by Traci Chee
First published 2022
Miuko lives a quiet life as an innkeeper's daughter in Awara, where gods and monsters walk alongside humans. Her predictable world shatters when a curse begins turning her into a demon whose touch brings death. She sets out to break the curse and reclaim her normal existence. A clever magpie spirit becomes her companion while a demon prince blocks her path at every turn. Miuko faces trickster spirits, flees from demon hunters, and bargains with wild gods. Each challenge brings her closer to understanding the power growing within her. The curse grants her strength and freedom she never imagined possible. As her journey continues, Miuko realizes her old life may have been too small for who she was meant to become. She must choose between returning to safety or embracing the dangerous new version of herself.
Genres: adventure, coming-of-age, fantasy, magical-realism
Vibes: atmospheric, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: chosen-one, enemies-to-lovers, found-family
Setting: Awara
Period: 21st-century
384 pages · ebook · HarperCollins
Content warnings: violence