I really adored this read. I really loved how this book was such a fun korean inspired read, with a witch and mythology twist. I found this book to be super fast pace. I loved how the circle of friends increased as the book went on. I also really liked at the heart of this read, was the sisterhood elment. This book had so many of the elements is expected from a mythology read for 2020 culture. I read this book in two days and had a hard to putting it down! Such a great read!!! Can't wait for book 2, def one of my favorite imprint books overall.

A heartwarming and deftly plotted tale about self-love and powerful familial bonds. I smiled and ached alongside the protagonist. What a wonderful read.

4.5/5

I just want to give a big thank you to author Graci Kim for writing this book where I, as a mixed Asian adoptee can finally see myself represented on the page. Kim captures all the emotions and struggles that an adoptee goes through. Our main character Riley is adopted into the gifted Gom clan, a clan that has the magical ability to heal. However, Riley has been told she is not gifted she is saram, born without magic. She wants nothing more than to be magical so that she can fit in with her family and community. This desire to belong sends Riley, Hattie, and her best friend Emmett on a quest to find a way for Riley to become magical. This is just a small part of what goes on within this story but I don't want to give anything away. I loved the exploration of Korean culture and mythology with legends and creatures. This is set in present day and Kim adds pop culture references (especially Kpop) throughout the story. I had such a great reading experience I laughed, I cried, I felt very connected to Riley as we have gone through similar fears and desires, especially when it comes to belonging ( I feel that most if not all adoptees struggle with this feeling to some degree). Because I could so deeply connect to our MC it really enriched my experience with the story. I do recognize that not everyone is an adoptee so they may not connect to the characters or the story the same way or as strongly. This is also a pretty young in tone middle grade. There was a lot of slang that may put off older readers like "amazeballs" and "holy shirtballs". My only main critique was the app for finding ghosts. I think this was suppose to be a play on our worlds dating apps as it is structured the same way but I just found it cheesy and cringey and I think Kim could have found another way to find ghosts than an app. However if you are looking for middle grade that highlights and celebrates Korean culture, mythology, being an adoptee, found family, magic, love and acceptance I would highly highly recommend this book! And its from a debut author!

Wow this one was awesome! I loved the family dynamics, the magic system, and the set up for book two is going to be epic. I also love that Riley is already maturing so much as a character from the start of the book to the end. Sometimes character development is gradual but not in this case! I also found the magic system easy to understand which is always a plus for me. I can’t wait to see how the characters develop in book two.

This is another really great story from the Rick Riordan Presents Imprint. I have yet to be disappointed by any of these books and I love that they are all based on different cultures and mythologies, but yet have a familiar feel to them.

Riley was such a wonderful character. She is adopted and really struggled to fit into her adoptive family even though she didn’t think that she had any magical ability. You could tell that her family really loved her and there was a very special bond between her and her sister Hattie. Riley was also pretty smart and brave even when things were not going as planned. She also managed to surround herself with friends who always had her back. Riley’s character grows quite a bit in this book, she really learns to accept herself as she is and knows that she has friends and family she can depend on.

Emmett is one of those friends. He also is an outsider to this magical community, even though his mother was part of it, his father was not, and once his mother died he was unable to access the gifted clans. But he was still a great friend to Hattie and especially Riley, even though he was moody and difficult at times.

I loved the world that was built here. I liked that there were different clans within the community and that each had their special talent or magic to work with. I enjoyed learning about some of the mythological animals that they encountered in their adventures, and also learning about their goddesses. I loved the dragon scooter named Boris, even though he never talked he seemed to have quite the personality.

The story started off a little bit on the slow side, but once it takes off you will find it hard to stop reading. I was certain that I knew what the last fallen star was going to end up being, but was totally wrong when it came to the big reveal. I loved that whole part of the story and all of the different places they went to in LA. It was cool the way the magical word was hidden inside buildings and through magical portals.

Another great book to add to this imprint. There are plans for at least two more books and I can’t wait to see where Riley and her friends will go next.

I received an e-arc of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

4/5 stars

I feel like it goes without saying but if you're a fan of Percy Jackson definitely give this book a shot!

The feel of this book reminded me so much of reading a Percy Jackson book especially the first one. There are fun zany characters and a lesson that all ages could use a reminder of. I did find towards the middle of the book that I was feeling a bit slumpy but I think that that has more to do with me than the book itself. However this could be one of the reasons why I rated it 4 stars rather than 4.5 or 5 stars. I just started to feel a little bored even though I was liking the story and I struggled to read a bit.

The characters were interesting and I felt like they were pretty accurate for the ages that they were meant to be. I loved the mythology and the ending did a great job of keeping me curious and excited to read the next book.

Thanks to NetGalley for the eARC of The Last Fallen Star by Graci Kim. I was excited to read this latest Rick Riordan Presents title that centers around Korean mythology and it did not disappoint. Full of magic, Korean mythological beasts, witty humor, and enduring friendships, The Last Fallen Star keeps the reader engaged at every twist and turn. Riley, the main character, is a saram, a non magical person, adopted into a family of magical healers. Her sister, Hattie, has the bright idea that she will cast a forbidden spell to share her powers between the two sisters. A spell, that has serious consequences, spinning things out of control for Riley. With Hattie's life hanging in the balance, Riley has to figure out who to trust among the many Gods, beasts and humans she meets. I am looking forward to the next book in the series!

A delightful read that delves into the fascinating realm of Korean traditional stories and lore. I am a fond fan of Rick Riordan and his quest to give a platform to unique stories. The Last Fallen Star is truly one of the best from the Rick Riordan presents series. It delves into and explains quite well the mythology of Korean lore, the characters are engaging and believable, and the story develops in a suck-you-in-sort-of-way that even made me re-read parts to ensure I fully grasped what was happening. It was a book that upon completion, I was sad the second was not available to read immediately. I will definitely be looking forward to the continuation of this series.

Rating: 4.5 stars

This was a very fun read, and it is a book I would highly recommend for children and young adults who loved the adventures of Rick Riordan, JK Rowling, and Tamora Pierce. Grounded in Korean mythology and culture, this adventure story follows a young Korean-American girl, Riley, as she tries to find her place in her society, despite seemingly not having the magic that her adopted family has.

One of my favorite things about this book is its reiteration that family is important, but it is also not limited by blood. Riley is adopted, and while she shares the Korean heritage of her adoptive family, she does not share their magical gift. She desperately wants to prove herself to her community who, when she was very young, ruled that she did not fit in, and this leads her on a journey to find herself, save her beloved sister, and reunite two communities that had been at odds since she was a baby. The tight bonds between Riley and her sister Hattie, their friendship with another child on the outside, Emmett, were highlights in the book.

Another thing that I really enjoyed was how young the main characters felt. They felt like young children who think they know everything, think they can solve everything, with all the confidence and innocence of youth. Does this get them into trouble? Absolutely. But I really enjoyed reading about children being children.

If there is a downside, I would say that the ending was a little too abrupt? It ends at a place that very clearly sets up the next book, and I would have liked to see the climax be a little longer with more of a conclusion to *this* story.

Despite that, I enjoyed this book, the mythology, the characters, the world building. I can't wait to read the next book!

There is just something about a Rick Riordan Presents book that is so magical and transportive. I am truly a sucker for urban fantasy, and Graci Kim does an excellent job of blending Korean mythology into the modern world. Not only does Graci serve us with an amazing magic system, but our main character's internal growth and friendships make this story extra special. I am obsessed with this book and I already cannot wait for more to come.

Also, I would like to send my thanks to Disney-Hyperion, Rick Riordan Presents and Netgalley for sending me this e-ARC to review!

I really enjoy the Rick Riordan Presents books and this is one of my favorites so far. The magic system is excellent and I really enjoyed the ways the magic community hid in plain sight. The secret H-Mart entrance to the temple is amazing. It definitely helped inspire some cravings for my favorite H-Mart snacks. Throughout the book the descriptions of the food are so well written. I can see readers who aren’t already familiar with these flavors being encouraged to try the foods in the book.

In addition to the great food descriptions the characters are also written so well. Riley’s longing to belong and dedication to her family drives the plot and the reader really understands all of her decisions. I personally related most to Emmett’s character, Riley’s best friend and baking king. His grief with having lost his mother so young was well done and I particularly admired how he went beyond his own discomfort with the magical world to support Riley. The book is full of strong characters and I appreciated the depth given to even the more minor characters. It really helped show how tight their community is. The plot is wonderful with well done twists and so many great details exposing the magic in Los Angeles. All around this is a wonderful book.

Thank you Netgalley and Graci Kim for sending me this eARC in exchange for a honest review.

"Because I am strong. And I am brave. My name is Riley Oh, and I was born to shine."

What can I say besides I was extremely blown away by The Last Fallen Star. Everything from the Korean witch clans to the creative dragon scooter Boris, I was very impressed.

I can't tell you how much I love RRP books and this is definitely a new favorite of mine.

I didn't expect a single plot twist throughout the entire story and it was so much fun. I have to admit, I even started to tear up a bit. I felt so close to the characters like they were my friends, and loved each one of them.

The world was built from the bottom up with immense detail for a middle grade novel, in my opinion. The characters were all unique with their own personalities, talents, and inner demons.

