Scan barcode
kaulhilo's review against another edition
1.0
this book is exactly like if gossip girl crashed and burned. it felt very abysmally unoriginal, an amateur fanfiction: which was just so disappointing because the cover and the synopsis are actually so intriguing it feels unfair to see it executed so poorly.
i could’ve forgiven the icky reverse derena-esque plotline if, at the very least, the writing was done well, but even that came off as entirely too artificial and robotic. the characters were odd, one dimensional, and a lot of the things happening felt a little too fluid and on the nose for me. i really have no idea why this has so many 5 stars ratings since i cannot find a single good thing to say about it, besides being somewhat blandly entertaining. thank you to berkley for the arc (1.5/5).
i could’ve forgiven the icky reverse derena-esque plotline if, at the very least, the writing was done well, but even that came off as entirely too artificial and robotic. the characters were odd, one dimensional, and a lot of the things happening felt a little too fluid and on the nose for me. i really have no idea why this has so many 5 stars ratings since i cannot find a single good thing to say about it, besides being somewhat blandly entertaining. thank you to berkley for the arc (1.5/5).
elodieblt99's review against another edition
3.0
I really enjoyed this book.
Different genre than im used to reading, and there was a component of culture (whether you want to admit it or not, my culture as a white woman living in the lower middle class of an american (continent) country, clashed with many elements of this story) and gender roles within different social economical background that was quite interesting to ponder on. The friendships in this book are complicated and sweet.
I overall think this was a good book!
Different genre than im used to reading, and there was a component of culture (whether you want to admit it or not, my culture as a white woman living in the lower middle class of an american (continent) country, clashed with many elements of this story) and gender roles within different social economical background that was quite interesting to ponder on. The friendships in this book are complicated and sweet.
I overall think this was a good book!
annehed's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
luckies_universe's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
2.5
dbgeejr's review against another edition
I can appreciate the writing and where this story was going, but I can gather already that this wasn’t what I expected or hoped for. Rather than get further along to face disappointment, I decided to stop after the first chapter to redirect to another story.
cobaltbookshelf's review against another edition
1.0
This being sold like Crazy Rich Asians meets Gossip Girl is fraud.
sheisinquisitive's review against another edition
3.0
For a debut, this was a great start! As someone hoping to be published someday, it's always inspiring to see young authors put themselves out there. The synopsis was flavourful, blending the world of high fashion like "Devil Wears Prada" and a magazine writer like "Confessions of a Shopaholic" with the East-Asian customs and cultures like "Crazy Rich Asians." I felt like I was reading a "chick flick" (though an outdated term, I think you know what I mean). I just... I didn't love it, and here's why.
Our protagonist, Samantha, starts as a strong narrator. She's a relatable character to the average young adult working towards achieving a childhood dream while trying to stay afloat as she swims through financial instability. However, as her story goes on, her decisions feel rather harsh and unjustified. To forgive some, but not others. To hurt some, but let others get away. She's young, but not sixteen. Although it is made clear that she's easily influenced by the things and people around her, it's a bit upsetting to see the lack of character development and her inability to truly overcome that flaw. Personally, I found the ending to be a disappointment. It seemed too easy. Too unrealistic. It fell off compared to the rest of the hard-work Samantha put in to be a socialite.
As for the supporting characters, they were rather bland, cliche, and unrelatable. I don't want to say that their problems weren't really problems, but it's difficult to root for anyone who lacks gratitude and fails to recognize their privileges. They seemed childish and often apathetic. They oddly felt out-of-touch with the real world and sounded fake in a sense that felt unintentional. Rather than being merely ignorant, they spoke with a narcissism, a selfishness that caught me off guard and immediately made me say, "Samantha, find new friends" (though, she wasn't all that great either). I also didn't really like anyone's names. They were just so... unremarkable? I can't really recall them.
The romance was okay. It could've been better, but he was a red flag anyway, so she dodged a bullet (well... kind of).
A theme I really liked exploring in the text was the degree of influence by parental figures, one that varied well across social class and marital status. In particular, I looked forward to the interactions between Samantha and her mother. In those moments, I saw reflections of my parents and felt seen as a child of hard-working Asian parents who sacrifice much for their children and their dreams.
