I can't stress this enough - someone needs to turn this series into a kdrama.

Now I speak enough Korean to know that gwisin means ghost, and yet I was still surprised by what awaited Seokga at the other end of the red thread of fate early into the book. The story continues three decades after The God and the Gumiho, where we find that Seokga has not only been searching for Hani, or whoever she would reincarnate as, but also working on himself and dealing with his grief.

The God and the Gwisin is a perfect blend of lighthearted humour and heartbreak that truly put me through a rollercoaster of emotions - one moment you'll be giggling at the characters' antics and hilarious banter, and the next you find yourself sobbing as you're pondering over the ship of Theseus. My heart hurt the entire book for Seokga, who'd convinced himself over the years that he would be prepared for any new form Hani would take, and yet meeting Kisa showed him that it's not an encounter you can prepare for.

Needless to say, Kisa is an absolute delight who, faced with the possibility of reincarnation, has kept me on my toes till the very end - will this book conclude her and Seokga's story, or will Sophie Kim have to write The God and the (???)..? I also enjoyed the mix of new and returning characters, a lovable new duo that I cheered for from the moment they've met. The one thing that didn't change, however - Seokga is still a bad detective (and don't we love him for it!).

Thank you Netgalley for blessing me with an ARC! Now up it goes on my favourites shelf.

4.5 stars rounded down.

Like The God and the Gumiho, The God and the Gwisin is an incredibly tender and sweet book—yes, I know how ironic that sounds when we’re talking about violent, murderous mythological creatures, but trust me on this. If the first book belonged to Hani, this one is Seokga’s, and his character arc is beautifully done.

Sophie Kim continues to explore Korea’s mythology and culture with care and depth, and in this installment, she brings in an unexpectedly sharp critique of South Korea’s work culture. Through the perspectives of a doctor and a K-pop star, she highlights the mental and physical toll of such an environment, as well as its isolating effects.

Though I missed Hani terribly (I love her), The God and the Gwisin more than makes up for her absence with nuanced, complex female characters—violent, witty, funny, vulnerable, and entirely themselves.

If I had to sum up this book in one sentence, it would be: The God and the Gwisin is a story about love and its resilience, best captured in this one quote:“Oh, Seokga thinks, he could fall in love with her forever, in all her forms.”

4.5 stars rounded down.

Like The God and the Gumiho, The God and the Gwisin is an incredibly tender and sweet book—yes, I know how ironic that sounds when we’re talking about violent, murderous mythological creatures, but trust me on this. If the first book belonged to Hani, this one is Seokga’s, and his character arc is beautifully done.

Sophie Kim continues to explore Korea’s mythology and culture with care and depth, and in this installment, she brings in an unexpectedly sharp critique of South Korea’s work culture. Through the perspectives of a doctor and a K-pop star, she highlights the mental and physical toll of such an environment, as well as its isolating effects.

Though I missed Hani terribly (I love her), The God and the Gwisin more than makes up for her absence with nuanced, complex female characters—violent, witty, funny, vulnerable, and entirely themselves.

If I had to sum up this book in one sentence, it would be: The God and the Gwisin is a story about love and its resilience, best captured in this one quote: “Oh, Seokga thinks, he could fall in love with her forever, in all her forms.”

A huge thank you to NetGalley, the author Sophie Kim, and Penguin Random House for the opportunity to read and review an advanced reader copy of The God and Gwisin.

Though reincarnation isn't usually a theme that draws me in, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. The exploration of grief and longing was handled beautifully—especially in the first 20% of the story. I found myself mourning Hani alongside the trickster god, feeling the weight of her absence deeply. I also found myself looking for traces of Hani in Kisa, the gwisin. While Kisa is brilliant and soft in her own right, I did miss some of Hani's confidence and humor.

What truly stood out for me, however, was the emotional connection I felt with the supporting cast—both old faces and newcomers, like an idol. The characters' development, especially in such a confined setting like a cruise ship, made the mystery and relationships come alive. With limited space, the author does a great job of keeping the story engaging and focused on the characters.

Overall, I would highly recommend The God and Gwisin. It's an emotionally rich read with an intriguing premise, and I would be thrilled to see more adventures with this pair of characters in the future.

I absolutely loved this book! Came into this not having read the previous novel (which I will now be buying and devouring). Kisa's first chapter is such a great opener "something had been decided,etched in stone and there was nothing she could do to change it", Sophie Kim then proceeds to write her absolute heart out.

Seokga is in a sad state at the start of the book, burnt out trying to find the person who is the reincarnation of his lost love at the other end of the thread. When Seokga and Kisa finally meet the relationship start and it's progression is believable, undeniably sweet and I loved how Seokga wears his heart on display. Both leads character development was adorable and this was a great take on a soul bond. The challenge this couple faces in being together is unique and devastating.

The murder on the boat and subsequent detective work of the gang is entertaining and is more of a bumbling mess for our bunch of amatuer sleuths. I laughed out loud when the CEO referenced the poor performance once the perpetrators were detained. Great foreshadowing throughout the book regarding the plot twist, I made an educated guess to where it was going and was correct but it didn't take away from the enjoyment of the novel.

