What's great about this book:
- Unique world in an asian inspired setting
- Sweet and whimsical
- Cute love story between the FMC and MMC
- Adventurous and fun
- Fast-paced plot
- Ending had me hooked and I can't wait for the next book

What could have been better
- Never felt fully immersed in the story telling
- The plot resolved a little too quickly and it felt like there should have been more build up of tension
- The prose in The Girl who Fell Beneath the Sea was top tier and I was a little disappointed that the prose in this book did not live up to the level I expected from Axie Oh.

3 stars.

A bit sad because I went into this book thinking I was going to love it. Great title, cover, premise. The worldbuilding is great. The geography and culture that derives from it is so interesting. However, the writing is very much telling, not showing. There were moments a character was telling another character a backstory that they likely already knew. I had no space to intuit how a character is reacting or responding to any situation because we'd see all of their internal dialogue. There were a lot of extraneous details that I believe were added to make the world seem more real, but personally felt like a chore to read through to get to the actual plot. I found myself thinking, "This part would be much snappier, have better momentum, if these sentences had been cut." Generally, I felt like a lot was over-explained.

The plot feels like its moving too fast yet too slow all at once. There is a clear time limit for Ren - she must find some way to save Little Uncle within 3-ish weeks at most - quite the task considering she also has to just figure out what's going on at all as it is all a mystery. There is clear urgency in the beginning of the plot, but that urgency seemingly disappears once she meets Sunho. Sunho is also trying to find his brother and it is made clear this is a huge motivator for everything he does. And yet when these two characters meet, I felt there wasn't enough or any conflict between Sunho's drive to find his brother and his newfound care for this girl he just met not too long ago. And his motivation to find his brother disappeared like Ren's urgency to save her uncle. I felt like Sunho warmed up to Ren too quickly for my liking. It felt a little like insta-love. I will say I did like the background plot re: Sunho!

The plot also felt a bit contrived. There were many moments in the book where there something or someone just happened to conveniently happen or be there. I understand that this is a book with magic. But interestingly enough, nothing that I felt was a bit too convenient had anything to do with magic. In fact, there was too little magic! Like Ren, girl, you have POWERS. PLEASE USE THEM.

I actually ended up liking side characters more than our main characters. Perhaps its because we don't know much about them. We only know what we can intuit from their actions, which makes them seem more complex. Whereas we can hear every thought that goes through our main characters' minds and these thoughts aren't the most complex at times.

Overall, I think Axie Oh's writing is very readable and evocative. The worldbuilding is fantastic. But there needs to be less telling, more showing; the plot needs to rely less on lucky happenstance.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for providing me with the eARC for this title! My opinions are my own and 100% honest.

I struggled to get into *and* stay with this book, but I would largely attribute that to my mushy pregnancy brain rather than the quality of the story. I was a little lost with the world-building but at some point, the author used just enough exposition that I got caught up. I thought the main characters were compelling and I cared about the outcome of their quest(s). “The Floating World” does end on a cliffhanger so brace yourself for impact.

He wondered if he should feel more guilt, threatening an old man. But he'd do worse to protect Ren.

★★★★½

I love Axie Oh’s ability to create such unique and vivid worlds, and The Floating World didn’t disappoint at all. Ren and Sunho fighting alongside each other towards their own goals while their sweet romance developed was so captivating. the multiple povs really managed to immerse me into the story

the pacing of the book's first half could have used a bit more fine-tuning, in my opinion. the second half is when things started picking up quicker, and it’s when it kept my attention much better

this story had just the right amount of magic, lore, and intrigue. highly recommend it, and I’m very excited to read book two later this year ~

thank you to Feiwel & Friends for surprising me with the ARC via NetGalley!

✨📚Book Review

The Floating World By Axie Oh
Release date: April 29
5⭐️

“If I had wings, would you steal them?”
“If you had wings, I’d want to see you fly”

“It’s you. I only want you”

This was a beautifully written book. I really enjoyed it! This was a sweet and romantic story about an acrobat with a power that must be kept secret and a former soldier with lost memories of his past who is in search of his brother.

Ren has been told to keep her powers hidden but when a demon attacks one of their performances she ends up releasing a blast of silver light. In the midst of chaos she takes down the demon but at a cost. Her Uncle. Ren must leave her village and family behind in search of a cure.

