What do you think?
Rate this book
Momo Arashima #2
Momo Arashima Breaks the Mirror of the Sun
In the next book in the thrilling fantasy series filled with gods and monsters of Shinto mythology, a twelve-year-old girl must steal an ancient relic, work with new friends and learn to control her own dangerous power to defeat a new threat.
After vanquishing a demon king, saving her mom, and reconnecting with her friend Danny, Momo ought to be living the life she's always wanted. But lately, Danny has been ditching her to hang out with mean-girl Ryleigh—and groups of kids have begun vanishing without a trace. Then a whole backyard full of cool kids at Ryleigh's exclusive birthday party becomes the latest to disappear, leaving Momo, Ryleigh, Danny, boy band superstar Jin, and Momo's old friend Niko the fox to fight a dangerous new enemy from Shinto legend.
This time they are up against Tamamo-no-mae—beautiful, bloodthirsty, and manipulative, she's the ultimate mean girl of the Kami-verse. To defeat her, Momo must travel to the Sky Kingdom and steal the legendary Mirror of the Sun. But if she’s going to survive monster ambushes, escape giant snakes, and pull off the heist of the millennium, Momo will have to find a way to work with her team (even Ryleigh), and grapple with the growing power that connects her with her storm god grandfather, Susano'o', and her greatest foe—Izanami the Destroyer.
After vanquishing a demon king, saving her mom, and reconnecting with her friend Danny, Momo ought to be living the life she's always wanted. But lately, Danny has been ditching her to hang out with mean-girl Ryleigh—and groups of kids have begun vanishing without a trace. Then a whole backyard full of cool kids at Ryleigh's exclusive birthday party becomes the latest to disappear, leaving Momo, Ryleigh, Danny, boy band superstar Jin, and Momo's old friend Niko the fox to fight a dangerous new enemy from Shinto legend.
This time they are up against Tamamo-no-mae—beautiful, bloodthirsty, and manipulative, she's the ultimate mean girl of the Kami-verse. To defeat her, Momo must travel to the Sky Kingdom and steal the legendary Mirror of the Sun. But if she’s going to survive monster ambushes, escape giant snakes, and pull off the heist of the millennium, Momo will have to find a way to work with her team (even Ryleigh), and grapple with the growing power that connects her with her storm god grandfather, Susano'o', and her greatest foe—Izanami the Destroyer.
368 pages, Hardcover
First published February 27, 2024
19 people are currently reading
278 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
November 8, 2024
rep: Japanese
a strange phenomenon is happening: children are disappearing in droves, leaving parents and the public worried. momo arashima happens to be half-kami thanks to her mother. when she saw that the tamamo-no-mae, a fox spirit, is stealing these kids away, momo knew she had to save them even if that means infiltrating into the sky kingdom and steal the mirror of the sun from a goddess with the mean girl in her school.
speaking of ryleigh, momo hasn’t had the best experience at school because people have been calling her weird and these are instigated, in part, by ryleigh. so when momo finds out that danny and the mean girl have been hanging out together, she didn’t like ryleigh even more. during one of the abduction incidents, momo finds out that ryleigh is a ninja and jin, a boyband superstar, has a powerful voice.
meanwhile, momo is struggling internally as she’s hearing voices. knowing that she’s a blood relative of one of the most violent gods and linked to the death goddess isn’t helping her mental health as well. but, it’s one thing that momo needs to learn which is to accept who she is.
overall, it was an exciting adventure and a good progression to the finale. momo arashima and her friends will have to face the death goddess who is using momo to accumulate all the ancient relics. in momo arashima breaks the mirror of the sun, she grew from always having doubts and always wanting to have plans to being more confident in her skills and becoming more spontaneous. i really enjoyed momo’s growth as well as her building new friendships with the least expected people.
a strange phenomenon is happening: children are disappearing in droves, leaving parents and the public worried. momo arashima happens to be half-kami thanks to her mother. when she saw that the tamamo-no-mae, a fox spirit, is stealing these kids away, momo knew she had to save them even if that means infiltrating into the sky kingdom and steal the mirror of the sun from a goddess with the mean girl in her school.
