pretty sure I already know where the "plot twist " for the second one is going, but bit of a slow start .... and middle I was about 75% in before I actually wanting to pick the book up and cared about what was happening to the characters.

But I'll be checking the next one out. Hoping it keeps the pace and interesting turn of events of the last 25%

The Floating world is a standalone fantasy which had strong Final fantasy vibes. Especially to XIII - the one with Lightening and finding her sister, with an underworld and a world floating in the sky! I really enjoyed this, and the romance was very sweet.
Decent pacing which likeable characters. The narrator was good, with it being on the softer side it was sometimes harder to follow.

I got this as an audio arc on Netgalley and it has since come out. Stunning! I loved the character building in this book as well as the pacing. The narrator fitted the story, and her voice was soothing and lovely, al though I did struggle with my auditory processing disorder which regularly happens with softer voices when I can't hear them enunciating as well (or male narrators because men simply don't enunciate well).

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3.75/5, rounded to 4)

The Floating World by Axie Oh offers stunning worldbuilding and dynamic character relationships, especially the strong bond at the heart of the story. The setting is rich and immersive, filled with Studio Ghibli-esque elements, which add to the action-packed layer of the story.

The book is packed with memorable action scenes that really stand out, and the magical realism is both creative and well-executed. While the FMC starts off as young and naive (and at times a bit much to handle. Especially since she is supposed to be 17), she becomes more grounded as the story progresses, which makes her growth feel earned.

That said, the pacing felt a little uneven—slower in the beginning and then a bit rushed in the last 25% of the book. Still, I found the overall journey enjoyable and engaging. I’m definitely looking forward to what’s next in this world.

3.5 ⭐️ rounded
I enjoyed this story and the narration. The pacing was somewhat slow at the beginning and I’d find my focus drifting at times. As the story continued though, I did get more interested. Interesting world building and magic system. I also enjoyed that the romance was not the be all of this story which is always refreshing.

The Floating World is the name of a city stacked above another, leaving that other one - the Under World - always in shadow. Seeing the picture on the included map really helped me visual it. Very cool premise with beautiful world building.

I was swept up in this magical story, based on Korean folklore, about family, grief, love, missing memories, legends, princesses, demons, and plenty of fast-paced action. I recommend it for anyone who also loves Asian-inspired fantasy. There are airships!

I read this through a combination of formats. The audiobook narrator’s soft and floaty voice added whimsy to the story. At times I felt like she was reading me a comforting bedtime story, with some nods to the adults in the room. I could hear her smirk on the humorous lines. She was a great pick for this one!

This book is marketed as x meets Shadow and Bone, and to be honest I could have picked up on that even without that description. The whole female character with powers that have to do with light kind of gave it away. Though the one thing I liked about Shadow and Bone was that there was obvious chemistry between the female lead and the dark one in Shadow and Bone, at least in the tv show (which is the only thing I saw, didn’t read the books). Here however the guy with “dark powers” is just a confused guy, a teenager with amnesia. I thought the while magic system with demons etc. wasn’t all that interesting, I think it will be devolped more in the second book going off the ending of this one. I didn’t particularly like any of the povs. Ren is 17 but she, and the male lead, could have been 12 based on their thoughts and actions. Also jaeil(?) was so confusing, I still don’t know what to make of him. The story was aside from that fine, if not a bit predictive. If you like shadow and bone I donthink you will like this book.

It for sure isn’t a bad book, but just not for me so I can’t rate it fairly due to that. 2.75 stars sorry

Blurb: Ren sets off on a journey to find a cure for her family, but she is being hunted by mercenaries sent to kill or capture the girl which the light of the celestials.

Review: This book started off slow, but then it quickly picked up in the middle as we learned more information about the characters’ pasts! In the end I had a great time reading this book, and I’m excited to continue on this journey with Ren and Sunho!

🤸🏻‍♀️ Ren is an acrobat who travels between towns with her found family! She is a bright, lovable character, and it was exciting to get to know her past that she is hiding from. I really enjoyed her grit and determination to find a cure and save her loved ones.

🗡️ Sunho is a sword for hire who doesn’t remember his past, and it was adorable to watch him fall for his mark! I loved how open they were with each other, and Sunho is so protective of Ren.

