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The Omen Girl
"Magnificent and moving and magical." — Amanda Ferreira, PRH.
A pulse-racing ‘Ghiblipunk’ debut of magic, redemption, and a love that survives the dark between stars — perfect for fans of Elizabeth Lim, Amélie Wen Zhao, and Sue Lynn Tan.
Abandoned by her parents when her Omen stain appeared, Sozo survives the streets through her secret weapon: her ability to conceal her curse. It's a rare talent that her shadowy mentor, Esp, sees as the key to infiltrating and competing in the Decade Race of Stars.
The race is deadly, but the prize is irresistible: a single wish for anything. Esp dreams of using it to reshape the world, and Sozo convinces herself the risk is worth it, but keeping her stain hidden—and her monstrous side in check—is harder with every challenge, especially when sunny Naqi enters the picture, offering her kindness and friendship she was never allowed.
As Sozo fights to survive the race, doubts creep in. Should she claim the wish for Esp no matter the cost? But what if it hurts Naqi?
With monsters lurking inside and out, Sozo must decide whose future she's fighting for and if she's willing to pay the ultimate price.
A pulse-racing ‘Ghiblipunk’ debut of magic, redemption, and a love that survives the dark between stars — perfect for fans of Elizabeth Lim, Amélie Wen Zhao, and Sue Lynn Tan.
Abandoned by her parents when her Omen stain appeared, Sozo survives the streets through her secret weapon: her ability to conceal her curse. It's a rare talent that her shadowy mentor, Esp, sees as the key to infiltrating and competing in the Decade Race of Stars.
The race is deadly, but the prize is irresistible: a single wish for anything. Esp dreams of using it to reshape the world, and Sozo convinces herself the risk is worth it, but keeping her stain hidden—and her monstrous side in check—is harder with every challenge, especially when sunny Naqi enters the picture, offering her kindness and friendship she was never allowed.
As Sozo fights to survive the race, doubts creep in. Should she claim the wish for Esp no matter the cost? But what if it hurts Naqi?
With monsters lurking inside and out, Sozo must decide whose future she's fighting for and if she's willing to pay the ultimate price.
288 pages, Paperback
First published October 7, 2025
11 people are currently reading
6381 people want to read
About the author
Yueh Yang
1 book55 followersYueh Yang is a Canadian immigrant born to a Korean mother and Taiwanese father.
Moving as a child from the small summer island of Taiwan to the vast winter wonderland of Canada lit in her a love and awe for the beauty of different worlds.
Her works are a colorful blend of science fiction and fantasy, and often explore the premise of barriers, be it language or otherwise. She is a piano teacher by day, and an avid consumer of all things anime and video games by night.
She lives in Toronto with her husband, daughter, and cat.
Moving as a child from the small summer island of Taiwan to the vast winter wonderland of Canada lit in her a love and awe for the beauty of different worlds.
Her works are a colorful blend of science fiction and fantasy, and often explore the premise of barriers, be it language or otherwise. She is a piano teacher by day, and an avid consumer of all things anime and video games by night.
She lives in Toronto with her husband, daughter, and cat.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews
September 17, 2025
Sozo is an Omen, meaning that she is permanently scarred in a way that marks her as evil or unclean to the city of Tall Titan. She, along with her adoptive mother, want to make their statuses as an Omen change. She enters in a competition to be able to make a wish upon a special star.
The pacing of this book was completely off for me, but I did like the characters and the setting of the story. There is so much build-up to the conclusion, but I feel quite unsatisfied with the way that things wrapped up. I also don't know if I agree with the "Ghibli-punk" descriptor for the book because I didn't particularly see the similarities.
3.5 stars
Thank you to Netgalley and Wattpad Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!
The pacing of this book was completely off for me, but I did like the characters and the setting of the story. There is so much build-up to the conclusion, but I feel quite unsatisfied with the way that things wrapped up. I also don't know if I agree with the "Ghibli-punk" descriptor for the book because I didn't particularly see the similarities.
3.5 stars
Thank you to Netgalley and Wattpad Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!
March 7, 2021
At the end of last year I made an account on Wattpad. I haven’t written a review for any books on Goodreads so far during 2021, because I’ve been reading lots of first chapters and partials on Wattpad in order to get to know the people and the place and the scene, sort of speak.
The Omen Girl is the second book I finished on Wattpad but the first longer narrative. It’s about a girl named Sozo who is part of a shunned group of people in her world, Omens. She’s under the influence of a woman named Esp and it is clear from the beginning that she is on some sort of terrorist or at least destructive mission that involves gaining a wish.
Sozo’s inner journey is one of the story’s strengths. At times, I wasn’t always sure about her. For most of the story, Sozo is on her mission, gaining entrance into a race where the winner will get a wish and deceiving others about her status, her identity and her goals. She meets a friendly guy named Naqi who grows fond of her, something she has not experienced.
The setting is also one of the story’s great strengths. The race for the wish, its details, and the selection process, which involves a religious-like organization that Sozo infiltrates, is fascinating. The wider city and world contains elements of ours but is equalling engaging.
Finally, the story is a page turner. Several times I was blindsided by events and extremely curious how Sozo could possibly succeed or prosper. I could not imagine how the author would salvage the situation and had to read on.
Everything is not perfect. For example, the style of writing did not always work for me, but I hope you will give it a go and stick with it. Sozo is as large as life by the end, and the story and the themes come together and blossom with a rare ferocity and power. Alas, after reading The Omen Girl, I am reexamining my own latest story and wondering if I too can achieve such resonance.
The Omen Girl is the second book I finished on Wattpad but the first longer narrative. It’s about a girl named Sozo who is part of a shunned group of people in her world, Omens. She’s under the influence of a woman named Esp and it is clear from the beginning that she is on some sort of terrorist or at least destructive mission that involves gaining a wish.
Sozo’s inner journey is one of the story’s strengths. At times, I wasn’t always sure about her. For most of the story, Sozo is on her mission, gaining entrance into a race where the winner will get a wish and deceiving others about her status, her identity and her goals. She meets a friendly guy named Naqi who grows fond of her, something she has not experienced.
The setting is also one of the story’s great strengths. The race for the wish, its details, and the selection process, which involves a religious-like organization that Sozo infiltrates, is fascinating. The wider city and world contains elements of ours but is equalling engaging.
Finally, the story is a page turner. Several times I was blindsided by events and extremely curious how Sozo could possibly succeed or prosper. I could not imagine how the author would salvage the situation and had to read on.
Everything is not perfect. For example, the style of writing did not always work for me, but I hope you will give it a go and stick with it. Sozo is as large as life by the end, and the story and the themes come together and blossom with a rare ferocity and power. Alas, after reading The Omen Girl, I am reexamining my own latest story and wondering if I too can achieve such resonance.
February 10, 2021
Sozo is an Omen, a girl whose sins have physically manifested on her body in the form of a black stain. Society condemns her and those like her. No one knows why some people are marred by the stain while others remain unblemished; as Sozo’s bitter mentor Esp says, “Ten people could commit the same crime, and only one of them would be stained.”
But Esp and her gang of outcast Omens are tired of being vilified and fed up with others’ hypocrisy. They are planning on getting their revenge by using Sozo as a pawn. She will enter and win the Decade-Races, a race in which a select number of young people use bonded stars to compete for the chance to win a wish. Desperate for acceptance and eager to please, Sozo agrees to the plan. But when her training introduces her to the meaning of true kindness and compassion, her resolve begins to crumble. Who will she side with – Esp, the person who understands her rage and what it is like to be hated; or Naqi, the boy who teaches her to laugh and to fly?
The Omen Girl is at once heartbreaking, uplifting, exciting, and inspiring. Sozo is a hardened protagonist, made spiteful and mistrusting through a lifetime of rejection and abuse. Nothing comes easy to her, because in her mind (and in the minds of nearly everyone around her) she is unworthy. Her painful journey to understanding her place in the world as well as learning the difference between genuine caring versus manipulation had me on edge for most of the book. I always enjoy complex heroines who are vulnerable but still have bite – Sozo definitely fits the bill.
Yang’s worldbuilding is remarkable. Her depictions of the city and its temple, the various ceremonies, and the ritual of star bonding makes me long for certain aspects of the world to be real. Yet along with the magical and whimsical aspects, the ugliness of human nature comes through, too. The prejudices faced by the Omens – individuals who are treated as nothing more than dangerous criminals – reflect the readiness with which some people will point the finger of blame so long as they aren’t the ones being persecuted.
Despite some small editing oversights, Yang’s incredible gift for storytelling shines through and completely transports the reader. The Omen Girl has quickly solidified itself as one of my favorite books; it teaches a number of important lessons for young and old alike without being oppressively preachy or cheesy. I would honestly recommend this book to everyone, but for the sake of specificity I’ll say fans of YA, science fiction, and fantasy genres in particular.
Thank you to Reedsy Discovery and Evelyn Yang for this ARC: https://reedsy.com/discovery/book/the...
But Esp and her gang of outcast Omens are tired of being vilified and fed up with others’ hypocrisy. They are planning on getting their revenge by using Sozo as a pawn. She will enter and win the Decade-Races, a race in which a select number of young people use bonded stars to compete for the chance to win a wish. Desperate for acceptance and eager to please, Sozo agrees to the plan. But when her training introduces her to the meaning of true kindness and compassion, her resolve begins to crumble. Who will she side with – Esp, the person who understands her rage and what it is like to be hated; or Naqi, the boy who teaches her to laugh and to fly?
The Omen Girl is at once heartbreaking, uplifting, exciting, and inspiring. Sozo is a hardened protagonist, made spiteful and mistrusting through a lifetime of rejection and abuse. Nothing comes easy to her, because in her mind (and in the minds of nearly everyone around her) she is unworthy. Her painful journey to understanding her place in the world as well as learning the difference between genuine caring versus manipulation had me on edge for most of the book. I always enjoy complex heroines who are vulnerable but still have bite – Sozo definitely fits the bill.
Yang’s worldbuilding is remarkable. Her depictions of the city and its temple, the various ceremonies, and the ritual of star bonding makes me long for certain aspects of the world to be real. Yet along with the magical and whimsical aspects, the ugliness of human nature comes through, too. The prejudices faced by the Omens – individuals who are treated as nothing more than dangerous criminals – reflect the readiness with which some people will point the finger of blame so long as they aren’t the ones being persecuted.
Despite some small editing oversights, Yang’s incredible gift for storytelling shines through and completely transports the reader. The Omen Girl has quickly solidified itself as one of my favorite books; it teaches a number of important lessons for young and old alike without being oppressively preachy or cheesy. I would honestly recommend this book to everyone, but for the sake of specificity I’ll say fans of YA, science fiction, and fantasy genres in particular.
Thank you to Reedsy Discovery and Evelyn Yang for this ARC: https://reedsy.com/discovery/book/the...
September 16, 2025
ARC provided to me by Whose Books Bookstore in Dallas, TX and NetGalley
This book had me hooked! Even on a night I could no longer stay awake, I also couldn't go to sleep without thinking about it! I will be buying a physical "trophy" copy when this comes out on October 7th.
Sozo has a rare gift of being able to hide her Omen sign, a skin stain that would normally cast her as "unclean" in society. Using her gift she attempts to infiltrate a competition with one single prize: a single wish for anything. Those who raised her from the streets want her to win & use that gift to reshape the world to their agenda. Sozo is used to a world of hatred and isolation, but her views begin to shift when she's unexpectedly introduced to friendship & kindness.
I'm still sitting on that ending. It's still a 5-star, but it took a turn I wasn't expecting and it ended too soon! This is a standalone with no cliffhanger, but if the author ever decided to add on and continue the story, I would jump on those books in a heartbeat!
This book had me hooked! Even on a night I could no longer stay awake, I also couldn't go to sleep without thinking about it! I will be buying a physical "trophy" copy when this comes out on October 7th.
"In a world divided between respectable citizens and omens - humans who can transform into monsters - Sozo is one of the shunned."
Sozo has a rare gift of being able to hide her Omen sign, a skin stain that would normally cast her as "unclean" in society. Using her gift she attempts to infiltrate a competition with one single prize: a single wish for anything. Those who raised her from the streets want her to win & use that gift to reshape the world to their agenda. Sozo is used to a world of hatred and isolation, but her views begin to shift when she's unexpectedly introduced to friendship & kindness.
I'm still sitting on that ending. It's still a 5-star, but it took a turn I wasn't expecting and it ended too soon! This is a standalone with no cliffhanger, but if the author ever decided to add on and continue the story, I would jump on those books in a heartbeat!
January 31, 2021
Evelyn Yang's The Omen Girl is a fantastic read that deserves more recognition and publication. The world-building, character relationships and arcs, and rich description make this book hard to put down. While the overall tone of the novel is dark and grim, there are growing pockets of light so that, by the end, you as the reader feel enveloped in a sort of tender, bittersweet finale. I couldn't recommend this enough and hope it sees printed publication sometime soon. It's clear to see why this was one of the winners of the 2020 Wattys! If you haven't, give it a read: https://www.wattpad.com/story/2420467...
November 22, 2025
4.5 🌟
"I’m an Omen. My stains are an affront to the stars, even their dust."
YA Fantasy | Asian influenced world | Dystopian-esque
Like the dredge of society, the Omens are the stains they can not erase. They are feared like monsters and despised like vipers. Treated like criminals, like vermin, like lepers. Sadly, most Omen are innocents who have done no wrong other than to be born and to harbor the damning stain upon their skin.
"Nothing can help an Omen once they’re stained. The stains are for life. There’s no cure. There’s no hope of going back."
Sozo is a liar and a thief. Worse than that, she’s an Omen. However, she is gifted, unlike any other. But the gift comes with pain, and she has to endure or she will be found out. But something happens, and choices are made. She has to hide her true self and don a new mask. With this mask, she unveils extraordinary things, friendships, feelings and emotions, and expressions... all that had previously been foreign to her.
"The ever-changing colors— pale blue to gold to white to pink— roll and wisp from the dark of the pupil, the dark like the end of all things, a dark with no end."
She endures so so much and is filled with so much self-disdain and feelings of unworthiness. She wears the heavy burden and shame like all of the projection of the people's regard for Omens is hers to bear.
"Shoot me down with your secrets, because I will take them to my grave. May death come for me first, so I never have to know a day without you."
When it comes to the Decade-Races... Exhilarating, heart-pounding, edge of my seat with my eyes closed (but not really too tightly because I still want to see/read what happens).
"The stories were true. We can turn into monsters."
But there are more sullen moments that lead me to tear up over the cruelty and heartbreaking plight. 💔 Bittersweet to the sad end.
"No one cares now. No one cares when you’re an Omen. When you’re an Omen, that’s all you are."
eARC courtesy of NetGalley | Wattpad Books / Wattpad WEBTOON Book Group
"I’m an Omen. My stains are an affront to the stars, even their dust."
YA Fantasy | Asian influenced world | Dystopian-esque
Like the dredge of society, the Omens are the stains they can not erase. They are feared like monsters and despised like vipers. Treated like criminals, like vermin, like lepers. Sadly, most Omen are innocents who have done no wrong other than to be born and to harbor the damning stain upon their skin.
"Nothing can help an Omen once they’re stained. The stains are for life. There’s no cure. There’s no hope of going back."
Sozo is a liar and a thief. Worse than that, she’s an Omen. However, she is gifted, unlike any other. But the gift comes with pain, and she has to endure or she will be found out. But something happens, and choices are made. She has to hide her true self and don a new mask. With this mask, she unveils extraordinary things, friendships, feelings and emotions, and expressions... all that had previously been foreign to her.
"The ever-changing colors— pale blue to gold to white to pink— roll and wisp from the dark of the pupil, the dark like the end of all things, a dark with no end."
She endures so so much and is filled with so much self-disdain and feelings of unworthiness. She wears the heavy burden and shame like all of the projection of the people's regard for Omens is hers to bear.
"Shoot me down with your secrets, because I will take them to my grave. May death come for me first, so I never have to know a day without you."
When it comes to the Decade-Races... Exhilarating, heart-pounding, edge of my seat with my eyes closed (but not really too tightly because I still want to see/read what happens).
"The stories were true. We can turn into monsters."
But there are more sullen moments that lead me to tear up over the cruelty and heartbreaking plight. 💔 Bittersweet to the sad end.
"No one cares now. No one cares when you’re an Omen. When you’re an Omen, that’s all you are."
eARC courtesy of NetGalley | Wattpad Books / Wattpad WEBTOON Book Group
April 16, 2025
This book has a great premise, but it leaves a bit to be desired.
One of the key things that stood out to me was the worldbuilding here, and how it takes a fantasy science fiction take. It has a lot of themes of technology combined with magic, and talks of other planets and modern-day devices. I thought that this was such a unique setting, and it did catch my attention.
I also liked the character building in this story, and how we got to see Sozo change and grow as an individual. At many times she was morally grey, but as she experiences and meets more people, she discovers that what she was raised to believe was wrong. I also liked Naqi, who accepted and loved her despite how she behaved or treated others, and his characterization felt like a fresh breeze of air.
While these two characters shone in their roles, I do think that many of the other characters felt flat. Especially the villain of the story, but to avoid spoilers, I will not go any further there. There was a motive, but other than that there was little to nothing more to them.
I also felt like parts of the story were not fully fleshed out, and weirdly, just would throw something in or ignore something for the rest of the story. Such as how did Sozo become marked? Who was her family? How was she raised by Esp? How does the government here work? Overall, there was just a lot left unanswered or even half answered, and it left me with the feeling that it was unfinished. Also, I hated the ending... and I'm just gonna leave it there.
This book did have some strengths, but in the end of the day I think it could have been fleshed out a bit more. It felt unfinished and a little disappointing at the end of the day.
Thank you to Netgalley and Wattpad books for providing this as a digital review copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
One of the key things that stood out to me was the worldbuilding here, and how it takes a fantasy science fiction take. It has a lot of themes of technology combined with magic, and talks of other planets and modern-day devices. I thought that this was such a unique setting, and it did catch my attention.
I also liked the character building in this story, and how we got to see Sozo change and grow as an individual. At many times she was morally grey, but as she experiences and meets more people, she discovers that what she was raised to believe was wrong. I also liked Naqi, who accepted and loved her despite how she behaved or treated others, and his characterization felt like a fresh breeze of air.
While these two characters shone in their roles, I do think that many of the other characters felt flat. Especially the villain of the story, but to avoid spoilers, I will not go any further there. There was a motive, but other than that there was little to nothing more to them.
I also felt like parts of the story were not fully fleshed out, and weirdly, just would throw something in or ignore something for the rest of the story. Such as how did Sozo become marked? Who was her family? How was she raised by Esp? How does the government here work? Overall, there was just a lot left unanswered or even half answered, and it left me with the feeling that it was unfinished. Also, I hated the ending... and I'm just gonna leave it there.
This book did have some strengths, but in the end of the day I think it could have been fleshed out a bit more. It felt unfinished and a little disappointing at the end of the day.
Thank you to Netgalley and Wattpad books for providing this as a digital review copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
January 9, 2021
This was truly one of the most beautifully written and strikingly original books I've ever come across. It seamlessly melds the beauty of poetry reminiscent of haiku with the joy and heartache of the discovery of a cherished dynamic character in a beloved story. It surpasses genre--it's simply something that should be experienced for oneself. If you're thinking of reading it, don't hesitate--you'd be doing yourself a disservice in passing it up.
January 30, 2021
Yes. It’s The Omen Girl. An amazing story about a stained girl who deals with her past through sacrifices, forgiveness, redemption, and friendship. Sozo, the main character, shows powerful character growth throughout the story especially towards the climax where she is forced to face her exposed blemishes head on. With passages that have multiple layers of significance, the author provokes us to take a message for the long-term, embedded in the events that happen in this quaint fairytale-like world with surprisingly realistic aspects.
Vivid descriptions, as if it were a film written down stimulate the reader to visualise and further immerse themselves into this fictional world. The intricate world the author has built with its very own language, currency, cities and places, hierachy, social injustice and decade-race system had been very intriguing.
Overall, it was a very beautiful, moving tale, with parts that made me to cry out of overwhelming and bittersweet emotions. If you’re looking for an impactful short story to binge-read or maybe a folktale-ish fantasy that has a strong friendship factor, I think this underrated book would be a great place to start.
Vivid descriptions, as if it were a film written down stimulate the reader to visualise and further immerse themselves into this fictional world. The intricate world the author has built with its very own language, currency, cities and places, hierachy, social injustice and decade-race system had been very intriguing.
Overall, it was a very beautiful, moving tale, with parts that made me to cry out of overwhelming and bittersweet emotions. If you’re looking for an impactful short story to binge-read or maybe a folktale-ish fantasy that has a strong friendship factor, I think this underrated book would be a great place to start.
May 24, 2021
NO SPOILERS.
Truly, I was captivated so quickly and this story didn’t have to do much to impress me initially because the way the author wrote things flew off the pages from the prologue and was consistently marvellous to me. I found myself asking why I like it so much and so I started to notice the little things: how the author used punctuation and especially their use of commas (which, to me, added a layer of youthful sentimentality- yes, even the commas are artistic in the story) and brackets (I cannot get that bracket scene out of my mind— that was wonderful, wonderful writing). I was whisked away into the world and I wish I could erase my mind and start all over.
And then I moved to noticing every word they chose to describe things and paid great attention to detail resonating not only with me, but with whoever I thought Sozo was. Words don’t get on the page by accident and Evelyn Yang made no accident. I even came across places where she would leave the traditional prison yard of conventional writing rules to pursue a more stylistic alternative of communicating the same thing and her literal artistry left me in awe.
And then her world blew me away. The attention to detail in how everything worked, looked, behaved in this world was simply magnificent. I found myself standing next to Sozo every time I clicked on The Omen Girl. I was “starstruck” (book reference: read the book to understand) by things from the little language details to the setting as a whole. On several occasions Yang could say several things about a world I had never been to in so few words. I could go on and on here because there is so much I haven’t even touched on (especially the different societal classes and tools and stars but that is for you to find out).
And then there was the struggle she created for Sozo to overcome that I fell for. Her issues felt very real to me and while I had no clue how it felt to be an Omen, when I clicked on The Omen Girl, I did.
The way she described flying was breathtaking to me. I wanted to fly. I loved the stars. The way she wrote about racing was amazing to me. And I’m not one who is really fascinated with racing but when I clicked on The Omen Girl, I was.
Her plot twists whipped my brain on several occasions and honestly, everything here made so much sense to me and even if somebody pointed out something that didn’t, I would say “well, if it fooled me and I was reading it like I was being paid, then it’s very tight!”
Love and redemption as themes are beautifully conveyed in the story and alternate subplots were highly constructive to the narrative and handled so flawlessly that it would be disrespectful to discount the great work it must have taken. It was powerful— to the very last, this final scene, these final words— this is the epitome of modern writing.
On Wattpad, The Omen Girl is a Wattys Winner, and the Wattys is a big deal.
This book deserves to be a big deal, and if I could rate it six out of five, I would.
Truly, I was captivated so quickly and this story didn’t have to do much to impress me initially because the way the author wrote things flew off the pages from the prologue and was consistently marvellous to me. I found myself asking why I like it so much and so I started to notice the little things: how the author used punctuation and especially their use of commas (which, to me, added a layer of youthful sentimentality- yes, even the commas are artistic in the story) and brackets (I cannot get that bracket scene out of my mind— that was wonderful, wonderful writing). I was whisked away into the world and I wish I could erase my mind and start all over.
And then I moved to noticing every word they chose to describe things and paid great attention to detail resonating not only with me, but with whoever I thought Sozo was. Words don’t get on the page by accident and Evelyn Yang made no accident. I even came across places where she would leave the traditional prison yard of conventional writing rules to pursue a more stylistic alternative of communicating the same thing and her literal artistry left me in awe.
And then her world blew me away. The attention to detail in how everything worked, looked, behaved in this world was simply magnificent. I found myself standing next to Sozo every time I clicked on The Omen Girl. I was “starstruck” (book reference: read the book to understand) by things from the little language details to the setting as a whole. On several occasions Yang could say several things about a world I had never been to in so few words. I could go on and on here because there is so much I haven’t even touched on (especially the different societal classes and tools and stars but that is for you to find out).
And then there was the struggle she created for Sozo to overcome that I fell for. Her issues felt very real to me and while I had no clue how it felt to be an Omen, when I clicked on The Omen Girl, I did.
The way she described flying was breathtaking to me. I wanted to fly. I loved the stars. The way she wrote about racing was amazing to me. And I’m not one who is really fascinated with racing but when I clicked on The Omen Girl, I was.
Her plot twists whipped my brain on several occasions and honestly, everything here made so much sense to me and even if somebody pointed out something that didn’t, I would say “well, if it fooled me and I was reading it like I was being paid, then it’s very tight!”
Love and redemption as themes are beautifully conveyed in the story and alternate subplots were highly constructive to the narrative and handled so flawlessly that it would be disrespectful to discount the great work it must have taken. It was powerful— to the very last, this final scene, these final words— this is the epitome of modern writing.
On Wattpad, The Omen Girl is a Wattys Winner, and the Wattys is a big deal.
This book deserves to be a big deal, and if I could rate it six out of five, I would.
September 17, 2025
The Omen Girl
This book was extremely challenging for me to read because it’s written like a poorly translated story that has not gone through proofreading. The only way I got through this was by switching my brain to that of a broken Asian English mindset: clipped thoughts, fragmented sentences, run-ons and poorly chosen words (eg. make-believe instead of pretend(ing) or dream(ing)). I also fail to comprehend the necessity of using made-up words like “pandoons” and “ostronis” instead of “pandas” and “ostriches”, as is evident from the description. I do understand why the author would call the special beverage, marble soda, instead of Ramune to avoid any copyright or royalty concerns.
The world-building could benefit from some refinement, as it was challenging for me to comprehend the intricate details unfolding. She did a good job describing sign language but the starsong spell casting/ writing might be better described like calligraphy in the sky or mention it somewhere as such to help illustrate the action performed while flying in the sky. Perhaps this story would be more effective in a graphic novel format or with a few pictures scattered about to help with world building.
I do like the plot. The internal struggles of the protagonist, Sozo/fake Lumi, and seeing her learn and grow throughout the book. Sozo is an orphan that is basically groomed to fight a war. She infiltrates the society that she was outcasted from and learns via the friendly and sunny dispositioned Naqi that what she thinks she is doesn’t define her but it’s what she chooses to do with herself. I love what Naqi does for Sozo/fake Lumi towards the end.
I can connect with the major and minor characters. Their personalities and actions are understandable.
The magic system is unique and intriguing. The currently ending seems unfinished, it leaves the audience hanging. An epilogue would finish up the story. Overall, this book would do well with a rewrite and professional proofreading. It has a lot of potential but in current state, it’s difficult for a reader to truly immerse themselves in this fascinating fantasy world.
Lastly, thank you to Yueh Yang, Wattpad WEBTOON Book Group, and NetGalley for providing me with a digital ARC, which allowed me to read and voluntarily provide an unbiased review.
TROPES/ THEMES: prejudice, discrimination, fear, friendship, YA, competition, ultimate wish
This book was extremely challenging for me to read because it’s written like a poorly translated story that has not gone through proofreading. The only way I got through this was by switching my brain to that of a broken Asian English mindset: clipped thoughts, fragmented sentences, run-ons and poorly chosen words (eg. make-believe instead of pretend(ing) or dream(ing)). I also fail to comprehend the necessity of using made-up words like “pandoons” and “ostronis” instead of “pandas” and “ostriches”, as is evident from the description. I do understand why the author would call the special beverage, marble soda, instead of Ramune to avoid any copyright or royalty concerns.
The world-building could benefit from some refinement, as it was challenging for me to comprehend the intricate details unfolding. She did a good job describing sign language but the starsong spell casting/ writing might be better described like calligraphy in the sky or mention it somewhere as such to help illustrate the action performed while flying in the sky. Perhaps this story would be more effective in a graphic novel format or with a few pictures scattered about to help with world building.
I do like the plot. The internal struggles of the protagonist, Sozo/fake Lumi, and seeing her learn and grow throughout the book. Sozo is an orphan that is basically groomed to fight a war. She infiltrates the society that she was outcasted from and learns via the friendly and sunny dispositioned Naqi that what she thinks she is doesn’t define her but it’s what she chooses to do with herself. I love what Naqi does for Sozo/fake Lumi towards the end.
I can connect with the major and minor characters. Their personalities and actions are understandable.
The magic system is unique and intriguing. The currently ending seems unfinished, it leaves the audience hanging. An epilogue would finish up the story. Overall, this book would do well with a rewrite and professional proofreading. It has a lot of potential but in current state, it’s difficult for a reader to truly immerse themselves in this fascinating fantasy world.
Lastly, thank you to Yueh Yang, Wattpad WEBTOON Book Group, and NetGalley for providing me with a digital ARC, which allowed me to read and voluntarily provide an unbiased review.
TROPES/ THEMES: prejudice, discrimination, fear, friendship, YA, competition, ultimate wish
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October 16, 2025Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy
The Omen Girl by Yueh Yang is a first person-POV YA fantasy. Sozo is one of the stained, people with visible marks designating them as Omens. But she can hide her stain, a rare talent that gets her the attention of Esp and helps her infiltrate an elite academy by taking someone else's identity. As she gets more comfortable and makes bonds at her new school, she also runs the risk of being found out and having everything taken from her.
The aspect about being stained and cursed was more vibes-based, in my opinion. I don't remember really getting an explanation for it besides that it happens and it's visible for most people. If this is taken as an allegory for prejudice and passing, I feel that it does its job and it works on a thematic level. The rest of the worldbuilding felt fairly strong with references to various aspects of East Asian cultures to create something that could resonate with fans of anime and fantasy and historical C- and K-dramas.
There is a possible romance subplot but it's fairly minor and I wouldn't call this a romantic fantasy or romantasy by any stretch of the imagination. The arc between Naqi and Sozo is more of a slowburn that never goes explicitly into romance and can be interpreted to be a QPR or a friendship within this book. If there are more books in this world, it might develop over time into romance or it might stay platonic.
The pacing is fairly quick even with longer chapters. A lot of YA these days seems to be written specifically to be read quickly and given how much of a struggle it has been in recent years to keep young people reading, I can understand why faster pacing can help lead to a sense of accomplishment in readers. I didn't find this to be particularly voicey, so the pacing of the prose is more what is propelling the reader forward.
I would recommend this to fans of YA that has an ambiguous relationship between the FMC and the MMC and young readers looking for something with similar worldbuilding to many anime and C- and K-dramas
The Omen Girl by Yueh Yang is a first person-POV YA fantasy. Sozo is one of the stained, people with visible marks designating them as Omens. But she can hide her stain, a rare talent that gets her the attention of Esp and helps her infiltrate an elite academy by taking someone else's identity. As she gets more comfortable and makes bonds at her new school, she also runs the risk of being found out and having everything taken from her.
The aspect about being stained and cursed was more vibes-based, in my opinion. I don't remember really getting an explanation for it besides that it happens and it's visible for most people. If this is taken as an allegory for prejudice and passing, I feel that it does its job and it works on a thematic level. The rest of the worldbuilding felt fairly strong with references to various aspects of East Asian cultures to create something that could resonate with fans of anime and fantasy and historical C- and K-dramas.
There is a possible romance subplot but it's fairly minor and I wouldn't call this a romantic fantasy or romantasy by any stretch of the imagination. The arc between Naqi and Sozo is more of a slowburn that never goes explicitly into romance and can be interpreted to be a QPR or a friendship within this book. If there are more books in this world, it might develop over time into romance or it might stay platonic.
The pacing is fairly quick even with longer chapters. A lot of YA these days seems to be written specifically to be read quickly and given how much of a struggle it has been in recent years to keep young people reading, I can understand why faster pacing can help lead to a sense of accomplishment in readers. I didn't find this to be particularly voicey, so the pacing of the prose is more what is propelling the reader forward.
I would recommend this to fans of YA that has an ambiguous relationship between the FMC and the MMC and young readers looking for something with similar worldbuilding to many anime and C- and K-dramas
October 7, 2025
Beautiful story and entirely engaging. This is my first time reading author Yueh Yang, and I can say without any hesitation, it won't be my last. The Omen Girl is a captivating and thrilling read. I'm excited for more from Yang.
*Thank you, @Webtoons for sharing this title with me.
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*Thank you, @Webtoons for sharing this title with me.
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May 1, 2025I'm sorry, what? I'm just supposed to pretend I'm ok after the book ends like THAT? I AM NOT OK.
I haven't read YA fantasy in a while, and I ate The Omen Girl up just as fast as middle school me would have. Not to be dramatic, but I did just lay down a cry for a bit after finishing this. Sozo and Naqi have the sweetest relationship. And seeing Sozo learn to trust people and build friendships was so tender. :')
Growing up and feeling like my "sins" were the biggest marker of my worthiness made this a very impactful read. Omen stains, physical marks on the body that emerge from wrongdoing, make you an outcast in this society. I used to be so, so consumed and worried about what Omen stains I was carrying with me. Stains hidden from plain sight, and stains that everyone could see and judge accordingly. Without spoiling anything, I will say this book deals with the symbol of an Omen stain in such a beautiful way.
Some of the imagery went over my head, but I thought the whole reading experience was so fun! I can see how this book might be stand-alone but I'm hoping we get another to explore more of the world and characters.
I haven't read YA fantasy in a while, and I ate The Omen Girl up just as fast as middle school me would have. Not to be dramatic, but I did just lay down a cry for a bit after finishing this. Sozo and Naqi have the sweetest relationship. And seeing Sozo learn to trust people and build friendships was so tender. :')
Growing up and feeling like my "sins" were the biggest marker of my worthiness made this a very impactful read. Omen stains, physical marks on the body that emerge from wrongdoing, make you an outcast in this society. I used to be so, so consumed and worried about what Omen stains I was carrying with me. Stains hidden from plain sight, and stains that everyone could see and judge accordingly. Without spoiling anything, I will say this book deals with the symbol of an Omen stain in such a beautiful way.
Some of the imagery went over my head, but I thought the whole reading experience was so fun! I can see how this book might be stand-alone but I'm hoping we get another to explore more of the world and characters.
October 7, 2025
ARC Review
This was a fast paced, action-packed Asian inspired YA Fantasy.
The FMC, Sozo, harbors an Omen which is a stain under the skin that grows and threatens of turning her into a monster. She and so many others are seen as evil to the city of Tall Titan. She has to do her best in keeping it hidden.
The plot had me very intrigued, I've never read anything like it. It was very unique, definitely a page turner! There were many times where I didn't know how the story would unfold; there were so many twists and turns.
Although it made sense, I felt unsatisfied with the ending. I was left with wanting more and that the story was unfinished, maybe that was the author's goal.
This was a fast paced, action-packed Asian inspired YA Fantasy.
The FMC, Sozo, harbors an Omen which is a stain under the skin that grows and threatens of turning her into a monster. She and so many others are seen as evil to the city of Tall Titan. She has to do her best in keeping it hidden.
The plot had me very intrigued, I've never read anything like it. It was very unique, definitely a page turner! There were many times where I didn't know how the story would unfold; there were so many twists and turns.
Although it made sense, I felt unsatisfied with the ending. I was left with wanting more and that the story was unfinished, maybe that was the author's goal.
October 8, 2025
It’s been a while since I’ve read a YA Fantasy. It’s not that I don’t typically read them. I used to be a voracious YA Fantasy reader, but my interests have shifted. However, Yueh Yang’s The Omen Girl reminded me why I greatly enjoy this genre. I loved how Sozo showed strength as she struggled with her Omen stain. I found the plot quite interesting, especially the competition piece, the training, and the lots of action. The world-building goes quickly as it is a shorter read, which I didn’t mind. There are some emotional parts with Sozo, which made sense considering how her family treated her. Overall, I found the story enjoyable.
Thank you to @wattpadbooks and Author Yueh Yang for the gifted copy of The Omen Girl.
Thank you to @wattpadbooks and Author Yueh Yang for the gifted copy of The Omen Girl.
September 9, 2025
I’M SORRY THAT’S HOW IT ENDS? NO EPILOGUE? I’m devastated!
In all seriousness, this YA was a delight. Gorgeous prose and very compelling magic system and character arcs. There were definitely times I wished there was more explanation or just MORE in general. I would have loved to have seen this aged up a smidge. Overall, a good fantasy read for younger readers, maybe age 11-15.
But I have beef with this author. You best give me a happy ending epilogue or I’ll riot!
Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this title in exchange for my honest review.
In all seriousness, this YA was a delight. Gorgeous prose and very compelling magic system and character arcs. There were definitely times I wished there was more explanation or just MORE in general. I would have loved to have seen this aged up a smidge. Overall, a good fantasy read for younger readers, maybe age 11-15.
But I have beef with this author. You best give me a happy ending epilogue or I’ll riot!
Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this title in exchange for my honest review.
November 2, 2025
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this early!
I just want to say, I devoured this way faster than I expected! I wasn’t sure if I’d enjoy it, but I can confidently say I’d 100% recommend it.
I even recommended it to my sister, and she’s just as excited to read it as I was. While I did find the pacing a bit slow at times, as other reviews have mentioned, the ending really pulls through. I’ll definitely be rereading!
I just want to say, I devoured this way faster than I expected! I wasn’t sure if I’d enjoy it, but I can confidently say I’d 100% recommend it.
I even recommended it to my sister, and she’s just as excited to read it as I was. While I did find the pacing a bit slow at times, as other reviews have mentioned, the ending really pulls through. I’ll definitely be rereading!
December 10, 2020
Full...My heart is full after finishing this book. From the very first page to the end, "The Omen Girl" kept me engaged and thirsting for more. I rarely leave reviews but this story deserves it, and I absolutely do not exaggerate when I say that I was left with teary eyes; they were tears of a heart touched.
December 11, 2025
2.5 stars i think it’s a me problem but this book was a dnf for me. But I’ll come back again to try and read it, because i liked how the story was going. But looks like I read it in the wrong time
January 6, 2021
Truly inspiring and teaches lessons to help us in these times that our world faces crises.
June 3, 2025
The Omen Girl is a YA Scifi/Fantasy novel that is a kind of reimagining of the classic space odyssey trope. Set in the city of Tall Titan, a futuristic space colony located on the moon of a distant planet, the story follows 14yo Sozo.
But Sozo isn't just any 14yo. She is an Omen: someone whose acts of transgressions have manifested as a physical mark. Abandoned by her parents, Omens, like Sozo, are considered outcasts and entirely shunned from society. If agitated, Sozo's mark, or black stain, has the potential spread across her entire body uncontrollably, transforming her into an otherworldly cursed monster.
However, Sozo also has the strange ability to hide her Omen stain for a short period of time that gives her the unique opportunity to blend in with society easier than others like her, catching the eye of a rogue Omen, named Esp, who offers to take Sozo under her wing on the condition she does exactly as Esp tells her to without question.
Under Esp's instruction, Sozo infiltrates a temple training young acolytes in preparation for the Decade-Race of Stars: a deadly celestial race where the winner gets to make a single wish for anything their heart desires. Although there's a catch, if she is discovered, the penalty for her deceit is death.
It's been a really long time since I have read a genuine YA novel, and I had honestly forgotten how much of a joy the genre can be.
From start to finish, Yueh Yang does a masterful job at captivating the reader, pulling them into a star-studded, vibrant world full of immense wonder and immeasurable pain.
While this is a YA, the themes that Yang delves into are deep, raw, emotional, and not for the faint of heart. It asks hard questions about the mutual relationship and nature between good and evil, morality itself, and what it means to be a good person.
One of the things this novel does well is bringing the characters to life. Sozo, Naqi, Rama, and Roaz all felt as real as the air I breathe. I loved each and every one of them (well, maybe not Roaz as much) and felt the devastation of having to leave them behind once I finished reading. I wish I had more time with them! 😭
Naqi and Sozo's relationship specifically is some special to behold. It is a love story that crosses galaxies, and while I believe this is a stand-alone. I kinda hope there is a second novel set 10 years in the future so I can spend more time with these characters.
Additionally, Yang's language was lyrical, and the imagery was vivid. I could clearly picture the characters moving about this vibrant galactic world. Finally, the magic system was unlike anything I have ever seen before. It was bright and exciting, yet dangerous and unpredictable. I couldn't get enough.
My biggest hang-ups with this would have to be that the narrative was sometimes repetitive (which felt as if the author used it intentionally as a writing device, but just not for me) and the fact that I wish that I felt like I was actually IN the world and could hear the roar of an excited crowd or taste the different foods. The phrase "show, don't tell" definitely came to mind a lot while reading.
All that aside, this book is definitely special, and I think many young readers out there will not only enjoy it, but also resonate deeply with the complex emotions and themes found within this short 270 page novel.
Releases October 6th, 2025. 4.5⭐️
Thank you to Yueh Yang, Wattpad Books, and NetGalley for sending me an e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.
But Sozo isn't just any 14yo. She is an Omen: someone whose acts of transgressions have manifested as a physical mark. Abandoned by her parents, Omens, like Sozo, are considered outcasts and entirely shunned from society. If agitated, Sozo's mark, or black stain, has the potential spread across her entire body uncontrollably, transforming her into an otherworldly cursed monster.
However, Sozo also has the strange ability to hide her Omen stain for a short period of time that gives her the unique opportunity to blend in with society easier than others like her, catching the eye of a rogue Omen, named Esp, who offers to take Sozo under her wing on the condition she does exactly as Esp tells her to without question.
Under Esp's instruction, Sozo infiltrates a temple training young acolytes in preparation for the Decade-Race of Stars: a deadly celestial race where the winner gets to make a single wish for anything their heart desires. Although there's a catch, if she is discovered, the penalty for her deceit is death.
It's been a really long time since I have read a genuine YA novel, and I had honestly forgotten how much of a joy the genre can be.
From start to finish, Yueh Yang does a masterful job at captivating the reader, pulling them into a star-studded, vibrant world full of immense wonder and immeasurable pain.
While this is a YA, the themes that Yang delves into are deep, raw, emotional, and not for the faint of heart. It asks hard questions about the mutual relationship and nature between good and evil, morality itself, and what it means to be a good person.
One of the things this novel does well is bringing the characters to life. Sozo, Naqi, Rama, and Roaz all felt as real as the air I breathe. I loved each and every one of them (well, maybe not Roaz as much) and felt the devastation of having to leave them behind once I finished reading. I wish I had more time with them! 😭
Naqi and Sozo's relationship specifically is some special to behold. It is a love story that crosses galaxies, and while I believe this is a stand-alone. I kinda hope there is a second novel set 10 years in the future so I can spend more time with these characters.
Additionally, Yang's language was lyrical, and the imagery was vivid. I could clearly picture the characters moving about this vibrant galactic world. Finally, the magic system was unlike anything I have ever seen before. It was bright and exciting, yet dangerous and unpredictable. I couldn't get enough.
My biggest hang-ups with this would have to be that the narrative was sometimes repetitive (which felt as if the author used it intentionally as a writing device, but just not for me) and the fact that I wish that I felt like I was actually IN the world and could hear the roar of an excited crowd or taste the different foods. The phrase "show, don't tell" definitely came to mind a lot while reading.
All that aside, this book is definitely special, and I think many young readers out there will not only enjoy it, but also resonate deeply with the complex emotions and themes found within this short 270 page novel.
Releases October 6th, 2025. 4.5⭐️
Thank you to Yueh Yang, Wattpad Books, and NetGalley for sending me an e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.
December 19, 2020
This was such a wonderful book to read! I loved the premise, and the book did not disappoint! After winning the Wattys, I decided to read it. I thoroughly enjoyed the plot, and felt the message of the story shone through beautifully! I read this in one sitting...I couldn't put it down! I would definitely recommend it to all ages and anyone who wants a wholesome book to read!
December 16, 2020
The Omen Girl is one of the best books I have read in my entire life! It is so beautifully written and moved me to tears. Evelyn Yang is an incredibly talented writer. Trust me, you HAVE to read this book
April 11, 2025
Sozo is an Omen—someone whose misdeeds have formed a magical stain upon her skin. But Sozo isn’t like other Omens. She has the power to temporarily hide her Omen and pass as normal. This ability has allowed her to enter the temple and bodn with a star so she can win the Decade Race and be granted a wish. Along the way she makes new friends and discovers some who she thought were friends were actually enemies.
The magic in this story is actually really unique—based on stars and using stardust through whistling, which allows the star-bonded to board a glider and fly. There’s a whole history and religion built around the stars that is something completely new I have never seen before.
The story itself deals with some heavy themes: friendship, inner strength, what makes someone good or evil, perception, and especially conscience and guilt. Sozo is a hard protagonist, used to going it alone and terrified to be caught at any moment. Making friends is hard for her because she is certain she would be rejected and even put to death once anyone discovers her stain. Despite the fact that she is lying to everyone, and even the fact that she has killed before, she still wants to win the race and help all the other Omens who haven’t been as fortunate as her. In contrast, all the other competitors, like Roaz are foils for her kindness. The other competitors cheat and bully her, and only are out for themselves, but yet they do not carry Omens themselves.
I was a little confused about what age group this book was geared towards, as the characters seem to be preteens but deal with a lot of adult themes and struggled. Also I wasn’t quite certain whether Sozo and Naqi were supposed to just be friends or romantic interests as it is hinted several times that they might be.
Overall a quick and easy read with lush worldbuilding and cool magic, but probably not something I would end up rereading.
The magic in this story is actually really unique—based on stars and using stardust through whistling, which allows the star-bonded to board a glider and fly. There’s a whole history and religion built around the stars that is something completely new I have never seen before.
The story itself deals with some heavy themes: friendship, inner strength, what makes someone good or evil, perception, and especially conscience and guilt. Sozo is a hard protagonist, used to going it alone and terrified to be caught at any moment. Making friends is hard for her because she is certain she would be rejected and even put to death once anyone discovers her stain. Despite the fact that she is lying to everyone, and even the fact that she has killed before, she still wants to win the race and help all the other Omens who haven’t been as fortunate as her. In contrast, all the other competitors, like Roaz are foils for her kindness. The other competitors cheat and bully her, and only are out for themselves, but yet they do not carry Omens themselves.
I was a little confused about what age group this book was geared towards, as the characters seem to be preteens but deal with a lot of adult themes and struggled. Also I wasn’t quite certain whether Sozo and Naqi were supposed to just be friends or romantic interests as it is hinted several times that they might be.
Overall a quick and easy read with lush worldbuilding and cool magic, but probably not something I would end up rereading.
August 1, 2021
This was a wild, magical ride of a story! So much feels and depth, with a smattering of action. All of it compacted into this one book. The bond between in Sozo and Naqi is just golden--it is in a way, a love story that is absolutely beautiful (and rare these days). I imagine a solid movie made out of this! Or an anime. Just awesome!
October 3, 2025
“I'd tear the veil off my face and shatter my mask and confess to the cameras, the vast echo of the temple and everyone in it, that I am the one who should have died.”
This story centers around a girl named Sozo, who was born with a stain on her skin. Ever since, people have looked at her not as a girl, but as something to fear. Though her mark defines her place in the world, it is also something she can hide by will. When her mentor urges her to enter the Decade Race, a high-stakes competition that grants one wish to its winner, Sozo agrees, hoping to change the fate of others like her. To compete, she must hide both her identity and her past, stepping into the life of another. As the race progresses, Sozo forms unexpected connections, including a relationship with Naqi, whose light contrasts Sozo’s shadows in every way. But with every lie she tells to survive, the truth threatens to surface.
I was first drawn to The Omen Girl because of its cover, which caught my attention right away. Once I started reading, I really enjoyed the story. The Omen Girl by Yueh Yang is a thoughtful young adult book that explores identity, feeling excluded, and choosing your own path. The magic system felt fresh and different, unlike anything I had read before. I can tell Yang spent a good amount of time setting the scene, which I appreciated. It made me want to look up parts of the world she described just so I could picture it better. One of my favorite observations was how the book blends different Asian influences instead of focusing on just one culture. Whether it was the architecture, the festivals, or even the food, it made the world feel more real and diverse. The diverse cultural elements strengthen the story and offer a refreshing representation that is often missing in young adult fantasy. The main character, Sozo, also really stood out to me. Sozo’s strength and vulnerability made her feel real and relatable, showing her growth despite the challenges she faces. As a person of color, I understand how people can make assumptions before actually getting to know you, so even though Sozo’s “stain” is not about race, I could relate to how she is judged unfairly. I’d definitely recommend this book to anyone who wants a story that is a bit dark but also touches on themes like expectations, loss, pushing through tough times, and figuring out who you really are. It felt honest and reminded me to think about how important it is to look beyond first impressions.
The Omen Girl releases on October 7th, 2025.
Pine Reads Review would like to thank NetGalley and Wattpad Books for sending us an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes are taken from an advanced copy and may be subject to change before final publication.
Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and Facebook @pinereadsreview, and check out our website at www.pinereadsreview.com for reviews, author interviews, blogs, podcast episodes, and more!
This story centers around a girl named Sozo, who was born with a stain on her skin. Ever since, people have looked at her not as a girl, but as something to fear. Though her mark defines her place in the world, it is also something she can hide by will. When her mentor urges her to enter the Decade Race, a high-stakes competition that grants one wish to its winner, Sozo agrees, hoping to change the fate of others like her. To compete, she must hide both her identity and her past, stepping into the life of another. As the race progresses, Sozo forms unexpected connections, including a relationship with Naqi, whose light contrasts Sozo’s shadows in every way. But with every lie she tells to survive, the truth threatens to surface.
I was first drawn to The Omen Girl because of its cover, which caught my attention right away. Once I started reading, I really enjoyed the story. The Omen Girl by Yueh Yang is a thoughtful young adult book that explores identity, feeling excluded, and choosing your own path. The magic system felt fresh and different, unlike anything I had read before. I can tell Yang spent a good amount of time setting the scene, which I appreciated. It made me want to look up parts of the world she described just so I could picture it better. One of my favorite observations was how the book blends different Asian influences instead of focusing on just one culture. Whether it was the architecture, the festivals, or even the food, it made the world feel more real and diverse. The diverse cultural elements strengthen the story and offer a refreshing representation that is often missing in young adult fantasy. The main character, Sozo, also really stood out to me. Sozo’s strength and vulnerability made her feel real and relatable, showing her growth despite the challenges she faces. As a person of color, I understand how people can make assumptions before actually getting to know you, so even though Sozo’s “stain” is not about race, I could relate to how she is judged unfairly. I’d definitely recommend this book to anyone who wants a story that is a bit dark but also touches on themes like expectations, loss, pushing through tough times, and figuring out who you really are. It felt honest and reminded me to think about how important it is to look beyond first impressions.
The Omen Girl releases on October 7th, 2025.
Pine Reads Review would like to thank NetGalley and Wattpad Books for sending us an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes are taken from an advanced copy and may be subject to change before final publication.
Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and Facebook @pinereadsreview, and check out our website at www.pinereadsreview.com for reviews, author interviews, blogs, podcast episodes, and more!
May 10, 2025
I really loved this book. The magic system of stars and starsong, of writing spells in starlight, of bonding to stars who may choose to either grant power or kill, a religion based on fallen titans and a race that will allow its candidates — mostly children, due to their slight weight and more open natures — a wish that could change the world. Sozo doesn’t just want to change the world, she needs to.
The isolation and ostracization of the Omens, people cursed for no known reason and shunned so completely there isn’t even a way to write the word Omen, is cruel, confusing, and nonsensical. How is it a four year old child can be marked as an Omen while a near-adult who deliberately chooses to murder someone else isn’t? How does it happen and why? And this is a question never answered which is, I think, a good thing.
If there were answers — a person much be so much evil to be cursed, so much educated, so much blooded or pure or pious — it would allow for a rational hate and Otherness. Instead it’s random. It can happen to your son, your daughter, your neighbor; it turns that hate and horror into the nonsensical foolishness that racism, bigotry, homophobia is. And if it were explained, then the cure for the Omen curse would have to also be explained.
How much apology is enough to remove a blight from your flesh? How many times do you have to say sorry? And for a reader, if they don’t agree that a character has grovelled enough, has redeemed themselves enough, have suffered enough … if they want more pain, more trauma so that they feel like the conditions have been met? Instead the cure, like the curse, is more about compassion. I liked it, I liked how everything came together and how the climax unfolded.
Sozo isn’t an easy character to like. She’s a traumatized 14 year old who has suffered for a crime she has no idea she committed. After all, what crime can a child be guilty of that destroys their future so completely? (Another thing not answered because I don’t think there can ever be a satisfying answer.) She’s curt, cruel, lonely, hurt, defensive, ashamed and guilty; she doesn’t make friends, she doesn’t feel nice, fluffy emotions when Naqi tries flirting with her. Instead she pushes everyone away, hides from them — and from herself.
I loved Soza. I loved watching her slowly come out of her shell, slowly gain confidence, slowly realize that she doesn’t have to hurt; she doesn’t have to feel the weight of shame and guilt that isn’t hers, and that she can also be kind to other people without it being seen as weakness. She’s the sort of character I really like, someone who is wounded and hurting and who — over the course of the book — truly comes into her own.
Thank you so very, very much to Net Galley and the publisher for letting me have an ARC of this story.
