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4.35 AVERAGE
4.35 AVERAGE
4.5 ⭐️
A formally fallen god, his estranged brother, and his therapist walk onto a ship and into the red string of fate's other end. The plot of this book was more self contained than book 1 since it took place almost entirely on a ship cruising the waters in the afterlife. Here we meet Kisa, Somi's reincarnation and an endearing k-pop idol who had committed suicide. This book takes place 33 years after The God and the Gumiho, and I was glad Sophie Kim brought Somi back as well. Most of the book is spent solving a murder mystery and watching and Kisa and Seokga's slow-burn relationship develop. Between this, his personality, and his therapist, it was reminiscent of the TV show Lucifer which I appreciated. I also liked that the red string of fate was a character in the book with it's own sentience. Although I loved the banter between Hani and Seokga more, I grew to love Kisa too and this book's quirky humor. I still like book 1 better, but this was a great entry and I will read the next in the series if it's continued.
Thanks Netgalley for the ARC!
Notes
wish she wasn’t an obstetrician, but any other type of doctor. she’s a shaman who graduated at 22, she’s so smart and inquisitive, treats the red string as an experiment
33 years after book 1, 7 years since red string of fate appeared, 2025 now
love that he mentions the possibility of hani’s reincarnation being a ‘he’ and is ok with that but wants her gumiho form most. now i really want to read our infinite fates
he fell so hard for hani
still got the humor of book 1
she’s been working on the flatliner boat for the last 7 years to atone for hani, they tell her she robbed ATMs
love the premise - a formally fallen god, his estranged brother, and his therapist walk onto a boat and into the red string of fates other end
dead blood is blue
she treats him as an experiment and he just wants hani, his love
she’s friends with a k-pop idol who committed suicide and he threw a glass paperweight at seokga when entered the room- glad the humor of book 1 still present
hear fragments of each others thoughts which remind me of wolfsong
born in 1995
she’s worked in the on ship clinic for the last 7 years to make up for hani “stealing atms”
omg somi is back and she just straight up calls herself a serial killer when she meets kisa
im not sure how i feel about baby hwanin. i get why the author made kisa a obstetrician now tho
seokga seeing a therapist and being unable to read minds because hes stressed is very lucifer coded, also his daddy issues and family relationship drama
god murder mystery on a ship with a gumiho, a god, a gwisin, and a kpop idol
previous book said he had ~200 kids since his exile, this one says dozens in his long life; also says she had the jitters after somi gave her livers but that sounds like it’s from eating souls and book 1 said she had cravings (from eating livers)
she grew up in england, loves how she’s a doctor and approaches things scientifically
deals with mental illness and the idol has anorexia nervosa when he was alive
two relationships developing, one between somi and hajun
he still uses his cane and also loves fashion
red string of fate passes emotions, thoughts, and seems alive
relationship is a lot more emotional and developed in this book; he loves her so deeply and has been searching for 33 years
wonder if book 3 will deal with his dad
he claims he’s not as reformed as they’d like to believe and has to keep his evil in check
60% is it his therapist
the vibes in this book are sillier and seokga is a questionable caretaker of his baby brother
lots of humor but i miss the banter between somi and seokga
can only compel people with some wickedness - lucifer vibes
spoken in korean and they mention formal vs friendly - love that
he’s pretty vain and wallows in despair
explores what it means to be reincarnated and soulmates
the four of them start a spicy book club
good plot twist, the scheming! even when you suspect the culprit for a lot of the book
kisa and somi become best friends in this life too
can’t wait to read book 3 (i assume) with his mom and kisa
much happier ending than book 2! the sun shines on them both once again
A formally fallen god, his estranged brother, and his therapist walk onto a ship and into the red string of fate's other end. The plot of this book was more self contained than book 1 since it took place almost entirely on a ship cruising the waters in the afterlife. Here we meet Kisa, Somi's reincarnation and an endearing k-pop idol who had committed suicide. This book takes place 33 years after The God and the Gumiho, and I was glad Sophie Kim brought Somi back as well. Most of the book is spent solving a murder mystery and watching and Kisa and Seokga's slow-burn relationship develop. Between this, his personality, and his therapist, it was reminiscent of the TV show Lucifer which I appreciated. I also liked that the red string of fate was a character in the book with it's own sentience. Although I loved the banter between Hani and Seokga more, I grew to love Kisa too and this book's quirky humor. I still like book 1 better, but this was a great entry and I will read the next in the series if it's continued.
Thanks Netgalley for the ARC!
