in line,” Robbie breathed out beside my ear. I groaned and pushed at him. “This isn’t the time for your awful puns.” Robbie chuckled and pushed himself onto his elbows, relieving some of the pressure on my chest. “You okay?” he asked. His arms were like a shelter around me, blocking out the rest of the room. I couldn’t see anything but his face as it hovered over mine. Of course I liked Robbie too, but I honestly wish we would have gotten more cute k-drama moments like the one above! As much as I appreciated the realistic approach, I still wish their love-story wouldn’t have been THAT realistic. I mean, come on, the girl-next-door ending up with the famous and swoon worthy idol is already unrealistic enough so why couldn’t we have more cute moments like this? It’s one of the things that never seems to work out for me when I read an idol romance. I want to be swept away by the romance, as a reader I want to live out my unrealistic fantasies by reading books like that, so why does every author who writes k-pop romances have to make it so damn realistic? *lol* I already said that to my bestie and I’ll say it again: If I read a k-pop romance I don’t want realistic because I know it would never happen in real life! So why not cater to those needs and go all the way?! Yes, you can make it realistic when it comes to the fandom and the pressure idols have to live with but please not with the romance! I wonder if I’ll ever find a k-pop romance that will actually satisfy me in that regard. ”But Robbie had made me spill juice on my pristine outfit and I had to wear one of his old sweatshirts instead. It was too big on me, and I’d been pissed. It was reflected in my strained smile. Why Mom chose to display that photo of all my class pictures was beyond me. But it seemed weirdly fitting. Why put any effort into displaying your add-on kid?” Well, this out of the way I can focus on some of the things that really didn’t work for me and I’m pretty sure no one might have addressed this when they wrote a review about this book. Which is okay, because primarily this book is supposed to be a light rom-com and of course the romance is what you’ll write about. BUT and here comes my criticism that you can take with a pinch of salt, if an author goes for serious topics like bullying and points out the difficult relationships between the FMC and her family I really want those issues to be addressed and somewhat resolved by the end of the book. In here those topics were broached but never truly processed. We have Elena who is bullied by her class mates and apparently always shakes it off and then she’s bullied by an entire fandom until Robbie steps in and things turn out in a way where she’s suddenly the cool kid. So all her former bullies stop bullying her because she’s the It-Girl now. I don’t think I have to tell anyone why this is not a good way to handle things, because obviously not everyone who is bullied will become the love interest of a famous idol. I know some people will say I’m bean counting now and fair enough. Maybe I am. But considering the big influence the bullying had on Elena as a MC I really would have liked this to be realistic for once. Another thing that was part of the book was Elena always feeling inferior because her twin brother was everybody’s darling and she was just the other twin. At the end of the book Ethan and her have a heart-to-heart and things between them get better but for me personally it felt like it was too little too late. And last but not least, I have to address Elena’s problematic relationship with her mom which wasn’t resolved at all. Ethan always got everything he wanted and her mom was proud of him, yet she obviously didn’t really care about her daughter. Some might say it was just Elena’s perception and that she felt inferior even though she wasn’t but considering Elena’s mom actually acted like she didn’t care about her daughter and only seemed to show some interest once she was in the headlines for spending time with Robbie, I beg to differ. We never got a talk between those two, we never found out why Elena’s mom acted the way she did, we never got a glimpse at her thoughts. So this was very unsatisfying for me. Conclusion: This was a cute k-pop romance to read in between and once I got over the awkwardness that were the first third of the book I really started to enjoy the story. Not everything was sunshine and rainbows, though and there were some serious topics I didn’t think would be a part of this book. They were though and I wish the author would have taken a little more time to address them. Then again there’s only so much you can put in a book so I guess I’m just a bean counter. XD Either way I had a good time with “Once Upon a K-Prom” and will watch out for other books from Kat Cho. _________________________________ Okay, this was extremely cute and I really liked the k-pop aspect. Elena is the girl-next-door and Robbie is the idol that’s adored by the masses. This was an interesting dynamic. The beginning was very awkward, but I think that made it more realistic? I really loved all the other band members too. They were great but I think my faves were Moon and Jae. *lol* This was a sweet read for in between! Full RTC soon. ;-) __________________________________ When one of my favourite BookTubers said that she’d do a Ktropeathon and that this book would be the book the community chose to read together I had absolutely no other choice than to join! *lol* I mean “Once Upon a K-Prom” has been on my TBR ever since it was published and it has so many things I love in my books. And if you think I’ll go for one of my famous check-lists now, well you’re right! ;-) - K-Pop Romance - Former besties to lovers - Prom, and not just any prom, a K-Prom!!! - Famous Idol & unknown girl (aka Cinderella-ish plot) - Fandoms I don’t know about you, but I’m ready! =) Find me on: My Blog Instagram ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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Jul 03, 2023
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Sep 17, 2023
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Oct 16, 2022
|
Hardcover
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| Oh, Axie
*
| 3.82
| 36,892
| Jul 13, 2021
| Jul 2021
|
really liked it
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I’m on BookTube! =) ”A silky shirt clings to his shoulders, and his long legs are clad in smooth black pants. His left arm is in a cast, but a Rolex gl I’m on BookTube! =) ”A silky shirt clings to his shoulders, and his long legs are clad in smooth black pants. His left arm is in a cast, but a Rolex glints from his right wrist – and are those sleeve tattoos?” If you’re BTS ARMY and didn’t immediately think of Jungkook when you read this description of Jaewoo then I really dunno. *lol* It was my first thought and from then on out I always pictured JK when I read about him. Don’t judge me, I needed to live vicariously through Jenny’s POV. ;-P I mean which k-pop fan doesn’t dream of meeting their idol and actually being together with them? XD Okay, so this out of the way we can finally talk about the actual book. ”If you need help, you only have to ask.” There’s a short pause, then he says softly. “If I asked you to save me, would you?” My heart breaks a little. “I can try.” I absolutely loved how Jenny and Jaewoo met. I mean a karaoke bar is so fitting for a k-pop idol and those two spent quite a nice night together. Their meet-cute was extremely sweet and I can’t believe Jenny didn’t know who he was. She found out soon enough though and to say the revelation kinda threw her would be an understatement. Jenny was such a great character though and I really liked the way she thought about life and idols in general. Her stance on how fans should respect their idols and their wishes was amazing and I really wish the hard-core fans in the fandom would see it like that too. ”I mean... not exactly that. More like, you need to be strong for yourself first, be healthy and happy for yourself first, before you can be strong and give happiness to others. The healthier and happier you are, the more you can give to your fans, right? They should want that for you.” I think the majority of k-pop stans (and when I say majority I mean about 90%) want their idols to be happy no matter what they do or who they end up with. I’m no exception to that rule because honestly if any member of BTS would find their significant other I’d be super happy for them. They deserve it! They did so much for ARMY and all I want for them is to be happy and healthy. <3 Unfortunately not everyone in the fandom is like me though and there are the ugly sides of being an idol as well. Stalker fans (saesangs) and people in the fandom that criticize everything their idols do. People that think they can dictate what their idol wears, who they date or even what haircut they should get. (Let alone all those people that constantly give idols hell for getting tattoos or piercings. They are adults and grown women/men and it is their body! They can do whatever they want! You either love them as they are, because tattoos and piercings are an expression of themselves as well or you just don’t stan them. Period!) I look up to see Jaewoo walk into the cafeteria ... with Sori. I’ve never seen a more striking pair. They look like they stepped out of a catalogue. “Is it weird if I take a picture?” Angela asks. “Like as a souvenir for myself. I’ve never seen such great visuals.” So yeah, sorry about that but everyone who is familiar with k-pop knows that there is a darker side to the fandoms as well. It’s not all bad though and there is an even bigger and lovely side to the fandoms as well. As I said before, about 90% of their fans will support their idols no matter what and will always have their back. ;-) I think the book portrayed the good and the bad sides of the fandoms so well and really captured the essence of being a k-pop fan. Alone the quote above with the visuals was so damn relatable.*lol* And don’t even get me started on the shipping. Haha! ”You’re my boyfriend. Don’t think for a second I haven’t seen all your videos, even the fan-made ones that point out all the evidence that you and Nathaniel are a couple.” “That’s embarrassing,” Jaewoo says. “And here I thought we were being careful.” I mean that quote!!! It’s every k-pop group that has a fandom! There will always be ships no matter if it’s among the members in the group or with members of other groups. XD And speaking of the k-pop bands themselves. The representation of XOXO as a k-pop group was more than just accurate too! The way the band members cared about and supported each other was so heart-warming and relatable. Everyone who’s a fan of a k-pop group will know that the members are basically family and that they spend a lot of time together. Most of the times even their youth because they become trainees when they are still very young and the other band members kind of compensate for their real family. So by the end of their trainee days and when they have their debut they are actually already a found family that gives each other strength. =) ”He means so much to a lot of people,” Sun continues, “not just to his family, of course, but to everyone here at Joah. He started training at the company when he was twelve years old. It’s been difficult for him, away from his family for all those years. But he kept on working hard. He’d spend hours in the studio training his body and voice.” And here’s the moment when I have to admit that I loved XOXO and that I’d definitely