That’s right. We’re back again! The book team at THP has loved every book we’ve reviewed so far, and we’re excited to see what else is in store.
Today, we’re discussing Grace K. Shim’s newest YA novel, Not Your Average Jo! You may know her from her incredible debut, The Noh Family. Not Your Average Jo follows Riley Jo, a Korean American girl who dreams of becoming a musician. As Riley moves across the country to attend an arts-focused boarding school in Los Angeles, she learns that it takes more than talent to make it in the music industry.
Book Overview
Content Warnings: racism, racial stereotyping and discrimination, verbal microaggressions
Summary: Riley Jo is a teenager who knows what she wants. Born and raised in Bentonville, Arkansas, this Korean American girl has her sights set on being a musician. So when her parents are surprisingly cool about her attending the prestigious Los Angeles–based arts-focused boarding school her senior year of high school, she jumps at the chance. This is her moment to make her indie rock dreams a reality!
Things at Carlmont Academy start out strong: She joins a band, and they set out to make plans to perform at the annual spring concert—with a chance to land a record contract. Another student, Xander, decides his school project will be a documentary about the band leading up to their first show. But not everything goes how Riley Jo imagined. She is soon sidelined when her other bandmates feel she is “too Asian” to be their lead singer, and they choose her classmate Bodhi Collins for the role instead.
Bodhi is rock music royalty, with a dad who is a famous music exec. And he’s got the “all-American rock star look.” Her classmates suggest she try making K-pop, but her heart is in indie rock. Riley Jo decides to take matters into her own hands and writes an original song to showcase her talent. But Bodhi takes the credit . . . and given his connections, the band lets him.
Xander captures all of this in his film, which he leaks in order to show the truth behind the band. Riley Jo decides to sign up for the spring concert and perform on her own . . . but will she finally be able to take center stage?
Riley’s Character Development Is 10/10
Growing up as a third-generation Korean American in Arkansas, Riley has always been one of the only Asian people in her class. Now that she’s in Los Angeles, she has a community of Asian American students to connect with. But that doesn’t stop Riley from feeling “too American” in front of her roommate Aerie and her traditional Korean family. Or feeling “too Korean” for her bandmates and advisor. Her struggles hit a little too close to home. We were rooting for Riley from start to finish, and we couldn’t be more proud of her by the end of Not Your Average Jo!
The Quiz
It’s been a minute since we’ve made a character quiz, hasn’t it? But of course, we had to make one to accompany our review of Grace K. Shim’s second novel, Not Your Average Jo! Between Riley, her bandmate Griff Torres, and her roommate Aerie Jung, which character are you most like? Keep track of your answers!
What’s your instrument of choice?
A. Guitar
B. Drums
C. Violin
Which of these family struggles do you relate to most?
A. They don’t really understand who I am
B. They mean well, but I feel like I owe them a lot
C. They have extremely high expectations for me
How do you react in a conflict?
A. I write about it
B. I bottle it up
C. I avoid the other person
What’s your strongest trait?
A. I’m confident of my talents
B. I’m consistent in working toward my goals
C. I know how to advocate for myself
The Results
Mostly A’s
If you got mostly A’s, you got Riley! You’re learning to fight for what you want, even if it means having difficult conversations. Remember to celebrate your wins, no matter how small they seem.
Mostly B’s
If you got mostly B’s, you got Griff! You tend to go the path of least resistance, and you’d do anything to make your family proud. Don’t forget to stand up for what you believe in sometimes.
Mostly C’s
If you got mostly C’s, you got Aerie! You’re extroverted, and you know how to command attention. You’ve got a lot on your shoulders, so remember to give yourself some grace.
Tie Between Two Choices
If you have a tie between two choices, you’re tough to pin down! We’ll say you’re most like your favorite character from Not Your Average Jo. Feel free to try again and break your tie!
With topics of social activism, identity, and the immigrant child experience, Grace K. Shim’s new novel, Not Your Average Jo, truly hits home.
Not Your Average Jo by Grace K. Shim comes out on March 12th, and you can preorder a copy of it here!
What do you think of Grace K. Shim’s Not Your Average Jo? Which character did you get? Let us know on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram!
Want to hear some of our audiobook recommendations? Here’s the latest!
Interested in more quizzes? We got you!
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT GRACE K. SHIM:
INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | WEBSITE
