A wonderfully written story with excellent characters and a vibrant setting. The book made me laugh, it made me cry, it made me feel. It is an overall joy from start to finish. Unfortunately, the book does suffer from some pacing issues and a couple of story tropes are used a few too many times. Otherwise, this book would be perfect. Nevertheless, it is well worth reading or rereading.

Woven Song by Rachael Krotec is a YA fantasy novel inspired by Japanese mythology. The story follows a loose retelling of Kaguya-hime and the Bamboo Cutter, featuring dragons, yokai, mononoke, and Shinto myths.

I appreciated how the author provided enough background for readers unfamiliar with these myths, making it accessible and sparking interest in learning more about Japan's rich mythology and Shinto religion. The characters are likable, and the focus on platonic relationships is a nice touch.

However, the story felt flat for me. The pacing was inconsistent, and character development seemed lacking, as the journey and struggles of the characters were often not fully illustrated. Despite these shortcomings, the book has a certain charm and can be a fun, easy read, especially for younger teens.

Unfortunately, I DNFd this book and the primary reason probably isn’t what you’d think. When I requested it as an ARC I didn’t realize there wouldn’t be a kindle option for it. I’m fairly confident I have ADHD and unless I’m reading on something other than my phone I constantly get distracted most of the time. That out of the way I’m not a big YA fan and this reads very YA…. The plot moves quickly with relatively interesting characters and the language is very easy to understand despite it being Asian inspired.

Unfortunately I dnf'd this book after 50 pages.

The writing really wasn't quite polished enough, the storyline itself wasn't working, and the characters lacked individuality, to hook me. It felt a lot like someone wanted to write a fanfic based on the one dubbed anime they'd seen and the only way they knew to make it Japanese was by adding in Japanese names, but there was no depth to their understanding of the culture or practices that would've taken place in that situation. Unfortunate, since the cover is gorgeous and the synopsis sounded interesting.

Thank you to Netgalley and publishers for allowing me to read a free e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

The premise of the book sounded interesting and the cover is gorgeous which is what prompted me to request this arc.

Let me preface this by saying I wasn’t able to finish the book before the archival date so I am only reviewing the beginning of the book. That being said, I thought the writing was good and had potential but the story telling wasn’t very engaging. It felt directionless and had too much filler much too soon.

Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC.

First off, thank you Netgalley and publisher for allowing me to read this. This has been one of my most anticipated reads. Like, you don't even understand, I'm on a roll reading books set in east Asia. I've devoured Strike The Zither in less than 3 days (I'm a slow reader) and currently waiting for my physical copy of Sound the Gong. I've started reading Xinxia and Wuxia light novels. I've binged watched Till The End Of The Moon ffs!

So I'm heartbroken that I didn't love this.

I loved the characters, they're so close to my heart. Kaguya/Yuki most especially, she's so easy relate to, especially her yearning for friends at the beginning, her sense of loyalty for her mortal family, and her indescribable love for the MMC (whom i won't spoil for those reading).

What I <b> didn't </b> love, however, was the first half of the book, which almost made me give up on it. Nothing picks up until estimated 60% of the book, and that's where the story becomes fast-paced you'd get whiplash. The first part was to build the "found family" trope which was nice, but it also felt like the characters were waiting for something to happen and it took so long for it to happen that it became boring.

Thus I feel the "important" parts were crammed into the last half, leaving a lot of beloved characters undeveloped, and sadly, the romance as well. If the author sprinkled some tension and romance before the 50% mark, it would have packed a punch when the last battle occurred and irrevocable decisions were made. It feels like when the characters were sad at the outcome, I felt detached and uncaring.

However, it wasn't a bad read. You can still enjoy this if you're looking to read east asian-focused fantasy for the first time.

Woven Song is a fun combination of chinese and japanese mythology, weaving a tale of secrets and protection.

yuki and daisuke were interesting characters who had some really sweet moments, and i liked the blend of mythology that was throughout the story, especially with ryu, who was the highlight of the story. the plot did meander a bit and was slow at times but i did enjoy the journey and seeing the characters interact.

the narrative itself has a slightly weird pacing, especially compared to the ending which is quite fast paced and hits you suddenly. i wasn’t a fan of the ending, whilst it makes sense yuki’s acceptance seemed out of place and it just felt really sudden - like you’re told who you actually are and you don’t have any questions at all?? i wish there had been more character development and growth, many characters weren’t given the time to become larger people and often fell flat at times, which is part of the reason i struggled a bit when reading this book. daisuke, ryu and masoto were all characters with so much potential that just wasn’t realised, they all had room for growth that wasn’t given, which meant i struggled to really appreciate them. i would have loved to see more of yuki and daisuke’s relationship, the growth we see with them is more passive whereas i think it would have been better if we saw them together more than we did

“Stay here with me. She never imagined anyone would share the desire or ask it of her.”

The writing was beautiful and I appreciate the research that probably went into the writing because it shows. However, the pacing of the book is what got me. This took me a while to get through. I often found myself reading chapters then stopping then having a hard time coming back. And to be honest, I did not finish this book in time before it expired on Netgalley.