Notes
wish she wasn’t an obstetrician, but any other type of doctor. she’s a shaman who graduated at 22, she’s so smart and inquisitive, treats the red string as an experiment
33 years after book 1, 7 years since red string of fate appeared, 2025 now
love that he mentions the possibility of hani’s reincarnation being a ‘he’ and is ok with that but wants her gumiho form most. now i really want to read our infinite fates
he fell so hard for hani
still got the humor of book 1
she’s been working on the flatliner boat for the last 7 years to atone for hani, they tell her she robbed ATMs
love the premise - a formally fallen god, his estranged brother, and his therapist walk onto a boat and into the red string of fates other end
dead blood is blue
she treats him as an experiment and he just wants hani, his love
she’s friends with a k-pop idol who committed suicide and he threw a glass paperweight at seokga when entered the room- glad the humor of book 1 still present
hear fragments of each others thoughts which remind me of wolfsong
born in 1995
she’s worked in the on ship clinic for the last 7 years to make up for hani “stealing atms”
omg somi is back and she just straight up calls herself a serial killer when she meets kisa
im not sure how i feel about baby hwanin. i get why the author made kisa a obstetrician now tho
seokga seeing a therapist and being unable to read minds because hes stressed is very lucifer coded, also his daddy issues and family relationship drama
god murder mystery on a ship with a gumiho, a god, a gwisin, and a kpop idol
previous book said he had ~200 kids since his exile, this one says dozens in his long life; also says she had the jitters after somi gave her livers but that sounds like it’s from eating souls and book 1 said she had cravings (from eating livers)
she grew up in england, loves how she’s a doctor and approaches things scientifically
deals with mental illness and the idol has anorexia nervosa when he was alive
two relationships developing, one between somi and hajun
he still uses his cane and also loves fashion
red string of fate passes emotions, thoughts, and seems alive
relationship is a lot more emotional and developed in this book; he loves her so deeply and has been searching for 33 years
wonder if book 3 will deal with his dad
he claims he’s not as reformed as they’d like to believe and has to keep his evil in check
60% is it his therapist
the vibes in this book are sillier and seokga is a questionable caretaker of his baby brother
lots of humor but i miss the banter between somi and seokga
can only compel people with some wickedness - lucifer vibes
spoken in korean and they mention formal vs friendly - love that
he’s pretty vain and wallows in despair
explores what it means to be reincarnated and soulmates
the four of them start a spicy book club
good plot twist, the scheming! even when you suspect the culprit for a lot of the book
kisa and somi become best friends in this life too
can’t wait to read book 3 (i assume) with his mom and kisa
much happier ending than book 2! the sun shines on them both once again
adventurous
funny
mysterious
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
I devoured the God and the Gumiho last year and so was thrilled to get approved to read the arc of the sequel. The God and the Gwisin, was somehow even funnier than the first book and I had a riot from start to finish.
I find the Korean mythology behind it fascinating and love that Sophie Kim takes the traditional pantheon and refreshes them as contemporary characters with very modern day problems. This book focused more on Seokga than the first, which I loved, as this grumpy trickster god has my whole heart.
Murder mysteries on a boat are also apparently a big win for me, so this fitted into this specific niche wonderfully. We had an excellent blend of old and new characters, which I was worried would be a downfall but somehow I loved the new (especially the key new character) far, far more than I anticipated which is a testament to Kim’s superb writing.
I find the Korean mythology behind it fascinating and love that Sophie Kim takes the traditional pantheon and refreshes them as contemporary characters with very modern day problems. This book focused more on Seokga than the first, which I loved, as this grumpy trickster god has my whole heart.
Murder mysteries on a boat are also apparently a big win for me, so this fitted into this specific niche wonderfully. We had an excellent blend of old and new characters, which I was worried would be a downfall but somehow I loved the new (especially the key new character) far, far more than I anticipated which is a testament to Kim’s superb writing.
Let’s be honest if you’re here looking for a review of the God and the Gwisin, it’s probably because you fell in love with Hani and Seokga in God and the Gumiho and the ending left you a mess. Well, I am happy to report that you will find joy again, one day. Maybe.
After chasing down Hani’s reincarnation for three decades, Seokga finally finds her in the underworld working on a cruise ship as he takes a vacation that was forced upon him by his brother and therapist. Aboard the ship, someone is murdered and it falls to Seokga and (Hani’s reincarnation) Kisa to track down the killer.
Seokga is such a sad boy in the beginning it absolutely breaks my heart what this grumpy trickster has gone through. When he meets Kisa, it’s hard to imagine things working out romantically between them. But I love these two characters just as much as I did in the first book. Even side characters in this absolutely drew me in.
The murder mystery plot gives us a way for the main and side characters to interact and focus on, but it felt like it was low stakes. And I didn’t feel super invested, because I was more focused on the characters themselves.
This book is so much fun, the characters are endearing, I love the simple Korean mythology setting and pop culture references. Definitely worth a read, and a reread.
After chasing down Hani’s reincarnation for three decades, Seokga finally finds her in the underworld working on a cruise ship as he takes a vacation that was forced upon him by his brother and therapist. Aboard the ship, someone is murdered and it falls to Seokga and (Hani’s reincarnation) Kisa to track down the killer.
Seokga is such a sad boy in the beginning it absolutely breaks my heart what this grumpy trickster has gone through. When he meets Kisa, it’s hard to imagine things working out romantically between them. But I love these two characters just as much as I did in the first book. Even side characters in this absolutely drew me in.