This audiobook was so well done! Eden Jun did a wonderful job with the voices, and I very easily fell into the story with such nice narration. 💛 She did a great job bringing the characters to life!

Overall this was a beautifully written, slightly slow burn fantasy book that feels like going on a Ghibli style quest to fight darkness with light. I can’t wait to see what happens next!

Thank you Netgalley for the gifted copy.

oh my gosh 💗💗💗💗 I loved this book so much. The plot was so exciting, it gave me so much nostalgia as it felt like an old 90s RPG. It had a very final fantasy kind of feel to it 😍 No notes at all just such an amazing plot.

I also loved how the book was split into different POVs but it was done so well!!! Sometimes I feel like organizing a book like this can make the plot feel disjointed or frustrating. I think so many authors do this to add suspense as they switch povs which as a reader is just annoying. That definitely didn't happen here. It was more like every character had their own goals and their sections unfolded more and more of the plot. It was very refreshing and I really enjoyed it.

I think my favorite part was the subplot of romance between the two main characters. It was just so innocent and sweet. Definitely a slow burn romance going on ☺️❤️ They were such likeable characters you couldn't help but root for them.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for the advanced copy of the audiobook. This review was written voluntarily 💗

I loved this book so much I had to go get a physical copy as soon as it came out. I think you should definitely check out this book if you are a fan of Romantasy.

Thanks to Macmillan and NetGalley for providing the audio ARC!

This was a pretty interesting read. I actually requested it on NetGalley because I was intrigued by the premise/description. It seemed to have an interesting setting and a compelling plot/character hook, so I thought why not. I didn't realize when requesting it that it was actually a YA Fantasy release—if I knew that, I probably would have passed on it, since these days I'm just not super interested in characters under age 30 (I say this as someone who is 25—I don't even want to read about characters my age!).

Still, the book came in, so I had to read it, and actually I found myself enjoying it quite a bit at first. The book is about an ex-soldier boy who doesn't remember his past and wants to find his missing brother, and an acrobat girl with secret magical powers who wants to find a way to cure her beloved uncle after he's dealt a poisoned wound in an attack by a demon. Their paths collide and they go on their quests together, but struggle to be honest with one another about their pasts as they find themselves growing close to one another.

I connected a lot with both the main characters right away. Both Sunho and Ren were pretty well drawn. I didn't really buy that they were only 17—Sunho especially felt closer to at least 20, and even Ren felt a few years older—but this is sometimes just par for the course with YA fantasy, and I've learned to live with it. (And honestly, it made me like the characters slightly more, since their conflicts and lives felt a little more mature!) Ren in particular was incredibly compelling from her first pages, with an extremely well-written family dynamic that very much felt reminiscent of my own upbringing in an Asian family (the story is Korean-inspired, so that checks out). I also loved the setting and how atmospheric and cool it was, and I was intrigued by the magic and the mysteries in the world.

I do think that the romance left me with mixed feelings, however. I knew going in that there would be a romance (you can see the quote on the cover above mentioning it, and the book is described as a romantic fantasy in its blurb), but I was a bit underwhelmed by how it was executed. I didn't find myself overly convinced that the characters would start feeling attracted to one another so quickly when they were dealing with actual life or death situations; I felt that that aspect was a bit rushed so that the author could get to the meat of the drama between them. As a result, I found myself somewhat uninvested in their relationship for much of the novel. Still, the author did a good job slowly turning up the closeness and the tension of the story to have me more invested by the third act. I still think that it was a bit rushed, and thus some beats just didn't land for me, but I can see it working better for others than for me.

I do think the plot also left me unsatisfied, and not in the way I think it was intended to. There were stretches of the plot where I was a bit bored and not particularly compelled by the events on the page. At times, the plot felt borderline side quest-y, as if the author didn't have that much plot and needed to find a way to fill the pages. I say borderline because technically the stuff the characters did was adding to the plot, but it really felt like they were going off to do other things. I think the book would have benefitted from moving its ending plot twist (which, admittedly, was pretty well executed) up a bit and building a third act (or even a second half, if the author wanted to go for a standalone) more around that element, but I guess she needs that for the sequel since this is a duology. I also felt that the way the author writes action was a little bit lacking for me, and I was zoning out a bit during those scenes.

