I LOVE competition show novels, especially if they're queer, and this is no exception! I will read every YA book Lyla Lee authors. My only issue is that the connection with Skye and Henry didn't go as deep as I'd have liked, but I love them both anyway. And all of Skye's friends are fantastic. I loved the way this resolved and think it'd be so cool to see a sequel! ( )

Skye is a charming heroine. Her mother is awful to her, believing her daughter is a disgrace because of her weight. Henry is a sweet teddy bear. Skye is determined to prove her mother wrong. Skye faces discrimination, but she believes in herself and has the support of her friends. Both she and Henry are bi-sexually. Also Skye befriends a lesbian couple. ( )

*Thank you to Edelweiss for allowing me to read this book in exchange for a honest and unbiased review*

Hello Fellow Readers,

I loved this book! It has everything I want Body positivity, LGBT Positivity, and wonderful story that while does have romance isn't all about romance. First of all Skye Shin is amazing! She's intelligent, can sing and dance and she is just a breath of fresh air in the Young Adult world. There was never a time where I didn't like Skye, even when her mother seemed to bully her, and she demurred. Or even when she was harassed online and she was mortified I never once thought she didn't have a backbone. Skye almost seemed real to me, like I could imagine this being about a real person rather than a character in a book and I love that.

Lee created such a great story that I did not want to put the book down. Set in Southern California (where I grew up) I loved that I got all the city references and knew everything she was talking about. I also loved the integration of Instagram stars and Korean culture in this modern age. I also really loved Henry because he was not the typical 'mysterious, rude, heartthrob' but acted like a genuinely nice guy (Which more YA novels need).

There were a couple of things I wished Lee did, like the consequences to certain people were not as harsh as I would have liked, and I felt some things didn't get as solved as I would like. This does make me wonder if this will turn into a series (which I would not mind) or if it will stay a one-shot.
Overall, the book is a great burst of sunshine in a genre in which I think really needs it. ( )

This was a pretty good book with a fun story. The things that I liked about this story where the romance between Skye and Henry, the body positivity demonstrated by Skye's character about being fat/plus-sized and that you can do what you enjoy and are good at no matter what you look like or what other people say.
The other thing that was thought-provoking for me was the examination, description, and discussion about the troubled relationship between Skye and her mother and how Skye tried to understand her mother and accept the relationship she had with her even though it wasn't what she wanted. It also reminded me of how sometimes we have to accept people and our relationships with them as they are and that they won't always change to what we want because sometimes one or other of the people in a relationship just can't or won't work to meet and compromise on things.
It's got some good messages in this story with the body positivity, about self-esteem, self-confidence, sticking up for yourself, chasing your dreams, and learning to accept and love yourself as well as others as you are and as they are. ( )

audio teen fiction (8h50m) - plus-size closeted bisexual Korean-American singer/dancer enters Korean-based K-pop competition against her fat-shaming mom's wishes, befriends hunky celebrity boy and shows him around Los Angeles.

super cute, skillfully narrated summery queer romance and boy positivity story. The characters and their relationships are complex and relatable. ( )