I absolutely loved this book! Came into this not having read the previous novel (which I will now be buying and devouring). Kisa's first chapter is such a great opener "something had been decided,etched in stone and there was nothing she could do to change it", Sophie Kim then proceeds to write her absolute heart out.

Seokga is in a sad state at the start of the book, burnt out trying to find the person who is the reincarnation of his lost love at the other end of the thread. When Seokga and Kisa finally meet the relationship start and it's progression is believable, undeniably sweet and I loved how Seokga wears his heart on display. Both leads character development was adorable and this was a great take on a soul bond. The challenge this couple faces in being together is unique and devastating.

The murder on the boat and subsequent detective work of the gang is entertaining and is more of a bumbling mess for our bunch of amatuer sleuths. I laughed out loud when the CEO referenced the poor performance once the perpetrators were detained. Great foreshadowing throughout the book regarding the plot twist, I made an educated guess to where it was going and was correct but it didn't take away from the enjoyment of the novel.

The book made me laugh out loud, which doesn't happen often, the banter between characters was great and the side characters Hajun, Hwanin and Somi add needed dimension. "It's a great bum" she whispers sadly" absolutely tickled me. Also notable "the imbalance of respect that his father showed to Hwanin and Seokga has ingrained in him a sense of worthlessness which the trickster attempts to compensate for through things like bloody coups"

Beautiful resolution to this book, I can't wait to go back and get my heart broken reading Hani and Seokga's book.

I wasn’t sure if I could love Seokga more than I did in The God and the Gumiho …but it is possible.

I adored seeing his vulnerable side when interacting with Kisa, enhanced further with his grumpy nature when being confronted by others. The pair make a formidable force and it is a challenge not to love them.

Sophie Kim has introduced me to my perfect story combination - grumpy vs sunshine characters thrown into a murder mystery with a strong helping of mythology. Honestly, I adored this and am keeping everything crossed for a third book!

Rounded up to 4 stars

A nice conclusion to the Fate's Thread duology! I really liked the unique setting; a luxury underworld cruise ship is such a fun concept. We get to revisit old characters and meet new characters, and it was interesting to see how things have changed since book 1.
With the plot, I had a good time with the mystery aspect, trying to keep note of every detail (I did end up forgetting some that were important later on), analyzing suspects, and just trying to piece everything together. The romance was a little too cheesy for my taste this time, but I still liked seeing Kisa and Seokga's relationship develop. I'm satisfied with the ending and looking forward to what Sophie Kim writes next!

Fans who loved The God and the Gumiho will delight in Sophie Kim's follow up, The God and the Gwisin. In this tale we follow Seokga the No-Longer-Fallenas he tries to sort out his brother's murder. Seoka is a trickster god who's made lots of mistakes in his time. Reincarnating his ex to help him selve this murder might be the worst decision yet.

I absolutely loved the plot, the comedy, and the bickering between the ex-lovers as they try to bring Seoka the No=Longer-Fallenas brother's murder to justice. The banter is smart and relatable, the plot entertaining and engaging. Readers won't want to put this story down. It's easily one of the best fantasy books I've read this year.

Absolutely beautiful. I loved coming back to this world and finally finding out what happened from Book 1! It has such a perfect blend of romance, mystery with twists! I loved this book just as much as book 1.

I absolutely adored The God and the Gumiho, so I couldn't wait to read the sequel. I flew through this book in less than 24 hours, it was so good!

I loved returning to this world, and finding out what happened after the ending of book 1. The romance in this book was deep, dealing with issues of authenticity, second chances, and fate. Yet despite the inclusion of moving themes, this book absolutely maintains the k-drama style of writing that I adored in book 1. The humor in this series is impeccable and there were so many fun, lighthearted moments (aka any time Seokga is given a phone).

One of my favorite aspects of the book that I wasn't expecting was how much I'd love the side characters. Due to the nature of the ship they're all on, we're able to know much more about the side characters and their struggles, in addition to the main characters. I'd absolutely love to see a story about their story next!

The setting of the novel (a cruise ship for the dead) and a murder mystery that must be solved, reminded me a bit of Voyage of the Damned but with more adult themes and conflicts, and of course with a touch of k-drama.

The God and the Gwisin definitely lived up to my expectations, and I can't wait to see where the series goes from here!

The chemistry between Seokga and Kisa is electric, and their dynamic of fated lovers navigating past trauma and the present mystery kept me hooked. As they delve deeper into the crime and their connection, the stakes rise, and the fate of both the mortal and heavenly realms hangs in the balance.

With a perfect blend of romance, mystery, and divine intrigue, this sequel is an absolute must-read for fans of the first book. The twists and turns, both in the investigation and the relationship between Seokga and Kisa, make for a compelling and emotional read. I can’t wait to see where this story goes next!

Amazing , amazing , amazing , did I already said this is beyond amazing. Wow . Sophie left my heart destroyed in the book before but with this one she mended so well. I love how this book develops. The whole cruise idea was brilliant. The new characters are amazing and the old ones a fresh air. I dont want to spoil but this is everything I was hoping for when i finished the first one and did not disappointed at all. 100% bulling people into reading it because is not optional 😅. Is that good.

