I was really excited for this, the cover of it is also gorgeous, but unfortunately the story and I ended up not clicking that much. I don't know what it is, but around 50% in I found myself just not caring enough to continue and finish it, unfortunately. The main reason I struggled with this is because, on paper, there are a lot of things the story wants to do. It wants to speak of legends, use Japanese mythology (and possibly Chinese mythology, as well, but you may correct me if I am wrong) but it does it in a way that is inconsistent. The language use, the honorific use does not actually work all that well because it is done inconsistently. I had some other issues with this too, where the a character would be in a bar, and then on the next page, they would be in a garden, the character that had accompanied them nowhere to be found anymore, and sort of forgotten like they were an afterthought. It just was inconsistent, and that kind of pulled me out of the story. I also had some other issues with the story telling where one moment, a character would go through something devastating, and the next paragraph, they would be fine, almost like a split personality. It made me feel like the actions of the story had little impact on the characters overall, and it felt very "tell" not show. I understand this is my opinion, but I tried to push through up to page 161, but then I gave up at 51%.

Overall, I think this would really work for certain people, just not me.

“The beauty of youth is being able to change or accept yourself for how you are. If there are things you don’t like about yourself, then change.”
—Rachael Krotec, Woven Song

3.5/5⭐

First of all, I want to say thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and Rachael Krotec, the author, for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

OK, I did not expect that I would be this invested in the story and the characters! Had zero expectation because this is my first fantasy book with a story that revolved around an Asian mythology, especially Japanese mythology. From the characters' traits, the world-building, the culture, and of course, the mythical creatures in it! As the story progressed, I felt like I learned something new about kami, yokai, mononoke, and many more. Also, is it weird that I imagined the story like I watched an anime? 😆
Also, I need to talk about the cover too! It’s so beautiful. I wish I could put it on my book shelf. Kudos to the cover illustrator!

🔎Synopsis:
Kaguya-hime, yearning for family and friends, descends to the mortal realm, unknowingly sealing her divine identity, and goes by the name Yuki. Banished from the imperial city after a wrongful murder accusation, she returns to restore her family dojo. Tragedy strikes, revealing the true reason behind her banishment. Entwined with the dragon god Ryu, Yuki becomes central in a battle against Izanami, the ruler of the dead. Torn between her mortal life and divine heritage, Yuki must forge her own destiny.

💬Final thoughts:
First impression, I think this book is gonna be perfect for teenagers or young adults who love japanese culture and just started reading fantasy books with the same vibes. It’s quite an easy read for a fantasy book, definitely did not overwhelmed me with info dumping at the beginning of the story, but instead revealing the fun bits and twists as the story progresses which I really like. The pacing is perfect, and the character development is something to be expected! It is also a great book if you love tropes such as found family, young adult, hidden identity, actions, and mythical creatures in it 🐉👹

Publication date: June 7th, 2024

—denganafi.

DNF at 30 % - besides the deaths, not much is happening and nothing is being explained. I had hoped it’d get better but it didn’t and I’m not willing to read any further

Kaguya-hime is the moon kami who falls into the mortal realm while unknowingly sealing away her divine identity. Taken in by a mortal family and renamed Yuki, she becomes a trained swordswoman in a well-respected dojo in her village. However, after her best friend goes missing, she is accused of the crime and banished. Now, four years later, she has been summoned back to her village to start the family dojo back up and take in an apprentice. However, strange occurrences begin upon her arrival and she must work with new friends and old to solve these mysteries.

I thought that the blend of Japanese and Chinese mythology was really interesting. It isn't something I see a lot of so it was refreshing to read this unique story. I found all the characters lovable and I could relate to each one of their personal drives/ambitions throughout the story. Krotec shines when writing her characters and developing the relationships they all form.

You can really tell that Krotec did a lot of research while writing this book. However, there are a few things that was off-putting to me as a reader, personally. The random modern slang like creep and punk really took me out of the story when those terms were used alongside traditional fantasy/Japanese terminology. I also felt like the characters would be one place and then all of a sudden be somewhere else, finding it difficult to follow the story in a couple places. I also felt like the story lacked drive in the middle, with things just kind of happening in the story but feeling like they don't really contribute to the overall plot. That being said, these instances didn't make me not to stop reading.

Overall, I had a decent time reading this book but it isn't something I would likely pick up again for a re-read. I feel like a younger audience will definitely enjoy this though!

As always, thank you to NetGalley, Nib and Feather, LLC, and Rachel Krotec for providing me with this eARC!

