Not Your Average Jo

by Grace K. Shim

From the author of THE NOH FAMILY, a second standalone YA novel that follows a Korean American teen as she navigates the treacherous world of nepo babies and cultural appropriation that is the Los Angeles music scene. Perfect for fans of Mary H. K. Choi, Maurene Goo, and Emiko Jean.

Riley Jo is a teenager who knows what she wants. Born and raised in Bentonville, Arkansas, this Korean American girl has her sights set on being a musician. So when her parents are surprisingly cool about her attending the prestigious Los Angeles-based arts-focused boarding school her senior year of high school, she jumps at the chance. This is her moment to make her indie rock dreams a reality!

Things at Carlmont Academy start out strong: She joins a band, and they set out to make plans to perform at the annual spring concert—with a chance to land a record contract. Another student, Xander, decides his school project will be a documentary about the band leading up to their first show. But not everything goes how Riley Jo imagined. She is soon sidelined when her other bandmates feel she is "too Asian" to be their lead singer, and they choose her classmate Bodhi Collins for the role instead.

Bodhi is rock music royalty, with a dad who is a famous music exec. And he's got the "all-American rock star look." Her classmates suggest she try making K-pop, but her heart is in indie rock. Riley Jo decides to take matters into her own hands and writes an original song to showcase her talent. But Bodhi takes the credit...and given his connections, the band lets him.

Xander captures all of this in his film, which he leaks in order to show the truth behind the band. Riley Jo decides to sign up for the spring concert and perform on her own . . . but will she finally be able to take center stage?

Genres: Young Adult, Music, Contemporary, Realistic Fiction, Young Adult Contemporary, High School

320 pages, Hardcover

First published March 12, 2024

Reviews

[Shar · Rating 2 out of 5]

*Spoilers(?) kind of*

As an asian american who is from Bentonville, Arkansas, I would first like to say that Bentonville isn't too too small and has more asians than Riley says we have. If anything she exaggerates it when she hasn't even experienced life in a different city, let alone a state. As someone who attends "Bentonville High" (no one here calls it Bentonville High, we either say BHS or the full name), we have a large asian community. Although the author is partially right about the school only caring about sports, she is also partly wrong because the school also cares about grades and other extracurriculars. Another thing about the schools in Bentonville is that there is no such thing as a "Bentonville U", there is the University of Arkansas, correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't universities for bigger cities? Yet the author continuously says that it's a super small town

If you look at the statistics, Benton County (the county that Bentonville is in) had an AAPI population of 11,460 in 2020, and that number has most certainly grown. I should know, I grew up in Bentonville, but I was surrounded (not in school) by Asian people my whole life. There are so many asian people that there is an Asian American Pacific Islander Culture Club, a Chinese Club, and an Indian Student Association.

Going back to the part where I say Bentonville isn't as small, in my opinion, it isn't the smallest but I might be biased. When I picture a small town, I think rural, which Bentonville is not. Even if you have different opinions on what a small town is, this is what I think and I am saying this as a well-traveled person. If you have been here (no one probably has if I'm being completely honest) in the last 6 months then you could see that we are expanding a lot. Everywhere I look there is construction happening, the airport, the roads, my neighborhood, and the city square (downtown). Would you say a small town would have this much construction? Another point is when the girls on page 223 talk bad about Riley, they say that it's because "she's from Arkansas" that she acts differently from everyone else at the school. Then they ask themselves "Who even is from Arkansas?" this part made me mad but it wasn't the author's fault it was the characters. Here's one fact about Arkansas for you: You know Walmart right? The founder, Sam Walton, opened the first Walmart in Rogers, Arkansas (a city that is right next to Bentonville). Another notable person from Arkansas was former president Bill Clinton, and although he is kind of controversial, he wasn't that bad. Honestly, at this point, I feel like the author is indirectly dragging Bentonville down even if it wasn't intentional. She could've made up a fictional town and not have any conflict, but here I am writing this review because I am annoyed. I want to know why she describes Bentonville like this... Also I feel like she hasn't done more recent research when she was writing this, I saw her Instagram a few days ago and she said that she worked on this book for a long time, but the least she could do was while doing revisions see what has changed about Bentonville.


