Ronnie Miller, 12, lives with her father in Seattle. Since she turned 12, she has found it hard not to speak in rhyme and is questioning her Korean heritage as she struggles to learn the language and learn the culture. Her widowed father sends her to a summer camp with her bast friend, Jack Park, where things become even stranger for Ronnie. The forest is forbidden, probably because there is a gwishin (Korean ghost) Ronnie saw in the tree line, a black cat brings her curious items and tries to lure her into the forest, and is not long before Ronnie learns she is witch and being hunted by a dokkaebi (Korean goblin). This book is a supernatural mystery steeped in Korean mythology that unfolds as the thrills and chills keep coming. The cast surrounding Ronnie is diverse, such as her new camp friend Olivia - a black ballerina - that lead Ronnie to learn more about embracing who she is, who her friends are, and who her found family is. A page-turner with wonderful character arcs, lots of mysteries with red herrings, and a conclusion that satisfies.

This is a lovely middle grade book that is spooky in all the right ways. Ronnie is a lovely character who finds herself rhyming with no reason. So, when she is sent to camp, she thinks it is because her father is tired of her tick and wants her gone for the summer. Upon arriving at camp she finds herself wrapped up in the mysterious ghost who haunts the woods. This book does a lovely job talking about a culture many kids may not have been exposed to, while exposing a young lady’s grief and discovery of who she is and her culture. I think that readers will enjoy being exposed to a part of the paranormal they may not have known before reading this book.
Thank you to Disney Publishing World Wide and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this book.

A new middle grade that is coming out at such a perfect time because what a great summer read! It’s a story set in Washington state that blends magic and Korean folklore. Our main character can’t stop rhyming when she speaks so she is sent to this camp for the summer but finds out quickly she is being chased by a witch. It was a little bit on the spooky side but has that fun summer camp setting kind of like percy jackson, add in some Korean myths and friendship, and you got a wonderful read!

I thoroughly enjoyed following Ronnie on her journey through summer camp and the mysteries that came with it. The plot and characters kept me involved until the very end. The camp, with the old manor and forbidden woods, is the perfect setting for a ghost mystery. I look forward to reading more from this author.

Veronica Miller doesn’t feel Korean and longs to embrace her heritage. Her mom died when she was a toddler, and her overprotective gastroenterologist father talk about it. Veronica’s friend, Jack, is obsessed with Korean folklore. After she turns 12, Veronica can’t stop speaking in rhymes. As a result, she accidentally drives off her father’s girlfriend. Deciding she needs a change; her father sends her to Camp Foster. Feeling abandoned by her father, Veronica worries that she’ll lose her friend Jack to his new friends. When she gets to camp, a gwishin, a Korean ghost, appears in the forest, beckoning her over. She soon learns that the ghost is the last Rhee witch and Veronica is also one. In return for Veronica’s help she helps train her to use her powers and to control her rhyming. As she investigates the mysteries of the camp and learns to use her powers, a dokkaebi witch hunter returns to silence her. With the witches, the gwishin and Jack’s help, can Veronica understand her heritage and come into her powers?

The plot is well written, engaging, and draws the reader into the story. The world building is fun and relatable. The characters are likable, well developed, and authentic. Readers who like magical realism, mystery, and friendship fiction will want to pick this one up. Recommended for most library collections. Gr 4 to 7, 5 stars

Please note: This was a review copy given to us by Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. No financial compensation was received.

This charming story set in Washington State is a blend of magic, fantasy, Korean folk lore and heartwarming friendship. Easily set up as a summer read or AAPI pick. My middle grade readers are going to love this heartfelt story.

For some reason, twelve-year-old Ronnie Miller cannot stop rhyming when she speaks, and it gets worse when she is feeling stressed. Because the rhyming is taking a toll on both Ronnie and her dad, they decide to send her to Camp Foster for two weeks to help shake the rhyming problem. While Ronnie is at camp, however, her rhyming is not the only complication she faces; both a witch and a dokkaebi seem to be after her, and she does not know whom to trust. Each day brings a new discovery, and as Ronnie realizes more about herself, she finds that perhaps what she once saw as a problem may not be so bad, after all.

This novel fits squarely into the middle grade genre as far as characters, setting, and storytelling techniques. Tween readers—especially those who feel they have shortcomings—will empathize with Ronnie as she works to fit in with both old and new friends. Blended into a familiar United States-based sleep-away camp setting are several instances of Korean folklore and language, which add a unique angle to the plot. Though there are occasions where readers will have a good idea where the story will lead, there are a sufficient number of surprises within the narrative, as well.

