This was one of my most anticipated reads of the year. First of all- I am a sucker for books that incorporate Korean culture (as I am Korean). My favorite mythical creature is a Gumiho and lastly- this book was said to have been Sophie's homage to K-dramas (and it was!!)

The God and the Gumiho is about Hani (korean fox spirit- a Gumiho) and Seokga (a fallen god) who end up working together in order hunt down a monster that threatens their world. Their relationship starts off as enemies to lovers (ish) and both characters fall in love pretty quickly (would have loved more build up/tension). However the banter between both characters was so good- they both are have strong/stubborn personalities. This book makes me think it could.be a K-drama and I was obsessed. I loved that this was more of a 90s feel verses modern world and the mysteries and crimes that they solved together made this book entertaining as well.

This was such a unique and fun read! Thank you to Netgalley for my digital ARC.

This book is packed with korean mythology and lore set in a fun urban fantasy setting! The Fallen God-of-Mischief-turned-detective, Seokga, teams up (reluctantly) with the chaotic and sly fox shifter Kim Hani to hunt down evil creatures wreaking havoc in New Sinsi. There's a rogue magical creature afoot murdering innocent people, and Seokga and Kim Hani are on the case, while also bickering and fighting their feelings. There's really charming and cute banter between the two, and they fight their feelings for so long (but Seokga falls hard)! And the mystery was very intriguing@ There's a plot twist I did not expect! My only knock against this book is that because there's so much lore packed into this novel, the first half reads really slow because I was constantly looking up each creature and trying to remember all the different names. So do yourself a favor, and look up Korean Mythology Creatures to prep yourself so it'll read a lot smoother. I'd recommend listening to the audio when it comes out, I think that would've helped me push through and make sense of all the world building and character names.

Some themes in the book:
- Korean Mythology
- Urban fantasy
- Grumpy x Sunshine
- Forced Proximity(ish)
- She's got secrets
- Dislike to lovers
- Detective and his assistant
- Murder mystery
- She pushes his buttons so bad!

4.5
The city of New Sinsi is home to beings from Korean mythology, including secret soul devourer turned barista Kim Hani. Hani would dearly like to get up to some of her old tricks, but her last great feast left her too full to consume anything else. This annoys her, especially when she interacts with the stuffy exiled trickster god Seokga. Seokga works as a police detective as penance for his crimes, and he’s particularly obsessed with capturing Hani’s infamous alter ego, the Scarlet Fox. Hani is determined to throw Seokga off her trail, so she takes a job as his assistant. Just as the unlikely pair begin to trade their spats for something else entirely, they’re distracted from growing feelings by a series of murders in the city. Whether you’re looking for a vibrantly described magical realm or romantic escapism, this book needs to be on your list!

I'm not usually a "giggling and kicking my feet" kind of girly, but COME ON. It's so hard find good enemies to lovers, but friends, THIS IS IT.

I mean this in the best possible way: The God and the Gumiho reads like a buddy cop/coffee shop AU fanfic of Korean mythology. I love these two noodles. The writing is hilarious, Hani is basically a trash 'possum, and... I was about to say that it's a grumpy/sunshine relationship but no, it's grumpy/grumpy, and how did I never know that this was the trope I truly needed? I am in love with this book. I will probably end up buying it because AAAHHHHHHH!!! <3 <3 <3

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this absolutely delightful ARC. My feet-kicking giggles are my own.

I really wanted to like this book. I liked the concept and I loved how it reminded me of one of my favorite dramas, Goblin. However, the characters were so unlikable, I could not find it in my heart to root for them. I also found the writing to be jarring. Overall, it could have been amazing but ended up not for me.

This is a beautiful, impeccably written book with both a gorgeous romance and a compelling mystery, both of which are written beautifully. 4.5, maybe 4.75 stars. Just shy of 5 stars, due to personal quibbles with the start of the romance.

Full review on YouTube.

