The God and the Gumiho

Perfection!! this was absolutely amazing!!!I devoured this! this was so much more than what I expected!
I honestly have no words but just one.BRILLIANT. If you have not added this to your tbr you have to please .it's a must read if you are in need for a great fantasy!
Can't wait to have a special edition on my shelf! Amazing read, definitely recommend! 5 stars!!

*thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review*

One of my most anticipated reads of 2024 and it did not disappoint! The world building, characters and banter were fantastic and the humour??? 10/10

Hani & Seokga are a brilliant enemies to lovers couple and as mentioned before, the banter was perfect. The evolution of their relationship over the book was so natural and took time to build up as Hani first decides to become his assistant for her own safety and a tiny bit of mischief... Roadtrips, stakeouts and fairy bargains all help bring the two closer together and it makes for a super fun read.

The investigation itself is also really well done, the clues are all there for the reader to uncover alongside Hani & Seokga. If you're a fan of urban fantasy, kdrama, enemies to lovers romance & thrilling investigations then look no further.

Thanks to Netgalley & Hodder & Stoughton for the arc. I really loved this one!

[ARC provided by NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton, Hodderscape. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review The God and the Gumiho.]

Rating: 5/5

Let me just start by saying that The God and the Gumiho has swiftly become one of my all-time favourite fantasy reads. And I don’t say this lightly, but seriously, it’s that good. I had an inkling that I’d enjoy this as I love kdramas with similar themes, and oh boy, the first page had me grinning because I knew right away that I was going to love this book. Everything was perfect, truly I wouldn’t change a single element of it. The pacing was superb, the balance between fantasy and contemporary was spot on, and the characters are some new favourites for me. This is a book that all fantasy lovers (bonus points if you enjoy kdramas) need to read.

This story follows Seokga, a fallen god, and Hami, a secretly infamous gumiho, as they grudgingly work together to solve a murder mystery. Their relationship is the type that I dream to uncover whenever I start a new book. The chemistry, the tension, the hate to tentative friendship to tender fondness is everything!!! I fell in love with this pair and their hilarious banter so quickly that I could feel myself slowing down my reading pace, just so I could enjoy being in the moment with them for longer.

Although my favourite element of this book is definitely the steadily building romance, there’s also so much more to love. This story is a carefully crafted masterpiece taking inspiration from Korean mythology that will hook you in the most delicious sense. I have some familiarity with the mythological names and terms that pop up but I’m certain I’d have still loved this even without that knowledge. Everything stitches together so perfectly, leaving you with an addictive contemporary fantasy drama that is simply impossible to put down.

Another reason I’m not surprised that I loved this is because I adore Loki the trickster god in just about every time he pops up in literature, film etc. Seokga is very similar and his mischievous streak had me laughing and kicking my feet on numerous occasions. Although we don’t see it too often, his relationship with his brother, Hwanin, sometimes reminded me of Loki and Thor (especially how they’re portrayed in the Thor films) which made me love him even more.

Also there’s spice and I wasn’t expecting that!! Don’t get me wrong, I don’t need spice to love a romance but I also will never say no to it, and it’s executed perfectly here. The tension and longing between Seokga and Hami is honestly so gripping and I was squealing whenever they so much as brushed hands.

I really could go on and on but all you have to know is that you need to read this book as soon as it comes out. If you like fantasy romances then you’ll love it, but if you also like mythology, murder mysteries, buddy cop stories and a lot of banter (with a pinch of heartbreak), you’ll love it even more.

Absolutely blown away by this one! Morally grey x morally grey main characters, with a vibrant Korean setting and a beautiful love story! I desperately need the next one after that ending!!

Summary

This deliciously swoony and brilliantly funny contemporary Korean fantasy follows Hani, a sly shapeshifting fox known as a Gumiho, and Seokga, a fallen trickster God, as they work together to unravel the mysteries behind a rogue demon of darkness and kill it before it turns the mortal world into its very own hell. However, the demon is not the only thing they have to haunt, as Seokga is offered the opportunity to be reinstated as a powerful god once more by his brother, who is the King of the Gods, if he manages to kill the demon... as well as a notorious gumiho known as the Scarlet Fox. Hani is the Scarlet Fox, and she has guarded her secret identity as a notorious legendary gumiho for thousands of years. With Seokga on her trail, Hani is willing to go to any lengths to prevent him from unravelling her secret, and she does so by coming up with her own brilliant plan to deceive him in his investigations.Yet, the god and the gumiho find that despite what their own logic dictates, their hearts are inexplicably bound to unravel too.

