The God and the Gwisin is the second book in Sophie Kim’s Fate’s Thread series. After the intense cliffhanger at the end of The God and the Gumiho, I was desperate to get my hands on the next book. Thankfully, Kim did not disappoint!

This book is part murder-mystery, part fantasy and lots of fun! I found myself laughing at the wonderfully ridiculous situations that Seokga and Kisa get themselves into. Without giving too much away, there are some hilarious moments with a floating baby.

I was nervous about the reincarnation aspect of this story and the changes that it would cause in the story. However, I found the new characters and new versions of old characters to be delightful. It really felt like a new little family was being born on the page.

I also loved the new setting! Rather than taking place in New Sinsi in the 90’s, this novel is set on a pleasure cruise in the middle of the underworld. There are new creatures, new gods, new godly powers and more. We particularly learn more about Seokga’s mother and father, the creators of the universe. Their presence in the story leads to more emotional depth in our trickster god and higher stakes. No spoilers, but be prepared for some grand godly schemes.

If you loved the funny relationships between deities in the Percy Jackson series and wanted to see more, or if you are a fan of Asian mythology and fantasy, please give this series a shot!

This book is very entertaining. A bit cringe at some parts, but nothing I will hold against its excellence at creating a wonderful reincarnation love story. I care for the characters a lot and was a bit sad when it came to an end.
Kisa may not be as troublesome (but fun) as Hani, but she's charming in her own way. I love how the characters are able to solve misunderstandings between them and how they work as a team in solving the murder case. Seokga and Somi have a lot of character developments and it's refreshing to see them bicker (harmlessly) while trying to get Kisa's attention. I'm not usually a fan of spicy scene but it was done quite beautifully so there is no room of protest from me.

I really struggled with this review and to be honest I nearly dnf'd the book. It failed to capture the same charm compared to it's predecessor The God and the Gumiho,

Overall the story itself is fine. The murder mystery falls a little flat, the red herrings and twists can be spotted early in the narrative. The climax of the book feels fairly rushed and there is an overall lack of tension in solving the mystery.

However, I was put off quite early on when themes of self harm and suicide were explicitly discussed without any trigger warning. Whilst handled carefully by the author, the inclusion of these in a subplot adds little to the plot or character arcs. These parts were ultimately jarring and distressing, taking me out of the narrative.

Sophie Kim is a great writer and her character voices are distinct. The romance between Seokga and Kisa is well paced and the reincarnation trope is handled very well.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for granting me early access in exchange for an honest review.

This review contains spoilers for The God and the Gumiho!! If you have not read that book, please stop and go read it first!

US Release Date: 06.03.2025
Genre: Fantasy, Romance
Format Read: E-Book / E-ARC
Tropes:
❥ Forced Proximity
❥ Duel-POV
❥ Second-Chance Romance
❥ Soul Mates
❥ Korean Folklore

My Synopsis:
Book number two in the Fate’s Thread series is set 33 years after the end of The God and the Gumiho. Seokga has been desperately searching for Hani’s reincarnated form, but when he his lead by their red thread of fate to a cruise down the river of the dead, he finds Yoo Kisa instead - and she has no memory of him what-so-ever. When a murder of an important passenger occurs, Seoka and Kisa must work together to solve the crime before the cruise ends. Through this collaboration, Seoka and Kisa grow closer, blending their past and present selves into something new.

My Review:
As a fan of the first book in this duology, I was excited to revisit this world and thrilled to continue to follow my darling curmudgeon, Seokga. In this sequel, we get even more character depth and emotional exploration than the first one. We traverse themes of grief and identity with grace and care. I particularly loved the complexity of Kisa’s character, and the dynamic between her and Seokga as they explore the idea of both their past and present selves. We get a rich cast of side characters as well, which brought lightness and humor to the story.

The pacing is similar to the first book, and I would categorize it as medium paced. As with the first book, the mystery itself was pretty predictable, so I appreciated this pacing and felt that it really fit the story well. The world building was done well for this sort of story, and I never felt as if it was lacking or I had more questions than answers.

