
Member Reviews

A YA book about a Hmong middle-schooler?! You don’t get very many of those so sign me up. My husband spent two years learning Hmong and working with refugees in California, so in our house we always have an eye out for Hmong stories, characters, or real-life news. We listen to a band with a Hmong singer (Naked and Famous), read other Hmong books when we can find them (The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down), we watched the first Hmong gymnast win her medal this year, and part of our family has traveled to Laos to volunteer in a Hmong school. Watching this middle-grade Hmong story hit the mainstream American market seems like a real find.
Pahua is a young girl living with her mother and brother. We quickly find out that she has special gifts in this novel. She makes real and other-worldly friends who help her save her brother from the “soul stealer.” Pahua finds her talents, strengths, and confidence in this adventurous fantasy novel full of family and friendship.

Human Spirits Are the Worst
Lori M. Lee explores the conflicting world of shamans and spirits in Pahua and the Soul Stealer. Pahua Moua wants a normal life of summer school and movie nights, but spirits are restless. When the spirit of an angry young girl curses Pahua and her brother, she finds out the hard way that she is a shaman. Without the guidance of her family, she has to learn the rules of the Spirit Realm fast before she loses her brother forever. Lori M. Lee’s descriptions of spirits and the spirit world is charming. With plenty of references to pop culture and Hmong culture, there is a lot of fun and exciting content. This story is moderately paced with plenty of myths, ghostly mystery, and magical adventure. Miv the cat spirit is hilarious with his very catlike antics as he sasses Pahua. Zhong Vang is blunt and definitely has an attitude, but can she be trusted to guide them on their journey? Pahua is an imaginative, and kind character as she struggles to care for her brother and aid dangerous spirits. Her struggle with school, loneliness, and with her identity is very relatable. She overcomes her fears and learns that courage comes from facing difficulties with honesty. Their combined lack of knowledge of the Spirit Realm leads them into deep trouble, and many near death accidents. Lori M. Lee’s writing is easy to read, engaging, and filled with character. This is definitely a great Middle grade book for readers who love coming of age books filled with humor, adventure, and friendship.

Pahua Moua is a lonely Hmong girl able to see spirits and babysits her younger brother. When she accidentally untethers a ghost from a local bridge and her brother falls ill, she fears that the spirit stole his soul. When she uses her aunt's shaman tools to demand her brother's soul back, she accidentally summons a demon. A warrior shaman saves her and will guide Pahua through the underworld to find her brother's soul.
Originally born in Laos, her family escaped to a refugee camp when Lori was an infant with other Hmong families. She currently lives in Wisconsin with her husband and children, and there is a large Hmong population that had relocated in the wake of the Vietnam war. Hmong oral tradition plays a large role in this book, which is why it's part of the Rick Riordan Presents series of books. The series highlights myths and traditions from various cultures. While Rick's forward says it's okay to skip to the end with the glossary and author's note, I dove straight into the story from the beginning.
My heart went out to Pahua from the start. Her father left, she has to help take care of her brother, and she's continually the odd one out. Her family is the only Hmong one in town, so she's set apart due to her ethnic background in addition to the economic differences. She can see spirits, which is a rarity even in her own shamanic culture, and trying to talk with them to calm them down doesn't help. Spirits are capricious things, after all, especially ones that used to be human. The bridge spirit is angry and isolated, then begins stealing souls. Pahua must work with a student in training to get her brother's soul back, which means consulting a legendary immortal sage, traveling through the spirit realm, and dealing with figures from myth. She discovers the extent of her talents along the way. As much as she'd always felt like an outsider and missing vital pieces, she discovers she's good enough and brave enough for the mission to save her brother.
This is a great story not just for learning about the Hmong culture, but for kids that feel left out and isolated. Bravery is doing the right thing in spite of fear, after all. This is a great lesson for middle-grade readers of every culture to learn.

