I love this book by Julie Kawaga, I first fell in love with her writing style with her Iron Fey story. This new story reminded me of why I love Kawaga's writing style.. The story is about 16 year old Yumeko, she is half human, half fox, and although many do not trust her because of this, she turns out being such a Loving, loyal character. Then we have Tatsumi who is a demon slayer, circumstances keep putting this two together and they travel together meeting a bunch of characters who you are never sure if they are helping them or trying to cheat them. With this book I felt like when I was reading the Iron Fey books, I never knew who I could trust and who was there to just hurt the progress of the characters. Love it!

I liked this book, but figuring out terms were a little difficult. All the species of ghosts and demons had names not in English. It was helpful when there were definitions in there, they were just stated a little later than I would have liked.

I couldn't put this down! I love all mythology, but I especially like seeing books that draw from other cultures. I strongly believe that representation matters, but more so, I think it's important for readers to be exposed to other cultures. I love quest stories and Shadow of the Fox didn't disappoint. I was at the edge of my seat waiting for everyone to learn everyone else's secrets. The world building and character development was top notch, but that ending! It destroyed me. I need to read more, like, yesterday!

Actual rating is 4.5 stars

Thought and Plot

Every thousand years the Scroll of a Thousand Prayers has the power to call the great Kami Dragon from the sea to make one wish come true…whoever holds the scroll holds the power to change the face of Iwagoto. The scroll has been in existence for almost four thousand years. The next era is about to begin and the Scroll is once again being actively sought by those who would use it to change the world. To prevent this from happening the scroll was divided and hidden across the land to keep it safe from those who would use it.
Yumeko is a half kitsume, a fox demon/being is the rough translation. She is mostly human, though she possesses a tail and ears of a fox…and a certain love of playing harmless tricks on people, mostly on the monks of the temple where she lives. But everything changes when the temple is attacked while Yumeko is in the forest visiting Tanuki-baba. Going back she finds most of the monks slaughtered by demons. Master Isao gives her the temple’s hidden piece of The Scroll to take to the legendary Steel Feather temple. Yumeko must make her way to the capital to find Master Jiro who is the only person who knows the location of the hidden temple.
Kage Tatsumi is a shimobi of the Shadow Clan and the wielder of the Demonslayer sword, Hakaimono. Hakaimono is a demon, trapped within the sword that constantly assaults Tatsumi’s mind whenever he has a moment of weakness. From a young age he was taught to control his emotions and himself so he could thereby control Hakaimono. His train was cold and without affection. Tatsumi is tasked by the head of his clan to retrieve the piece of The Scroll at Yumeko’s temple. He never gets there.
Instead he runs into Yumeko as she is fleeing the temple. Yumeko knows he’d probably kill her in a heartbeat if he knew a) she was carrying a piece of The Scroll, and b) half-kitsume, so she tells him that the scroll was sent away days earlier and that she is to go to the temple to warn the monks that demons are seeking The Scroll and will likely show up on their temple steps. She uses her magic to hide her ears and tail, allowing him to assume that she is just a peasant girl raised by kindly monks. They strike an agreement, Tasumi will see her safely to the temple if she allows him to follow her there.
Deal struck, they set off and run into a series of Japanese mythic creatures, most of which I cannot remember of the names of (sorry). These creatures include but are not limited to Jikininki, possessed bear-kami, wind witch, scythe wielding weasel demons-things, Yokai with one eye, golden eyed man (Seigtsu), giant centipedes, dead crows, tree kami, etc. So many creatures.
Along the way they pick up people and incorporate them into a ragtag team.
So my thoughts are…first 56 or so pages are a bit painful. Chapter one you meet Suki and wonder what the heck is going on. Chapter two you meet Yumeko and so many other people. Chapter three you meet Tatsumi and another group of people and I worried that I would have to keep all these people straight. Thankfully you don’t need to remember them all, just key characters who reappear later in the book. So I struggled for the first 3-4 chapters. But I’m glad I have my 100 page rule because it got so much better after those first 56+ pages.
This book does have a lot of little info dumps in it. BUT they are needed. How many people, who don’t watch anime or read manga, know what a jikininki is? Or a Yokai? Or an oni? They are small tidbits of info worked into the books so the average person will know what the heck they’re fighting.
I love how naive Yumeko is to everything. She had no idea what sarcasm was until she met Okame. And Okame…I actually chuckled with how he ended up announcing he was traveling with them. Mostly because of Tatsumi. Daisuke is a plot device, in my opinion. He doesn’t get a lot of development really.
I also love how that point of view switches back and forth from Yumeko and Tatsumi. They are two VERY different people with VERY different upbringings.

In Conclusion

Shadow of the Fox is a very interesting story steeped in Japanese culture and folklore, which I love. The beginning is a little odd, but if you can power through and past page 60, you are good to go. It’s a bit like a reading roller coaster, you have to get up the first big essential hill in order to enjoy the twisting, turning ride back down to the finale.
Just know that there are so many names to remember in this one. Names of places, people, things, creatures…many many names. If I can remember them (terrible with remembering anyone’s name), you can as well!
I will definitely be keeping an eye out for this once it hits the shelves. And you better believe that I will be looking for book two.

Audience: pre-teen and up
Triggers: lots of gore. People do die. Swords fights, arrows, claws, teeth...all are used to draw blood.
Swearing: Some of it is in Japanese! Mostly Sh*ts and D*mns

review.

Is all Julie Kagawa like this? Because If so, I REALLY need to read her other work. This book was hands-down, one of the most amazing YA fantasy books I've read all year.

Yumeko is half-kitsune, living in an isolated shrine with the monks who found her as a child. When tragedy strikes, she sets out with a part of the scroll to summon the Dragon (I feel intense DBZ vibes here).

Tatsumi is a cursed member of the Shadow clan. A demon slayer, he is on a quest to recover the scroll, he agrees to help Yumeko reach the Steel Feather Shrine, where he hopes the scroll is located. He has no idea that Yumeko has one of the pieces with her.

They are joined by other people along the way - Daisuke a nobleman and Okame a ronin. Of course, none of them have any idea that Yumeko is a kitsune. Along the way they will encounter oni, yurei, and plenty of other dangerous creatures from Japanese folklore.

The book features intricate world-building and plenty of Japanese folklore. The characters were amazing, and seeing Yumeko and Tastumi start to care for each other was just too perfect. The book reminded me a lot of an anime, but in a good way. My only criticism is that I could have done without the random Japanese words thrown in. Not really a good reason why SOMETIMES a character needs to say 'hai' instead of yes. It's just not consistently done. I need the next book now.

I received this ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest and voluntary review. I was in no way compensated for this review.


Ever since I read The Iron King, I have been a fan of Julie Kagawa! She has taken me on so many different kinds of adventures and put me through a variety of heartache and laughter and now the journey continues with her newest series and it's first installment, Shadow of the Fox! This time around we're dealing with the mystical creatures known as kitsune...which thanks to a very elective fantasy and paranormal reading, I was already familiar with!

What's great about new series is getting to see how the author will make the magic her own! I only had the vaguest knowledge of what a kitsune is and Julie is quick to give us a little kitsune 101. Our heroine, Yumeko is half kitsune. She never knew her parents and was raised by monks where she was taught, in some sense, how to control her abilities and basically keep them a secret. This book is filled with secrets, such as the one the monks have been protecting for centuries.

There is a series of prayers that one can recite in a certain place that will call forth a dragon, and this dragon will grant you one wish, and as we know wishes are powerful. The prayers have been divided into three pieces and the monks protect one of them. Yumeko was told to take it to a safe place known as the Steel Feather temple, but she can't get there alone.

The mysterious Tatsumi comes along, he is a member of a secret group that has been trying to find the pieces of the prayer to call forth the dragon. These prayer pieces are a hot commodity and nearly everyone is looking for them. Tatsumi is not your ordinary guy either, he's like a specially trained samurai with an edge, his sword is possessed by a demon called Hakaimono. He's basically the ultimate samurai. When he meets Yumeko he's sort of puzzled by her, as interacting with people outside of killing them is pretty new to him. He agrees to take her to the the Steel Feather temple for she says that's where she needs to go to be safe and she told him that's also where the monks sent the scroll of prayers that the monks had.

The two start off on their journey and naturally, encounter many perils along the way. They also pick up new friends along the way as well.

This was a fun read for the setting was different from what I've read in previous fantasy stories. It had an air of realism to it as well as a heavy dose of fantasy what with all the demons and monster-like creatures that Yumeko and Tatsumi encounter. It seems there is someone else who is very powerful and has powerful connections that is after the scroll with the prayers as well and she will stop at nothing to get it and gain the wish that will come with raising the dragon.