The book made me laugh out loud, which doesn't happen often, the banter between characters was great and the side characters Hajun, Hwanin and Somi add needed dimension. "It's a great bum" she whispers sadly" absolutely tickled me. Also notable "the imbalance of respect that his father showed to Hwanin and Seokga has ingrained in him a sense of worthlessness which the trickster attempts to compensate for through things like bloody coups"

Beautiful resolution to this book, I can't wait to go back and get my heart broken reading Hani and Seokga's book.

I wasn’t sure if I could love Seokga more than I did in The God and the Gumiho …but it is possible.

I adored seeing his vulnerable side when interacting with Kisa, enhanced further with his grumpy nature when being confronted by others. The pair make a formidable force and it is a challenge not to love them.

Sophie Kim has introduced me to my perfect story combination - grumpy vs sunshine characters thrown into a murder mystery with a strong helping of mythology. Honestly, I adored this and am keeping everything crossed for a third book!

Rounded up to 4 stars

A nice conclusion to the Fate's Thread duology! I really liked the unique setting; a luxury underworld cruise ship is such a fun concept. We get to revisit old characters and meet new characters, and it was interesting to see how things have changed since book 1.
With the plot, I had a good time with the mystery aspect, trying to keep note of every detail (I did end up forgetting some that were important later on), analyzing suspects, and just trying to piece everything together. The romance was a little too cheesy for my taste this time, but I still liked seeing Kisa and Seokga's relationship develop. I'm satisfied with the ending and looking forward to what Sophie Kim writes next!

Fans who loved The God and the Gumiho will delight in Sophie Kim's follow up, The God and the Gwisin. In this tale we follow Seokga the No-Longer-Fallenas he tries to sort out his brother's murder. Seoka is a trickster god who's made lots of mistakes in his time. Reincarnating his ex to help him selve this murder might be the worst decision yet.

I absolutely loved the plot, the comedy, and the bickering between the ex-lovers as they try to bring Seoka the No=Longer-Fallenas brother's murder to justice. The banter is smart and relatable, the plot entertaining and engaging. Readers won't want to put this story down. It's easily one of the best fantasy books I've read this year.

Absolutely beautiful. I loved coming back to this world and finally finding out what happened from Book 1! It has such a perfect blend of romance, mystery with twists! I loved this book just as much as book 1.

I absolutely adored The God and the Gumiho, so I couldn't wait to read the sequel. I flew through this book in less than 24 hours, it was so good!

I loved returning to this world, and finding out what happened after the ending of book 1. The romance in this book was deep, dealing with issues of authenticity, second chances, and fate. Yet despite the inclusion of moving themes, this book absolutely maintains the k-drama style of writing that I adored in book 1. The humor in this series is impeccable and there were so many fun, lighthearted moments (aka any time Seokga is given a phone).

One of my favorite aspects of the book that I wasn't expecting was how much I'd love the side characters. Due to the nature of the ship they're all on, we're able to know much more about the side characters and their struggles, in addition to the main characters. I'd absolutely love to see a story about their story next!

The setting of the novel (a cruise ship for the dead) and a murder mystery that must be solved, reminded me a bit of Voyage of the Damned but with more adult themes and conflicts, and of course with a touch of k-drama.

The God and the Gwisin definitely lived up to my expectations, and I can't wait to see where the series goes from here!

The chemistry between Seokga and Kisa is electric, and their dynamic of fated lovers navigating past trauma and the present mystery kept me hooked. As they delve deeper into the crime and their connection, the stakes rise, and the fate of both the mortal and heavenly realms hangs in the balance.

With a perfect blend of romance, mystery, and divine intrigue, this sequel is an absolute must-read for fans of the first book. The twists and turns, both in the investigation and the relationship between Seokga and Kisa, make for a compelling and emotional read. I can’t wait to see where this story goes next!

Amazing , amazing , amazing , did I already said this is beyond amazing. Wow . Sophie left my heart destroyed in the book before but with this one she mended so well. I love how this book develops. The whole cruise idea was brilliant. The new characters are amazing and the old ones a fresh air. I dont want to spoil but this is everything I was hoping for when i finished the first one and did not disappointed at all. 100% bulling people into reading it because is not optional 😅. Is that good.

After The God and the Gumiho, I wasn't sure what to expect. This was at times unserious in tone in the best way, other times philosophical. I found myself laughing at loud at at least a couple tension-breaking moments. It's not quite falling in love again but the soul remembering the love.

Kisa falling in love with the already in-love Seogka was much faster than Hani's first time. Normally, I'd not like that insta-love sort of thing, but it's really Hani's soul's love coming to the surface. We just don't know for sure that's what's happening until Hani says so.

With Seogka's mother showing up at the end, does this mean we'll be getting MORE?? Will Kisa end up fully remembering her past life?

I would read all the reincarnation's falling in love with this dumb trickster god, to be honest.

