DNF @ 12%

I wanted to like this book. Story-wise, I did like it (not that I got far), but the writing is so very childish to me. Several times, I was taken out of the story because of something someone said or just a weird descriptor word used. It happened often enough that I'm just not going to bother finishing it. Certain parts felt like a child randomly snuck in and wrote a sentence or two.

Not my cup of tea, but if you enjoyed it, I'm glad!!!

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel by Sophie Kim, even if I at first approached it with some apprehension. I am no means well versed in Korean mythology, but this book has certainly more than piqued my interest! A grumpy fallen god meets a sunshine gumiho, who has wicked past and claws of her own. Part mystery, part K-drama, I could not put this book down! The pacing and underlying mystery of the book were well done, but I believe the hero of this story is our pair of antihero’s. The angst and longing between Hani and Seokga was truly heart wrenching and I cannot wait to see where their story goes in the next installment. Thank you so much to Netgalley and Del Rey for the opportunity to read this eARC for review.

Super excited to have been able to get an arc of this book, this one being one of my highly anticipated reads for the year!
I’m personally unfamiliar with Korean Folklore, so reading this retelling, was brand new for me all around. The story itself is captivating from page one, introducing a really exciting world with a very grumpy god and a gumiho who really hates coffee. I loved the dynamic between the main characters, both causing chaos in their own ways. I found myself rooting for them and giggling when you get to the point where they’re denying their feelings. The story was constructed really well and the author really has a great way with words. I’m super excited for this story to continue personally and I think this would make a great K-Drama adaptation.
Tropes if you’re that kind of person: slow burn, only one bed, enemies to lovers, folklore retelling.

4.5 stars but I am absolutely tempted to round up, so we’ll see! But I had so much fun reading this book, from the two main characters earning a spot in my heart (and their delicious dynamic) to a story that wove in humor, heart, Korean lore, Kdrama vibes and romance tropes I adore. I wish I could be more coherent, but that’ll have to be saved for later when I’ve gathered all my thoughts!

Do you like K-Dramas? If you answered yes, I have great news for you. If you answered no, you answered wrong and need to try again.

The God and the Gumiho by Sophie Kim is K-Drama coded to the max!
Seokga: A trickster god turned detective who hates everyone and everything and only wants to return to his brother’s good graces. Well, buddy, it won’t be easy, considering you tried to overthrow him, lost your godhood, and were banished to the mortal plane.
Hani: A sexy, “kind of” reformed Gumiho (nine-tailed fox) who has decided she’s stuffed after devouring the livers and souls of MANY men over a hundred years ago. She’s just an “ordinary” girl now working in a coffee shop that a particular fallen god frequents.

This book gave me everything I wanted and more: mystery, deceit, slow burn enemies to lovers, and a great ending.

Please do yourself a favor and read this once it comes out on June 4th.

*Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC*

Overall, the book was solid. In my opinion it was a fairly quick read and the main characters, Seokga and Hani, contrast and compliment each other.

They had great banter and it was fun to read how they managed to worm into each other's hearts. I also really enjoyed reading Hani's emotional turmoil about being in love with Seokga and also being stressed out because she has been lying to him this entire time about her identity. But it did feel like they went from dislike to sometimes thinking about each other to being completely in love with each other very quickly.

I really liked Seokga's backstory and the relationships he has outside of his with Hani's. Hani's backstory was weak in comparison. We know so much about Seokga's past and how it informs who he is and the decisions he makes. But almost nothing about Hani's.

Also, I really loved how the author incorporated Korean mythology. I do wish there was more world building with more lore.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

No one does morally complex female characters quite like Sophie Kim.

Every part of this book was an honest delight mixed in with some truly intense horror, making it all the more fun. Selfishly, I hope this isn't the last that we see of Seokga and Hani but if it is, I loved the way that this story was able to be self-contained without feeling underbaked. The world was fantastic with an eclectic band of mythological creatures from Korean folklore, some of which I was familiar with and others that were brand new. I would also happily take a spinoff focusing on Hwanin, since I'm absolutely fascinated by the dynamic between the two brothers.

ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I was so hopeful for this book. It had all the elements that really could have been great for me. I was so excited for the potential banter between the trickster god and in-hiding killer fox. What I got was two petulant immortals bickering like school children. The relationship between the two was neither endearing nor comical enough to spark any sort of chemistry. My main gripe is that this could have been a fantastic YA novel. But by calling it adult, I expected so much more than what it gave. The world building was minimal, the romantic relationship was hallmark level sterile, the side characters were merely props, and the mystery plot line quickly took a turn into Scooby Doo territory.

This was such an amazing read! Thank you to Net Galley and Random House Publishing for the ARC, this book now has my whole heart. From the first few chapters, I easily fell in love with Hani and Seokga's characters. In this book, we follow the trickster God Seokga and the gumiho Hani as they investigate and try to stop the escaped demon. Meanwhile, Hani must keep her secrets from Seokga, which would lead to him killing her. I love how they started off not liking each other, and then gradually through the investigation, we get to see them fall for each other. Their banter was so cute!! I was laughing and smiling the whole time while reading this. The stakes were so high, watching them fall in love, I was so worried about Hani's secret and whether Seokga would find out and what would happen to them. This was a fast and fun read with an amazing romance and really well developed world building. I'm going to go and preorder the book now so that I can get my hands on that beautiful fanart.

I absolutely adored this book. The writing was engaging and the characters were fun. It was a little more romance heavy than I initially thought from reading the description, but it was well written and enjoyable. I would love to revisit this world and these characters in the future!

3.5 stars rounded up. This was a really imaginative, well-written book with a lot going on. I found it a bit hard to follow at times, probably because a lot of the terms were foreign to me. I've never gotten into K-dramas, though I can see the appeal and went into this book knowing it was an ode to them.

I really liked the book as a whole. The characters and world-building were great. It all felt very magical and real. I see that this is the first in a series. I thought the ending tied things up well, but there's definitely enough material to explore more here and I'm intrigued to see where the story goes.

I read an ARC of this book from NetGalley. All comments are my own.

First, I just wanted to say that this was one of my most anticipated reads this year, and I am so grateful to have received the ARC. That being said, I DEVOURED this book. It felt like reading a K-drama and slow-burn, and the chemistry between Hani and Seokga was so palpable that it almost felt like I was watching them on a screen. I could easily see this being adapted for the screen as the plot and the characters were thoroughly fleshed out and animated.

The story follows Seokga, a fallen god atoning for a mistake he committed against his brother, and Hani, an infamous gumiho or fox spirit. Seokga is tasked with killing both the Scarlet Fox and an unruly demon in exchange for returning to his godly status; however, Hani (who turns out to be the Scarlet Fox) is determined to keep her identity a secret and works as his assistant to disturb his plans. Now, just from the setup itself, I knew this would be such a great concept, and the execution was perfect. It gives the fantasy and romance elements for a great romantasy vibe plus the comedy and opposites attract the kind of chemistry that is found in a rom-com, and I enjoyed every second of it.

As someone who does not most of the lore surrounding Korean mythology, I was afraid that there might be a slight learning curve when it came to connecting and understanding the story considering that it is an essential part of the entire novel, but I didn’t feel like my lack of knowledge hindered me in any way. I had no trouble understanding the story and learned quite a bit, which was refreshing compared to the other mythological retellings/adaptations that are out there. With the way it ended, I am DESPERATE to get the second book in my hands, and I am thrilled that this will be a series. I will be in line to buy a physical copy of this book (thanks to the STUNNING cover and the fantastic story) as soon as it drops.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House for sending me a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing an e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

3.5/5 stars

i was so excited for this book and i think it did an excellent job of setting up for the rest of the series! in this first book we are following hani kim, a gumiho and known as the scarlet fox, and seogka, a fallen trickster god, as they work together to rid their city of new sinsi of the evil demons plaguing their home.

off the bat, this is a true hate-to-love, the hate being pure loathing which i absolutely adored. these two pushed each other to their limits and never stood for each other's shit. both of them were morally gray characters, acting selfishly towards their goals - seogka to reclaim his power and throne, hani to make sure no one finds out that she's the infamous scarlet fox.

i really enjoyed the writing because the author did a great job of showing instead of telling! the characters also had such distinct voices and personalities that they did a great job of capturing. the diologue between seogka and hani did get a bit predictable and cliche at times. and there were moments where i felt like they acted a bit immature for them being ancient immortal creatures. aside from that, i still thought the banter between them was great! during the first 60% of the book, the author did a fantastic job of building the tension between them - it was so palpable!

i had a problem with the last 40%. once these two broke the seal and finally made a move on each other, it went from 0-100 REAL quick. they went from not being able to stand each other to being all over each other within two chapters and i didn't believe it. it was so out of character for both of them to all of a sudden throw away the heated arguments and disagreements after just one kiss! i wish they would have kept the hate thing going for just a bit longer after because then it would have just increased the tension between them even more and made me want to fight for their love a bit harder.

it lost me a bit after that. the plot was still interesting enough to keep me going, and the plot twist had me GAGGED. i will say the ending definitely saved it - i love with authors put their characters through (literal) hell! the author got me back in the end, enough that i am interested in continuing with the series. overall, a great debut! highly recommend if you're interested in korean mythology, a hate to love romance, morally gray characters, and an action packed plot!

Gifted: @delrey @prh
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was such a surprising read. I liked it from the beginning, but it’s one of those books that sneaks up on you, the more you read it, the more you love it.

Short Synopsis:
Hani is the most notorious nine-tailed fox (gumiho) in existence. She’s been hiding and keeping under the radar for the last century. But when she slips up, Seokga, a fallen god, is tasked with finding her. But what he doesn’t expect is for the gumiho he is looking for to be working for him…

My Thoughts:
I truly loved this one. I had so much reading this book. It had humor, heart, folklore, mystery and adventure. It just filled my ever loving romantasy heart.

What You’ll Find:
💋 Enemies to lovers
🦊 Korean folklore
☀️ Grumpy/Sunshine
🔥 Forced Proximity
🖤 Morally grey characters
🙌 Banter

Kim Hani has been keeping a low profile since 1888, which is only fair considering she’s a wanted serial killer. Notorious for her binge of 400 men’s souls and livers and the reason why the law now forbids Gumiho from consuming them entirely, Kim Hani now leads a relatively normal life as a barista. But when she potentially blows her cover and implicates her innocent coworker, Hani knows she’ll have to be a very clever fox to get out of this mess alive.

Seogka hates, well, everything… Except for coffee (as long as a certain Gumiho isn’t the one making it since she always gets his order wrong). A fallen trickster god, he must work with the local police to rid the human world of dark creatures as penance for attempting to overthrow the emperor of the gods, only after he completes this task may he return to the pantheon.

But when the police find dead bodies with 2 different M.O.s, Seogka is the one who realizes the Scarlet Fox isn’t the only murderer in town, it seems there is also a demon with the power to end the world on the loose. Faced with this possibility, Seogka is tasked with taking down both villains in exchange for his immediate restoration of power. he jumps at the opportunity. But Kim Hani takes on the role of Seogka’s assistant to thwart his scarlet fox hunt even if it means she has to help him kill a demon.

As these two reluctant allies hunt down the demon, sparks start to fly and Hani doesn’t want a silly little thing like the truth to get in the way of whatever their hatred is becoming. But the truth has a way of always coming out. Will they be able to work together and stop the world from ending, or will the truth tear them and the world apart?

I support women’s rights, but most importantly, women’s wrongs so Kim Hani’s level of petty is absolutely HILARIOUS. I loved the banter in this book, these characters are both so clever and funny especially when they’re intentionally annoying each other. The relationship between Hani and Seogka is a true slow-burn romance and honestly, it was done so well. We see so much character growth from both of them before the romance blossoms and it makes the story that much richer!!

