If you love korean mythology x kdrama x mystery = this is up your alley cause I devoured this book upppppppp

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a great and wide sweeping fantasy novel! I loved the story of Hani and Seokga and how they fell in love. This story was beautifully written and was so wonderful.

3.5⭐️

This would have been a 4/5 had the first 17 chapters not been so…boring? Basically if you can make it through the first half of the book the rest is really good! It definitely has the kdrama vibes I was expecting.

If you’ve ever wished for a K-drama packed with grumpy x sunshine chemistry, Korean mythology, and a murder mystery, then The God and the Gumiho is your next obsession! Sophie Kim delivers a story that’s equal parts thrilling, hilarious, and heart-wrenching, with a dynamic duo you won’t be able to get enough of.

Hani, the infamous Scarlet Fox, is a former chaos-bringer turned reluctant café worker, just trying to stay out of trouble. Seokga, a disgraced trickster god with a divine hit list, is trouble. Their banter is absolute gold—sharp, flirty, and filled with the kind of tension that makes you want to scream at them to just kiss already. Their reluctant partnership in hunting down a demon turns into something far more complicated, especially when secrets start unraveling and their pasts collide.

The 90s setting adds a nostalgic charm (think pagers, old-school cafés, and classic Seoul vibes), while the murder mystery keeps the stakes high. The mythology is woven seamlessly into the plot, making the world feel rich and immersive. And with a romance that smolders beneath all the chaos, this book delivers on all fronts.

A must-read for fans of myth-infused fantasy, slow-burn romance, and K-drama-worthy storytelling.

"Hani wonders if she's the wickedest of all for letting herself enjoy it. For savoring his attention even as she deceives him."

I won't stop screaming about this book for the rest of the day. Kim does an absolutely incredible job at weaving today a fantastical, mythical detective story set in modern (ish) day South Korea. The banter and wit between are two leads was fast-paced and highly entertaining. The imagery and mythology weaved into the story was not overwhelming or understated—but just the right amount to keep me turning the page. I eagerly await for the release of book two.

Thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey for the ARC.

4.75 ⭐

I was late on reading this one and I completely regret that - it has become one of the books I think about frequently. The God and the Gumiho's cover drew me in at first, the beauty of the characters had me loving it. We follow Hani, the infamous killer known as the Scarlet Fox. She's hiding and working as a barista at a paranormal coffee shop to pass her days. One of her (annoying) customers happens to be Seokga, the fallen trickster got kicked out of the divine realm for a failed coup. He is facing punishment to capture 20000 demons as a detective to join the divine realm once more. When Seokga is overwhelmed by a string of cases, he ends up in need of an assistance. Hani ends up applying and they are forced to cooperate with each other while keeping their own secrets.

I loved the world and the mythology within the book. I wish the romance moved a bit faster, but I really enjoyed the light tension that slowly evolved as they started to get to know each other. I loved the depth of the story and how the supporting characters interacted with our main two despite them both being certified loners.

THE ENDING. AHHH.

If you want anything that feels like a K-Drama, this is it for you.

🦊 Delicious romantic tension
🦊 Angsty Romance
🦊 Spin on Korean mythology
🦊 1990s setting
🦊 Thrilling mystery
🦊 K-drama vibes

Thanks to Del Rey & NetGalley for the eARC of The God and the Gumiho by Sophie Kim for an honest review!

I loved this modern take on the use of Korean mythology. I wasn't expecting it given I don't think the blurb mentioned it. The characters were easily likeable. I did end up also listening to this in audio form and I wished I didn't. I think I would have enjoyed it more reading it myself. ( I just found the voices a little annoying and flat). But the story overall was great!

The author did not sugarcoat the reality of the gumiho and how they were born with a lust to devour souls and livers. They way everything was mentioned so casually and making it all a taboo in the modern age was spot on. Especially with how everything was more loose back in the day than it is today.

The God and the Gumiho is a creative and hilarious take on Korean mythology! This was such a brilliant story that was suspenseful and hilarious. As a bonus, it sent me on a trip to discovery of Korean mythology.

The satire and thrill that this story had was so delightful. There is mythos, murder, and an enemies-to-lovers trope that was pinch me perfect. Hani, the Scarlet Fox, is hysterically sassy, whereas Seokgo is such a lovable grump. I loved everything about this book and the ending was absolutely perfect!

I will be recommending this read to all of my book buddies, because there are so many crossovers into different genres that I believe everyone can get something from it. I cannot wait to see what happens next and will be rereading this one soon.

Honestly, there were moments of slowness but overall I enjoyed the story. Being Korean myself, I loved seeing all of the folklore elements.

honestly i had been so excited for this book when it was announced because korean folklore fiction?! absolutely a yes! it grabs you so well & just wont let go! 🤩 hope to be approved for the second! 🙇

This was easily one of my favorite books of 2024. Sophie Kim knows how to tell a story - this was full of humor and light-hearted fun, mixed with mystery to keep the reader intrigued, and an emotional ending that actually caught me off guard and had me crying. I was so surprised this wasn't a standalone but I'm looking forward to the next book.

