In a word -
Reformed stealer of souls
Snarky Seokga turned soft
Actually laughing out loud
😍😍😍

Omg!! Delicious build of tension and the eventual thawing for Seokga and Hani. I was fully invested the whole time and didn't want to put the book down at all. Masterfully weaved mystery, mythology, and more. Do not worry if you're not familiar with Korean mythology because Sophie Kim does a great job at explaining the lore in a way that is entertaining and not info-dumpy. This is by far my favorite book of 2024 so far! I felt all the feels and am still feeling them! Giddy, giggling, tense, tender, love, loss, and most of all, hope. Gosh, I loved this. 5 stars!

First of all thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

Holy OMG. I was so excited to read this. I initially saw it on Instagram and then was seeing it all over TikTok. So when I got an ARC copy I was so excited. This book went beyond expectations. I loved loved the world that Sophie Kim put into this book. Getting to learn about Korean mythology was so interesting.
The two main characters are to die for. Kim Hani and Seokga make such a dynamic duo. These two have become some of my favorite characters I have got to read about. This book was capable of bringing together fantasy, romance, a good mystery, and a little bit of spice too! I will definitely be checking out the other works by this author.

5 Stars!

Synopsis: The God and the Gumiho takes inspirations from traditional Korean mythology but these inspirations are retold with the authors own creative twist! The story follows Hani, a once widely feared gumiho known for taking souls and eating livers, and Seokga, a coffee loving fallen god known to be a grumpy trickster. When Seokga’s brother sends him on a redeeming quest to kill a demon and the famous Scarlet Fox, he is determined to accomplish the task for a chance at regaining his title in the heavens. Hani then takes an opportunity to become Seokga’s assistant attempting to keep her identity as the Scarlet Fox hidden.
Yet this is not easy, because as they grow closer their feelings for one another complicate things. Especially as the hunt for the demon begins to turn into a dangerous and unpredictable pursuit.

I am happy to say this book was a five star read for me for so many reasons. For starters, I have always been a big fan of kdramas, mythology, and the nine tailed fox. The author was able to immerse me into the world of gods and other creatures that I have never heard of! One thing I always admired from kdramas was the romance and this book nailed it with Hani and Seokga’s blooming affection for each other. The storyline was also very intriguing and I loved the idea of the main characters working together while one of them held a big secret that was a key part of their mission! This book was relatively fast faced and I think everything tied together nicely in the end. I cant say much about the ending without spoiling, but I will say I was not anticipating it at all and it was a great ending. So overall I loved this book and think it’s a great fantasy romance with Korean mythology, twists and turns, and unique characters!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me the chance to read this early in exchange for a review!

This has thus far been one of my favorite reads for the year. The chemistry between the love interests, the general plot, the pacing, all of it was amazing. I cannot wait to continue this series! I almost wish we got a prequel so we knew the details of life for Hani and Seokga before the start of the novel.

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced e-reader copy!

This book was cute! I enjoyed the sunshine/grumpy dynamic with sharp sarcasm and banter. I also enjoyed the ending, where it wasn’t happy-wrapped-in-a-bow but still wasn’t a devastating ending.

This was a fun read and I enjoyed reading it!

'The God and the Gumiho' by Sophie Kim is a captivating and unique tale of two unlikely partners, a trickster god and a retired gumiho, who team up to save the world from a powerful demon. The story is filled with humor, action, and a touch of romance, making it a delightful read from start to finish.
Kim Hani, also known as the Scarlet Fox, has retired from her life of devouring souls and now works as a barista at a coffee shop. She enjoys annoying Seokga, the Fallen god, who is exiled from the heavenly kingdom of Okhwang and is working towards his redemption in the mortal realm. However, their bickering and banter take a backseat when a powerful demon escapes from the underworld and threatens to destroy humanity.
When the emperor of Okhwang offers Seokga a chance at redemption by killing the demon and the Scarlet Fox, Seokga enlists Hani's help to track them down. But Hani has a secret identity that she is determined to keep hidden, and she will do whatever it takes to prevent Seokga from discovering it. As they work together, their relationship evolves from annoyance to a deep connection, but their secrets threaten to tear them apart.
The characters in this book are well-developed and endearing. Hani is a strong and independent heroine who is not afraid to speak her mind and stand up for herself. Seokga, on the other hand, is a complex and intriguing god who is struggling with his past mistakes and trying to find redemption. Their chemistry is palpable, and their banter is entertaining, making them a dynamic duo. The author does an excellent job of blending Korean mythology with a modern setting, creating a unique and fascinating world. The action scenes are well-written and engaging, and the romance is tastefully intertwined with the main plot.
One of the standout features of this book is the witty and humorous writing style. The dialogue between the characters is clever and entertaining, making the book an enjoyable read. The author also does an excellent job of balancing the humor with the more serious elements of the story, creating a well-rounded and engaging read. This book is a definite read for fans of fantasy, mythology, and romance.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I unexpectedly devoured this book in a few hours (okay, maybe six), and as the clock strikes 3:06 am, I can confidently say I have zero regrets. Kim weaves an adorable story with incredibly likable characters and a romance that pleasantly defied my expectations.

