I loved ‘The God and the Gumiho’ and loved this book even more! Seokga spends years waiting for his beloved Hani when a red thread of fate finally appears he knows she’s back… however, fate can be a funny thing, and he meets her (Kisa) where he least expects it. Kisa is so different than Hani but she’s amazing in her own right. She has no memory of Seokga and must learn to trust fate and decide what she really wants. Of course, there’s adventure and a mystery to solve along the way. Some of Seokga’s one-liners had me literally laughing out loud. Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the eARC!

Massive thank you to Del Rey for providing me with the eARC of The God and the Gwisin!

I absolutely adored The God and the Gumiho and this didn't disappoint me!

Seokga the no longer fallen God is looking for his love Hani, in her new reincarnated form, and has been for the last 33 years. Yoo Kisa has no memory of our loveable trickster and is a Gwisin (ghost) working on a cruiseship in the underworld.

Seokga's therapist sends him on a vacation, to the same cruise ship that Kisa is working on, upon arriving on the ship the fate thread appears, but whilst on the cruise the Heavenly Emperor is murdered, and we have ourselves a murder mystery on our hands!

I started off confident that I knew who our murderer was and started to second guess everything, the investigation work was really different to The God and the Gumiho, but a lot had changed since then.

Seokga and Kisa getting to know each other all over again, with Kisa having lots of different personality traits to Hani was really enjoyable, it was exciting to fall in love with a new character and get to know her alongside Seokga, who has a piece of my heart! We got some new characters and had some old characters brought back into our story which was exciting to see how their time had progressed.

The wrap up at the end of the book was so beautiful, but has also left opening for another book, which, I would read in a heart beat! This book had me giggling, kicking my feet and all round brought me joy, with of course some sad moments!

I absolutley loved this book! I was gripped into the story as soon as I started and finished it in one sitting. I loved the authors writing style because it made it very easy to read and follow the plot. The characters were very unique but there journey was amazing and extremely satisfying to read. I will be recommending this book to all of my family and friends.

Thank you to NetGalley for sending me the ARC to the second book in Sophie Kim's *fates thread* series in exchange for an honest review!

****spoilers below****

Summary:

Welcome back to the (underworld) of the God & the...Gwisin? A flash forward 30 years since the death of Seokga's true love, Hani. Ever since the red ribbon of fate appeared around his finger, he's been searching for "her" (literally, to the ends of the earth). To no avail, Seokga cannot not seem to track down his reincarnated Gumiho. He is run ragged, depressed & honestly, worse off than when we met him in the first book (if you can even imagine a more impossible Seokga). Under the instruction of his brother, he has taken to therapy & medication to ease his weary soul– nothing seems to be able to shake the trickster god's melancholy. Without any improvement to his mental health, Seokga is instructed to "take a vacation" on none other than, a cruise ship in the underworld along the river his father is banished to (talk about bringing up daddy issues...). Accompanied by with his therapist & brother in tow– It isn't long after boarding the cruise ship that mischief, murder, a run in with an old friend (enemy?) & the thrilling activity of the red thread leading to Hani's reincarnate bring this new (and familiar) cast to solve yes another mystery of death & deceit.

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I would like to start by saying that Kim's voice in her writing is consistent & most enjoyable! I was thrown back into the world of Okhwang immediately & although its been a minute since i read book #1 in this series, Kim's narration skills did not cease to impress.

I'll admit, it was difficult for me to adapt to the new faces in this story, i missed Hani just as much as Seokga did but i quickly adapted & fell in love with the parts of Hani's reincarnate, Kisa as the story evolved– it was almost as if I fell in love with her just as Seokga did. A brilliant way of writing this story through the eyes of comparison, heartbreak, surrender, acceptance, possibility & new found love for our Trickster God.

As usual, Kim's character building was on point. I loved the development of the new faces in this book coupled with some old ones to keep things familiar but still erred on the wings of discovering new friendships & connection.