Overall, I can see this being a good entry into fantasy for a teen reader. I can also see someone enjoying this if they are content with a relatively simple Korean mythology inspired story. Sadly it wasn't really the right book for me, but I still enjoyed enough of it to not regret the experience.

I'll give this book 3 stars.

An ex-soldier (Sunho), who has no memory of what transpired in the last two years, has taken up the job to find the girl with silver light. Ren, on the other hand, is living a blissful life with her found family, only to have it interrupted by a monster attack. Driven by fear, she calls upon her silver light to fight the demon, letting the world know once again of the power she kept hidden. Now, as she runs against time to find a cure for her uncle, she also faces the difficulty of keeping her identity hidden, as bounty hunters are after her to bring her back to the floating world. As fate intervenes, their paths collide, never to be separated again.

As I listened to the audiobook, I could not help but stay glued to my earphones to know what unfolds next. The book is filled with adventure as the protagonists move toward their individual goals. I enjoyed the magical portions the most; however, the mundane instances, like recognizing the girl, were a little too predictable in terms of where the story would go. I also wished the book had explained a few more things, like how the feather came into the possession of her childhood friend. But I hope there is more to discover, as the next book will be coming out as well. So, I’m keeping my fingers crossed and adding it to my anticipated list.

As for this audiobook, I feel the narrators elevated the book a step further with their heartfelt narration. The Chinese resemblance in tones and name pronunciation was also done well, which is often messed up. Overall, I am happy that I picked the audio version over print this time.

Rating ⭐3.5
Spice 🌶️ 0
Cover 5/5
Narration: 3/5

Disclaimer: I received this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a review, that being said I will not let that affect the content of my review, My thoughts and opinions shared here are my own, and I am committed to offering a fair assessment that does not aim to detract from the author's work.

The Floating World is a romantic fantasy inspired by the Korean legend of Celestial Maidens. The story follows two main characters whose destinies become intertwined Ren, and Sunho. Ren is a cheerful acrobat traveling with her adoptive family. She harbors a hidden power, which she is forced to reveal when a demonic creature attacks her village and gravely wounds her beloved uncle. Determined to find a cure, Ren embarks on a journey over the mountains, back to a place she fled years ago. Meanwhile Sunho is an ex-soldier living in the perpetual darkness of the Under World. He suffers from amnesia, with only fragmented memories and a desperate need to find his missing brother. To make ends meet, he takes on odd jobs, eventually accepting a mercenary assignment to hunt down a girl who wields silver light. Unbeknownst to him, this girl is Ren.
As Ren and Sunho's paths converge, they travel together, forming an unexpected bond. They gradually realize that their pasts are far more connected than they could have imagined, and their individual quests are part of a larger, epic adventure with far-reaching consequences for both the shadowy Under World and the luminous Floating World above. The novel explores themes of memory, identity, destiny, and the power of choice in a world brimming with magic and political intrigue.

I would have probably enjoyed this book more if I didn't have a decent amount of knowledge of Unit 731 during WWII. I know that The Nanjing Massacre and Unit 731 are as important to Chinese history as the Holocaust is to the Jews, though it isn't mentioned quite as often. I appreciate Chinese authors trying to shed light on those dark parts of history, but I'm of the firm belief that it shouldn't be used to spice up a fantasy novel. I have the same issue with R.F Kuang's "Poppy War" series. It's just a personal opinion.

This is my first read from Axie Oh and what a pleasant discovery this has been. I really enjoyed this book and would liken it to a Studio Ghibli kind of story. The storyline is serious but the characters and world have whimsey to them and I think any video game player who has ever played an open world title can easily picture the world written here. If I were to describe this book in three words it would be vast, mysterious, and intriguing...and action. I would sneak the word action in there. It happens to be a retelling of a Korean legend, but I was not familiar with that story prior to reading this so I went in blind.
We follow Sunho who has a case of amnesia trying to remember the details of what happened before he lost his memory, what he does know is that he is a trained soldier who needs to make ends meet and does so by tracking down a girl with powers. That girl is Ren, and she is so easy to fall in love with, a traveling performer whose powers have been kept secret - just in time to defend her family during an unsuspecting attack. To save her uncle's life she embarks on a journey to find out how to save him, journeying to the one place she has avoided this entire time. Readers will really enjoy the relationship that builds between Sunho and Ren, and the novel's ending was not predictable for me. I look forward to picking up this book and its sequel!

