I enjoyed the first book in this series and after that gutpunch of an ending I was intrigued by the sequel. And for the most part I really liked this one, too!
It has the same flaws as its predecessor, but the world is once again highly imaginative and weird and this time around the actual time it's set in (2025) fits the way the world is portrayed - the first book felt like it took place today too yet it was set in the past. I enjoyed the way the characters we've grown fond of in book 1 changed and developed for the most part and there is still palpable grief from losing Hani that informs a lot of their actions, which I thought was great.
Hani has now reincarnated into Kisa who is basically the complete opposite of her in every single way. Is that a little cliché? Yeah sure, but also I wouldn't have wanted to read another Hani either. I liked her, she was at times adorable and while I do think her relationship with Seogka developed too quickly even for fabled soulmates, I did like the way they played off each other. Seogka coming to terms with Kisa not being Hani and Kisa struggling with the fact that she's not sure Seogka is interested in her as a person or simply the fact she carries Hani's soul within her was perfectly well done. Also she's dead, and getting a glimpse into death and how it works in this world was great.

I wasn't really that much of a fan of the side characters (apart from my favorite Gumiho but I do think forcing her into a romance worked to her character's detriment), though the baby was funny of course. The Big Villain was very obvious because really, who else could it have been, and the red herrings didn't work on me at all because they were too on the nose. The whole ending also felt rushed compared to the rest of the story, but I didn't mind too much. It was still fun.

And that's basically the gist of it: This book is a lot of fun, a wild ride in a creative, imaginative world based on a mythology I know nothing about. If you liked book 1 you will most likely like book 2.

Sophie Kim did an excellent job expanding on the world from the first book. I was a little worried going in with the character change but I shouldn’t have been! I loved the characters new and returning. The way the mythology was included was so fun especially with the cruise ship setting. Anyone who enjoyed The God and the Gumiho will love this one too!

The God and the Gwisin is an excellent followup to The God and the Gumiho, taking all the character development from the last book and carrying it forward to provide a satisfying conclusion for these characters. Kisa is a very different character to Hani from the previous book, but seeing Seokga learn to appreciate the differences while still recognizing the same core that made him love Hani was an enjoyable journey. The underworld cruise ship was a fun setting, even if we don't get to explore the underworld all that much. The biggest weakness of the book is the mystery, which gets dragged out a little longer than it should have been because the extremely analytical character just forgets to examine a piece of evidence she'd got to some effort to obtain, but in the end the relationship between Seokga and Kisa is the main draw of the book.

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC!

I’m always on the hunt for good books that feature Korean mythology and culture. Unfortunately, I really struggled to finish this. I read that God and Gumiho and while I had issues with the book, I wanted to give the sequel a try.

The book features Hani’s reincarnation who is very different from Hani. She’s supposed to be a very logical, facts-driven person, but the way that this is portrayed is so forced and awkward and completely inorganic. It’s a pet peeve of mine when authors make a character a caricature in order to drive home certain personality traits. You can have a clinical, factual character that doesn’t speak like a medical textbook. Also, Kisa’s “I’m so different why can’t I be normal” monologuing was irritating to me.

There was no chemistry and the romance felt contrived. The gods aren't believable as ancient immortal beings, the mystery lacked tension, and the author’s prose is too often cliched and forced. There is so much telling and not showing that it was honestly hard to get through this story. Unfortunately, there was more that I disliked than liked about this sequel.

This was such a fun story. With quirky characters, an innovative setting, and lots of humour, there was plenty to like. I always love stories that include the red string of fate, so I was excited to give this sequel a read.

I did find that I wasn't as gripped by the plot as I was for the first book. Getting to know Yoo Kisa was nice, but I found myself missing the dynamic between the characters in the first book. Also, some of the plot choices meant that the stakes were very low, deflating the tension a bit. However, there were lots of twists and cute moments to make up for it!

I liked it even more than the first one. Maybe because I already knew the characters, because we get straight to the heart of the matter, or because I knew what to expect, but I really enjoyed it. Korean folklore remains in the spotlight, to my great pleasure, but it's the humor that I appreciated the most, the strong point of this volume, I think. I didn't remember it being so funny, or maybe it's the situation, the cruise, the baby... The romance is also very sweet, even if it's not what I'm looking for primarily, and particularly touching, thanks to the unique bond that unites the two heroes. As in the first one, I also loved the relationship between the two brothers, which takes an unexpected turn here. The investigation is much more anecdotal, it's true, but I was having so much fun that I got used to it without almost noticing it. Almost. As for the ending, it's perfect as it is, besides I thought it was a duology and that suited me very well, I doesn't like long series, but with the potential that remains to be exploited and the elements put in place in the last pages, I would be really disappointed if we didn't have a sequel!


J'ai encore plus aimé que le premier. Peut-être parce que je connaissais déjà les personnages, que l'on entre tout de suite dans le vif du sujet ou que je savais à quoi m'attendre mais vraiment, je me suis régalée. Le folklore coréen reste à l'honneur, pour mon plus grand plaisir, mais c'est l'humour que j'ai le plus apprécié, le point fort de ce tome-ci il me semble. Je ne me souvenais pas que c'était si drôle ou alors c'est la situation, la croisière, le bébé... La romance aussi est réussie, même si ce n'est pas ce que je recherche en priorité, et particulièrement touchante, notamment grâce au lien unique qui relie les deux héros. Comme dans le premier, j'ai également adoré la relation entre les deux frères qui prend ici un tournant inattendu. L'enquête, elle, est beaucoup plus anecdotique, il est vrai, mais je m'amusais tellement que je m'en suis accommodée sans presque le remarquer. Presque.
Quant à la fin, elle est parfaite telle qu'elle est, d'ailleurs je pensais qu'il s'agissait d'une duologie et ça m'allait très bien, moi qui n'aime pas les séries à rallonge mais avec le potentiel qui reste à exploiter et les éléments mis en place dans les dernières pages, je serais vraiment déçue si nous n'avions pas une suite !

“In this swoony sequel to The God and the Gumiho, a trickster god must work with his reincarnated lost love to solve his brother's murder on board a luxury underworld cruise ship.”

This was an incredible follow-up. I was initially worried that this book was going either to be anti-climatic or too drawn out. It is a fated mates book with a visible tether between the two characters. Instead, the author did an amazing job of exploring the idea of first love vs true love. While the romance wasn’t the main obstacle in the book, it was a thriving subplot. It was angsty and fun.

That said, I have never felt as bad for a fictional character as I do for Seogka. His is just traumatized over and over and OVER. Sophie Kim is merciless to him.

Being set on a cruise ship, this feels like a fun summer romance. It is laugh out loud funny with swoony romance scenes.

I loved the cameos we got of characters from previous books as well as the new characters. This was a satisfying sequel and I’m looking forward to the next installment in the series.

The God and the Gwisin had so much to live up to after absolutely adoring The God and the Gumiho and oh wow did this exceed expectations. It follows Seogka who has been in mourning since the events of book one for thirty three years find a red thread of fate tied around his finger. He cannot find the other end of it - to find his soulmate until he is forced into a vacation on an underworld cruise ship. He finds Kisa there but she is a gwisin and has already been dead for seven years working off a penance for her past life.
Similarly to the first book the pair wind up in a murder investigation joined by a former K-pop idol and a gumiho from Seogka's past. The gods are just as messy as they were in book one and I loved the in depth look into what a soulmate is and how does a god who has lived forever love again after loss. There is also a lot of discussions of mental health which were handled very well.

I adored this book.

I will love Seokga in every timeline. The God and the Gumiho was such a surprise favorite read for me and so I was eagerly awaiting this sequel. I find these books just so astoundingly clever and charming while also feeling fresh and fun. I am so impressed with the way Kim gives us a satisfying murder mystery in addition to two different love stories while wrapping up the main thread of the story. Seokga’s character development through both books is rooted in the trickster god’s nature while also showing what being around people who care about him can do for him.

I loved all the new and old characters in this book and the ragtag team that’s assembled here is delightful. Kisa is different than Hani but what Kim does here is so masterful in giving everyone the happy ending they deserve.

There are so many deeply emotional moments in this book that made me want to cry and swoon and get mad while also having me positively chuckling. Seokga’s relationship with his brother in particular in this book was so completely ridiculous and perfect.

I’m so along for the ride on these books with my favorite caffeine addict trickster god and his found family. The main story wraps up so well but the epilogue does tease that there is more to this story and I’m so into whatever Kim wants to tell.

Thank you so much to DelRey and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a solid 4-star read for me, i thoroughly enjoyed myself reading this book.
This book has a compelling blend of myth, mystery, and emotion that kept me turning the pages-often forgetting the time, only to realize its suddenly 3 am. Oops-
The fusion of Korean folklore with modern storytelling was fresh and immersive, and most of the characters feel richly developed. The world building is atmospheric and the pacing is steady, with just enough tension to keep things moving.

That said, a few plot points felt slightly rushed and even somewhat predictable, the villain o the story was given little purpose outside of being a villain which made them untrustworthy from the get-go. It would have been nice if the reveal had felt a bit more like a "twist".

Still, this is a standout fantasy novel that thankfully didnt wrench my heart as much as the first book in the series did. I'd say that this is highly recommended for fans of dark folklore, character-driven narratives, and stories that bridge the ancient and the modern. Personally i'm looking forward to more from this author!

thank you to netgalley for providing the arc for this one!

Another wonderfully crafted story from Kim with a colorful and enriching plot line that draws you in and allows you to come out feeling warm and content

Overall a satisfying, feel good conclusion to the Fate's Thread duology. Rating this one a 2.75 rounded up, since for me it falls slightly short of book 1.

I found the writing to be a bit weak, but it was super readable and quite funny at times. I did enjoy the characters and the mystery. As a fantasy reader, I would say this reads more along the lines of a contemporary romance with fantasy and mystery elements. The tone is pretty lighthearted for the most part, but does also have some darker themes befitting an underworld cruise ship of the dead. I enjoyed the setting, but think that with a majority of everyone already being dead the stakes seemed relatively low until the last ~10% of the book.

The God and the Gwisin by Sophie Kim is the second book in the Fate’s Thread Series and lives up there the hype of the first book in the series. This was so freaking good and I’m so happy to have experienced yet another adventure.

I love the dynamic of this story. It continues from the previous story, only a little over 30 years later. I’m always for a reincarnation story but this one also has the mix of gods and lots of creatures involved. It takes it to a whole new level. Rather than taking place in the human world, it’s in the afterlife. Can you imagine having to pay for the bad choices of your past life and you don’t even remember what you did in that life? That sucks, but it is a beautiful conflict from the start.

I really like Yoo Kisa. She’s the reincarnation of Hani but is a whole new person, well gwishin. Between her being a healer, creature doctor, OB, and having to use those skills in the afterlife as a punishment sets her up for a huge growth. Due to her limitations she struggles with her frustrations and some random guy who is obsessed with her and connected to her by a thread that only he and she can see. Fun times, right? Again, can you imagine? I freaking love this story.
Seokga’s back and better than ever or maybe not, going to therapy, a god again, but still dealing with loss. I like that the story has a focus on dealing with grief from a god’s perspective and having to wait. There’s also the theme of dealing with memories vs no memories at all. Life after death and fate also come up and continue to take things to new levels.

With all of that said, there’s also the intertwining of Korean lore and mythology that makes me love this even more and it’s a whole new mystery to solve while dealing with a possible romance. As always, the Korean language is always welcomed and encouraged. I’m so excited to see more from this and it would be awesome to adapt this series into a kdrama. It’d be a hit!

If you love a combination of fantasy, mystery, romance, action, and even some adventure with all tiles of creatures, then this is for you!!

If you haven’t read the first book, I’d recommend reading that first! Sophie has tons of other books to check out too. Venture into her vast library! Enjoy!

*This was an honest review for a complimentary copy of The God and the Gwisin from Sophie Kim via NetGalley

3.75

Although I didn’t like this as much as the God and the Gumiho, I still had a good time reading the second installment in the series (duology?). Seogka is such a great character and it was fun to experience the story through his eyes.

Thanks to NetGalley and Del Rey for providing this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

DNF @ 10%

This was just not working for me, which was super disappointing as I really enjoyed The God and The Gumiho. I might eventually pick this one up again to see if I feel any differently, but I just felt the writing was missing the immersive quality of the first book.

Thank you NetGalley for giving me an Advanced Readers Copy for my honest review.

This was so fun, we have familiar characters and new characters back from book one and it was nice to see familiar faces amongst the new.

The humor amongst the very serious themes was elite and I was cackling more often than not.

I wish the mystery wasn’t as predictable but I felt it wrapped up the duology really well and I can’t wait to read more from Sophie Kim!

☕ Coffee | 🔍 Murder Mystery | 💘 Romance

The God and the Gwisin is the sequel to The God and the Gumiho, and it doesn’t disappoint! Hani has reincarnated as Kisa—a complete opposite of her past self, with just enough similarities to keep Seok-a second-guessing everything. As Kisa and Seok-a navigate their complicated feelings, they’re also thrown into a chilling mystery aboard a cruise ship: Who killed Seok-a’s brother... who’s now a baby?

I loved seeing Somi again and was excited to meet Hajun—a K-pop idol! Sophie Kim does a great job shedding light on the harsh, unrealistic standards placed on K-pop stars.

The bond between the four characters was one of my favorite parts—full of heart, banter, and support. The murder mystery set on a cruise ship was really fun! 🛳️

The ending closed one door... but left another slightly open—could there be a third book? I mean it ended on a perfect note, but my reader heart wouldn’t mind one more adventure. ☺️

I was worried that I wouldn’t love this second book as much as the first one but I really shouldn’t have been.

It had everything that had made the previous one of my favorite reads of last year. There were so many moments that cracked me up; between Seokga being his grumpy murderous self, the baby shenanigans, the cute sexual tension, the touching friendships and the romance, it was all I had hoped for.
I have to say that I didn't fully love Kisa as much as Hani and it was a little bitter sweet at times, but I came to love her anyway adn was very satisfied with the way the author handled this reincarnation trope!
The characters are all flawed and raw and incredibly moving, I couldn’t help but get attached to all of them, old and new. The ending was everything I wanted and more, but I’m really hoping that we’ll get more of their adventures. This is definitely one of my favorite books series ever.

Sophie Kim returns with *The God and the Gwisin*, a daring and emotionally nuanced sequel to *The God and the Gumiho*, shedding her previous formula in favor of reincarnation, rivers of the dead, and a murder mystery cloaked in myth. What could easily have unraveled into chaos instead blossoms into a poignant, genre-defying narrative that blends humor, heartbreak, romance, and Korean folklore with extraordinary grace.

Gone is Kim Hani as we knew her. Now, in a clever narrative pivot, we meet Yoo Kisa—a gwisin, or ghost, who was once a medical doctor, now adrift in the underworld without memories of her past lives. Enter Seokga, the caffeine-addicted, emotionally stunted trickster god on a grief-soaked quest to find his soulmate. Their reunion, tangled in the invisible thread of fate, isn’t a neat restoration of lost love—it’s a confrontation with change. And it’s this emotional tension—between what was, what is, and what could be—that gives the novel its ache and allure.

Kisa is a compelling new protagonist: sharp, compassionate, emotionally guarded but never cold. Her scientific approach to the supernatural is both amusing and moving, particularly as she navigates death’s bureaucracy with a found family of ghosts, idols, shamans, and immortal babies. It’s a bizarre Scooby-Doo team that works—often comedic, occasionally chaotic, but always heartfelt. One scene involving a smut book club among the dead is so absurd it circles back to being profound.

Yet, for all its wit and warmth, *The God and the Gwisin* does not shy from shadow. The book addresses suicide, grief, trauma, and the slow, painful work of healing. Seokga’s internal landscape—scarred by a cruel father, complicated by immortal loneliness—unfolds with surprising delicacy. Sophie Kim doesn’t flinch from asking: can love transcend death, time, and transformation? And more provocatively—should it?

The romance between Seokga and Kisa, far from being a simple rehash of book one, evolves in tender, surprising ways. There’s no melodramatic pining for a woman who no longer exists; instead, we witness a god falling in love all over again with someone entirely new. It's a relationship built not on memory but on choice—and it’s beautifully done.

Ultimately, *The God and the Gwisin* shines not for its twists, but for its heart. It’s a kdrama in book form: emotionally earnest, wildly imaginative, and unapologetically romantic. It’s about found families and second chances, the fluidity of identity, and the messy, miraculous act of being alive—even in death.

Whether you come for the gods and ghosts, the myth and magic, or the soulmate trope with a twist, you’ll likely stay for Sophie Kim’s characters—lovable disasters all, etched with care and chaos. If *The God and the Gumiho* broke your heart, this sequel might just stitch it back together—with golden thread and ghostly laughter.

A soulful sequel that trades sharp plot for deeper emotional stakes. Lovers of myth, romance, and resurrection—board this underworld cruise. Just don’t trust the doctor.

ARC provided by NetGalley and the publisher—Del Rey—in exchange for an honest review.

4.25 out of 5, rounded to 5 stars.

The God and the Gwisin is the follow-up in the Fate’s Thread duology as Seokga after going through the past 30 years looking for Hani’s reincarnation finally finds her --Kisa-- but she is both deceased and working on a cruiseliner where a murder has just taken place.

First off, I want to say that I love Kisa as a character. I was worried that the female character in this book would not live up to Hani and be overshadowed or worse just be a carbon copy of her. However, I was wrong and the whole Kisa does seem like she is the complete opposite of Hani, she shines in similar and equal parts to her in the book. I enjoyed being in her POV and her interactions with Seokha were lovely. Her background was also unique and her struggles made me relate to her in ways I could not with Hani in the first one.

When it comes to her and Seokga, their interactions were really cute, but I do think that the red string was a great addition with its abilities, especially since it cleared up a lot of potential misunderstandings that could have derailed the story. I don’t blame Seokga for taking some time to keep pinning over Hani, but I am glad that had an open mind and took his time to realize that Kisa and Hani were not the same person. He truly wants to learn about her and falls in love with her deeply and at the same time, Kisa while weary manages to overcome her fears and start a relationship at the end of the book.

In terms of relationships, this is where the book shines best -- old and new characters come together and try their best to solve the murder mystery on the ship. The little ragtag group have their own dynamics but by the end they are all friends and get closer together. I especially enjoyed the details of Seokga’s relationship with his brother and how it changes because of what happens to him and how he becomes protective of him over this change.

The weakest point of the story would probably be the central mystery plot because for some it might be easy to figure who did and their reasoning is a little weak when explained towards the end. However, the book really does focus more on the relationships and the love story more than anything else.

Yet, besides that one minor detail, The God and the Gwisin does a great job in completely the love story of Seokga and Hani…then Seokga and Kisa.