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K-Jane
From acclaimed author Lydia Kang comes a funny, moving YA novel following a third-generation Korean American teen who goes to extreme and hilarious lengths to connect more with her Korean heritage, perfect for fans of Maurene Goo and Rachel Lynn Solomon.
Jane Choi is a typical Nebraskan teen—a corn-fed lover of Husker football. But lately, she feels like she’s missing something. Her non-Korean classmates—that’s everyone—are immersed in K-pop, K-dramas, K-beauty . . . basically, K-everything. But for Jane, kimchi? Not a fan. Bibimbap? What is that? Her mom even named her after the very not-Korean Jane Eyre.
Everyone seems to know more about Korean culture than Jane. And she isn’t sure whether she’s more annoyed at them, or herself.
With a baby brother on the way, Jane is determined to save her new sibling from enduring the same humiliation. a totally foolproof plan to become the K-Jane of her dreams. What better way than to start a private social media account about all things Korean so her closest cousins can learn from her?
But Korean heritage and identity are more complicated than taste-testing multiple varieties of kimchi in front of a camera. And when online virality crashes into real life, Jane’s plans might just go K-boom in her face.
Jane Choi is a typical Nebraskan teen—a corn-fed lover of Husker football. But lately, she feels like she’s missing something. Her non-Korean classmates—that’s everyone—are immersed in K-pop, K-dramas, K-beauty . . . basically, K-everything. But for Jane, kimchi? Not a fan. Bibimbap? What is that? Her mom even named her after the very not-Korean Jane Eyre.
Everyone seems to know more about Korean culture than Jane. And she isn’t sure whether she’s more annoyed at them, or herself.
With a baby brother on the way, Jane is determined to save her new sibling from enduring the same humiliation. a totally foolproof plan to become the K-Jane of her dreams. What better way than to start a private social media account about all things Korean so her closest cousins can learn from her?
But Korean heritage and identity are more complicated than taste-testing multiple varieties of kimchi in front of a camera. And when online virality crashes into real life, Jane’s plans might just go K-boom in her face.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published October 21, 2025
14 people are currently reading
2955 people want to read
About the author
Lydia Kang
24 books2,371 followersI love salt more than chocolate. I'm somewhat small, yet deceptively strong. Sort of like an ant.
I'm a part time doc, full time family member, and if you offer me snacks, I'll be a friend for life.
My adult fiction centers around historical mysteries in New York City, with splashes of forensics, anatomy, apothecary medicine, and chemistry! A BEAUTIFUL POISON takes place in 1918 at the height of the influenza epidemic; THE IMPOSSIBLE GIRL centers around the illegal grave robbing world; and forthcoming in July 2020 is OPIUM AND ABSINTHE, with--you guessed it--opium and absinthe. And possibly vampires!
I have three nonfiction adult titles written with Nate Pederson: QUACKERY: A Short History of the Worst Ways to Cure Everything, 2017; PATIENT ZERO: A Curious History of the World's Worst Diseases; and PSEUDOSCIENCE: An Amusing History of Crackpot Ideas and Why We Love Them.
My most recent YA novel is releasing in October 2025, entitled K-Jane (Quill Tree Books) about a Korean American girl who doesn't feel Korean enough and decides to educate herself on all things K-Pop, K-food, K-drama, and things get pretty out of hand! I am also the author of TOXIC, a space opera about a created, teen girl who's abandoned on a biological spaceship, and the mercenary boy doomed to die on it. I've also written THE NOVEMBER GIRL, set on a remote island on Lake Superior. A girl with violence running through her veins meets a boy running away from an abusive home life.
I'm also the author of the Star Wars novel CATACLYSM, which is part of The High Republic series of books that take place several hundred years before the movies begin.
And as always, there are more books to come!
I'm a part time doc, full time family member, and if you offer me snacks, I'll be a friend for life.
My adult fiction centers around historical mysteries in New York City, with splashes of forensics, anatomy, apothecary medicine, and chemistry! A BEAUTIFUL POISON takes place in 1918 at the height of the influenza epidemic; THE IMPOSSIBLE GIRL centers around the illegal grave robbing world; and forthcoming in July 2020 is OPIUM AND ABSINTHE, with--you guessed it--opium and absinthe. And possibly vampires!
I have three nonfiction adult titles written with Nate Pederson: QUACKERY: A Short History of the Worst Ways to Cure Everything, 2017; PATIENT ZERO: A Curious History of the World's Worst Diseases; and PSEUDOSCIENCE: An Amusing History of Crackpot Ideas and Why We Love Them.
My most recent YA novel is releasing in October 2025, entitled K-Jane (Quill Tree Books) about a Korean American girl who doesn't feel Korean enough and decides to educate herself on all things K-Pop, K-food, K-drama, and things get pretty out of hand! I am also the author of TOXIC, a space opera about a created, teen girl who's abandoned on a biological spaceship, and the mercenary boy doomed to die on it. I've also written THE NOVEMBER GIRL, set on a remote island on Lake Superior. A girl with violence running through her veins meets a boy running away from an abusive home life.
I'm also the author of the Star Wars novel CATACLYSM, which is part of The High Republic series of books that take place several hundred years before the movies begin.
And as always, there are more books to come!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
October 18, 2025
I really loved this book. I wish more YA like this had existed when I was a teenager, messy teens being messy and learning and maturing from their experiences. I want more YA like this even now; I think this is a perspective that teens need to hear and could relate to.
This is also a diaspora experience that I don't see depicted enough. When immigrant families try to assimilate to fit in and lose their culture along the way, and subsequent generations become curious and don't feel either Korean or American enough.
K-Jane is loosely inspired by Jane Eyre, with a love interest named Edward who's aloof and has a mysterious secret. Thankfully it's not a wife hiding in an attic. Jane has a hopeless crush on him and she's consumed with preparing for a new baby brother, Franklin. She becomes embarassed about how little she knows about her own culture and how much of a banana she is living in Nebraska with a family who never even prepares Korean food, speaks Korean, or knows about Korean customs. Even her two white friends seem more like experts than she is and are well-meaning, but seem to keep rubbing her nose in it.
