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The Winged Game
Not yet published
Expected 30 Jun 26Fantasy meets sports romance in this sizzling slow-burn novel from the #1 Sunday Times bestselling author of The God and the Gumiho, in which the disgraced star of a brutal magical sport must team up with the rival who destroyed her career.
Carriwitchet, the violent, rugby-esque game played atop winged beasts, was once Taissa Cho’s whole life, and she was once the United Kingdom’s most promising player. Until her nemesis, rival player Kion Locke, destroyed her career in a single moment. Expelled from the sport in disgrace, Taissa has spent the last two years dreaming of nothing but revenge and relishing watching Kion’s team plummet to the bottom of the league.
So when Taissa is offered the chance to redeem herself and her career, she can’t refuse—even if the offer is coming from the very man who ruined everything in the first place. It’s close to a dream come true . . . except for that pesky clause in her contract that demands she and Kion enter a fake relationship in order to garner some much-needed positive PR for the team. This could not be a worse match. Taissa and Kion only have two things in their love of the game, and their undying hatred for each other.
Yet as a mysterious illness befalls the winged creatures of the entire league—putting both the beasts’ lives and the very sport itself at stake—the athletes find themselves partnering up in other ways, determined to crack the case of the eerie sickness. As their investigation takes them on a whirlwind adventure, Kion and Taissa are prepared for anything . . .
Anything, that is, but their fake-for-the-cameras relationship to maybe, just maybe, become something real after all.
Carriwitchet, the violent, rugby-esque game played atop winged beasts, was once Taissa Cho’s whole life, and she was once the United Kingdom’s most promising player. Until her nemesis, rival player Kion Locke, destroyed her career in a single moment. Expelled from the sport in disgrace, Taissa has spent the last two years dreaming of nothing but revenge and relishing watching Kion’s team plummet to the bottom of the league.
So when Taissa is offered the chance to redeem herself and her career, she can’t refuse—even if the offer is coming from the very man who ruined everything in the first place. It’s close to a dream come true . . . except for that pesky clause in her contract that demands she and Kion enter a fake relationship in order to garner some much-needed positive PR for the team. This could not be a worse match. Taissa and Kion only have two things in their love of the game, and their undying hatred for each other.
Yet as a mysterious illness befalls the winged creatures of the entire league—putting both the beasts’ lives and the very sport itself at stake—the athletes find themselves partnering up in other ways, determined to crack the case of the eerie sickness. As their investigation takes them on a whirlwind adventure, Kion and Taissa are prepared for anything . . .
Anything, that is, but their fake-for-the-cameras relationship to maybe, just maybe, become something real after all.
544 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication June 30, 2026
5 people are currently reading
467 people want to read
About the author
Sophie Kim
15 books972 followersSophie Kim is the #1 Sunday Times bestselling author of stories that feature mythology, monsters, mystery, and magic. Her critically acclaimed work includes young adult novels such as the Talons series, as well as books on the adult spectrum such as The God and the Gumiho.
Profile illustration by @warickaart.
Profile illustration by @warickaart.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
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December 14, 2025Honestly pretty thrilled about a fantasy x sports romance mix by Sophie Kim.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Romantasy meets sports romance!
This is one of my top reads of the year. It was such a refreshingly unique book in multiple ways. First of all, I’m kind of hit or miss with contemporary sports romances because I’m such a fantasy/romantasy girlie at heart. This is such an interesting mix because the book centers around the game of Carriwitchet.
Carriwitchet is played on the backs of various magical creatures. Each team has one specific kind of creature they ride, for example wyverns. I’ve seen some reviews comparing Carriwitchet to Quidditch from Harry Potter, but I think that’s an extremely unfair comparison seeing as the only similarity is that both games are played in the air. The positions are different, and the goal is to steal three gems from the opposing team’s tower. Whoever brings all three of the opposing team’s gems back to their side of the field first wins.
It took me a while to understand the game and the different roles of the players. I read an ARC copy, and hopefully Sophie Kim will add a glossary or a diagram of the playing field at some point.
The book starts off two years before the main story, and we find out how and why Taissa is forced to leave her Carriwitchet team in disgrace. Flash forward to two years later, and her biggest opponent, MMC Kion, asks her to return to the league on his team to help them out of the bad losing streak they’ve been having. The team desperately needs some good PR, so they agree to fake date for the good of the club. This brings me to my second point that made this book unique. In my opinion, this was a TRUE enemies to lovers. Every book claims to have that trope nowadays, but it really delivered here. I absolutely hated both of these characters for one another in the beginning, and I didn’t know how Kim was going to be able to change my mind about that.
