Actual Rating: Did not Finish
Recommend: If you enjoyed the first book
Review:
Honestly, I think the reason I couldn't finish or love this book is because I am too old for the writing style and the maturity level of the characters. I know these books are marketed towards teenagers, the bracket of which I am no longer a part of, so I can't blame the author or the book for my not enjoying it. This is completely a me issue here.
Truly, I loved Julie Kagawa's Iron Fey series, but I did read it as a teenager, and her Immortal rules trilogy reads older than teens, so even though I read it when I was an older teen, I still greatly enjoyed it. However, what I have discovered as a young adult is that her writing is definitely geared towards teens, which is fine! She writes TEEN books!
I tried getting into this book and really did give it a shot, but even though I love the series mythology, world-building, and characters, I just couldn't get into the book beyond it being words on a page. Personally, I found the Yumeko immature, but that's definitely because of our age difference.
Honestly, all I can say is this book wasn't for me because I think I have outgrown this incredible author. I do think her writing style and books are incredible and actual teens will enjoy her books!

Ok, first of all-- this world is amazing! It is nice to have a second book that is just as good (maybe even better) than the first. I loved picking up right where the last book left off and need more ASAP! I got anime feels and will be letting my friends know to read this soon.

I love this series, but I’ll confess that it took me a little while to get into this book. I started reading it, but I kept putting it down. I think it was mostly due to Hakaimono’s POV chapters—they were all death and destruction and demonic plotting, which are generally my least favorite aspects of fantasy (actually, once we got to the actual plotting, I was more engaged—it’s just all the demon beheading that bores me. I’m weird, I know). I eventually decided that this is the type of book that would work better for me via audiobook—and that was a fantastic decision!

The book really started to pick up for me once Yumeko made a decision about how she was going to handle Hakaimono. I obviously can’t share what that decision was, but I felt much more engaged with the story once I knew that goal—and I was definitely looking forward to how it would all play out. And the end of the book definitely did not disappoint. It all went in a direction I was not expecting at all—which I absolutely loved. And the book left me eager to find out what will happen next!

As far as the audiobook goes, all three narrators (Brian Nishii, Joy Osmanksi, and Emily Woo Zeller) were fantastic—I felt that they all captured the action of this series incredibly well, and Brian Nishii did an excellent job differentiating between Tatsumi and Hakaimono/Tatsumi.

***Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review (though I ended up listening to the audiobook from the library). No other compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***

Kat Cho’s captivating debut Wicked Fox and Julie Kagawa’s Soul of the Sword bring Asian folktales and legends of the kitsune and guminho into the spotlight of YA fantasy. (minor spoilers ahead!)

Kat Cho’s mesmerizing debut, Wicked Fox, is a modern YA fantasy that takes place in Korea and follows a young girl with a secret that she cannot tell anyone, leaving her isolated amongst her peers at her new school. Reminiscent of a K-Drama, Wicked Fox brings mythology and high school drama together in an unforgettable story that is only just beginning.


Shadow of the Fox along with its sequel and new release Soul of the Sword by Julie Kagawa tells of an epic journey where a demon slayer, a demon, a shrine guardian, a rōnin (wanderer), and a palace noble end up working together to try to stop an ancient evil from being summoned.

Both of these stories have something in common, and that something is a mythical creature that can be found in many East Asian mythologies: the nine-tailed fox.

Folktales of the nine-tailed fox that has the power to transform into the shape of a human are derived from ancient Chinese myths and legends. The motif of a fox can be found throughout East Asian mythology, and make appearances in not only Chinese mythology, but in Japanese and Korean folktales as well.

In Japanese folktales the fox demon is called a kitsune, which is usually seen as a trickster. A kitsune is a type of yōkai, a Japanese spirit, demon, or supernatural creature from legend. In Japanese mythology, the older the kitsune, the more tails it has, which can be up to nine.

The Korean version of the nine-tailed fox is a guminho (or kuminho), whereas the Chinese name for it is huli jing. In all versions, the fox can transform into a human, usually a beautiful woman, along with possessing magical powers, including achieving immortality.

Wicked Fox’s main character is a guminho, a young girl named Miyoung whose mother has kept her isolated despite living among humans. Miyoung meets Jihoon, saving his life from a goblin, but her yeowu guseul, or fox bead which housed her soul, ends up outside of her body, vulnerable and easily lost.

In Wicked Fox guminho are immortal beings that survive by sucking the essence, or gi, out of someone. Reminiscent of European vampires, except instead of blood its life force. The Korean guminho is typically seen as the darkest of the fox demon myths, with the guminho usually killing unsuspecting men and beguiling them as a beautiful, irresistible woman.

