I am a general fan of the author and this was my first exploration of a fantasy based narrative from her. The Korean lore and mysticism is very interesting. My only critique is that there are a lot of characters and with the pacing, perhaps too much going on for just this first book in the series. That being said, I will definitely read the follow up.

Thank you NetGalley, Jayci Lee, and the publishers for this eARC and ALC

2.5 FOR THE ALC

This was done well for Lee's fantasy debut!! I was very excited when I had seen Lee post on Instagram her new project would be a fantasy novel!
I was grateful to have received a eARC and ALC for this and the audio did help with pronouncing all the Korean mythology words but overall I could not for the life of me fall in love w these characters

Now I will say all the Korean mythology and folklore of the Ninetails is unknown to me so no hate towards Lee (it's me lol)...but it was very difficult to follow or keep up with a hugeeeee lump of this book is info dumping w out any context or purpose I love knowing that Lee will be putting a guide into the hardback but even still some of the cryptids/mythical creatures are hard to keep up with.

Anyhow. that aside I loved the mmc was not a fan as to how FAST Sunny fell for him. I feel some books need a dual POV to help with connection not feel so repetitive. still hate how she ketp thinking of him as a teen she helped raise

The traveling between world was interesting not sure how much I loved the idea of Las Vegas being one of the main locations lol because the fmc is just walking around selling cigs at i guess a bar but she is somehow supposed to be shy....

the ending felt not so much rushed just unfinished (minor ciffhanger)
i'm a huge rambler but I will be buying the book to do a reread and annotate plot lines
still not understanding the need for a love interest if is she was celibate for so long then out of no where decides she finally has lusting feelings for a man idk idk just my romance reader brain.

-insta love/lust
-mythology
-nomad fmc
-cliffhanger
-reverse grumpy sunshine
-powerful fmc

I am obsessed with Nine Tailed. I read it with my eyes and once the audio came out I reread it. The narrators are fantastic ratcheting the suspense in the book up even higher. I loved that the story was completely unique and fully thought out. This nine tailed fox, Sunny has spent her life being boring hoping to keep her powers hidden. When she can no longer hide, she reluctantly journeys to her homeland to save the world. She meets old and new friends that will expand her world and hopefully together they will have a chance at saving it.

The contemporary romance mixed with Korean folklore made for a wonderful story that I didn't try to guess what happened next. Rather I was along for the magical ride. The prose was beautiful and I found myself highlighting many passages. Don't sleep on this one. It has the makings of an obsessed fandom.

Thank you Jayci, Brilliance and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy. This is my honest review.

I really enjoyed this fantasy with Korean folklore intertwined. It was different and I loved that it felt fresh. The writing was beautiful that created vivid imagery. It was an exciting, delightful read.

Ok so I really had high hopes for this. The premise was so good and I’m an ardent fan of Korean mythology. However, this book fell short in multiple areas.

The storyline was all over the place. During the latter half of the book I got confused several times as to what’s actually happening and it disengaged me from the story. The descriptions of the past were well done and I enjoyed those parts. But the more I read, the more confused I got with the present story. Yes we get action but it was confusing. And the romance was questionable. The FMC gets attracted to literally all the men around her who looked at her with hooded eyes and that did not sit well with me 😬. This had the potential to be an amazing book but fell short because of too much side plots, haphazardly written lust and lack of editing. Finishing this book was a chore.

Thank you to Brilliance audio for my ALC. All opinions are my own.

2🌟

I wanted to love this book so much because the idea behind it is absolutely brilliant, and I enjoyed the Korean folklore elements a lot. But alas, we can’t always have what we want.

I cannot get over the fact that this 130+ year-old fox spirit is this stupid. If you repeat 5+ times that “huh, this human man is taking all of this magical stuff much better than I expected” — MAYBE THERE IS AN EXPLANATION FOR IT?! MAYBE YOU SHOULDN’T JUST IGNORE IT?! And for him not getting hurt after literally being stabbed?! Like, come on. I was SO ANNOYED by this FMC.

Too much pining, spicy scenes at the weirdest and most random moments, weird relationships…just no. I couldn’t enjoy the story because of the messy and uncomfortable relationship Sunny and Ethan have. I was too distracted by it to enjoy the plot.

I expect a character that is more than 100 years old to be smarter than this.

This book definitely made me want to pick up more stories with Korean folklore, but I won’t be continuing this series.

Thank you, NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing, for this audiobook ARC. All opinions are my own.

I don't know what I thought this book was going to be, but it wasn't at all what I was expecting. This was an insane mix of old world legends come to life, contemporary mystery/ on the run thriller, and chosen one fantasy. And it all worked. My only complaint was that the romance felt forced and immediate, she is fanning herself within the first page of seeing him and I wish it would have been a little slower.

This was a bit of a mixed bag for me. I really appreciated the inclusion of Korean folklore, which isn't commonly seen in the romantasy genre and added a really intriguing element to the story. The mythological aspects were fascinating, and I enjoyed learning about gumiho legends. However, the story itself fell flat in many areas. The romance between Sunny and Ethan felt forced and rushed, making it hard to connect with their relationship.

The pacing was also uneven, with certain parts dragging while others felt rushed. By the end, I felt like too much was happening all at once, without enough time to fully develop the new characters and plot twists.

As for the audiobook experience, Michelle H. Lee and Greg Chun were solid narrators, but their performances didn’t elevate the story for me. They did a decent job, but I didn’t feel that extra spark that makes an audiobook truly stand out.

Overall, Nine Tailed has an interesting premise with the folklore elements, but everything felt very messy and confusing throughout most of the book.

Just mid fantasy book. I liked the Korean folklore that was woven within the story and the short stories at the beginning of some of the chapters. Ethan and Sunny's relationship is kind of cringe, but I guess they are young so I'll give them that. Also, a fox spirit afraid of snakes??? Foxes eat snakes, haha.

In a race to stop an ancient evil from destroying the worlds as they know them, Sunny comes to a startling, heartbreaking if she chooses love-everything will burn.
Ethan Lee, a friend she left behind eight years ago, is a brilliant and distractingly hot Pl. When he tracks her down and asks her to help him find his brother’s murderer, Sunny knows her uneventful life is about to be turned upside down.
An ancient evil is stirring, and Sunny is faced with an impossible save the worlds from annihilation or claim the love fated by the heavens.
I absolutely adored this Korean folklore mixed with modern Americana book. Following Sunny on her journey of the fight against evil is an enrapturing one to behold. Jayci knows how to crafting a very engaging story with fully realized characters and a plot that grabs your by the throat and refuses to let you go. The romance was a sizzle that when it finally burst into flames it was extremely satisfying.
The narrator was a perfect choice to bring this story to life. The cadence of their voices felt like a floating down a gentle flowing river. Smooth and natural with trips through rapids that had my heart racing like a hummingbird in my chest.
This book was a nice refresher on my reading pallet. I am obsessed.
Would highly recommend to anyone who loves a good Korean mythology infused story and exquisite storytelling..
Thanks to the folks at NetGalley for an audio copy of this book narrated by Michelle H. Lee & Greg Chun.
My review is a honest reflection of my feelings towards this book.