The God and The Gumiho was so good. So cute and so fun. I know little about korean mythology yet i understood things the more i read. The beginning of the book was slow but once i hit half way i could not stop, everything sped up and i enoyed it.

HANI AND SEOKGA.

I LOVE THEM. The progression was in a short amount of time but i loved it. I LOVE THEM. The banter between them was just so good.

The only confusion i had was the year being 1992 yet i ket thinking it as modern day from the talk of phones and tapes.

but i enjoyed this book so much and cant wait to buy a physical copy.

The God and the Gumiho was a fast-paced, action packed read that finds its roots in Korean mythology. A fallen god and a infamous nine-tailed fox team up to find and banish a demon that is threatening to turn the mortal realm into a new dark world to replace their inaccessible dark world home. Hani initially joins the investigation with the purpose of throwing Seokga off the trail of one the targets of his investigations. The demon causes them to truly work together and then the romance blooms (hellooo forced proximity).
The Korean mythology was very interesting as a reader that is generally unfamiliar with the different gods in that pantheon. Kim provided enough detail for me to understand the different relationships between the gods and different realms without overwhelming me.
The investigation part of the story was really interesting and, as we discover more bout Seokga, is very complex and keeps the reader on the edge of their seat.
I think the romance aspect was what I found to be lacking. It didn't feel all that natural, especially since Hani went from extreme dislike and throwing coffee all over Seokga to having soft, loving feelings for him in a relatively short period of time. Seokga is often rude and lacking in an empathetic emotion in his conversations and relationships in the beginning of the book, but one look at Hani's breasts has him change his tune. Their connection seems based on physical attraction and lust more than anything else and makes a jump to "I'll die for you" love too quickly for me to find it compelling.
Overall, it was a quick read that was generally enjoyable and I would be interested in reading more books set in this world Kim has created

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, but I love the direction the story is going. The bold choice really sets the story apart. For most of the book I did not plan to continue the series, but now I am absolutely hooked.

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 (and 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, but 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 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 for the e-arc of this wonderful book. I had an absolutely blast.

Thank you NetGalley and Del Rey for an e-arc of this book.

4.5/5 stars

This was so good and I’m so sad but happy. Next to the definition of bittersweet in the dictionary is a picture of this book.

Seokga and Hani’s character developments were written so well, as we saw the (let’s be honest) jerks they started out as to the selfless softies (only for each other though!) they became. I appreciate the growth so much.

The half star I deducted from this book is simply because it was a little bit insta-love-y and I am nothing if not consistent: I don’t really like that trope. But that being said, I did love Seokga and Hani’s relationship, they were so mean and FUNNY to start and ended sweet and still funny.

That was another pleasant surprise from this book, it genuinely made me laugh with some of the dialogue and scenarios (top among them: when Seokga cuddled Hani and then woke up and just stared at his hands like they betrayed him for a dramatic amount of time).

But the end had me SOBBING that was so rude but somehow also hopeful?

Anyway, I really loved this and would recommend it to anyone who loves a good buddy cop tv show or movie where they fall in love at the end.

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 <i>hates</i> 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 <i>good</i>. 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.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC of the God and the Gumiho! Set in a modern-day city in South Korea, this dual-POV story follows Hani (formerly the Scarlet Fox) and Seokga (a fallen god). Seokga is given an opportunity for redemption: to stop a very dangerous creature that has been tearing up South Korea and to kill the Scarlet Fox after it made a reappearance after a long retirement. To make it more interesting, Hani gets a job to be Seokga’s assistant in solving the two cases.

Hani and Seokga are quite a duo - they hated each other at first, then over time grew to like each other. I loved the banter between the two from the beginning. The other characters were interesting and rounded out the cast well, and I was quite surprised as to who the dangerous creature (besides Hani) was. I’m a sucker for mythology-based novels, so I absolutely loved the use of Korean folklore - it was a bit overwhelming at first to get through the different kinds of figures (so much so I almost gave up), but if you push through it, you can figure out what is going on in the story. Overall, the book is reminiscent of a high quality k-drama: it has an interesting storyline, romance, betrayal (in more ways than one), and, like most k-dramas I’ve seen, ends with a bit of a cliffhanger that leaves me wanting more.

If you like K-dramas and urban fantasy, you should read The God and the Gumiho. It's a great summer read for when it's so hot that your brain wants to escape reality just a bit. While I thought some of the flashbacks in the beginning felt a little clunky (I am no editor), it was not a struggle to get into the book's world-building. If you're like me and you're unfamiliar with Korean mythology, I don't think you even have to worry about looking up the unknown terms in this book; if you could get through Dune, this is a piece of cake. I did almost wish there was a pronunciation guide, but I suppose that's what the audiobook is for.