Sunho remembers very little of is life beyond the past two years. He’s searching for his brother. He is then offered a job in exchange for information about his brother. His mission is to bring the girl with magic power back. But he’s not the only one looking for her.

As the story continues we learn more about both Ren and Sunho’s past. They must work together if they are to complete their missions.

I can’t wait for book two. Which comes out later this year! The way this one ended had me gasping and wanting more.

This is romantic fantasy series reimagining the Korean legend of Celestial Maidens.

This book gave me Final Fantasy, Castle in the Sky and Sailor Moon vibes.

Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for sending an ARC of The Floating World.

#netgalley #thefloatingworld #romance #Scifi #fantasy #arcreview #arc #axieoh #bookreview #review #reading #books #booksta #bookstagram #booktok

I thoroughly enjoyed this sweet and romantic story of an acrobat and a former soldier with few memories of his past.

Ren has been warned to hide her powers, but when a demon attacks the show she's performing in, she lets loose with a blast of silver magic. She may have killed the demon but he injured her uncle, and Ren goes in search of a cure.

Sunho remembers little of his life beyond the past two years, but he is searching for his brother and is offered information in exchange for hunting a girl with magical powers. And he is not the only one after Ren.

As the story develops, we find out more about Ren and Sunho's pasts, and how they must work together in the present. There is so much beauty in the writing, and I loved both Ren and Sunho.- and I cannot wait to follow them in the next book!

ARC Review ~ The Floating World~

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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book had me at Final Fantasy meets Shadow and Bone! I loved every second of it! The characters were intriguing, the world was expansive and interesting. It was fast paced, with multiple POVs, throwing you deep into each character’s story. The action scenes are well written and the plot twist at the end had me dying for the next book! I cannot wait to see what happens next for Ren and Sunho and their friend!

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillion Children's Publishing Group for this ARC!

DNF - May revisit in the future

Yeah this was a rollercoaster. First chapter started off great. I was engaged and intrigued. Second chapter nosedived for me. For a couple chapters we got so much action, which is cool, but I was never given a reason to care. Like cool bro, who the hell are you? Can I go back to the girl? And I wanted to keep pushing through to see if it got better but I decided it wasn’t worth it if I was skimming a whole pov’s chapter.

There are obvious signs of talent. As o said, the opening pov hooked me. The second pov found me yeeting myself off the fishing line. Though it could just be me. Like I’m not in the mood for this kind of book. So this is why I want to revisit this book at a later date and give it a fair chance.

I would recommend others to pick it up and see for themselves. For me, the one pov had me giving this a hard no thanks.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for providing an advance reader copy of this book for my honest review.

Ok so I just finished this and my brain is still processing.

The Girl Who Fell Beneath The Sea was one of my top reads of last year and I have been itching to dive back into a similar world. When I saw that @axieoh had another book coming out, I prayed to the @netgalley and @macmillanusa Gods for this to end up in my inbox.

This book encompasses so many aspects that I love in reading; Asian folklore and storytelling, sci-fi vibes, a strong heroine, and a beautiful world. This book had so many different threads that at first don't seem to fit together. Throughout the stories, the reader is slowly given pieces of how these characters not only fit into the now, but how their pasts brought them to their present, even if they don't have all the pieces themselves.

This story gave me so many elements that reminded me of TGWFBTS, and I love how well Asian Lore and storytelling is an important part of the culture and to the storyline.

I am so excited for this book to finally be out on shelves because it is definitely one to be read.

5 stars

This is one of my favorite books not only of 2025, but of all time!
As a fan of Final Fantasy, I was immediately drawn to this title. Immediately as I picked it up, I knew this was a treasure.

The story is narrated through three POVs. Ren, who lives with her aunt, big uncle and little uncle as a travelling acrobat; Sunho, a sword-for-hire who lost his memories two years ago in search for his missing brother; and Jaeil, a captain in the Sareniyan army.

When a demon attacks the village Ren and her family are in Ren accidentally releases a blast of light - a power she has kept well-hidden. When her uncle is seriously injured, she knows she must find a cure in the place she fled ten years ago.