Review

Firstly, I would like to emphasise I don’t think I have ever read a book that contained the sort of humour that will induce me to squeal with laughter. This book is so brilliantly hilarious, witty and full of charm that upon the first few pages of reading, I knew that I was going to absolutely adore this book, its characters and the world that the writer has so masterfully built. I can’t get over how brilliantly funny the dialogues and the characters were – the humour was so natural, and the writing is just so fantastic! If you are a fan of k-dramas, sunshine x grumpy tropes (done in such a sparklingly, achingly wonderful way), enemies to lovers, romance and even some spice, this book is perfect for you. I loved it so much, and I need to now cure this void inside my heart because I finished this too quickly, and I will probably reread it again once I finish this review. Also, I found the references to pop culture, fan fictions and ‘biases’ so funny and I think that if, like me, that is your kind of humour, you will adore the banter and dialogues in this book.

I feel like the main characters in this novel really shine, as in they truly are the perfect morally grey FMC and MMC for me. First and foremost, Hani was such an amazing FMC who exemplified a certain depth and complexity that only very skilled writers are adept at weaving into their stories. She was so wonderfully fierce, seductive, morally ambiguous, selfish and cunning yet she was also ferociously protective, endearing, charming and full of life and humour. Her character development was so wonderful to experience, and I loved the fact that she was not a perfect and morally righteous character but a very flawed and realistic FMC with the potential to grow and grow she did!! Indeed, she had redeemed herself in the end. Her love for Seokga is just so true and heartfelt.

As for Seokga, oh how I adored him! He is cruel, snarky, cold, uncaring and grumpy but underneath all that veneer of self-importance, superiority complex and arrogance, he really is just a soft baby who is thousands of years old and will do anything for his girl. I loved his trickster nature, especially at some of the things he did at the end (gave me a good chuckle) and the way that Hani has brought out the compassion and love in him just made me melt in a puddle of my own tears.

The dynamic, tensions and eventual romance between Hani and Seokga was just delicious, to-die for, tender at the right moments and just so very swoon worthy. I loved their interactions and I found that they kind of give me Bonnie and Clyde vibes! I was so invested in their romance because in the beginning, their interactions were truly one that was between two enemies, and I was interested to see how the writer would develop their relationship, especially with Seokga being the grumpy god that he is.

Also, a noteworthy mention is Hwanin and Seokga’s sibling dynamic!! We get glimpses of their dynamic as well as Hwanin’s character throughout the book, but it isn’t until the end that we really get a better scope of their relationship and of Hwanin himself. I must admit that my heart goes out to Hwanin and I really want to see more development in their bond in the next book!!! Their sibling dynamic is one of my favourites already and we didn’t even get all that much of it even at the end!

In terms of the ending, I felt that it was executed beautifully, and the certain element of redemption was done so fittingly. Although some parts did break my heart, I think that in this kind of story and with our type of morally ambiguous characters, it was very well implemented. The ending was satisfying but also really makes me want the next book!

Overall, this story is just so fantastic, and perfectly balances morally grey characters with such deft ease and it is masterful in its incorporation of Korean mythology into a contemporary fantasy setting. If you’re a fan of masterfully crafted contemporary fantasy with a Korean twist, sufficiently swoony romance to make you giddy, fantastic banter and humour and a good dose of sparkling, loveable characters, then look no further because you will probably devour this book. Or it will devour you instead, depending on how you deal with the void that you will be left with once you finish this gorgeous book.

𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘏𝘰𝘥𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘤𝘢𝘱𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘎𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘈𝘙𝘊.

Look, when your book has Grumpy x Sunshine, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Forced Proximity, and If I Don't Drink Coffee This Instant I'm Going To Die And Take You All Down With Me To The Seventh Circle Of Hell (that definitely counts as a trope right?), it's going to be a hard ask for me not to rate it highly. Especially when all that is set in a grungy, contemporary fantasy world rich in folklore and mythology I'd never come across before (but am now desperate to explore further). I suspect The God and the Gumiho may be a gateway d̶r̶u̶g̶ book.

