Couldn’t put it down! Loved how the language felt very pastel-y so it contrasted nicely with the dark, grim story. Also the ending was perfect imho! Thank you very much for the arc.

When I started reading this book, I had no idea what to expect. And that turned out to be a good thing, because oh my god, The God and the Gumiho surprised me in the best possible way. Set in 1992, in a supernatural South Korea, this is the story of Seokga, a fallen god and Hani, the legendary Scarlet Fox. The two team up when a demon starts terrorising their city. Their team-up leads to a most wonderful dynamic. The two dislike each other at the start; like really dislike each other, and through this dislike, comes through, some incredible banter.

I will not lie, I was shipping Hani and Seokga right from the start. Even if they were not getting along, the chemistry between them was intense and clearly visible. And truly, you will start loving them together quickly.

The world building in this was sooo good too; it felt like I was being immersed in an action-packed K-drama, with elements of Korean mythology incorporated within. Sophie Kim's writing was truly beautiful and really pulls you into this story, grounding you in this world. And the way things were described in this really feels like you're living every event of the book as it happens. Like you're right there with the characters.

As for the ending? I'm speechless. I was not expecting *that* to happen. And truly, my heart is broken. I am gonna need some time to recover. But the final chapter of the book leaves you with a certain degree of hope and after reading that, I simply cannot wait for Book 2! I know it's going to be as amazing as this one was.

If you don't already have this preordered, then do it now. The God and the Gumiho is an incredibly fantasy tale that will render you speechless when you finish (and I mean, speechless in a good way).

I really thought I was going to love this book but unfortunately, it did not happen. The first hundred pages were promising, with good witty conversations and the glimpse of a very intriguing plot. I did also really like Hani at the beginning, from the first chapter I had a good feeling with her — and not with Seokga. The plot had a lot of potential but I felt like it progressively vanished to put the two main characters and their romance at the forefront. I did not believe in that romance at all. The characters had more chemistry platonically that romantically, if that makes sense. I thought the romance came out of absolutely nowhere, especially with both characters disliking each other quite a lot — or so I thought. It was insta-lovey. This novel did not need this forced romance and it would have been way better without it. I was really engaged in the plot and its mystery but the romance slowly disconnected me from it. And that’s a shame for me.

Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for a honest review.

3.5 stars rounded down.

A cute enemies to lovers romance with a half baked murder mystery and a lot of banter. Enjoyable enough while reading, but feels like the kind of book I will forget about very quickly. The prose was fine but nothing special - I'll always hate present tense but I also always get used to it after starting. I liked that it was set in the 90s, and Hani was a fun character. Seokga was fine, but seemed more like a god of grumpiness than trickery.

Recommended for readers who like character focused books and grumpy/sunshine romances. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Let me start this review by saying that this is one of my most anticipated releases of the year, especially after seeing all the raving reviews from early readers. Two cunning immortals who hate each other having to team up to solve a mystery while deceiving each other and then they fall in love? I was hooked. Sadly, I find this book highly disappointing and didn’t deliver in all the aspects that it promised well.

First of all, this book reads like a fanfiction. And while usually I have no qualms with that, especially if it’s enjoyable to read, it is not the case for this book. It was tedious and unnecessary, and it didn’t fit the tone of the story. There are plenty of dialogues that are extremely difficult to read, because there are too many unnecessary descriptions that, instead of giving the reader a good picture of the situation, make the entire thing hard to read. Not to mention how much they talk that could’ve been cut because it didn’t add up anything except for the headaches I have to suffer.

The romance aspect of this book, which I was hoping would be the savior of the book, is done so poorly. I said it to my friends before, but it developed faster than instant ramen and jumped from point A to point Z so quickly that it felt like they were teleporting into romance instead of having it developed organically. They went from annoying and hating each other to suddenly 100% tolerating in a span of one paragraph, and then from that to “oh I think I have romantic feelings for you” due to the magic of the one-bed trope (which isn’t done well too in this case). And then the next chapter, they kiss and suddenly they’re madly in love... I kept questioning myself if I missed a chapter or two, but I didn’t.

