Read + Review: I’ll Be the One by Lyla Lee

You can find an eBook copy here or an eAudiobook copy here.

The bright colorful world of K-pop is infamous for its seemingly unattainable beauty standards. Skye Shin knows all about them. Her mother has constantly told her since childhood how fat girls shouldn’t be on stage, but that wasn’t going to stop Skye. Skye wants to show her mother, and anyone else who doubts her, that fat girls are just as, if not more, talented than anyone else. That’s why when “You’re My Shining Star”, a new K-pop competition survival show, was hosted in LA, she auditioned without telling her mother. As Skye gets thrown into K-pop scene she is immediately hit with back-lash, but there are also plenty of people wanting her to succeed. Skye perseveres through the competition showing everyone that she is star-material, regardless of her body type.

The characters in this book are true gems! There was some dialogue that were definitely cheesy, but the struggles they faced were relatable. I truly understood Skye’s need to prove her mother wrong. I was genuinely rooting for her throughout the entire book. Another thing about the characters is that they felt like real people. Some of them were definitely more morally gray than others, and they didn’t feel like characters in a story. The plot moved forward a little quickly, especially in the beginning. I don’t necessarily think this is a bad thing, but to me it felt like things were passing by quite quickly. The plot was good in the sense that nothing felt too unrealistic.

Even though I have already stated this, the characters are super memorable! I think I like the way they portray Skye’s mother the best. I don’t think that Skye’s mother wanted to hurt her daughter, but that is what ended up happening. In the book Skye repeatedly thinks about when she was younger and how low of a self-esteem she had due to her mother’s hurtful words. Obviously Skye and her mother love each other, but their relationship definitely took a hit because of her mother’s actions. Just because I think she is a complex character does not mean I condone her actions. She pushed her standards on Skye, completely blind to the pain it was causing her. I think a lot of parents could be guilty of this. Maybe not to this extent, but I’m sure some parents have said hurtful things because they want the best for their children.

Reviewed by Elaine, Twin Hickory Library