After The God and the Gumiho, I wasn't sure what to expect. This was at times unserious in tone in the best way, other times philosophical. I found myself laughing at loud at at least a couple tension-breaking moments. It's not quite falling in love again but the soul remembering the love.

Kisa falling in love with the already in-love Seogka was much faster than Hani's first time. Normally, I'd not like that insta-love sort of thing, but it's really Hani's soul's love coming to the surface. We just don't know for sure that's what's happening until Hani says so.

With Seogka's mother showing up at the end, does this mean we'll be getting MORE?? Will Kisa end up fully remembering her past life?

I would read all the reincarnation's falling in love with this dumb trickster god, to be honest.

This was really good at exploring more to what was developed in book 1. I enjoyed the characters throughout and the storyline was great.

I picked up the sequel as soon as I finished book 1 - and then proceeded to cry through half the book. I knew there would be parts of The God and the Gwisin that absolutely broke my heart: Kisa being Hani's reincarnation, Seokga's continued loneliness, Kisa being a ghost...I love Kisa/Hani and Seokga so much and this book definitely made my heart ache for them. While I missed Hani, I definitely came to love and appreciate Kisa as her own character, as well.

Seokga's character arc over the two books is particularly satisfying. I'm a sucker for the cold-hearted, dark trickster character and his growth was really enjoyable (while not losing his true trickster nature).

I really enjoyed the way this wrapped up some open threads from book 1 as well as introduced some new characters and locations. I'm REALLY hoping the open-ended ending means we might get book 3 (please, Sophie Kim? please, Del Ray??).

Honestly, I'm just not ready to say goodbye to them yet. I would also accept a K-Drama adaptation, tbh.

Thank you to NetGalley and Del Ray for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was just as good – if not better – than The God and the Gumiho!! I literally inhaled this book in two sittings! If you haven’t started this series and you enjoy fantasy + Korean mythology + whodunnit mysteries, I can’t recommend this enough. The characters steal the show and the plot is perfectly paced. I also thoroughly enjoyed trying to puzzle out the mystery in this book. There are so many laugh out loud moments, balanced with angst and heartbreak, that make this a sensational adventure. The God and the Gwisin is a sequel done right!

I enjoyed this even more than The God and the Gumiho! The idea of a cruise for deceased souls in the underworld was so creative, and I loved getting to see more of the gods. This book was also incredibly funny, more so than the first book, in my opinion; I chuckled out loud so many times while reading.

Seokga’s character was much more fleshed out here than in the first book, and I really enjoyed the nuances of his character and his character arc. His “grumpy, bitter guy who has his ice-cold heart melted by meeting his sunshine soulmate who he would burn down the world for” arc in the first book was a bit superficial and cliché to me. Here, his angst and complex feelings about Kisa and his brother were so much more compelling, as was the balance between his threatening tendencies and his attempts to reign himself in because of his newfound moral compass.

I really liked how different Kisa was from Hani and how different her dynamic was with Seokga versus Seokga with Hani. Soulmate books can be a hard sell for me at times, but I appreciated how thoughtfully this book dealt with what happens when your soulmate’s reincarnation is very different from how they were in a previous life. I also loved Somi and Hajun as side characters and their interactions with Seokga and Kisa. I know I’m overusing these words, but the characters and relationships in this book really do feel so much more nuanced and complex than those of the first book, and I was so here for all of it.

The murder mystery, humor, and fun character interactions kept me flying through the pages. I loved this!

Better than my wildest expectations!! And my expectations were high because I LOVED The God and the Gumiho. Full of fun shenanigans, healing, love, renewed friendships, and hilarious banter along with a murder mystery. One of my favorite heart melting parts is a spoiler but gahhh every scene had me in a puddle. Seokga and Hani walked so Seokga and Kisa could fly. And fly they did. The ending to the first book broke my heart but the journey in this one more than healed it. That epilogue has me hopeful for more stories in this world.

After finishing The God and the Gumiho, I absolutely could not wait for the sequel and now I can say that The God and the Gwisin did not disappoint. We return for more Seokga and Hani, that is, not-Hani, but her reincarnation, Kisa. We get another sleuthing adventure, hijinks of the high seas (the river of the dead to be exact), and some babysitting for comic relief. The mythical references, mystery, adventure, and cute romance that made the first book such a delightful read make their way onboard this river cruise, so anyone who enjoyed the first book will find comfort in this follow-up. And for readers who like their fantasy with a dash of mystery, myth, and romance but haven't started this series, these two books are a sweet treat.
I received advanced digital access to this book thru NetGalley (for which I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher, Random House Publishing Group - Del Rey, Random House Worlds, Inklore) for an honest review. The opinion expressed here is my own.

Thank you to Netgalley and Del Rey for the kind approval of the ARC!! I was so excited to read the book because I enjoyed how campy and funny the Gumiho and the God mostly was -- and I devoured this sequel overnight lol!!

I must say Sophie Kim does such a great job at juggling comedy and heart-fucking-wrenching angst. Or maybe I just have a bleeding heart, because oh, Hani!!! She's gone. Now we have Kisa, whom I also ended up enjoying! Bear in mind that she is not the same as Hani, not to me, but Kim does a great job making another super interesting heroine in her own right.

