Yumeko was left at the temple when she was a baby with just a note. The monks raised her to hide and control her kitsune side, but her ability to do magic works well with her need to cause mischief. When the temple is attacked and burned, she is given the task to escape with the temple’s greatest treasure. It is only a piece of an ancient scroll, but this scroll is full of power and must not get into the wrong hands. Kage Tatsumi has been tasked with getting the scroll and it must be fate that brings Yumeko and Kage together. Yumeko promises to help Kage with the hope that his presence will ensure her safety, but they are both keeping secrets and these very secrets might be each other’s downfall.

Shadow of the Fox is the first book in a new series with the same name. Kagawa has created a fantasy novel that has the potential to become a great epic fantasy. The world building is so complete that I found myself thinking about the characters and their story even when I had to pull myself away to do other tasks. The adventure is spread throughout the pages and the ending leaves enough of an open storyline that readers will definitely be looking for the next installment. The Shadow of the Fox should be added to all fantasy reader’s TBR list.

I have two confessions:
1. This is my first Julie Kagawa book.
2. I've been sitting on this review for months!

From the first page, I was completely transfixed by "Shadow of the Fox". My only previous experience with Kitsune was through Final Fantasy games so there was a lot of filling in to be done. Kagawa manages her explanations without seeming to go overboard or be heavy-handed.

I am IN LOVE with Kagawa's flow and storytelling abilities. I can recommend this book whole-heartedly to my hardcore fantasy readers who just aren't satisfied with the current YA fantasy trends. My kiddos who are fascinated with Japanese mythology will also really dig this read. It's fairly clean with little swearing and a bit of sexual tension. Nothing crazy or over-the-top.

My one itty bitty picky criticism is that the journey seemed to take an awfully long time. I found myself skimming parts to just make that move forward quicker. This may be a Kagawa-style thing or it may be something else. I really don't know.

Honestly, what's not to like? Kagawa has a slam dunk with an all-encompassing fantasy. I can't wait to see what happens next!

I was not expecting to love this book as much as I did. Kagawa's writing is so beautiful and rich. This is not something I would call a fast read, but not because it was slow in any way. I found myself needing to absorb chunks of it before continuing. The descriptions were well developed and I felt each of the main characters (or semi-main) were well fleshed out with individual personalities.

This is the first time I have read one of Kagawa's books and after reading this I definitely want to not only get the sequel as fast as humanly possible but I may pull out the few of her books I have on my TBR shelf and read them sooner rather than later. I was captivated by her writing style and just loved the pacing and language so much.

I could see some things within the story that other people may have issues with, but for me this was just perfect. I did not want the story to end and found myself not wanting to finish it simply so I could prolong it somehow. For me that is always a good sign but also a little heartbreaking because I need more.

The details and cultural/mythological references were so well done and well developed in the story. There's just enough explanation that I immediately knew and could envision what was going on.

All in all this was one of my favorite reads of this year and I CANNOT wait for more in this story.

*A review will be going up on my blog on the release date, October 2nd.

Thank you so much, Netgalley, for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review. I’m a big fan of Julie Kagawa’s books so I was very excited to read this one. I knew very little of the Kitsune lore but found the premise very intriguing. Surprisingly, it was a somewhat of a slow start for me which I didn’t anticipate. (I wish I would have discovered the glossary before I read the book so I highly recommend familiarizing yourself with it before starting the book.;) About a third of the way through, I eventually I got very immersed in the story. I loved Yumeko. Even though she was raised in a monastery and more naive than worldly, she was not clueless or spineless. There seems to be a lot of heroines in YA books described as “kickass warriors” or something similar, but Yumeko is very different than this type of MC. I found this to be a refreshing change. She’s perceptive, kind, and brave, as well as a force to be reckoned with when she fully embraces her Kitsune power. I really enjoyed how her character evolved throughout the story.

Kage on the other hand, is very serious, intimidating, and closed off (rightfully so.) He was raised to not have a life of his own but rather to live to serve. He carries a heavy burden along with his power. I felt so sorry for him as he struggled with his duty and his identity which seem to become more at odds with each other as the book progressed. I enjoyed his interaction with Yumeko and how her presence slowly changed him.