Title: Woven Song by Rachael Krotec

Release Date: June, 7th, 2024

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Stars

Embark on a breathtaking journey through the realms of mythology and mortality in Woven Song by Rachael Krotec, where divine identity and mortal struggles collide in an epic tale of love and betrayal.


Kaguya-hime, yearning for connection, descends from the moon to the mortal realm, unknowingly sealing away her divine identity in the process. Meanwhile, Yuki, banished from the imperial city of Gobe under false accusations, returns at the emperor's request to restore her family dojo. But tragedy strikes, shattering her dreams and forcing her to confront the truth behind her banishment.

As Yuki's life hangs in the balance, she becomes entwined with Ryu, the dragon god, and discovers herself at the heart of a battle to save the mortal realm from Izanami, ruler of Yomi—the land of the dead. With her mortal and divine identities at odds, Yuki must navigate a world where secrets hold power, allies may be enemies, and love is both a balm and a battleground.

Why I enjoyed It:

🌌 Rich Mythology: Rachael Krotec seamlessly weaves Asian mythology into a captivating narrative, immersing readers in a world brimming with gods, spirits, and ancient mysteries.
💔 Emotional Depth: From love and loss to betrayal and redemption, Woven Song delves into the complexities of human emotion, offering a poignant exploration of the human experience.
🐉 Dynamic Characters: Yuki's journey from outcast to heroine is compelling, while Ryu's enigmatic presence adds depth and intrigue to the narrative.
📖 Epic Adventure: Filled with twists, turns, and heart-stopping moments, this epic tale keeps readers on the edge of their seats from beginning to end.

Rachael Krotec's Woven Song is a spellbinding fusion of mythology and storytelling, offering a fresh take on familiar legends while crafting a wholly original narrative. The blend of action, romance, and intrigue creates a captivating reading experience that will leave you eagerly turning pages until the very end.

The world-building is masterfully done, transporting readers to a realm where gods walk among mortals and every corner holds secrets waiting to be uncovered.

Yuki's journey of self-discovery is both relatable and inspiring, serving as a powerful reminder of the strength that lies within us all.

Woven Song is a must-read for fans of epic fantasy and mythology alike. Rachael Krotec's lyrical prose and intricate storytelling make this a book you won't want to put down—a tale that resonates long after the final page is turned.

Thank you to The Publisher Nib and Feather, LLC ,The Author Rachael Krotec & NetGalley for an advanced reader copy (ARC) in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the ARC. As a huge fan of Asian mythology inspired books, I thought I would really like this book. Add in that beautiful cover and I was convinced this would be a favorite. Unfortunately, it just was not for me. I could not connect to the main character, and the pacing did not work for me.

I was really hoping to like this book, but unfortunately, I DNF'd at Chapter 10. I thought the premise of the book sounded super interesting and exciting but some of the finer points left me a bit confused and thus took me out of the story. For example, MC Yuki is going to restore her families dojo, but I have yet to understand what they even do at the dojo. A high point of the book was the minor (as far as I got into the book) sort of mystery element to what led the MC Yuki to being banished from Gobe.

All in all, this book has a lot of potential and I think readers who are more in the teen age group may enjoy the book than I did.

Thank you NetGalley, Nib and Feather, LLC, and Rachael Krotec for providing the ARC ebook :)

i will be 100% honest and say that the cover is what drew me into this book - it is just so gorgeous.

i loved the world-building and found myself wanting to slow down towards the end so that i could spend longer in the world. i am usually really bad and able to predict twists, but this book had me on my toes and kept me guessing throughout. the writing was also beautiful and i found is so easy to get lost in.

thank you so much to netgalley, the publisher and the author for the arc 🫶🏻

I was not a fan. I felt the writing needed lots of work and there were many moments when details were left out or not explained well enough. I often found myself asking questions such as: how did they get there? where are they? who is that? was this already explained? wait who's talking now? The story itself had so much potential to be great but it moved so quickly I felt like I started in the middle of the book, already missing relevant information.

I really enjoyed the first half of the book, mystery, world building, found family, and redemption. However, it got twisty just like a smack over the head and I found it hard to keep up. I liked the ending, but the second half I think just went too fast for me.

The writing is extremely beautiful in this reimaginative tale of ancient legends. I got so lost in this world and I didn't want to leave. I loved every single bit of this and want more!

Woven song is a fantasy novel, inspired by Japanese and Chinese mythology, about a moon princess-turned-mortal-swordswoman, her student, and a mischievous kami (spirit), who must stop the kami of the dead from destroying the mortal realm.
The plot and the worldbuilding was interesting, like, this shit had my eyes peeled open the entire time. Also, kudos for the incredibly charming prologue. Somehow you had me rereading the prologue. Damn.
My only complaint is the main character. I liked her as a swordswoman, and her trying to reopen the dojo, but her character sometimes feels very flippity floppity. Aside from that, the book was really fun to read.