She develops a new hyperfixation to obsessively learn about Korean culture and documents her experiences in StoryThyme, a video app. She and Edward get together with thankfully minimal angst but enough tension that I felt their mutual crush was real, instead of being told about it. But Edward still hasn't told her about his secret and the reason for his disappearing act, and she hasn't told him that she feels ashamed for knowing nothing about Korean culture and she's not the expert she pretends to be.
She only shares the videos with her cousins, but her account accidentally goes public and she becomes a humiliating viral sensation. Memes of her spitting up kimchi, which she hates, are everywhere, and she's pushed everyone away.
I admired how she handled it and made amends with her friends after how self-centered and shallow Jane was at the beginning. I was rooting for her from the beginning. She was a likable, messy heroine. And at first I was mad at Edward for not being there for her in her hour of need, but he had a very good reason that made it seem like less of an unforgivable betrayal and more understandable, and made me like him more as a love interest. Both characters are struggling with shame over their families and that gave them common ground besides a teenage crush.
This was a lovely, beautiful, heartfelt and very personal book that at first seemed just surface level, and then went deeper in ways that brought tears to my eyes.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance review copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This is also a diaspora experience that I don't see depicted enough. When immigrant families try to assimilate to fit in and lose their culture along the way, and subsequent generations become curious and don't feel either Korean or American enough.
K-Jane is loosely inspired by Jane Eyre, with a love interest named Edward who's aloof and has a mysterious secret. Thankfully it's not a wife hiding in an attic. Jane has a hopeless crush on him and she's consumed with preparing for a new baby brother, Franklin. She becomes embarassed about how little she knows about her own culture and how much of a banana she is living in Nebraska with a family who never even prepares Korean food, speaks Korean, or knows about Korean customs. Even her two white friends seem more like experts than she is and are well-meaning, but seem to keep rubbing her nose in it.
She develops a new hyperfixation to obsessively learn about Korean culture and documents her experiences in StoryThyme, a video app. She and Edward get together with thankfully minimal angst but enough tension that I felt their mutual crush was real, instead of being told about it. But Edward still hasn't told her about his secret and the reason for his disappearing act, and she hasn't told him that she feels ashamed for knowing nothing about Korean culture and she's not the expert she pretends to be.
She only shares the videos with her cousins, but her account accidentally goes public and she becomes a humiliating viral sensation. Memes of her spitting up kimchi, which she hates, are everywhere, and she's pushed everyone away.
I admired how she handled it and made amends with her friends after how self-centered and shallow Jane was at the beginning. I was rooting for her from the beginning. She was a likable, messy heroine. And at first I was mad at Edward for not being there for her in her hour of need, but he had a very good reason that made it seem like less of an unforgivable betrayal and more understandable, and made me like him more as a love interest. Both characters are struggling with shame over their families and that gave them common ground besides a teenage crush.
This was a lovely, beautiful, heartfelt and very personal book that at first seemed just surface level, and then went deeper in ways that brought tears to my eyes.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance review copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
December 27, 2025
so... meh???
the memory of this book feels hazy, even after i just finished it. if i think hard enough, i can recall reading it, but it doesn't feel very clear. i think the main problem with this book is it just isn't very memorable. the premise is fairly original, but it does nothing to help when the writing style, friend group, and romance are the exact same as most of the ya contemporaries that feel "meh" and just get lost in the shelves. these phenomena happen for a reason--everything in them is recycled. we all know this, but i'd like to just draw attention to the fact that there are so many ya contemporaries sitting there that traditional "booktok" readers won't even spare a second glance at. and that's because they have nothing to make these booktok readers want to pursue them. they don't have a unique voice. there are the constantly overexcited friend groups with the queer character thrown in for representation points. they all fit these molds, these archetypes.
these types of books don't try to do anything new with the romance. the cheesy writing of it doesn't even make seasoned ya readers irritated because we're all just so used to the instalove. even if the booktok romances aren't great and often have instalove, they kind of bring a new, usually hilariously cringy perspective to the thing and people will read it just because of how ~scandalous~ it all is. meanwhile, these straggling contemporaries will fail to make it big just because they're all the same.
my god. let's talk about how half the time, the mmc doesn't have any sort of personality whatsoever. often in booktok books, the mmc's personality will consist of growling, lifting weights, collecting expensive racecars, and welding metal. well??? at least he does something.
i'm just so tired of seeing books with serious potential getting thrown to the side because the author decided to take the easy path and write in others' shadow. the poor trees.
the memory of this book feels hazy, even after i just finished it. if i think hard enough, i can recall reading it, but it doesn't feel very clear. i think the main problem with this book is it just isn't very memorable. the premise is fairly original, but it does nothing to help when the writing style, friend group, and romance are the exact same as most of the ya contemporaries that feel "meh" and just get lost in the shelves. these phenomena happen for a reason--everything in them is recycled. we all know this, but i'd like to just draw attention to the fact that there are so many ya contemporaries sitting there that traditional "booktok" readers won't even spare a second glance at. and that's because they have nothing to make these booktok readers want to pursue them. they don't have a unique voice. there are the constantly overexcited friend groups with the queer character thrown in for representation points. they all fit these molds, these archetypes.
these types of books don't try to do anything new with the romance. the cheesy writing of it doesn't even make seasoned ya readers irritated because we're all just so used to the instalove. even if the booktok romances aren't great and often have instalove, they kind of bring a new, usually hilariously cringy perspective to the thing and people will read it just because of how ~scandalous~ it all is. meanwhile, these straggling contemporaries will fail to make it big just because they're all the same.
my god. let's talk about how half the time, the mmc doesn't have any sort of personality whatsoever. often in booktok books, the mmc's personality will consist of growling, lifting weights, collecting expensive racecars, and welding metal. well??? at least he does something.
i'm just so tired of seeing books with serious potential getting thrown to the side because the author decided to take the easy path and write in others' shadow. the poor trees.
Read
October 19, 2025Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy
K-Jane by Lydia Kang is a first person-POV YA contemporary told through the lens of a third generation Korean-American. Jane’s mother is pregnant and Jane is not going to let her little brother grow up as disconnected from their Korean heritage as she did. She sets out to learn as much as she can as fast as she can and catches the eye of her crush, Edward, along the way.
