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olivialandryxo's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
[second read, December 2022]
I question my past self’s taste on a lot of things, but I can say one thing with absolute certainty: when she said “Vicious Spirits is perfect,” she was ABSOLUTELY GODDAMN RIGHT. THIS BOOK IS A MASTERPIECE.
I love all four characters in this duology’s quartet, but Junu is in an entirely different category. The love I have for him knows no bounds. I went into this reread knowing I loved him but not really remembering why, and came out of it adoring him even more fiercely. HE IS THE SWEETEST CINNAMON ROLL!!! MUST PROTECC!!! 🥹💞🫂💞🥹
Seriously though, words cannot describe how much I adore him. I’ve always sympathized with him, that’s nothing new, but I did notice something this time around that I didn’t before. Maybe the nuance of it all was lost on me because I listened to this on audio, or maybe I just forgot because I’ve read so many books and had so much else on my mind in the two years since reading this initially. I don’t know which it is. But the way he just crumbled inside, bit by bit, every time one of the other characters doubted or berated him, even as he continued to smirk and joke and pretend he was fine… IT KILLED ME. HE NEEDS THE BIGGEST HUG AND EVERYONE NEEDS TO BE NICE TO HIM. JUNU DEFENSE SQUAD 2022. 🥹🥹💗💗
And the romance??? SO HELP ME. KAT CHO HAVE MERCY ON MY SOUL.
“But it’s not Miyoung who made me hope.”
[[MUFFLED SHRIEKING]]
JOMIN IS HATE-TO-LOVE DONE RIGHT AND THAT’S THAT ON THAT.
And… y’know… they‘ve almost made me cry twice now. So there’s that. Fun times. :’)))
In other news!! Read this duology!! It has no fandom and that is a TRAGEDY!! Join in my awe, adoration and intense feelings!! ✨✨✨
[first read, September 2020]
If Wicked Fox was phenomenal, then that must mean that Vicious Spirits is perfect. I put the audiobook on hold via Libby immediately after finishing the first book, and I was so freaking excited the day it was ready. Once again, despite it being nearly twelve hours long, I marathoned it in about a day. I even chose listening to this over playing The Sims, which, for me, means a lot.
I didn’t read the synopsis for this book, so I was not aware that it was a companion, not a direct sequel. I didn’t know that Somin and Junu were the protagonists this time around, with Miyoung and Jihoon still quite prominent but no longer narrating. It was a surprise, but not an unpleasant one.
I don’t think I have the words to describe how much I love this book. I keep a note on my phone while reading, to track reactions and thoughts to put in my reviews. This time around, that note is just a long list of panicking and fangirling and emojis. It’s fitting, to be honest, as this story was even more of a whirlwind than that of the first book.
I adore these characters with my whole heart. I already knew that Miyoung and Jihoon were amazing, but learning more about characters that were on the sidelines in Wicked Fox and falling in love with them was a treat. Somin and Junu are just as amazing, in my opinion, and that’s that on that.
My favorite part of the story was undeniably the relationships between the four leads. Miyoung, Jihoon, and Somin’s friendship. The way the three of them antagonized Junu, even though sometimes they took it too far and I wanted to give Junu a hug. (Who am I kidding, I want to give them all hugs.) Miyoung and Jihoon are properly together now, and adorable. Then there’s the agonizing but adorable, heartbreaking yet heartwarming hate-to-love situation with Somin and Junu. I did wonder if something would happen between them, though it was a passing thought. But wow, I love and support it so much!!!
I will say, on that note, that this book seriously stressed me out. I thought the ending of Wicked Fox was intense, but that honestly feels like child’s play compared to the second half of this. I was, essentially, freaking out for six (seven?) hours of the not-quite-twelve hour experience. One minute I’d be laughing at cute banter, and five minutes later I’d be concerned because there was a fight. Then after another ten minutes or so, I’d be panicking completely. Cho does not go easy on readers’ emotions. The worst of it was about 80% in, and around the 85% mark I was unbelievably close to crying. That just doesn’t happen to me, but I am attached to these characters and I feared the worst.
But thankfully, thankfully, things worked out. I’m so, incredibly happy with how everything wrapped up, and now I’m wondering a) when I can buy my own copies of these books and b) what I’m supposed to do now that the duology is complete. There’s not even any couple fan art I can put as my phone’s lock screen. Or, at least, none that I’m aware of. (If you find some or draw some, help a girl out and let me know please.)
So, yeah, I have a new series to be obsessed with and shout about at every opportunity. Vicious Spirits was even more brilliant than its predecessor, something I hoped for but wasn’t sure was possible. I look forward to Cho’s future work. In the meantime, PLEASE READ WICKED FOX.
Representation:
I question my past self’s taste on a lot of things, but I can say one thing with absolute certainty: when she said “Vicious Spirits is perfect,” she was ABSOLUTELY GODDAMN RIGHT. THIS BOOK IS A MASTERPIECE.
