Thank-you to NetGalley and Disney-Hyperion for an e-Arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was fantastic! I cannot wait for it’s official release so that everyone can meet Riley along with her friends and family in their secret Korean Witch community. Kim, introduces us to a complex and beautiful heritage of the six witch clans that have specific powers based on the elements.

Kim has beautifully woven a world full of magic, culture, heritage, and family in modern day Los Angeles! I absolutely could not put this book down.

Riley’s fears, love for her family and her overwhelming desire to be accepted is very relatable. While the main story follows Riley, Kim does not allow for her story arc to over shadow the secondary characters, who have their own story lines and growth woven into the main story seamlessly.

This debut is incredible! I highly recommend it and I cannot wait for the next book!

I loved all the korean references in culture, food, and mythology. And I loved the concept of the clans each gifted with one particular ability. It was maybe too juvenile in parts, even for a MG book, and it was a bit too rushed towards the end. In the last chapters everything seemed to solved itself quite easily. After all that build-up, the revelation was thrown there without much explanation nor embellishments.

The MC is an almost thirteen year old girl, and she both acts exactly her age and maybe a tad too matured. At times she sounded too whiny but who isn't? And she's in a really precarious situation so I won't judge. It just sounded sometimes a bit much. But she was really likeable and faced all situations head high in order to save the people she loved.

The story needed a bit more explanation, especially towards the ending where everything seemed to happen at once, but overall this is a solid beginning to a nice series. The epilogue leaves you curious and wanting for more.

The Last Fallen Star
NML rating: Top Shelf (might upgrade to Super Star in future)
Stars: 4.5
NetGalley eARC review

Holy shirtballs! Graci Kim has created a wonderful universe full of adventure, love, and Korean culture. Kim mentions not seeing herself in the books she would read when she was younger and wanting to change that. I believe that The Last Fallen Star has accomplished her goal. I'm a caucasian American of European descent, so I don't want to make assumptions, but my opinion is that Kim wrote a beautiful story that young Korean children can relate to and that ALL people can learn from.

Riley Oh is thirteen. She has a sister Hattie, a best friend Emmet, and her amazing Eomma and Appa. The only thing missing in her life is magic. Her parents and sister are part of the Gifted Clan who are known as Healers. But Riley was adopted into her family -- she doesn't share the same abilities. Becoming a Gom Healer is the only thing she wants most in the world, and her sister is willing to do anything to give her that chance.

So what does two thirteen year old girls do?
Well, they decide to cast a magic sharing spell and summon a goddess.
What could possibly go wrong?

I loved every moment of this story. I read until my eyes started to close, I didn't want to put it down. Can Seoulful Tacos be a real place please?

I received an e-galley of The Last Fallen Star by Graci Kim from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

In this fun, fast-paced middle grade fantasy, readers are introduced to Riley Oh who is an adopted Korean-American girl who is part of a magical family. She yearns to be a real part of her magical community and when her sister offers to share her magic with her, Riley is quite tempted. This decision will open up family secrets and also bring to light a dark history that may put the whole world in danger.

I absolutely loved this adventure that is so infused with Korean mythology and folklore. The relationship between Riley and her sister, Hattie, is also one of strength and love that is admirable. This story is one that really shows how important family is and the choices and sacrifices one makes out of love. Such a great start to a middle grade fantasy series and I cannot wait to continue Riley’s adventures.

Thank you to Disney Publishing for the e-galley via NetGalley.

Riley Oh has a secret: her family is full of witches. And, in just a few days, her sister, Hattie, will be initiated into the Gom Clan, a noble line of Korean healing witches, earning her Gi bracelet that will allow her to cast spells without adult supervision. Riley has long accepted that she, however, will never have the same opportunity. Riley was adopted, and is saram--non-magical. Even though she knows every spell in the book, Riley will never be able to cast one herself. When Hattie hatches a plan that would allow Riley to share her magic, though, Riley finds herself going along with it. Why not? After all, it's a chance to finally show the entire community that Riley does, in fact, belong.

Until everything backfires, and family secrets come to light. With the entire family facing ruination, Hattie and Riley scramble to fix everything. Instead, not only do they make the situation worse, but Hattie's life is suddenly hanging in the balance. The only way to save her sister's life is for Riley to find the last fallen star and present it to the Gom Clan's patron goddess. But where does one find a fallen star? And why is it so important? And what other secrets will Riley find along the way?