There’s a lovely and whimsical fairy tale feel to the story with lots of Japanese lore and mythology throughout. Yumeko and Kage team up on their quest for the dragon scroll and have quite a long and eventful journey. They end of being joined by two more characters along the way. I felt the story picked up speed after that as they added some much needed humor and witty banter to the mix which kept the story from dragging. There were a lot of mythological creatures they encountered as well. Some were more whimsical and others were brutal and downright horrifying!

I don’t want to give any spoilers, but overall there’s plenty of action, a hint of a blossoming romance (very subtle so don’t expect it to drive the story if that’s what you’re looking for) and an exciting finale with somewhat of a cliffhanger that sets up the next book. While it wasn’t quite as addictive a read for me as some of her other books I’ve read, I enjoyed the story and look forward to the next book.

I tried twice to get I to this one, but I just couldn’t. I had a hard time picturing it and following it the first time I started it. I took a break and started it again. I was able
To follow it, but I still couldn’t get into it. I am disappointed....it has such high reviews for a book not even published! Perhaps I will try again at a later date.

Kagawa has this amazing talent of creating imagery with words. Worlds burst to life within the pages of each and every one of her books. Shadow of the Fox is a world of magic, demons and political mechaniations.

A cast of unlikely characters find themselves thrust into a hair raising quest. Not all are looking to accomplish the same goal, actually some of their goals are out and out opposing, but in the end they band together. The cast is introduced slowly with each one joining as the journey progresses.

I am a fan of all Julie Kagawa books and in the end I am a fan of Shadow of the Fox... and here comes the but ... But, I struggled getting into this story. I liked it but it was a pretty slow building read until about 45% in and then I LOVED IT.

Would I recommend Shadow of the Fox? ABSOLUTELY! Will I read on? I wouldn't miss it! My recommendation, push on because once you break through you will not want this novel to end.

I received this ARC copy of Shadow of the Fox from Harlequin TEEN. This is my honest and voluntary review. Shadow of the Fox is set for publication October 02, 2018.

My Rating: 4 stars
Written by: Julie Kagawa
Age Range: 12 - 18 years
Grade Level: 7 - 9
Series: Shadow of the Fox
Publication Date: Book 1
Hardcover: 416 pages
Publisher: Harlequin Teen; Original edition
Publication Date: October 2, 2018
ISBN-10: 1335145168
ISBN-13: 978-1335145161
Genre: Youth Fantasy

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Shadow-Fox-Jul...
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/shad...
Itunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/shad...

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This was such fun, plain and simple! And that ending? I mean, good grief, you can't leave me hanging like that.

Seriously though, this novel was so much fun to read. About half of the book is one of those that follows a group of characters as they travel to a distant place, and along the way meet monsters of myth and magic and darkness that they must defeat. While some may say that gets boring after a time, I adored it. Especially when Kagawa threw in a few twists I definitely did not see coming. Any book that has a chapter ending with me yelling, "Yassss!" is kind of a winner. *Shrugs*

The Japanese lore surrounding this story was extensive and wonderful to be exposed to. It suited the story well, building it up and pushing it forward as well as the characters. My only complaint is I wish there was a glossary or something. There were a lot of terms thrown around, and I struggled a little in the beginning to keep up and keep everything and everyone straight. Usually my Kindle look-up feature is a godsend, but it didn't know what half the terms were. That said, I still loved seeing the myth and legends of Japan. Some of it I found to be quite fascinating, but mostly refreshing AF. Yurei, oni, ronin, kitsune; all of it had its place in this story.

Speaking of kitsune, the cast of characters in this was phenomenal! Yumeko was a fast favourite. She's a sweet spark of a girl with magic at her fingertips and a streak of mischief. I never thought I'd say this, but I loved her naivety. It lent a different dynamic and a humour to the character and the novel itself. The story is told from dual POV: Yumeko and the brooding samurai, Tatsumi. Good grief do I have a crush on that boy. Normally I'm not into the whole "bad boy will change for the good girl" trope, but I was squealing each time his cold demeanour melted a little bit. Which makes what happens all that much harder to sit with. But the angle with him and his demon infested sword was so intriguing! And honourable mention to the ronin who comes along for the ride. The sarcasm and humour were well appreciated.