Kat Cho brings a strong sense of familial obligation, high school pressures, and a mix of star crossed lovers into Wicked Fox that makes it a perfect YA fantasy that I can’t stop talking about to my friends. The relationship between Miyoung and Jihoon is wrought with tension and hesitation as Miyoung has to learn to trust not only a human, but herself as well.

Julie Kagawa’s Shadow of the Fox series features a kitsune named Yumeko, who grew up in a shrine where she was told to never use her trickster powers because they were bad. Along her journey, Yumeko comes into her own, realizing that she is more than her kitsune blood, and that not all tricks have to be done in a bad light.

Yumeko’s powers are foxfire, which is merely a trick, or fake fire that doesn’t actually burn, and minor illusion work that are common in kitsune lore. Another power that can be found throughout kitsune lore is that of the kitsunetuski, or fox possession, which plays a part in Soul of the Sword, which I absolutely loved.

Shadow of the Fox and Soul of the Sword reminds me of an anime, but in the best way possible. The group reminds me of the anime Inuyasha, along with the epic journey and different kinds of yōkai/demons throughout. It brings about a sense of nostalgia even though this book series is new. Curses, sentient swords, demons, and a sense of found family brings this book series to life.

Jihoon in Wicked Fox knows from his first meeting with Miyoung that she is a guminho, since she revealed herself as she saved his life. On the opposite side of the spectrum Kage Tatsumi in the Shadow of the Fox series has no idea that the girl he’s come to care about is his enemy. As a demonslayer, Tatsumi grew up killing those like Yumeko.

The differing character dynamics make both of these stories unique despite them both being based on the same legend. Each has their own distinct tone and version of the nine tailed-fox, so whether you’re looking for a contemporary fantasy or a more traditional Asian inspired fantasy, you won’t be disappointed in Wicked Fox and Soul of the Sword.

The Shadow of the Fox ended with Yumeko and her companions in an unexpected and dangerous position. In other words, it ended with one heck of a cliff hanger. Soul of the Sword continued their journey to deliver the piece of the Scroll of a Thousand Prayers that Yumeko had been entrusted with to the Steel Feather temple. That’s no longer their only mission though. Yumeko can’t bring herself to give up on Tatsumi. She wants to save him and his soul from possession.

Soul of the Sword was an amazing followup to Shadow of the Fox. The POV switched between Hakaimono and Yumeko and a couple of other “voices” throughout the story. Connections were made with some of the side characters that were slightly vague in Shadow of the Fox. Yumeko learned a lot about herself and what she was capable of as well Tatsumi’s past during her travels. There weren’t quite as many “light” moments in Soul of the Sword, but there were just enough to break through a little bit of the darkness – which there was plenty.

I loved the way Soul of the Sword continued to weave the past and present and give even more dimension to all the characters. There was even an unexpected bit of romance that made me smile. Things are far from over for Yumeko and her companions. Decisions and unlikely alliances were made that changed the course of their mission and left them in even more danger. Needless to say, I can’t wait until the next book in the Shadow of the Fox is released.

OMG I CAN’T WAIT FOR THE THIRD BOOK!!!! This was so good!!! There’s a lot to read, but damn that ending ugh! I just can’t I’m ready for the next one! Thank you sooooo much Netgalley for this arc and I’m so sorry it took me forever to read it! The way Julie writes is beautiful and the way that Kage and the demon had to be was amazing!!!!

*Arc provided by Harlequin Teen in exchange for an honest review*
1.5 Stars

While I thought the first book was filled with cliches, it was entertaining and had potential to be something more. Though I must say, if you had mixed feelings with the first book I feel like this one takes the first book flaws and enlarges them. It almost feels like this series was dragged out into a trilogy in what could've been a duology or even a standalone. I was not a fan of the romance in the first book because I did not feel the chemistry. There is a new relationship within this book and I have the same exact feelings about it as I did with Tatsumi and Yumeko's. While there is lots of action sequences I didn't give a damn about any of the characters which made the pacing feel so draggy. I skimmed most of this book if I was honest.

If you were in the middle of the road when it came to the first book. I would pass on this one! I am not sure if I will touch the third.

Another hit from Julie Kagawa! I loved the characters, the story and the pace. I’m a fan of the world Julie Kagawa created and I can’t wait to read book 3. Yes, I liked book one better, but it still was a solid book.

I loved all the banter and friendly teasing in the heroes gang. All the mythological aspects were amazing too! This is a fantasy story that you don’t know wanna miss.

4/5 stars

While returning to the Shadow of the Fox trilogy, this journey is quite an engaging read! Though I admittedly did go back and read Shadow of the Fox because I felt I had forgotten many events that occurred, this story could also be a stand alone because of its wonderful storytelling capabilities. The names and cultural references are somewhat foreign to me because I am largely unfamiliar with Japanese culture, but I found that, as I continued to read, I found myself immersed in this beautiful world yet again that was created.

