Kagawa has an amazing ability to bring her fantasy worlds and characters to life. So much so that they seem to breath off the very pages you are reading. You get completely immersed into her stories, into their lives, and into the danger that always seems to lurk in the dark and magical realms she is so good at creating.

I fell in love with Shadow of the Fox and couldn't have been more anxious or eager to get my hands on Soul of the Sword.

It didn't take me long to once again fall seamlessly into the very heart, the very center of the world that is this series. Totally invested in all that had happened last book and more than excited to find out where the story would take all of my beloved characters next.

With ore action, more danger, more risks, and more tension around every corner, not to mention bad guys, myths, legends, and lore and Soul of the Sword not only lived up the Shadow of the Fox, but I think it surpassed it.

I loved this title so much. I die hard loved everything about Shadow of the Fox and this one I devoured within one day. I could not put it down and I think that its Kagawa's best yet!! I can not wait to get my hands on the next title. All the story and characters came together in this sequel and it was SO GOOD!! I don't want to say to much about it because I don't want to give anything away but man if you love anime as much as I do. Make sure to check this one out!! Kagawa blends anime and her wonderful storytelling together for one killer story!

I felt like this was a great continuation of the story from Shadow of the Fox. The characters were interesting, the plot well paced and intriguing, and the world was well built. The ending was interesting and left you in wonder of what will happen to these characters in the next book. I can't wait to find out!

As per usual Julie Kagawa is incredible! I loved the first book and the sequel is just as intriguing!

My first question is where is the next book!?! Shadow of the Fox was amazing and I didn't think it would be possible for Julie Kagawa to write a sequel that was just as good - if not better - than the first book in the series. I did appreciate that this book contained more action then the first one and less of the traveling interludes. The fight scenes were well done and I like that Kagawa did not shy away from blood and gore. I would love to see her write more of this sort of gothic-horror genre - I think she has a real talent for it. With all of that said, I am excited for the next book in the series to see where the characters go from here and more of their development.

This was an interesting follow up to Shadow of the Fox. The main plot remains, Yumeko must take her piece of the ancient and powerful Scroll of a Thousand Prayers to the Steel Feather temple in order to prevent the summoning of the Harbinger of Change, the great Kami Dragon who will grant one wish to whomever holds the scroll. However, she has a new problem: her once protector, Kage Tatsumi of the Shadow Clan, is now her enemy since he has been possessed by a fearsome demon. Yumeko must test her Kitsune powers to try and save Tatsumi.

I always enjoy Kagawa's detailed, imaginative and action packed writing.

Kitsune is still on her quest to take a piece of an ancient scroll to the Steel Feather temple to stop the summoning of the great Kami Dragon. If she fails in her quest, the Harbinger of Change will grant a wish to the bearer of the scroll. Unfortunately, Hakaimono has escaped the sword Kamigoroshi and taken possession of Kage. Hakaimono is working with the Master of Demons to try and break the curse to completely set him free. He wants to take over the land and plunge it into darkness, but he can’t complete this goal without the Scroll of a Thousand Prayers. Will Kitsune be able to free Kage from Hakaimono’s possession? What difficult choices will she need to make along the way?

Soul of the Sword is the second book in the Shadow of the Fox series. In a world full of magic and adventure, readers will easily recall the basics of the first book in order to become fully invested in this second installment. Kagawa has taken the world building that has already been completed and woven deeper characters and more diverse plot twists. Although this book has a satisfactory ending, it is not a duology and readers will be anticipating the next book when it is released.

I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review. This was better than book 1. When a book has an amazing storyline, awesome mythology, as well as great characters then you have the complete package for an epic book.

<u> <b>Review for <i>Soul of the Sword</i> by Julie Kagawa </u> </b>


ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review!
Thanks for the opportunity to review this book!


<u>All opinions are my own.</u>

<b>Trigger Warnings (TW):</b> For violence, murder, gore, brutality, and some very graphic scenes. To me, this is almost on the same level as The Poppy War in brutality and gore. Stay safe, friends!

