Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
# Pages: 416
Publication Date: 06.03.25

"You love fully and completely, only to have it returned in less
than half."

🚢 Romantasy
🚢 Korean Mythology
🚢 Mind flirting
🚢 Banter
🚢 Star-crossed Lovers
🚢 Murder mystery
🚢 Death Cruise Ship
🚢 K-pop Drama

Book Overview:
“In this swoony sequel to The God and the Gumiho, a trickster god must work with his reincarnated lost love to solve his brother’s murder on board a luxury underworld cruise ship.”

Sophie Kim did an amazing job with “The God And The Gwisin”. Just like the first book, the pacing was on par. For some reason she has a great way of having it be humorous and heartbreaking all at the same time. I love the way she does her worked building the vivid details all the way to the character development that’s enriched. I felt there was enough depth.

I loved her red string theory and her retellings of mythology. The romance was swoon worthy but yet a slow burn. Seeing some of the old characters was a bonus. Loved the concept of the mystery and the death cruise ship.

Overall, I really enjoyed this read. If you read and enjoyed the first book, definitely don’t hesitate to pick this one up.

Thank you netgalley and Random publishing house for this ARC.

I absolutely adored Hani and Seokga in the first book, but man I loved Kisa and Seokga in this one. Kim’s take on the red string of fate and reincarnation in this follow up book was done so well. Everything about their “new” relationship and those of the side characters, especially after how the first book ended and coping with that, was beautifully fleshed out. Including a surprise reincarnation of another character to add in some razzle dazzle with character relationships. The only thing that took a star away for me was the investigation itself. It was an interesting plot line, but I feel like it was a bit too obvious as there was no point really for this character to even be on this cruise. With Seokga being an investigator in the first book, this one lacked a bit in that department compared to this installment. However, the characters absolutely shined and it was easy to overlook that. With the epilogue in this book, I hope there’s a third book coming because I’m not done with these characters yet!

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for an advanced reader’s copy in exchange for my honest review.

This book was incredible. Just incredible. I wish I could provide an eloquent and in-depth review of this story, but I had so much fun reading it, I completely forgot I should be trying to critique it. And sure, I could mention that I wish this book took itself a little more seriously at times, that some of the humor and character dalogue was childish, and that sometimes the romance relied too heavily on the the simple and external fact that Kisa and Seokga are soulmates joined by fate, but you know what? I don't care.

This book reads like a fanfiction - the good kind. The kind that feels like going home, that makes you completely forget what the canon was supposed to be, the kind that you read while grinning from ear to ear. And I would like it to be so much longer, to see more of this world, of this characters. The writing is addictive, and in the current publishing clima where every book feels the same, this book is a diamond in the rough.

I thank Netgalley and the author for providing me an arc in exchange for honest review.

Oh this was an absolute delight. Just as witty as the first book. I ADORED this book. I cannot wait to see was masterpieces Sophie
Kim graces us with in the future!

I received a copy through NetGalley for review.

Oh my goodness, this was the sweetest, squishy romance.
I absolutely adored this, it was even better than the first book in the series.

Seokga has spent several decades searching for Hani's reincarnated soul.
Restored to his God hood once more, he oscillates between annoying the other gods, searching, and going to therapy. He's miserable without Hani, constantly waiting for the signal, for the red thread of fate to appear again once more. Looking for someone with wine brown eyes.

Kisa is a Shaman, exhausted from woking her shifts in Seoul's Shamanic Hospital in the Magical Maternity Unit. Incredibly bright and very talented she can channel power of her patron goddess Samsin Halmoni - as an obstetrician able to guide babies into the world and heal the mother at the same time as a leading expert on fetal congenital heart disease. While she cannot heal humans, only creatures who believe in the power of Korean Gods. Everything changes when she suddenly dies.

The red thread of fate reappears in a strange place, the underworld.
Murder, mystery, a case to be solved, a god transformed, old characters make a reappearance, K Pop start that's as sweet as a boba drink, Seokga's neuroses, a major plot, budding romance, and the red thread of fate being a side character I did not have on my bingo card.