While I am not Korean, as someone who also has had to come to terms with the lack of knowledge I have about my grandparents’ culture, language, and food, this really hit home. Lydia Kang shows off that frustration and shame as well as the earnest desire to actually learn while balancing the fact that Jane is not as informed about Korean pop culture as many people around her who are not Korean. It's such a tricky thing to portray because this is reality for so many in the diaspora and it is a source of pain, but it's also complicated because so many of our parents were also raised with that disconnect because assimilation was the name of the game when they were growing up. It's all handled sensitively and honestly.
While I wouldn't say this is romance genre as the plot goes on without it, there is a prominent romance B-plot threaded throughout. Edward is a Gen 1.5 Taiwanese-American who is dealing with strict parents who don't understand his love of art or his desire to go to art school to pursue his passions and talent. In contrast, Jane’s parents are a lot more relaxed as long as she can keep her grades up on her own. I think that the story could absolutely have worked as a romance if the focus was shifted a little to the right or left, but I appreciated that it was more a character arc for Jane and a romantic relationship happened to be part of her arc.
The part of the book that I think I loved the most was probably the messiest part as Jane starts to pull away from her best friends, Bridge and Matty, over her perception of how they are treating the K-Jane project and their broader knowledge of Korean pop culture when the book opens. She starts to have negative feelings towards them for explaining Korean culture to her or telling her where she should start. The reader can tell that they have positive intentions, but they are ultimately stepping in a pretty big wound and aren't taking a step back to make sure they're being respectful of Jane’s feelings. It's all very messy and is probably a conversation happening in a lot of friend groups as Korean pop culture gets more and more popular.
Content warning for depictions of pregnancy
I would recommend this to fans of K-dramas and K-pop looking for a YA contemporary and readers of fiction exploring the diaspora experiences
K-Jane by Lydia Kang is a first person-POV YA contemporary told through the lens of a third generation Korean-American. Jane’s mother is pregnant and Jane is not going to let her little brother grow up as disconnected from their Korean heritage as she did. She sets out to learn as much as she can as fast as she can and catches the eye of her crush, Edward, along the way.
While I am not Korean, as someone who also has had to come to terms with the lack of knowledge I have about my grandparents’ culture, language, and food, this really hit home. Lydia Kang shows off that frustration and shame as well as the earnest desire to actually learn while balancing the fact that Jane is not as informed about Korean pop culture as many people around her who are not Korean. It's such a tricky thing to portray because this is reality for so many in the diaspora and it is a source of pain, but it's also complicated because so many of our parents were also raised with that disconnect because assimilation was the name of the game when they were growing up. It's all handled sensitively and honestly.
While I wouldn't say this is romance genre as the plot goes on without it, there is a prominent romance B-plot threaded throughout. Edward is a Gen 1.5 Taiwanese-American who is dealing with strict parents who don't understand his love of art or his desire to go to art school to pursue his passions and talent. In contrast, Jane’s parents are a lot more relaxed as long as she can keep her grades up on her own. I think that the story could absolutely have worked as a romance if the focus was shifted a little to the right or left, but I appreciated that it was more a character arc for Jane and a romantic relationship happened to be part of her arc.
The part of the book that I think I loved the most was probably the messiest part as Jane starts to pull away from her best friends, Bridge and Matty, over her perception of how they are treating the K-Jane project and their broader knowledge of Korean pop culture when the book opens. She starts to have negative feelings towards them for explaining Korean culture to her or telling her where she should start. The reader can tell that they have positive intentions, but they are ultimately stepping in a pretty big wound and aren't taking a step back to make sure they're being respectful of Jane’s feelings. It's all very messy and is probably a conversation happening in a lot of friend groups as Korean pop culture gets more and more popular.
Content warning for depictions of pregnancy
I would recommend this to fans of K-dramas and K-pop looking for a YA contemporary and readers of fiction exploring the diaspora experiences
October 3, 2025
This is the kind of YA that feels like a love letter to tweens—messy, funny, heartfelt, and oh-so-relatable
This was such an endearing YA read, and I can totally see it being a hit with the 12–14 crowd. Technically, the main character is a junior in high school, but the writing definitely leans more middle grade. Tween me would have devoured this like candy.
Jane, our FMC, is your everyday Midwestern American teen who suddenly realizes she has basically zero connection to her Korean heritage. With a baby brother on the way, she decides it’s time to change that—and promptly launches herself into what I can only describe as “Korean Bootcamp.” Spoiler: it takes over her whole life.
Her journey plays out in the most age-appropriate (and entertaining) ways—trying to impress her crush with random facts, fumbling with friendships, letting her grades slide, and generally doing the classic teen juggle. It’s messy, it’s heartfelt, and it’s exactly what makes her so relatable. Younger readers will definitely see themselves in Jane, all while picking up a crash course in Korean culture without it ever feeling like homework.
I listened on audio, narrated by Ami Park, and she nailed it. Her pacing was spot-on—crisp at 1x and still perfectly clear when sped up. The way she handled the Korean accent combined with an elderly woman’s voice could have easily slipped into caricature (and I’ve cringed through that before), but she kept it respectful and authentic. Major points for that.
Overall, I’d absolutely recommend this one for younger teens or even as a school read. It’s smart, charming, and educational without being preachy—the kind of book that makes you laugh, think, and maybe even text your mom about your heritage.
By the end, you’ll be rooting for Jane, Googling recipes, and maybe even reconnecting with your own roots.
I was fortunate to receive a complimentary ALC from HarperAudio Children’s via NetGalley, which gave me the opportunity to share my voluntary thoughts.
How I Rate
Because I mostly read ARCs, I focus on how I think fellow readers with similar tastes will respond. I sometimes round up or down based on pacing, prose, or overall impact, and I try to keep my personal preferences from weighing too heavily.
⭐️ 1 Star – Finished, but not for me; I never DNF ARCs.
⭐️⭐️ 2 Stars – Struggled due to writing, content, or editing issues.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3 Stars – Decent read with untapped potential; recommend with some reservations.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4 Stars – Really enjoyed it and would recommend for several reasons.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 Stars – Exceptional; lingers in my mind well after reading. A story I’d gladly revisit.
This was such an endearing YA read, and I can totally see it being a hit with the 12–14 crowd. Technically, the main character is a junior in high school, but the writing definitely leans more middle grade. Tween me would have devoured this like candy.