Turning towards the actual important part of the book, the plot and the characters. I see the vision, but I feel like it wasn't executed as properly as it could've been. I do love a book that talks about asian hate and asians in general (because I love inclusiveness) but Riley wasn't the best character to bring awareness to all of this. She had a lot of character development but most of it was in the end. For me, I was very confused about Riley. She didn't want to associate with the other asians at her school because she wanted to be 'different' from the stereotypes, but then when she went to Carlmont she went to ASA (while I do get that Aerie and her friends dragged her into it, she didn't have to go to the meeting or at least not the future ones). Another way she's different is that she is white-washed (I'm sorry but who eats a mac and cheese grilled cheese sandwich. I like cheese but not that much) she doesn't know her culture as much as the others do, (my hot take: she could've at least searched something up and brought up with her parents) they don't have the same customs, and she hasn't surrounded herself with other asian people. Through all of these flaws, she's still a solid character just not the best.

Aerie was a good friend, but she was very hard-hitting. She pushed Riley too much and got very riled up when it was brought to her attention about other scenarios of micro-aggressions that happened to her friends. On the other hand, this is one of her good traits, she's very loyal and protective of her friends and would do anything to protect them, even if she attacks too hard.

Bodhi, I hated him. I hated how he treated Riley because of her race and gender. Honestly, he was like a lovesick puppy but for his dad who did not show any signs of love towards his son at all. He got me riled up so many times that I had to put the book down countless times and take a deep breath to remember that it was just a book.

Griff was such a brotherly character and it made me happy to find a Filipino in the book. I love how he was thinking of his family throughout it all and not himself, even if he also wanted to sign onto a band. I think he was my favorite character throughout this, he gave me a laugh when everything was a mess.

Xander was iffy to me, I wanted to see more connection with him and Riley, but at the same time, I didn't. I can't explain it. He was nice but he gave me red-flag signals when Riley met him. He seemed like a frat boy to me and frat boys get on my nerves (sorry guys). His video scripts were enjoyable for the most part though, I thought he was a cool guy. I hated how he just shoved Bodhi's comments aside and didn't even retaliate. (this is just my opinion). I really appreciate how he found evidence for Riley and how he stood up for her in his documentary.

Honestly, I don't even want to get into the other characters (when I started writing this it was midnight, it's 1:30 am) but I will give a small thought of what I thought of them. Mrs. Morales was so nice, I can see why Riley relied on her and talked to her a lot. Her mom is like most asian moms but more assimilated if that makes sense (wants the best for you but doesn't want you to waste your time, wants you to be the best, wants perfectionism, etc.). Her dad was super chill and sincere so that was nice. Elise was super sweet but I'm gonna be honest, she got on my nerves sometimes. Blake sucks and I agree with everything Bodhi's mom said about him. Blake is such a misogynistic, racist dude that I want to meet him in real life just to slap him.

Throughout the book, I found myself cringing through her analogies, frustrated at her thoughts and actions, but through that, it wasn't a super bad book to tell others about the forms of asian hate even when it's unintentional.

Thank you for reading through my not-so-good and not grammatically correct review/rant of this book. This was my first one.

[A.R. Hellbender · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars really. I’m having a hard time figuring out exactly how I feel about this book, because it did some things really well and other things not so much.
Let’s start with the negatives: every character except for the main character was painfully underdeveloped and flat. Each of them could be defined by one thing about them and that’s it. And since there are quite a few characters in this, that was a huge bummer.
Other things were underdeveloped, too. For instance, Riley’s favorite musician is Skylar Twist, who we never hear much about, but is essentially supposed to be the Taylor Swift equivalent here. Yet Taylor Swift is mentioned many times in this story, perhaps more than Skylar is ever mentioned, so Skylar could have easily just been Taylor Swift. Who Riley’s favorite musician is is a super small detail of the story.
And throughout the story, we get snippets of a documentary one character is working on, and the format of it is so confusing, and not only that but some of the people he gets video interviews of don’t live anywhere near there and there would have been no way for him to actually get footage of them.
There were smaller details throughout the story as well, that required a lot of suspension of disbelief and took me out of the story.
This was also possibly the most awkward book I’ve ever read. Character interactions are all SO awkward, and Riley is really put on the spot or thrown under the bus so many times. I get that some awkwardness is needed, because the subject matter *is* awkward, but dang!

