What do you think?
Rate this book
Superfan
From National Book Foundation 5 Under 35 honoree Jenny Tinghui Zhang, a novel about a pop idol and his superfan, whose stories shockingly collide
Freshman Minnie is adrift at college in Austin, Texas, when she discovers a boy band called HOURglass and the online forums that worship them. She especially loves Halo, whose sharp edges feel somehow familiar. After a brief romance goes painfully awry, Minnie pours everything into her new fandom, clinging to each livestream and bonding with other fans online. But when a scandal threatens to expose Halo to harm, Minnie decides that she is the only one who can save him.
Except Halo’s secret is darker than anything the tabloids could imagine. Before he was a superstar heartthrob, he was a high school dropout haunted by a tragic accident. When he is recruited for HOURglass, it feels like a chance to become someone else. And when he is onstage in front of his fans, he can almost forget the horrors of his past—until one of those very fans threatens to destroy everything.
Dazzling, entrancing, and deeply heartfelt, Superfan is about fandom in all its magic and its terror, and the extreme lengths to which we go to rid ourselves of loneliness.
Freshman Minnie is adrift at college in Austin, Texas, when she discovers a boy band called HOURglass and the online forums that worship them. She especially loves Halo, whose sharp edges feel somehow familiar. After a brief romance goes painfully awry, Minnie pours everything into her new fandom, clinging to each livestream and bonding with other fans online. But when a scandal threatens to expose Halo to harm, Minnie decides that she is the only one who can save him.
Except Halo’s secret is darker than anything the tabloids could imagine. Before he was a superstar heartthrob, he was a high school dropout haunted by a tragic accident. When he is recruited for HOURglass, it feels like a chance to become someone else. And when he is onstage in front of his fans, he can almost forget the horrors of his past—until one of those very fans threatens to destroy everything.
Dazzling, entrancing, and deeply heartfelt, Superfan is about fandom in all its magic and its terror, and the extreme lengths to which we go to rid ourselves of loneliness.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published February 3, 2026
158 people are currently reading
11149 people want to read
About the author
Jenny Tinghui Zhang
4 books588 followersJenny Tinghui Zhang is a Texas-based Chinese-American writer and the author of Four Treasures of the Sky (forthcoming from Flatiron Books on April 5, 2022). She is a Kundiman fellow and graduate of the VONA/Voices and Tin House workshops. Her work has appeared in Apogee, Ninth Letter, Passages North, The Rumpus, HuffPost, The Cut, Catapult, and more.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 283 reviews
March 13, 2026
3.5 stars
I appreciated the themes in this novel even if some of the execution didn’t land with me. Superfan follows Minnie, a first-year college student who develops an obsession with the boyband HOURglass, and Eason, a member of the boyband HOURglass with a checkered past. I liked how Jenny Tinghui Zhang pulls back the cover on fandom experiences and discusses real topics such as: parasocial relationships and how toxic they can get, eating disorders and mental health issues among idols, the problematic components of idols pretending to be gay for one another when they’re not actually gay, etc. What I enjoyed most about this book was the characters’ growth, especially Minnie’s, as she learned to trust her own voice as an Asian woman and develop healthy and restorative relationships both in real life and from the fandom.
My main issue with this book was the writing. The prose just felt a bit predictable and underwhelming to me. I totally resonate with the message and themes Zhang put out here, though something on a sentence level prevented me from feeling more invested in the characters. An overall okay to good read that I’d be curious how other readers feel about.
I appreciated the themes in this novel even if some of the execution didn’t land with me. Superfan follows Minnie, a first-year college student who develops an obsession with the boyband HOURglass, and Eason, a member of the boyband HOURglass with a checkered past. I liked how Jenny Tinghui Zhang pulls back the cover on fandom experiences and discusses real topics such as: parasocial relationships and how toxic they can get, eating disorders and mental health issues among idols, the problematic components of idols pretending to be gay for one another when they’re not actually gay, etc. What I enjoyed most about this book was the characters’ growth, especially Minnie’s, as she learned to trust her own voice as an Asian woman and develop healthy and restorative relationships both in real life and from the fandom.
My main issue with this book was the writing. The prose just felt a bit predictable and underwhelming to me. I totally resonate with the message and themes Zhang put out here, though something on a sentence level prevented me from feeling more invested in the characters. An overall okay to good read that I’d be curious how other readers feel about.
February 17, 2026
I keep being drawn to novels about fame and fandom, although I’ve never read anything that comes close to The Ghost Network. While fun in parts, Superfan continues that trend. Minnie is a lonely student who hasn’t made any friends at college and is stuck in a messy entanglement with a guy who belittles her. Then she gets obsessively attached to HOURglass, a ‘K-pop-inspired’ boyband, and one member in particular: Halo. Through the fandom, she finally starts to make connections with other people, but is also pulled into a conspiracy rabbit-hole. In a parallel set of chapters, we follow Halo – real name Eason – as he strives to keep his past secret from the media and his fans.
The best parts of the book are about Minnie’s college experience, the character believably failing to find her feet in an environment where everyone else seems to do so effortlessly. If the guys she encounters seem a little too cartoonishly awful, it’s also easy to believe in Minnie as someone who would endure this behaviour for the sake of acceptance. There’s an unevenness, though – both narratives are third person, but Minnie’s digs into her character whereas Eason always remains at a remove. I wanted to know more about Minnie; I was tempted to skip or skim some of Eason’s chapters. The plot’s machinations are simple, and there are some annoying loose ends (I was particularly irritated by the whole thing with Nate’s short story about Minnie, which gets no payoff).
An enjoyable read with an engaging main character in Minnie – but maybe just a bit ‘young’ for me and better suited to readers closer in age to the characters.
I received an advance review copy of Superfan from the publisher through Edelweiss.
