DNF @ 44%

Nobody is more disappointed than me about this. 🥲 The God and the Gumiho was one of my most anticipated reads of the year but it's just not working for me.

A cranky immortal God and a wily nine-tailed fox is a pairing that, on paper, is perfect for me. Add in the cat-and-mouse factor of his investigation and her secret identity, and I was absolutely sold on the concept of this book. But, unfortunately, our two leads are insufferable instead of intriguing. They consistently act like petty teenagers instead of the 1000+ year-old beings that they are, and EVEN WORSE, they have absolutely no chemistry with each other. Honestly, it's a tragedy.

This is also a stylistic thing, but I really struggled with the author's narrative style. Third-person present tense is always going to be a hard sell, and where I was already not enjoying other elements of the story, it was really just the final nail in the coffin for me.

I will say that the Korean folklore elements were interesting and immersive, at least. I liked how this was an urban fantasy where these creatures were living in plain sight amongst humans, it lent itself really well to the murder mystery plotline.

Ugh, I'm so disappointed that I didn't love this book, it had so much potential!

I want to thank NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group, and the Author for a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review 🖤

WOW! This book had me laughing, gasping, and crying. I fell in love with this book and can say that this will be part of my top favorite books of the year! It has all the tropes that I love.

Forced Proximity
Enemies to lovers
Grumpy Sunshine
Supernatural Mystery
Action

I enjoyed the characters so much. They weren't annoying at all. I will say Hani is a complete badass and she is funny. She made me laugh so much especially when she would punk on Seokga. Hani is my girl! I enjoyed the story so much, the whole suspense, detective work, and the mystery. It was good. Of course, will say this book had me craving for hot chocolate and the food lol
The romance in this book is beautiful and well built. I loved how we see their relationship towards each other start building its way up throughout the book. It didn't feel rushed at all.

This is the first time I ever read a book by Sophie Kim and I will say that I love her writing style, how she describes her characters and her world. Her writing made it so much easier for me to read and become invested on it so quickly. I loved how Sophie Kim build her characters relationship. Just as if this book was a Kdrama.

Now to wait for the second book!

A huge thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I was excited for this but alas my knowledge deficits of Korean folklore and mythology had me struggling. If you’re going to name a being, say for instance a mul gwisin, gumiho, dokkawbi etc I would like to have some reference or description of what that is. I struggled hard to care bc I had no frame of reference to these creatures.

Seokga was an immature and Hani no different. For being ancient immortal creatures they really just didn’t act like it. And their relationship moved too rapidly for me to really find it plausible and enjoyable.

All in all an interesting concept for a book but I just found it somewhat lacking.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I usually try not to read ARCs this far ahead of their release date (this comes out on June 4th), but I just couldn’t resist after reading the synopsis and seeing the beautiful cover. No surprise to anyone, but I absolutely LOVED this book. Acknowledged in the author’s note, I agree that this felt very much like a love letter to kdramas. Goblin (or Guardian: The Lonely and Great God) is my all time favorite kdrama, and I feel like this book held a lot of the same lore and charm.

This story follows Kim Hani, a reformed gumiho previous known as the Scarlet Fox, and Seokga, a fallen god working as a detective as a way to earn his spot back in his kingdom. In the wake of her infamous spree as the Scarlet Fox (her previous crimes considered so heinous that it outlawed the previously common practice of gumihos consuming males livers), Hani has been living a quiet life in hiding as a barista. Seokga and Hani first cross paths at the café she works at, and the two immediately butt heads right from the start. But when a powerful demon escapes the underworld and starts causing havoc in New Sinsi, Seokga is essentially given an offer he can’t refuse: Kill both the demon and the elusive Scarlet Fox and earn his spot back in his kingdom. Not about to let the intolerable fallen god get his way, Hani decides to sign on as his assistant to help defeat the demon all while steering him away from the Scarlet Fox in the process.

I said it before and I’ll say it again…I absolutely loved this!! I’m always happy to find a new standalone fantasy romance book to endlessly recommend. Hani was such a fun female main character to follow. I loved how clever and crafty she was, always taking the lead in the witty banter and quick to keep Seokga on his toes. Seokga was the grumpiest grump, I loved him so much. I loved seeing him drop his walls and slowly start to thaw out for Hani. The plot itself was engaging and interesting, but I was also obsessed with the romance. It had so many of my favorite romanced tropes: Hate to love, grump x sunshine, hidden identity, only one bed, and so much angst. So many solid elements perfectly crafted into a transportive and whimsical standalone fantasy romance.

I would highly recommend picking this up when it drops on June 4th! In the meantime, I guess I'll re-watch Goblin. If I have to.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story! I am a huge fan of kdramas so when i saw that this was described as a contemporary fantasy that reminds you of your favorite kdrama I ran to request an arc. This did not disappoint, I loved the adventure between the two sneaky immortals. The relationship between hani and seokga was my favorite aspect plus the amazing incorporations of Korean mythology!

Let me start by saying that I loved this book! I went into it a bit nervous about my understanding of Korean folklore/mythologies, but I had heard such great things about this book from other people that I knew I had to give this book a go.

While I’m sure that there were some aspects to the mythology that I didn’t get, I didn’t feel like that prevented me from really getting into the story and the characters’ lives.

I absolutely loved the romance and though I’m not very familiar with k-dramas, I can 100% understand what other reviews mean when they say this book is a lot like one! The grumpy x sunshine was adorable and the FMC was enthusiastic and entertaining, without being over the top.

4.75/5
The plot itself was great and had multiple layers of deceit and betrayal that I didn’t see coming, and when entwined with the romance, created such a good storyline.

My only minor complaints were that the romance did seem to develop very quickly and the plot sometimes felt a bit stalled.

All-in-all, I thought that this book was super entertaining and am absolutely going to read the sequel when it comes out!

I liked Hani and Seokga's dynamic, but I really wasn't a fan of how quickly their relationship progressed. They hated each other so much at the beginning that I thought for sure I was in for a long slow-burn, only for them to suddenly fall in love shockingly quickly. The book made use of some great tried-and-true tropes (there was only one bed!) but I was just thrown off by the sudden progression in their relationship. It felt a little unnatural. That being said, I liked their relationship with each other, I just wish it had taken a little longer to get there.

One thing I particularly liked was Hani and Seokga's character development. They're both pretty terrible menaces (I say that with the utmost affection), but I enjoyed seeing them grow to care more about other people outside of themselves.

As someone totally unfamiliar with Korean mythology, I thought this was an interesting and accessible introduction to the mythology and it has me curious to learn more.

First, thanks to @netgalley for the opportunity to read/review before released to public! This was a surprise 5 star for me 🤩 I have no knowledge on Korean mythology so I went in completely blind. It didn’t take long for me to immerse myself into this story. I immediately connected with grumpy a*s Seokga and sarcastically witty Hani. The story had a good pace and atomospheric build - I really have no complaints. I enjoyed the little twist at the end, not sure how I didn’t see it coming. I will definitely keep my eyes open for more from this author!

This was my first ARC and it was delightful! I loved the main characters and how they were developed throughout the book- their banter and interactions were so much fun to read. The story was very engaging and most definitely like a K-Drama in book form, which was what drew me in. Some parts were a little more slow and drawn out, but overall I really enjoyed the book. The ending wraps up nicely that it could be a standalone, but would love it if it became part of a series. One of my favorite reads this year so far!

This was really good! I know a lot of people are calling it fantasy, but I think it checked all the boxes of paranormal for me. It was kind of like a CSI movie. There was more gore than I personally like, but it wasn't a deal breaker by any means.

The romance is fun, I like two sarcastic, big headed people being drawn to one another. I like that they learn to compliment each other. I also always love life or death stakes.

Would recommend to those who enjoy paranormal romance, true crime, and darker kdramas.

THE SLOW BURN. THE BANTER. THE PLOT. And to tie it all together, Kim is amazing at setting the scene and immersing the reader. The only thing I didn’t enjoy was that there were parts that dragged a bit. It probably could have been a bit shorter, but all in all, a gorgeous and worthwhile read

When I started reading this book, I was not expected the magical, wonderful world hidden within. From the loveable cast of characters to the compelling plot, I was hooked from the first chapter.

Seokga and Hani were such wonderful characters to read the perspective of -- I loved Hani's playful nature, and how it complemented so well with Seokga's more brooding personality. Seeing both of them grow as people as they spent more time together was such a great experience.

The plot was so very interesting, and I loved how we went to various places within Korea to solve the mystery. It felt like a curtain was pulled back to a magical world that exists alongside our own, and I felt like I was in the world.

So far, this book is my favorite book of the year, and I cannot wait to see what happens in future books in this world.

Thank you NetGalley for the eARC of The God and the Gumiho! This was easily one of the most fun reads I’ve had in months.

The story took a little bit for me to get into - Hani’s past conflicting with Seokga’s bargain didn’t seem particularly unique, but something about how K-dramaly overdramatic and expressive our MCs were kept me invested.

The romance also didn’t immediately hook me; the grumpy x sunshine, one bed, and fairy bargain of it all were enough to keep me going, but didn’t blow my mind.

The narration originally threw me off - present tense felt clunky and “easy”, and I can’t even explain why.

And then I was suddenly obsessed with the book, rooting for Hani and Seokga to be in love, and desperate for them to save their city. The plot twist at the end felt a little obvious and I still ate it up, and the actual end had me crying my eyes out. I’m much more forgiving with my ratings when a book takes me on an emotional rollercoaster that has me dehydrated from all of the tears, and The God and the Gumiho more than earned this 5/5 based on the last third (or so) of the book.

Sophie Kim’s The God and the Gumiho has what is probably the best enemies to lovers romance arc I've seen in a while. Watching Seokga the Fallen and Hani, the notorious Scarlet Fox, antagonize each other into friendship and more was fabulous, and Kim handled the transition–and tension–so skillfully. I loved so much about the novel, especially the way Kim engages with Korean folklore. But I think my favorite part was how unapologetic Hani was about her past and her nature. The beings in this book are who they are, and they own up to it and live with the consequences.

3.5 stars

I had no idea what to expect from this book or whether I would like it or not. But the pretty cover drew me in and I don’t regret it one bit!

Admittedly, it was a slow start due to me being unfamiliar with the Korean mythology terms, but I stuck it out and things started to flow! Sophie Kim’s writing is so beautiful, I felt fully immersed into this fantasy world every time I picked it up. The plot and world building are pretty solid. There is a good balance of action/mystery to romance ratio, I don’t feel that either overpowered the other.

And speaking of balance, our two MC’s, Hani and Seokga are both incredibly powerful and work very well together. The enemy-to-lovers journey was quite fun, I definitely enjoyed their witty banter! Seokga is perfectly moody and Hani provides the wit with a sliver of sunshine. There is no spice at all, so if you’re hoping for a little of that (I was), just let that go now.

The ending is satisfying and doesn’t fall back on the typical tropes you usually see. But it also does feel like the door is left open for more adventures in this world, I would totally be on board for that!

Overall, I really enjoyed this book! If you’re in the mood for a fun time in an urban fantasy setting, this may be the book for you.
Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

The God and the Gumiho was one of my most anticipated reads of the year and I am happy to say that it did not disappoint! Contemporary fantasy is usually a hit or miss for me, but I adored the story and fell completely in love with Hani and Seokga. Although there were moments and tropes that were predictable, the story was so engrossing that I didn’t mind at all. The terminology can be confusing at times if you’re not familiar with traditional Korean mythology and the ending is bittersweet, but I highly recommend this book if you are a fan of enemies to lovers romance with morally grey characters that have a ton of growth by the end of the book. Definitely a 5 star read for me!

Thank you NetGalley for an e-arc of this book.

The God and the Gumiho is an urban fantasy romance set in 1990s South Korea. In this book, a serial-killer fox spirit (Hani) working as a cafe barista to repay her credit card debt meets a former-god of mischief (Seokga) working as a police detective to pay penance for his failed coup. These two glorious bastards fall in love while she tries to sabotage his investigation into her latest (semi-justified) double murder. Also there is a nightmare demon on the loose, just for drama.

Pros
- genuine enemies-to-lovers (no insta-lust)
- grumpy x sunshine dynamics (made even better because she's just trolling him)
- interesting side characters
- solid save-the-world plot in addition to the romance
- fast paced with plenty of dialogue and action
- satisfying happy-ish ending (it can be read as a standalone despite being the first in a series)

Cons
- occasional purple prose (the book starts with a literal 5-paragraph description of a cherry blossom floating on the wind)
- repeated unrealstic YA romantasy tropes (ex. he's thousands of years old and has fathered 200 bastard children since being banished but he's never felt like this about a girl before! no really!)

TLDR: Great plot and character interactions / development. The enemies-to-lovers needed a slower burn and less purple prose. But overall a solid YA romantasy debut that K-drama fans in particular will love.

Thank you Net Galley for the ARC!

I took my time with this one because I knew early on I was going to absolutely love this and cry at the ending.

The characters are phenomenal on their own and together, I genuinely told my friend at first that Seoka on his own was insufferable but mixed with Hani is perfect. While Hani on her own is lovable and hilarious and together with Soeka is fabulously snarky. Somi? I’m glad she played a bigger part than “Hani’s little sister like friend”. Shim? I’m so happy he was more than just the grumpy chief pushing for a friend for the god. Even the villain was so much more than just a basic trope.

The romance is the enemies to lovers that I fucking LOVE. Not some one sided stupid “oh they’re my ‘rival’” that the other party doesn’t know about, but a genuine enemies to lovers. A god and the gumiho, the hunter and his prey—it was a genuine enemies trope that was established and torn apart as they interacted.

Speaking of tropes, the fucking cheesy romance plots used—perfection. It wasn’t forced and flowed so naturally with the story and the characters personalities.

I cannot gush enough about this book and I pray there actually is a sequel planned. This was amazing and I cannot wait to get it when it comes out. Since I like the UK cover more I’m gonna try to get my hands on that version.

I’m going to scream about this to the cosmos now. This was perfect.

I'm a big sucker for Korean mythology so I knew I'd love this from the get go, but I truly adored the banter between the characters and laughed out loud at several parts throughout the book. I can definitely see why this might be a challenging read if you're unfamiliar with the basics of Korean folklore, but I thought the author did a good job of explaining everything (I'm admittedly not coming from an objective place here) and overall I'd love to recommend this to people to teach them about Korean folklore.

4.5/5
Wow, just wow. I have to admit, I'm not well-versed in Korean mythology. But Sophie explains each and every creature and individual very well. This is such a unique story that I really don't know of any current or past books to compare it to. One of the main characters is like a grumpy Loki and the other like a mischievous fox. The ending had me on the edge of my seat.