<u> <b>Summary: </u> </b>

<b>”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.”</b>

In <i> Soul of the Sword </i> we pick up where the crew left off at the end of <i>Shadow of the Fox.</i> I will say, we hit the ground running here. We follow Yumeko as she tries to both save Tatsumi and condemn Hakaimono at the same time. Meanwhile Hakaimono has plans of his own, and they don’t exactly make Yumeko’s job any easier.


<u> <b>My Thoughts </u> </b>

I absolutely adored this sequel. I love all of the characters and will hint that there may be a budding romance, but not the one that we are expecting. I’m excited to see how this romance will grow throughout the next book! The characters have all grown so much since they were introduced in book one, and I can’t wait to see where they end up at the finale.

<b><i>“It is how you use you powers that determines the intent.”</b></i>
<i> Quote taken from an ARC and is subject to change upon publication. </i>


This book is vastly more graphic than the last one, to the point where I would be careful about recommending it to a younger audience, but maybe that is just me being sensitive about it. To me, the gore and brutality was almost on par with<i> The Poppy War</i>, though that dealt with some much darker themes as well.

I love when a book is based on a quest or a journey, and there was plenty of travelling in this book, but it never felt overbearing. Getting multiple perspectives really helped to strength my feelings for those characters, including Hakaimono. It was interesting to get inside his head and to understand his motives, which I feel is not something we get very often with our villains.
I was very happy with the ending of this book, but I’m curious how some of the loose ends will end up being dealt with in the next book.

<b> <u>Overall (TLDR)</b> </u>
This is a thoroughly action packed story, with really awesome mythology interwoven, as well as a great group of characters, and a unique magic system.
If you were a fan of the first book, I cannot tell you enough to continue on with the series. If you haven’t read <i>Shadow of the Fox </i> yet, I recommend you to do so.

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Soul of the Sword by Julie Kagawa is the second book in the Shadow of the Fox series and in my opinion even better than the first book. Yumeko and her plucky band of hero's continue their journey to save the scrolls before the enemy can get them all. This story is beautifully written and so descriptive you easily loose yourself in this amazing story taken from Japanese mythology. I cannot wait to read the third book since this one leaves with a huge cliffhanger that truly leaves you on the edge of your seat. Definitely one of the most original series I've ever read.

I loved this book! Just a warning, this is the second book in Julie Kagawa's Shadow of the Fox series and could contain spoilers for the first book.

Yumeko and Tatsumi have parted ways... for now. Yumeko still has to protect the scroll and get to the Steel Feather Temple, while Tatsumi's body has been possessed by a demon and his soul is stuffed inside the demon's. What a mess! Will Yumeko be able to save Tatsumi? Will she, along with her friends that she's gathered together in Shadow of the Fox, be able to save the scroll? You'll have to (and you'll want to) read this book to find out.

I loved this book as much as I loved Shadow of the Fox. Yumeko is still the sweet kitsune that she was in the first book, although you can see that she's grown as a person in this book. She's willing to put herself in danger in order to save her friends. You get to see more of this great world in this book, as well as learn more about its history. There are new secrets that unfold as well.

There is a surprising twist at the end, and although I won't give away what happens here, I will say that I'm looking forward to seeing how this story concludes in the third book. I highly recommend this series for anybody that's interested in a sweet fantasy story with demons and mythological creatures set in a medieval-like Japanese setting.

A year ago, I received "Shadow of the Fox" where I fell in love with the mischevious Yumeko, the tortured demon slayer, Tatsumi, the various side characters, and the cliffhanger that left me on the edge of my seat. However, the sequel left me dissatisfied. I finally understood the critique that the first book was a constant journey from one location to another without anything happening. That's exactly what happened in this book.

