A delightful read that delves into the fascinating realm of Korean traditional stories and lore. I am a fond fan of Rick Riordan and his quest to give a platform to unique stories. The Last Fallen Star is truly one of the best from the Rick Riordan presents series. It delves into and explains quite well the mythology of Korean lore, the characters are engaging and believable, and the story develops in a suck-you-in-sort-of-way that even made me re-read parts to ensure I fully grasped what was happening. It was a book that upon completion, I was sad the second was not available to read immediately. I will definitely be looking forward to the continuation of this series.

Rating: 4.5 stars

This was a very fun read, and it is a book I would highly recommend for children and young adults who loved the adventures of Rick Riordan, JK Rowling, and Tamora Pierce. Grounded in Korean mythology and culture, this adventure story follows a young Korean-American girl, Riley, as she tries to find her place in her society, despite seemingly not having the magic that her adopted family has.

One of my favorite things about this book is its reiteration that family is important, but it is also not limited by blood. Riley is adopted, and while she shares the Korean heritage of her adoptive family, she does not share their magical gift. She desperately wants to prove herself to her community who, when she was very young, ruled that she did not fit in, and this leads her on a journey to find herself, save her beloved sister, and reunite two communities that had been at odds since she was a baby. The tight bonds between Riley and her sister Hattie, their friendship with another child on the outside, Emmett, were highlights in the book.

Another thing that I really enjoyed was how young the main characters felt. They felt like young children who think they know everything, think they can solve everything, with all the confidence and innocence of youth. Does this get them into trouble? Absolutely. But I really enjoyed reading about children being children.

If there is a downside, I would say that the ending was a little too abrupt? It ends at a place that very clearly sets up the next book, and I would have liked to see the climax be a little longer with more of a conclusion to *this* story.

Despite that, I enjoyed this book, the mythology, the characters, the world building. I can't wait to read the next book!

There is just something about a Rick Riordan Presents book that is so magical and transportive. I am truly a sucker for urban fantasy, and Graci Kim does an excellent job of blending Korean mythology into the modern world. Not only does Graci serve us with an amazing magic system, but our main character's internal growth and friendships make this story extra special. I am obsessed with this book and I already cannot wait for more to come.

Also, I would like to send my thanks to Disney-Hyperion, Rick Riordan Presents and Netgalley for sending me this e-ARC to review!

I really enjoy the Rick Riordan Presents books and this is one of my favorites so far. The magic system is excellent and I really enjoyed the ways the magic community hid in plain sight. The secret H-Mart entrance to the temple is amazing. It definitely helped inspire some cravings for my favorite H-Mart snacks. Throughout the book the descriptions of the food are so well written. I can see readers who aren’t already familiar with these flavors being encouraged to try the foods in the book.

In addition to the great food descriptions the characters are also written so well. Riley’s longing to belong and dedication to her family drives the plot and the reader really understands all of her decisions. I personally related most to Emmett’s character, Riley’s best friend and baking king. His grief with having lost his mother so young was well done and I particularly admired how he went beyond his own discomfort with the magical world to support Riley. The book is full of strong characters and I appreciated the depth given to even the more minor characters. It really helped show how tight their community is. The plot is wonderful with well done twists and so many great details exposing the magic in Los Angeles. All around this is a wonderful book.

Thank you Netgalley and Graci Kim for sending me this eARC in exchange for a honest review.

"Because I am strong. And I am brave. My name is Riley Oh, and I was born to shine."

What can I say besides I was extremely blown away by The Last Fallen Star. Everything from the Korean witch clans to the creative dragon scooter Boris, I was very impressed.

I can't tell you how much I love RRP books and this is definitely a new favorite of mine.

I didn't expect a single plot twist throughout the entire story and it was so much fun. I have to admit, I even started to tear up a bit. I felt so close to the characters like they were my friends, and loved each one of them.

The world was built from the bottom up with immense detail for a middle grade novel, in my opinion. The characters were all unique with their own personalities, talents, and inner demons.

There were so many great elements to the story; family love, friendship, witch clans, Korean food that sounded mouth watering, self-love, acceptance, and much much more.

I'm very thankful for being able to read and review The Last Fallen Star. Now I need the sequel ASAP.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was so much fun to read! As usual, a book published using Rick Riordan Presents exceeded every expectation I had. I loved every minute of it and can't wait for the sequel!