I liked this one even more than the first, it's honestly the cutest thing I've read in a long while. I absolutely LOVED it.

THE GOD AND THE GUMIHO was one of my top favorite fantasy books of 2024. So when the much anticipated sequel/conclusion, THE GOD AND THR GWISIN hit my kindle, I had to jump right in. And I LOVED it. Seriously don’t sleep on this duet.

Short Synopsis:
This is a case of the synopsis of book two will ruin the reading experience of book one. It’s set decades later after the events of book one. (Thirty-three years to be exact.) Seokga is looking everywhere for Hani. Just go read THE GOD AND THE GUMIHO for more of synopsis. 😆

My Thoughts:
I loved this book so, so much. I’ve been impatiently waiting for this book for about a year since reading GOD AND THR GUMIHO as an ARC. And the wait was so, so worth it.

I thought I loved Seokga in book one - but he really shines in this one. And his dynamic with Kisa? 🔥 The star-crossed lovers of Seokga and Kisa was full of delicious tension and yearning. The humor and banter was off the charts. And not just between our two main characters - but all the side characters.

I loved all the Korean mythology - especially the red thread of fate.

Overall a fantastic fantasy series that I need more people to read.

What You’ll Find:
Korean Mythology
Romantasy
Mind flirting + Banter
Star-crossed lovers
Murder mystery…on a death cruise ship

5 ⭐ This book was absolutely everything I was hoping the sequel would be. I absolutely adored The God and the Gumiho, but I found myself relating to Kisa in ways that I never could with Hani. She was brilliant, quirky, motivated, yet had feelings of insecurity and uncertainty that Hani just never possessed. She didn't exude confidence like Hani, and she was so uniquely herself, despite being the reincarnation of Hani's soul.

The overall plot had a great pace to it, and I loved exploring different aspects of this world. Our sweet, grumpy, miserable Seokga 😭 that man has been through so much, and would did it all over again just to have his one great love back. His character development was beautifully done, and I loved get to see him fall in love with Kisa for Kisa, reincarnation of Hani or not. Overall, I enjoyed the new and repeat characters alike, and Somi's redemption arc was a wonderful addition. I cannot recommend this book enough!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Del Rey for a copy of this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you NetGalley for the arc!

I had just as good a time reading this book as I did the first. I was so excited when I saw this book was up and considering how much I enjoyed the first one (even with the massive cliffhanger at the end!) I knew I had to get my hands on the second. Just as thrilling and satisfying as the first.

The God and the Gwisin was one of my most anticipated sequels, and I was beyond excited to get an ARC. Mythology-inspired stories are my weakness, and when combined with angst-filled romance? Absolutely irresistible. Sophie Kim’s writing is rich and immersive, making the mythology easy to follow while keeping me hooked from start to finish.

~𝙔𝙤𝙤 𝙆𝙞𝙨𝙖~ Once, she was Kim Hani—bold, flirty, and infamous as the Scarlet Fox. Now, as Yoo Kisa, she’s quiet, disciplined, and dedicated to her work as a doctor and shaman. Her carefully structured life shatters when a red thread of fate appears around her pinky—the same day she’s pushed off a building. Now dead, she’s trapped on Yeomra’s underworld cruise ship, forced to atone for sins she doesn’t remember. There, she meets Seokga, her fated one, and struggles with the fear that he only cares because she was Hani. But no matter how much she questions it, her soul still knows him. It took her some time to not to compare herself to who she was in the past, and that Seokga loves her as Kisa.(And if I had to choose a place to tether my ghost form, I’d definitely go with Kisa’s choice!)

~𝙎𝙚𝙤𝙠𝙜𝙖~ For thirty years, Seokga searched for Hani’s reincarnation—someone with wine-brown eyes. When the red thread finally reappears, he thinks his search is over. Unfortunately, the thread disappeared. But then later he meets Kisa—on Yeomra’s cruise ship. And he found out that she’s dead. The regret is instant—he wasn’t there to protect her. He knows Kisa isn’t Hani, but she’s still her, in a way. At times, he catches himself comparing them, but slowly, he realizes Kisa is not just Hani’s reincarnation—she’s her own person, someone he, in Seokga's word fell in love with her, ardently.

