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Fate's Thread #1
The God and the Gumiho
Win a free print copy of this book!
8 days and 07:11:31
5 copies available
U.S. only
In this sly and dazzling contemporary fantasy, the most notorious nine-tailed fox in Korea pairs up with a trickster god–turned–detective to track down a wrathful demon . . . before it can destroy the mortal world.
Kim Hani has retired from a life of devouring souls. She is, simply put, too full. Once known as the infamous Scarlet Fox, she now spends her days working in a coffee shop and annoying a particularly irritating, if unfairly handsome, trickster god as often as she can.
That god is Seokga the Fallen. Exiled from the heavenly kingdom of Okhwang, he now begrudgingly resides in the mortal realm, working toward his redemption and suffering through his interactions with the particularly infuriating, if sneakily charming, gumiho barista at his favorite café.
But when a powerful demon escapes from the underworld and threatens to end all of humanity, Okhwang’s emperor offers Seokga an enticing bargain: Kill this rogue creature, as well as the legendary and elusive Scarlet Fox, and he will be reinstated as a god. Hani, however, has no intention of being caught. Seokga might be a trickster god, but she has a trick of her own that he’ll never see coming: teaming up. As Seokga’s assistant, Hani will undermine and sabotage his investigation right under his overly pointy nose. Sure, she’ll help him kill the demon, but she certainly won’t allow him to uncover her secret identity while they’re at it.
As the bickering partners track their case down a path of mayhem and violence, the god and the gumiho find themselves inescapably drawn to each other. But will the unlikely couple stand together to prevent the apocalypse, or will they let their secrets tear them—and the world—apart?
Kim Hani has retired from a life of devouring souls. She is, simply put, too full. Once known as the infamous Scarlet Fox, she now spends her days working in a coffee shop and annoying a particularly irritating, if unfairly handsome, trickster god as often as she can.
That god is Seokga the Fallen. Exiled from the heavenly kingdom of Okhwang, he now begrudgingly resides in the mortal realm, working toward his redemption and suffering through his interactions with the particularly infuriating, if sneakily charming, gumiho barista at his favorite café.
But when a powerful demon escapes from the underworld and threatens to end all of humanity, Okhwang’s emperor offers Seokga an enticing bargain: Kill this rogue creature, as well as the legendary and elusive Scarlet Fox, and he will be reinstated as a god. Hani, however, has no intention of being caught. Seokga might be a trickster god, but she has a trick of her own that he’ll never see coming: teaming up. As Seokga’s assistant, Hani will undermine and sabotage his investigation right under his overly pointy nose. Sure, she’ll help him kill the demon, but she certainly won’t allow him to uncover her secret identity while they’re at it.
As the bickering partners track their case down a path of mayhem and violence, the god and the gumiho find themselves inescapably drawn to each other. But will the unlikely couple stand together to prevent the apocalypse, or will they let their secrets tear them—and the world—apart?
416 pages, Paperback
First published June 4, 2024
About the author
Sophie Kim
5 books442 followersSophie Kim is the #1 Sunday Times bestselling author of stories that feature mythology, monsters, mystery, and magic. Her critically acclaimed work includes young adult novels such as the Talons series, as well as books on the adult spectrum such as The God and the Gumiho.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 900 reviews
May 31, 2024
i was not a fan of this book for the first half but thankfully the later part of it sort of redeemed itself. there’s a decent mix of Korean mythology, romance and mystery set in this urban fantasy realm of New Sinsi.
“We can be the new Sherlock and Watson.”
“Sherlock and Watson,” Seokga says dubiously.
Hani eyes him. “You’ve never read those books?”
“No.” Seogka wrinkles his nose. “I prefer Seogka and Hani.”
the main reason i wasn’t connecting to the story was due to the two main characters Seogka and Hani. Seogka is a trickster god and Hani is a gumiho, which means they’re 1000+ years old and yet they act worse than teenagers initially. it’s clear that the author leaned heavily into popular tropes and one of the main ones here would be enemies to lovers but the way Seokga and Hani interacted just felt annoying until i became accustomed to their personalities. i actually preferred the detective plot line more than anything else and the ending section finally started to feel reminiscent of k-dramas (which i love), so my enjoyment increased because of that— i also just liked the way it all wrapped up with the conflict and the romance.
→ thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the arc, all opinions are my own.
“We can be the new Sherlock and Watson.”
“Sherlock and Watson,” Seokga says dubiously.
Hani eyes him. “You’ve never read those books?”
“No.” Seogka wrinkles his nose. “I prefer Seogka and Hani.”
the main reason i wasn’t connecting to the story was due to the two main characters Seogka and Hani. Seogka is a trickster god and Hani is a gumiho, which means they’re 1000+ years old and yet they act worse than teenagers initially. it’s clear that the author leaned heavily into popular tropes and one of the main ones here would be enemies to lovers but the way Seokga and Hani interacted just felt annoying until i became accustomed to their personalities. i actually preferred the detective plot line more than anything else and the ending section finally started to feel reminiscent of k-dramas (which i love), so my enjoyment increased because of that— i also just liked the way it all wrapped up with the conflict and the romance.
→ thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the arc, all opinions are my own.
July 5, 2024
when he only likes two things: coffee and her>>>
a fallen god turned detective and his new assistant who is actually behind the murder of his most recent case solve a string of murders that could tear apart the city
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a fallen god turned detective and his new assistant who is actually behind the murder of his most recent case solve a string of murders that could tear apart the city
Follow me on Instagram
June 30, 2024
I had high expectations for this novel, but unfortunately, the outcome did not meet those expectations. My main issues revolved around the central characters, Seogka, a fallen God, and Hani, a fox spirit. Their behaviors did not align with their rich backgrounds and histories. It was rather off-putting to read about these supernatural beings, supposedly hundreds of years old, acting like moody teenagers.
Hani, a gumiho—a being that sustains itself by eating the livers of men—lacked the menace that her character should exude. Instead of feeling the intended danger, I found myself reading about her spitefully getting a customer’s order wrong and talking about fanfic. This was an immediate turn-off for me.
Seokga, the god of trickery and deceit, was equally disappointing. His characterization felt like empty words on a page. He remained a complete bore until the last few chapters, but by that point, I was too disengaged to care.
Despite these character issues, I did enjoy the setting and atmosphere of the story. It evoked strong vibes of popular K-dramas such as "Tale of the Nine Tailed," "My Girlfriend Is a Gumiho," and "A Korean Odyssey." Fans of these dramas will recognize and appreciate the mythological creatures and concepts presented.
Overall, while I failed to connect with the story, I appreciated the Korean folklore and the familiar elements from K-dramas that I've come to love over the years.
Thank you, NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Hani, a gumiho—a being that sustains itself by eating the livers of men—lacked the menace that her character should exude. Instead of feeling the intended danger, I found myself reading about her spitefully getting a customer’s order wrong and talking about fanfic. This was an immediate turn-off for me.
Seokga, the god of trickery and deceit, was equally disappointing. His characterization felt like empty words on a page. He remained a complete bore until the last few chapters, but by that point, I was too disengaged to care.
Despite these character issues, I did enjoy the setting and atmosphere of the story. It evoked strong vibes of popular K-dramas such as "Tale of the Nine Tailed," "My Girlfriend Is a Gumiho," and "A Korean Odyssey." Fans of these dramas will recognize and appreciate the mythological creatures and concepts presented.
Overall, while I failed to connect with the story, I appreciated the Korean folklore and the familiar elements from K-dramas that I've come to love over the years.