This was really good at exploring more to what was developed in book 1. I enjoyed the characters throughout and the storyline was great.

I picked up the sequel as soon as I finished book 1 - and then proceeded to cry through half the book. I knew there would be parts of The God and the Gwisin that absolutely broke my heart: Kisa being Hani's reincarnation, Seokga's continued loneliness, Kisa being a ghost...I love Kisa/Hani and Seokga so much and this book definitely made my heart ache for them. While I missed Hani, I definitely came to love and appreciate Kisa as her own character, as well.

Seokga's character arc over the two books is particularly satisfying. I'm a sucker for the cold-hearted, dark trickster character and his growth was really enjoyable (while not losing his true trickster nature).

I really enjoyed the way this wrapped up some open threads from book 1 as well as introduced some new characters and locations. I'm REALLY hoping the open-ended ending means we might get book 3 (please, Sophie Kim? please, Del Ray??).

Honestly, I'm just not ready to say goodbye to them yet. I would also accept a K-Drama adaptation, tbh.

Thank you to NetGalley and Del Ray for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was just as good – if not better – than The God and the Gumiho!! I literally inhaled this book in two sittings! If you haven’t started this series and you enjoy fantasy + Korean mythology + whodunnit mysteries, I can’t recommend this enough. The characters steal the show and the plot is perfectly paced. I also thoroughly enjoyed trying to puzzle out the mystery in this book. There are so many laugh out loud moments, balanced with angst and heartbreak, that make this a sensational adventure. The God and the Gwisin is a sequel done right!

I enjoyed this even more than The God and the Gumiho! The idea of a cruise for deceased souls in the underworld was so creative, and I loved getting to see more of the gods. This book was also incredibly funny, more so than the first book, in my opinion; I chuckled out loud so many times while reading.

Seokga’s character was much more fleshed out here than in the first book, and I really enjoyed the nuances of his character and his character arc. His “grumpy, bitter guy who has his ice-cold heart melted by meeting his sunshine soulmate who he would burn down the world for” arc in the first book was a bit superficial and cliché to me. Here, his angst and complex feelings about Kisa and his brother were so much more compelling, as was the balance between his threatening tendencies and his attempts to reign himself in because of his newfound moral compass.

I really liked how different Kisa was from Hani and how different her dynamic was with Seokga versus Seokga with Hani. Soulmate books can be a hard sell for me at times, but I appreciated how thoughtfully this book dealt with what happens when your soulmate’s reincarnation is very different from how they were in a previous life. I also loved Somi and Hajun as side characters and their interactions with Seokga and Kisa. I know I’m overusing these words, but the characters and relationships in this book really do feel so much more nuanced and complex than those of the first book, and I was so here for all of it.

The murder mystery, humor, and fun character interactions kept me flying through the pages. I loved this!

Better than my wildest expectations!! And my expectations were high because I LOVED The God and the Gumiho. Full of fun shenanigans, healing, love, renewed friendships, and hilarious banter along with a murder mystery. One of my favorite heart melting parts is a spoiler but gahhh every scene had me in a puddle. Seokga and Hani walked so Seokga and Kisa could fly. And fly they did. The ending to the first book broke my heart but the journey in this one more than healed it. That epilogue has me hopeful for more stories in this world.

After finishing The God and the Gumiho, I absolutely could not wait for the sequel and now I can say that The God and the Gwisin did not disappoint. We return for more Seokga and Hani, that is, not-Hani, but her reincarnation, Kisa. We get another sleuthing adventure, hijinks of the high seas (the river of the dead to be exact), and some babysitting for comic relief. The mythical references, mystery, adventure, and cute romance that made the first book such a delightful read make their way onboard this river cruise, so anyone who enjoyed the first book will find comfort in this follow-up. And for readers who like their fantasy with a dash of mystery, myth, and romance but haven't started this series, these two books are a sweet treat.
I received advanced digital access to this book thru NetGalley (for which I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher, Random House Publishing Group - Del Rey, Random House Worlds, Inklore) for an honest review. The opinion expressed here is my own.

Thank you to Netgalley and Del Rey for the kind approval of the ARC!! I was so excited to read the book because I enjoyed how campy and funny the Gumiho and the God mostly was -- and I devoured this sequel overnight lol!!

I must say Sophie Kim does such a great job at juggling comedy and heart-fucking-wrenching angst. Or maybe I just have a bleeding heart, because oh, Hani!!! She's gone. Now we have Kisa, whom I also ended up enjoying! Bear in mind that she is not the same as Hani, not to me, but Kim does a great job making another super interesting heroine in her own right.

More importantly: Hajun!!!! HAJUN. I loved him and he stole the show for me. I want all the books just about him. He was an excellent addition to the cast and I found myself hankering after all of his scenes. You can't go wrong with writing a dead K-pop star.

All in all, this was a fun mystery to delve into, and the thing about me is that I want to switch my brain off because I love to be surprised. So switch my brain off I did, and the revelation did take me off-guard in parts! Highly recommend to readers who enjoyed Book 1.