This is the second Rick Riordan Presents book I've read that covers Korean mythology and this one is really cool! It turns out there is a secret society of Korean witches in Los Angeles, with a portal between the God realm and Mortal realm. There are six goddesses that had specialized powers and are the founders of each of the clans. Riley Oh was adopted into the Gom clan, which are the healers, but she is classified as Saram, meaning she has no magic. Her sister is one of her best friends and is set to become a healer, but Riley is banned from it because an initiation ceremony showed she didn't have what it takes to be a gifted person. But she knows the healing information even more than her sister and yearns to be a part of the community. Her other best friend, Emmett is totally awesome. He loves baking and is really good at it, but he was orphaned at the same time Riley was and was also prevented from being part of the magic community. I know if I were part of this community, I would love to belong to the Gom clan of healers, but some of the other powers seemed really cool as well. This was a really well-thought-out story with really endearing characters and I loved how Riley grew and matured throughout and was able to put the pieces together. Although she was barred from the healing magic she desperately wanted, she ended up being the perfect example of their motto "service and sacrifice". I absolutely loved this book and can't wait for future installments. I hesitate to say that this was as good as any Percy Jackson book because how does one measure up to Rick Riordan, but I can easily say that I loved this as much, even with my unfamiliarity of Korean mythology.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This was an action packed story all about the family you choose and what it means to fight for those you love!

Riley was such an interesting character to follow. She’s more timid and laidback in the beginning but by the end of this first book, she has really come out of her shell and her confidence has soared. Her character development was epic. I’m intrigued to see where this newfound confidence leads her in book two!

There were so many touching moments too, some that even had me almost in tears. The scenes between Riley and her sister the most. You could just feel that bond between them, whether they were blood related or not, it didn’t matter to them because they chose to be sisters for life. It really resonated with me.

Overall, I liked the story and all of the mythology surrounding it! If you’re looking for a story about saving your family (and maybe the world), rich and stunning Korean mythology, amazing mythical creatures and the love and friendship that evolves into the best group of friends— check this one out!

3/5⭐️

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

I really enjoyed this one! Riley is a non-gifted member of her family, meaning non-magical, and is adopted. She doesn't know anything about her birth parents, but ends up making some shocking discoveries about them that turn all of her previously held beliefs upside down. At the same time, her beloved sister is in grave peril, and Riley teams up with her amazing BFF Emmett to rescue her sister and discover herself.

I found this book to be really exciting and was very drawn in to the story and the characters. I also really appreciated the Korean culture and myth, which is a major strength of the Rick Riordan Presents line...a focus on introducing folklore and cultural elements from all over the world to young readers. This book kept me interested and explored what it really means to be a family in wonderful ways. I do find with middle grade sometimes I have to remind myself the characters are young and therefore prone to potentially making decisions that are a bit mind-blowing, but the issues with one certain family member were surprising to me and how quickly and neatly it tied up was also surprising. (Purposely cryptic to avoid spoilers!)

Highly recommended!

From the Publisher:
Riley Oh can't wait to see her sister get initiated into the Gom clan, a powerful lineage of Korean healing witches their family has belonged to for generations. Her sister, Hattie, will earn her Gi bracelet and finally be able to cast spells without adult supervision. Although Riley is desperate to follow in her sister's footsteps when she herself turns thirteen, she's a saram--a person without magic. Riley was adopted, and despite having memorized every healing spell she's ever heard, she often feels like the odd one out in her family and the gifted community.

My Thoughts:
This is another Rick Riordan presents book like Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky, except this one, by Graci Kim, weaves in Korean mythology into her tale of magic clans living amongst the saram (muggles in Rowling world or people without magic). Ms. Kim checks all the boxes for a tween best selling adventure story: a character or characters that feel like outcasts, misunderstood, odd balls and a very important quest that relies on loyalty, sacrifice and bravery.

