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Gorgeous gruesome faces
Book
2023
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Where is it?
Fiction/Biography Profile
Characters
Sunny Lee (Female), Asian American, Determined to unravel the mystery of friend's death
Genre
Fiction
Thriller
Horror
Psychological
Topics
Girls
Death of a friend
Suicide
Singers
Pop culture
Pop singers
Secrets
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Trade Reviews
Publishers Weekly Review
The mysterious circumstances behind an Asian American pop star's death spell disaster for the group's remaining members in Cheng's debut, a thrilling psychological horror. Two years ago, Sunday Lee, who is of Taiwanese and Chinese descent; Chinese American Candice Tsai; and Korean American Mina Park made up the all-girl musical group Sweet Cadence. But when nude photos of Mina are leaked online, Mina supposedly dies by suicide, and the group disbands. Now 18 and living in Atlanta, Sunny learns that Candie--from whom she's estranged--is arriving from Los Angeles to participate in a prestigious workshop from which a few candidates will be chosen to become K-pop trainees in Korea. As Sunny inserts herself into the workshop, she determines to unravel the mystery of Mina's death and reckons with the increasing instances of injury among her competitors, all while grappling with her ever-shifting relationship with Candie, who still seems to yield an inexplicable power over her. Alternating chapters titled "Then" and "Now" weave flashbacks from the height of Sweet Cadence's fame with harrowing behind-the-scenes looks into the world of K-pop and fascinating, eeriely rendered supernatural horror elements . Ages 14--up. Agent: John Cusick, Folio Literary Management. (Nov.)
Booklist Review
Back then, Sunny had everything: fame, as a member of the pop group Sweet Cadence, and true friends in costars Candie and Mina. But now, Sweet Cadence is over, a highly publicized scandal has destroyed Sunny's life, Candie and Sunny don't speak, and Mina is dead. When Sunny learns that Candie is doing a K-pop competition, she rushes to sign up for it, too, though recapturing their old fame is the last thing on her mind. She's determined to reconnect with Candie and learn the truth about the strange, spectral energy that the three girls once harnessed that may have led to Mina's death. But as the cutthroat workshop goes on and Candie continues to hold Sunny at arm's length, eerie and violent occurrences threaten not just the workshop but Sunny's very reality. Cheng infuses the narrative with dread, skewering a culture obsessed with fame and disinterested in the safety of the girls it claims to love. At the same time, Sunny and Candie's journey to reconnection, romantic and mystical, is propulsively readable. A noteworthy debut.
Kirkus Review
A cutthroat competition becomes haunting. It's been two years since Mina Park, Sunny Lee's best friend, died, and although her death was ruled a suicide, Sunny was there that night. While she's not sure exactly what happened, she knows something much darker was going on. Mina's passing, following a scandal around leaked nude photos, was the final blow to Sweet Cadence, their all-girl Asian American pop group. After descending into obscurity and relocating to Atlanta from Los Angeles, Sunny is ready to try a workshop that offers a chance at K-pop stardom. She's also motivated by the chance it offers to be face to face with Candie Tsai, who will also be participating. Former close friend and bandmate Candie was also there when Mina died. Seemingly flawless Candie has the perfect idol persona, but Sunny knows she is dangerous--and that she knows what really happened to Mina. Sunny will do everything in her power to get to the truth. As the days blend together, Sunny's night terrors become reality, and strange things start happening to the girls in the program--and it all leads back to Candie. The narrative is haunting and magnetic, and an example of masterfully executed psychological horror that readers will find difficult to put down. True to its title, the gore is disturbing. Sunny's parents are from Taiwan and Hong Kong; Candie's family came from China, and Mina was Korean American. Immensely and terrifyingly satisfying from beginning to end. (Thriller. 14-18) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Summary

A cutthroat K-pop competition leads to a dark obsession in this twisty sapphic horror-romance. Perfect for fans of She Is a Haunting and Yellowjackets .

"A perfect blend of folk horror and dazzling showbiz that will grip you from page one." ―Trang Thanh Tran, New York Times -bestselling author of She is a Haunting

"The sweetest spot between horror and romance." ―Chloe Gong, #1 New York Times -bestselling author of These Violent Delights

You'll love them to death . . .

Two years have passed since Sunny Lee lost her best friend Mina in a mysterious death. With their other BFF, Candie, the trio had been the hottest up-and-coming teen pop group, until it all suddenly ended. And Sunny can't help but wonder if Candie had something to do with it.

Now, Sunny is still seeking answers. When she discovers that Candie is attending a new K-pop workshop, Sunny follows, hoping to uncover the reason why Mina died... and why she died so violently. Sunny and Candie's reunion is haunted by more than Mina's death as the old spark between them returns, even stronger than before. But there's no time for romance when the lines between nightmare and reality start to blur, leaving their competitors' bodies bizarrely maimed and mutilated. To survive, Sunny must expose the dark secrets surrounding Candie and the workshop's twisted promise for fame.

Stitched with cutting commentary on the ugly side of stardom and impossible beauty standards, Linda Cheng's mind-bending, feminist thriller will have readers screaming and swooning for more.

*Don't miss the chilling companion novel, Beautiful Brutal Bodies , coming Fall 2025*

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