Unfortunately, I didn’t enjoy this one. There was just too much info dumping without a whole lot of explanation. It was hard to follow. I did like the characters, but the plot and writing style just didn’t work for me.

✨ The God and the Gumiho by Sophie Kim ✨
⭐ 3.5/5 stars

This book was a bit of a struggle for me at first, but that’s more about my personal reading preferences than the book itself. Murder mysteries aren’t typically my genre of choice, so I found the first 60% a little slow and harder to engage with. However, once I got to the core of the story, I was completely hooked. The emotional depth, folklore-inspired twists, and poignant moments really drew me in, and I finished the rest of the book much faster than the beginning.

While it wasn’t a standout for me due to my preferences, I believe readers who enjoy intricate mysteries with a touch of mythology and heartfelt drama will really appreciate this one. The story’s emotional payoff made it worth the read, and I’m planning to continue the series—I’m curious to see where it goes next.

Thank you, NetGalley, for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review! While it didn’t fully align with my reading tastes, I can see it resonating with others who enjoy this blend of mystery and mythology.

The God & the Gumiho started off strong but lost momentum pretty quickly. I think some elements may have made more sense to me if I was more familiar with K dramas. Because I'm not as familiar with that genre I feel like there were some things about The God & the Gumiho that I just couldn't appreciate or understand.

My Selling Pitch:
Korean mythology Zootopia.

Pre-reading:
Here’s the thing, Fairyloot picks never seem to work for me, but I am obsessed with this special edition. The character art is so good! So I have decided to oh so benevolently pick it up. You’re welcome lol.

(obviously potential spoilers from here on)
Thick of it:
Every single time I pick up a book with an author’s note warning that it’s taken creative liberties with the original mythos, I’m like cool, cool, cool. I don’t know the original mythos. Go off, bestie. I’ll believe whatever you tell me.

Already cinematic. That’s fun.

A March book

I feel like me and bowler hats have beef at this point. (A bowler hat is evil and only Ruthless Vows has ever let me down.)

I wish I had pictures of all the creatures in this or like a little creature diagram at the beginning of the book.
Seokga- snake cane Loki
Gumiho (Hani)-fox shifters
Haetae-lion shifter cops
Dokkaebi-goblins

The way the audiobook is shrieking her name is driving me nuts.

It’s weird to add fangirl nonsense into urban fantasy. (But it kinda fits the anime vibes this book has, so I don’t hate hate it.)

Also, where did your bias instead of your favorite come from? Like I’m not part of that section of fan culture, and it’s weird to me.

It’s so wild to me how many cultures have that fallen god of charisma. Like he's Lucifer and Loki.

It’s like campy melodrama, and I see the anime influence/fanfiction in it, but it’s kinda fun!

It’s a little Zootopia/Crescent City. (It’s another copy paste.)

It’s a little info dumpy, but the info dumping is also necessary because I don't know the culture. And it’s not that bad. It’s like bite size info dumps.

Is Somi gonna be attacked and then Hani goes on a revenge killing spree?

Camaraderie🎶 I mean

The chokehold Jack the Ripper has on retellings.

This is just Korean fantasy Zootopia.

Killing Eve but make it straight hahahah.

I would love her to be his assistant. This is so fun.

Sly fox, dumb bunny

I'm loving this. It’s so cartoony.

My brain is really skipping over the names and like the audiobook does not pronounce them phonetically. So when I do read it physically, I’m having a little trouble figuring out who is who, but that’s a me problem. That’s not the book’s fault. I’m just stupid a stupid American.

I think the pacing could be a little bit snappier. It took 25% of the book just to set it up and like granted there’s a lot of mythology that we have to learn, but I think we could’ve done it faster.

Could he have possessed the water God because that’s the only extra character they’ve brought up and they already brought up that he was out of characterly eating fish. (Nope.)

It reminds me of that Heartless Hunter book.

I like their dynamic, but they really don’t have a good reason to be enemies. I feel like we could’ve done better there.

I wish it would chill with the bathroom humor.

I’m at a 3 star.

Oh, one bed, please!

It’s weird because this book has the beats that would make for a really good rom-com. It’s just that none of the emotions and dialogue fit.

It really doesn’t fit that they’re like 1000 years old and acting like this when her whole power is like seduction. Like it just doesn’t fit.

Not a piney boy

For the clue! (For the plot.)

Nah, chains and whips just excite him.

I don’t want Somi to be the murderer. That’s annoying.

Title drop

How does caffeine work on them but not alcohol?

Would you call this a murder on the dance floor 🎶

I know it’s not the coroner, but like I hope it’s not the grim reaper dude possessed or something because I like his silly little romance subplot. (SIGH)

The dialogue is really not doing it for me in this book. Like I know there’s a bit of a cultural difference here with the way they’re handling relationships and sex, but I’m also like this is not it.

It’s so cartoony. That aspect of this really works.

On the one hand, woo, I guessed correctly. On the other, boo, because I wanted that over the top romance subplot.

This fight dialogue is really anime and really bad.

Camaraderie, I mean🎶

Post-reading:
Dumb bunny, sly fox.

Except I’m the dumb bunny still waiting for this book to get better. On paper, it’s a banger. Tropey, a few horror beats, buddy cops, a decent subplot. In actuality…she’s kind of a miss. The dialogue is not there. This story needed snappy, witty banter. It needed those whiffs of camp to carry the anime style exaggeration without becoming cringe.

And it just doesn’t have that, so the romance ends up feeling rushed. The characters aren’t that endearing. The writing becomes repetitive.

And yet I still kinda like it because it reminds me so much of Zootopia. I love a mystery. I love a romantic cliche. I’ll pick up the sequel because I want closure, but I’m not going to be banging down anyone’s door demanding that they read this.

I think the book’s biggest strength was its cinematic organization. It read very storyboardy. Like I could picture comic panels, or how something should be shot for film. It had a style to it. I just wish the characters had the charisma to capitalize on those scenes.

Good, but not great. I think with a better edit, this could’ve been a smash hit, and that’s so disappointing.

Who should read this:
Zootopia fans
Crescent City fans
Anime fans
Myth retelling fans

Ideal reading time:
March

Do I want to reread this:
No, but I’d continue the series.

Would I buy this:
Tentatively yes? It helps that the special edition’s character art is so gorgeous.

Similar books:
* House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. Maas-same book, different font. Urban fantasy romance, basically Zootopia.
* Fathomfolk by Eliza Chan-urban fantasy romance, political, family drama, fairytale retelling, basically Zootopia
* Threads that Bind by Kika Hatzopoulou-YA urban fantasy, family drama, myth retelling
* Monstress by Marjorie M. Liu-steampunk fairytales at war, graphic novel
* Deathless by Catherynne M. Valente-Russian folktale retelling, urban fantasy
* Heartless Hunter by Kristin Ciccarelli-urban fantasy romance, enemies to lovers
* The Night Hunt by Alexandra Christo-fantasy romance, monsters vs gods
* Garden of the Cursed by Katy Rose Pool-YA urban fantasy romance, mystery, political
* Nightbreaker by Coco Ma-YA urban fantasy, dystopian, demon hunting
* Sing Me to Sleep by Gabi Burton-YA fantasy romance with a whodunnit
* Blood Debts by Terry J. Benton-Walker-YA urban fantasy, politicking
* The Temptation of Magic by Megan Scott-Twilight X Crescent City, urban fantasy romance
* A Tempest of Tea by Hafsah Faizel-YA urban fantasy, heist

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This author's writing never disappoints! The story is entertaining, full of intrigue, lore, and romance. It's the perfect read for fans of fantasy and Korean lore.

I went into this novel highly anticipating to enjoy it but I did not enjoy the writing style unfortunately.

DNF @ 70%

The DNF is reflective of me and not this book.

The God and the Gumiho is a fun story set in the magical underbelly of Seoul. It really feels like a k-drama or webtoon, mixing the mythological with modern, everyday drama. I loved the setting, and enjoyed Hani as a protagonist.

My only criticism is I would have liked more description about the creatures of the world. I had to consistently look up Korean folklore, because I kept forgetting what the creatures were. Otherwise, I loved the creative blend of folklore and modernity!

Absolutely loved this! This was such a unique story. I’m not familiar with Korean mythology so any mention of the story or the names of gods is all new to me. But I really loved the way the author mixed in the mythology with an urban fantasy feel. One of my favorite tropes is grumpy/sunshine and this was perfect with grumpy Seokga and snarky Hani! The book was fast paced, I felt like I read it super fast and yet I wished I had more of it to read! I loved the plot, the characters, and the banter! This book was very cute and heartwarming, highly recommend!
Thank you to NetGalley for my eARC! I really loved this and I have no idea why it took me so long to finally read! I wish I’d read it sooner!

I absolutely loved this!!!

This is true hate to love. I mean they reaalllly do not like each other and are very very reluctant allies. But through banter and sweet moments they start to truly see other and the friendship and romance that follows is so freaking cute 😭. Seokga is the ultimate grump who dislikes everything. Except for his coffee and his gumiho. I’m a sucker for the “soft only for her.” And Hani is one sly, badass gumiho who really doesn’t like coffee but falls for Seokga anyway. And you know it’s good when the story both makes you giddy and breaks your heart.

The world building was steeped in Korean mythology and I wish I could grab a coffee at Creature Cafe. The murder mystery plot was thrilling and at times eerie. It felt exactly like I was transported into an urban fantasy K-drama.

Counting down the days to the sequel!!!