Riley reminds me of Chaya from The Girl Who Stole an Elephant. Like Chaya, Riley is headstrong, stubborn, and very brave. She has fiercely loyal friends (including a sister, Hattie, in Riley's case) and she puts them in danger. However, true to contemporary Disney princess form, Riley (and Chaya) does everything they can to save their friends and repair the disasters that they caused, including, in Riley's case, sacrificing herself. This is another great read aloud for the 5th, 6th grade classroom as well as a middle level enrichment class. I hope to see more of Riley. I think she has a Percy Jackson like series of adventures in front of her.

I received a eArc of this book from the publisher in exchange of my honest opinion, so first of all i want to thank them for giving me such an opportunity. It was a unique book and i’m really glad i got to read it.

So, where to start?

Riley Oh is an adopted child, but her family isn’t just a regular family but one of Korean healing witches. In Riley’s world the different goddesses give different clans gifts and the clans work togeher as a community. All but one clan which was banned.

So when the book starts, Riley’s sister Hattie is about to get her ceremony to become a healer herself. Since Riley is adopted she doesn’t have any gifts but she and her sister make a deal to help Riley get the gift of being a healer herself. Only everything goes wrong and now Riley has to find the Last Fallen Star to be granted her wish of becoming one of her community.

These is a very rough description of the book, but i don’t want to spoil much of it, because it is such a great book, you deserve to discover it yourself.

The book talks about many topics, feeling different and trying to fit anyway, getting rejected, not giving up, friendship, family and a lot of mythology.

I’ve never before heard about Korean Mythology and i still need to get working on it so i can keep up with the books coming after this one, but it’s something i’m willing to do because the book was such an interesting one. The author knows what she is writing about and she knows how to use it to make it feel real. You can see the passion this book was written with, the love.

Since reading Pick Riordan, i haven’t found a book that was such a revelation to me on this kind of books. Mythology coming to life in our days in one of my favorite topics and this author did such an amazing job brining the story to life, i was so excited i couldn’t stop reading once i started i just needed to KNOW what will happen next.

The characters are adorable, i loved Riley, Hattie and Emmet a lot. The side characters are loving and caring and i think it’s the first time i see parents and family so involved in this kind of book, normallly it’s just kids which is kinda weird. In this book the adults are almost as important as the kids and it felt different and fresh.

I don’t really know how much more i should tell about the book, because i don’t wanna spoil anything. But it was a real rollercoaster and a fun on at it. I would recommend it to everyone looking for a great Middle Grade book. It’s been a while since i found one so good.

I give the book 4.5 stars because i didn’t see that plot twist coming and i’m looking forward to the next book coming up hopefully next year! Congratulations to Graci on writting such an amazing debut novel!

First and Foremost a special thank you to the publisher for providing an arc an exchange for a review

I knew I was going to love this book because of the epic introduction Rick Riordan gave. You truly are in for an experience with this book and I love that it was under the hands of Riordan's imprint. Kim was able to ground characters in the love and loss and triumphs. We follow our main character Riley Oh , she is adopted and that does not stop her bound between her sister - Hattie - and herself. Her adopted family comes from a long line of healers who follow the motto of service and sacrifice.

Riley is a saram -human without magic- who desperately was to wield the magic that her family does. So on the day of Hattie's initiation the two sisters hatch a plan to magic a way for Riley to obtain magic but some beans are spills, someone nearly drowns, and a goddess appears. Riley and her Bestie Emmet go on an adventure to reverse the mess Riley caused only to be tested at every turn. Riley was able to prove that she knows the true meaning of service and sacrifice as well as what it means to be yourself and shine bright.

The secrets, love, loss, and discovery throughout the book were truly wholesome. I enjoyed being surprised with each new plot development as character growth. I cannot wait to see what Kim has in store and how she'll manage to make me gasp, lol, cry, and explore in book two

This is a book that anyone interested in mythology and family-centered stories is sure to enjoy! I was personally really excited for this one, since I’ve been attempting to catch each new Rick Riordan Presents novel. They’ve all been great so far and this one definitely fits in. This novel also stood out to me from the other books in this imprint that I’ve read, though. The voice of the narrator was very conversational and it was easy to slip into the flow of the story through it. I also really liked how korean mythology was introduced in a digestible way and how the author also took and shaped things in a creative way that I wouldn’t have expected. The beginning did feel a little slow to me, but once it got going it was very well paced. I would definitely recommend this (and all of Rick Riordan Presents) and thank you so much to the publisher for the review copy!