At first i wasn't too found of the book taking place on the luxury cruise ship 95% of the time but it made way for deeper development of Seokga & Hwanin's history & relationship as well as healing some daddy issues, relationship development with our Hani reincarnate & piecing together some other side stories. There were twists & turns throughout the entire book that kept me guessing & a existential intention planted at the beginning of the book by Kisa that evolved over time into a theme that carried the book. All of that being said, i felt that too much world development would have interfered with the development of these interpersonal relationships baked within the book that gave the story depth & meaning– i appreciated the small world of the cruise liner in which this story mostly took place after all.

Overall, The God & The Gwisin was written beautifully– it was funny, endearing, & kept my attention with its evolving mystery-to-be-solved. It was fun to be reunited with familiar faces & introduced to new faces woven into the tapestry of this world. I can't wait to see where Sophi Kim takes us next!

The God and the Gwisin by Sophie Kim is a dreamy mix of mythology, mystery, and second-chance romance. Seokga, a trickster god, has finally regained his divine status—but all he cares about is finding his lost love, Hani. His search leads him to a haunted luxury cruise sailing the river of the dead, where he meets Kisa, a woman with Hani’s soul but none of her memories. When a murder rocks the ship, Seokga and Kisa are thrown into a deadly mystery, all while untangling the threads of their past.

This book has it all—Korean mythology, romance, intrigue, and a setting that feels both eerie and magical. If you love lush world-building and slow-burn tension with a touch of danger, this one’s for you!

The God and the Gumiho was one of my FAVORITE reads of last year so when I say I practically screamed when I got the digital arc I'm not lying. The God and the Gwisin was in fact almost as good as the first one. The characters were just as I remember (albeit, a tad different) and the plot of the murder/mystery was fairly intriguing. The end of the first one had me almost in tears, so to come back and see Seokga following the Red Thread of Fate and try to figure out what was happening was something I was instantly drawn to. The potential family drama for book 3 is keeping me on my toes for sure and I can't wait to read the next installment.

Thank you to Random House/Del Ray for the digital arc

3.75
The God & the Gumiho was one of my surprise reads of last year. I thoroughly enjoyed the characters, plot and writing so I was very excited to head into its sequel.

I very quickly realised that if The God & the Gumiho was more Hani’s book, The God & the Gwisin is Seokga’s.
We get a really nice insights on his thoughts and feelings, especially after those years without Hani as well as his struggle and complicated feelings for Kisa.
We also get a lot of banter and bickering, but I feel like that's a given!

While the first 20% were a bit slow, the pace did pick up nicely after. There were really great moments throughout and while I did enjoy the writing and humour a lot, I can’t say I was as invested as I was with the first book.
The plot itself was great and had similar vibes to book one.
We also get to meet a couple of old & new characters and Yeomra *might* be one of my new faves.
I saw the author compared it to the kdrama Hotel del Luna and I fully agree (If you haven’t watched that drama, I *very* highly recommend to do so).

I kept thinking of the reasons why this book didn’t quite hit the mark for me and I think it comes down to me not being as invested as I hoped I would be, liking the plot of The God & the Gumiho more and then ultimately also liking Hani more.

The God & the Gwisin is a fun sequel and I can see people liking it just as much as book one.

I saw that the author already announced their next book, which sounds great. Can’t wait to read it!

THE GOD AND THE GWISIN delivers an achingly satisfying sequel to the devastatingly hopeful ending of THE GOD AND THE GUMIHO.

Blending romance, fantasy, mythical retellings, and an intriguing whodunit, this novel is a must-read for fans of beautifully written, folklore-infused fantasy with a strong emotional core. Readers who were captivated by the first book will find themselves drawn even deeper into its world, navigating heartache, destiny, and the lingering threads of fate. If you haven’t yet started the series, now is the perfect time! Just be sure to have tissues on hand.

Thank you Del Rey for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

This follow-up to The God and the Gumiho had big shoes to fill. I loved the romance in the first book so much that I was apprehensive about going into this book. But I think The God and the Gwisin delivered in a way that honored book one and also stood all on it's own. Learning more about the world and how Seogka has been coping without Hani was fascinating, watching his evolving relationship with his brother was poignant, and the cast of new and returning characters was truly a delight.

I was so excited to dive back into the mystery fantasy series. It's fun and romantic and whimsical all at once. I loved Seokga and Hani so much and it was amazing to fall back in love and fall in love for the first time with Kisa. It was exactly the perfect ending for this tale and I loved how it unfolded. We get another mystery to solve and we get to be updated on past characters and see a bit of the future. We learn more about Seokga and see a completely different side of him. These characters have grown so much and I loved it.

Thanks so much to NetGalley for the eARC of this wonderful sequel! The God and the Gumiho was a book which really surprised me, and I was glad that its sequel was similar in that respect. Kim has a wonderful way of making dynamic characters, and in this book particularly, putting them through mind-fuck situations.

On top of the book closing out (though not forever??) the plot of the first book well, my favorite part of this novel was the overarching question of what makes a soul vs. what makes a person. I felt that Kim did a fantastic job of dissecting that question in a way that really made me love Kisa, while also understanding Seokga's pain. Overall, I thought it was a wonderful addition to the series, and I look forward to anything Kim has to write in future!

First of all, thank you for the opportunity to read this ARC copy (NetGalley & Random House Publishing Group - Del Rey)

What an unbelievable adorable and fun read. What an awkward, cute little couple. I adore them!

This was such a breath of fresh air and a relatively light and breezy read that pulled me in instantly and kept me engaged with witty banter, depth of friendship, and love between two characters that transcends lifetimes.

I was skeptical about liking Kisa at first, afraid she wouldn’t “live up to” Hani (no pun intended), but I found that I very quickly grew fond of the character. I wanted to root for Kisa just as much, if not more. I think the intelligent side of Kisa spoke to me more than Hani in the end.

I have not laughed out loud at a book in so long. There were certain times in this book where I just lost it laughing. Seokga is so unseriously serious. I’m usually not the biggest fan of romances involving Gods/deities, but I’ve made an exception for Seokga.

Also, thank you for bringing Somi back! She was honestly one of my favorite characters. I was kind of surprised to see her again.

4.6 stars, rounded to 5

This book was absolutely insane BUT in the most beautiful way!

I absolutely loved this book and the way it was written! The plot and themes throughout it had me hooked to my kindle for days!

Can't wait for it to come out in stores.

For an oath has finally been fulfilled. So happy with how everything turned out for Seokga. The banter continued but maybe more cute as he tried so hard to be happy with just being in her presence more than anything else. I love that Somi also got to have a little bit of a happy ending. I hope Seokga no longer feels like the lonely god I his little cottage in the library. I loved this book maybe even slightly more than the first playing on my emotions as I so desperately wanted them to be happy. I love how Kisa is just searching to learn constantly and loves books too. ❤️❤️ Thank you for the honor of letting me read this ARC. I can’t wait for the opportunity to have a physical copy when I can!

Thank you to NetGalley & Random House Publishing Group Del Rey for the arc!

This book is a 6/5 stars for me! I absolutely adored the first book and was so sad at the ending in The God and the Gumiho, however, as soon as I knew their would be a second book I had so much hope that this one would heal the heartbreak the first one caused.

Couple of things heading into this book, I was worried that the story would feel repetitive and that I wouldn't love the new "Hani" as much. However I was blown out of the water by this book! This time around we are with Seokga and Kisa on the SRC Flatliner solving yet another murder mystery (who knew I could love a good cozy murder mystery two times in a row) in the underworld this time and unfortunately Kisa is already dead. I won't lie knowing this I was already nervous that this book would make me cry more than the first and honestly it did but not for the reasons you're thinking. It was heartbreaking to see Seogka go through the feelings of being alone and how he compared Kisa to Hani and how he just wanted her back in any form. To me this book was Seogka's book and his character gains so much depth in this book and we really watch him grow into who he is/wants to be. There are also some great friendships in this book and I loved the overarching mystery we had going. I was able to put together things somewhat quickly closer to the 75% mark but with how it's written I was still left second guessing my self.

