Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing this eARC.

The God and the Gumiho is a fantasy-mystery-romance which follows gumiho Kim Hani as she teams up with Seokga, a fallen god, to hunt down and kill the legendary Scarlet Fox.

Me and my K-drama-loving heart really enjoyed this book! The banter, the tension, the romantic tropes, were all absolutely delicious. I did find myself, funnily enough, wishing that the pace had been slower. I think this comes primarily from an interest in the story not ending at all, but I definitely found myself wanting them to chill out a bit, grab a few more cups of coffee, have a couple more meaningful chats. But really, I can't be mad with what we got, because I did thoroughly dig it.

I did think some of the fantasy elements could have been explored a bit more, just to give a bit more robustness to the overall story, but this didn't bother me so much since I was definitely here fore the romance first, fantasy elements second.

In all, while this may not be the right pick for fantasy readers, I think this was an incredibly solid and entertaining romance, and I'd love more of it!!

This book was so fun! I was in the mood for a light contemporary (well, 1990s contemporary) fantasy and this totally fit the bill! One main character is Seokga, who is an exiled god of death tasked as a crime detective that is hunting down "unrulies" or wayward demons that are harassing the mortal world. Our other main chracter is Hani, who is a Gumiho, or nine-tailed fox, who has lived for a very very long time as the infamous Scarlet Fox but is enjoying a peaceful retirement since her last feast was quite large. To fill her time, she's mentoring a younger gumiho, Somi, and working as a barista where Seokga frequents. When Hani finds out that Seokga is not only on the hunt for a world-eating demon but also looking for the Scarlet Fox, she teams up with Seokga to make sure she isn't caught. What ensues is an exciting mystery filled with twists and turns as the pair follow clues and hunt down witnesses. They're both extremely grumpy with each other and mostly sarcastic snark, which I loved. Their dynamic didn't feel too rushed and the turning point where they grudgingly begin to trust each other felt natural. The setting was also very cool, I love this idea of a small-town South Korean city frequented by the creatures of Korean folklore (for better or for worse), and I felt easily immersed as I read through the book. Overall, I definitely recommend if you're looking for a lighthearted fantasy mystery romance. I would absolutely pick up another book in this universe without hesitation! A big thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for a copy of the eARC in exchange for my thoughts.

Some content notes to be aware of: murder, gore, corpses, body horror, violence.

This is one of the best books I’ve read in a long time. The monsters and mythology were fascinating to learn about, and the descriptions were so vivid I could picture all of the creatures even though I’m not familiar with Korean folklore. The characters were well developed and drew me in, and the slow burn enemies to lovers plot was *chefs kiss* (even though it could have been a little slower for my taste, that’s just me). I enjoyed that although there were a few steamy scenes, it was overly graphic. Absolutely will be recommending this one.

Full review to come!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for providing me with an eARC of The God and The Gumiho in exchange for an honest review.

This book was so fun. A disgruntled fallen god, demon, and a sneaky fox make for quite the enjoyable combination. I felt like I was watching a tv show in my mind while I was reading it. This book is a bit out of my normal repertoire but I’m so glad I picked it up! Highly recommend picking this up if you like fun fantasies with a mystery element and a good balance of a bit of romance sprinkled in. I think this will be a hit when it hits shelves this June!

Full Review:
The God and the Gumiho by Sophie Kim is such a fun book. This Korean-inspired mythology retelling is set in an urban background. You have clever Kim Hani who tricks her way into an investigative position with fallen god Seokga…who just happens to be investigating murders that Hani committed. Being a tricky fox, Hani makes sure to sway the investigation in ways that just happen to keep everyone off her trail.

I though Hani was hilarious and Seokga was the perfect grumpy asshole to compliment her sunny disposition. Clever, cheeky, and a mystery to keep your intrigue, this book was easy to devour. I’ve heard this compared to Crescent City and I agree that it’s a more easy and enjoyable Adult Urban Fantasy where the plot mainly centers around a Mystery.

The tension, banter, and the wit were perfect compliments to the investigative plot line. Learning about all of the mythological creatures was fascinating and it was fun to see their abilities in action.