The best parts of the book are about Minnie’s college experience, the character believably failing to find her feet in an environment where everyone else seems to do so effortlessly. If the guys she encounters seem a little too cartoonishly awful, it’s also easy to believe in Minnie as someone who would endure this behaviour for the sake of acceptance. There’s an unevenness, though – both narratives are third person, but Minnie’s digs into her character whereas Eason always remains at a remove. I wanted to know more about Minnie; I was tempted to skip or skim some of Eason’s chapters. The plot’s machinations are simple, and there are some annoying loose ends (I was particularly irritated by the whole thing with Nate’s short story about Minnie, which gets no payoff).
An enjoyable read with an engaging main character in Minnie – but maybe just a bit ‘young’ for me and better suited to readers closer in age to the characters.
I received an advance review copy of Superfan from the publisher through Edelweiss.
February 9, 2026
Fucking Hell. I have many thoughts.
By virtue of being book people, we've all probably been a fan of something, but have you ever been in one of *those* fandoms? The ones that get a reputation for being way too intense and are full of in-fighting, bullying, stalking, etc? I have, and opening Discord still makes me nervous. (I'm joking, kind of.)
This book gets into a lot of the dark parts of fandom, even when it's talking about the positive bits. A lot of people go to fandom looking for community because the world can be really lonely. In some ways this is a good thing, but it also encourages people to ignore or support dangerous/toxic behavior in their fandom. Particularly if you don't have a lot going for you outside the digital world, or if you become fixated on what you're supporting, I understand how Minnie ended up becoming reliant on the fandom for joy and companionship.
The idea of celebrity and privacy was another thing that jumped out to me as true-to-life. There were some posts in the book along the lines of "If you can't handle the invasion of privacy, you shouldn't be famous" which sounds insane but I saw posts basically word-for-word when Chappell Roan snapped at the paparazzi for being rude to her. We've become accustomed to the idea that celebrities have their privacy invaded, to the extent that it feels contradictory for a celebrity to be a private person.
And I have to talk about the shipping, because I have so many thoughts on shipping (specifically m/m shipping) and I think this book tackles it well on a few different levels. I'm not going to pass judgement on whether it's a good or a bad thing on the whole because to me it's more complicated than that. One thing I think this book did a good job of articulating is how m/m romance gives women a space to consume sexual content in which their bodies are not sexualized. For people like Minnie who have sexual trauma, slash is sexual content that she can enjoy without it being triggering. The book also shows the harm of shipping real people. Notably, the fans lash out at anyone who they believe is threatening this (usually imagined, in this case manufactured) relationship. There are also crumbs of the way safely consuming sexual content quickly can lead to fetishization. The idea of the record label manufacturing Jelly and Halo's relationship is interesting for sure. I do wonder, especially in bands and tv shows where there are slash ships, how much of it is a result of intentional queerbaiting and how much of it is genuinely just misinterpreted (and how much started as genuinely unintentional, but became queerbaiting once people got the memo that a ship was gaining the show traction. I could talk about this all day. I think about it a lot.
There are a few things that I think could have been expanded on a little. I'm not sure I'm entirely clear on the timeline of Eason's backstory, and Julian's eating disorder felt like a bit of an afterthought. We also don't really get any follow up on Julian and the rest of the band members other than Eason which is a bit unsatisfying.
Lots to chew on! Kudos to this book for giving me war flashback to being in a crazy fandom!
By virtue of being book people, we've all probably been a fan of something, but have you ever been in one of *those* fandoms? The ones that get a reputation for being way too intense and are full of in-fighting, bullying, stalking, etc? I have, and opening Discord still makes me nervous. (I'm joking, kind of.)
This book gets into a lot of the dark parts of fandom, even when it's talking about the positive bits. A lot of people go to fandom looking for community because the world can be really lonely. In some ways this is a good thing, but it also encourages people to ignore or support dangerous/toxic behavior in their fandom. Particularly if you don't have a lot going for you outside the digital world, or if you become fixated on what you're supporting, I understand how Minnie ended up becoming reliant on the fandom for joy and companionship.
The idea of celebrity and privacy was another thing that jumped out to me as true-to-life. There were some posts in the book along the lines of "If you can't handle the invasion of privacy, you shouldn't be famous" which sounds insane but I saw posts basically word-for-word when Chappell Roan snapped at the paparazzi for being rude to her. We've become accustomed to the idea that celebrities have their privacy invaded, to the extent that it feels contradictory for a celebrity to be a private person.
And I have to talk about the shipping, because I have so many thoughts on shipping (specifically m/m shipping) and I think this book tackles it well on a few different levels. I'm not going to pass judgement on whether it's a good or a bad thing on the whole because to me it's more complicated than that. One thing I think this book did a good job of articulating is how m/m romance gives women a space to consume sexual content in which their bodies are not sexualized. For people like Minnie who have sexual trauma, slash is sexual content that she can enjoy without it being triggering. The book also shows the harm of shipping real people. Notably, the fans lash out at anyone who they believe is threatening this (usually imagined, in this case manufactured) relationship. There are also crumbs of the way safely consuming sexual content quickly can lead to fetishization. The idea of the record label manufacturing Jelly and Halo's relationship is interesting for sure. I do wonder, especially in bands and tv shows where there are slash ships, how much of it is a result of intentional queerbaiting and how much of it is genuinely just misinterpreted (and how much started as genuinely unintentional, but became queerbaiting once people got the memo that a ship was gaining the show traction. I could talk about this all day. I think about it a lot.
There are a few things that I think could have been expanded on a little. I'm not sure I'm entirely clear on the timeline of Eason's backstory, and Julian's eating disorder felt like a bit of an afterthought. We also don't really get any follow up on Julian and the rest of the band members other than Eason which is a bit unsatisfying.
Lots to chew on! Kudos to this book for giving me war flashback to being in a crazy fandom!
Read
July 2, 2025I adore Jenny and will be thinking about this book and its themes of loneliness and connection for a long time 💜
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Superfan is a contemporary literary coming of age story about loneliness, fandom, and the thin line between connection and obsession.