The protagonists, Kim Hani and Seokga, are the heart and soul of this book. Hani, the legendary and wanted Gumiho with a dark past, is portrayed with a refreshing vibrancy. Despite her history of violence, she exudes life and wit, steering clear of the expected brooding archetype. Seokga, the Fallen god turned detective, is a delightful surprise as he quickly embraces his feelings for Hani, adding a sweet touch to the narrative.

What sets this book apart is its avoidance of common tropes. I anticipated several clichés, especially in the romance department, but Kim skillfully sidesteps them, making the story a joy to read. The absence of lengthy, unrealistic interactions between characters in love is particularly refreshing. Despite the overall trope-based premise, the author refrains from adding unnecessary layers, maintaining a welcome simplicity.

While I managed to predict the identity of the antagonist early on, the journey to the reveal was still enjoyable. The antagonist proves to be a worthy adversary, adding depth to the plot.

In summary, this is an excellent fantasy romance that pays homage to the Kdramas mentioned in the author's note. The lack of sleep was entirely worth it. Thanks to Netgalley for the eArc!

Wow, I have no words. This book was so unexpected for me. I requested access to an ARC when this gorgeous cover caught my eye; the title and description just propelled my interest even further. I mean, an Asian historical fantasy with an enemy-esque romance? Absolutely. The way she’s helping him find and capture herself? I’m SUCH a sucker for that trope it’s crazy.

I cannot find anything about Hani and Seokga that I didn’t like. Just — amazing protagonists. I was honestly hooked from the first chapter and that hasn’t happened in so long. Their banter was so fun since the very beginning and seeing it gradually go into a space of care and understanding as they continued to work with each other was so good. I loved that they didn’t lose their loose quips even as they started to like each other. The dynamic was just so fun.

It’s also been a really long time since I read a solid fantasy book with a solid plot. First of all, the god and the gumiho? Genius pairing. The overlap into historical fiction and fantasy felt so rewarding as being my top two genres of all time. I loved reading about the Scarlet Fox and I love how it unraveled with Somi and Hani’s dormancy as an active gumiho going back and forth. We love ourselves a morally grey female lead.

Seokga … this man was everything like I LOVE him. His stoic above-all-else attitude as a god was so like the typical cold attractive male lead, but that exterior slowly breaking down with Hani as he started to involuntarily care for her was fleshed out so well. Reading his POVs where he would catch himself thinking of her not in disdain and then just giving it to those feelings — YES.

Also, that twist with who the eoduksini turned out to be was amazing. I feel like I should’ve seen it coming but somehow I didn’t and that got me. Truly just flew through reading this book, there was nothing I didn’t love. I was hooked onto the characters and the story the entire way, and most definitely was up reading this till 3am when I should’ve been asleep way before. The things I do for a six-star read.

The God and the Gumiho is probably one of my most unexpected five stars I’ve ever read but I’m so so glad I decided to read this. Definitely recommend for anyone and everyone.

If you’re a fan of enemies to lovers stories and/or kdramas, this one is for you!

This was such a delightful read. The humor was great (especially the petty moments), the overall story was enthralling, and the romance really kept me invested and captivated with how much of a slow burn it was.

The only thing I wasn’t crazy about is how many times the book title popped up in the prose itself. But character development? Excellent. Character flaws and strengths? Excellent. Main characters? Loved them! The stakes? Great. The world? Fully realized and so inviting. The food and beverages mentioned? Ugh, I need someone to feed me tteokbokki right now.

I rated it 4/5 because while I did greatly enjoy it, a small amount of the dialogue felt a tad wooden to me.

I cannot wait to read the sequel! Thank you so much to NetGalley and Random House - Ballantine for this ARC!

Thank you so much to Del Ray and NetGalley, who provided an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own. 


This book was a load of fun! I truly fell for the characters, and even thinking back on it, I want to gush about them. This had a little of the sunshine/grumpy trope, which really worked for them because the main character kind of faked the cheery personality to piss off Seokga, and it was really funny and heartwarming to read.

