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Shine by Jessica Jung: a review

Warning: Rambling may occur. I’ll try to keep it short and simple.

Jessica Jung; model, singer, fashion designer, now author. Shine was released on September 29, 2020 to be a fictional look into the K-pop trainee life. Already a movie is in the works and a sequel novel is titled; Bright. I have followed Jessica during her Girls’ Generation days since 2011, so I looked forward to this book mainly out of support and curiosity.

Shine is a melodramatic romantic, sometimes comedic, K-Drama as a book. There are some light hearted moments and some pretty heartbreaking moments, along with some sweet first love moments. This book is best enjoyed without expectations of shade and spilled tea. As much as Jessica claims there is truth about trainee life in Shine, there is just as much fiction that keeps the reader from knowing the difference too easily. In other words, you’d have to really be paying attention and looking for it on top of knowing K-pop really well beforehand.

Rachel Kim is a Korean-American girl from New York City that moves to Seoul, South Korea to train to become a K-Pop idol at the age of 11. 7 years later, Rachel is put into situations that lead to heartbreak and love to ultimately debuting (shocker). She gets bullied by Mina, played with by Jason (not entirely his fault), and finds her confidence along the way.

Everything in the book paints the K-pop world to be extremely dark and unforgiving. As much as that’s not wrong (diets, rules, harsh execs), I don’t think it was entirely true (hello fiction). It shows Rachel having only one friend in DB who she blow off time and time again, only in part due to the situations she has no control over. Everyone else is catty and mean to her. I hope, in any case, that not all of that is true. If every member who become the new girl group in the end hates Rachel, is Jessica implying that all of Girls’ Generation hated and bullied her, one in particular? We know that does and can happen (T-ara, AoA), there is often hints of it if you look. We do see some issues towards the end of the 7 years, however. Enough of that! Back to the book itself.

I enjoyed the book enough to finish it and I look forward to Bright. It might have some actual shade and tea, but I genuinely hope not. I will read it strictly as fiction and just enjoy something from member (formerly) of my favorite group. I had a few issues now and then with it, though. Mainly when I was trying to see fact from fiction. When I stopped doing that and just read it like any other book it was a lot better. The prose was simple, no biggie. The characters could use a little work, why does every single K-pop person have to be catty and mean? The plot wasn’t complicated, it’s YA so that’s fine. Overall it was an alright book.

Rating: 3.5

It took me too long to finish this, cuz life.

Featured

My Motivation and Inspiration

I love to read. My favorite genre is fantasy. Magic, wizards, dragons, oh my! The biggest struggle I deal with is finding something new to read. I fall back on the same things over and over again; I love to reread! Most of my life was spent having my older brother recommend me book and using his bookshelf as my library. I got most everything from him. Any younger things I got from the actual library. When I wasn’t able to have my brother give me things to read I had a hard time deciding on new books, scared of not liking them.

Last month, September, I stumbled upon Booktube! Youtube for book readers. Reviews, recommendations, opinions, etc. from many people. I discovered so many new books and got all their opinions. It opened a whole world of new books for me. I just had to be apart of it. I made lists, I started reading, even tried filming my own. It’s incredibly hard for me to find the time to film and edit videos, however, when I have a job and a small baby. So, along with Instagram, I am starting a blog! Simple, easy, and accessible for me…so far!

I might attempt to go back to recording videos for Booktube later on; when I get the hang of things a little better perhaps. Still, I watch my favorite Booktubers when I can. I really want to venture out of reading only fantasy, so I use these guys to gather lists of books of different genres that they recommend. A few of my favorite booktubers are:

Merphy Napier https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7FW6FYqPLeQIXMSulBfOLw

Readwithcindy https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6i_QSkT7pCQH1llVVGd6cA

Daniel Greene https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCw–xPGVVxYzRsWyV1nFqgg

Elliot Brooks https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiflcKnh5cZiRWK7jlYKwxA

Please check them out as well. They are well spoken and know their stuff! There are plenty of other booktubers that are worth as watch as well.

I’m Thinking of Ending Things

by Iain Reid

A Book review plus Book vs Movie Comparison

I’m Thinking of Ending Things is a horror, psychological, suspense fiction and a quick read. It follows a young new couple as they take a long drive to meet the boyfriend’s parents. The leading lady is nameless throughout the book. It’s all told through her perspective. She’s thinking about ending the relationship, but goes on this trip to see if she really should or not. She knows it’s not right to keep leading him on, however. The boyfriend, Jake, is really smart, works in a lab, and is described as tall, thin, and wears glasses.

