Thank you to the publisher for providing access to a digital ARC of this novel.

Another librarian that I know told me that she didn't know if she liked or didn't like this novel. I found that characterization puzzling, but after reading it, I think I know where she got that.

The twists and surprises in this novel were wild. Most readers are going to want to keep reading just to see how wacky the next twist or moment might be. I was riveted by the futuristic world of ridiculously cold temperatures and a special protected area where inhabitants trade privacy for warmth. Ultimately, I think I wanted more from the characters. To be fair, this is a duology, and that need for more from the characters may be satisfied by the second books.

Had this novel had more character development, I would have enthusiastically recommended.

Was cool but not AS cool as I was expecting some of the elements fell quite short such as the characterization. World building was Gorgeius ! Thanks for the arc

This is not the type of book I'd usually pick up but I had seen some publication reviews that sung its praises and couldn't stop thinking about it. Plus it's great to see more YA getting translated.

This is a super engaging dystopian that feels just real enough. The Hunger Games/Squid Games comps feel spot on, though I would say this feels a little less violent - though it does have it's moments.

As a reader, all my questions were answered and it gave me just enough info to want the sequel ASAP (so rude to make us wait a whole year).

I hope this one gains a lot of traction because it deserves it.

This dystopian thriller throws you headfirst into a world teetering on the edge of chaos. Imagine a glistening dome protecting a society from the cruel eternal winter outside, fueled by the labor of those in the frozen wasteland and sustained by the fabricated reality of a televised paradise. This is a mind-bending puzzle where the very lines between truth, control, and identity are fluid and terrifying.

At the heart of this whirlwind is Chobahm, a young woman thrust into the spotlight after a tragedy. Thrust into the role of a beloved TV star, she grapples with the suffocating expectations of a prefabricated life while searching for her own lost identity. Her journey becomes a poignant mirror reflecting the struggles of all Snowglobe's citizens, each a pawn in a grand, televised game.

Each chapter is a new avalanche of shocking twists and revelations and I cannot wait for the second book in this duology.

The writing isn't my favorite, mostly because of the way the exposition was spread out. While having a ton up front is never the best either, the way it was spread throughout this book made it feel like the author was throwing in important information about the world at the last possible second to make the story make sense. That said, the concept and dystopian setting were strong enough to keep me on the edge of my seat, and I think this'll be an extremely easy book to sell to middle and high school kids. Excited to read the sequel next year!

This was a really interesting dystopian novel. I loved all the characters and all of the twists and turns. I also thought that the setting was really compelling and it created such an interesting backdrop for the characters to interact with and experience. Honestly, I feel like this book would make a great TV show. All of the tension, and twists, and drama--and the main character is so interesting and quick-witted. I am super excited for this to be released so I can get physical copies for the teens at my library (and adults, too!). This is categorized as YA but I definitely think that adults will really enjoy it too.

Really enjoyed Snow globe. I like innovative dystopian fiction and this one nails it. Although its categorized as YA, I think it will widely appeal to adults as well much as the Hunger Games did. Recommended!

Thanks to netgalley for the ARC! I was not feeling the hype of this one at all. The writing was bland with lame dialogue. There was random screaming and yelling at times that didn’t seem needed and was a little over the top (it might not have translated well from Korean?). The story was also really unrealistic, and I understand with a dystopian novel it’s going to have some things that are out there, but more and more things kept being thrown in where it was losing me. I don’t even really understand where it was going at the end (I guess it continues because it is a duology, but I won’t be reading the next one). I’m quite surprised it won awards and had so many good reviews as I had to force myself to finish it today to be done with it to review it. I didn’t care about the main character at all and didn’t find this book interesting at all. The blurb got me interested, but the story itself fell short. FYI some mild violence and talk of suicide

*Big thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for hooking me up with an early copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.*

So, "Snowbound" kicks off with this cool dystopian vibe in Korea, where winter's eternal and surviving is no walk in the park. Chobahm's dream of being a director and the whole Snowglobe mystery had me hooked from the get-go.

But, let's talk real talk—Part Two hit, and suddenly, I'm lost in the plot twists. And that fantasy portal mirror thing? Yeah, I'm scratching my head too. It felt like the story was flying by the seat of its pants, you know? Telling, not showing, left me wanting more.

Props to the translation team; the Korean vibe stayed intact, especially with the original character names. Chobahm was cool, Snowglobe was mysterious, but the middle part? Bit confusing and dragged on a tad.