I love that the author knowingly leans into the realm of K-Drama, giving a distinctly modern twist to a story that wouldn't have reached its full potential if kept completely oldy-worldy and traditional. The stakes feel weighty and grounded - actions have real consequences and the characters have to navigate their way through them. It never shies away from the darker, grittier essence of those old Korean mythologies either (Gumihos are supremely awesome). There's a depth and lived-in-ness to it all. A somethingness. Character progression feels earned and natural, and their relationships to one another develop in a similar way.

I'm can't wait to read more of Sophie Kim's work in the future. (And to get my hands on a hard copy of this once it's out in June!)

Oh my god this book just blew out all my expectations.
I wasn't expecting the romance, which was INCREDIBLE. Hate to love, written in such a fantastic way.
I loved the juxtaposition between the grump god and the annoying and hyper gumiho.
One of my favourite books this year so far. I NEED more!

Okay, I absolutely loved this story but also this book had no business being this funny and heartbreaking at the same time.

When reading this book, you get:
- magic
- monsters
- (Korean) mythology
- morally grey MCs (yes, both of them)

The story Sophie Kim crafted is fast-paced, addicting, and feels like a big hug. I fell in love with the characters instantly, and the last few chapters shattered my heart. The character growth was chef's kiss, the plot was plotting, the writing was original, and there isn't a single thing I would change upon first read.

I really-really-REALLY hope the series continues where it was left off in the Epilogue because I most definitely need more, and I need it now, thank you.

final rating: ★★★★★

thank you so much to netgalley and the publisher Hodder and Stoughton for the e-arc

wahhhh everything about this book hit perfectly for me. nothing much these few days have stood out in particular for me even in this densely populated asian fantasy genre, but this korean urban fantasy hit the spot for me. everything from the setting to the lore to the characters and even the mystery behind it had be absorbed from start to finish.

(spoilers ahead!!)

let's start with the world. Iseung, basically the modern world is where the story is set, where creatures of korean mythology hide in plain sight. we meet our two main characters Hani, our Scarlet Fox gumiho who killed a lot in the past and went into hiding, and Seokga, a fallen god following a failed coup. i loved the different worlds, Okhwang which is basically the korean mount olympus, an underworld and a dark world. i didn't even mind stopping look up the different creatures. and the pacing was all excellent, the foreshadowing and build up on Somi's arc into a gumiho giving in to her cravings, the real identity of the eudosuksinni demon, even the obvious herring were written in a fast paced, yet still vivid manner that i commend Sophie Kim for.

both protagonists start off annoying, and we see the classic grumpy x sunshine, enemies to lovers thing going on immediately. while Hani's character growth focusses more on her choices of self preservation first, others later and shifts the other way around, i found Seokga's journey way more interesting in a young, angsty in annoying denial of his feelings and caring more about others than himself. the build up of their relationship was realistic, did not have the sizzling sexual tension i've come to expect from the trope right from the beginning, and was very satisfying to see unfold.

the ending of Hani actually dying was surprising. i thought, y'know, plot armour. but she died. and Seogka had to beg his brother (whom i would gladly throw off Okhwang) to let her reincarnate, and he waited *counts* TWENTY SIX years for her to be reborn. love the ending, but more please!

***I received this advanced copy for free provided by NetGalley and I'm leaving this review voluntarily. ***

I have absolutely no words. Not only this is now my favorite ARC but also it stands in between on my favorite books.
The first korean folklore book I ever read and I'm glad because this was a great surprise, specially as I'm such a fan of korean culture and here I had the opportunity to even dig deeper into their folklore stories.
The plot was brilliantly wrote and the character development was so smooth you can't even track down when they start to change which is an amazing experience as you feel you're growing with them. I have no doubts that Hani and Seokga are my favorite couple now, the way they tease each other, I laughed so so so much from the coffee first incident moment until when they roll down the mountain, they're like big children with funny fights I think I marked 500 parts on the book 🤣🤣
Their story was lovely to see develop and I'm just slightly sad that in the end it didn't have further development but who knows.. maybe another book would come ..?? 👀🥰
I completely recommend this book, so so worthy and I'm so grateful that I had the opportunity to have it as an ARC. 🤍

In "The God and the Gumiho," the first book of the enchanting contemporary fantasy series, Fate's Thread, Sophie Kim weaves a spellbinding tale of gods, demons, and the unlikely alliance between a fallen trickster god and a coffee-slinging, shapeshifting fox.
Kim Hani, once feared as the Scarlet Fox, spends her days blending into the mortal world, working at a café trying to avoid a certain aggravating customer. Seokga, a trickster god banished from the heavens, spends his days hunting demons and finding new ways to provoke the Scarlet Fox. When a powerful demon breaks free from the underworld, and the Scarlet Fox resurfaces before vanishing mysteriously, Hani is determined to outwit Seokga at every turn, even infiltrating his investigation with her own cunning tricks. But as they clash in a battle of wits and wills, sparks begin to fly, and they find themselves drawn to each other. "The God and the Gumiho" is a delightful blend of magic, humor, and romance. Sophie Kim's storytelling is vibrant and captivating, drawing readers into a world where gods walk among mortals and nothing is quite as it seems. The chemistry between Hani and Seokga crackles with tension, and their banter is both witty and endearing. As they embark on a quest to stop the demon and unravel the mysteries of their own pasts, readers are taken on a thrilling ride full of twists and surprises.

I would like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read and honestly review an advanced reader’s copy of this book.

I’ve been quite burned out by Asian Fantasy lately - I’ve just read too much of it. So when I got this ARC I was worried I wouldn’t enjoy it. Thankfully, that wasn’t the case.

Sophie Kim doesn’t go in hard with the world building; nothing is overly complicated or over explained. I sometimes struggle when I’m given pages and pages of sense world building. The mythology and structure behind this world is simple and straight forward. It’s a simple backdrop for honestly fantastic characters.

Witty and sarcastic Fox Demon vs a grumpy Fallen God, solving mysteries together. Forced proximity making them fall in love despite constantly annoying each other. These characters are so vibrant and their journey through this world felt well paced, and kept me glued to the digital page.

I loved this. I think I needed this to get me out of this slump. Easy 4.5 stars, rounding it uk to 5 because I’m just so fond of these characters.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I have NO WORDS!!! I'M REELING!!!! THIS BOOK RUINED ME FOR ANY OTHERS! SEOKGA AND HANI JUST STOLE MY HEART AND LEFT! WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO NOW?????? WAIT A YEAR FOR BOOK 2???? WHYYYYY 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

I'll try to write an informative and helpful review, I promise, but I just had to vent a little, too...

The God and the Gumiho is an AMAZING story, inspired by Korean mythology and set in South Korea. /Can you see my heart eyes as I wrote this sentence? Can you feel my heart racing?/ It's told by two POVs, of Seokga's and Hani's.

Seokga is the fallen God, with striking emerald eyes and a striking physique *coughs and swallows* He's also quite grumpy; but he's effortlessly funny while being grumpy. He hates everything except coffee--which is sort of relatable some days... He doesn't feel like he needs manners, which can lead to some seriously funny situations, but he's a very smart and very knowledgeable character. Sure, some dots he refuses to connect because HOT AND EMOTIONAL REASONS, but I just love how competent he is. Did I mention that he's hilariously grumpy? And hot?! I'd be fangirling, too, if I saw him. I may have a thing from grumpy yet soft on the inside characters, who can blame me?!

Hani is our wicked Gumiho who has chosen to leave her glorious days of Gumiho-ing behind. By Gumiho-ing, I mean the whole killing men and eating their livers. *in case you don't know what a Gumiho is!* The funny thing is that it's not because she has had a change of heart, but it's because she's still too full. She's not a villain, but she's not an innocent, either, and I FREAKING LOVED HER! I loved how she perceived reality, how she didn't shy from her nature, and how she didn't apologize for being what and who she is. She didn't make the moral choices all the time lmao, but her choices made sense given her nature and circumstances.

I loved Seokga. I loved Hani. And I loved their character development. Across the story, both of them changed, and by the end, they were different versions of themselves.