I absolutely loved Sophie Kim's other series. This was definitely a different vibe from the last of the talons. I'm not a major fan of gods in books so maybe that's why this book just isn't clicking with me. Sophie definitely needs to just work more on more interesting dialog. I felt like the characters just weren't in it at all. It felt like a k-drama but not one that was really well acted if that makes sense. I do love how spunky they are and she definitely knows grumpy and sarcastic characters. Just wasn't something I was going to like very much do to the concepts.

WHEWWWWWWWWWWWWW MY GOODNESS

if I could pay a mad scientist to scrub my memory just to read this book for the first time again, I would do it in a heartbeat.

Hani and Seokga are characters that will stay with me for a long time. they both felt so real (extra impressive as not only are they fictional book characters, but they are also mythical beings on top of that—lmao).

the mystery layer to the story was well done. I had my theories as to how it was going to end, but I was wrong!!! I love to be wrong!!!!

and of course, the romance? THE ROMANCE????? OOOOOOOOOFFFFFFFFF.

kicking my feet? check. blushing? check. giggling? check. twirling my hair? check.

plot: ★★★★★
SO GOOD!!!!! SO FUN!!!! I don’t know what made Sophie Kim wake up one day and say, “I’m going to write a 1990s crime drama based in South Korea, but also with demons and gods and monsters AND a love story” but LORRDDDDD I’M GLAD SHE DID. this was so DIFFERENT than anything I’ve read in such a long time and it was so well done. I am obsessed.

writing/prose: ★★★★☆
the writing is entirely gripping. the world building is a little heavy at times. there are a LOT of gods and demons that are introduced and it feels overwhelming at times. I feel like it wasn’t entirely necessary to mention so many that weren’t directly related to the story.

also, Hani smiles “sweetly” soooo much, so the descriptions do get a bit repetitive at times, but this was minor enough that it didn’t change how much I enjoyed the book at all.

pacing: ★★★★★
the pacing is a little slower to start as we are learning the world/characters/history, but it takes off pretty quickly once the groundwork is set.

humor: ★★★★★
the humor in this book relies heavily on Hani’s snarky attitude, but Seokga’s “trickster” antics catch you off-guard and also offer some comedic relief—almost moreso because you don’t always expect it from him.

characters: ★★★★★
I’m obsessed. Hani and Seokga are my babies and no one can convince me otherwise. I love how much development we see from both of them and how it feels natural throughout the book.

I also love how both of them are very open with how they feel. in a world where no one wants to confess their feelings and miscommunication tropes run rampant in books, having two characters be honest about how they are feeling was so refreshing.

spice level: 🖤🖤🖤🤍🤍
CHEF’S KISS!! there are some explicit scenes in the story, but it’s not overbearing. it’s perfect.

over-all enjoyment: ★★★★★
the only disappointing part of finishing this book was realizing that the second book doesn’t have a name, a release date, or anything and I desperately need it immediately.

3 stars

It took me a while to warm up to the writing style of this novel, which for the first few chapters felt a little awkward and juvenile before I got drawn in and allowed myself to have fun with it. This really feels more like a manhwa or webnovel than a traditionally published adult novel, but if you accept that it’s not trying to be something more serious than it is, it is genuinely good fun.

The tropes are foregrounded and self-indulgent, but what’s life without a little ice cream? Honorable mentions include: there was only one bed, badasses with blades, hate-to-love romance, and the-magic-plot-device-is-forcing-us-to-kiss. Is it silly? Yes, and it’s refreshingly shameless about it.

There are a few details that pushed even the generous suspension of disbelief that the over-the-top drama style of the story encourages. Firstly, the math on Seokga’s divine punishment didn’t add up for me; over the past 600 years he’s only managed to collect little over 10,000 Unruly souls, averaging to around 17 a year, which given his bloodthirsty, single-minded pursuit of his goals feels awfully low—especially considering the Scarlet Fox managed to eat 500 human souls in the year 1888 alone. Secondly, there’s a point where the characters need caffeine for magic reasons and decide to drink 15 cups of coffee each, which is just silly; caffeine pills would be a far more efficient vehicle, and so for the major plot points following this decision I kept expecting them to be running to the bathroom to pee. The characters must have had ten-gallon bladders.