As for the romance, this is one of the sweetest and genuinely moving love stories I’ve read within this genre. We get so much more vulnerability in Seoka this time around, and so much delicious, angst filled pining. It was beautiful to see how much Seokga had grown since meeting and losing Hani, and I appreciated his approach to getting to know Kisa and navigating their new dynamic. Their dialogue was everything and the banter hit even harder this time around.

If you loved The God and the Gumiho, you’re in for such a treat with this conclusion. Thank you so very much to @Netgalley, @Delrey, @randomhouse, and @sophiekim for this e-ARC! Opinions are of course my own.

Such a fun sequel!

I enjoyed this sequel a lot more than I anticipated! It was fun, and a super easy read. I devoured it in a single day! I honestly didn't know what to expect from this book, but it really did surprise me.

Kisa was such a unique FMC! I thought the development of really setting her apart from Hani was very well done. I was slightly worried that they would feel too similar or too different and that wasn't the case at all. I thought the dynamic of Kisa and Hani was very well written. I also enjoyed her character's journey in this book. Only thing is I wish Kisa and Seokga would've had more time to build their dynamic. It wasn't that it was rushed per se, but it felt undeveloped in a way in my opinion. I do, however, think their overall relationship was heartwarming. It was hard to watch Seokga struggle with realizing Kisa wasn't Hani. And I wish we could've spent a little more time unpacking that revelation.

Overall, I thought this book was a very solid sequel, and I enjoyed my time back with this world and the characters! Definitely would recommend if you love a cozy, easy to read fantasy with low stakes. Perfect airplane or beach-read if you ask me!

I would like to thank the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Rating: 4.5/5

The God and the Gwisin is the perfect sequel to The God and the Gumiho. I swear I laughed out loud at every other page - this is not a book to read in a place where one is expected to be quiet. I cried at one point. Kim is so good at blending humor and seriousness. The incorporation of Korean folklore was, once again, fantastic. The characters were anything but stagnant in their growth. The mystery wasn’t ground breaking, but let’s be honest- this book is meant to be entertaining and a little bit reflective, not some literary masterpiece. Seokga is one of my favorite grumpy MMC’s of all time. The banter between him and, well, everyone is great.

Thank you DelRey and NetGalley for the egalley!

considering i gave the first book 3 stars, no one is more surprised than me by this rating. the characters had so much more depth and the romance was honestly just beautiful. there was a twist on the red string of fate that made this more unique as well. Seokga is known as the trickster god, but here we see him as just a man who’s broken and depressed, trying to pick up those broken pieces. Kisa is Hani’s reincarnation and while she does still have a connection to Seokga, she’s also completely her own person. this means that they have to build their relationship from the ground up organically, things aren’t rushed and it was so entertaining seeing both of them try to hide their thoughts from one another.

there’s another mystery aspect to the plot— this time, it has to do with Seokga’s brother Hwanin. he gets murdered and they have to figure out who’s responsible. one thing i will say that i actually guessed who the culprit was early on, but that didn’t bother me. i also wasn’t expecting the mental health rep, all the characters: Seokga, Kisa, Somi and Hajun have had a rough time in their lives for different reasons and i loved seeing their friendships grow as they work through what’s been weighing them down. i even loved Somi’s side romance with Hajun, he was the sweetest. i really don’t have any complaints about this book, it completely took me by surprise and i am so happy that i continued the series. Kisa and Seokga are two characters that will 100% be sticking with me for sure.

Let me start off by saying that the first book in this series, The God and the Gumiho, was my absolute favorite read of 2024.

The God and the Gwisin is the perfect sequel and now both added to a recurring re-read list reserved for my top tier favorites of all time.

It gave me major “Goblin: the lonely and great god vibes”, especially with Seokga on his hunt to find Kisa (Hani reincarnated) and all the entertaining drama that follows. I mean who doesn’t love a good murder mystery?!

Sophie Kim is magic and you can’t convince me otherwise. The way she has brought these characters to life will have a permanent mark on me.

If you like murder mysteries, Korean mythology, Koreans dramas, or just all around great story telling that can suck you in- read this series immediately.

