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madinotmaddie's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
readabookortwo's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
"The sound is as bright and sparkling as the morning sunshine. And like the morning sunshine , it annoys him."
Trigger warnings: blood, gore, violence, death, sexual content
The God & The Gumiho was one of my most anticipated releases of 2024 and I am SO happy to say, it absolutely did not disappoint me. I loved this book from start to finish, there wasn't a single second where I felt bored or wanted it to pass quickly I just loved it. In this book we follow Seokga, a fallen God who wants to become a God again and Hani, a Gumiho who is trying to leave her old life behind her but when a demon starts to attack and a deal is struck, the two of them find themselves working with each other even though they hate each other.
I'll start with Hani and I loved Hani so much!! Yes, she definitely was selfish especially at the start of the book but I really loved watching her growth as a character throughout the story. I also just loved her so much she was so funny and witty and her quick one liners when it came to Seokga absolutely made me giggle. You could tell that she was truly battling herself when it came to what she knew she should do and what she wanted to do and the way she came to care for Seokga my heart I loved them so much!!
My favourite character of the whole book, of course, was Seokga. From the very first chapter I knew he was my favourite. He absolutely is such a little shit but of course he is the Trickster God but he made me laugh so much. The way he absolutely hated Hani and then started to become fond of her and then their relationship I really loved. The way he started to really care for the people around him especially with Shim and he really again did have so much growth during the book. I mean of course he wad still a little shit but he really cared for these people around him and wanted to help the city he thought he hated. I just really loved Seokga and think he deserves every happiness.
One thing, I really loved about this book was the setting. Not just the setting of Korea which I did really love and was really beautiful but also the fact it was set in 1992. Its so fun when they talk about mobile phones and cars etc because you know that it's clearly set in the 90's and I loved the way Hani talks about getting her phone and how it's so hard to get etc because you compare that with what life is like now. I just really loved that and it made for really fun parts in the story.
Talking of the setting, I also really loved the Korea Folklore aspects of this book. I really found it so interesting learning about the God's of Korean folklore and of course the creatures such as Gumihos, Joseung Saja's etc I really love reading books about mythology and folklore from different cultures and really loved the way it was told in this book.
The Plot of this book was so, so good I genuinely loved every second of it. I see why some people think its a slower pace at the start but I liked that, it gave room to really build these characters and learn their personalities before getting into the really gritty stuff because whilst the characters created funny moments, this was truly a very dark and at some points quite scary book. The way the eoduksini killed their victims through nightmares and stuff really creeped me out and the darkness and all that kind of stuff was quite creepy but I really loved the atmosphere and the plot itself. I'd absolutely love to read another of the authors books!
I loved the relationship between Seokga and Hani. Watching it develop from genuine mutal hatred to reluctant acquaintances to friends to more than that was so fun. They had such good banter and the way they constantly threw lines back and forth they absolutely had me giggling and their romance was very sweet. The only note I have on this is whilst their relationship doesn't happen fast in the book, it does in terms of plot because this whole book takes places over around a week but I could honestly push past that because I loved them so deeply!
Overall, if you couldn't tell, I loved this book so much. It was truly an absolute amazing read that had me laughing and sobbing and everything in between. I truly loved Hani and Seokga so so much and they are characters I will hold so dearly to me for a very long time!! I am absolutely interested in a sequel but this book ended so perfectly in my opinion so I will wait until we get more information. But, overall, this is one of my favourite books of the year and I'm so happy I read it!
Trigger warnings: blood, gore, violence, death, sexual content
The God & The Gumiho was one of my most anticipated releases of 2024 and I am SO happy to say, it absolutely did not disappoint me. I loved this book from start to finish, there wasn't a single second where I felt bored or wanted it to pass quickly I just loved it. In this book we follow Seokga, a fallen God who wants to become a God again and Hani, a Gumiho who is trying to leave her old life behind her but when a demon starts to attack and a deal is struck, the two of them find themselves working with each other even though they hate each other.
I'll start with Hani and I loved Hani so much!! Yes, she definitely was selfish especially at the start of the book but I really loved watching her growth as a character throughout the story. I also just loved her so much she was so funny and witty and her quick one liners when it came to Seokga absolutely made me giggle. You could tell that she was truly battling herself when it came to what she knew she should do and what she wanted to do and the way she came to care for Seokga my heart I loved them so much!!
My favourite character of the whole book, of course, was Seokga. From the very first chapter I knew he was my favourite. He absolutely is such a little shit but of course he is the Trickster God but he made me laugh so much. The way he absolutely hated Hani and then started to become fond of her and then their relationship I really loved. The way he started to really care for the people around him especially with Shim and he really again did have so much growth during the book. I mean of course he wad still a little shit but he really cared for these people around him and wanted to help the city he thought he hated. I just really loved Seokga and think he deserves every happiness.
