Gods & Comics - by Kat Cho (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

New York Times bestseller Kat Cho returns with a fresh contemporary, fantasy romance about a teen whose life is upended when the gods in her anonymous viral web comic inspired by a forgotten Korean myth come to life and the hero falls in love with her.

Seventeen-year-old junior class vice president Grace Bak has her entire future all mapped out with plans to become a doctor like her parents. But the weight of Grace's own daunting expectations leads to debilitating panic attacks that have made her a virtual outcast at school, even to her longtime friend and crush. To make matters worse, her grandmother and only real support system has just died. Halmeoni was the glue that kept Grace's little family together, especially after she and her dad lost her mother to cancer when Grace was too little to have many memories of her. To cope with the grief of another loss, Grace starts a webcomic inspired by the Korean myths her halmeoni used to tell her as a child.

In Sun God, Grace spins the tale of Korean god Haemosu and his love Yuhwa, but with a twist--the two gods are trapped in the bodies of teenagers and, worst of all, cursed to attend high school. Grace never expected her comic to go viral, but it has, and the new fandom has somehow conjured the real Haemosu. Now it's up to Grace to get him back home. But when she starts to fall for Hae, sending him home is the last thing she wants to do. More troubling, Hae isn't the only god to suddenly reappear. Hae's sworn enemy--also brought back to the mortal realm by Grace's comic--is set on destroying Hae, all while infecting humanity with a deadly disease.

As an epic battle between gods looms, Hae is without his powers, so it may fall to Grace to fight back against a vengeful god hell-bent on punishing anyone who gets in his way.

Review Quotes

Praise for Gods & Comics

★ "Cho seamlessly weaves elements of historical Korean myth into contemporary settings and action-packed sequences. Human issues of racial microaggressions, grief, and anxiety take center stage amid godly conflicts, making for a fresh and richly layered K-drama-esque romantasy."--Publisher's Weekly, starred review

"A fast-paced romantasy rooted in Korean mythology...the fantasy elements shine...realistic themes of grief, anxiety, and micro-aggressions...dealt with...in a powerful way.--School Library Journal

"Cho deftly blends the craft of comic creation with...a contemporary tale of a teen... navigating grief and crippling anxiety...Framed around Korean culture, Cho's story highlights mental health and the pressures teens place on themselves, along with those they feel from others. Urban fantasy fans will enjoy the magic system and lore, while readers who enjoy contemporary stories could use this as a gateway to lighter fantastical elements."--Booklist

About the Author

Kat Cho used to hide books under the bathroom sink and then sneak in there to read after bedtime. Her parents pretended not to know. This was helpful when she decided to write a dinosaur time-travel novel at the tender age of nine. Sadly, that book was not published. She currently lives in New York City and spends her free time trying to figure out what kind of puppy to adopt. Kat is the New York Times and international bestselling author of the Gumiho duology and Once Upon a K-Prom. Find her at KatChoWrites.com.