Super Fake Love Song is David Yoon’s second novel. After loving his debut, Frankly In Love, I was really excited for this one. Unfortunately, this one wasn’t up to par to Frankly In Love which was a five-star read for me. The plot sounded really intriguing, but there were times where the story felt like it was dragging. I loved the diverse set of characters, but all the characters were pretty unlikable. The main character, Sunny, was a bit too whiny. His love interest, Cirrus, seemed to have no personality at all and we don’t know much about her. I wasn’t a fan of the way the dialogue was written here and some of the parts were written oddly. Overall, I would recommend skipping this one.

Fun, heartwarming, and inspiring.
David Yoon has a knack for hammering a message within his stories in such a way that you don't feel like you're being preached at or having to sit through an after-school special. He does that beautifully in Super Fake Love Song, giving readers a master lesson in being and accepting yourself and how that will lead to your greatest happiness.
Sunny Dae is super lovable and he has the best friends in the world. That's pretty much all you need to know as you're going to be pulled into his dubitable venture of pretending to be a rockstar in order to impress the new girl in school. There's character development, seeing people for more than they show the public, the benefits of open communication, and straight-up adorable teenager in first love antics.
Definitely a book worth the read and the insane amount of hype it's been receiving for what seems like forever.


Many happy thanks to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers for the early read.

Nerdy Sunny Dae thinks he’s never going to be as cool as his musician brother Gray. But when he meets the new neighbor slash, Cirrus, Sunny pretends to be in a band to get her to like him. Of course, how does this all work out the farther Sunny moves away from the truth?

This was a story about acceptance, the path to self-discovery, AND working up courage to do things you never would’ve done if it weren’t for stretched truths. I particularly enjoyed the coming together—the development of Sunny’s relationship with his brother (bonding over music and the good ole days), making amends with the popular kid who bullies him (but turns out to be a D&D fan), and nurturing friendships with his best buds who always had his back. The first half was a slow build, but it was a fantastically well-written YA. So if you enjoyed Frankly in Love, I’m pretty sure you’ll enjoy this one, too!

David Yoon is the author of the amazing Frankly in Love, and Super Fake Love Song is his second book and coming out in November of 2020! Throughout this book, I can honestly say that my heart was in my throat until the moment when Sunny’s secret was revealed! Sunny is such a nerd-nerd, but he thought that to be in a relationship with Cirrus, he had to be so much more. What he didn’t realize is that Cirrus liked his personality and him more than his rock star fame. The whole novel is from a male POV which we don’t come across very often in YA novels, so yay! It’s a very light novel and if you need an easy, light-hearted read, this is it, except for the suspense of Suny’s secret being kept from everyone!

This book is a wonderful book that glides through the various ideas of the stereotypes of being Asian, being unique, being yourself, and much more! It’s the perfect read for Asian teenagers who have struggled with being happy with who they are or have been afraid to let their true self show! This book is amazing and it is a must-read for those who also enjoyed Frankly in Love, which is David Yoon’s first novel! Super Fake Love Song is not just about a basic love song, but also about having the strength to love your inner self and be able to let love in from others.

First of all, thank you to Penguin Teen and Net Galley for sending me an eARC of this!

Over the last year, I've really grown to love YA Contemporary Romance, and this one sounded really interestinf!

When Sunny's father introduces him to their new neighbor, the cool and confidant Cirrus, he would do just about anything to get close to her. Except when he leads her upstairs and they find his really cool guitar-playing brother Grey's room open, he pretends it's his. And when Grey returns home, he keeps up the fiasco, even pulling in his two friends to join his fake bandm First Immortals, and going so far as to join the talent show.

I really loved the premise, but I honestly wasn't a huge fan of the writing style. I could imagine most of it, but the way some of the scenes were wrtiten could be difficult to follow. To be honest, I don't read a lot of books with male protagonists, so it was dfferent, and I suppose I'm not a huge fan of building a relationship entirely off of a lie.

