Seokga isn’t your average detective. He’s the fallen God of Chaos, forced to hunt unruly spirits as penance for a failed coup. Nor is Hani your average cheerful barista. She’s also the Scarlet Fox, notorious for devouring human souls. When a demon threatens the city of New Sinai, Seokga makes a deal—destroy the demon and the Scarlet Fox, and regain his power. Unfortunately for him, Hani just started working as his assistant, and she has no intention of getting caught. 

The God and the Gumiho is an urban fantasy, but this book has immense crossover appeal. There’s something for everyone, from fans of k-drama (one character refers to the sea god as her bias—I cackled) to mystery and detective noir. Kim’s world feels fully realized, fresh, and immersive, but Gumiho truly shines through its main characters, who are beautifully nuanced and subvert fantasy archetypes at every turn. Hani is the sunshine in this grumpy/sunshine duo, yes, but she’s also a powerful criminal out to ruin not only Seokga’s investigation, but also his day by adding extra cream and sugar to his coffee. Seokga manages to be a brooding detective, a snarky trickster god, and an absolute sweetheart all at once, and the juxtaposition between characters that are both thousands of years old and bicker like petty teenagers is delightful. 

Gumiho falls on the adult spectrum, but you can tell that the author has a YA background, and while the romantic scenes aren’t quite closed door, they definitely aren’t the book’s focus. Though the plot hooked me early on, the twist was somewhat predictable, and I felt like some reveals between characters came too late to have the impact I expected. Gumiho was at its best in the “procedural” scenes and initial interactions between Hani and Seokga, and I wish readers had more time to linger in the growing tension before diving into the romance and main plot. 

That said, I devoured this book, and if you like stories with enemies to lovers romance, brothers with a Thor/Loki dynamic, creatures steeped in Korean mythology, and heart-wrenching climactic action, I think you will too! The God and the Gumiho releases on 6/4, so add it to your TBR now!

My rating: 4 stars

Wow, this one just blew me away.

When I saw that this book was enemies to lovers, I immediately requested it on NetGalley. What I ended up reading was an amazing romantasy that had me in my chair reading this in one go.

The story follows Kim Hani, a nine-tailed fox (known as gumiho in Korean mythology) who ends up working with Seokga, a fallen god of mischief, to find out who has been murdering the denizens of their city, while trying to hide her past identity as the mass-murdering Scarlet Fox.

The formatting of the story was really well done - it had dual perspectives that made sense in order to tell the story well. Hani and Seokga are truly enemies at the start of the story and its really enjoyable to read such a true enemies to lovers story.

Additionally, Kim weaves Korean mythology into a modern society so seamlessly that you forget that its not a real life. Its very comparable to how Marvel shows and movies mix the paranormal into the modern.

The prose in the book is neither overly verbose or too boring - its engaging and exciting, which aligns with the fast-moving plot. The characters themselves also are well constructed and you are so invested in them, despite their dark grey morality.

All in all, this is a must for romantasy readers and mythology lovers!

The God and The Gumiho comes out on June 4th, wherever books are sold.

Excuse me...I require compensation for emotional damages from the last 20% of this book!

A Fallen Trickster God obsessed with coffee? A nine-tailed fox shifter that went on a binge and ate too many liver and souls of men in 1888 and is still full in 1992? Sign me up!

This reminded me softly of House of Earth and Blood, the show Loki mixed in with the dramatics of anime (including a villainous monologue). It's going to make you cackle and kick your feet but also rip your heart out at the same time.

The God and the Gumiho had a solid storyline, solid character development, solid pacing (a real page-turner honestly!), and solid world-building! A bit cheesy at times? Satisfyingly predictable? Sure! But I think it fits the vibe. This was written in a way where you can just see it unfolding before your eyes like a movie. Page time was used wisely and I never felt like the pacing got bogged down. I LOVED the dual POV of Hani and Seokga! They really are the stars of the show here, nothing outshines them! They both have very distinct personalities! I love them so much! I thought I might struggle with the world-building a bit or picking up on words that I am unfamiliar with but that wasn't the case at all.