Graci Kim's middle grade debut is highly addictive, with an amazing magic system, an awesome cast of characters, and a whole bunch of surprises around every corner. A magical school that you can only enter through singing karaoke? Yes please! An app for finding hungry ghosts? Sign me up! I love these Korean witches and the wide range of their abilities and uses of their talents. I adored every bit of this, and am very excited to see what will happen in the rest of the series and find out the extent of Riley's powers, meet more deities and creatures, and see what else the world of Korean witches has to offer.

NetGalley ARC Educator 550974


Epic tale of love, bravery, acceptance and family. This is an exciting and excellent one sitting read. It is worth reading. Riley and her band of misfits are amazing. They overcome trickery and all sorts of mishaps as they try to locate the fallen star.

Rick Riordan is a fixture in the MG/YA world and is well known for bringing the myths and legends of old off the dusty classics shelves and giving new generations a renewed interest in them.

I started reading his Magnus Chase series in tandem with my nephew and niece (they each got an autographed copy of the books across multiple Christmases - good job Auntie Rea). Since we're of Scandinavian decent I thought they might find them interesting and fun reads. Turns out I thought so too, so I've kept up with some of his "Rick Riordan Presents" line which allows for new authors to tell the myths and legends of their heritages. Aru Shah (India) and Paola Santiago (Mexico) are two that I've been reading, and now I can add Riley Oh (Korea) to the mix.

Riley is the only member of the Oh family who cannot do magic and wants nothing more than to join her sister Hattie in her initiation into the Gom clan of healing witches. When Hattie and Riley try to use a forbidden spell to split Hattie's magic so they can share, things go terribly wrong. With Hattie hovering between life and death, Riley makes a deal with the Gom clan's goddess to save her sister. Riley needs to find the last fallen star.

The journey to find the staff will test her friendships, reveal her past, and shake up everything she ever thought to be true. Out in early May, this is another great entry in this ever expanding world.

The Last Fallen Star is the book I wished I could have read as a child. I loved the main character Riley and her journey of self discovery and I loved the cast of characters in her life, especially Emmett who is allergic to emotions. Once I started reading, it was hard to stop and before long, I had turned the last page. It was fun and action packed but it also had a meaningful lesson at the end about belonging. It was accessible and I loved the magic system of the clans. I also liked imagining how magic could exist beneath the world we know. I loved this book and would highly recommend it.

This is such a wonderful book! Riley is a great protagonist, and I absolutely loved following her on this adventure. I loved the Korean mythology woven throughout the narrative, and the book is very well paced.

First off, I would like to thank NetGalley for giving me an early copy of this book to read and review.

I have NEVER read an ARC and immediately upon finishing in preordered the final copy, but I did with The Last Fallen Star. This book was AMAZING. Definitely five stars from me.

I laughed. I cried. I enjoyed each and every page. Honestly, I can't wait for the next book in this series.

The Last Fallen Star is about Riley Oh, a young witch who wants more than anything to possess the healing magic that her adopted family uses. Unfortunately however, Riley is a saram, and much to her dismay, is missing THREE of the elemental magics and is not capable of accessing or using her powers. No amount of studying on her part or memorizing spells will change that for her, and instead she has to sit on the sidelines and watch as her sister prepares for her final test. Until one day, she discovers that maybe she doesn't just have to always be on the outside of this magical world. Her and her sister, Hattie, accidentally discover a spell that exists that allows a person with with magic to share their powers with someone who doesn't have any for seven days. Except this discovery changes both of their lives forever.

Seriously this book was amazing. I honestly can't recommend it enough.

This is a classic Rick Riordan/Percy Jackson inspired book but with the amazing inclusion of Korean mythology. I did not have any prior knowledge of Korean mythology and found the Graci did a fantastic job of weaving a exploration and background without being didactic or teacher-like. I love, love, loved the setting in LA and the inclusion of natural/herbal healing and all of the wonderful food. A fast paced, adventurous, and humorous read that will be loved by strong middle grade readers. This one is not without heart and messaging about adoption, belonging, and family.

Thank you to NetGalley for the digital ARC of this book.

This sci-fi, middle grade drama has so much going on and it is marvelous. With witches, gods, myths, legends, powerful magic, family drama, and a struggle for identity, there is never a dull moment. I loved learning about Korean culture and folklore and seeing it all play out in the masterful storytelling. As with many Own Voices novels, the author, Gracie Kim, set out to write the book she wanted to read as a kid with characters that looked like her and that she could relate to. This novel is fast-paced, intricate, and satisfying. This is a great choice for any sci-fi or magic lover.

