This book had a beautiful setting band I enjoyed reading a YA novel set within Japanese mythology. It did feel a bit too much like a YA romance with a lot of fan service. The writing also felt a little simple (kind of like it was written by a high school student not the veteran that Kagawa is herself). I think this will appeal to younger readers just looking for a romance but I think the naive damsel in distress trope feels a little played out.

YES YES YES! If you're looking for the perfect YA fantasy full of Japanese folklore, magical creatures, a fantastic ragtag team, action packed adventure and likable characters, this book is for you!

Julie Kagawa is a master of creating worlds and characters that'll suck you right in and leave you wanting for more!

I was pleasantly surprised at how much I loved this book! The Japanese Aesthetic was natural and lacking the "wee boo:" undertones of other books in the genre with similar themes. I loved that the author seemed well versed in the legends and tactics of the culture. I loved the MC and her awesome Kitsune powers! This is now a favorite of mine and I would highly recommend it to anyone who loves action packed plots. I cannot wait to complete the second book!!!!!

I absolutely LOVED this book. It took me a while to get past the first 50-60 pages, but I think that was more because of my own slump than the actual quality of the story. There were a lot of elements that reminded of the anime One Piece, which made it all the more enjoyable. Essentially, we follow Yumeko as she goes on a grand adventure to help protect the world from the demons that are arriving to make the most of an opportunity that only comes around once every thousand years. Along the way, she collects a crew of misfits that she wins over with her honest kindness, and they tackle ghosts, kitsune, and other strange foe—not to mention the demon who threatens to take over her bodyguard's soul at any moment. And that ending?! What a beautiful setup for what looks to be a whirlwind of a series, and I am 100% here for it.

All around, Julie Kagawa knows what she's doing. The world-building was fluid and excellent, and being someone extremely unfamiliar with Japanese culture and mythology, Kagawa made it easy to fall right in with the story. Plus, these characters are easy to laugh at and even easier to love. Well-written and well-crafted, I'd recommend "Shadow of the Fox" to anyone who's interested in magical creatures, samurai pride, and drawn-out quests.

At first I wasn't sure I could get into but then as I listened I started to realize "oh it's a quest' and from there was able to compartmentalize the story and keep up with it as it paced out. Kagawa does a great job using those side quests to tell the big story overall and I really enjoyed it!

Julie Kagawa is one of those authors I have been wanting to try for awhile now, and I am grateful to those who voted for it in my May TBR List Poll. Her home destroyed and the monks who raised her no more, Yumeko is on a quest to deliver a portion of a sacred scroll to a far off temple, whose exact whereabouts is unknown. She seeks help from Kage Tatsumi, a samurai of the Shadow Clan, whose strength and ability to slay demons will be invaluable to her along her journey. The only catch? He is on a mission to retrieve the very scroll she has, and she knows instinctively she cannot let it fall into his hands. She also hides another secret from the quiet and deadly Tatsumi. That she is half human, half kitsune.

Yumeko should seem too sweet for her own good, but, honestly, I fell for her character instantly. A bit mischievous and yet so kindhearted. She has a naivety about her, and yet she is extremely resourceful and has good instincts. I also really came to like Kage Tatsumi. He is trained to suppress his emotions and lives by a very strict code—part of which is probably for good reason. However, he finds it impossible not to want to protect Yumeko for more reasons than just the one that will lead him to the scroll (not realizing she actually has it). Along their journey, the two pick up other unexpected company. The villains in this novel made me shiver, particularly the main one. So much darkness and evil.

I thoroughly enjoyed my time reading The Shadow of the Fox. It has been awhile since I read a more traditional fantasy novel, and I especially loved that this one combined Japanese folklore and other Japanese elements into it. I hate that it ended with a cliffhanger, but I was not at all surprised. These types of books often do. I ordered the sequel right away. Then I’ll just have to wait forever for the third and final book in the trilogy to come out. I cannot wait to spend more time with Yumeko! We all need someone like her in our lives.

Julie Kagawa NEVER disappoints. This title is no exception and if I have the budget I want at least two copies on the shelf. Highly recommend.

TYPICAL YA PLOT AND CHARACTERS, SPRINKLED WITH JAPANESE MYTHOLOGY
actual rating: 2.5

You could shorten this book to half its length and probably wouldn't notice the difference. I mean, honestly, you could probably already guess how this book would go just by reading the synopsis... and majority of your guess would probably be right.

🐺 Shadow of the Fox is told from two perspectives--from an innocent, childlike half-fox-half-human hybrid, and from a brooding, murderous samurai. Neither really has any quality that you haven't seen in YA before.Although they're not entirely unlikable, they're a far cry from becoming your next favorite MCs.

🐺 Plot... What plot!? You know how with anime, 70% of the 200 episodes are actually just mini-stories that add zero substance to the actual story? Shadow of the Fox is the same. There were definitely a lot of interesting scenes, but the story would be the same if they were taken out.

🐺 The vibe is great. It feels anime-like, which is I think what the author was going for. I enjoyed learning more about Japanese mythology, although not a lot was memorable since everything felt very filler-y.

If you're looking for a great Julie Kagawa read, I'd direct you to The Immortal Rules, or even The Iron King. This just wasn't Kagawa's best work, and while the Japanese mythology involved was brilliant and fascinating, there isn't enough plot or character development to push it forward. I probably won't read the sequel unless there are some pretty rave reviews for it.

This book was just what I was hoping it would be an epic Japanese folklore story. I enjoyed the world, SO, much! This culture is what made this story more; the temple life, the samurai lifestyle and the royales, mixed with magic and friendship!

Yumeko was raided by monks. Yumeko is half kitsune her yokai nature; is playful and strong. She's grown up in a temple and this is her first time leave. The joy Yumeko finds in seeing everything rubbed off on me. While Tatsumi is a mysterious samurai who believes in doing what his clan has told him and not working with or getting close to anyone. I found their relationship very fun, strong and grows at a steady speed. As much as I enjoyed the two main lead characters, I fell madly for the side characters, they moved the plot along in many different ways. I also like how each side character entered in there own ways.

I also love how the magic system works. I'm not going to say anything about it because of spoilers. But I love the idea of the Scroll of a Thousand Prayers and how it drives people.

The writing for the scenes that have demon armies is beautifully written. The action dances right of the page. Just like the rest of the book, it's just a vivid world that you feel like you've stepped right into a whole new world.

With that said, part of the ending surprised me while the other part didn't. I enjoyed this and picked up the second book within the following week and can't wait to get my hands on the next book. It's writing with passion and action!

I don't know much about Japanese mythology, but tried to follow along as best I could. Yumeko is only half human, the other half having magical abilities attributed to a kitsune. There are a lot of well done action scenes that keep the pace moving quickly and it's also apparent there will be more to come.

An exotic adventure for all ages…
Shadow of the Fox is the first book in a new series by Julie Kagawa. Set in the land of Iwagoto, reminiscent of ancient medieval Japan, Julie builds a stunning world filled with exotic creatures, traditional attire, and long-held customs. The unlikely alliance of Kumeko, a half-human/half-Kitsune (magical fox), and Kage Tatsumi, an elite samurai of the Shadow Clan and wielder of the infamous demon slayer sword, sends them on a quest involving the Scroll of a Thousand Prayers; with one trying to protect it while the other is trying to find it. In the wrong hands the power of the scroll to summon the great Kami Dragon would be devastating. Numerous adventures along the way reveal the the magnitude of evil that is also trying to obtain the missing pieces of the scroll. Little do they realize that their own faults and weaknesses may be all that saves the scroll and protects them and the country.


Shadow of the Fox is an excellent teen book that adults will greatly enjoy. The plot and descriptions are fascinating with the violence being graphic enough without being gruesome. The historical details make the story extremely realistic and transport you to another time and another place.

Julie has also created amazing characters, both Kumeko and Tatsumi, as well as a rich supporting cast. They are personable with wonderful quirks that bring humor and believability to the story. It is such an easy reading story in the sense that you are so quickly swept up into the action and adventure that you flow effortlessly from page to page. Of course, as with any good book in a new series, you are mildly frustrated when you are left hanging at the end. But, then again if you weren’t you wouldn’t be anxiously waiting for the next book!

I loved Julie Kagawa’s BLOOD OF EDEN series so I was excited to start another series by her. Unfortunately, I had trouble getting into the SHADOW OF THE FOX so this is a DNF for me (for now at least, I may try again in the future).

I tried reading this one and just never got into it. I will admit I didn't get very far and I haven't tried it in a while. But I don't think I will go back to it.

The premise is fantastic but this book is just not my cup of tea. I've started reading the hardcover, e-book, and tried listeing to the audiobook. I know it's well written and other readers have loved this book. but the writing just doesn't grab me and the characters aren't my favorite. A dnf for me, cries, because I hate not finishing books.

Kagawa is an incredibly talented storyteller, and this is a wonderful example of her skill. A historical fantasy based in Japanese folklore, Kagawa’s world building is solid and detailed. This is an Own Voices work, and uses a more Japanese storytelling pace than some Westerners may be used to, with slower building at some points, and seemingly-repetitive events build complex characters and add subtle details to the plot. Not all of the characters are human, and a glossary in the back is an assist to those who are not familiar with the non-human (and some human) types. (Although a reasonable familiarity with anime can also provide a lot of background.) Kagawa’s first installment of this eventual trilogy will be especially appealing to those who love road-trip style movies and stories, and those who see the point to be the journey more than the destination. The story is quite complex, and needs a bit more brain than a light read, and can be harder to follow since there are two points of view and the switches are not clearly marked. Overall though, it is a quite enjoyable read, and I’m looking forward to the next installment.

Sadly I just really didn't care for this one. I think that it would work our way better as a movie. The way it was written at least to me felt more like a screen play. I think that the visuals would have been amazing. I guess this was written via an anime so maybe that is why it felt like that to me. This is the first ever time that I haven't loved a story by Julie Kagawa and I hope that it will be the last that I ever do.

The story felt very choppy to me and with no mention of the dual POV changes it made it very hard to know who what what and where. The characters themselves just felt flat and overall I just didn't enjoy this one at all sadly.



Go Into This One Knowing: Dual POV with no headers for changes, Choppy Story

I started this book back in November 2018 and because I wasn't in the right mood for it, I stopped reading it. This month (May 2019) I picked it up again, finished it in a couple of days and I really liked it.
The rumors are true. It reads like an anime and I loved the way it is written. The eastern inspired world-building, with its yokai and demons, is amazing and very well constructed, as you would expect from the author.
I cannot wait to see how things will go in the next books. Thankfully there is no much time left to wait!

Julie Jakawa’s newest adventure is beyond amazing. Her writing never fails to amaze me and I was so excited to read this book. Her world building is on point and I cannot wait to see how things will progress with the next novel.

Every thousand years, the Great Dragon grants whoever holds the Scroll of a Thousand Prayers a single wish. That wish can either create something wondrous or plunge the entire nation into darkness and chaos, depending on who manages to find the scroll first. And it all rests in the hands of a half human, half kitsune girl who has never stepped far beyond the walls of the monastery where she was raised. Now Yumeko must trust a shadowy assassin, a disgraced ronin, and an enigmatic noble to help her get the scroll to safety. But how can the quest succeed when everyone in the group, including Yumeko, is hiding secrets.

Shadow of the Fox is amazing! I love Yumeko-san the Kitsune. Kitsune is a Fox with magic abilities that mostly trick people into seeing things that aren't there. They are demon like but Yumeko isn't a bad kitsune, she doesn't use her powers to harm anyone. She is useful.
The books intrigue begins and ends on a mysterious note surrounding a very young and seemingly ordinary servant girl named Suki, who lived and died in the royal palace chambers of Lady Sitome, the king's concubine, who is also a powerful blood witch. In fact, she kills Suki for insubordination. Now Suki is a ghost aka a Yurei, who sticks around for reasons unknown, probably because she wasn't ready to die, and she wants vengeance on Lady Sitome. It appears the ghost succeeds when the very same handsome flute player she meets, in the beginning, ends up stabbing Lady Sitome in the heart. I thought Shadow of the Fox was so well written, I never saw that coming.

The story takes us on a journey of sorts with Yumeko-sans being entrusted with a piece of a Dragon's Prayer in the form of a small scroll. It is an important piece of paper because Legend has it, that every one thousand years, a mortal is given the opportunity to summon the Dragon and ask to grant 3(?) wishes for good or bad, only the person's heart has to be pure, otherwise the dragon will tear its soul to shreds. Or something like that lol.
There are evil beings who are trying to find the 3 parts of the Dragons Prayer for themselves as well.

Anyway, Yumeko is given specific instructions by her Monk Master to find a certain man in the feather temple in a city far away. He will give her what information she needs, and where to take the scroll. I can't remember the exact names and places off the top of my head, so you just have to bear with me :)

Yumeko encounters lots of trouble with weird creatures who would kill and destroy her. She knows she is being followed. She also meets a couple of travelling companions, who unbeknownst to each other have their own agenda for accompanying Yumeko along her way. Her companions are quite remarkable and if I am not mistaken one of them is the flute player guy that Suki met? I could be wrong. I haven't checked but I am almost certain he is.