The first book ended on a cliffhanger. Tatsumi finally gave into the demon, Hakaimono, who was trapped in his sword known as Kamigoroshi, to save his friends. This book starts soon after and Yumeko wrestles with her feelings and her companions about saving Tatsumi from this possession. Everyone tells her it is impossible to drive Hakaimono back into the sword without killing Tatsumi. (I kid you not this probably takes up a third of the book). Eventually in a dream, a mysterious white fox appears to Yumeko and tells her if she embraces her kitsune magic, she can save Tatsumi. After the group decides to save Tatsumi, they are taken to the Shadow Clan, where Yumeko has an audience with Lady Hanshou, who gives her blessing and tells Yumeko to save Tatsumi. At this point, it is also revealed that half of the Shadow Clan lead by Lord Iesada would like to unseat Lady Hanshou and put an end to training demon slayers to wield Kamigoroshi because they believe it will be the undoing of the clan.

Meanwhile, the book delves into the shared perspective of Tatsumi/Hakaimono, who seeks the Masters of Demons known as Genno. Genno wants the Scroll of a Thousand Prayers so he can overthrow the empire and unleash darkness/demons over the entire land. However, he needs to find all three pieces first. Hakaimono, who wants to break his curse and be free of the sword, promises to give Genno a body since at the moment he's a floating head and in return, Genno promises to help him. Once, this deal is made all the characters head towards the Steel Feather Temple, where a piece of the scroll and resides and Yumeko and Hakaimono finally face-off.

My main problem with this sequel is that nothing really happened. Sure, evil plans are now in progress but the journey to arrive at that point was completely forgettable. The group traveled around, got sidetracked at a gambling den, Hakaimono killed demons, demons attacked and eventually everyone found their way to the Steel Feather Temple, where Yumeko finally did what she'd been talking about doing the entire book. However, I didn't feel like there was any character development, especially concerning Yumeko, who was suddenly made out to have extremely powerful magic. I honestly did not feel like Yumeko was powerful enough to take on Hakaimono (several training sequences in a dream with a mysterious fox does not count) and her choice at the end felt forced/obvious. I'm hoping the next book will explore the characters more and their relationships with each other as everyone deals with Hakaimono/Tatsumi, as well as, the new romance between Daisuke and Okame.

I loved the first book but for some reason this book wasn’t hooking me like the first did. I love the world and I love the characters. But I just couldn’t get into this story. I got to 36% and ultimately had to DNF this book. I will likely try reading again in the future but right now it is just not happening for me.

Soul of the Sword picks up where Shadow of the Fox ends off, with the consequences of the final battle between the main characters and Hakaimono. This book follows the remaining characters' trek to the Steel Feather Temple, to retrieve the other piece of the scroll, and to save Tatsumi.

This book was a lot more action-packed than the last one, which had a lot of travelling interludes. I will say that Kagawa completely upped her scene-writing for fights, and I like that she didn't shy away from including the blood and gore from these fights. It's not horribly graphic, but makes a good difference in the atmosphere of the scene and novel as a whole. I really think she has talent in writing more horror-oriented stories, so I'm pleased to see that explored here.

The story had a few plot twists I hadn't expected - I was worried some storylines might go a generic, unoriginal route, but I will say I was overall happy with how the book progressed. The resolution of the Tatsumi/Hakaimono issue was especially good, and I'm looking forward to how it's further explored in the sequel! The villain who has been teased in the last two books is finally now an actual villain, and the stakes for the next book are even higher, so I am excited to see what happens next!

One minor issues I had was with Okame, who can't seem to go one sentence without reminding readers that he's a "dirty ronin dog." The self-deprecation gets tiresome after a while. I also didn't love a romance between two side characters. Though the story is told through limited first-person narration of several characters, these two particular characters don't get a POV. As such, "discovering" their romance through another character who literally stumbles upon it felt awkward. The characters themselves barely had any chemistry or interactions, which made their romance feel very forced.

Overall, I think this was a great sequel and I want the next book!

The story picks up pretty much right where the first book ended: The powerful demon Hakaimono has broken free of the cursed sword, Kamigoroshi, which held his soul for thousands of years, and possessed the demonslayer, Kage Tatsumi. With her protector and friend now gone, half-Kitsune Yumeko, must continue her quest of delivering part of the ancient Dragon Scroll to the elusive Steel Feather temple in order to stop the summoning of the great Kami Dragon who will grant the wish of whomever holds the Scroll of a Thousand Prayers.

While Yumeko and her band of merry misfits--including a noble samurai, a ronin, and a shrine maiden-- rush to deliver the scroll to the temple, Hakaimono joins forces with the Master of Demons in order to break the curse on the sword and finally set him free for good. To do so, the pair must retrieve the Scroll first. As Yumeko and the possessed Tatsumi paths continue to cross, Yumeko vows to save Tatsumi's soul and banish Hakaimono before their land is plunged into darkness forever.

I really enjoy this whole story. The characters mesh and work so well together. The relationship between the group is by far my favorite thing, especially Okame and Daisuke, their banter is everything. I also really liked how you got to see a little bit more of Tatsumi's background and upbringing in the Shadow Clan. You really understand how he became the person he is and the true weight of the burden he carries. All the Japanese folklore influence is again very interesting. My only issue with this one was the same as the first, the pacing just seemed a little off. It took a bit of time before it really hit its stride, but once it did, I was fully hooked into the story. I can't wait to continue the journey and see where else the story goes from here.

Soul of the Sword picks up right where Shadow of the Fox left off. I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about book 2 as I didn't love book 1 but I was pleasantly surprised. I very much enjoyed how all of the different relationships played out in this book and I am looking forward to seeing out it all ends.

This was such an intense read! It was adventurous and exciting! I enjoyed it from the very first page.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own

Well, this book wasn’t easy on my heart or mind. Julie Kagawa delivered yet again with this perfect little gem. There were so many twists and turns that I didn’t see coming; it really made this an enjoyable read.

Yumeko grew before the reader’s very eyes into a confident young woman who is not afraid of her powers. Tatsumi also changed, although it is uncertain if it is for the better. There were definitely some strong vibes between the two of them, and it will be interesting if there are further developments to their relationship in the final book. There was a gay couple in this story, which was nice to see.

The book was lovely, even if I was disappointed in Yumeko’s action in the final scene. The decision she made was very unlike her. I understand it was necessary to make the story flow, but it went against everything she had done throughout the first and second book. Not to mention it made for one heck of a cliffhanger!

It will be nice to gain some closure for the way things turned out in the final book, which I will definitely be requesting when it is released a year or so from now. I loved the first book in this series so much that I bought a hard copy and will likely do the same for this one. I am confident that those who read it will not be disappointed.

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

Julie Kagawa returns to the Shadow of the Fox trilogy with Soul of the Sword as Yumeko’s journey to deliver the final piece of the Dragon’s Prayer to the temple where it can be kept safe from demons and other evil entities that are wanting to call forth the dragon for the wish. Except now Yumeko has a new mission, one that will take her slightly off course and that is to save Tatsumi from the demon that once possessed his sword, Hakaimono, who is now possessing him.

Wow. Firstly, it’s been a very long time since I read Shadow of the Fox and even with my notes, it was hard to really remember everything that happened. But the general gist of the story remained clear to me. I feel like what’s so challenging about this series are all the names and vocabulary. I am not familiar with Japanese culture so a lot of the names and the words that came after names confused me. Of course after I finished reading I discovered there was a glossary in the back, so note to self, next time read the real book instead of the ebook!

We do still get the multiple points of view in this one and what was really interesting was getting Hakaimono’s point of view since he’s technically our villain. We get glimpses of poor Tatsumi, but those chapters were fleeting.

There was still a decent amount of action in this book as the demons are all over the place and all are gunning to find the pieces of the prayer meant to call forth the Dragon. Time is of the essence since the time to recite the prayers is drawing closer and closer.

Again, I will admit, that despite adoring Julie’s books, this one was tough for me. A lot had to do with the vocabulary that was unfamiliar to me and not knowing there was a glossary in back—cursed be the ebook—I think if I had known it was there and how to easily access that with the kindle, I might have done a lot better in reading comprehension with this one. But alas, you live and learn…then get the real book! Lol.

I still enjoyed this one despite the struggles I had. I really enjoyed the characters. Julie is phenomenal when it comes to characters. I feel like there’s a little bit of Puck in Okame and maybe even a little bit of Ash in Tatsumi. That’s just my impression of course; it’s int eh little things that they do and their mannerisms. Okame is a riot! I love that dude! These characters continued to grow and develop along their journey and I was taken by surprise more than once with them. I’ll be eager to see what challenges they will face in the final stage of this series.

All in all, despite my own struggles with Soul of the Sword, it was still a pretty enjoyable one. I think next time I will be sure to wait for the final copy to come out so that way, I can easily refer to the glossary in back and ease the confusing parts that occasionally pop up. I am also eager to see what will happen after that earth-shattering conclusion! Let it be said that Julie knows how to delight and agonize her readers!


Overall Rating 3.5/5 stars


Soul of the Sword releases June 18, 2019

Shadow of The Fox wasn’t my favorite book I read this year, it was an overwhelming amount of world building and characters in such a short amount of time.

This however, is very different. I’m already aware of a lot of the secrets of this world, the places, the people, and I was able to immediately dive in and be hooked on the story.

We jump in immediately after Kage Tatsumi is trapped back into the sword and our group is deciding what to do next.

This time around we have POV chapters from Yumeko, Tatsumi, Suki, and Hakaimono.

I absolutely adore Yumeko and loved seeing how her Kitsune side is explored a lot more in this book now that she’s not hiding it quite as much. We get to see more illusions, dream traveling, and a few mischievous tricks that are all absolutely incredible. The fact that her magic isn’t appreciated in this world is truly a shame because it is truly a miraculous gift.
I also really loved seeing more of Yumeko’s complete obliviousness to most human interactions. Her confusion at metaphors, expressions, and human subtly are adorable and hilarious. There’s also quite a few instances of sexual innuendos and Yumeko just sits there wondering “why is everyone’s faces turning red” and it’s brilliant. I can’t imagine there were any moments like that in he childhood surrounded by monks…

Our hero’s journey continues as they travel to the home of the Shadow Clan and to the Steel Feather temple, and of course, encountering quite a few obstacles along the way.

On the other end, we have the adorable ghost Suki. I just really adore Suki, she’s so innocent and wonderful. She’s now traveling with a mysterious old man and a one eyed Oni boy who has visions. They’re very much interested in the trials of Yumeko and the gang as they themselves travel to a few new places. We slowly learn a bit more about these new companions of Suki’s but there are still SO MANY unanswered questions. Whoever that old man is, he has some seriously powerful and terrifying connections that will leave you thinking there’s worse things out there than Hakaimono…

There’s also a new villain, one that shakes up the story in ways that I never could have dreamed up, and an adorable precious romance. (I won’t go into further detail because I don’t want to give away spoilers, but both storylines are incredible)

This book was a lot more action packed than the first one, partially do to Yumeko awakening more of her power, and also because the villains are a little more tangible than they previously were. The last third of this book was pretty much non-stop action and doing, with a whole bunch of twists that I didn’t expect.
There was one part in particular where I got REALLY angry at the direction the book had turned, so much so that I put it down, only to discover later that everything I believed was wrong and another huge twist took the story in a completely different direction.

And of course, we’re once again left on a HUGE CLIFFHANGER, with the events unfolding into near impossible circumstances, and a big secret finally revealed (partially anyway).

This book was everything missing from Shadow of The Fox. It was a true but original hero’s quest, and I loved all the new villains, species, and moments.