Seokga, the fallen God, must do two things to get back in his brother, the emperor's good graces. Kill the eoduksini that is wreaking havoc in New Sinsi, and kill the Scarlet Fox. What happens, though, when the Kim Hani, the Scarlet Fox, has captured his heart?

This contemporary fantasy mixes the genres of mystery, fantasy, and romance to weave an intricate plot. I had trouble at first with the pacing, it felt very slow. Once it got to the meat of the plot though, I couldn't stop turning the pages. I liked the vivid imagery of the setting and the characters, and the impending dread thar the author built up throughout the story. I think this is a worthwhile read, knowing that it's slow going at first.

My thanks to Ballantine, author Sophie Kim, and NetGalley for gifting me a digital copy of this book. My opinions are my own.

There are so many stories and renditions about Gumiho and other deities in that arena but I thought Sophie Kim gave it such a refreshing storyline. I liked the banter and witty comments from the two main characters and their growth as a whole during their journey.

- Detective Seokga is a fallen trickster god trying to regain his brother's favor by killing troublesome supernatural creatures (AKA Unrulies).

- Hani is a gumiho who is secretly the infamous Scarlet Fox who binge ate hundreds of livers in 1888. Now she's living her life on the down low as a barista at a coffee shop.

However, one night, she slips up and kills two men. These murders draw the attention of Seokga, so she applies to become his assistant in an effort to redirect his trail.

The God and the Gumiho by Sophie Kim introduces an entertaining new urban fantasy inspired by Korean folklore and mythology.

This was one of my most highly anticipated reads of the year, but it unfortunately fell short in some areas for me.

I think I was hoping for more of a clever cat and mouse game, but Hani is waaay too immature and obvious with her interest in the Scarlet Fox case and I'm astounded she made it so many years without getting caught.

For better or worse, the story’s tone leans heavily into the humor department, which made it difficult for me to feel a sense of stakes and danger for most of the novel. It wasn’t until the final quarter that things started getting more serious and I finally started caring for Hani as a character.

Nevertheless, I really enjoyed the incorporation of Korean mythology and the juicy family melodrama between the gods. Seokga's strained relationship with his brother and his search for redemption were actually some of the more interesting parts of the book for me.

An absolute delight with some minor enemy to lovers banter but also the pining was A++! Kim Hani has lived a long life as a gumiho finally settling down from her past of killing and eating men’s livers to work in a coffee shop. She has many customers of the immortal variety but her least favorite has to be Seokga, the fallen trickster god. The two find themselves as partners trying to solve the mystery of a monster attacking the city.
This books is so fun. Yes, there are times where the story can be a bit over the top but it all feels like it is meant to be that way.
That ending had be on the edge of my seat and the action scenes were very well written. I was surprised that there was going to be a sequel because this can also work very well as a stand-alone. (Not that I am complaining because please yes give me more of these two)

This book was so much fun. I fell in love with the characters and the world so quickly. I love the idea of a secret police force for handling mythical creatures and them just living normal lives. Honestly if book two is just a buddy cop situation with the God and the Gumiho and all of their glorious banter I would read it and 37 books after it in the series. That being said I am DYING to read book 2 and see how this story continues.

Cool fantasy K-drama setup, but the tone is decidedly NOT that. It's much more cynical and that made it kind of a slog to get through.

4.5/5 Stars

This was one of my most anticipated releases of the year, and I absolutely ate this book up! There were interesting character dynamics, playful banter, politics, mythology, and so so many romance tropes that were crafted so well.

Hani and Seokga are both powerful immortal beings with complicated histories, yet it was easy to be compelled by their individual stories. Their childish nature as a gumiho and a trickster god was entertaining throughout the book. I really loved how we saw Seokga's character developed and changed throughout the book after meeting Hani.


Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I did not finish this book. I liked the concept of fantasy and crime investigation, but I really realized here that "grumpy/sunshine" is not my trope. I found it challenging to connect with the MCs because I thought they were rude, and their attitudes felt juvenile even though they're very old.