Overall, 4 stars. If you want a book that feels like an anime, then you'll love this one.

I loved the synopsis for a Woven Song, as I am a sucker for a Japanese inspired story.

It starts off well with a god who is lonely and chooses to become mortal, then time skips to when she is nineteen and summoned from banishment by the emperor. The guards at the gate of the city had more to say about her banishment than the emperor did, who I assume issued her sentence in the first place? The whole scene lacked emotion, which I felt it dearly needed to build some tension. Should Yuki be told if Daisuke doesn’t do well there will be repercussions? Her return from banishment was lacklustre.

The plot meanders from there. Yuki helps her grandmother, struggles with Daisuke and overall there is no tension, no drive to read further. There is an encounter with an ex-friend, Masuto, who openly admits he blamed Yuki for a crime he knows she didn’t commit and while he is apparently integral to the end of her banishment she shouldn’t be grateful because he is the source of her problem.

Overall this was not the story for me. To me the stakes needed to be higher and the emotions greater. I DNFed this book at Chapter 10. Thank you for the opportunity.

This was such a fun read! I know little to none about Asian mythology but this book was an amazing introduction. From what I’ve gathered, Woven Song is a blend of Chinese and Japanese mythology.

Although I don’t have a lot of background knowledge in these mythologies, Rachael Krotec was able to build a world and story so detailed and vivid that I never once felt lost or confused. These characters are so lovable it truly made me invested in their story.

There are unexpected twists and turns that kept me captivated from beginning to end. I think this will be a popular YA read as there’s little spice making it appropriate for many ages.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Nib and Feather, LLC, and Rachel Krotec for providing me with this eARC.

Woven Song by Rachael Krotec
Rating: 4/5
Release Date: 7 June 2024

Stranded on the desolate expanse of the moon, Kaguya-hime yearns for the embrace of family and friends. In a fateful descent to the mortal realm, she unwittingly seals away her divine identity. Yet, the mortal world proves far from benign. Exiled from the imperial city of Gobe under the shadow of murder accusations, Yuki returns at the behest of the emperor, aspiring to restore her family's dojo.

However, faced with heartbreak and shattered dreams, Yuki confronts the grim reality behind her banishment.
Teetering on the brink of demise, her destiny intertwines with Ryu, the dragon god, thrusting Yuki into a battle to safeguard the mortal realm from Izanami, ruler of Yomi—the realm of the departed. Straddling the line between mortal existence and her concealed divine nature, Yuki must forge her own legend amidst the machinations of the gods.

"Woven Song" entwines Asian mythology into a sweeping narrative of love and sorrow, betrayal and fidelity—where treachery thrives on secrets, alliances blur into enmity, and love resonates like a haunting melody.

This story is divided into two distinct parts: the first, a beautifully descriptive and evocative narrative, and the second, a more action-packed and romantic segment as the barriers between worlds begin to thin.
It's a captivating tale of outsiders, forbidden love, found family, imperial intrigue, spirit possession, a touch of swordplay, and the struggle against others' expectations.

If you enjoy mythology and action, this book is a great choice.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Nib and Feather, LLC , and the author, Rachael Krotec , for providing me with an ARC copy in exchange for an honest and fair review.

DNF at Chapter 12, page 84

Seeing more and more Asian-inspired fantasy books being published has brought me, an Asian, utter delight as I absolutely love the genre and firmly believe that it deserves to be enjoyed by more people around the world. So, when I saw Woven Song and its stunner of a cover, I immediately requested for it and thanked my lucky stars that I got it.

Sadly, as much as I wanted to love this cosy fantasy, it was painfully not what I was looking for at all. While I could clearly see how much the author researched, everything just didn’t work.

First off, the liberties the author took with the Asian mythology and culture which inspired this book were something I couldn’t close an eye to and simply vibe with even though I had already expected them. The cultural discrepancies greatly disappointed me. For instance, “Mr. Usagi-san”. Before even the book starts, we’re already informed of the meanings behind the Japanese suffixes used, yet in the very first chapter, we have “Mr. Usagi-san”. This is this book’s version of ‘chai tea’.

Then, there’s the out-of-place lack of formalities between the characters. Truly, does no one find it odd that this girl and her grandma (matriarch of a clan or no) just waltz in and talk to the emperor like he’s some regular dude from the neighbourhood who just so happens to wear fancy clothes? Not even imperial princes or princesses can talk casually to their fathers like that! But, this isn’t the only issue I have with the characters. They’re also flat and characterised weirdly. Like, the protagonist is Yuki who was once a princess on the moon and spoke to rabbits, but she was surprised that yokai (Japanese for supernatural beings and mysterious phenomena) actually existed.