Over the mountains, Jaeil knows what the blast of power means, and she hires Sunho to find the girl responsible for it and bring her back to him - alive. Sunho and Ren's paths collide, though he doesn't realize who she is. As they get closer, they realize they might have more in common than they first believed.

It was such a delightful read. The writing is breathtaking, whimsical and dynamic. It truly felt like I was watching a movie - it all seemed so real. It kept me hooked, and I couldn't wait to pick it up again when I had something else to do. The plot twists were so beautifully delivered it almost doesn't feel fair.

I am so pumped for book 2 and I neeeeeed everyone I know to read this!!!

The Floating World by Axis Oh was such a fun read. While carrying some pretty heavy and dark topics, this YA novel managed to stay very optimistic and had a lightheartedness to it.
Through the story we have a few different POVs, but we primarily follow Sunho and Ren, as they each fight to reach their individual goals.
I absolutely adore the chemistry through this book, it was so wholesome and sweet. I also love how well each character was thought out an included in the story!
I did feel as though much of the story was a bit rushed and this book may be more to lay the groundwork for the series and primarily serve as world building and base character development. Much of the conflict felt very rushed and there were a few plot points left unresolved. I am sure this is to leave room for plot development in the coming books, however they just felt a bit abandoned.

Overall, I did thoroughly enjoy the read and I LOVE the world. It feels very unique, but also nostalgic in a way. The way this story flows is just phenomenal other than the few bits that were a bit too quickly paced for my taste.

Thank you Macmillan publishing and NetGalley for an early copy of this!

Axie is a wonderful storyteller who crafted an amazing world with a diverse cast to fill it. Between Ren and Sunho, I was introduced to so many different facets and people that I was able to paint a vast picture in my mind. I enjoyed seeing so much of the world in the first book and would love to piece together the rest in the next one. I’m looking forward to seeing where the series goes from here.

An intriguing new world that was unique and beautiful. I enjoyed the Final Fantasy vibes with blends of steampunk, fantasy, and mythology. The world was interesting with two distinct places The Under World and the Floating World. It reminded me a bit of Heaven and Hell in that regard and I look forward to seeing more about each world and how they function.

With three different POVs we were able to see different sides of the story and how the characters felt as well. The main character Ren; was a mysterious girl in hiding. I enjoyed uncovering her past and seeing her grow to overcome her fears.

Then there was Sunho; now he was my favorite! I thoroughly loved his character. With a past shrouded in mystery and a compassionate heart he was such a sweet protector.

I enjoyed the suspense of the story and the various mysteries that were throughout. The story ended in a little cliffhanger that has be anticipating the next one.

Tropes I enjoyed in here were; soft enemies to lovers, secret identities, hidden past, memory loss, hurt/comfort, sweet romance, slow burn, no spice, final fantasy vibes, hidden royalty, found family, protector MMC, magic, save each other, young adult fantasy, and so much more!

The Floating World is an outstanding adventure that reimagines the Korean legend of Celestial Maidens, while also drawing on inspiration from Final Fantasy VII (which is one of my favorite games of all time).

The story follows Ren, a young woman who has spent her life in a traveling theatre group. When her uncle is attacked by a demon, she releases a great light - a power that she has kept hidden for years. Sunho is a mercenary, tasked with finding a mysterious girl who wields a great power. While Ren embarks on a journey to cure her uncle, their paths cross, and Sunho is faced with the decision to turn her in or to protect her.

The chemistry between the main characters was palpable. I loved their energy together, their banter and their clear support for each other. Both POV’s are done exceptionally well, and I didn’t find myself wanting to be in one over the other. The romance was believable and slow burning. All of the side characters are well developed and full of heart.

The world is richly developed, containing vivid details and descriptions woven intricately throughout the story. The pacing of the plot is on the faster side, with twists and reveals I could not see coming. By the end, all I wanted was more. I’m so happy this is only the first book.

Thank you to Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group, and to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for this ARC!

The Floating World falls into the younger side of YA where things kind of happen just to happen and move along without overly complicating the story. I normally wouldn't be a huge fan of this but the pace, characters, and world that we got kept everything moving along and so interesting that I sped through this while completely enjoying myself.

The Floating World starts with Ren, a troupe performer who obviously has some secrets to keep on the outskirts of the world, soaking up sunshine in a part not overtaken by the floating world above it. Then we have Sunho, who is living in the Underworld, a city living in the world's shadow, who is trying to figure out his own mysterious past after he lost his memories. They both seem to fear the world floating above them.

The plot is interesting and keeps you engaged, while the pacing keeps you turning the page from next action to next action, even if the motivations or reasonings might catch you up if you think about it to hard or to long.

But the characters were the real draw to the story. Ren and Sunho, and the less focused on but very interesting Jaiel, are all super fun characters to follow along with. I was impressed by the depth of characterization with Jaiel, as a morally grey character isn't often a focus in a YA novel. Ren and Sunho are just adorable and instantly easy to cheer for and hope for the best for them.

Overall, this was a cute novel that I would recommend for younger readers or at least be prepared for a younger story.

Thank you to Netgalley for a copy of this e-book in exchange for an honest review.

I can't think of anything not to like about this book! I previously read "The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea" and was really excited to start this book as well. The book started a bit slow, but over time I grew more invested in Ren and Sunho's dynamic and their adventures together. I loved just about everything and can't wait to continue the series!

3.75/5 ⭐️
This was one of most anticipated books of the years, mostly because of the cover and the marketing comparison to studio ghibli castle in the sky. I will say I feel like it had a lot of potential but everything just fell a little short. I wish we dove a little more into the intricacies of the world, it all felt very shallow and surface level. Same with the characters. For the most part I really enjoyed Ren and Sunho characters but again, they felt very flat. Both characters motivations seem to sorta come in and out. In general felt like Axie Oh had plotted out point x y z and the characters are just dragged along, rather than us being in the characters shoes and feeling their emotions and their drive. I was also a little confused in the pov of Jaeil, he was not mentioned in the synopsis so I was a little confused when I came across his pov (but also we didn’t get much of his pov). While I do feel like a lot of the book was rushed I still enjoyed reading it and what it was trying to do.

3.5

The Floating World was an incredibly fun read, both fast paced and adventurous. The writing style wasn't my favorite, it was a bit on the younger side of YA with one too many explanations for things I found obvious. That sometimes pulled me out of the story but I enjoyed it nonetheless. The studio ghibli vibes were immaculate, the action was well written and the characters were adorable. The ending felt a tad rushed but I cannot wait to see where the series goes.

DNF at 21%. I like the concepts of the world building here, except I was taken out by the combination of sciencey and techy stuff (airships and trains) with magic, without greater context. The characters also didn’t particularly grab me.

After finishing this book, I'm conflicted, so I'm going to say 3.5 stars. I enjoyed the story and think the content is extremely interesting- I can't wait to find out more!

I think I would have liked more of a prologue to open things up as I wish there was more world building. I would have loved if it started out with a "once upon a time" situation where we see Ren as a child in her flashback and information about celestials and mirthil to really set the stage and then begin with the first chapter of where Ren is now. I felt that some things were rushed and randomly thrown in to add more information.

It started slow and picked up a little once Ren and Shunho meet and their POVs collide. The one POV I wasn't expecting was Jaeil, especially since he wasn't mentioned in the book's description. I'm not saying his character isn't important, but I feel like it didn't fit with this book. We shifted from a fantasy standpoint to political and it interruped the flow of the story for me. That might not be the case for everyone, but I feel like he would have been a great POV addition to the next book rather than the first so we're introduced to Ren and Shunho first as they are the focus.

I felt that as soon as Ren met Shunho, the urgency to get the cure for Little Uncle left her. I'm not saying she forgot; she clearly didn't, and I get that she was being chased, but after Ren left her village the timeline seemed so short and she was rushing to get the cure. As soon as she finds Shunho, she was focused on other things. I think what would have sold it, would be more conflict within herself to find the cure and help Shunho.

Ren and Shunho are opposites in many ways and that shows in their chemistry a little. Mostly, that it doesn't show the greatest. However, they're both a little awkward, so that may be why. I hope they're able to find each other and help each other to get to the end of this tale.

Also, side note- I can't see the word mithril and think of anything of than Lord of the Rings. I kind of wish another type of metal was used, either fictional or real, to help make it it's own world that isn't connected to one of the biggest fantasy series in history and established lore.

I received an eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.