Due to the nature of the book and how it’s told from the young woman’s inner dialogue, the prose is short and condensed like quick thoughts. There were a lot of repeating words during stressful times. For example: “It’s so dark. Dark.” It really gives you a feel for the tension and unease the character is feeling even with her inner monologues. There is this one point towards the end that has a whole page or two of just the same line over and over again. I can’t imagine having to listen to that in audiobook. It was easy enough to skim/skip that part reading the ebook. It is a pivotal moment.

So, keeping this part somewhat short; they take this drive and talk about all sorts of things. The main young woman, always nameless, describes a mystery Caller and some events from her past to the reader and sometimes to Jake. She tells him a story of a driving lesson and struggles with deciding if she should tell him about the Caller. Then, they get to his parents house and instead of going inside immediately, Jake wants to show her around the farm. Weird things are seen and mentioned that don’t really make a lot of sense. Inside the house, Jake is suddenly extremely quiet and almost nonexistent. The young woman has an awkward dinner with him and his parents where she notices things aren’t quite right. She explores the basement and Jake’s room afterwards. More car ride after they leave. They stop at Dairy Queen where a teenage girl says she’s worried for our main character. Very weird. They head to a school to dump the melting cups of lemonade. “So they don’t get the cupholders sticky.” It’s lemonade…not ice cream. Where is it going to go?? Anyways, after they get to the school is when the really weird stuff begins and I am just going to leave it there. I don’t want to spoil it. It’s so important to everything that’s happened so far.

I didn’t hate the book, but it wasn’t my kind of thing. It was definitely eerie. Could have been a good movie. If Charlie Kaufman hadn’t messed it up by adding artsy fartsy things just to make it artsy. Completely unnecessary and takes away the entire point and message of the book. The book was okay, I started giving it a 3 and changed it to 2. Eh.

The movie, however, is definitely a big fat ZERO rating. Everything was changed. The young woman kept having different names. The clothes kept changing. The conversations were not even similar topics. The whole dinner scene was extremely wrong. Done well, but wrong. No basement scene. Too many janitor scenes early on where in the book it was mysterious police conversations which I imagine could be done easily enough on the silver screen. Jake looks the exact opposite of how he is in the book which seems significant to me, as did their personalities that seemed flipped. It felt much more important and done well than the movie did. The entire school ending was wrong. It was weird, musical, animated all sort of wrong. There is a point where artistic form goes from being artistic to just stupidity. This movie went past that with the ending. The entire message was messed up and wasn’t resolved. Also…I appreciate not having to see a naked old man’s butt.

End rant. Sorry about that. In other words, book was definitely better than the movie, however the book wasn’t anything special either.

The Girl With The Seven Names

by Hyeonseo Lee

There is something not right with critiquing or reviewing biographies, especially autobiographies. It’s their life story, not a fictional novel. That being said, this was a phenomenal read. Hyeonseo Lee defected from North Korea when she was 17. It took her over ten years to be reunited and free, with her family.

Her book is divided into 3 parts. Each part covers her time in a different country; North Korea in her childhood, China in her 20s, and South Korea when she was able to help her mother and brother to also escape. During all this time she had to hide her real identity and used many different names, hence the title of the book. Hyeonseo Lee is not the name she was born with, but it’s the name she chose for herself after gaining freedom.

Part 1: North Korea

Born in 1980 in Hyesan, North Korea. She describes what it’s like there, how the people have nothing to compare life to and don’t know they are oppressed and mistreated. Being a poor country, they are taught that North Korea is the best and wealthiest country. They had a famine in the ’90s. The people are encouraged to tattle-tell on each other and thus become extremely paranoid and distrustful of each other. I learned so much from this part. The lack of education, the amount of false information the people are fed instead. The violence that is ignored and considered normal. Everything about that life is so alien to anyone outside of North Korea. Not relatable in anyway, but so fascinating and educational.

Part 2: China

Escaping from North Korea wasn’t the plan. Hyeonseo simply wanted to see China before she turned 18 and started university. Illegal activities are forgiven much more willingly for minors. She had planned to just stay a few days and to go back. Her escape caused events to change her life forever. She wasn’t able to ever return. Her life in China was difficult. She didn’t have a Chinese ID and had to hide that she was illegal. She spent 10 years in China before deciding to head to South Korea, the North’s worst enemy.

Part 3: South Korea

A few problems getting in, but once in everything went smoothly. She was able to go through a program that helped defectors to assimilate to the new type of life. Many couldn’t handle the changes in freedom. After several months, in 2009, Hyeonseo brings her family over the border and escorts them across China to South Korea. It took them over a year, problem after problem after problem. Now they are reunited and free in South Korea.

The ending is so satisfying after following along with all that sufferings. Finally! 14 years of separation, they are together again. The way it’s told, I almost forgot that the story wasn’t fictional. It flowed beautifully. The events were so enthralling. I felt for Hyeonseo at every turn. I knew everything would turn out okay in the end, I was holding her book so it had to!

I gave this a 5 stars. I couldn’t put it down, especially during the second half. I learned so much and I actually plan to pick up some more North Korean defector biographies. Hyeonseo also gave a TedTalk about her story.

The Loop

by Jeremey Robert Johnson

Turner Falls is a small tourist town nestled in the hills of western Oregon, the kind of town you escape to for a vacation. When an inexplicable outbreak rapidly develops, this idyllic town becomes the epicenter of an epidemic of violence as the teenaged children of several executives from the local biotech firm become ill and aggressively murderous. Suddenly the town is on edge, and Lucy and her friends must do everything it takes just to fight through the night.
Summary copied from Goodreads

Tigger Warning: pretty much everything there is. Sexism, racism, mental health, blood, violence, vulgar humor/language (aka not a kids book), etc.

Disclaimer: I listened to this audiobook with my husband in the car on a road trip. Therefore, there are many parts that I completely missed while caring for a baby and dog who were not so fond of the car ride. What I did get out of this book is what I’ll be reviewing.

Lucy is adopted from Peru with some PTSD from her past and is now living in a tiny town in Oregon. Her best friend, Bucket, is also of color in this predominantly white town. We see a lot of discrimination these two suffer at school. An early scene shows her in school and a classmate, the known bully, becoming violent in an unusual way, ultimately killing their teacher. Later they go to a party, getting a ride from a friend of Bucket’s, Brewer. Some crazy things happen and the main plot starts to unfold and everything hits the fan. The rest of the book is fast paced with a sci-fi, conspiracy violence. Lucy is much stronger and colder than she ever knew she could be.

This book is very much how its described- Stranger Things meets World War Z. We have biotech zombies essentially. The lab messes up and they aren’t really cleaning it up, but observing. At least, that’s what I took from what bits I was able to hear. I did enjoy it for the most part. It could have been better. My husband pointed out, and I fully agree, that it would make a really good tv show, maybe a mini series.

I think Lucy was a good character. She felt complex and well developed. I was rooting for her to get the boy, even when said boy was possibly, maybe, hopefully not dead for a few chapters. The suspense and the feeling of urgency was executed well. The prose felt realistic instead of artistic, which in this kind of situation felt right.

All in all, not too shabby. I rated it a 3, however. It wasn’t my type of genre. Lots of cringing horror. By cringy I mean that I cringed in sympathy to the pain I imagined while listening to heads being mooshed with rocks. OOooo, that’s gross and had to hurt.

I still have no idea why it’s called The Loop…

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue

By V. E. Schwab

4 Stars! I could not put this book down. It was fun and intriguing. I would have given it a 5 stars, but there were a few chapters that dragged a little taking away from some exciting bits at just the worst time.

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue is a magical realism, historical fiction/fantasy. It doesn’t claim or mention that romance is a big aspect of the plot, but it really is. Even though Addie has lived for 300 years, every chapter has something to do with a past or “current” lover.

The flashback chapters were interesting, but slow. I’d liked to have seen more of Addie’s experiences beyond just suffering and lovers. Things like learning new skills. A lot of times we had time speeding up or jumping within a paragraph. For example something along to the lines of “in a few years she’ll know how, but not yet.” Or “she didn’t know right now but over the years she learns everything about this one thing.” Basically showing us the first time, but processing to tell us when she masters it. It got annoying.

The best parts were in the present, or 2014, anyways. I don’t know why it wasn’t more current day, but that’s whatever. Addie’s relationship with Henry and how it effected Addie, how they were connected. I liked Henry as his own character, too. His friends were interesting. The fact the characters were so diverse matter-of -factly, without it being blatant in your face. There was no “this character is gay and I’m telling you on every page he appears in in bright shiney rainbow lights!” These aspects were accepted and not questioned or debated by all of the other characters. It was beautiful. Every character seemed to be somewhere on the LGBTQ+ spectre, even Addie and Henry.