Jane, our FMC, is your everyday Midwestern American teen who suddenly realizes she has basically zero connection to her Korean heritage. With a baby brother on the way, she decides it’s time to change that—and promptly launches herself into what I can only describe as “Korean Bootcamp.” Spoiler: it takes over her whole life.
Her journey plays out in the most age-appropriate (and entertaining) ways—trying to impress her crush with random facts, fumbling with friendships, letting her grades slide, and generally doing the classic teen juggle. It’s messy, it’s heartfelt, and it’s exactly what makes her so relatable. Younger readers will definitely see themselves in Jane, all while picking up a crash course in Korean culture without it ever feeling like homework.
I listened on audio, narrated by Ami Park, and she nailed it. Her pacing was spot-on—crisp at 1x and still perfectly clear when sped up. The way she handled the Korean accent combined with an elderly woman’s voice could have easily slipped into caricature (and I’ve cringed through that before), but she kept it respectful and authentic. Major points for that.
Overall, I’d absolutely recommend this one for younger teens or even as a school read. It’s smart, charming, and educational without being preachy—the kind of book that makes you laugh, think, and maybe even text your mom about your heritage.
By the end, you’ll be rooting for Jane, Googling recipes, and maybe even reconnecting with your own roots.
I was fortunate to receive a complimentary ALC from HarperAudio Children’s via NetGalley, which gave me the opportunity to share my voluntary thoughts.
How I Rate
Because I mostly read ARCs, I focus on how I think fellow readers with similar tastes will respond. I sometimes round up or down based on pacing, prose, or overall impact, and I try to keep my personal preferences from weighing too heavily.
⭐️ 1 Star – Finished, but not for me; I never DNF ARCs.
⭐️⭐️ 2 Stars – Struggled due to writing, content, or editing issues.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3 Stars – Decent read with untapped potential; recommend with some reservations.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4 Stars – Really enjoyed it and would recommend for several reasons.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 Stars – Exceptional; lingers in my mind well after reading. A story I’d gladly revisit.
December 1, 2025
this ode to family gave me all the warm cozy feelings <3 as an og jane eyre fan i love that lydia kang’s k-jane, while uniquely her own, preserves the messiness of jane’s journey in finding her place within her culture and identity. while some episodes felt contrived, they were easy to look past given the fast-paced nature of the book. also, edward rochester liu? ms kang i see what you did there 🙂↕️
November 18, 2025
I actually loved this one. It's a super chill read with a great message that would really resonate with children and grandchildren of immigrants. It's a great coming-of-age story about a teenage girl searching not only for her place in the world, but how to help a baby (her brother) find his place in the world too.
October 2, 2025
Lydia Kang is an author that never misses. Her newest novel, K-Jane is a perfect exploration of belonging, culture, friendship, and family. Jane is a typical Nebraska teenager. She is Korean American and feels like everyone knows more about her culture than she does. When she finds out she is having a little brother, Jane decides to learn as much as she can to teach him. Her plans include K-pop, K-dramas, K-beauty, K-everything. That is how K-Jane begins. As her person K mission develops, Jane learns about her culture and herself.
The characters in the book are inclusive, including a nonbinary friend and a student with assistive listening devices. Jane’s friends frequently give her advice on learning about her Korean culture, even though they are not Korean. Jane must sort out her feelings about this. Are her friends helping with genuine care and interest, or are they fetishizing her culture?
Jane also struggles with her family’s involvement with her mission. Why did her mom and dad not teach her about their culture? Do her cousins struggle with the same identity issues?
This book is for anyone wishing they knew more about their heritage and culture. The theme of the book is poignant and timely.
The characters in the book are inclusive, including a nonbinary friend and a student with assistive listening devices. Jane’s friends frequently give her advice on learning about her Korean culture, even though they are not Korean. Jane must sort out her feelings about this. Are her friends helping with genuine care and interest, or are they fetishizing her culture?
Jane also struggles with her family’s involvement with her mission. Why did her mom and dad not teach her about their culture? Do her cousins struggle with the same identity issues?
This book is for anyone wishing they knew more about their heritage and culture. The theme of the book is poignant and timely.
October 3, 2025
(I was on vacation when I read this and I didn't realize I never posted my full thoughts on this platform) First I'd like to thank the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, all thoughts are my own. DNF at 30% I was really excited for this book about a girl learning more about her heritage. As someone who loves learning about different cultures I thought this sounded really fun and cute. But I'm sorry I was starting to get annoyed with our MC who immediately starts lying to the boy she likes and even her friends. I understand she is embarrassed by how little she knows about her culture but her friends are trying to help her. But instead of learning more together along with the boy she likes or him helping her out she just keeps lying and pretending to know more than she does. Maybe it will get better as the story goes on but I can't keep going when I'm getting so annoyed with the main character. It wasn't horrible which was why I still gave it two stars but I didn't like it enough to continue.
December 12, 2025
I imagine that an older teen would rate this a star higher, but I'm an old guy so I found it less appealing even though I liked it.
The story: Jane Choi is a teenage second generation Korean American. She has two non-Korean friends who seem to know more about Korea than Jane does, and with her mother struggling with a late-in-life pregnancy, Jane is wondering what kind of Korean legacy her new brother will have. So Jane starts a video podcast documenting her efforts to learn more about what it means to be Korean. She starts with food and does a video of herself trying to eat kimchi (fermented vegetables usually involving napa cabbage). She doesn't like it and immediately spits it out, but she posts the video anyway, and marks it private... making it available only to her cousins. She meets a Korean-American boy who was raised in Taiwan and he wants to know more about Korea. With wedding bells ringing in her ears, Jane tries to pass herself off as an expert on Korean culture, while trying to stay ahead of everyone who seems to know more than she does. Eventually it all comes apart, but it is an entertaining and educational journey.
Any problems with this story? Teen angst. It wasn't too bad. After all, teens at that age are still trying to find themselves. Finding herself as a Korean-America was a big part of driving the plot.
Also, it was not clear why her new boyfriend, Edward, would suddenly become distant and moody when Jane would bring up simple, obvious subjects like, "How is your family?" "Do they want you to get into college?" "What do you want to be after college?" When the reason for his moodiness was finally revealed, I understood immediately because I've seen a number of K-dramas, but it really wasn't explained well in this story.