Thank you, NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
May 20, 2024
Even though it is only March, I think “The God and the Gumiho” might just be one of my favorite reads. “The God and the Gumiho” follows Seokga, a fallen god who has been a chance at redemption and Hani, a Gumiho who was once known as the Scarlet Fox and went on a killing rampage. In order for Seokga to regain his godliness, he must both stop an immensely dangerous creature that has been wreaking havoc in South Korea, and the Scarlet Fox who has made a sudden reappearance after a long retirement. What happens when Seokga’s new assistant is Hani, the Scarlet Fox that he is searching for?
One of the things I loved the most about this book was the relationship between Hani and Seokga. They had banter and were a very entertaining couple to read about. I appreciated that their relationship was balanced. While Seokga is a God, Hani is a powerful Gumiho that has been alive for thousands of years. It was a breath of fresh air to not read about a really old man and a teenager. Hani is also the more morally grey one of the couple. She has killed, a lot. Seokga has his own past, but he is the trickster god, and I was not under the impression that his past was filled with murder.
Seokga and Hani’s relationship was not quick, in the terms of the page. They had to get to know one another as they went on this journey together, and they definitely did not immediately find themselves liking one another. However, in terms of the actual storyline, their relationship was quick. I found myself astounded when I found out that the majority of the events of the book took place in about a week.
There were so many little aspects of this book that I loved. All of the different incorporations of Korean mythology was well done. At first it was slightly intimidating, but I found myself quickly going along with what was happening. I would not give up early on if you find yourself struggling with this.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I think this is the first ARC I find myself NEEDING a physical copy of.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
One of the things I loved the most about this book was the relationship between Hani and Seokga. They had banter and were a very entertaining couple to read about. I appreciated that their relationship was balanced. While Seokga is a God, Hani is a powerful Gumiho that has been alive for thousands of years. It was a breath of fresh air to not read about a really old man and a teenager. Hani is also the more morally grey one of the couple. She has killed, a lot. Seokga has his own past, but he is the trickster god, and I was not under the impression that his past was filled with murder.
Seokga and Hani’s relationship was not quick, in the terms of the page. They had to get to know one another as they went on this journey together, and they definitely did not immediately find themselves liking one another. However, in terms of the actual storyline, their relationship was quick. I found myself astounded when I found out that the majority of the events of the book took place in about a week.
There were so many little aspects of this book that I loved. All of the different incorporations of Korean mythology was well done. At first it was slightly intimidating, but I found myself quickly going along with what was happening. I would not give up early on if you find yourself struggling with this.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I think this is the first ARC I find myself NEEDING a physical copy of.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 18, 2024
3.5 stars rounded down. I feel like this is the perfect example of a book that has all the individual parts to be a great read for me but comes up short in the execution. Although I can safely say that this has a very pretty cover.
Seogka, the fallen trickers god, is forced to do penance (after a failed coup to take over his brothers heavenly kingdom) by means of being a supernatural investigator on earth and sending nasty creatures back to the spiritual dimension they came from. Then there is the FMC Hani, who is a legendary fox spirit called The Scarlett Fox, who is best known for a mass scale slaughter 100 years ago. After Hani accidentally draws attention to herself following some murders, she infiltrates the investigation to try and sabotage the efforts to find her.
This started off on an intriguing foot and gave some very Sherlock and Moriarty vibes which was fun to start with. Some initial positives- this was fascinating exposure to South Korean mythology and I hadn’t realised how much I didn’t know and I really enjoyed learning more about it. Secondly, the writing craft in this is perfectly fine. I’ve tried to research if this is marketed as a YA or adult fantasy and whilst nothing I’ve found is concrete I can tell you that it reads YA (not that there’s anything wrong with that, just an FYI for the vibe) although has a few very mild spicy scenes.
Then things start to fall off for me a bit. I missed the initial note stating that this was set in 1992 and found myself confused thinking it was modern day setting as there is common use of mobile phones, but suddenly all the security footage evidence is being provided in VHS tapes? It wasn’t till the end that I realised what I missed and it made sense, but i was so confused for a while there.
Neither of the main characters really provided me much depth or chemistry and I never really felt emotionally invested in either them or their plights. I mean the core of the enmity in their relationship came from an incorrectly made coffee…I’ll admit that while their journey from enemies to lovers didn’t really sell me and all seemed a bit too easy, I preferred their characterization at the end significantly more than the beginning.
They are both meant to be over 1500 years old and yet they came off as being immature and childish and just made poor decisions which make no sense for creatures that old. Hani is meant to be this incredibly powerful and cunning fox spirit and yet the first opportunity to pick up weapons she picks up a pair of daggers that are the same as those that are known to be the signature weapons of her hidden identity as The Scarlett Fox and triggering off Seokga’s suspicions, very much not what I expect from a cunning and ancient creature. And Seogka is meant to be this trickster god but I never really saw any evidence of cunning, charm or deviousness- he was mostly just a dick to everyone.
I definitely think that this is a case of ‘your mileage may vary’ and that some people will love this, but the personalities in this just didn’t work for me (perhaps you need to vibe with kdramas more to get it). I hadn’t planned to really bother with further books in this series but the ending in the last 10% actually turned it around enough to put me back on the fence about it.
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this eARC
Seogka, the fallen trickers god, is forced to do penance (after a failed coup to take over his brothers heavenly kingdom) by means of being a supernatural investigator on earth and sending nasty creatures back to the spiritual dimension they came from. Then there is the FMC Hani, who is a legendary fox spirit called The Scarlett Fox, who is best known for a mass scale slaughter 100 years ago. After Hani accidentally draws attention to herself following some murders, she infiltrates the investigation to try and sabotage the efforts to find her.
This started off on an intriguing foot and gave some very Sherlock and Moriarty vibes which was fun to start with. Some initial positives- this was fascinating exposure to South Korean mythology and I hadn’t realised how much I didn’t know and I really enjoyed learning more about it. Secondly, the writing craft in this is perfectly fine. I’ve tried to research if this is marketed as a YA or adult fantasy and whilst nothing I’ve found is concrete I can tell you that it reads YA (not that there’s anything wrong with that, just an FYI for the vibe) although has a few very mild spicy scenes.
Then things start to fall off for me a bit. I missed the initial note stating that this was set in 1992 and found myself confused thinking it was modern day setting as there is common use of mobile phones, but suddenly all the security footage evidence is being provided in VHS tapes? It wasn’t till the end that I realised what I missed and it made sense, but i was so confused for a while there.
Neither of the main characters really provided me much depth or chemistry and I never really felt emotionally invested in either them or their plights. I mean the core of the enmity in their relationship came from an incorrectly made coffee…I’ll admit that while their journey from enemies to lovers didn’t really sell me and all seemed a bit too easy, I preferred their characterization at the end significantly more than the beginning.
They are both meant to be over 1500 years old and yet they came off as being immature and childish and just made poor decisions which make no sense for creatures that old. Hani is meant to be this incredibly powerful and cunning fox spirit and yet the first opportunity to pick up weapons she picks up a pair of daggers that are the same as those that are known to be the signature weapons of her hidden identity as The Scarlett Fox and triggering off Seokga’s suspicions, very much not what I expect from a cunning and ancient creature. And Seogka is meant to be this trickster god but I never really saw any evidence of cunning, charm or deviousness- he was mostly just a dick to everyone.
I definitely think that this is a case of ‘your mileage may vary’ and that some people will love this, but the personalities in this just didn’t work for me (perhaps you need to vibe with kdramas more to get it). I hadn’t planned to really bother with further books in this series but the ending in the last 10% actually turned it around enough to put me back on the fence about it.