If you're wondering about spice, I would put this at like a .5 on the chili pepper scale, but the tension? 10/10 for angsty tension! The banter was so entertaining!

Be prepared to have all the feels! This is going down as one of my favorites of the year!

PS. Sometimes coffee saves the day for me too...

Big thanks to Del Rey and NetGalley for the eARC! The God and the Gumiho is out on June 4th, 2024!

The God and The Gumiho is a book with a good mix of romance, suspense, and fantasy. It had Korean drama vibes, making it feel like I was reading a drama turned into a book. The characters were enticing and easy to like. Hani and Seokga had a good dynamic, and their banter was entertaining.

As a K-drama enthusiast and someone familiar with Hangul, I knew some of the terms, creatures, and their pronunciations, but not all. I would have loved a few pages with a pronunciation guide and descriptions of the creatures mentioned. I think it would have provided a deeper experience

Thank you to Sophie Kim and NetGalley for the ARC I received of The God and the Gumiho.

This was an urban fantasy that relied heavily on Korean folklore, a combination that I haven't seen before. I love that the author pulled from mythology that probably isn't commonly known to most of her readers and presented it in a way that did not feel like info-dumping. Each creature is explained briefly, in a way that is relevant at that point in the sotry.

Our main characters are Hani, a gumiho or nine-tailed fox, and Seokga, a fallen trickster god. They have formed poor impressions of one another via coffee-based exchanges at the cafe where Hani works. Not to give too big a spoiler, but Hani ends up volunteering to work as Seokga's assistant to impede his work as a detective investigating and "dispatching" Unruly creatures causing havoc in their city. Not only is she trying to interfere with his investigation, she also wants to make him miserable.

And she does fine at both, until a young gumiho is killed and Hani decides THAT investigation deserves both her and Seokga's attention.

While I enjoyed the plot, I predicted several "twists" before they occurred, so if being able to predict the plot makes you unhappy, this may not be the book for you. The romance is sweet and closed-door enough that I think this could be enjoyed by upper YA readers, though I think it's more directed to NA readers.

In regards to tropes, I think I saw it labelled as grumpy-sunshine, which I disagree with. While Seokga is grumpy, I didn't find Hani to be that sunshine-y. I would call it enemies-to-lovers lite, as Seokga and Hani do not like one another to start.

I can see some not enjoying it, as it reads like a K-drama or anime, but I don't think that it was so over-the-top that changes needed to be made. Overall, I would love to see where Sophie Kim takes this series.

If you love:
🖤 Enemies to lovers
🖤 Korean mythology
🖤 Red String of Fate
🖤 K-dramas (especially Goblin)
🖤 Surprise twists

Then, The God and the Gumiho is the perfect story! I am sucker for any Red String of Fate story but this book has everything that I love about the Korean fantasy world. Sophie Kim includes all kinds of mythical creatures (I would LOVE more information on these creatures…hopefully in the printed copy!!). I love all of the witty banter back and forth between the sexy trickster God, Seokga and the clever fox, Hani. The only negative thing about this book is that I have to wait for the next one to come out!! Highly recommend!!

3 🌕🌕🌕🌑🌑

I enjoyed my time with this story. It was funny, charming and a little childish at times but overall a fun read.

It was my first urban fantasy, but the touch of coziness really helped. It was fun getting to see all the magical creatures with day jobs just relaxing at a cafe. I loved the world building and the atmosphere throughout the entire book.

My only wish was for a glossary of proper pronunciation. I can’t lie, I struggled HARD with a lot of the names and places throughout this one.

There's no feeling quite like diving into this modern-day urban fantasy. You know you're in for an enchanting ride, one that will transport you to magical realms hidden within our own world, full of mythical creatures and their age-old dilemmas. While this may seem like a whimsical tale at first glance, it's actually so much more. It's a rich narrative that delves into themes of identity, transformation, and the bonds that define us. At times, it's so heartfelt, I marvel at how it all comes together in this charming and funny story.

