Thank you to NetGalley and Del Ray for an ARC copy of this book!

4/5 stars, a fantastic conclusion to this duology.

While book one left off on a heartbreaking yet hopeful cliffhanger, The God and the Gwisin does a wonderful job of showcasing character growth from our returning characters as well as giving us well rounded and lovable new characters. The murder mystery aspect of the book was entertaining and, though it wasn't completely unpredictable, it provided a few twists and turns that kept me engaged.

Overall, The God and the Gwisin keep the K-Drama vibes that worked so well in The God and the Gumiho and offers more character growth, another investigation for our MCs, and a beautiful conclusion.

It's been almost a year since <i>The God and the Gumiho</i> took over my life like a whirlwind and it has been living rent-free in my head ever since. Naturally, its sequel, <i>The God and the Gwisin</i>, was one of my most anticipated releases of 2025. And, naturally, it did not disappoint in the slightest.

<i>The God and the Gwisin</i> took place some 30+ years after the end of <i>Gumiho</i>. Where <i>Gumiho</i> had that nostalgic '90s vibe, <i>Gwisin</i> was set in our current decade. Although you barely notice the updated technology because the majority of the book was set on a cruise ship sailing the river in the underworld. I was very glad that I'd been on exactly one (1) cruise trip in my life before because it made it very easy for me to fully imagine the setting and its atmosphere. I'll admit I was slightly worried about the setting before I started this book but Sophie Kim proved once again that it's not the setting that makes her books but its characters. The characters could be locked up in a broom closet the whole book and it still would be an entertaining feat with Seokga on the page. But because this fine specimen of a man deserves his own paragraph, I will hold off on my seokga adoration for the time being. Instead let me tell you about all the things I loved in <i>Gumiho</i> that transcended to <i>Gwisin</i>.

Just like in <i>Gumiho</i>, <i>Gwisin</i> follows a dual POV of Seokga and Kisa as they embark on solving a murder mystery. And just like its predecessor, I thoroughly enjoyed the blend of the fantastical with the modern. I mean, they're on a cruise filled with creatures and said cruise ship is filled with the most mundane attractions like cafes, casinos, and loud people splashing in the deck pools. The Big Boss of the underworld looks like a chaebol CEO who breaks hearts for a living. These gods literally have smartphones and text each other (although Seokga's texting leaves something to be desired).

If there's one thing I truly love, it's reincarnation stories. But that does not mean I'm terrified of starting one every time I do. Because what if the reincarnation romance doesn't hit as hard as its predecessor? What if the spark isn't as strong this time around or what if I prefer the characteristics of the person they previously were. While some characteristics of Kisa were vastly different from Hani, at her core, she was the same as Hani, which made Kisa's character at once refreshing and nostalgic. While Hani was absent from this book (for obvious reasons), her spirit was still there throughout the story and it was comforting in a way I didn't know I needed. I also really liked that Kisa's own voice in her POV did not sound the same as Hani's. It made it clear that these were two different people in a different timeline.

At last we've reached the Seokga paragraph. Oh Seokga, my sweet, beautiful, Seokga. My husband, my soulmate, my idol, my spirit animal. He is me and I am him and we are one and the same. What I loved about Seokga in <i>Gumiho</i> was his stinky attitude. The man hates everything and everyone. He's grumpy, he's sassy, he's petulant, contemptuous, and stubborn and although he's a grown man (god), he acts like a petty child when things don't go his way. I love him so much. I love how he's a big grump with everyone but becomes the biggest softie with his face an open book on every emotion he's feeling when it comes to the woman he loves. I loved watching Seokga's character development in <i>Gumiho</i> and how he slowly dared open up and fall in love. But I loved his character development in <i>Gwisin</i> even more. In <i>Gwisin</i>, Seokga has been longingly looking for the reincarnation of Hani for 30+ years. The beginning of this book was filled with Seokga's desperation. It made for some stellar angst that had my eyes fill with tears and my chest cave in as it caught the weight of Seokga's feelings. Whereas in <i>Gumiho</i>, where Seokga's feelings reach you as if they're behind a glass wall—visible but not truly palpable—in <i>Gwisin</i>, that wall was as shattered as the man himself. His desperate hopefulness was like a repeated punch to the gut. It made me unable to breathe. This book also made me realize how utterly lonely Seokga feels. Without Hani, he truly had no one for all these decades. Seokga is so deeply lonely at his core and it breaks my heart. I loved how Seokga was an open book in this sequel. He wears his heart on his sleeve when it comes to Kisa. He never hides how he feels about her but is still very respectful of her feelings and respects her boundaries even if it breaks his heart. I also loved Seokga's development throughout the story as he came to terms with the fact that Kisa was Hani but not entirely Hani. I loved how he came to realize that Kisa is her own person while still carrying some characteristics of Hani. It was so well done in the most authentic and realistic way I can only admire it.