Absolutely amazing. I was so intrigued from start to finish. I instantly fell in love with the characters. If you listen to audiobooks, this one is phenomenal. I felt like the narrators did a fantastic job bringing these characters to life. I don't read many urban fantasies but this one was so unique to me and I truly couldn't get enough. I loved where it ended and I cannot wait for the sequel!!

I would love to see this adapted for film/tv. If it was done right, this could be so good!!

Thank you @netgalley and @delreybooks for the arc.

Hani works at a coffee shop in Iseung, where she delights in messing with the disgraced god Seokga the Fallen. It’s part of her nature as a gumiho (Korean fox spirit) to cause mischief. Seokga hates everything about the mortal realm except for his coffee (one cream one sugar) and works tirelessly to regain his true divinity. But when Hani is assaulted one night and kills her attackers in self-defense, stealing their livers, she sets things in motion that will change life for both of them.

‘The God and the Gumiho’ is set in a modern alternate universe, particularly in Korea, where the gods are real forces to be reckoned with and supernatural creatures (like gumiho’s) live in a society parallel to mortal world. Sophie Kim does a wonderful job of providing enough information to make even those unfamiliar with Korean mythology comfortable while refraining from diverting from the story. There’s also a wonderful balance between the suspense of the story and the romance element which keeps you engaged chapter after chapter.

The book contains some disturbing elements such as cannibalism, violence, sexual assault, and graphic imagery, along with mature themes in general. But everything is truly necessary for the story and does not feel out of place.

I highly recommend Kim’s ‘The God and the Gumiho’ for lovers of urban fantasy, the supernatural, and people wanting to take a step beyond western fantasy standards and stories.

I fell in love with the cover first (such as one does). I will admit that I struggled getting into the book to begin with. It wasn't the beautiful description or a disconnect with the characters; the story just didn't quite click for me until I got about 50 pages in. Once the action begins and the two main characters have to figure out how to work together despite having differing goals, the book became so much better to me.

To be fair, I did see the twist coming rather quickly (I was shaking my head with each interaction with a particular character, knowing what was coming in the near future), but I did like the writing for the most part. The other thing that disgruntled me was the excessive language. I get that it is an adult book (which could be read by a teenager), but Hani's and Seokga's language seemed very limited to (uncreative) swears at times. Overall, I found the plot to be interesting and definitely causes me to start doing some more research into some of the mythology/culture that it is based in.

Note to readers: better to not start a working (and eventual romantic) relationship with someone if you are hiding a pretty important secret. More critically, know that this book can get gory in parts (discusses a lot of death in not-so pretty manners) and the aforementioned language.

If you love k-dramas, you'll definitely enjoy this book. It's got an enemies to lovers trope and classic Korean folklore set in a modern timeline. It did read slow for me, but I appreciated the overall storyline.

The writing was very immersive and felt like i was watching a kdrama and not reading unfortunately I did lose interest fast. I wished there was more time of them being in the yearning stage since they got together so quickly in the story. Would def recommend

DNF

I was interesting and very intriguing but out of nowhere all that disappeared and I got bored.

The first installment of the Fate’s Thread Duology from the author of Last of the Talons is officially out!

Kim’s new book is a contemporary fantasy book deeply rooted in South Korean folklore. In this reluctant allies-to-lovers story perfect for fans of My Girlfriend is a Gumiho, See You In My 19th Life, and Devil No. 4, a fallen god and a gumiho will have to team up to save the mortal realm of Iseung from a powerful demon set on wreaking havoc and darkness. Read at your own risk! (I am so serious)

I truly loved this. It reads like the classic, cliché k-dramas of the late 2000s. It doesn’t have one of the strongest writing styles, but there’s room for improvement in the storytelling. I stayed purely for the vibes. The writer managed to send a sentimental sort of style to Hani and Seokga’s story. I adore romantasy manhwas, so this was perfect, especially when it’s cold and raining. The angst and the yearning were chef’s kiss! I’ve binged lots of k-dramas and if you also like Goblin, then just read this. It’s worth your time, I promise. It’s so nostalgic to read a book with a story alike to the ones I used to binge from a hard drive plugged into my laptop till 3 am. For some reason, I didn’t exactly expect the ending, but it was full of hope enough that I know we’ll get that sequel soon. I highly recommend it!