The pacing to this one was done remarkably well. The beginning kind of threw me off for we meet a character that wasn't our heroine. Though it wasn't long at all before things get back on course to meeting the characters the description mentioned. The other bit that was a slight stumble in the reading was the introduction of a few Japanese words. I mean, sometimes there was a translation that followed it, but I kept wanting to flip to a nonexistent glossary, I'm hoping the final copy will have one, it makes it easier to flip back just to get a direct translation, especially when you're just in the moment.

We're not completely without some budding romance either! Though it truly is more of a budding romance than anything. Naturally, there just seems to be some chemistry brewing between the innocent Yumeko and the dangerous Tatsumi. What's nice is they have a a very slow buildup going on, first partners, then moving into friendship and it's really not until the near end where there might be the possibility of more.

I truly love how innocent Yumeko is! She grew up sheltered in the temple with the monks and doesn't quite understand everything about the world, such as sarcasm. But she's not incompetent. She knows how to do some things, especially mastering the trade of her powers, which is trickery.

Shadow of the Fox is the start of what's going to be an amazing trilogy! It's filled with such rich culture and mythology. Julie Kagawa is truly a master of writing! Her characters are always so incredible! I feel like I can see a little bit of the Iron Fey gang within some of the characters we meet here, and if you've read that series, I think you might notice it too. It's just the littlest of things, probably the way they make me laugh or just all of my reactions from them!

The ending to this one was nothing short of shocking...so basically, true Julie fashion! I am already dying for the next book and it's not even October at the time of my reading this! I am in deep trouble! But I never regret reading a Julie Kagawa book as soon as possible! Shadow of the Fox will keep you at the edge of your seat with it's fast paced action and incredibly rich storytelling rife with mythological creatures! I am already dying for the sequel! This will be a read you do not want to pass up!


Overall Rating 5/5 stars


Shadow of the Fox releases October 2, 2018

The beginning 6-7 chapters were slow, but the book picked up quickly after that. The Kitsune and different Japanese mythologies were really interesting. It was nice to have a book written in a heavily Japanese influenced fantasy world rather than the usual European influence. I was looking for something a little different from what I've been reading, and this fit the bill nicely. I've only ever encountered the Kitsune in Seanan McGuire's October Daye books, so this was a much more thorough and accurate depiction of the Kitsune. I enjoyed the mystery and the occasional hints without making the plot completely predicable. Looking forward to the next book in the series!

I received an early release copy of this from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I loved the Japanese folklore in this book! It made the story much richer than your run of the mill Arthurian legend stuff. Lots of interesting characters, and overall a great read. This book would definitely be a great recommendation for your Sarah Maas fans, anime club kids who love reading about anything Japanese, and pretty much anyone who is in to high fantasy. I think it has pretty strong crossover appeal, too, because there isn't too much adolescent romance jammed down your throat.

The romance lacked any sort of chemistry, and some of the prose was a bit too purple for me, but overall a really fun start to a trilogy.

Publication date: Oct 2, 2018

Harlequin Teen



My Thoughts:
In Hawaiʻi, most of our students are Asian and Pacific Islander students, so finding YA readings for this population that do not just represent a white, western culture is challenging. Even popular dystopian reads in YA with strong female leads are very western centric. These females live very western/American values even if they are not set in America.



Kagawa, in my opinion, is best when she brings forward Asian/Japanese heroines in her fantasy series (Immortal Rules) and now this. What makes Yumeko very Asian (besides the fact that it takes place in what resembles feudal Japan) is that her female strength has to do with her cultural values of filial piety, loyalty, collectivism, spirituality. Japan is a place, like Hawaiʻi, where spirituality is alive in the forests, the rocks, the trees. Yumeko's ability to "see" this realm and communicate in multiple realms makes her the kind of heroine that can keep her innocence and belief in the good within people, even ghosts and wandering ronin. Others want to help her not because she is weak, but because she is strong. I am looking forward to the next adventure.



Description:
Every millennium, one age ends and another age dawns...and whoever holds the Scroll of a Thousand Prayers holds the power to call the great Kami Dragon from the sea and ask for any one wish. The time is near...and the missing pieces of the scroll will be sought throughout the land of Iwagoto. The holder of the first piece is a humble, unknown peasant girl with a dangerous secret.

Demons have burned the temple Yumeko was raised in to the ground, killing everyone within, including the master who trained her to both use and hide her kitsune shapeshifting powers. Yumeko escapes with the temple’s greatest treasure—one part of the ancient scroll. Fate thrusts her into the path of a mysterious samurai, Kage Tatsumi of the Shadow Clan. Yumeko knows he seeks what she has...and is under orders to kill anything and anyone who stands between him and the scroll.


Last words:
Then it rose into the air and flew quickly out the door, following the beautiful man down the veranda, and both vanished into the night

A digital advanced copy provided by Net Galley and the publisher for an honest review.

Shadow of the Fox is a tale of magic, folklore and intrigue that will keep you guessing until the very shocking end! From the beginning to the very last page, it is filled with samurais, mages, spirits, demons, yokai and all other kinds of mythical goodness.

Yumeko is a 16 year old girl who is a yokai. She is half human and half fox. Kitsunes are known for their trickery and deceptiveness. Although most people tend to assume the worst out of her, she is a young girl who is loyal to her friends and finds the best in everyone.

Tatsumi is well-renowned and widely feared demonslayer. He is the keeper of a sword that is possessed by a powerful demon named Hakaimono. Hakaimono waits patiently for moments of weakness in Tatsumi's guard to possess him and take over his body. Nonetheless, Tatsumi is a hard nut to crack given his strength and resilience.

A wicked set of circumstances brings these two unlikely people together on a journey filled to the brim with danger and mystery. They encounter a wide array of characters that are impossible to differentiate as friend or foe. It seems as if everyone wants something from them and will lie, cheat or even kill to get it.

None of the theories I had throughout this book panned out. Not a single one. Books that can keep me in suspense and surprise me again and again are few and far between.

I adored Yumeko. She's sweet and funny, but is fiercely defensive of the people she cares about. Tatsumi is also someone that I grew to care about especially in regards to his personal struggles with Hakaimono. I am dying for the next book, because the ending left me craving for more!

The world building was done so beautifully and it gave me some serious Samurai Champloo vibes. If you're a fan of manga or anime then I think you will greatly enjoy it since the terminology, clothing and folklore are reminiscent of them.

Special thanks to Harlequin Teen and Julie Kagawa for approving my request to read this ARC through Netgalley! I eagerly await the second book!

This was such a fun read and I can’t wait to see where the story goes!

“Shadow of the Fox” tells the story of a young woman who has spent her life under the guidance of monks who are tasked with the protection of a scroll that contains the Dragon Prayer, the most sought after piece of work by anyone looking to make a wish and change their fate when the right time approaches. With enemies both human and demonic alike come hunting she finds herself paired with a fearsome warrior who has a few secrets of his own and as they set off to the capital they must use all of their talents both weapon and words alike to survive.

I have never jumped head first into a world like I did with this one it was so vivid and balanced between the light and dark forces that I couldn’t put it down! I’m sad to say my knowledge of Japanese mythology is seriously lacking but after this book I want nothing more than to read up on all of the creatures that make an appearance in this story.

The main characters themselves where so easy to love, there was a great back and forth between the two mains and the few additions they pick up during their travels and I really hope to see more of those relationships develop as we love forward.

I’m just really happy I got to read this and after that ending I don’t know how I’ll manage without the sequel just yet, I need to know what happens!

**special thanks to the publishers and netgalley for providing an arc in exchange for a fair and honest review!**

Shadow of the Fox was probably one of the most intricate books I've ever had the pleasure of reading. For the very beginning you are introduced to this rich world filled with Japanese culture. Yumeko was one of the most complex character I've ever read. She's been living in this shelter-like life for so long so you expect her to be naive and be completely new to traveling. But she grows so much as a person. She's learns sarcasm and has no problem using it. She could have given in completely to her kitsune nature and been a trickster throughout the story, yet she picks up stray travelers along the way. Every person she meets is entranced by Yumeko's personality. It was so lovely to her grow as a character. I will be posting a more in depth review on goodreads, but I just needed to write down my first impressions. I can't wait to add this beautiful book to my collection come October 2018.

There is so much of this story that I loved! Shadow of the Fox is Julie Kagawa’s newest adventure. This story captures her unique skills of story weaving with the backdrop of Japanese mythology, dragons, kitsune, samurais, cursed blades, honor!

Yumeko is a genuine character despite her tendency for deception and tricks. Her purity of heart and naivety is a perfect and sometimes comical contrast to Kage Tatsumi. Tatsumi’s dark and brooding demon slaying attitude, with purple eyes and loyalty to the Shadow Clan makes the balance between them such an incredible page turner.