I admit it took me a bit of time to get into this. I felt like I was reading and reading, yet my progress marker barely shifted. But I'm so glad I kept plugging away because this is definitely being shelved as one of my new favourite fantasy series. And, as mentioned, THAT ENDING! I cannot wait until the next book.

“Kage Tatsumi, the demonslayer of the Shadow Shadow Clan. A boy who didn’t know the first thing about kindness, compassion or mercy. Who was ruthless, dangerous and would will anyone - human, demon or yokia - that got in our way. Who didn’t realize that the exact thing he wanted, the entire reason for his mission, was sitting not ten feet from him.”

If you enjoy Japanese anime or lore, pick up this book immediately!

Yumeko is half kitsune (fox spirit) and half human, living in a monastery and raised by monks. Her kitsune half makes her a little trickster, and of course gets her into a bit of trouble. Growing up her entire life in the monastery, she’s very naive about the outside world, but Yumeko has a heart of gold, and although she usually gets easily scared, she’s quick to help anyone she comes across. She really a refreshing character to read about; although she does have a hidden agenda with the dragon scroll her almost child-like quality has her acting to ask forgiveness later.

Tatsumi is the polar opposite of Yumeko. Raised by the strictest of ninja elitist, he bares a sword possessed by a demon. In doing so, he was taught not to have any emotion or hold any ties to keep the demon from possessing him as well. For him it’s a battle to keep the bloodlust of the demon at bay while fighting to protect Yumeko on her journey- and to keep himself from feeling anything for her.

During the story you’ll find a slew of Japanese words (Ite-ouch Kuzo-crap), customs, and creatures of lore. Ghibli fans will be happy to know that Kodama (tree-spirts) make an appearance. It’s small touches that make a world of difference.

The storyline itself switches back and forth between an evil witch and Yumeko with her adventurous fellowship. Taking the Dragon Scroll to the temple is their main objective, but along the way they come across plenty of side quests, if you will. Tatsumi is kind of our reluctant hero, along with a Ronin (Samurai without a lord) that joins the gang, and an actual lord. It makes an interesting and dynamic combination!

Overall, I can’t praise this enough. I love Japanese anime. I love Japanese culture and lore, and love this book. I can’t say if you’ll enjoy this book if you don’t enjoy the others, but I’d like to say you probably would anyway. Give it a try! You might find a entirely new genre you like!

It's been a while since I've picked up a series by Julie Kagawa. I practically devoured The Iron Fey series and I loved Blood of Eden. When I saw Shadow of the Fox, I didn't hesitate. Once I started reading, it didn't take me long to remember why I love this author's world building so much.

My first love in the Fantasy genre is mythology, mainly because I loved it as a child. It's familiar, but every author has the ability to put their own spin on it, so the stories are also fresh. Shadow of the Fox was centered around Japanese mythology, a first for me. I have to admit that it took me a little while to wrap my head around this unfamiliar world, but not too long.

There was a lot to take in, but I loved all the twists and turns. The POV switched between not only Tatsumi and Yumeko, but some unexpected characters were given a voice. I loved the magic and legends that were woven into the story. There was danger everywhere and both Tatsumi and Yumeko kept secrets from one another - which didn't make things easier for either one of them.

I also loved the twists and turns and the unlikely alliances that were formed along their journey. Yumeko's perspective on pretty much everything was the polar opposite of Tatsumi's, which was both confusing and frustrating for the warrior.

There are a lot of reasons why I can't wait until the next book in Shadow of the Fox is released. First and foremost is that, things take a major turn near the end and then... yeah, you'll just have to read Shadow of the Fox to find out and then join me in waiting not so patiently for Soul of the Sword. *sigh*

4.5 stars

I so enjoyed reading this one! It was really nice and refreshing to have an entertaining fantasy with a strong plot arc and endearing characters.

Shadow of the Fox was first and foremost a really engaging read. It kept me wanting to read, and it had a likeable main character that I wanted to see more of.

I wanted to keep reading, and I wanted to find out next. More and more, I'm seeing books I'm not 100% invested in, but with Shadow of the Fox, I really felt invested in the characters and the storyline and the fate of the world.

Julie Kagawa did a wonderful job in creating stakes and urging us to keep reading.

I know some people have commented about how "traditional" the storyline is--how it's like so many other fantasies, but ultimately, I disagree.

Yes, it might have the hero's journey and an adventure where the main characters pick up a bunch of misfits as they travel to the capital. But unlike most other fantasies--it stars an all-Asian cast, and it has Japanese mythological elements.

People like to diss tropes as "outdated"--but it's only outdated because so many white authors have done it with white casts. LET POC HAVE THEIR TROPES. Seriously.

I loved this because not only was there a strong, traditional fantasy plot structure, it also had magical and thematic elements that I could really relate to when I see Asian characters in this story.

Don't say X trope is dead when you haven't even let POC see themselves in that trope. Please.

Anyways, can we all also talk about me undying love for Yumeko? I love her. I love her so much.

She's the type of protagonist I ADORE. She might not physically be a warrior, but she is compassionate and caring and a little sneaky and a little wily, but overall with the good of everyone else in mind.

Seriously. It was so refreshing to read a compassionate main character who listens to other people and tries to do what's best for others--and it doesn't even come off as forced.

Plus, she has the more mischievous yokai side that she struggles with at times, and that kept Yumeko balanced and from falling to flat, in my eyes.

The other characters were cool too! I really enjoyed the ragtag band of misfits Yumeko picks up along the way, although I'm not the fondest of Kage. I feel like I didn't get to see enough dimension in Kage to really make a solid judgement on him, and the romance is already starting to hint in this book, which is kind of jarring as I feel like I don't even know him yet.

But the characters were all really cool, and the magic system was even more amazing (except when compared to Yumeko. Yumeko is the best.)

I like how Kagawa makes the magic system--even though there's no infodump and we're immersed in the world, it wasn't jarring or hard to understand. It all felt very natural to me, and I love all the magical creatures.

Overall, I absolutely adored Shadow of the Fox and will definitely be picking up Kagawa's other works after this! I wholeheartedly recommend if you want a well-needed Asian spin on a traditional plot structure of the hero's journey, or if you just want to immerse yourself in a wonderful fantasy with endearing characters.

Honestly I didn’t finish this one. I’ve read the iron king series by this writer which I loved . It just seemed to take so long to get to main plot . Maybe I’ve read so many YA lately that it seemed too formulaic . I wanted to like this but it just wasn’t for me

I'm a fan, having read 16 books of Julie Kagawa's. I have high hopes.
It was good but not great.
I feel like my lack of knowledge with Japanese culture and folklore may have contributed to me not loving it. I literally had zero knowledge.
At the beginning of the story I was even slightly confused, and wondered if it might be a bad read. I'm glad I kept going and am glad I did. At the end of the story I was left wanting to read book 2, Soul of the Sword. I was pulled into this story about a kitsune on a quest, who meets a samurai and other characters.
I also k=now want to know more about Japanese culture in general.
I just want to say to Julie Kagawa fans; don't go into this read expecting too much if you also have a lack of knowledge in that culture, (actually; or not). Fans often have their hopes too high and compare it to their favorite series, which is unfair when it's so different. Have an open mind like I did, and you will end up enjoying it.


3.5/5

Posted to Goodreads: For a more in-depth review watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaHxz7RgYfg&feature=youtu.be

Yumeko is half kitsune and half human and she knows she has to hid her kitsune side but when her home is burned to the ground she must team up Kage Tatsumi to find the Scroll of Thousand Prayers.