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this eARC
July 19, 2024
API Month
Take this with a grain of salt. I didn't realize this was the same author of Last of the Talons, which I also severely disliked. A lot of you loved this. I hated it. More than some other Asian fantasies I probably shouldn't be naming again.
Hani is secretly the Scarlet Fox, a supposedly very scary eater of men's livers and so-called killer. She reads like an annoying teen. It took me a while to notice this, but Zana did right away, but Seokga the Fallen reads straight from a Loki/Reader fanfic. The green eyes. Must every fantasy contain a withdrawn male with green eyes?
They hate each other. Then they don't. It gets dramatic. It gets boring. I skimmed a lot of it, because I couldn't wait for it to be over. The coffee subplot is not funny. I enjoyed getting to the last page, because that meant I was done.
📚 Buddy read with Zana
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey
Take this with a grain of salt. I didn't realize this was the same author of Last of the Talons, which I also severely disliked. A lot of you loved this. I hated it. More than some other Asian fantasies I probably shouldn't be naming again.
Hani is secretly the Scarlet Fox, a supposedly very scary eater of men's livers and so-called killer. She reads like an annoying teen. It took me a while to notice this, but Zana did right away, but Seokga the Fallen reads straight from a Loki/Reader fanfic. The green eyes. Must every fantasy contain a withdrawn male with green eyes?
They hate each other. Then they don't. It gets dramatic. It gets boring. I skimmed a lot of it, because I couldn't wait for it to be over. The coffee subplot is not funny. I enjoyed getting to the last page, because that meant I was done.
📚 Buddy read with Zana
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey
June 5, 2024
Happy Publication Day
I am a simple creature. A girl in love with her K-dramas, no matter how many times I physically recoil from cringey scenes. I eat them up every time. So it doesn't surprise me how much I loved this book, despite the juvenile MCs and somewhat overplayed tropes.
Kim Hani has retired from the life of eating men's souls as the Scarlet Fox to work in a coffee shop. Her shenanigans now consist of annoying the fallen trickster god Seokga by ruining his coffee orders. Seokga hates the mortal world and is trying to get back to Okhwang. He has several centuries left of this miserable existence until he is offered a deal: kill the Scarlet Fox and a demon terrorizing mortals in exchange for reinstated godhood. Hani, determined not to get caught, becomes his assistant and starts messing with the investigation. But she hesitantly starts working with Seokga when the demon destroys life as she knows it.
The MCs are really what made this story work for me. The immortals have the emotional maturity of a teen and the critical thinking skills of a toddler when it comes to each other. It's PEAK sunshine and grumpy energy. Honestly, this book's greatest strength is just how ridiculous it is. Their dynamic was so bad it was good. I adore mischievous women and Hani is the embodiment of that. It played well with Seokga's aversion to anything resembling cheer. They will not be everyone's favorite couple, and it was exhausting at times, but I loved it.
The mystery was fun because of how many moving pieces there were. Hani and Seokga chased down several leads which meant they covered a lot of ground. I loved the setting (90s Korea) mixed with interesting Korean folklore and fantasy creatures. The author did a great job balancing the real world and fantasy.
I will say, this book will have a very certain audience. The writing style and character depth make it feel very YA, but the violence and brief sexual scenes put this book in NA/Adult. I recommend this for K-drama lovers and readers who love slightly exaggerated sunshine and grumpy dynamics. Otherwise, steer clear or you will be asking yourself what you just read.
Sophie Kim, please give me more of Hani and Okhwang I love them.
CW: violence, swearing, gore, brief sexual scenes.
Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine/Del Rey for the advance copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
I am a simple creature. A girl in love with her K-dramas, no matter how many times I physically recoil from cringey scenes. I eat them up every time. So it doesn't surprise me how much I loved this book, despite the juvenile MCs and somewhat overplayed tropes.
Kim Hani has retired from the life of eating men's souls as the Scarlet Fox to work in a coffee shop. Her shenanigans now consist of annoying the fallen trickster god Seokga by ruining his coffee orders. Seokga hates the mortal world and is trying to get back to Okhwang. He has several centuries left of this miserable existence until he is offered a deal: kill the Scarlet Fox and a demon terrorizing mortals in exchange for reinstated godhood. Hani, determined not to get caught, becomes his assistant and starts messing with the investigation. But she hesitantly starts working with Seokga when the demon destroys life as she knows it.
The MCs are really what made this story work for me. The immortals have the emotional maturity of a teen and the critical thinking skills of a toddler when it comes to each other. It's PEAK sunshine and grumpy energy. Honestly, this book's greatest strength is just how ridiculous it is. Their dynamic was so bad it was good. I adore mischievous women and Hani is the embodiment of that. It played well with Seokga's aversion to anything resembling cheer. They will not be everyone's favorite couple, and it was exhausting at times, but I loved it.
The mystery was fun because of how many moving pieces there were. Hani and Seokga chased down several leads which meant they covered a lot of ground. I loved the setting (90s Korea) mixed with interesting Korean folklore and fantasy creatures. The author did a great job balancing the real world and fantasy.
I will say, this book will have a very certain audience. The writing style and character depth make it feel very YA, but the violence and brief sexual scenes put this book in NA/Adult. I recommend this for K-drama lovers and readers who love slightly exaggerated sunshine and grumpy dynamics. Otherwise, steer clear or you will be asking yourself what you just read.
Sophie Kim, please give me more of Hani and Okhwang I love them.
CW: violence, swearing, gore, brief sexual scenes.
Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine/Del Rey for the advance copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
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March 27, 2024
dnf @ 60%
Let me start this review by saying that this is one of my most anticipated releases of the year, especially after seeing all the raving reviews from early readers. Two cunning immortals who hate each other having to team up to solve a mystery while deceiving each other and then they fall in love? I was hooked. Sadly, I find this book highly disappointing and didn’t deliver in all the aspects that it promised well.
First of all, this book reads like a fanfiction. And while usually I have no qualms with that, especially if it’s enjoyable to read, it is not the case for this book. It was tedious and unnecessary, and it didn’t fit the tone of the story. There are plenty of dialogues that are extremely difficult to read, because there are too many unnecessary descriptions that, instead of giving the reader a good picture of the situation, make the entire thing hard to read. Not to mention how much they talk that could’ve been cut because it didn’t add up anything except for the headaches I have to suffer.
The romance aspect of this book, which I was hoping would be the savior of the book, is done so poorly. I said it to my friends before, but it developed faster than instant ramen and jumped from point A to point Z so quickly that it felt like they were teleporting into romance instead of having it developed organically. They went from annoying and hating each other to suddenly 100% tolerating in a span of one paragraph, and then from that to “oh I think I have romantic feelings for you” due to the magic of the one-bed trope (which isn’t done well too in this case). And then the next chapter, they kiss and suddenly they’re madly in love... I kept questioning myself if I missed a chapter or two, but I didn’t.
And the plot... my last thread of hope for this book. Even that wasn’t enough to make me keep reading because all I could think about was when this book would end, which was why I decided to dnf. It was somewhat interesting, but then it gets boring and I simply don’t care anymore.
All in all, I am very disappointed that this book didn’t deliver like I want it to, and I am happy if people enjoyed it, but this book isn’t for me at all and if our tastes are similar, then there’s a chance you won’t like this as much either.
Many thanks to Netgalley for sending me an arc
Let me start this review by saying that this is one of my most anticipated releases of the year, especially after seeing all the raving reviews from early readers. Two cunning immortals who hate each other having to team up to solve a mystery while deceiving each other and then they fall in love? I was hooked. Sadly, I find this book highly disappointing and didn’t deliver in all the aspects that it promised well.
