Once Upon a K-Prom by Kat Cho
(2022) 338 pages
Final Rating: 7/10
Blurb:
Elena Soo has always felt overshadowed. Whether by her more successful older sisters, her more popular twin brother, or her more outgoing best friend, everyone except Elena seems to know exactly who they are and what they want. But she is certain about one thing – she has no interest in going to prom. While the rest of the school is giddy over corsages and dresses, Elena would rather spend her time working to save the local community center, the one place that’s always made her feel like she belonged.
So when international K-pop superstar Robbie Choi shows up at her house to ask her to prom, Elena is more confused than ever. Because the one person who always accepted Elena as she is? Her childhood best friend, Robbie Choi. And the one thing she maybe, possibly, secretly wants more than anything? For the two of them to keep the promise they made each other as kids: to go to prom together. But that was seven years ago, and with this new K-pop persona, pink hair, and stylish clothes, Robbie is nothing like the sweet, goofy boy she remembers. The boy she shared all her secrets with. The boy she used to love.
Besides, prom with a guy who comes with hordes of screaming fans, online haters, and relentless paparazzi is the last thing Elena wants – even if she can’t stop thinking about Robbie’s smile…right?
Review:
This was an adorable, funny, and relatable book. I absolutely loved the romance in it, and, as a fellow Asian, I could understand exactly how Elena, the main character felt at home.
“‘Your father is busy at the office. He doesn’t always have the time to remember things you tell him,’ Mom reminded me. Like it was my fault Dad was so busy.”
“And even though I’d technically won this argument, I felt like I had totally lost. That was the power of mom disappointment.”
And someone needs to tell some certain someones in my life this:
“‘But I forgot that actions counted more than intentions'”
These are the exact morals I’ve been trying to tell these certain someones for a while.
It’s really important and can save you from being gaslighted or being the person who’s gaslighting.
Anyway, the negatives of this book were mostly how the pacing was a bit imbalanced and how annoying Elena could be sometimes. However, I could never bring it to myself to blame her for her faults, because the way she was growing up made her scared to be herself and to let loose. She learned her lesson at the end of the story, but I would’ve liked to see her grow more as a character throughout the book rather than at the last fifty or so pages.