One last thing I absolutely must mention (and for spoiler reasons I'm going to keep this confusingly vague) is the baby. No it's not Seokga and Kisa's child (though it might as well be). But the baby in this story was so funny. I laughed my ass off with its antics especially the relationship between Seokga and the baby. If you know Seokga (the big grump) you can imagine how well he handles babies. But I also loved how the baby added that little domestic aspect in the relationship between Seokga and Kisa. It made it feel like they were a little family and it was so cute at times.

In short, I loved <i>The God and the Gwisin</i>. There was a maturity to this sequel that had not yet developed in <i>The God and the Gumiho</i> (not that I missed that maturity in the first book; the character's childish pettiness was the highlight of that book for me). But it was beautiful to see the characters I love mature after what they've been through as they find each other again.
If you're looking for books that read like a K-drama, I cannot recommend these books enough. They're funny, dramatic, witty, and have great slow-burn romance with a dash of spice. There's great action, plot twists, angst to feed off for days, and unique world-building.

4.5 𖤐

a beautifully wrapped up conclusion to the duology fate's thread. this book is very different from the first book, in my opinion, because, yes the setting is different (set years after the first one) but also the dynamic of seokga and kisa's is so different, the tone of the whole book is also different. kisa (hani) has reincarnated but she is not how seokga (or i for that matter haha) expected. i still really loved her character, but it did take some time to get used to after hani.

there was a line in the book that mentioned how seokga needed hani when he met her because he needed to learn to open up and feel things, and kisa came now because she was what he needed now, and i fully agree.

˗ˏˋ🪢ˎˊ˗ seokga: i already loved him in the first book, but in this book i have fully fallen in love with him. and also, i have realised i relate to him quite a bit hahaha (not in the daddy issues aspect lol). i genuinely love the therapy session scenes we got to see so much of his background and the amount of trauma he's gone through. i also absolutely LOVE the brothers relationship whenever there is a sibling dynamic in books i always get so emotional and their relationship made me cry multiple times. they truly have the dynamic of 'no one can mess with him other than me' and that just made me bawl. i love the brothers.

˗ˏˋ🪡ˎˊ˗ kisa: even though she is hani reincarnated, she is almost nothing like hani. it did take me some time to get used to especially since i adored hani in book 1. but when i did, i ended up loving her. she is brilliant and the dynamic between her and seokga (and even her, seokga, somi and hajun) is like that meme when one person is holding the others by a leash. i loved the slow burn between kisa and seokga, how they slowly got used to and accepted each other, and how they fell in love. their dynamic was so much more vulnerable than hani and seokga and it was so cute. also all those small moments when kisa had those similarities to hani were so RAHHH like the books? i absolutely love that detail.

the other characters were such sweet additions to this book too. i did not expect somi to come in this book, and they way she sealed with hani's loss too was so interesting to read. this book did such a good job of handling grief, loss and trauma, it was done exceptionally.

i did find the investigation/mystery aspect of this book slightly off, unlike the first book. it was really predictable, in my opinion, but there were other scenes that felt a little forced.

overall, this ending was so satisfying. the epilogue did make it seem like there is room for another book (which, of course, i wouldn't mind at all) but maybe the author left it like that so the readers could imagine a future the way they want.

