Review Detail

What worked: Fresh, exciting story set in Seoul, Korea. All the glory of Korean culture, food, and the countryside is shown in great detail. You can't help but be swept away!

I'm a huge fan of K-dramas right now and this book gives readers this and so much more!

Sixteen-year-old Melody suddenly finds out she has to move back to Seoul, Korea. Her distant father wants her and her mother to live there. The struggle and conflicts Melody has on being uprooted from her New York apartment, school, and best friend Sophia are shown in a realistic way. Melody has a big culture shock when her stoic father places her in an elite private Korean school. He even expects her to do well in Korean Honors class. What really works for this engaging novel is how slowly Melody tries to find out more about Korea. The details and food descriptions made my mouth water!

The friendships Melody makes with some of the kids at her high school have her venture out more in Seoul. There's family drama where she confronts the secrets her mother is holding from her. This includes an aunt that she hasn't seen since she was a little girl. Plus, having to live with her father and the expectations he has for her. The author does a great job showing readers how Melody navigates around all these challenges while trying to get her family to accept her dream of being an interior designer.

So much to love about this debut novel! It's like taking a trip to Seoul.

ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS meets LOVEBOAT, TAIPEI, this K-drama tale of self-discovery will have you smiling at the end.