Overall ,this book just wasn't for me, but if you enjoy the pretending to be something else to get the girlstoryline, this could be the book for you! Overall rating is 3.5

I absolutely loved Yoon’s Frankly in Love, so when I saw that he was releasing another YA contemporary, I was very excited (though the cover isn’t my favorite). This book has a completely different vibe than FIL, and you have to dig a little deeper to find it. However, there are multiple, engrossing layers in this book–mending a sibling relationship, wondering who your parents really are, and not being ashamed of who you are. Once I got over the oddly hyperbolic writing style, I found myself enjoying it a lot more.

First off, I love Sunny and his friends, Jamal and Milo. Talk about a solid and loyal friendship (despite the latter events of the novel)! I find myself relating to this because even now and when I was younger, I had a very small handful of friends that I was really close to, and I think there’s something special about having a core group like that. I liked, too, that he fully embraced his “nerdiness” and doesn’t seem to do things half-assed…or so we think. Even when he has to take being a musician, he goes all in. I struggled a bit with Cirrus though, almost like we just don’t get enough or spend enough time with her to make me feel anything. You can tell, however, that she’s lonely, and a lot of that has to do with how she was raised–moving all the time at the whim of her parents’ jobs that she doesn’t really have what Sunny has. In the beginning, Sunny only sees this surface-level Cirrus, which he finds utterly cool without really knowing her.

Also, the whole subplot with Sunny and his school bully, Gunner, was equally heartbreaking yet cool. This story, along with Sunny’s own, really comes down to not being ashamed of who you are and to stand up for yourself. But sometimes…hiding yourself is what you have to do to survive just a little big longer.

I mostly enjoyed the slow rebuilding of the relationship between Sunny and his older brother, Grey. Eventually, we see that Grey has some serious issues that need to be worked on, but it was nice to see the two become close, as it becomes obvious that it’s something Sunny desperately wants. I also enjoyed the child/parent relationship as well. Are Sunny’s parents the best in the world? No, but they’re trying and it’s kind of…cute in its own way. I feel like Sunny can really be himself and be honest around his parents, which is unlike a lot of YA contemporaries I’ve read.

In the end though Sunny and Cirrus were really cute together. I loved how Sunny became really flustered around her, just dying to be “cool” so she would like him. I liked the message the book gave of not needing to pretend to be someone else in order to get someone to like you.

Another amazing book by Yoon with well developed and easily lovable characters! Yoon’s books are like a breath of fresh air. This was no exception!
Very easy to read, the story was hilarious but also had serious moments with great points of reflection. I loved and can’t wait for everyone else to read it.

I wasn’t 100% sold on Super Fake Love Song when I first started reading. But then I fell in love with this story and the second half went by in a blur. Sunny Dae is such a relatable protagonist and I really enjoyed watching his story unfold.

Super Fake Love Song also deals with the search to be accepted and how to recognize what really matters. Overall, if you’re looking for a rom-com YA novel that’s very character-based, check this one out! Also, I’m really crossing my fingers this one gets optioned as a film because I think it would translate beautifully to the screen.

*Disclaimer: I received an advance copy of this book for free from the publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

I started reading this book but as I got about 20% in, I realized I don't think the author's writing is for me so I won't be continuing with the book. The story was interesting and all but I knew I wouldn't really enjoy the book by the end. I will still feature it in a pub day post, thank you!

I am so sorry I could not get through this book. I am disappointed because I was looking forward to this novel after attending the author's talk at a convention event. I was not vibing at all with the MC and just couldn't continue.

Thank you Netgalley for an e-arc of this book in exchange for a review. I wish it was better.

I LOVED THIS BOOK. It was really different from Frankly In Love, but that was part of how amazing it was. David Yoon is now officially an auto-buy author for me!

When nerdy Sunny Dae meets cool and confident Cirrus Soh, she mistakes a bedroom filled with guitars and rock posters for his. In reality, the room belongs to Sunny’s older brother Gray. Instead of telling Cirrus she’s mistaken, Sunny tells her that he is the frontman of a rock band. From there, he makes his friends play along, roping them into forming a fake rock band with him and wearing Gray’s old clothes. Before he can tell Cirrus the truth, she asks to see the band play. And soon, Sunny’s lies catch up with him and he questions if lying was really worth it.

I loved David Yoon’s first book, Frankly in Love. It’s no surprise that I was super excited for this one, and it was one of my most anticipated releases of this year. Unfortunately, it didn’t live up to my expectations and I was disappointed.

