Title: Ink
Author: Amanda Sun
Series:  Paper Gods #1
Genre: YA, Mythology, Paranormal
Format: Paperback, 377 pages
Release Date: June 25, 2013
Publisher: Harlequin TEEN

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On the heels of a family tragedy, the last thing Katie Greene wants to do is move halfway across the world. Stuck with her aunt in Shizuoka, Japan, Katie feels lost. Alone. She doesn’t know the language, she can barely hold a pair of chopsticks, and she can’t seem to get the hang of taking her shoes off whenever she enters a building.

Then there’s gorgeous but aloof Tomohiro, star of the school’s kendo team. How did he really get the scar on his arm? Katie isn’t prepared for the answer. But when she sees the things he draws start moving, there’s no denying the truth: Tomo has a connection to the ancient gods of Japan, and being near Katie is causing his abilities to spiral out of control. If the wrong people notice, they'll both be targets.

Katie never wanted to move to Japan—now she may not make it out of the country alive.

Mythology has always been a love of mine, so naturally when an author draws on it in their writing I am all over it. When I heard about Ink for the first time and saw that it was based on Japanese Mythology I was thrilled. One, because its mythology(duh!), and two because its a culture that is so foreign to me that I was excited to read about it.

Ink follows Katie, a young girl whose mother dies and is shipped off to live with her aunt in Japan. What I loved most about Katie was her ability as a narrator to make the reader understand everything around her, even if they are in another language. Katie know Japanese and can speak it so that was an aspect I loved reading and trying to wrap my head around. Amanda Sun did an amazing job at incorporating Japanese language and culture without alienating the reader. although I did not understand all the cultural nuances, it in no way took away from the story, which was great.

Although this novel is about Japanese mythology, it is also about the relationship between Katie and Tomo- A local boy with the ability to make drawings come to life. Their relationship was great because it was not a love at first sight kind of story, it was more a lust/hate kind at the beginning. I loved watching their relationship grow and their ability to trust each other come to light. It was a great relationship to read- not only because of the sexual tension but also because it felt real and like a young first love.

Ink was an amazing debut that blew me away from the very first page. Not only will you fall in love with Katie and Tomo but also with Japan. Ink showcases a culture that is extremely foreign, yet presents it in a way that we can all relate to. A great read.