I really enjoyed this book! It was a bit slow in the beginning and felt a bit repetitive with Kisa talking about nothing but work and Seokga only talking about Hani. But after the first few chapters I really started to love this book. I found myself wanting to read just 1 more chapter to know what happens. I love that the setting is on a cruise ship as well!

Thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey for this ARC! Due to be published June 3, 2025

Rating rounded up from a 3.5.

A really enjoyable continuation of The God and the Gumiho - anyone that liked the first book is sure to find something to love here, too. However, in some ways, it doesn't quite capture the same charm as the first book (in my opinion) - the female lead (Kisa) didn't call to me in the way the lead from Gumiho (Hani) did, and I felt that the mystery plot wasn't as fleshed out as it could be, which fell flat in comparison to the plot of Gumiho. Overall, still a fun read, that I would recommend (with the caveat to lower expectations if you're expecting it to be as strong an entry as Gumiho).

dnf @ 51%
I really tried very hard to finish this book, but I couldn't bring myself to pick it up.
I was enjoying the beginning so much. I loved the mental health rep, and Hwanin and Seokga's relationship. Unfortunately I didn't feel any chemistry between Seokga and Kisa, it fell flat. I also feel like the book lost it's plot and it's just a bunch of stuff going on at the same time which disconnected me from the story. I still think Sophie Kim is a very good writer, and has great potential!

BRB crying. Is there gonna be a book 3? I need it desperately. Being back with Seokga, and getting to meet Kira, has been so much fun. And I'm glad to see Somi get some redemption. Everything about this book was fun and fast-paced, and kept me guessing, then second guessing just when I thought I had things figured out.

Thank you endlessly to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this. Getting the email with this book attached to it was such a pleasant surprise.

*3.75 stars*

I'm not really sure of how I feel about this book. I loved the God and the Gumiho, and I had such high expectations for the sequel, but it's left me with a bittersweet feeling. I did like the plot and the mystery (it was a bit repetitive from the first book but fine anyway), I found The Baby a bit annoying to account for at times, but again, nothing crazy. My main issue with this book is that I kept comparing Kisa to Hani and, honestly, I didn't like her as much. I get that the point is that they're two different people, but I still was very disappointed. I liked getting to see Somi, and it was a fun and addictive read, but I just wish we could get Hani back tbh. It's not that Kisa is not a good character or anything, I just didn't like her as much.

This was so good, I really like the writing style. I did read the first one prior and honestly I love the storyline, I thought it was quite an eventful book. Overall really awesome.
Solid 4.25⭐️

Massive Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for an e-Arc copy of The God and the Gwisin by Sophie Kim.

Sophie Kim delivers another enchanting, action packed, and emotionally charged installment in The God and the Gwisin, the sequel to The God and the Gumiho.

We’re immediately reunited with our mischievous (and adorable) god Seokga (my love), as he searches for his reincarnated soulmate; but it quickly takes a bittersweet turn when the thread (iykyk!) reunites them only to find out that Yoo Kisa (Hani) remembers nothing of their past life. The heartache is visible 💔

Set aboard the SRC Flatliner, the story unfolds as Seokga and Kisa work together to solve a high-stakes murder mystery while navigating their complicated dynamic and watching over an infant Hwanin. Kisa is a brilliant, witty FMC; her sharp mind and cautious skepticism toward Seokga make her deeply relatable. Watching Seokga learn to love her for who she is, rather than just as Hani’s reincarnation, is one of the book’s most satisfying arcs. Their romance builds slowly and thoughtfully which was possibly my favorite part about the book.

The side characters shine just as brightly, from Kisa’s endearing friends (Somi and Hajun are instant favorites) to Seokga’s complicated family ties. The humor is sharp, the banter delightful, and the found family themes add warmth to the high stakes plot. That said, the murder mystery itself is somewhat predictable; the confined cruise setting really limited the suspects; but the journey is so entertaining that the lack of surprise didn’t ruin the overall story for me.

What I most appreciated, is the deeper exploration of Seokga’s grief and growth, as well as the clever parallels between Kisa and Hani. While the setting may feel more contained than The God and the Gumiho, Kim’s signature wit and emotional punches keep the story engaging. The book is Flawed in its predictability but irresistible in its charm.

Can’t wait for the next book!

This was SO much fun I was laughing the whole time and could not put it down. I would love if the author would write more books following these characters

3.5 stars, rounding up to 4 stars for Seokga.

While I did enjoy this overall, it was missing the spark and magic that made the first book amazing.
The plot really took a backseat in this one, and I wasn't hugely invested in the mystery. Nor did I find the reveals very shocking.
I also disliked that the setting was the cruise ship basically the entire time. It was kind of dull. I missed 90s New Sinsi.