Huge thank you to Del Rey and NetGalley for gifting me with an eARC copy of this book, and to Sophie for dreaming up this story and bringing it to life.

This sequel to The God and the Gumiho is so perfect. Seokga is back and after the events in the first book, he is trying to find his fated love again. Except this time Hani is not Hani anymore. Seokga works to reunite with his lost soulmate on a cruise ship in the underworld and this reincarnated version of her soul, Yoo Kisa, does not remember him.

Not only is Seokga trying to reconnect with Kisa and find the bond that had him falling for Hani, but we have another mystery to solve. This time it’s a murder mystery on the cruise! I love that Sophie Kim is able to take some known story plots, mash them up with Korean mythology, especially the afterlife in this case, and craft a beautiful love story out of it. We get a few other recurring cast members in this one and we learn a bit more about Seokga and his family history.

There were some great twists and turns to the mystery and while I did suspect the ultimate killer, I did not suspect just how heinous their plot truly was. And we again get left on such a climactic cliffhanger, that I am on the edge of my seat waiting for the announcement of a book 3!

4.5 stars

Thank you to @delreybooks and @netgalley for the eARC.

Sophie Kim has to be one of the cleverest authors i’ve ever read stories from - this book had me kicking and giggling and laughing out loud and then also tearing up on the train in public??? Sophie’s voice is so clear in this book and Seokga’s grumpiness was easily my favorite part of this book. this was an excellent sequel to an amazing duology and i will part ways as one of my favorites - just pure fun!

I have a very hard time understanding why this series hasn't gone completely viral because these books are magical. The God and the Gwisin is proof that the sequel can be better than the original.

This time around we get the story of Seokga (I missed his grumpiness so much) and Kisa, the reincarnation of our previous FMC, Hani. They meet while Seokga is supposed to be on a cruise vacation, but it turns out to be anything but relaxing as a murder mystery develops on board.

This book took me from laughing hysterically to emotional destruction and back. This story is an absolute gift, and I need at least 5 more books in this world please.

Overall, read it immediately.

The God and the Gwisin is a gorgeously atmospheric continuation of the series, steeped in Korean folklore and ghostly mystique. Centered around a reluctant medium and a mysterious god tied to death, this installment explores grief, vengeance, and redemption with emotional depth and eerie elegance. The chemistry between the leads simmers beneath layers of pain and unspoken truths, drawing readers into a romance haunted by both the past and literal spirits. While the pacing can feel deliberate, the payoff is rich in both worldbuilding and heart. A beautifully written, haunting tale that lingers like a whisper from the other side.

listed!)

I enjoyed The God and the Gumiho last year, so when I saw the opportunity to read the sequel, I jumped at it. This book was so great, I couldn’t stop turning the pages. I feel like this series would make an amazing TV show.

We have a 30-ish year time jump from the end of book one. Seokga is still hunting for Hani. Everyone has decided that he needs a vacation and sends him on a cruise ship in the underworld. We got another murder mystery and wonderful supporting characters. Full of hope and heartbreak, it was the perfect balance between plot and romance.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I really loved the fun k-drama vibes of the first book inn this series and this second offering carried on that feeling with the added bonus of a murder mystery plot with an interesting twist.

Never imagined Kopiko would follow me from K-drama to books but here we are…
The God and the Gwisin takes place years after the events from the previous book and we follow Seokga, who is still searching for Hani and learning how to navigate his grief, and Kisa (who we learn is actually Hani reincarnated), a gwisin working on an underworld vacation cruise ship, on their journey full of mystery, Korean mythology and romance.
As much as I loved Hani, I found myself relating more to Kisa and I loved her dynamic with Seokga. I really enjoyed delving into reincarnation and watching Seokga and Kisa both battle with it in their own ways. Seokga's struggle with accepting that Kisa doesn't remember him or her past life, and Kisa's struggle with finding out who she used to be and trying to resist her feelings.
I loved how delicate their relationship was at first, how Seokga respected Kisa's boundaries and how he was ready to let her go if that was what she wanted. The red thread of fate being sentient was so creative and funny, I laughed every time it decided to chime in or do something. At first I felt indifferent about Somi because of her actions in the first book but I enjoyed her redemption arc.
I had a lot of fun reading this and I loved being back in this world and seeing how Seokga and Hani’s story plays out after the heartbreaking finale of the first book. The epilogue ends on a cliffhanger that feels like it might be teasing a third book - I’m desperately holding on to hope that this isn’t the last time I read about these characters!
～Thank you to Del Rey and NetGalley for the ARC!

0.5 🌶️
3.5 ⭐

- threaded mate (red string)
- urban fantasy
- Korean mythology

I receive this book from NetGalley, and here is my honest review!

After what happen in book 1, I'm so excited to finally reading the 2nd book. We still follow Seokga who search Hani everywhere even after 33 years and finally meet with Kisa, Hani's reincarnation.

I feel bad with Seokga, after what happen between him and Hani, finally to meet again but with different person but still Hani. Kisa didn't remember anything but with her personality, everything out from her mouth just make our Trickster God feel bad. I really wish Kisa is not that stubborn and let her feeling because Kisa not only withhold herself but also Seokga. But I really love the concept of mind reading. They can read each other mind or feeling and it really nice.

The plot kind of the same with the first book, where there's a case and both of them jump straight to the case. The case is kind of predictable about the perpetrator but not the motive. And I love how the author try to deliver the solution.

But the one thing I don't really like is the filler. So many things I skip because the author make it too detail and I don't think it really relate to story so I kind of skip so much. That is why I deducted my 0.5 star.

Appreciation to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for access to this digital ARC in return for an honest review.

So I haven't finished this yet. I was so excited to receive this ARC (bless up I was literally crossing my fingers so hard). I'm 31% in and am already crying that it's going to be over. I want to get lost in Sophie Kims imagination. Her world and her characters are so fun, they have such vigor. Yeah there's a little bit of cheese for us lactose intolerant, but even I can appreciate a bit of cheesy-ness when it comes in the form of a very hot and very grumpy Seokga wrapped package. I'll come update this when I finish the book, but thought everyone should know to put in their pre-orders.

**Finished! I definitely didn't speak too soon declaring my enjoyment of this book. My only griping will be that for all the lead up to the ultimate scene in this adventure, it lacked some action at the end. Namely that for a god, Seokga's use of his powers is rather underwhelming. Otherwise, the cast brings some new characters you grow to love, the world imaginative (yet again), and the ending is cathartic. Thank you Sophie Kim for not being afraid to take the folklore/mythology of your heritage and give it a new spin.

Rating 4.5/5 stars, but it definitely earned it's goodreads roundup to 5.

This was a fun follow up to The God and the Gumiho! This takes place about 30 years after the first book, so it's no longer got the 90's charm of the first book, but rather a modern-day take on the underworld where souls hang out before they continue on their undead journey. The cruise ship idea was really fun, as well as the murder mystery. There definitely leaves room for further exploration of this world, and I'm excited to read it! A huge thank you to Netgalley and Del Rey for the eARC in exchange for my honest thoughts!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

You ever get your hands on a highly anticipated sequel to a book and you panic? You get worried it won’t live up to your hype and don’t pick up the book? I did that and I regret because boy did I love this book.

It took me two weeks to fully read this book, which is a lot of me. Normally taking that long means a book isn’t holding my attention.

However this book had me on my phone reading it in the dark, laughing and not wanting to stop, savoring each bit.

It has a lot of heart, a lot of fun, and I honestly wish I had more.

5 stars

Thank you to Del Rey and NetGalley for the review copy! I loved The God and the Gumiho when I read it last year and was so excited to read the sequel!

I loved the setting of a murder mystery on a cruise ship for the dead and I loved getting to know Kisa alongside Seokga. And Hajun and Somi are the absolute best.

This did a great job of wrapping up their storyline, but the epilogue makes me hope that maybe we’ll get a spin-off down the line. (Pretty please with a cherry on top?)

Overall if you liked the first book, I feel like the sequel stands up!