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One of my favorite reads so far this year!
This story about a Korean diety (Seokga)
who has lost everything and is sent to the moral world to earn his powers and position back. His job is to catch demons that tried to help him take over as top god. He is on the hunt for a notorious gumiho.
The Gumiho, Hani is a nine tailed fox. She is powerful, witty, smart, funny. She inserts herself into the investigation to throw Seokga off her trail.
These two characters are fun, snarky, smart, and determined. It's a battle between two strong characters both with everything to lose. Will they risk it all in the end?
The flow of this book is a good steady one with some twists. In the end I was surprised. I cannot wait for the second installment. If you like folklore, mythology, kitsune\gumiho, Asian stories read this book! I will definitely add this title to my personal library.


I received this book from NetGalley and the publisher. I was under no obligation to give a review. All opinions are my own. I am disclosing this per the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Publisher description.
They'll do anything to outsmart each other. Anything, except fall in love.

In this delightful Korean contemporary fantasy, a fallen trickster god must pair up with a coffee-slinging, shapeshifting fox to track down a demon of darkness before it devours the mortal world.

Kim Hani - the once-terrible gumiho known as the Scarlet Fox - spends her days working at a café and trying not to let a certain customer irk her.

Seokga - a trickster god thrown from the heavens for his attempt at a coup - spends his days hunting demons and irking a particular gumiho.

When a demon of darkness escapes the underworld, and the Scarlet Fox emerges from hiding before quickly vanishing, Seokga is offered a chance at redemption: kill them both, and his sins will be forgiven.

But Hani is prepared to do anything to prevent Seokga from bringing her to justice, even trick her way into his investigation. Anything, that is - except fall in love . . .

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i read from a neutral perspective ensuring that i give every book a fair shot at my enjoyment. i try not to compare one book to another. all of that being said, i gave this book 4.5 stars (& rounded to 5 on goodreads because sophie kim deserves it) because i thoroughly enjoyed this story front to back. it wasn't overly complex or life changing, but it was digestible like a giant cup of hot coco after a long bath in a cozy bed by the fire. it read that way & i loved it.

a grumpy & repugnant god banished from his territory and a quick witted, snarky nine tailed fox with a hidden identity begrudgingly find themselves in an unlikely mission to save the mortal world from eternal death & darkness. oh, and there's coffee.

i've never read korean mythological fantasy before & i must admit, i struggled with the new vocabulary accompanying the lore early on in the book. thankfully, the foundation for the story was laid out nicely & it only took a couple of chapters to get into flow with this beautifully written story.

for me, there was never a dull moment as the story of the god & the gumiho unfolded. the FMC & MMC personalities were palpable early on & even the sub characters caught enough of my attention that by the end of the book, i was INVESTED in every moment unfolding. i enjoyed the change of perspectives between hani & seogka & felt that this created more depth to the character development.

some of the plot twists were predictable but ceased to disappoint. the cadence of the story was perfect in my opinion. my only gripe is that the enemies to lovers trope felt like it was a slow burn (which we love) until the script flipped in a matter of chapters — a little quick, but again, i still thoroughly enjoyed getting there (& the romance, ofc)

kim definitely has a way with telling a story. the way she developed each scene was with great care & description leaving you feeling every moment. i'm a big visual reader & i always felt like i could transport myself into the world i was reading. i especially enjoyed our main characters relationship & the dichotomy of their lives — so very different from one another yet so very similar underneath it all.

i felt like everything in the book was meticulously chosen & intentional. there were no loose ends or dead ends. everything led somewhere, which i value & appreciate so much. there is nothing worse than an idea never making it to fruition. the god & the gumiho did not disappoint in this regard.

the end of the book THROUGH ME. i know this is going to be a series & i can't wait to find out what's next for the god & the gumiho!


thank you to net galley for this ARC & to sophie kim for writing such a wonderful story!

PS: there were a couple of spelling errors in the last 1/3 of the book

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I am very grateful that the publishers gave me an early copy in NetGalley because I absolutely LOVED this book. I cried, laughed, and smiled along with the book as I read it. People around me thought I was crazy. Before I read this, I thought it was a series but now I don't know. I do hope the author can still expand this somehow to create a series. Even if not, I still want to read the next book. Can't wait!!!

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Thanks to NetGalley for providing me an e-ARC!

3.5 stars! This was such a cozy and urban-fantastical read. I thoroughly enjoyed this! I loved the enemies to lovers trope and the world of Korean mythological creatures. The two main character’s banter was so much fun to read, I was giggling the whole time.

Though the mystery was not too much of a mystery, the reveal was still action-packed. It was more dramatic irony which definitely added to the comedic element of the story. Ending was everything! Though it was hard to fully grasp the story in the beginning because it was basically an info dump of Korean terms for the mythological creatures but as the story progresses, it gets easier to remember which is which.

If you love K-dramas, like myself and non high-stakes mystery with comedy? You’ll love this!

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This was such a fun contemporary fantasy! I’ve always loved mythological retellings, but this was the first I’ve read focused on Korean mythology. Everything was explained clearly and made all of the things that were new to me easy to understand (though the first part of the book was a bit slow since it was a lot of explanation and introducing new concepts to the reader). This fantasy world was so fun to read and was able to strike a great balance between the humor as well as the darker moments of the story.

I loved Hani and Seokga, both as their own characters as well as watching the development of their relationship. They both had so much personality to them and were so entertaining and funny, but also had so much depth to themselves. Their development from who they become, more vulnerable and selfless compared to where they begin, was very well done.
The plot was also interesting and kept the pace of the story up for me. The mystery was, for me, fairly easy to solve, but still engaging regardless. The ending too!! So good!!!! I know this is planned to be a series (which is so exciting and I will be keeping an eye out for the eventual sequels) but this could also easily be read as a standalone. The ending is left somewhat open but still satisfying and warmed my heart!
Overall this was a really fun book and one I definitely recommend! Especially if you’re a kdrama lover (I personally have never watched any but I could see the appeal of this book for someone who has).

(4.5 rounded up)

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I was not expecting a buddy cop mystery with mythological creatures when I went into this, but I’m happy to say I loved it. It actually reminded me a lot of the TV show Castle because of the detective/normal person duo and their dynamic. However, this story takes place in 1992 in South Korea. Seokga is the fallen god of mischief working as a detective to find Unrulies (misbehaving mythological creatures) so he can leave the mortal world and live as a god again. Hani is strong independent gumiho, and secretly the legendary Scarlet Fox, who happens to get herself involved in one of Seokga’s cases. In order to throw him off her trail, she becomes his assistant to help solve an even more serious and urgent case.
I adored their annoyance-to-lovers, grumpy-sunshine dynamic and appreciated that they kept the banter/pestering going even after the romance started moving forward. I loved learning about the different creatures from Korean mythology. Their descriptions were woven into the story well. They didn’t feel like an info-dump and were done well enough to keep me from having to stop constantly and google what something was/could do. I appreciated that the main mystery was actually solvable if you paid attention to the clues, even though I didn’t manage to figure it out. I love it when books can surprise me.
Overall, I really, really loved it and can’t wait to see what’s in store for the next book!

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Thank you to Netgalley and Del Ray for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Tropes:
🦊 Forbidden Love
🦊 Enemies to Lovers
🦊 Morally Gray FMC & MMC
🦊 Grumpy MMC & Sunshine(ish) FMC

The God and the Gumiho immersed me in a vibrant world that is full of Korean mythology. Reading this book felt like watching an action-packed fantasy K-Drama with the extreme personalities and dramatic twists expected of the genre! I had a riot of a time reading it, and highly recommend it.

Given the premise (and, frankly, knowing very little about Korean mythology beforehand), I was delighted by how dark some of the demon creatures that our main characters encountered throughout the book were - it felt like it raised the stakes in a unique and riveting way. Because I knew so little about this mythology going into the book, I absolutely was going a bit of Googling throughout to make sense of a few things I was uneducated on. There were a few moments where I would have loved more descriptors of these beings, but it also isn't the author's job to educate me about them, either.

I really enjoyed the chemistry between the love interests and their romantic arc. I do think that there were a few rushed moments between them wanting to rip each others' throats out and falling for each other, but it certainly didn't ruin the experience for me.

