(2) 4-6 In this page-turning sequel to The Last Rhee Witch (rev. 7/24), it's been six months since Seattle tween Ronnie Miller discovered she was a witch during summer camp and helped free her deceased mother's ghost from a wrathful witch hunter. Now Ronnie and her friends return to Rhee Manor for winter break camp. Danger still lurks in the forest-covered estate, this time in the form of a ravenous gumiho (Korean fox spirit) who promises that Ronnie's mother can be reanimated if the girl feeds it enough gi (life force). Soon, campers fall ill, one by one, with a strange freezing disease, and Ronnie and her friends must solve the problem before things turn lethal. Horror elements mix with fraught emotions when Ronnie has to decide whether she values her friendships more than her mother's potential reanimation. A sudden spirit possession provides yet another twist and opportunity for our protagonist to develop additional empathy and compassion for others. A gripping read, with occasional lighter moments (a snowball fight; making ice sculptures) amidst the suspenseful supernatural drama.

Reviewer: Michelle Lee | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2025

(2) 4-6 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.

Reviewer: Michelle Lee | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2024