What does a fallen mischief god reinstated to godhood, his reincarnated soulmate, his emperor brother turned into a baby, a murderous gumiho, and a deceased K-pop star have in common? A murder none of them ever expected to be involved in solving all while on board a cruise ship in the afterlife. The God and the Gwisin initiates a sequel to The God and the Gumiho, where the murders are unsolved and a grumpy trickster god is once again struck down with unwanted emotions. Second in Fates Thread, this series embeds Korean Mythology with reincarnated lovers, godly threats, and an overly abundant amount of yearning. This sequel reorients our characters in the 21st century with new, modern problems, and some that time cannot constrain—like the inescapable longing for a love lost. Two soulmates battle feelings while on a cruise ship in the underworld, romancing in between a murder investigation and a looming journey's end, where one faces down imminent reincarnation. Sophie Kim certainly understands how to situate a unique set of circumstances, which could just as easily be disharmonious if not for her deft balance of humor, romance, and angst. The God and the Gwisin extends the Fates Thread series in an epic star-crossed love story not to be constrained by reincarnation nor hell itself.

The God and the Gwisin is at its heart a story about belonging and forgiveness. With such humor and skill, Sophie Kim integrates her Fates Thread series into a new decade and a fresh hell— literally, a luxury cruise in the afterlife. Bonds are tested, and Kim shows the true power in choosing our destiny as Seokga and Kisa choose each other despite what fate and the higher powers have determined to be their end. Seokga and Kisa find an unconventional happy ending, which is all I could really hope for when I first began reading this novel, but it nevertheless brought on all the emotions by the end. Fates Thread is contemporary fantasy at its best, with distinct characters that manage to find their footing no matter the setting or the decade, and ones that charm no matter their place within the narrative. The God and the Gwisin tests the transcendent nature of love in an adventurous fantasy sequel all about being seen and loved for who we are. It will be long before I forget this phenomenal sequel from Sophie Kim but I find I am more than content with that.

This was such a treat to read! The God and Gwisin picks up around 26 years after the first book (The God and the Gumiho) ends and we see Seokga searching for his reincarnated love Hani.. who isn't Hani in this life, but Yoo Kisa. 

When they find themselves on a cruise, Kisa has already died, and Seokga is on a much needed vacation. Shortly into the trip while managing all their confusing feelings, Seokga's brother, the heavenly emperor, ends up murdered and it is up to Seokga, Hani and a mixture of old and new friends to solve the mystery before the cruise ends.  

They way this book had me turning pages. It was everything I wanted in a duology. There was pinning, build up, and new memories and feelings created. I loved the exploration of Theseus' ship as a concept that Kisa struggles with. I loved watching Kisa come into her own and Seokga showed up with all his grumpy, trickster god snark. 

This was a blast to read and I absolutely recommend it. It left me feeling so rewarded and I was so excited to root for these characters. It's such a satisfying conclusion! Thank you to the publisher for providing an advanced readers copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

4.75 rounded up to 5 stars

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Del Ray for this eARC!!

“She’s his love and stranger all at once”

I was so excited to read this after receiving the arc! I couldn’t wait to jump into it after the ending of The God and the Gumiho.
First of all, I was not prepared for Kisa to really be different from Hani, just like Seokga. She loves coffee!! That made me realize that though they share the same soul, they are two different people (with maybe a few of the same quirks) and to be honest that did break my heart.
The red string though! I love how that was brought into the story to help them find each other, especially for Seokga, who was ordering hot chocolate and wondering what Hani would name the penguins 🥹 he waited so long to find her. And the fact that where he found her was on the Flatliner :(. It was a journey of wondering if they would get their happy ending, with all these challenges in the way, and being detectives once again.
As for being detectives once again, I love Hwanin as a baby Seokga was so protective over him! He really does love fully. The fact that one single person was behind Somi’s Kisa’s and Hwanin’s death was crazy! I did suspect her for Hwanin’s death of course, but Somi and Kisa!?! Crazy.
Loved the humor throughout the book, and loved Somi’s return and Hajun. What I would give to read a story like ‘The Idol and the Gumiho’.
I do feel the way Kisa got off the Flatliner was bittersweet more than anything, but happy that she and Seokga can remain together. But the ending! Really want to know what Seokga’s mom is like!!
5/5 stars ! Love this book!!

Have I ever met a Sophie Kim book I didn't love???

I loved God and the Gumiho and I was eagerly waiting for this book and it did not disappoint! I think Sophie took such a smart direction with the character dynamics this book and it really felt like it almost wouldn't work but IT DID. I thought the writing choices were so so smart and really opened up this duology to be loved by so many people!