Plot? Chobahm gets this wild chance to pretend to be the gone-too-soon star, Haeri, inside the Snowglobe. Start and finish were great, but the middle? Lost me like my car keys. The cliffhanger ending? Left me thinking I missed a memo or needed a rewind on a few chapters.

Mixed feelings, for sure, but you know what? I'm kind of curious about Book 2. "Snowbound" might not have been my perfect match, but the sequel could spill the beans on some burning questions. Worth a shot for round two.

I can’t wait for the next book! Snowglobe was a very uniquely written dystopian that I could see becoming a movie.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for my e-ARC of Snowglobe!

𝗙𝗜𝗩𝗘 𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗦𝗢𝗡𝗦 𝗧𝗢 𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗 𝗦𝗡𝗢𝗪𝗚𝗟𝗢𝗕𝗘

1. If you love dystopian fiction, then you’re going to want to pick this one up! Set in a world where the normal temperature is generally below zero now, most people have to fight hard to survive.
2. The storyline was fantastic. I almost couldn’t put this one down! It’s fast paced, and we get to see a lot of both the open world and Snowglobe.
3. There’s a huge twist that you never see coming about 75% in that left my head reeling!
4. This is just part one of a duology, so if you’re looking for a new series, pick this one up now!
5. The overall premise is very unique and would probably make for a fun tv series!

• 𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐈𝐓’𝐒 𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐓

Enclosed under a vast dome, Snowglobe is the last place on Earth that’s warm. Outside Snowglobe is a frozen wasteland, and every day, citizens face the icy world to get to their jobs at the power plant, where they produce the energy Snowglobe needs. Their only solace comes in the form of twenty-four-hour television programming streamed directly from the domed city.

The residents of Snowglobe have everything: fame, fortune, and above all, safety from the desolation outside their walls. In exchange, their lives are broadcast to the less fortunate outside, who watch eagerly, hoping for the chance to one day become actors themselves.

Chobahm lives for the time she spends watching the shows produced inside Snowglobe. Her favorite? Goh Around, starring Goh Haeri, Snowglobe’s biggest star—and, it turns out, the key to getting Chobahm her dream life.

Because Haeri is dead, and Chobahm has been chosen to take her place. Only, life inside Snowglobe is nothing like what you see on television. Reality is a lie, and truth seems to be forever out of reach.

This was enjoyable…to a point. The premise is very intriguing, but it falls short in the execution.

I’ve written this review and erased it several times.

Let me just say this: it’s better to go into it blind.

My problem with it is that all the build-up, in my opinion, is for nothing. There’s no real resolution, and what there is feels supremely unsatisfying. The reader must suspend quite a bit of disbelief. Also, and I hate to say this, because I’m a translator myself, but the translation reads a little off, enough often that it’s noticeable. It’s good, for the most part, but it’s not great. There is huge potential for this world, though, as long as you halt the story as soon as the main character returns home from her shift at work that first day. I just wish it had gone in a different direction.

My thanks to NetGalley, Random House Children’s and Delacorte Press for a free copy in exchange for my honest feedback.

Dystopian and reality-tv fans, unite! Written with attitude and action, Snowglobe deposits the reader in a post-climate change world where snow and sub-zero temps are the norm -- humanity exists simply to survive. The only thing that keeps the denizens of the outposts going (and producing power) is the satisfaction that they receive 24-hour, uninterrupted access to the lives of the celebrities living in the Snowglobe, a paradise with manufactured weather. When Chobahm encounters her idol, Director Cha, she believes that her chance to leave the barren wasteland of the settlements and achieve a seat in the Snowglobe's prestigious film school has arrived. It isn't long though, that Chobahm realizes that there is something sinister about Snowglobe and the film industry that keeps the masses entertained.

Filled with quick-moving action, mystery and twists and turns, Snowglobe is a must-read page turner!

I found the Snowglobe to be an interesting read. However, it took me a bit to get into it because the book was translated from Korean to English. I understand that, in translation, some small yet important details may be lost.

Still, the storyline and plot kept me engaged with numerous twists and turns, making it a true page-turner. While I liked the protagonists, I felt that we didn't get to know the main characters very well; they were quite vague. Despite this, the compelling plot compensates for it.
I hope we get a deeper exploration of the characters in the second book.

So I don't know exactly how to rate this book. The world building can be super overwhelming, where some basic stuff was still being explained near the end of the book and the main character kind of just happened into some major plot points.

But I had a lot of fun reading this. The premise is odd enough that I was caught from the beginning and I was curious where it was going from some early breadcrumbs. I wanted to know what happened next and I'm definitely going to read the second book. I didn't know it was a duology and was about to be very annoyed at the loose threads at the end. Overall, it was an interesting read.

I was so in the mood for some YA dystopian so was very excited to read this. I grew up reading hunger games and divergent so I always love to get back to a good dystopian book. The concept is super unique even for dystopian and the beginning really drew me in. I do think this book suffers some pacing issues as the beginning and the end were very exciting with twists and turns but the middle of the book lost me a little. I always love to include books translated from there original source (in this case Korean) in our library though and will for sure purchase.

This book's premise was unlike anything I have read in a long while. It Is such an interesting topic. This post-apocalyptic society was well-developed and odd enough that it pulled me right in from the beginning. It almost feels like it's the Hunger Games mixed with Squid Game all wrapped into one book. The main character, Chobahm, is likable in the sense that you are rooting for her success throughout the challenges she faces in Snowglobe. Without giving the specifics of the plot away, the ending of the novel is suspenseful and mind-boggling that a sequel, or trilogy, seems almost too likely. This is definitely a read that will be spun into a Netflix series or original movie that has to be a must-watch.

This book had quite a few twists and turns. Based on the blurb, I had expected the plot to be a lot simpler than it ended up being. Instead, the novel kept me glued to its pages, staring wide-eyed at the words as plot twist after plot twist was revealed.

Although I generally liked this book, I wish there had been a little more explanation given regarding some of the twists. The last few chapters in particular provided more questions than they did answers. I'm delighted to see there's a sequel, and I expect we'll receive many answers there. But even so, I wish at least some of the twists were explained more thoroughly within this book.

I also wish there had been a tiny bit more focus on characterization and character development. The book was very plot-driven (which in itself isn't a bad thing), but I feel like we didn't get to know the main characters very well beyond one or two facts about them. This is also something I hope will be explored within the sequel. This book spent quite a bit of time revealing secrets, so I'm hoping the sequel will dedicate more page time to exploring who the characters are and further endearing them to readers.

Overall, though, this was a very enjoyable read, and I'd recommend it to anyone who likes reading dystopian novels, critiquing reality shows, and devouring plot twists.

Snowglobe is about a post-apocalyptic society in which climate change has turned into the next ice age. It starts with a nod to The Truman Show; there are actors who spend their entire lives on screen for the benefit of society; the difference is, they know that they're actors. The television world is run by directors, who have the final say in how much of the constant surveillance is turned into broadcast shows. These shows, all broadcast from the city of Snowglobe, are a lifeline for the rest of the population, whose lives revolve around generating power - literally, as much of the power used by their society comes from power plants in which people spent 10 hours a day walking inside a hamster wheel, with a minimum requirement of four miles per hour to keep the TV turned on. Only in Snowglobe, a city completely enclosed in an insulated and heated dome, does the average temperature rise above freezing; there, the average temperature is 70 degrees Fahrenheit. The inhabitants of Snowglobe create the entertainment that keeps the rest of society going - but something is truly rotten in Snowglobe.

Jeon Chobahm is a worker at a power plant, spending her days walking on a wheel, generating power for her community, when a stranger appears - an event in itself. That she recognizes the stranger as Cooper, from a well-known television show makes it even more interesting. Cooper leads Chobahm to a black limousine, where a famous director offers Chobahm the chance of a lifetime, even offering her the chance to go to directing school if she'll do just a small favor for her. But there's more than meets the eye to the director's offer - much more - and accepting that offer thrusts Chobahm into a world of intrigue and mystery unlike any she could have imagined. Recommended for teen and adult readers.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Soyoung Park for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for Snowglobe coming out February 27, 2024. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I was so excited to get this book! I love Korean books. This book is a cross between Snowpiercer and the Truman Show. Sometimes it felt a little like the Hunger Games. I loved the writing, and the storyline, and the plot. It kept me on the edge of my seat. I was definitely excited to find out what happened. The first half of the book was amazing and I love how she was thrown into the Snowglobe life. I think things got a little crazy in the second half, but I really loved it. I think this will be a series based on the ending. So I’m definitely excited to read more books by this author!

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys books about dystopian societies.