I Guess I Live Here Now by Claire Ahn

Melody always wanted to get to know the Korean side of her Korean American heritage better, but not quite like this. Thanks to a tiny transgression after school one day, she's shocked to discover that her parents have decided to move her and her mom out of New York City to join her father in Seoul--immediately! Barely having the chance to say goodbye to her best friend before she's on a plane, Melody is resentful, angry, and homesick.

But she soon finds herself settling into their super luxe home, meeting cool friends at school, and discovering the alluring aspects of living in Korea--trendsetting fashion, delectable food, her dad's black card, and a cute boy to hang out with. Life in Seoul is amazing...until cracks begin to form on its shiny surface. Troubling family secrets, broken friendships, and a lost passion are the prices Melody has to pay for her new life, but is it worth it?

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Books set in Korea or featuring large parts of their culture are on the rise...this is the third one I've read this month. I'm slightly hampered by the fact that none of them ever explain the terms they're using, but I'm starting to grasp some of them from context and I'm really enjoying learning more about a culture I don't know very well.

That aspect aside, Melody is very relatable; we've all had that feeling of having to fit in somewhere new, to a lesser or greater extent, and watching her try to fit in somewhere so strange is fascinating. I did think the book dragged a bit to start, but once it picked up it kept up the pace, and I was very interested to see what would happen next.

I loved watching Melody stand up to her father, and the way she chose to do it was amazing, unique and very 'her'. Her interest was an unusual one, too, not one you see often, and I loved it. I really enjoyed reading about her excursions around Seoul, as well...I could almost smell the food!

I'd love to read more about Melody, but if this is where it ends, it's a good spot for it.

I Guess I Live Here Now publishes on the 24th May, 2022. I was given a free copy and I'm giving an honest review.