I don’t want to reveal too much because there were a couple of twists that I didn’t see coming, and I don’t want to ruin that experience for anyone. However, I feel legally obligated to mention how absolutely obsessed I am with Cronus. I’m not even going to tell you who/what that is...I guess you’ll just have to read this!!!!
—Thank you to NetGalley, Sophie Kim, and Del Rey, Random House Worlds, Inklore for the ARC copy of The Winged Game—
This is one of my top reads of the year. It was such a refreshingly unique book in multiple ways. First of all, I’m kind of hit or miss with contemporary sports romances because I’m such a fantasy/romantasy girlie at heart. This is such an interesting mix because the book centers around the game of Carriwitchet.
Carriwitchet is played on the backs of various magical creatures. Each team has one specific kind of creature they ride, for example wyverns. I’ve seen some reviews comparing Carriwitchet to Quidditch from Harry Potter, but I think that’s an extremely unfair comparison seeing as the only similarity is that both games are played in the air. The positions are different, and the goal is to steal three gems from the opposing team’s tower. Whoever brings all three of the opposing team’s gems back to their side of the field first wins.
It took me a while to understand the game and the different roles of the players. I read an ARC copy, and hopefully Sophie Kim will add a glossary or a diagram of the playing field at some point.
The book starts off two years before the main story, and we find out how and why Taissa is forced to leave her Carriwitchet team in disgrace. Flash forward to two years later, and her biggest opponent, MMC Kion, asks her to return to the league on his team to help them out of the bad losing streak they’ve been having. The team desperately needs some good PR, so they agree to fake date for the good of the club. This brings me to my second point that made this book unique. In my opinion, this was a TRUE enemies to lovers. Every book claims to have that trope nowadays, but it really delivered here. I absolutely hated both of these characters for one another in the beginning, and I didn’t know how Kim was going to be able to change my mind about that.
I don’t want to reveal too much because there were a couple of twists that I didn’t see coming, and I don’t want to ruin that experience for anyone. However, I feel legally obligated to mention how absolutely obsessed I am with Cronus. I’m not even going to tell you who/what that is...I guess you’ll just have to read this!!!!
—Thank you to NetGalley, Sophie Kim, and Del Rey, Random House Worlds, Inklore for the ARC copy of The Winged Game—
Want to read
December 16, 2025At this point if she writes it, I’ll buy. Sophie Kim truly does not get enough hype.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Sophie Kim's signature humorous voice shines in her newest standalone novel, 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘞𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘥 𝘎𝘢𝘮𝘦. This unique tale masterfully blends readers' favorite parts of fantasy and sports romance, featuring a high-speed rugby and Quidditch-inspired game where players ride winged beasts in lieu of broomsticks.
Taissa lost everything at the hands of her rival, Kion. The ability to play carriwitchet and her tight-knit wyvern bond have quickly been replaced with relentless sneers and a steep pile of bills. When Kion begs her to return to the sport and fill a spot on his team, she agrees, only to find herself fake dating her rival and investigating a strange illness affecting the magical beasts.
𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘞𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘥 𝘎𝘢𝘮𝘦 is a unique crowd pleaser! While it felt a bit longer than it needed to be, the pacing does allow for appropriate setup and payoff. I adored the winged bonding and telepathic connections, and the character work was fantastic. There are well-built backstories and motivations that made for an intriguing and empathetic read. A fierce found family element develops throughout the story, and I really enjoyed watching it unfold. The inclusion of BSL was refreshing and well-presented, too!
Sophie Kim is such a fresh voice in the fantasy genre, and I adored her unique writing style yet again. I can't wait to see what she crafts next!
Thank you to Del Rey and NetGalley for the advance reading copy!
{{If you're sensitive to triggers, PTSD, abuse, and bullying are fairly heavily explored with a serious tone that opposes the humor, so please check before diving in.}}
Taissa lost everything at the hands of her rival, Kion. The ability to play carriwitchet and her tight-knit wyvern bond have quickly been replaced with relentless sneers and a steep pile of bills. When Kion begs her to return to the sport and fill a spot on his team, she agrees, only to find herself fake dating her rival and investigating a strange illness affecting the magical beasts.
𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘞𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘥 𝘎𝘢𝘮𝘦 is a unique crowd pleaser! While it felt a bit longer than it needed to be, the pacing does allow for appropriate setup and payoff. I adored the winged bonding and telepathic connections, and the character work was fantastic. There are well-built backstories and motivations that made for an intriguing and empathetic read. A fierce found family element develops throughout the story, and I really enjoyed watching it unfold. The inclusion of BSL was refreshing and well-presented, too!
Sophie Kim is such a fresh voice in the fantasy genre, and I adored her unique writing style yet again. I can't wait to see what she crafts next!