Middle grade readers will quickly settle into the rhythm of the storytelling found in this book, since the writing is well-suited to its target age group. While there are no illustrations and the narrative is long, the action sequences and dialogue are balanced in a way that keeps the narrative moving forward. Ronnie’s rhyming comes and goes throughout the novel based on her anxiety levels, but this can be something of a distraction for readers due to its inconsistency. However, much like any other trait a typical middle grader would feel self-conscious about, the rhyming is not as alienating as Ronnie considers it to be. Overall, this is a good coming-of-age story that will add some fodder to spooky campfire tales, and it is a decent addition to library collections for middle grade readers.

Ronnie has started speaking in rhymes and cannot understand why, her father's way of coping with any loss is to get rid of anything that would remind him of it, and her best friend, Jack, has just signed up for summer camp instead of hanging out with her for the summer. To fix all of this, Ronnie decides to go to the same camp as Jack. While there Ronnie makes discoveries about her Korean heritage, her mother, and about herself. Learning about the Korean supernatural world was interesting and will appeal to those who like mythologies of other countries.

This middle grade novel will appeal to anyone who likes a supernatural tale with a bit of a mystery thrown in. I found the story quite interesting and enjoyed reading it.

This was such. a spooky, heartfelt, original new fantasy—the band of friends, the summer camp setting, the themes of loss and family and identity, and the pitch-perfect MG voice made this a devourable, delightful read! I can't wait for more!

Thank you to Disney-Hyperion Books and NetGalley for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Ronnie and her dad have been on their own since her mother died when Ronnie was 5. The family is Korean American but since Dad was adopted and raised by a white family, neither has really felt Korean. Shortly after her twelfth birthday, Ronnie has started speaking in rhyme. Her father decided it would be good for her to get out of the city. Ronnie is kind of reluctant (she’s not outdoorsy) and yet excited to attend Korean sleepaway camp with her best friend, Jack. There, Ronnie is befriended by Olivia, a ballerina who doesn’t have many friends; meanwhile, Jack bonds with Sam over their fondness of Korean supernatural comics. When Ronnie notices a gwishin (ghost) on the campgrounds, she thinks her imagination is getting the better of her. Other strange things are happening at camp (a black cat that seems to understand everything that Ronnie says) and Ronnie soon finds out that Jack’s comic books are not entirely made up.
A fantastic, fast-paced middle grade book from a debut author. You will look at summer camp in a whole new way! I thoroughly enjoyed it and would definitely recommend for grades 4 and up.
#NetGalley #TheLastRheeWitch

I had a lot of fun with this one! A spooky camp story is bound to be amazing, then add in some witches, Korean myths, and the struggles of finding, and keeping, friendships, and it just gets better.

This was a beautifully done mystery with a summer camp element to it. I enjoyed the way the main character had a problem with speaking in rhymes. It was great to read that the relationship with Ronnie and her father. It was a great concept for someone of Korean descent getting adopted into a white family, that really showed a new angle. I thought the supernatural element worked perfectly and glad it had that horror element that I was looking for based on the cover. Jenna Lee-Yun has a great writing style and it left me wanting to read more from them.

Jenna is a master at weaving fun, creepy atmospheric stories. Honest to goodness, I haven’t had this much fun reading MG since Neil Gaiman’s Coraline. The Korean lore, the lovable characters, the camp story vibes building with an unfolding suspense/horror/mystery is so gripping, I felt - more than once - like I was engrossed in a movie, rather than reading a book. Def a wonderful read, and the perfect book to recommend to reluctant - and voracious - readers!!

I cannot say enough good things about this book! For a debut novelist, I was BLOWN AWAY by Jenna’s skill as a storyteller. Ronnie’s story held me captive all the way through to the end. First and foremost, it was a camp story and camp stories will always have a special place in my heart. Second of all, there were ghosts and goblins and witches and familiars and it was such a FUN cast of characters. Third of all, the Korean lore was so cool. I loved learning about it. And last, the bonds of family and friendship were woven seamlessly throughout the story and were so lovely. I can’t wait to see where Ronnie’s story takes us next!

I am not joking when I say THE LAST RHEE WITCH is one of my favorite books ever written. It’s not just the eerie mystery threading its ghostly fingers through the pages; or the deeply immersive atmosphere, which brings to mind crackling campfires and the wind-whispers of trees; or the campground-haunting gwishin and shadow-lurking dokkaebi drawn from Korean lore; or the prickly cat who seems to always turn up when things get really scary; or the team of witch-aunties who hold secrets from years past close to their chests; or the combination of new and old friendships weaving together as if by magic as danger creeps ever closer… It is all of these things and more. There are spine-tingling elements, yes, but the most wonderful part of THE LAST RHEE WITCH is the story nestled at its heart: the story of Ronnie, who is ninety-nine percent certain that ghosts don’t exist, and even more certain she doesn’t need anyone but her best friend, Jack. Both certainties are proved wrong. When she arrives at summer camp, things start getting weird. A figure dressed in white floats above the old Rhee manor, and tales of the ghostly woman who haunts the campground spread, bearing rumors that tragedy will befall those who anger her; tragedy which seems to be following Ronnie at every turn. Soon, Ronnie’s beliefs about family, friends, and the supernatural begin to crumble. What follows is a heart-wrenching mystery that stretches back to Ronnie’s childhood, bringing up memories of her deceased mother and revealing other memories both lost and stolen. This is a ghostly mystery steeped in Korean lore, but it is also the story of a young girl reconnecting with someone she loved and lost as she pieces together the mystery surrounding her mother’s death—and discovers the threat now hunting her. It is a beautiful and deeply moving story, one I will return to again and again. I am one-hundred percent a fan of this book, and I hope readers of all ages will fall in love with it, too.