Yuki - with the multiple POVs I felt like she got lost in the story. I felt the prologue wasn’t needed and could have been condensed in the story. Her attraction to Ryu did make me sad as if they were pitted for failure (again didn’t finish but please let me know).

World building - it wasn’t as confusing, but the different realms and jumps could have been fleshed out more.

I was expecting a page turner and this wasn’t it for me

I dearly wanted to love the story as much as the cover, but the writing is oddly modern given the pseudo historical setting. However, I could see young anime fans enjoying the exploits of a young swordmaster and her punk teen pupil on a quest to preserve the family dojo and fight supernatural threats.

So, I will be completely honest. I did not finish this book. Not to say it was particularly a bad book. It had all the promising an adventure filled with mythology and potentially engaging characters. I just felt like it was missing something. I could feel the authors heart beating within the story and main character but some key elements like the character development and cohesiveness were missing it.
It just didn’t engage me enough to finish it.
I am for sure in my DNFing era where I won’t force myself to finish a book. Not to say this is a bad book per se but it just wasn’t engaging to me particularly. I honestly would tell people to give this book a chance if it’s something that interests you. Don’t let me dnfying it turn you away from it.
Every person should give every story a chance. One person couldn’t like it, and someone else would love it. So that’s why my rating kind of fell in the middle. Because honestly, it could’ve went either way, but with time running out on my copy, I wanted to move onto other stories that I was more interested in reading.
I would like to thank the folks at NetGalley for allowing me a copy of this book. I really do appreciate the chance to read the story

The story itself is pretty good, I like the yokai and god themes. However it feels a bit like the author tried to put every little thing she knows about Japanese culture into the book so sometimes it appeares a bit forced. Also I'd prefer a gloassary or footnotes for the Japanese terms instead of them being described directly in the text, first because of the flow, second to reread it when I forgot the meaning after like 50 pages.

As most others, I was drawn to this books beautiful cover and interesting sounding premise. To my surprise and excitement, I was given an eARC to review. Now, probably surprisingly, I have a hard time reading through all my ARCs. I feel nervous that the books will be a waste of time or I won't enjoy them. So while scrolling through all the ARCs I have to choose from, I decided to look up the reviews for this one.

Much to my surprise, I right away learned that this Asian inspired story is being written by a white woman. I don't think it's impossible for her to do research and tell a compelling story, but it also immediately turned me off. If I am going to be learning about culture and mythology, I would rather if be from a person who grew up with these beliefs and stories. That was definitely a big turn off from me. The next point is that many of the reviews either DNF the book, or mentioned how slow the story moved and how impersonal the main characters felt.

With all of these points, I have decided not to read this book. The cover is gorgeous, and I admire anyone who has the courage and mindset to write and publish a book, but if I want to read an Asian inspired book, I have about ten unread ones from various Asian authors that I would rather pick up.

I will mark this a neutral 3 stars as I can not give an opinion about the book, but rather my feelings regarding it.

Woven Song weaves Asian mythology into an epic tale of love and loss, of loyalty and betrayal — where love is as soft as a lullaby, secrets are currency for the wicked, and every friend might be a foe.
Thank you NetGalley, Rachael Krotec, and Nib and Feather, LLC for the eARC of this book.

Woven Song by Rachael Krotec is a YA fantasy inspired by Asian mythology.
After reading the blurb, the concept sounded absolutely amazing. Unfortunately, I feel like the execution is quite lacking.
I think the story is quite interesting but I cannot speak for accuracy of the folklore, setting, or use of the honorifics.

Writing is where this novel significantly lacks in my opinion.
From the get-go, I think the writing style is quite monotone. The characters and descriptions of settings felt flat and the flow of the story was choppy, for the lack of a better term.

Again, my main issue with this standalone is mainly the poor execution of a seemingly great concept. If you are looking for works based on various Asian mythology, this is not the one I would recommend.

I liked the idea behind Woven Song and that it was based on Japanese mythology, but it fell a bit flat for me. I think teenage girls with an interest in Asian mythology are definitely the target audience for this book... although I love YA Asian Mythology, so maybe not?

Thank you, NetGalley, and Nib and Feather LLC, for an advanced copy of Woven Song by Rachael Krotec in exchange for an honest review.

Since I've been watching a few C&K Dramas set in fantasy worlds, I've been really intrigued to find some books that immersed me in the same worlds. It's not something I see much of and I have been really enjoying them. So, when I found this one I thought I definitely needed to give it a go!

I found the writing style very different to what I am used to reading and so it took me a little while to get into the book. I really had to force myself to stick with it because it was something new. But, I am glad I did because it was a good story but maybe had a few pacing issues, which is not uncommon in fantasy stories.

So, we follow the adventures of the moon goddess who comes to earth to find some sort of connection by interacting with mortals. It's a great tale about someone who just wants to find friendship, but I felt that there was a slight disconnect with the way the story was told which kept me from forming a connection with the main character at times.