Review: 4.5 Stars

“Hani once thought of Seokga as a bewildering puzzle. But now…now, she sees that Seokga and she are one and the same. Two jigsaw puzzles that fit together perfectly, despite their difference in natures, their ridges and edges.”

Where do I even begin…Well, the author noted that this book is a love letter to K-dramas…If so, she definitely succeed as it has everything one can find in a kdrama: hate-hate-love (check), banter (check), awkward moments (check), a bad doo doos to hate (check) and betrayal (check check).

Hani and Seokga could not be more different! One is perky and cheerful while hiding behind her cunningness and power behind a bubbly facade while the other is grouchy, abrupt and rude while having almost little power due to his fallen status. They met under the funniest of circumstances when Seokga accuses Hani of making his coffee wrongly and got her into trouble with her boss. Since then, Hani could never resist making his order wrongly if only to jab at him and their dislike for each other was mutual! Their paths intersect further when Hani became Seokga’s assistant if only to point him in the wrong direction while hiding the fact that she is the Scarlet Fox, a gumiho who was known to went on a devouring binge during the 1800s and went into hiding after to avoid being caught. Of course, complications arise when they actually become friends and start falling for each other while attempting to save the world from a nasty creature that escapes the underworld.

I adore Hani and Seokga - their character development was wonderful to see especially when they start falling for each other. The tenderness they showed one another was reminiscent of a k-drama where I was letting out giggles and squeals and was smiling like a lunatic while reading. My only small critique is at times the characters’ reactions and actions felt very YA, eg: Hani’s use her daggers for the recent kill in years which would scream Scarlet Fox immediately etc.

The plot started out slow and the story just got better and better. I picked up a few clues along the way and finally caught on to who the creature possessed. This also shows how relationships can be a complicated thing when everything comes together to make it an explosive climax ... .AND THAT ENDING!! I definitely had tears in my eyes at moments because there were definitely some emotional scenes.

I honestly did not expect to love this book as much and am so glad I got my hands on a physical ARC.

Wow, Simply Amazing!!! 4.5 Stars
(I did received the digital Arc copy of The God and the Gumiho.)

I Loved Hani's & Seokga's banter throughout the story, to me it felt very natural & it reminded me how my own personal relationship felt very natural & belonging so for them to fall deeply for each other at such short time did not seemed strange to me.
- Also, can we talk about their character development at the end?! I just wanted to hug them.

I will also say because I love my Kdramas I was able to appreciate and enjoy the fast connection between Hani & Seokga. I was also able to portrait it as a kdrama in my head while I read & that was very fun!

Now the last 15% was crazy! I felt all the emotions and the scene will live in my head rent free.
Also, I did not see that plot twist coming!!!! I was left with my jaw on the floor!

Because of how the story ending I'm hoping & praying we get a second book because I would love to see them fall in love again.

Also can it be adapted to a kdrama!!!!???? I would love to see the characters come to life.

Here's a summarized Synopsis:
Kim Hani, once the infamous Scarlet Fox known for devouring souls, has retired to a quieter life working in a coffee shop. She enjoys annoying Seokga the Fallen, a trickster god exiled to the mortal realm, as he works toward redemption.

“A dull pounding has started to bludgeon Seokga’s temples… likely from this demon’s fucking monologuing.”

I love this book's blend of contemporary fantasy and detective elements, making it perfect for binge-reading. My favorite thing about this book is Hani, an ancient fox with a feisty attitude and a love for killing men. What's not to like? The dynamic between Seokga and Hani is reminiscent of an old married couple, constantly bickering yet caring for each other in their own peculiar ways. Perhaps it's because they've been around for thousands of years
Thank you to NetGalley for the eArk!

Wow!
I picked this book up at the best time, despite its publishing date being so close. First, thank you for sending me this book to read and review, I'm so glad I got the chance to read it. I don't know how similar the final version will be, but I really enjoyed the version that I was able to read.

Starting off, I think the premise was interesting + the added Korean mythology made it a fresher read than what I've been reading lately. After being in a reading slump for almost two months before this book, it really was a breath of fresh air. I do think that the mythology could've been used more, because it was easy to forget that the main characters weren't humans. Delving deeper into that would've been a bit more intriguing and would be a wonderful plot device. The mythology picks up more in the last half of the book, but I think it should be consistently used throughout.