The book ends in cliffhanger—and now I’m desperate for the next book!

Thank you so much NetGalley and del rey books
for sending me the e-ARC❣️

I was fortunate to receive book 1 "The God and the Gumiho" in my Fairy Loot monthly box.. I'm terrible at keeping up with them but every so often a book like that one will really pique my interest. I loved and read that book so much that I jumped at the chance to read the sequel. I'm already a big fan of re-imagined retellings, where it's obvious that the author knows the lore but took a risk to make it their own anyways. Sophie Kim mentions in the author's note that re-tellings are a way to keep the original alive and spark interest. I'm already a huge fan of fate mates / red string of fate stories and this one was just a good. I loved the fun, fresh elements like the "murder mystery" / underworld cruise ship especially. It was a real treat to see Seokga's character growth as well as Yoo Kisa's "new" character development. I really enjoyed this duology and I'm looking forward to picking up more of Kim's next book(s).

Thank you to Random House- Del Rey for the eARC!

. The God and the Gwisin is the sequel to The God and the Gumiho. The book follows Seokga and Kisa as they investigate the murder of the Heavenly Emperor of Okhwang while also trying to figure out their relationship as the red thread of fate led Seokga to Kisa, who has no memories of her past life. I was very excited to read this book because The God and the Gumiho shattered my heart, and I just wanted Seokga and Hanni to have a happy ending. I really liked how this book was set in the underworld, on a cruise ship. I think that was a fun element. Kisa and Seokga are well-written characters, and I really loved how we focused on Hajun and Somi too.The love stories were adorable of both the couples; if you are picking this book up for the romance, you are in for a treat. I liked how the author gave closure to the characters that had an open ending in the previous book. The only reason why I will not be rating this book 5 stars is that the climax of the book was a bit predictable for me; I feel like a little more work could have been put towards the climax.

Thank you to Random House/Del Ray and Netgalley for providing me with an eARC For review purposes. All opinions are my own.

I was absolutely thrilled to get an ARC of this book. I really enjoyed the first one and was so excited to see that there was going to be a sequel. I wasn't entirely sure how the author would pull off the sequel after the ending of the last book, but I went in with an open mind.

I am SO GLAD that I did. The God and the Gwisin improves upon the first book in every way. Simultaneously breaking your heart with yearning and making you laugh out loud.

The God and the Gwisin is like Death on the Nile–if Hercule Poirot was a grumpy, fussy, morally gray God. The author does an excellent job of peppering clues and foreshadowing throughout the novel so that you can piece together the mystery alongside the characters without ever treating its audience as stupid. The romance and friendships were poignant and touching, and every character was loveable and worthy of redemption.

Fans of kdramas like Tale of the Nine-Tailed and Goblin: The Great and Lonely God will devour this series, while those new to the genre may find themselves a new favorite.

Are we getting a third book? This reader sure hopes so. Until then, I'll just have to watch a few of my favorite kdramas and dream.

I absolutely adored The God and the Gumiho and was so excited to learn there would be more books in this series. The God and the Gwisin starts off after Seokga lost Hani and is searching for her reincarnated form. This brings him on the SRC Flatliner where they must work together to find out who murdered Seogka’s brother.

I really enjoyed how we got to see past characters come back together. I loved the slow burn of Yoo Kisa and Seogka. While Seogka fell in love with Hani in the first book it was definitely different watching him and Yoo Kisa in this book. Yoo Kisa felt so different from Hani but it was wonderful watching them fall in love all over again! I love red thread of fate stories. I also love how these books have murder mystery with romance. Sophie Kim does such a great job with weaving intricate mysteries that keep you on your toes. Every time you think you have a piece of the mystery solved it takes another turn.

Overall if you’re a fan of The God and the Gumiho you’re going to fall in love with the characters all over again. I can’t recommend this series enough and can’t wait for book 3!??