For me, the hallmark of a successful fantasy novel is that it must never lose sight of the characters' depth. And this book gets it right. For example, even though Hani, our 1700-year-old nine-tailed fox, can be devious and cunning, she is also deeply caring and loyal. A standout scene that captured my heart was when Hani protected the spirit of a recently murdered young gumiho. Seokga’s brusque questioning upset the poor little gumiho, but Hani wasted no time in coming to her aid, putting Seokga in his place and consoling her fallen sister. This moment truly showcased Hani's compassionate nature and her assertive dynamic with Seokga.

Every main and supporting character in this book is intriguing and endearing, and together, they bring the story to life with their vivid personalities. The main characters' antics while trying to solve the case were meant to antagonize one another, but they were funny, too. It adds an undeniable sparkle to the narrative, making each and every page a joy to read.

The God and The Gumiho has a truly enchanting style. The story is charming and whimsical, but never shallow. The characters are memorable. And their interactions are so genuine and touching, they often leave me smiling and giggling in equal measure. I can't wait for more from Sophie Kim!

Thank you to Del Rey and NetGalley for providing this book for my unbiased review. All opinions shared in this review are my own.

I'm head over heels for this book! The God and the Gumiho follows Seokga: a fallen trickster god, who failed to overthrow his brother Emperor Hwanin, and has been casted out and sent to New Sinsi --the mortal realm -- where he must kill 20,000 Unrulies before he can take his place back as a god.

Hani on the other hand, is a nine-tailed fox known as the Scarlet Fox who stopped eating people back in 1888 because she ate too much and is now still full from that time. Working at a coffee shop for supernaturals -- though she hates coffee -- is where she comes across Seokga.

A game of deception transpire when a slip up from Hani has Seokga searching for the Scarlet Fox to kill her. Though, that's not the only Unruly Seokga is looking for as mayhem ensues in New Sinsi as a creature of darkness is looking to get revenge on Seokga.

I absolutely love Hani and Seokga, and especially love how throughout this book while focusing on Hani and Seokga's relationship, this book didn't deter from the plot which made this book even more entertaining! The witty banter between Hani and Seokga was one of my favorites throughout this book. Hani making it her job as Seokga's new assistant to get on his nerves and also in the way of his investigation in trying to find her and catch other Unrulies. They're both sharp-tongued, and don't hold back in making snarky remarks towards each other in this Korean mythological murder mystery!

The ending had your girl in her feelings! I was not expecting those plot twists at the end, and just seeing Hani and Seokga's character growth and feelings towards each other. I need a book 2 for them!

Thank you to Del Rey Books, Netgalley, and the author for an eARC copy of this book! All opinions are my own.

Actual rating 3.5/5

Hmm hmm hmm. This one is a little trickier for me! Overall, I'd say I enjoyed my time reading the book. For the most part. The setting in particular was enjoyable and right up my alley. The thing that threw me off the most was our two main characters and the dynamic between them. Their intersections could cross the line of fun and playful and go into annoying and childish level, which really isn't very great to read.

thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this e-arc - 3.5/5 stars rounded up, i had a great time delving into this world!

while I definitely did find hani's and seokga's immaturity grating at times, it was never enough for me to actually stop reading because of them - partially because they were annoying but amusing enough for me to keep going, and mostly because the world that sophie kim's created was sooooo interesting to read. urban fantasy is probably one of my favorite genres and it was so interesting to see the way that all the mythical creatures were woven into the tediousness of everyday life - like hey, even gumihos need a job. and urban fantasy is usually even better when there's a mystery/detective aspect to it, so the romance honestly felt almost a little unnecessary because I was so caught up in the mystery - the romance was nice, because I actually did find their dynamic amusing, but I think for this book, the mystery was really where the bulk of the excitement was at. I did appreciate seeing the softer sides of hani and seokga, especially in the beginning of the book where they haven't really had much character development yet - it makes them feel flawed and multifaceted, and their banter was pretty amusing (and mean) to read. overall, I'm pretty excited to see where this series continues to go. (personally, I think sophie kim could just write a never ending series about these two solving crimes in new sinsi and I'd get a kick out of it, but I digress.)

