I’ll be the one by Lyla Lee | Spoiler- Free Review

ARC provided by Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.

The second I heard about this book on twitter I knew I needed to read it. A YA Contemporary celebrating K-Pop, body positivity, and being queer. That’s everything I ever wanted in a story! If you know me then you know I love kpop, and my heart was extremely happy reading this one.

TW: fatphobia, queerphobia, emotional abuse.

I’ll be the one, follows Sky Shin a fat Korean American bisexual. It is her dream to be a performer, Sky is a very talented singer and dancer. When the opportunity to enter a televised Kpop competition arrives, Skye jumps at the chance. Of course she nails her audition and she is swept up into the competition with difficult choreography and songs.

This book explores beauty standards in American as well as Korea cultures, and I adore Skye for everything she’s been put through by her mother and the judges because she’s not there ideal look for an idol.

Skye herself is completely comfortable with her body and I adore that. I’m not a petite person, so I love when books or other forms of media don’t use the fat character as the comic relief or to shame them I to dieting. Skye is the complete opposite refusing to diet or change her appearance for the show.

Skye is a character a deeply loved, she is strong and dedicated to her dreams, while being unapologetic about her appearance. She is also upbeat and positive , she is truly an inspiration and a character that will stick with me. Now enter Henry, he is this soft bisexual cinnamon roll who just loves his dog. He brings out the soft side in Skye which I loved to see. I adored there interactions and how the competition fuelled them to be the best.

I could honestly talk about this book forever, But I’ll try to narrow it down. I think the friendships in this story were so sweet including the new friends Skye makes. Something that bothered me was how Skye’s mother treated her. Her mom would tell her to diet and quit the show because her weight was embarrassing. What would people think about her, not Skye when then seen her on tv. And I understand that’s the Korean beauty culture talking but it rubbed me the wrong way having had some similar talks in my time.

Now one last thing, as someone who loves Kpop I truly loved all the groups and songs mentioned. I even looked up the songs I hadn’t heard of yet. Everytime BTS was mention my heart soared!

This is such a fun and entertaining book, which some serious discussions thrown in there that I think everyone should read not just kpop fans.

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