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ceruleanshelves's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
lighthearted
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
4.0
an intriguing blend of korean mythology and kdrama! i wish i was more familiar with the latter bc i've seen other reviews mention a lot of references and nods to popular kdrama series, but unfortunately they'd all go over my head.
i always enjoy reading less-utilized mythology sources; i was constantly looking up different creature references. and the food đ¤đź any food descriptions or new foods are a plus for me in books. the early 90's setting was also quite fun and nostalgic - i almost keeled over at "expensive nokia 121" lol.
while the murder mystery could be gruesome at parts, it was nicely juxtaposed with the silliness of the kdrama-esque relationship dynamic between our fallen god seokga and the infamous gumiho hani. i do feel like it wasn't the most complex relationship i've read in a book, but it was fun. they did act a bit teenager-ish for a god and a mythological creature of hundreds/thousands of years of age, but i chalk it up to the modern inspirations.
i probably would've given this 3.5 stars, but i like the creativity of blending contemporary kdrama with ancient mythology.
not one of my fav reads this year, but i'm interested in seeing where book 2 goes with that ending đ
i always enjoy reading less-utilized mythology sources; i was constantly looking up different creature references. and the food đ¤đź any food descriptions or new foods are a plus for me in books. the early 90's setting was also quite fun and nostalgic - i almost keeled over at "expensive nokia 121" lol.
while the murder mystery could be gruesome at parts, it was nicely juxtaposed with the silliness of the kdrama-esque relationship dynamic between our fallen god seokga and the infamous gumiho hani. i do feel like it wasn't the most complex relationship i've read in a book, but it was fun. they did act a bit teenager-ish for a god and a mythological creature of hundreds/thousands of years of age, but i chalk it up to the modern inspirations.
i probably would've given this 3.5 stars, but i like the creativity of blending contemporary kdrama with ancient mythology.
not one of my fav reads this year, but i'm interested in seeing where book 2 goes with that ending đ
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Gore
Minor: Vomit, Alcohol, and War
notsobinaryart's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Sexual content, Suicide, and Sexual harassment
blondofondo's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
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? Yes
5.0
This book was so good. I laughed, I cried. I finished it within a week. If you really enjoy kdramas, supernatural stories, murder mystery, steamy romance, then youâll enjoy this. It is set in the 1990s in South Korea. The main characters are so fun and lovable. They havenât announced the next book yet, but it seems like there will be a series? This book did end with most of my questions resolved, didnât end on a major cliff hanger, so it could be read as a standalone. But I still have a few questions and would love to see the characters again in a second book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Murder
snowwhitehatesapples's review
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Also on Snow White Hates Apples.
Set during the early 90s in New Sinsi, a fictional city in the mortal realm where gods and mythological creatures roam among regular humans, The God and the Gumiho follows an unlikely duo as they work together to stop a demon of darkness from destroying the city and possibly the world.
One half of the duo is Seokga, a fallen trickster god who, after his failed coup, is now working as a detective as part of his sentence of having to slay 20,000 Unruly demons before he can reinstated as a proper god. Heâs grumpy, prideful and certainly not the nicest to be around. But, does Hani care? Nope. As the gumiho known as the Scarlet Fox in her heyday, Haniâs not afraid of an ill-tempered fallen god. In fact, sheâd fearlessly dish back what she gets, even when that lands her in hot water â and boy, it definitely does because right after getting on Seokgaâs bad side, she has to worm her way into his good one so he wonât bring her and her friend to justice.
While this makes them sound like an ideal grumpy X sunshine / enemies-to-lovers duo, Seokga and Hani are, unfortunately, more annoying than I can withstand. For beings that are more than a thousand years old, theyâre as mature as horny teenagers whoâve managed to find a spot and time away from adult supervision. Itâs especially ridiculous how unprofessional both are when working. Like, arguing in front of the spirit of a murder victim? Making out and grinding at a stakeout? Peak bombastic side-eye, criminal offensive side-eye territory.
Also, since the main characters were just not it for me, I wasnât a fan of the romance. The characters were too two-dimensional to bring their romance to life. Instead, they upped the cringe factor of tropes like âthereâs only one bedâ, âand they were roommatesâ and âthis is stupid and can come back to bite me in the ass but Iâll do it anywayâ.
The aforementioned aside, I completely adore the mystery, the way the plot unfolded and the interwoven East Asian mythology. The detective plotline had me hooked in the beginning while everything that followed post-climax was *chefâs kiss*.
Set during the early 90s in New Sinsi, a fictional city in the mortal realm where gods and mythological creatures roam among regular humans, The God and the Gumiho follows an unlikely duo as they work together to stop a demon of darkness from destroying the city and possibly the world.
One half of the duo is Seokga, a fallen trickster god who, after his failed coup, is now working as a detective as part of his sentence of having to slay 20,000 Unruly demons before he can reinstated as a proper god. Heâs grumpy, prideful and certainly not the nicest to be around. But, does Hani care? Nope. As the gumiho known as the Scarlet Fox in her heyday, Haniâs not afraid of an ill-tempered fallen god. In fact, sheâd fearlessly dish back what she gets, even when that lands her in hot water â and boy, it definitely does because right after getting on Seokgaâs bad side, she has to worm her way into his good one so he wonât bring her and her friend to justice.
While this makes them sound like an ideal grumpy X sunshine / enemies-to-lovers duo, Seokga and Hani are, unfortunately, more annoying than I can withstand. For beings that are more than a thousand years old, theyâre as mature as horny teenagers whoâve managed to find a spot and time away from adult supervision. Itâs especially ridiculous how unprofessional both are when working. Like, arguing in front of the spirit of a murder victim? Making out and grinding at a stakeout? Peak bombastic side-eye, criminal offensive side-eye territory.