Told through a dual POV format, we follow Minnie (a lonely college student) and Eason (a member of a newly famous kpop inspired boyband) as their paths slowly intertwine. Alongside the main chapters are also forum posts, as well as a genuinely hilarious fanfiction excerpt that made the story feel even more immersive and real.
I loved how the author makes you root for both characters! I really felt for Minnie from the very beginning and found myself just wishing for her happiness the entire time. Her need to be seen, to just belong, felt deeply human and uncomfortably relatable, and I have no doubt many readers will find parts of themselves in her. Having to watch Minnie be repeatedly dismissed and manipulated by the men around her was heartbreaking, and it made her character growth towards the end all the more satisfying!
Eason's POV, in turn, adds an intriguing counter balance, exploring how parasocial relationships feel on both sides. His chapters also added an unsettling mystery aspect, and I enjoyed how the tension around him built slowly until it finally tipped too far.
Overall, this was sharp, sad, and ultimately compassionate towards girls who are trying to find their place in the world. Definitely recommend it to everyone who loves a strong and thoughtful coming of age story!
Told through a dual POV format, we follow Minnie (a lonely college student) and Eason (a member of a newly famous kpop inspired boyband) as their paths slowly intertwine. Alongside the main chapters are also forum posts, as well as a genuinely hilarious fanfiction excerpt that made the story feel even more immersive and real.
I loved how the author makes you root for both characters! I really felt for Minnie from the very beginning and found myself just wishing for her happiness the entire time. Her need to be seen, to just belong, felt deeply human and uncomfortably relatable, and I have no doubt many readers will find parts of themselves in her. Having to watch Minnie be repeatedly dismissed and manipulated by the men around her was heartbreaking, and it made her character growth towards the end all the more satisfying!
Eason's POV, in turn, adds an intriguing counter balance, exploring how parasocial relationships feel on both sides. His chapters also added an unsettling mystery aspect, and I enjoyed how the tension around him built slowly until it finally tipped too far.
Overall, this was sharp, sad, and ultimately compassionate towards girls who are trying to find their place in the world. Definitely recommend it to everyone who loves a strong and thoughtful coming of age story!
February 25, 2026
I’m so surprised that a book I found randomly on the shelf at the library was just so good. It reminded me of my younger days loving One Direction and put into words many feelings I had about the band and how they saved my life. The main character is likable and I enjoyed the joint perspectives of both the fan and the celebrity. Really great book. Took me on such a journey that was mostly nostalgia for how much I related to loving a band so much. I also really enjoyed this authors style of writing - I usually opt for first person in my books but she made the third person POV work amazingly
February 21, 2026
if this had come out during my 1D era it would've altered my brain chemistry
March 5, 2026
“Superfan” is a dual perspective narrative told from alternating close third-person POVs: Minnie, a new college freshman adrift in her loneliness; and Eason, otherwise known as “Halo”, the ~edgy, bad boy~ in a new K-pop esque boy band. The daughter of immigrants, Minnie is accustomed to isolation as the only Asian in her predominantly white town, but after a traumatic experience at a university party, Minnie finds solace in the new boy group, HOURglass, primarily in the member Halo. As Minnie’s chapters show her progressively sinking deeper and deeper into her obsession, Eason’s chapters highlight the darker truth about idol life, and the secrets one can harbor.
At a glance, “Superfan” has everything I’ve been wanting from a K-pop centric novel. Granted, HOURglass is a Western boy group, but is admittedly based upon the foundations of K-pop groups. I appreciated that the novel shared the perspective of an idol, and shed light on certain issues idols face during their career: the extreme dieting, the forced behaviors to create parasocial bonds with fans, the constant expectation of perfection. This is the first K-pop novel I’ve read that has provided a full perspective from an idol. I can also see Minnie’s story being compelling, too. Extreme loneliness being exacerbated by an idol’s deliberate fan service, leading to an extreme parasocial connection—it’s exactly what the K-pop companies want. Obsession boosts profits.
Unfortunately, I found the novel as a whole to be very surface level. Despite touching upon concepts I’ve been hoping for from idol novels, it was just the tip of the iceberg. In my review of “Holy Boy” by Lee Heejoo, I mentioned how:
“I…think it’s noteworthy that, in the ~K-Pop x obsession~ books I’ve read so far, it’s always a crazed female fan (or fans) obsessing over a male idol. I think it could be worth exploring why these types of narratives use ~crazy~ women and girls as vessels for their commentary on idolization. I feel like this ties back to the generalization that more women inhabit “fan” spaces and overall are more likely to let their emotions control their actions. I can’t help but feel like there’s a twinge of misogyny there, and none of the books I’ve read have delved into that aspect yet.”
So imagine how excited I was when Minnie, while working on an article for a zine about her love for HOURglass, touches upon that EXACT topic.
Minnie writes: “[They] just couldn’t understand why the boys were so popular. They chalked it up to girls being obsessed with them because of their good looks… [T]here’s no denying that [the fanbase] is mostly girls and women. But why should this be a bad thing? Why are people so quick to dismiss something, just because young women love it? Does it truly lack substance, or do we just not want girls to be happy? Does it scare us that much to see a girl happy?”
Sadly, that’s about all we get on that topic before it’s dropped. Talk about the first delicious bites of a meal that turns out to be a nothing burger.
I also found that, for a book titled “Superfan”, Minnie really didn’t get as obsessive or crazy as characters I’ve read in other novels. Granted, yes, there are definitely superfans on the periphery of the book, and there is a bit of exploration into the concept of them, but there really wasn’t as much as I was expecting or hoping for. I wanted Minnie to become crazy, overly possessive, but that didn’t really happen. And then (spoiler alert), Minnie made like three friends and suddenly was over her hyperfixation with the boys. I think the same can be said for Eason’s chapters as well. With this being the first of the K-pop novels I’ve read sharing the idol’s perspective, I was really hoping to dive into the hardships and struggles of the career. We got glimpses of things, but nothing of major substance. For example, one of Eason’s fellow members struggled with an eating disorder. This was weaponized by Eason to hurt the member during arguments, and then by the company to silence that member. Ultimately, there’s no exploration or nuance to the difficult subject matter and its inclusion served to do nothing but leave a bad taste in my mouth.