speaking of ryleigh, momo hasn’t had the best experience at school because people have been calling her weird and these are instigated, in part, by ryleigh. so when momo finds out that danny and the mean girl have been hanging out together, she didn’t like ryleigh even more. during one of the abduction incidents, momo finds out that ryleigh is a ninja and jin, a boyband superstar, has a powerful voice.
meanwhile, momo is struggling internally as she’s hearing voices. knowing that she’s a blood relative of one of the most violent gods and linked to the death goddess isn’t helping her mental health as well. but, it’s one thing that momo needs to learn which is to accept who she is.
overall, it was an exciting adventure and a good progression to the finale. momo arashima and her friends will have to face the death goddess who is using momo to accumulate all the ancient relics. in momo arashima breaks the mirror of the sun, she grew from always having doubts and always wanting to have plans to being more confident in her skills and becoming more spontaneous. i really enjoyed momo’s growth as well as her building new friendships with the least expected people.
June 21, 2024
When will momo and Danny get together?????? Team Danny for life even tho the book isn’t good
September 23, 2023
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for letting me review this book. This was another action packed and fun read! The kids realize along the way what’s important and to just be yourself. Momo realizes that she can’t let her anger take over yet she can’t just keep it inside. She realizes there is a balance to her anger.
April 17, 2024
Revisit the adventures of Momo in this awesome new sequel! I love reading books that involve legends, mythology and other such lore personally so after reading the first book, I was itching for more and more I got with this sequel.
Things should be great after all the adventures she's been through, but lately her friend, Danny, keeps ditching her for parties and hang outs with Ryleigh Guo, one of the meaner more popular girls in their grade. When Momo decides to show up to the party, things progress until at the end of the night a strange event involving eerie flickering blue onibi causes the entire guest list to disappear, leaving Momo, Ryleigh, Niko the fox, and member of the hottest boyband, Straight 2 Tha Topp, Takayama Jin.
While struggling to figure out what's entrancing the adults and what has steadily been taking away children, they find out the cause is a legendary enemy of Shinto legend, the Tamamo-no-mae.
Momo must go to the Sky Kingdom, domain of Amaterasu, and steal the legendary Mirror of the Sun to give her and her friends a fighting chance. But with yokai ambushes and other monster attacks, she needs to learn teamwork skills and find balance with the growing temptations of the volatile power that she inherited from her storm god grandfather, Susano'o, and Izanami the Destroyer.
Spoilers/My thoughts below:
Things should be great after all the adventures she's been through, but lately her friend, Danny, keeps ditching her for parties and hang outs with Ryleigh Guo, one of the meaner more popular girls in their grade. When Momo decides to show up to the party, things progress until at the end of the night a strange event involving eerie flickering blue onibi causes the entire guest list to disappear, leaving Momo, Ryleigh, Niko the fox, and member of the hottest boyband, Straight 2 Tha Topp, Takayama Jin.
While struggling to figure out what's entrancing the adults and what has steadily been taking away children, they find out the cause is a legendary enemy of Shinto legend, the Tamamo-no-mae.
Momo must go to the Sky Kingdom, domain of Amaterasu, and steal the legendary Mirror of the Sun to give her and her friends a fighting chance. But with yokai ambushes and other monster attacks, she needs to learn teamwork skills and find balance with the growing temptations of the volatile power that she inherited from her storm god grandfather, Susano'o, and Izanami the Destroyer.
Spoilers/My thoughts below:
Read
March 26, 2024Just like the first book, Misa Sugiura has created a fantastically fun novel that will appeal to young adults and has unstoppable friendship at the heart of the story. Picking up after the first book, Momo has reconnected with Danny and things should be alright, but they aren’t. Momo learns in this novel that she must work with new friends in order to save the day. Ultimately, it means working with mean girl Ryleigh and figuring out that they have more in common than they thought and tapping into her own powers to stand up for herself.
What makes the story so rich and fun is the lessons in friendship that Momo learns, standing up for yourself and also seeing things from others perspective. She learns that others might have problems of their own and that despite differences, she can be friends with those who are different from her. The story is as fun and full of rich cultural references as the first book.
If you loved the first book, “Momo Arashima Steals the Sword of the Wind, then you will love the sequel. I especially like the ending as it gives us the opening for a third book. I love that there is more to come because the story has been riveting so far. I believe young readers will love the story and enjoy the adventures of Momo, her friends and their unstoppable friendship.
What makes the story so rich and fun is the lessons in friendship that Momo learns, standing up for yourself and also seeing things from others perspective. She learns that others might have problems of their own and that despite differences, she can be friends with those who are different from her. The story is as fun and full of rich cultural references as the first book.
If you loved the first book, “Momo Arashima Steals the Sword of the Wind, then you will love the sequel. I especially like the ending as it gives us the opening for a third book. I love that there is more to come because the story has been riveting so far. I believe young readers will love the story and enjoy the adventures of Momo, her friends and their unstoppable friendship.
February 11, 2024
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
Momo Arashima Breaks the Mirror of the Sun is Momo Arashima’s second adventure, following the first installment last year. I enjoyed being back with these characters and continuing to explore Shinto mythology in an easily digestible way, while also exploring typical issues kids deal with as part of growing up.
Momo remains a relatable protagonist, and I felt for her as she dealt with her best friend Danny hanging out with her nemesis, Ryleigh, leading to jealousy and anger. But the magical adventure sees the two of them, along with Danny and Niko having to work together, which presents some compelling challenges, and leads to solid personal growth.
The adventure itself is as compelling as the first, and I continue to enjoy how the mythological aspects come into play on their journey. The story overall is action-packed and well-paced, keeping me on the edge of my seat throughout.
This was a solid second installment, and I hope there are more to come. I’d recommend this to readers who enjoy middle grade fantasy-adventure books.
Momo Arashima Breaks the Mirror of the Sun is Momo Arashima’s second adventure, following the first installment last year. I enjoyed being back with these characters and continuing to explore Shinto mythology in an easily digestible way, while also exploring typical issues kids deal with as part of growing up.
Momo remains a relatable protagonist, and I felt for her as she dealt with her best friend Danny hanging out with her nemesis, Ryleigh, leading to jealousy and anger. But the magical adventure sees the two of them, along with Danny and Niko having to work together, which presents some compelling challenges, and leads to solid personal growth.
The adventure itself is as compelling as the first, and I continue to enjoy how the mythological aspects come into play on their journey. The story overall is action-packed and well-paced, keeping me on the edge of my seat throughout.
This was a solid second installment, and I hope there are more to come. I’d recommend this to readers who enjoy middle grade fantasy-adventure books.
February 18, 2024
Action packed, full of life lessons, and perfect for the middle-grade reader, Momo Arashima Breaks the Mirror of the Sun is perfection. The story centers around Momo, who isn't the coolest in middle school. She's bullied a lot for being "different" and things have only started turning around for her as she's become friends again with her childhood best friend, Danny, after their last adventure, when she feels him getting pulled away again. Not wanting to be left on her own again, she follows him to a party she'd been excluded from. When disaster strikes and everyone at the party gets kidnapped by an evil spirit, Momo ends up on a quest to save them which includes a heist to steal the sacred Mirror of the Sun.
I really enjoyed the addition of the new characters in this one as well as the way the book weaves together mythology, adventure, and the difficulties of navigating friendships and being a middle school kid. Perfect for fans of Percy Jackson - this series will not disappoint.
Thank you to Penguin Random House for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed the addition of the new characters in this one as well as the way the book weaves together mythology, adventure, and the difficulties of navigating friendships and being a middle school kid. Perfect for fans of Percy Jackson - this series will not disappoint.
Thank you to Penguin Random House for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
December 24, 2023
I received an electronic ARC from Random House Children's through NetGalley.
Book two in the series.
Momo, Danny and Niko face a new challenge when children start disappearing from around the world. Readers see this occur close to them when everyone at her arch-nemesis Ryleigh's birthday party. Everyone but Danny, Momo, Ryleigh and Jin disappear and the grownups are frozen. They quickly follow to see what happened and see the demon responsible. The five must learn to work together as a team to rescue the children, stop the demon and save the middle lands.
Sugiura reveals more about each character as the book unfolds so readers understand more about who they really are. Momo finds a way to battle her inner anger and take control of the rage monster inside her to save everyone from Tamamo-no-mae and her evil plans. I appreciate the way the author shows how human these kids are and how committed they are to becoming their best selves. The ending leads straight to the quest for the third Sacred Treasure.
Middle grade readers will devour this one and eagerly await the final book.
Book two in the series.
Momo, Danny and Niko face a new challenge when children start disappearing from around the world. Readers see this occur close to them when everyone at her arch-nemesis Ryleigh's birthday party. Everyone but Danny, Momo, Ryleigh and Jin disappear and the grownups are frozen. They quickly follow to see what happened and see the demon responsible. The five must learn to work together as a team to rescue the children, stop the demon and save the middle lands.
Sugiura reveals more about each character as the book unfolds so readers understand more about who they really are. Momo finds a way to battle her inner anger and take control of the rage monster inside her to save everyone from Tamamo-no-mae and her evil plans. I appreciate the way the author shows how human these kids are and how committed they are to becoming their best selves. The ending leads straight to the quest for the third Sacred Treasure.
Middle grade readers will devour this one and eagerly await the final book.
April 22, 2024
I love this series so much. Everything about Momo and her adventures reminds me why and how I fell in love with fantasy. Once again Sugiura delivers a stunning array of characters and beings. Each beautifully written and with their own distinct voice in the story. The arcs of Momo and her main circle feel genuine and paced well. I love all the hidden messages and lessons in these books and even as a 36 year old adult feel that they do well in reminding me of the things that are truly important in life. This book was action packed and quick moving like the first and I don't feel like it ever lost its momentum right up to the last page. I cannot wait to see what is in store for Momo and her friends and how the rest of this story is going to play out!
March 2, 2024
Thank you @tbrbeyondtours @misasugiara @randomhousekids for the opportunity to participate, read and review on this booktour and our tour stops here.
My 👧🏻 review: I’ve never read this series before, and I thought I was going to run into some hiccups reading it. Well, it’s actually pretty interesting book with many references made to Japanese mythology and folklore. I have always been into manga and this one made many allusions to difficulty finding friendships, bullying from antagonists and many actions when Momo stepped up to help her best friend Danny to deal with the adversity. Overall, this fast-paced easy read book is perfect for any high-fantasy adventure readers.
My 👧🏻 review: I’ve never read this series before, and I thought I was going to run into some hiccups reading it. Well, it’s actually pretty interesting book with many references made to Japanese mythology and folklore. I have always been into manga and this one made many allusions to difficulty finding friendships, bullying from antagonists and many actions when Momo stepped up to help her best friend Danny to deal with the adversity. Overall, this fast-paced easy read book is perfect for any high-fantasy adventure readers.
March 10, 2024
Just once I'd like to read a middle grade book where the main character doesn't have to befriend her bully. In books, they always have some sort of tragic back story to make readers realize that they don't mean to be a bully, and they aren't really a bad person, but that's not always true to life. Sometimes people just suck, and I'd like to see that represented sometime.
I liked that Momo finally acknowledges that it's okay to be angry sometimes and that she doesn't need to always push it down.
I'm eager to see where the next one goes.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy.
I liked that Momo finally acknowledges that it's okay to be angry sometimes and that she doesn't need to always push it down.
I'm eager to see where the next one goes.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy.
July 26, 2024
5/5
THE “Imma Fight 4 Ya” SONG AT THE END OF THE AUDIOBOOK I AM OBSESSED — WHY ISN’T IT ON SPOTIFY?!?!?!?!
Anyway —
I loved this sequel so much! I really enjoyed getting to know Ryleigh throughout the book and I think she and Jin were the perfect additions to Team DaMoNic. Momo is such an enjoyable character. I really love her friendship with Danny (and possible crush), but I am even more excited about her newfound friendship with Ryleigh (and possible crush because why not?).
