This Place is Magic By Irene Te is an introduction to a world of chaotic coziness with deep themes, the meaning of brotherhood, and the understanding that sometimes staying strong is not the easy path. If you like K-Pop or KDramas, this book will be right up your alley, or if you just like cozy stories that make you feel like going home, this one’s a winner in that category, too!
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About Irene Te
Irene Te is a critically acclaimed author of contemporary stories full of humor and heart. Her debut novel, This Place is Magic, was chosen by librarians as the best entry in Contemporary Fiction for the 2024 Indie Author Project annual contest. When she’s not writing, Irene works as a freelance curriculum and instructional designer. She lives in Houston, Texas with her husband and son. Generally, she loves anything ending in -cake.
Find her at https://irenete.com/
About This Place Is Magic
After missing his flight back to Seoul, a disillusioned K-pop idol finds love, acceptance, and the strength to fight for his own happiness at last.
As a member of the internationally beloved K-pop group Apollo, Eunjae has learned firsthand that fame and fortune come at a steep price. But leaving it all behind is easier said than done, and it seems Eunjae has no choice but to continue… until he steps through the orange door at Wanna Waffle on the way to the airport, fails to catch his plane to Seoul, and upends his entire existence.
Jiyeon and her family don’t know the truth about this quiet, handsome stranger who stumbled into their restaurant. Regardless, it’s clear that he needs them. And the longer he stays, the more Eunjae realizes that he might just be willing to trade the adoration of millions for home, family, and even one chance at true love. But his powerful entertainment agency will never let him go without a fight, and Apollo’s fate hangs in the balance along with his own. If Eunjae hopes to win, he must stand his ground and fight back — not only for himself, but for the brothers who have loved and supported him all this time.
Brimming with warmth, waffles, and too many brothers, This Place is Magic will resonate with any reader searching for a comforting escape. Debut author Irene Te delivers a cozy contemporary read interwoven with found family and gentle romance. Step through that orange door for a heartfelt, hilarious, and irrepressibly hopeful journey of self-discovery, perfect for fans of Axie Oh and Jenny Han.
Review of This Place is Magic
I went into reading This Place Is Magic knowing nothing about the synopsis or Irene Te; #blameitonthecover. When I saw the cover (I mean, there are waffles on it!) I was intrigued. There was an instant move to the top of TBR moment, and I was pleasantly surprised by the lovely K-drama inside.
“Eunjae had felt the flicker of a wish stirring in his heart: to be known. Really, truly known.“
This Place Is Magic reads like a cozy, coming-of-age journey to finding your place in the world and finding the strength to stand up for yourself, all the while learning that family is truly a choice you make. It introduced me to a world of chaotic coziness with profound themes, the meaning of brotherhood, and the understanding that sometimes quitting is being strong.
I loved how Irene Te mainly told this story from the male, Eunjae’s (Ari’s) POV. It’s not something I’ve read often, but it was done well and thoroughly enjoyable. I often found myself smiling over the back-and-forth dialogue of the characters and their fun, sarcastic humor. It was well-balanced, though, with deeper topics and threads that made me want to savor this book.
“Sometimes running is the only thing you can do. Sometimes you’re just not strong enough for anything else. They say you shouldn’t be a quitter, quitting is for cowards, losers, whatever. But it can be so much harder to quit something that’s hurting you.“
The secondary characters in the band had some great personalities that I’m hoping Irene Te explores more. The podcaster segments were a delightful little surprise interwoven through the story that gave us background and context to current events without seeming like an information dump.
The gentle romance as a background to this story added just the right touch of sweetness and left me eager to see where Irene Te will take this story next. I loved Jiyeon (Emma), and the way her character was written left a distinct air of mystery about her that made me really want to know her story, as well as the story of her brother Denny and his “security clearance” iykyk.
If you couldn’t tell already, I really enjoyed this story and all its chaotic coziness. I’m eagerly awaiting the next book in the series. This story was the definition of reading a book that feels like a warm hug.
5 🧇🧇🧇🧇🧇
*Note: This book contains some mild language.
