Spoiler Free Review: Wicked Fox by Kat Cho

Title: Wicked Fox (Gumiho #1)

Author: Kat Cho

Pub. Date: June 25th 2019

Genre: YA Fantasy

Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers

Pages: 429

Format: Physical Copy

GOODREADS | BARNES & NOBLES | AMAZON

🖤ARC provided by author in exchange for an honest review🖤

A fast paced addictive story set in Seoul, a city where grandmothers tell children the tale of the Nine-tailed fox who prey on men. A warning of danger for young men. Miyoung is a 18 year old Gumiho aka Nine-tailed Fox who maintains her immortal life by consuming the souls of wicked men. In doing so, she feels justified and more human in nature because she is contributing to ridding the world of evil. Miyoung’s secret is compromised one night when she stumbles across her classmate Jihoon being attacked by a Goblin. Against her better judgment, Miyoung intervenes and in the process loses her Fox Bead. This is a Gumiho’s soul & what maintains a balance between their human/fox nature. Without it, a Gumiho can lose grip on their humanity.

We follow Miyoung as she adjusts to yet another high school where she doesn’t fit in and prefers to be a loner. Having had to bounce from school to school whenever she is the center of bad attention, Miyoung doesn’t have any friends. Jihoon is quite the opposite, loved by many he is a friend to all and wants to make Miyoung feel welcome. He knows her secret & wants her to know he will protect this information. Both take to each others company not really knowing just how much they have in common. They each have complicated relationships with their mothers & in their own ways have abandonment issues stemming from childhood. Miyoung & Jihoon develop a deeper connection through friendship that turns into a bit more. We then follow Miyoung as she attempts to find a solution to her fox bead which leads to more trouble along the way.

Miyoung – I found our MC to be very lonely, she and her mom don’t really have a close connection. Miyoung’s mom is an ancient Gumiho & often times clashes with Miyoung when it comes to how they maintain their immortality. Her mom has had a rough go in her very long life & because of the bad experiences she’s had, she’s very tough on Miyoung. We see Miyoung struggle to form connections due to the overall mistrust she’s been raised to have towards all humans. Despite her mothers strong opinions, Miyoung fully embraces her humanity & doesn’t enjoy killing.

Jihoon – Generally someone who attracts all types of people because of his positivity. Jihoon has a very tight bond with his Halmeoni (grandmother) & best friend Somin. When Miyoung saves his life, Jihoon decides to befriend her even though she’s not interested at first. Although Jihoon is very charming, he is also soft & instantly had me cheering him on because his intentions are pure.

Somin – The best friend to rival all BFF’s! 🙌🏽 Somin is as tough as they come and not afraid to assert her power when necessary. Somin and Jihoon grew up together and love each other like brother & sister. I LOVED Somin so much because of how fiercely over protective she is towards Jihoon. LOVED seeing the friendship develop with this trio of friends.

Junu – is a honorable mention side character…he’s a Bachelor Goblin who gave me Magnus Bane VibeZ! 🤗 I was actually sad not to have seen more of this character on the page. Junu is very much about self & getting paid, he will however warn you before making a profit from your poor decisions. GQ status, Junu is one character I’d like to see more of in the next books to come.

I love books that manage to suck me in, such was the case with Wicked Fox. I can see why comparisons are made with K-Dramas & this just made me love it all the more! My favorite parts of this story were the chapter breaks where we got some of the Gumiho mythology. We’re made aware of the bad rep Gumihos have acquired but these chapter intros explain why they’ve been villainized. I also really appreciated seeing the relationships between Miyoung & her mother play out as well as Jihoon and his mom. We feel the sense of abandonement these characters have experienced & it almost makes perfect sense why they’d gravitate towards each other. Loved the friendship dynamics & the bits of Korean culture we get sprinkled throughout the story. Kat Cho is a author I now have the privilege of having on my radar. This is the start of a series (unsure of # of books to come) & after that ending I will most certainly be dropping everything when the sequel is released 🖤

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2018 Mid-Year Book Freak Out Tag

Mid-year? I’d love the ability to time travel right about now or possibly even freeze time. Anything so that I can read all the books & I know y’all can relate *SOBS* I am however very thankful for having a really good quality reading year so far & hope it continues 🤞🏼 I’m thinking it will since many of my MOST highly anticipated releases of 2018 will be out later this year.

Original tag was created by ReadLikeWildfire and Earl Grey Books

Best book you’ve read so far in 2018

Children Of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi

It’s been months since I read COBAB and yet I can still recall specific details. I have terrible short term memory tbh but the world Tomi has created is so rich and the characters have so much depth that they’re pretty hard to forget. Also, COBAB had one of the best endings I’ve read this year cause what I wanted to happen actually happened 😂 and I reallllllly need the sequel Children of Virtue and Vengeance in my little hands 🤗 lastly, Jimmy Fallon has started a Summer Reads Book Club and COBAB is on his list. Head on over to cast your vote if you loved it as much as I did! 💜

Best sequel you’ve read so far in 2018

Bruja Born (Brooklyn Brujas #2) by Zoraida Córdova

Best in so many ways but mainly because it superceded the first book Labyrinth Lost which I also enjoyed. I really felt like Córdova went into her writing room and gave it her all in this book. Not only was the supernatural world expanded in this sequel but the character growth & development was A++!!!

New release you haven’t read yet, but want to

A Thousand Beginnings and Endings by:

Ellen Oh, Elsie Chapman, Melissa De La Cruz, Julie Kagawa, Renee Ahdieh, Roshani Chokshi, Aliette De Bodard, Cindy Pon, Alyssa Wong, Sona Charaipotra, Aisha Saeed, Lori M. Lee, Shveta Thakrar, Preeti Chhibber, E.C. Myers, and Rahul Kanakia

“Fifteen bestselling and acclaimed authors reimagine the folklore and mythology of East and South Asia in short stories that are by turns enchanting, heartbreaking, romantic, and passionate.”

This first bit of the Goodreads blurb was honestly all I needed to read to know this was one I MUST read this year. I am picking up my copy on Saturday & yes It’s all I can think about. Check out my amazing friend Melanie’s review here 🖤

Most anticipated release for the second half of the year

Ok, there are way too many titles that fit this prompt if I’m being honest. I decided to go with Archenemies (Renegades #2) by Marissa Meyer. Recently it was announced that it was being extended to be a trilogy which made me so happy. After THAT ending in Renegades!!! how could I NOT?!?😱😱😱 haha! high hopes, I have high hopes 🤗

Biggest disappointment

The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert

No one is sadder than me with this one cause I really did think I was going to fall head over high tops in love with this one. Ultimately, there was some that I really enjoyed but MUCH that I did not. The positive is that the sequel or companion book being written will focus on the noir fairy tales written about in the Hazel Wood & that is what I loved most.

Biggest surprise

The Wicked Deep by Shea Ernshaw

Never did I ever think this tiny beautiful book would be so haunting! sucked me in and kept me entranced in this little town by the water. Still think about TWD & will MOST definitely re-read come this October. Also, Netflix will be adapting the book into a series & this just means more from this story which makes my 🖤 so happy!

Favorite new author (debut or new to you)

Mirage by Somaiya Daud

This Morrocan Inspired debut YA Sci-Fi book seriously took me by surprise! I tried not to include an arc in this tag but as I scrolled through my “Read” shelf I quickly realized this has been my year of reading sequels so nothing really fit the bill for “new fave author” & I’m also not trying to repeat my answers. Mirage honeslty wasn’t what I expected in the best way possible, spoiler free review linked above 🖤

Newest fictional crush

Kalen from The Heart Forger (The Bone Witch #2) by Rin Chupeco

The feeeeeels over this hate-to-love/slow burn Bookworms!!! 😍 caught myself having to fan myself a FEWWW times smh 😳😂 Would like some more Kalen in my life if the Book Gods allow 🤞🏼🤞🏼🤞🏼

Newest favorite character

Lemon Fresh from LIFEL1k3 by Jay Kristoff

Lemon Fresh has to be the MOST fun, loyal, roll with the punches character I’ve come across this year. Hyped to hear she’ll be getting her POV in the sequel 🖤

Book that made you cry

The Dangerous Art of Blending In by Angleo Surmelis

This book hit close to home, it wasn’t pretty…it was brutal! which I fully expected going in with the knowledge the this was based on the authors own childhood experience broke my heart. My review contains Content Warnings.

Book that made you happy

My Plain Jane (The Lady Janies #2)

I was lucky enough to read this earlier this year thanks to an amazing friend! 🖤 I have a review going up on July 6th as I am participating in the #MyPlainJane Blog Tour 😃 and gahhhh! is all that comes out when I try to put words into sentences! I LOVE the lady Janies, they are an amazing trio of authors who deliver humor and paranormal twists to the beloved Janes of well known classics.

Most beautiful book you’ve bought so far this year (or received)

Circe by Madeline Miller

I caved & purchased the U.K. edition Of Circe & I have ZERO regrets! This book is STUNNING both with & without the dust jacket 😍 I mean the FOIL bookworms! THE FOIL! #WEAK 😂 I do have a Book Of The Month edition I purchased before finding out about the U.K edition. I’m running a GIVEAWAY for CIRCE that ends on 6/29 over on my Instagram for the BOTM edition 🖤

What books do you need to read by the end of the year

Strange the Dreamer by MY QUEEN LAINI TAYLOR

I thought about listing all of the books I consider a MUST READ IN 2018! but there’s really only 1 book sitting at the very top of my TBR & that’s Strange The Dreamer. I am a lover of all things Laini writes & I have this weird thing with my favorites that I do…I don’t read their books when I know their sequel is light years away. Ok just 1 year but it sure does feel like an eternity when nothing compares in writing style to your fave author. Whelp the time has come! I’ve already pre-ordered my shmancy U.K. exclusive edition with the shmancy red sprayed edges 😍

Favorite book community member

This is such a tough question to ask because I honestly have so many bloggers I truly enjoy visiting & who I’ve developed genuine friendships with. That being said, the idea has been running around in my mind for quite some time now to compile a list and share the love. I also have come across many new bloggers with AMAZING content that I’d love to share with you all. Stay tuned for this bookworms! 🖤

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#ARCstravaganza #17

ARCstravaganza is a weekly meme hosted by the wonderful Flavia over @Flavia the Bibliophile where book bloggers/bookstagrammers have a chance to show off their ARCs/eARCs/Galleys!

Hello Readers! This is my 17th week participating in #ARCstravaganza Monday & this week I’ve chosen Circe by Madeline Miller. I requested this arc from Little Brown on Netgalley & being that it’s one of the tough publishing house I’ve encountered, I wasn’t really expecting a approval. Whelp! when it came through my heart skipped a couple of beats cause ANYTHING Mythology Bookworms! I just can’t not gravitate towards it. Then I read the Goodreads synopsis & the last line did me in…“Circe is a triumph of storytelling, an intoxicating epic of family rivalry, palace intrigue, love and loss, as well as a celebration of indomitable female strength in a man’s world.”…also, have you seen the line-up of characters Circe crosses paths with while on the deserted island? I mean friggin ODYSSEUS!!!

This has only made me REALLLLY want to read Song of Achilles smh, I’ve had this book for far too long & don’t really know why I haven’t gotten around to it but I will be soon…hopefully before Circe 😉

Circe will be hitting bookshelves April 10th 2018! 🙂

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In the house of Helios, god of the sun and mightiest of the Titans, a daughter is born. But Circe is a strange child–not powerful, like her father, nor viciously alluring like her mother. Turning to the world of mortals for companionship, she discovers that she does possess power–the power of witchcraft, which can transform rivals into monsters and menace the gods themselves.

Threatened, Zeus banishes her to a deserted island, where she hones her occult craft, tames wild beasts and crosses paths with many of the most famous figures in all of mythology, including the Minotaur, Daedalus and his doomed son Icarus, the murderous Medea, and, of course, wily Odysseus.

But there is danger, too, for a woman who stands alone, and Circe unwittingly draws the wrath of both men and gods, ultimately finding herself pitted against one of the most terrifying and vengeful of the Olympians. To protect what she loves most, Circe must summon all her strength and choose, once and for all, whether she belongs with the gods she is born from, or the mortals she has come to love.

With unforgettably vivid characters, mesmerizing language and page-turning suspense, Circe is a triumph of storytelling, an intoxicating epic of family rivalry, palace intrigue, love and loss, as well as a celebration of indomitable female strength in a man’s world.

Sound off in the comments below if Circe has made its way onto your TBR’s

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Waiting On Wednesday

Children Of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi

Publisher: Henry Holt Books for Young Readers

Publication Date: March 6th 2018

Genre: YA Fantasy

Pages: 448 pages

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event that is hosted by Jill at @Breaking The Spine, which spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.

Zélie Adebola remembers when the soil of Orïsha hummed with magic. Burners ignited flames, Tiders beckoned waves, and Zelie’s Reaper mother summoned forth souls.

But everything changed the night magic disappeared. Under the orders of a ruthless king, maji were targeted and killed, leaving Zélie without a mother and her people without hope.

Now, Zélie has one chance to bring back magic and strike against the monarchy. With the help of a rogue princess, Zélie must outwit and outrun the crown prince, who is hell-bent on eradicating magic for good.

Danger lurks in Orïsha, where snow leoponaires prowl and vengeful spirits wait in the waters. Yet the greatest danger may be Zélie herself as she struggles to control her powers—and her growing feelings for the enemy.

This is the 1st Waiting On Wednesday I’ve been over the moon excited to share in a very long time! Although I have plenty of books on my radar, only 1 takes the title of most anticipated for 2018 in my planner & that is Children of Blood and Bone! I’ve been patiently waiting for a cover reveal & it was absolutely worth the wait *heart eyes emoji* the words beautiful & stunning come to mind but really don’t do it justice. Children of Blood and Bone is slated to be the biggest YA Fantasy of 2018, steeped in African Culture with its own Mythology, the world building alone calls my name. I am eager to meet these characters, learn their magic/world, and welcome them in my heart. As most of you know, I am passionate about Diversity & to see it make its way into YA feels like a victory!

Children of Blood and Bone is already being adapted for the big screen (see here) & the author, 23 year old Tomi Adeyemi is said to have scored one of the biggest YA book publishing deals of all time. The article I’ve linked above mentions talk of Children of Blood and Bone being called “Black Lives Matter-inspired fantasy”…If this hasn’t convinced you to add this book to your TBR’s maybe the authors profile bio will…

Tomi Adeyemi is a Nigerian-American writer and creative writing coach based in San Diego, California. Her debut novel, CHILDREN OF BLOOD AND BONE, comes out March 6th, 2018 and the movie is currently in development at Fox with the producers of Twilight and The Maze Runner attached. After graduating Harvard University with an honors degree in English literature, she received a fellowship that allowed her to study West African mythology and culture in Salvador, Brazil. When she’s not working on her novels or watching Scandal, she can be found blogging and teaching creative writing to her 3,500 subscribers at tomiadeyemi.com. Her website has been named one of the 101 best websites for writers by Writer’s Digest.

I would love to know if any of my fellow bookworms are anticipating this title or any other diverse YA Fantasy books you are looking forward to reading. Drop those comments down below <3’s!

Friday Reads

Happy Friday Readers!!! I haven’t done one of these in a while but I’m trying to get in the habit of scheduling posts for days or weeks that i’m not feeling my best. Also, I’d like to know what you’re currently reading and enjoying or maybe not enjoying. My weekends usually see me putting my books away to spend time with my 2 tiny humans but I’m also working on ME time when they’re napping. For those that have responsibilities (doesn’t necessarily have to be kids) which is probably most of us, then you know that time is always evading us. I think this week alone has taught me the importance of self-care & stepping away when necessary for mental health. Starting next wknd I’ll be carving out ME time since this weekend is my 1 year Wedding Anniversary & there’s no escaping that LMAO!

Kicking off my Friday with the highly anticipated season 5 return of Orange Is The New Black!!! I’ll admit, last season wasn’t their best but that ending has me clamoring back for more so without shame I will binge the hell out of OITNB tonight into the wee hours of the morning. Sure I’ll pay for it come Saturday morning when the insanely cruel tiny humans sound the alarms at 7am…then again they may just meet me channeling my fave character “Red” in the kitchen 😉

I’m actually back to reading 2 books at a time, I had taken a long break from that but the mood called to me & I answered. So I have 1 audiobook & 1 eGalley that I’m currently working my way through. I’m about 38% into Let’s pretend This Never Happened: A Mostly True Memoir by Jenny Lawson & once again Jenny has me making awkward gasping sounds in public while I try not to die of laughter. I loved Furiously Happy: A Funny Book About Horrible Things (review here) which came after this one but I am SERIOUSLY LOVING Let’s Pretend! but this time I’m savoring it & only listening to it when my anxiety is high or I’m feeling a bit down. It is legit the best medicine for any down day. I find myself enjoying this one more simply because she’s including stories about her dad and husband Victor pre-marriage that have me shaking my head in disbelief. The Taxidermy stories are still awkward but very funny & Jenny is unapologetically Jenny. Hearing how she thinks is kind of liberating, we all have a little quirk in us…she has a ton & I love her for it!

This morning I started Song of the Current (Song of the Current #1) by Sarah Tolcser a YA Fantasy with its own mythos centered around a River God. The main protagonist Caro is strong willed & waiting for the day that the River God calls her name as has been the case for generations in her family. I’m only a chapter in & already hooked wondering where this adventure will take me. After reading & loving Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller earlier in the year, I am looking forward to another waterways adventure &&& PIRATES! I can always go for Pirates 😉

What are you reading/watching this Friday? any plans for the weekend? 🙂

February Wrap-Up & Book Haul (a very late but personal one…)

It is now March 6th & I am writing this post from my new place, finally fully settled in. February was a very special month for my little family (hubby & two tiny humans), a month of new beginnings. We didn’t exactly live in the safest of neighborhoods…matter of fact, its up there with one of the worse. This is common in NYC but not ideal when you’re trying to raise two tiny humans. Our neighborhood prevented us from many of the simple things like taking a walk down the block, all four corners having heavy police presence. Now I love my city, but this was new for me. We moved into that apartment 4 years ago with hopes to move sooner rather than later. For those of you who live in NYC, you know that rent for an apartment is about the average mortgage on a house. We considered the very likely possibility of moving out of state & starting over. What held us back? I’d have to say that its our jobs/careers. They aren’t exactly positions easy to come by & we are blessed in that sense. Yet still, the rent for an apartment is astronomical. Through the grapevine I heard about NYC lottos for brand new beautiful apartments in development in up & coming neighborhoods. I never in a million years expected to win smh after all, the odds were grim in such a large city. When I got the call I couldn’t believe it, my commute is longer but It’s also a suburb style neighborhood w/out actually leaving the city. In fact it wasn’t until I was handed the keys that it clicked. I am still in disbelief but for the 1st time in many years, I am happy in my home 😉

Special thank you to my twin Gretchen @Chicnerdreads for being super sweet & coming to my neck of the woods to help out while we moved. I also got to read & edit her AMAZING debut poetry book Love, and You (Goodreads link here) out April 4th, 2017!🖤🙌🏼🖤

On the reading/blogging front…I didn’t blog much but surprisingly the move didn’t hinder my reading. I think its because when i’m stressed or overwhelmed, I find comfort in my books. On to my Wrap-Up…

The Valiant by Lesley Livingston ★★★★ (3.75 STARS)

Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller ★★★★★ (5 STARS)

Long May She Reign by Rhiannon Thomas★★★ 1/2 (3.5 STARS)

The Bone Witch by Rin Chupeco ★★★★ (4 STARS)

Pachinko by Min Jin Lee (Book Of The Month)

Caraval by Stephanie Garber (Owlcrate)

Rooms by Lauren Oliver

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman

Things We Lost In The Fire by Mariana Enriquez (Blogging For Books)

We Are Okay by Nina LaCour

Wing Jones by Katherine Webber

Kings of the Wild by Nicholas Eames

Zodiac Starforce

*I can’t resist a good ebook deal & all of these were either .99 or $1.99 with the exception of My Sister Rosa which was $2.99

To All The Boys Ive Loved Before by Jenny Han

Starflight by Melissa Landers

Into The Light by Althea Romig

My Sister Rosa by Justine Larbalestier

The Dark Days Club by Alison Goodman

Kill The Father by Sandrone Dazieri

Usually this is the part where I include any movies or tv shows the hubby & I binged but the move pretty much ate up our February. Now that we’re settled, things are getting back to norm (whatever that is lol) & we’ve even gone out on our first date night since living here. I’m a little behind with reviews but I’ll catch up soon enough, for now i’m just enjoying the moment <3’s! 😉

Happy Reading My Bookish Peeps! <3<3<3

Waiting On Wednesday

Title: Norse Mythology

Author: Neil Gaiman

Book: Hardcover, 304 pages

Expected Publication: February 7th 2017

Publisher: W.W. Norton & Company

Genre: Mythology/Fantasy/Retellings/Short Stories/Historical Fiction

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event that is hosted by Jill at @ Breaking The Spine, which spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.

Introducing an instant classic—master storyteller Neil Gaiman presents a dazzling version of the great Norse myths.

Neil Gaiman has long been inspired by ancient mythology in creating the fantastical realms of his fiction. Now he turns his attention back to the source, presenting a bravura rendition of the great northern tales.

In Norse Mythology, Gaiman stays true to the myths in envisioning the major Norse pantheon: Odin, the highest of the high, wise, daring, and cunning; Thor, Odin’s son, incredibly strong yet not the wisest of gods; and Loki, son of a giant, blood brother to Odin and a trickster and unsurpassable manipulator.

Gaiman fashions these primeval stories into a novelistic arc that begins with the genesis of the legendary nine worlds and delves into the exploits of deities, dwarfs, and giants. Once, when Thor’s hammer is stolen, Thor must disguise himself as a woman, difficult with his beard and huge appetite, to steal it back. More poignant is the tale in which the blood of Kvasir, the most sagacious of gods, is turned into a mead that infuses drinkers with poetry. The work culminates in Ragnarok, the twilight of the gods and rebirth of a new time and people.

Through Gaiman’s deft and witty prose emerge these gods with their fiercely competitive natures, their susceptibility to being duped and to duping others, and their tendency to let passion ignite their actions, making these long-ago myths breathe pungent life again.

By now it has become clear to me that Gaiman is a favorite auto-buy author for me. I am currently slowly making my way through all of his books & taking my time because each one is so good for lack of a better word lol. I tend to pick up the audiobooks but do intend to collect them for my Hall of Gaiman or shelf really hehe. Norse Mythology is a book or collection of myths, I know I will be buying on it’s release day not just because its seriously STUNNING but because as the title gives away, its based on norse mythology which is up there with Greek & Roman mythology for me, I have always been a mythology fan & could never resist a good tale of Gods being whelp…Gods. I love how Gaiman’s wittiness always shines through his characters & expect to get a few laughs along the way, I’m also really looking forward to his world building which can’t be compared to anyone else. For this book, I will be reading the physical while listening to the audiobook. For those who have experienced a Gaiman audible narration, you know why this is a treat. If you haven’t yet, give it a try & I promise you will NOT regret it. There’s nothing like listening to Uncle Gaiman (my nickname on the blog for him) tell you a story so grab your beverage of choice & settle in for the experience 😉

What are you wonderful Bookish Peeps waiting on this Wednesday? anyone else heard of Norse Mythology? any Uncle Gaiman fans out there? lol