I found the book a bit hard to get into initially, I think because it felt a bit removed from the characters and mostly was setting the scene. However, once you start getting to know the main character, Kim Hani, you will love her and be drawn in. I had a hard time putting the book down by halfway through and was on the edge of my seat to know how it ended. Safe to report, I LOVED the ending! Im kind of particular with how I like books to end, and I just want to say thank you so much to the author for this perfection! 


Go read this book!!!

This was a fun, funny, slightly eerie, and wholly romantic love letter to Korean mythology and K-dramas. I loved Hani and Seokga--both as individuals and as a couple. I think the world and the way the mythology was tied into it were done very well. Much like some K-dramas, the story kind of jumps around genres. It's partially a story of a fallen god trying to regain his place back in kingdom; it's partially a cat-and-mouse story between an investigator and a serial killer; it's partially a crime thriller; and it's a romance. You'd think that wouldn't entirely work, but it did for me. It has an addictive quality that makes you fully invested in the world, even when there are moments that run a bit ridiculous and/or campy. It's just a very fun time, though slightly more gory than I expected (though not in a way that made me want to put the book down).

The one thing I didn't like was that I wished the alternating POV chapters were a bit more even. Especially towards the end, it felt like it didn't always work for me. I realize that it was both a stylistic choice and there for dramatic effect, it just didn't hit.

I also think the prose felt a little clunky at times, but I mostly wasn't bothered.

Other than that, though, if you like K-dramas even a little bit or have even the slightest bit of interest, definitely pick this one up.

This book was as hard to put down as it is to pause a Kdrama! It was entertaing all the way through and managed to get me invested in the main cast of characters as the story developed. I was thinking I would like this book based on its premise, but it exceeded my expectations.

I enjoyed the worldbuilding; it was easy to suspend belief to have the fantastical and supernatural blend into the modern and reality as we know it and be able to immerse myself in the world the author has created.

The main characters, Seokga and Hani (the god and the gumiho, respectively), certainly grew on me and I loved their dynamic: the teasing, tricking, banter, and the care they came to have for each other. The shift from hating to liking each other feels abrupt, especially considering the events of the book take place over a period of about two weeks, but I still found myself invested in their relationship and hoping they would find a way to stay together.

I must say thay my knowledge of Korean folklore and mythology is limited to what I've learned from the occasional supernatural kdrama, so I would have appreciated an appendix, glossary, and/or image gallery to expand upon the myths and creatures presented in the story (even though the author notes that artistic liberties were taken).

The covers for this book are beautiful, caught my attention, and would definitely make me pick it up if I encountered it in a book store. I'm looking forward to the next book.

Recommended for anyone who likes kdramas, supernatural urban fantasy, murder mistery, korean mythology and folklore, and enemies to lovers.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

This was so cool and fun and exciting to read! Loved the folklore aspect and the main characters romance/chemistry and the action. Just an outstanding read.

This book was wonderful and I adored every minute of reading it. A grumpy fallen god and a gumiho trying to keep him off her tails team up to save their city from a darkness that could destroy everything. The mystery and side characters were great, and the romance is beautifully written. Overall a fun read that had me so emotionally invested in the relationship between the two main characters that I was tearing up at the end. Would love to read another story set in this world.

Such a unique & interesting read🥹🫶🏼
Review will be posted near the
publishing date!!
(June, 4 2024)

One of my favorite reads so far this year!
This story about a Korean diety (Seokga)
who has lost everything and is sent to the moral world to earn his powers and position back. His job is to catch demons that tried to help him take over as top god. He is on the hunt for a notorious gumiho.
The Gumiho, Hani is a nine tailed fox. She is powerful, witty, smart, funny. She inserts herself into the investigation to throw Seokga off her trail.
These two characters are fun, snarky, smart, and determined. It's a battle between two strong characters both with everything to lose. Will they risk it all in the end?
The flow of this book is a good steady one with some twists. In the end I was surprised. I cannot wait for the second installment. If you like folklore, mythology, kitsune\gumiho, Asian stories read this book! I will definitely add this title to my personal library.


I received this book from NetGalley and the publisher. I was under no obligation to give a review. All opinions are my own. I am disclosing this per the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Publisher description.
They'll do anything to outsmart each other. Anything, except fall in love.

In this delightful Korean contemporary fantasy, a fallen trickster god must pair up with a coffee-slinging, shapeshifting fox to track down a demon of darkness before it devours the mortal world.

Kim Hani - the once-terrible gumiho known as the Scarlet Fox - spends her days working at a café and trying not to let a certain customer irk her.

Seokga - a trickster god thrown from the heavens for his attempt at a coup - spends his days hunting demons and irking a particular gumiho.