Any modesty issues? Sure. The F-word was used a few times. Jane knew that her parents would not approve of such language, but she used the word anyway... a couple of times. Sex was also discussed between her and her parents. It was actually funny as Jane turned several shades of red. No sex took place in the story though. Jane was also necking with her boyfriend in the car. I mention this because those practicing modesty would want to know this occurs in the story.
The ending was reasonable. The major questions at the beginning of the story were answered. There was a vague opening for a sequel, but that would ideally involve a trip to Korea. Less ideal would be her adventures in college.
I'd be happy to read this book again.
The story: Jane Choi is a teenage second generation Korean American. She has two non-Korean friends who seem to know more about Korea than Jane does, and with her mother struggling with a late-in-life pregnancy, Jane is wondering what kind of Korean legacy her new brother will have. So Jane starts a video podcast documenting her efforts to learn more about what it means to be Korean. She starts with food and does a video of herself trying to eat kimchi (fermented vegetables usually involving napa cabbage). She doesn't like it and immediately spits it out, but she posts the video anyway, and marks it private... making it available only to her cousins. She meets a Korean-American boy who was raised in Taiwan and he wants to know more about Korea. With wedding bells ringing in her ears, Jane tries to pass herself off as an expert on Korean culture, while trying to stay ahead of everyone who seems to know more than she does. Eventually it all comes apart, but it is an entertaining and educational journey.
Any problems with this story? Teen angst. It wasn't too bad. After all, teens at that age are still trying to find themselves. Finding herself as a Korean-America was a big part of driving the plot.
Also, it was not clear why her new boyfriend, Edward, would suddenly become distant and moody when Jane would bring up simple, obvious subjects like, "How is your family?" "Do they want you to get into college?" "What do you want to be after college?" When the reason for his moodiness was finally revealed, I understood immediately because I've seen a number of K-dramas, but it really wasn't explained well in this story.
Any modesty issues? Sure. The F-word was used a few times. Jane knew that her parents would not approve of such language, but she used the word anyway... a couple of times. Sex was also discussed between her and her parents. It was actually funny as Jane turned several shades of red. No sex took place in the story though. Jane was also necking with her boyfriend in the car. I mention this because those practicing modesty would want to know this occurs in the story.
The ending was reasonable. The major questions at the beginning of the story were answered. There was a vague opening for a sequel, but that would ideally involve a trip to Korea. Less ideal would be her adventures in college.
I'd be happy to read this book again.
October 15, 2025
What a wonderful story! K-Jane was everything I hoped it would be and then some.
Quick blurb:
The story follows Jane Choi, a Korean American girl who’s grappling with her identity after finding out their parents plan to name the new baby Franklin. She’s in Omaha, though, and it’s very hard to blend in.
Her white friends are both obsessed with Korean culture and Jane has to work through feeling inadequate and even tokenized.
Add to that the most popular Taiwanese American boy getting interested in Jane, and you’ve got all the motivation for this teen to star pretending to be someone she’s not.
Will Jane figure out who she is AND learn her entire culture before her brother’s birth?
Thoughts:
I found myself relating to Jane’s feelings and remembering my younger self going through similar experiences, from the Latine experience, and even being expected to be a spokesperson for an entire group of people, despite each country having a different culture.
The one thing I struggled with was how much anxiety was on the pages. It read very genuine but it took me so much longer to get through the book because Jane’s anxiety would leap off of the pages and into me. Depending on the person, this might be a super fun experience but for me, it was a bit overwhelming in some instances.
The relationship with Edward was also a bit hard to connect to until way past the 60% point, but it did take a turn for the better. I did wish his character had been explored a bit more, though.
Overall:
This book was wonderful. I would recommend to any teen (and adult) working through identity issues or trying to gain perspective on the struggles of immigrants and their children to fit in.
*Honest review in exchange for an advanced copy.*
Quick blurb:
The story follows Jane Choi, a Korean American girl who’s grappling with her identity after finding out their parents plan to name the new baby Franklin. She’s in Omaha, though, and it’s very hard to blend in.
Her white friends are both obsessed with Korean culture and Jane has to work through feeling inadequate and even tokenized.
Add to that the most popular Taiwanese American boy getting interested in Jane, and you’ve got all the motivation for this teen to star pretending to be someone she’s not.
Will Jane figure out who she is AND learn her entire culture before her brother’s birth?
Thoughts:
I found myself relating to Jane’s feelings and remembering my younger self going through similar experiences, from the Latine experience, and even being expected to be a spokesperson for an entire group of people, despite each country having a different culture.
The one thing I struggled with was how much anxiety was on the pages. It read very genuine but it took me so much longer to get through the book because Jane’s anxiety would leap off of the pages and into me. Depending on the person, this might be a super fun experience but for me, it was a bit overwhelming in some instances.
The relationship with Edward was also a bit hard to connect to until way past the 60% point, but it did take a turn for the better. I did wish his character had been explored a bit more, though.
Overall:
This book was wonderful. I would recommend to any teen (and adult) working through identity issues or trying to gain perspective on the struggles of immigrants and their children to fit in.
*Honest review in exchange for an advanced copy.*
November 30, 2025
High schooler Jane Choi is about to become a big sister. As a third generation Korean American, she decides that her new brother needs to understand their Korean culture, and that she has to get more in touch with it first to be a good guide to him. Her determination is redoubled when cute boy Ed Liu is interested in all things Korean, including Jane. How can she show off her culture when she doesn’t even know the first things about Korean food, language, beauty, drama or pop music? She embarks on a self education adventure, with help from besties Matty and Bridge, but she doesn’t tell them about her TikTok posts, nor does she tell her parents about her grand scheme. In typical teen fashion, her subterfuge as K-Jane becomes clear at a big dramatic moment when she has to face all of the friends and family she has deceived.
This is a delightful foray into Korean culture, especially food, as Jane digs deep for all of the information she feels her family withheld from her. The secretive part of her cultural investigation amps up the suspense and provides lots of comic moments. Jane narrates, and her voice is fresh and direct. Chapter headings are titled in Korean words she learns that encapsulate the chapter’s drama. In the end, Jane has to figure how her cultural background and her Nebraskan/American identity can mesh. The romance with Ed is a great part of Jane’s journey, and is portrayed with humor and realistic ups and downs. I heartily recommend this book to anyone who enjoys fiction that toys with cultural identity.
