4.5 stars
I enjoyed this book and might actually reread it sometime in the future! I liked how each chapter was separated by some kind of article or post about Hunter or the band. I thought it was fun and a good way to give us more in universe perspective. I love books about boybands that really just shine a spotlight on how fucked up the industry can be and this really did it! Not just from the boyband member's perspective, but in between chapters we sometimes saw emails between their manager, the CEO, and other label staff. How they don't always see the talent as a person, but a dollar sign or a character to change as they see fit.
Now here on there are gonna be some spoilers! be warned!!
So I did not like Hunter's love interest Kaivan. Like the whole time it kind of felt like he was using Hunter because he was so happy to sign autographs and take pictures with fans at dates, even when Hunter was getting grabbed and stuff. Also Hunter was victimized for everything. On one hand he was like not aware or considering the problems his poc bandmates faced, nor the ones Kaivan and his brother's faced, but I feel like everyone was a little too rough on him at times, like he's clearly doing his best and in a very shitty situation that the adults around him did not do enough to support him through. I really wish in the end Hunter and Kaivan didn't end up together and Hunter had taken some time to find himself on his own like Aiden did. I think he could have used that time they he should have had right after that first break up. If the label hadn't been involved I don't think Hunter and Kaivan would have ended up getting together so fast and I think the breathing room was needed.
I enjoyed this book and might actually reread it sometime in the future! I liked how each chapter was separated by some kind of article or post about Hunter or the band. I thought it was fun and a good way to give us more in universe perspective. I love books about boybands that really just shine a spotlight on how fucked up the industry can be and this really did it! Not just from the boyband member's perspective, but in between chapters we sometimes saw emails between their manager, the CEO, and other label staff. How they don't always see the talent as a person, but a dollar sign or a character to change as they see fit.
Now here on there are gonna be some spoilers! be warned!!
So I did not like Hunter's love interest Kaivan. Like the whole time it kind of felt like he was using Hunter because he was so happy to sign autographs and take pictures with fans at dates, even when Hunter was getting grabbed and stuff. Also Hunter was victimized for everything. On one hand he was like not aware or considering the problems his poc bandmates faced, nor the ones Kaivan and his brother's faced, but I feel like everyone was a little too rough on him at times, like he's clearly doing his best and in a very shitty situation that the adults around him did not do enough to support him through. I really wish in the end Hunter and Kaivan didn't end up together and Hunter had taken some time to find himself on his own like Aiden did. I think he could have used that time they he should have had right after that first break up. If the label hadn't been involved I don't think Hunter and Kaivan would have ended up getting together so fast and I think the breathing room was needed.