The isolation and ostracization of the Omens, people cursed for no known reason and shunned so completely there isn’t even a way to write the word Omen, is cruel, confusing, and nonsensical. How is it a four year old child can be marked as an Omen while a near-adult who deliberately chooses to murder someone else isn’t? How does it happen and why? And this is a question never answered which is, I think, a good thing.
If there were answers — a person much be so much evil to be cursed, so much educated, so much blooded or pure or pious — it would allow for a rational hate and Otherness. Instead it’s random. It can happen to your son, your daughter, your neighbor; it turns that hate and horror into the nonsensical foolishness that racism, bigotry, homophobia is. And if it were explained, then the cure for the Omen curse would have to also be explained.
How much apology is enough to remove a blight from your flesh? How many times do you have to say sorry? And for a reader, if they don’t agree that a character has grovelled enough, has redeemed themselves enough, have suffered enough … if they want more pain, more trauma so that they feel like the conditions have been met? Instead the cure, like the curse, is more about compassion. I liked it, I liked how everything came together and how the climax unfolded.
Sozo isn’t an easy character to like. She’s a traumatized 14 year old who has suffered for a crime she has no idea she committed. After all, what crime can a child be guilty of that destroys their future so completely? (Another thing not answered because I don’t think there can ever be a satisfying answer.) She’s curt, cruel, lonely, hurt, defensive, ashamed and guilty; she doesn’t make friends, she doesn’t feel nice, fluffy emotions when Naqi tries flirting with her. Instead she pushes everyone away, hides from them — and from herself.
I loved Soza. I loved watching her slowly come out of her shell, slowly gain confidence, slowly realize that she doesn’t have to hurt; she doesn’t have to feel the weight of shame and guilt that isn’t hers, and that she can also be kind to other people without it being seen as weakness. She’s the sort of character I really like, someone who is wounded and hurting and who — over the course of the book — truly comes into her own.
Thank you so very, very much to Net Galley and the publisher for letting me have an ARC of this story.
April 11, 2025
Sozo harbors an Omen, a stain under the skin that grows and carries the threat of turning her into a monster. She and so many like her are seen as cursed and treated as outcasts...if not killed. Her rare talent to hide her stain ends her with a group of rebels, who wants her to enter a competition with the chosen people in a deadly race with scooters powered by a star. The winner receives a wish, any wish, and it will be granted no matter how impossible it seems. Not only must she survive and keep the strengthening monster inside of her hidden, but stars cannot be lied to, and they are said to destroy the stained.
The tale begins with Sozo staring at the stars with her parents before their deaths. With several mini-chapters, the beginning drops enough tidbits in time jumps (Sozo's past) to lay the background for her situation and a bit of the world background. The normal flow begins as she's finished with the training, shortly before the day where the potential racers are chosen by a star. From here, it's a fast-paced read with surprises coming quick and the tension humming high.
Despite the fast pacing, there's quite a bit of character development to give this tale heart. Sozo's monster isn't only a dark stain, but she carries heavy, inner demons. As a character, she's more than rough along the edges, very off-putting, and difficult to like even for the reader, at times. While this makes her unenjoyable, at first, it opens up tons of room for growth, and the author uses this. The characters around her meld in with just enough depth to make them interesting, while the action and other intrigue mounts to drive the story forward.
It's an original surmise with an intriguing world. Especially the beginning gave just enough to sink in and enjoy...and it is a fun, grabbing read. Questions surrounding the magic, society, training and such were left open. This more superficial feel permeates many aspects of the read and writing, which will delight quick-paced adventure fans, who simply want to enjoy a fresh, tense, and exciting read with just enough inner struggles to root for the heroine until the very end.
The tale begins with Sozo staring at the stars with her parents before their deaths. With several mini-chapters, the beginning drops enough tidbits in time jumps (Sozo's past) to lay the background for her situation and a bit of the world background. The normal flow begins as she's finished with the training, shortly before the day where the potential racers are chosen by a star. From here, it's a fast-paced read with surprises coming quick and the tension humming high.
Despite the fast pacing, there's quite a bit of character development to give this tale heart. Sozo's monster isn't only a dark stain, but she carries heavy, inner demons. As a character, she's more than rough along the edges, very off-putting, and difficult to like even for the reader, at times. While this makes her unenjoyable, at first, it opens up tons of room for growth, and the author uses this. The characters around her meld in with just enough depth to make them interesting, while the action and other intrigue mounts to drive the story forward.
It's an original surmise with an intriguing world. Especially the beginning gave just enough to sink in and enjoy...and it is a fun, grabbing read. Questions surrounding the magic, society, training and such were left open. This more superficial feel permeates many aspects of the read and writing, which will delight quick-paced adventure fans, who simply want to enjoy a fresh, tense, and exciting read with just enough inner struggles to root for the heroine until the very end.
August 19, 2025
˚₊‧꒰ა 5 / 5 ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚
If you like:
♡ asian-inspired fantasy
♡ pretty prose
♡ seeing someone undergo growth
♡ golden retriever boys
❥ The Omen Girl is written in such pretty prose that read like poetry. The repetiton that occurs often throughout the book helps reinforce the feelings that our main character, Sozo, goes through.
❥ I was surprised several times and was unsure what exactly was going to happen in the end. It is a dark story, but not too dark to be depressing or make you sob. It instead is like a haunting darkness that makes you feel just a bit sad. My favourite aspects of this book was the aside in the brackets from Sozo’s inner thoughts that happens towards the beginning - middle.
❥ The most heartbreaking part of the book is two sentences that vaguely reminded me of one of my favourite books I read this year, Black Water Sister. ”When Sister Ena squeezes my shoulder, it does not hurt. How is she supposed to be like a mother if it does not hurt?” And that just hit me how sad it would be to be this 14 year old girl who is (almost) nothing but hurt and anger.
❥ Sozo is not a perfect main character. Far from it. She is someone looking for redemption throughout the whole book but doesn’t believe it is possible or right for her to be searching for it.
❥ Even characters that you might think would be unable to relate to this void that Sozo feels you quickly find that every character is multi-faceted. We will never understand everything about everyone, but we do learn that no one is just one thing. Even events are not just one thing - every sad thing also had a bright side that went with it. A bittersweet feeling is what this book excelled at creating.
❥ If this book vaguely intrigued you I would tell you to pick it up.
Thank you netgalley for providing me with this arc in exchange for an honest review.
If you like:
♡ asian-inspired fantasy
♡ pretty prose
♡ seeing someone undergo growth
♡ golden retriever boys
❥ The Omen Girl is written in such pretty prose that read like poetry. The repetiton that occurs often throughout the book helps reinforce the feelings that our main character, Sozo, goes through.
❥ I was surprised several times and was unsure what exactly was going to happen in the end. It is a dark story, but not too dark to be depressing or make you sob. It instead is like a haunting darkness that makes you feel just a bit sad. My favourite aspects of this book was the aside in the brackets from Sozo’s inner thoughts that happens towards the beginning - middle.
❥ The most heartbreaking part of the book is two sentences that vaguely reminded me of one of my favourite books I read this year, Black Water Sister. ”When Sister Ena squeezes my shoulder, it does not hurt. How is she supposed to be like a mother if it does not hurt?” And that just hit me how sad it would be to be this 14 year old girl who is (almost) nothing but hurt and anger.
❥ Sozo is not a perfect main character. Far from it. She is someone looking for redemption throughout the whole book but doesn’t believe it is possible or right for her to be searching for it.
❥ Even characters that you might think would be unable to relate to this void that Sozo feels you quickly find that every character is multi-faceted. We will never understand everything about everyone, but we do learn that no one is just one thing. Even events are not just one thing - every sad thing also had a bright side that went with it. A bittersweet feeling is what this book excelled at creating.
❥ If this book vaguely intrigued you I would tell you to pick it up.
Thank you netgalley for providing me with this arc in exchange for an honest review.
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