Overall, I loved everything about this book. The pacing and the way it's set up is so perfect. The friendships we see Kisa gain and the witty banter in this had me laughing out loud. This is a book I will be coming back to over and over again and will have my shelf for so many years to come.

Going into this, I was so nervous because I typically do not like the soulmates trope at all. But, The God and the Gumiho was one of my favorite books last year and so I was really looking forward to The God and the Gwisin. It did NOT disappoint!! Oh my gosh!! This was so amazing and from the very beginning Sophie had me completely invested in the story. I love that she was able to drag out the relationship in a realistic way so that nothing felt rushed between Seokga and Kisa at all, and it felt natural. I adored Kisa with every bit of my heart and this is definitely a favorite read for this year as well. The murder mystery was fun and kept me interested, the tension between Kisa and Seokga was delicious and the struggles that Seokga faced regarding Kisa were so well done and realistic I could not have asked for this to be done any other way.

Oh, now this was a damned treat to read.

After falling in love with the first novel in this series, I was both incredibly excited at seeing the announcement for a sequel, as well as a little apprehensive. Would the sequel live up to the first book? Would I enjoy it?

I needn't have worried, because Sophie Kim has done it again.

The God and the Gwisin is such a fun read, and continues on nicely from the events where the first novel ends. There's a little bit of heartbreak and longing, a lot of laughs, the same amount of sleuth and intrique as the first book introduced to, and altogether just a heartwarming good time. I really enjoyed getting to follow Seokga once again as he continues in searching for his soulmate, especially as this time we get to see how time has changed him and how he interacts with a few other familiar faces from the first novel.

Once this book was in my hands I couldn't put it down, and it was so fun unravelling the mystery of what was going on onboard the SRC Flatliner. I did guess the twist before it was revealed this time around, but it did not take away from the enjoyment I had reading this story. Kim's prose is still engaging and her characters are vibrant and a joy to read. This world really gives me the feelings I get from watching k-dramas, which is great as I could easily see this story adapted into one!

If you enjoyed the God and the Gumiho, please do yourself a favour and check out this book when it drops. You won't be disappointed.

Thank you NetGalley for giving me the chance to read this amazing book!

I have been looking forward to this book for months and it did NOT disappoint. Seeing old characters again made my heart so happy and it was great to how they had all changed but still had the parts of them I loved. I was enraptured watching Seokga and Kisa. Also the red thread was so funny! I was sucked right back into their world and it never ceases to amaze how the author was able to weave such an incredible story filled with love, humor, and warmth even while tragic things are happening.

I loved the first book and I have been looking forward to reading this one for some time.
The story takes place on a luxury cruise ship in the underworld. Forced to join the trip with his brother, Seokga finds himself not only trying to connect to his soulmate but also solving a murder.

I think the first book was a bit darker than this one that has more humor and you get to se another side of Seokga. I like this change because the characters have to evolve, even the Gods needs to grow due to their experiences. If I have to find something to criticize it´s probably the predictability when it comes to who to trust and who the villain is. Other than that I can only find positive things to say.

I really enjoyed the second book of the Fate's Thread series. It begins 30 years after the first book and Seokga is looking for his reincarnated love Hani. He tries to find her through their fated red thread, but cannot. His brother and therapist convince him to take a cruise down the river of the dead when he finally finds Hani/Kisa working on the ship. Their first interaction is awkward and then they find Seokga's brother dead. Can they work together to find the killer?

Things I loved:
- I love a good redemption story and while some are worthy of redemption others are not.
- The mystery behind the murder is wonderful, I kept turning the pages to get more clues.
- Seokga and Kisa getting to know each other again. His pining over her.
- Nam Somi and Hajun.
- The mythological creatures and gods.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.