This book was a fast read. The story kept me wanted to read till the end. I liked the reference to history of the time in history. Good Book!

The atmosphere in this book is amazing. The author knows Korea of this period and its relationship with China. She tells it masterfully in the form of a mystery investigated by a daughter looking for her father, who is an official investigator. Do yourself the favor of looking at some google images of Jeju island in Korea. It will give much more to the atmosphere and help some of the descriptions make more sense.

The mystery of the story works well. I had general ideas of who was involved, but was left uncertain of the level of involvement of certain characters until the very end.

The biggest quibble that I have is the "scientific" thinking of the investigator's daughter. I wanted more context to how she would have reached this mode of thinking as completely as her thoughts reveal. For instance, she doesn't believe in the spirit world while her sister apprentices with a shaman. Obviously her parents believed in this spirit world enough to leave their other daughter to apprentice, despite the father's thinking needed for his occupation as an investigator.

That said, this is a small issue overall, and very helpful for the plot and the development of the sisterly relationship central to the story. This novel is ultimately about the dangers, choices, and fates of young women during this period where Korea was subjugated by China.

Thank you to Jane Hur, Macmillan Publishing Group, and Netgalley for an advance ecopy in exchange for my honest opinion.

I really enjoyed <i>The Silence of the Bones</i> and eagerly waited for another mystery and, well, I was not disappointed. Set in 1490s Korea, during the Joseon dynasty and the time of being under China's thumb, we find ourselves in a remote island's village, one where 13 girls have gone missing over the past few years. Again eschewing the adult detective, Hur has us follow two estranged sisters, Hwani (who lived off island with her father) and Maewol (who stayed behind to become the village shaman's apprentice). Their father disappeared during a visit to the island, and Hwani has come to figure out what happened to him, leading both of them into the larger mystery around the missing girls. This is a gentle mystery, although the girls uncover some decidedly uncomfortable things, like rape and abuse and suicide. The village and area hierarchies are also explored but don't seem to be as info-dumpy as that type of background usually is. When's her next book?

eARC provided by publisher via Netgalley.

The Forest or Stolen Girls was an exciting read. The mystery was complex enough to keep your interest but not so much as to feel too out there or completely confusing. The setting of 15th century Korea was quite different than any mystery novel I’ve ever read. I appreciated the family connections and dynamics that related to but went beyond the central mystery. Definitely worth a read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Publishers for the ARC of The Forest of Stolen Girls by June Hur. The plot of this story is unique and contains historical facts about Korean maidens being trafficked in the Thirteenth century. The mystery revolves around teen girls disappearing in the local forest, and a young girl who is on the quest to find her missing detective father who was investigating the case. While I appreciate the unique setting and plot, this story wasn't quite for me. I found the pacing to be slow and craved more action within the story. I do appreciate the female leads and their bravery as they searched for the truth.

I really enjoyed this and am super excited for June Hur's next book. I'm not sure if I liked this quite as much as The Silence of Bones, but it was very good. I loved the sisterhood.

The Forest of Stolen Girls by June Hur is a rollercoaster of twists and turns. I wasn't quite sure how it was going to turn out but I was pleased with the direction the author went. I enjoy "sister stories" and this one was a fast paced and engaging read and i'm glad that I was about to get a copy on NetGalley to read.

That feeling when one of your “most anticipated” 2021 reads lives up to the hype and then some 🥳 I loved June Hur's THE FOREST OF STOLEN GIRLS and it was a pageturner!

Thank you Fierce Reads and Macmillan for the e-ARC. (This is a long review so I tried to break it up into sections.)

🌿 THE PREMISE 🌿
1426, Joseon (Korea). Min Hwani returns to Jejudo to find her missing detective father and figure out what happened to 13 missing girls. In order to find her father and solve the case, Hwani must work with her estranged sister Maewol, a shamanic apprentice.

🌿 THE MYSTERY 🌿
This immersive YA historical mystery hooked me from the start. It tackles two mysteries nestled together in an era of history most readers know very little about. Hur executes this whodunit wonderfully, and I was loved the twists and turns we took to get to the bottom of things.

🌿 THE CHARACTERS 🌿
Both the main character Hwani and her sister Maewol are strong, independent female characters in a time that demanded female subservience and acquiescence. We also meet Gahee, Chaewon, and other female characters in this book who stand out in their behaviors.

🌿 THE HISTORICAL ELEMENTS 🌿
I don’t know a lot about Joseon history and perhaps other Korean readers will have more to say on this, but I thought Hur handled the difficult subject matter of tribute girls with age-appropriate references and respect. Nothing is explicit or sensationalized. We also learn about the sociopolitical divide between Jeju and mainland Korea throughout the book in natural and subtle ways (showing instead of telling).

🌿 THE ATMOSPHERE 🌿
The weather and the island feel like characters themselves, with the scent of rain-soaked earth and the feeling of mist permeating the air really providing a mind-body reading experience. I love a good atmospheric mystery so this added to the book.

🌿 MISCELLANEOUS THOUGHTS 🌿
• Be sure to read the author’s historical note and acknowledgments at the end.
• Though Hur is Christian, I appreciate that her books aren’t focused on Korean Christianity.

Out 4/20/21 in the U.S.

