GAHHHH! ❤️ This book was one of those stories that has you engaged the entire way through, throws in an amazing twist that of course, I didn’t pick up on, and then makes my heart burst with happiness 💕 Thanks again to NetGalley and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group/Feiwel & Friends for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for feedback.

I truly enjoyed this story, getting to follow Mina into the sea, sacrificing her life to save loved ones and to save her homeland from deadly storms that are caused by the Sea God. In sacrificing her life, she is destined in becoming the Sea God’s bride (like many possible brides before her), which will hopefully stop the curses that are causing suffering in Mina’s village. While in the Spirit Realm, Mina meets spirits, gods, and demons that encounter her on her journey to wake the Sea God; however, Mina runs into many obstacles that make her time in the Spirit Realm shorter each day that passes. If she can’t fulfill her task at hand, Mina could disappear altogether.

To share some of my favorite moments: I enjoyed the Studio Ghibli feel of this story, along with the spirits that helped Mina along the way! They provided many laughs when needed, along with showing Mina love and protection at the most opportune times. As for Shin and his loyal friends (Namgi and Kirin), they would be friends I’d want in my life forever 🤗 I seriously fell in love with this book and can’t wait to have the actual copy in my hands ❤️

The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea is a fantastical story based off a myth that I had never heard of. The main character is so sweet and honorable, I loved following her journey throughout the book. I definitely picked this up because of the description which likened it to Spirited Away, one of my favorite movies, and this book definitely had Spirited Away vibes. I love reading these more unique mythological stories in YA that have crossover appeal for all audiences. I think I'd compare the tone of this novel to Raybearer.

I was lucky enough to receive an advanced listening copy which I loved. Being able to listen to the story added a layer of depth supported by a very strong voice actress. The voice acting was clear and powerful, and I had such a good time listening to it.

I was instantly drawn to this book because of its gorgeous cover and feel like this book would be perfect for fans of Studio Ghibli’s Spirited Away and period K-Dramas.
I was excited to read this after hearing that it was similar to Spirited Away, but I felt like it fell short for me.

I loved the Korean folktale that was woven into the story, but there was so much more potential for the world building, especially in the Spirit Realm. Mina’s character was also quite underdeveloped.

There were many opportunities throughout the book for Mina to express her feelings during tense situations, but her reactions never had any depth to them. I liked this book, but felt like it was only a fraction of what it could have been.

Thank you to @netgalley for the ARC!

An interesting premise but overall not a great execution. This book needed to slow down and given us more time to understand the characters we were supposed to care about.

This will be a spoiler-free review! Also, I was given a free e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This book actually comes out tomorrow so make sure you pick it up! :)

So, I thought this was a fun book and the author has a beautiful writing style. I don't read too much YA anymore but I like standalones, haha. I liked the story as well as the characters and thought it was a pretty interesting concept. A lot of people have said it's similar to Spirited Away, I can't comment on that since I haven't seen it, but that's what I've seen people compare it to.

I think this book started out strong for me but kind of started to fall off the farther I read. I wish this book was longer and had more depth because there would be lots of times where it felt very rushed which led to most things feeling anticlimactic. I also would have enjoyed the relationship more if it went into more depth as well...I feel like the relationship felt pretty surface level with less interaction between the two. It would have been cuter if they actually communicated more and were around each other more, but once again I feel like it's because this book kind of lacks depth. I also started to get a little bored in the middle of the book and I think it lasted for the rest of the book mainly because everything felt so anticlimactic.

I really enjoyed the story as well as the characters. I thought this was a very fun and cute read. This book also has some relevant content especially when it comes to religion and such. I just thought it had a lot of relatable quotes and I found it very interesting the way it talked about the relationship between the Gods and the people. Very well written.

I think since this book feels rushed at times and can lack depth it made it harder for me to form a real connection with the characters. Like I said I enjoyed this book as well as the twists and turns, but this is a book I would have loved to see over 400 pages. Take that time and overexplain everything because I need that world to swallow me whole.

Overall if you like YA fantasy I definitely recommend this book. If you're also a fan of Spirited Away then maybe you should give this book a try. It's a fun and enjoyable read and obviously who wouldn't want that cover on their shelves?? I enjoyed this book and I'm so glad to have gotten to read it! :)

STUNNING!! This is one of my favorite reads of 2022! If you want to feel like you're in an entirely new world of magic surrounded by beauty then this is the story for you! It is so well written!!! I recommend this beauty of a book to anyone who loves Once upon a broken heart, Daughter of the Moon Goddess, Crescent city. If you like fast-paced books about strength, magic, and fates then you will not want to miss this one!