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-ARC.

Dnf’d at 33%. This was a much anticipated release for me, as I love Asian folklore and mythology and the premise seemed so fun and fantastical. But unfortunately this was a disappointment and the story just didn’t work for me.

I thought the writing and the humor was quite juvenile for an adult fantasy (they sure sneered and smirked a lot in this book). The interactions and bantering between the two main characters were guilty of the three C’s: cringey, contrived, and childish. I was mentally rolling my eyes whenever I had to push myself through the bad dialogues. The character work didn’t do it for me either. I can’t say I cared too much for our titular characters. Hani was just so immature and annoying (there she goes, smiling “sweetly” again). Seokga was a cranky prick, but wasn’t the worst; I didn’t warm up much to him either though, not enough to want to continue the story.

There were aspects of the story that were fun and cozy. It definitely reminded me of Legends and Lattes somewhat, what with mythical creatures just going about their day-to-day lives with 9-5 jobs. We’ve got gumihos working in a cafe; a fallen trickster god stuck as a detective after getting kicked out of the immortal realm; grim reapers ferrying souls to the afterlife when they’re not too busy sipping their black coffee. The magic + mundane combo made for an interesting setting.

Even though this didn’t work for me, I can definitely see how many will still find much enjoyment from this kdrama of a book!

This was a witty, comical, fantasy romance based on Korean mythology in a modern setting that had me crying happy tears at the end.

The God and the Gumiho is about… well, the trickster god of the Korean pantheon (Seokga) and the gumiho, a nine-tails or kitsune equivalent (Hani). They live in 1992 South Korea in a city in which humans and immortals coexist. Seokga is the Fallen God, sentenced to get rid of 20,000 Unrulies (bad immortals) for a failed coup against his brother. Hani is a retired gumiho- she used to eat souls and livers of men, but now she works at a coffee shop. They HATE each other. The reasons are silly, but what’s not a silly reason for a slightly unserious (until it isn’t) story? The plot started off simple, with a few things being easy to guess, but I thoroughly enjoyed the twists and turns in the latter half of the book. Despite my inability to see how it would all tie up, it was wrapped up beautifully. I guess the fact I couldn’t work out an ending in my brain was a sign of good writing!

Sophie Kim’s writing is beautiful as it combines lyrical prose and top-notch banter. The book is dual POV of Seokga and Hani, both with very distinct and very snarky voices. I was giggling throughout the whole story.

The characters development is slow, but entertaining. The slow burn is fun and both characters change exponentially by the end. I especially enjoyed the change in Seokga. Oh, and his obsession with coffee is hilarious. I could almost physically feel his very strong emotions at the end.

The integration of Korean mythology was fun, but holy moly, a pronunciation guide and glossary would be nice. Kim did a good job of explaining what needed to be explained about the lore but I still found myself wanting a glossary.

Was it perfect? Nah, but most books aren’t absolutely perfect. I still really enjoyed it and would read it again. I’m not sure if it’s a series - it says Book 1 in Fates Thread. If it is, I’ll certainly read the other book(s). 5 stars from me!!

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the eARC!

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, and SCREAMING! Gods. I’m obsessed.

Such a fun, interesting fantasy. I loved the assorted Korean magical beings and the blend of magic and high fantasy with something that feels cozy and contemporary, like Hani working in a cafe for magical creatures. This was a very entertaining read with enjoyable characters and an immersive world. (and I'm obsessed with this cover, it's gorgeous).