The second book is always the hardest and I am super happy to say this was an excellent second book. We had the reunification of Seogka and Hani (now Kisu) , Seogka’s delicious brother and a murder mystery on the cruise ship which acts like a corporate purgatory. There were so many fun ideas in this book and overall, I did enjoy the book and would recommend it for an easy fun read. I think Sophie Kim’s talent as a writer is what pulls all these plot elements together and creates that tv comedy feel to the story. I genuinely had no idea where the plot was going and was pleasantly surprised all the different twists and clever callbacks to book one.

Seogka’s trauma from what happened in the first book was also explored, which I really appreciated. I loved that Kisu and Seogka are properly grappling with the philosophical questions is she really Hani if her personality, inclinations and tastes have changed. You really see real repercussions from the story of the first book, which in turn makes it properly feel like there were real stakes and losses in the first book. This book is for anyone who likes :

• Fated soulmates
• Gods and their antics
• Cruise ship murder mystery
• One sided yearning and pining
• Found family
• Forced proximity
• Family drama

Is this book as good as God and Gumiho?

“Paige. You were good, I’m waiting for you to be great.”

That is what I was think throughout this book and it really comes down to the high I was chasing after God and the Gumiho. While I did not expect Kisu to be Hani (especially from the blurb) I did expect banter between them. Especially in the beginning of the book where Kisu was rattling academic facts (I actually loved that part) when discovering the soul mate threat. But that part of Kisu just fizzled out. I think the bigger issue I had was I missed Seogka that we knew from the first book. Logically, I know trauma changed him and made him a fit for Kisu. But I missed the guy from the first book so much. That was the a********* I fell for. I do think objectively though I might not be emotionally mature for this book and someone else will love the growth of Seogka and Hani/Kisu. I, on the other hand, missed my two black cats desperately.

Someone else mentioned the stakes were higher in the first book, as here we are contained to a cruise ship. To be honest, that is true. While technically, Seogka is doing detective work on the cruise ship- I missed the actual detective storyline in the city. It just made for a more interesting (dark) vibe.

Conclusion

Read this book. I can see this one is going to create a lot of differing opinions and I see some people liking this more than the first one. I am still strapped in for a possible book three and will hopefully get a Fairyloot edition of this.

Thank you to Netgalley and Del Rey.

A fun mystery romance with Korean Mythology. Such a lovely ending to this duology 🥹

Thank you so much, Del Rey and NetGalley, for the ARC!

This second book in the series was as engaging as the first! The writing is witty and playful, truly a joy to read even if the story is not always joyful. The main characters have a lot of personal issues to overcome all while trying to solve a murder. If you enjoyed the first book, you will love the second!

First of all, thank you to NetGalley and DelRey for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. Also, there will be slight spoilers for the end of ‘The God and the Gumiho’, so if you haven’t read it, then what are you waiting for?

I went into this book with high expectations, as ‘The God and the Gumiho’ was one of my favourite books of 2024 and the ending left me both devastated and excited for the sequel.

And I can safely say that Sophie Kim delivered a satisfying conclusion to this fantasy duology!

The plot revolves around Kisa (the reincarnation of Hani’s soul and Seogka’s first love), who died on the day the red thread of fate manifested and now has to work on a cruise ship on the river of the dead where she meets Seogka (our trickster god), who has searched endlessly for her for 33 years.

But there are two complications. First, Kisa does not remember her first life or Seogka at all, and secondly, the Heavenly Emperor is murdered on the first night of the cruise (I always love an isolated murder mystery setting a la ‘Death on the Nile’).

What follows is a clandestine-ish murder investigation with faces both old and new, as well as a beautiful and careful exploration of Kisa and Seogka’s evolving relationship.

For me, a huge focus of this book was on the characters and exploring their pasts, traumas, mental health struggles and their complicated interpersonal relationships.
The author handles sensitive and heavy subjects such as suicide, depression, burn out, grief and toxic or complex familial relationships with care and manages to balance those with hopeful moments filled with connection and humor between the characters.