I really enjoyed reading a Korean-American take on ghost stories when so much of what’s out there is Anglo-American. This story is filled with good stuff: friendship, camp adventures, protective aunties, and creepy other-worldly beings.

For me, the pacing lagged significantly in the front half of the book and shifted into a satisfying cadence in the back half. The twists and turns (and discoveries) felt the most well-developed and believable near the end of the story. And it was a delightful ending.

This is a book I’d recommend to middle grade readers who love ghost stories. I also love it for its representation of a Korean-American experience.

The Last Rhee Witch is just so, so good!! It has everything: witches, magic, family, friendships, Korean folklore, and so much heart. I cannot wait to recommend this to the kids at the library!

I. Loved. This. Book.

The Last Rhee Witch was a fantastic paranormal tale about family, friends and growing up. Steeped in Korean Folklore this books has it all, ghosts, goblins, family, and tradition. The story incorporates realistic relationships with friends and parents that kids will relate too. I found that I could not put this book down and I cant wait to see what the author comes out with next.

Ronnie is a twelve year-old girl who lives with her father; her mother died when she was give. Perhaps because of the loss of her mother, Ronnie and her father are both extremely risk-averse, and both rely heavily on statistics to decide which activities are safe and which aren't - so it comes as quite a surprise when her very protective father who keeps a close eye on her at all times suggests that Ronnie spend two weeks at summer camp. To help ease the separation, Ronnie's best friend and neighbor, Jack, is attending the same camp, and Ronnie tries to stick close to Jack at first; however, her roommate, Olivia, is determined to make a new friend, and latches on to Ronnie as well, making it hard for Ronnie to keep Jack's exclusive attention. In the beginning, this is a fairly typical account of a fairly typical summer camp - but then things get strange.

From the moment Ronnie arrives at camp, odd things happen. In keeping with Ronnie's Korean heritage, she sees a ghostly figure that may be a gwisham, the ghost of the camp that haunts the woods. She meets Boojuk, a cat that inhabits the camp, as she meets the camp counselors - who are themselves all Korean, so a few aspects of the camp have a decidedly Korean influence. During a scavenger hunt, Ronnie and her friends find a plaque with Korean hanja that looks familiar, rather like the family name on her birth ring. Slowly, Ronnie discovers that the rhyming that has plagued her since her twelfth birthday is a sign that she's a witch; more disturbingly, a Rhee witch, being hunted by a dokkaebi, a demon.

This is a fun and fast-paced novel aimed at middle school students, who are the same approximate age as the main characters. It includes a small amount of Korean mythology that helps set it apart from similar novels, as well as characters who explore how to find and make friends in a new environment. Recommended for readers middle school to adult.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I just finished reading an eARC of the Last Rhee Witch by Jenna Lee-Yun that was provided by NetGalley.

Veronica "Ronnie" has never been quite... enough. She's never been Korean enough, or adventurous enough, or popular enough. And now, she's been doing this weird thing where she rhymes all the time. Her single dad, concerned about her, ships her off to summer camp where her best friend Jack will be for two full weeks. While Ronnie's there, she gets a glimpse of the terrifying gwishin, a horrifying ghost from Korean folklore. As Ronnie unpacks the mystery of the gwishin, she also unpacks the mystery of her past, and herself. Full of danger, adventure, and excitement, The Last Rhee Witch is a fun middle-grade fantasy about friendship, found family, and connecting to your roots.

This one was so fun! I loved learning about all of the Korean folklore, as well as going on this two week adventure with Ronnie! Ronnie was a relatable protagonist, filled with self-doubt, bravery, and love. I have to say the stakes also felt pretty high for a middle grade novel, which I really appreciated. Interspersed with the real life or death moments, were moments that feel more life or death to a middle grader-- like navigating friendships, growing apart, and climbing the ropes course! Ronnie also had such a great arc throughout the novel, and I hope we get a follow up so I can see what her life is like after camp!