I was nervous going into this book because sequels sometimes don’t hit as hard as the first book. But I loveddd them both. Once again, a quick and fun read—maybe a little mystery, but enjoyable nonetheless.

Yoo Kisa was so so real. She was intelligent, witty, and (rightfully so) nervous about Seokga. I loved her hyperfixation on acquiring knowledge—it’s almost like we could see the gears turning in her head. Her and Hani are like Yin and Yang—two sides of the same coin. I love seeing how different Kisa was, despite having some integrated similarities. Seokga became so much more dynamic this novel which I loved. Exploring his bond with his brother, father, and therapist was just so (chef’s kiss).
I actually enjoyed the development of Kisa and Seokga. We watched Seokga begin to value Kisa as an individual person instead of Hani. The lack of insta love was also gratifying. We saw Seokga get to *know* Kisa, even though he knew she was his soulmate.

Can we also talk about the other characters! Loved seeing Kisa’s friends in this novel—the first novel didn’t have as many characters. I lowkey loved all of them! I mean Somi and Hajun?? Unexpectedly loved them so so much. Especially Hajun. Everyone needs a Hajun.

My biggest gripe was that this book was much more predictable than the first novel. Maybe it’s the nature of the setting—a boat has only but so many people. Seokga also felt a lot less director-y than the first novel. To me, the antagonist was pretty obvious. However, I wasn’t disappointed. I still loved the novel.
Definitely definitely definitely worth a read.

* I received an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Absolutely amazing and equally as good as book 1. The God and the Gwisin captured the same kdrama-like essence as The God and the Gumiho did. There is so much emotion packed into this beautiful book. There is drama, comedy and suspense. The God and the Gwisin would make a phenomenal anime too, it has such an amazing on screen kinda feel to it.

We meet some familiar characters as well as some new ones too. I felt like this book was a lot about Seogka's backstory and learning why being able to love and trust someone has been so difficult for him. Kisa is very different to Hani, she is shy and reserved and her character development really did shine in this book. I felt so emotional seeing how far they came in the end.

The murder mystery aspect of this book had me hooked! I really wanted to know who it was and follow the clues myself. One thing Sophie Kim does really well is the plot twists. I never expected the ending and the revelations that occurred.

Overall it was an absolutely amazing read!

Hold on because this is a complicated emotional roller coaster. 

This alternative Modern-Day Korea has the flare that only a Korean Drama can possess—with Korean gods, mythical creatures, and legends made real. This second installment launches with us rooting for our duo of fated souls to find each other, only to be pulled along a series of strange events. 

Seokga waits for his red thread to find his reincarnated soul mate. Waiting and miserable, he finds himself sailing on an underworld cruise line manned by the dead (ghosts in limbo to be reincarnated). Against all odds, our duo found each other, but there’s a mix of happiness and mourning (for the loss and memory of their past, yet the joy and potential now). This emotional juxtaposition could be complex for a reader to untangle. 

With some effort, I endured and liked the new reincarnated version of Hani (now Yoo Kisa), but her personality was more of a 4/5 instead of a 5/5. Having both a past and current life is an interesting idea to reflect on and accept, which required me to compromise and switch personalities for the heroine.  

Insert a murder mystery, and the story quickly becomes rich and entertaining. So much happens in the story (which I won’t divulge). It is definitely a solid read, and I highly recommend it to clean fantasy fans.

This is an honest review sponsored through NetGalley.

THANK HWANIN'S TITS, THE SECOND BOOK LIVED UP TO THE STANDARD SET BY THE FIRST!

Sophie Kim can do no wrong—this book was fabulous. Her writing is both beautiful and magical, and this series needs to be on the TBR of every fantasy romance lover.

*The God and the Gumiho spoilers ahead*
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NGL, I was devastated when I realised Hani was dead dead. I didn’t think I could love another relationship as much as theirs. But I was proven wrong.

I enjoyed exploring Seokga's trauma through therapy and the complex emotions that come along with having your Soulmate not know the difference between you and a bag of Kopiko. It gave us the most delicious yearning and slow-burn romance between him and Kisa.

I loved that the side characters weren't thrown in to fill space—they had depth, purpose, and emotional weight and their stories were just as compelling and their personalities full of life.

I cannot wait to add this book to my collection when it’s released.

Thank you to NetGalley and 'Random House Publishing Group - Del Rey, Random House Worlds, Inklore' for my eARC in exchange for my honest review!

I LOVE THIS SERIES SO MUCH. The writing style, characters, and worldbuilding are just too fun. I’m mad at myself for waiting so long to finally pick up The God and the Gumiho but I immediately fell in love and this sequel was just as good! I cried multiple times seeing Seokga and Kisa grow closer and grapple with their history and current circumstances. I really loved the use of the Ship of Theseus idea and how it was woven into the story!

These characters are a delight. Both Seokga and Kisa are funny, awkward, and smitten. I especially LOVED seeing Kisa and Somi rebuild their friendship. Plus, loved the addition of new characters like Yeomra and Hajun. The murder mystery plot was entertaining and kept me guessing til the end! I loved how everything came together in the final chapters. Will sincerely be hoping for more in this world and will immediately be diving into Sophie Kim’s YA series that I’ve had on my TBR for ages!

If I was allowed half stars this would be a solid 4.5. It was just as funny and sweet as the first book in the series, and the characters were just as loveable. I love the way Korean mythology is portrayed in these books. The author clearly knows the stories and creatures well enough to take artistic liberties that make it feel modern and interesting. My only complaint is that the ending was a tiny bit anticlimactic for my taste, but I will can’t wait for the next one!

So happy I got to read then end of this duology!
While I missed Hani, I grew to love Kisa just as much the more I kept reading. The return of some characters while introducing new characters blended perfectly that it wasn’t hard to follow. The whodunit mystery all around the ship was funny and rightfully frustrating at times because I just wanted to figure out who it was. Overall a nice page turner that I read as fast as I did with The God and Gumiho. I’ll miss this universe/characters but I was happy with how everything wrapped up! Maybe there can be a spin off with S and H?! 🤭 Thank you Netgalley, Random House Publishing Group - Del Rey, Random House Worlds, Inklore for the eARC!

What a great sequel! This book was an extremely satisfying read. Kim does an amazing job adding in bits of stream of consciousness into the 3rd person perspective. Both main characters were so well rounded. I loved watching Seokga open himself up again to being gentle and loving not only to Kisa, but to his brother as well. This book in its entirety felt so healing. I cannot wait for the next installment!

I loved The God and the Gumiho so very much that when I saw The God and the Gwisin available on NetGalley, I didn't even read the synopsis, I just requested it because I KNEW I would love it. Guess what? I adored it even more than the first book. A newly reinstated god searching for his lost soulmate aboard a ship filled with the dead. Yes, please.

We still got a murder mystery but this book contained equal doses of hope and heartbreak, a touch of spice, and the return of some familiar characters. I can't write more or I'll accidentally include spoilers. Overall, I don't think this book could've been any more perfect that it already was.

Thank you a million times to Sophie Kim, Del Rey, and NetGalley for sharing an ARC of this book with me.

The God and the Gwisin is the follow up to the God and the Gumiho and is the second installment in the Fate's Thread Series. I adored the first installment, so I was thrilled when the publisher and Netgalley sent me an ARC of the second installment. (Thank you so so much!) The God and the Gwisin picks up where we left off, almost, at the end of the previous book. We learn that Seokga has been unsuccessful in finding Hani's reincarnation via the red thread and (against his wishes) is thrust upon the SRC Flatliner for a vacation.

As luck (or fate) would have it, the person who is on the other end of the red thread is also on the SRC Flatliner. But, she is already dead. Yoo Kisa is definitely not Hani. Of course Seokga is disappointed but he decides to get to know her. After all...Kisa is still Hani, right? That is the biggest question that is posed by the God and the Gwisin: what makes you...you. Both Kisa and Seokga struggle with this question.

Instead of a detective story, this time we have a locked room (ship) whodunnit mystery when Seokga's brother is killed. Kisa, Seokga, along with new and familiar faces attempt to solve the mystery before time runs out.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. Kisa both is and isn't Hani. Sophie Kim does a fantastic job of making the reader ache along with Seokga. Kisa is a wonderful character, but she is not Hani. Kisa is book smart and delightfully academic. Some readers may find it difficult to connect with her because they are expecting Hani. But that is the entire point of the novel. It's a brilliant execution to have Seokga threaded to someone who has Hani's soul but isn't her. Not physically anyway.

The conclusion of the mystery is satisfying (but predictable if you consume a massive amount of locked room mysteries and k-dramas). Overall, I loved Seokga and Kisa's dynamic. I found myself missing Hani less and less as the novel went on because she is there...

Please, Sophie Kim, I am begging you to write a third book.

The God and the Gwisin by Sophie Kim has finally delved me back into my favorite fantasy world at the moment. The level of whimsy, love, drama, and happiness experienced in this series is really unparalleled, but I do think that Kim has outdone herself with the second book in this duology in particular. I noticed a few pacing issues in the first that made that book a 3.5 for me, but those are nowhere to be found here. All I could focus on was the joy I experienced and the amazing prose. I think you can really see that k-drama inspo that she mentioned with the first book with the almost cinematic writing and visuals.

AGH! Everyone read this violently underrated series, please, and then text me all about it.

I have been waiting on pins and needles for the sequel to The God and the Gumiho by Sophie Kim, after finishing the first book and absolutely bawling at the ending, so when the publisher reached out to gift me a copy of this ARC, I just had to drop everything to read this.

And let me say, the wait was worth it, and this continuation was just as sweet, just as adventurous, just as funny as the first in the series. In The God and the Gwisin, we reunite with the infamous god Seokga as he tries to find his way back to his reincarnated soulmate. But when he does, she remembers nothing about her previous life, or their epic and tragic love story. Cue heart break (for me, and for Seokga).

In this riveting sequel, Sophie Kim brings us aboard the SRC Flatliner, where a murder mystery ensues that the star-crossed duo must race against time to solve. Lives (and deaths) are on the line, and Seokga and Yoo Kisa (previously Kim Hani) must rely on their closest allies while remaining suspicious of everyone on board if they want even a chance at solving the murder of the century.

If you read The God and the Gumiho, you really have no choice but to read this one. If you haven't read it, then what are you waiting for? A hilariously romantic and action-packed K-drama mythology-based book is waiting for you!!

Thank you SO so much to the author and the publisher for gifting me a copy of this ARC. I was obsessed with the first book, I'm obsessed with this one, and I will never stop talking about it.

I was so worried how things would go in this book after the ending of the last book, but I am happy to report that this story was so much fun and worth the build up.
I fell in love with the God and the Gumiho because it not only had the beautiful aspects of Korean folklore, but the characters were sooo good. Well, they started off bad, but their character development was nothing short of amazing.
In this story, we get to see more of our favorite characters explore an even deeper character development while also retaining the humor and murder/mystery aspect of the first story.
This book started off sooo differently from the first one that I had my reservations at first, but I promise it builds up perfectly and ends beautifully as well.


Ps. Sexy Seokga deserves the world!

sophie kim is a genius. this is the perfect sequel— the epitome of a kdrama while also being a unique fantasy. seokga is one of the greatest male leads of all time. while i didn’t fall for him and kisa as much as i had him and hani, this book had enough laugh out loud moments and EXCELLENT side characters to make up for it. i was kicking my feet and giggling from the beginning, which is wild when the book takes place in the underworld and half the cast is dead. and yet!

I was so pleasantly surprised by this book. I feel like I WAS Seokga here, because going in, I knew that the FMC wasn't going to be Hani. But I wanted it to be anyway. And then I gradually fell in love with Kisa and realized that actually I can love two people (that are one person).

It felt really daring to write a duology (maybe more?? with that ending?? eyes emoji) romantasy series where the MMC kind-of-sort-of gets with another girl in the second book, but it worked so well. I've never read anything like this and I really enjoyed it.

That said, Kisa being like "JUST FRIENDS!!!!" when she's absolutely smart enough to know what that red thread means and the weird mind reading stuff was a bit eyebrow raising any time it came up. It just wasn't nearly enough for it to affect my enjoyment overall.

this book picks up a few years after the events of the god and gumiho. once again seokga acting as detective to solve a mystery. while this book definitely focuses on the plot, i felt like it was such a character driven story, for more than just seokga and kisa. and i absolutely loved that.

in the beginning, i think i was as disappointed as seokga because i was expecting kisa to be like hani. but that quickly changed. i loved her as a character. i love a a passionate rambly fmc and an mmc who hangs onto her every word. but kisa and seokga complimented each other so well. it was so sweet watching them fall in love again. seokga had some character growth but he is still most definitely the trickster god, and i enjoyed that he didn’t have a complete personality change. i loved the pining so much and how he’s still only soft for kisa!!

i was not expecting to see somi in this book but i’m so glad she was here. her story didn’t seem quite concluded at the end of the first book and since she was a prominent character in there, i’m glad she we were able to see what become of her and that she and kisa were able to get some closure.

also i loved hajun! his story was a bit sad and tragic but i glad he was able to find happiness.

i really enjoyed this sequel, i couldn’t put it down! it was one of my most anticipated reads of the year and it did not disappoint! it had everything i loved from the first book and more. i would find myself smiling and laughing one moment and tearing up the next. i enjoyed our murder mystery solving crew and i loved the relationship development between the different characters, especially seokga and his brother. i want to read more about that development. also i feel like i could read more of seokga’s inner thoughts because he’s just so funny

thank you netgalley and delrey for the e-arc!