“Fireworks” is the debut novel by Alice Lin that follows seventeen year old Lulu Li as she graduates high school and prepares to have an amazing summer with her friends before they all go to college. Lulu’s plans are put on hold when her neighbor and childhood best friend comes home to visit for the first time in four years. The reason he has been gone? He is an international K-pop star in the boy group, Karnival. Now Lulu is star-struck and trying to fight feelings for her famous best friend.

This was so cute and fun. I don’t read a lot of YA contemporary anymore but I do still enjoy the light hearted romances. I really like the trope of one of the characters in the couple being a celebrity. I read Axie Oh’s book “XOXO” last month and it was a similar situation so if you enjoyed that book, I think you would like this one. I liked how it kind of subverted the trope a bit by the celebrity being a childhood best friend. It helps to build the relationship with the characters because they have a past.

This book had a lot of representation in it that I really liked. I picked this book up for AAPI Heritage month as I am trying to make an effort to read a bit more diversely and this month is the perfect time to do that. I really loved how while the main cast was completely made up of Asian characters, the author made a point to say that they were all from different countries with unique cultures. I feel like in a lot of books, a character being “Asian” doesn’t have a lot of meaning behind it whereas in this book, they were very nuanced.

I could talk for hours about the different kinds of food mentioned in this book. Like I don’t even know what yellow pickles are but I was craving them while I read this book. Like seriously, don’t read this book on an empty stomach. You will get hungry.

There was also some subtle bisexual representation in this book which I really loved. It was very organic in the way character’s brought up their sexuality, as it should be. Not every book with LGBT+ representation needs to make it a huge conversation. I enjoy the quiet acceptance of people just loving who they want to love without it being a big deal.

This book was really great and fun but it’s a four star for me because though I really enjoyed the romance, I wasn’t obsessed with it. I wish there would have been a bit more pining. Kite as a love interest was so precious but I just wanted a little more.

All in all, I would recommend this to anyone who wants a cute, summery romance with a bit of hijinks, K-pop stans, and a lot of food references. The fact that I don’t love anywhere close to a traditional Korean restaurant is tragic.

Book received for free through NetGalley

An adorably cute young adult romance. I fell in love with the characters and end the book cheering them on. Would love to continue the story but it was also a good place to end it.

I've been wanting to read a book that gave me a more modern day Sarah Dessen vibe for a while and this one did! (Sorry Sarah, but you've been replaced). This was so lovely and had the right amount of, well, everything. A wonderful summer read.

Lulu is the girl next store to K-Pop idol Kai, whose stage name is Kite. She hasn't seen him in four years, since Kai left their New Jersey town in middle school to pursue his dream in South Korea. Both families are Chinese, and all of the characters are East Asian, though I think only the offstage idols are Korean. No judgment there, just observing what a worldwide phenomenon K-Pop is, and with a fierce fandom. The book is named for Kite's band, Karnival's fan community, the Fireworks, who flip out when it's announced that Kite is taking a break for health reasons. While the Fireworks assume Kite is still in Korea, he's actually hiding out in his childhood bedroom, spending time with his childhood best friend.

Of course neither Lulu nor Kai is exactly a child anymore, and the plot is a will-they-or-won't-they story. All of the characters are likable. Kai, or Kite, as Lulu calls him, suffers a bit of the perfect-YA-boyfriend syndrome, but that's the convention, so whatever. I think K-Pop YA is especially appealing because some of the world building is already done, in that it has such an established culture.

PS Author Lin is a librarian, and one of the characters attends college at MPOW.

This book really reminded me of another book that I just read about reunited best friends who fall for each other. Seoulmates by Susan Lee. I honestly think that this book was a very cute story but really didn't deliver any excitement that I was hoping for. I don't feel any real connection between Kai and Lulu. Even the ending left me feeling very lost and with no resolve. I think with more work that this could have been awesome.

Very cute YA KDrama/Kpop romance. It’s a lovely childhood friends to dating story. This is definitely on the younger side of YA but it was an enjoyable read. I found some of the drama to be a little over the top but once I remembered the age of the characters it felt in line with their maturity levels. I really loved the main character Lulu, she was a very well thought out character.

I’d recommend this to the 13-18 age range and any adults over 18 who enjoy younger YA novels.

Thank you to netgalley for my copy in exchange for my honest review.

This is really more of a 2.5 for me, 2 stars seems too low, but 3 is too high. For someone who is not a K-pop fan, it was hard to follow some of the lingo with no context. The flow was choppy and the narrative a little lacking. The ending was very unsatisfying. Overall, it was totally fine, a light read and cute, but nothing super memorable

a perfectly cute, harmless rom-com. it didn't provide anything new to the genre, but wasn't in any way offensive; it was quite enjoyable!

A sweet story that despite a few hiccups, is a cute romcom. The ONLY thing I would critique is the types of AP exams they take as seniors since several of those tests are completed during sophomore or junior year of high school. BUT that is me being unnecessarily particular to an otherwise great read.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Overall, this was a quick read and a really cute story. There are themes of friendship, love, relationships, and the pressures of fame. I know NOTHING of K-pop, and I learned a ton about the fandom culture from this book-really fascinating. I absolutely ADORED the main characters-they were so fun and well written-really enjoyable to read. However, the whole story seemed a bit lacking and anti-climactic. As cute as this story was, I really felt like it needed a bit more substance.

I was given an ARC of this book by NetGalley and Random House Children’s. All opinions are my own.

Well, I liked K-Pop angsty drama theme with romcom vibes! Pop star meets ordinary girl next door that rekindles their unresolved feelings give us gender versed Notting Hill vibes with well approached representation of bisexuality of MC!

The romance between Lulu and Kite adorable. The realistic approach to chaotic side effects of fame, repercussions of trying to be star at demanding and competitive K-Pop industry were perfectly developed.

I was so close to give five stars after reading the first half but when I started to read the rest, I got so agitated because things started spiraling out of control and extra messy! It seemed like another author sat down in front of the computer to finish the rest of the book or the same author’s dark side took control and threw as much as angst she could to disturb us!

I don’t know the main reasoning but I didn’t like the sudden turn of events. So I’m giving my three solid stars just because of its promising first half and likable characters!

I wish the second could be rewritten! The entire drama could be handled better without too much exaggeration!

So many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children’s for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts.

Any book that mentions K-pop I end up reading, lol. It’s a keyword that really gets my attention. I have thoroughly enjoyed books with the topic and then there have been others that have felt flat for me in certain areas. This particular book was kind of a mixed-bag. The first half was very enjoyable and I liked where the story was going. The second half felt a bit muddled and nothing really progressed very far with the relationship/romance.

The book is told from Lulu’s perspective. She grew up next to a boy who was a friend and eventually tries his luck at joining a K-pop group. Friends-to-lovers isn’t always my thing but I am down for a celebrity relationship any day. I liked that even though he was famous he didn’t let it go to his head. He was still very down-to-earth and took care of this stray cat. Cats are the best and he is a cinnamon roll for doing that.

Their interactions from the beginning were slow and even though they eventually started to hang out more I didn’t feel like their relationship ever picked up. It kind of stayed in neutral and didn’t have me feeling any particular way. The author also tried to put another hurdle in their relationship at the end and by end I mean at around 94% or so. It made the ending feel rushed and incomplete for me even if they resolved in not so many words.

The majority of the book focuses on the pressure that can come with being in a group. It is taxing and can really wear down on someone’s mental health. I did like the talk that surrounded the subject. I feel like most books with a K-pop group miss out on this dialogue because they don’t usually go into the detail this one has, especially with the intense fans. Both Kite and Lulu handled it well and it makes them stronger.

Overall, this was good but it just didn’t a bit more in certain areas.

Thank you Netgalley and Penguin Random House for the arc and for satisfying my fluffy K-pop-inspired needs.

Reasons to read: well, if you've ever fantasized about your childhood coming back home as a K-pop idol, this is for me...I mean, you. >_>

Lulu has everything figured out for the summer, but her plans go awry when her former friend and international K-pop idol comes home after taking a break from music. Kite (Kai's stage name) has to stay in hiding when he's home since he's afraid of uber-fans swarming his house (again) and tags along with Lulu and her friends while in disguise (super funny btw) Lulu doesn't want to get too deep into her friendship with Kite, but we all know how things go when you're friends with a hot Korean idol, right?

Sigh.

The story is similar to another arc I recently read except this one is an idol and not a K-drama star, but it also had a depth I did not expect. We don't know what happened for Kite to come back to the States and that mystery is what kept me HOOKED to the story. There are so many layers to the characters and their chaotic lives.

The ending did leave a lot to be desired. IMO there wasn't any real closure to Lulu or Kite's problems BUT it succeeded in me stalking the internet looking for the sequel within the next year or two. There is a lot of content to be played with. I'm excited to see how Kite deals with the aftermath of his issues, as well as Lulu and college. If there's no sequel, I will riot.

A childhood friend turned k-pop star has returned home and now seventeen-year old Lulu Li is about to get an unexpected summer. Her childhood friend turned famous Kpop star is returning home. It’s been years since they spoke and drifted apart but now he’s back and her summer is about to get interesting. Lulu and Kite haven’t seen each other since eighth grade and now she’s graduating highschool. Lulu and Kai ( stage named Kite) have to restart their friendship and reconnect, finding who they are now with who they were and if the friendship between them is still there.. and if there is a chance for more. On top of that there is drama with Lulu’s father who cheated on her mother and with Kai’s sudden return being more than just simply a medical leave and the drama and chaos of k-pop fans. This is the second k-pop romance book I’ve read this month and while it was sweet and cute there were some parts I found a bit meh, the first one being that Lulu called her childhood friend whom she’s known by his stage name. making it seem like she still idolizes him as an idol rather than calling him by his regular name... like an actual person and as someone who’s known him, the second was the ending and resolution of this book, it felt lacking and so open ended, it felt like there should have been another epilogue or a bonus chapter with more resolution to their relationship and to what was going to happen in their future. Overall it was a sweet read and the friendship to lovers trope was cute in this. Lulu and Kai made an adorable couple and had sweet and caring moments with each other.