I received this ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

OMG! So good so good so good!

I loved this book! I love fantasy and I love Japanese inspired books and this had both!!!!

I really liked Yumeko. She was a strong girl and I loved her! She was rarely outed as a Kitsune so I guess she was really good a hiding her true self. I can't quite imagine what she really looks like. How weird would it be to have fox ears and a tail?

Tatsumi was also really good. I felt really bad for him though. Having to always suppress his emotions and having to be treated with cruelty.

He seems a lot older than he is because of it. I keep picturing him in his mid-twenties.

Now that I think of it how old is Okame? He seems like he should be like 40 but I think he is a lot younger.

There were a lot of twists in this book. It started off very confusing and then got so much better.

The fact that Lady Satomi died! O.O I figured she would be the main villain throughout! Also who was she talking to at the end? Who is her master with the raspy voice?

Also who was the man who killed her??? So many questions! I hope that poor Suki at least got to be reborn.

The things I disliked was that it was very confusing for the first 5 chapters or so. You really have to pay attention to the synopsis or you can really easily get lost those first few chapters.

Also I'm not sure if it was an issue with my copy or it hasn't been created yet but why are there two pages that simply say MAP TK in brackets? I'm assuming since the dedication is also missing that it means to come???

Also I really wish there had been a glossary and maybe some history about the creatures. This is only a personal wish not something I’m critiquing on.

I'm also a bit mad that in general Netgalley is biased towards Kindle. I own a kobo and quite often I have to deal with what I call wasted space issues that make it very difficult to read because of the small font. Rant done. Love this book. Hope I get accepted for the next one!!!

I received this novel from net galley and the publisher for an honest review. Thank you!!
I have read Ms. Kagawa's Iron Fey series and this start to a new series did not disappoint!! The plot was intriguing, with several different plot twists and hidden motives. Every character that has been introduced has a story that comes with them and secrets they keep. Yumeko was left at a temple when she was a baby to be raised by monks with a letter containing a prophecy. Yumeko is a half fox yokai, but she needs to keep her appearance and magic hidden or risk discovery and death. When the temple is destroyed by an oni, she escapes with a part of a scroll that can be used to bring forth the Kami Dragon and grant a wish. While escaping, she runs into Kage Tatsumi of the Shadow Clan, who causes a sword that contains the demon Hakaimono. Tatsumi struggles with the demon and needs to keep him on a tight reign for if he loses control, the demon will take control and destroy. Tatsumi tries to distance himself from Yumeko, but it difficult since no one has ever showed him kindness or cared about him. As they travel to find a priest who can help them find the scroll, they meet others along the way, a few joining their group. However, Yumeko has kept her knowledge of the scroll's location and her fox magic a secret. Tatsumi is using Yumeko to find the scroll for his clan and then orders to kill her when he completes his mission. Both struggle with the secrets they keep. However, there is a much larger plot at hand that has only begun to unravel itself. I am looking forward to the next novel in the series!!

I got my copy of this from Netgalley yesterday, and I was SO EXCITED to get my hands on it that I immediately inhaled it. Con: I was up until 3 am finishing it. Pro: it was amazing. Julia Kagawa continues to be an amazing, eloquent and funny author, balancing creative new ideas and worlds. I cannot wait to see where Kagawa takes this one - it has such unlimited potential with her creativity at the reins.

I love Julie Kagawa and this book did not disappoint! I had trouble putting this book down and I am already excited to see what happens to Kira and the rest of the group in book 2.

Kagawa never, ever disappoints. This book is amazing, it has all the aspects to make an engaging read. Kagawa weaves mythology, fantasy, a smidge of romance into completely original worlds. Shadow of the Fox is like nothing you've ever read before and somehow you feel like you were there all along. I'm not so patiently waiting for book 2!

A clever fox and a ruthless demon slayer undertake an impossible journey in Kagawa's latest home run. Yumiko is a both naive innocent and astonishingly tricky and as sparks fly between her and duty-bound Tatsumi, the reader is sucked into a world of epic magic and mythology where they may never want to leave.

I absolutely devoured this book. Now that I've finished it, I want more...NOW! :-) This is a well-built world full of engaging, multi-dimensional characters, and I can't wait for the next in the series! My only quibbles are--I hate how we left one of the characters, and--I might have missed it--but near the end, one of the characters knows Yumeko's task, and I don't remember her telling him about it. Nevertheless, this was a great book, and I'm looking forward to re-reading it!