When a demon of darkness escapes the underworld, and the Scarlet Fox emerges from hiding before quickly vanishing, Seokga is offered a chance at redemption: kill them both, and his sins will be forgiven.

But Hani is prepared to do anything to prevent Seokga from bringing her to justice, even trick her way into his investigation. Anything, that is - except fall in love . . .

i read from a neutral perspective ensuring that i give every book a fair shot at my enjoyment. i try not to compare one book to another. all of that being said, i gave this book 4.5 stars (& rounded to 5 on goodreads because sophie kim deserves it) because i thoroughly enjoyed this story front to back. it wasn't overly complex or life changing, but it was digestible like a giant cup of hot coco after a long bath in a cozy bed by the fire. it read that way & i loved it.

a grumpy & repugnant god banished from his territory and a quick witted, snarky nine tailed fox with a hidden identity begrudgingly find themselves in an unlikely mission to save the mortal world from eternal death & darkness. oh, and there's coffee.

i've never read korean mythological fantasy before & i must admit, i struggled with the new vocabulary accompanying the lore early on in the book. thankfully, the foundation for the story was laid out nicely & it only took a couple of chapters to get into flow with this beautifully written story.

for me, there was never a dull moment as the story of the god & the gumiho unfolded. the FMC & MMC personalities were palpable early on & even the sub characters caught enough of my attention that by the end of the book, i was INVESTED in every moment unfolding. i enjoyed the change of perspectives between hani & seogka & felt that this created more depth to the character development.

some of the plot twists were predictable but ceased to disappoint. the cadence of the story was perfect in my opinion. my only gripe is that the enemies to lovers trope felt like it was a slow burn (which we love) until the script flipped in a matter of chapters — a little quick, but again, i still thoroughly enjoyed getting there (& the romance, ofc)

kim definitely has a way with telling a story. the way she developed each scene was with great care & description leaving you feeling every moment. i'm a big visual reader & i always felt like i could transport myself into the world i was reading. i especially enjoyed our main characters relationship & the dichotomy of their lives — so very different from one another yet so very similar underneath it all.

i felt like everything in the book was meticulously chosen & intentional. there were no loose ends or dead ends. everything led somewhere, which i value & appreciate so much. there is nothing worse than an idea never making it to fruition. the god & the gumiho did not disappoint in this regard.

the end of the book THROUGH ME. i know this is going to be a series & i can't wait to find out what's next for the god & the gumiho!


thank you to net galley for this ARC & to sophie kim for writing such a wonderful story!

PS: there were a couple of spelling errors in the last 1/3 of the book

I am very grateful that the publishers gave me an early copy in NetGalley because I absolutely LOVED this book. I cried, laughed, and smiled along with the book as I read it. People around me thought I was crazy. Before I read this, I thought it was a series but now I don't know. I do hope the author can still expand this somehow to create a series. Even if not, I still want to read the next book. Can't wait!!!

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me an e-ARC!

3.5 stars! This was such a cozy and urban-fantastical read. I thoroughly enjoyed this! I loved the enemies to lovers trope and the world of Korean mythological creatures. The two main character’s banter was so much fun to read, I was giggling the whole time.

Though the mystery was not too much of a mystery, the reveal was still action-packed. It was more dramatic irony which definitely added to the comedic element of the story. Ending was everything! Though it was hard to fully grasp the story in the beginning because it was basically an info dump of Korean terms for the mythological creatures but as the story progresses, it gets easier to remember which is which.

If you love K-dramas, like myself and non high-stakes mystery with comedy? You’ll love this!

This was such a fun contemporary fantasy! I’ve always loved mythological retellings, but this was the first I’ve read focused on Korean mythology. Everything was explained clearly and made all of the things that were new to me easy to understand (though the first part of the book was a bit slow since it was a lot of explanation and introducing new concepts to the reader). This fantasy world was so fun to read and was able to strike a great balance between the humor as well as the darker moments of the story.

I loved Hani and Seokga, both as their own characters as well as watching the development of their relationship. They both had so much personality to them and were so entertaining and funny, but also had so much depth to themselves. Their development from who they become, more vulnerable and selfless compared to where they begin, was very well done.
The plot was also interesting and kept the pace of the story up for me. The mystery was, for me, fairly easy to solve, but still engaging regardless. The ending too!! So good!!!! I know this is planned to be a series (which is so exciting and I will be keeping an eye out for the eventual sequels) but this could also easily be read as a standalone. The ending is left somewhat open but still satisfying and warmed my heart!
Overall this was a really fun book and one I definitely recommend! Especially if you’re a kdrama lover (I personally have never watched any but I could see the appeal of this book for someone who has).

(4.5 rounded up)