I’m super excited for the next book in the series!
THE “Imma Fight 4 Ya” SONG AT THE END OF THE AUDIOBOOK I AM OBSESSED — WHY ISN’T IT ON SPOTIFY?!?!?!?!
Anyway —
I loved this sequel so much! I really enjoyed getting to know Ryleigh throughout the book and I think she and Jin were the perfect additions to Team DaMoNic. Momo is such an enjoyable character. I really love her friendship with Danny (and possible crush), but I am even more excited about her newfound friendship with Ryleigh (and possible crush because why not?).
I’m super excited for the next book in the series!
February 29, 2024
Momo Arashima is back for another adventure. This time she's in seventh grade and confronting all that seventh grade can bring for a human, let alone someone like Momo. But she finds her crew and they are off on another adventure. It's perfect for middle school readers as it included familiar conflicts and plenty of cultural intrigue. This is a series (I hope!) that will be timeless and enjoyable for a broad range of readers.
Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. Love the concept!
Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. Love the concept!
July 27, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the review copy.
Momo is off on another adventure with old friends and new while trying to figure out her new powers. It’s a good second book.
Rating: 4/5
Momo is off on another adventure with old friends and new while trying to figure out her new powers. It’s a good second book.
Rating: 4/5
August 8, 2024
What a cliffhanger! I guessed it was Tsukiyomi who sold them out the moment he offered to to take both items. Then the "no, maybe I shouldn't" so that it would seem more of Momo's idea than his own. Surprised he was selling them out the whole time tho
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 22, 2024
Great book! I love the fact that it balances out the personalities of all the characters so that they mesh well.
June 25, 2024
Momo Arashima Breaks the Mirror of the Sun is a thrilling sequel that introduces new characters, new villains, and new Japanese mythology. Misa Sugiura does a great job adding surprising plot twists and other elements that make this book impossible to put down.
March 15, 2025
3.5 stars
March 24, 2024
This book is dedicated to all those kids who feel left out and alone during the "choose-your-friends" group project
April 2, 2024
Genre: Middle Grade Fantasy
This is book 2 in this fantasy adventure series based on Shinto mythology and filled with gods & monsters. In this second book, Momo has saved her mom and now has to find an ancient mirror in another world.
Like the first, it is action packed with so much going on. It is fun and has the middle grade aspect of learning about yourself as you become a young adult. The series very much reminds me of the Winnie Zeng books.
If you love middle grade fantasy, this series should be on your list!
This is book 2 in this fantasy adventure series based on Shinto mythology and filled with gods & monsters. In this second book, Momo has saved her mom and now has to find an ancient mirror in another world.
Like the first, it is action packed with so much going on. It is fun and has the middle grade aspect of learning about yourself as you become a young adult. The series very much reminds me of the Winnie Zeng books.
If you love middle grade fantasy, this series should be on your list!
September 17, 2025
A great adventure to share with the younger readers you know.
Momo Arashima Breaks the Mirror of the Sun is the second book in Misa Sugiura's splendid middle-grade fantasy series. However, don't let the middle-grade assignment fool you; this book (and series) is fun for the entire family.
While the plot is fast-paced and the mythology intriguing, it is the main character, Momo, that really has me championing this entire series. Momo is a seventh-grade middle-schooler and so relatable. Even after her successes in the series debut, she's a little awkward and is still quite insecure about the mean girls and their followers, though things are improving. Momo's internal dialogue is often laugh-out-loud-funny and fresh. She's game to put everything on the line for others. What ensues is a great adventure, and young readers will realize through Momo's growth that it is best just to be themselves. As mentioned, this is the second book in the series, and the books should be read in order of publication for the best enjoyment.With its highly likable and engaging characters, fun dialogue, the inclusion of current pop cultural references, and a story with non-stop action, I recommend MOMO ARASHIMA BREAKS THE MIRROR OF THE SUN to older elementary or middle-grade readers who enjoy stories with fantasy, magic, and mythical creatures, fans of the Percy Jackson series, and perhaps those who enjoyed the Nickelodeon series, AVATAR: The Last Airbender.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews