**spoilers for book 1, not this one**

a himbo god of mischief has been searching for his reincarnated lover for 33 years. he takes a vacation with his emperor god brother, and he finds her dead (spirit) aboard the underworld’s ship, serving penance for her past life as the scarlet fox. she doesn’t remember him or being her former self, and he has a difficult separating her current person vs. her old person.
however, she has been stuck for 7 years, and she wants to reincarnate again; he doesn’t want to lose her after finally finding her again. on the first night of the gods’ cruise vacation, the emperor god is murdered (don’t worry, he just respawns as a baby). they have a week to figure who dunnit, so 1) seokga doesn’t get framed, and 2) she can reincarnate early.

this was so good. this is just korean myth mixed with scooby doo and YEARNINGGG. the pacing was a lot better in this book than book 1, imo. i also like the contrast between the dynamics of hani/seokga and kisa/seokga. the character development was SO good, even for the secondary characters.

i knew this was a 5 star very early on, and i can’t wait to share some quotes when it releases. thank you net galley for the ARC. sophie kim is now one of my fave authors 🫶🏻

"The God and the Gwisin" by Sophie Kim.
I believe will be released in June of this year. This book picks up where "The God and the Gumiho" left off. Seokga has been trying to find Hani’s reincarnation for many years when one day he finds a red thread attached to his pinky. Thinking that at the other end he’ll find Hani he follows it but he never reaches the other end.
After a while, his brother decides that he needs some time off and takes him and his therapist on a vacation cruise to the River of the Dead. There, Seokga finds Kisa, who finds herself attached to the other end of the red thread but has no memory of him. Things get a bit tricky when Seokga’s brother is murdered and now they have to find who did it and what are their evil plans.
In this book you have a very weird brand of romance, you see that Seokga wants to give Kisa space but he is dealing with the reality that she is not Hani and he cannot expect her to be her. On the other side, Kisa finds this attraction but has to deal with the unfair expectation of not being Hani or having her memories, not only from Seokga but also from Hani’s friend.
I enjoy Sophie Kim’s writing and humour. The introduction to Korean mythology was new to me and I love that it has pushed me to do more research about the different creatures mentioned. This book was the perfect sequel to The God and the Gwisin. The only thing that I find really disappointing is that I have to wait a long time to get my hands on the next one, but I am looking forward to reading what happens with these two.

MMC pining over an FMC that doesn't remember him, found family, boba and Kopiko candy references, what more can I ask for? Is the writing mind-blowing? No. Is the plot a little predictable? Yes. Did I still enjoy? Absolutely! What a fun read this was. The ending leaves me wondering if there's going to be a book 3? If so - sign me up!

Thank you NetGalley and Del Rey for providing a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.

I was absolutely ecstatic to receive an early copy of The God and the Gwisin. After thoroughly enjoying the first book in the Fate's Thread series, I couldn’t wait to return to this captivating world. The ending of The God and the Gumiho had left an open promise for more, and I had loved watching the development of Seogkha and Hana. It was incredibly satisfying to know their journey wasn’t over yet.

The story begins with the reincarnation of Hani—but she isn't quite Hani anymore. She has been reborn as Yoo Kisa, a woman with no memories of her past life. Caught in a twist of fate, Yoo Kisa now exists as a Gwisin, working aboard the Flatliner cruise ship. She has no recollection of her time as the Scarlet Fox or the bond she once shared with Seogkha, and is reluctant to accept the connection that once tied them together.
Seogkha, on the other hand, has spent the last 33 years searching for his lost love. When he finally finds her, their reunion is a moment of both joy and sorrow, as it’s clouded by the heavy burden of forgotten memories.

The second book in the Fate’s Thread series is just as thrilling and captivating as the first. I loved diving back into a story filled with characters I’ve grown so attached to. It’s a bit spicier than the first and I am here for it. I really enjoyed Sophie Kim’s writing and look forward to more books from her.

A huge thank you to DelRey and Random House Publishing Group for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. As always, all opinions are my own.

Going in, I wasn't sure what to expect from this book. When I read The God and the Gumiho earlier this year I completely fell in love with Hani and her relationship with Seokga. I shouldn't have worried. Sophie Kim has written an absolutely lovely sequel.

It was so much fun getting to know all of the new characters, and I loved that we got to see some familiar faces from the first book. Kisa is so different than Hani and it was heartwrenching and yet so sweet watching Seokga fall in love with her again.

I'd love to read more in this world and from the way the book ends it seems like I might get to! Thanks to NetGalley and Del Rey for the chance to review this ARC!

This book was everything I wanted/need it to be! Seokga deserves the world and his growing relationship with Kisa was both heartbreaking and healing.

I love when a story makes you second guess your predictions and takes you round and round in circles until the final conclusion.

The Korean element of this was also important to how much I enjoyed the book. The mythical creatures , the language, the nuances. It’s a mix of k-drama and anime, (with one slightly mild spicy scene). which just made me love it even more (don’t need spice for a good book, but it was modestly done and laced with love instead of lust)

I cannot wait to read more from Sophie Kim

What a ride!

The God and the Gumiho was my best read of 2024! So I was really scared The God and the Gwisin will not live up to my expectations because the bar was HIGH. But I was not disappointed!

First chapters are really sad and they hit me in the feels hard… Depression, exhaustion and all consuming helplessness – that’s the things Seokga is struggling with while he’s looking for reincarnated Hani. Meanwhile she is in no better head space… That part was so painful to read.

But later on, the heartbreaking moments were interlaced with hilarious scenes. One second I was fighting tears just to burst out laughing in the next moment.

The God and the Gumiho felt like a book version of k-drama – the gags, the humor, the BIG moments… But it lacked one thing… PRODUCT PLACEMENT! And The God and Gwisin fixed this problem - we do have KOPIKO product placement! You won’t believe how much it made me laugh…

I loved this book, plain and simple. But my favourite parts were when Seokga showed his <deeply hidden> love for baby Hwanin. My heart was melting! Adding that plot twist with Hwanin was a brilliant idea. Thanks to it, we could see more affectionate and soft side of Seogka.

On the one hand I’d love to read next books from this series but on the other hand this book ends with happy end. Maybe not conventional one but happy end nonetheless. So I can accept that this book was last one from this series ;)



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

I got approved for this arc immediately after I finished book 1. talk about perfect timing.

I will read anything sophie kim puts out. I loveddd this book so much! I am obsessed with korean folklore & seokga 😍😍

Rating 4.5 rounded up!

Kisa is reincarnated Hani that died again in 2018. Seoka did not find her in time to save her. Instead he finds her as cruise ship doctor waiting to be reincarnated again. While on this cruse Seoka’s brother (Hwanin) is murdered and apparently G-ds are immediately reincarnated as babies. SO now Seoka has to take care of his baby brother while trying to solve his murder! Oh and Somi is there also because she of course is waiting to be reincarnated as well.

In this book we learn more about Seoka’s childhood and family. Talk about trauma. There is also more slow burn and witty banter in this book and I do enjoy witty banter. So one minute you are laughing and smiling and the next you are literally shocked and saying things like, “no way” to yourself.

Just like in the first novel, the world building and character development is well done. Vivid imagery which I truly appreciate since I am the type of reader that runs a movie through my head while I read. I enjoyed this book so much I devoured it in less then 2 days.

After the unexpected ending of book 1, I was very excited to be approved for this ARC. It did not disappoint.

The God and the Gwisin is the PERFECT sequel to The God and the Gumiho!! I was in shambles after the ending of the first book. I did not know if Sophie Kim would be able to heal my heart or if she would break it further.

First, Seokga is wonderful as ever! However, in this book we see how Hani's reincarnation has affected him over the years. We see his struggle with coping without Hani, which I love how Kim does not gloss over his loss of Hani despite her being reincarnated. Kisa is a lovely character. My adoration of her only grew as the story went on. We meet some new characters in this story, but some familiar faces happen to show up. Every character offers so much to the story, even if it is just a little line that makes you laugh!

The plot is so fun!! I love a good murder mystery, so this was an entertaining read. I liked the cruise aspect and wish that we saw more of what it offered, but it wasn't crucial for the story. The culprit was quite predictable, but the adventure and reveal were still very satisfying. It is a perfectly paced story with lovely writing. It is also incredibly thought-provoking with the question of the Ship of Theseus.

Overall, I had to take a few days before writing this review and I still do not think this review does this book justice. Sophie Kim did an excellent job with these two book and I cannot wait to look into her other works. Thank you NetGalley and Del Rey for the arc. All thoughts and opinions are my own!

after the ending of book one that left me HEARTBROKEN I was beyond excited to get this eARC and it did not disappoint!!!

I absolutely love these characters and will read anything Sophie Kim write set in the world

I laughed, I cried, I screamed "I KNEW IT" just overall a great time

Thank you for the ARC 💓

I loved this series!!! The happy ending that we deserved after the heartbreak that we had to go through in the first book OMG YAYYYY
I was actually getting a bit suspicious of Dr. Jang- The suspense was real.

I LOVE THE COVER PLEASE IT'S GORGEOUS.

I felt so bad for Seokga!!!!! He got betrayed twice & lost people who were close to him.
AND I LOVE KISA!!! Kisa & Hani have distinctively different personalities but some similarities between them were simply too obvious to ignore. The sweetest thing was Kisa's reaction to Somi & Seokga!!!! Just like Hani, she was fond of both of them in this life too.

It was a unique read. (K-drama setting)
It also gets a bit spicy in a few chapters.

i liked the god & the gumiho, but i LOVED the god & the gwisin. this book was painfully heartfelt and genuinely funny. truly everything i could ever ask for in a fantasy romance.

Part of me wants to admit this just might be better than The God and the Gumiho, and yet a larger part of me won’t because I can’t do our girl Hani like that.

While Gumiho was utterly charming to me for its k-drama vibes, grumpy, heart-hungry (no pun intended) fallen gods and mischievous fox demons, this second installment hit me in ways I wasn’t expecting. I loved the journey Seokga and Hani went on in Gumiho and I was gutted at their ending. I thought their overall story was far more entertaining and exciting, and was nervous when I read this sequel would take place entirely aboard a ship—nothing else can be quite so limiting to a potential plot.

So imagine my surprise when I found myself—within the first few pages—alternately laughing out loud, gasping, and even welling up! My even greater shock at finding myself loving Kisa just as much as I loved Hani, and rooting to see her end up with Seokga happily.

Was the villain utterly predictable? Of course. This isn’t a real murder mystery it’s a dramatized tv show in book format. It’s tongue in cheek the whole way through, until those blindsiding moments when Sophie Kim pops out from behind a corner and throat-punches you with emotion. The humor is on point, the romance adorable, the found family and interwoven forgiveness theme just pitch perfect.

I need ten more books in this series now. I’m not ready to say goodbye to these characters!

Thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Solid 4.5 stars.

Seogka is looking for Hani and finds Kisa. A very intelligent, kind, gentle person. The opposite of Hani. But he still sees Hani in her. Will he fall in love with Kisa for Kisa? Are things the same?

Unfortunately there’s another murder investigation that needs solved, luckily the duo is back together to figure it out.

The God and the Gumiho has sat on my shelf since July of 2024. I didn’t want to read it until the sequel came out and I’m glad because the ending was crushing. But the God and the Gwinsin was a phenomenal continuation of the story.

This book was so heartbreaking and joyful and exciting I couldn’t put it down! I love the world that Sophie Kim has made and the characters feel like real people. I’m looking forward to reading more from this author!


A BIG thank you to Netgalley, Random House Publishing and of course the author for the opportunity to read and review this book!

One of the most unique reads for me in a while. I'm a huge Kim fan and her books continue to surprise. Can not recommend enough

would recommend this to: mythology fans (looking at you, Percy Jackson fans that now have student loan debt), kdrama fans (more-so the first book), new adult romance readers.
added trigger warning: shitty therapist advice... which is the twist in the book.

The book broke my heart numerous times. I was highlighting a lottttt on my kindle. Following the first book, I was a little worried because the first book really swept me off my feet. This did the same, but in a different way. The story was so immersive, and the plot just kept me going. I was so hooked that I just wanted more. I really just loved the characters, and the way the story continued from the end of the first book.

Switching the plot towards the murder mystery and the cruise was very fun, although sometimes I found it quite predictable. There were moments when the pacing of the story was difficult to keep up with. And while the romance was still present, I didn’t feel the same emotional connection to it as I did in the first book.

I really hope we get another book soon in this world, I will be reading that ASAP.

i recently had the pleasure of diving into sophie kim's "the god and the gwisin," the sequel to "the god and the gumiho." this story masterfully intertwines korean mythology with a gripping murder mystery set aboard an underworld cruise ship.

the narrative follows seokga, a trickster god reinstated after saving the mortal world, as he searches for his reincarnated love, hani. his quest leads him to yoo kisa, an exhausted soul working off karmic debt in the afterlife, with no memory of their past connection. together, they must unravel the mystery behind the heavenly emperor's murder before their voyage concludes. kim's storytelling shines, blending romance, fantasy, and suspense seamlessly. the evolving dynamics between seokga and kisa kept me engaged, and the rich mythological backdrop added depth to their journey. this novel is a testament to kim's ability to craft immersive and emotionally resonant tales.

i really enjoyed the mix of korean mythology, mystery, and romance. the way sophie kim weaves these elements together seems to have really drawn me in. i liked the evolving dynamic between seokga and kisa, especially how their past connection added layers to the story. the setting—an underworld cruise ship—also seems like a unique and intriguing backdrop that makes the mystery even more compelling. plus, the emotional depth and immersive world-building kept me hooked.

"the god and the gwisin" is set to be published on june 3, 2025!