First of all, this book reads like a fanfiction. And while usually I have no qualms with that, especially if it’s enjoyable to read, it is not the case for this book. It was tedious and unnecessary, and it didn’t fit the tone of the story. There are plenty of dialogues that are extremely difficult to read, because there are too many unnecessary descriptions that, instead of giving the reader a good picture of the situation, make the entire thing hard to read. Not to mention how much they talk that could’ve been cut because it didn’t add up anything except for the headaches I have to suffer.
The romance aspect of this book, which I was hoping would be the savior of the book, is done so poorly. I said it to my friends before, but it developed faster than instant ramen and jumped from point A to point Z so quickly that it felt like they were teleporting into romance instead of having it developed organically. They went from annoying and hating each other to suddenly 100% tolerating in a span of one paragraph, and then from that to “oh I think I have romantic feelings for you” due to the magic of the one-bed trope (which isn’t done well too in this case). And then the next chapter, they kiss and suddenly they’re madly in love... I kept questioning myself if I missed a chapter or two, but I didn’t.
And the plot... my last thread of hope for this book. Even that wasn’t enough to make me keep reading because all I could think about was when this book would end, which was why I decided to dnf. It was somewhat interesting, but then it gets boring and I simply don’t care anymore.
All in all, I am very disappointed that this book didn’t deliver like I want it to, and I am happy if people enjoyed it, but this book isn’t for me at all and if our tastes are similar, then there’s a chance you won’t like this as much either.
Many thanks to Netgalley for sending me an arc
March 3, 2024
Dear Sophie Kim,
Please make this is a series. PLEASE. It awakened my fantasy kdrama enjoyment, and the ending absolutely gutted me. I love my grumpy god and his cute, endearingly, sassy hot-chocolate drinking fox. I want to see them to continue to solve mysteries, live in his fancy palace, catch / kill more demons.
Please?
You like My Demon? Alchemy of Souls? Enjoy grumpy / sunshine trope, and actually want to read a fun fantasy detective mystery - read this. It shocked me honestly this was the same person who wrote the YA series. I think she truly has a hit with this one.
I love the world of fantasy creatures, grim reapers, gods, magic, and food. Lots, and lots of food.
I also love that while it took 7 days for him to develop feelings for her, it took a while to see it played out on paper. I also loved that as soon as he kissed he fell harder and wanted her like he never wanted any one before.
I loved the ending, and while it ended on a happy note, I don't think their work is finished and I don't think we've seen the last of them. But just in case, please read this, support it, and get me book two.
Please make this is a series. PLEASE. It awakened my fantasy kdrama enjoyment, and the ending absolutely gutted me. I love my grumpy god and his cute, endearingly, sassy hot-chocolate drinking fox. I want to see them to continue to solve mysteries, live in his fancy palace, catch / kill more demons.
Please?
You like My Demon? Alchemy of Souls? Enjoy grumpy / sunshine trope, and actually want to read a fun fantasy detective mystery - read this. It shocked me honestly this was the same person who wrote the YA series. I think she truly has a hit with this one.
I love the world of fantasy creatures, grim reapers, gods, magic, and food. Lots, and lots of food.
I also love that while it took 7 days for him to develop feelings for her, it took a while to see it played out on paper. I also loved that as soon as he kissed he fell harder and wanted her like he never wanted any one before.
I loved the ending, and while it ended on a happy note, I don't think their work is finished and I don't think we've seen the last of them. But just in case, please read this, support it, and get me book two.
Shelved as 'ꗃ-on-hold'
June 5, 2024⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢୭ৎ⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢
⌗ ◌ 🍶𓂃 𓈒𓏸 pre-read
﹙started﹚ㅤ𓈒ㅤׂ 0 5 / 0 6 / 2 4 ⊹
happy release week !! reading it with this idiot (very affectionate)
⌗ ◌ 🍶𓂃 𓈒𓏸 pre-read
﹙started﹚ㅤ𓈒ㅤׂ 0 5 / 0 6 / 2 4 ⊹
happy release week !! reading it with this idiot (very affectionate)
May 30, 2024
3.5 stars
The God and the Gumiho is a fun, campy romantic fantasy about mischievous immortals in a Korean city filled with mythical creatures. Though I really enjoyed the world and the characters, I wish the book had leaned into the fantasy elements a little bit more. This definitely feels like a romance book set in an urban fantasy world. Which is fun! But the light and fun romance bordered on cringe for me at times. (Am I just a miserable person?)
Seokga and Hani are both compelling main characters. I love that they are both powerful immortal beings with long, complicated histories. They can come across as a bit childish at times, but it also suits their natures as a gumiho and a trickster god. The banter, tension, and angst before the romance really starts was so entertaining. Their relationship was cute. I almost wish it had been a slower burn but I also understand why it wasn't. I think I just prefer what Sophie Kim does with an angsty romance (looking at Wrath of the Talon where she ripped my heart out).
I like Seokga’s character arc and I am excited to see how he develops in the next book. However, his godly nature was a bit underdeveloped and his personality felt inconsistent at times. Seokga is a disgraced trickster god known for pulling endless pranks on the rest of the pantheon. But what we’re told of his personality as a god doesn't really translate to Seokga as a character. I also don't love how drastically he changed after the romance started.
The monster-hunting, urban fantasy detective side of the story was my favorite part so I was a little disappointed when the romance really took over the story. I love the urban fantasy world that Sophie Kim creates and I just wanted to explore it a bit more.
The ending was a complete surprise and I love the direction the story is going. The bold choice really sets it apart. For most of the book, I did not plan to continue the series, but now I am absolutely hooked.
The God and the Gumiho is a fun, campy romantic fantasy about mischievous immortals in a Korean city filled with mythical creatures. Though I really enjoyed the world and the characters, I wish the book had leaned into the fantasy elements a little bit more. This definitely feels like a romance book set in an urban fantasy world. Which is fun! But the light and fun romance bordered on cringe for me at times. (Am I just a miserable person?)
Seokga and Hani are both compelling main characters. I love that they are both powerful immortal beings with long, complicated histories. They can come across as a bit childish at times, but it also suits their natures as a gumiho and a trickster god. The banter, tension, and angst before the romance really starts was so entertaining. Their relationship was cute. I almost wish it had been a slower burn but I also understand why it wasn't. I think I just prefer what Sophie Kim does with an angsty romance (looking at Wrath of the Talon where she ripped my heart out).
I like Seokga’s character arc and I am excited to see how he develops in the next book. However, his godly nature was a bit underdeveloped and his personality felt inconsistent at times. Seokga is a disgraced trickster god known for pulling endless pranks on the rest of the pantheon. But what we’re told of his personality as a god doesn't really translate to Seokga as a character. I also don't love how drastically he changed after the romance started.
The monster-hunting, urban fantasy detective side of the story was my favorite part so I was a little disappointed when the romance really took over the story. I love the urban fantasy world that Sophie Kim creates and I just wanted to explore it a bit more.
The ending was a complete surprise and I love the direction the story is going. The bold choice really sets it apart. For most of the book, I did not plan to continue the series, but now I am absolutely hooked.
July 4, 2024
This was such a fun time!
A fallen God turned detective gets a new assistant who is the Scarlet Fox he is hunting for, wrapped up in a murder mystery.
A fallen God turned detective gets a new assistant who is the Scarlet Fox he is hunting for, wrapped up in a murder mystery.
May 20, 2024
"There are no happy endings in your story. The god and the gumiho ends with tragedy."