One thing, I really loved about this book was the setting. Not just the setting of Korea which I did really love and was really beautiful but also the fact it was set in 1992. Its so fun when they talk about mobile phones and cars etc because you know that it's clearly set in the 90's and I loved the way Hani talks about getting her phone and how it's so hard to get etc because you compare that with what life is like now. I just really loved that and it made for really fun parts in the story.
Talking of the setting, I also really loved the Korea Folklore aspects of this book. I really found it so interesting learning about the God's of Korean folklore and of course the creatures such as Gumihos, Joseung Saja's etc I really love reading books about mythology and folklore from different cultures and really loved the way it was told in this book.
The Plot of this book was so, so good I genuinely loved every second of it. I see why some people think its a slower pace at the start but I liked that, it gave room to really build these characters and learn their personalities before getting into the really gritty stuff because whilst the characters created funny moments, this was truly a very dark and at some points quite scary book. The way the eoduksini killed their victims through nightmares and stuff really creeped me out and the darkness and all that kind of stuff was quite creepy but I really loved the atmosphere and the plot itself. I'd absolutely love to read another of the authors books!
I loved the relationship between Seokga and Hani. Watching it develop from genuine mutal hatred to reluctant acquaintances to friends to more than that was so fun. They had such good banter and the way they constantly threw lines back and forth they absolutely had me giggling and their romance was very sweet. The only note I have on this is whilst their relationship doesn't happen fast in the book, it does in terms of plot because this whole book takes places over around a week but I could honestly push past that because I loved them so deeply!
Overall, if you couldn't tell, I loved this book so much. It was truly an absolute amazing read that had me laughing and sobbing and everything in between. I truly loved Hani and Seokga so so much and they are characters I will hold so dearly to me for a very long time!! I am absolutely interested in a sequel but this book ended so perfectly in my opinion so I will wait until we get more information. But, overall, this is one of my favourite books of the year and I'm so happy I read it!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Death, Blood, Murder, and Violence
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Vomit
electricdistrict's review against another edition
Urban fantasy is a genre I continue to struggle with, but I decided to give this one a try based on its setting and concept. Admittedly, the comparisons to K-dramas in its description already made me wary. K-dramas are inherently corny and often refuse to look past their sanitized ideal of Korean society - and I fear that comparison may have been apt. This book is kinda goofy, and features a cast of characters who play a bit too much into pop culture homage for my taste. The language borrowed from k-pop fandom lexicon was especially hard to get past.
ee1000's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
What a fun book! The God and the Gumiho is a fun Korean mythology and K-Drama inspired fantasy mystery packed with lots of fun characters, witty banter, and action.
I really enjoyed this world. It took me a minute to get into things since there is a bit of a learning curve at the beginning, but the world building only lasts a couple chapters and then you get into the main story. There’s so much that could be done in this world due to the number of different character types that you’re introduced to.
Our main characters are lovely, and without spoiling too much… I loved the twist on the Grumpy x Sunshine trope, because yes Hani is a ray of sunshine… but is she? I also loved that Seokga is actually grumpy. A lot of times this trope is done where the grumpy one is misunderstood. Not here! He’s actually a jerk! And I loved watching his heart melt over the course of the book.
I gave this book 4.25 stars out of five because I loved this world, and these characters but I did guess some of the main plot points along the way! I love mysteries that catch you off guard but I knew where we were going to go in this book.
Having said that, I did enjoy the story and had a lot of fun in this world. After that ending, I’m curious to know if we’re going to see our main couple again in a sequel… I’ll settle for a quick short story to finish round out the epilogue because dang Seokga needs a hug.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for my honest review!
I really enjoyed this world. It took me a minute to get into things since there is a bit of a learning curve at the beginning, but the world building only lasts a couple chapters and then you get into the main story. There’s so much that could be done in this world due to the number of different character types that you’re introduced to.
Our main characters are lovely, and without spoiling too much… I loved the twist on the Grumpy x Sunshine trope, because yes Hani is a ray of sunshine… but is she? I also loved that Seokga is actually grumpy. A lot of times this trope is done where the grumpy one is misunderstood. Not here! He’s actually a jerk! And I loved watching his heart melt over the course of the book.
I gave this book 4.25 stars out of five because I loved this world, and these characters but I did guess some of the main plot points along the way! I love mysteries that catch you off guard but I knew where we were going to go in this book.
Having said that, I did enjoy the story and had a lot of fun in this world. After that ending, I’m curious to know if we’re going to see our main couple again in a sequel… I’ll settle for a quick short story to finish round out the epilogue because dang Seokga needs a hug.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for my honest review!
bookedandboujee's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
thereadernthebeast's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
moonlit_dewdrops's review against another edition
5.0
Special thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for providing me with an eARC for an honest review.