The murder mystery plot gives us a way for the main and side characters to interact and focus on, but it felt like it was low stakes. And I didn’t feel super invested, because I was more focused on the characters themselves.
This book is so much fun, the characters are endearing, I love the simple Korean mythology setting and pop culture references. Definitely worth a read, and a reread.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC! All opinions in this review are my own.
6 Godly Gossip stars! (Is it briefs or boxers? Found out below!)
”I love you because for my soul, loving you is like breathing.”
This novel was utterly perfect from the characters, to the mystery plot aboard a dead cruise ship, to the Ship of Theseus question wrapped in what it means to love and discovering who you are now and then, and beyond. I laughed, I cried, I laughed harder, and then sobbed buckets throughout this novel. It all came full circle in the most satisfying and glorious way. This is a series that I will scream at everyone to read and I need this adapted into every format possible like I need air to breath, it is begging for a k-drama adaptation. I will gladly take more written about this world and these characters whether that is just short stories or novellas, graphic novels, literally anything just inject it all into my veins immediately. Cherry blossom perfection!
(Also the answer is boxers.)
6 Godly Gossip stars! (Is it briefs or boxers? Found out below!)
”I love you because for my soul, loving you is like breathing.”
This novel was utterly perfect from the characters, to the mystery plot aboard a dead cruise ship, to the Ship of Theseus question wrapped in what it means to love and discovering who you are now and then, and beyond. I laughed, I cried, I laughed harder, and then sobbed buckets throughout this novel. It all came full circle in the most satisfying and glorious way. This is a series that I will scream at everyone to read and I need this adapted into every format possible like I need air to breath, it is begging for a k-drama adaptation. I will gladly take more written about this world and these characters whether that is just short stories or novellas, graphic novels, literally anything just inject it all into my veins immediately. Cherry blossom perfection!
(Also the answer is boxers.)
thanks to del rey for the e-ARC.
okay, so my disclaimers are: I loved book one, I love urban fantasy, and I love mysteries in fantasy worlds. suffice to say, this book was a hit for me.
I really didn’t know where this story would go after the last book (and neither did seokga), but I ended up quite pleased with the plot arc we got. there were silly antics, a mystery I had some ideas about but couldn’t just solve myself, and some really angsty moments. I think the author did a great job of keeping a cohesive tone and pace to the book while blending all of these pieces together: the laughs and the tears didn’t feel at odds, rather, complementary. out of personal preference, I like drier or more subtle humor, but I wasn’t off put by the silliness. and the angst/longing/tragic fated love were excellent. of course I could have taken more, but I was moved by it and got invested in this new (old?) pairing
okay, so my disclaimers are: I loved book one, I love urban fantasy, and I love mysteries in fantasy worlds. suffice to say, this book was a hit for me.
I really didn’t know where this story would go after the last book (and neither did seokga), but I ended up quite pleased with the plot arc we got. there were silly antics, a mystery I had some ideas about but couldn’t just solve myself, and some really angsty moments. I think the author did a great job of keeping a cohesive tone and pace to the book while blending all of these pieces together: the laughs and the tears didn’t feel at odds, rather, complementary. out of personal preference, I like drier or more subtle humor, but I wasn’t off put by the silliness. and the angst/longing/tragic fated love were excellent. of course I could have taken more, but I was moved by it and got invested in this new (old?) pairing
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
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:
Complicated
Sophie Kim’s *The God and the Gwisin* is a hauntingly beautiful triumph—a cosmic romance steeped in Korean mythology that swept me from the first page to the last. Aboard a ghostly cruise down the river of the dead, Seokga (a heartbroken god hunting his lost love’s reincarnation) collides with Yoo Kisa (a sharp-witted *gwisin* with no memory of him), sparking electric tension as they’re forced to solve the Heavenly Emperor’s murder before the voyage ends. Kim masterfully balances wry humor (Kisa’s modern ghostly sarcasm vs. Seokga’s divine dramatics) with profound themes: the weight of reincarnation, the scars of past lives, and subtle, resonant parallels to mental health struggles—particularly the crushing pressures echoing Korea’s K-pop industry. While the murder mystery serves more as a catalyst than a complex puzzle, it perfectly drives Seokga and Kisa’s achingly tender evolution from reluctant allies to soul-deep partners, exploring how trust can heal even celestial wounds. Kim’s prose dazzles—lyrical yet punchy, eerie yet warm—and though the climax resolves a touch neatly, the emotional payoff lingers like a dream. **4.5 stars** for its rare blend of whimsy and wisdom; a gem for lovers of mythic love stories where healing feels as vital as the HEA. 🤍✨*“Seokga’s yearning, Kisa’s wit, and that river of stars—perfection.”*
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
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!
Thank you to @delreybooks and @netgalley for the eARC.
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!
Thank you to @delreybooks and @netgalley for the eARC.
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
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
emotional
funny
hopeful
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:
Complicated