✨📚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.

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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.

Stopping around 50 or 60%, though honestly I wanted to DNF from about a quarter through. unfortunately this book just wasn't doing anything for me - the characters were bland, the world setting mildly confusing, the plot boring. I appreciate that part of the story was based on the Korean celestial maiden folktale, but I also felt that it didn't add much of cultural significance to the story.

This book was one of my most anticipated reads, but I think I was drawn in by a pretty cover and interesting synopsis. This story follows three (yes, three) characters as the world learns that the Celestial Maidens didn't die out, and one still lives. The Celestial Maidens are the royalty of the Floating World, and when the Queen and her heir went missing years ago, everyone thought they had died out. Ren is a troupe performer with light magic, hiding herself among her adopted family. Sunho is a mercenary with no memory from everything before 2 years prior and a dark presence within him that he calls the Demon. And Jaeil is the captain of the guard and son of the general, attempting to save the last celestial maiden from his father.

Yes, there is a third character, and I think he was absolutely robbed by not being included in the synopsis. Jaeil was my favorite by far.

I had such high hopes for this book, and instead I was left wanting. It was just so fast paced, from the get-go. We were given no time to truly sit in scenes, no time was left to develop the plot and I really felt like the author was pulling me through the story. The romance between Sunho and Ren was very much insta-love, which was incredibly disappointing. There was just a lack of depth to this story and it really disappointed me. There were multiple scenes that felt like it could have been the end of the book (if the whole book had more depth), and then this could have been an expansive series instead of a duology.

I love the world, which is also why I enjoyed Jaeil's perspective the most. We got the most world building from him, and I am so curious about what role he will play in the rest of the series. The only time I didn't enjoy his perspective was near the end, when his character stagnated a bit.

I never felt like I earned any of the reveals of the book, it just felt like they were thrown at me and then the characters moved on. It was just too fast-paced. If I wasn't reading this to review it (thanks NetGalley), I would have DNF'd.

The final scene, <spoiler>where Ren gets her wings</spoiler>, was probably the best part of the entire book (besides Jaeil). Overall, this book wasn't horrible, but it definitely wasn't for me.

What a wonderful treat! 3.5 stars rounded up.

This was my first taste of Axie Oh’s writing and it definitely won’t be the last. Drawing inspiration from Korean mythology, Ren and Sunho’s story was exceptionally creative and so well written. The plot was engaging and the action never lets up. The author does a wonderful job of showing not telling, resulting in the reader being thrust into the action, learning and experiencing the world for themself.

Ren and Sunho are pretty adorable. I loved Sunho’s determination - he never gives up and is always willing to throw himself into harms way to help those he cares for. The romance was a little too insta-lovey for my taste but loved the characters together nonetheless.

I do feel the characters read a bit younger than they actually are and therefore I would classify this as on the younger side of YA. This didn’t diminish my enjoyment of the story in any way though.

Overall, I enjoyed this book so much! We have a fast and engaging plot, beautiful world building, with a touch of mystery and intrigue. I’m excited to see how things end in book 2!

The Floating World is a YA fantasy based on the Korean myth of the Celestial Maidens, with a secret magic wielder on a quest to save a sick family member, a mercenary with missing memories, humans turned monsters, and an aristocracy that lives on a floating land mass above the rest of the world. There's a lot going on and sadly the story falls short of its premise. Threads needed to connect the moving parts are missing, which leaves a disconnect the author is unable to overcome.