Review will be posted on Forever Young Adult's blog on 2/22/22.

Cover Story: Montell Jordan

You better believe I read the synopsis of this book simply because of this GORGEOUS cover. The colors, the imagery, gah, it’s sending me.

The Deal:

Every year, the most beautiful girl is chosen to become the Sea God’s bride in efforts to appease him, to stay the brutal storms or ease the burning drought that plague the human world because of a curse put upon the Sea God almost one hundred years ago. Mina is not the most beautiful or talented, but her brother went and fell in love with this year’s chosen, Shim Cheong, and Joon is her absolute favorite person in the world. So Mina barely hesitates when she jumps into the sea instead of Cheong, and finds herself following a great red ribbon tied to her hand that leads her to something very unexpected: the sleeping form of a young Sea God, and the three men who would steal her soul to keep him safe.

BFF Charm: Heck Yes

BFF Charm Heck Yes - sparklier and shinier than the original BFF Charm
Some people would call Mina brave for jumping into the sea in place of another, others would call her reckless. She knows what she did is kind of insane, but she loves her brother that much. And that sums up a lot of Mina’s character: she’s tenacious and big-hearted; loving hugely and freely, sometimes to her own detriment. She’s all about loyalty with a capital L, and who among us doesn’t hope that they would be deserving of a friend like that? In Mina’s own words:

It’s true that people do the most desperate things for those they love. Some might even call it a sacrifice—maybe that’s what people believed when I jumped into the sea in place of Shim Cheong. But I think it might be the other way around. I think it would be a terrible sacrifice to do nothing.

Swoonworthy Scale: 7

Mina is a Sea God’s bride, yet she’s having to spend a lot of time with someone else due to some unforeseen circumstances. In keeping with the dreamy tone of the story, any burgeoning relationship moments are similarly soft and wistful. It’s not an explosive chemistry that will blow your socks off, but it’ll put the swoon in Swoonworthy.

Talky Talk: Classic Fairy Tale

This book has a sweetness and innocence about it. It feels timeless, like something that you could’ve enjoyed as a younger reader without hesitation, and yet it can still hit you, still resonate in a different way, when you’re older. I love a dark, twisted fairy tale as much as the next person, but sometimes you need something lighter that leads you towards feeling hopeful for mankind instead of a general “burn it all down and start over!” Oh’s writing is deceptively layered; it can feel straightforward, but there’s plenty going on with what isn’t being said that you could overlook if you weren’t paying attention.

If you need more encouragement to pick it up, lots of people online have likened this to the Studio Ghibli film, Spirited Away, which I confess I’ve never seen but now I’m feeling like I need to rectify that oversight!

Bonus Factor: Spirit World

The world Mina must traverse in order to save the Sea God is one full of whimsy and wonder, where spirits roam freely for a shot at a second “life”, and magical things like flying fish, beasts of myth, and gods and goddesses appear at will. Oh’s language helped me paint gorgeous pictures in my head and I would love to see this on-screen.

Bonus Factor: Found Family

Mina meets a wonderful host of friends in the spirit world, and they are all precious little nuggets I wanted to squeeze ‘til they popped. I also enjoyed Mina’s actual family, though we learned more about them through Mina’s musings on them than anything.

Bonus Factor: Fairy Tales

I said this felt timeless, and that’s probably because it’s a loose retelling of a Korean myth about Shim Cheong, though the titular character is secondary in this novel. Oh said she wanted to take the story and tell it from a different perspective, and I’d say she definitely put her own spin on it.

Relationship Status: The Red Ribbon of Fate

I would be so happy for our fates to be tied together, Book. You kept me entertained, made me smile, and even had me shedding a few happy tears. I hope I can do the same for you.

FTC Full Disclosure: I received my free review copy from Feiwel & Friends. I received neither money nor peanut butter cups in exchange for this review. The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea is available now.

This is very different from so many of the things I read usually, but I loved it. This is a retelling of a folktale that introduces the reader to a wonderful, strong young woman named Mina. Mina has sacrificed herself for the love of her family to be the next wife of the Sea God. Her journey is long and full of many interesting characters, and that red sting of fate. The twists and turns of Mina's story are a delight to read. This story is beautifully written with powerful messages of love and hope. It was a mesmerizing read and I look forward to more from this author.