Sophie Kim knocks it out of the park again!
"The God and the Gumiho" follows Hani, a gumiho and Seokga, the fallen trickster god as they come together to solve a string of murders. I love how Kim involves Korean mythology into her work, and it's really great to learn more as the book goes on. The first part of the book really stopped me up, where I was intrigued by the characters and their pasts, but their current relationships were a bit difficult to fully get behind. Seokga and Hani's main dislike for one another is founded on a coffee order gone wrong, but the dislike that they feel for one another is a bit difficult to understand until the two are together. As Hani joins the investigation, their dislike for one another feels more like annoyance-to-lovers, rather than enemies-to-lovers.

Admittedly I do not read urban fantasy, and I have not watched K-dramas, but I really enjoyed the sometimes-campy nature of the story. Seokga's growth throughout the novel was super fun to read, and watching he and Hani's relationship go from annoying each other to depending on each other was so cute to read, even though the pacing at the end was a bit fast for my taste. Hani's character is so great to read too! I wish we got a bit more of her being mischievious, as it's mentioned a lot in the beginning of the novel. It's fun to read about a FMC who is confident and more upfront.

The last chunk of this book had me HOOKED, and it eased all of my nervousness that came with the intro to the story. The crime/mystery picked up and I realized how much I enjoy them as a duo investigating and working with each other. This made the tension rise so much as I was nervous for Hani and Seokga, individually and for one another. The ending was SO refreshing too! Overall, this story took me a longer time than normal to get into (which might be because I jumped out of my usual genres), but after the initial adjustment to the story I had so much fun reading! I'm really excited for more world-building, and to see more mythical characters in a modern setting!

Sophie Kim is an instant-buy author for me, and I'm so excited for whatever she writes next!

LOVE LOVE LOVE. This book was so fresh and exciting (to me). I was hooked after the first two chapters told us he LOVES coffee, it makes life worth living and then we immediately learn that she works in a coffee shop and HATES it.
The perfect grumpy/sunshine(but also a little grumpy and sassy) "buddy cop" combo.
The Fallen God and the Scarlet Fox might be my new favorite couple. I learned so much about Korean mythology and creatures reading this book as well. A little bit of romance, a little bit of mystery, a little bit of urban fantasy, a little bit of k-drama, a whole lot of fantastic book.

"You're impossible"
"You're insufferable"
"You're intolerable"
awww they're flirting!

The narrative excels in its world-building, offering a rich tapestry of Korean folklore and contemporary elements. The stakes are high as Hani and Seokga navigate a path of mayhem and violence to track down the demon. Their journey is fraught with danger and secrets that threaten to unravel their growing connection.

The God and the Gumiho is a captivating read that will delight fans of fantasy and mythology. The novel’s unique portrayal of the gumiho, combined with its intoxicating mix of action, mystery, and romance, makes it an irresistible page-turner. Whether they can prevent the apocalypse or let their secrets tear them apart keeps readers enthralled until the very end.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc.

The God and Gumiho is one my top reads of the year, for sure. Set in the nineties a fallen god (who is a detective) teams up with a gumiho (the famous criminal scarlet fox who went of a man eating bender in 1888) to solve crimes.

This was a totally unexpected read for me, it felt like a K-drama and I would find myself losing track of my time spent reading because I was invested. The paving was good, the plot was great the characters were interesting and made me want more.

All in all I won't be accepting criticisms of this book because I thought it was a super fun and interesting read.

I had a mixed experience reading this book and although it got a bit better for me towards the second half, I wish I could’ve felt that way about the whole story. My main issues were with Seokga and Hani, I found their behavior to be immature and a bit annoying honestly.. especially at the start when they first start working together. I will say that once I got used to them and how they interacted, I was able to enjoy my time spent reading more. I think the world itself is interesting and I would’ve loved more information on New Sinsi and the other creatures in general, I also loved the detective side of the plot and the mystery behind the demon they’re tracking down. I actually thought the ending was cute and reminiscent of k-dramas, so I guess the characters did grow on me!