I think that the alternating perspectives detracted from the depth in which both Minnie and Eason could have been explored. I appreciated that it allowed a glimpse into both characters’ experiences, but it was little more than a glimpse. It was very quick and easy to read, which allowed me to get through it pretty quickly. I saw a couple other reviewers saying this felt a bit juvenile, almost YA, in its execution, and I can’t disagree. This wasn’t a bad book by any means, I just wanted more…which still leaves me on my quest to find a K-pop novel I truly love.
At a glance, “Superfan” has everything I’ve been wanting from a K-pop centric novel. Granted, HOURglass is a Western boy group, but is admittedly based upon the foundations of K-pop groups. I appreciated that the novel shared the perspective of an idol, and shed light on certain issues idols face during their career: the extreme dieting, the forced behaviors to create parasocial bonds with fans, the constant expectation of perfection. This is the first K-pop novel I’ve read that has provided a full perspective from an idol. I can also see Minnie’s story being compelling, too. Extreme loneliness being exacerbated by an idol’s deliberate fan service, leading to an extreme parasocial connection—it’s exactly what the K-pop companies want. Obsession boosts profits.
Unfortunately, I found the novel as a whole to be very surface level. Despite touching upon concepts I’ve been hoping for from idol novels, it was just the tip of the iceberg. In my review of “Holy Boy” by Lee Heejoo, I mentioned how:
“I…think it’s noteworthy that, in the ~K-Pop x obsession~ books I’ve read so far, it’s always a crazed female fan (or fans) obsessing over a male idol. I think it could be worth exploring why these types of narratives use ~crazy~ women and girls as vessels for their commentary on idolization. I feel like this ties back to the generalization that more women inhabit “fan” spaces and overall are more likely to let their emotions control their actions. I can’t help but feel like there’s a twinge of misogyny there, and none of the books I’ve read have delved into that aspect yet.”
So imagine how excited I was when Minnie, while working on an article for a zine about her love for HOURglass, touches upon that EXACT topic.
Minnie writes: “[They] just couldn’t understand why the boys were so popular. They chalked it up to girls being obsessed with them because of their good looks… [T]here’s no denying that [the fanbase] is mostly girls and women. But why should this be a bad thing? Why are people so quick to dismiss something, just because young women love it? Does it truly lack substance, or do we just not want girls to be happy? Does it scare us that much to see a girl happy?”
Sadly, that’s about all we get on that topic before it’s dropped. Talk about the first delicious bites of a meal that turns out to be a nothing burger.
I also found that, for a book titled “Superfan”, Minnie really didn’t get as obsessive or crazy as characters I’ve read in other novels. Granted, yes, there are definitely superfans on the periphery of the book, and there is a bit of exploration into the concept of them, but there really wasn’t as much as I was expecting or hoping for. I wanted Minnie to become crazy, overly possessive, but that didn’t really happen. And then (spoiler alert), Minnie made like three friends and suddenly was over her hyperfixation with the boys. I think the same can be said for Eason’s chapters as well. With this being the first of the K-pop novels I’ve read sharing the idol’s perspective, I was really hoping to dive into the hardships and struggles of the career. We got glimpses of things, but nothing of major substance. For example, one of Eason’s fellow members struggled with an eating disorder. This was weaponized by Eason to hurt the member during arguments, and then by the company to silence that member. Ultimately, there’s no exploration or nuance to the difficult subject matter and its inclusion served to do nothing but leave a bad taste in my mouth.
I think that the alternating perspectives detracted from the depth in which both Minnie and Eason could have been explored. I appreciated that it allowed a glimpse into both characters’ experiences, but it was little more than a glimpse. It was very quick and easy to read, which allowed me to get through it pretty quickly. I saw a couple other reviewers saying this felt a bit juvenile, almost YA, in its execution, and I can’t disagree. This wasn’t a bad book by any means, I just wanted more…which still leaves me on my quest to find a K-pop novel I truly love.
January 29, 2026
As a previous boy band lover myself…I am shook! While I was no where near as hardcore, this book really resonated with me. The intensity of loving a boy band and the sense of community being a part of a fan base can bring. It indeed was extremely well done.
The author did a great job of showing how our FMC was able to get so drawn into this world, rather than just having the FMC be this mega fan right off the bat. Allowing for us as readers to see how easy it can be to fall down the rabbit hole. Especially, when you’re starting out somewhere new and trying to find a sense of belonging.
The dual POV was a great touch as well. We get to see the exact cause and effect relationship of each scene, to show rather than tell. I liked getting to see the band’s rise to fame and how it affects them, not just the fan’s point of view of their experience.
One last thing I would like to touch on, the scene where Minnie talks about men loving sports teams and how that is within the same realm to women’s love for boy bands and artists is spot on! Then leaning into the discussion of how female centered hobbies and trends are constantly ridiculed, simply because men don’t understand it. I was all over it! Glad that was talked about!
I was able to listen to this as an audiobook, which I really enjoyed! I liked the 2 narrators for the dual POV. I think audio would be a great way to go for this book!
All in all, I don’t think this book will be for everyone. It was indeed really good in my opinion. I think it’s worth a try if the synopsis at all piques your interest.
***Thank you so much to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review!
The author did a great job of showing how our FMC was able to get so drawn into this world, rather than just having the FMC be this mega fan right off the bat. Allowing for us as readers to see how easy it can be to fall down the rabbit hole. Especially, when you’re starting out somewhere new and trying to find a sense of belonging.
The dual POV was a great touch as well. We get to see the exact cause and effect relationship of each scene, to show rather than tell. I liked getting to see the band’s rise to fame and how it affects them, not just the fan’s point of view of their experience.
One last thing I would like to touch on, the scene where Minnie talks about men loving sports teams and how that is within the same realm to women’s love for boy bands and artists is spot on! Then leaning into the discussion of how female centered hobbies and trends are constantly ridiculed, simply because men don’t understand it. I was all over it! Glad that was talked about!
I was able to listen to this as an audiobook, which I really enjoyed! I liked the 2 narrators for the dual POV. I think audio would be a great way to go for this book!
All in all, I don’t think this book will be for everyone. It was indeed really good in my opinion. I think it’s worth a try if the synopsis at all piques your interest.
***Thank you so much to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review!
December 29, 2025
This leaned very YA for me, I’m not sure if it’s being shelved as YA or general fiction but it felt YA. I never really got attached to the characters, which led to me not being invested in the story. Think slow burn but…the payoff wasn’t all that great.
Thank you to the publisher for the gifted ARC
Thank you to the publisher for the gifted ARC
March 26, 2026
"A middle-aged woman emerges, having shoved her way forward. I’m obsessed with you, she cries, waving a gelatinous-looking object in Eason’s face. Will you sign my vibrator?"
At some point in our lives we've been obsessed with something, be it celebrities, sports, or something out of the ordinary. It consumes our lives and takes over. That specific thing is all we can think about and sometimes it haunts our dreams. People who are obsessive over boybands are some of the wildest people that I've ever met. Never offend a boyband lover because you'll be at the bottom of the ocean afterwards.
I love stories about unhinged people doing some crazy things. Parts of this were like that and it was a trip. This jumped between two characters and there were times where you had to decide who was crazier. At one point you felt as if this was a match made in the loony bin. It was all unreal.
For the most part, I really enjoyed this. It was pure insanity, a little heartfelt, and off the wall. The downside was that this was heavily repetitive. That really takes away from a book when it was already a short read. Minnie and Eason definitely made this an entertaining read. Nate can go suck an egg though. What a douche.
'Superfan' was an interesting read with a lot of wicked twists. While repetitive, it was still entertaining and worth the read. Definitely a book that I'm keeing for my collection.
At some point in our lives we've been obsessed with something, be it celebrities, sports, or something out of the ordinary. It consumes our lives and takes over. That specific thing is all we can think about and sometimes it haunts our dreams. People who are obsessive over boybands are some of the wildest people that I've ever met. Never offend a boyband lover because you'll be at the bottom of the ocean afterwards.
I love stories about unhinged people doing some crazy things. Parts of this were like that and it was a trip. This jumped between two characters and there were times where you had to decide who was crazier. At one point you felt as if this was a match made in the loony bin. It was all unreal.
For the most part, I really enjoyed this. It was pure insanity, a little heartfelt, and off the wall. The downside was that this was heavily repetitive. That really takes away from a book when it was already a short read. Minnie and Eason definitely made this an entertaining read. Nate can go suck an egg though. What a douche.
'Superfan' was an interesting read with a lot of wicked twists. While repetitive, it was still entertaining and worth the read. Definitely a book that I'm keeing for my collection.
February 24, 2026
woah, phew. superfan gave me an existential crisis as someone who has been deep in the fandom trenches for nearly all my life. it captures the complexity of fandom, and fandom's toxic obsession with the subjects of its "love" soo well. jenny tinghui zhang offers a very nuanced look at how some fandoms can become so deeply toxic, and if you're into k-pop you can clearly see where she's drawn inspiration from. the writing was simply marvellous, and i, for one, can't wait to read more of what she writes!!!
March 11, 2026
I really loved this. It was at times painfully relatable and sometimes just painful, but it was also full of such care. It's really impressive how this book manages to both address the parasocial, toxic behavior that can happen in fandom spaces while also showing the good that can come from loving something so much. It's the sort of book that can only come from someone who has been here. I also really loved the way Eason's past was revealed over the course of the book, and in fact just how his whole storyline was handled. Minnie's as well. I underlined so many quotes while I was reading, and I'm sure I will underline even more next time.
March 4, 2026
4.5 stars rounded up
This book was soooooooo good and very easy to relate to. This is a must read for people like me who spend their time daydreaming about boy groups. Even right now, I'm typing and deleting a lot of my thoughts because I don't want to be seen as the "crazy" fangirl. I dont think i'll ever understand why people make it seem like being a fangirl is a bad thing. The author does a really good job at showcasing the different types of fans. Like don't get me wrong i love my kpop idols but im not waiting outside their hotels for glimpses of them. I think fangirls get a bad rep because there are people who do take it to the extreme and don't see the line between fantasy and reality.
I like daydreaming and coming up with little scenarios, but I know that they'll never actually be true. idk if im wording any of my thoughts right, but just go read this book if youve ever been a major fan of something or someone
This book was soooooooo good and very easy to relate to. This is a must read for people like me who spend their time daydreaming about boy groups. Even right now, I'm typing and deleting a lot of my thoughts because I don't want to be seen as the "crazy" fangirl. I dont think i'll ever understand why people make it seem like being a fangirl is a bad thing. The author does a really good job at showcasing the different types of fans. Like don't get me wrong i love my kpop idols but im not waiting outside their hotels for glimpses of them. I think fangirls get a bad rep because there are people who do take it to the extreme and don't see the line between fantasy and reality.
I like daydreaming and coming up with little scenarios, but I know that they'll never actually be true. idk if im wording any of my thoughts right, but just go read this book if youve ever been a major fan of something or someone
February 4, 2026
Superfan was just an okay read for me. Minnie struggling with the loneliness of the college experience was the most compelling bit of the book, not her obsession with HOURglass or Halo's POV of being mired in scandals and secrets as a member of a Kpop-inspired boyband (which ironically is what Superfan's marketing revolves around). Those bits lack depth and felt more unrealistic.
September 3, 2025
*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance reader copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.*
Superfan follows Minnie who is a lonely college student who discovers the k-pop inspired boy band, HOURglass. The band gives her an escape from her lonely life and soon she is watching everything they do and hoping her favourite member, Halo will see her in the comments. Halo whose real name is Eason is becoming addicted to the adoration from his fans and escapes into the band to ignore his tragic past. Minnie ends up drawn into a fan community for the band that believes they need to protect the band members from a dark conspiracy. As Minnie gets deeper into the fan community, the line between fandom and obsession blurs and Minnie is desperate to discover Halo and the secrets he is keeping.
This book is a good deep dive into fandom culture and how dark things can get. It was easy to relate to Minnie and how lonely she felt and it was easy to understand how Minnie got involved into the fan community. This book feels like a realistic interpretation of the negative parts of being in a fandom and stan culture. It was also interesting to see Eason’s point of view of being in a band and experiencing the attention from fans. The writing felt a little remote and this just wasn’t the perfect story for me because I do think this was a little too on the nose with the points made. That said I’m giving this 3.5 stars and I would recommend this.
Superfan follows Minnie who is a lonely college student who discovers the k-pop inspired boy band, HOURglass. The band gives her an escape from her lonely life and soon she is watching everything they do and hoping her favourite member, Halo will see her in the comments. Halo whose real name is Eason is becoming addicted to the adoration from his fans and escapes into the band to ignore his tragic past. Minnie ends up drawn into a fan community for the band that believes they need to protect the band members from a dark conspiracy. As Minnie gets deeper into the fan community, the line between fandom and obsession blurs and Minnie is desperate to discover Halo and the secrets he is keeping.
This book is a good deep dive into fandom culture and how dark things can get. It was easy to relate to Minnie and how lonely she felt and it was easy to understand how Minnie got involved into the fan community. This book feels like a realistic interpretation of the negative parts of being in a fandom and stan culture. It was also interesting to see Eason’s point of view of being in a band and experiencing the attention from fans. The writing felt a little remote and this just wasn’t the perfect story for me because I do think this was a little too on the nose with the points made. That said I’m giving this 3.5 stars and I would recommend this.
August 20, 2025
A dizzying and sickening reflection of fame, idols, and how quickly we can lose ourselves. As someone who spent her formative years online and in spaces dedicated to boybands, this novel hit close to home. Similar to Minnie, I sought refuge in fandoms and celebrities that felt larger than life. I saw firsthand the delusions, conspiracies and fears that circulated around these online communities.
There was so much real fear in this story, and choosing to tell it from both inside the band and out was a clever move. I felt the want and need of the fans, and Minnie, but also the desperation in the boys, particularly Easton. I wish there was a bit more development with the other boys, but this was really Easton/Halo’s story.
I loved the slow descent into madness, and the subsequent hope at the end. This was such an exciting book to read, it felt almost like a thriller in parts. Truly a fantastic and important story about parasocial relationships and the damage they cause. If you were once a fangirl, or in online fandoms, I highly recommend this book!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for kindly providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review. #Superfan #NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
There was so much real fear in this story, and choosing to tell it from both inside the band and out was a clever move. I felt the want and need of the fans, and Minnie, but also the desperation in the boys, particularly Easton. I wish there was a bit more development with the other boys, but this was really Easton/Halo’s story.
I loved the slow descent into madness, and the subsequent hope at the end. This was such an exciting book to read, it felt almost like a thriller in parts. Truly a fantastic and important story about parasocial relationships and the damage they cause. If you were once a fangirl, or in online fandoms, I highly recommend this book!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for kindly providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review. #Superfan #NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Currently reading
April 23, 2025ITS HAPPENING ITS HAPPENING ITS FINALLY HAPPENING
February 11, 2026
2.75
This was a book that I finished pretty quickly, but not because it was the most compelling read. It honestly left me in kind of a funk (that I am still in a bit after finishing the book). On paper (get the joke), it covers plenty of topics that I would find interesting such as fandom, parasocial relationships, the concept of celebrity itself, and media scrutiny. On paper though (yes, read this in a different tone so I can force the double entendre), it fell flat simply because of the immense number of topics that were covered. There wasn't much depth when exploring each topic, so this book ends up feeling like a primer on fandom rather than a deep exploration of fan and artist relationships.
Minnie is an interesting character, but my main gripe with her is that her development is relegated to a four-year time skip. You can see bits of her starting to find herself as the book goes on, but any major change is left to the unseen forces of time. She is super relatable though, and as a former lonely teenager who was also in tons of derided fandoms, I can see myself in her to an extent. You really see fandom become the core of her essence and become her whole personality, which can be accurate in extreme cases, but also makes her character a bit dull.
Eason's POV was a bit of a weird outlier to me. His personal tragedies are necessary to carry the plot along, but feel somewhat oddly placed. You get so much build-up about how he did such a terrible thing, but you can piece together what happens pretty early on. All of the struggles he faces do contrast with his celebrity persona quite well, but the extent of the tragedy seems quite dramatic in scope. The best way I can describe it is that it's dramatic for the sake of being dramatic, not because the level drama felt natural. You see some gripes about celebrity life, but that part is overshadowed by the focus on Eason's trauma. The ending also seems a bit like a cheap shock value ending that doesn't go with the rest of the book. I would have enjoyed seeing Eason and Minnie go through more character development rather than the explosion of a shock ending.
Eason and Julian's relationship is also a bit of an odd point to me. It's no secret that "shipping" culture is alive and well, but bringing up the staging of a fake relationship multiple times and only briefly discussing why it was marketable ignored a lot of potential conversations about misogyny and why shipping even happens. I did like that the deterioration of Eason and Julian's relationship was chronicled; anyone old enough to know what Larry Stylinson means knows how damaging these situations can be.
All in all, this was a pretty surface-level look at fandom that was enjoyable at parts, but lacked the depth that would have taken this to the next level. Great cover though!
This was a book that I finished pretty quickly, but not because it was the most compelling read. It honestly left me in kind of a funk (that I am still in a bit after finishing the book). On paper (get the joke), it covers plenty of topics that I would find interesting such as fandom, parasocial relationships, the concept of celebrity itself, and media scrutiny. On paper though (yes, read this in a different tone so I can force the double entendre), it fell flat simply because of the immense number of topics that were covered. There wasn't much depth when exploring each topic, so this book ends up feeling like a primer on fandom rather than a deep exploration of fan and artist relationships.
Minnie is an interesting character, but my main gripe with her is that her development is relegated to a four-year time skip. You can see bits of her starting to find herself as the book goes on, but any major change is left to the unseen forces of time. She is super relatable though, and as a former lonely teenager who was also in tons of derided fandoms, I can see myself in her to an extent. You really see fandom become the core of her essence and become her whole personality, which can be accurate in extreme cases, but also makes her character a bit dull.
Eason's POV was a bit of a weird outlier to me. His personal tragedies are necessary to carry the plot along, but feel somewhat oddly placed. You get so much build-up about how he did such a terrible thing, but you can piece together what happens pretty early on. All of the struggles he faces do contrast with his celebrity persona quite well, but the extent of the tragedy seems quite dramatic in scope. The best way I can describe it is that it's dramatic for the sake of being dramatic, not because the level drama felt natural. You see some gripes about celebrity life, but that part is overshadowed by the focus on Eason's trauma. The ending also seems a bit like a cheap shock value ending that doesn't go with the rest of the book. I would have enjoyed seeing Eason and Minnie go through more character development rather than the explosion of a shock ending.
Eason and Julian's relationship is also a bit of an odd point to me. It's no secret that "shipping" culture is alive and well, but bringing up the staging of a fake relationship multiple times and only briefly discussing why it was marketable ignored a lot of potential conversations about misogyny and why shipping even happens. I did like that the deterioration of Eason and Julian's relationship was chronicled; anyone old enough to know what Larry Stylinson means knows how damaging these situations can be.
All in all, this was a pretty surface-level look at fandom that was enjoyable at parts, but lacked the depth that would have taken this to the next level. Great cover though!
February 16, 2026
I enjoyed Minnie’s sections a lot more than Eason’s. Fandom is an interesting topic and I believe this only scratched the surface.
February 26, 2026
It stayed way too surface for me. I thought the concept and the ideas were really great, but it didn't go far enough. It might have been the fact that we get a dual narrative, and there are plot points that take up a lot of time to establish certain things, but then we just get told other things, and those were the things I wish had been more fleshed out. I didn't ultimately get the sense of obsession or all-consuming interest fueled by loneliness and ostracization. I also didn't get the sense of the pressures of fame or the particularly demanding facets of k-pop groups. I think this could have been really great, but instead it was a bit of a slog for me, overall.
January 19, 2026
This started out intriguing, I thought Minnie was a compelling character and I was looking forward to her finding her footing and assertiveness throughout the book. The rest was really disjointed and felt way too dramatic for what was actually going on.
Eason’s POV was so bland. The events were made to be this incredibly high stakes thing and it just fell completely flat. If you’re a Gaylor who is super into parasocial relationships then you might like this book.
Thank you Macmillan Audio for the ALC of this book.
Eason’s POV was so bland. The events were made to be this incredibly high stakes thing and it just fell completely flat. If you’re a Gaylor who is super into parasocial relationships then you might like this book.
Thank you Macmillan Audio for the ALC of this book.
January 24, 2026
This is an interesting look behind the curtain of fame and it’s effects. The story is told through the POV of Minnie, a college student who gets sucked into an obsession over HOURglass, a viral pop group, and Halo, one of its members hiding a big secret.
While listening to the book, I felt there was so much potential left unexplored. I wanted the author to dig deeper into each character and reveal more layers. Both Minnie and Halo felt a bit one dimensional to me.
There’s an underlying message about the cost of fame and how the truth is often distorted. Overall, the book felt skewed to an audience younger than me which may explain why it was an okay read for me, as opposed to a memorable one.
Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the gifted ALC. All opinions are my own.
While listening to the book, I felt there was so much potential left unexplored. I wanted the author to dig deeper into each character and reveal more layers. Both Minnie and Halo felt a bit one dimensional to me.
There’s an underlying message about the cost of fame and how the truth is often distorted. Overall, the book felt skewed to an audience younger than me which may explain why it was an okay read for me, as opposed to a memorable one.
Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the gifted ALC. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy
2.5⭐
February 8, 2026
Celebrity obsession from both sides. Affecting and worrying.
This was very good indeed. From the first moments of connection/crush and feeling that boyband knows you personally, to the music and enjoyment, to the online group chats and intimate knowledge of band members, to the physical following and photographing... we see all this through the eyes and heart of first year college student Minnie. Floundering at making friends, at choosing good boyfriends, at writing for the campus 'zine, boyband HOURglass are always there for her, with soothing lyrics and a constant online presence. Joining groups of superfans, Minnie doesn't need to be embarrased by her love for them online, not when so many other people go to even greater lengths to love and even protect the young men.
Conversely, Halo, one of the band members shows us daily life on the treadmill of the pop machine, the hours of training and dancing, the dieting and image-fostering, the narratives and protection.
We see the two groups interacting and it's quite shocking really, knowing both perspectives and seeing the parasitic nature of the relationship, the danger to both of obsession and desire, desires of various sorts.
I loved this. Everyone can understand obsession in one form or another, and watching Minnie examine her own and other people's while trying to navigate the confusing world of college was very well done.
This was dark, very well planned out, with Minnie an empathetic protagonist, and the chapters following HOURglass particularly angering and compelling. Loved their backstories and could almost picture them on stage.
A disturbing read in many ways, as we self-examine our own behaviours. And the manufactured nature of our idols.
One for older teens and adults, powerful stuff.
With thanks to Netgalley for providing a sample reading copy.
This was very good indeed. From the first moments of connection/crush and feeling that boyband knows you personally, to the music and enjoyment, to the online group chats and intimate knowledge of band members, to the physical following and photographing... we see all this through the eyes and heart of first year college student Minnie. Floundering at making friends, at choosing good boyfriends, at writing for the campus 'zine, boyband HOURglass are always there for her, with soothing lyrics and a constant online presence. Joining groups of superfans, Minnie doesn't need to be embarrased by her love for them online, not when so many other people go to even greater lengths to love and even protect the young men.
Conversely, Halo, one of the band members shows us daily life on the treadmill of the pop machine, the hours of training and dancing, the dieting and image-fostering, the narratives and protection.
We see the two groups interacting and it's quite shocking really, knowing both perspectives and seeing the parasitic nature of the relationship, the danger to both of obsession and desire, desires of various sorts.
I loved this. Everyone can understand obsession in one form or another, and watching Minnie examine her own and other people's while trying to navigate the confusing world of college was very well done.
This was dark, very well planned out, with Minnie an empathetic protagonist, and the chapters following HOURglass particularly angering and compelling. Loved their backstories and could almost picture them on stage.
A disturbing read in many ways, as we self-examine our own behaviours. And the manufactured nature of our idols.
One for older teens and adults, powerful stuff.
With thanks to Netgalley for providing a sample reading copy.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
A really interesting coming of age story around themes of fandom and pop-culture.
This was a modern twist on coming of age novels we grew up reading. We follow Minnie, a college student struggling with loneliness as she tries to fit in, and Easton, a young boy with a dark past who shoots to stardom overnight. The two's stories couldn't be more different but are interconnected and both lead up to an explosive meeting that changes the course of their lives and forces them to face what they've been hiding.
This book explores the dark side of stardom perfectly in my opinion. Minnie is forced to realise that she cannot rely on strangers for affection and love, but must face the real world in front of her, whilst Easton realises you cannot escape your past and grief, no matter how hard you may try to change. The book explores themes of parasocial relationships and the role the media can play in corrupting younger minds and leading them astray.
I was SO stressed for the last 30% of this book. Waiting for that meeting between Minnie and Easton was like dragging nails on a chalkboard and really was a pivotal moment in the book as the reader like it was for Minnie. I felt a lot of sympathy to Minnie in this book which surprised me as I feel as though the decisions she made wouldn't have been so relatable to me as a reader. Hats off to the author for making such a genuine, easily relatable character.
The book deals with dark themes including racism and SA so please do check the triggers before reading if needed.
A really easy read and a great audiobook if you're wanting a non-romance, tense coming-of-age novel!
This was a modern twist on coming of age novels we grew up reading. We follow Minnie, a college student struggling with loneliness as she tries to fit in, and Easton, a young boy with a dark past who shoots to stardom overnight. The two's stories couldn't be more different but are interconnected and both lead up to an explosive meeting that changes the course of their lives and forces them to face what they've been hiding.
This book explores the dark side of stardom perfectly in my opinion. Minnie is forced to realise that she cannot rely on strangers for affection and love, but must face the real world in front of her, whilst Easton realises you cannot escape your past and grief, no matter how hard you may try to change. The book explores themes of parasocial relationships and the role the media can play in corrupting younger minds and leading them astray.
I was SO stressed for the last 30% of this book. Waiting for that meeting between Minnie and Easton was like dragging nails on a chalkboard and really was a pivotal moment in the book as the reader like it was for Minnie. I felt a lot of sympathy to Minnie in this book which surprised me as I feel as though the decisions she made wouldn't have been so relatable to me as a reader. Hats off to the author for making such a genuine, easily relatable character.
The book deals with dark themes including racism and SA so please do check the triggers before reading if needed.
A really easy read and a great audiobook if you're wanting a non-romance, tense coming-of-age novel!
February 10, 2026
I’m not usually a fan of dual POVs, but it worked for me here because both characters were genuinely interesting. We get the perspective of Minnie, an obsessed fan, alongside the POV of Halo, one of the members of the boy band. Despite their very different lives, they mirror each other in meaningful ways. Both are kind, lonely, and grappling with trauma.
Minnie’s isolation and trauma fuels her obsession with the band, while Halo’s grief and loneliness make him desperate for love and validation from fans. In that sense, this feels like a quiet coming-of-age story as we watch Minnie navigate college life and Halo adjust to the disorienting reality of newfound fame.
None of this is entirely new territory, but the characters have depth and the story clearly has something to say. The tension ramps up toward the climax and I found myself reading with bated breath just to see how it would all end. Overall, this was a gripping read with surprisingly relatable characters.
Minnie’s isolation and trauma fuels her obsession with the band, while Halo’s grief and loneliness make him desperate for love and validation from fans. In that sense, this feels like a quiet coming-of-age story as we watch Minnie navigate college life and Halo adjust to the disorienting reality of newfound fame.
None of this is entirely new territory, but the characters have depth and the story clearly has something to say. The tension ramps up toward the climax and I found myself reading with bated breath just to see how it would all end. Overall, this was a gripping read with surprisingly relatable characters.
March 21, 2026
Loooooved the discussions on the relationships fans have with celebrities and the toxicity of the industry. Plus the discussions on how society and people tend to be more critical of women’s interests. Yes, thank you 👏👏👏.
I also loved that it had a bit of nuance to it. Sometimes being a fan of something and escaping for a bit is perfectly okay as long as you don’t go too far with it. There was definitely some back and forth in here about when it becomes too much.
Seeing the boy band member POV was also fantastic. There’s a ton of exploitation in the industry so I’m glad that it was discussed.
I also loved that it had a bit of nuance to it. Sometimes being a fan of something and escaping for a bit is perfectly okay as long as you don’t go too far with it. There was definitely some back and forth in here about when it becomes too much.
Seeing the boy band member POV was also fantastic. There’s a ton of exploitation in the industry so I’m glad that it was discussed.
March 10, 2026
4.5 stars! i really enjoyed this and thought it was really interesting, especially as someone who plans to spend the next 4-5+ years studying online fandom and parasocial relationships (with a particular interest in boy band fandoms)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 283 reviews