Finally, I must say that Zhao shows an incredible range of vocabulary and strong writing skills. Not only was "The Fraud Squad" an easy read (it's the fastest I've finished a book this year), but it was well-written and very well-researched. I could tell that Zhao did her homework, reading up on the fashion world and using relevant terminology to make Samantha's passion seem real and engrained. Even more so, her descriptions of the glam and lavish lifestyle of a socialite were more than believable. I could almost envision it, as if I were wearing the dresses, looking up at the high ceilings, and holding a glass of champagne that costs more than my car (despite being a non-drinker). My only point of criticism here is that "S Magazine" and "As Seen by Argus" were rather lame and, based on her skills and creativity, could've been much better.
Now, I may not be Singaporean, though I've read enough reviews to realize that there isn't much exploration of the culture, which is too bad. I wish I could comment on this further. I can only hope I read more texts that will expand my knowledge on other cultures and customs.
A fun read, though forgettable. I still believe it's a step in the right direction and a great beginning to building her career as a writer. I hope Zhao continues to tap into her ethnic background and experiences in her future work. It'll be nice to see a rise in representation by having those stories take place outside of the West.
Our protagonist, Samantha, starts as a strong narrator. She's a relatable character to the average young adult working towards achieving a childhood dream while trying to stay afloat as she swims through financial instability. However, as her story goes on, her decisions feel rather harsh and unjustified. To forgive some, but not others. To hurt some, but let others get away. She's young, but not sixteen. Although it is made clear that she's easily influenced by the things and people around her, it's a bit upsetting to see the lack of character development and her inability to truly overcome that flaw. Personally, I found the ending to be a disappointment. It seemed too easy. Too unrealistic. It fell off compared to the rest of the hard-work Samantha put in to be a socialite.
As for the supporting characters, they were rather bland, cliche, and unrelatable. I don't want to say that their problems weren't really problems, but it's difficult to root for anyone who lacks gratitude and fails to recognize their privileges. They seemed childish and often apathetic. They oddly felt out-of-touch with the real world and sounded fake in a sense that felt unintentional. Rather than being merely ignorant, they spoke with a narcissism, a selfishness that caught me off guard and immediately made me say, "Samantha, find new friends" (though, she wasn't all that great either). I also didn't really like anyone's names. They were just so... unremarkable? I can't really recall them.
The romance was okay. It could've been better, but he was a red flag anyway, so she dodged a bullet (well... kind of).
A theme I really liked exploring in the text was the degree of influence by parental figures, one that varied well across social class and marital status. In particular, I looked forward to the interactions between Samantha and her mother. In those moments, I saw reflections of my parents and felt seen as a child of hard-working Asian parents who sacrifice much for their children and their dreams.
Finally, I must say that Zhao shows an incredible range of vocabulary and strong writing skills. Not only was "The Fraud Squad" an easy read (it's the fastest I've finished a book this year), but it was well-written and very well-researched. I could tell that Zhao did her homework, reading up on the fashion world and using relevant terminology to make Samantha's passion seem real and engrained. Even more so, her descriptions of the glam and lavish lifestyle of a socialite were more than believable. I could almost envision it, as if I were wearing the dresses, looking up at the high ceilings, and holding a glass of champagne that costs more than my car (despite being a non-drinker). My only point of criticism here is that "S Magazine" and "As Seen by Argus" were rather lame and, based on her skills and creativity, could've been much better.
Now, I may not be Singaporean, though I've read enough reviews to realize that there isn't much exploration of the culture, which is too bad. I wish I could comment on this further. I can only hope I read more texts that will expand my knowledge on other cultures and customs.
A fun read, though forgettable. I still believe it's a step in the right direction and a great beginning to building her career as a writer. I hope Zhao continues to tap into her ethnic background and experiences in her future work. It'll be nice to see a rise in representation by having those stories take place outside of the West.
fatethefay's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Picked this up because I loved the author’s other book and this confirmed she’s now an auto-buy author for me! The descriptions are so lush and all the plot twists and turns kept me on the edge of my seat. That final twist!!