Thank you Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for the advanced listening copy in exchange for an honest review!

The premise of this story sounded so ethereal and picturesque, I was intrigued when I requested a copy. While the setting does indeed pan out to be such, it took me until about the 30 to 40% mark to feel I had a good grasp on the world. It could have everything to do with the fact that I listened to the book vs. read it on my own, as I do tend to struggle with fantasy based audiobooks. But I still don't know if I have a great idea in my mind of the floating world and all the various wards and territories, and maybe that is supposed to be intentional since this is young adult. I eventually just settled on an Arcane-like world and stuck with that imagery in my mind. The main characters were likeable enough, but I struggled to believe in their romantic relationship as it had a very insta-lovey quality to it. Almost as soon as they were in one another's presence, they were blushing at the most fleeting glances and feeling butterflies at the slightest touch, which did little to convince me. This is somewhat enemies to lovers, as Sonho is supposed to bring Ren to the captain who hired him, but he shows little (if any) resistance to her "charms". The whole quest itself drags a little after Sonho and Ren find one another, almost disappearing amidst the mystique of the celestial maiden and the subsequent hunt for her. As for the narration, while the narrator has a lovely voice, there was little variation in tone for different characters, making it hard to distinguish who was speaking/carve out little personalities for each person. I also listened at 1.5x speed which almost seemed like a normal speed, as 1 and 1.2x were too slow. Overall, this is very much a young adult story and has potential with the world created here. I may be better served rereading this and the sequel when it releases later this year.

he Floating World is hands down my favorite Axie Oh book so far—I’ve read The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea, XOXO, and ASAP. I’ve realized that while I appreciate her contemporary work, her fantasy writing is on another level. Her ability to take threads of folklore and spin them into full-blown epics is nothing short of magical. This book is rich and cinematic, but also deeply emotional.

From the first page, the book pulls you into a world that feels completely immersive. It’s lush, atmospheric, and gorgeously described—everything from the smells to the sounds—for example, the sticky sweet miasma of the Underworld—a place reminiscent of Kowloon Walled City or Blade Runner’s LA in my mind. The other settings in the Floating World are equally vivid. They can feel both lived-in and desolate, like places you’ve been before in a dream.

I also loved the structure of the story, especially the multiple POVs. Jaeil was one character who had me on my toes. We need to know about what his deal is. The slow-burn arc between Ren and Sunho—both romantically and personally—was so satisfying. When the characters finally start to realize their attraction to each other, I believe it. It feels earned.

There’s also real thematic depth here. The story takes on big ideas—capitalism, greed, military coups, (sometimes involuntary) conscription, and exploitation of the lower socioeconomic classes—and explores them without slowing down the narrative. Sunho’s storyline in particular gave me Final Fantasy VII SOLDIER program meets Zootopia Night Howler vibes. It’s intense, a little tragic, and completely compelling.

If I have one critique, it’s that the final quarter of the book moves way too fast. After such careful, deliberate worldbuilding and character development, the pacing shift felt a little jarring. Knowing there’s a sequel on the way, I kind of wish the last act had been saved for Book 2—or at least stretched out more. I wanted to live in that world longer, and I think the emotional beats would’ve hit even harder with a bit more breathing room.

The audiobook is narrated by Eden Jun. Her narration was fine but it felt like she was just reading the book versus voice acting. Also there was a missed opportunity here to have voice actors for Sunho and Jaeil, as this was a multi-pov story.

Thank you to NetGalley, Dreamscape Media, and Axie Oh for this free, advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Wonderfully done, not just the narration but the book as well. Since I'm not a native English speaker who learned the USA speech, it took some time to get used to. Still, once I got the gist of it, I could continue to enjoy what would be a beautiful voice performance; it delivered all the power Ren needed to convey as a character, and I loved it. So, let's talk about the book for a sec, Amazing, as a fan of Castle In The Sky since I was a child, I loved that it was nothing alike and so reminiscent of it all at once, showing this powerful, magnificent city above and what would happen if it corrupted it's people. Also, I absolutely adored Ren and Sunho, as characters and as a team, loved their relationship, the way their stories would click together and be their own tragedy, I just loved them so much. There was one thing that bothered me, but now I can't seem to recall it, so it would seem it was nothing important; it didn't take away from the perfect experience of this audiobook.