I enjoyed the aspect of gaining multiple points of view from this story and I particularly enjoyed Hakaimono's point of view because, like all true villainous characters, I found merit in understanding his perspective.

The action written in this story is well written and described and I found it very engaging to read. The true highlight, however, are the characters. The character development written by Kagawa is phenomenal! I found myself connecting with them as they grew and developed and I was eager to continue along their journey...though I was taken by surprise multiple times! I eagerly await the third installment of this trilogy!

Shadow of the fox and this sequel were a wonderful read! I adore this genre and this author did an amazing job with the writing and story line.

I was so happy and thrilled to receive this book I have read the Iron Queen series and this author is one of my favorites and I defiantly wasn't let down with book 1 of this series! In regards to this series in general I love the authors writing you can almost picture the lush Japanese history and vibrate myths and legends all mixed beautifully with fantasy! I enjoyed that from the beginning I couldn't put the book down all the way till the end now I cant wait to read the 3rd book! There is so much action I could really picture this series being an awesome movie! the cover is just as eye catching and pretty as the first book! all in all I highly recommend this book!

Book – Soul of the Sword
Author – Julie Kagawa
Series – Shadow of the Fox #2
Cliffhanger? - Yes
Publication Date – June 25, 2019
Genre – Fantasy/Romance
Rating – 4.5 out of 5 Stars

Complimentary copy generously provided by the author via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

My Thoughts - Story

Normally I find the second book in a trilogy a bit slow and overdone after the build up from the first book with introductions and the “newness” of it….but….with Ms. Kagawa, she has outdone herself with creating a 2nd book as good as or better than the first…which makes me wonder and anticipate what she is going to do with the 3rd book!

I definitely have a thing now for Japanese mythology and would love to read more information about it but I don’t think anyone can get the development of these characters as good as Ms. Kagawa has done. She has outdone herself with her imagination on the creation of these characters.

Cliffhanger…wow – how to leave us hanging in the middle of a momentous event. UGH!!

Reason for Reading – NetGalley choice – plus I love this author
Story – 5 out of 5 Stars
Steam – 4 out of 5 Stars
Angst – 4 out of 5 Stars
Writing – 4 out of 5 Stars
Content Flow – 5 out of 5 Stars
Would Read More from Author? Definitely
Recommend To – Fantasy Japanese Mythology lovers

This book is amazing! I couldn't put it down! Rich and lush, this book transports you completely into its world. I can't recommend it highly enough!

3.5 stars
Thank you Harlequin Teen (US & Canada) and Netgalley. for the ARC. I read Shadow of The Fox a few days ago and absolutely loved it. So, I was beyond excited to start the next installment.

Soul of The Sword picks up where Shadow of The Fox ended. The demon slayer, Tatsumi, has been possessed by Hakaimono, the demon of the cursed sword. Yumeko and her companions continue their search for the Steel Feather Temple. But with so many enemies trailing behind them, the quest becomes far more complicated and dangerous.

Soul of The Sword continues to be captivating and enjoyable. Julie Kawaga wove her story around the Japanese mythology is such a beautiful and impeccable way. We are introduced to many new places and magical creatures and the detailed writing style brought so much life to them. The world is lush and fascinating. I am very much attached to the characters and love every single one of them.

My only complain with the book is the Hakaimono chapters. They really slowed the book down and I believe the book would have worked pretty well without the demon's pov.

The ending took me by surprise. I am very curious to see where the story goes from here.

This second book continues directly after the final events of the first book. We find Yumeko and her crew on the road to the Steel Feather temple in the hopes of protecting the last pieces of the Dragon Scroll. A quest is one of my all-time favorite tropes so I am definitely hook, line and sinker for this story.

The team of characters setting forth on this mission together makes this story for me. Their personalities play off one another so well. It seriously makes me want to be a part of the group. I don't care how outright scary and dangerous it gets!

While I wasn't quite as smitten with this installment as I was with the first book, it is still definitely worth all five stars in my eyes. As second books go, this one upped the stakes of the quest and left off in an exceptionally intriguing part of the story.

I would love to shout from the rooftops how much I love this series but that could get embarrassing. For now, I will be content with recommending the heck out of it to all my YA Fantasy-reading friends.

Also, legit anime come to life. The atmosphere and tone of this is so dynamic, it leaps off the page and into your minds-eye so clearly. It's honestly tremendous.

I want to thank the publisher, Inkyard Press, for providing me with a copy of this to read and review. It was one of my most anticipated books of the year and it certainly did not disappoint.

(Note: This book includes graphic depictions of violence.)

I really enjoyed Shadow of the Fox, so I’m thrilled to report that the sequel, Soul of the Sword, is just as good—and even better in some areas. Yumeko continues to be a wonderful character, and her narration takes center stage over the other point-of-view characters since Tatsumi is essentially replaced by Hakaimono (more on him later). As Yumeko’s powers grow stronger in this book, it becomes ever clearer that she is the heart of her adventuring party. She is the one that they all rally around, and it’s her plan to save Tatsumi from the demon possessing him that the others put their faith in. She isn’t a fighter like the others, but her clever use of fox magic and trickery are used to great effect throughout the book, particularly in the finale.

With the first book villains out of the way, the threats against our heroes are far more interesting and, frankly, terrifying. Hakaimono gets multiple POV chapters in this book, and he is every bit as bloodthirsty and terrifying as the Shadow Clan stories made him out to be. Through him we get a great deal of backstory, not just about his imprisonment in the sword but also the Master of Demons, the Scroll of a Thousand Prayers, and Iwagoto in general. Hakaimono is one of the more interesting villain POVs I’ve seen recently, so checking in on his demonic side of the story was always fun, even if it meant we essentially lost Tatsumi as a narrator.

Once again, author Julie Kagawa did an excellent job of building a memorable world. From a demon-infested forest to the Shadow Clan’s stronghold to a hidden mountain temple, Soul of the Sword was filled with interesting—and perilous—places for our heroes to explore. Kagawa also did a great job of giving further personality and backstory to our band of heroes, including strengthening bonds from the previous book and giving others a new layer to explore. (There is a male/male secondary romance that blossoms in this book, and I was thrilled to see it.) I’m curious to see where Kagawa will take us, both plot- and character-wise for the next book in the series.

Recommendation: Get it soon. Soul of the Sword was a fast-paced book that expertly balances the forward momentum of the plot against character development. Despite the loss of one of the narrators from the previous book, the book continues to flesh out the world and raise the stakes for our heroes. I’m looking forward to seeing where author Julie Kagawa leads us next.

Just as wonderful a read as the book one. The world building and story telling was expertly done. I felt immersed in the story and cannot wait for book 3.

Kitsune saga unfolds!

Taking up from where Shadow of the Fox left off, the quest continues with Yumeko our heroine Kitsune shapeshifter having to take part of the ancient and mysterious scroll to a temple of the Thousand Prayers to the Steel Feather.
Being chased by the released demon Hakaimono, and looking for protection from a compromised companion, Kage Tatsumi of the Shadow Clan, leaves a lot to be desired and the way is full of pitfalls.
Another wonderful tale from Kagawa in this unusual and exciting series.

A Harlequin TEEN ARC via NetGalley

Last year when I read Shadow of the Fox, I was blown away. It was such a great, original fantasy and I loved all of the Japanese folklore and myths that Julie Kagawa tied in. So when I got a review copy of the sequel, Soul of the Sword, I was ecstatic.

Beware going forward if you haven't read Shadow of the Fox. This is a review for book 2 so there will be some spoilers from the first book because that's pretty unavoidable.

This was such a great sequel! There was so much action and adventure that picked up right where Shadow of the Fox left off. I was so nervous to see what was going to happen with Tatsumi after he was possessed completely by the evil Hakaimono. It was so nerve wracking following Tatsumi/Hakaimono traverse the countryside wreaking havoc in his effort to free Hakaimono from the curse of the sword altogether.

One thing that surprised me, in a good way, was how close Okame and Daisuke were becoming. There were some definite vibes going on between the ronin and the samurai that had me totally shipping them 100%.

I couldn't believe the ending! It was so incredibly intense! I really can't wait for the next book and it's going to be really hard waiting an entire year for it. This series has it all. Humor, action, adventure, romance, you name it. If you haven't read book one yet, I highly suggest you check it out.

I went back for the second book hoping that maybe the plot line was a little more flushed out since the first book had set up the characters and everything. Even though I was more obsessed with the secondary characters than the main ones. However, the plot line kind of went the same way as the first one for me, and it might just be me, but it felt all over the place. I would get really invested into what was happening in the story and then it would jump over here… then there… then here… then there… I don’t mean character wise I mean plot wise.

There are some good things about these books that I really enjoy, the back stories on the clans, the rituals, the details on how everything is set up in each town or setting. I liked how some of the relationships were set up or played out in this story whether it be friendships or other “ships”. We get to see more Yokai magic in this book which was very nice. The magic in general was better in this book.

I’m not sure if I’ll be invested after this book, at some points when it was hopping around I really thought this could’ve been a duology. However, when it had picked up and really got into it at some points I was like YEESSSS… I’m at a loss.