Thank you to Del Rey and NetGalley for the advance reading copy!
{{If you're sensitive to triggers, PTSD, abuse, and bullying are fairly heavily explored with a serious tone that opposes the humor, so please check before diving in.}}
December 21, 2025
I was a bit hesitant getting into this book, concerned that it might read a little like some quidditch fan-fic, but I'd previously read and enjoyed several of the author's other novels, so I decided to try this one. Though there are slight similarities in the sport of carriwitchet with the game created for the Harry Potter series, there are also differences, but the key to set this novel apart from some derivative is the well-told plot with fully developed original (well, somewhat archetypical) characters. Taissa Cho and Kion Locke are set up for a cute enemies to lovers romance from the start, but the characters that make up the rest of the team and the story of the beasts that the players fly on in the game make this more than just a romance. The bromances, friendships that feel like a found family, and connections to the winged creatures balance out the relationships that have their own subplots. The main plot deals with trying to resurrect a once great team that has fallen in the ranks and save the league's winged creatures from mysterious ailments that threaten to end the league. It is interesting how the side stories get woven into this main plot and how the stories are brought together for an enjoyable ending...
I received access to this ARC thru NetGalley (for which I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher, Del Rey, Random House Worlds, Inklore) for an honest review. The opinion expressed here is my own.
I received access to this ARC thru NetGalley (for which I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher, Del Rey, Random House Worlds, Inklore) for an honest review. The opinion expressed here is my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Taissa Cho lo perdió todo el día que fue expulsada del deporte que definía su vida. De promesa indiscutible del carriwitchet pasó a convertirse en un nombre incómodo, una figura señalada y olvidada. Vive lejos del ruido de los estadios, arrastrando una ausencia que duele más que la derrota y una rabia que nunca terminó de apagarse. El pasado parece cerrado hasta que Kion Locke reaparece, trayendo consigo una propuesta imposible y una herida que jamás cicatrizó.
Kion no llega buscando redención ni disculpas sinceras, sino supervivencia. Su equipo se desmorona, su legado está en ruinas y la única jugadora capaz de cambiarlo todo es precisamente la mujer a la que ayudó a destruir. La rivalidad que los unió en el aire vuelve a encenderse en tierra firme, cargada de reproches, orgullo y una tensión que nunca fue solo odio.
Aceptar significaría regresar al lugar donde Taissa fue castigada, enfrentarse a un sistema que nunca fue justo y decidir si todavía cree en sí misma cuando nadie más lo hace. Rechazarla sería renunciar para siempre a lo único que la hacía sentir viva. El juego vuelve a comenzar, pero esta vez el riesgo no está solo en el campo.
__
Me cayo mal James.
Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.
Kion no llega buscando redención ni disculpas sinceras, sino supervivencia. Su equipo se desmorona, su legado está en ruinas y la única jugadora capaz de cambiarlo todo es precisamente la mujer a la que ayudó a destruir. La rivalidad que los unió en el aire vuelve a encenderse en tierra firme, cargada de reproches, orgullo y una tensión que nunca fue solo odio.
Aceptar significaría regresar al lugar donde Taissa fue castigada, enfrentarse a un sistema que nunca fue justo y decidir si todavía cree en sí misma cuando nadie más lo hace. Rechazarla sería renunciar para siempre a lo único que la hacía sentir viva. El juego vuelve a comenzar, pero esta vez el riesgo no está solo en el campo.
__
Me cayo mal James.
Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.
December 30, 2025
I hate being that person who gives the first bad review, but I just couldn’t grasp this book. I was so confused I stopped at the 40% mark
I would have liked an intro where the rules for this game are presented and what the field looks like. All I could picture was quidditch on a soccer field where the snitch is a gemstone and the brooms are giant birds. That is it. Each player has a position, but I don’t know how that position plays a role in the game. I just couldn’t picture any of this accurately and I felt so lost.
Where do those glyphs stem from? How does one get their qly? I needed some background info, because this felt like a reimagining of The Mortal Instruments. They draw in themselves and get these powers, except here they can erase them.
By the point I stopped, I couldn’t feel any chemistry between Kion and Taissa. They truly disliked each other. Even when they kissed it was just flat because they didn’t enjoy it and were faking it. And the weird jumping on the bed scene? Uh, mid-twenty and early thirties folks wouldn’t do this. It was sort of childish.
I was so excited for this book, but between confusion and too many similarities between other novels, I couldn’t see it to the end.
*An ARC was received in exchange for an honest review.