I will forever read everything Rick Riordan Presents comes out with! So when I saw a book coming out based on Korean mythology, you can bet I was all over it! Also, is that cover not freaking delightful?! I’m so in love with it.

The Last Fallen Star is an adventure steeped in Korean mythology, chock full of mysteries and secrets, and delightfully delves into the bond between sisters and family.

The mythology in this was top notch, and I absolutely loved learning more about Korean mythology! AND THE FOOD! be prepared to constantly drool all over your book. There were, however, a lot of what felt like conveniences, where things were resolved too easily or just handed to characters. Middle grade readers are unlikely to notice or be bothered by these, in my opinion, but I definitely did. Overall, though, a fun read that I think middle grade readers are sure to love!

My Thoughts:

- The Last Fallen Star introduces the reader to a whole world of Korean mythology—some of it interesting, some of it terrifying, but all of it just plain fun. I’ll admit that I don’t know as much about Korean mythology as I should, so a lot of the creatures that pop up in this book were new to me. There were some beautiful ones, some wonderful ones, and then some that I definitely wouldn’t want to meet late at night in a dark alley, if you get my drift. Well … okay, maybe I would, but only because it’s me. Take my word, that’s probably a bad sign for “normal” folks. This is by far my favorite part of the book! Kim does a fantastic job of weaving in all different aspects of the mythology in a way that’s easy to follow and understand. I did kind of want a little more from the world-building in terms of how magic works in this world and how these mythological creatures tie together. However, that didn’t really dull my excitement to meet all these new creatures and beings!

- There’s a lot of adventure in this book, but underlying it all is the journey one sister will take for another. And it’s a beautiful thing. Have I mentioned before how much I love sibling bonds? This book goes above and beyond that. Not only is the relationship between Hattie and Riley utterly adorable, but they’re adopted sisters, which takes it to a whole new level. As someone who has no full siblings and lots of step siblings, I loved seeing this even more! Especially the lengths they would go to for each other. This adventure isn’t just about sisters, even though that’s the main driving force. It’s about family overall. For some secondary characters, it’s the loss of family that really affected them. In other cases, it’s finding new family. Sometimes it’s just finding where you fit in your current family and learning to inhabit that space. There’s such a strong theme of family in this book, though, and I love all the different ways Kim approached it! Despite its darker overall plot, there are some hardcore heartwarming vibes in this book that touch on super important ideas.

- The secondary characters in this are not only varied in personality but all somehow really fun and interesting! Almost, I would dare say, more than the protagonist herself. Riley just didn’t catch my attention on her own. She was essentially too good at everything, or conveniently able to immediately find whatever she needed when she needed it, without any real flaws. But the secondary characters? They had some spunk to them! Riley’s sister, Hattie, is frustratingly naive. The sort you can’t help but love. She’s upbeat and positive and just wants to help the people around her, especially her sister. Sometimes I wanted to shake some sense into her, but only because she was such a precious cinnamon roll that I knew it wasn’t going to end well for her. It never does, does it? There’s also another character who pops up later in the book named Taeyo. I won’t say too much about him except that he’s a tech genius who combines magic with tech. If that doesn’t sound like something you want, I’m not sure you’re in the right place. Because that sounds amazing. It was interesting to see some of the things that could be done. Oh, and have I mentioned Boris, the dragon on wheels?! Why aren’t these a thing yet?! Quick, someone get working on this idea! We all need a Boris. While not technically a character, Boris does play a significant role in the story, and he has a personality unto himself that is adorable.

- There are a lot of big, emotional lessons in this book, and I loved what a wide variety of subjects Kim tackles with subtlety, slipping them into the guise of an action-packed adventure. For starters, Riley is adopted and knows it and struggling with feelings of not belonging. This is so important in middle grade fiction. Kids that age struggle with belonging in the best of times, but as someone who was adopted by my father, it means so much to me to be able to see adopted characters reflected with such thoughtfulness. There’s also the idea of not jumping to conclusions and judging people before you know them. Sure, this idea has been done before, ad nauseum, but the way Kim approaches it is novel and works perfectly in the setting she creates in this book. It fits really nicely with the additional themes of sacrifice and service, which are two of the biggest ones that come up repeatedly. If I’m honest, those are probably the ones that will hit your feels the hardest. The only theme that came off a little heavy-handed to me was that bullies have backstories too. But honestly, I’m a little over the idea that bullies need to be understood, forgiven, and redeemed in middle grade. So this is probably more of a me thing than the book thing so it doesn’t really count.

Sticking Points

- I highly doubt middle grade readers will mind (or even notice), but there were a lot of conveniences in this book that really stood out to me. Things felt a little too easy, like the characters didn’t need to work out the solutions to their problems. They were kind of just handed the solutions. One instance that I really didn’t like personally was when they needed to find a ghost, they conveniently had an app for that. (Ghostr. Like Tindr. Get it?!) It made me roll my eyes hard because in my day we hunted our own ghosts the old-fashioned way: with a wing and a prayer and a ghost of a chance. (Okay, I’ll stop. Probably. Maybe. You’ve been warned.) Despite my feelings about this, I do think that middle grade readers might find this more charming (though I’m not sure they’d get all the semi-dated references made in that scene, though older readers will likely appreciate them).

Thank you to NetGalley for this advanced copy and in return here is my honest review. The Rick Riordan Presents imprint has not had a single miss. I’ve read all but three (I think?) of the books published by RRP and each one is more fun and fascinating than the last. I cannot recommend what this imprint publishes enough.
The Last Fallen Star follows Riley who is adopted. Her adoptive parents are part of their local magical community. They are Gom which are the healers of this community. There’s nothing that Riley wants more than to be able to be a Gom alongside her sister, Hattie, and her parents. But when Hattie and Riley try to make that happen using magic, one thing after another goes wrong until things get pretty serious and Riley must find a lost object and save her sisters life.
I absolutely loved this one. The Korean folklore and mythology was so compelling and interesting I just wanted to know more about all of the magical groups. We learn the most about the Gom because that’s what Riley grew up learning about. But we also learn quite a bit about the Horangi, which is an exiled clan that turned corrupt. They play an interesting role in the story and I really enjoyed learning more about them. The world and the magic was absolutely the best part about this book for me. I hope we get to learn more about the other clans in future books. We got a brief overview of what each clans function and focus is and then little bits and pieces here and there, but I thought it was all so interesting that I want one book for each character of the different clans. That would be so fun.
Anyway, Riley and Hattie really made this story. I’m a sucker for good sibling relationships and this definitely had that. We spend enough time getting to see them together and we’re shown how much they care for one another. But then Riley must go off on her own (well, with her best friend Emmett, but not with Hattie) and there were times when she had to make really hard decisions. Her choices showed again and again how much she loves her sister. I loved this relationship so much. Riley feels out of place because she isn’t a Gom. Hattie never makes her fe less than and I loved that. I also loved the messaged shared via Riley’s journey. By the time she finished her quest, she’s learned to love herself as she is. She’s realized that she doesn’t need to change to fit in. She only ever needed to accept herself and go from there.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It’s a really fun and quick read that’s filled with adventure, sacrificing for those we love, challenges to overcome, and incredibly fascinating magic. My one complaint is some of the language used in the dialogue. There were some slang phrases used that just felt so out of place for these kids to be using in casual conversation. It happened a few times in the story when I was just completed pulled out of the story because of reading stuff like that while characters were talking to one another. But this is a small thing, and I really loved every other aspect of this story.

I was really looking forward to reading this book. I love all the Riordan presents books that bring in other voices so far, and my husband and children are Korean, so I always have my eye out for Korean representation and Asian female rep for my spunky 6 year old. I can’t wait to read this with her when she’s a bit older and to research more about Korean mythology!

The characters are great and cover quite a range of personalities! The adventure had both things I predicted and things that surprised me and went to all sorts of imaginative places through incredible means of getting there. Such a creative story.

Disclaimer: I received this finished copy from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: The Last Fallen Star

Author: Graci Kim

Book Series: Gifted Clans book 1

Diversity: Adopted mc, Korean mc and family

Rating: 5/5

Recommended For...: mg readers, fantasy, mythology

Genre: MG Fantasy

Publication Date: May 4, 2021

Publisher: Rick Riordan Presents

Pages: 312

Recommended Age: 9+ (Death, Gore, Violence, and Possession)


Synopsis: Riley Oh can't wait to see her sister get initiated into the Gom clan, a powerful lineage of Korean healing witches their family has belonged to for generations. Her sister, Hattie, will earn her Gi bracelet and finally be able to cast spells without adult supervision. Although Riley is desperate to follow in her sister's footsteps when she herself turns thirteen, she's a saram--a person without magic. Riley was adopted, and despite having memorized every healing spell she's ever heard, she often feels like the odd one out in her family and the gifted community.

Then Hattie gets an idea: what if the two of them could cast a spell that would allow Riley to share Hattie's magic? Their sleuthing reveals a promising incantation in the family's old spell book, and the sisters decide to perform it at Hattie's initiation ceremony. If it works, no one will ever treat Riley as an outsider again. It's a perfect plan!

Until it isn't. When the sisters attempt to violate the laws of the Godrealm, Hattie's life ends up hanging in the balance, and to save her Riley has to fulfill an impossible task: find the last fallen star. But what even is the star, and how can she find it?

As Riley embarks on her search, she finds herself meeting fantastic creatures and collaborating with her worst enemies. And when she uncovers secrets that challenge everything she has been taught to believe, Riley must decide what it means to be a witch, what it means to be family, and what it really means to belong.

Review: Oh my goodness I absolutely loved this book! The author did so well to intermingle mythology with this story and I enjoyed every last drop of it. I loved the characters, especially Riley, and I loved the world building. The book had a strong plot and I was hooked from beginning to end.

The only criticism I have for the book is that it was a bit too fast paced I think. I think it could have been slowed down and extended another 30-50 pages. I can't wait for the next book in this series!

Verdict: Highly recommend!

Where to begin with this fantastical adventure?

It has taken me a woefully long time to sit down and write this review. Not because my feelings are complicated, but because they AREN'T. I adored Graci Kim's debut with my whole heart, and I could fill a notebook with all the reasons why. As with most entries in Rick Riordan's lineup, THE LAST FALLEN STAR is a treasure trove of warmth, humor, and action, steeped in beautifully rich South Korean mythology. It centers around a hidden world of witch clans (yes, I immediately took the personality test to discover my clan) and Riley Oh, a girl struggling with the knowledge that because she's adopted, she has no magic of her own.

This is a fast-paced ride with incredibly vivid details (the food! the creatures! the magic!) but it's also an incredibly important exploration of sisterhood, identity, and belonging. Riley is a protagonist I will follow anywhere. Basically: if you or the middle grade reader in your life is looking for the Next Exciting Thing in the RR Presents series, Graci Kim's newest entry will absolutely surpass expectations. She is a powerhouse talent, and I will be eagerly watching to see where she takes the Gifted Clans next. 5/5

Riley is a adopted Korean girl to a Korean family the only difference is is that her adopted family is gifted which means they have magic. Their magic is healing and with the help of their Gi bracelets they heal not only other gifted people but sarams. Sarams are non-gifted humans and that is what Riley is and sometimes she feels very left out. She loves her adopted parents but her sister and them get to do things she doesn't and it just seems a bit unfair to her.

Hattie her sister is about to have her initiation into the clan and this means she gets to keep her Gi bracelet, as up till then she can only use it with adults supervision. Hattie and Riley learn that there is a way to share magic with a saram, so they cook up a plan to find the spell so they can do it on Hattie's initiation day since they have to be close to this cauldron to do it.

They are stopped from doing it because of something (spoilery so can't say) but needless to say they haven't given up and they decide to try and contact someone from the Godrealm to help them and do a spell that is illegal and it doesn't go as planned and Hattie ends up in like a coma and the clan bear goddess comes and tells Riley that she will help her with her sister but she must find the last fallen star.

Riley and her friend Emmett, who doesn't know the full extent of what has happened, goes with her to try and find the last fallen star but they have no clue where to start and decide to first go the a science place because stars, right. Not that this is an actual star as in what normal humans would think of as a star, but it was a start and they do learn about maybe going to this gifted library but it's guarded and and another friend helps disguise them and that is pretty much where the adventure to find this star starts.

I really like Riley and her journey as she learns a lot about herself and also that it doesn't really matter if you have magic or not it really is about what is inside you. I also really liked Emmett because he is really the definition of a true friend because even when he learns things about her that really upset him, he learns to work through it along the way and they still continue to be friends when a lot might just up and leave her. Though Hattie is not in the book much I can tell she will be a great character and I enjoyed the parts that she was in, she cared a lot about her sister.

I really enjoyed the story it had a nice fast pace to it and will definitely be looking out for the next one in the series!

Graci Kim is an all-star. Her writing is so engaging and is the perfect type of book to pull in my reluctant readers. I am so excited to share this book with my students.

Since it's debut on May 4th, The Last Fallen Star has quickly become the most requested book by my students. I had to buy extra copies so it could reach more homes during our hybrid virtual school year. Korean mythology, magical adventures, and filled with humor and heart, it's not surprising that this book is ranking #1 by my students. The first question they ask after they finish reading is, "When's the next book coming out?

What a fun and thrilling adventure. While I love all of the Rick Riordan presents, this book combines all the magical adventures in the series, with a family that truly loves each other. The bond between the sisters shines through, and will appeal to all readers. Highly recommend this to both fantasy readers and students who prefer family stories.

This was ok. I didn't love the magic. I didn't love the mc. I did love Em. The writing is fine, it just wasn't for me.

I was between 4 and 5 stars for this one and mulled it over for a bit. I guess it's more 4.5, but I'm rounding up because of how this book took me by surprise and how totally into it I was.

I love that this under the Rick Riordan label because I honestly think the Percy Jackson fandom is the perfect audience for this book. It exposed me to Korean lore that I have never heard of before (which I will now have to look up since I enjoyed it so much) and it had such a likable main character in Riley. It's also another story of suspicion because you know someone is playing someone else and you're not exactly sure who it is or why.

I'm also a sucker for stories dealing with different types of magic and I liked that these Korean witches had magic that derived from the elements. I also liked the idea that each witch could have a dominant element. There's also a difference in how each clan assesses magic - most clans focus on the element that a witch was born without whereas one clan chooses to focus on the dominant element they were born with. I just felt it was a nice allegory of glass half full/half empty.

I will say that there were definitely some cheesy moments in here, such as the ghost named Casper who had a crush on a girl named Kat and lived with his uncles.... maybe younger readers won't get it, but us Devon Sawa-loving adults most definitely will. But Casper aside, I did think the ghost stuff was fun and silly enough for kids. The idea that gwisin (spirits) were essentially creating Tinder profiles cracked me up.

Honestly, this was really cute and the lore and witchcraft were interesting enough for me to definitely want to continue with the series.

The Last Fallen Star by Graci Kim was a solid middle grade book. The writing was easy to follow and quick to read. Riley as a character was bold and willing to do what it took to get what she wanted. Her sister Hattie's love and loyalty for her sister is so great that she's right there beside her.
The ideas felt fresh and unique. The culture and lore that I learned along the way made me want to seek out the true Korean stories to learn more. and that is a great sign of a well written book.
However I did find that the story could lag at times and I wanted it to be just that little bit more. That being said I am still very excited to read the next book in thee series. That ending though!

If you don’t fall in love with this story from the first few pages... do you even have a heart?! Riley and Hattie are amazing young sisters and just want to make every thing right, and that is where it all goes wrong! This story explodes with amazing Korean folklore, magic, and beautiful character growth. This book is a wild ride and will keep you reading until the very end. I love the themes of friendship, what you will do for family, and belonging that this book has. Graci Kim has written a beautiful story and I cannot wait to have the second book in my hands!

Content warnings: grief, death of a family member