IM CRYING NO WORDS JUST THIS BOOK HAS COMPLETELY AND UTTERLY DESTROYED ME IN THE BEST POSSIBLE WAYS. SOPHIE KIM YOU WILL BE PAYING FOR MY THERAPY BILLS MARK MY WORDS. the way my heart just went 📈📉📈📉📈 that was a whole emotional ride in those last chapters my god???
once again i have fallen in love!!! The God and the Gumiho absolutely SERVED i had an unbelievable amount of fun reading about this world and plot, but most of all seokga and hani were absolutely everything i love in characters!! new lomls acquired🥹
first of all, i literally love the korean lore and words and the way it was incorporated in a natural way that wasnt overwhelming at all as someone who is not really familiar with it!! i think i especially love it because on kindle if i highlight the word, it automatically tells me what the word means but i also didnt even need to do that because it would be explained without being so obviously info-dumping and truly thats a skill i love!! im also even more interested in korean mythology after this book because the creatures are truly so interesting like seriously didnt realize how tired (or maybe tired isnt the right word?? overused??) i was of the same old mythological creatures always being used until i read TGATG like genuinely i adore it.
then the plot--oh i will always eat up murder mysteries and trying to figure out who the eoduksini had possessed??? i feel bad for thinking it a specific someone because they were innocent in the end oops but also who the eoduksini was??? like about 75% i began suspecting someone and i was right but if you'd asked me this at the beginning of the book i literally never wouldve imagined😭 please they always say its the person you least suspect but even then i never get them early on LOL but damn if that eoduksini wasnt so smart actually??? despise them omg
and finally let me scream about my love for seokga and hani ohmygod?? YOUR HONOR I AM IN LOVE🥹🥹 the way they had me giggling, gasping, laughing, and grinning like a fool??? there literally couldve been absolutely no plot in this book and i still wouldve given 5 stars BECAUSE SEOKGA AND HANI >>> i adore those two so so so much, i always live for grumpyxsunshine and the way they started out hating the other (all due to coffee help i still find it so funny) to their petty and silly arguments and insults theyd throw at each other to slowly becoming insults with less heat and loathing and them begrudgingly respecting the other to still occassionally having arguments but then also caring so much about how the other perceives them and then considering each other as ...friends? and really noticing the small details about the other to then wondering if maybe theyre more than just friends and the shyness and sweet looks and ughhh my heart the hold they have on me?? im so gone for them
one bed scene?? waking up to cuddling BY THE SEOKGA??? their kisses?? the blushing??? the makeout sessions??? seokga's soft vulnerability??? hani's adorable rambling??? the way each felt so at ease with the other, like they found a part of themselves?? the little glances, the tugs at their hearts, the softening in their gazes?? yes indeed i am obsessed if you couldnt tell🥹 i felt like crying just because of how sweet these two are. and which is why it HURT even more knowing i was reaching the end because i just knew as soon as seokga eventually found out hani was really the scarlet fox, all that happiness would be gone so quick and it genuinely broke my heart thinking about that which is why i started procrastinating reaching the end😭 yes, i straight up tried to slow down my reading by starting another book, reading slower, trying to read some webcomics but no it didn't work because i have too much of an addiction for these two and you cant take them away from me i refuse (as for what ended up happening between those 2 and if there was a revelation indeed... well you'll have to read and find out👀)
but also i need to scream about it somewhere so MAJOR major spoilers here:
anyways yeah the things this book did to me, i went from laughing->grinning like a fool->fangirling and giggling->heartbreak and pain->(??????) youll only know this if you read the book xox and i seriously adore the character development in both hani and seokga, it was done so well and naturally <3
this has absolutely become one of my top favourite reads of 2024 and of all time, and i will so be doing a reread because its just that kind of book🫶 ugh thank you author for creating such a beautiful world with beautiful characters and also please tell me when book 2 is asap i need it🥹
Eternally thankful to Del Rey for providing me an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review!
_____________
pre-read review:
OMG KURI HUANG AND HER COVERS >>>> and this sounds amazing?? i need it asap
July 23, 2024
an intriguing blend of korean mythology and kdrama! i wish i was more familiar with the latter bc i've seen other reviews mention a lot of references and nods to popular kdrama series, but unfortunately they'd all go over my head.
i always enjoy reading less-utilized mythology sources; i was constantly looking up different creature references. and the food 🤌🏼 any food descriptions or new foods are a plus for me in books. the early 90's setting was also quite fun and nostalgic - i almost keeled over at "expensive nokia 121" lol.
while the murder mystery could be gruesome at parts, it was nicely juxtaposed with the silliness of the kdrama-esque relationship dynamic between our fallen god seokga and the infamous gumiho hani. i do feel like it wasn't the most complex relationship i've read in a book, but it was fun. they did act a bit teenager-ish for a god and a mythological creature of hundreds/thousands of years of age, but i chalk it up to the modern inspirations.
i probably would've given this 3.5 stars, but i like the creativity of blending contemporary kdrama with ancient mythology.
not one of my fav reads this year, but i'm interested in seeing where book 2 goes with that ending 👀
i always enjoy reading less-utilized mythology sources; i was constantly looking up different creature references. and the food 🤌🏼 any food descriptions or new foods are a plus for me in books. the early 90's setting was also quite fun and nostalgic - i almost keeled over at "expensive nokia 121" lol.
while the murder mystery could be gruesome at parts, it was nicely juxtaposed with the silliness of the kdrama-esque relationship dynamic between our fallen god seokga and the infamous gumiho hani. i do feel like it wasn't the most complex relationship i've read in a book, but it was fun. they did act a bit teenager-ish for a god and a mythological creature of hundreds/thousands of years of age, but i chalk it up to the modern inspirations.
i probably would've given this 3.5 stars, but i like the creativity of blending contemporary kdrama with ancient mythology.
not one of my fav reads this year, but i'm interested in seeing where book 2 goes with that ending 👀
February 4, 2024
Kim Hani is both a legend and a wanted criminal, the most wanted Gumiho in all of Iseung, killing five hundred men alone on London. Of course that was in 1888, and now in 1992 all she wants to do is live her life and so far she's been been doing a pretty good job of it. That is until she has one slip up and has now garnered the attention of the Seokga The Fallen, former god of mischief and chaos and current detective charged with sending twenty thousand monsters (which definitely includes Hani in their numbers) back to Jeoseung as punishiment for trying to overthrow his brother Hwanin. In a desperate bid to keep the insufferable ex god off her tail(s) she volunteers to be his assistant, planning to sabotage his case against her. Little do either of them know that a being far more deadly than any Guhimo has somehow broken free from Jeoseung and plans on bringing hell to Earth quite literally. With a mere two weeks to stop this demon Hani and Seokga will have to learn to get a long at the very least or they'll both lose everything.
Did not expect to read this straight through in a few hours (okay like six) and now that it is 3:06am I can say that I have absolutely zero regrets. Kim wrote an absolutely adorable story with extremely likable characters and a romance that I thought would end up filled with tropes and was happily not.
As Hani and Seokga are the only reasons this book even exists we'll start with them because I loved, absolutely adored, Hani. She is just genuinely so full of life, a ray of sunshine as Seokga calls her. Considering she's murdered 500 people that we know of I almost immediately assumed that Kim would have made her more of Wednesday Addams type, just a little bit more emo than she actually is and I am so grateful she didn't. She's just smart ass enough to not cross into bubbly, smart and quick witted, and as we find out in the last fight scene a bad ass. Seokga is amazing because he doesn't hold out very long after he realizes he has feelings for Hani, he's basically just like, well this is different might as well roll with it and he does. And it's glorious because he's just a sweetheart.