I would have liked an intro where the rules for this game are presented and what the field looks like. All I could picture was quidditch on a soccer field where the snitch is a gemstone and the brooms are giant birds. That is it. Each player has a position, but I don’t know how that position plays a role in the game. I just couldn’t picture any of this accurately and I felt so lost.
Where do those glyphs stem from? How does one get their qly? I needed some background info, because this felt like a reimagining of The Mortal Instruments. They draw in themselves and get these powers, except here they can erase them.
By the point I stopped, I couldn’t feel any chemistry between Kion and Taissa. They truly disliked each other. Even when they kissed it was just flat because they didn’t enjoy it and were faking it. And the weird jumping on the bed scene? Uh, mid-twenty and early thirties folks wouldn’t do this. It was sort of childish.
I was so excited for this book, but between confusion and too many similarities between other novels, I couldn’t see it to the end.
*An ARC was received in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Firstly, MCs over 18 which is a huge pull for me, our MMC is 30 and our FMC is 24
It's set in the UK so there is a lot of slang that was kind of jarring to me as a none UKer, but nothing I couldn't rub 2 brain cells together to figure out what it means. (my favorite is Bahoochie and jobbie btw)
Since it's an ARC, one thing I do hope for the finished copy is that they include a glossary or diagram of the players and their rolls. I did write it down myself to reference, but I feel like it would be handy to have that to flip to, as well as one for all the glyphs that they talk about/use.
This was the definition of slow burn and I loved it, I'm also very grateful that this is a standalone, in a sea of series, it was a breath of fresh air to be done when the book closed.
The pacing was decent, I didn't feel like things were dragging at all, there is a lot of humor throughout to kind of break up the seriousness of the book.
Mute representation is also in the book with Taissa actually committing to and learning BSL! love that it wasn't used as a plot device and felt like it actually mattered.
I'd give it a 2 spice rating
Potential triggers:
It's set in the UK so there is a lot of slang that was kind of jarring to me as a none UKer, but nothing I couldn't rub 2 brain cells together to figure out what it means. (my favorite is Bahoochie and jobbie btw)
Since it's an ARC, one thing I do hope for the finished copy is that they include a glossary or diagram of the players and their rolls. I did write it down myself to reference, but I feel like it would be handy to have that to flip to, as well as one for all the glyphs that they talk about/use.
This was the definition of slow burn and I loved it, I'm also very grateful that this is a standalone, in a sea of series, it was a breath of fresh air to be done when the book closed.
The pacing was decent, I didn't feel like things were dragging at all, there is a lot of humor throughout to kind of break up the seriousness of the book.
Mute representation is also in the book with Taissa actually committing to and learning BSL! love that it wasn't used as a plot device and felt like it actually mattered.
I'd give it a 2 spice rating
Potential triggers:
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
The Winged Game by new to me author Sophie Kim is published by Del Rey Random House Worlds.
This sci fi & fantasy sports roamnce and I hit it off right from the start. While there are some similarities to HP and quidditch- allegedly- there are enough differences to make the book highly enjoyable.
I loved the worldbuilding, the bromances and the enemies-to-lovers trope between Taissa and Kion.
I loved reading this gem of a story. But slight problem - now I have to read the back catalogue by this outstanding author.
This sci fi & fantasy sports roamnce and I hit it off right from the start. While there are some similarities to HP and quidditch- allegedly- there are enough differences to make the book highly enjoyable.
I loved the worldbuilding, the bromances and the enemies-to-lovers trope between Taissa and Kion.
I loved reading this gem of a story. But slight problem - now I have to read the back catalogue by this outstanding author.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Your classic sports romance, but make it fantasy! Such a fun idea and I think a lot of people will really have fun with this.
This follows a rugby-esque game played on a dragon/bird-like creature.
This has so much drama of so many different kinds. Contracts, deals, a fake relationship, and a PR nightmare.
This isn't super deep, but it was fun and quick.
If this became a series, or more books similar came out, I would definitely read them.
Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!
This follows a rugby-esque game played on a dragon/bird-like creature.
This has so much drama of so many different kinds. Contracts, deals, a fake relationship, and a PR nightmare.
This isn't super deep, but it was fun and quick.
If this became a series, or more books similar came out, I would definitely read them.
Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I want to first thank Netgalley and the author for letting me read this fantastic book. It kinda reminds me a bit of Fourth Wing. It’s almost like if Fourth Wing was going to compete in the Olympics. The characters were really amazing. The pacing of the book was alright. The writing was very well executed😍. My favorite part of this book is the wyverns. I love wyverns and I knew I would enjoy this amazing sports fantasy book😍. I highly recommend this.
December 23, 2025
SOPHIE KIM I AM VERY FOND OF YOU!!!!! SOOOOO FUN
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews