Sadly ,I've had to do a soft dnf for now and come back to the book in the future. I think the writing was very good. Based on what I've read so far I would still recommend this to people I know would love this type of story.

This novella features a Korean psychic detective as the main character, and I loved everything about it: the mixture of Korean and Japanese cultures and folklore in Han-gil’s heritage; the different ‘senses’ of psychic and spiritual energy that manifest in those gifted (or cursed) with the ability; the detective managing to be dismissed as ‘crazy’ by not only his police colleagues but also his psychic peers (but for different reasons!); his close relationship with his sister and precarious understandings with Wonshik and Yoonhae… all presented sparingly due to the constraints of the story length, but with enough intrigue and promise to thoroughly hook me in.

I was initially drawn by the promise of a crime-thriller slash urban-fantasy (two of my favourite genres to be mashed together) and Sam Kyung Yoo delivers on both with this perfectly contained story – just the right length and pace, in my opinion – which left me desperately craving more from this world and characters.

I would definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a quick paranormal mystery read with great promise and I will be keeping a look out in hopes of a series to come from this brief taster!

As soon as I read the synopsis of this book I knew I had to read it and boy was I glad I did. This was my first introduction to shamanism in a paranormal way and I have to say I really liked it. While there were some topics and words that I didn't understand, the book does a good job of explaining them in general.

The book takes us to the detective Kim Han-Gil, who has the task of investigating cases of suicide that are very suspicious. Now, his unit thinks he's crazy but what they don't know is that he can see spirits, so he knows what's causing the deaths and his mission is to stop the spirit before it hurts more people.

The plot was very interesting and original from my point of view, the paranormal elements were very well executed and you could feel the tension throughout the book.

Han-Gil, our main character, is a complex character with a lot of trauma, honestly, I liked seeing him grow as a person and even though he still has a lot to learn, I really enjoyed what he brought to the story. Azuna, hello, can we please have a book focused on her, my favorite and she barely had any relevance within the book, I just loved her. Yoonhae is my beloved, if anyone does anything to him, I'm ready to commit atrocities, first and only warning.

This is the first time I have read something by this author, and I really liked how they wrote and set up the story. If you are interested in reading a book with a paranormal and original plot, this book is for you. Even if you are not familiar with South Korean culture, you can still enjoy the reading without feeling confused.

TW: violence, suicide, transphobia, deadnaming, domestic abuse, panic attacks, homophobia, blood.
Violence: 6/10
Plot: 8/10

My thanks to the author Sam Kyung Yoo, Interstellar Flight Press, and NetGalley for the opportunity to get this ARC for an unbiased review.

Loved loved loved this. Combines the atmosphere and vibes of classic X-Files with fascinating urban world building and characters you latch onto immediately. I'd love to read more set in this world, what a ride!

This one got me hooked from the first chapter, it was such a pleasant surprise! I enjoyed Han-gil as a character: a bit bitter, burdened by past tragedy, but with softness and love that comes from understanding that despite everything, he has people who love and care for him. He has matured and it shows in his interaction with Yoonhae and Wooshik. I wish we got to see more of Azuna because she’s such a badass, and I’m glad we got glimpses of Yoonhae through his chapters (which took me by surprise, but I’m not complaining!).

Plot and pacing wise, the author knows how to make things interesting. The mystery is quite straightforward since we know from the beginning who might be the worm’s host, but by piecing the past and present together we cobbled together an image of the demon’s characters and motivation. I also love the inclusion of traditional Korean shamanism tools and rituals, which is interesting to learn. There are some unfinished mysteries by the end of the book, so I’m hoping for some kind of sequel!

Cover is amazing, and the concept definitely drew me in, but the pacing dragged, and the plot veered into telenovella territory, which I unfortunately couldn't get into.

This was amazing. I read this on the plane ride to Seoul, and while this is fantasy/mystery/ghosts-related I still became really excited about exploring this city on my own. I was left wanting more, but this was impeccable debut. Thanks for the opportunity to read this worK!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

A wonderfully woven story of spirits and mystics in Korean culture. The main characters struggle of forgiveness and coming terms with his past is a hard but beautiful story.

A short, fun book highlighting myths that were unfamiliar to me. I felt a bit disconnected from the characters, but that's a problem I often have with novellas.

DNFed this one before reaching the double digits in page count.

Honestly, I was willing to overlook the 1st person POV, because I've seen it in many good stories and can stomach it at this point of my life, but Present Tenses? Why?! Number one unspoken rule of storytelling in books is that you use Past Tenses. It's not that you can't use Present ones, but they require a level of expertise and experience that this author didn't have. And it shows. It was like reading the draft for a kdrama scenario, not a book.

Thank you, next!

***I was given an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinion stated in this review is solely mine, and no compensation was given or taken to alter it.***

Thank you so much to the publishers for providing me with an eArc of this book. I regret not reading it sooner, but I'm glad I finally did.

This was a brilliant story with a wonderful collection of characters. I read this in under 12 hrs and was truly gripped from the first chapter. I loved the small addition of KSL, and learning more about East-Asian culture.

A murder mystery mixed with possessions was somehow exactly what I needed to read to get out of my reading slump!

Thank you NetGalley and Sam Kyung Yoo for sending this Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

‘Small Gods of Calamity’ is a paranormal crime novella pleasantly rooted in Korean spirituality.

In a refreshing spin of occult urban fantasy, Kim Han-gil—a spirit detective shunned by his colleagues—chases the trace of a soul-eating spirit worm through a string of suicides. With all options exhausted, an unlikely partnership forms.

“Seoul is a land-locked city—the Seyang Garden Le Ciel apartment complex is over thirty kilometers away from the sea. And yet, all Han-gil can smell is ocean water and brine.