Thank you to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this title.

I was pleasantly surprised by this! I've read a few of Axie Oh's books, and her fantasy tends to work better for me. The magic system in this was super interesting and it was fun to follow a character who is kind of aware of her abilities, but isn't super interested to learn more about it. It's not a story about a chosen one, which was also refreshing to see in a YA fantasy novel! I was a bit worried about how much I would enjoy this, because I don't usually love fantasy books with a romance plot, but the romance wasn't in the forefront, so it worked for me. I'm expecting the romance to be explored more in the sequel but I'm not too nervous about it. There wasn't necessarily anything wrong with this book, I just don't find myself getting that 5 star feeling from YA books anymore. I'm looking forward to the sequel!

In terms of the audiobook, Eden Jun did a really great job! It was really nice to see a new audiobook narrator for such a popular author! The timing and speed of the narration was nice, I couldn't listen to it as quickly as I usually do, but that will never lower my enjoyment of a story.

I'm always hesitant to rate the first book in an unfinished series 5 stars, but I have high hopes for this one. It reminded me of Carissa Broadbent and Chloe Gong, two authors I really enjoy.
The imagery and the writing were so well done, I felt fully immersed in this world. There was absolutely no annoying info-dumping, which is usually what will ruin a new fantasy world for me. The main character started with a group of traveling performers, which is how we receive the initial world building. As the story progresses, we get other bits of info from flashes of memory and people they meet. All of it feels like realistic ways of receiving the information. The story itself is a retelling of the Korean tale, The Heavenly Maiden and the Woodcutter.
This might be categorized as romantasy, but it is not romance heavy. Both of our main characters have side quests of their own, each one holding my interest and keeping me hooked. And the narrators voice was so satisfying to listen to. It's been a while since a fantasy has impressed me this much, I sincerely hope book two does not disappoint.
Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the opportunity to listen to the audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

I love Axie Oh and how she turns traditional Korean Folktales into stunning YA fantasies. These classic tales are fleshed out until they are wholly their own. I think the narrator did well, although I feel like it could have been more emotive.

A story set in a world where some live in a land floating through the sky, others live on the mortal plane and then some live in darkness, in the underworld. All these worlds collide in The Floating World when, Ren, girl in hiding from those who would kill her in the Float City, uses a power she didn’t realize she had to kill a demon. Sunho, a mercenary, has been sent to find her and bring her to the General’s son alive. Based on the Korean legend of Celestial Maidens, the first book of The Floating World blends great imagery for world building with RPG type fights and an engaging story of family and new friends.

Ren has lived a relatively sheltered life and in many ways is innocent to the ways of the world. She has trained as an acrobat and storyteller in a traveling trope and has been loved these last ten years after being found wandering and afraid of everyone. When a demon attacks the small village she is performing in and injures her little uncle, a boy barely older that her, she saves him by releasing a power she has been holding inside of her. But his injuries are lingering and Ren is determined to go into the underworld and try and find a cure for her family.

Sunho is a mercenary by trade, hopping from team to team and never getting close to anyone. He doesn’t have any memories past two years ago, but he remembers he has a brother and is desperate to find him. Sunho has a secret; there is a demon living inside of him. He keeps it at bay but it has added to his strength and healing, helping him in his current profession. Mercenaries have been sent to kill the girl who produced the light that could be seen from the underworld, the Celestial Maiden in hiding. Sunho has been hired by the son of the General to make sure he finds her and brings her in alive. In an interesting twist of fate, Ren helps Sunho when he is injured and he agrees to help take her to the underworld to find a cure for her uncle.

As they travel together, they build a friendship and bond of trust. Sunho doesn’t realize she is the girl he is supposed to find and deliver and Ren knows he is hiding something about himself. They journey to try and find a way to save some of the only family Sunho has left and discover that while the mask Ren wears is real, everyone wears a mask of some kind. Both Ren and Sunho become stronger together and start to remember their pasts and the people in them.