Wow...Just WOW! I have no words. This books is beautiful, stunning, heart wrenching, and so rich. I was on the edge of my seat from the very first page and it held me in it's grip until the very end. I LOVE this book, honestly it may end up being my favorite read of 2022 because it's going to be very hard to top it.

Mina was such a wonderful, strong, compassionate and relatable heroine and all the other character were just as great. Don't even get me started on Shin - my newest book boyfriend!

The writing was so incredible- the world and lore that Axie Oh created weaved a incredible tale that was whimsical and lovely. I hope she writes more book in this world because there's so much to explore! I knew I would like this books when I heard it was a Spirited Away retelling but I didn't expect to love it this much. The ending had me in tears (the good kind!) and it's the kind of book that you can't stop thinking about day's after you've read it.

I can't recommend this book enough, READ IT!

This whimsical fantasy inspired by a Korean folktale whisks readers away on an epic adventure full of love and loss. Our protagonist, Mina, sacrifices herself to become the bride of the sea god in place of her brother’s love. Mina finds herself in the Spirit Realm where the sea god is trapped under a curse and Mina must race against the clock and the spirits and gods who seek to destroy her if she’s going to break the curse and restore balance to the human world.

This vivid world is full of lush detail that will delight fans of similarly fantastical tales such as Spirited Away. Peppered with mythical creatures and lovable characters, the Spirit Realm is a place you won’t want to leave. I thoroughly enjoyed immersing myself in the world that Axie Oh created in this book and would be thrilled to read more tales in this set in the same land.

If you’re a plot-driven reader, this is the story for you. Not to say that this book does not include rich character development, it certainly does, however the fast pace and compelling plot make this the perfect story for readers who love to be kept on the edge of their seat. From the first page we are dropped right into the adventure and it never slows down. I really enjoyed the way the Oh peppered in backstory throughout the novel instead of giving it all to the reader up front. The first chapter gripped me and from there I found the book nearly unputdownable.

The only difficulties I had with the book were keeping track to the timeline and justifying the progression of the romance within the confined timeframe of the plot. I am hopeful that in the final copy of the book, those timeline clarifications will be made and it will be easier for readers to track the amount of time Mina has spent in the Spirit Realm as they go along. As for the romance, it’s not my personal preference for a romance plot line progress so quickly, but I understand the need for the sake of the story. While I enjoyed the love interest character, the relationships that shone in this book were the platonic and familial ones.

Overall, I think this book is perfect for fans of fast-paced, whimsical YA fantasy and I will be recommending it often!

I loved the mythology in this book so, so much! And the Spirited Away comp fits beautifully. Axie Oh built a wonderfully lush, rich world. The characters and plot, however, did not catch me as much as I hoped. However, I am not of the target age group, so it is possible that has something to do with it. To me, this read as younger YA, though I suppose it's entirely subjective, as I've seen others say that the story read mature to them. So who knows. Thank you Feiwel & Friends for providing an early copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

First, the cover art by Kuri Huang is simply gorgeous. There are flying fish, a bird near a red string connecting the two characters and above all, that skirt is amazing. Her hanbok becomes a swirling sea with a paper boat floating in the current. To learn a bit more about the cover, you can hop over to Fierce Reads to see Axie Oh’s commentary about it.

The thing that kept me reading and re-reading was also how immersive the writing was. This beauty carries throughout the entire book. I felt that I was moving within a fabulously illustrated movie as Axie Oh’s words painted each scene. The tale has a theme of the importance of story and the author is quite the talented storyteller. There are layers of stories flowing in, out, and around each other sometimes causing waves and other times bringing peace.

The tale begins with a lot of excitement with a storm and the pace stays fairly intense for a while as Mina learns about this mythical world she’s navigating and the many dangers there. Through it all, the love and relationships she’s had within her family, inspire and guide her as she makes difficult choices over and over again.

Of course, there is also a romance along the way. The story also leans into ideas about trust. Is it foolish to put our trust in others as Mina’s eldest brother would say? Mina has to make a lot of decisions about who to trust as she meets the many people and other beings under the sea. The Red String of Fate ties her to someone, but does she have to trust that too?

Readers who delight in fairytales are going to love falling into the sea with Mina. That will be especially true for those familiar with the Korean tale that inspired the author, The Tale of Shim Cheong and other traditional elements like the Red String of Fate and the magpie. Axie Oh has put her own spin on the story and it was interesting to see how that played out.

Recommendation: This is perfect for fans of fantasy, fairytale retellings, romance, and adventure, oh and dragons. In my case, tissues were needed, but as one character explained, tears are fine once in a while. You’ll want to get it as soon as it’s available.

I don’t know what is it with 2022 Asian YA fantasy novels and absolutely stunning covers but I’m so here for it. This was a book that caught my eye from the get-go. Inspired by the Korean story “The Tale of Shim Cheong”, The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea brings forth magical retelling, full of whimsy and wonder.

For me, what stood out most in this book is the stunning worldbuilding. Our protagonist, Mina, throws herself into the sea in a desperate bid for her brother’s happiness and finds herself transported to the Spirit Realm of the Sea God beneath the sea, full of spirits, gods, and other mystical beings. There’s this Ghibli-esque quality to it all, and it absolutely deserves the Spirited Away comp used. Oh really brings to life the different godly domains Mina travels to, the night markets, and the Sea God’s palace. There’s so much life and movement in these worlds and it was definitely my favorite part to read. I would absolutely love if this world were revisited one day.

The plot moves quite quickly, perhaps a little too quickly at times. Mina certainly spares to no time learning to navigate through the Spirit Realm and taking on the various tasks she needs to survive. Mina rapidly jumping from one godly domain to the next, acquiring items/information or lack thereof, before moving onto the next task. Despite that, I never felt like a plot point was added for the sake of visiting a location or character. Everything felt organic and Mina’s character consistent.

Often, my number one criticism of YA novels tends to be that the protagonist is a reader-insert doormat. Mina’s character was refreshing. She has that snarky backbone that you often see, but also sympathetic and determined. Of course, the side characters were delightful, with the sunshine/angry duo of Shin and Namgi, and the mysterious figure that follows Mina throughout her adventure Shim.

Overall, I rate this book a 4.5/5. I realize this review doesn’t read as glowing as I wanted it to but I really really enjoyed it. The whimsy and the adventures Mina undergoes, all the places and characters she visit were so well written that I couldn’t put it down.

Man, this book hit me in the feels.

This book is like the young adult version of a Miyazaki film if the film was written into a book. Or something like that. I think you know what I mean because you’re not stupid. It has all the color, whimsy, and emotion of a Miyazaki film, but the action and maturity of tone for a young adult novel. There. That’s closer to what I meant in more academic terms.

Whimsy is what I love. Whimsy is what I miss the most when I read fantasy. I think that’s because whimsy is something we see in dreamers and in characters who don’t exactly walk the same path as everyone else. But fairy tales? Fairy tales have whimsy to spare. When Axie Oh chose the retell the Korean fairy tale “The Tale of Shim Cheong” she may have taken out some of the more fantastical elements to make room for the sweet and compelling narrative woven here, but she didn’t skimp on the whimsy, which left me with a warm and fuzzy feeling inside (which is what whimsy always does for me, because I think we all need more dreams and capriciousness in our lives). Fantasy doesn’t always have to be dead serious. What’s more: fantasy centered around the afterlife doesn’t even have to be serious. It can be whimsical, warm-hearted, kind, and beautiful, too.

I will admit this book didn’t grab me and refuse to let me go. For the first third of the book I struggled a little bit to engage with it. But once I did engage with it I settled down with it for the long haul with a sweet, warm feeling inside, like I was making a new friend. If I had a daughter, I would read this book to her. If I were a young girl, I’d be delighted to get this as a gift. I have an adolescent niece, and I’m not lying when I say I’m thinking of buying her a copy. No matter your age, this is an excellent fairy tale about love of all kinds and about the nature of fate. I highly recommend it.

Thanks to NetGalley, Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group, and Feiwel & Friends for early access to this title in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This is not one of my preferred genres. However, I absolutely loved this book. Somehow, in this retelling of a folktale, the author made it seem as though the story could truly be real. The characters were well-developed and believable, and I particularly enjoyed the stories within the story which helped explain certain things going on.

