"When I think of prom, I picture aching feet, overpriced decorations, and unrealistic expectations. Obviously, I was in the minority though."

isbn: 978-1368054544 | pages: 336
      publication date: May 17, 2022 | source: physical-own/tour
     genre: young adult, rom-com, contemporary
     rating: 6/10 
     Writing: 6 | Atmosphere: 6 | World-Building: 6 | Plot: 6 |  Characters: 6 | Impact: 6

     A M A Z O N    |    G O O D R E A D S    |    B O O K S H O P * 
     B O O K D E P O S I T O R Y    |    B A R N E S A N D N O B L E S
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a promise to be kept
Once Upon a Kprom is the ray of sunshine that this month needed to remind the East Coast that spring is very much happening. This book is full of butterflies and giant smiles because the characters are just so darn cute. Elena Soo is trying to convince her classmates to donate their prom budgets to saving the community center which leaves her ostracized by her classmates. While she isn't anti-prom exactly, she has no interest in attending - until her childhood best friend turned K-pop superstar shows up to ask her to prom.

I've been on an absolute roll with reading K-pop related stories and this one is another that just indulges its readers in the forbidden romance between a K-pop idol and a non-celebrity individual. Elena and Robbie have a lot of memories together as children and with his sudden shot to stardom, their friendship has slowly withered away. His return into Elena's life prompts her to realize her own inhibitions towards her relationships with those around her as she has to figure out what her feelings for Robbie entail.

Their reuniting also gives Elena insight into the world of the Korean entertainment industry which admittedly was portrayed in a very stereotypical manner that has become popular over the years. While I do wish we could have delved more into the injustices of idol life, Kat Cho managed to maintain a perfect balance of glamour with reality without jeopardizing the main rom-com plot through Robbie's POVs and it allowed readers to understand both characters' motivations without being too over the top.

childhood loves
This book also made me realize how fun it can be to read a diaspora Asian story where the main character is sure of her identity. Many times, diaspora stories are made to feel like they need to focus on self-discovery and cultural balance which are themes that I adore, but it's also comforting to see Elena navigate her world as Korean American being comfortable with who she is beyond her ethnic and cultural backgrounds. This allows for the novel to be that lighthearted rom-com that we all fantasize about, but this time with Asian American leads. 

By taking this route, Kat Cho was able to explore more about the relationships between each of the characters from Robbie and Elena's budding romance to Elena's friendship with Josie to her strained relationship with her twin brother. It gave the characters space to grow amidst the bigger plot point of childhood friends to lovers, allowing the story to be easily relatable while playing into every fangirl's dreams. 

thank you to Rock Star Book Tours, Disney Hyperion, and Kat Cho for the opportunity to participate on this tour! be sure to click the banner above for the full tour schedule and click here for more information on Rock Star Book Tours!

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Hello there! I've been in a bit of a reading rut that seems to be purely fueled by exhaustion - can we say that I'm just a little burnt out by responsibilities? I also have a growing pile of books that need to be reviewed so rather than facing my daunting task list (or actually picking up a book to read), I was browsing through my blog archives.

I stumbled across a Top Ten Tuesday post where the theme for the week focused on following book characters on social media and I remembered how much fun it was to make that so here we are with a second rendition featuring some of my new favorite characters.

check out part one here!

ning  - @teanmemories

Instagram would have be the social media app I spend the most time on and I've always had a love/hate relationship with posting there, but I've recently been inching my way back onto the platform and that definitely inspired a lot of this post. I would love to know which characters you'd follow if they had social media and who do you think would have the perfect feed? 

Hello there! We've officially entered spring season and I need the weather here to get the memo because I'm over wearing puffy jackets. May is always a stressful month as it is concert season for schools and I'm hoping to not get overwhelmed as we begin to wrap up the school year. On the bright side, my paperwork is submitted, my applications are finished, and my concert prep...is coming along, so we can only go up from here!

            

covers are linked to an affiliated bookshop link where, if purchased, helps to support my blog at no additional cost to you!

portrait of a thief by grace d. li
★★★★- ebook/arc
read my review here
Portrait of a Thief was all over my Twitter feed when it became available on NetGalley and I requested it on a whim. Never did I think a heist story would completely grab my attention with a crew of Chinese Americans whose experience just hit a soft spot that had me loving them from the start.

the wolf den by elodie harper
unrated - physical
read my review here
I first heard of The Wolf Den after being offered a copy in exchange for a review by the publisher and it's the perfect read if you're looking for an honest and raw portrayal of ancient Rome with wonderful female friendships and empowerment. It wasn't my cup of tea at the moment which made the reading process a bit difficult, but it's definitely a story to revisit because there's so much social commentary to unpack.

an arrow to the moon by emily x.r. pan
★★★★☆- physical
read my review here
Emily X.R. Pan did it again with her sophomore novel because An Arrow to the Moon was softly powerful and has not left my mind since I finished reading. The story takes the classic star-crossed lovers and combines it with a hauntingly gorgeous atmosphere and magic that left me breathless.

one last stop by casey mcquiston
★★★☆- audio
I knew after finishing RWARB that I had to pick up another Casey Mcquiston book and One Last Stop was just as wonderful. This story tackles themes of self-identity, love and relationships, and found family in a way that is so precious and truly feels like a love letter to the small communities of NYC. 

I've been on a bit of a struggle with kpop lately - I'll go from being super excited about comebacks to only really adding a couple songs to my playlist instead of full albums. However, that doesn't mean the songs I've added aren't complete masterpieces, it's just left me feel a bit apprehensive about future comebacks so if you have any suggestions please share your favorite songs from the month! 

My sister and I rewatched Frozen 2 over spring break and now I am 95% convinced that I want my choir to sing Some Things Never Change for next year's winter concert. Something about that song, which never caught my attention before, has literally been giving me serotonin boosts whenever it comes through on shuffle.

ITZY's Japanese comeback is simply amazing and it's left me wanting a Korean comeback ASAP. Both Voltage and Spice are addicting and the title track just has that iconic ITZY sound that gets itself stuck in my head. 

I've already mentioned my love for Dreamcatcher and they received their first win with their most recent comeback (check out my book recommendations post here!) I loved that this album allowed each of the members to showcase their individual sound through solos and while I loved all of them, Siyeon's is absolutely magical. The traditional Korean influences paired with her smooth vocals give me goosebumps every single time.

The last two songs are newer additions to my playlist but favorites nonetheless. Darl+ing took me a couple of listens to get over some of the lyrics but the catchy beat of the chorus has become another serotonin boost for me. The line "I want to know our problem, blood type or DNA" is also just strangely addicting? 

Miyeon's solo proves G-idle's talent and we just need CUBE to not screw them over. Drive reminds me clear blue skies and a sense of peace and hope that feels oddly nostalgic. I've probably listened to this at least 5x a day since its release so I had to add it on even if it's a newer song.

April was the long awaited month of Spring Break and while I set off with a gigantic list of hobbies and to-do's, I ended up just recharging. Like I mentioned before, who knew that rest and taking time away from worrying about three jobs would be beneficial for one's mental health? While the transition back to work was a struggle as usual, I didn't feel the usual exhaustion and lack of motivation to finish out the school year. It's a win all around.

link will be updated soon!

I hope your April was restful or at least filled with highlights that made you smile. Fingers crossed we're heading into brighter and warmer days in May!

What's something that brought you joy in April?