A great second book from author June Hur. This is a thrilling YA historical mystery set during Joseon dynasty Korea. We follow a young woman Min Hwani searching for her missing detective father but soon finds herself in the middle of his final unsolved investigation of the “stolen girls.”

What I love about Hur’s stories are how personal she makes the mystery. Hwani’s family history is complicated with a clouded past. She reunites with her estranged sister and together they work to find out the fate of their father.

The setting is perfect for a mystery on the island of Jeju with plenty of fog and mist. I loved the tribute to the haenyeo- the pearl diving women of Jeju - as well.

The historical aspect of the mystery did not disappoint. I learned so much about the tribute women sent to appease the Ming dynasty emperor of China. Hur illuminates a lesser known part of Korean history, and I love that she chose to focus on women’s history. I look forward to Hur’s next book slated for 2022.

I highly recommend this emotional and exciting mystery that centers on the strength of sisterhood. It will keep you guessing and teach you about a forgotten history.

Thank you to Fierce Reads, the publisher, and NetGalley for the eARC.

4/5 stars

I know they say not to judge a book by its cover, but in this case, my eye was caught by the absolutely stunning cover while I was deciding on which ARC to read next. The Forest of Stolen Girls is a historical mystery written by June Hur and its contents definitely lived up to the gorgeous cover. I found myself staying up late just to find out what would happen next – which really tells you it’s a good book since I love bedtime and go to sleep at 9pm!

Set in 1426, Joseon (Korea), The Forest of Stolen Girls follows the story of Hwani and Maewol, two sisters who disappeared in a forest when they were children and were found unconscious near a murdered woman. Years later, their father vanishes after travelling to Jeju to investigate the disappearances of thirteen other girls who went missing in the same forest. Hoping to find her father and solve the case of the missing girls, Hwani returns to her home village and is forced to choose between her quest for the truth, and wanting to adhere to societal gender roles she had been raised all her life to follow.

I absolutely loved the setting and found it very unique and different from my normal reads.The description of the island villages and the forest (for me, especially the forest), made me feel like I was walking alongside Hwani, anxious about what might be lurking between the trees. Some sections can lag a little bit, but for the majority of the book, I was kept on my toes a majority of the entire time!

One big thing for me, and I hope I’m expressing this sentiment clearly and correctly, is that I appreciated that most of the Korean words used (romanized) were not Westernized or made easier in anticipation of readers who might not be familiar with the culture and vocabulary. Instead, the author used context and some description to guide the reader to understanding what the terms might be.

The Forest of Stolen Girls comes out on April 20, 2021 and I highly recommend grabbing a copy once it’s out! You can pre-order it online or from your local bookstore.

The Forest of Stolen Girls takes place in North Korea during the 1490s. Women have been going missing in the woods of a small town. When Hwani’s father, an investigator who was looking into the case of the missing girls, goes missing himself, Hwani travels to the island to try and find her father.

This book was a slow burn mystery. I loved the clues that June Hur hid within her writing, and the way she weaves the story is so intricate and well done. When I wasn’t reading I found myself thinking back to the story and the clues and I was trying to piece it together. The characters are complicated and flawed, and that definitely makes solving the mystery even trickier when people have secrets they don’t want you to uncover.

I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

I had a hard time connecting to the prose of the story and the main character overall, but understand her desire to get to the bottom of what happened to her father. I think the mystery elements of the story were executed well and pull the reader in deeper. If you are more narrative driven than character driven reader, you will probably enjoy this. You might also just connect to the main character more easily. Overall, a solid read that I recommend giving a shot.

I highly recommend this book. The story flowed smoothly and I had a hard time putting it down once I got started. I must admit I have a soft spot for historical novels and this time period in Korean history was new to me. But thanks to the author I feel like I now know more. Now I’m off to read her other book.

I very much appreciated the sibling dynamic in this book. I thought the conflict, tension, and underlying love for each other was portrayed beautifully. Overall, however, the pacing was too slow for me and I struggled with this throughout the book.

I won this book from an earc giveaway that Fierce Reads was doing and I accepted it before reading the description. It’s a historical and I know I won’t be able to get into it.

Dark, lush, atmospheric. This new story by June Hur takes us far back in Korea's history to a time of mystery and danger. Our lead character was a thoroughly enjoyable voice to follow. I loved taking this journey with her. Looking forward to more from Hur.

Hwani Min feels like she has lost everything. She hasn't seen her sister for 5 years after her father left her with the Shaman. Now her father has been missing for a year. Hwani feels her only option is to find her missing father. She sets out for his last known location, the island of Jeju. There she reunites with her sister and set out to find her father. In the process perhaps she can also make sense of the 13 missing girls that he set out to find as well. Well written and with mystery and intrigue, but the story could lag at times. Suggested for readers 12+.

Much of this book should have been edited out. The story itself was fascinating: a wonderful setting, intriguing characters, a mystery that is begging to be solved. Unfortunately, these assets were marred by writing that overexplained in areas and needless obstacles; if the character is able to overcome a problem within a paragraph, omit it. The historical note at the end was a great addition as most readers, myself included, do not know about the historical context. or the poor individuals who became tributes. Altogether, it's a solid mystery that is desperate need of some polish.

This book was a very good read. I wasn't sure about it but decided to give it a chance. I was really surprised by how much I liked it and how in-depth it got. The plot was very interesting and slightly spooky. The main characters had alot of depth. I will be recommending this book to my friends.