There were a lot of things that I enjoyed about the book. Mina's a compelling protagonist; she's determined and strong and optimistic even when it seems hopeless. She's confident and sees the best in others. However, most of the other characters felt a little flat and two-dimensional; nobody really gets any backstory or character development, and, while this makes sense in two cases for reasons that are revealed later in the book, in most of the characters it just feels like a missed opportunity. The story would be much more interesting if the characters in it had their own wishes and desires, something which doesn't really happen in this book.

The prose was truly lovely, and the narration felt like a fairytale, something which I always love in fantasy books. It felt especially poignant in this one, since much of the story and Mina's perception of the Spirit Realm come from the stories that her grandmother has always passed down to her. The writing style is definitely the most successful aspect of the novel, making it a compelling read even when the plot feels too slow.

One thing that I did really enjoy about the book is that the focus was much more on relationships and magic and connection, rather than on the sweeping battles and political drama that are often featured in fantasy books. The stakes are still high in this, but the bulk of the problems have to do with dealing with trauma and with finding meaningful connections with others, rather than simply killing people who get in your way. While I love both types of fantasy books, I have to appreciate this one more simply for its relative rarity within the genre.

I wish that there had been more worldbuilding. Just as the characters didn't feel like they had any depth, aspects of the world would often be introduced to the plot with very little background; it's hard to feel compelled by the appearance of particular gods or goddesses who are supposedly large parts of Mina's worldview when they haven't been mentioned before, even offhandedly. We should have some context for how she feels about them before reading about her reactions. This is definitely an unusual case where the book seemed to lack enough exposition.

The plot as a whole was compelling; it just felt slow-paced and a tad underdeveloped. There wasn't much complexity to it, but I did still want to follow Mina's journey and find out what happened.

Overall, I did really enjoy the book; there were just enough aspects of it that I found lacking that I cannot in good conscience give it more than four stars. Although the world and characters were underdeveloped, the prose was absolutely lovely, and Mina's character is interesting and compelling enough that one almost doesn't care about the fact that very little is revealed about the other characters. I'd definitely recommend it to anybody who loves fairytales, mythology, or books that feel like those, as well as just anybody who loves fantasy worlds that are more focused on magic and human connections than on battles and politics.

This was such a pleasure to read - and if 2022 is the year of Asian mythology/folklore retellings, I'm all in!

Axie Oh has created a beautiful world in "The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea", starting from the moment when protagonist Mina sacrifices herself to the Sea God to protect her brother Joon and his love, Shim Cheong. Cheong is the designated sacrificial "bride" that year, the village's attempt to appease the Sea God and protect their land from destruction and disease. Mina enters the Spirit Realm and soon discovers the city below the sea, and learns that there is an curse on the Sea God that been unbroken for years - one that she must try to break. She's introduced to a number of spirits, demons, and gods and must determine who's friend or foe, and come to terms with her own truths.

I was initially drawn in due to the comparisons placed to "Spirited Away" (my favorite Miyazaki film) as well as the fact that I had read "Daughter of the Moon Goddess" earlier this year and loved it, even though fantasy is not a genre I usually dabble in. Oh's writing was enthralling and lyrical, and painted a beautiful world with even more vibrant characters. I enjoyed how much emphasis was placed on family and the ultimate messages were conveyed; it's definitely a story I'll want to reread in the future!

DNF at 25% (for now. will likely pick it back up at a later time)

The book failed to capture my attention and was extremely difficult for me to get to.

I wanted to love this. It seemed like a great concept. I admittedly know very little about any Korean myths and so, I wanted to learn. I started and stopped this book three times over several weeks. That is generally a sign to me that I am not connecting in some way. As I pushed through, I discovered that I just couldn't care enough about the characters. There was no set up that made me feel like Mina's decisions were warranted. It was just a lot of telling and not a lot of showing. I see a lot of people love this book and I am glad. I just didn't connect.

“Nothing extraordinary is ever done out of reason or logic, but because it’s the only way for your soul to breathe.”
This beautifully written and updated twist on a Korean folktale was absolutely delightful from the first word to the last. Strength of heart and character, girl power, good v evil, kindness, cleverness, curiosity and bravery culminate to bring the story full circle.
Oh’s writing is descriptive and allows you to visualize the richness of the tale’s scenery while reading. Her characters are unique, vibrant, humorous, intensely human, each with their own role and personality. This book has catapulted into my top 5 of all time, I am that enthralled, and anyone with pull needs to get it to Disney as this folktale would be glorious on screen.