SOPHIE KIM PLEASE GIVE ME A SEQUEL??? OR EVEN JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE FROM THAT ENDING AHHHHHHHHHHH

This was such an incredible, well fleshed out story. Kim flawlessly blended fantasy and Korean folklore to create a captivating story with compelling characters, I literally could not put this down and stayed up until 3am to finish. I already want to go back and re-read it.
The story follows a fallen god turned detective, Seokga, and the infamous Scarlet Fox, a gumiho Hani who in self-defense kills again after hundreds of years. Hani after killing two humans brings the Scarlet Fox back in everyone's radar again and so in a quest to keep the trail off her goes undercover to work as Seokga's assistant. Seokga, in a quest to regain his god-hood, is banished to the mortal realm and tasked with returning twenty thousand unruly creatures before he can get his powers back but after 600 years is given an ultimatum; if he kills the Scarlet Fox and an eoduksini, a powerful demon who escaped the underworld and is currently killing both immortals and mortals within two weeks he will be reinstated as a god immediately.
Hani and Seokga team up to bring this demon down and along the way fall in love. When they finally kissed and sparks flew I was up kicking my feet and screaming (silently). From the very beginning before we even see Hani and Seokga interact I was already invested. The mystery of the demon's true identity was also engaging to read. I initially guessed correctly but when another character started behaving suspiciously I also fell for it. And along with our two main characters I also found myself caring about the side characters as well.
BUT THE ENDING?????????????? A RED STRING OF FATE??? UMM SOPHIE I STILL HAVE TRAUMA FROM THE DRAMA MOON LOVERS (SCARLET HEART RYEO) WHY WOULD YOU DO THIS TO MMEEEEEEEE. Starting a petition or something idk but I need to know if they're ok and living happily in the end.

<i>Thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey for the arc. ♡ </i>

I loved the story, the world building and meeting the different characters. I felt completely immersed in the story and couldn't stop reading it.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was my first Sophie Kim book, and first introduction to the world of Korean fantasy/K Drama. I will not hesitate on any of Kim's books!

It took a few chapters to get into; mostly because I spent a large amount of time learning pronunciations and English translations (first real introductionto Korean mythology). After finally getting a comfortable pace going, I absolutely fell in love with Seokga and Hani. I would love to have this turn into a series!

The writing is fast paced and descriptive. After reading heavy horror/thrillers, this was the most perfect amount of romance and suspense to keep me both interested and feeding the thriller junkie in me.

Learning about Korean mythology was an absolute plus. I cannot recommend this book enough!

Sophie Kim skillfully combines fantasy and Korean mythology with a murder mystery in an exciting, well-paced plot. I appreciated the world-building and character development, particularly following the romance between Seokga and Hani. Their dialogues and flirty, sharp-witted banter were fun to read, and I enjoyed getting to know two multifaceted protagonists — strong-willed and fighting together to save a city, yet deeply flawed and with morally ambiguous pasts.

Thank you to NetGalley, Del Rey Books, and Sophie Kim for this e-ARC! I highly recommend you read The God and the Gumiho once it is released on June 4th!

Seogka and Hani are complex characters, and Kim is a master at getting the reader to root for these anti-heroes. Their initial spats and barbs thrown at each other are irresistibly exciting, and the growing sexual tension is both intimate and passionate. Love this book!

My rating for the book is: 3.75 stars

In The God and the Gumiho, Seokga is a god banished from the heavens due to a failed coup. His task is to kill 20,000 "unrulies" (monsters) before he is able to ascend once more. With the sudden re-emergence of the Scarlet Fox (a very powerful gumiho), his bargain is altered to killing the Scarlet Fox and another dangerous force before he can go back home. Unfortunately, Hani (the infamous Scarlet Fox) decides to get involved in the investigation and lead him on a wild goose chase to protect herself. So, the god and the gumiho become unlikely allies (kinda) in this Korean urban fantasy.

I truly enjoyed this book! The world was immersive and I immediately was invested. I liked learning about all the different creatures of folklore and how they adapted to the 20th century. I also really loved the banter between Seokga and Hani --- their conversations were like ping-pong matches and I always wanted to see who got the point this time. Their mutual dislike for one another made me giggle.

One thing I did have a hard time with was the setting of the 1990's. I kept forgetting the time period until there would be a reference to VHS tapes or a specific type of phone, and then I would have to refigure what I was imagining.

Overall, it was a great read! I did not see any of the plot twists coming and I thoroughly enjoyed the character development of the two main characters. Thank you to Del Rey Books and Sophie Kim for this e-arc! Check this book out when it releases on June 4th!

4.5 stars! I love a fantasy that is also a murder mystery, so this was right up my alley. Throw in some mythology as well and I was hooked. I enjoyed that the characters were morally gray and I liked their romance. Sometimes it was hard to distinguish between what was part of the mortal world and what was part of the immortal world because it was all so intertwined. The writing overall was engaging and fast paced. The plot was paced well, though I figured out who the enemy was before it was revealed. The ending was heartbreaking and has me ready to read the next one though!

"In this sly and dazzling contemporary fantasy, the most notorious nine-tailed fox in Korea pairs up with a trickster god-turned-detective to track down a wrathful demon...before it can destroy the mortal world.

Kim Hani has retired from a life of devouring souls. She is, simply put, too full. Once known as the infamous Scarlet Fox, she now spends her days working in a coffee shop and annoying a particularly irritating, if unfairly handsome, trickster god as often as she can.

That god is Seokga the Fallen. Exiled from the heavenly kingdom of Okhwang, he now begrudgingly resides in the mortal realm, working toward his redemption and suffering through his interactions with the particularly infuriating, if sneakily charming, gumiho barista at his favorite café.

But when a powerful demon escapes from the underworld and threatens to end all of humanity, Okhwang's emperor offers Seokga an enticing bargain: Kill this rogue creature, as well as the legendary and elusive Scarlet Fox, and he will be reinstated as a god. Hani, however, has no intention of being caught. Seokga might be a trickster god, but she has a trick of her own that he'll never see coming: teaming up. As Seokga's assistant, Hani will undermine and sabotage his investigation right under his overly pointy nose. Sure, she'll help him kill the demon, but she certainly won't allow him to uncover her secret identity while they're at it.

As the bickering partners track their case down a path of mayhem and violence, the god and the gumiho find themselves inescapably drawn to each other. But will the unlikely couple stand together to prevent the apocalypse, or will they let their secrets tear them - and the world - apart?"

I am here for any gumiho story ever. But a gumibo gumshoe? Oh hell yes!

The God & the Gumiho is a beautiful story about self-growth, sacrifice and love. The story has you on the edge of your seat rooting for the characters the entire time. I cannot wait to read a sequel one day!

3.5 stars. As a girl who loves Korean mythology, this was a fun light read! Even though it's a romance, I was still invested in the mystery plot of it all. I would definitely read the next book if this becomes a series.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Del Rey for approving my request for the e-arc of The God and the Gumiho! It took me a minute to really get into this book but once I was in, I was IN! The main characters are both narcissists who are continually vexed with each other, which doesn’t necessarily make them immediately likeable but does lend itself to really fun banter and hijinks! The romance was slow to build but very believable, Hani and Seokga really do belong together.

The God and the Gumiho is a contemporary fantasy based on Korean folklore. The story follows Seokga, the fallen trickster god working as a detective, and Hani, the gumiho that the world knows only as the infamous Scarlet Fox.

Hani has remained in hiding by avoiding killing for over a century. She threatens her anonymity when she kills two men who assault her, and she joins the police force as Seokga's assistant in order to throw him off of her trail.

The story that follows is part buddy comedy, part hate to love romance. Hani and Seokga are both tricksters by nature, and they constantly banter with each other. Hani is the eternal sunshine that balances Seokga's grumpy hautiness, and romance blooms between them even though Hani is deceiving Seokga and stands directly in the way of his ability to achieve his goals.

As an ADHD reader, I found the first half of the book challenging to stay engaged with. The story develops slowly, and doesn't really pick up pace until the halfway point.

The world building is well done and the writing is strong. I highlyly recommend for fans of contemporary fantasy and Korean inspired fantasy.

Thank you to Random House and Netgalley for providing a digital ARC for me to review.

Thank you NetGalley and Del Rey for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

The God and the Gumiho is a quick, fun read wherein Kim Hani is living post-retirement (from eating souls as the infamous Scarlet Fox) life as a disgruntled barista and Seokga the Fallen has been exiled from the heavenly realm of Okhwang for centuries, forced to capture unruly creatures in the name of redemption.

I’m pleasantly surprised by how much I liked this. I started this not knowing what to expect, but I appreciated that it didn’t take itself too seriously while still hitting the expected plot beats. I don’t think this is a particularly complex book, and I generally understood where it was heading early on. Still, it has a sillier quality to it like you might find in a K-drama or fanfiction with the humor tag. There are definitely parts that read like what you’d expect from fanfiction, but I don’t really think this is a negative so much as a contribution to the overall vibe.

Kim does a good job at writing something that is extremely readable and fast paced, though I think it does end up suffering sounding truly “adult” insofar as the level of complexity of the story and the exact balance of silly and serious. I really liked the characters, too, and thought that Kim portrays them very well. They’re fun and endearing and I liked spending time with them. I liked the infusion of Korean mythology. There were times where this was maybe a little clunky or overly predictable, but that didn’t detract from my personal enjoyment. I’m pretty sure this is going to be a series, but this does work as a standalone, especially if you enjoy an open-ended ending.