The worldbuilding?! I mean, CAN YOU SEE MY HEART EYES?! The author has retold some myths from Korean mythology and weaved the story with Korean words. She did explain them but not in a lecture/wikipedia sort of way. It was so seamlessly woven with the storyline; I have to say, kudos to the author, this was masterfully done!

The plot had its twists and turns. Since we had a crime mystery to solve, too, the author kept us guessing one way or another. I really enjoyed the mystery/detective aspect! PLEASE MORE SUPERNATURAL DETECTIVE STORIES!

Have I said that I LOVE THIS BOOK WITH ALL MY HEART AND SOUL? Because I did. I'm so, so, so utterly in love with this book that I don't know what to do with myself right now. Everything else pales in comparison, and I do type this despite my other ARCs that are glaring at me...

5 stars aren't enough for this book. It's phenomenal!

It's a pick for a monthly box, and I can only say, RENEW, RENEW, RENEW!

When I started reading this book, I had no idea what to expect. And that turned out to be a good thing, because oh my god, The God and the Gumiho surprised me in the best possible way. Set in 1992, in a supernatural South Korea, this is the story of Seokga, a fallen god and Hani, the legendary Scarlet Fox. The two team up when a demon starts terrorising their city. Their team-up leads to a most wonderful dynamic. The two dislike each other at the start; like really dislike each other, and through this dislike, comes through, some incredible banter.

I will not lie, I was shipping Hani and Seokga right from the start. Even if they were not getting along, the chemistry between them was intense and clearly visible. And truly, you will start loving them together quickly.

The world building in this was sooo good too; it felt like I was being immersed in an action-packed K-drama, with elements of Korean mythology incorporated within. Sophie Kim's writing was truly beautiful and really pulls you into this story, grounding you in this world. And the way things were described in this really feels like you're living every event of the book as it happens. Like you're right there with the characters.

As for the ending? I'm speechless. I was not expecting *that* to happen. And truly, my heart is broken. I am gonna need some time to recover. But the final chapter of the book leaves you with a certain degree of hope and after reading that, I simply cannot wait for Book 2! I know it's going to be as amazing as this one was.

If you don't already have this preordered, then do it now. The God and the Gumiho is an incredibly fantasy tale that will render you speechless when you finish (and I mean, speechless in a good way).

With thanks to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the ARC!

This was a fun, cute, heartbreaking read! I loved the characters so much, especially Seokga. I adored the ending and I thought it was very clever. The worldbuilding was incredible, I loved reading about all the different creatures.

The morally grey main characters had so much character growth and those final few chapters wrecked me! It was fast-paced and exciting, and I absolutely loved the witty banter back and forth between Seokga and Hani.

I highly recommend this, it’s a gem of a book and I know this is going to be a top read of the year!

thank you to netgalley, the publisher and author for this arc.

4.5 stars.

i. loved. this.

if you know me, you know i love folklore. myths and legends. no matter what culture, it's an aspect of people that's always fascinated me.
going into this, i had no prior knowledge of korean folklore, and i enjoyed googling all the little things i didn't know before. so for that alone, i thank this book for finding me.

the god (seokga—fallen, grumpy, hates everything) and the gumiho (hani—retired murderer, coffee-hater, loves making a certain god's life hell). and i loved them so much. even though i found their romantic arc to be moving a little too fast, they were so fun to watch interact. the way seokga learns to love, not just hani but other people around him (or perhaps he already loved, he just didn't recognize it for what it was). their interactions, the bickering, it was fun.

and i do love me a good murder mystery. 😌

anyways, i quite enjoyed this, and i would for sure read the second book!!

The God and the Gumiho is a Korean contemporary fantasy—which I don't tend to read much of— with a lot of lore taken from Korean mythology, and Oh my, God I loved it so much more than I expected to? The prose was beautiful and witty. Phenomenal. And slightly heartbreaking? I just have a thing for that type of stuff.

Seokga is a grumpy <s>emo boy</s> fallen trickster god trying to redeem himself so he can get his powers back and go home. Hani, the notorious Scarlet Fox, becomes his assistant to prevent him from discovering her true identity and just to annoy the shit out of him. I did find her a tad immature at times, but that's really my only complaint.

Hani and Seokga were snarky, and their banter was immensely entertaining. As someone who's picky about romance, I loved their dynamic. I wish there was more. I see this is a first in a series? I'm not really getting my hopes up for more of them but maybe a spin-off about Somi?

The author's other work, Last of the Talons, has been on my tbr for a while, but now I'm definitely going to check it out.

Wow, just wow!
This was one of my most anticipated reads, and it did not disappoint!
If ypu like korean culture, K dramas and the grumpy/sunshine trope this is definitely for you!
Like K dramas, the romance did progress quickly, but for me personally that wasn't a problem, the world was beautifully built, I could almost see myself sitting in the creature cafe, sipping on a iced coffee.
I adored Seokga, and his unapologetic stance, the god of trickery indeed, and Hani was sassy, the ending with what happened had me in tears (no spoilers here!)
Although some of the mysteries were easy to guess, it was still so enjoyable, I really liked the crime aspect, it worked so well, and learning all the korean creatures and gods names was really interesting.
Can't wait to see more from this author.

I thoroughly enjoyed the whole premise of this book. The settings were vibrant, the characters were all loveable in their own ways, and the inclusion of myth and folklore were brilliant. The writing flowed well, and the plot was fun, even with some coincidental bumps along the way.

It was fun to see an early reveal into who Hani was, how she planned to deal with it and then another trouble was thrown in, forcing our endearing main characters to be together. I'm very open and looking forward to a sequel, whether it continues with Hani and Seokga, or moves onto others in the story.

The only downside to this was that I did find it a bit difficult to engage with the abundance of Korean myth folk, purely because I wasn't 100% sure on how to pronounce their names, or were able to imagine what they looked like. It didn't take too much away from the whole book itself, but they weren't memorable.

Definitely for lovers of kdrama, urban fantasy and mysteries!

Right, first and foremost this book brought me such pure unadulterated joy.

The God and the Gumiho follows our 2 main POVs, firstly we have Seokga the fallen god of mischief, turned detective who must send 20,000 souls to Jeoseung to atone for his past crimes and then Hani, a Gumiho, named 'the Scarlet Fox' renowned for killing over 500 men in London in 1888 (oooft) Both our main characters find themselves teaming up when a demon starts terrorising the city thus hilarity and all the good stuff follow!

I loved both characters SO much, Hani was a chaotic ball of morally grey cuteness with a heart of actual gold (deep down...DEEP down) and Seokga was an actual touch starved grumpy mess and I love him. Combine them both together and just ***heart eyes*** The world Kim has created and the characters are all so enjoyable - I'll admit I wasn't without a few eye rolls as Hanis' decisions and actions but honestly made sense for her and she is just a whole vibe.

The second I finished it I went to try and find special editions of the book because I NEEDED TO OWN IT! One thing I will say is I hadn't realised it was the start of a series, but honestly, I think it actually really works well as a standalone.

First of all I’d like to thank the publisher and netgalley for granting me a free e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

I fear I will be unable to be normal about this book for the foreseeable future, i’m sorry in advance for the amount of fangirling I will be doing in this review. I have to admit I was definitely in a reading slump when I started this, but around the 25% mark, I felt like it just grabbed me by my arms and quite literally dragged me out of my slump swamp.

I was a bit hesitant going into it though, partly due to the fact that I was hardcore slumping. But another big factor was that it was this whole new world with a big amount of creatures that i’d never heard of before. Werewolves ? I was obsessed. Vampires? Been there done that. But truth betold, the only name that rung a bell to me while reading was ‘’guhimo’’ and the others were just a big blur. But I can proudly say that after finishing this book that i’m never going back to plain old vampires and werewolves. The author had this beautiful way of explaining the different realms and creatures that inhabit those realms without it ever feeling like a straight up info dump.

Don’t even get me started about the two main characters. I love them, I am in awe of them. I may have adopted them as my 2 chaotic children. (let’s just forget they’re more than a thousand years older than me). The only thing that I kind of struggled with is that the switch from ‘’enemies’’ to friends and then to lovers felt a bit sudden to me. Could be because of the fact that I literally read 90% of this book within one day, so i’m not letting it impact my rating in any kind of way.

I can yap on for so much longer about this brilliant novel, but I’m thinking that you all should just pick this up when it comes out, so you can see for yourself what an amazing world this author has created!!!

I think I can safely say this is one of my favorite reads of 2024 so far!! 5/5 without a doubt

Thank you NetGalley and HodderBooks for a copy of this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review ♡

What can I say..... its like a fantasy k-drama with the best tropes.

This was such a wonderful story and I didn't want it to finish! Kim Hani is a legend of a gumiho (a nine-tailed fox) who has been in hiding since her rampage in London in 1888. We also meet Seokga (a fallen god, the god of mischief and chaos, who is hell bent on getting back home to his rightful place among the gods).

The world building is great, there were a few times I had to research some of the creatures mentioned but that is only because I am not familiar with South Korean myth and lore, but it was incredibly interesting to look at and read into. Definitely a realm in which I want to read more books that have this lore in.

The relationship between the two main characters is both hilarious and captivating. The banter between the two is funny and real, and I just loved it.

There better be a second book right? Because those last few chapters ruined me.

♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 | ARC review

this was SO much fun. i’m crossing all my appendages that i get off the Fairyloot waitlist so I can get the SE of this one!

here me out: if you liked Crescent City, enjoyed Disney’s Zootropolis, and police procedural dramas: you’re going to love this. (& if you have read this and loved it, i recommend Zootropolis lol) A big reason why all of the above are a win for me is because there’s an element of detective work, usually a slow burn, enemies-to-friends-to-lovers relationship, and fun side characters that build our MC’s personalities, & this book is no exception!

I adored watching our 𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 morally grey fallen god & gumiho grow and develop their friendship first & foremost. romances are so much more believable to me when they’re friends first and i love the innocence of growing to love your bestie 🥲

secondly, although predictable to me, the detective, cat and mouse aspect to the story kept me really engaged. thirdly, korean folklore/mythology is a fairly new genre to me and i adored learning about these fantastical creatures.

ultimately, watching our MCs go from: “𝕐𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕘𝕠𝕕 𝕔𝕠𝕞𝕡𝕝𝕖𝕩 𝕙𝕒𝕤 𝕘𝕠𝕥𝕥𝕖𝕟 𝕠𝕝𝕕,” 𝕤𝕙𝕖 𝕤𝕟𝕖𝕖𝕣𝕤. “𝕊𝕖𝕖𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕒𝕤 𝕪𝕠𝕦’𝕣𝕖 𝕟𝕠𝕥 𝕠𝕟𝕖 𝕒𝕟𝕪𝕞𝕠𝕣𝕖.” to: “𝕎𝕖’𝕝𝕝 𝕤𝕖𝕖 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕞𝕠𝕣𝕟𝕚𝕟𝕘,” 𝕊𝕖𝕠𝕜𝕘𝕒 𝕨𝕙𝕚𝕤𝕡𝕖𝕣𝕤 𝕒𝕘𝕒𝕚𝕟𝕤𝕥 𝕙𝕖𝕣 𝕝𝕚𝕡𝕤. “𝕎𝕖’𝕝𝕝 𝕤𝕖𝕖 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕕𝕒𝕨𝕟.” had me in a chokehold until 3am last night.

-thank you to Netgalley & Hodder Books for the ARC!-

I was very excited to read this book when i saw the blurb and it did not disappoint. Kim Hani, a retired Gumiho, works in a café shop where she, particularly, likes to annoy a trickster god. Seokga, a fallen god, must live in the mortal realm until he completes his punishment. Both of their lives intertwine when a series of events force them to work together. Secrets between them and a powerful demon from the underwold on the loose, it's upto Hani and Seokga to stop him before humanity is lost.

This is a great enemies to lovers book with all the bickering we like to see between our main leads. I found their interactions funny and could feel their hatred towards each other. As soon as i went into this world, it was so descriptive and painted such a lovely picture for me. First impressions are always important in a book and i'm so happy i was able to get into it straight away. The pacing was perfect and the characters were so cool. Hani is a badass with a mouth and Seokga is a broody guy who's only love is coffee with one sugar and one cream. I found myself having to cover the page because i didn't want to, accidently, skip to the end in important scenes. Even though i figured out the villain, i still loved every moment of this book and would recommend it to others.

Thank you to hodder books and netgalley for allowing me to read and early copy for an honest review.