At this point, I'm starting to realize that something about Goo's writing doesn't quite click for me, which sucks because I one hundred percent want to love these books. <i>Somewhere Only We Know</i> is fun and fast-paced, and I do think Goo fans will be happy with this one.

<i>Somewhere Only We Know</i> is <i>Roman Holiday</i> kpop style, and that sounded so boss because I also love <i>Roman Holiday</i> (Young Gregory Peck HOT DAMN). There were some choices here that didn't really work for me, which I will detail, but on the whole it was cute and kept me flipping pages. As with the rest, I never got into flaily ship mode, which was disappointing but I did like it.

Things I had HMMM feelings about:
- <i>Somewhere Only We Know</i> starts with Lucky tottering out of her hotel in slippers searching for hamburger after taking her sleeping pills and Ativan (really thought the book was going to make a point about anxiety but it's actually not a plot point at all).
- This was such a weird choice to me because it made everything about her meeting with Jack so creepy and uncomfortable?
- Also why is her name Lucky? I couldn't get Britney Spears out of my head the whole damn time.
- Jack's working as a paparazzo and in the end that comes out only because he leaves her alone with his phone which is not locked. WHO DOES NOT LOCK THEIR PHONE? Especially if they're secretly recording a pop star's day? This key plot point is nonsensical, I'm sorry.

These YA kdrama books all sound like my exact thing, but so far no dice. I'll absolutely keep trying them, but, hey, at least they're entertaining.

Years ago, I came across a book featuring k-pop and immediately jumped on the chance to read it. But instead of being an amazing book, that book turned out to be a horrible mess big enough that I’d rather forget about it and erase it from my reading pile forever.

Enter Somewhere Only We Know by Maurene Goo, the second book I’ve come across featuring k-pop. Spoiler: I didn’t hate this book (thankfully)! But I also didn’t love it.

Transpiring in one day, Goo’s latest novel is told from the perspectives of Lucky, one of the biggest k-pop stars about to debut in the US, and Jack, a photographer who secretly does assignments for a tabloid. When Jack crosses paths with Lucky by accident one night in Hong Kong on an assignment and realizes it’s her, he takes a chance: this is his moment to get a career with the tabloid, doing photography for a living rather than following his father’s footsteps in banking.

Somewhere Only We Know is the third book I’ve read by Maurene Goo and by now, I’ve realized two things in her books:
1. There are cute moments.
2. Food is involved. It’s strongly cautioned not to be hungry while reading her books.

Goo (author of Since You Asked…, I Believe in a Thing Called Love, and The Way You Make Me Feel) does not disappoint with her latest novel. There are definitely cute moments as Jack takes Lucky sightseeing across Hong Kong throughout the day, in the hopes they won’t get caught. And there is plenty of food—what originally was a quest for a hamburger turns out to be an entire daytrip of food tourism. Throughout the journey, readers are introduced to life as a k-pop idol—Goo shows that she’s done her research into the k-pop industry, and there’s a lot of information without overloading for those who are new to k-pop and want to get some insight. I loved seeing this depicted so clearly in the book despite somewhat following the industry myself.

Somewhere Only We Know is ultimately a book about finding one’s true passions and going after it—Lucky questions her journey as a k-pop idol and Jack wonders if it’s worth studying photography after his gap year ends. Goo’s latest novel will be perfect for those who enjoy a one-day romance involving food, music, and sightseeing outside the US.

I really enjoyed this author's first title but I have to say this one I just really didn't care about. I think it really had a lot to do with this being about K-Pop stars. Which is just something that I am not interested in. The writing was done pretty well but I still think it wasn't as good as the other story I read. This one reminded me of The Sun is Also a Star as it takes place over the course of a day. I could see this as a summer beach read. Just something to pass the time with. But not one that you would come back over and over to read. Its a one trick pony with this one.

A light, fluffy, somewhat adorable read. Lots of anticipation and angst for the lovebirds, though never a doubt they'd end up together. SOMEWHERE ONLY WE NOW occupies a warm and fuzzy corner of my heart, where it's left love notes all over the walls.

She's so lucky she's a staaaaaar.

*insert lucky by britney spears gif*

"This feeling right now? The tingles and light-headedness? It was the anticipation of something extraordinary." -ARC Quote

What a magical day. What a fantastic ending.

I flew through this book. Full of d'awwwwws and ohhhhhhhhs and nonononononononos.

I didn't think I'd be won over so quickly & so hard, but as with The Sun Is Also A Star, I'm apparently a big old softy. Well, they're both also by marginalized authors who write circles around the YA white standard. *cough cough*

I loved every bit of this. I can't even really describe it. Just a perfect fun, flirty, contemporary romance where a single day changes everything and nothing.

"Osmosis by way of ferocious adoration." - ARC quote.

The best friend. The manager. The bookstore! The first kiss! The families! The disguises and running around and FOOD.

I knew the betrayal & reveal were coming. It still made me antsy & crushed rather than bored & expected.

Love the conversations around talent and effort and practice and passion.

Did I mention the great supportive families and adults and friends?

"The one thing I'd learned from four years in K-pop was that hard work trumped talent on any given day."- ARC quote.

Learned a lot about the Korean pop scene for girls (for someone who knew nothing). It's not that different than USian TBH. Just not as exposed or seen as "weird" here. And I can't believe I'm going to reference them, but South Parks disturbing episode about Brittany Spears and Miley Cyrus make a good point in that respect. We love the manufactured Disney stars and watching them crash & burn. There's no way those kids aren't as groomed & coached & altered as their Korean counter parts. So attend your own house before unleashing your white outrage, m'kay?

"I admired her so much in that moment that it almost hurt."- ARC quote.

I love a good Roman Holiday retelling. Maurene Goo really knows how to make you love a character. I don’t really think this story is believable but I’m sure this is a “suspension of disbelief” moment. I appreciated the chemistry between the two main characters. The fact that the main characters name was lucky really made me happy and it made me think of the Britney Spears song.
Overall I would recommend this book and any Maurene Goo book.

This was a fun contemporary story with that met all of my expectations going into it. I would definitely recommend as a fun summer read.

I loved the blurb of this book and was really excited to read it. Unfortunately, it archived before I could read it.

Somewhere Only We Know is the very first book that I’ve read by Maurene Goo, (though I’ve had a copy of her book The Way You Make Me Feel sitting on my shelf for the longest time), and I’m super thrilled to have finally read something by her! I saw a lot of hype for this book before I ever started it, and I was definitely curious to read it. I know very little about K-Pop, so I was definitely curious about that, but also the story just sounded really cute. I was excited to get started on it!

There were a lot of things that I really liked about this book, one thing being the interesting characters. Lucky is a K-Pop star who is taking a much needed day to herself her big debut in America, and Jake is working as a tabloid photographer while on a gap year before figuring out college. The story is told through their alternate viewpoints, and it was really fun to experience this adventure through them both.

I also really enjoyed the storyline for this book. It was fun and addictive, but also with a lot of meaningful moments as well. I absolutely LOVED the setting for the book as well! Maurene did a very good job with the descriptions, and I imagine Hong Kong would be an amazing place to visit. (And maybe I can someday!)

Overall; Somewhere Only We Know was a quick, fun read, and I am so glad to have finally read something by Maurene Goo. I am now even more excited to read Maurene’s other books, including The Way You Make Me Feel and I Believe in a Thing Called Love. I hope to read them both, and Maurene’s other books, soon!

Happy Reading!

Aw dang, I wasn't able to finish this before the archive date! I really enjoyed what I read, though!

Last year, I read <a href="http://bookbinge.com/reviews/authors/maurene-goo/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Maurene Goo's</a> <a href="http://bookbinge.com/2018/05/review-the-way-you-make-me-feel-by-maurene-goo/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Way You Make Me Feel</a> and I really enjoyed that one so when I came across this book while browsing Netgalley, I knew that I was going to request to review it. I was mostly interested in seeing what Goo does with that fall in love in one day scenario and even though I didn't read <strong>The Sun is Also a Star</strong>, I did see the movie and the whole scenario didn't work well for me there. After reading this one, I'm thinking of going back and reading <strong>The Sun is Also a Star</strong> because, in my opinion, that scenario works better in print than it did on screen.

I will say that though I enjoyed the story, it took me a little bit to get into the story because to start things off, Lucky, the k-pop superstar decides to sneak out of her hotel room to grab a burger after she took some pills to help her sleep and she gets lost. She runs into Jack, who is, of course, trying to break into the paparazzo scene. At first, Jack doesn't know who Lucky is so he helps her out because she seems to be struggling but once he found out who she was, he doesn't reveal what he is and the night really kicks off because Lucky is really determined to get a hamburger. I will say that I was not a fan of this, it rubbed me wrong but over the course of the story, Goo does a great job of turning things around for me.

One of the things that I really enjoyed in <a href="http://bookbinge.com/2018/05/review-the-way-you-make-me-feel-by-maurene-goo/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Way You Make Me Feel</a> was how Goo brings L.A. to life. She does the same thing here. I've never been to Hong Kong but I could see everything that Jack and Lucky saw and taste everything that they ate while they explored the city so clearly. Goo does this really well and though I didn't enjoy this book nearly as much as I liked <a href="http://bookbinge.com/2018/05/review-the-way-you-make-me-feel-by-maurene-goo/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Way You Make Me Feel</a>, I thought Goo did a great job of showing us readers the realities of being a k-pop star.

Overall, this was a quick read. The beginning was a little slow and there were times when I wanted to smack Jack and Lucky around but all in all, this was a cute read.

Lucky is a Korean-American teen from L.A. who is very popular as a K-pop singer in Asia and is on the brink of making her American debut. In the start of the book she is staying in Hong Kong with her team.
That night,when she just scarved a littlebit too much anti-anxiety and sleeping pills. at the hotel she start to crave a hamburger, and in her tracksuit and slippers she stumbles upon Jack in the hall when she makes her way out into the bustling city of Hong Kong. While she actually must be preparing for a major interview on a Late Night Show.

Jack is also from L.A. and happens to be in Hong Kong for a scoop assignment for the tabloid he is working for.
In the hallway he stumbles upon this teen girl on her slippers who is dying for a hamburger. She looks familiar altough he can't put his finger on it where he knows her from, and he think she is cute, so after short talk, they are off together in to the Hong Kong night.

During their night and day where they visit all the best places in Hong Kong, they find out that they have a lot in common; both are from L.A., Korean-American and escaping from their lives. Lucky from all the fame and Jack from his strict parents. But soon, he realizes who exactly she is and thinks that spending some time with this star and photographing her in the process could be his professional golden ticket. But then they fall in love..


As I have read two previous books by Maurene Goo I was looking forward to reading this newest one. Her previous books had me hooked so I was curious, did this new book lived up my expectations? Not really..
First of all the story was too thin to stay interested and secondly, the plot lacked any drama or progress or anything thrilling or exciting happening. The only conflict and drama that they had was that at one point at Hong Kong's walk of fame, people start to recognize Lucky and some kind of celebrity that get's stuck in between fans moment develops, but that was mostly it. It's mostly about the time and locations in Hong Kong they visit and the conversations they have. Not more then that.
So, overall, this book didn't live up the expectations I had of it and I truly hoped to like it more than I did..

MINI YA REVIEWS
MAY 28, 2019 LEAVE A COMMENT
I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Opposite of Always by Justin A. Reynolds
Published by HarperCollins on March 5, 2019
Genres: Young Adult Fiction, Romance, Contemporary, Time Travel, Humorous, General, Social Themes, Death & Dying
Pages: 464
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher
Buy on Amazon
ISBN: 9780062748393
Goodreads
five-stars
“One of the best love stories I’ve ever read.” —Angie Thomas, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Hate U Give

“Read this one, reread it, and then hug it to your chest.” —Becky Albertalli, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda

Debut author Justin A. Reynolds delivers a hilarious and heartfelt novel about the choices we make, the people we choose, and the moments that make a life worth reliving. Perfect for fans of Nicola Yoon and John Green.

When Jack and Kate meet at a party, bonding until sunrise over their mutual love of Froot Loops and their favorite flicks, Jack knows he’s falling—hard. Soon she’s meeting his best friends, Jillian and Franny, and Kate wins them over as easily as she did Jack.

But then Kate dies. And their story should end there.

Yet Kate’s death sends Jack back to the beginning, the moment they first meet, and Kate’s there again. Healthy, happy, and charming as ever. Jack isn’t sure if he’s losing his mind.

Still, if he has a chance to prevent Kate’s death, he’ll take it. Even if that means believing in time travel. However, Jack will learn that his actions are not without consequences. And when one choice turns deadly for someone else close to him, he has to figure out what he’s willing to do to save the people he loves.

I love when I read a book and my immediate next thought is – this would be a great Netflix movie (because Netflix is on their A Game with YA movies). Opposite Of Always by Justin A. Reynolds is the kind of book that begs to be made into a movie. It is the kind of book that you read and just immediately want to share with everyone you come into contact with. Trust me when I say that I think this will be in my top twenty for 2019. Like, is it too early or to weird to say hello I need the fan club membership card for Opposite Of Always.

Opposite Of Always is a time travel book for people who do not generally like time travel books (ie ME). Jack is visiting his future college and attending a party where he meets Kate. Kate is THE person for Jack, essentially his soul mate. And so, in one night the two bond over cereal and stairs. There’s banter which I am always a sucker for. Jack falls hard for Kate and the two form a relationship, only, Kate dies. The story doesn’t end there though, instead Jack is jolted back to the night he first met Kate over and over. He keeps reliving their brief time together, making different choices each time which have this ripple effect.

The plot is right on point. I felt like I actually learned something about sickle cell which I had not a lot of knowledge about except that T-Boz from TLC has it. As for Jack and Kate, their chemistry feels authentic. I loved every moment that Jack’s parents made an appearance. ALSO OMG JACK’S FRIENDS. They’re treasures and need to also be protected at all costs.

Friends, I could shout about this book all day. It’s a brilliant read and I can’t help but think FINALLY teens of color are getting the multitude of stories that they deserve with all kinds of different characters – and I love seeing that Opposite Of Always is among those stories. Granted, publishing still isn’t there yet, but I am just glad at least that it is STARTING. This is the first time travel book I’ve read with a Black teen boy as the main character and a love interest with sickle cell anemia. Add this one to your lists asap is the point I am getting at though.

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Mini YA ReviewsThe Geography of Lost Things by Jessica Brody
Also by this author: The Karma Club, , A Week of Mondays, In Some Other Life
Published by Simon and Schuster on October 2, 2018
Genres: Young Adult Fiction, Romance, Contemporary, Travel & Transportation, Car & Road Trips, Family, Parents, Young Adult
Pages: 464
Format: Hardcover, eARC
Source: Publisher
ISBN: 9781481499217
Goodreads
four-stars
In this romantic road trip story perfect for fans of Sarah Dessen and Morgan Matson, a teen girl discovers the value of ordinary objects while learning to forgive her absent father.

A lot can happen on the road from lost to found…

Ali Collins doesn’t have room in her life for clutter or complications. So when her estranged father passes away and leaves her his only prized possession—a 1968 Firebird convertible—Ali knows she won’t keep it. Not when it reminds her too much of all her father’s unfulfilled promises. And especially not when a buyer three hundred miles up the Pacific coast is offering enough money for the car to save her childhood home from foreclosure. There’s only one problem, though. Ali has no idea how to drive a stick shift.

But her ex-boyfriend, Nico, does.

The road trip gets off to a horrible start, filled with unexpected detours, roadblocks, and all the uncomfortable tension that comes with being trapped in a car with your ex. But when Nico starts collecting items from the quirky strangers they meet along the way, Ali starts to sense that these objects aren’t random. Somehow they seem to be leading her to an unknown truth about her father. A truth that will finally prove to Ali that some things—even broken things—are worth saving.

Jessica Brody is one of those authors where I KNOW I am going to be immediately engaged and basically gobble up the book in a matter of days. The Geography Of Lost Things confirms this theory, my dear friends. I am forever going to be one of her fans, I think. I picked this book up in hopes of a palate cleanse as well as a chance to knock another book off of my Netgalley queue. What a treat my time with this book was — even the parts that got emotional and had me flipping ahead just to make sure things turned out okay.

The Geography Of Lost Things is a road trip book starring Ali, who has inherited her father Jackson’s 1968 Firebird Convertible. This is about the only good thing she has inherited from Jackson and she believes it will fix her problems. You see, the Firebird is worth big money and so Ali can save her house which is getting foreclosed on with the proceeds from the sale of the Firebird. There’s a problem though — the sale will take place about 5 hours away and Ali can’t drive stick, thus cannot drive the Firebird. Her ex, Nico, however, can drive stick. And so, the two embark on a trip to sell the Firebird. Along the way, Nico has the idea to trade up items in order to make the money Ali needs and to also allow for her to keep the Firebird.

Ultimately, this is a story of a father and daughter relationship that is far from perfect. It’s a story of acceptance and other people who are just doing their best, even when we cannot see that. It’s a story of forgiveness. I think that this book hit me hard, even though I have an awesome dad with none of the issues Jackson has. Brody writes in such a way that it was easy for me to connect with Ali. She was easy to care about.

Also, this book really did make me want to read the rest of Brody’s books that I have not gotten to yet. I guess that’s a good thing — to know that I have some excellent reads just waiting for me to pick them. I would 100% recommend this for people who are suckers for road trip tropes and character growth and vulnerability. It is definitely a superb book to ease into summer with.

Mini YA ReviewsBerserker by Emmy Laybourne
Published by Feiwel & Friends on October 10, 2017
Genres: Young Adult Fiction, Historical, United States, 19th Century, Romance
Pages: 288
ISBN: 9781250135230
Goodreads
The highly anticipated historical fantasy from Emmy Laybourne, author of the internationally-bestselling Monument 14 trilogy.Ancient powers. Strong love. Desperate times.

1883. Hanne would give anything to be free of the ancestral Viking curse that overcomes her when she or anyone she loves is in danger. She becomes a Berserker—an elegant, graceful and shameless killer.

When she kills three men attacking their father, Hanne and her siblings must flee Norway and head to the American frontier, on a desperate search for their uncle, the one man who can help Hanne learn to control her powers.

Aided by a young cowboy who agrees to be their guide, Hanne and her siblings use their ancient powers to survive the perilous trail, where blizzards, wild animals, and vicious bounty hunters await.

A gripping and emotional story filled with adventure, destruction, longing and redemption.

I’ve decided that if I want an action adventure read with very light romance, I am going to pick up something by Emmy Laybourne. Berserker is Laybourne’s historical fiction with a supernatural twist. Set in 1883 this is a story of Norse siblings who immigrate to America after a horrific incident. Meanwhile, it’s also the story of a young man named Owen who is the bastard son of a big shot rancher. Owen is trying to make his own way into the world on his own merits. The two storylines intertwine into a plot that is engaging and quickly moving.

Hanne is a Berserker, meaning that she has this power granted to her by the Norse gods to go into a killing frenzy to protect those she loves. This is fine, except that when her father is killed, she ends up also killing three men to protect her family who has to run to America. There, they hope to find Hanne’s uncle and learn how to control the Nytte which is what the power is called (each of her siblings except the youngest, Sissel, has a form of Nytte that has manifested). Anyways, there are also two men who happen to be trailing Hanne and her siblings and their intentions are not quite clear. Regardless, Owen ends up guiding Hanne and her family through the wilderness.

So, I am really jazzed at how much I enjoyed Berserker. When I saw the small print, I was like ah goddamn it, this is going to take forever to read. Then I just breezed through it in like a day. I ended up deciding that I want to check out the second book, about Sissel asap. On the whole, Laybourne rights a compelling book with a plot and concept that came out of left field for me. Definitely would recommend if you like books about girls who kick literal ass.

Mini YA ReviewsInk and Bone by Rachel Caine
Published by Penguin on July 7, 2015
Genres: Young Adult Fiction, Fantasy, Books & Libraries, Dystopian
Pages: 352
ISBN: 9780698180819
Goodreads
In an exhilarating new series, New York Times bestselling author Rachel Caine rewrites history, creating a dangerous world where the Great Library of Alexandria has survived the test of time.… Ruthless and supremely powerful, the Great Library is now a presence in every major city, governing the flow of knowledge to the masses. Alchemy allows the Library to deliver the content of the greatest works of history instantly—but the personal ownership of books is expressly forbidden. Jess Brightwell believes in the value of the Library, but the majority of his knowledge comes from illegal books obtained by his family, who are involved in the thriving black market. Jess has been sent to be his family’s spy, but his loyalties are tested in the final months of his training to enter the Library’s service. When he inadvertently commits heresy by creating a device that could change the world, Jess discovers that those who control the Great Library believe that knowledge is more valuable than any human life—and soon both heretics and books will burn.…

For some reason I have been putting off Ink And Bone by Rachel Caine. It is the first book of the Great Library series. The idea of it appealed to me, but it was just never at the top of my reading list. That is, until I was browsing the library and was all, hey here’s a physical copy even though I have an eARC on my Kindle from Netgalley. Let’s just borrow this book too. And y’all, having that physical reminder staring me in the face gave me the motivation to finally, FINALLY read Ink And Bone. I am so glad. I loved it.

So, Ink And Bone is one of those books about books, well, a lot of books. In this world, it is kind of a dystopia a little bit. It posits what would happen if the library at Alexandria had never burned. So, the book opens with Jess who is from a family of book smugglers. You see, in this world, it is illegal to own your own books. Instead, every town has a Library and every person has what is called a Codex. The Library is pretty much in charge. So, anyways, Jess ends up going to train to be a Librarian and be an inside man for his family. That is really kind of barebones in explaining this book.

What we get is this very fast paced book. We see Jess acclimate to the library and his training. It reminded me a little tiny bit of Harry Potter in a way. And so, there’s only six spots from Jess’s class that get to go on to work for the Library and Jess is determined to have one of those spots. Meanwhile, there’s other things going on like war and such. So, yeah, there’s not very many dull moments. I think if you’re into a book that moves fast and just drops you right into the action, you will end up really liking Ink And Bone. For me personally, I plan to continue on reading the rest of the series. Hopefully the other books live up to these expectations that I now have after reading Ink And Bone.

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Mini YA ReviewsSomewhere Only We Know by Maurene Goo
Also by this author: I Believe in a Thing Called Love
on May 7, 2019
Genres: Young Adult Fiction, Romance, Contemporary, Diversity & Multicultural, Family, Parents
Pages: 320
Format: Hardcover, eARC
ISBN: 9780374310592
Goodreads
five-stars
A Cosmopolitan Best Young Adult Book of 2019A BuzzFeed Pick for "YA Books You Absolutely Must Read This Spring"

Sparks fly between a K-pop starlet and a tabloid reporter in Somewhere Only We Know, a heartwarming rom-com from Maurene Goo.

10:00 p.m.: Lucky is the biggest K-pop star on the scene, and she’s just performed her hit song “Heartbeat” in Hong Kong to thousands of adoring fans. She’s about to debut on The Tonight Show in America, hopefully a breakout performance for her career. But right now? She’s in her fancy hotel, trying to fall asleep but dying for a hamburger.

11:00 p.m.: Jack is sneaking into a fancy hotel, on assignment for his tabloid job that he keeps secret from his parents. On his way out of the hotel, he runs into a girl wearing slippers, a girl who is single-mindedly determined to find a hamburger. She looks kind of familiar. She’s very cute. He’s maybe curious.

12:00 a.m.: Nothing will ever be the same.

With her trademark humor and voice, Maurene Goo delivers a sparkling story of taking a chance on love—and finding yourself along the way.

There’s something about Maurene Goo’s books. It turns out I love them. I really adored I Believe In A Thing Called Love and have been meaning to read her other books after that one. Somewhere Only We Know came up on my list and well, seeing it was available at the library, I made a snap decision to place a hold. Friends, this book is another charmer and I know that I need to read The Way You Make Me Feel like yesterday. I devoured Somewhere Only We Know in basically a day.

Somewhere Only We Know is set in Hong Kong. It’s the story of Lucky, a K-Pop star and Jack, a tabloid paparazzi. The two meet by chance while Lucky is escaping her hotel room in search of a burger to satisfy her hunger. What comes next is day of adventures as the two romp through Hong Kong. Lucky uses a fake name with Jack, Fern, and she thinks that he has no idea who he is. The two begin to really get to know each other as they explore Hong Kong. It’s sweet and wonderful and fun. Of course, there’s also some mild drama too.

Goo’s latest book is SO charming. It was exactly what I needed, low key, easy to follow, with characters I actually did care about and admire. I mean, it is hard NOT to admire Lucky. She’s hard working and talented and passionate about music and performing. Also, Goo really brings Hong Kong to life — and I love it when setting is basically a character. Plus, all the excellent food descriptions really had me starving. Readers who like sweet relationships, 24 hour stories, and books set in places other than the US should really pick up Somewhere Only We Know. Also, yes I totally get that Keane song stuck in my head everytime I look at the title of this book.

This book was a delight. It is possibly my favorite Maurene Goo couple! Reading it, I had this feeling it reminded me of one of my favorite old movies - only to find out later that the author was indeed inspired by Roman Holiday!!!!!

Lucky & Jack had red-hot chemistry and I loved their adventures together.

This book made me heart soar!

Sadly, this one just wasn't for me. I really wanted to love this story! The plot was very jumbled and it just didn't flow together with the way it should have. The writing wasn't very thought out and the characters fell flat for me. Again I wanted to love it, but sadly it was a miss for me.

This book was a super quick and fun read. Both Lucky and Jack are likable characters. The book left me homesick for Hong Kong- it's basically an eating tour of the city. I was jealous of everything Lucky got to eat!
I wish that Lucky's anxiety was explored a bit more. I felt over all the book was lacking emotional depth.

Somewhere Only We Know is a story about personal growth. About the dilemmas we have, the different strings pulling us in opposite directions between what we should do, versus what we want to do. The paths we are dragged along and the ones that inspire our heart. Passion for what we love, what moves our heart and quickens our breath - before we give it up, package it, before it becomes a second mask.

This is a must purchase for all school libraries. Light, fresh romance. I LOVE IT. Could it be the next Netflix hit? YES. I love how the characters support each other to follow their dreams.

Maurene Goo has done it again. Her romances are perfect for my younger high school students, and this title is no exception. I can't wait to share this with my students!

I really liked Somewhere Only We Know!  I swear, Goo writes the cutest books, and this one was no exception.

I will say, it took me a while to get into it.  Jack and Lucky both narrate, and I think that's why I had a hard time with the book at first.  It was hard to get into each character, but as the book went on, I got more settled into things, and I ended up really enjoyed the story.

It happens over a pretty short period of time, and it's quite the adventure for both Jack and Lucky.  There really isn't a lot of romance- it's more hinted at than anything else, and while father-daughter relationships are pretty important in her other books, it's not something we see in this book.  It has the same feel as her other books but it doesn't have some of the same elements I've seen from her.  Still, it was really fun and really cute, and I really liked seeing them explore Hong Kong together.

The Sun Is Also A Star is a pretty good read-alike for this one, in the sense that it's the one-day romance where they'll never see each other again...or find each other years later as adults.  Even though we get an epilogue, and see what happens after the events of the book, part of me wonders how things worked for both Lucky and Jack.  Romantically, of course, but also in their personal lives.

As for Jack and Lucky, I really liked Lucky but I was not a fan of Jack.  I think having his perspective really hurt, because we see and know things Lucky does not.  It made it really hard to like him and even though we see him change, it was really hard to get behind it knowing what we, as readers, know.

My Rating: 4 stars.  I really liked it, and it's a cute book.  I wasn't a fan of Jack, but I really liked Lucky.  I also wish I had more to say about this book, but I don't.  It's definitely worth reading, especially if you like K-Pop.