Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC that I am so late on reviewing.

I will say that I wanted this one because of it being a Rick Riordan Presents. I have read many of his presents book but still have yet to read any of his stuff. I honestly have no rhyme or reason either.

This is about a girl named Pahua who has a younger brother and grew up in California. She is an outcast in school and one day she talks to a spirit that has then attached itself to her brother. He ends up in a hospital where she then must find a way to fix what happened.

She then goes on the adventure to fix what happened. While doing so she fights her own battles on feeling like she is the problem in the sense of her dad left and her mom is never home. She soon learns that she is not the problem.

This book was full of adventure and takes you on a journey of finding your place. I also felt it had a sense of forgiving oneself for people leaving. A lot of young ones do that and I am a victim of it. It had the feels of Aru Shah and I have to say I really enjoyed it.

This book recommended for youth ages 8 to 12 is breathtaking and amazing. Even if you are older than the recommended age and have enjoyed this genre of book or story type it is a great read. The Pahua character is well developed and readers can connect to her, which is great writing. The other characters are just as well done. The writer has also developed a wonderful world that draws in the reader. This fantasy story leaves the reader ready to discover what is happening on the next page. The story is strong and dynamic leaving you fascinated as well as eager to continue reading. It is well-written and fun to read. It also is either a quick read or you just enjoy reading it so much it feels like it.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a free advanced copy of this book to read and review.

This book was amazing. The concept of being protective of your siblings is universal and I love how Pahua was willing to do anything and everything to save her little brother. There is also more of this world to be discovered and I cannot wait for the sequel.

This was very good and adorable middle grade fantasy. I will never get over how perfect each author has been forthis rick riordan presents series. This was fascinating and I thought the characters were really lovable. I loved the writing and the plot was fast paced too, overall it was just a very solid read and very good.

I keep reading the RRP books because they are reliably fun and so popular with the kids at my library. I am a little tired of the formula, but the stories are still so fun and the cultures interesting to learn about that it's mostly okay. This is an example of that, a story based in Hmong folklore that is exciting and a little adventurous. This is on the scarier side of RRP books, which isn't a bad thing.

I always feel the need to read books that are steeped in mythology and lore from other cultures. So when I seen this one being presented by Rick Riordan’s publishing company, I knew I needed to read it!

In this first installment of this new series, we meet 11 year old Hmong and her family. Hmong loves, listening to the stories that her mother tells her but secretly she can see spirits. Her best friend is one of them. Too bad all of her classmates and peers seem to think she’s crazy and make fun of her along the way. Hmong finds herself the center of a dare and makes her way onto a supposedly haunted bridge. What she doesn’t expect is that an angry spirit follows her back and steals, her brothers own spirit from him. Hmong knows it is her duty to save her brother spirit and sets out on her quest.

I absolutely loved this book. I actually purchased it for my own middle grade sons to read. They are huge fans of Percy Jackson, and I know they’re going to be huge fans of the series too!

I would recommend this book to anyone with middle grade, children, who want adventure, mythology, and well written prose that is easy to follow along, and so relatable to every day life. That being said, adults will love it too, and I don’t know anyone who would and thoroughly enjoy this read!

So, anyone who reads my reviews knows how much I love the Rick Riordan Presents books and this one is no exception. Yes, I'm an adult but I have a love of history and mythology and learning about other cultures through those two things is one of my favorite "hobbies" so picking up this story of Pahua, a girl of Hmong descent, was right in my wheelhouse. Now, I'll freely admit that as a white, southern US person I had NO idea who the "Hmong" people were so I did have to go look it up to start the book but once I did I was even more intrigued to read this book since I knew nothing of these people. The book was a great introduction to their culture and mythology and makes me want to go and learn more so right on to Lori M Lee for bringing awareness and curiosity to young adults who live in their own little worlds most of the time! Definitely another one on my "must re-read" shelf!


Thank you to NetGalley, Disney Publishing Worldwide, and Rick Riordan Presents for the ARC in exchange for my unbiased review!

I really enjoyed this. It’s fast-paced, but also has a lot to teach kids about trusting in themselves and their own abilities instead of trying to be someone else. I loved Zhong’s evolving relationship with Pahua, from a stuck up girl frustrated with Pahua’s lack of knowledge to grudging respect to friendship. I’m really looking forward to the next book in the series.

I wish that NetGalley would allow for an exception in their rating system. Five stars is not enough to convey how well-written or how important "Pahua and the Soul Stealer" is to the cannon of middle grades' fiction. I would give this book a thousand stars and mandate its inclusion in every children's library in the United States if I was able. Lori M. Lee does an incredible job not only of building a world that readers will be reluctant to leave, but of gently educating those who are unfamiliar with the Hmong culture with the intricacies of their oral traditions and mythology. I know a sequel is already slated, but I truly hope that there will be five, ten, fifteen installments of Pahua's story.

After the publication of the Percy Jackson and Tristan Strong series, I was so glad to see an expansion of the "Rick Riordan Presents" universe that included Asian mythology. As a middle grades librarian I can attest to the fact that there is a true lack of literature that reflects the diversity of our Asian population of students and cannot underscore how important this book will be for giving those students literature that reflects their lived experiences and their cultural background. We have already purchased several hard copies for our collection, and I know this is the first fantasy book featuring Hmong characters that we have been able to find.

Lee does such an incredible job of highlighting the feelings of otherness that can arise from belonging to a minority group in a largely homogenous community. Giving us a heroine that struggles to marry her Hmong culture with her desire to be accepted by her majority white peer group is so important and will lead to conversations with students about how we interact with those of different backgrounds and how we would feel if we were singled out or excluded because of the beliefs we were raised with. The story has incredible teaching potential before we even arrive at the "main" plotline.

And the main plotline is not one to be missed. The echo and the spirit realm that Lee builds are so vibrant that readers will instantly be transported with Pahua as she struggles to understand her own gifts and to save her brother Matt after inadvertently exposing him to a malevolent spirit. Pahua's true gift is not her strength or her ability to fight, but her ability to see through to the very heart of the people and situations in which she finds herself. This gift of discernment allows to to succeed even when her bravery stumbles and where others before her have failed. Her determination to save her brother from the spirit realm and return his soul to his body makes for harrowing reading, and children and adults alike will be loathe to leave the fantasy world Lee builds and will be eagerly awaiting the next installment to adventure with their friend Pahua once more.

Overview

I’m back with yet another Rick Riordan Presents books! I utterly could not wait for this one (though I say that a lot when it comes to RRP). Pahua was a bit more special, though, because I’ve previously read Lori M. Lee’s Forest of Souls, which I absolutely loved. So of course I was eager to check out her middle grade!

Pahua and the Soul Stealer is a foray into the world of Hmong mythology, featuring diverse characters, strong females, sibling bonds, and an utterly irresistible (and gloriously sarcastic) cat demon sidekick.

And if that doesn’t convince you to read it, I don’t know what will. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ If you don’t do it for the adventure or the mythology or the hecka interesting Hmong stories, do it for the cat demon, okay? That is literally probably the only time you’ll ever hear someone say that. Unless your life is as . . . interesting . . . as mine . . . and then probably not.

I went in not quite knowing what to expect but trusting Lori M. Lee to just work her magic, and she did! This is easily one of my favorite Rick Riordan Presents series now, right up there with Tristan Strong.

My Thoughts

- Prepare yourself for a world filled with Hmong mythology and legends, curtesy of the latest Rick Riordan Presents by Lori M. Lee. If you haven’t read Lee’s other work, you obviously should. If you have, you sort of know what to expect when it comes to her fabulous world-building skills and the way she pulls readers straight into her books. I was utterly hooked from page one and immediately knew I was going to have a good time with this one.

Hmong mythology isn’t something I’m particularly familiar with. I’ll admit that I had to lean on the glossary here a lot also, because Hmong words aren’t even close to spelled phonetically. I thought Gaelic was bad when it came to just shoving sounds into random letter combinations, but then Hmong said, “Hold my naab vaam.” Lee does a fantastic job of trying to translate the sounds of a tonal language (please do look this up, because it’s fascinating) into something young readers can imitate, and I absolutely loved learning more about this language and culture!

Also, Hmong is a culture filled with stories, and Lee really brings that to life. All sorts of stories and myths are shared throughout the book, and I really enjoyed the emphasis on storytelling.

- Pahua is such a fun protagonist, because she’s obviously special (I mean, she can see spirits that others can’t!), but she’s also very much an outsider 11-year-old who lives in her own head a little too much. And if that’s not the most relatable thing ever, I’m not sure what is, okay? Pahua is the quintessential reluctant hero because not only does she not particularly want to be nor think of herself as a hero, she’s also not very good at being a hero. Not that she doesn’t have her strengths, of course, as do we all. However, she’s a teeeeensy bit hopeless. In an adorable way. She means well, though, and that’s what really matters.

- Did I mention that there’s also an incredibly sarcastic, very funny cat demon sidekick that mostly only Pahua can see? Boy does this cat snark, as any cat should. Miv takes the whole idea of an animal sidekick and kicks it up a notch. If you’ve read and loved Nevernight by Jay Kristoff, Miv very much reminds me of a cleaner, less violent, more wholesome version of Mr. Kindly. Which is high praise, considering how much I utterly adore that cat.

Miv isn’t without his secrets, of course. Needless to say, he’s an enigmatic entity that has, for some reason, attached itself to Pahua from a young age and follows her on her adventures. Why would an ancient, immortal being do that? Well, who’s to say for sure, really? Cats are curious creatures.

- Pahua’s adventure takes her (and the reader) to the Spirit Realm—an afterlife that is probably nothing like you ever imagined, and inhabited by all sorts of characters—some good, some bad, and some just larger than life. I love the Spirit Realm. I said it. It’s dangerous and sexy and filled with elephants (you’ll get it when you read the book, because elephants are spirit guardians, but honestly, who wouldn’t want an afterlife filled with elephants?!). There are also quite a few interesting characters that Pahua and her friends meet along the way. Not all are particularly nice, but they do tend to crack me up, which I loved! In their own ways, of course.

- Also, because I just couldn’t choose from all the fantastic quotes in this book (I have so many flags in it for quotes that narrowing it down to just these took some effort), I decided to leave you with just one more quote from our favorite cat demon sidekick. You know, because Miv is really the only “adult” that gets to go on this adventure, and I feel like he speaks for a lot of the adults that may also be reading this book. Really, he says what we’re all thinking. Bless him for that.

I loved this book! Very new and refreshing in middle-grade books. The diversity in this book is fantastic.

I was excited about the premise of the book having never before read a book with Hmong representation. I was curious to learn a bit more about the culture and beliefs and loved the idea of doing so in a fantasy. I wasn't disappointed. Lee created a bright, colorful world full of wonder and danger. I haven't encountered many fantasies with two girls are the main characters. Not only that but they are two very strong characters and there is little doubt that they will accomplish the difficult tasks ahead of them. I expect there will be a sequel and I look forward to it!

Pahua and the Soul Stealer is a Hmong mythology based story. Oahu’s discovers she has powers beyond seeing a Cat no one else can see. When her actions threaten the soul of her brother Pahua sets out on a journey to save her brother. Parts Tristan’s Strong punches a whole in the sky and Percy Jackson, Pahua struggles like many other kids who feel different from their peers. Pahua,’s journey takes her through the depths of a mythological world and also the darkest parts of her own soul.

Touching, full of twist and turns, this story brings to life a culture most Americans are unaware of. Much needed addition to middle school and public library shelves. First book I’m a series.

This is a new middle grade series that focuses on Hmong mythology! I really adore this book because there is very little focus on Hmong culture. The story is very well-written and fast-paced! The best part of the novel is that it features a strong protagonist! This novel is filled with magic, culture, action, and adventure! This series will be sure to thrill middle school readers!

This was a really fun middle grade fantasy with lots of adventure, mythology, and a talking cat companion! The thing I loved the most about this book was the main character, Pahua. She always wanted to find a way to talk through conflicts and find a peaceful compromise that didn't involve fighting whenever possible. I really appreciate that conflict resolution being a focus in a middle grade novel. Also, I loved her cat spirit companion and their relationship throughout the story.

I was unfamiliar with Hmong mythology before reading this book and I enjoyed seeing that mythology woven into the plot. Pahua's ability to talk to spirits and how that develops as the story progresses is really interesting.

This was my first book by Lori M. Lee and I really enjoyed it! I love the humor and the characters that are common in the books published by Rick Riordan presents and this book was no different. I loved how the author was able to include Southeast Asian mythology in a way that was both not over explained but also explained enough for someone who doesn't know about it can understand.

so heartwarming! and i loved learning about new-to-me cultural and storytelling traditions – i believe the themes of this appealed to me more than the actual story, but i would certainly recommend it to a middle grade reader!

This wasn't my favorite. The book was well written, it just turned out to not be my taste. I do think that it would be enjoyable to readers that love a strong female character mixed in with a lot of fantasy.

The thing that I love the most about the Rick Riordan Presents books is the oppurtunity to get a glimpse of a cultures myths, legends and history. You are always given the chance to learn something new and Pahua and the Soul Stealer by Lori M Lee is no different.
Not only was this book great for learning about a new culture, it also elicited feelings in me that I rarely get from a Middle Grade Novel. Pahua's story is told so well and you really got a sense of everything she was going through. You really feel a connection with her.
I do hope that this book becomes a series.