I didn’t feel like the hate-to-love romance was particularly well executed, as the evolution from aggravation to puppy love flicked like a switch, making me feel as though I’d skipped a chapter or two of growing grudging respect or other intermediary emotions.

Ultimately, this is a campy, silly, often ridiculous, but surprisingly enjoyable story, written to be a quick and easy read. It’s melodramatic and a little cartoonish, but it was clearly written with a lot of love—there’s nothing cynical about the writing, which makes it a surprisingly good time. I’d recommend it to romantasy and webtoon/webnovel readers looking for a quick, fun ride.

Based on the plot summary, I knew this book would be right up my alley. Not to mention the incredibly gorgeous covers for both the US and UK editions!

There were so many elements that made this book amazing! I could tell that this was very k-drama inspired which I absolutely ate up. The Korean folklore and mythical creatures were so interesting to learn about. I was so thoroughly invested that I searched up every single one that was mentioned in order to place an accurate picture in my head. Seokga and Hani had such a captivating relationship. Their development was so fun to watch from loathing the other's existence, to tolerating them, to ultimately falling deep and hard for each other was so sweet! Seokga being so incredibly down bad for Hani and his initial resistance/denial towards his growing feelings was so funny. Although their connection brewed in a mere few days (which was a little too fast for me), I still enjoyed it. That being said, the side characters were so much fun! Hwanin, Somi, Chief Shin, had some of my favorite interactions in the entire book. They were well-developed and provided to be so much more than a one dimensional side character and I truly hope we see more of them in the future.

The ending absolutely crushed my heart and yes, tears were shed! Sophie Kim please expect to hear from my therapist. While it did feel like a satisfying conclusion, I was ecstatic to learn there would be a continuation! There is no doubt that I will be seated for the sequel and the rest of SK's work moving forward.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review!

The God and the Gumiho is the story of Seokga (A fallen god who must hunt and kill the 20,000 evil creatures he set loose during a failed coup) and Hani (a legendary fox spirit hiding her true identity after a killing spree in 1888, in which she ate so many people she's still not hungry over a hundred years later) as they team up to hunt down a monster that threatens the entire world.

This story takes place in South Korea in the 1990's and includes lots of Korean mythological elements and wears it's K-Drama influence on it's sleeve. I liked the Korean mythological elements a lot as I'm not very familiar with the subject and it was a nice change of pace from European inspired fantasy. The mix of mythological with the mundane was handled well While I didn't find the two main characters that likeable by themselves at the beginning their developing relationship kept me engaged and I thought they got much more likeable over the course of the story, especially Seokga.

If you are a fan of K-Dramas or are interested in stories based on Asian mythology, I'd recommend checking this out.

3.7 stars

𝘉𝘪𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘎𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘺 (𝘦-𝘈𝘙𝘊) 𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸.

I think kdrama fans would really enjoy this book. It's not very heavy, but the plot still provides enough stakes and climax to keep you engaged. I liked how it’s set as an urban fantasy, and the elements of Korean myths made me adore it even more. It doesn’t stop there, the author also included a murder mystery that I absolutely enjoyed. I loved all the detective, murder, and puzzle elements. The romance is quite good, more like a cute love story.

However, there were some aspects I didn't enjoy as much. The world-setting vibes were off. This storyline is set in the '90s, but as I read it, it felt more modern. The '90s atmosphere was not well-delivered for me. As for the love interest, I liked them, and their individual characters were easy to like, but their chemistry was lacking. The relationship felt like insta-love with very little development. Additionally, although this book is intended for adults, the characters sometimes act childishly, despite being portrayed as having a lifetime of experience. They make decisions like teenagers, and I had to remind myself that these characters are supposed to be adults.