The relationship between Kisa and Seogka unfolds beautifully and explores what it means that while Kisa is Hani’s reincarnation, she is still her own person with her own peculiarities and characteristics. Both characters have to reflect on their feelings (and where they come from), their internal struggles and who they are to one another.

Sophie Kim has a seemingly effortless writing style that makes it very easy to connect to the characters and to picture the different mythological creatures and surroundings. In combination with the humorous undertones and bantering, I was reminded of K-Dramas such as ‘Tale of the Nine Tailed’ (I mean that with the highest compliments!).

Of course, the action does not fall short and though I felt the ending was a bit rushed and the reveal was not as shocking as in the first book, I enjoyed every minute of it and loved where the characters ended up.

All in all, ‘The God and the Gwisin’ was a delightful ending to this duology and I will miss Kisa and Seogka (and foolishly hope that we get to see more of them in the future).

I was sooooo excited when I received a copy of this book on netgalley in exchange for a review and my god it delivered!!

I was first introduced to Hani and Seokga last year when fairyloot did The God and the Gumiho in their adult box and my god I was thrilled with it. It had everything I love (grumpy/sunshine and enemies to lovers). That ending though had me squealing and the emotial turmoil it left behind.

Like Seokga, I initially struggled with comparing Kisa to Hani. I think this is very cleverly done by the author as it's exactly what any of us would do in this situation.

In the first book Hani shines from the two characters but Seokga really blossoms here. His self growth journey is both heartfelt and hilarious at times, especially since we have the luxury of hearing his inner monologue showing what he really thinks.

Kisa came across very flat initially and it did take me quite a while to warm to her. She isn't Hani, but this is the point of the book, and like Seokga, I agree that he needed Hani first to then love Kisa. Both women will always be his true loves.

In terms of plot, the first book had me guessing a tiny bit more initially, simply down to what had happened with the obvious suspect. This book was less tricky in the sense of guessing 'who done it' but again Seokga is second guessing himself here due to the trauma of getting it so wrong previously. Yes this was a clever tie in, but as the reader, I don't like the feeling of knowing I'm right too early on in a mystery.

On a side note, Somi's redemption arc was everything and more. I'm so glad we got to see this and really enjoyed the introduction of Hajun, who was genuinely just a really good guy.

The problem with the reincarnation trope when no one is going to remember their past life is that Hani /haunts/ the narrative. I liked her more than Kisa, and while I liked Kisa, there's something about a character who's just a little bit awful that I love. I understand the point that Seokga can love them both and not see them as the same person, but Hani is still important to the story and the reader, and when everyone in the novel misses her so much, it's hard not to in my own brain. Overall, worldbuilding was still great, romance was still somewhat instalove, and characters were interesting and well-developed, but I felt like the loss of Hani from the last book hindered this one; even if they're soulmates, even if they love each other, for the purpose of craft, Kisa is a replacement of a character we got attached to.

What an amazing sequel to the first book. I wasn’t sure how I would feel about this book considering the ending of The God and the Gumiho, but wow this was so good! I loved the chemistry between the two characters, especially the grumpy vs sunshine type of relationship between them. You could really see how much Seokga’s character developed following the end of the first book. I really hope this gets turned into a tv show, it would be incredible especially as it already reads like a K-drama.

I wasn't sure what to expect going into this as I haven’t read book one, but I ended up really loving it. The story weaves together some really interesting mythology. The premise of falling in love, being soulmates across time and across reincarnations is so interesting and the author did a great job with it. The pacing was very slow at times, but honestly, I didn’t mind. It was close to a cozy fantasy vibe and I was here for it! I'm looking forward to reading the first book and rereading this one!

**This review is based on an e-ARC generously provided to me through Netgalley**

The God and The Gwisin is a sequel to The God and The Gumiho. If you are interested in the first book, please skip this review as it will contain spoilers for The God and The Gumiho!

The much anticipated sequel, The God and The Gwisin continues right where the first book left off. Seokga- no longer a fallen god- is desperately searching for his fated mate ever since Hani's passing. When the Red Thread of Fate appears, Seokga is excited to finally reunite with his love when it suddenly tangles itself and he cannot find her for 7 years after its appearance. Needing a break, Seokga ends up on a cruise in the land of the dead, where he finally meets his soulmate- Yoo Kisa. When the Heavenly Emperor is murdered on the cruise, Seokga and Kisa must work together to uncover the murderer's identity before the end of the cruise.