*Thanks Netgalley and Random House Children's, Underlined for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

Received an ARC from Netgalley for an honest opinion.
Such a fun story! I really like the characters and the things that they go through to finally come out at the end the way that they want to do things. Lots of decisions to be made by the characters, some of them hard. Family relationships, come into play, and that fleshes out the story as a whole. I work in a junior high school library, and I think I will tell our librarian that this is one she'll want to get for our collection.

This book has one of the cutest covers so I was desperate to read it. The first couple of chapters were cool and the voice definitely was funny at times but after a while it sort of felt like the Kai (Kite) character became all their was to the story. Where he was and what he was doing and how his life impacted everyone else’s. I didn’t really feel like there was all that much of a connection between LuLu and Kai. The craziness of the fandom seemed like the only thing really going on. Besides Lulu’s relationship with her father all the other side characters were completely flat. They do all these amazing things for her but we never see it reciprocated. And that ending just left me lost. So, even with the cute cover and cuter premise I just wasn’t sold on this one. 2.5 stars.

Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for the ARC.

I want to start off by thanking NetGalley for letting me read an ARC of this book.
I enjoyed reading the book for what it’s worth. I liked the text excerpts from different characters within the story, but felt like the ending didn’t resolve anything.

In this dramatic, friends to lovers teen romance, Kai went from the boy next door and Lulu’s best friend to Kite, a K-pop superstar in the band Karnival. When Kite moves back from Korea on medical leave, Lulu tentatively resumes their friendship, trying to hide her massive crush that goes beyond typical fangirl due to their deep history. Lulu has a close family and tight circle of friends–they make a LOT of cupcakes.

The story moves back and forth in time, both plot wise with inserts of current news clips and blog posts and fan comments, and past emails. The dates usually appear at the end, instead of the beginning of each segment, making the timeline sometimes confusing.

The drama is high, from stories of crazed Fireworks (the name for Karnival’s fanbase) to the real reason Kite left the band to relationship drama. In a side plot, Lulu is mad at her father, who had an affair and started a new family and missed her graduation. Korean culture details (food, music, family values) elevates the story; I was grateful to have a digital copy so I could easily look up unfamiliar terms, like sasaeng (an obsessive, stalkery fan).

As the plot takes place over the summer, there is a requisite Fourth of July scene featuring fireworks. The ending was unsatisfying–unless a sequel is in the works.

I received an advance review copy of #Fireworks via #NetGalley.

This book was good fun that I would likely recommend to the younger side of YA, not so much the older side. Until about 50% into the book I was prepared to give it 5 stars, and I don't think the second half was bad by any means, but it lacked that "oomf" power that would bring the novel from good to great, and subsequently moved it more into average.

I'm a sucker for a famous x non-famous romance, ESPECIALLY when they're childhood best friends to strangers. I absolutely LOVED that the main character was bi--I didn't expect it and it was such a pleasant surprise. her bisexuality also isn't only talked about once and never brought up again, but is unapologetic from the first chapter. I felt her identity was so well written, not just inserted for quick diversity points, and was one of my favorite aspects of the book.

The buildup of Kite and Lulu's relationship was really fun to read about, however once they got together I feel their relationship got a bit stagnant. Kite, in my opinion, didn't have a good enough reason to be acting the way he was acting towards her for a period in the second half, and I would've liked his mental health regarding the Kpop industry to be further expanded upon. So much opportunity for a character study into an Idol in the Kpop industry which notoriously overworks their Idols, yet I felt that stone was only half turned.

The representation of teenage fandom spaces was at times accurate but at times very over-the-top cringe. As somebody who used to dabble in Kpop fandom spaces, we all know how insane the fans can be, especially given how young they are. Young fans often don't have the critical thinking skills to know how to act towards other people and their idols in fandom spaces, which was very well communicated in this novel, though I did feel the dialogue in the online posts sometimes felt cartoonish and out of touch.

Overall, I thought this was fun. It has a strong lead character, a good depiction of female friendships, and a sweet romance. I think this book would be really good for 10-13 year olds, and it might have upper-YA crossover appeal but judging by the other reviews I would say probably not. As aforementioned, I did wish the book delved further into Kite's character, maybe by adding a dual-POV, because his character had lots of potential to be interesting that was wasted.

Thank you Netgalley, for letting me read an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review :)

This book was just so adorable! Its a very cute friends to lovers story. I personally really love Kpop/romance stories, so this book really hit the spot for me! I did kind of wish there was more romance.
The only thing that kind of disappointed me was the ending. I felt like it could have been better. But I still read the book in like two days!