become a fan if they’d be a real k-pop band! *lol* All the four members were amazing and no matter if it was Jaewoo, Nathaniel, Sun or Youngmin all of them totally gave me family vibes. =) The description of their roles in the group was typical k-pop too and I had a really soft spot for Youngmin (the maknae) and Sun (their leader and rapper). Of course Nathaniel and Jaewoo were amazing as well and they all complemented one another and made their group unique. ”I have to go make apologies on behalf of the group. Of course that’s my job as the leader, to protect our members. I’ll always protect them, even from themselves.” This all out of the way, I guess it’s finally time to speak about the elephant in the room: The love story between Jenny and Jaewoo! Those two were super adorable and I really can’t blame Jenny for dating Jaewoo in secret. I suppose for k-pop idols that’s the only way because as I said not everyone in the fandom will be happy about their idol dating. Not that it’s a lot different in Western countries, but I think it’s become more normal for stars to date people and even though there is always a huge fuss about who is dating who they usually don’t get death threats or shit storms for it anymore. K-pop idols don’t have love interests though (at least not according to their label and in public) and therefore would have to hide their relationships from their fans. I hook my arms around his neck. “What are we stealing?” I can feel Jaewoo’s grin against my lips. “Time?” he suggests. He must mean it as a joke, but it’s actually the very thing we’re trying to steal. Moments like this are so few and far between. I think that’s actually the only negative thing I can say about “XOXO”, it was too realistic! *lol* Jenny and Jaewoo sneaking around and kissing secretly in a broom closet always trying to make room to see each other and to make their relationship work. It was too damn realistic! I wanted to see more of their relationship and what I got was reality smack right in the face. XD They had different schedules and other responsibilities and their little moments were few and far between. So exactly the way it would have been if a real idol would have dated a cello prodigy. On the one hand I really appreciated this realistic approach but on the other hand it kinda dampened my enjoyment of the book a little because I was always left wanting for more. This ultimately resulted in the fact that I got the feeling their relationship developed way too fast for the couple of little moments they actually spent together. Maybe there happened a lot of things off-page but those moments on page were the things I actually wanted to read about and I think because of that imbalance I didn’t ship them as much as I ship other bookish couples. ”You have a schedule too. We need to practice or we won’t be ready for the showcase. I thought you said you needed something unique to stand out in your portfolio. Are you really going to blow your chances of a future, a long-term one, for a guy who can never, I mean never, put you first?” Don’t get me wrong, they were super cute, but their relationship didn’t really sweep me off my feet and I didn’t get all those gushy sweet romantic feels I usually get when I ship a couple. *lol* You know all those “Awww” or “AKDFASDFLJASLDFAJSDFKS!” moments. XD Speaking of relationships: I really appreciated Jenny’s and Sori’s friendship as well but I didn’t really understand where Sori was coming from when it came to Nathaniel. (view spoiler)[I mean that boy was crazy for her and definitely wanted to date her and be her bf but she didn’t give in because she was an idol herself?! It was so obvious that Sori had feelings for Nathaniel too and I just couldn’t understand how those two couldn’t date. I mean I got where Sori was coming from but if Jenny and Jaewoo managed to date, they could have easily done the same thing. Where there’s a will, there’s a way. I really didn’t get it. Still don’t. (hide spoiler)] Conclusion: “XOXO” was a really great book and a very realistic one at that. I loved all the Korean phrases, food and k-pop knowledge that went into the story and I lived and breathed for the glimpses of Seoul life! The fact that the book didn’t just address the positive but also the negative sides of the k-pop industry was amazing and I really liked all of the characters and their different personalities! If you’re a k-pop fan (or a music trope fan in general) this book is definitely for you and I’m sure you’ll enjoy it as well! Happy reading! =) ____________________________ This was super cute but not as cute as I expected it to be? *lol* I know I make no sense but I'll try to find the right words in my review. For now all you have to know is that I enjoyed reading "XOXO". ;-P Full RTC soon! Stay tuned! _____________________________ It might have taken me a good year to actually get to this book, but here I am and I'm so damn ready to jump into this, you have no idea!!! I'm going to live all my k-pop dreams while I read this. *lol* And now excuse me while I melt! <3 [image] ______________________ OMG! Are you kidding me? Things can't get better than the plot of this book: - Music as a trope , CHECK! - A meet-cute, CHECK! - A boy who's a member of a k-pop band, CHECK! - The I-didn't-know-he-was-famous trope, CHECK! - Forbidden love trope, CHECK! Okay, where can I buy this??!! *heads to Amazon* ...more |
Notes are private!
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1
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May 23, 2022
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Jun 29, 2022
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Aug 28, 2021
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Hardcover
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