This book certainly has some cheesy moments, which I think the genre lends itself to. Often, they landed, and I thought they were cute/entertaining, while there were a couple of other times I think some supporting details could have made a moment a lot stronger. With that being said, these moments were pretty easily overlooked since I was having so much fun being along for the cheesy, dramatic ride.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book, and will absolutely be recommending it to my followers and friends, especially those who I know love a good K-Drama!

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

Above review will be posted on Goodreads @ https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/4459943-starcrossedstacks and on Instagram @ https://www.instagram.com/starcrossedstacks/ on June 5th, 2024, as per the publisher request.

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I support women's rights, but most importantly I support women's wrongs. Kim Hani supremacy!!

This was SO SO SO good!!! I need more on Hani and Seokga immediately. Like in my grubby paws now immediately. Although this wrapped up quite nicely, I am not ready to leave this world or these characters that I love. I literally devoured this book at every single second I could find! Hani is such a snarky and cunning character, and I loved every single interaction between her and Seokga. Normally I am not a huge fan of insta-love in books, but this one was done so well that I forgot it happened within a matter of days that they were practically infatuated with each other. The things they do to save each other, and the world they live in, is heartbreaking. Sophie Kim weaves an enticing tale of two unlikely lovers that take on the monumental task of racing against time to stop an apocalypse at any cost. I am eager to read Kim's next installment for this series!!

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for an advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

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Absolutely amazing! I loved this book so much. It was extremely engaging and I got through it in one sitting. The leads had great chemistry and their arcs were so well done. This had a prominent kdrama vibe throughout which is what I loved most about it. They should develop this into an actual show!

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I really liked this book. It was fun to see enemies to lovers play out in a fantasy context that was new to me. In particular I enjoyed the dual perspectives, character development, and robust world. This novel has also inspired me to learn more about Korean mythology!

Read if you like:
🦊 snarky, badass MCs
🥺 grumpy MCs with gooey centers
💫 mythological retellings

Thanks to NetGalley and Del Rey for this ARC!

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3.5 stars rounded down.
***SPOILERS in this review

Things I liked:
The plot
The variety of magical creatures
Enemies to lovers

Things that weren’t my favorite:
-Although I love enemies to lovers, I’m not sure that it was accomplished very smoothly in this book. The two MCs are enemies for about 50% of the book and then all the sudden they are just smitten with eachother. There’s not much in terms of character development that pushes them together. About 50% Seokga all the sudden starts treat Shim with more respect too, which I appreciate…but again it seemed sudden with no development behind it.
-It did not make sense for the yojeong to bargain the MCs kiss in exchange for the prophecy. What did the yojeong get from that exchange?
-Coffee being the solution to the nightmares from the eoduksini seems realllyyyyy cheesy.
-Two lines from Seogka that gave me the ick “what are we?” and “do you want to…all of it?”. He’s supposed to be a fallen god who has tons of experience, but this just comes across as juvenile.

The epilogue sets up perfectly for the second book. I plan to read the second book when it is released!

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I am completely and utterly destroyed. I'm writing this review with tears falling down my face and my throat burning. A book has not affected me like this in a very long time. Damn you, Sophie Kim.

Upon starting this book, I did not expect to be so emotionally affected. Yet here we are. I do not even know where to start with this one....

Let us start with the characters, I suppose. Kim Hani is perhaps one of my favorite characters from a fantasy novel ever. Seokga is lovable even at his most rude. The side characters are fantastic too, Shim being my favorite.

The plot itself is fantastic. The way Kim writes it is even better. Pacing is no issue here and everything that happens feels necessary. Every little joke, every bit of worldbuilding, it all adds up. Kim also does a very wonderful job at educating the reader on Korean mythology, which I previously knew little of.

Now for the part that hit me the hardest: the ending. Oh my Gods. I haven't cried so hard in a very long time. You just come to care for Hani and Seokga so much, you care for the world around them too. It was so perfectly tense and heart-ache inducing.

Finally, I will say that I cannot wait to read the next book. So ready for all the laughs, pain, and joy it will surely bring.

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In 1888, Kim Hani, also known as the legendary Scarlet Fox rummaged London, killing five hundred men and taking all of their souls and livers. Now, she works at the Creature Cafe, serving coffee to mythical creatures from Korean folklore including haetae, dokkaebi, gwisin, and gumihos just like herself.