He knows what killed this man.”

‘Small Gods of Calamity’ draws inspiration from Korean, Japanese, and Chinese folk religions and is well-suited for those with an interest in Korean shamanism. Within a short span of pages, Sam Kyung Yoo crafts a well-developed debut novella with their sharp use of sensory description and a family of choice.

Being fond and knowledgable of Asian spiritualism, this novella was deeply appealing and wholly satisfied my intruige. I found it rather compelling and easily read within a day.

I particularly enjoyed Sam Kyung Yoo’s use of multi-lingual characters as well as the contrast between spiritualist perceptions of spirit energy. Although the climax was short-lived, I felt satisfied with the pacing of this novella and it left a strong impression.

This novella may not be suited to those lacking a familiarity and interest in Korean spirituality; however, a lack of knowledge in this area will not make ‘Small Gods of Calamity’ inaccessible.

I thoroughly enjoyed the cast of characters and would love to see more of them. If there is a sequel, I would very happily read it. For these reasons, I have rated this novel 4.3/5, rounded down to four stars.

Thank you NetGalley and Interstellar Flight Press for giving me the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

DNF 60%

The premises of the books were really good: a detective story with a paranormal element. I really liked the worldbuilding and the originality of perceiving souls with different senses. The pace, however, was a bit odd due to the flashbacks and I couldn't grow fond of the characters at all. I didn't care for them and this prevented me from being fully involved in the story, eventually leading me to stop reading it.

This was such a fun and interesting story. I want so much more. I love all of the main characters, I love the spiritual systems, and I appreciated how easy it was to read. I thought that the ending could have been stretched out a little, but that’s only because I wanted more. I hope this ends up being a series or a sequel comes out

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the digital ARC!

This was such a fun read, and I really hope the author ends up expanding this world as I could see this being a series. Set in Korea, it follows Kim Han-gil, a police officer in Seoul who has a strong link to the supernatural. He can see ghosts, and can hear and smell peoples souls. He's also determined to get rid of a worm spirit that killed his mum when he was younger - a spirit the other spiritualists in Korea don't believe exist.

The story was interesting and immediately caught my attention. It blends together Korean, Japanese and Chinese spiritualist practices effortlessly and the world building felt very strong. Han-gil's adopted sister, Azuka, is Japanese from a powerful Japanese spiritualist family - the same family who took Han-gil in after his mother died. As such, he's adept in identifying spirits and spiritual work such as bujeok (Korean talismans) and omamori (Japanese protection amulets) and so forth.

I really enjoyed all of this, and it was great to get more knowledge of the spiritual side of Korea, Japan and China. I have seen some comments saying people are confused because it doesn't really explain things, but I think if you're happy reading an epic fantasy with completely made up terms then you shouldn't have an issue reading a book featuring real life practices and beliefs!

As a reader from an island that has its own spiritualism and cultural rituals, I enjoy stories from other countries that also feature these aspects.

Small Gods of Calamity captured my interest with its premise and when I started reading, I realized that I was going to have a good time with this story. Our main character is vulnerable, flawed, and resentful. With his connection to the spirit world, he is able to see and communicate with those who have passed on. But there are also malevolent entities with selfish and deadly motives who must be stopped.

I enjoyed how human Yoo made his MC, he had moments of pettiness, grief, and defensiveness. His alienation at his job, his chosen family, and his dedication to helping those who have been possessed kept me in the story and as more is revealed of his loss, haf me empathizing.

I always love it if different cultures, mythology, folklore, spiritualism and so on. This time it's about korean culture and folklore, and the fact that actual Korean spiritual practices and tools are used in the book? Amazing. I absolutely love Kim Han-gil. He's one of my favourite main-characters this year and feels so human. I really love that there is no tip-toeing around the topics like disability, overworking, sexuality, mental health, and LGBTQIA+.
I definitely wouldn't mind a second book.

I liked the concept of this one. The idea of a spirit detective who works for the Police Department but can see supernatural beings is intriguing. I was also intrigued by the detective’s personal past with his mom, and it was incorporated well into the book.

There were several things that just didn’t work, though. This book felt like a sequel to something else. There were many mentions of past events (e.g., “their last case”) that were brought up in passing as being significant but not in a way that added to the depth or background of the character and work. It was the same thing with the gods and supernatural aspects. We were just thrown into the middle with no sort of grounding for these things, which made it feel disconnected. With how short this novella was, there just wasn’t enough information or detail included to make any aspect feel like it had enough depth to support the work. All of these aspects led to this work feeling disjointed and emotionally distant throughout.

If you’re interested in an urban paranormal novella set in South Korea, then you may enjoy this one. My thanks to NetGalley and Interstellar Flight Press for allowing me to read this work. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Small Gods of Calamity is a supernatural, crime, horror novella, with queer rep and a truly engaging story that I devoured in a single day.

Our main character, Kim Han-gil, is a queer man with the ability to see and sense the world of spirits that runs parallel to our own, and we follow him as he investigates deaths that all seem to be linked to a particularly vicious and mysterious spirit with links to his past.

I dont want to give too much away about the story, but learning about Kim Han-gil's past and that of the supporting characters (particularly Shin Yoonhae) really deepened my love for the characters. Telling a great story, with twists, sadness, excitement, and doing so with queer rep and a deep dive into spiritualism and mysticism, fantastic!

I really hope I get to see more in this world and from this writer!

As a huge fan of K-dramas, I enjoyed this a lot. Reading this felt like I was watching a Korean movie or thriller-mystery drama. How the story unfolds, how characters are related to each other, and also some terms that are hard for readers to understand if they are not into Korean culture. Otherwise, it is a great read.