I liked the plot enough. The whole concept of a nerd-turned-fake-rockstar was what initially got me interested. The storyline was engaging, if not a little slow at times.

The characters were great. They all had their own unique personalities. They were all easy to distinguish and they each had a unique name to match their personality. Although, some of their dialogue was hard to digest. It just seemed far-fetched and not like anything someone would say in normal everyday conversation.

The ending was disappointing as well. It felt so rushed after the main event happened and in a way, it just felt unfinished.

Rating: 2.5*

3.5 stars

On the surface, this is a book about a boy who lies to impress a pretty girl. And, yes... that is definitely a big part of this book, but it isn't the whole story. There is so much more in the depths of these pages.

Sunny is a nerd. When a new girl comes to town, he tries to impress her by telling her that he is a musician in a band, when really he just happens to be in his older brother's room when he tells her; his brother, an actual musician... Luckily, Sunny has some really great, very supportive best friends, the friends who lend some much needed comedic relief to this book. The relationship among the friends was my favorite part, with their conversations making me laugh out loud many times.

Another thing that I really enjoyed about this book was the progression of the relationship between Sunny and his older brother Gray. Watching them repair the rift in their bond was so sweet and at times a little difficult.

I don't usually take well to books whose plot is based on a major miscommunication or lie, but this was more than I was expecting it to be.

I really am kind of speechless after finishing this book. I LOVED Sunny and Cirrus. All he wanted was to impress Cirrus by being not the nerd for once. And who among us hasn't done something a little foolish in the name of young love? I enjoyed being inside Sunny's head, he sounds like what a nerdy, shy teenage boy would sound like. As for Cirrus, I appreciated how Yoon didn't portray her as some cool girl who wanted Sunny to impress her or as someone who thought she was above everyone else. She simply wanted to find her place and build connections with people. I was really rooting for her to get her happy ending.

Other aspects of the book I enjoyed were the secondary friendships and familial relationships. I enjoyed seeing a healthy male friendship between Sunny, Milo, and Jamal built on communication and acceptance. I also appreciated how the author tackled difficult parental relationships. He includes three different parental relationships that all had room for growth.

Lastly, I appreciate that this was a YA rom-com featuring two Asian-American characters where the major conflict was not centered around their race. Yoon did a fabulous job of writing a book where Asian-American teens can see themselves without having to relive any emotional trauma. They can read a fun rom-com about characters who are similar to them and see one more mirror.

I just really loved this novel and I hope it gets made into a movie...with a sequel...and a follow-up.

Super Fake Love Song is a contemporary YA coming of age story about a nerdy boy who tries to impress the new girl by pretending he's in a band. Feelings develop, but his lies start to get a little out of control...

Sunny Dae is a total nerd, making cosplay how-to videos with his friends and living in a sterile feeling bedroom. So when cool new girl Cirrus mistakes his much cooler older brothers bedroom for his, he lets her believe she's right. And then has to convince his friends to create a fake rock band to back up his web of lies.

Parts of this were pretty funny, if very over the top. Plenty of bad decisions are made and you know it's all going to blow up in his face. The message here is that coolness is all a matter of perspective and maybe is more about confidence than anything else. And also, high school isn't everything. I felt like the ending wrapped up a bit too neatly, and I felt like Sunny's ongoing lies became pretty egregious, but overall I had a good time with this one. I received an advance copy of this book for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

David Yoon has my heart when it comes to YA romances. This book genuinely is so incredible! It's a common trope to have a main character lie out of every orifice in their body to seem cool to someone they like but it's rare that actions that actual consequences. I appreciated how realistically things played out. Sunny wasn't pretending that he's doing something honourable or that he's not in trouble. From the get go he's constantly calling himself on the lies. That was something I really appreciated. I also loved Sunny, Miles, and Jamal's relationship. It's rare to see a band of boys act so geeky in an unapologetic way. This book was such a delight!

The mistaken identity trope is one of my favorites, so I was thrilled to read this book, and it really delivered! The heartfelt themes of first love, friendship, and family also hit the spot for me. Besides, who doesn't love a Dungeons and Dragons element?