And that brings me to why this is so freaking good; outside of the ending (which is amazing) there are very few tropes here. And omg could Kim have happily skipped down trope lane here, there were so many times I was afraid it was going to, literally to the very end of the book and she just doesn't. And I'm eternally grateful for that. It is so wonderful to read a romance that doesn't have ninety pages of completely unrealistic interaction between two characters who clearly care for each. And while yes, almost the entire premise of the book is based on a trope, I'm okay with this, Kim doesn't compound it by piling more on so I'm good there.
And while I did figure out who the bad guy was pretty quickly I still enjoyed getting to the reveal. He was definitely a worthy adversary.
Overall, simply an excellent little fantasy romance that I found was a testament to the Kdramas Kim mentions in her Authors note. And not gonna lie I literally spent a good deal of the book trying to decide who I'd cast if this was turned into a drama. Totally worth losing some sleep over.
And as always thanks to Netgalley and Random House -Ballantine for the eArc!
Did not expect to read this straight through in a few hours (okay like six) and now that it is 3:06am I can say that I have absolutely zero regrets. Kim wrote an absolutely adorable story with extremely likable characters and a romance that I thought would end up filled with tropes and was happily not.
As Hani and Seokga are the only reasons this book even exists we'll start with them because I loved, absolutely adored, Hani. She is just genuinely so full of life, a ray of sunshine as Seokga calls her. Considering she's murdered 500 people that we know of I almost immediately assumed that Kim would have made her more of Wednesday Addams type, just a little bit more emo than she actually is and I am so grateful she didn't. She's just smart ass enough to not cross into bubbly, smart and quick witted, and as we find out in the last fight scene a bad ass. Seokga is amazing because he doesn't hold out very long after he realizes he has feelings for Hani, he's basically just like, well this is different might as well roll with it and he does. And it's glorious because he's just a sweetheart.
And that brings me to why this is so freaking good; outside of the ending (which is amazing) there are very few tropes here. And omg could Kim have happily skipped down trope lane here, there were so many times I was afraid it was going to, literally to the very end of the book and she just doesn't. And I'm eternally grateful for that. It is so wonderful to read a romance that doesn't have ninety pages of completely unrealistic interaction between two characters who clearly care for each. And while yes, almost the entire premise of the book is based on a trope, I'm okay with this, Kim doesn't compound it by piling more on so I'm good there.
And while I did figure out who the bad guy was pretty quickly I still enjoyed getting to the reveal. He was definitely a worthy adversary.
Overall, simply an excellent little fantasy romance that I found was a testament to the Kdramas Kim mentions in her Authors note. And not gonna lie I literally spent a good deal of the book trying to decide who I'd cast if this was turned into a drama. Totally worth losing some sleep over.
And as always thanks to Netgalley and Random House -Ballantine for the eArc!
June 11, 2024
Buddy read with Mai!
We both hated this. If you liked or loved this, or if you're a huge fan of k-dramas, romcoms, trad pubbed fanfic, look away.
Wow... What can I say about this that isn't totally critical and negative?
I did like the ending boss battle. I also liked the Korean mythology, however loosely adapted it was.
But other than that, I absolutely struggled through this mediocre and extremely juvenile novel that, for some reason, is listed as an adult read. It read like fanfic written by a teen who doesn't have the life skills to understand how adults act in professional settings. Or how adults act in general. Yeah, adults can be childish, but this novel took it to another level. Was the romance between Hani and Seokga supposed to be cute? It was so damn cringe.
Take a shot every time Hani acts like a petulant child. You'd pass out.
And the worst part was, these characters were supposed to be hundreds/thousand year old gods. It was giving Shanghai Immortal, another book which was also very childish.
Maybe I would've liked this better if the actual mystery/thriller aspect didn't feel like set dressing for the romance. I've never read anything that was so blatantly an excuse to publish an author self-insert x Marvel Loki fanfic, where the author is ~The One~ who melts his cold dark heart. What in the Wattpad/AO3?
You've got everything Loki, including the emerald-colored magic, black suit, black hair. Even Seokga's personality was very similar to Loki's. Oh, and don't forgot the older brother/king/obvious stand-in for Thor. Oh, and Hani's claws went "snick" when she pulled them out. Wolverine would be offended.
So original.
I did like how their father was the evil one though, so I'll give the author props for that little twist.
Overall, I'm just absolutely disappointed in this. It was an anticipated read for me that ended up being so juvenile, I wanted to DNF multiple times, but pulled through because it was an arc and a buddy read.
Thank you to Del Rey and NetGalley for this arc.
We both hated this. If you liked or loved this, or if you're a huge fan of k-dramas, romcoms, trad pubbed fanfic, look away.
Wow... What can I say about this that isn't totally critical and negative?
I did like the ending boss battle. I also liked the Korean mythology, however loosely adapted it was.
But other than that, I absolutely struggled through this mediocre and extremely juvenile novel that, for some reason, is listed as an adult read. It read like fanfic written by a teen who doesn't have the life skills to understand how adults act in professional settings. Or how adults act in general. Yeah, adults can be childish, but this novel took it to another level. Was the romance between Hani and Seokga supposed to be cute? It was so damn cringe.
Take a shot every time Hani acts like a petulant child. You'd pass out.
And the worst part was, these characters were supposed to be hundreds/thousand year old gods. It was giving Shanghai Immortal, another book which was also very childish.
Maybe I would've liked this better if the actual mystery/thriller aspect didn't feel like set dressing for the romance. I've never read anything that was so blatantly an excuse to publish an author self-insert x Marvel Loki fanfic, where the author is ~The One~ who melts his cold dark heart. What in the Wattpad/AO3?
You've got everything Loki, including the emerald-colored magic, black suit, black hair. Even Seokga's personality was very similar to Loki's. Oh, and don't forgot the older brother/king/obvious stand-in for Thor. Oh, and Hani's claws went "snick" when she pulled them out. Wolverine would be offended.
So original.
I did like how their father was the evil one though, so I'll give the author props for that little twist.
Overall, I'm just absolutely disappointed in this. It was an anticipated read for me that ended up being so juvenile, I wanted to DNF multiple times, but pulled through because it was an arc and a buddy read.
Thank you to Del Rey and NetGalley for this arc.
May 30, 2024
Release Date: June 4th, 2024!!
Oh my goodness. Where do I freaking start? This book was hilarious, fun, and just a great time overall. I felt like I was watching a crime k-drama while reading this book. The enemies to lovers, were actually enemies (they were super horrible to each other). The character development was perfect, and the plot was captivating.
Kim Hani, the gumiho (or a nine tail fox), was witty, smart, and so funny. She took great pleasure in making Seokga’s life a living hell as much as she could, and honestly I loved her for that. She comes off initially as a very carefree, and slightly self-centered character, but she cares very deeply for the ones she loves (pretty much just her one singular friend, Somi).
Seokga, our grumpy fallen god, hates the mortal world, and makes sure everyone knows it. He is not the most likable character in the beginning, but he has his reasons. The way Seokga changes throughout this book melted my freaking heart. He has spent most of his life alone, and when he meets the insufferable Kim Hani, his whole world changes (for the better in my opinion).
I just have to say this again, I freaking loved the character development both of them went through this book. It was everything. It actually killed me to see how much they both changed, especially with that ending. I loved that the enemies didn’t become lovers too soon, and my heart tugged at watching them go from absolutely hating each other, to tolerating, to actually enjoying being with one another.
My only tiny critique is that I think it would have been nice to have an index of Korean words for all the different beings. There were times where I would forget what a word meant (but this could just be a me problem). But besides that, I don’t have much else.