The Last Fallen Star
A Gifted Clans Novel

By: Graci Kim

Disney Publishing Worldwide

Rick Riordan Presents

Middle Grade

Publish Date May 4, 2021

#TheLastFallenStar #NetGalley

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I was lucky enough to receive this e-arc from NetGalley to read a nd review. I asked for a copy when I realized it was a Rick Riordan Present book. I have enjoyed reading books from his choices.

This book is based off Korean legends and it was fun and enjoyable to read.

Riley is a young girl who is adopted by a family who are witches from the healing clan. There are six clans in the area and each one have different abilities. She has no powers that she is aware of and feels left out because she wants so badly to have power. So her sister, Hattie, decides when she is given the freedom to work her powers by herself that she will share her powers with her. That is when Riley finds out who she is and where she is from.

The adventures start there. She learns a lot about herself and what she is truly made of and what matters to her most.

I highly recommend that you read this book. There is a lot of Korean words which is easy to figure what they mean but also at the end of the book there is a glossary for you to reference if you need it. That was the only bad thing about having an e-arc is that I didn't realize there was one to use but as I said it was easy to figure out.

The plot moves along quickly, which is great for younger readers. I enjoyed the character development and the story arc. The sisterly love was refreshing. Graci Kim is Korean-Kiwi, and she weaves cultural elements well throughout the book in a way that shares the culture with us, which I loved. Some of the dated slang (“amazeballs”) and the technology (“tinder” for ghosts, Insta, etc.) lacked creativity and made me cringe. Great job to Graci Kim on her debut novel. I am looking forward to the next book of the series.

Amazingly fun adventure with mythology and magic. The bravery of the main character is really lovely to read.

Riley Oh is adopted; she's always known that her adopted family loves her as much as her they do her best friend and adopted sister, Hattie, who is about her own age. Riley and her family are Korean, and they are members of a magical tribe, with specific magical skills in healing. Being adopted, Riley doesn't have magic, something she's always known, and always wanted. She has the knowledge, but lacks the magical inheritance to use it the way the rest of her family does. She and Hattie begin a quest to find a a way for Riley to share Hattie's magic - but as with so many quests followed by teens, it goes awry. Join the sisters and their friend Emmett as they search for a way to get Riley magic of her own, and turn their society upside-down in the process. A fun and thoughtful story that readers of all ages can enjoy, with plenty of Korean mythology thrown in.

Received an early copy thanks to NetGalley & Disney Publishing Worldwide in exchange for an honest review.

Riley is part of a witch coven but unfortunately, she has no magic because she's adopted. Long story short, she has to embark on a dangerous journey to save someone she loves.

I know this is a middle-grade book and it's best to keep expectations low but geez, some things were really bugging me.

Riley's sister, Hattie, was actually a more compelling character than Riley herself. I wanted Hattie to be the protagonist....ha. Riley didn't have much of a drive compared to Hattie, not to mention her "crybaby" persona that doesn't really come up as often as it should. I am a crybaby, I know how bad it gets but she cried maybe, 2 times, throughout the book. Show, not tell! Show her crying rather than mentioning it once and never doing anything with it!

I think my main issue was Riley just not being a very compelling protagonist overall. Her family was fun and some of the side characters were interesting. I really love the magic system in here, especially when it is merged with technology! Soooo cool! Buuuut the side characters were kinda forgettable. One mythological character joins the fray more than halfway through the book and I *love* them, but they don't join till way later.

The one bully character was 'redeemed' and the message about 'bullies have feelings too' was a bit too heavy-handed and obvious, but that's probably just me being super nitpicky.

I do think the Korean mythology could've been explained a bit better, it seemed to gloss over some important themes that audiences might not get right away. I really liked how "Dragon Pearl" handled it so I was spoiled by that book, lol. Still, it's a decent book within the Rick Riordan Presents series.

I enjoyed this book, It was a fun read. I did feel like it was a bit slow for a middle grade book though. I think it could have been a bit shorter and accomplished the same think. Nothing really wrong with the book, just not my favorite. Great themes including family, friendship, found family. appreciate what you have etc.