I’m very excited to see what Sophie Kim does in the next installment of this new series!

The full review can be found on Goodreads, Instagram, and Tiktok as of 5/20/24

3.5 -

So my preface with this is that I don't like fantasy romance... but I love Sophie Kim so I wanted to read this still. But yea that is my own fault because its just not a genre I ever enjoy..

What I did love about this book was the character dynamics (pre lovers) where it was all banter and angst and them messing with each other. Kim is so so good at angst and hatred. I'm a little iffy on urban fantasy settings sometimes but I enjoyed how Kim developed this world and set it in the 90's, that was really fun.

I started to not enjoy the story as much once the switch to lovers started happening. It felt like the fantasy elements were neglected after that and the plot relied on the romance. Also it felt like Seokga's character completely changed? Like he just didn't feel at all like who he started as and not in a growth kind of way.

Either way I think this book had a lot to offer to the right readers and I hope it finds them!

I was honestly pleasantly surprised by this title.

So, the beginning felt a bit stilted and overwritten. I kept wondering when something would finally happen and it was almost as though the author was watching a movie and describing all of the things you see while the beginning credits are playing and it’s a bunch of scenery.

But once the main characters interacted with one another the writing became much less forced and overwritten.

Overall I honestly don’t have any real complaints, I did feel like the spicy scene was a bit out of place and felt like it was there just to be there. The banter and the pacing was really nice overall. I will definitely pick up the authors next book!

"There are no happy endings in your story. The god and the gumiho ends with tragedy."

IM CRYING NO WORDS JUST THIS BOOK HAS COMPLETELY AND UTTERLY DESTROYED ME IN THE BEST POSSIBLE WAYS. SOPHIE KIM YOU WILL BE PAYING FOR MY THERAPY BILLS MARK MY WORDS. the way my heart just went 📈📉📈📉📈 that was a whole emotional ride in those last chapters my god???

once again i have fallen in love!!! The God and the Gumiho absolutely SERVED i had an unbelievable amount of fun reading about this world and plot, but most of all seokga and hani were absolutely everything i love in characters!! new lomls acquired🥹

first of all, i literally love the korean lore and words and the way it was incorporated in a natural way that wasnt overwhelming at all as someone who is not really familiar with it!! i think i especially love it because on kindle if i highlight the word, it automatically tells me what the word means but i also didnt even need to do that because it would be explained without being so obviously info-dumping and truly thats a skill i love!! im also even more interested in korean mythology after this book because the creatures are truly so interesting like seriously didnt realize how tired (or maybe tired isnt the right word?? overused??) i was of the same old mythological creatures always being used until i read TGATG like genuinely i adore it.

then the plot--oh i will always eat up murder mysteries and trying to figure out who the eoduksini had possessed??? i feel bad for thinking it a specific someone because they were innocent in the end oops but also who the eoduksini was??? like about 75% i began suspecting someone and i was right but if you'd asked me this at the beginning of the book i literally never wouldve imagined😭 please they always say its the person you least suspect but even then i never get them early on LOL but damn if that eoduksini wasnt so smart actually??? despise them omg

and finally let me scream about my love for seokga and hani ohmygod?? YOUR HONOR I AM IN LOVE🥹🥹 the way they had me giggling, gasping, laughing, and grinning like a fool??? there literally couldve been absolutely no plot in this book and i still wouldve given 5 stars BECAUSE SEOKGA AND HANI >>> i adore those two so so so much, i always live for grumpyxsunshine and the way they started out hating the other (all due to coffee help i still find it so funny) to their petty and silly arguments and insults theyd throw at each other to slowly becoming insults with less heat and loathing and them begrudgingly respecting the other to still occassionally having arguments but then also caring so much about how the other perceives them and then considering each other as ...friends? and really noticing the small details about the other to then wondering if maybe theyre more than just friends and the shyness and sweet looks and ughhh my heart the hold they have on me?? im so gone for them