A small complaint was the name Adeline. It is a beautiful name, but… If you don’t remember, there is a movie with Blake Lively called the Age of Adaline where she is also immortal. I was frequently thinking about the movie when the name Adeline was mentioned. There are a bunch of other names that could have been chosen for this. It was better when it was primarily using Addie instead. It’s a rather small and personal con for me, but it didn’t make me love the book any less.

I would love for there to be more to the story, a sequel. I know V.E. Schwab has said it’s a standalone, however. That is unfortunate. I loved this world. I’d even take a second standalone that is in this same world, where the dark god or being or whatever he is exists. Maybe focusing on other deals he’s made. Or where Addie achieves her new goal she is working on by the end. I see a lot of potential for further books.

The Blade Itself

Book 1 of The First Law Trilogy by Joe Abercrombie

This book focuses mainly on character development and very little in plot. It’s primarily a set up book for the rest of the series. What is it about? I still don’t know yet. It is a grimdark fantasy following 3 main characters and 3 important supporting characters who get a few point of view chapters.

I’ll just say now that I did enjoy this book. It might seem like I didn’t by the end of this, but I did. At least, well enough that I finished it. I rated it a 3 stars. I think this just wasn’t my kind of genre. To give a balanced review I’ll list out 3 pros and 3 cons instead of just ranting about what I didn’t like.

Pro 1 – The character development was very strong. Again, this is the main aspect of this book. It establishes our characters. Everyone is a bit grey, so do we have heroes? Yes, but they aren’t the most likable. Is it well written, mostly. See Con 3.

Con 1 – Very little plot. I like more balance in character to plot ratio. I had no idea what was really going on plot wise the entire book. There is a fight in the second to last chapter, I assume the climax? I did not, for most the fight, realize this wasn’t just some random, out of the blue, fight that had nothing to do with the plot, apparently it did? Who knows. I sure don’t. There’s a war going on, but all we really see is what’s being said in reports for the most part.

Pro 2 – The magic system sounds interesting and unique, even though we get very little scenes involving it. I don’t have a whole lot more to say about this just yet. I would have liked to see more.

Con 2 – Racism and Language. I’ll put these two together as the language is a minor complaint. I don’t usually have a problem with profanity, but in my opinion I prefer the fantasy genre to create their own curse words. Also, Angland? All I could think of anything this came up was the UK. The names were so uncreative. For racism, it’s a tricky thing. The color of everyone’s skin seems to be a big factor. It’s pointed out frequently. One character, Farro, repeatedly calls white people “pinks” and her skin color is referred to as “black.” Could there not be a better way to phrase this? And of course this was written by a white man.

Pro 3 – Logen Ninefingers. He has a violent past, but trying to be a better person now. I can respect that. He’s the only character that I actually liked, out of the main 3. I preferred his chapters.

Con 3 – Repetition. The amount of times that anything is repeated is very unnecessary. It would really shorten the book a lot without all the repeating. Okay, I got it after the first five times such-n-such has been said.

There is a lot more I can add to the Con list, but as I can’t really balance it out in Pros, I’ll just leave it at that. I hear a lot of people do like this series a lot, so that’s good for them. This isn’t one that I am super hyped to continue. I might since it’s said it just gets better and the real plot gets started later. We’ll see.

I’m also not really sure what the title even means in relation to the contents of the book. Does anyone know that could tell me?

The Diary of A Young Girl

by Anne Frank

There is something not quite right with reviewing a teenagers diary. It wasn’t originally written to be a story to enjoy or as lessons to learn. As an aspiring writer and knowing they wanted to collect diaries after the war, Anne did begin to edit her diary. Anne did not know the impact her diary would end up giving on so many. She had hopes of having it published, but how could she have known. Especially after being arrested.

Reading this kind of book today was such a surreal experience. The dates of her entries are like chapter markers. It just ticks by and ticks by getting closer to the end. The end which involves Anne being arrested and eventually dying from a disease in a concentration camp. And you can’t do anything to help, to warn her.

SPOILERS if you have no idea who Anne Frank is. If you don’t then you really should. You do know what the Holocaust is?? Of course, you do.

I’ll give a short description of who Anne Frank is to start with. Anne was a real little Jew girl in born in Germany in 1929, but her family moved to the Netherlands in 1933. A few years later, 1942, Anne is turning 13 and receives a diary which she writes in regularly until her death. A few weeks after her birthday, her family goes into hiding for 2 years with 4 other people. Totalling 8 people hiding in close quarters to each other.

Anne describes her life in hiding as if writing letters to a friend that she has named Kitty. Being in a letter format, Anne keeps her diary more informative than emotional sometimes. She mentions the politics going on with the war and the economy, what their eating situation is like, details of each person and what they own.

I wouldn’t say I enjoyed reading such a heavy subject. I didn’t expect to be so captivated that I could barely put it down, either. It’s an easy read when it comes to prose, being that it was written by a young girl. She wrote beautifully at times with very expressive emotions. For her age, she was very insightful. Many times she describes the bickering and fighting amongst the adults. Anne’s view of their fighting are very mature and progressive in comparison. She tries to be the bigger person much of the time.

Due to being in hiding and having to deal with the stress of all that, it’s very relatable today in our own quarantine. Not the war parts, but being stuck inside 24/7. Yet, we still have so many more liberties that Anne was never afforded. Food delivery systems, internet, people ignoring the rules, we still haver it better than she did. I am not in any way comparing this to the Holocaust.

I gave this a 4 stars. It was emotional and captivating, but also it’s a diary. I would feel weird giving someone’s diary any other score. Is it perfect? Of course not. Was it a good book? That’s kind of complicated. Was it worth the read? Very much so.

“Ordinary people don’t know how much books can mean to someone who’s cooped up.”

“As long as this exists, this sunshine and this cloudless sky, and as long as I can enjoy it, how can I be sad?”

“Women should be respected as well! Generally speaking, men are held in great esteem in all parts of the world, so why shouldn’t women have their share? Soldiers and war heroes are honored and commemorated, explorers are granted immortal fame, martyrs are revered, but how many people look upon women too as soldiers?“

A Darker Shade of Magic

By V.E. Schwab

4 Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐

There are four London’s, parallel but nothing alike except in name and location. Named with colors they are Red, White, Grey, and Black London. Magic has varying levels of presence in each London. Red is most balanced, White has so much that the world is literally turning colorless, Grey has no useful magic, and Black is overcome and destroyed by magic. These London’s were connected by doors, but have since been locked away from each other and everyone. Except for the Antari and Kell, the last Antari.

Kell runs into trouble, meets Lila from Grey, and must save all the London’s on an epic adventure with her help. Lila just wants to be a male pirate (I don’t think she wants to be actual male per-say but respected and feared like a man.) Her arc is interesting and I would have liked more of why pirates…

What is so fascinating about Kell is his infinity coat, his black colored eye, and his mysterious past that’s hinted at that even Kell knows nothing about. His eye is a physical display of the balance of magic in him as an Antari.

I didn’t know much at all about the plot going into this read. I knew it had good reviews so I gave it a chance. It was really fun. The new parallel worlds and magic system was unique. It opens with Kell and a description of his coat, which I just mentioned being a pretty neat detail. It’s an infinity amount all in one. Turn it inside out one way and it’s black with silver shiney buttons. Turn it inside out then other way and it’s a ratty brown coat. With many other hidden amongst those. It was a fun opening that really intrigued me.

While I did enjoy reading this, there was something unsatisfying about it. I can’t pinpoint what it is, but it left me wanting. Not so much more story, there are two more in the series, I think. More depth to the characters and world might be what I was looking for. It felt a bit light, considering. That’s the best way I can explain it right now. I’m hoping more back story of our main characters is shown in the rest of the series and the world gets more flushed out.

I do recommend this for anyone who likes YA Fantasy. It was fun, for sure.

Death on the Nile

A Hercules Poirot Novel by Agatha Christie

⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4 stars.

Mystery has never really been my thing for books. Love them as a movie. Since I started to read more this past five months I have been trying to expand the genres I read. (I always leaned more to fantasy and some science fiction.)

As Agatha Christie is the mother of mystery, or whatever her nickname is. Queen? Anyways, I’ve been reading her books here and there. If you’ve read anything by me previously you might know I read and reviewed The Murder on the Orient Express and And Then There Were None.

So, Death on the Nile is my second Hercules Poirot novel, but third Agatha Christie. All in all it felt a little too similar to Orient Express. It was almost a copy and paste but change the characters and setting. There was a twist towards the end in the details which was fabulous.

I did love this book. It has some interesting characters, took place on a boat, involved my new favorite detective (he is so adorable), and the ending was brilliant. Linnet is beautiful and rich, underaged from receiving her trust, and just got married. To her best friends fiancé. Gasp! The scandal already. Jacqueline, the best friend, is stalking them on their honeymoon, across Europe and primarily Egypt. Simon, the new husband, is seemingly in love with Linnet after just being as equally in love with Jacqueline mere months ago. And Poirot, just on vacation and never able to get away from murders he has to solve. I really can’t get over his personality and skill. He notices everything almost as if it takes not effort at all. He is sweet and patient and compassionate. We do get to see a glimpse of him being a bit smug in his ego, but we forgive that. He knows he’s proud of his skills, but it just adds a nice flaw to his character.

I don’t want to give too much away. The plot is so well done and intricate that I was trying to follow it and pick up on hints and clues to no avail. I wonder at Agatha’s brilliance to how she can plan every detail so perfectly. I suppose knowing the ending and working backwards would be a start, or something to that effect.

So other than being too similar in format and style to Orient Express, I absolutely loved Death on the Nile. I am really looking forward to the movie later this year.

The Tower of Nero

The Trials of Apollo #5 – The Tower of Nero by Rick Riordan.

This book earns itself a whole 5 stars.

I love greek mythology, so when I first heard about and read Percy Jackson I fell in love. A modern reimagining with new stories and adventures. The series has two continuing series, The Trials of Apollo being the latest. And now it’s over.

It follows Apollo being cast down and made mortal. He has to earn back his godhood. He befriends and is enslaved to Meg, a little demigod whose adopted father happens to be Nero, the big bad emperor.

Fast forward to “present,” it’s the final chapter, the last struggles that Apollo has to face in order to regain his godhood. But does he want it anymore? Only 6 months have passed since he became mortal and so much has happened that Apollo has drastically changed for the better.

The voice that Rick Riordan gave to Apollo as a mortal, Lester, was so good. He was wimpy and whiney and sassy. His inner narration was entertaining. That was probably the biggest pro about this series. Apollo was fun to read. The situations he got in were okay. Meg wasn’t too bad. It did feel like she didn’t get quite enough depth like Apollo, but we only know what he wanted to tell us since everything was from his one point of view.

It might not be weird, but it probably is, that I just wanted more Percy Jackson. He was such a prominent character in the first two series, and now we barely see him. We see his mom a lot more, which is pretty good. Sally Jackson! And her cooking. Apollo loves her baby, too. That’s sort of weird…but adorable. He’s becoming more human and learning selflessness, to care about others.

This journey for Apollo is probably one that a lot of humans need to take to learn those same lessons. Even Nero should have! Granted Apollo was never evil like Nero…just self absorbed. So, it was satisfying to watch Apollo be so selfless and willing to die to make things right in the end.

SPOILER from the previous book. SPOILER SPOILER :

in the previous book Jason dies. I did not feel anything for his death the way I probably would have felt for Percy or Apollo dying. I didn’t dislike him, but I didn’t care. Maybe I should reread that series with him again. It sure put Apollo through the ringer though and it was beautiful to see his emotions about it throughout the book and how he comes to grips with it.

End spoiler

So, that’s a basic non spoiler reviews for The Tower of Nero, minus that last part that spoiled the previous book. The end!

A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor by Hank Green

The Carls #2. Book # 4.5 of 2021. (One book straddled 2020 and 2021) this will obviously have some spoilers if you haven’t read the first book, An Absolutely Remarkable Thing.

In this sequel, April takes a back seat to the commentary for several chapters. Her friends speak to us of their journey months after April went MIA, assumed dead from the warehouse fire. Maya searches for April in New Jersey, Andy is a public speaker with Robin as his assistant, and Miranda is back at Berkeley resuming her studies. A series of events lead them to Altus, a company founded by Peter Petrawicki that tries to mimic the Dream and more.

I had so much fun listening to this book. I didn’t want to put it down. It’s a bit sat there won’t be any more. Carl gets to speak in his own chapters! And voiced by Kevin R. Free in the audiobook, because of course the AI is (Murderbot). That was so exciting. April gained so much maturity and insight while still being her self absorbed self to some degree. Seeing from the perspectives of the others was refreshing and helped us see more than just what April focused on.

The deeper aspects to this is the social commentary definitely makes one think more about real life as it sort of mimics what is actually going on with the advancement of technology and AR, as well as internet fame. It is all a bit embellished and sci-if-ed.

Fun, silly, deeply thoughtful, unrealistic action, just overall a good read. It is young adult, so it isn’t meant to be too serious. I feel like young adult is meant to be lighter in general even if it isn’t. If that makes sense…

5 Stars!! Even though some things could be done better, I actually wouldn’t change anything. I recommend this to anyone who likes urban sci-fi (that’s how I would classify it anyways).