This is a delightful foray into Korean culture, especially food, as Jane digs deep for all of the information she feels her family withheld from her. The secretive part of her cultural investigation amps up the suspense and provides lots of comic moments. Jane narrates, and her voice is fresh and direct. Chapter headings are titled in Korean words she learns that encapsulate the chapter’s drama. In the end, Jane has to figure how her cultural background and her Nebraskan/American identity can mesh. The romance with Ed is a great part of Jane’s journey, and is portrayed with humor and realistic ups and downs. I heartily recommend this book to anyone who enjoys fiction that toys with cultural identity.
December 13, 2025
Thank you Netgalley for this audiobook!
Jane is a Korean American living in Nebraska, who finds her life lacking her family's cultural ties to all things Korean. But with her little brother coming, and some unpleasant social interactions with her peers (and telling the boy she likes she knows all about it) she decides to dive into her cultural background during project "K-Jane." But, after fixating on all things, her school life and relationships suffer, and a few other unexpected life changes, she has to decide what makes her Korean, and learns a few things about her family in the process.
I really loved watching Jane's journey, both in learning about her culture, and growing comfortable in herself, both with her new knowledge, and who she already was. This book, through Jane, addresses the question of what makes someone enough of their culture, in her case, Korean enough to call herself Korean. (Spoiler, the answer is just being who you are).
I loved Jane's perspective, and I learned a lot in the process along with her. I will admit, maybe it's just me, and maybe other teen girls are like this, but the way she talked about the guy she liked was making me physical cringe. But maybe that's just my lack of crushes.
The narrator was amazing, I don't think I would've chosen any other way to enjoy this book, especially as it gave me the pronunciation of Korean words I would've just been guessing at otherwise.
Jane is a Korean American living in Nebraska, who finds her life lacking her family's cultural ties to all things Korean. But with her little brother coming, and some unpleasant social interactions with her peers (and telling the boy she likes she knows all about it) she decides to dive into her cultural background during project "K-Jane." But, after fixating on all things, her school life and relationships suffer, and a few other unexpected life changes, she has to decide what makes her Korean, and learns a few things about her family in the process.
I really loved watching Jane's journey, both in learning about her culture, and growing comfortable in herself, both with her new knowledge, and who she already was. This book, through Jane, addresses the question of what makes someone enough of their culture, in her case, Korean enough to call herself Korean. (Spoiler, the answer is just being who you are).
I loved Jane's perspective, and I learned a lot in the process along with her. I will admit, maybe it's just me, and maybe other teen girls are like this, but the way she talked about the guy she liked was making me physical cringe. But maybe that's just my lack of crushes.
The narrator was amazing, I don't think I would've chosen any other way to enjoy this book, especially as it gave me the pronunciation of Korean words I would've just been guessing at otherwise.
December 16, 2025
I really loved this book and it was such a joy to read. As a third-gen mixed Asian American I wish this book existed when I was in middle or high school, because it would have meant so much to me then! It means a lot to me now. It voices so many complicated, messy, and important feelings about identity in an accessible and affirming manner. I loved Jane even when she made messy choices, and I was a big fan of the supporting cast that makes up her world as well. Although Jane is a junior in high school, I think tweens (13+) will easily enjoy this as well since the style of text is able to skew slightly younger. (That said, I still enjoyed it as an adult!) The cover is awesome too.
The only aspect I didn't love was how much of the plot depended on miscommunication/dishonesty, since it can quickly get very frustrating for the reader. But I understand that to an extent, since teenagers truly are that infuriating at times and can be horrible at communicating in a clear and healthy manner (I had to cringe thinking of my younger self). So in a sense it is realistic!
In the same vein the romance can be a bit frustrating at times too, although there is a justified payoff for that in the end.
Overall, I would recommend this book to so many tweens and teens because it has an amazing in-depth focus on something that is not represented deeply enough in mainstream media. It was an amazing read and I would gladly read a sequel!
The only aspect I didn't love was how much of the plot depended on miscommunication/dishonesty, since it can quickly get very frustrating for the reader. But I understand that to an extent, since teenagers truly are that infuriating at times and can be horrible at communicating in a clear and healthy manner (I had to cringe thinking of my younger self). So in a sense it is realistic!
In the same vein the romance can be a bit frustrating at times too, although there is a justified payoff for that in the end.
Overall, I would recommend this book to so many tweens and teens because it has an amazing in-depth focus on something that is not represented deeply enough in mainstream media. It was an amazing read and I would gladly read a sequel!
May 1, 2025
3.5 ⭐️ rounded up
Okay, so K-Jane was a pretty fun read! Jane Choi is this Korean American teen from Nebraska who’s feeling super out of touch with her heritage. Everyone around her is obsessed with K-pop, K-dramas, and all things Korean, while she’s just… not. So she starts this secret social media account to dive into Korean culture and teach her soon-to-be-born brother about their roots. But things get messy when her online life starts affecting her real one.
I really appreciated how the book tackled identity and the pressure to fit into cultural expectations. Jane’s journey felt real, and I could appreciate her struggles of feeling “not enough” in any culture. The humor sprinkled throughout kept things light, even when dealing with deeper themes.
However, some parts felt a bit predictable, and I wished there was more depth in certain relationships. Also, the pacing was a bit off at times, making it hard to stay fully engaged.
Overall, K-Jane is a heartfelt story about self-discovery and embracing one’s identity. It’s not perfect, but it’s definitely worth a read if you’re into stories about cultural exploration and personal growth. It’s a cute YA read.
Thank you NetGalley and publishers for this ARC
Okay, so K-Jane was a pretty fun read! Jane Choi is this Korean American teen from Nebraska who’s feeling super out of touch with her heritage. Everyone around her is obsessed with K-pop, K-dramas, and all things Korean, while she’s just… not. So she starts this secret social media account to dive into Korean culture and teach her soon-to-be-born brother about their roots. But things get messy when her online life starts affecting her real one.