Definitely a great read for grade school, very exciting and adventurous, fun surprises. As an adult, I just wanted to shake the girls for not obeying what seems to be a very wise rule, and more than once.
I enjoyed the way that adults were portrayed, as wise and understanding and patient, unusual in a lot of pop literature.

When a book is a Rick Riordan Presents you know you better hold on because it is going to be a ride. Graci Kim’s story centered around Korean folklore is no exception.
Riley Oh was adopted as a newborn into a Gom (healing witches) family and couldn’t be any closer to Hattie, her adopted sister. But Riley is a saram (human with no magic) which is mostly OK as her best friend Emmett whose mom was killed by the exiled Horangi clan is also a saram. Riley knows her family loves her and accepts her non-gifted status, though she does feel “different”. When Hattie wants to share her magic at her at her initiation ceremony with Riley, things go terribly wrong. Goddesses, magic, power hungry Gom, betrayals – it’s all in there! And when you breathlessly reach the last page, you see it’s only the beginning.
Kim also provides a glossary with the terminology/magical terms which is super helpful.

What a fun ride.

I really love Graci Kim's new entrance in the Riordan Presents imprint. I love mythology and I find one of the best ways to learn about new stories and myths is through the eyes of middle grade.

This novel is full of witch magic, sisterly love, and how far someone will go to save someone they love.

This is my favorite addition to the Rick Riordan Presents series. This was fun, adventurous. Their motivators were worthwhile, and the characters were great--on their own and as an ensemble. So excited for the next book!

If you love contemporary fantasy, then this book is an absolute must-read! 13yo Riley is part of a clan of magical healers, but she doesn't have any magic of her own. When her beloved sister hatches a plan to share her magic with Riley, things go terribly wrong and Riley is forced to embark on a journey to save her sister. As she follows one clue after another, she learns more about herself––and about her true identity. The author seamlessly weaves Korean folklore and Korean-American culture in an immersive story that is truly difficult to put down. Riley's love for her sister, the support of her best friend, and the relationships she develops along the way all strengthen Riley's own journey and the story as a whole. And the ending is satisfying on it's own, but definitely leaves the reader eager for book two!

I will admit that I am a sucker for all Rick Riordan Presents books, and The Last Fallen Star is no exception.

This story is based on Korean Mythology, which I was not familiar with at all. It was so interesting! I loved the connections between family and friends throughout this story. I felt like the action picked up very quickly and was fast-paced throughout.

Disclaimer: I got this in exchange for an honest review,


OMG I GOT A RICK RIORDAN PRESENTS BOOK AND IT'S ONE OF MY HIGHLY ANTICIPATED RELEASES!!! AHHHHHH! Okay, so here's what it's about: An adopted Korean American girl named Riley discovers that she has magic as she learns more about her heritage. Her sister, Hattie is going to be able to get what's called a GI bracelet which means she'll be able to use magic without an adult's supervision. Riley's a saram: someone without magic.Her sister, Hattie has an idea. What if they use Hattie's magic and give it to Riley? It seems like the perfect plan until it puts Hattie's life in danger. Suddenly, Riley's thrust into a journey to find the last fallen star. I absolutely adored Riley and Hattie's sibling relationship. It's a stunning debut novel and I can't wait to read whatever author Graci Kim writes next!! THANK YOU SO MUCH TO THE PUBLISHER AND NETGALLEY!!!!

I really, sincerely wanted to enjoy reading this book- however, I didn’t. The ending is the case for the three stars I’ve given it, and the plot was fantastic. It was the execution that seemed to hinder this book more than anything.
There were times when, instead of feeling taught about these myths, things were info-dumped onto me. As an adult reader, I have no problem with this. Middle-grade readers, however, tend to prefer a show don’t tell method of storytelling. Riley Oh is a bit of a cookie-cutter character. She is a known cry-baby in the first half of the book and then is suddenly not in the second half of the book. It felt like her crying all the time was supposed to be a character flaw, but then we removed it. The story hinges on important character growth for Riley, and while it does happen, it’s not as impactful as it could have been.
I was incredibly interested in this world of magic, and the lore within it. This is what kept me reading and would have me consider reading the second book. However, I would just hope that the pacing, dialogue, and character development would grow a little bit more before then.

My full review will be on my blog on May 14th, 2021