And the plot... my last thread of hope for this book. Even that wasn’t enough to make me keep reading because all I could think about was when this book would end, which was why I decided to dnf. It was somewhat interesting, but then it gets boring and I simply don’t care anymore.

All in all, I am very disappointed that this book didn’t deliver like I want it to, and I am happy if people enjoyed it, but this book isn’t for me at all and if our tastes are similar, then there’s a chance you won’t like this as much either.

With thanks to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the ARC!

This was a fun, cute, heartbreaking read! I loved the characters so much, especially Seokga. I adored the ending and I thought it was very clever. The worldbuilding was incredible, I loved reading about all the different creatures.

The morally grey main characters had so much character growth and those final few chapters wrecked me! It was fast-paced and exciting, and I absolutely loved the witty banter back and forth between Seokga and Hani.

I highly recommend this, it’s a gem of a book and I know this is going to be a top read of the year!

***I received this advanced copy for free provided by NetGalley and I'm leaving this review voluntarily. ***

I have absolutely no words. Not only this is now my favorite ARC but also it stands in between on my favorite books.
The first korean folklore book I ever read and I'm glad because this was a great surprise, specially as I'm such a fan of korean culture and here I had the opportunity to even dig deeper into their folklore stories.
The plot was brilliantly wrote and the character development was so smooth you can't even track down when they start to change which is an amazing experience as you feel you're growing with them. I have no doubts that Hani and Seokga are my favorite couple now, the way they tease each other, I laughed so so so much from the coffee first incident moment until when they roll down the mountain, they're like big children with funny fights I think I marked 500 parts on the book 🤣🤣
Their story was lovely to see develop and I'm just slightly sad that in the end it didn't have further development but who knows.. maybe another book would come ..?? 👀🥰
I completely recommend this book, so so worthy and I'm so grateful that I had the opportunity to have it as an ARC. 🤍

In "The God and the Gumiho," the first book of the enchanting contemporary fantasy series, Fate's Thread, Sophie Kim weaves a spellbinding tale of gods, demons, and the unlikely alliance between a fallen trickster god and a coffee-slinging, shapeshifting fox.
Kim Hani, once feared as the Scarlet Fox, spends her days blending into the mortal world, working at a café trying to avoid a certain aggravating customer. Seokga, a trickster god banished from the heavens, spends his days hunting demons and finding new ways to provoke the Scarlet Fox. When a powerful demon breaks free from the underworld, and the Scarlet Fox resurfaces before vanishing mysteriously, Hani is determined to outwit Seokga at every turn, even infiltrating his investigation with her own cunning tricks. But as they clash in a battle of wits and wills, sparks begin to fly, and they find themselves drawn to each other. "The God and the Gumiho" is a delightful blend of magic, humor, and romance. Sophie Kim's storytelling is vibrant and captivating, drawing readers into a world where gods walk among mortals and nothing is quite as it seems. The chemistry between Hani and Seokga crackles with tension, and their banter is both witty and endearing. As they embark on a quest to stop the demon and unravel the mysteries of their own pasts, readers are taken on a thrilling ride full of twists and surprises.

I did not expect to enjoy this so much! The premise caught my eyes and I’m happy to report that it did not disappoint. This book has an engaging plot, dynamic characters, and great writing! It’s also very easy to read and perfect if you like My Demon or Alchemy of Souls, or just if you enjoy reading grumpy x sunshine! I can’t wait to read book 2!!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this eARC of 'The God and the Gumiho' by Sophie Kim.

I wish I could say I full-heartedly adored this book but I didn't. I don't know why, the concept was absolutely up my alley but I just couldn't fall in love with it. I do highly recommend people give it a go because Sophie Kim is a talented author but this book wasn't for me.

This was a very easy, quick, and fun read with silly characters that are endearing in a surprising way. I really liked the way we get a good sense of who each character is from the moment they are introduced, and I thought the character growth was paced in a believable way for a boo0k this size.
Most of the plot was predictable, but I still enjoyed watching it unfold and finding out how Seokga and Hani would deal with things because they were so loveable. The banter between the characters was great; their romance was very, very sweet, I enjoyed watching their affection grow and seeing how they learned to navigate their feelings.
Overall, this book achieves what it wants to do in a satisfying way without being outstanding.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

4 stars: Overall, a sweet cozy love story about an unlikely pair who fight the forces of evil in a world where the creatures of Korean magical folklore are real.

What worked for me:
1. The characters - They were refreshing. Bold and powerful, they are not the “weak” type of good guys in a lot of stories. They are also not completely white/good either but both have their own streaks of gray mixed in. But it’s the type of grey that doesn’t feel wrong as you read it (which is how I love it to be done)
2. The Korean magical world - I could fully imagine this world the author painted. It was also really nice to see so many real Korean cultural references/terms/ items alive in the story.
3. Banter - The leads bicker and fight with each other constantly in the beginning and it was entertaining to read. Although the female could be a tad annoying, she was still able to stand and hold her own against the male, so her sometimes too bold/rudeness was excusable because of how it made her a force of nature for the male, rather than a meek stepping stone (which most all mortals are to him).
4. The end part of their relationship - Despite how quickly their relationship seemed to progress, I loved how they were with each other towards the end of the novel. It made me root for them to be together.

What didn’t work for me:

1. The narration perspective is 3rd but in the present tense, which I personally don’t like. Just feels too much like telling and not showing. But this is a personal pref and many ppl prob won’t mind it all all. That said, the author does use the style well and I was able to enjoy the book despite my personal preference.
2. As a Korean, I love seeing our words used in an English novel, but sometimes I didn’t see why the Korean form was used as opposed to plain English. Also sometimes some slang seemed awkwardly placed. While I loved it anyway, it did strike me as odd sometimes.
3. The love progression - In a short time the leads fall in love although they have known each other awhile which helps. But they fall so deep and so in love almost all of a sudden rather than gradually even despite that. I wish it would fleshed out more.
4. Predictable - The surprise twist and ending were predictable and played out how I thought they would. But it was still enjoyable to read anyway.

Oh my god this book just blew out all my expectations.
I wasn't expecting the romance, which was INCREDIBLE. Hate to love, written in such a fantastic way.
I loved the juxtaposition between the grump god and the annoying and hyper gumiho.
One of my favourite books this year so far. I NEED more!

Okay, I absolutely loved this story but also this book had no business being this funny and heartbreaking at the same time.

When reading this book, you get:
- magic
- monsters
- (Korean) mythology
- morally grey MCs (yes, both of them)

The story Sophie Kim crafted is fast-paced, addicting, and feels like a big hug. I fell in love with the characters instantly, and the last few chapters shattered my heart. The character growth was chef's kiss, the plot was plotting, the writing was original, and there isn't a single thing I would change upon first read.

I really-really-REALLY hope the series continues where it was left off in the Epilogue because I most definitely need more, and I need it now, thank you.

Fun, bubbling over with creative ideas and with very much not goody-two-shoes protagonists at its center: "The God and the Gumiho" was a delightful quick read that does have its issues, but will surely win a lot of hearts.
The two protagonists are the titular God and Gumiho: fallen trickster god Seogka who now works as an investigator on Earth, responsible for solving crimes including otherworldly beings and sending them back to where they belong, and gumiho Hani. Hani is famous for being the deadliest fox to have ever lived, solely responsible for a massacre that took place a century ago, but she's living with a new identity to escape punishment for her terrible deeds. They don't like each other much, at least at first. Then Hani draws more attention to herself than she expected and decides to join the investigation of the very crimes she committed in order to get Seogka off her scent - and thus start the shenanigans.