Ok, enough about the things that could have made it a better story, and on to the things that made it an enjoyable read.
This book did a great job of keeping secrets from the reader, so there are things the main character doesn’t know, and I kept reading because I really wanted to find out with her. And they didn’t have to be BIG secrets, either.
The reason I wanted to read this book was because I too am an Asian (albeit west asian) woman in music, and I related a lot to not being “marketable” and the music industry presenting a lot of obstacles (though my struggles are of course not quite the same). I thought this book did a great job of portraying that, and I loved reading about someone navigating what constitutes discrimination and when the sacrifices you’re making are too much for something like a record deal to be worth it.

Though there’s a lot that I thought weakened the story, it was overall an enjoyable read with very important messages about standing up for yourself and feeling like you belong.

[Liralen · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a really bad sign when there's a typo in the first sentence: When you're an Asian Americn... (1).

Fortunately the state of the proofreading improves from there, but the book fell a little flat for me. It's ambitious, tackling microaggressions and overt racism along with the nepotism of the entertainment industry. But the only character who's fully fleshed out is Riley, the main character, and she's not awfully likeable. She's a high school senior but feels more like a fifteen-year-old in maturity (pro tip: a school-wide performance with people who can make or break your career is not the time to throw a tantrum—even if you're right about the things you're tantrum-ing about), and just kind of inconsistent. Her fancy LA boarding school isn't much better (they can give out all room assignments ahead of time but don't know who your roommate will be until you move in...?), and I never figured out what the school's goal is—the entire goal for Riley seems to be to get a record deal with a band she's been assigned to without her prior knowledge (working with people she doesn't particularly like, some of whom are blatantly racist), and there's never any suggestion that she might have other goals for herself, or that the school might support other options, etc. The book treats this largely as a question of racism (Riley being used to prop up white students' future careers), and while that might be part of the case, it's also a bigger (unaddressed) issue for the school.

So...well intentioned, and I'm glad to see such a direct discussion of anti-Asian racism, but not really the book for me.

[Wren Chatterji · Rating 4 out of 5]

Look, I'm not Asian or anything but I personally really liked this book. As an aspiring musician I found this interesting, especially when it talked about the music industry. And some people may disagree, but I personally liked Riley a lot. She was funny, real, and low-key relatable (especially as another musician. Okay mainly as another musician but still). Though I did feel some second hand embarrassment for her during the spring concert. After that, I started liking her a bit less but she was still pretty cool. Anyways, I also really liked Griff. He was really chill.

Another thing I liked about this is.... it's a coming of age novel without being a romance novel *Yippee sound effect*. While there was some romance, the romance between Riley and Xander wasn't obnoxious or badly done. I didn't really care too much about him but he wasn't annoying or anything. Also the band T-shirt stuff and the story behind it was cool.

Though there were a few problems because hey, nothing's perfect. Though for starters, it was pretty liberal. I mean, I get that part of the point is something about Asian racism, but can't we just put the politics aside and enjoy a book about music? The pronoun mentions and stuff weren't really necessary though and I'll leave it at that.

Also the cover and the description weren't really that accurate.... Riley said she played acoustic guitar and the concert shows her playing electric. And the description said she played indie rock but the book says more indie pop. As a rock music fan, when she lists OneRepublic and Imagine Dragons as what her sound is kinda like, I'm over here confused. Unless you're one of those people who considers them rock. If so, you're wrong. Also why make up Saylor Twift, I mean Skylar Twist when Taylor Swift is mentioned multiple times.

Again, aside from a lot of politics being shoved in your face and a bit of music misinformation, I personally really enjoyed it. However, I'm pretty sure the appeal is mostly for either Asians or musicians.

(Is it just me or did anyone else keep thinking of Fall Out Boy's song "So much (For) Stardust" whenever the song Stardust was mentioned? Just me? Okay...)

[Steph Carr (LiteraryHypeWoman) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars
Thoroughly enjoyed this one. Even though I'm white as can be, I still found aspects of myself in Riley. The book heavily hinges on racial microaggressions and handling racism, so if you aren't willing to think about that topic, do everyone a favor and skip it. But if you can handle it, this is a great read.

[loryn (taylor's version) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Penguin Teen for gifting me an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Not Your Average Jo is a wonderful coming of age novel about an Asian-American girl joining a band at a performing arts school, all the while navigating her cultural identity in the face of external racism.

The author does the most incredible job of discussing and portraying the complexities of the Asian American experience. She didn’t just touch on the classic “lunchbox” moment or “where are you from?” comments, but actually deep dived into the true destructive nature of micro aggressions, how the model minority myth continues to silence Asians, white privilege in the music industry, and how there isn’t just ONE way to be Asian-American. The book also touched on the biases in the Asian community itself, which is extremely important and eye-opening as well. All of this narrated, through the perspective of a headstrong young girl trying to find her voice, made the book feel so much more impactful and authentic. I have truly never felt so seen and understood in a book, it made me very happy.

My main qualm with this novel was the insane amount of “quirky gen-z slang” in the first half. Having to constantly read the words “hashtag”, “Nom” or “I’m LOL-ing” thrown into random sentences was a bit unbearable. It just didn’t feel natural or necessary, and I wish authors (in general) would understand that you don’t need to use trending social media references or slang to relate to younger audiences, because it usually comes off as forced or cringy.

Otherwise, the book was great.

[Amelie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Can't. Almost dnf'ed it. And Why is there a typo on the first page???? Read like something off of Wattpad

This book was so woke that it ruined it for me

It was a good idea but the author added so much unnecessary political yap that it was just awful

Soo anyways this book sucked. Great idea but needed to be less political 😭😭😭

On a side note Elise was the best character

1.75 stars 🌟

[Becky • bookmarked by becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Riley Jo, a Korean American from Arkansas, moves to LA to attend a prestigious board school for performing arts, where she hopes to pursue her music. Here, she joins a band but must navigate the world of nepo babies and cultural appropriations.

Not Your Average Jo is a terrific coming-of-age story. In Arkansas, Riley Jo expects microaggressions such as being asked if she plays K-pop music, where she's from, and being confused for other Asian ethnicities. However, things worsen when Riley Jo moves to LA and experiences more blatant racism. She observes the lack of diversity in the music industry and how nepotism and having the "right look" make it easier for some individuals to succeed. I loved the peek behind the music industry.

One of the more eye-opening themes in the book is Riley Jo's struggle with her cultural identity. She often feels like she doesn't fit in - not Korean enough, not American enough, not Korean-American enough. However, she eventually learns that there are different versions of being Korean American and that there is diversity within diversity.

While I enjoyed the documentary segments on audio, I found them a bit disjointed in print. Perhaps incorporating illustrations would improve the flow - just an idea.

Shannon Tyo excels at the narration, with distinct voices for each character and emotional depth for Riley Jo's senior-year struggles. I thoroughly enjoyed the narration.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

A heartfelt coming of age YA story featuring a Korean American teen aspiring to make it as a singer/songwriter. Set in LA, this is full of the complicated conflict between chasing your dreams and settling to fit into the white-washed music industry's template for what 'sells.' The book addresses the post-pandemic of anti-Asian racism, microaggressions and so much more. Good on audio and perfect for fans of authors like Axie Oh or Kelly Yang.

[Danielle Nichole · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF 23% in. I just can't handle the self-hating minority MC. She goes out of her way to not befriend the new kid at school that she's assigned to show around, on the sole objection that they're both Asian and she doesn't want to fall into any stereotypes. Also, she's at a music school and knows nothing about music, but is also somehow arrogant about it because she's like, "I don't like KPop!" That's not what he asked!

[BethFishReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

This contemporary YA novel about a Korean American girl who wants to be an indie folk/rock star has surprising depth.

Riley Jo, raised in small-town Arkansas, gets the chance to attend a music-centric high school in the LA area. There she not only meets more Asian American teens than she's ever known but she gains new perspectives on her own family and home town.