There are some things that really worked for me in this story. I loved the worldbuilding portions of it. The descriptions of the city, the imagery of the floating city, and the underworld are really well done. I like the beginning of the story and how it set up Ren’s love of the family who found her and made her their daughter and also gave us a few of the terror and damage a single demon could inflict. I enjoyed the slow build romance between Ren and Sunho as they become close to each other in their travels and slowly peel away the layers of themselves. The action and rollercoaster ride of the last thirty percent of the book with the reveals of both Sunho’s and Ren’s pasts were done really well.

While most of the story is devoted to Ren and Sunho, there is a small section for the General’s son. He was probably the most interesting character to me since he knew Ren when they were children. There is a tie between them, a friendship from the past, but he is torn on how to proceed. His internal conflict and interactions with his cohort were some of the most interesting to me since it is unclear if he will help Ren or deliver her to his father.

The things that didn’t work quite as well for me include the third person narration, which made it hard to connect to the characters in the beginning. The use of the term Little Uncle and Big Uncle also just felt weird to me, but that is probably a cultural choice the author went with. I have not read much Korean based lore so I was new to the language for some of the honorifics used in the story. I think the pacing in the middle of the book could have been worked out a little. There is a solid engaging start and then the book slows in pacing until the last thirty percent. These are minor issues to be sure and some are just my reading preferences.

Overall, this is an interesting tale that feels a bit Young Adult but has something in it for mature readers as well. I didn’t know the legend of Celestial Maidens but liked the telling of it in this story and was a little surprised by the ending revels. I look forward to the next book of the series to see how our intrepid heroes manage.

***He had a thought that if she couldn’t control it, she might burn him. But he didn’t care. He would burn for her.***

Narration:
Performance: ★★★★
Character Separation: ★★★
Diction: ★★★★
Pacing/Flow: ★★★★
Sound Effects: None

Eden Jun is a new to me narrator and probably a new to everyone narrator as this seems to be her first narration. She fit the age for Ren well and has a solid narration voice. Because this was a third person narration, sometimes it could be a little difficult to tell a few of the voices apart to know who was talking. The timber of her voice or accent was pleasant and overall I think she did a great job, but with a little more time and seasoning she should get even better as a narrator.

“The Floating World” by Axie Oh was an exhilarating read. After discovering “The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea” for my graduate class I quickly picked up her K-pop drama series for my own personal reading. Oh quickly became one of my favorite authors of 2024. While her books are firmly rooted in YA, and suited for younger YA audiences as well, they are written with enough depth for adult readers to enjoy as well. Her world-building is consistently impressive, and this novel is no exception. The story is filled with unexpected twists and turns that keep you engaged from beginning to end. The narrator was highly engaging. With its fast-paced plot, there’s never a dull moment—I flew through it. Axie Oh is now an auto-buy author for me, and I can’t wait to add a physical copy to my bookshelf.
Thanks to NetGallery and Dreamscape Mediap for an advanced copy of this ebook in exchange for my honest review.

"The Floating World" by Axie Oh is an adventurous fantasy with fantastic world-building and compelling characters. The blend of Korean mythology, fast pace, and a romance that makes you devour the book. I can’t wait for book two of the series!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the ARC. This has been on my TBR list, so I’m going to hug you (I love you).

Since I got an audiobook ARC, let’s just say that the narrator, Eden Jun, did a great job with it. There’s only one narrator for three POVs, but to be honest, I don’t really mind that. I think the voice really fits the AOLU or Axie Oh literary universe. Like, if you’ve read her books, you’ll know the vibes.

Girl, I’m glad I found a book that doesn’t bore me. Our MCs Ren and Sunho are both lovely people, and their relationship growth is adorable (also, Sunho = our consent and mind-your-own-business king). They made me smile a lot :’) They really warmed my heart. I also really like Jaeil, although I’m scared of how the writer is going to write his character in the next book.

Love loveee the world-building! It combines mythology and cyberpunk together. Overall, I think the plot is very easy to follow, especially if you like YA. It’s not something grand or high fantasy, but if you’re looking for a light bite, this one’s for you.

To be honest, I don’t really have any complaints about the book since it got me out of my reading slump. I’m so excited to read the next one (please approve my ARC—you’re so pretty, aha).