The narrator they picked was perfect for fans of the original Castle in the Sky which this is lightly inspired by. She sounds a lot like Sheeta's voice actor from the english dubbed version which provided the perfect amount of nostalgia. Just like with The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea, it is lightly inspired by a Ghibli movie and feels like one when you read it. However, it is well able to stand on its own and truly enjoyable!

Narrator Eden Jun delivers a stellar performance in this epic quest by Axie Oh. Ren, a traveling performer with a hidden identity frantically searches for a cure for her uncle, who was badly injured protecting her from a demon. She runs into Sunho, a freelance sword-for-hire who was sent to find her, the girl who can wield silver light. How long can Ren keep her identity secret from Sunho while dozens of other mercenaries are searching for her?

Jun masterfully channels Ren’s fierce determination while allowing her vulnerability and compassion to shine through. Equally impressive is Jun’s portrayal of Sunho. With skillful modulation of tone and pacing, Jun evokes the quiet frustration of a man haunted by memory loss, all while exposing the layers of his heart.

Third person narration can make it challenging for readers/listeners to connect to characters, but Jun's overall tone and pacing is superb.

Special thanks to Netgalley and Dreamscape media for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I received an audiobook arc from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Korean mythology meets Final Fantasy vibes. it's a young adult scifi romantasy loose retelling of the woodcutter and the fairy mythology. it's only 1 narrator but the story is told in third person and in 3 povs: Ren, Suho, and Jaeil. the focus is mainly on Ren and Suho. Ren is the long last heir to the celestials who want to live a normal life while Suho is a mercenary who lost his memories and is looking for his brother (Hello Cloud). I thought the romance was cute. it was a good first book to the series as it shows the main characters' backstories and what drives the future main plot.

Suho's storyline was the best as it was super predictable that Ren was the long last heir and it was revealed early on so having Suho try to find his brother and get his memories. he's definitely based on Cloud from final fantasy 7. I understand it is costly to have dual narrators to voice Suho and Jaeil so I do like the book was in third person.

I really enjoyed Axie Oh’s previous book, The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea. It was a whimsical fairy tale woven within Korean mythology. It had some Studio Ghibli vibes like Spirited Away with a girl exploring a spirit world. Needless to say it was inspired by a mix of things I really enjoy. Shortly after the publication of that one, she announced that a publisher picked up her next series, which is a cross of Final Fantasy and Castle in the Sky. I do enjoy Final Fantasy, especially through its characters and worldbuilding, (though I am bad at finishing any of the games I start), and Castle in the Sky is one of my favorite Studio Ghibli films. After reading this book, I definitely see the inspiration of both of these in this story, and I enjoyed the worldbuilding and vibes that this book was going for. The main characters are definitely inspired by Final Fantasy. Sunho is an emotionally unavailable ex-soldier, mercenary for hire who cannot remember his past (Cloud from FF VII), and Ren is a cheerful and caring acrobat who comes off as a combo of Aerith from FF VII and Yuna from FF X.


This book does read young, so it’d be a great book for a younger YA audience. The plot is pretty predictable, which isn’t a bad thing, but don’t expect many surprises. I found it to be a light read overall. I would’ve liked a deeper dive into the worldbuilding, but as it is, it’s a great book to introduce young readers to fantasy and/or romantasy. I definitely recommend it for young Final Fantasy fans.

I was definitely expecting adventure and whimsy but I wasn't expecting the amount of tenderness this story delivered. This was beautiful journey and an intriguing concept with plots that feel very familiar. It makes the story seem nostalgic while being it's own story. The narrators were amazing, they emoted the characters beautifully. I will say that the male characters voices in different perspectives were a bit too similar making it confusing, but not to bad. I feel that thier is so much left to be revealed in this story is cannot wait for the next book.