Also, since the main characters were just not it for me, I wasnât a fan of the romance. The characters were too two-dimensional to bring their romance to life. Instead, they upped the cringe factor of tropes like âthereâs only one bedâ, âand they were roommatesâ and âthis is stupid and can come back to bite me in the ass but Iâll do it anywayâ.
The aforementioned aside, I completely adore the mystery, the way the plot unfolded and the interwoven East Asian mythology. The detective plotline had me hooked in the beginning while everything that followed post-climax was *chefâs kiss*.
Thank you so much Hodder & Stoughton and Netgalley for providing me a copy of this in exchange for an honest review! The God and the Gumiho by Sophie Kim is available at all good bookstores.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Violence
Minor: Sexual content, Murder, and Sexual harassment
lisashelves's review
adventurous
challenging
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? No
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Sexual content
coziebookclub's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. If you love Kdramas and all things Korean mythology then this book is for you! I absolutely love the different tropes (enemies to lovers, forced proximity, one bed) in this story and the banter between Seokga and Hani. I was immediately sucked into the world of New Sinsi and couldnât help but fall in love with the characters. Sophie Kim had me on the edge of my seat unexpectedly through the mystery and crimes happening in the city which I loved watching Seokga and Hani work together on to solve.
As fun as majority of this book was, I did not expect the ending and how heartbreaking it was, but Iâm definitely excited for the next installment to this series. The God and the Gumiho comes out tomorrow on June 4th, make sure to read this gem of a fantasy!
As fun as majority of this book was, I did not expect the ending and how heartbreaking it was, but Iâm definitely excited for the next installment to this series. The God and the Gumiho comes out tomorrow on June 4th, make sure to read this gem of a fantasy!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gore, Violence, and Murder
bookishmillennial's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
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
disclaimer: I donât really give starred reviews. I hope my reviews provide enough information to let you know if a book is for you or not. Find me here: https://linktr.ee/bookishmillennial
Thank you to Del Rey for the physical ARC and to PRH Audio for the ALC - I am providing this review of my own accord <3
Premise:
Thank you to Del Rey for the physical ARC and to PRH Audio for the ALC - I am providing this review of my own accord <3
Premise:
They'll do anything to outsmart each other. Anything, except fall in love.In this delightful Korean contemporary fantasy, a fallen trickster god must pair up with a coffee-slinging, shapeshifting fox to track down a demon of darkness before it devours the mortal world.
I'm literally lol-ing at this premise because..... nvm, I won't spoil it *heehee*
Overall, I had SO MUCH FUN reading this one. I am so excited for the next book in the series because the ending was such a cliffhanger/shock. I was not expecting that, and it was so surprisingly selfless and bittersweet *sobs*
The tension and banter between Kim Hani and Seogka was perfection. I loved how goofy these two were, and I think this would translate so well onscreen if it was optioned and adapted hehe.
Overall, I had SO MUCH FUN reading this one. I am so excited for the next book in the series because the ending was such a cliffhanger/shock. I was not expecting that, and it was so surprisingly selfless and bittersweet *sobs*
The tension and banter between Kim Hani and Seogka was perfection. I loved how goofy these two were, and I think this would translate so well onscreen if it was optioned and adapted hehe.
cw notes: also, I put "addiction" as a content warning because the character is described as having an addiction to coffee/caffeine, though I wonder if it's more of a dependency? Just curious wording idk.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, and Violence
Moderate: Addiction, Sexual content, Blood, Vomit, Murder, and Toxic friendship
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: Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, and Murder
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Vomit
asims723's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gore and Murder
Minor: Sexual content
lastblossom's review
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
tl;dr
Supernatural mystery, and romance featuring lots of banter between a grump and a smart ass.
Thoughts
I feel like I grouse about this for every book written like this, but it gets me every time. I do not get along with third person present tense. I don't know why, but it kills immersion for me, and it took me a couple tries to really get into this one. That being said, I liked what I found once I finally settled in. You've got mystery, a ton of drama, and two strong leads who provide plenty of banter for fans of animosity-to-love relationships. The author is clearly channeling k-drama energy for this part, and I love it. Kim Hani is a very fun read, and I delighted in all her smart ass antics. Seokga is a great moody boy, although I admit there was far less trickery than I would have expected from someone who's a literal trickster god. His passion for coffee is excellent, though. I very much appreciate that the author trusts the readers to either understand the Korean terms, or be interested enough to look them up. Truly, thank you. The ending feels satisfying enough to be a one-shot, although it seems implied that this is the start of a series? I can only hope the next book will be about a certain member of the supporting cast instead, because she deserves her moment.
Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine, Del Rey for the advance copy. All thoughts in this review are my own!
Supernatural mystery, and romance featuring lots of banter between a grump and a smart ass.
Thoughts
I feel like I grouse about this for every book written like this, but it gets me every time. I do not get along with third person present tense. I don't know why, but it kills immersion for me, and it took me a couple tries to really get into this one. That being said, I liked what I found once I finally settled in. You've got mystery, a ton of drama, and two strong leads who provide plenty of banter for fans of animosity-to-love relationships. The author is clearly channeling k-drama energy for this part, and I love it. Kim Hani is a very fun read, and I delighted in all her smart ass antics. Seokga is a great moody boy, although I admit there was far less trickery than I would have expected from someone who's a literal trickster god. His passion for coffee is excellent, though. I very much appreciate that the author trusts the readers to either understand the Korean terms, or be interested enough to look them up. Truly, thank you. The ending feels satisfying enough to be a one-shot, although it seems implied that this is the start of a series? I can only hope the next book will be about a certain member of the supporting cast instead, because she deserves her moment.
Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine, Del Rey for the advance copy. All thoughts in this review are my own!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Murder
Minor: Violence, Blood, and Toxic friendship
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