I really appreciated how the book tackled identity and the pressure to fit into cultural expectations. Jane’s journey felt real, and I could appreciate her struggles of feeling “not enough” in any culture. The humor sprinkled throughout kept things light, even when dealing with deeper themes.
However, some parts felt a bit predictable, and I wished there was more depth in certain relationships. Also, the pacing was a bit off at times, making it hard to stay fully engaged.
Overall, K-Jane is a heartfelt story about self-discovery and embracing one’s identity. It’s not perfect, but it’s definitely worth a read if you’re into stories about cultural exploration and personal growth. It’s a cute YA read.
Thank you NetGalley and publishers for this ARC
December 16, 2025
This book surprised me in the best way. It starts with Jane Choi, a Husker-loving Nebraskan teen who can’t help feeling like the world is getting more Korean than she is. Her classmates know their K-pop, K-dramas, and K-beauty inside out, while Jane can barely tell kimchi from bibimbap. Her whole identity crisis is messy, funny, and if you’ve ever felt “not enough” of something super relatable.
The plot kicks off when Jane decides she doesn’t want her soon-to-arrive baby brother to grow up with the same cultural confusion she has. Her “foolproof” solution? Start a private social media account and basically reinvent herself as K-Jane. Of course, that goes about as well as you’d expect. The book does a great job showing how identity is way more complicated than a few taste-tests filmed for your cousins.
I really loved how this story handled its characters. Jane starts out pretty self-absorbed, but she grows in such a believable, tender way. Her friendship drama especially with Bridge and Matty is messy in that painfully real “we’re all trying but also kinda clueless” teenage way. It felt very true to how friend groups deal with cultural conversations now that K-pop and K-dramas are so mainstream.
The plot kicks off when Jane decides she doesn’t want her soon-to-arrive baby brother to grow up with the same cultural confusion she has. Her “foolproof” solution? Start a private social media account and basically reinvent herself as K-Jane. Of course, that goes about as well as you’d expect. The book does a great job showing how identity is way more complicated than a few taste-tests filmed for your cousins.
I really loved how this story handled its characters. Jane starts out pretty self-absorbed, but she grows in such a believable, tender way. Her friendship drama especially with Bridge and Matty is messy in that painfully real “we’re all trying but also kinda clueless” teenage way. It felt very true to how friend groups deal with cultural conversations now that K-pop and K-dramas are so mainstream.
December 29, 2025
Jane wants to learn about her Korean culture so she can teach her upcoming baby brother all the culture things that she never learned
Random thoughts:
Omaha
What Korea are you from - the one with the dictator that has hair that resembles a giant black caterpillar or the one that made BTS?
Sitting in the middle of this diluted culture
I understand her desire to learn more about her native culture like I wanted to know more about Swiss heritage when I was younger
never heard the term banana or they’re yellow on the outside but white on the inside
friendship and boy drama
Learning how to cuss might be best way to learn a language
Jane notices that her Hispanic classmates didn’t have to grow up learning their language from Google
A little dramatic that she thinks no one will ever think she’s good enough, not just Edward, but even her brother yet to be born
When people expect you to be an expert because of the way you look or your last name
Feels not Korean enough
Admit to looking up capybaras and Jennie since I’m not a fan of Blackpink
Tear jerking hospital scene
I will be myself, that will always be enough.
Random thoughts:
Omaha
What Korea are you from - the one with the dictator that has hair that resembles a giant black caterpillar or the one that made BTS?
Sitting in the middle of this diluted culture
I understand her desire to learn more about her native culture like I wanted to know more about Swiss heritage when I was younger
never heard the term banana or they’re yellow on the outside but white on the inside
friendship and boy drama
Learning how to cuss might be best way to learn a language
Jane notices that her Hispanic classmates didn’t have to grow up learning their language from Google
A little dramatic that she thinks no one will ever think she’s good enough, not just Edward, but even her brother yet to be born
When people expect you to be an expert because of the way you look or your last name
Feels not Korean enough
Admit to looking up capybaras and Jennie since I’m not a fan of Blackpink
Tear jerking hospital scene
I will be myself, that will always be enough.
October 17, 2025
Jane is your average, ordinary American junior in high school, who knows next to nothing about Korean culture, which sounds okay until you realize that Jane is Korean and she is desperate to learn about her heritage. She decides to record videos of herself as she is learning, covering everything from food, make-up, K-pop, and K-dramas. These videos are private except for a very select group of people, but as you can probably imagine, at some point the videos turn public and she goes viral–and not in a good way. This book covers more than the typical friend, boyfriend, and parent drama, bringing in social media issues, sick relatives, and what your family’s heritage is all about, all while keeping the reader totally engaged and emotionally attached to the main character. Highly recommended for middle and high school readers, as well as anyone wanting to learn a little about Korean culture.
December 10, 2025
This was a good YA Contemporary book as we see the main character, Jane, try to grow as a Korean-American who feels like she isn't connected to her culture. The author does a great job of depicting the desire to learn about someone's culture, which only you can fully describe for yourself. Jane's personality changes and grows throughout the book as she experiences many different aspects of Korean culture. The romance subplot felt just enough, not overwhelming to the center plot, and good to see the ups and downs of a relationship. Jane really encapsulated the desire to understand a culture you aren't really a part of but want to learn more about. Overall, this was a good YA book, insighting fuel to understand yourself and not need to compromise your feelings regarding different parts of your culture.
August 26, 2025
This review is based on an ARC of K-Jane which I received courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher (HarperCollins/Quill Tree Books).
K-Jane has everything one might want from a YA Korean-American read; it is funny, fluffy, romantic, and dramatic. Titular character Jane is endearingly adorkable, making this novel easy to enjoy. Through challenges, wins, and flubs, I found I was curious to see what Jane's next move would be (and more importantly, what she would take away from the experience).
When it comes to her K-education, Jane is sensitive and informative--author Kang really knows how to respectfully write diversity, while remaining realistic about the challenges of being "different" in modern America.
Part sibling story, part romance, part coming-of-age, this slice-of-life story really hits the spot!
ATY 2025 Reading Challenge: a book with ten or fewer letters in the title
K-Jane has everything one might want from a YA Korean-American read; it is funny, fluffy, romantic, and dramatic. Titular character Jane is endearingly adorkable, making this novel easy to enjoy. Through challenges, wins, and flubs, I found I was curious to see what Jane's next move would be (and more importantly, what she would take away from the experience).
When it comes to her K-education, Jane is sensitive and informative--author Kang really knows how to respectfully write diversity, while remaining realistic about the challenges of being "different" in modern America.
Part sibling story, part romance, part coming-of-age, this slice-of-life story really hits the spot!
ATY 2025 Reading Challenge: a book with ten or fewer letters in the title
October 31, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I’m not Korean, so the cultural side of K-Jane didn’t exactly “hit home” for me—but I still really enjoyed it. Lydia Kang does such a great job showing what it’s like to feel caught between versions of yourself, even if the details are different. Jane’s voice is funny, self-aware, and so easy to root for.
I liked how the book explored identity without getting super heavy, and the social media stuff felt spot-on (and painfully relatable). It’s a quick, warm read with a lot of heart, even if some of the storylines wrap up a little too cleanly. I finished it in days!
Overall, it’s thoughtful, charming, and worth picking up—even if you don’t share Jane’s background. 💫
I’m not Korean, so the cultural side of K-Jane didn’t exactly “hit home” for me—but I still really enjoyed it. Lydia Kang does such a great job showing what it’s like to feel caught between versions of yourself, even if the details are different. Jane’s voice is funny, self-aware, and so easy to root for.
I liked how the book explored identity without getting super heavy, and the social media stuff felt spot-on (and painfully relatable). It’s a quick, warm read with a lot of heart, even if some of the storylines wrap up a little too cleanly. I finished it in days!
Overall, it’s thoughtful, charming, and worth picking up—even if you don’t share Jane’s background. 💫
November 10, 2025
Seventeen year old Jane is about to become a big sister for the first time and she’s starting to feel conflicted about how much of her own Korean culture she’s been able to retain while growing up in mostly white Nebraska. In the three months before her brother is born, can she learn enough about language, food, make-up, and K drama to be a real Korean big sister? It’s embarrassing that her two white best friends know more about Korean cosmetics than Jane does. Plummeting grades, social media embarrassment, and a tentative romance with classmate Edward provide complications in this interesting homage to Wuthering Heights. EARC from Edelweiss.
October 27, 2025
3.5 stars
This is a cute book about a girl wanting to connect with her culture. As a second gen American, I related a lot with Jane's feelings of disconnect. However, the way this is written feels like it's more suitable for a younger audience than I expected from a YA book. It would have been great if it was aged down to middle grade. Kids 12-15 would probably enjoy this one. It's sweet and wholesome and deals with some good family dynamics.
Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for the opportunity to read and review.
This is a cute book about a girl wanting to connect with her culture. As a second gen American, I related a lot with Jane's feelings of disconnect. However, the way this is written feels like it's more suitable for a younger audience than I expected from a YA book. It would have been great if it was aged down to middle grade. Kids 12-15 would probably enjoy this one. It's sweet and wholesome and deals with some good family dynamics.
Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for the opportunity to read and review.
October 30, 2025
K-Jane is a wonderful book that feels authentic, nuanced, and real. Jane is not a perfect protagonist, and she will learn and find confidence through her journey towards self-improvement. The vivid setting and compelling characters, along with a sweet romance, make this a breeze to read.
Of course Rowell says it better than I can in her blurb:
"K-Jane is a heartwarming-- and incredibly clever-- novel about feeling at home in yourself"
-Rainbow Rowell
I'm going to enjoy recommending this for a long time.
Of course Rowell says it better than I can in her blurb:
"K-Jane is a heartwarming-- and incredibly clever-- novel about feeling at home in yourself"
-Rainbow Rowell
I'm going to enjoy recommending this for a long time.
Read
October 24, 2025Graded By: Regina
Cover Story: Scrapbook
BFF Charm: Big Sister
Swoonworthy Scale: 6
Talky Talk: Language Lessons
Bonus Factors: Immigrant Stories, Tasty Business
Anti-Bonus Factor: Cyberbullying
Relationship Status: Reader, I Befriended Her
Read the full book report here.
Cover Story: Scrapbook
BFF Charm: Big Sister
Swoonworthy Scale: 6
Talky Talk: Language Lessons
Bonus Factors: Immigrant Stories, Tasty Business
Anti-Bonus Factor: Cyberbullying
Relationship Status: Reader, I Befriended Her
Read the full book report here.
December 5, 2025
Such a cute cozy book that brought me back to my teen years and healed them a bit. I think this book is perfect for anyone with immigrant parents or maybe 3rd gen. It's very juvenile and yeah you will probably think Jane is annoying and probably dramatic, but I really saw myself in her because at 16 I was always throwing things out of proportion. I also related so much to feeling like I'm not Mexican enough or I need to know all the things about what it is to being Mexican.
October 26, 2025
K-Jane by Lydia Kang is a young adult novel about self-discovery. Third-generation Korean-American, Jane, is suddenly afraid of not belonging, especially with the imminent arrival of her baby brother. A good read
I got the ARC from HarperCollins Children's Books | Quill Tree Books via Netgalley. This is my honest review
I got the ARC from HarperCollins Children's Books | Quill Tree Books via Netgalley. This is my honest review
December 7, 2025
What a wonderful YA book. For me (as an adult), I’d give it 3.5 stars rounded up here—only because the main source of conflict (miscommunication/lack of communication) really drives me bonkers, extra so in this YA setting. Such important messaging, however. Really loved it!
December 28, 2025
📚: K-Jane by Lydia Kang
⭐️: 4/5
I am very biased as a middle aged Korean adoptee trying to find her way into Korean culture. That said, I loved this. (I also had to order myself ttokkbokki halfway though, so consider yourself warned.)
⭐️: 4/5
I am very biased as a middle aged Korean adoptee trying to find her way into Korean culture. That said, I loved this. (I also had to order myself ttokkbokki halfway though, so consider yourself warned.)
December 30, 2025
Loved how Jane tried to find herself and all the prickly teenage behaviors surrounding the process. Everything from not trusting people who love you, to not being sure enough of yourself to be yourself, to sneaking social media and social media blowups, it was great.
October 9, 2025
endearing, charming, and effective YA with a great sense of plot and a very likeable protagonist. would recommend. 4 stars. tysm for the arc.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews