Wicked Fox

In this haunting fantasy romance from debut author Cho, Korean folklore comes to life in modern-day Seoul as a supernatural creature and human collide. Gu Miyoung is a gumiho, a nine-tailed fox demon, who takes the shape of an 18-year-old young woman. She will weaken and die unless she feeds on the gi or life force of others every full moon, but she confines her victims to evildoers. While out walking his dog, Ahn Jihoon, also 18, stumbles across a dokkaebi, a goblin of Korea. Miyoung saves Jihoon, in doing so creating a connection between her gi and his own. After Miyoung is introduced as a new student at Jihoon’s school the following week, their mutual surprise leads to attraction, and the two come to support each other in school. Intent on keeping her daughter away from the human boy, Miyoung’s mother intervenes violently, requiring Miyoung to link them irrevocably together to save his life. Seamlessly weaving together the supernatural elements with everyday life, Cho’s debut—driven by anguish, sweet romance, and the need for connection—is a formidable first effort that ends with a promise of further adventures. Ages 12–up. [em](June) [/em]