My Thoughts:
This middle-grade friendly adventure/fantasy/mythology book is another great addition to the Rick Riordan presents series of books coming out from YA authors of color who are writing about their own culture and community. For Ms. Lee, she introduces us to Hmong mythology in this very exciting race to battle demons and save her younger brother.
As the United States left Afghanistan this summer and images of hundreds of Americans and Afghans with American ties trying to get to the airport in Kabul inundated our television and computer news screens, I thought of the images from the Vietnam war and the fast retreat of Americans in our history books. The Hmongs were like the Afghans and they have established large communities in states like Minnesota and Wisconsin. They have been in America for generations, yet I have not read much literature from their community, especially in YA. This story, then is both timely and fresh. Middle grade readers will get pulled in by the excitement and supernatural elements. They will root for Pahua as she has to face fears, face her weakness, and in the process find her strength.
If middle grade readers like this, they may like Kiki Kallira Breaks a Kingdom by Sangu Mandanna, The Last Fallen Star by Graci Kim, or Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky by Kwame Mbalia next.
From the Publisher:
Pahua Moua has a bit of a reputation for being a weirdo. A lonely eleven-year-old Hmong girl with the unique ability to see spirits, she spends her summer days babysitting her little brother and playing with her best friend, a cat spirit no one else can see.
One day Pahua accidentally untethers an angry spirit from the haunted bridge in her neighborhood--whoops. When her brother suddenly falls sick and can't be awoken, Pahua fears that the bridge spirit has stolen his soul. She returns to the scene of the crime with her aunt's old shaman tools, hoping to confront the spirit and demand her brother's return. Instead, she summons a demon.
Thankfully, a warrior shaman with a bit of an attitude problem shows up at the last minute and saves her butt. With the help of this guide, Pahua will have to find her way through the spirit worlds and rescue her brother's soul before it's too late. Little does she know she'll have her own discoveries to make along the way. . . .
With its unforgettable characters, unique nature-based magic system, breathtaking twists and reveals, and climactic boss battle, this story based on Hmong oral tradition offers everything a fantasy lover could want.

Pahua and the Soul Stealer is fun, snappy, and has falliable heroes and real issues bound up in the adventure and fantasy. I really enjoyed this book - the characters felt real and the worldbuilding was fantastic.
Pahua is a great main character - she's strong, cunning, determined, and brave, but she sees herself as inferior and a perpetual outsider. She's dealing with her father abandoning their family, her guilt over her brother's soul being captured, and all the bullying and racism she's faced at school. Pahua goes from a Hmong girl who feels out of place, who loses herself in games of pretend to be strong, to someone who embraces her uniqueness and finds strength in being herself.
Zhong was a great foil for Pahua, as Pahua sees Zhong as this perfect, competent and confident shaman-warrior, but we get enough glimpses of Zhong's life at her shaman school that she also feels overlooked and second-best. Rounding out our trio is Miv, the sassy cat spirit who is Pahua's best friend. Miv has his own past, but I loved seeing the three of them work their way through danger to become a team.
As with all the books in the Rick Riordan Presents imprint, I loved learning about a new mythology - this one the oral traditions of the Hmong people. Nature spirits play a big role in this story, particularly trees, but we also get a rundown of the gods, like Ntuj the Sky Father and Xov the destroyer, and heroes like Shee Yee. I particularly liked the Tree of Souls and the Crossroads - both settings were fun and vivid (and packed with adventure).
There were a few plot points that I called early on, and a couple of very convenient things, but there were also a few of great twists. I do wish we had more of the shaman world fleshed out, but I expect to see more in the next book. I also wish there had been more of Matt - he felt like a typical younger brother, but I didn't feel like we got enough hints of who he was for how imporrant he was to the story.
Also, there's a bit of a fake out with phonics - sneaky, sneaky.
Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫
I received a free eARC from #NetGalley and Disney Publishing Worldwide in exchange for an honest review.
#pahuaandthesoulstealer #lorimlee #hmongtraditions #disneypublishing #middlegrade #rickriordanpresents #miv #shaman #ntuj #xov #bookreview