4 stars! 🌟 Huge thanks to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group | Feiwel & Friends for the ARC & Dreamscape Media for the ALC via NetGalley! 💌

Okay, but Axie Oh, you genius, what have you done to me?! This book was a whirlwind of magic, adventure, and emotions, and I was absolutely hooked! A breathtaking blend of celestial magic, Korean mythology, and high-stakes adventure, this YA fantasy will consume your soul. 💘

✨ Let’s talk about the setup! We’ve got Ren, a cheerful acrobat with a hidden power she definitely shouldn’t have used in public (oops). And Sunho, an ex-soldier with a sword, a tragic backstory, and a memory gap big enough to fit an entire war. Their paths collide in the most chef’s kiss way, and suddenly, Ren is being hunted, Sunho is questioning everything, and we’re on a journey across a world so beautifully crafted it could be a Studio Ghibli film. 🎭

🔥 THE GOOD STUFF:
✔ The world-building?!? IMMACULATE. Axie Oh doesn’t dump info on you—she weaves it into the story so seamlessly that you’re just in the world, no confusion, no boredom, just pure ✨ magic ✨.
✔ Ren & Sunho? Absolutely precious. Their bond grows so naturally, and the slow burn romance? I felt it in my bones. Sunho calling her by her name for the first time nearly ended me. 💕
✔ The vibes? Impeccable. Dark underworlds, celestial magic, acrobat performances, sword fights—I was living for it. 🔥

💥 THE TINY NITPICKS:
❗ The last 20% felt a little rushed—I wanted the action scenes to stretch out longer, give me more tension, drama, and heartbreak! I needed that final battle to wreck me, and it almost did.
❗ Some side characters (Jaeil, I’m looking at you) needed more page time. GIVE ME MORE OF THEM IN BOOK 2, PLEASE.

Final verdict? If you love gorgeous world-building, an addicting plot, soft yet fierce romance, and a touch of mythological magic, The Floating World is your next obsession. Book 2 can’t come soon enough! 💫

This was a solid read/listen, though I think I might prefer it more if I read it physically instead listening to the audio. It took me a bit to get into even though the book was pretty fast-paced and hit the ground running. The concept of the book is unique and intriguing and I liked the idea of the floating world and the underworld a lot. Though I found the story and the characters lacking in comparison and wished that there was more there for me to really dive into it all.

I tried to get my hands on an ARC of this book for months. Goodreads hated me, Netgalley hated me. Then one day it finally happened. And not a moment too soon. The world building in this book is phenomenonal. The characters are fantastic. I will say there are a lot of characters and more than once of them are struggling with memory loss so that made it confusing at times. Also, there are some plot threads left dangling at the end. Not full on plot holes but a few things I would have liked to seen cleaned up. Finally, the book ends on a small cliffhanger. I'm not a fan of cliffhangers and this definitely isn't a huge one but I still yelled 'WTF?!?' when I got to the last sentence. The second book can't come out fast enough.

This book took me on the journey of a lifetime as I was listening to it. The writing, the story telling, and the characters had me gripped and at the edge of my seat the entire time I was reading this book. The way it started had gripped me, and it only held onto me stronger the longer I was listening to the audiobook.

It really was this whirlwind adventure of a story where the plot and characters were created and written so brilliantly that I couldn't help but fall in love with this story.

Thank you NetGalley for an eARC!

Beautifully written oriental fantasy based off of the Korean legend of the celestial maidens melded with the magic and political intrigue of Shadow and Bone. Lush world building, complex characters, well developed magics system & an easy to follow, enjoyable storyline. First of a duology.

The Floating World was an interesting world and a standard romantasy. If you're looking for a casual read to fill your weekend, this one might be for you!

The world is really a stand-out environment with adventure and romance. I didn't fully believe the MMC falling head over heals for the FMC without much cause, but I still enjoyed the book. There is political turmoil, found family, and mad scientist XD

Sunho has lost his memories and lives in the underworld. He accepts an offer of great wealth to find a girl who emits silver light. Our adventure begins. Sunho will be saved by Ren and only later will her identity be revealed. They will fight together for different reasons and will fight for each other.

