Wow December has barely started and we’re already looking forward to the 2015 releases! To be quite honest, I still have to get through 2014 books first!
Here are a few notable books I will be keeping an eye out for.
1. Hello, I Love You – Katie Stout
This is a book I’m very very interested in reading. It focuses on a girl who moves to Korea and attends a boarding school to escape her brother’s fame and the repercussions from it. She thinks she’s safe, until she falls in love with a famous K-pop idol and her she returns to the world of fame.
My face when I read this sentence in a review. “Anna and the French Kiss meets Gangnam Style!”
Ew. No. Don’t even. No. GANGNAM STYLE IS NOT THE ONLY BREED OF KPOP. A MORE ACCURATE COMPARISON WOULD BE, I DON’T KNOW, KOREA. BECAUSE YOU KNOW, THE ONLY SIMILARITY IS THE BOARDING SCHOOL.
Mini-rant over.
Now the primary reason I’m interested in this, is to see if 1) the author did her research and 2) if this completely unrealistic idea will be well executed. I’m curious to see if the kpop aspect is well done because this is a topic that I’ve never seen in American YA fiction. And no, fanfictions do not count XD
Besides the fact that this idea is so so implausible. That is, the probability of the main character meeting a korean idol, even if it is her roommate’s brother, is very low. Idols rarely have time to see family, much less a girlfriend outside of the industry. Not to mention if an idol came out that he or she was dating a fan, so many things would blow up. I’m also curious to see if Stout addresses sasaeng fans or the overworking that many idols endure.
I have high expectations. But luckily, it seems as if the author already has some knowledge. I looked at her tumblr blog and she seems to enjoy watching Korean dramas so it’s likely that she knows her stuff about the kpop industry. *crosses fingers*
And also, the cover hasn’t been released yet so I will substitute a beautiful picture of one of my favorite Korean idols.
2. 5 to 1 – Holly Bodger
I’m so curious to read this. Dystopian in India with the ever present social problems? HECK YES. I love how this idea combines dystopian and modern-day issues. And I adore the book cover.
3. Lair of Dreams – Libba Bray
The sequel to The Diviners is coming out~~~~~
I loved the first book so much.
4. Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda – Becky Albertalli
This is one of those books where you just get the feeling that you’ll love it. I have this gut feeling that I will love this book.
5. We All Looked Up – Tommy Wallach
Very interesting cover and the summary is so vague that I just want to read it to find out what it’s about. I think there’s an asteroid? Four highschoolers doing stuff? Not sure. We get something about an asteroid and a basic idea of each kid’s conflict. I want more.
6. Red Queen – Victoria Aveyard
Reasons for interest
1. Pretty cover
2. Something about reds
3. Blood on crown
7. I’ll Meet You There – Heather Demetrios
I think I’m in love with neon signs, particularly the ones that remind you of those old hotel truckstops. Also, the idea that these two people meet at a motel and (probably) fall in love and fix each other and yas so many feels :3
8. The Boy Next Door – Katie Van Arck
Fun fact: I used to figure skate. I got up through some of my doubles before deciding to quit because it monopolized too much time.
Just FYI, that cover makes me wanna push them over. Nobody stands on dirt/concrete-y looking stuff without any guards on. It wrecks your blades so so badly. And it’s not ice because ice-rinks are not that… fluffy looking.
9. The Third Twin – C.J. Omoholu
THREE CHEERS FOR INVISIBLE SOMEHOW ALIVE, KILLING TRIPLETS!
10. The Game of Love and Death – Martha Brockenbrough
Historical fiction + interesting idea = yay
Dancing Through the Pages 