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Momo Arashima #3
Momo Arashima Duels the Queen of Death
In the thrilling finale to the epic fantasy series filled with gods and monsters of Shinto mythology, a twelve-year-old girl with divine heritage risks everything to save her family – and the world – from the vengeful goddess of the underworld.
Momo Arashima just wants an ordinary life. But she's about to become legendary . . .
Momo Arashima is half goddess and half human – torn between two worlds. But with her friends Danny, Ryleigh, Jin and Niko by her side, she’s finally starting to find a place where she belongs. Too bad none of that matters when Izanami, the treacherous goddess of death, threatens the life of someone Momo loves and forces her into a terrible bargain.
Izanami is after the Jewel of the Heart, an artefact that will help her finally escape the land of the dead . . . and she wants Momo to get it for her. Along with her friends, Momo must face fire demons, fanged mermaids,and spiders as big as horses. But even if they succeed, what will Momo do? Sacrifice the person most precious to her, or hand over the Jewel and unleash Izanami on the world?
See what readers are saying about Momo Arashima Steals the Sword of the Wind:
'If you love books with action, adventure and a heartwarming spirit, as well as many twists and turns as a bowl of ramen, this book is absolutely perfect for you' - Amaya, aged 10, LoveReading4Kids reviewer
'I loved this funny, complex and exciting story! The action never stops as the author brilliantly blends adventure with Japanese folklore to deliver a barnstorming novel, with themes of adventure, family and identity' - School librarian, Reading Zone reviewer
'Misa Sugiura's Momo Arashima Steals the Sword of the Wind has all the hallmarks of a fantasy classic . . . edge-of-your-seat energetic, with comic moments and emotional depth' - LoveReading4Kids reviewer
Momo Arashima just wants an ordinary life. But she's about to become legendary . . .
Momo Arashima is half goddess and half human – torn between two worlds. But with her friends Danny, Ryleigh, Jin and Niko by her side, she’s finally starting to find a place where she belongs. Too bad none of that matters when Izanami, the treacherous goddess of death, threatens the life of someone Momo loves and forces her into a terrible bargain.
Izanami is after the Jewel of the Heart, an artefact that will help her finally escape the land of the dead . . . and she wants Momo to get it for her. Along with her friends, Momo must face fire demons, fanged mermaids,and spiders as big as horses. But even if they succeed, what will Momo do? Sacrifice the person most precious to her, or hand over the Jewel and unleash Izanami on the world?
See what readers are saying about Momo Arashima Steals the Sword of the Wind:
'If you love books with action, adventure and a heartwarming spirit, as well as many twists and turns as a bowl of ramen, this book is absolutely perfect for you' - Amaya, aged 10, LoveReading4Kids reviewer
'I loved this funny, complex and exciting story! The action never stops as the author brilliantly blends adventure with Japanese folklore to deliver a barnstorming novel, with themes of adventure, family and identity' - School librarian, Reading Zone reviewer
'Misa Sugiura's Momo Arashima Steals the Sword of the Wind has all the hallmarks of a fantasy classic . . . edge-of-your-seat energetic, with comic moments and emotional depth' - LoveReading4Kids reviewer
336 pages, Hardcover
First published February 25, 2025
13 people are currently reading
158 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
October 5, 2025
Ladies and gentlemen, a fine example of what happens when you choose to read a book you really don’t want to, all because you’ve invested time and energy in the series.
March 18, 2025
More intense and more complicated emotions for this final story. Amazing for helping preteens talk about big feelings
May 27, 2025
rep: japanese
momo arashima has a choice to make: save the world or save her father. in this action-packed finale, momo and her friends are forced to question what’s right, what’s necessary, and whether telling the truth is always the best path forward. momo must hand over the jewel of the heart to izanami, the destroyer—queen of death—and it doesn’t help that wielding kusanagi makes her feel disturbingly bloodthirsty.
with two out of the three sacred artifacts in izanami’s possession, the threat of her leaving yomi looms large. momo is torn—not just because the world is at stake, but because her father, long trapped in yomi by izanami, might finally be saved. the cost of every decision weighs heavier with each step forward.
the cracks in their friendship start to show. the journey has pushed everyone to the edge. momo doubts her every move and worries that she’s dragging her friends into an impossible mission. ryleigh is struggling under the pressure to be perfect and refuses to allow herself even a moment of weakness. danny wrestles with the complexity of his asian identity, often made to feel like he’s not “asian enough” because of his white adoptive parents. jin, despite his fame, is still carrying the pain of being abandoned by his goddess mother. eventually, they all confront their fears and open up—strengthening their bond through vulnerability and understanding.
the book weaves in rich japanese mythology with encounters like ningyo (mermaids) in the deep sea and tsuchigumo (spider people) in a tense, eerie lair. each mythological moment is steeped in danger, but also wonder.
maybe the ending was always fated. the gods must have known momo would rise above her fears and stay true to herself. she offered kindness even when none was shown to her. she held her friends up when they needed someone steady. she kept the home running while her father was gone and her mother became distant. when darkness came, momo answered with bravery.
momo arashima is a heroine worth rooting for. her friends—flawed, real, and full of heart—are unforgettable. even niko, her loyal companion, knew when it was his time to shine. and that was really, really nice.
momo arashima has a choice to make: save the world or save her father. in this action-packed finale, momo and her friends are forced to question what’s right, what’s necessary, and whether telling the truth is always the best path forward. momo must hand over the jewel of the heart to izanami, the destroyer—queen of death—and it doesn’t help that wielding kusanagi makes her feel disturbingly bloodthirsty.
with two out of the three sacred artifacts in izanami’s possession, the threat of her leaving yomi looms large. momo is torn—not just because the world is at stake, but because her father, long trapped in yomi by izanami, might finally be saved. the cost of every decision weighs heavier with each step forward.
the cracks in their friendship start to show. the journey has pushed everyone to the edge. momo doubts her every move and worries that she’s dragging her friends into an impossible mission. ryleigh is struggling under the pressure to be perfect and refuses to allow herself even a moment of weakness. danny wrestles with the complexity of his asian identity, often made to feel like he’s not “asian enough” because of his white adoptive parents. jin, despite his fame, is still carrying the pain of being abandoned by his goddess mother. eventually, they all confront their fears and open up—strengthening their bond through vulnerability and understanding.
the book weaves in rich japanese mythology with encounters like ningyo (mermaids) in the deep sea and tsuchigumo (spider people) in a tense, eerie lair. each mythological moment is steeped in danger, but also wonder.
maybe the ending was always fated. the gods must have known momo would rise above her fears and stay true to herself. she offered kindness even when none was shown to her. she held her friends up when they needed someone steady. she kept the home running while her father was gone and her mother became distant. when darkness came, momo answered with bravery.
momo arashima is a heroine worth rooting for. her friends—flawed, real, and full of heart—are unforgettable. even niko, her loyal companion, knew when it was his time to shine. and that was really, really nice.
But justice isn’t about getting even. It’s about fixing what’s broken and making things right.
November 19, 2024
I received an electronic ARC from Random House Children's Publishers through NetGalley.
This book concludes the trilogy. Readers see Momo take on her most difficult challenge yet. Izanami the Destroyer challenges Momo to bring her a special jewel or she will kill Momo's father. Momo decides to undertake this quest alone so she doesn't risk her friends. Of course, they find out and the five set off together. Through harrowing adventures, each learns more about themselves and more as a team. I appreciate how Momo finally finds the confidence to look beyond her anger and see herself a she really is. Sugiura has continued to build her characters throughout the series and readers see clear growth in this book. Her knowledge and research of Japanese tales is clear. Don't miss the glossary at the end.
This book concludes the trilogy. Readers see Momo take on her most difficult challenge yet. Izanami the Destroyer challenges Momo to bring her a special jewel or she will kill Momo's father. Momo decides to undertake this quest alone so she doesn't risk her friends. Of course, they find out and the five set off together. Through harrowing adventures, each learns more about themselves and more as a team. I appreciate how Momo finally finds the confidence to look beyond her anger and see herself a she really is. Sugiura has continued to build her characters throughout the series and readers see clear growth in this book. Her knowledge and research of Japanese tales is clear. Don't miss the glossary at the end.
April 25, 2025
3.5
Momo's options were to save her dad's life and have 8 billion people die, or her dad dies and 8 billion people live. Since she's a child, she selfishly chooses her dad. What does she think her life is going to be like after this? Where is she gonna go? How is she going to deal with her father's immense disappointment in her for allowing the entire world to get murdered? She already thought he was dead; it wouldn't be a great loss.
Momo was super annoying. She's incapable of doing anything without mentioning her rage monster and she's being super selfish and secretive with her friends.
Another reviewer mentioned Moana, and that's a very accurate comparison.
Momo's options were to save her dad's life and have 8 billion people die, or her dad dies and 8 billion people live. Since she's a child, she selfishly chooses her dad. What does she think her life is going to be like after this? Where is she gonna go? How is she going to deal with her father's immense disappointment in her for allowing the entire world to get murdered? She already thought he was dead; it wouldn't be a great loss.
Momo was super annoying. She's incapable of doing anything without mentioning her rage monster and she's being super selfish and secretive with her friends.
Another reviewer mentioned Moana, and that's a very accurate comparison.
August 20, 2025
A nice conclusion to the trilogy. The main character went through many challenges and difficulties but managed to prevail with the help of her friends. Some minor errors in the writing at times but otherwise it was very easy to read.
April 9, 2025
Spoiler alert: - made me think of the movie Moana and the goddess Te Fiti.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews