The perfect continuation from Shadow of the Fox! Julie is an amazing writer. The imagery is always so vivid, I feel like I watching everything happen is an action anime as I read.

Yumeko is one of my absolute favorite characters. In this book we get to know her even better. It is hard to review a sequel without giving away too much. I highly recommend this series!

Soul of The Sword (bk.2)
By Julie Kagawa

Synopsis:

One thousand years ago, a wish was made and a sword of rage and lightning was forged. Kamigoroshi. The Godslayer. A weapon powerful enough to seal away the formidable demon Hakaimono.

Now he has broken free.

Return to Julie Kagawa’s beautiful and perilous land of shapeshifters, samurai and demons as Japanese mythology and magic swirl together in the New York Times bestselling author’s brand new adventure.

THE TIME OF THE WISH APPROACHES...
Yumeko the shapeshifter had one task: take her piece of the ancient and powerful scroll to the Steel Feather temple and prevent the summoning of the great Kami Dragon. But she has a new enemy now. The demon Hakaimono, has escaped and possessed the samurai she thought would protect her, Kage Tatsumi of the Shadow Clan.

Hakaimono has done the unthinkable and joined forces with Genno, the Master of Demons, to break his curse and set himself free. But Genno wishes to overthrow the empire and cover the land in darkness. To do that he needs only one thing, the scroll Yumeko is hiding. As the paths of Yumeko and the possessed Tatsumi cross again the entire empire will be thrown into chaos.

AND CHAOS WILL DARKEN AN EMPIRE.

"The board is set. The last play is about to begin.”

OMG!! I was already in love with the Inuyasha vibes from Book 1 - Shadow of the Fox... Now I'm completely enveloped in this tale of magical intrigue, political wars with demons, and so much more!! Yumeko is an awesome character, as are they all, Okamesan is my second fave!! I really loved this sequel and neeed book 3 soon!!

First off, HUGE thanks to Netgalley and Harlequin Teen for providing me an eARC of this title in exchange for an honest review. The following opinions are mine alone. This was my first time having the opportunity to read and review a book that has yet to be officially released, and I will be forever grateful.

Now, onto the review. My babies Yumeko, Daisuke, and Okame are back and still getting into trouble. Now, they are tasked with saving Tatsumi from Hakaimono and ya know, saving the empire from the Master of Demons.

I enjoyed Soul a lot more than I did Shadow. I think I got more comfortable with the Japanese terms and language – along with what it means for the story line. On the flip side, the author added even more terms to this book than Shadow, which was a lot. She added at like 10 more types of demons/ghosts/undead spirits. My head was spinning trying to keep them straight.

Soul went the usual path I feel trilogies take, much of the plot line was spent setting up the third book. This can generally lead to a more boring book, but I felt that Soul traversed this ground well and never felt boring. She managed to set up the final book while also providing enough action and drama to keep you hooked through the book.

It crushed my heart that Tatsumi was so sad during this book! He just wanted to save Yumeko after she managed to elicit emotions in him for the first time in years – but he was powerless to help her through 99% of the book! And poor Yumeko had no concept that he had feelings for her (or that she had feelings for him) because she had no experience with this.

My favorite part? We have an LGBTQIA relationship sighting!! It took me COMPLETELY by surprise but I absolutely love it. Especially in a culture that is traditionally non supportive of such relationships and when one half of the couple is part of the noble, ruling family. But Daisuke was very forward thinking in pursuing the relationship and going for what he wants – regardless of their culture and the expectations of him. The romance melted my heart and I will ship Daisuke and Okame forever.

The few tiny aspects that took Soul below a 5 star read for me was the final fight scene, cliffhanger at the end, and the mysteriousness of Seigetsu. The final fight scene was very anticlimactic (though props to Yumeko for that fake out) and had me wanting more. I am just not too happy with how the book ended, and am hopeful that it is all sorted out in the final book. And who is this Seigetsu person acting like the puppet master? It’s starting to irritate me, because I can’t tell if he is a “good” or “bad” character. For these reasons, I couldn’t give it a whole 5 stars.

Soul of the Sword will be released tomorrow, June 18th so if you loved Shadow of the Fox, you should definitely go check it out!

Thanks for reading, friends 🙂

I really enjoyed this book! I read Shadow of the Fox earlier this year and I had some mixed feelings about it, but the end made me really interested in continuing the series, and I am very glad that I did because I definitely think this book is better than the 1st! It picks up right where the first leaves off and the characters continue their journey to protect the scroll. I felt like the stakes were higher in this book, and I enjoyed seeing the growth in Yumeko. There are still so many questions I have that I hope get answered in the next book, but I am very excited for that one as well, and I am really glad I decided to continue with the series. If you enjoyed the first book, or if you were intrigued enough to want to know how the story goes, I highly recommend reading this one as well!

4.5 stars rounded up to 5
I loved the Japanese folklore, episodic- anime feel, and the amazing world building. The story picks up after Shadow and the Fox but with a darker tone (some of the fight scenes with Hakaimono were extremely graphic and gory). Overall it was brilliantly written. Yumeko and friends' adventure was a up-all night fun read and can't wait for the next book!
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Loved, again! Julie Kagawa writes books that you just cannot put down! I adored Shadow of the Fox and have been eagerly awaiting Soul of the Sword. This book was action packed and everything I wanted in a sequel! I love these characters and this world! It's like anime or manga sans visuals. I love how authentically Japanese this book reads. I've always been obsessed with everything Japan, so this series is my kryptonite.

What an amazing sequel to shadow of the fox. I love Julie's writing and her world building. The characters were really interesting and I couldn't put this book down. I look forward to reading more from Julie and I don't know if I want this series to end.

Hello lovely people, I hope you are all having an amazing and wonderful day!😊

A couple of days ago I received an email from Netgalley telling me that I could start reading Soul of the Sword by Julie Kagawa and I literally jumped out of emotion! I immediately downloaded the book and dived in.

As I started to read Soul of the Sword, I was immediately immersed in the story that has become one of my new all time favorite books. As soon as I read the first line I started to remember the things that happened in Shadow of the fox. It’s been a while since I last read the book and while I did remember some things that happened in the story, I was grateful that there where things mentioned in the book that helped me remember.

While I was reading the book I found myself eager to read about my favorite characters: Yumeko, Tatsumi, Okame and Daisuke! The ending of Shadow of the Fox was amazing and so, I couldn’t wait to know what was happening in their lives.

Soul of the Sword did n0t disappoint me at all. The characters are special to me and so I cheered for them on their journey. Lots of things happened, there was a lot action, there were times when I cried ( but that’s totally ok because it means that I love the story) and laughed! Seriously, Yumeko and Okame are some of the characters that have made me laugh the most, even Daisuke made me laugh in this one!

This book was everything I wanted it to be and more. Julie kept surprising me and guessing till the very last chapter. I honestly can’t wait to get my physical copy, the cover is absolutely beautiful!

I highly recommend you to read these books, they are absolutely incredible!

Its great to be back!

I have been looking forward to Soul of the Sword since the cliffhanger ending of Shadow of the Fox. Luckily, Soul of the Sword picks up with immediately after the events of the first installment. We get to learn from Master Jiro how and why the demon Hakaimono was sealed into the sword and became the Kamigoroshi. Hearing the tale makes Yumeko determined to save Kage Tatsumi from the demon who has possessed his body. However, deep down, Yumeko knows she first travel to the Steel Feather temple to protect part of the scroll she was entrusted with. The problem is Hakaimono has decided to work with Genno, the Master of Demons, to get the Scroll of a Thousand Prayers in order to break the curse and be set free.

Overall, Soul of the Sword was fantastic! Julie Kagawa did an excellent job because this installment was great followup to Shadow of the Fox. We finally return to these wonderful characters who are each unique in their own way and bring that into the story. We get to see more of Yumeko’s kitsune side which she is no longer afraid of hiding which means she uses her powers a lot more. Yes, although she still has her innocent moments, we are starting to see a mature Yumeko. Also, even though we do not get to see much of Tatsumi, the times we do see him show us that he has also changed and grown from the Tatsumi we met in the first installment. That being said, I cannot wait to see what Julie Kagawa has planned for Tatsumi and Hakaimono in the next installment because that was something I did not see coming. So fans, if you loved the first installment then you will love this one as well.

Shadow of the Fox was my favorite book of 2018. So I was so excited to for Soul of the Sword to come out and I was not disappointed. My girl, Yumeko is really turning out to be one of my favorite female characters. What I really loved about Soul of the Sword was the character development. Little things from the first book were expanded into something truly wonderful in the second. Where Yumeko was naive and at times childish in the first book, she really grew emotionally in this fantastic sequel. I loved the increase in Japanese Mythology and really felt like we were learning so much about Japanese folklore. A wonderful sequel that kept me on the edge of my seat. I can't wait for Soul of the Sword to come out and I'm even more excited for the next book to come out as well!!!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with the ARC. I got to say I love Julie Kagawa's writing style, her characters, world building, etc! I think this series is nothing short of great

This is the second book in the Shadow of The Fox series penned by the amazing author Julie Kagawa. The world building for this series is phenomenal we are introduced to various creatures from Japanese mythology each one more intense and scarier than the last. The story centers around the legend of the dragon scroll that was separated into 3 pieces and is be protected at various temples. Kitsune shapeshifter Yumeko is protecting one piece and in this book, she is on her way to ancient steel feather temple and she is determined to save Kate Tasumi who been possessed by an evil spirit who been released from a sword.

I thoroughly enjoyed that in this one there is a lot more action and riddles that have to be hashed out along the way. Also my favorite character Yumeko really comes into her fox magic. It becomes so much more then what she thought it was and the description of how awesome it is breathtaking. Their a few heart-wrenching deaths in this book which is to be expected with the task that has been laid at the group’s feet.

This second book does not suffer from being boring at all is darker, scarier, and much more action-packed than the first. The characters really grow into their own and you really want to see them succeed. The stakes are higher than ever before which makes for a compelling ending that will propel us into the 3 books of the series. I thoroughly have enjoyed this series.

In the sequel to shadow of the fox, Julie Kawaga shows off her incredible talent of imagery and gore once again. Each scene has me perfectly visualizing a dark and mystical ancient Japan. My knowledge of Japanese lore is very small so I often found myself confused as to the references of characters and mystical beings but Julie does such a good job of describing them, you almost don’t need any previous knowledge at all. (Although im sure it would
Be better if you did)

The miss for me was in the repetition. The majority of the book consists of the characters rehashing their plans amongst themselves. It got a little tiring and made me want to jump ahead to the next action scene.

I read Shadow of the Fox earlier this year, and was instantly drawn into this gorgeous world created by Julie Kagawa. It follows Yumeko, a half-human, half-kitsune whose entire world turns upside-down when the temple where she lives is destroyed and she is tasked with protecting a piece of a scroll that could destroy the entire world. She's joined by Tatsumi, the demonslayer who struggles with a terrible secret and an internal darkness who has been tasked with getting that scroll, no matter who he has to kill to get it.

Soul of the Sword picks up where Shadow leaves off, with Yumeko determined to get the scroll where it belongs safely, as well as to rescue Tatsumi, who is now possessed by the killer First Oni Hakaimono. Along the way, she finds herself caught up in political intrigue, facing monsters and even some romance. Every step of the way, Yumeko's mettle and trickery are tested as she fights to save the people she loves.

I loved every moment of this sequel. It's exciting and fun, and leaves you breathless until the very end. Yumeko is such as wonderful character who is kind, optimistic and strong. Kagawa flawlessly incorporates ancient Japanese culture and mythology into this tale in such a captivating way. It's beautifully written and will leave you wanting more. If you loved Shadow, you'll love Soul of the Sword. I highly recommend this series to anyone and everyone who loves reading about worlds different from their own. It's such an amazing read that you won't regret reading!

I requested this book with intention to read it after the first book. I could not get through Shadow of the fox. The language was to difficult and I felt it jumped everywhere.

WOW this book was unbelievably good! Such an amazing sequel to book 1. Julie took the stakes and made them higher, with twists and turns in the plot that I never expected. The characters were more developed which I loved to see, and some issues with pacing that i had in the first book didn't tend to bother me in this one. It was pretty much always a mystery to me what would happen next, which is something i really love in a book. Overall loved this one and desperate for book 3!

Soul of the Sword is the second installment in author Julie Kagawa's Shadow of the Fox series. Soul of the Sword picks up right where Shadow of the Fox ended. One thousand years ago, a wish was made to the Harbinger of Change and a sword of rage and lightning was forged. Kamigoroshi. The Godslayer. It had one task: to seal away the powerful demon Hakaimono. Now he has broken free and a mighty hero has been consumed by the demon.

It is now up to an unusual group of people, Yumeko, Master Jiro, Taiyo Daisuke, Reika, and Okame, to bring Yumeko's piece of the Dragon Prayer scroll piece to the Steel Feather Temple which hasn't been seen in a very long time. The book once again filters through several key characters including Hakaimono which gives the book an even great depth as well as some pretty cool action scenes, and some bizarre creatures who come out to fight again the now released demon who was caught up in a wish to the Harbinger.

Meanwhile, Yumeko has another mission. She has to find a way to save Tatsumi from being possessed by Hakaimono. After all, Tatsumi saved her life numerous times and now she feels as though she owes him. That means dealing with the Shadow Clan who sees Tatsumi as a failure and a danger that must be removed. That means finding an inner strength to believe that she can actually fight against Hakaimono and win.

Yumeko and her allies have to rush against time to prevent an even more dangerous villain from collecting all three parts of the Dragon Prayer and bringing an end to everything. It's absolutely wonderful to see Yumeko discover who she really is and what she is capable of. In the first book, she started out as an innocent who was bullied by her former Temple mates. Along the way, her world has not only expanded, but she has become comfortable taking the lead when her friends think about running away and hiding. I also loved that Reika gets more than her fair share of the story which was brilliant since she was so mysterious until now.

My only real complaint is the forced issue of a romance that really didn't have to be part of this story. It was just a total waste of time to be perfectly honest. Kagawa draws on the same magical style employed in the creation of the Nevernever, the beloved and incredibly popular setting of The Iron Fey. Deeply rooted in fantasy mythology, and inspired by popular anime themes, Soul of the Sword is sure to captivate Julie’s core audience and new fans alike.

This is the sequel to Shadow of The Fox, in the first book we left off on Tatsumi having lost control of Hakaimono. The Soul of the Sword picked up from where we left off. I think the book was paced out well, we learned more about Hakaimono and we also got to see Yumeko’s and Tatsumi’s feelings grow for each other. This part is interesting because neither of them have a good understanding on what those feelings mean. They grew up, one suppressing those feelings and the other being sheltered and naive to the concept of love.

This was action packed and tense with a bit of fluff. Not too much that things stay focused on it but enough to be enjoyed. This had me on the edge and I could not put this down. I highly recommend this series, Julie did an amazing job at keeping me hooked from book one! I can’t wait to read the final book to this series!

Such a fun time! Adventure and danger and risks and everything that I could have wanted! I'll be recommending this series to anyone looking for a well-done fantasy series!

Book 2 of the Shadow of the Fox series picks right back up from the events of Book 1's conclusion - the demon Hakaimono has escaped from his sword prison and taken possession of Tatsumi's body, and half-kitsune Yumeko must still seek out the Steel Feather temple to find the Dragon scroll fragment keepers. Kagawa has kept the three-narrator format (with a slight twist), and it works far more effectively for the plot this time around, and it was an interesting way to reintroduce the characters to us. The story takes awhile to start up, but it finally felt like it was moving forward about 40% in, with the same callbacks to both Japanese mythology and anime that made book 1 so good. I didn’t care for the first park of Yumeko’s journey with the group – it was sort of but not really necessary for them to visit the Shadow Clan, and I was antsy for them to move on. But I really enjoyed Kitsune’s arc, the dramatic battle scenes toward the end, and especially the setup for book 3. Soul of the Sword proved to be satisfying, interesting, and NOT a filler/bridge book in a trilogy.