one bed scene?? waking up to cuddling BY THE SEOKGA??? their kisses?? the blushing??? the makeout sessions??? seokga's soft vulnerability??? hani's adorable rambling??? the way each felt so at ease with the other, like they found a part of themselves?? the little glances, the tugs at their hearts, the softening in their gazes?? yes indeed i am obsessed if you couldnt tell🥹 i felt like crying just because of how sweet these two are. and which is why it HURT even more knowing i was reaching the end because i just knew as soon as seokga eventually found out hani was really the scarlet fox, all that happiness would be gone so quick and it genuinely broke my heart thinking about that which is why i started procrastinating reaching the end😭 yes, i straight up tried to slow down my reading by starting another book, reading slower, trying to read some webcomics but no it didn't work because i have too much of an addiction for these two and you cant take them away from me i refuse (as for what ended up happening between those 2 and if there was a revelation indeed... well you'll have to read and find out👀)

but also i need to scream about it somewhere so MAJOR major spoilers here: (view spoiler)

anyways yeah the things this book did to me, i went from laughing->grinning like a fool->fangirling and giggling->heartbreak and pain->(??????) youll only know this if you read the book xox (view spoiler) and i seriously adore the character development in both hani and seokga, it was done so well and naturally <3


this has absolutely become one of my top favourite reads of 2024 and of all time, and i will so be doing a reread because its just that kind of book🫶 ugh thank you author for creating such a beautiful world with beautiful characters and also please tell me when book 2 is asap i need it🥹

Eternally thankful to Del Rey for providing me an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review!

Well, this one is absolutely delightful. When I did have to put it down, I couldn’t wait to pick it up again. Perfect blend of urban fantasy, mythology, and folklore, I so glad to have discovered it and am very much looking forward to more from Sophie kim..

After finishing this delightfully beautiful enemies to lovers mythological fantasy, I had to give myself a few minutes. My eyes are still water, remnants of the tears that fell before still drying down my cheeks.

I figured the reveal of the demon long before the big reveal. For me, something just didn't sit right with that character.

Hani x Seokga. What can I say? Their antagonizing banter in the beginning was truly fun and I found myself just as they did as I turned the pages, surprised when it turned more friendly that actually derogatory. I love when everything started to begin for them. Until the end. But that end was truly the only way it could go and for them to still feel that way. I see this may be the first in a series...so maybe we will get more after those last pages. Even if we are told a different story, there's no way our journey with Hani x Seokga can just end like that. I need another epilogue. A novella. Something.

THE GOD AND THE GUMIHO sounded like a great time when I first read the synopsis, and I’m happy to report it was a *great* time! Following our Gumiho, Hani, and our fallen god, Seokga, as they partner up to take down an evil creature and save their city, this book is fast-paced, full of humor, and has the perfect amount of romance. We get both characters’ perspectives, which I always love, and if you like serious-dislike-to-lovers, add this to your TBR asap!! I also loved all the Korean mythology aspects; I’ve read a few books centered on Gumihos and they’ve quickly become some of my favorite mythical creatures! This book just added to that:) this wrapped up very nicely, so if there is a second book I’m not sure where it would go—that being said, pick this up for the perfect fantasy standalone!

I thoroughly enjoyed The God and the Gumiho! The story kept me on my toes and the relationships between characters kept me guess the entire story! I love the inclusion of all of the creatures and Gods, I loved the interactions between each as well. This was such a a fun story full of twists and turns, betrayal, and new / unexpected friendships. The character development is just incredible and it added so much to the story! Following each perspective added amazing depth. I think the banter was really fun, but there were a couple times I had wished there was more conversation or depth to the scene. Overall, such an enjoyable reading experience and I highly recommend!
Thanks you Random House| DelRay publishing and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy in exchange for my review!

I enjoyed this read! The whole time I imagined the characters and the setting in an anime, kind of film noire style. This seemed to fit the dark humor woven throughout the story.

For me, it took a little longer to get into the story than I’d hoped. I also would have loved a glossary of all the different types of supernatural creatures that are part of this world, as there were quite a few and I would forget as the story progressed and I’d have to go back and try to remember.