Nevertheless, despite my love-hate relationship with this beautiful cover book, I am still excited about the next one. The potential new journeys intrigue me. I hope the next book includes more development in both the plot and the characters.

This may be one of my top fantasy reads of 2024, it was so freaking good.

Hani is a gumiho who back in the day was a legend known as the Scarlet Fox but these days she’s a barista just trying to pay off her credit card bills and lead a normal life, but a certain fallen God has become her least favorite part of the day. Seokga the fallen hates everyone and everything except coffee unfortunately for him Hani hates him and coffee leading to him always getting the wrong order. The two are in constant battle and when Hani becomes his assistant in order to save herself and her friend things couldn’t be better.

I LOVED the banter between these two, they both had such strong personalities and a don’t back down mentality that led to such funny moments. All the characters had their own real personalities and didn’t feel flat, you actually care for them and worry for them as the book progresses. The eoduksini was scary! The mystery, the deaths, the nightmares everything was set up so well. I enjoyed the changes in both Hani and Seokga, they really evolved as things went on and truly learned somethings about not only each other but themselves, great character development. The moment of going from enemies to lovers was so good! The pacing was fantastic in that regard, it wasn’t rushed but also wasn’t dragged out and you can actually see all the little moments that led to that moment and I squealed. This was the perfect blend of humor, mystery, and romance.

I will be buying a physical copy because I need to own it and have it on my shelf.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. If you love Kdramas and all things Korean mythology then this book is for you! I absolutely love the different tropes (enemies to lovers, forced proximity, one bed) in this story and the banter between Seokga and Hani. I was immediately sucked into the world of New Sinsi and couldn’t help but fall in love with the characters. Sophie Kim had me on the edge of my seat unexpectedly through the mystery and crimes happening in the city which I loved watching Seokga and Hani work together on to solve.

As fun as majority of this book was, I did not expect the ending and how heartbreaking it was, but I’m definitely excited for the next installment to this series. The God and the Gumiho comes out tomorrow on June 4th, make sure to read this gem of a fantasy!

Hani is a Gumiho, a nine - tailed fox of legend, more importantly she is THE Scarlet Fox, an infamous Gumiho who after ravaging the country in 1888 went into hiding. Seokga is the trickster god. After a failed coup against his brother he was exiled to the mortal realm where he would only be free once he captured and killed the twenty thousand evil creatures he had unleashed. Finally he is given the opportunity to end his exile and torturous existence alongside humanity, he has to kill the demon that has escaped into the mortal world and is murdering humans and creatures alike. As if that isn't enough, he has to capture and kill the elusive Scarlet Fox who has suddenly made an appearance again, taking the lives of two men. Hani knows the only way to protect herself is to get in Seokga's way at every possibly turn, but when one of her own turns up dead at the hands of the demon she decides to team up with the curmudgeonly god and bring the demon down while sending Seokga on a wild goose chase for the Scarlet Fox.

So many booklovers I know have been eagerly awaiting the release of The God and the Gumiho. When I heard that it was Sophie Kim's homage to K-Dramas, I knew I had to read it. Thankfully, it was available for request on Netgalley and I swooped it up. I have a penchant for K-Dramas and have been watching them for well over a decade now. Needless to say that the description alone, had me hooked.

When I started reading this book I immediately made connections between Goblin (aka Guardian: The Great and Lonely God) and my giddiness grew. If you haven't seen or heard of it, Goblin stars Gong Yoo as a Goblin who has been cursed to walk the earth for thousands of years in search of his bride. The cast was incredibly well chosen and honestly is my favorite drama of all time. If you put together the personalities of Kim Shin and the Grim Reaper, you would have Seokga. Combine Sunny and Ji Eun-Tak and you have Hani.

If you told me 5 years ago, that I would find a book that was as enchanting and addicting as the previously mentioned K-drama, I would have called you a liar. Sophie Kim has me obsessed! I immediately wanted to reread The God and the Gumiho, just like I immediately rewatched Goblin. This book has everything, romance, mystery, adventure, action, suspense, all tied into the two fantastical main characters. June is starting off with a bang in this incredibly emotional tale of love and trickery. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for the God and the Gumiho.

Super adorable page turner with a murder mystery. I finished it in a single sitting. It’s a wee bit trope heavy but the author plays out the tropes masterfully. Seokga is mister grumpy pants and Hani is a sassy ray of sunshine in comparison. You know sparks are going to fly. It’s marked as a book one and I’ve marked the author to follow on Goodreads. I want to see where the thread of fate leads next!

5/5 stars, thanks to NetGalley & Random House Publishing for providing an eARC in exchange for this review.

Oh. My. GOD. The God and the Gumiho is perfection for those that love rivals/annoying counterparts in a detective case to lovers. Hani and Seokga are both beautifully petty and dramatic and I am LIVING for it.

This follows the fallen god, Seokga, aka God of mischief, deceit, etc and Hani Kim, our lovely and previously murderous Scarlet Fox (gumiho, similar to the Japanese kitsune). It's a delightful cat & mouse type of story, if you ignore the fact that the world is going to end thanks to a demon of darkness being pissy about his realm being lost forever thanks to Seokga.

I genuinely do not want to say anything more because I will just spoil the whole story. The characters, banter, everything is so so fantastic. This will have you laughing and crying, and quite honestly might be my favorite of 2024 so far.

Friends, it has been a while since I read a book that made me laugh and smile this much. The God and the Gumiho is the perfect summer read for contemporary fantasy fans and K-drama fans. 

Hani and Seogka are the unlikely duo you need in your life. Hani, formerly known as the infamous Scarlet Fox, leads a quiet life working in a coffee shop and devouring American historical romance books while inciting minor chaos around her to spice things up. Her favorite way to drum up some drama is by screwing up a fallen trickster god’s coffee order. That particular god is Seogka. Seogka hates almost everything about the mortal world except for coffee. Needless to say, he does not appreciate Hani’s antics. However, the two are about to find themselves spending a lot of time together. Seogka has the chance to regain his God status by killing a powerful demon that threatens the human world, as well as the Scarlet Fox, who has resurfaced. Hani, the Scarlet Fox in question, decides to apply to be Soegka’s assistant to ensure he never captures her. 

Antics and bickering ensue, as you can imagine. Hani and Seogka are hilarious together! Their chemistry was palpable. I highlighted countless lines on my Kindle of their banter. I loved watching them grow to become friends and then more. They’re both very guarded characters, which made it all the sweeter to see them grow and learn to trust each other. Meanwhile, as the characters learn to put up with each other, they're scrambling to solve a mystery and save the mortal world. No pressure. Kim manages to write this book with such humor and lightness. I loved reading from Seogka and Hani’s perspectives.

Hani and Seogka will surely steal your heart as they did mine. This is the first book I have read by Sophie Kim, and it definitely won't be my last.

This was such a fun,colorful and immersive read!the imagery created makes you forget you're reading at all. I loved all the plot points and all the twists and turns and constantly trying to guess if I knew what was going to happen.if you love Greek mythology you will LOVE this book. I loved learning the Korean mythology and I really hope she puts out more books like this one so I can learn even more about the Korean gods and goddesses

The God and the Gumiho had me hooked from the first page. I genuinely couldn't put it down. This book was literally so fun and so entertaining and it gave me k-drama vibes in the best way possible. The character interactions had me giggling and kicking my feet while the high stakes had me on the edge of my seat. I went on a rollercoaster of emotions. Perfect blend of romance, fantasy, and worldbuilding/lore. I need the next book ASAP.