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4.35 AVERAGE
4.35 AVERAGE
Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an arc for this book, all thoughts are my own.
I loved this. I loved the first book too and I think I just love Seokga and seeing him turn into a soppy, in love, god. I found this so engaging I couldn’t put it down, and I just wanted to keep reading to figure out the answer!
This was quite different from the first book, and it’s difficult to say exactly how without spoiling the first. This also follows a murder mystery plot line where our MCs are trying to figure out the culprit all while exploring their budding relationship and getting caught up by suspicious characters.
This one is a lot more death focused, which is strange to say, but the way that Kim balances the lighthearted tone of the book, with these much darker more sensitive elements is really masterful. Being able to make this work is a real achievement and I just loved it.
I loved this. I loved the first book too and I think I just love Seokga and seeing him turn into a soppy, in love, god. I found this so engaging I couldn’t put it down, and I just wanted to keep reading to figure out the answer!
This was quite different from the first book, and it’s difficult to say exactly how without spoiling the first. This also follows a murder mystery plot line where our MCs are trying to figure out the culprit all while exploring their budding relationship and getting caught up by suspicious characters.
This one is a lot more death focused, which is strange to say, but the way that Kim balances the lighthearted tone of the book, with these much darker more sensitive elements is really masterful. Being able to make this work is a real achievement and I just loved it.
When you've been looking for the reincarnation of your soulmate for so many years your therapist begs you to take a vacation... on an underworld cruise ship... and you finally find her there, but she doesn't remember you. Oh, and there's also a murder mystery. And a surprise baby, but not in the way you think (have fun figuring that one out).
I can promise you, you haven't read a series quite like this before. The closest comp would be adult romantasy Percy Jackson, with Korean mythology. This sequel is pretty different from the previous book - characters old and new, in a completely new setting and situation. It's again an incredibly funny read, and even though I missed Hani just as much as Seokga at first, Kisa grew on me very quickly, and I ended up absolutely adoring her. But aside from being fun, there's also so much yearning. I empathized so deeply with Seokga, who desperately wanted to (re)connect with his soulmate after losing her and having searched for all these years. There's truly nothing like the reincarnation/soulmates trope done right.
I can promise you, you haven't read a series quite like this before. The closest comp would be adult romantasy Percy Jackson, with Korean mythology. This sequel is pretty different from the previous book - characters old and new, in a completely new setting and situation. It's again an incredibly funny read, and even though I missed Hani just as much as Seokga at first, Kisa grew on me very quickly, and I ended up absolutely adoring her. But aside from being fun, there's also so much yearning. I empathized so deeply with Seokga, who desperately wanted to (re)connect with his soulmate after losing her and having searched for all these years. There's truly nothing like the reincarnation/soulmates trope done right.
adventurous
emotional
funny
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:
Complicated
I loved the first book, The God and the Gumiho so I felt like I was begging for this. And I was not let down.
Magic. A cruise ship. Full of the dead, from the underworld. Gods. Mystery. Romance.
This has it all and it is the woven perfectly. The story magic from the first book carries through as does the emotional depth and wit.
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
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
Thirty-three years after the events of 'The God and the Gumiho', Seokga is reinstated to the pantheon of the gods, working on himself with mandatory therapy and still desperately searching for the reincarnation of Hani. But the red thread of fate, which appeared signaling her reincarnation, leads him to the Underworld, onboard a luxury ship cruising down the river of the dead. But Hani is no more, instead the woman at the end of the red thread is Yoo Kisa, a former shaman whose untimely death traps her onboard the SRC Flatliner, working off a significant karmic debt racked up in her past life. She has no recollection of her previous life, nor does she remember Seokga, who seems disappointed that Kisa couldn’t be any different from his lost love. But when the Heavenly Emperor, Hwanin, is murdered aboard the cruise ship, they find themselves working together to solve the murder before the cruise ends.
The story poses an interesting philosophical question using the Ship of Theseus as an analogy. As the original components of the ship are exchanged, is it still the same ship? Is Hani still Hani, even though she is now called Kisa?
This book was far more lighthearted and comical compared to its predecessor. It follows Seokga and Kisa as they attempt to solve a murder aboard and decide what they mean to each other. There’s a new dynamic between Seokga and Kisa because while Seokga is the same as he was before, still grumpy and intolerant of others, Kisa is a wholly new individual despite her connection to her past life as Hani, who she has no recollection of and who she refuses to be just to appease Seokga chasing Hani’s ghost. In the end, Kisa decides for herself the answer to the Ship of Theseus, standing firmly on who she is and Seokga finds himself falling in love all over again and together they both bring about their own happy ending.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
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
THE GOD AND THE GWISIN - SOPHIE KIM
If you saw my review a few days ago, you'll know that The God and the Gumiho was a five-star read for me. I loved it so much, and I had very high expectations for the sequel. Thankfully, even though I feel like The God and the Gwisin is very different, I loved it just as much.
You may want to skip past this review if you haven't read the first book, but I'll try to keep it as spoiler free as possible. Seokga, our favourite grumpy caffeine-guzzling trickster god, is back with a mission to find his reincarnated soulmate. Having searched for decades, he finally finds her: on a cruise ship sailing through the Underworld.
She's not entirely what he expects, and I think the reader's expectations are also challenged if you loved the characters in the first book. There's an idea brought up again and again - the Ship of Theseus - where the question is if every single plank of the ship has been replaced, is it still the same ship at all? I loved this concept so much.
Sophie Kim's writing is excellent as always, blending the heartfelt and romantic with witty banter and funny interactions between characters. Speaking of characters, there are some familiar faces as well as some entirely new ones.
Of course, nothing is straightforward, and when a gruesome murder happens on board, Seokga and the other characters team up to find the culprit.
This book ties up Seokga's story beautifully, and it's a must-read for anyone who's read the God and the Gumiho, as well as anyone looking for a series that reinterprets Korean mythology in a way that's completely unforgettable. Thank you to Sophie Kim, the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this eARC.
Release date: 3 June 2025
Review score: 5/5
TWs: d*ath, injury detail, s*xual content
Calling all my romantasy girlies! If you're looking for a series that has everything you love about romantasy (fun magic, pining romance, bickering romance, mystery, intriguing plot, fantastic writing), then you need to be reading the Fate's Thread series!
I was satisfied with book 1. In fact, I thought it was going to be a standalone. Boy am I glad I was wrong! This sequel was so needed. It was like meeting our MCs all over again because their personalities changed so much from book 1. But in a good way?? This book was soooo funny and the YEARNING?! 10/10. The mystery vibes were still there, but better than book 1 imo. Everything about this book was perfect. The humor. The romance. The fantasy. Everything. Idk if there’ll be a book 3, but I’d be there for it.
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for my honest review.
I was satisfied with book 1. In fact, I thought it was going to be a standalone. Boy am I glad I was wrong! This sequel was so needed. It was like meeting our MCs all over again because their personalities changed so much from book 1. But in a good way?? This book was soooo funny and the YEARNING?! 10/10. The mystery vibes were still there, but better than book 1 imo. Everything about this book was perfect. The humor. The romance. The fantasy. Everything. Idk if there’ll be a book 3, but I’d be there for it.
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for my honest review.
mysterious
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Minor spoilers for the God and the gumiho are kinda implied with this books summary. It’s hard to get around without spoiling since it involves reincarnation (which I just realized I spelled wrong in the graphic 🤣) of the main character Hani. I found the character development for Kisa to be so good. Like are you the same or not when you come back in the next life? When you don’t have those memories? What makes you, you. And accepting all the flaws and differences that came with that. I loved it. 5 stars. Go pick up your copy in July 💕. Thank you to @delreybooks for the arc copy and to @netgalley . Can’t wait for the issue to fixed on KOBO so I can use my ereader 💕 #thegodandthegumiho #thegodandthegwisin #arc
Having read The God and the Gumiho I was thrilled to be selected to read an ARC of The God and the Gwisin!
I liked the sequel better than the first book which is 1) rare and 2) difficult to achieve. I appreciated the depth that Sophie Kim created with Soekga and Kisa with their mental health struggles and vulnerability. I appreciate how Kim has chosen to weave and retell these Korean myths and Gods in her stories keeping the tales and curiosity alive for another generation and different audiences. The twists and turns kept me on my toes and the ending epilogue has me wanting to know more about their life after their surprise visitor.
"I have wanted you before I even knew you." That entire paragraph had me in tears, I found it so beautiful. I would share more but don't want to spoil it for anyone.
I liked the sequel better than the first book which is 1) rare and 2) difficult to achieve. I appreciated the depth that Sophie Kim created with Soekga and Kisa with their mental health struggles and vulnerability. I appreciate how Kim has chosen to weave and retell these Korean myths and Gods in her stories keeping the tales and curiosity alive for another generation and different audiences. The twists and turns kept me on my toes and the ending epilogue has me wanting to know more about their life after their surprise visitor.
"I have wanted you before I even knew you." That entire paragraph had me in tears, I found it so beautiful. I would share more but don't want to spoil it for anyone.