Well written and well narrated novel (I listened to the audiobook). Great characters with complex pasts and hidden secrets. They will be chased, attacked and threatened. They both have a destiny to fulfil that they may not want.

I think this was written beautifully. It was a unique story. The world building and the magic. Very refreshing story. The audiobook was really good.

*Thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape media for early copy for review*

4.5 rated up

This was such a cinematic experience. The world felt so full and the story came to life. I also usually don't love romances in ya books but Axie Oh was able to deliver a romance I was rooting for. The best part is the sequel is.out in a few months.

I listened to the audiobook and it.was decent, but the story is better than it. I don't think it added anything.

First I wanna thank Axie Oh, the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to listen to this book in advance. I love Axie Oh's books and was so excited for this one since I read the synopsis. It was such a great journey but I wasn't excepting to cry at the end.
I wanna talk about Ren first, our FMC, she's so damn strong. You meet her on a happy moment with her family and, then, because she releases her Silver light power on a moment she's afraid for someone she loves. But when we get to know more of her story... This girl went through SO much since she was just 7 years old. Imagine having to hide your identity behind a mask for years and not losing who you are in the meantime... And from the moment something bad happen, she doesn't think twice, she packs some things and alone she goes into the unknown to help the people she loves. And what an adventure she has throughout the book!
Enters our MMC Sunho, he's supposed to be a swordsman but he's such a cinnamon roll with a heart of gold and we see that when he discovers the truth and then the decisions he makes after that.
I really like the secondary characters as well: her family members, Yurhee, Tag, Hwi... They all add something to the book, either fun or sweet. And then there's Jaeil... From his first POV chapter I felt there was more to him (it's normally like that with evil general's sons) and I was right. And I even got it right what it was. And he pretends not to care but we know he does, we can see he does in some actions throughout the book but then, because of his father, he tries to hide that part of him. I'm hoping for more of him on the second book.
I really loved this story, the world building was super interesting and a very different concept. Loved the pace of it, there was always something happening or on the verge to happen. And on the last few chapters, I was on the edge of my seat and on the peek of my emotions and the last chapter made me full on cry.
I was going to give it a 4.5 or 4.75 stars but as it made me full on sob, its a full on 5 stars and I can't wait to see how the story will continue.

Thank you for this gifted ALC from Dreamscape Media 💕

“Men fear women who have wings.”

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for story & narration

You’ll enjoy this book if you like:
Whimsical, cozy YA romance fantasy
No spice
Secret identities
Teenaged characters
Avatar the Air Blender + Ghibli vibes
Found Family

This is my first book from Axie Oh and it certainly won’t be my last 💕 Her writing is beautiful.

Eden Jun did just a wonderful job narrating. Her voice was sweet-sounding and matched our characters. Her voice also made it easy on the ear to listen to. I would love to listen to more books she narrates.

Ren, our FMC, character is optimistic and cheerful; which makes her naive to a fault.

Sunho, our MMC, is the opposite. He’s use to fighting and taking for a living.

Both are keeping secrets from each others. But it was so refreshing that when the secrets finally came out, they discussed it, handled it, and moved on. They grew closer for it. No third act breakup!

*wish some of ADULT characters from other books took notes*

I was slightly confused on their world. There wasn’t much world building, which was unfortunate.

I can’t wait to read the next book! I hope certain characters find the peace they deserve.

3.5⭐️ Rounded Up

I wanted to like this more than I did. Don’t get me wrong: it was good. It just never quite captivated me the way I expected it too. I really struggled to focus for about the first quarter of the book. I eventually got into the story though and I liked Ren and Sunho’s interactions and I liked the way the different POVs were set up. I’m very interested in seeing more of the commander moving forward too.
I think the highlight of the story is the world building. It has whimsical fantasy vibes but also a dystopian hungry feel to it at the same time. I liked how that was blended together.
Eden Jun does a good job with the narration. Nothing fantastic, yet I can’t pinpoint anything I disliked. She has a nice voice and I liked the accent. I just think something was missing to really pull me into the story.
Overall this is a good story with what I hope is great potential for the rest of the series.