This was my first book by Kagawa and I was really disappointed. The pacing was very slow and I found myself bored through most of the books. The characters weren't especially well developed and I had difficulty distinguishing between their narrative voices. Also, the whole plot felt muddled. I really wanted to love this book because Kagawa is so popular with the teens at my library but I definitely did not and I'm not sure if I'm willing to try another novel by her.

I was recently approved for an eArc of Shadow of the Fox by Julie Kagawa. I saw the word kitsune and I was sold! I have a kitsune tattoo on my foot, and a deep love Japanese language and mythology so I really enjoyed diving into this fun, magical world.

I haven't found a lot of YA that dips into Japanese culture, and that was one of the major reasons I was drawn toward Shadow of the Fox. I also haven't read anything else by Kagawa yet, so I was curious about her writing style and the way she would approach  Japanese myths. There were so many small elements that made me fall in love with the book. Japanese phrases and words are used fairly often, and I enjoyed that. I also loved how the Kitsune-bi (fox magic) was portrayed. It's very true to the Kitsune myths I'm familiar with and it was adorable and just a lot of fun to read. 

The general atmosphere of the book is much zanier and almost quirky, I did not anticipate that. It's a lot like an anime actually, in that way. I was constantly reminded of shows & movies like Samurai X, Rurouni Kenshin, Bleach, Dragonball Z, & Princess Mononoke while reading. The sections of the book are very episodic so you can imagine the action happening over the course of a 25-minute episode really well. 

Yumeko, the main character, really stole my heart. From the tops of her fox ears to the tip of her fluffy tail she is just cute, kind, and heartwarming. She's also very clever and brave. She does so much for her compatriots emotionally and during battles. I just loved watching her experience new parts of her world and interact with both the mortal and paranormal realms. 

Tatsumi is the male protagonist, and he is also a fascinating character. He is tasked with wielding a demon infested sword (Hint: book 2 is called Soul of the Sword). Though he is incredibly powerful, that power comes at the cost of his emotional attachment to everyone he knows. He has to keep his emotions in check so the demon doesn't take over his body. Though he is a bit hard to get to know as a character, I still felt really concerned about his ability to stay true to himself and to fend off the advances of his sword-demon. 

If you love Japanese culture, or anime I would definitely recommend picking up Shadow of the Fox on October 2nd! I haven't read many other books quite like this, and I am really looking forward to seeing how Yumeko's story unfolds. Thanks to NetGalley for providing a copy to review!

I haven't read Julie Kagawa in a long time but this was a very good beginning to a light new series. I look forward to the next book and seeing where the story leads Yumeko and Co.

Although not my favorite read I really enjoyed reading about the Japanese scenery and culture. I love the feeling of being present in the moment and being able to practically see it with my own eyes.

I just finished reading one of my new all time favorite books EVER. Shadow of the Fox by Julie Kagawa was amazing and EPIC. There are so many things I loved about this book, and to be honest I'm not even sure where to start, the book is so good I don't even know what to say.

This story is about Yumeko who is a Kitsune, a half Fox. She has been living her entire life at the Silent Wind Temple and knows nothing about the outside world. She has amazing abilities and loves to make pranks but everything changes when Master Isao tells her the story of the Kami Dragon and that she must protect a scroll, that if it ends in the wrong hands the world would change as she knows it now...for bad.

Shadow of The Fox is a story full of mythology, powerful demons, ghosts, spirits, samurais... It's a world that, while it was filled of powerful creatures and terrifying witches, I didn't want to abandon. I have never read a story like this one before, it was... so magical. AND THE ENDING WAS PERFECT.

I love books where the characters have to go on an epic quest, and this one didn't disappoint. Yumeko met Tatsumi, a boy who was looking for the scroll as wel,l and while she doesn't tell him that she has it, she lies to him and asks him for help. Tatsumi is a demonslayer - HOW COOL IS THAT?! - He never shows his emotions because if he does the demon inside his weapon could posses him! But I just loved to see how little by little he starts to change because of Yumeko. He starts to question everything he knows and... well he's amazing!

