This book was decent, if a bit predictable. But an easy, fun read nonetheless!
Though I will say, some phrases would get repeated once, then again a page or so later which was distracting to a degree. It also felt as though the characters were trapped in the wrong medium, and could have been better suited to television.
I also felt as though the main characters' relationship advanced rather quickly and abruptly. Though I personally didn't feel much chemistry between them. It did help, however, that the characters themselves were self-aware and also felt that their relationship was changing quickly.
I loved getting a taste of Korean culture and learning more about the Korean creatures featured in this novel, though some were not written in a wholly accessible way, this encourages those interested to learn more to research independently.
The ending was a bit anticlimactic in my opinion.
Overall, an enjoyable read but unfortunately not a very memorable one.

I love this new wave of Asian urban fantasy. I think the mythology really lends itself to it but we typically only see it in tv rather than books. I read the author's YA debut and you can see how much her writing has improved over a few publications and how well it lends itself to adult. Really excited for Sophie Kim to continue writing adult, I can't wait for the next book. I really appreciate Kim giving voice to Korean folklore in her stories. Also this was like reading a K-drama! The push and pull between Hani and Seokga!! Can we take a moment to appreciate how stunning this cover is??

Thank you to Del Rey and NetGalley for the eARC.

I was so intrigued by the plot when I started this book and I enjoyed the Korean setting and mythology. Unfortunately, most of this fell flat for me. I found Hani and Seokga's characters astronomically immature for immortal beings that were 1500+ years old. There were some decent moments between them, but the way they were thrown into every enemies-to-lovers trope without any actual chemistry was disappointing. The mystery of the killer itself was way too easy to solve and I found myself exasperated by the characters' idiocy at every twist. The epic fight at the end was good enough to salvage this from being a 1 star read, but that's about it. My forehead muscles started to hurt with how long and hard I was furrowing my brow in annoyance, this book gave me wrinkles--and not for a good reason.

Thank you for the eARC NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group . All opinions provided are my own.

The God and the Gumiho is a romantic fantasy about two immortals in a Korean city filled with mythical creatures. If you like Kdramas and mythology, then you picked the right book.

Kim Hani is a Gumiho (think magical fox that likes to snack on men’s livers). Roughly 200 years ago ,Hani went on a feeding ramage and earned herself the nickname “the Scarlet Fox”. Hani is trying to be incognito by working at a coffee shop (fun fact she hates coffee so you can imagine the fun she is having). While working at the coffee shop, she meets the fallen tricker god, Seokga. Seokga is forced to live in the mortal realm to repay his debt to the Heavens by killing demons. He hates it and the only thing that can somewhat give him joy is coffee. They hate each other but are forced to work together when a murder occurs in the city and Hani’s past gets intertwined with the murder investigation.

I overall enjoyed the book. It very much reads as a Kdrama story and it didn’t take me long to read. It was easy to get engrossed in the story. The banter and the mythology was the best part of the book for me. It was interesting seeing how the supernatural had a city to themselves and how the world worked around it. I do wish Hani and Seokga had been a little more ruthless during the story. Both of them are “villains” in a way and hardly acted like it. It wasn’t till the end that we witnessed the blood thirty side of them.

4.25 stars for me and I’m really curious how the second book goes.

A fun read. I really enjoyed the lore of this book as it is not typically the kind of book I read. Very glad to have the fairyloot edition on my shelf.

This was actually really fun. I would recommend it to our readers who enjoy mystery, fantasy, and K-Drama! Definitely got it for our collection.

I think this author's adult debut was so much better than her YA work! I remember when I read her YA, I really couldn't get into it but this one has a gripping plot that has you hooked since the beginning all the way until the end :)

"There are no happy endings in your story. The god and the gumiho ends with tragedy.”

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 to lead him astray.

I am not the biggest fan of watching tv - but I do adore reading books. So I'm glad that this book was able to give the same vibes as kdrama's to lots of people but that didn't really appeal to me. What drew me in was the idea of otherworldly beings in our world and the fun and mundaneness that goes along with it. The little tabloids being sent out, the cops and the idea of cafes frequented by them makes me think of them just as us. I also ADORE a murder mystery novel - I've been reading so many of them lately and this one really hit the spot for me.

The world building isn't sudden, we're seeing the world through people who have lived through it for a very long time, which appeals to me as an older reader. Hani and Seokga might have their little moments of being out of touch but they're not NEW NEW to this anymore. You see them only stumble in their partnership but not their "humanity" so to speak.

For the actual mystery itself - I enjoy turning my brain off when I read so I had truly no inklings of who the killer was and I loved that. Perhaps more intuned minds than mine will have their own thoughts. I did find the final setting to be wonderfully written. The battle, the aftermath and the anguish and the HOPE were so vivid in my mind. I absolutely cannot wait for book 2.

rep// Korean cast, mobility aid

cw// blood, body horror, confinement, death, gore, murder, sexual content, violence

Thank you to the publisher for sending me this ARC!

i loved this one! the god was so mischievous and their verbal duets were so beautifully well written. would recommend

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

I knew I would enjoy this book but it absolutely delighted me. I absolutely love Hani and Seokga's character developement was so nice to see throughout the book. I admit I cried during the climax of the novel. I can't wait to read more from Sophie Kim.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the eARC.

I really liked this book. First the cover is amazing. I love the art. Second everytime I picked this up I felt like I couldn't put it down. While a bit on the surface level, I still felt like brought you along for the ride.

Thanks!

I have always enjoyed watch k-dramas and have found Korean folklore so interesting. Reading this book was like watching a k-drama. It felt fun and magical and left me wanting more. Seokga’s and Hani’s banter and tension was done so well and I loved learning more about the creatures they were. And the ending? It was a rollercoaster of emotions and I cannot wait for book two.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC of this work in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

This one isn't for me. I even bought the audio book to see if it would change my mind, and it didn't. I don't know if it is the age range for the book, my background not relating to the book, or what seemed like very unflushed out plot something just didn't click for me.

I know others will definitely love this and I hope it has lots of success as the series continues.

The God and the Gumiho is primarily an urban fantasy set in 1990s South Korea, specifically in a fantasy city named New Sinsi.

Seokga, the titular God, is a fallen god tasked by his brother to earn back his full position and powers after trying to pull a coup on him. With a natural inclination for mischief, he generally carries himself with a strict demeanor (and a touch of superiority). 

Hani, our Gumiho, is a delightful bundle of sunshine! She thinks it’s fine to eat livers and take souls, but only if the person deserves it. 

Seokga has been assigned the mission of locating and eliminating a dangerous dark creature known as a eoduksini, who has begun a killing spree. Hani finds herself in a spot of trouble at a similar time, and when Seokga ends up tasked with tracking down an infamous gumiho also… she decides it’s safest to become his assistant. 

The animosity between Seokga and Hani leads to amusingly snarky exchanges throughout the story. Hani never misses an opportunity to taunt and provoke. Slowly, they start to become more comfortable around each other and such a natural, lovely build up to that.

Hani is, of course, lying about some things for the majority of the story, which adds another layer to what would be an amazing k-drama to watch! The interactions between Hani and Seokga had me laughing and crying at the same time.

Overall, I just adored this story and I will definitely be reading more from Sophie Kim!

DNF

This failed to grab my attention, unfortunately. The characters felt flat and I felt nothing pulling me to keep reading.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the ARC.

The third act was fantastic and I couldn’t put it down! It definitely ended on a bang. I think the book struggled to find an identity in the beginning. I didn’t really vibe with Hani’s sense of humor. I wish Seokga was more mischievous and there was more build up to the romance. I really loved the final third and I highly recommend this book.

Sophie Kim combines fantasy and Korean mythology with a murder mystery twist in this new YA novel. We have a god banished from the heavens due to a failed coup. His task is to kill 20,000 monsters before he is able to ascend once more but of course things get in the way including the infamous scarlet fox, a very powerful gumiho. This was really unique and different and being able to experience both the mortal world and immortal world was a real fun element. My emotional connection to characters just didn't hit the way I wanted it to unfortunately which overall affected my enjoyment.

Thanks to NetGalley and Del Rey for the ARC!

3.75/5 stars

This was a lot of fun - the characters, plot, and world were super interesting and I really loved the whole reluctant buddy-cop vibe. It wasn't quite insta=love but it was close, but it wasn't insufferable (not my favorite trope) - and the banter was actually quite cute and funny. I really enjoyed the the history and how the lore and mythology was woven into the urban setting - I am not usually a fan of Urban Fantasy but honestly this was handled perfectly.

I can't say I loved or really connected with either main character, and I found the plot fairly predictable...but I had a great time reading it and plan to continue with the series. I do recommend it, but I can't say it's a lifelong favorite. But definitely worth reading!

This book reads like a fantasy kdrama set in the 90s.
It starts off slow but picks up as you read.

Spice level is about 🌶️ maybe🌶️🌶️

Kim Hani is the infamous Scarlet Fox. Overstuffed from devouring soul, the famed gumiho works as a barista at a coffee shop. She hates coffee.

Seokga is THE disgrace fallen, trickster God. Who is given a task by his brother to earn his way back into Okhwang.

Hani teams up with seokga to help him with his tasks and reclaimed his rightful place as a God.

But does the trickster God get beaten at his own game or will the infamous Scarlet fox be outfoxed