I was worried going in to this that Kisa would not be as compelling a character as Hani was. But Kisa stands her own ground and is such an interesting character to read! Right off the bat, we see she struggles with burn out from her demanding job. She is extremely intelligent and is constantly wanting to learn more and more around her. Her brain is a constant flow of questions and trying to understand how the world works. I found this very charming and I was also curious as well! She struggles throughout the novel with the concept of reincarnation and the "Ship of Theseus" theory which was so intriguing and a side of reincarnation I had never seen discussed before. Does Seokga love her because she was Hani or because they share similar traits, or what?

As for Seokga, we get to see so much more of his personality throughout the novel which made me love him even more. There is so much depth to his character and my heart hurt for him at so many different times. His extreme heartbreak and yearning for his love, his loneliness, his love for his brother (even though he would never actually admit it), and his regrets. He really is a complex character who is so much more than his sneering trickster façade.

Not only does this novel hit us in the feels multiple times throughout, but it was also heartwarming and funny at times! I absolutely adored this book and am just dying for the next one! Because, hello, that cliff hanger? Yeah, I am going to need the next one asap! I love this world, the characters, and learning about the mythology- it's so fascinating!!

Overall, this is a 5/5 for sure. If you liked/loved the first book, absolutely check out the sequel as well. Somehow this was even better than the first and that one was also a 5/5 for me!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 6 STARS!

I know giving 6 stars is technically cheating but Sophie Kim’s Fate’s thread series is by far my favourite thing I’ve read this year and it’s been a year with quite a few 5-star reads.

The God and the Gwisin picks up 33 years after the God and the Gumiho left off with Seokga losing hope of finding Hani (now reincarnated as Kisa). Seokga’s fragile mental state has his brother emperor Hwanin more than a little worried, so he decides to take his new reconciled brother on a cruise along the rivers of the underworld on a ship manned by ghosts. It’s all only mildly infuriating Seokga until someone murders Hwanin and now Seokga needs to solve the murder and babysit his newly reincarnated baby (big) brother.

What I loved in particular:
- the continuation of the beautiful and surprising love story from book 1.
- the truly magical world built around Korean folklore.
- the relationship between Seokga and Hwanin was beautiful and filled with redemption of past mistakes for both of them.
- the witty and genuinely funny writing, the Godly Gossip exclusive interview is hilarious

The only negative thing I could say is that I loved Hani as a sidekick for Seokga so much and Kisa didn’t quite fill her shoes for me. But the return of Somi as a reforming serial killer almost made up for it.

Overall I loved this book and the whole series so much I immediately pre-ordered a physical copy because I know this series is a new comfort read that I will revisit over and over again.

I would recommend this book to anyone that loves fairy tales, urban fantasy or a unique and moving love story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey for the opportunity to read this ARC.

one day, while you're trapped in the service of an undead cruise, you notice a red string tied to your pinky finger and it leads you to the love of your life who happens to be a hot god but also a huge loser.

if i thought 'the god and the gumiho' was hilarious, then 'the god and the gwisin' is doubly so. the energy of all the characters is so unhinged that i could never tell what was going to happen and i loved every single moment of it. the god of death said purgatory isn't enough, i gotta capitalize and make a vacation cruise for the dead which is hilarious.

seokga has to go through so much pain and growth to get to where he is and it broke my heart at many points. however, i love when a sad pathetic male character goes through it and the comedic beats involved in seokga finding yoo kisa include therapy, reuniting with his brother, and having to vacation on a cruise to relieve stress.

i'd read more about seokga, kisa and friends' shenanigans like a comedy slice of life story.

thank you so much, del rey for the eARC and opportunity to read and review!

Thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey for giving me this ARC.. I disliked the first book but I’m giving the second one another chance because I love Sophie Kim’s works. Turned out, it was the right call.