"The God and the Gumiho" is a wild ride. All the characters involved are fun, the plot is interesting, and the pacing fast enough to make this a quick read. I think people that are more familiar with Korean mythology will have a lot more fun with it because the world building is of the sink or swim variety: We are thrown into a lake full of creature and place names with very vague, if at all existing, descriptions given while the author stands at the shore hoping we'll learn to swim on our own. I was mostly confused and decided to go on a quick wiki sidequest so I could at least picture all the people we meet throughout the adventure.
The writing itself is perfectly alright. It relies heavily on a particular kind of humour that didn't work for me, but that is entirely a me thing. The writing does shine in the more serious parts of the book, and especially the ending was really really REALLY well done.
The characters are a bit confusing, to be honest. For one, they are supposed to be very, very old. Centuries old. But they act like teenagers, especially Hani. They have the wit of teenagers, the humour of teenagers, yet I'm supposed to believe they are ancient creatures. They are also not really complex, though at least they do have good character development. I also felt like the things we were told about them didn't always fit the way they are presented throughout the story. For example, Hani is supposed to be the most cunning fox of them all, but some of her decisions are stupid as hell. There was no actual cunning involved.
I wasn't the biggest fan of their romance. I enjoyed it at the beginning, when they really were a quite good example of enemies to lovers - they truly did not like each other at all (even though the reasons given, especially his dislike of her, were kind of stupid). The development from enemies to lovers was really really quick though, and suddenly they are each other's greatest loves and all the nice slow-burn build up was gone.
The side characters were charming and if this does get a sequel, I hope it's a certain other fox lady's time to shine.

In the end, this is a middle of the road kind of read for me. I absolutely understand that I was not the target audience, and kdrama fans will probably eat this up. The humour didn't work for me, the characters were a bit onedimensional and didn't act their age nor their life experience, but the bones of the story were fantastic and it made me read up on South Korean mythology. I love it when a book inspires me to do that. So while this didn't turn out to be a memorable read for me, I am absolutely convinced it will have lots and lots of fans.

final rating: ★★★★★

thank you so much to netgalley and the publisher Hodder and Stoughton for the e-arc

wahhhh everything about this book hit perfectly for me. nothing much these few days have stood out in particular for me even in this densely populated asian fantasy genre, but this korean urban fantasy hit the spot for me. everything from the setting to the lore to the characters and even the mystery behind it had be absorbed from start to finish.

(spoilers ahead!!)

let's start with the world. Iseung, basically the modern world is where the story is set, where creatures of korean mythology hide in plain sight. we meet our two main characters Hani, our Scarlet Fox gumiho who killed a lot in the past and went into hiding, and Seokga, a fallen god following a failed coup. i loved the different worlds, Okhwang which is basically the korean mount olympus, an underworld and a dark world. i didn't even mind stopping look up the different creatures. and the pacing was all excellent, the foreshadowing and build up on Somi's arc into a gumiho giving in to her cravings, the real identity of the eudosuksinni demon, even the obvious herring were written in a fast paced, yet still vivid manner that i commend Sophie Kim for.

both protagonists start off annoying, and we see the classic grumpy x sunshine, enemies to lovers thing going on immediately. while Hani's character growth focusses more on her choices of self preservation first, others later and shifts the other way around, i found Seokga's journey way more interesting in a young, angsty in annoying denial of his feelings and caring more about others than himself. the build up of their relationship was realistic, did not have the sizzling sexual tension i've come to expect from the trope right from the beginning, and was very satisfying to see unfold.

the ending of Hani actually dying was surprising. i thought, y'know, plot armour. but she died. and Seogka had to beg his brother (whom i would gladly throw off Okhwang) to let her reincarnate, and he waited *counts* TWENTY SIX years for her to be reborn. love the ending, but more please!

Sophie Kim has gone above and beyond by writing The God and the Gumiho. I knew I was going to enjoy this book, purely from the premise and the gorgeous cover alone but I didn't expect to fall for it as hard as I did. I devoured this book in a single sitting, I couldn't stop reading it

I really enjoyed the Korean folklore, being a K-Drama fan really made my senses go crazy while reading this book. The creatures mentioned are super interesting, the world building is really balanced and detailed.

This book is a perfect example of how well a retelling works when it is done right. It's a stunning masterpiece of of multiple tropes working well with each other.

So much fun!
Kdrama and mythology in one book! I love the cover too, it's definitely what drew me in!!!!
Such a fun read

- A k-drama in book format -
This book is set in New Sinsi, a fictitious Korean city, in 1992 and follows the events of two main characters: Seogka, god of deception, who after a coup at the reign of his brother and emperor of the gods Hwanin, loses his divine powers, his kingdom and is sentenced to live in the mortal realm (called Iseung) and serve his sentence by killing 20 thousand unruly monsters (Unrulies). Only then can he regain his powers and his kingdom. Hani on the other hand is a gumiho (or kitsune in Japanese - the nine-tailed fox) is the most wanted creature in the whole city and works in a café, even though she hates coffee. Seogka hates the mortal world, but the only thing he loves is coffee. The two eventually meet in the café where Hani works.

- A perfect balance of world building, plot and romance -
The world is well thought out and several creatures belonging to Korean mythology are mentioned: gumiho, haetae, dokkaebi, gwisin. Some gods are mentioned with their kingdoms located in planes other than the mortal one. On the one hand, the visual and easy-to-follow narration style was evocative. On the other hand, however, I would have appreciated if the creatures (and in general any Korean words, e.g. some dishes) had been described. Some are described in a few words, yes, while many others are taken for granted. As a result, I could not imagine in my mind what each creature looked like and how it was revisited by the author. Several times during the reading I wished I had a glossary, because
(a) it is frustrating to go searching on wikipedia all the time for the names of the creatures,
(b) the book is currently published in English-speaking countries and I doubt that most people are familiar with all the creatures and dishes mentioned.

- Mystery plot with 'bad guy' assistant trope -
The plot is investigative in nature: several murders occur, clues are sought, research is done and a demon of darkness invades the city shedding more blood. As Hani is a potential suspect, he applies to be Seogka's assistant in order to throw him off the scent, but then they have to join forces. The plot managed to keep me glued to the book. At first, I thought it was very predictable, but there are a couple of plot twists towards the end that I didn't expect and enjoyed. I did regret that the final battle was handled in a rushed manner after so much tension.

- Tropey romance and forced soap opera-style interactions -
The romance felt 'tropey': it revolves around the already-seen enemies-to-lovers. In this case, the evolution is very lightning fast as it happens within a week.

"Less than a week ago she's been dumping far too much sugar and cream into Seogka's coffee and handing it to him with a scowl. And while she still plans on continuing to do the same, it is entirely possible that she will hand the coffee to him with a smile instead of a sneer. Yet the absurdity of the situation quickly fades. [...] Seogka and her just make sense."

Although I liked the main characters, their romance didn't blow me away (maybe because I'm biased and saturated with those tropes), but I loved their banter. I found myself laughing several times at how much they teased each other, especially in the first half of the book. Despite being advertised as 'adult', the characters were very immature. Besides, they should have had a lot of experience, being creatures over a hundred years old. What I did appreciate, however, was the lack of graphic sex and swearing, something that is now abused when books are rated 'adult'.

" "Do you have kids? Demigod kids?" Hand watches with interest as the trickster god chokes on his own spit. "The other members of the pantheon have a whole gaggle of them running around" she adds as Seogka continues to sputter. [...]
"I am considering throwing you out of my car." Seogka replies."

I found the interactions and events very forced and convenient, soap opera style. Perhaps this is intentional, as it is advertised as a K-drama, but it is always something that makes my nose twitch.

Overall, I enjoyed the book and will read the sequel, but it's not much different from other romances in (a) the lack of worldbuilding and (b) the usual clichés.

I recommend it to those who like K-drama and the tropes I mentioned above (enemies-to-lovers, assistant to the evil guy who is not evil after all).

PS. Please, consider that citations are not definitive and high change upon publication.

Loed the idea but not the execution. I pretty much like the Korean mythology and reading about it but I dunno this was just not for me. Just at some point it lost its charm and I think it would have benefitted if it was a little bit condensed.