One of the things I absolutely loved and adored about this book are the characters. Yumeko, Tatsumi, Okame, Daisuke are so special to me, they made me laugh SO MANY TIMES and surprised me with their courage whenever they tried to save those they encountered on their way. Also, I loved the fact that the personalities of these characters are so different from each other! I really liked seeing how Okame annoyed Tatsumi non-stop, he's definitely a character you will love as soon as you meet him in the story.

Shadow of the Fox is a book you won't want to miss. It's definitely one of the best books I have read this year and I honestly can't wait to read the sequel. Julie's writing style made me feel part of a story I didn't want to leave❤️

I tried to enjoy this one, I swear I really did. But it just took far too long to get to the true meat of the story, and even then, it was lessened by very generic characters. I feel like this is a manga I've read, or an anime I've watched. Still wonderfully told, but...not my favorite.

Words….what are words? I don’t even know where to begin when it comes to writing about what I thought of Shadow of the Fox. My thoughts and my love for this book are everywhere right now. I was pretty hooked right from the start and by page 88 I was already feeling all the feels and even shed some tears. I knew from that point on this book was going to mean the world to me.

The world building was spot on and so detailed. I loved all the Japanese legends and culture so much. I was instantly filled with so much excitement while reading Shadow of the Fox. I thought it had a fairly fast pace and so much was going on. The cast of characters was amazing and I loved every single one of them. They all had their own little quirks and reasons why I loved them. I won’t go into too much detail about who they are, because they play parts in the bigger story and I don’t want to risk spoilers.

Yumeko is a Kitsune shapeshifter (half human, half fox) which is totally awesome! One of my favorite things about her is that she never left her temple before, so she knew nothing about the outside world, so she was curious about everything. She asked so many questions and it was funny at times, especially when she would fall for everyone’s sarcasm because she truly didn’t understand or know. Tatsumi and Yumeko are on this journey together and they meet some interesting people along the way (one of them becoming my favorite character) and run into so many crazy things and obstacles.

Overall, I loved everything about Shadow of the Fox. There’s lots of trickery, magic, secrets, and a few twists. There’s demons, witches, ghosts, spirits, samurai, and so many more things in this book. It’s quite the adventure and I had so much fun reading it. It had everything I need and love in a fantasy novel. Beautifully written and well executed to the end. The wait for the sequel is going to be so hard. I can’t wait to see what’s in store for everyone. There’s a couple characters that I feel are going to play an even bigger role in the coming books and I am curious to see if I’m right. I highly recommend reading!

Steeped in Japanese folklore, Shadow of the Fox is sure to please anyone who’s a fan of anime or manga or any reader who loves fantastical stories based on traditional lore. The book is dual-narrated: First we have Yumeko, who is half kitsune and is constantly trying to balance her human and yokai sides. Her yokai brethren encourage her to shed her humanity, something she is loathe to do, but she also fears how humans will react if they know about her kitsune heritage. Then there’s the mysterious samurai, Tatsumi. His powerful sword that is infused with an angry and bloodthirsty demon killer who constantly threatens to overcome Tatsumi and turn him into a senseless killing machine. When these two end up on a quest together, demons attack and chaos ensues.

I really loved the characters in this book. Yumeko is confident and can often trick her way out of a bind, but she also struggles with vulnerabilities based on fear of being discovered as a kitsune. Tatsumi has been trained his whole life to be unfeeling so that his emotions will never get in the way and allow him to be overcome by the spirit within his sword. Both of them have to learn to come into their own throughout their journey. I did find the beginning of the story a little confusing, with the switching between POVs (there was a third POV at the beginning as well—I sort of wish that one had been left out), and it took me a few weeks to read the book, Even though I was enjoying it, I wasn’t feeling compelled to keep reading.

I think things really picked up once Yumeko and Tatsumi met their traveling partner, Okami, the honorless ex-samurai, and then Daisuke. These two added a levity to the book that gave us needed lightness. I was more invested in the story once Okami was added and I think the story got more fun at that point!

Overall, this was a fantastic representation of Japanese folklore, and I’m excited to see where Kagawa goes with the story next!

***Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***