Young adult
Wicked Fox
Debut
We love supporting debut authors. Congrats, Kat Cho, on your first book!
Quick take
Just your typical love story between a boy and a girl (who's also a nine-tailed man-eating mythological fox).
Good to know
Romance
400+ pages
Supernatural
International
Synopsis
Eighteen-year-old Gu Miyoung has a secret—she's a gumiho, a nine-tailed fox who must devour the energy of men in order to survive. Because so few believe in the old tales anymore, and with so many evil men no one will miss, the modern city of Seoul is the perfect place to hide and hunt.
But after feeding one full moon, Miyoung crosses paths with Jihoon, a human boy, being attacked by a goblin deep in the forest. Against her better judgment, she violates the rules of survival to rescue the boy, losing her fox bead—her gumiho soul—in the process.
Jihoon knows Miyoung is more than just a beautiful girl—he saw her nine tails the night she saved his life. His grandmother used to tell him stories of the gumiho, of their power and the danger they pose to humans. He's drawn to her anyway.
With murderous forces lurking in the background, Miyoung and Jihoon develop a tenuous friendship that blossoms into something more. But when a young shaman tries to reunite Miyoung with her bead, the consequences are disastrous ... forcing Miyoung to choose between her immortal life and Jihoon's.
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Wicked Fox
1
Gu Miyoung's relationship with the moon was complicated, as are most relationships centered around power.
Her muscles vibrated with anticipation as she balanced on the edge of the roof. The moonlight made her skin itch, like a string pulled too tight. She breathed deeply to steady her speeding heart, and the stench of rotten trash filled her nostrils.
Her mother told her to be grateful for the power of the moon. It gave her strength, but sometimes Miyoung resented being strong.
Miyoung scanned the roads below. The streetlights were burnt out and had probably been so for a while. Miyoung didn’t mind. She saw as easily in the dark as most did in broad daylight. In her opinion, the broken lights only helped the aesthetic of the buildings. Cracks spidered across the crumbling facades, deco-rated with blooms of mold. Perhaps a more optimistic soul would see a strange beauty in the pattern, but not Miyoung.
She pulled out her phone and dialed one of the two numbers saved in it.
“Did you find him, Seonbae?” Nara asked as soon as she picked up.
The way she stuttered out seonbae made the respectful title sound suffocatingly formal. As if she were speaking to an elder twice her age, instead of Miyoung, who was only a year her senior. But Miyoung knew the younger girl used the title for multiple reasons, one being that two weeks ago her name hadn’t even been Gu Miyoung.
“I tracked him to the same alley. He’s been coming here all week—just haven’t figured out which apartment he goes into.”
“I’ve been trying to use the phone location app,” Nara said helpfully. “It says you’re right on top of him. Or is that your location? Click on your GPS.”
Miyoung wanted to tell Nara to stick to communing with the spirits, but instead she swiped her screen and turned on the tracking option.
Why I love it
Brianna Goodman
BOTM Editorial Team
If you’re a regular SFF reader, chances are you’ve read about humans that are secretly werewolves. You’ve probably also read about humans that are secretly vampires. But what about humans that are secretly nine-tailed foxes? No? Well then trust: You’re going to want to read Wicked Fox.
The book stars Gu Miyoung, an 18-year-old gumiho (aka nine-tailed fox) who survives by eating the energy of men. You can see how this might pose a problem for her relationships with humans—which is why she has to keep her identity a secret. So when she saves the life of Jihoon, a human, and reveals her nine tails to him in the process, a connection begins to form that poses a danger to them both...
This has all of the elements that make for an unputdownable read: a vibrant, modern-day setting in Seoul; star-crossed and lovable characters; magic rooted in mythology; and a twisty plot. I loved spending time with Miyoung and Jihoon—not to mention the goblins and shamans—and I think that you will too.
Member ratings (642)
Maggie S.
Oshkosh , WI
Finally, a supernatural story set somewhere other than white america. Have been searching for good diversity in YA literature for far too long. LOVED LOVED LOVED this book! Cant wait for the sequel!
Ashley M.
Orlando, FL
This book had everything: the love story, the supernatural fused with the k-drama element, the korean culture references and the mouth-watering descriptions of amazing korean cuisine at every corner!
Kyana A.
Dade City, FL
I never thought this book would be as good as it was. I know people say this book has insta-love but I feel like the romance plays out realistically and makes sense with the backstory. A must-read!!
Rachel G.
New Port Richey, FL
I was able to absolutely fall in love with Jihoon and Miyoung! I loved the way the relationships between all of the characters evolved throughout the book. I am super excited for the next one!
Meagan D.
Denham Springs , LA
Love love love. I originally got this book because of its simiarities to my favorite anime Naruto about the nine tailed fox. Kitsune themed books always grab my attention. 10/10 recommend!