Thank you to NetGalley and Disney Publishing Worldwide and Rick Riordan Presents for the advance reader copy, Pahua and the Soul Stealer by Lori M. Lee in exchange for an honest review. This is my 3rd Rick Riordan Presents book and I just keep wanting to read more and more of these middle grade fantasies about different cultures. I fell in love with the Hmong folklore, spirits, food, and Asian mythology in this debut by Lori M. Lee. There were so many memorable characters with my two favorites being Pahua (and her best friend cat, Miv – that no one can see) and her friend/enemy Zhong (a shaman in training on a quest). Both these girls are Hmong, lonely, and on a mission- Pahua to rescue her brother Matt’s spirit which has been stolen by a horrid bridge spirit and Zhong, a warrior shaman who must complete a trial or fail. As Pahua and Zhong work together they have many, many adventures (funny and serious), racing against time and mythological characters and spirits to save her little brother; these 2 fearless and unforgettable characters will use magic, strength, nature-based spirits and fantastical folklore to conquer a soul stealer like no other. Highly recommended for middle grade fantasy lovers!

Pauha was such a great book overall. I loved that Wisconsin gets a feature in a Rick Riordan title. This book will serve as a mirror to many of the Hmong students I've taught in Wisconsin, as well as a window for others to learn about the Hmong culture and storytelling. Representation matters! I really enjoyed this portal filled fantasy, and hope to visit again.
I absolutely love Miv. His straight forward comments, comedic timing, and ability to lighten the mood (even while being attacked by dragons or demons) was one of the best written sidekicks of the year. I am hoping one day we get a short story sharing even more of Miv's past, because the ending had me just as shocked as Zhong.

I gave this book 4 stars. I love learning about different culture’s myths. I don’t know much about Asian culture so this was a great way to learn.
Pahua is 11 years old and takes care of her younger brother while her mom works. Her Dad left them a few years ago. Pahua doesn’t have any friends to speak of except for a cat which she is the only one who can see it. In fact, Pahua sees a lot of spirits. She has been able to spirits since she was around 4 years old.
One day while waiting for her brother to finish his summer school class she is invited to go a bridge which is haunted. She really doesn’t want to go but she has never been invited to anything before so she goes. While they get closer she can feel the spirit by the bridge. The spirit is a young girl. Pahua feels sorry for her and gets closer, not a good idea. By doing this she somehow releases the spirit into her world.
This spirit is causing some problems and the number one problem is that she is taking over young children’s souls which make them go into comas. One of the children is her own brother. She needs to find a way to fix this problem that she unknowing caused.
By returning to the bridge to try and fix the problem she causes a bigger one by calling different ones who happen to be very strong and want her for some reason. She is saved from the first one by a young Shaman Warrior.
They both go on an adventure to prove themselves and to save her brother and the children. Are they successful? Who is the big wig who wants her?
You will have to read the book to find out.

I got this book too late to be able to read it before the archive/publish date sadly. I do really enjoy Rick Riordan Presents books, so I am definitely expecting to pick it up in the future!

Lori M. Lee's writing is something I've enjoyed before, so I was really interested in seeing where she went with a middle-grade book. I also love the Rick Riordan Presents collective, making this something I was highly anticipating. With fast pacing and really funny characters, the charm of Pahua and the Soul Stealer really won me over. If you've enjoyed reading about Aru Shah or Paola Santiago, I think you'll find Pahua Moua to be another new friend.
This story educated me and warmed my heart all at the same time. I felt emotional for the things Pahua was going through, and for her love of her brother. The friendship that blossoms as Pahua learns about her own powers was really something I adored. This book is a fantastic addition to Rick Riordan Presents, and I can't wait to read more stories about Pahua.

I loved this book so, so much.
Pahua Moua is an 11-year-old Hmong girl who spends her days using her imagination to escape how lonely she is. On top of that, she can see spirits. When she accidentally untethers an angry spirit form a haunted bridge, she has to save her brother's soul from the spirit. Pahua teams up with a warrior shaman and her best friend, a cat spirit, to try to save her brother's soul before it's too late.
The worldbuilding was absolutely stunning in this book. There's also a lot of commentary about how Hmong folktales are passed down orally, so many of the stories vary, as well as the fact that children of immigrants, such as Pahua, sometimes don't get the chance to learn all the myths and stories of their culture. I didn't know a lot about Hmong culture before reading this book, so learning the stories as Pahua learned more about her own culture was charming. Learning about Hmong gods, demons, and realms while Pahua embarked on her journey was so much fun.
I loved reading about Pahua's complicated relationship with her identity - there's a lot to be said about growing up in a different culture, especially when there isn't necessarily a lot of diversity around you. Children can be very mean sometimes, and it often does result in children of color trying to hide or even in small ways, "reject" the parts of their heritage in order to try to "fit in" with other people. We see Pahua struggle to make friends not only because of how she looks, but in little things such as the food that she brings for lunch (it also doesn't help that she can see spirits wrecking chaos everywhere). Because of this, she uses her imagination to try to pretend that things are different.
I enjoyed that Pahua believed the entire time that her strength was her imagination and that she really more had to be told what her actual strength was, which was very realistic for someone who didn't have a lot of self-esteem after being made fun of for being different her entire life. I also really liked the side characters and how fleshed out their relationship to Pahua was - Miv and Zhong were fantastic characters that supported and pushed Pahua to really grow and confront her identity and her role as a powerful shaman warrior. Pahua's relationship with her younger brother is also really adorable.
The book sets up pretty nicely for a possible continuation of this story, and I can't wait to see what else is in store for Pahua.
Thank you to Disney Publishing Worldwide, Rick Riordan Presents, and NetGalley for the ARC.

I absolutely adored “Pahua and the Soul Stealer”. The relationships and writing in this novel was
so astoundingly good that I was hooked from the first sentence. I love how the Hmong culture was represented in this book. I came in not knowing much so I did a little research and it is so interesting. It took me a little time to warm up to some of the characters but overall was great. I found Pahua very relatable with not really fitting in so she was one of my favorite characters. I would recommend this book to anyone with a love for mythology.

I continue to be delighted by Rick Riordan Presents' selections. This latest addition to the imprint takes its inspiration from the Hmong culture. Pahua, the main character, was a strong protagonist and I was definitely rooting for her. I especially liked her ghost cat/demon buddy, Miv. I struggled a little with some of the other secondary characters. I think the only reason I wouldn’t rate this one higher is because I read it shortly after reading “The Last Fallen Star”, another excellent debut into the Rick Riordan Presents collection. I felt that one just had a little more sparkle to it. That said, I would certainly pick up the next installment and am curious to see where Lori M. Lee takes the story next.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I love Riordan presents because of the wide variety of cultures and stories that are being told. I also loved that I learned about the Hmong culture through this book, which I had never learned about previously. Pahua and her family are refugees from Laos and she can see spirits. She ends up going on a voyage to the spirit world in order to save her brother. I loved the messages of family, friendship and strength.

I remember first reading Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson books back in my early 20s. I wasn't the target demographic, but my youngest sister, ten years my junior, had started reading them herself and recommended them to me, knowing I was always looking for more books to read! I'd always been interested in Greek mythology, so I really enjoyed the Percy Jackson series.
I feel like this book, Pahua and the Soul Stealer, which I'm assuming is the beginning of a series, may be able to do with Hmong mythology what Percy Jackson did with Greek mythology. Sadly, I knew nothing about Hmong mythology or culture before this, but this story was a fun way to learn. It took me a little while to warm up to Pahua and prickly Zhong (loved Miv from the start), but I enjoyed watching them grow. Pahua's relationship with her little brother was also pretty sweet and realistic. Overall, a fun middle-grade story!
Side note: if you're anything like me, you may think you have a pretty good idea of how to pronounce the Hmong words you come across throughout the book, but you will reach the glossary at the end and realize how very wrong you were!

Lori M. Lee has knocked it out of the park with her middle grade debut!! If you like mythology, magic, humour, nature/animal spirits, and introverts figuring out how to make friends then I would highly recommend it. I personally loved this book for all of those reasons, but I want to mention how much I loved learning about Hmong shamanism. I feel that Pahua’s story is a deeply important and necessary addition to the literary world as a whole.
Besides that, this book is full up to the brim with charming prose and I was rooting for the characters all the way. There’s really nothing else for me to say! If you like middle grade fantasy in any capacity, you should definitely be checking this out (it’s out as of today!). Thank you so much to the publisher for this review copy and thanks to the author for writing such an important, educational, and also fun book.

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<p>Review copy provided by the publisher.</p>
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<p>Pahua Moua isn't the only Hmong kid in her small Wisconsin town--there's also her little brother Matt. She's also grown up with the ability to see spirits, which even her shaman aunt can't do--her best friend is a cat spirit, and she has daily interactions with other spirits around her home and surroundings. Other than that, though, she feels pretty isolated. When she has a chance to go with a friendly classmate--and a couple of less friendly ones--to look at a spooky old bridge in the woods, she takes it.</p>
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<p>Pahua's ability to see spirits is a mixed blessing, though, because the bridge is not as empty as her classmates think--and the spirit staying there is pretty tired of being alone. Pahua doesn't mean to upset the spirit, but before she knows it her brother is in the hospital, and she's joined by a shaman warrior her own age--at least <em>sort of</em> a shaman warrior her own age--on a quest to save him before he gets turned into a demon.</p>
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<p>The sub-genre of middle-grade fantasy that features contemporary American kids having magical adventures with legends from their own heritage has been really popular in recent years, and for good reason--because a lot of the writers who are exploring this sub-genre have been doing a great job. Lee's Pahua is engaging and fun and a very welcome addition to the group. Long may it last--and also let's see what other stories Lee has to tell, in and out of this category.</p>
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Oh, my gods! This is one of the funniest books I've read this year! The characters are *chefs kiss* And I found Pahua to be a very relatable character. Like the love she has for her brother is very awe-inspiring and that is something that can never be taken away. Sure one of you guys might screw up or you get mad at each other but at the end of the day, you are still siblings. But there is only so much your sibling can fill. Sure Pahua loves her brother and he's her friend but one still desires to have a friendship elsewhere and not just with one's sibling. So I thought that was relatable. Not gonna lie though sometimes this book gave me the heebie-jeebies. Like the girl at the bridge *shivers.* For a second I actually thought I was reading Paola Santiago and the River of Tears by Tehlor Kay Mejia! Anyway, I love the humor, the scare, the friendship, and the joy this book has so if you haven't already go read this book!
Thank you Disney Publishing for an eARC!!!

This book was phenomenal and I'm incredibly excited for the next steps in Pahua's journey! My favorite character was Miv and he was hysterical! It was filled with lots of funny banter and mythology lessons! I truly enjoyed this book!

Thanks to NetGalley and Disney Publishing Worldwide for this free digital copy in exchange for an honest review. This book is out today!
Hey Reader Friends! Back today with another review for a book in the Rick Riordan Presents line...I can't get enough! Up today is Pahua and the Soul Stealer by Lori M. Lee. This is the first in the series and I truly cannot wait for more. This is a good one for sure.
What I liked:
-Pahua! This should be a given, right? However, I'm in the middle of another series right now and I am not a fan of the main character, so trust me, this needs to be emphasized. I found Pahua empathetic and compassionate. Her ability to understand where others are coming from and forgive is lovely, but she also stands up for herself when she needs to. Additionally, I wanted to hug her because she really, really needs one.
-Lee's writing and pacing: nothing felt rushed, which I loved. The setting, characters, and action was so wonderfully articulated that it truly felt like watching a movie (or a series lol) in my head. I took a bit longer to read this one than I usually do with these books, but it was definitely better that way. I think the story stuck with me a little more because of it. I know basically nothing about the Hmong culture so I devoured the stories and myths. One thing I absolutely LOVE about these books is the glossary/pronunciation guides included at the end. I like to have an idea of what different words in different languages sound like so it was super helpful.
What I didn't like:
-Nothing! There were just enough questions left unanswered by the end that I can't wait for the next book. Isn't it nice when that happens? Also...why is always dads who are missing/leave/otherwise occupied in these books?
I definitely recommend if you are a fan of middle grade fiction/fantasy.