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4.34 AVERAGE
4.34 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
fast-paced
adventurous
dark
funny
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
ARC via @netgalley – thank you!
This sequel was somehow both chaotic and tender in all the right ways. Seokga has been searching for his reincarnated love for decades, only to find her by accident, while on a forced vacation with his therapist and his brother. On a luxury underworld cruise. Naturally.
Except she’s not Hani anymore, she’s Yoo Kisa, a very tired gwisin working off karmic debt and completely unaware of who he is. Their red thread of fate is still there, but that doesn’t mean she trusts him. The setup could’ve gone cheesy fast, but Sophie Kim handles it with charm, mythological flair, and just enough emotional punch to keep things grounded.
Seokga is still the mischievous trickster god we met in book one, but this time he’s also in therapy and actually trying to grow. Kisa, meanwhile, brings a more quiet, worn-down kind of strength. She’s not Hani 2.0, Hani will always be my fave (morally grey and fabulous), but Kisa really holds her own. I liked that she gets space to be unsure, to set boundaries, and to make her own choice. The romance builds slowly and actually gives her that choice, no magical strings forcing insta-love, just two people deciding if they’re willing to try again.
The murder mystery on board is more emotional than twisty, and yes, it does involve Seokga lugging around his murdered brother... who has been reincarnated into a baby. (It’s somehow both absurd and genuinely touching.)
🖤 Final thoughts:
Smart, funny, and a little unhinged. Fans of myth-based romantasy, emotional arcs, and reluctant babysitting gods—this one’s for you.
This sequel was somehow both chaotic and tender in all the right ways. Seokga has been searching for his reincarnated love for decades, only to find her by accident, while on a forced vacation with his therapist and his brother. On a luxury underworld cruise. Naturally.
Except she’s not Hani anymore, she’s Yoo Kisa, a very tired gwisin working off karmic debt and completely unaware of who he is. Their red thread of fate is still there, but that doesn’t mean she trusts him. The setup could’ve gone cheesy fast, but Sophie Kim handles it with charm, mythological flair, and just enough emotional punch to keep things grounded.
Seokga is still the mischievous trickster god we met in book one, but this time he’s also in therapy and actually trying to grow. Kisa, meanwhile, brings a more quiet, worn-down kind of strength. She’s not Hani 2.0, Hani will always be my fave (morally grey and fabulous), but Kisa really holds her own. I liked that she gets space to be unsure, to set boundaries, and to make her own choice. The romance builds slowly and actually gives her that choice, no magical strings forcing insta-love, just two people deciding if they’re willing to try again.
The murder mystery on board is more emotional than twisty, and yes, it does involve Seokga lugging around his murdered brother... who has been reincarnated into a baby. (It’s somehow both absurd and genuinely touching.)
🖤 Final thoughts:
Smart, funny, and a little unhinged. Fans of myth-based romantasy, emotional arcs, and reluctant babysitting gods—this one’s for you.
Last year, I got the ARC of the first book of this series, the God and the Gumiho, and loved it. I was lucky enough to receive the ARC for this book, so many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for offering me the opportunity to read this book!
I was so scared going into this book, given the ending of the God and the Gumiho. I was worried about how this book would tackle the idea of rebirth. I shouldn't have worried -- Sophie Kim did a wonderful job of approaching the topic. While I loved Kim Hani's vibrancy, I really enjoyed the perspective of Yoo Kisa in this novel. She is just as interesting of a character as Hani, and I loved how smart and quick-minded she is. Seokga was wonderful in this book as well, but the spotlight really fell on Kisa. I loved seeing her interact with the characters from the previous novel, as well as see how all the characters have grown in the time since.
The plot was fun, and I loved that they had to watch over Seokga's brother in baby-form the entire time. It made for such an enjoyable and goofy time, but also I loved how so much character depth was included as well. I think I know why I like the dynamic of the brothers so much -- it reminds me of Loki and Thor from the MCU, which I was obsessed with in my teens.
However much I liked this book, I think reading it shortly after I had reread the God and the Gumiho wasn't the best idea. I just love Hani and Seokga as a couple, it took awhile for me to warm to the idea of Seokga being in love with someone else (even though they're technically the same?). It really did put a damper on the story for me, and the entire time I was mourning Hani. If you are opening this sequel to get more Hani, then this isn't the book for you.
I was so scared going into this book, given the ending of the God and the Gumiho. I was worried about how this book would tackle the idea of rebirth. I shouldn't have worried -- Sophie Kim did a wonderful job of approaching the topic. While I loved Kim Hani's vibrancy, I really enjoyed the perspective of Yoo Kisa in this novel. She is just as interesting of a character as Hani, and I loved how smart and quick-minded she is. Seokga was wonderful in this book as well, but the spotlight really fell on Kisa. I loved seeing her interact with the characters from the previous novel, as well as see how all the characters have grown in the time since.
The plot was fun, and I loved that they had to watch over Seokga's brother in baby-form the entire time. It made for such an enjoyable and goofy time, but also I loved how so much character depth was included as well. I think I know why I like the dynamic of the brothers so much -- it reminds me of Loki and Thor from the MCU, which I was obsessed with in my teens.
However much I liked this book, I think reading it shortly after I had reread the God and the Gumiho wasn't the best idea. I just love Hani and Seokga as a couple, it took awhile for me to warm to the idea of Seokga being in love with someone else (even though they're technically the same?). It really did put a damper on the story for me, and the entire time I was mourning Hani. If you are opening this sequel to get more Hani, then this isn't the book for you.
emotional
funny
reflective
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
sad
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:
N/A
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
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
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I'm always worried that the second book in a series will suffer from second book syndrome. Thankfully, this book does not suffer from that. I'd say that the author actually improved on some of the more cheesy aspects of the first book, making the story a bit more serious than the first. Seokga is believable in his desperation to find Hani's reincarnated form as well as him dealing with his trauma from his past. Kisa (Hani) meanwhile, is having to contend with meeting someone who she doesn't know or share in the same feelings for. Watching as Seokga and Kisa dance around what they mean to each other was enjoyable. If I had any criticism perhaps the mystery could've been a little stronger. As someone who reads a lot of mysteries, I did guess who the actual villain was much earlier than I did in the first book. I just could spot much more quickly who was pulling the strings than in the first book. That said, this is a worthy sequel and I suggest you get a copy asap!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Suicide, Medical content, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Child death, Infidelity, Blood
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
DNF-ing at 63%
People attracted to men are a little delusionally deranged I fear. Because what do you mean the female main character EAVESDROPPED on the male main characters THERAPY SESSION and fixated on the part where he called her beautiful…and then she let it slipped she eavesdropped and his reaction was to just shrug it off and smile demurely “hehe you ATE beautiful, beautiful”
WHERE IS THE CONFLICT
Also that’s a fucking INSANE thing to do!!! Why is he not more upset that she eavesdropped on his THERAPY.
People attracted to men are a little delusionally deranged I fear. Because what do you mean the female main character EAVESDROPPED on the male main characters THERAPY SESSION and fixated on the part where he called her beautiful…and then she let it slipped she eavesdropped and his reaction was to just shrug it off and smile demurely “hehe you ATE beautiful, beautiful”
WHERE IS THE CONFLICT
Also that’s a fucking INSANE thing to do!!! Why is he not more upset that she eavesdropped on his THERAPY.