Jenny has been moving toward the same goal for as long as she can remember spot at the Manhattan School of Music as a cellist. So when a competition note calls her out for a "lack of spark," she isn't sure how to move forward. Before she can think through it, she meets a guy with whom she has an instant connection, who just as instantly disappears. But when she and her mother move to South Korea, she finds herself reunited with her meet-cute, with one serious complication 's a K-pop star. This is a sweet love story about the pitfalls of fame and the importance of standing up for what you care about. Jenny's journey is never defined by her love story but instead pushed forward by stolen moments that will make romance fans swoon. At its core, this is a beautifully written coming-of-age story that will remind readers that love for a friend, family, your art, and a partner can all find space in your heart.

After receiving feedback that her performance lacks spark, seventeen-year-old cellist Jenny Go decides to heed her uncle's advice and "live a little." Jenny, very uncharacteristically, goes on a one-night adventure at and around the L.A. Korean Festival with cute, mysterious Jaewoo, who is visiting from Korea. Soon after, she bargains to accompany her mother on her visit to Seoul to care for Jenny's grandmother, who has colon cancer; while they're there, Jenny will study at the prestigious Seoul Arts Academy. In addition to reconnecting with her roots, she finds that Jaewoo also attends the school -- and is the lead singer of the famous K-pop group XOXO. Despite his packed schedule and the school's strict rules, they fall for each other. Oh treats readers to a whirlwind romance with all the hallmarks of a K-drama (forbidden romance, betrayal, illness). The author's obvious love of K-pop is contagious, and the glimpse into idol culture makes for a primarily breezy, enjoyable read. Depictions of ordinary student and family life in Korea, and the natural integration of Korean words and phrases in conversation, invite readers to explore Korean food, language, and culture. Gabi K. Huesca

A driven young woman learns to balance expectations and priorities with heart and passion.A vivid, comical scene of everyday life in Koreatown introduces narrator Jenny Jooyoung Go, a high school junior and classical cellist aiming for a top conservatory. While her single-minded focus yields technical perfection, competition judges deem Jenny lacking in soulful spark. Her Uncle Jay advises her to experience more of life and broaden her horizons. An opportunity soon beckons, and the plot unfolds like a minidrama amid the Los Angeles Korean Festival, launching Jenny and her new acquaintance, Jaewoo, on an accidental adventure that foreshadows romance. When her mom, a widowed immigration lawyer, needs to return to Seoul to care for her dying mother, Jenny negotiates to go along for her first visit to Korea. Attending Seoul Arts Academy, Jenny witnesses the institutional grooming of K-pop idols-including (surprise!) classmate Jaewoo, who, as it turns out, is popular band XOXO's lead singer. She also shares in the student performers' duty-bound lives: Behind the glamour, they are burdened with obligations to their communities that can require sacrifice of their personal happiness. Themes of responsibility, regret, and reconciliation weave through the intergenerational dynamics in Jenny's family, adding dimension and depth. The author incorporates Korean honorifics to convey a conversational tone and signal dialogue occurring in both languages.K-pop helps a cellist develop musically and emotionally in this novel filled with humor and theatrics. (Fiction. 13-17)

Gr 8 Up-High school junior Jenny Go is a technically perfect cello player whose life is dedicated to her craft. When a competition judge criticizes her performance, stating that she has no "spark," she doubts herself and her ability. Soon after, she meets a mysterious guy her age while working at her uncle's karaoke bar in Los Angeles. Jenny and Jaewoo spend several hours together, but at the end of the night, he disappears. Months later, Jenny and her mother move to Seoul temporarily to help her sick grandmother. Jenny starts at a boarding school, makes new friends, and discovers that the mystery guy is enrolled in her school and is a star in a famous K-pop band. She and Jaewoo, at first cautious, fall into a relationship, and she begins to find that "spark" that she was missing. However, as Jenny's time in South Korea ends, she worries that being tied to her could jeopardize Jaewoo's future. This novel includes common YA themes: finding yourself, making adult decisions, understanding your family, finding a soulmate. It is well written, and the characters are likable, relatable, and distinct. VERDICT A layered love story many readers will enjoy. Kelly Jo Lasher, Middle Township H.S., Cape May Court House, NJ