BLOG TOUR - THE LAST FALLEN STAR BY GRACI KIM - MIDDLE GRADE FICTION [REVIEW + GIVEAWAY]

 

Title: The Last Fallen Star

Authors(s): Graci Kim
Publication Date: May 4, 2021
Edition: Hardcover, eBook, Audiobook; 336 pgs
Publisher: Rick Riordan Presents
Source: Rockstar Book Tours
Buy: Amazon - Kindle - 

Audible - iBooks - Kobo - Bookshop.org - The Book Depository - Barnes & Noble

Disclaimer: I received a copy from the publisher as part of a blog tour in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own.

Tour Schedule

Week One

5/1/2021 - YA Books Central - Excerpt

Week Two

5/2/2021 - jillpiscitello - Excerpt

5/3/2021 - Nerdophiles - Review

5/4/2021 - Amani’s Reviews - Review

5/5/2021 - Little Red Reads - Review

5/6/2021 - The Bookwyrm's Den - Review

5/7/2021 - BookHounds YA - Excerpt

5/8/2021 - A Court of Coffee and Books - Review

Week Three

5/9/2021 - Kait Plus Books - Excerpt

5/10/2021 - onemused - Review

5/11/2021 - Midnightbooklover - Review

5/12/2021 - booksaremagictoo - Review

5/13/2021 - History from a Woman’s Perspective - Review

5/14/2021 - Celiamcmahonreads - Review

5/15/2021 - Abellafairytale - Review

Week Four

5/16/2021 - Fyrekatz Blog - Review

5/17/2021 - Haunted By Books - Review

5/18/2021 - Momfluenster - Review

5/19/2021 - The Momma Spot - Review

5/20/2021 - Ficticiouswonderland - Review

5/21/2021 - Bookwyrming Thoughts - Review

5/22/2021 - Book Briefs - Review

Week Five

5/23/2021 - Rajiv's Reviews - Review

5/24/2021 - fictitious.fox - Review

5/25/2021 - Emelie's Books - Review

5/26/2021 - Eli to the nth - Review

5/27/2021 - Popthebutterfly - Review

5/28/2021 - Books and Zebras - Review

5/29/2021 - YA Book Nerd - Review

Week Six

5/30/2021 - two points of interest - Review

5/31/2021 - Lifestyle of Me - Review

The Summary

Best-selling author Rick Riordan presents Graci Kim's thrilling debut about an adopted Korean-American girl who discovers her heritage and her magic on a perilous journey to save her witch clan family.

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.

Praise for The Last Fallen Star

“The Last Fallen Star folds Korean culture as well as diaspora feelings into a magical adventure. The way Graci Kim takes traditions and lore and incorporates them into an exciting contemporary fantasy setting makes my heart soar as a Korean reader. This fantastical story is filled with heart and humor. Readers who love magical adventures, complex family relationships, and sisterhood—not to mention food!—should pick up THE LAST FALLEN STAR immediately!"—Kat Cho, internationally best-selling author of Vicious Spirits

“Korean mythology gets a modern twist in this rollicking adventure by debut author Graci Kim. From entering a secret temple by way of the fried chicken counter at H-Mart to summoning a goddess at the Santa Monica Pier, every chapter of this novel delights and surprises. At times laugh-out-loud hilarious, at times heartwarming and poignant, The Last Fallen Star will capture the imaginations of readers for years to come!”—Axie Oh, author of Rebel Seoul and Rogue Heart

“Reading The Last Fallen Star is like taking a course in Korean mythology taught by your favorite teacher ever—while riding a gigantic roller coaster beneath a sky filled with shooting stars! I loved following Riley's thrilling adventures, and pass the bulgogi tacos, please.”—Linda Sue Park, Newbery Medalist for A Single Shard

“Like a true magician, Graci Kim intertwines Korean mythology with an all-too-relatable sister story in her heart-stopping adventure that's sure to capture the heart of anyone who's ever felt like an outsider. You can't help but root for plucky Riley Oh as she engages on a quest to find belonging and acceptance.” —Jessica Kim, author of Stand Up, Yumi Chung!

"I wish I could go back in time and hand this book to young Ellen. I would have loved it so much, because this was what I was missing in my life. Thank you, Graci, for writing it!"—Ellen Oh, author of The Dragon Egg Princess and the Spirit Hunters series

"The Last Fallen Star by Graci Kim absolutely shines. Riley Oh's positive voice is infectious and will have readers wanting to follow her adventures long after the last page is turned." -- Zoraida Córdova, award-winning author of the Brooklyn Brujas series

(Goodreads)

My Review

As with any Rick Riordan Presents book, The Last Fallen Star by Graci Kim plunges the reader into an adventure of epic proportions, and this time it is an adventure revolving around Korean mythology, magic, and mayhem.  A culture that I am not very familiar with, I appreciated the urban fantasy setting that Kim used to bring such a rich mythological history to present day.

Kim weaves a tale that will have you on the edge of your seat, as Riley and her best friend Emmett fight to save Hattie, Riley's older sister.  Riley is tasked with finding the "Last Fallen Star", and this journey will bring her and Emmett up against some intense monsters, like dokkaebi and inmyeonjo, and will bring to light some secrets showing that the clans' magic isn't exactly as it seems.  And through every moment of danger, the driving force is love: love of family, love of community, and love of self.

The best part of middle grade books is that they often teach life lessons wrapped in the guise of epic adventures, and The Last Fallen Star is no different.  Kim does an amazing job of focusing on the unbreakable bounds of family and discovering how one forges their place in the world, both important things for kids (and adults) to learn about.  

A fantastical story grounded in the real world, you will love learning about Riley's heritage and her family's magical powers, while learning about real Korean mythology.  Don't miss out on The Last Fallen Star by Graci Kim, and perfect addition to the Rick Riordan Presents group of books!

Final Rating

About the Author

Graci Kim is a Korean-Kiwi diplomat turned author who writes about the magic she wants to see in the world. The Last Fallen Star is her middle grade debut. In a previous life she used to be a cooking show host, and she once ran a business that turned children's drawings into plushies. When she's not lost in her imagination, you'll find Graci drinking flat whites, eating ramyeon, and most likely hugging a dog (or ideally, many). She lives in New Zealand with her husband and daughter. Follow her on Twitter @gracikim and Instagram @gracikimwrites.

Website | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads | Amazon

Giveaway

3 winners will receive a finished copy of THE LAST FALLEN STAR. US Only.

CLICK THE GRAPHIC

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