Thank you Del Rey for providing me with an eARC

Fate's Thread is such a wonderfully fun and unique duology, and I loved this conclusion! Kisa was so different from Hani, and I struggled with the romance at first, but slowly grew to love Kisa's character and her dynamic with Seokga. The chemistry was written really well, and the added worldbuilding made the story really immersive.
I will say that the mystery was a little predictable, but the plot was much sillier than the first book, which made it more enjoyable. I loved the little crumbs of K-drama tropes (Kopiko, anyone?), and the addition of the sentient thread of fate made so much sense.
The ending was really sweet and I loved being able to see Seokga at peace with himself, Kisa, and Hwanin. I can't wait to see what Sophie Kim writes next!
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Del Rey for the eARC!

Chef's kiss, no notes.

But, to be helpful, I loved this follow up to The God and The Gumiho. Kisa is a treasure and Seokga is as loveable as ever (but maybe more because of his personal growth). The amount of pining and the eventual pay off was just perfection.

5 stars, and I will definitely buy a physical.

Thank you to Del Rey and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book!

Arc review

I am very grateful to have been allowed to read this book in advance.

I have to say that I was completely blow away by this story. I should mention that while I liked the first book, I wasn’t the biggest fan, but my perspective has changed with this second instalment and this ended up being one of the sweetest stories I’ve read in a long time. Even the murder mystery didn’t taint it.

The beginning of the story is definitely heart wrenching and I was even worried about how things could work between Kisa and Seokga. Him missing Hani and Kisa obviously not being Hani. Little did I know that I shouldn’t have worried at all. I feel that this time was way more emotional and deep and I appreciate it. Watching them fall in love again was very interesting with their new connection. And it even allowed them to be more vulnerable with each other which created a deeper bond.

For me the highlight of the story is Seokga’s arc. It was amazing to see him go through all this new emotions and circumstances that changed him. His protectiveness is my new favorite trait of him. And it was fantastic to witness his change of heart with Huanin. Who I loved to see throughout the entire book and I think he is utterly adorable.

In a way, Seokga managed to fix his relationship and heal wounds with every single character and you can tell the peace in him by the end.

I loved the new and returning characters and I can’t believe that we even had redemption for past characters, who I didn’t expect to see or care for again.

I’m not sure how I feel about Kisa’s state at the end, I think I expected something different but at least everyone is happy so it works.

Finally, I have to say that the humor throughout the story is right up my alley. Keeps the development of the story interesting and fresh. And I do think that there was a missed opportunity with Godly Gossip big question and the dippers and I think a certain Gumiho could’ve made at least a joke about it.

I could not stop turning the pages on this book! This was an amazing follow up from The God and the Gumiho, Sophie Kim has really shown growing improvement with every release!

This book was an amazing sequel, that had an almost entirely new cast of characters, while giving off the same feeling of the first book. I love that we get more Seokga pining away for his lost love, while building that new relationship. The romance was beautifully done, the comedy was on point. Hwanin was a fantastic edition to this story (yes yes, we got him in the first book but not like this!). I can’t wait to see what’s next for Seokga and Kisa.

First and foremost, a huge thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this eARC!

The God and the Gwisin managed to capture the charm and humour of the original with ease. It's a miracle that Sophie Kim could take what seemed like a perfect standalone and create a sequel that feels satisfying, and she manages it phenomenally.

I personally enjoyed the baby Hwuanin aspect immensely, and loved seeing Nam Somi get her own happy ending. The character work was exceptional, and the true star of the novel, as Kim unravels the inner workings of her characters and guides them towards a beautiful conclusion.

(Also that surprise in the epilogue had me screaming!! Wonderful!!)

This duology has been a complete and utter delight to read, and one I'll find myself revisiting over and over again.

I absolutely loved this book. The writing style is beautiful and the connections to mythology are enjoyable. I kept trying to figure out how the story was going to end but there were pleasant surprises around every corner and I was always guessing at what could come next! Amazing!