I struggled a bit in the middle with the romance, especially because it is meant to be a grumpy x sunshine; someone who's been a grump for centuries mind you. I think there needed to be more effort put into the reason behind Hani being the one Seokga ultimately falls for. It currently feels like "they were meant to be." I'm not sure if that is the intention, but I feel like even books with the soulmate trope are able to outline specific reasons why they work together so well. The events that take place to bring Hani & Seokga closer really aren't enough to suspend disbelief of the attitude he seems to have had for centuries. This is especially true when they fell for each other over the course of a few days. My mind tried to justify the relationship by thinking it had been several weeks, but then it is pointed out that it hadn't even a week yet, which felt so bizarre.
I will say that I was obsessed with his obsession for her, I do love a man who is completely smitten. I think that is what ultimately kept me glued to this book. I ended up loving the characters and was dreading what would happen to their relationship during the reveal. The twist at the end was enjoyable and I was glad to see some opportunity during the epilogue. Overall, I had fun, I will probably reread the final version when it is pubIished. I would read more from Sophie Kim!

I'm so conflicted by this book! While there were parts to love about this, I had such a hard time getting through most of this. I disliked the dark and moody LI, as that is just something that I don't enjoy reading about. The romance for me just didn't develop in a way that felt authentic to me. By the end, I did enjoy the romance enough for this book but I really wished for a realistic arc for it.

I really liked Hani's character. She was fun and just the right kind of sarcastic. I almost wish that this just followed her for the entirety of the book.

The ending is the best part of this book but the middle did drag for me that I found it hard to want to finish. So, overall this was a decent read that just did fit into what I am hoping for with a romance/fantasy.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the arc.

I was not expecting to open this book and fall madly in love with the story, but that is exactly what happened. From the first interaction between Kim Hani and Seokga the Fallen, I knew this was going to be an adventure. And it was. The mix of mystery and romance kept me on my toes. Watching Hani and Seokga develop as characters was so sweet.

I was able to call one of the twists from pretty early on, but even that didn’t prevent me from enjoying the story. Sophie Kim did an amazing job at pulling you in, and keeping you captivated.

The epilogue left me sitting on the edge of my seat, desperate to get book two in my hands.

Thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey for an ARC.

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!

The God and the Gumiho is one of those New Adult books that hit all of the boxes for me.

5 ⭐️ - fade to black romance; slow burn. He’s a fallen trickster god, she’s a notoriously sly fox demon. They’re both mischievous and the banter is fun. And I should mention there's a 1 bed trope with forced proximity.

I loved watching both of these characters warm up to one another as the story progressed and the throw backs to the 1990's was pretty great.

Apparently - as we're all aware - coffee is in fact the solution.

Made me cry like every K-Drama I’ve ever watched and I loved every minute of it.

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This is a cute and sexy story of a fallen god, who works for the cops on supernatural matters, and a gumiho--a nine-tailed fox--thousands of years old, who was at one time the #1 Most Wanted for her killing of men. The two have a terrible relationship, but when the gumiho gets a job as the god's assistant just to annoy him, that relationship starts to change. They're on the tail of a truly horrific entity bent on destroying the world; at the same time, the fox must keep the god from finding out who she really is--or was. It's a romp with good twists, and the enemies-to-lovers storyline is far more reasonable and believable than most. A fun summer read.

It was a fun, four-star read until Miss Sophie Kim decided to choose violence and made me cry at the ending, so up to five stars we go!

The God and the Gumiho is a buddy-cop romcom dressed in the garb of Korean mythology, and it's actually delightful. Our protagonist Kim Hani is lovably insufferable, and plays perfectly off of her love interest, the uppity Seokga. At times, TgatG is just a silly ride with goofy banter, before it segues into something more serious, amping up the tension until I'm nervously turning each page, waiting for the other shoe to drop. Having read and enjoyed Kim's other series, the Talon trilogy, I was pleasantly surprised by how I think I might just like this one even more.

Keep doing your thing, Miss Kim!

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review. I am not finishing this. DNF. I’m only writing this review so it doesn’t hurt my feedback ratio and I have to rate it because it makes me. This isn’t what I was expecting. It’s too lighthearted so far and that’s not what I was wanting or am in the mood for.

4.5/5 Stars
CAWPILE: 8/10

This book was filled with kdrama moments, magical creatures and romantic comedy sarcasm. I enjoyed this a lot more than I had expected to and felt like this was a good mix of fantasy with romance tropes while not feeling completely romantasy. The book follows your typical grumpy sunshine trope with lots of comedic banter that may feel cringe at times (but in a good way). The characters do experience some growth along the way which I love to see.

The book takes place in an urban fantasy world where immortal creatures are hidden amongst the humans. There are quite a few different magical creatures we learn about in this new world along with lore of the gods that was told in a light hearted way.

The storyline will make you feel like you’re watching a kdrama – which will make you laugh and potentially cry while not being able to look away. Some of the storyline feels a little predictable but it was still enjoyable to follow and see how the characters handle everything. I enjoyed the romance between the two characters but will say that romance is not the main point of the book although it does play a bigger part than I expected.

I would recommend this to people who enjoy kdramas or are looking for a fantasy with more than just action packed plots.

I would like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an arc of this book but all opinions are my own.