I wish that I felt more of a connection to Hani and Seokga, but I didn’t. I think the biggest issue was that Hani wasn’t always likable (she was often rude for no reason), and both Hani and Seokga did some pretty terrible things during their 1000+ years of life. Even the character growth wasn’t enough to make me forgot that Hani was a mass murderer who never really showed any remorse. In fact, Seokga — whose whole personality is to be grumpy and unlikeable — was much more likable than Hani. He at least felt bad for his choices and recognized how his decisions impacted other people.

The most interesting part of the book for me was the world Sophie Kim created, and I enjoyed the 1990s South Korea setting.

Hani is a fox demon who went on a killing spree hundreds of years ago, in which she devoured souls and livers of men…to the point that she actually couldn’t eat anymore. After her little spree, the world made it taboo and she went into hiding. Now it’s 1992 and she works at a coffee shop (which she hates).

Meanwhile, Seokga is the fallen god of mischief who is sent to Iseung (earth) after a failed attempt at a coup against his brother. He’s serving his sentence in exile as a detecitive to help hunt down the monsters that he enlisted to help with his failed coup. The only thing he loves about his life is coffee.

Things start off rough between the two when Hani makes Seokga’s coffee but he insists she did it wrong, in which she then proceeds to do it wrong every time he comes in after.

After an incident, Hani’s identity as the Scarlett’s Fox is in danger of being found out so she decides to volunteer as Seokga’s assistant to help him with a string of murders so that she can steer him away from finding her to be the Scarlett Fox. Butt Seokga is very persistent in his hunt because his brother will reinstate him as a god if he’s able to kill both the monster killing people and the Scarlett fox.

The God and the Gumiho was super fun and refreshing to read. I really loved the characters and their development throughout the story!

The first 20% of this book is difficult to get through trying to understand the terminology of the different magical characters and places. As someone who’s not familiar with the lore, or South Korea in general, it was difficult to keep track of everything at first. The story was fun, so it was easy for me to continue but I can see someone who isn’t as patient with worldbuilding getting frustrated. It all eventually starts to flow, but just give it a minute.

Another thing that I have to critique is the delivery of the spice. The banter between the characters and their relationship development was so much fun and felt so natural up until about 80%. It went from flirty to insta love pretty quickly and it didn’t feel necessary. I think it would’ve felt more impactful for the characters to realize how strongly they felt for each other towards the end of the book. It still came together very nicely, but it just felt a little rushed towards the end.

This was super cute! I loved the mythology and all of the different types of creatures/monsters (that’s one of my favorite things in fantasy books: creatures!) The mystery aspect was done well (that plot twist!) and the characters were so well defined that they truly felt alive. Would be looking forward to seeing a… follow up novella if not novel. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC!

a fun story overall that was hindered by a juvenile tone due to incessant swearing. the angst towards the end definitely got me though!

𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝔀𝓻𝓲𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓰
i think this book would have greatly benefited from much less swearing. the first chapter was written in such a dreamy way that i really felt bait-and-switched when characters started dropping f-bombs. chapter 11 literally starts off with the word "fuck" followed by several more. i think the author should have found a better way to convey frustration/anger/dread rather than drop expletives every single chapter. it really took me out of the otherwise immersive world and story.

i also think the story could have done without the "godly gossip" news columns and descriptions of seokga smutty fanfiction written by one of the side characters.

𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓬𝓱𝓪𝓻𝓪𝓬𝓽𝓮𝓻𝓼
i liked hani x seokga together. their interactions in the beginning were a lot of fun to read. however, i think their romantic relationship progression felt very unnatural. they went from hating each other so much that they got into a fist fight and tumbled down a bamboo forest hill, to absolutely smitten the next day because they spent one night cuddling in a bed. they spent one week together and then she was ready to make the biggest sacrifice for him, and he was willing to wait 26 years for her to reincarnate. i don't think they even had a friendship stage? the jump from enemies to lovers literally overnight was incredibly jarring.

i think hani held up as a much stronger character separate from seokga. the author was consistently reminding us that was he was a charming, deceitful debonair but he was really just a massive dick to everyone around him (and these are hani's words, not mine!)

thank you to netgalley and random house for my first ever ARC!!

a very interesting debut that reads like a kdrama in how it is plotted and written. I am very much looking forward to the next installment but i think this would have benefitted a lot from not revealing few things it had stated as obvious in its characters povs. If we as readers found about the twists same time as other characters, this would have been even better, but i have to appreciate the unique path the author took.

Thank you to NetGalley, Ballantine, Del Rey, and Random House Publishing Group for this advanced copy! You can pick up The God and the Gumiho on June 4, 2024.

This felt like a perfect combination of the fantasy and crime genres, combining the beauty of mythological South Korea in a high-stakes detective setting. It was an easy read mostly because it was so fast paced and humorous but also because it felt fresh and original. But also because the characters felt very whimsical and fun - particularly Kim Hani!

The romance could have used more tension but I absolutely adored their enemies-to-lovers path to great banter. It is pretty obvious from the get go what would be the obstacle in the relationship between a fallen god and the gumiho he is looking for, but the book still manage to surprise me with its twist and turns. The ending had me gasping and the only reason I didn't cry was because I was in a plane and didn't want people to wake up to my sobbing.

Very much recommend for those looking for an original fantasy plot with a dash of romance and a mystery that will keep you engaged all throughout!

I have never read anything by Sophie Kim before so this book was my introduction into her stories and writing style. Overall, I enjoyed this book. It was fast-paced and read like a korean drama and includes korean folklore. This book follows the story of a gumiho, Kim Hani, and a fallen god, Seokga and their adventure of solving a case or two in 1992 South Korea. I read this book as if I was watching a kdrama with their banter and bickering and dialogue. The plot and the world-building was done well. I felt like we stayed on track with where the story was going with not too many detours. We are introduced to so many characters with different personalities which was great, they all stood out to me. These characters are not perfect either, they are morally grey with the actions that they take. No character felt like they were taking up space, they were all important. With how fast-paced this book was, I think it took place within a week, the romance felt a bit rushed. I mean, they were on a time crunch with the case they had, but they went from nuisances to lovers after a few specific events. There were some surprises at the end that I did not expect. I thought I knew what was going to happen in this book when the author wrote specific parts but that did not happen. The book ended on a happy, bit bittersweet, note. I'm excited to see what happens in the next book.

Rating: 3.5 Stars

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this book so much! I'm a long-time Kdrama fan (shoutout to Full House), so this read like an adult-ish Kdrama to me.

Our two main characters hate each other and must work together due to certain circumstances that may have to do with Kim Hani and her liver-eating ways. LOL. I love it when two characters need to work together on a mission to save the world from evil. Seokga is the fallen trickster god, but I felt that Hani was the clever one throughout the story. Once Hani and Seokga started their mission, I was hooked into their relationship! My heart was in pain at the end.

It was a bit hard for me to keep up with the names of the mythical creatures at the beginning, since we were introduced to several in a short time and new ones would be introduced. I recognize this can happen with world-building, so I'll highlight the words to help me. Also, there were parts where I didn't *feel* the attraction between Hani and Seokga even though they were eyeing each other on the page. I definitely felt their attraction later, like that club scene! 🤭

I loved Hani and Seokga and the nod (I think?) to Your Name in the end. I would recommend if you enjoy romance fantasy Kdramas or fantasy romance where the characters are partners on a mission. And if you want more gumiho love stories, I recommend you watch Arang and the Magistrate as well.

✨ Book: 4 out of 5
🌶️ Spice: 2.5 (few mild spicy scenes; more than romcom kdramas)
🏷️: romance, fantasy, hater to lovers, forced proximity, grumpy mmc, evil mythical creatures, Korean myth

Thank you NetGalley and Random House for the eARC! This is my first requested ARC and I'm so happy I got a chance to read this great book early. 😭

The premise of this book is a pretty classic grumpy/sunshine type story with an Asian folktale flair. I really enjoyed the dialog and the dynamic between the main characters. There are a few twists that I was definitely not expecting that made me want to keep reading until the end. I really enjoyed everything in this book, my only complaint is that I would have enjoyed a bit more spice in the spicy scenes, but that's just me. Otherwise it is a really solid and enjoyable read!