More importantly: Hajun!!!! HAJUN. I loved him and he stole the show for me. I want all the books just about him. He was an excellent addition to the cast and I found myself hankering after all of his scenes. You can't go wrong with writing a dead K-pop star.

All in all, this was a fun mystery to delve into, and the thing about me is that I want to switch my brain off because I love to be surprised. So switch my brain off I did, and the revelation did take me off-guard in parts! Highly recommend to readers who enjoyed Book 1.

BIG SHOUT OUT TO THE PUBLISHER AND NETGALLEY FOR LETTING ME IN FOR ROUND 2!

So. The last book was heartbreaking. Sophie Kim was like, 'okay, lets NOT and give this book a happier tone'. A who-dun-it type mystery set aboard a river cruise for the dead. Let's also make a little Scooby-Doo team out of some new faces, old faces, and a Gwisin who is the reincarnation of God's first love.

Sophie Kim gives us a K-Drama that gives us vibes of Tale of the Nine-Tailed Fox. Our God is mourning over his lost love. Going to therapy, doing things that remind him of her, and ... still looking for her. Her reincarnation is somewhere, but where? Suddenly a red thread appears, luring him to London but Hani is no where to be found. If he was there just minutes before hand, he would have see his love as a medical assistant plummeting to her death by falling off the roof of a hospital. Which leads us into how SHE ends up on a cruise meant for those who died.

I liked Sophie's new characters - some of them silly, some of them not so silly. I liked that we got a little more insight on the Gods (our lead God's parents), family issues, and so on. The dilemma that our God and our once-gumiho are in has to do with a baby, and it was funny to see them act like parents to this infant who has godly powers.

But Hani - is she okay? Does she have memories of her past life? How does he feel about finding her but realizing that she remembers nothing and is a completely different person? That's what this story is about. Identity and does love still remain even though the form has changed? In this book, our God must recognize that Hani is not coming back, but is Kisa a valid and worthy replacement for his love?

The characters have to go through trust and finding love again. The end, while true to the characters, was a little weak for me, but the cliffhanger has me excited for book three and the family drama (I imply this heavily) in-store.

If you liked book one, you'll enjoy book two just as much. The only reason I marked it down is that I'm not a fan on books that take place on boats because I feel the action is hindered.

I need book three, Sophie! Library adventures in the future?

Thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
This was an amazing end to Seokga’s story, it is definitely a worthy ending to fate’s thread.

Rating: 4/5

I was in university when I got the email for approval and I almost squealed while in my computer lab, not my proudest moment but I was so excited. This was one of my top anticipated reads of the year, so as soon as I got back to my room, I dropped my current read to read it. I take comfort in knowing the book has kept me company in the early stages of the flu.

I loved almost everything about this book, the pacing was a lot different than I expected but it didn’t feel like a handful of days had passed. When it reached day 2 of the main plotline, I was almost certain that it was at least a week in. And while I loved the characters, I did find the female main character a bit irritating at times. Seokga did come through though, he will never anger me (I think I just have a soft spot for green-eyed, dark-haired trickster gods).

The plot twist was pretty easy to guess, at least for me. The villain in this story was hidden in plain sight, yet a bit glaringly obvious if you knew what to pay attention to. I did love how entertaining it got, and then having a cameo from Hani sealed how much I liked it. Then the new and old characters were honestly so adorable, I couldn’t get over how well it managed to work out considering a lot of issues between certain characters.

One thing I must say is that I wholly agree with everyone who says Seokga is a terrible detective, he never fails on that front and serves as a whole other form of entertainment. The Hwanin plot-line shocked me to the point where I had to spend a good 10 minutes trying to make sense of it all, it did serve as a good point for the relationship between him and Seokga to improve. I’m glad that brotherly relations were focused upon.

I recommend to anyone wanting to read this sequel! It's perfect for anyone who likes Korean mythology that reads like a Kdrama and fantasy-romance lovers!!

Absolutely sensational! What a worthy successor this was to the first book in the series. I'm in awe.

Got approved for this just last night and immediately jumped into it the first chance I got and before I knew it I was done reading. Its so bingeable and interesting, you can't keep it down once you start. The plot, the pacing, the characters, the writing... All of them working in perfect harmony to make the story come together.

Though I did feel that the main perpetrator was super easy to guess and I had it figured out in the first 25% of the book, I do see why it stretched the way it did. The reveal was satisfying and the reason for the leads to take so long to figure out who did it made sense as well. Very thoughtfully woven so that even when you think the characters are being stupid by ignoring the obvious, you get why they're sort of in denial about it, especially Seokga.

The romance was so feelsy and I was furiously highlighting through their interactions so I could go back to them whenever I felt like it. The ensemble is wonderful and I loved all the side characters but no one more than Hajun, my cute lil K-Pop idol.

It was interspersed with a plethora of laugh out loud moments and I especially loved Seokga's dry humour so much, just as I did in the first book. He's a sarcastic diva and I love that about him.

All in all a definite must read. I would recommend to everybody!!