Overall, I still enjoyed this read and can see a lot of potential for future books.

Unfortunately this book ended up being one that I did not finish. The author has an absolutely beautiful way with words, but the pacing and dramatic tonal shifts made the story rather difficult to want to follow. The middle section of the book really began to drag for me, and it became so difficult to want to pick the book back up. In the future, I think more concise editing would make this author's work more enjoyable!

A asian mythology inspired fantasy story with romance. The story follows Yuki, a young woman was banished and framed for murder but is determined to restore her family's dojo. She meets the dragon god Ryu and soon finds herself thrown in a struggle between her mortal world and her divine world. The story itself felt all over the place and I am going to be honest and just say I didn't really vibe with the book and didn't have all that fun of a time reading it. I love asian mythology and inspired fantasies, but this one just kind of missed the mark for me. The characters weren't all that well developed and I just didn't find myself all that invested in the characters or their stories.

Title: "The Woven Song"

Author: Rachael Krotec

Rating: 3/5

"The Woven Song" offers a reading experience with its own unique rhythm, and while it faces some challenges, it ultimately provides an engaging and very satisfying journey!

The book's pacing and engagement vary, particularly between its two halves.
The initial chapters are slower and more intricate, which may take some time for readers to fully immerse themselves in. However, this careful setup pays off in the latter half, where the story picks up momentum and becomes more compelling, leading to a gratifying ending.

Character development gives me some mixed feeling in this novel...
Yuki, who initially appears as a very likable character, unfortunately doesn't grow as much as I hoped.
On the other hand, Ryu emerges as a standout character, very rich in depth and expression!

By the second half, I found myself increasingly attached to the characters and invested in their outcomes.
The book's ambition to tackle various themes and plot lines does make it feel a bit busy at times, leading to a sense of confusion early on.
The story's complexity can be challenging, but it becomes more easy to comprehend and follow as it progresses.
Once you get used to the writing style and the story's structure, the narrative flow improves significantly, making the overall reading experience more enjoyable.

In conclusion, "The Woven Song" may require a bit of patience in the beginning, but it rewards readers with a more dynamic and engaging second half!

Despite some areas for improvement in pacing and character development, the book ultimately delivers a satisfying and memorable story.

I'm sure readers who like Japanese and Chinese mythology will enjoy it!

Thank you to Netgalley and Rachael Krotec for giving me the opportunity to read her novel and submerge myself into Asian mythology and culture!

What I liked
1. The author's style led to an almost fairytale-like vibe to the overall story
2. The idea of a goddess who does not know that they are a goddess is just incredibly interesting
3. The Japanese mythos inspiration within the book was very good at pulling me in.
What didn't work as well for me?
1. The pacing for Woven Song felt incredibly off with the first fourth feeling far too slow and the last fourth moving so quickly it felt unbalanced.
2. The multiple Points of view structure wasn't particularly cohesive or smooth in its transitions.
3.The Arc edition I read had a few too many editing issues for me to fully recommend the title. I did enjoy it enough that I will give the finished copy a read to see if these are handled in that version.
who I would recommend this title for
Woven Song by Rachael Krotec will be an enjoyable read for fantasy fans looking for non-western inspired settings and mythological settings such as those in the daughter of the moon goddess.

honestly speaking i dont know how this flopped. this had a well thought out plot but it was horribly executed that led to the overall reading experience being marred by the evident need for thorough editing and refinement.

one of the main drawbacks of the book is its inconsistency in pacing and engagement. the initial half of the book is inexplicably dull, which failed to intrigue me. however, the latter demonstrates improvement, with a more engaging storyline and a satisfactory resolution. despite this improvement, the presence of numerous grammatical errors such as calling momo-chans whiskers 'whispers', and the change in sentence tense, detracts from the overall quality of the writing

character development is another issue. while yuki initially was a likable character, her lack of substantial development throughout the story is disappointing. moreover, her transformation towards the end feels abrupt and unconvincing, particularly in the context of her acquisition of divine powers, which felt like a barbie princess gala makeover. the transition between scenes and character emotions is jarring, lacking proper coherence and continuity. dont get me wrong, but one second someones smiling, a dialogue later the character is crying.

daisuke is one of the more compelling characters in the book, yet like yuki, he suffers from a lack of meaningful development. the potential for engaging interactions between yuki and daisuke remains unexplored, with their relationship depicted through simplistic time lapses rather than meaningful moments of growth and connection. e.g i wouldve wanted scenes with yuki teaching daisuke and their whole learning experience in the dojo. also, masato's character arc feels incomplete, depriving readers of the closure he deserves. (view spoiler)

ryu saved me from giving this book a 1 star. his character had more intimacy and more expression. allowing me to relate to him more. his relationship with yuki wasnt satisfactory to me, id rather wouldve wanted him to reconnect with his siblings more towards the end.

i noticed some innacuracies in the honorifics [mr. usagi san] however i dont have a drop of japanese in me nor am i fimilar with the culture and customs, hence i dont have much say on this.

feel free to read this book for yourself! thank you netgalley and the publisher for the arc