Overall, I had fun with this and enjoyed the overall level of silliness and the hijinks that Kim puts her characters through, and while the plot is a little simple I was still engrossed. I don’t think this will work if you want a more serious read, but I had a blast.

What to Expect
- South Korean 1990’s atmosphere
- Unique world building
- Both main characters are morally grey. Love a morally grey FMC!
- Murder mystery
- Witty banter
- I really, really don’t like you to lovers

Sophie Kim’s The God and the Gumiho throws you into a world of gumihos, dokkaebi, and all kinds of Korean mythological creatures. Hani is the infamous Scarlet Fox who’s killed 500 bad dudes, including Jack the Ripper. She’s morally grey, sly, a bad-ass, and also in hiding as all her killing put her on the wrong side of the law. Seokga is a fallen trickster god, banished to the mortal realm for attempting a coup against his brother, and is working on redemption by banishing unruly creatures. A murder mystery brings the unlikely two together as they try to track down an unruly demon hell-bent on ending humanity.

I really enjoyed Hani’s character. She’s complex, witty, clever, as well as both fiercely self-preserving and yet can be incredibly self-sacrificing. At the start of the book, Seokga came across as entitled and calloused, however, I enjoyed watching Hani’s influence his character to soften over time. The book started out a bit slow, but it picked up, and I read the last 30ish% in one sitting. I enjoyed the twist at the end, and I will definitely be reading the sequel to see how the story continues. I am also fascinated by gumihos, and I will absolutely be looking for more books or tv shows / movies with more of them!

Thank you to Sophie Kim, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, and to NetGalley for providing an ebook in exchange for an honest review.

This was so entertaining, I enjoyed every minute of it!

This was my first book by Sophie Kim but it won't be my last, especially after that ending I can't wait to see how she plans to expand on this world and its characters.

I absolutely loved Hani and Seokga and their romance — that first kiss still has me in a chokehold.
I adored the fact that Hani is not only old and powerful but also a little villainous, it was such a fresh take not having the MMC possess all the power, and be much older than the FMC.
Seokga was sooooo grumpy and arrogant and detached, I couldn't believe how mushy and vulnerable he was underneath that facade once he met his match in Hani.
I loved their romance and the way it progressed — they disliked each other in the beginning so much that it took time and a lot of forced proximity for them to warm up to one another (and a minor brawl in the woods lmaoo) and it felt natural. Eventually, Seokga was so obsessed with and whipped for Hani I just adored that.

The mystery was good, I was guessing who the eoduksini was till the end, SK definitely managed to throw me off though I had my suspicions.
The character development was also fantastic, loved seeing how Hani & Seokga's love changed both of them.

I'd heard that this is a K-Drama inspired fantasy mystery and I definitely agree that it reads that way.
I couldn't believe what was happening by the end and I cried my eyes out for both Hani and Seokga.

That epilogue left me wanting more, I need to know my babies are okay 🥹
I can't wait to see what SK has in store for us next!

Sophie Kim's debut into adult fantasy is a must read! It's like a kdrama on paper! I love her choice that Seo uses a cane which not only adds to his enchanting character but also disability rep as well. Sophie please write more adult it was delectable.

The God and the Gumiho is one of those New Adult books that hit all of the boxes for me.

5 ⭐️ - fade to black romance; slow burn. He’s a fallen trickster god, she’s a notoriously sly fox demon. They’re both mischievous and the banter is fun. And I should mention there's a 1 bed trope with forced proximity.

I loved watching both of these characters warm up to one another as the story progressed and the throw backs to the 1990's was pretty great.

Apparently - as we're all aware - coffee is in fact the solution.

Made me cry like every K-Drama I’ve ever watched and I loved every minute of it.

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I had a good time reading this. I wish that more of the worldbuilding had been explained, because I found myself lost on several occasions, but I still absolutely loved Hani. It’s nice to have two morally gray characters—where it’s not just the MMC with a dark past and an innocent FMC fluttering her eyelashes. Ultimately I found the ending satisfying.

This book was phenomenal. The gumiho has a big secret and the god is not a god anymore. There was a lot of myths in this book and I was unfamiliar with Korean myths. This book painted such a great world of those myths. This was a true "we don't like each other to lovers" (not real enemies per se). It was a little slow at first especially while I tried to keep up with the unfamiliar words but that just made it more interesting in the middle. And, really most fantasy is that way. I loved the character development that occurred between the two main characters.

Pick it up if you like mythology, gods and demons, enemies to lovers, and a good mystery.

This book is quite a light and fun romp through 1990s South Korea. We follow a fallen god and a mythological creature in this buddy cop to lovers story? Which may be a trope we need to see more often.

I found this book at the right time, light on world building this was such an easy and delightful read. With mentions of fanfictions, half naked men on romance covers, Jack the Ripper and K-pop, this is low stakes fantasy that could be great for anyone looking for a fun fast paced read.

Would definitely read any sequels because I love this grumpy/sunshine mystery solving duo.