Book Review: Tsumiko and the Enslaved Fox by Forthright

Tsumiko and the Enslaved Fox
Author: Forthright
Series: Amaranthine Saga Book 1
Publication: Twinkle Press (February 21, 2018)

Description: Tsumiko inherits an ancestral home, a vast fortune, and a butler who isn’t exactly human.

Humanity is rocked by the Emergence of a people who call themselves the Amaranthine. They are our myths and legends come to life. Neither human nor animal, yet embracing qualities of both, the inhuman races inspire both awe and fear. Every newsfeed is clogged with updates about the peace process, but some places don’t concern themselves with worldly affairs. Like the girls’ school run by Saint Midori’s of the Heavenly Lights, where Tsumiko Hajime grew up.

A letter from a long-lost aunt names Tsumiko heiress to an ancestral estate and its accompanying fortune. Only the legacy comes with an aloof heirloom: an inhuman butler. Argent has served the Hajime family for centuries, and Tsumiko must renew the generational bond or he’ll die. Argent hates her for the hold she has over him, but he craves her soul almost as much as he craves his freedom.

My Thoughts: Tsumiko is an orphan who was raised in a girls' school run by Saint Midori's of the Heavenly Lights. It is a life that she cherishes as she has found a purpose in taking care of the young girls and orphans who live there. When a lawyer comes to tell her that she is the heir of a great-aunt she doesn't know, she doesn't know just how much her life if going to change. She has inherited a house, a fortune, and an Amaranthine butler.

When Tsumiko learns that she needs to bind Argent to her in order to save his life, she does it. But she makes a promise to him to find a way to set him free. Argent doesn't believe her since he has faced ownership from generations of women in Tsumiko's family. But Tsumiko gradually wins him over with her kindness and sincerity. But breaking a bond that has lasted for generations is not an easy thing to do.

Since the Emergence which brought the Amaranthine to the notice of humans is only a year old, it is still a fragile situation. The Amaranthine are trying to convince the humans that they are harmless which is difficult because some kind of Amaranthine is kidnapping and impregnating young women. Unfortunately, most do not survive giving birth to an Amaranthine child. Argent has a grown, hybrid son of his own from a forced encounter with one of his owners who didn't survive the experience.

Tsumiko is a beacon which means that she overflows with the life energy that the Amaranthine covet, but she is completely untrained. Her generosity with her energy is part of what draws Argent to her. It is also the thing that makes her a target for less scrupulous Amaranthine.

I really enjoyed the creative world building in this story and the well-developed characters. The Amaranthine are fully developed and non-human characters. I liked that the story is told from both Argent and Tsumiko's point of view.

Favorite Quote:

"Argent hates me. He told me so himself."

"Foxes aren't famous for being straightforward. Saying he hates you could mean anything."

"He hates that I own him."

"No doubt, but it's probably more complicated than that. With foxes, it's all about nuance."

Tsumiko tweaked his ear. "There's no nuance in 'I hate you.'"

"There are plenty of possibilities. He hates that he wants you. He hates that he can't hate you. He hates how much he doesn't hate you." Gingko's eyebrows arched. "He's got it bad."

I bought this one. You can buy your copy here.