As a big fan I have read many books over the years about K-pop which have mainly focused on trainee life and making it as an idol. This offers an in-depth look more at being a fan, finding a group when you feel lonely and becoming increasingly obsessed with them.

We do get the POV of the idol too and there's mystery over the secret he's hiding which threatens the future of the group but the Minnie chapters were by far my favourites.

Jenny Tinghui Zhang must have spent a lot of time researching the world of K-pop fandoms because parts of this were scarily accurate. A wonderful read with a satisfactory ending.

A dizzying and sickening reflection of fame, idols, and how quickly we can lose ourselves. As someone who spent her formative years online and in spaces dedicated to boybands, this novel hit close to home. Similar to Minnie, I sought refuge in fandoms and celebrities that felt larger than life. I saw firsthand the delusions, conspiracies and fears that circulated around these online communities.

There was so much real fear in this story, and choosing to tell it from both inside the band and out was a clever move. I felt the want and need of the fans, and Minnie, but also the desperation in the boys, particularly Easton. I wish there was a bit more development with the other boys, but this was really Easton/Halo’s story.

I loved the slow descent into madness, and the subsequent hope at the end. This was such an exciting book to read, it felt almost like a thriller in parts. Truly a fantastic and important story about parasocial relationships and the damage they cause. If you were once a fangirl, or in online fandoms, I highly recommend this book!

This is a quick, clever read that I’d recommend to fans of Romantic Comedy or 831 Stories. I thought it blended romance and suspense really well, and the relationship between Minnie and Halo was well drawn too.