[ 3.5 stars ]

Content warnings: death of a parent, abandonment, violence (battle context)

ADOPTION
A significant reason why I was drawn to The Last Fallen Star was that Riley Oh is adopted. I truly have not read many books where there is an adopted main character, especially an East Asian adoptee (the only one I can think of is The How and the Why by Cynthia Hand, but that had a white MC). When reading The Last Fallen Star I really appreciated how Riley being adopted is no secret. Readers see how being adopted affects how Riley sees her family; how she moves through live; and how others within the Gifted Clans view her. I was glad to see that conversations/thoughts around Riley being adopted was so outright and not mentioned in the summary of the book as a selling point just to be dropped in the story itself.

KOREAN MYTHOLOGY & THE 21ST CENTURY
The idea of "Gifted Clans" and witches also drew me to the story. It was neat to see how this magic system worked. I also found it interesting that non-magical people are called "saram," which actually means "person" in Korean. I loved the weaving of Korean (American) culture, as well, since the story is set in LA. The Korean food descriptions!! Oh my goodness, some of this food I needed yesterday.

And, of course, I loved how Graci Kim weaved the modern 21st world with Korean mythology. This is a point that stood out to me the most, I'd say. The creativity and the technology that she incorporates into Riley's journey meshing with traditional mythology and traditions was so cool!
Because of the quest structure, the plot moves along quickly. I never felt bored because something new was basically happening with every turn of the page (but in a natural way). Riley truly is on a rapid ride to figure out how to save her sister, Hattie. New mysteries arise and previously held beliefs are challenged.

RILEY'S VULNERABILITY AS THE MC
Another thing that struck me was how vulnerable of a character Riley is. Something that particularly stood out was when she would cry. There is a certain moment when Riley says something along the lines of "I do what I do best. I cry." If I lost my sister, my parents to a certain degree, had to embark on an impossible task, and battle my insecurities over my lack of magic and my outsider status within the community I grew up in...well, then, yeah, I would cry too! There's so much pressure on Riley (and also what she puts on herself), and she went through a lot of trauma within a few hours. Riley is a raw character that you might not always anticipate when reading an action-packed story such as The Last Fallen Star because the mythology and the adventure dominates. Riley so wants to "belong," and she never hides this desperate desire.

Some miscellaneous things! I liked the friendships in The Last Fallen Star, mainly Riley and her best friend Emmett. I love his baking, and his "allergy" to emotions lol. She also finds many friends during her journey, some very unexpected.
Semi-unrelated, but this story made me crave boba.
And I can't forget the golden puns!! Graci's humor is so my humor, so I laughed a lot while reading!

Unfortunately, there were a few things that impacted my reading experience, which is why I ended up giving The Last Fallen Star 3.5 stars. Most of the things I mention are completely "me" things that ended up affecting how I read this book!

1. Sometimes Riley's voice just didn't hit my ear right. It didn't always capture my attention, and some of the things she would say/think felt like an adult driving a point through her. I guess what I'm saying is sometimes things felt a bit preachy.
2. There were also a few moments where I noticed inconsistencies in the actions. Going into more detail would be major spoilers, but this inconsistency confused me.
3. Also, I noticed that the story tended to do a lot of explaining/telling versus showing. I realize that this is a middle grade novel, but there were moments that were basically spelled out on the page, and this left little for the reader to grasp themselves. Since I have read a fair amount of MG recently, I couldn't help but notice this.
4. One thing that happened a little too often that it eventually began to rub me the wrong way while reading was the amount of deep breaths these characters were written to have taken. It's such a small thing, but once I noticed it, I couldn't unthink about it, so these moments jumped out at me even more.

I would recommend The Last Fallen Star!

There were some things that, as a reader, I couldn't really get past, especially once I noticed them. However the Korean mythology and the creativity of the story is definitely something that isn't seen too much, particularly in the middle grade landscape. I enjoyed reading The Last Fallen Star, and I look forward to reading The Last Fallen Moon next year!

This book is a great read. It was funny, it was exciting, and it captures the imagination. The storiy is like a Rick Riordan. If you like his style, you’ll love this book. It was also an interesting look at Korean culture, and if you are interested in Asian and Korean cultures, this is a great choice. Do you get a sense of what Korean culture is like. Since we actually shop at an H-Mart, it was hysterical that it ended up being a part of the book! 😁

Highly recommend!

Thanks to Disney and NetGalley for the gifted digital copy of The Last Fallen Star.

The writing grabs you from the start. The story is a joy to read.

The story is magical and wonderful.

Riley Oh has always felt like the outsider wherever she goes. She is adopted so she feels like she's really not a part of her family despite what her parents and sister's effort to convince her of her place in the family. She also feels like an outsider in her community at large as they all have powers that she doesn't. I think this is a story that many can relate too as we have all felt like an outsider at one time or another. This story also does a wonderful job of introducing Korean mythology into its identity story. Join Riley Oh, her family, friends, old and new as she looks to find her place in the world. The journey is like nothing I have ever read or seen before.

So glad I got my hands on this great book by @gracikimwrites ! I love the Rick Riordan Presents imprint and The Last Fallen Star fits right in.

Riley and her friends are your average Korean-American teens. They love k-pop, having k-drama marathons and eating at the best restaurant in town, Seoulful Tacos. They're all also members of a super secret magical society. Riley, who was adopted, is saram (non-magical) but she knows that she could perform her family's healing spells if only she had the magic to do it. Her sister, Hattie, agrees and so they set out to get Riley the magic. To do so, they must break not only their family's rules but also the rules of the 6 gifted witch clans, sparking a chain of events that bring the Mortalrealm and the Godrealm crashing together.

Set in LA and generously laden with Korean language, food and folklore, The Last Fallen Star is at once a mirror for American-Korean teens, a window for those of us who are not and door to an adventure for all.

I highly recommend this book for Gr 5-7.

This book was so fun! While it follows along the same makeup and themes as most Rick Riordan Presents novels (and most middle grade books in general), the mythology in the story sets it apart from being the “same old story.” I love, love, love so many aspects of this book. The sister relationships, the mythology, the food, the dragon on wheels, the themes and messages, Emmett, the adventure, the big twists and reveals, and more.

This book was such a fun and exciting adventure. There were so many great moments, and I love how things tie together for such empowering and inspiring reveals.

In his introduction to the book, Rick Riordan says, “Why didn’t somebody tell me about this stuff sooner?” and I wholeheartedly agree. That’s what I love about the Rick Riordan Presents imprint. It makes a way for the stories that we never hear about to have a voice. I love learning about the ins and outs of other mythologies. It’s so cool that kids get to have the opportunity to experience other cultures and lifestyles through books like The Last Fallen Star.

Riley Oh just wants to fit in and be accepted. She has patiently watched her sister, Hattie, practice to become a full witch, knowing that she will never get the chance as a saram, or a person without magic. Hattie will do whatever she can to help Riley understand what it feels like to have magic - until it all goes wrong. The Last Fallen Star is truly an adventure to dives deeply into Korean mythology and focuses on the power of friends and family to overcome incredible obstacles. For middle grade readers, this book provides an important look at identity as well.

I really enjoyed Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson series and this is a promising start to a series. Kim does a fantastic job with detail and built great relationships throughout the book. This would be a great book for many of my students, but especially reluctant readers.

The Last Fallen Star
5/5⭐️ to The Last Fallen Star by Graci Kim ! Thank you so much to Disney Books and Rick Riordan Presents for an egalley to review!
Aaaah! This was such an amazing new middle grade inspired by Korean-American culture & mythology. We follow Riley, who feels bittersweet about her sister initiating into and becoming a full member of her family’s clan. She is super excited for her sister, but she is also sad because as someone without any magic, she is not allowed to officially join. She and a friend find a way for Riley to maybe get magic and also initiate and become an official member of her family. This is especially important as Riley is adopted: even though she has the most loving parents she could ask for, she still sometimes feels like “other”. Naturally when Riley and her friend try the spell, everything goes wrong. I loved how tight knit Riley’s community is, and how the other kids in her community are willing to help Riley save the person in danger, and save the day. There are also some great themes about reconciliation, forgiveness, and not letting the past define what you can do now. And as in many fantasy books, we got a very interesting magic system and some very good mythical creatures! I was definitely enthralled by this world, and it kept me glued to the pages. Also, I liked how we didn’t necessarily know who the “bad guys” were for sure, adding intrigue to the story as well as further developing the commentary around reconciliation & healing from the past. Finally, the action throughout the story will definitely keep young readers eager for each chapter, I know it did for me! Definitely check out this book yourself or for a young reader you know when it releases on May 4th!