The biggest focus of the novel is on micro- (and not so micro) aggression against Asian Americans. Riley sees it in the assumptions her classmates and teachers make as well as in the music industry as a whole. But she also faces prejudices from surprising places, such as the parents of her Korean American roommate.

I don't think I've *ever* used the bookmark feature when listening to an audiobook; but here I used it three times to mark places where Riley asks some good questions. And while the issues covered in the novel are specifically geared to the Asian American experience, other minorities and women will find quite a lot to relate to.

The characters seemed real and easy to connect to. The ending was satisfying in that some but not all people changed and grew. The romantic elements were low key, and I particularly liked that Riley didn't get a fairy tale rise to fame.

Some of the topics and questions that caught my eye (paraphrased):

--Is there only one way to be Asian American? And can there be diversity within diversity?
--Is respecting a person's culture more important than the acknowledgement of good intentions?
--What happens when respecting others comes at a cost of disrespecting oneself?
--Is it better to let microaggressions go in order to gain a greater good?
--What is the role of nepotism or class advantage in the making of a star?
--Can you be too Korean and too American at the same time?

I highly recommend this novel.

One small quibble: Riley plays acoustic guitar, but the girl on the book cover is playing electric guitar .

Shannon Tyo performed the audiobook. I really liked her expressiveness and the way she picked up on the characters' personalities. Her accents seemed respectful and realistic.

Thanks to the publishers for review copies in various formats.

[Basma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actual rating: 3.5

This book was okay, I do think it lacks development both for the main character as well as the flow of the plot. Felt a bit choppy for me and I wish things were more fleshed out.

I did really like Riley’s journey! While I am not Asian, I do belong to a minority group in America and I found myself relating to the struggle between being an “activist” versus just trying to do the best for your own life. It’s a topic I haven’t seen addressed before in a book and I really do commend the author for capturing it so well!

I received an e-arc of this title from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Paige V · Rating 4 out of 5]

Riley strives to work hard to make music her future.

Riley Jo, a 17-year-old Korean American girl, is determined to pursue a career in music and leave her hometown of Bentonville behind. To achieve her dreams, she applied to Clarmont to join their contemporary band. However, this meant that she had to make a deal with her mom: Riley would spend her senior year at Clarmont and, in exchange, attend Bentonville University for four years. Despite the sacrifice, Riley will do whatever it takes to succeed in the band and prove herself to others.

The book, Not Your Average Jo, was a great read. The book provided valuable tips about the music industry, which I found helpful. The message of always working hard to achieve your dreams resonated with me. However, the book's primary focus was on the sensitive issue of racism, which is quite an important issue. While informative, it could have taken away from the story's central theme.

The book's characters, Riley, Elise, and Aerie, were all unique and stood out in their ways. Riley's hardworking nature was inspiring, and Elise's quirky personality added a fun element to the story. The messages of standing up for yourself and feeling like you belong were crucial and quite inspiring.

The book included many Gen-Z references, which were too many for my liking. While I understand the book's target audience is young adults, this may have needed to be more balanced.

Overall, I recommend this book to anyone aspiring to be a music artist who enjoys an inspiring story. The book provides valuable insights into the music industry, and the characters and messages will leave a lasting impression on the reader.

Happy Reading, Paige ❤️ 📚

Thank you to the publisher for sending me a copy of this book. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Megan Olds · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grace K. Shim is a talented writer. This novel depicts so many complexities behind racism, other discrimination, and standing up for yourself. Even when things start falling apart for Riley, the more she speaks up and is honest, you can't help cheering for her, a passionate underdog with the odds stacked against her. I was so glad to see her journey resolve satisfactorily at the end.

And, in my own way, without having been discriminated against because of my race (admittedly, I am white), I understand what Riley means about the music system today being messed up, because I see the same kind of thing prominent today in my own field of writing. All the hoops to jump through and the marketing and so on and so forth basically eternally suck. And I wish more and more that for everyone's own safety and overall well-being, emotionally and in the ability to thrive, they didn't feel like they had to keep letting things be the way they've always been.

I also loved Elise, the inclusions about Korean-American culture, all of the music passion, and the funny irony of Bodhi being insecure about being insecure! I also had a feeling that that would end up the case for why Jake and Jeremy were rejected (for lack of a better word right now.)

My favorite quote: "It's not that we're being silent. It's that we're being silenced. There's a big difference. We want to say the things that matter, but we don't feel like we can."

Overall, this book is 100% Korean AND American enough, in my opinion (whether that means a whole lot or not!) It is a great crossroads between the same feels and style as Maurene Goo and others like Fireworks by Katie Cotugno, I Rise by Marie Arnold, and Reggie and Delilah's Year of Falling by Elise Bryant.

All in all, a very thoughtful (and thought-provoking, & meaningful) book!

[Paige ✨ (paiges.on.pages) · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Not Your Average Jo” by Grace K. Shim follows Riley Jo, a determined Korean American teenager with dreams of becoming a musician. When she enrolls in a prestigious arts boarding school in Los Angeles, she joins a band with hopes of making it big.

However, Riley Jo faces discrimination from her bandmates who believe she is “too Asian” to be the lead singer, sidelining her in favor of her classmate Bodhi. Despite the setbacks, Riley refuses to give up on her indie rock aspirations and decides to take matters into her own hands by writing an original song.

As tensions rise and truths are revealed through a documentary made by another student, Riley Jo must navigate the challenges of the music industry and find the courage to step into the spotlight on her own terms at the spring concert.

Through the eyes of Riley, we witness the challenges she faces as a Korean American teenager navigating the music industry and high school life. As she strums her way through the challenges of microaggressions, racial bias, and nepotism, readers will be rooting for her to take center stage and rock out with her authentic self.

Shim’s narrative is both relatable and thought-provoking, offering readers a glimpse into the complexities of adolescence and the importance of staying true to oneself. While the Gen Z lingo was a bit too much at the beginning, it did seem to die down as the story continued.

With its relatable characters and toe-tapping plot, “Not Your Average Jo” is a captivating read that will resonate with young teens seeking a meaningful and inspiring story!

Thank you to Kohima Books for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Hannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Thinking that moving to a diverse, big city was going to make me more understand was a wrong assumption. Bias and discrimination can happen anywhere, even in the biggest cities.”
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There were a lot of different things going on and I think the storyline was great. I felt like there was some missed potential, as the ending was somewhat rushed and there was a lack of full closure.
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There was Riley’s home life - her parents wanting to carve out a certain life for her, Riley’s passion for music, meeting other Asians who wanted to stand up against Asian hate (post-pandemic story, haha), many unfair things in the music industry (racism and nepotism), various friendships, and a little crush. I liked Griff the best - he was funny and a good friend. The little crush on Xander seemed like a very insignificant plot point. Bodhi was a dick, but I wish there was more closure with him, as his backstory made a big impact on how he acted. I liked how responses to microaggression were explored - some people just wanna do what they love, others want to speak out, but how will things be changed? Riley’s new Asian friends weren’t all on the innocent side either, as insinuating that Riley is not “real” Asian-American because of her upbringing can also be damaging. This was resolved well in Riley and Aerie’s friendship, as they worked to supportively understand each other in their different Asian struggles.
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The beginning about people having never heard of your last name and not knowing it was an Asian last name was so relatable LOL.

[Nicole Lesperance · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was such a sweet, engrossing, thought-provoking read. It's the story of a Korean American teen named Jo who goes away to a performing arts boarding school with the hopes of becoming a famous musician. But when she gets there, she faces some truly gross discrimination by her adviser and one of her bandmates, and she learns how to use her voice, not only to sing but also to stand up for herself.

This was incredibly well written, sensitive, and nuanced. It's a great read for both teens and adults, as it tackles a lot of complex racial issues in a super accessible way. Just like with Grace Shim's first book, THE NOH FAMILY, the characters are just so fun and emotionally resonant and vivid, you can't help but get totally swept up with them and their story. Can't wait to read more from her!

[Joanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5

I originally wanted to read this book because 1) the main character is Korean like me and we are in desperate need of Asian representation, 2) she has my name 😍. As soon as I started reading, though, I was sucked in. From racism to microaggressions, Jo has been through it all. And the way the author handled these heavy topics was wonderfully done.

Jo Riley moves to Carlmont Academy from her no-name small town in Arkansas to pursue her music career. After experiencing her entire life as one of the only Asians, and only Korean, in her town, she thought LA would be different. They would be more accepting of her and woke. But when she gets there, she goes through a whole new aspect of racism.

One thing I really loved about this book was how it showed not all immigrants are the same. There isn’t one set way immigrant must act like—there isn’t one was to be Korean American, in the book. As someone who grew up very close to my culture, I could see myself as Jo’s roommate more than Jo. However, after being a wallflower all her life, it wasn’t fair of her to be expected to immediately choose to stand up against Asian Hate and other activism. Although these are very real issues we should address, not every Asian should be forced to take a stand the same way. And I loved how the author encapsulated that. Jo was different than her friends who grew up bilingual and learning about their culture, and that was okay.

Some things I didn’t like about the book was character development. Besides Jo, none of the other characters felt developed enough and had one defining trait, as was pointed out by another reviewer. Which was a shame because they all were amazing.

Another thing was why were there so many Gen-Z references? 😭 I know the book was supposed to be about a teen in this time and age, but the random hashtags and LOLs was not necessary.

In general, I really liked the book and its message. We really need more stories like this in the industry and Grace K. Shim is killing it.

Thank you PenguinTeen for a review copy!

[Faith Schofield · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you so much to Penguin Teen and NetGalley for giving me an ARC of this one!

Not Your Average Jo is an insightful and entertaining story about Riley Jo, an Asian-American teenager who is navigating both the music industry and the prejudices that exist within it. I feel like this book did a good job at depicting the microaggressions and difficulties that Asian-Americans face not only in wider society but also in their own communities. It was cool to see how Riley Jo worked through what she faced at Carlmont, her school, and how she began to figure out her identity. It was a tad heavy on the plot at times and didn’t really focus as much on characters other than Riley Jo, and everything with the band getting to record deal seemed a bit of a stretch to me. I also just thought there were be a little more romance going in but I guess that is my bad. Overall this book was a good read and important, especially to young readers.

Rating: 3/5⭐️

[Dulcie]

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Not Your Average Jo by Grace K. Shim was funny and gave a glimpse of life in the world of the music industry and trying to make it big. Riley Jo feels stifled in her hometown in Arkansas, where no one understands what it is like for a Korean girl to love rock-n-roll and play guitar. No K-Pop for this kiddo. She convinces her parents to let her attend a performing arts high school for her senior year. Riley is sure this is her ticket to make it big. Instead, she discovers her true self as she realizes the music industry is not what she thought, and success comes in different forms. I really enjoyed reading this book.

Thank you for giving me this opportunity to write a review. Not Your Average Jo is currently for sale at your favorite bookstore. #goodreads @Kokila

[Kim Wilch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Riley has a dream - living a life of music. She makes a deal with her mom that furthers her deepest wishes. This 17-year-old, Korean American girl, will do whatever it takes. 

Elise and Aerie join the cast of characters, each unique. While Riley is hard working, Elise has a fun and unusual personality. Griff and Xander enter stage left and add another layer to the story. Don’t get me started on Bodhi. 

There are several life lessons addressed within the pages; work hard to reach the stars, stand up for yourself, belonging, and Asian racism addressed in a way that makes you feel the unfairness. I found the music industry politics to be both interesting and disgusting. The hashtag and LOL’s got old quick - too overdone. Nonetheless, it is an inspirational and enjoyable story.

[Megan Houde · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved The Noh Family so I was excited to check out Grace’s next work.

Riley Jo is like your average Korean American teen. She lives in Arkansas and has always wanted to be a musician, so when she really wants to join a performing arts school all the way in L.A. how could her parents not let her. Things are starting out really great, until she starts to butt beads with her bandmates.

This story definitely hits the head with race and nepotism. So much so that some characters fell flat for me. I just felt disconnected and like they were “too young.” It’s definitely a coming-of-age and growing up. I’m older so I’m not hip to today’s slang, so some of it was a little out there for me. But I did love the finding inner voice and music aspect the story takes us on.

[Mary Mav · Rating 1 out of 5]

1,5/ okay. So here we go. Let me preface this by saying this review comes with a heavy heart from someone who loved the Noh Family. Someone, whom I will curse for the rest of my days said to Grace we need a more American and contemporary read. And went to hell with it. I don't know what I hated the most. The references to TikTok and the pandemic of which I do not give a fuck, the most annoying whiny protagonist with a personality of a flour, the overt virtue signaling and references to Asian hate in a manner that is annoying. For the last part especially i was expecting nuanced political commentary Instead of typical scenarios straight out of an AI training in politics and ending up like a Biden speech. No. No. No.

[Chris G. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Is there only one way to be Asian American? There are not a lot of Korean Americans in Arkansas; Riley’s dad thought it would be easier to change the family name from Cho to Jo. Assimilation is the
Jo family way. When singer-songwriter Riley enrolls in a music-focused California boarding school for her senior year, she hopes it will open doors to a recording contract and it might, but navigating the systemic racism in the entertainment industry is a continual challenge. New friends help Riley begin to grapple with other ways to confront injustice. No easy answers, but readers will find plenty to think and talk about. EARC from Edelweiss.

[Jame_EReader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you @tbrbeyondtours @penguinteen for the opportunity to participate on this booktour and our tour stops here.

👧🏻 review: Riley Jo is many of us Asian-American kids who have been trying to break out of our shells but cannot seem to get the fair share of the world. She tried hard and still gets the unfair advantage. This coming of age is definitely not something all Asian-Americans have encountered and endured, but I can see this happening to many people who have been living through it. This should be her work her credit and reading this book, it gives you the chance to see how she can make the most out of it. It is an amazing book! Definitely recommending this one.

[Dana McKenzie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a wonderful coming of age story about a girl named Riley Jo, who is Korean American. This book really nicely brought out the struggles of racism and discrimination.

Riley Jo feels as if she’s not “enough”. Not Korean enough, not American enough… But, oh yes, there’s a but, Music! Music is what makes her shine. How Riley finds herself, how she finds her voice.

I loved the relationship between Riley and her friends. Grace Shim does a wonderful job with the characters in this book, I loved how each one developed over time.

This book was a breath of fresh air, very inspirational for not only artist and musicians, but for kids and adults of any age.

[K TEA · Rating 3 out of 5]

While the novel touches on important themes such as identity and resilience, some readers might find the plot predictable and the characters somewhat stereotypical. However, the narrative's exploration of authenticity and artistic integrity adds depth to the story, making it a worthwhile read for fans of YA fiction. Overall, "Not Your Average Jo" is a compelling tale that resonates with themes of empowerment and self-discovery, making it a recommended choice for those seeking a relatable and thought-provoking read in the realm of contemporary YA literature.

[Lilika Duviella · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like everything but the ending.

Riley is really the only one to be punished for what happened at the spring concert, as seen with her C-. Bhodi and Blake, the ACTUAL antagonists of the book, didn't get punished because Bhodi was graduating and Blake didn't even want to come back, which canceled out his punishment.

I understand she still got what she wanted, but to not see the actual antagonists get punished made the overall ending very... Unsatisfying.

The rest of it was good, but this? Yeah, no.

[Cassandra Peters · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this coming of age story about Riley Jo a Korean American teen trying to find a place where she fits in while pursuing her musical interest. She deals with racial issues from different fronts but especially with the contemporary band that she is apart of in the school of the arts boarding school she gets accepted to in her senior year of high school. She learns she has to find her own voice in all of it. It was a great read.

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you enjoyed Riley's journey of breaking free of social pressures and learning to speak out against Asian prejudice/discrimination, both in and out of the entertainment industry in this book, you might also enjoy K-pop Confidential by Stephan Lee and I'll Be the One by Lyla Lee.

Shim did an excellent job showcasing all the subtle and overt ways Asians cope with prejudice and discrimination against them, and also perpetrate it against each other.