I love all four characters in this duology’s quartet, but Junu is in an entirely different category. The love I have for him knows no bounds. I went into this reread knowing I loved him but not really remembering why, and came out of it adoring him even more fiercely. HE IS THE SWEETEST CINNAMON ROLL!!! MUST PROTECC!!! 🥹💞🫂💞🥹
Seriously though, words cannot describe how much I adore him. I’ve always sympathized with him, that’s nothing new, but I did notice something this time around that I didn’t before. Maybe the nuance of it all was lost on me because I listened to this on audio, or maybe I just forgot because I’ve read so many books and had so much else on my mind in the two years since reading this initially. I don’t know which it is. But the way he just crumbled inside, bit by bit, every time one of the other characters doubted or berated him, even as he continued to smirk and joke and pretend he was fine… IT KILLED ME. HE NEEDS THE BIGGEST HUG AND EVERYONE NEEDS TO BE NICE TO HIM. JUNU DEFENSE SQUAD 2022. 🥹🥹💗💗
And the romance??? SO HELP ME. KAT CHO HAVE MERCY ON MY SOUL.
“But it’s not Miyoung who made me hope.”
[[MUFFLED SHRIEKING]]
JOMIN IS HATE-TO-LOVE DONE RIGHT AND THAT’S THAT ON THAT.
And… y’know… they‘ve almost made me cry twice now. So there’s that. Fun times. :’)))
In other news!! Read this duology!! It has no fandom and that is a TRAGEDY!! Join in my awe, adoration and intense feelings!! ✨✨✨
[first read, September 2020]
If Wicked Fox was phenomenal, then that must mean that Vicious Spirits is perfect. I put the audiobook on hold via Libby immediately after finishing the first book, and I was so freaking excited the day it was ready. Once again, despite it being nearly twelve hours long, I marathoned it in about a day. I even chose listening to this over playing The Sims, which, for me, means a lot.
I didn’t read the synopsis for this book, so I was not aware that it was a companion, not a direct sequel. I didn’t know that Somin and Junu were the protagonists this time around, with Miyoung and Jihoon still quite prominent but no longer narrating. It was a surprise, but not an unpleasant one.
I don’t think I have the words to describe how much I love this book. I keep a note on my phone while reading, to track reactions and thoughts to put in my reviews. This time around, that note is just a long list of panicking and fangirling and emojis. It’s fitting, to be honest, as this story was even more of a whirlwind than that of the first book.
I adore these characters with my whole heart. I already knew that Miyoung and Jihoon were amazing, but learning more about characters that were on the sidelines in Wicked Fox and falling in love with them was a treat. Somin and Junu are just as amazing, in my opinion, and that’s that on that.
My favorite part of the story was undeniably the relationships between the four leads. Miyoung, Jihoon, and Somin’s friendship. The way the three of them antagonized Junu, even though sometimes they took it too far and I wanted to give Junu a hug. (Who am I kidding, I want to give them all hugs.) Miyoung and Jihoon are properly together now, and adorable. Then there’s the agonizing but adorable, heartbreaking yet heartwarming hate-to-love situation with Somin and Junu. I did wonder if something would happen between them, though it was a passing thought. But wow, I love and support it so much!!!
I will say, on that note, that this book seriously stressed me out. I thought the ending of Wicked Fox was intense, but that honestly feels like child’s play compared to the second half of this. I was, essentially, freaking out for six (seven?) hours of the not-quite-twelve hour experience. One minute I’d be laughing at cute banter, and five minutes later I’d be concerned because there was a fight. Then after another ten minutes or so, I’d be panicking completely. Cho does not go easy on readers’ emotions. The worst of it was about 80% in, and around the 85% mark I was unbelievably close to crying. That just doesn’t happen to me, but I am attached to these characters and I feared the worst.
But thankfully, thankfully, things worked out. I’m so, incredibly happy with how everything wrapped up, and now I’m wondering a) when I can buy my own copies of these books and b) what I’m supposed to do now that the duology is complete. There’s not even any couple fan art I can put as my phone’s lock screen. Or, at least, none that I’m aware of. (If you find some or draw some, help a girl out and let me know please.)
So, yeah, I have a new series to be obsessed with and shout about at every opportunity. Vicious Spirits was even more brilliant than its predecessor, something I hoped for but wasn’t sure was possible. I look forward to Cho’s future work. In the meantime, PLEASE READ WICKED FOX.
Representation:
- full cast of Korean characters
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Blood, and Grief
Moderate: Cancer, Medical content, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury
Miyoung mourns the recent loss of her mother and Jihoon mourns the recent loss of his grandmother; Somin remembers and mourns her late father, who died of cancer when she was a child. There are a few instances of characters visiting or being admitted to the hospital, though never for long. In the last third of the book, one character dies by strangulation and one by fire, though both scenes are brief/vague and neither character is major.