This book was an easy 5 star read for me. I really loved the murder mystery plot but I am a sucker for books with Asian mythology elements to it. It was definitely a page turner and it had me in a chokehold throughout most of my reading experience.
I don’t normally read forced proximity but it was done well in this book especially when paired with enemies to lovers.
The plot was enjoyable and easy to follow. I loved seeing the buildup between Hani and Seokga as they work together as a team to try and track down the culprit behind a series of murders. Their interactions are so amusing in the beginning as Hani goes out of her way to annoy him while he in turn, cannot stand her presence. However, throughout the book, there’s an undeniable tension between them that’s more than just their animosity for one another and soon it builds up to something more. I absolutely love how they grew softer toward one another with Hani basically being the sun to warm the ice around Seokga's heart. By the time the spicy scenes happened, I was giddy and kicking my feet. The promise between Seokga and his brother Hwanin also brought a more foreboding note to the overall plot and their relationship.
The ending got me shaking and crying. The way Hani sacrificed herself and had Seokga kill her so he could regain her power! The character development here is so good because she'd initially joined him in the investigation for her own selfish reasons in order to hide her identity as The Scarlet Fox. Meanwhile, the once arrogant and prideful Seokga humbled himself and begged his older brother to have Hani reincarnated!!
I’ll be pre-ordering this book and keeping an eye out on the sequel because it can’t just end like that!!
This book was an easy 5 star read for me. I really loved the murder mystery plot but I am a sucker for books with Asian mythology elements to it. It was definitely a page turner and it had me in a chokehold throughout most of my reading experience.
I don’t normally read forced proximity but it was done well in this book especially when paired with enemies to lovers.
The plot was enjoyable and easy to follow. I loved seeing the buildup between Hani and Seokga as they work together as a team to try and track down the culprit behind a series of murders. Their interactions are so amusing in the beginning as Hani goes out of her way to annoy him while he in turn, cannot stand her presence. However, throughout the book, there’s an undeniable tension between them that’s more than just their animosity for one another and soon it builds up to something more. I absolutely love how they grew softer toward one another with Hani basically being the sun to warm the ice around Seokga's heart. By the time the spicy scenes happened, I was giddy and kicking my feet. The promise between Seokga and his brother Hwanin also brought a more foreboding note to the overall plot and their relationship.
The ending got me shaking and crying. The way Hani sacrificed herself and had Seokga kill her so he could regain her power! The character development here is so good because she'd initially joined him in the investigation for her own selfish reasons in order to hide her identity as The Scarlet Fox. Meanwhile, the once arrogant and prideful Seokga humbled himself and begged his older brother to have Hani reincarnated!!
I’ll be pre-ordering this book and keeping an eye out on the sequel because it can’t just end like that!!
avishisingh's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
priesty23's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
5 stars
😭❤️
A grumpy, fallen trickster god must team up with a shapeshifting notorious gumiho - who is in hiding - to work together to take down a demon of darkness. Sophie Kim's The God and the Gumiho has a contemporary setting in a creative modern world enthused with magic and mythical creatures, while being packed with Korean mythology.
While I felt the book started a little slow, once the main characters had to work together everything just fell into place and I loved reading every page of what followed. I particularly loved the grumpy/sunshine vibes and the funny banter and teasing between our main characters, I found myself being very emotionally attached. We have morally questionable characters, which is a plus for me, but they are just big softies deep down. I felt the pacing of their relationship was perfect, it wasn't rushed and felt very natural.
The storyline however was a little more on the rushed side of things; I think the story takes place over the space of 2 weeks or less, which didn't feel likely while reading and it felt like more time had/should have passed. Saying that, I did enjoy the twists involved and that the story was wrapped in the one book allowing this to be read as a standalone. I do look forward to seeing what the author does with this world in the future.
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
😭❤️
A grumpy, fallen trickster god must team up with a shapeshifting notorious gumiho - who is in hiding - to work together to take down a demon of darkness. Sophie Kim's The God and the Gumiho has a contemporary setting in a creative modern world enthused with magic and mythical creatures, while being packed with Korean mythology.
While I felt the book started a little slow, once the main characters had to work together everything just fell into place and I loved reading every page of what followed. I particularly loved the grumpy/sunshine vibes and the funny banter and teasing between our main characters, I found myself being very emotionally attached. We have morally questionable characters, which is a plus for me, but they are just big softies deep down. I felt the pacing of their relationship was perfect, it wasn't rushed and felt very natural.
The storyline however was a little more on the rushed side of things; I think the story takes place over the space of 2 weeks or less, which didn't feel likely while reading and it felt like more time had/should have passed. Saying that, I did enjoy the twists involved and that the story was wrapped in the one book allowing this to be read as a standalone. I do look forward to seeing what the author does with this world in the future.
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review!