The Last Rhee Witch

March 4, 2024
While attending Camp Foster in central Washington, Veronica “Ronnie” Miller—who has never felt particularly Korean, especially because her single father was raised by white parents—spots a Korean ghost, called a gwishin. Then she learns that Camp Foster is also home to Rhee Manor, where six members of the Rhee family were mysteriously killed, and every female victim was “found with a long, red, silk scarf wrapped loosely... around their necks.” But Ronnie is skeptical of these paranormal occurrences; she only believes in things 99% and likes to leave 1% open to chance. So, with her half white and half Korean best friend Jack, she investigates the mystery, unravels her inexplicable connection to the camp and the ghost in the forest, and navigates new dangers such as a witch-hunting dokkaebi who has returned to take care of some unfinished business. Though slow pacing sometimes stymies narrative build up, things pick up as Ronnie gets closer to uncovering the truth. The protagonist’s cultural insecurities and her unprocessed grief surrounding her late mother are deftly woven throughout, adding emotional heft to Lee-Yun’s lengthy supernatural debut. Supporting characters are racially diverse. Ages 8–12. Agent: Emily Forney, BookEnds Literary.

April 1, 2024
Grades 4-7 Lee-Yun writes a magically engaging book about identity and the power of friendship and chosen family. Since turning 12, Korean American Ronnie Miller started speaking in rhymes--she can't help it. Adding to her preteen angst, she feels disconnected from her Korean heritage. Hoping a change would be good, her single father sends her to summer camp. A dense forest surrounds the camp, and a mansion owned by the prominent Rhee family is nearby. The Rhee family were supposedly witches; terrifyingly, they were murdered by dokkaebis, Korean goblins. The peculiar team of camp administrators forbids the campers from entering the surrounding forest for fear of a gwishin, a Korean ghost. Compelled to enter the forest by a force she cannot understand, Ronnie soon learns that not everything and everyone is what they seem, and when she starts being followed by a black cat, she experiences scary supernatural phenomena. Delicate topics, such as parental death, self-consciousness, and identity are treated in a heartening manner. The satisfying character development that Ronnie undertakes will be gratifying to young readers.

COPYRIGHT(2024) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

April 1, 2024
Twelve-year-old Ronnie Miller finds answers to her past at a summer camp in Central Washington. Korean American Ronnie is growing up in Seattle with her widowed dad, who's a transracial adoptee raised by white parents. She's full of insecurities about her limited grasp of Korean language and culture. And ever since her birthday, Ronnie hasn't been able to stop speaking in rhymes. Encouraged by her dad, she agrees to give summer camp a try--at least Jack Park, her best friend, who's Korean and white, will be there, too. One night around the campfire, a counselor tells a ghost story: The camp was built on the site of the estate of the wealthy Rhee family, six of whom were murdered. Now, the nearby forest is said to be haunted by the ghost of Min-Young, the last daughter and Rhee heir. Ronnie suddenly realizes that she's already seen the gwishin, or Korean ghost--a pale figure with hollow eyes, stringy black hair, and a red scarf around her neck--standing at the edge of the woods. The plot quickly thickens as Ronnie continues to encounter the gwishin. This deftly crafted, page-turning narrative features a broadly diverse cast. As the story unfolds, a world of dokkaebi (goblins), witches, and magic is revealed, and Ronnie satisfyingly overcomes her self-doubts, figures out the rhyming situation, uncovers a long-running conflict, and returns home with a new sense of self. Rich in Korean mythology and suspense; will keep readers guessing. (Fantasy. 8-12)

COPYRIGHT(2024) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

April 1, 2024

Gr 4-7-Ronnie Miller is a Korean American girl who doesn't feel entirely Korean. She barely remembers the mother she lost as a toddler, and her father, an adoptee of white parents, has little knowledge of Korean culture. She can't speak Korean, and she doesn't have any interest in the folklore her best friend Jack is obsessed with. Ronnie is already struggling with how she fits within her community, but things take a turn for the worse when she turns 12. Her confounded father decides Ronnie needs a change and sends her away to summer camp with Jack. Feeling abandoned by her dad and worried about losing Jack to new friends, Ronnie ignores the ghostly figure she sees floating above the trees at Camp Foster. Even after hearing the rumor that camp is haunted by a vengeful gwishin, Ronnie is 99 percent certain that ghosts don't exist. But that certainty begins to falter as it becomes obvious that something is hunting Ronnie. Could it be that the creatures from Jack's books are real? As Ronnie tries to solve the secrets of Camp Foster, she finds they are intertwined with her own past and the mother she never knew. Drawing on Korean folklore, the ghost story is suspenseful enough to keep readers engaged, but it's the exploration of family, friendships, and community that give this debut novel extra weight. VERDICT Readers will enjoy this spooky middle grade mystery featuring an endearing cast of characters.-Alia Shields

Copyright 2024 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2024
In this middle-grade fantasy with a Korean folkloric twist, Korean American Ronnie Miller, twelve, works to solve the mystery behind the specter haunting her during summer camp at Rhee Manor in gloomy, woodsy Washington State. Although her best friend is also attending the two-week session, Ronnie worries about fitting in and misses her widowed father. Eerie encounters with Min-Young, a murdered Rhee family heiress, initially scare Ronnie, but the tween befriends the gwisin (ghost) and helps Min-Young figure out what her unfinished tasks are while she evades a witch-hunting dokkaebi (goblin). Over the course of the book, Ronnie makes new friends and allies, uncovers family secrets, and outmaneuvers the enemy while adapting to her newfound magical abilities. Suspenseful scenes are tempered with regular summer camp activities such as scavenger hunts. What elevates this supernatural tale is the protagonist's emotional journey; Ronnie's initial imposter syndrome, fears of not being "Korean enough," and unexplored grief over the death of her mother and grandfather are all sensitively drawn. Ultimately, she learns that love, friendship, and sharing memories prevail. Michelle Lee

(Copyright 2024 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

July 1, 2024
In this middle-grade fantasy with a Korean folkloric twist, Korean American Ronnie Miller, twelve, works to solve the mystery behind the specter haunting her during summer camp at Rhee Manor in gloomy, woodsy Washington State. Although her best friend is also attending the two-week session, Ronnie worries about fitting in and misses her widowed father. Eerie encounters with Min-Young, a murdered Rhee family heiress, initially scare Ronnie, but the tween befriends the gwisin (ghost) and helps Min-Young figure out what her unfinished tasks are while she evades a witch-hunting dokkaebi (goblin). Over the course of the book, Ronnie makes new friends and allies, uncovers family secrets, and outmaneuvers the enemy while adapting to her newfound magical abilities. Suspenseful scenes are tempered with regular summer camp activities such as scavenger hunts. What elevates this supernatural tale is the protagonist's emotional journey; Ronnie's initial imposter syndrome, fears of not being "Korean enough," and unexplored grief over the death of her mother and grandfather are all sensitively drawn. Ultimately, she learns that love, friendship, and sharing memories prevail.

(Copyright 2024 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)