However the character work was amazing. The character growth in Seokga was sensational. I struggled a little with Kisa at first but I came to really adore her - much like Seokga. Their love story was really the highlight of this book. The side characters were great too. I was especially happy to see Somi again.

Overall I did enjoy it, but am disappointed that it didn't hit like The God & the Gumiho which was a 5 star read for me.

I loved ‘The God and the Gumiho’ and loved this book even more! Seokga spends years waiting for his beloved Hani when a red thread of fate finally appears he knows she’s back… however, fate can be a funny thing, and he meets her (Kisa) where he least expects it. Kisa is so different than Hani but she’s amazing in her own right. She has no memory of Seokga and must learn to trust fate and decide what she really wants. Of course, there’s adventure and a mystery to solve along the way. Some of Seokga’s one-liners had me literally laughing out loud. Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the eARC!

Massive thank you to Del Rey for providing me with the eARC of The God and the Gwisin!

I absolutely adored The God and the Gumiho and this didn't disappoint me!

Seokga the no longer fallen God is looking for his love Hani, in her new reincarnated form, and has been for the last 33 years. Yoo Kisa has no memory of our loveable trickster and is a Gwisin (ghost) working on a cruiseship in the underworld.

Seokga's therapist sends him on a vacation, to the same cruise ship that Kisa is working on, upon arriving on the ship the fate thread appears, but whilst on the cruise the Heavenly Emperor is murdered, and we have ourselves a murder mystery on our hands!

I started off confident that I knew who our murderer was and started to second guess everything, the investigation work was really different to The God and the Gumiho, but a lot had changed since then.

Seokga and Kisa getting to know each other all over again, with Kisa having lots of different personality traits to Hani was really enjoyable, it was exciting to fall in love with a new character and get to know her alongside Seokga, who has a piece of my heart! We got some new characters and had some old characters brought back into our story which was exciting to see how their time had progressed.

The wrap up at the end of the book was so beautiful, but has also left opening for another book, which, I would read in a heart beat! This book had me giggling, kicking my feet and all round brought me joy, with of course some sad moments!

I absolutley loved this book! I was gripped into the story as soon as I started and finished it in one sitting. I loved the authors writing style because it made it very easy to read and follow the plot. The characters were very unique but there journey was amazing and extremely satisfying to read. I will be recommending this book to all of my family and friends.

Thank you to NetGalley for sending me the ARC to the second book in Sophie Kim's *fates thread* series in exchange for an honest review!

****spoilers below****

Summary:

Welcome back to the (underworld) of the God & the...Gwisin? A flash forward 30 years since the death of Seokga's true love, Hani. Ever since the red ribbon of fate appeared around his finger, he's been searching for "her" (literally, to the ends of the earth). To no avail, Seokga cannot not seem to track down his reincarnated Gumiho. He is run ragged, depressed & honestly, worse off than when we met him in the first book (if you can even imagine a more impossible Seokga). Under the instruction of his brother, he has taken to therapy & medication to ease his weary soul– nothing seems to be able to shake the trickster god's melancholy. Without any improvement to his mental health, Seokga is instructed to "take a vacation" on none other than, a cruise ship in the underworld along the river his father is banished to (talk about bringing up daddy issues...). Accompanied by with his therapist & brother in tow– It isn't long after boarding the cruise ship that mischief, murder, a run in with an old friend (enemy?) & the thrilling activity of the red thread leading to Hani's reincarnate bring this new (and familiar) cast to solve yes another mystery of death & deceit.

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I would like to start by saying that Kim's voice in her writing is consistent & most enjoyable! I was thrown back into the world of Okhwang immediately & although its been a minute since i read book #1 in this series, Kim's narration skills did not cease to impress.

I'll admit, it was difficult for me to adapt to the new faces in this story, i missed Hani just as much as Seokga did but i quickly adapted & fell in love with the parts of Hani's reincarnate, Kisa as the story evolved– it was almost as if I fell in love with her just as Seokga did. A brilliant way of writing this story through the eyes of comparison, heartbreak, surrender, acceptance, possibility & new found love for our Trickster God.

As usual, Kim's character building was on point. I loved the development of the new faces in this book coupled with some old ones to keep things familiar but still erred on the wings of discovering new friendships & connection.

At first i wasn't too found of the book taking place on the luxury cruise ship 95% of the time but it made way for deeper development of Seokga & Hwanin's history & relationship as well as healing some daddy issues, relationship development with our Hani reincarnate & piecing together some other side stories. There were twists & turns throughout the entire book that kept me guessing & a existential intention planted at the beginning of the book by Kisa that evolved over time into a theme that carried the book. All of that being said, i felt that too much world development would have interfered with the development of these interpersonal relationships baked within the book that gave the story depth & meaning– i appreciated the small world of the cruise liner in which this story mostly took place after all.

Overall, The God & The Gwisin was written beautifully– it was funny, endearing, & kept my attention with its evolving mystery-to-be-solved. It was fun to be reunited with familiar faces & introduced to new faces woven into the tapestry of this world. I can't wait to see where Sophi Kim takes us next!

The God and the Gwisin by Sophie Kim is a dreamy mix of mythology, mystery, and second-chance romance. Seokga, a trickster god, has finally regained his divine status—but all he cares about is finding his lost love, Hani. His search leads him to a haunted luxury cruise sailing the river of the dead, where he meets Kisa, a woman with Hani’s soul but none of her memories. When a murder rocks the ship, Seokga and Kisa are thrown into a deadly mystery, all while untangling the threads of their past.

This book has it all—Korean mythology, romance, intrigue, and a setting that feels both eerie and magical. If you love lush world-building and slow-burn tension with a touch of danger, this one’s for you!

The God and the Gumiho was one of my FAVORITE reads of last year so when I say I practically screamed when I got the digital arc I'm not lying. The God and the Gwisin was in fact almost as good as the first one. The characters were just as I remember (albeit, a tad different) and the plot of the murder/mystery was fairly intriguing. The end of the first one had me almost in tears, so to come back and see Seokga following the Red Thread of Fate and try to figure out what was happening was something I was instantly drawn to. The potential family drama for book 3 is keeping me on my toes for sure and I can't wait to read the next installment.

Thank you to Random House/Del Ray for the digital arc

3.75
The God & the Gumiho was one of my surprise reads of last year. I thoroughly enjoyed the characters, plot and writing so I was very excited to head into its sequel.

I very quickly realised that if The God & the Gumiho was more Hani’s book, The God & the Gwisin is Seokga’s.
We get a really nice insights on his thoughts and feelings, especially after those years without Hani as well as his struggle and complicated feelings for Kisa.
We also get a lot of banter and bickering, but I feel like that's a given!

While the first 20% were a bit slow, the pace did pick up nicely after. There were really great moments throughout and while I did enjoy the writing and humour a lot, I can’t say I was as invested as I was with the first book.
The plot itself was great and had similar vibes to book one.
We also get to meet a couple of old & new characters and Yeomra *might* be one of my new faves.
I saw the author compared it to the kdrama Hotel del Luna and I fully agree (If you haven’t watched that drama, I *very* highly recommend to do so).

I kept thinking of the reasons why this book didn’t quite hit the mark for me and I think it comes down to me not being as invested as I hoped I would be, liking the plot of The God & the Gumiho more and then ultimately also liking Hani more.

The God & the Gwisin is a fun sequel and I can see people liking it just as much as book one.

I saw that the author already announced their next book, which sounds great. Can’t wait to read it!

THE GOD AND THE GWISIN delivers an achingly satisfying sequel to the devastatingly hopeful ending of THE GOD AND THE GUMIHO.

Blending romance, fantasy, mythical retellings, and an intriguing whodunit, this novel is a must-read for fans of beautifully written, folklore-infused fantasy with a strong emotional core. Readers who were captivated by the first book will find themselves drawn even deeper into its world, navigating heartache, destiny, and the lingering threads of fate. If you haven’t yet started the series, now is the perfect time! Just be sure to have tissues on hand.

Thank you Del Rey for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

This follow-up to The God and the Gumiho had big shoes to fill. I loved the romance in the first book so much that I was apprehensive about going into this book. But I think The God and the Gwisin delivered in a way that honored book one and also stood all on it's own. Learning more about the world and how Seogka has been coping without Hani was fascinating, watching his evolving relationship with his brother was poignant, and the cast of new and returning characters was truly a delight.

I was so excited to dive back into the mystery fantasy series. It's fun and romantic and whimsical all at once. I loved Seokga and Hani so much and it was amazing to fall back in love and fall in love for the first time with Kisa. It was exactly the perfect ending for this tale and I loved how it unfolded. We get another mystery to solve and we get to be updated on past characters and see a bit of the future. We learn more about Seokga and see a completely different side of him. These characters have grown so much and I loved it.

Thanks so much to NetGalley for the eARC of this wonderful sequel! The God and the Gumiho was a book which really surprised me, and I was glad that its sequel was similar in that respect. Kim has a wonderful way of making dynamic characters, and in this book particularly, putting them through mind-fuck situations.

On top of the book closing out (though not forever??) the plot of the first book well, my favorite part of this novel was the overarching question of what makes a soul vs. what makes a person. I felt that Kim did a fantastic job of dissecting that question in a way that really made me love Kisa, while also understanding Seokga's pain. Overall, I thought it was a wonderful addition to the series, and I look forward to anything Kim has to write in future!