I think the most unique thing about this book is the voice. The tone is quirky, offbeat, and a little surreal at times. To be honest, it took me a few chapters to get into, and there were a couple of spots early on that made my brain do a Kombucha Girl routine. As I got used to the story, though, I ended up going with the flow and really enjoying the narrative.

Which brings me to the "com" part of this rom-com -- this book is funny. There was one scene in particular where the glorious ridiculousness of the situation hit me all at once and I legitimately spent five minutes laughing in the middle of my living room. Yoon does an amazing job of capturing the awkwardness of high school, and I rooted for the characters hard despite the fact that all of them are complete messes.

Overall, I think this book is perfect for anyone who wants a YA read with a unique style that will make them pause in the middle of reading to giggle hysterically!

This was a sweet book - lots of funny predicaments the main character got himself into. It was well written, clever and heartwarming. As a female, I often find it difficult to get fully invested in a romance that is from the male perspective. For me, that was what didn't make this a five star book.

Super Fake Love Song is David Yoon's sophomore novel, and overall, I liked it. The set-up is fairly simple: the nerdy guy (Sunny Dae) meets the cool girl (Cirrus Soh) and gets mistakenly wrapped up in a lie where he is the front man of a rock band. In order to perpetuate the lie, he convinces his friends to fake being in an actual band and starts dressing up in his elder brother's cast-offs. As he embraces this new persona, he discovers that he's actually gaining confidence, having fun and questioning whether he's been holding himself back for no real reason... until the house of cards comes tumbling down. Super Fake Love Song reminded me of the teen films of the late 1990s/early 2000s that I loved. It made my reading experience feel nostalgic, and that in turn allowed me to drift along with the story no matter how overly dramatic or eye-roll worthy the turn of events got. Even as an adult reading something meant for teens, I found parts of this relatable: the chameleon act many of us put on in order to fit right in, the unwillingness to reveal parts of your true self for fear of ridicule or out of a desire to keep them sacred and safe, discovering that people might not always be exactly what you’ve assigned them to be (yourself included, by the way), just to name a few. While it does have its merits, I didn’t get on perfectly with the writing style nor did I feel connected to any of the characters… and both of these things affected my overall feelings about the book. Still, I do think Super Fake Love Song is fun, likable and a welcome distraction from the stress of real life.

What’s the biggest lie you told to impress someone? I can’t remember mine, but I remember my husband telling me that he went to India and played on tennis court made of elephant droppings.

Sunny is a sheltered self proclaimed nerd who is the reliable, obedient child. He thrives on simple nights with his two best friends playing D&D and trying to become podcast stars, but deep down he strives for more. Enter the beautiful Cirrus. If I could just be friends with her my life would be made. I enjoyed learning about her and all the travel she’s been on, but what I loved the most was her cooking. I was salivating over the mere mention of food made by her. It was unique, but I bet her creations were amazing.

I will say the author's writing is very well done. Though I found the subject a bit slow to get into, the writing was strong throughout the whole story. I could vividly see the scenes and feel the characters emotions. He did a fantastic job capturing their youth and not overtly dramatizing their struggles with finding their identity. The characters were relatable and had intricacies that went beyond stereotypical problems.

I adored the friendship between the three guys. Jamal and Milo were the humor when the book was lagging a bit in the beginning. I enjoyed how they didn’t care about anything except what made them happy and how they were willing to do anything for eachother even if it was out of their comfort zone. I enjoyed how the guys were able to break free of the mundane and step into a role, though it was fake, and try something new. They supported one another and celebrated with one another.

Though parts of the story I enjoyed, I had a hard time with the dialogue of the characters and the overall story. I felt that the way the characters spoke to one another felt younger than what they actually were. I had a real hard time getting into the story itself and sticking with it. I felt as if the story was slow to progress and not a lot of action to keep hold of my attention. I kept hoping to gain either a connection to the characters or even to the story, but I couldn’t find myself doing either. I was also hoping for Sunny to explore his cultural identity, but I felt because the author didn’t present this part in this story I felt that it was a missed opportunity.

Overall this book was OK for me. The author is an amazing writer, but the story was very lacking for me. I not only had a hard time getting into the story, but I had a hard time sticking with it. I feel that maybe if I was younger I would have enjoyed the book more. I did enjoy the characters and the friendships. It’s what really made this story for me. Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin for this ARC