Seokga is the fallen god of trickery and treachery. Centuries ago, he was banished from his kingdom of Okhwang for staging a coup against his brother, Hwanin, the emperor of gods. Now, he leads a life as a detective, hunting demons and solving crimes to prove himself worthy.

When rumors circulate that the Scarlet Fox is back after Hani's recent killings, chaos erupts in the streets of New Sinsi. On top of that, a bloodthirsty euduksini is running loose, threatening to end the world. To prevent further destruction, Hwanin strikes Seokga a deal: kill the Scarlet Fox and the euduksini, and regain his godly status.

Seokga is assigned an assistant to help him stop the two creatures. Little does he know, however, is that Hani is the Scarlet Fox herself, and she has no intentions of being caught.

The God and The Gumiho is the first book I've read by Sophie Kim, and I am definitely looking forward to reading more by her in the future, This book was such a delightful and highly entertaining read, and I genuinely think there's something for everyone in its pages. It's the perfect type of palette cleanser read when you need something new. I prefer low fantasy and fantasy set in cities, so I had so much fun with this. The dynamic between Seokga and Hani, where he is trying to kill the Scarlet Fox and she is the Scarlet Fox was done so well. There was so much tension and banter, and I was so obsessed with the characters and world. I'm not the biggest fan of the enemies to lovers trope, as I feel like it is so overdone and just doesn't hit for me the way it does for other readers. However, it worked perfectly here and I was so happy about that. There's very little flaws in this book. I just found the story to be a little repetitive at times and some moments to be a bit cheesy, but besides that, it was a solid read. I highly recommend you check this book out when it comes out!

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This was so good! I had such a good time reading this! The character growth in Hani and Seokga was good, and I loved the banter between them. I enjoyed the mystery aspect of the storyline. It was fun following along trying to figure out what was happening.

I was immersed in the storyline and I found myself wanting to keep reading!! I can’t wait for the next book!

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I'm truly enjoying this book. from the plot to the characters, it's kept me interested and I devoured it. I love how its like reading a kdrama. The characters are engaging and the locations are fun as well.

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*Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review*

Oh wow , what an adventure this was.I devoured this in one sitting!this was so witty and hilarious. some of the antics had me in stitches. I absolutely loved it. The plot and the characters ,the world building.All of it.I would definitely recommend. can't wait to get my special edition of this book with some artwork. going to be stunning.

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This. Was. Perfect. I will hear no arguments!

The grumpy MMC, the coy and mischievous FMC? I was eating it up. It actually made me smile to myself and shed a few tears, which as someone autistic, is rare for me when reading.

I don’t want to include spoilers because part of my enjoyment in reading this was seeing everything be revealed slowly and witnessing character development through small, meaningful moments.

This story had humor, action, danger, romance. I wish I had someone in my life to gush over it with. Sometimes when I’m getting super attached to characters I start to feel anxious that the ending might be a huge let down and really ruin the whole thing, this is not the case here. In my opinion it was wrapped up in a meaningful way. It would make a truly amazing Korean drama for Netflix to be honest, but my imagination does it justice like no other. I will absolutely be purchasing a physical copy when this is published - thank you so much NetGalley for supplying this digital copy for review.

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The God and the Gumiho is one of those stories that you never want to end. From the murder-mystery vibes to an amazing enemies to lovers, I did not want to put this book down (and actually groaned in disappointment when I finished it).

I could literally see this story playing out as a Kdrama with Song Kang as Seokga while I read. If you love romantasy with a splash of mystery, this is 100% the book for you.

4.5⭐️ rounded up to 5⭐️

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KDrama Lovers Rejoice

The story was so enjoyable, the romance was nice and I even got emotional at the end (of course would it be like a Kdrama if I wasn't crying?). There wasn't anything that I disliked. It really felt like I was part of the world and could easily picture this as a beloved drama. Look I already have the cast picked out in my head. QQ

This will be a book I buy all SEs of.

I will now be devouring everything written by Sophie Kim and no one can stop me.

Thank you to Netgalley, Sophie, and Random House for the arc. ^^

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The prose is lovely—albeit quite purple—and I would be willing to bet my fantasy book club will love this one.

I did stop after chapter 1, but easy three stars, four to five for the right readers.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC.

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