(MAJOR SPOILERS FOR THE FIRST BOOK)
If you survived the first book, unlike the main character, you’ll know we get a new main character in the second one. That being said, I love Kisa compared to Hani. Even tho most of the time Sophie Kim wrote Kisa as if she had never met any smart nerd in real life, I think Kisa is lovely and more relatable as a character. The reincarnation aspect is also well written.

I also like Somi and Hajun. Please don’t fight me on liking Somi, I think her character is well written here after what happened in the first book. Hajun is also lovely. I love his platonic relationship with Kisa… I’m a sucker for platonic F/M relationships, and I will give a plus star if a book has that.

Compared to the first book, I feel like this one is written in a way that uses fewer easily predicted tropes. I listed every romance trope in the first one, and I hated most of them. I have no problem with the storyline in the first book, but I didn’t think it was well executed. I feel more neutral about this one, but I still have a bit of a problem with the ending and the reveal. Some jokes are also funnier here, but don’t quote me because I have bad taste in comedy. I read SS Flatliner and I was like… That’s genius. Anyway, there’s a baby on board… a magical baby.

Other than that, my main complaint is still about Seokga because, oh gosh, he’s still being childish. Imagine being immortal and childish. I don’t think those two words should be put next to each other. I appreciate that he went to therapy and differentiated Kisa from Hani, at least he tried, but that’s not enough for me.

Really great ending. Does a great job of tying things together. The middle was full of mystery and I enjoyed the "who done it" points as well. The character growth was pleasing as well. I loved the brotherly bonding as well as the talks of reincarnation and love rediscovered through it.

This was a fun little fantasy. It was pretty fast past and i like the dynamic between Seogka and Kisa and the whole debate about reincarnation and who he really loves and what that means as well as the whole murder mystery and the twist of the ultimate villain of the book. Overall it was fun and fast read that had strong drama vibes.

'The God and the Gwisin' is the second and final book in the 'Fate's Thread' duology.

The story of the first book leaves things on a most tragic note, and this book also starts in a depressive manner, but things quickly become quirky and funny as the beloved arrogant god takes charge of the plot. I also loved Kisa, much more than Hani, to be honest, as she was more relatable and bookish, and scholarly. I also enjoyed how the author wrapped things up and gave the story the best possible ending!

On the other hand, I found myself struggling to go through the middle part where the investigation was going on, but the final part got things back on track.

I received an ARC of this book, courtesy of Del Rey and NetGalley, and it made my week.

I loved the first book, which was one of my favourite reads for 2024, and cried so hard at the end. I was thus anticipating the follow-up book, and it did not disappoint. The fantasy elements blended so well with the romance, with sprinkles of humour and drama. In short, the perfect Kdrama in book form. Not giving away the ending, but I promise you, you won’t be disappointed.

i loved this so much that i don’t quite know what to do with myself now that i’ve finished this?? as much as i enjoyed the first book, the god and the gwisin far surpasses its predecessor in nearly every aspect and may just be one of my favorite novels of this year. <3

even from the first installment, seokga had always been the star of the show for me; so it was thoroughly enjoyable seeing how much he has grown in this book, from being able to face his vulnerabilities to brotherly bonding, all while still maintaining that certain charm he has that makes him such an endearing character in the first place. not to mention getting to see him be so deliciously down bad for the fmc?? i was so seated and i miss them already :”)

kisa brought a freshness to this book that made the whole story seem less formulaic than the first one was, and i honestly prefer her to hani more because of that. her and seokga’s emotional depth and chemistry felt more mature, natural, and overall just adorably sweet.

this book was genuinely so funny, and sophie kim’s writing is so easy to fall into. the plot brought the perfect balance between seeing old faces and meeting new ones. the mystery, although it took a backseat for the majority of the story, was quite riveting and i found myself completely intrigued by the time we reached the end.

i know this book isn’t even out yet but consider me seated for the next one! (because there better be a book 3 or sophie kim WILL be hearing from me.)

5 stars! thank you to netgalley and random house publishing group for the opportunity to read this arc in exchange for an honest review.