There were so many great elements to the story; family love, friendship, witch clans, Korean food that sounded mouth watering, self-love, acceptance, and much much more.

I'm very thankful for being able to read and review The Last Fallen Star. Now I need the sequel ASAP.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was so much fun to read! As usual, a book published using Rick Riordan Presents exceeded every expectation I had. I loved every minute of it and can't wait for the sequel!

The Last Fallen Star
A Gifted Clans Novel

By: Graci Kim

Disney Publishing Worldwide

Rick Riordan Presents

Middle Grade

Publish Date May 4, 2021

#TheLastFallenStar #NetGalley

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I was lucky enough to receive this e-arc from NetGalley to read a nd review. I asked for a copy when I realized it was a Rick Riordan Present book. I have enjoyed reading books from his choices.

This book is based off Korean legends and it was fun and enjoyable to read.

Riley is a young girl who is adopted by a family who are witches from the healing clan. There are six clans in the area and each one have different abilities. She has no powers that she is aware of and feels left out because she wants so badly to have power. So her sister, Hattie, decides when she is given the freedom to work her powers by herself that she will share her powers with her. That is when Riley finds out who she is and where she is from.

The adventures start there. She learns a lot about herself and what she is truly made of and what matters to her most.

I highly recommend that you read this book. There is a lot of Korean words which is easy to figure what they mean but also at the end of the book there is a glossary for you to reference if you need it. That was the only bad thing about having an e-arc is that I didn't realize there was one to use but as I said it was easy to figure out.

The plot moves along quickly, which is great for younger readers. I enjoyed the character development and the story arc. The sisterly love was refreshing. Graci Kim is Korean-Kiwi, and she weaves cultural elements well throughout the book in a way that shares the culture with us, which I loved. Some of the dated slang (“amazeballs”) and the technology (“tinder” for ghosts, Insta, etc.) lacked creativity and made me cringe. Great job to Graci Kim on her debut novel. I am looking forward to the next book of the series.

A spellbinding fantasy that I couldn't put down Riley is a strong, believable character who transforms from a shy girl who yearns to belong to her adopted family's clan to a formidable force in both the mortal and spirit realms. Her sense of loyalty and love is her strength throughout the book. I can't wait to travel on her next adventure.

Amazingly fun adventure with mythology and magic. The bravery of the main character is really lovely to read.

Riley Oh is adopted; she's always known that her adopted family loves her as much as her they do her best friend and adopted sister, Hattie, who is about her own age. Riley and her family are Korean, and they are members of a magical tribe, with specific magical skills in healing. Being adopted, Riley doesn't have magic, something she's always known, and always wanted. She has the knowledge, but lacks the magical inheritance to use it the way the rest of her family does. She and Hattie begin a quest to find a a way for Riley to share Hattie's magic - but as with so many quests followed by teens, it goes awry. Join the sisters and their friend Emmett as they search for a way to get Riley magic of her own, and turn their society upside-down in the process. A fun and thoughtful story that readers of all ages can enjoy, with plenty of Korean mythology thrown in.

Received an early copy thanks to NetGalley & Disney Publishing Worldwide in exchange for an honest review.

Riley is part of a witch coven but unfortunately, she has no magic because she's adopted. Long story short, she has to embark on a dangerous journey to save someone she loves.

I know this is a middle-grade book and it's best to keep expectations low but geez, some things were really bugging me.

Riley's sister, Hattie, was actually a more compelling character than Riley herself. I wanted Hattie to be the protagonist....ha. Riley didn't have much of a drive compared to Hattie, not to mention her "crybaby" persona that doesn't really come up as often as it should. I am a crybaby, I know how bad it gets but she cried maybe, 2 times, throughout the book. Show, not tell! Show her crying rather than mentioning it once and never doing anything with it!

I think my main issue was Riley just not being a very compelling protagonist overall. Her family was fun and some of the side characters were interesting. I really love the magic system in here, especially when it is merged with technology! Soooo cool! Buuuut the side characters were kinda forgettable. One mythological character joins the fray more than halfway through the book and I *love* them, but they don't join till way later.

The one bully character was 'redeemed' and the message about 'bullies have feelings too' was a bit too heavy-handed and obvious, but that's probably just me being super nitpicky.

I do think the Korean mythology could've been explained a bit better, it seemed to gloss over some important themes that audiences might not get right away. I really liked how "Dragon Pearl" handled it so I was spoiled by that book, lol. Still, it's a decent book within the Rick Riordan Presents series.

I enjoyed this book, It was a fun read. I did feel like it was a bit slow for a middle grade book though. I think it could have been a bit shorter and accomplished the same think. Nothing really wrong with the book, just not my favorite. Great themes including family, friendship, found family. appreciate what you have etc.