I was never 100% sure who the villain was until the reveal and what a reveal it was. You have to be prepared for this ending y’all, I sobbed. And even though it was sad, I honestly couldn’t have dreamt of a better ending. Seriously, 10/10 no notes on the ending.

This wasn’t necessarily an issue for me but if you’re unfamiliar with Korean mythological creatures you will have to do some googling! I think this book would benefit from adding a glossary for those unfamiliar with the terms used that aren’t in English. You could even take it a step further and include pictures so we know exactly what version of the creature the author included in the story!!

All-in-all this was a beautifully done story that I think anyone looking for an Urban Romantasy novel would love!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Del Rey for allowing me to write an honest review of the ARC for The God and the Gumiho!

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/ 5

My review was posted to Goodreads and Instagram on 5/21/24.

Amazon review will be submitted on 6/4/24 when it is available for review and will posted on my profile within 48 hours.

- this book feels like a love letter to kdramas and it literally felt like i was reading a kdrama 🥹
- the story and characters immediately drew me in! hani and seokga are so unserious sometimes i love them 🫶🏻
- i think it’s a disservice to market this book as an enemies to lovers, it’s definitely more along the lines of dislike to tentative friends to lovers with plenty of banter along the way!
- the chemistry between hani and seokga was so good but their relationship development felt rushed towards the end and it threw me off a little
- the romance is an integral part of the story so if you’re looking for a fantasy book where the romance is more of a subplot this probably isn’t the book for you
- the writing style is really descriptive but not over-written imo
- the end omg…i’m so curious what happens next 😭

thank you so much to netgalley and the publisher for the e-arc!

Possibly my favorite book of 2024?! I absolutely adored this and desperately want more! If you like books with a cute and funny romance, a supernatural murder mystery, and Korean mythology, I can't recommend this highly enough. While The God and the Gumiho works as a standalone, I'll be first in line to read the sequel!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc! Opinions are my own.

Ok I absolutely loved this. I was not expecting to enjoy this so much, but it just got better and better as it went along.

To be completely fair, the story does start a bit slowly. Seokga is cranky and grumpy as hell, and Hani gets too much of a kick out of driving him insane. But as they begin to work together, things really start to click. And around the halfway mark, I was all in. Their banter and chemistry is just so good! A sweeter side of Seokga comes out, and the angst starts to kick up as Hani realizes her past is going to catch up to her. The end was both action-packed and had me crying.

Things we love to see:
*Enemies to lovers
*Grumpy-sunshine
*Forced proximity
*Morally grey characters
*Crime-fighting duo
*Just one bed

I think if you're a fan of Loki (the character and/or the show), you're going to love this. It's both fun and entertaining, while also managing to tug on your heartstrings.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the preview. All opinions are my own.

The God and the Gumiho by Sophie Kim takes a Korean folk-lore fantasy twist on the sunshine X grumpy assistant trope, following Seokga, the fallen trickster god, and Hani, the scarlet gumiho, as they team up to defeat a greater enemy.

One of my favorite aspects about this book was Sophie Kim’s writing style. She creates a compelling and captivating narrative that is easy to follow and hooks you along the ride. I was surprised at how speedily I devoured the pages. Man, that plot twist at the end definitely caught me by surprise and I contribute that to how Kim is able to rope you into the story. She said this was her love letter to Korean dramas and I can definitely tell.

The characters are also amazing. Not only are they distinct, they are at parts laugh-out loud funny. I love the dynamic Hani and Seokge had, always bickering and teasing.

If you want a funny fantasy read and you also love K-dramas, please consider checking The God and the Gumiho by Sophie Kim, I promise it’ll live up to your expectations.

The God and the Gumiho was a delightful take on Korean mythology and I had so much fun reading about Seokga, the fallen trickster god, and Hani, an infamous gumiho. This was a fantasy that blended in elements of police procedurals, which was so much fun. The added element of Hani's secret identity added such fun tension between the main characters and I loved that this was dual POV. The ending was INCREDIBLE and I cannot wait for the second installment in this series.