Other than that, the writing is another lacking aspect of this book. It’s all tell, tell, tell, which makes the story boring because it’s more factual than in-the-moment or alive. It also doesn’t help that the writing is choppy and juvenile, making a New Adult book read more like a young Young Adult Wattpad fic instead.

All in all, Woven Song leaves much to be desired. I think it’s fine for authors of any race to write about other cultures, but it should still be done well and with care.

Wrongly implicated in the disappearance of her best friend, Hina, Yuki has been exiled for four years. . Now, called home by the Emperor, Yuki is given the task of civilizing Daisuke, a young man who is unwanted and unwelcome in much of the Imperial City. This gives her a chance to reopen her father’s dojo, to make amends with the boy she loved, and find the truth about what happened to Hina.

I’m going to be honest and say that this book just wasn’t for me. Feeling very anime inspired with the descriptions and modern slang — like “why are you staring at me, you creep,”which seems to be Daisuke’s favorite phrase — to the casual way the Emperor treats Yuki to some the overly explained Japanese elements (how one sits, how kimonos are worn, various aspects of the mythology), it has a very easy and approachable writing style. However, the world building falls a little short as it didn’t feel either wholly Japanese nor enough of it’s own thing.

The characters are well balanced with the strong, plucky heroine, the good hearted delinquent, the cunning prince, the stalwart love interest, and manage to fulfill their roles without ever really moving beyond them. This book is, I think, aimed at a younger audience, which makes the simplistic plot beats and the lack of nuance more acceptable — even if, for me, it left me, personally, wanting more.

All in all, a pleasant story with good found family elements, messaging about standing up for yourself and others, and how important kindness, compassion and forgiveness can be. I think this will be a good read for fans of Asian fantasy (with are elements of Chinese as well as Japanese mythology), anime, and dragons. I want to thank Net Galley and the publisher for granting me access to an advanced reader copy.

I wanted to love this one so bad because I love when Asian mythology is adapted well in a fantasy book but the pacing really threw me off. Unfortunately it was quite slow paced in my opinion and doesn’t fall into the category of high stake fantasy but I see why this book can be very awesome for people who aren’t looking for that.
While the story took on pace and action I liked it more but it didn’t take long until we were back to normal. The characters were great but I didn’t get behind every thought of them.

Thanks to NetGalley & Nib & Feather, LLC. for the e-ARC!

**2 stars** I love reading about Japanese mythology because it’s not often adapted into fantastical stories like this one. The author includes a note at the end explaining how she took some liberties with the lore and customs but it was hard for me to ignore especially because I grew up in Japan learning about them.

Princess Kaguya (Kaguya-Hime) falls into the mortal realm after being banished from the moon and begins living as a mortal as Yuki. After having been banished from the city of Gobe, she returns once the emperor sends word of restoring her family dojo. Word spreads of a cult revolving around Izanami, a goddess of both life and death (taken from the Shinto religion; Izanami and Izanagi) and Yuki works alongside a dragon god, Ryu to save the mortal realm from destruction.

If you love a cozy fantasy that is low-stake, you will enjoy this! I personally gravitate towards high-stakes fantasies only because I need something to fight for. I did find the pacing to be slow, especially in the first half of the book. Every time something did happen, the characters move on the following page. I appreciate the short chapters but it ends so abruptly. Which brings me to the next point–Rachael Krotec’s writing is fine but it did not suit this type of story. While this is set when samurais were still around, their dialogue was too modern. There were a few cultural discrepancies but I was able to overlook them.

I appreciate Krotec’s attempt into Japanese mythology. I haven’t read any that integrates the gods of Shinto. Though this book is marketed as NA, I did find that it read more YA. If I read this when I was in middle school, I might have perhaps enjoyed this more.

Woven Song is a story that will have you feeling nostalgia for animated favorites like Spirited Away and Fruits Basket. Readers interested in Japanese + Chinese culture and mythology will enjoy seeing Yuki’s story come to life as the author explores themes including grief, growth, found family, and self-determination.

With so much story packed into just 350 pages, I often found myself craving more world-building and character development. If this book had been longer, or even split into a duology, there would have been more space between events to explore the characters’ backstories, values and motivations, and actions post-climax.

Woven Song would be a great pick for teens looking for a creative way to learn about East Asian mythology/culture while joining a group of characters that are easy to relate to.

- Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review! -