I love kdrama, including Tale of the Nine Tailed, so I was so excited when this was announced! It is a great book and so fun to read. Would overall recommend.

A urban fantasy based on Korean Mythology, and it reads like a k-drama. I absolutely loved this book and devoured it!! While the story's pacing was a little off, the characters more than made up for it. I can't wait to read more books by this author!

While I struggled at the start because I'm not personally keen on Third Person, First Tense writing, I'm so so glad I kept going because this was SUCH a fun read! Perfect for the new adult/emerging adult crowd, this romance was fun and balanced with its mystery components. The college-aged crowd that loves supernatural K-Dramas such as Hotel Del Luna and Tale of the Nine-Tailed will absolutely eat this up.

4.5 stars
Thank you to NetGalley for providing this ARC.
This book was so fun and I need a sequel immediately! Oh my gosh, I'm wrecked.
This book read just like a K-drama written on pages. It's about the fallen trickster god Seokga attempting to kill 20,000 Unruly monsters in order to be reinstated as a god and return to his homeworld. Ultimately, he is tasked with killing an eoduksini (nightmare demon type thing) and the infamous gumiho, the Scarlet Fox. Little does he know, the gumiho assisting him in his detective work is the Scarlet Fox.
This book was easy to read and hard to put down, especially in the second half. When I was about 70% of the way through I had to just read straight through to the end. The writing style worked well for the book; I could see things playing out clearly in my mind's eye. The growing and changing relationship between Seokga and Hani and each of their respective character growths throughout the book were so fun and well-crafted. This book contained a lot of tropes that I love, and they felt integral rather than thrown in.
I think if you like the shows Lucifer, Supernatural, or Oh My Ghost (among other K-dramas), or the book Daughter of the Moon Goddess, you should check out this book. Those were what I was reminded of while reading.

Kim Hani's barista job in Korea has a lot of downsides, but the worst is her least favorite customer, the arrogant Seokga the Fallen. A former trickster god, Seokga was banished from heaven after a failed coup, and he's stuck on the mortal plane until he can kill 20,000 demons as penance. But then Seokga gets an offer that could change everything: slay both a recently escaped demon and the mysterious gumiho the Scarlet Fox, and his sentence will be lifted early. Unfortunately for Kim Hani, SHE is the Scarlet Fox, in hiding for a hundred years after getting a little too enthused with consuming mortal souls. In order to thwart Seokga's efforts, Kim Hani signs on to be his assistant, hoping to point him in the wrong direction. The two work together to stop the deadly demon, but they also find themselves falling for each other as well.

The God and the Gumiho is a fun little adventure, anchored by a solid pair of devious, morally grey protagonists. Seokga is arrogant and haughty; the best parallel I can make is saying that he brings a lot of MCU Loki energy to the table, strutting about and expecting mortals to bend to his every whim, even though his god powers and station have been stripped from him. Hani, meanwhile, is unrepentant about her secret past as the Scarlet Fox. In her view, it's in a gumiho's nature to consume souls and she's not going to apologize for it. While both Hani and Seokga experience some growth over the course of the story, I appreciated that this wasn't a more classic pairing of a "play by the rules" and a "break the rules" kind of duo, but two people who have learned to draw their moral line in very different places.

On the whole, I had a fun time with the mystery adventure itself. I enjoyed the "creature" world that exists alongside the mortal one, with glamoured shops to turn away mortal eyes and agencies dedicated to cleaning up supernatural messes before humans get wind of them. Hani and Seokga's investigation takes them all over South Korea as they try to determine what human the demon has taken as a host, allowing many different creature encounters throughout the story. I did, however, think some of the mystery elements could have been better done; for one, our heroes are too easy to jump on a theory as the only answer and don't always interrogate if there's an alternative suspect or explanation.

That aside, I found The God and the Gumiho a charming time, particularly when it came to the execution of the two lead characters. I loved watching Hani interact with Seokga, using her own trickster ways to steer the investigation or simply to get under his skin. This book may also work slightly better for people more familiar with the K-Drama space that this book was inspired by. For me, it's a perfect comfort read of two crafty people solving crimes and falling in love along the way.