As a closing note, Hani and Seokga deserve the whole damn world. They were the absolutely BEST duo, and to the author, Sophie Kim, if you are reading this, I am begging you to give me the next book pleaseeee! I need moreeeee!
Thank you netgalley and Random House Publishing for the e-arc of this lovely book. I had an absolutely blast.
Oh my goodness. Where do I freaking start? This book was hilarious, fun, and just a great time overall. I felt like I was watching a crime k-drama while reading this book. The enemies to lovers, were actually enemies (they were super horrible to each other). The character development was perfect, and the plot was captivating.
Kim Hani, the gumiho (or a nine tail fox), was witty, smart, and so funny. She took great pleasure in making Seokga’s life a living hell as much as she could, and honestly I loved her for that. She comes off initially as a very carefree, and slightly self-centered character, but she cares very deeply for the ones she loves (pretty much just her one singular friend, Somi).
Seokga, our grumpy fallen god, hates the mortal world, and makes sure everyone knows it. He is not the most likable character in the beginning, but he has his reasons. The way Seokga changes throughout this book melted my freaking heart. He has spent most of his life alone, and when he meets the insufferable Kim Hani, his whole world changes (for the better in my opinion).
I just have to say this again, I freaking loved the character development both of them went through this book. It was everything. It actually killed me to see how much they both changed, especially with that ending. I loved that the enemies didn’t become lovers too soon, and my heart tugged at watching them go from absolutely hating each other, to tolerating, to actually enjoying being with one another.
My only tiny critique is that I think it would have been nice to have an index of Korean words for all the different beings. There were times where I would forget what a word meant (but this could just be a me problem). But besides that, I don’t have much else.
As a closing note, Hani and Seokga deserve the whole damn world. They were the absolutely BEST duo, and to the author, Sophie Kim, if you are reading this, I am begging you to give me the next book pleaseeee! I need moreeeee!
Thank you netgalley and Random House Publishing for the e-arc of this lovely book. I had an absolutely blast.
March 13, 2024
Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review ♡
Tropes :
Forced proximity
One bed trope
Grumpy sunshine
K DRAMAA written in a book!! It has the kdrama banter, humor, and romance. While reading this, I was picturing the couple from “my demon”. And the built up tension was fantastic!!
Even though it took me a few chapters to get into, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It left me wanting more and now I’m very much invested in these characters and would definitely love to have this turn into a series. She had me at that plot twist, I did NOT see that coming. (I love it when this happens!)
This is the first time I have read anything written by Sophie Kim. I really liked her descriptive writing style. It was an easy and fast paced read. Very much recommend if you’re looking for a cute palate cleanser. And don’t even get me started on all the food in this book 🤤🤤
I really enjoyed Hani’s character. She made me laugh so much and she’s such a badass. She is THAT bitch.
Also, bonus points for having men with silver hair in here.
Tropes :
Forced proximity
One bed trope
Grumpy sunshine
K DRAMAA written in a book!! It has the kdrama banter, humor, and romance. While reading this, I was picturing the couple from “my demon”. And the built up tension was fantastic!!
Even though it took me a few chapters to get into, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It left me wanting more and now I’m very much invested in these characters and would definitely love to have this turn into a series. She had me at that plot twist, I did NOT see that coming. (I love it when this happens!)
This is the first time I have read anything written by Sophie Kim. I really liked her descriptive writing style. It was an easy and fast paced read. Very much recommend if you’re looking for a cute palate cleanser. And don’t even get me started on all the food in this book 🤤🤤
I really enjoyed Hani’s character. She made me laugh so much and she’s such a badass. She is THAT bitch.
Also, bonus points for having men with silver hair in here.
June 13, 2024
This is truly a Kdrama written in book format. If you liked either «Goblin, the Lonely and great god» or «Tale of the Nine tailed Fox» Korean Shows, then this book is definately for you.
July 10, 2024
It wasn’t bad, just wasn’t that good either. Didn’t feel the chemistry between the characters 😢
May 17, 2024
Thank you to Random House Books & Del Rey Books for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
This was a five-star read, but you knew that already 😌. I LOOOOOVED following Hani & Seogka in this delightful fantasy. The God and the Gumiho is so reminiscent of why I love watching Kdramas--it has all the romance tropes, banter, comedic moments, character dynamics, and hijinks of a romantic comedy Kdrama. Of course, the fantasy aspect was also incredible. The mythology, politics, and lore that make up the world of New Sinsi City suck you in from the first chapter, and you can't help but sit at the edge of your seat as you read about the secret Scarlet Fox and the fallen trickster god racing against time trying to catch a demonic killer. I cannot wait to see where Sophie takes these characters in book 2!
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This was a five-star read, but you knew that already 😌. I LOOOOOVED following Hani & Seogka in this delightful fantasy. The God and the Gumiho is so reminiscent of why I love watching Kdramas--it has all the romance tropes, banter, comedic moments, character dynamics, and hijinks of a romantic comedy Kdrama. Of course, the fantasy aspect was also incredible. The mythology, politics, and lore that make up the world of New Sinsi City suck you in from the first chapter, and you can't help but sit at the edge of your seat as you read about the secret Scarlet Fox and the fallen trickster god racing against time trying to catch a demonic killer. I cannot wait to see where Sophie takes these characters in book 2!
Follow me on TikTok | Instagram | Twitter for more book reviews & recommendations!
July 14, 2024
4.5
REP: all Korean cast [Korean author]
REP: all Korean cast [Korean author]
Shelved as 'to-read-so-bad-it-hurts'
January 26, 2024UGH EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS! BUT ESPECIALLY THAT IT'S ADULT AHHHH
April 27, 2024
This book very nearly put me into a slump so I put it on pause for a week (which was apparently only 3 days because I appear to have lost all concept of the flow of time).
The bad:
There are definitely elements of this that read like a debut-- it has a much younger tone than I anticipated; I'm not sure it fully accomplishes the tonal shifts between silly, I spilt a coffee on him *tehe* and these terrible rapists deserve to die at my claws and then I'll eat their livers; the world-building can occasionally not make sense (why are these characters acting in a way that seems unnatural for how long they've known each other? aside from having an excuse to impart information about the world and its dangers to the reader).
I recognize that this is the author's first foray into "Adult" works, and that can be where a lot of my issues stem from to be honest. Perhaps it feels more Adult in later installments, but this series opener didn't achieve that for me.
The good:
However I do think that the character interactions and relationships are very fun and have a fanfiction (affectionate) nature to them that makes them both charming and very consumable. Especially with the character descriptions and outsized personalities, I think people will really enjoy making and sharing fanart for this one. There's honestly just something very appealing to me about a mischief maker who's pettily tormenting the object of their disdain/affection. And the constant exasperation of the tormentee.
There were also some elements that were really creative and fun like the different hells that you might be sent to, depending on your crimes.
Edit: I've tagged this "enemies-to-lovers" but that's only because I haven't yet created a "nuisances-to-lovers" type of shelf.
The plot:
It mostly feels like the story was an excuse to have a reason to play around with these characters in this world. The reveals are easily clockable from miles away, but I really think the characters are the main draw so it doesn't matter too much that everything is fairly obvious. ymmv
Overall:
The end left open some avenues for the story that could be interesting, but I don't think I'm personally invested enough to continue on. However I do think that the manner in which things were done will prevent it from falling into some of my least-liked romance series tropes (even if it maintains focus on the main couple in this).
Thank you to Del Rey and NetGalley for granting me an ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
The bad:
There are definitely elements of this that read like a debut-- it has a much younger tone than I anticipated; I'm not sure it fully accomplishes the tonal shifts between silly, I spilt a coffee on him *tehe* and these terrible rapists deserve to die at my claws and then I'll eat their livers; the world-building can occasionally not make sense (why are these characters acting in a way that seems unnatural for how long they've known each other? aside from having an excuse to impart information about the world and its dangers to the reader).
I recognize that this is the author's first foray into "Adult" works, and that can be where a lot of my issues stem from to be honest. Perhaps it feels more Adult in later installments, but this series opener didn't achieve that for me.
The good:
However I do think that the character interactions and relationships are very fun and have a fanfiction (affectionate) nature to them that makes them both charming and very consumable. Especially with the character descriptions and outsized personalities, I think people will really enjoy making and sharing fanart for this one. There's honestly just something very appealing to me about a mischief maker who's pettily tormenting the object of their disdain/affection. And the constant exasperation of the tormentee.
There were also some elements that were really creative and fun like the different hells that you might be sent to, depending on your crimes.
Edit: I've tagged this "enemies-to-lovers" but that's only because I haven't yet created a "nuisances-to-lovers" type of shelf.
The plot:
It mostly feels like the story was an excuse to have a reason to play around with these characters in this world. The reveals are easily clockable from miles away, but I really think the characters are the main draw so it doesn't matter too much that everything is fairly obvious. ymmv
Overall:
The end left open some avenues for the story that could be interesting, but I don't think I'm personally invested enough to continue on. However I do think that the manner in which things were done will prevent it from falling into some of my least-liked romance series tropes (even if it maintains focus on the main couple in this).
Thank you to Del Rey and NetGalley for granting me an ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Shelved as '2024-tbr'
February 20, 2024was approved for an arc :) we’ll see how it goes
June 4, 2024
OH MY GODS..
*screaming internally*
This is one of those books where I don’t care what anyone says.. THIS IS ONE OF MY TOP READS THIS YEAR!
What’s inside?
•Korean folklore
•Enemies to lovers
•Slow burn romance (w/ a bit of spice)
•Hidden identity
•Banter
•Action
•Forced proximity
•Morally Grey Characters worth cheering for
•Unruly demon creatures
•Gods & Fallen God..
•Beautiful writing
I absolutely devoured this Korean folklore romantic urban fantasy. These characters captured my heart! Was is unequivocally perfect? No. But it made me FEEL ALL THE FEELINGS. I was kicking my feet giggling, jaw dropping, smacking my head, covering my eyes, laughing out loud, crying and SCREAMING! Gods. I’m obsessed
*screaming internally*
This is one of those books where I don’t care what anyone says.. THIS IS ONE OF MY TOP READS THIS YEAR!
What’s inside?
•Korean folklore
•Enemies to lovers
•Slow burn romance (w/ a bit of spice)
•Hidden identity
•Banter
•Action
•Forced proximity
•Morally Grey Characters worth cheering for
•Unruly demon creatures
•Gods & Fallen God..
•Beautiful writing
I absolutely devoured this Korean folklore romantic urban fantasy. These characters captured my heart! Was is unequivocally perfect? No. But it made me FEEL ALL THE FEELINGS. I was kicking my feet giggling, jaw dropping, smacking my head, covering my eyes, laughing out loud, crying and SCREAMING! Gods. I’m obsessed
Read
February 11, 2024tl;dr
Supernatural mystery, and romance featuring lots of banter between a grump and a smart ass.
Thoughts
I feel like I grouse about this for every book written like this, but it gets me every time. I do not get along with third person present tense. I don't know why, but it kills immersion for me, and it took me a couple tries to really get into this one. That being said, I liked what I found once I finally settled in. You've got mystery, a ton of drama, and two strong leads who provide plenty of banter for fans of animosity-to-love relationships. The author is clearly channeling k-drama energy for this part, and I love it. Kim Hani is a very fun read, and I delighted in all her smart ass antics. Seokga is a great moody boy, although I admit there was far less trickery than I would have expected from someone who's a literal trickster god. His passion for coffee is excellent, though. I very much appreciate that the author trusts the readers to either understand the Korean terms, or be interested enough to look them up. Truly, thank you. The ending feels satisfying enough to be a one-shot, although it seems implied that this is the start of a series? I can only hope the next book will be about a certain member of the supporting cast instead, because she deserves her moment.
Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine, Del Rey for the advance copy. All thoughts in this review are my own!
Supernatural mystery, and romance featuring lots of banter between a grump and a smart ass.
Thoughts
I feel like I grouse about this for every book written like this, but it gets me every time. I do not get along with third person present tense. I don't know why, but it kills immersion for me, and it took me a couple tries to really get into this one. That being said, I liked what I found once I finally settled in. You've got mystery, a ton of drama, and two strong leads who provide plenty of banter for fans of animosity-to-love relationships. The author is clearly channeling k-drama energy for this part, and I love it. Kim Hani is a very fun read, and I delighted in all her smart ass antics. Seokga is a great moody boy, although I admit there was far less trickery than I would have expected from someone who's a literal trickster god. His passion for coffee is excellent, though. I very much appreciate that the author trusts the readers to either understand the Korean terms, or be interested enough to look them up. Truly, thank you. The ending feels satisfying enough to be a one-shot, although it seems implied that this is the start of a series? I can only hope the next book will be about a certain member of the supporting cast instead, because she deserves her moment.
Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine, Del Rey for the advance copy. All thoughts in this review are my own!
May 17, 2024
4.5 stars but I am absolutely tempted to round up, so we’ll see! But I had so much fun reading this book, from the two main characters earning a spot in my heart (and their delicious dynamic) to a story that wove in humor, heart, Korean lore, Kdrama vibes and romance tropes I adore. I wish I could be more coherent, but that’ll have to be saved for later when I’ve gathered all my thoughts!
February 18, 2024
ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
after such a long time since my last contemporary fantasy, it took me a little while to get used to references of fanfiction and gossip columns in a fantasy setting. however, once I got over this small bump, I couldn’t put this book down!
the story follows Seokga and Hani, two completely different people that should not work as a couple in theory, but who actually make a lot of sense by the end of the book. I remember thinking at the start that there was no possible way for them to fall in love, and I was really curious how the author planned on pulling off the romance part. the answer is spectacularly! I also appreciated their character development a lot, specifically Hani’s journey from selfishness to selflessness and Seokga’s switch from a closed-off god with a superiority complex to a kind and easy-to-root for one.
as for the plot, it was sufficiently interesting with its fair share of twists and turns, however I do think it dragged on in the last act and it could have been more comprised.
the ending was surprising and wrapped up the story really nicely. definitely recommend!
after such a long time since my last contemporary fantasy, it took me a little while to get used to references of fanfiction and gossip columns in a fantasy setting. however, once I got over this small bump, I couldn’t put this book down!
the story follows Seokga and Hani, two completely different people that should not work as a couple in theory, but who actually make a lot of sense by the end of the book. I remember thinking at the start that there was no possible way for them to fall in love, and I was really curious how the author planned on pulling off the romance part. the answer is spectacularly! I also appreciated their character development a lot, specifically Hani’s journey from selfishness to selflessness and Seokga’s switch from a closed-off god with a superiority complex to a kind and easy-to-root for one.
as for the plot, it was sufficiently interesting with its fair share of twists and turns, however I do think it dragged on in the last act and it could have been more comprised.
the ending was surprising and wrapped up the story really nicely. definitely recommend!
June 12, 2024
3.75⭐️ this was cute and fun! Just something missed the mark for me. I just can’t pinpoint it.
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