I learned so much about Korean mythology from this fascinating novel! I'm so glad Rick Riordan is sharing his fame with #ownvoices authors so that we can all learn more about this fascinating world we live in.

"Now, I realize that tears are nothing to be ashamed of... they are a part of who I am- a part of who we all are. The come because we care."

The Last Fallen Star by Graci Kim is one of the most heartwarming fantasy novels I have read. Rich with family ties, food and friends, this book manages to make every character clear, distinct, and often lovable. Based on Korean Mythology and Mudang, this book brings a fresh re-imagining to a stories that the reader will want to know more about.

Hattie is turning thirteen in a few days and will be initiated into her clan, she will receive her Gi bracelet and will than be able to cast spells on her own. But Hattie is determined to have her adopted sister Riley follow in her path despite her lack of magic. This story is what happens next.

I wanted to leave this without any spoilers, but this action packed, suspense filled book with lots of Korean lore is hard not to tell everything about it to book talk this and get everyone interested in reading this book. I have loved everything Rick Riordan Presents has put out and this is no exception. I hope you give this book a try I don't think you will be disappointing.

This review will appear on my blog on May 4th.

I received an electronic ARC from Disney Publishing Worldwide through NetGalley.
Kim creates a world where Korean mythology intertwines with reality. Readers meet Riley Oh, an adopted daughter of the healers in the Gom clan. She has been told that she is saram (not gifted with magic) and feels like an outsider. Her sister Hattie has figured out a way to share her magic and it is at Hattie's initiation ceremony that the adventures begin. Everyone learns that Riley is actually a Horangi, a clan that has been banned for a decade. Together with their friend Emmett, Riley and Hattie set out to fix everything. Unfortunately, the goddess they make a deal with takes Hattie and challenges Riley to save her life in exchange for the last fallen star. Emmett and Riley do their best and seek help along the way from a variety of friends and supposed enemies. Riley makes an incredible sacrifice to save her sister's life and the final confrontation with the goddess reveals who Riley really is. The epilogue sets up the next book in this series.
Kim's writing style pulls in middle grade readers and lets them feel they are traveling along with Riley and Emmett. Her attention to detail reveals her love for her subject. She honors Korean mythology and her details let readers honor it too.
The glossary at the end provides further information on the various portions of the story.
Looking forward to book two.

Another entertaining addition to the middle grade mythology/adventure list (and a nice twist on the chosen one narrative), this is a little light on characterization but full of plenty of deeply felt familial relationships. I really enjoyed the way the story so seamlessly integrates magic into the modern world and has a nicely specific feeling of Korean-American identity. The plot zigzags a bit, throwing side quests and red herrings into the mix, but keeps a nice pace throughout, and the finale has real stakes and opens things nicely for delving into the fallout in further books.

5/5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
-
Thank you to the publishers and Net Galley for giving me a copy of this book! This is my honest review, all views are my own.
-
I actually had to take a moment to just sit in shock at the end of this book. I had such a hard time formulating this review because I couldn’t quite articulate my excitement and joy that I got from it. What are words?
To put it bluntly: The Last Fallen Star was a rollercoaster from start to finish. The only things I didn’t particularly love were the kids’ decisions (they were trying to handle these big, illegal spells on their own! That’s so scary!) and the slang (it was few and far between—for instance, do kids still say “smol”? And will it date the book to have a couple “lowkey”s in there? Very minor things like that). Even those nitpicks aside, I adored Riley and the gang’s adventures. There were so many unique ideas in this book, and the plot twists just kept coming! I could easily catch on to a few of them, but others hit me like a truck. And that ending was fire! (... too much?) It was a story of love and loyalty, of knowledge and sacrifice, and most of all, it was a story of family and belonging. Full disclosure: this was my first RR Presents novel, so I’m not sure if the RR Presents imprint intends for this to happen in their collection, but I think that the author did an amazing job at capturing a tone that Rick Riordan fans will adore, and I loved the couple of references that were sprinkled in throughout—they were very cute nods back to the Percy Jackson series without taking away from Riley’s own cleverly-crafted story. Overall, it was a super entertaining read and I’m already highly anticipating the second book in 2022!

Rick Riordan Presents has a new offering in their very successful platform. This time we are jumping into the world of Korean mythology. Riley is a non-magical person adopted by a family filled with magical healing witches. She and her sister use a forbidden spell to share magic between them and of course something goes horribly wrong (as it always does). This sets Riley on a quest to save her sister from the spirit world and right the wrongs. I love the Korean mythology, new foods to explore and how the story speaks to adopted kids to find their unique place in their family and special magic of their own. We have the same elements that resonate with Rick Riordan's many fans - humor, a fascinating mythology to discover, monsters, friendship, loyalty, a hopeless quest and danger. My thanks to the publisher for the advance copy.

Riley Oh loves her family, even if they aren't necessarily related to her by blood. Unfortunately, this means that Riley will have to watch as her sister, Hattie, gets initiated as a Korean healing witch while Riley watches on the sidelines. As much as she wants to be just like her sister, Riley has no magical blood pumping through her veins. Hattie, a fierce advocate for her sister, discovers a spell that can make Riley share her magical powers. But when things go incredibly wrong, Riley will have to complete seemingly impossible tasks to save her sister and the planet.

Graci Kim has a writing style that grabs readers and doesn't let them go. The Last Fallen Star is entertaining and the characters are fun. The relationship between sisters Hattie and Riley is deep and very refreshing to see in a middle grade. And the ending leaves a cliffhanger that will have readers scrambling to get their hands on the next book.

On the other hand, the characters, especially Riley, felt a little underdeveloped. Even the most difficult of difficult tasks that Riley has to complete are solved snappy quick, and I didn't notice Riley experiencing much personal growth, even though she says she does. The plot lined up a little too serendipitously at some points too. Where's the road blocks that make the readers sweat a little? Unfortunately, there aren't any. And the witch clans were hard to get my head around, especially since they were introduced in pieces throughout the book rather than all at once first.

Still, this book is lots of fun, and I'm sure that many middle graders will eat it up. I'm looking forward to Graci Kim's next book.

I received an E-ARC from Netgalley.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the eARC to review.

Graci Kim takes her readers on an amazing adventure filled with Korean mythology, magic, friendship, and self-discovery for 12-year-old Riley Oh. Riley was adopted as a baby and has always felt like an outsider in her family’s gifted clan of Korean witches with healing powers. Riley’s sister, Hattie offers Riley the chance to share her magic, which sets Riley on an unexpected journey during which she learns nothing is as simple as black and white. The unbreakable bond of family leads Riley to learn just how strong and capable she is, gifted or not.

Fans of Rick Riordan’s books, the other titles in the Rick Riordan Presents imprint, and Tracey Baptiste’s “The Jumbies” will love “The Last Fallen Star” by Graci Kim. I can’t wait to get this book into kids’ hands.

Riley Oh is the adopted daughter of the literally magic (healing magic) Oh clan. Her sister Hattie is a gifted healer. When the girls find a spell that will allow them to share Hattie's magic it sets Riley on a curse to discover her biological family, find her own powers and attract the interest of the gods. This is a wonderful introduction to Korean mythology that is also wrapped up in a family story as well as an intriguing mystery. Riley is a character that is engaging, sweet a great friend and sister that loves her family a great deal. I especially love the family dynamic because Riley is adopted and wants to know who she is and where she comes from.

"The Last Fallen Star" was an amazing addition to the "Rick Riordan Presents" books. Graci KIm has an amazing way of connecting with the audience and bringing them into a universe not all of us are familiar with. The simple fact that we get to learn about Korean mythology made me so happy. I had never focused on learning about this type of Mythology before but now this has sparked an extreme interest in me. This book focuses on Riley and the lengths she will go to save her sister. That sisterhood is shown throughout the book with everything Riley goes through in trying to help her sister. Will RIley find the "Last Fallen Star" or will she lose her sister forever? GUess you will have to read to find out.

This is definitely one of the best "Rick Riordan Presents" books. I really got into the characters - the sister relationship is very strong... And the drama in this book is non-stop. The way the author sets up the inter-relationship between the clans is crucial to the plot and she spins that right from the beginning. Sacrifice is mentioned throughout the book and the ending hangs on this one word, leaving the need for a sequel begging even though the reader closes the book satisfied.

Wow! What an incredible book.

The Last Fallen Star was on my most anticipated middle grade books of 2021 list. As soon as I read the synopsis, I could just tell it was going to be something I would enjoy. It was that, and so much more.

I loved every minute of this book — so much so, that I read it all in one sitting. It's full of characters that leap off the page and into your heart. Riley is just incredible and brings so much hope, strength and bravery to this story. She's bold and caring and I love that she has this incredible drive to her personality. Her love for her family is absolutely beautiful.

Emmett and Hattie are wonderful companions during her adventure and I loved every minute we get with them, even though there are some twists in between! Emmett is adorable — I love his baking! He makes for the best "sidekick" and I can't wait for more of him in book two!

The overall plot is so enticing. It draws you in with each page you turn. I loved the adventure and the adrenaline that courses through with each turn of the page. It's just THAT GOOD.

The writing is incredible — it's fast paced and so enjoyable. I love the humour and the flow. It's all just fantastic.

Thank you so much for the early copy! I can't wait to read book two!!

What an amazing read!! Following Riley Oh on the road to self discovery had so many layers. Growing up, Riley knew she was adopted by the Gom, healing, clan and believed herself to be a saram, non magical, person and she wanted nothing more than to have the magic of her family. Riley has to make so many decisions about who she is and who she wants to be on the journey to save her sister. With so many decisions at her age being centered around friends/family and discovering who they want to be vs. who others want them to be makes this a great book for middle school students. There were so many great elements to this story, the food, the magic, I loved learning about the magical clans and their origin stories and I especially loved the magic schools entrance being a noraebang, and the temple being in a meat section of the grocery store. This is definitely a book I will be adding to my middle school classroom shelves.
Thanks NetGalley!

All twelve-year-old Riley Oh has ever wanted is to have her own magic and become a true healing witch recognized by everyone in her adopted family’s powerful lineage of Korean witches. Except, she’s a saram—a person without magic—so the best she can hope for in that regard is to watch proudly as her sister, Hattie, is initiated into the Gom clan, one of the six gifted clans. Due to her adoption and being without magic, Riley often feels left out in her family and the gifted community and fears that will never change. But then Hattie comes up with the brilliant idea to cast a spell at her initiation ceremony so that Riley can temporarily share Hattie’s magic. No one will ever treat Riley like an outsider again. Only everything goes wrong, and suddenly Hattie’s life is hanging in the balance. To rescue her sister, Riley will have to team up with her best friend Emmett and complete an impossible quest: find and retrieve the last fallen star. With a ticking clock and more questions than answers that lead to startling discoveries, Riley and Emmett must use all their wits and figure out who they can trust if they want to save Hattie—and the world—in time.

Graci Kim’s debut is at once magical and daring, as well as heart-warming and satisfying. A fiery new addition to the Rick Riordan Presents imprint, Kim has outdone herself with a story that both delights and thrills. I absolutely loved diving into the gifted world, which is described so well that I found myself effortlessly understanding even the most minute details about this extraordinary world within our own. Riley’s journey of self-discovery is so real and heart-wrenching that it even brought me to the verge of tears, especially as she is forced to make agonizing sacrifices. I thoroughly enjoyed her voice throughout, but the other characters also shine on the page. Emmett, Hattie, and Riley’s other friends are brought to life beautifully. I want to join this friend group! As Riley struggles with making selfless choices and uncovering hard-to-hear secrets, readers will be able to recognize and identify with themes of fighting for what’s right, the love between family and friends, and discovering the power that one holds. The Korean representation is superb—even if the descriptions of that delicious-sounding food made me ravenous—and although the glossary in the back was helpful, I enjoyed using context clues to inherently understand what the Korean terms meant. Fans of races against the clock and magic will love this fast-paced middle-grade adventure.

(Pine Reads Review would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for providing us with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes are taken from an advanced copy and may be subject to change upon final publication.)

Riley's parents love her just as much as their biological daughter Hattie, but as an adoptive Oh she does not have their healing power. Then the sisters learn there is a spell that will let them share Hattie's gift when she is initiated into the clan on her thirteenth birthday. Their plot goes swimmingly, until it fails spectacularly. Now Hattie's life is in danger, everything Riley thought she knew was a lie, and her quest to find a fallen star could save them both or change everything forever. Riley's adventure blends modern Korean-American culture and ancient Korean mythology, along with some poignant messages about family and belonging.

My favorite part about the novel was the climax--everything was tied together and stakes and mistakes and everything going wrong was handled perfectly by Kim. The relationship between Hattie and Riley is the absolute best part of the book. Their relationship was so real and true. All the side characters felt well developed, as did the world building. There is so much to love in this novel and fans of the Rick Riordan presents series won't be disappointed. I knew a few of the Korean myth, but so many were new to me, and I loved seeing more of the myths, along with the contemporary setting. The melding of technology and magic is a favorite of mine, and it's executed with precision and perfection.

Looking forward to book two!

Riley Oh knows she is a loved part of the Oh family. She often feels separate because she is not only adoped but does not have the magical powers her sister and the rest of the family have. Riley and her sister, Hattie, hatch a plan for Hattie to share her magic with Riley. It is only supposed to last a week, but if their plan works, Riley can show everyone she can practice magic, too.

Everything goes wrong. First, they are stopped from completing the spell. Second, Riley finds out she has always had magic and she's also been lied to her entire life. Third, as if that wasn't enough, eithe Riley must leave the community or her family will have to give up their magic, healing powers, to keep her.

Riley and Hattie decide they must go ask for help from the creator goddess. Not only does this go wrong, but Riley finds herself going on a journey to help save Hattie before she is gone forever.

I was given the opportunity to read this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Riley knows her family's healing spells by heart, knows them better than her sister does. The only problem: Riley is adopted and can't do any magic. When Hattie, her sister, finds a spell that should enable them to share Hattie's magic and finally give Riley a place among their magical community, their plans go drastically awry. With Hattie's life in danger, Riley must hurry to complete several tasks to save her. On the way, Riley will need to make some tough decisions, uncover secrets, find help from her friends and family, and hardest of all, choose between her heart's desire and the people dearest to her.

Riley's journey was one of self discovery and sacrifices. While her original goal was to obtain magic and truly become part of the Korean magical community, the secrets she and her friends uncovered, and the steps they needed to take to save Hattie meant making some sacrifices. Riley's story is magical, very creative, and also a fantastic emotional and maturing journey.

I was going to say that what separates this book from others is that there's no Chosen One hero or overpowered world savior. However, those cliches did show their faces a bit towards the end, along with a saving the world plot, which I thought wasn't the case either. But those were only small moments and weren't the focus at all. Mostly, this book was about two sisters trying to help each other, two friends learning about their deceased parents, enemies becoming friends, making mistakes, uncovering secrets, and the importance of family & friendships, with lots of magic & Korean myths sprinkled throughout.

The story introduces a lot of creative magical ideas and Korean myths that are fluidly interwoven with the modern world. (Think along the lines of using an app to communicate with ghosts, or a magical equivalent of an electric scooter.) At the same time, it doesn't lose its focus on the plot and the characters' relationships, such as between Riley and her friend, Emmet. Between finding out about their deceased birth parents, unraveling the mystery behind an excommunicated clan and the events leading to their respective parents' deaths, and trying to fulfill the task they were given, the story still took the time to focus on Emmet and Riley's emotions and on the impact certain events had on their friendship.

Family and sistership were a major focus here. I loved Riley and Hattie's sisterly relationship, the way they kept sticking out their necks for each other, and also her friendship with Emmet, who had his own side plot. Her relationship with her parents was tested as well after Riley uncovered some long buried secrets that forced her to make some tough decisions between her birth and adoptee families.

Every page introduced new ideas in Korean culture and mythology. The world building was fantastic. It presented a nice mix of myths and modern Korean-American teen culture that flowed perfectly with the story, and was clear enough for anyone to understand and appreciate, no matter how familiar they are with Korean culture. From k-pop and k-drama to magic and myths, there's something here for every reader to enjoy and relate to.

I received a copy in exchange for an honest review

An absolutely riveting and moving middle-grade novel, The Last Fallen Star utilizes Korean mythology and magic to discuss family, friendship, and the subject of belonging.

Like wow. Wowie! Wowzers. This was a great read. I got this as an ARC from NetGalley because I am a simple woman; I see Rick Riordan Presents Imprint - I click request. I love seeing how authors take their own cultures' histories, cultures, myths, and legends and roll them into, what always seems to me to be, coming of age stories.

In The Last Fallen Star, Riley just wants to fit in. #relatable, is it not? Not only does Riley feel like she doesn't fit in with the gifted community, but at times she feels like she doesn't even fit into her own family! Although she knows her Eomma, Appa, and sister Hattie love her to bits, Riley remains painfully aware of the differences between them. But when her and her sister, Hattie, make a plan to share Hattie's power between them, things - uh - don't quite go to plan. Adventure and revelations ensue. Boba tea is had. Secrets discovered. Families reunited-ISH. The whole shebang! And no, I'm not crying, you're crying! Can't wait for the sequel.