Alright...if you know me, you know exactly why I picked up the first book. Kitsune!! I have a love of both foxes and Asain culture. Naturally, I love stories of nine-tailed foxes. This trilogy is amazing and I am sad to see it end but so grateful for the adventures I've had. Now, let's talk about that cover. As with both previous covers...I'm in shock at how beautiful it is. I was drawn into it right away. Let's face it, it also has a dragon so it was already calling to me before I cracked open the cover.

This series is full of action and this book does not disappoint. The reader is thrown directly into another battle as they open the book, they are now trying to save the world before a certain date. There should have been a sense of urgency there but I did not feel it as strongly as I did in the previous two stories. Though the quick pace is maintained in this book as I've been accustomed to in Kagawa's previous two. I did enjoy the overall plot arc for the story. As I've fallen so in love with this world, it was bittersweet closing the book and knowing that the story is finally over.



Once again...I just love the characters. I think what really makes this novel, and the entire series, successful are the interactions between characters. I did find that in this final novel there were very few scenes from the perspective of Haikimono. Though, that could be due to the fact that...well I can't spoil it for those who may not have read the entire series yet.


I still am in love with Tatsumi and Yumeko. They are too cute and I love the romance we see. The best parts are from Yumeko's perspective, seeing how she reacts to him. Though this is not a character-driven book, I feel their interactions add a layer of emotional complexity that would have otherwise been missing.

Though most of the world had already been laid out for us in previous books, we continue to see much more in this one. My favorite part was that we were introduced to a large variety of yokai. The very idea of yokai made my heart happy but this book really expanded on that and it was so worth it!



There were many times in the story I thought I'd have to grab the tissues. I've grown so close to these characters, I'm so invested in their stories. All I can say is the ending came together well and I was pleased. I suppose I'll simply have to reread the series and live in the world I've grown to love so much for just a while longer. I keep imagining what life would be like if yokai truly lived among us. Interesting...that is, to say the least. Kagawa has a beautiful writing style, allowing the reader to visualize everything rather than reading about it. Her characters are all incredibly well developed and you find yourself invested in their lives before you even know where it's going.


If you enjoy a good fantasy book that pulls you in and is filled to the brim with action...go ahead and pick up the first book in this series.

Night of the Dragon, the 3rd book in the series, wasn't a letdown. It was AMAZING! I felt like the story picked right back up. The characters and plot were interesting and well written. I couldn't put the book down. I love Julie's writing style. The imagery was beyond beautiful.

Night of the Dragon was easily my most anticipated book of the year. I have been eagerly awaiting the conclusion to the Shadow of the Fox trilogy and HAD to know what happened to the characters. That being said, this book pretty much broke me. If Julie Kagawa has a tear quota she needs to meet, I'm pretty sure I provided what she needs.

That being said, Night of the Dragon was just as amazing as the other two books and was a fast paced, well formed conclusion. I don't really feel like anything was left unresolved but it was certainly a difficult and emotional journey to get to the end. We follow the same characters as we have followed previously as they continue to try to defeat Genno in his quest to claim the Dragon's Wish. There were so many twists and turns (some predictable and some out of left field) and Kagawa again succeeded in writing this book so that it reads like an anime. It is action packed and there's never really a dull moment.

It was heartbreaking and amazing at the same time, if you have grown to love the world she has created in the first two books, be prepared to get emotional but to also love this conclusion to the trilogy.

Disclaimer: I received an e-arc of this from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: Night of the Dragon

Author: Julie Kagawa

Book Series: Shadow of the Fox Book 3

Rating: 5/5

Publication Date: March 31, 2020

Genre: YA Fantasy

Recommended Age: 16+ (violence, gore, death, slight love and romance)

Publisher: Inkyard Press

Pages: 384

Amazon Link

Synopsis: Kitsune shapeshifter Yumeko has given up the final piece of the Scroll of a Thousand Prayers in order to save everyone she loves from imminent death. Now she and her ragtag band of companions must journey to the wild sea cliffs of Iwagoto in a desperate last-chance effort to stop the Master of Demons from calling upon the Great Kami dragon and making the wish that will plunge the empire into destruction and darkness.

Shadow clan assassin Kage Tatsumi has regained control of his body and agreed to a true deal with the devil—the demon inside him, Hakaimono. They will share his body and work with Yumeko and their companions to stop a madman and separate Hakaimono from Tatsumi and the cursed sword that had trapped the demon for nearly a millennium.

But even with their combined skills and powers, this most unlikely team of heroes knows the forces of evil may be impossible to overcome. And there is another player in the battle for the scroll, a player who has been watching, waiting for the right moment to pull strings that no one even realized existed…until now.

Review: I thought this book did amazing! I loved the relationships and how the characters interact with one another. I think that’s one of the best things about this series, the author realistically portrays relationships between others in a way that anyone can relate. The plot did well and the book continued well from the second to this. The ending was amazing and this will definitely be a series that I reread!

My only issue is, again, the world building, but it was better than the first two books.

Verdict: I recommend this series!

Spoiler-free Thoughts: This was pretty great, I loved how this fairy tale comes to an end. It was a bit… too much like a video game ending… but otherwise, super satisfying.

Characters: So we know our bbs. I know I keep saying bbs but that’s what they are. Now, since we’re in the finale we don’t need much character growth but we DO need them to stay true to themselves and DAMN do they stick to themselves. I want to give a special shout out to Okame.. my ronin bae. He balances the whole “oh em gee HONOR” nonsense so well. I found myself ACTIVELY lol’ing with his dialogue. ANYWAY. I like them. Nay, I love them. THough if I heard Daisuke say “somethin somethin honor” one more time…

Plot: Again, this is the finale and its literally the end of the world. What i super loved was the video game ending. For those of you who know what I mean, you know what I mean.

Writing Style: This was the first of these that I’ve read with my eyeballs instead of my earholes and I loved seeing it. I loved ALL of it.

World Building: I often find my finales adding so much to the world just to make things fit, but this one was more of a culmination of all we knew before. Big fan.

With that breathtaking cliffhanger at the end of Soul of the Sword I was so prepared to dive into this novel. After Soul of the Sword feeling a bit like filler, this novel started off with a bang! My favourite part of the series is the random yokai and other creatures of myth that are explored throughout the novel. The first novel, Shadow of the Fox had a ton of these little episodes, but there were less in Soul of the Sword. The format is back again and I am loving it. There are a ton of new creatures that the team faces, and each one was so interesting to read about.

With a singular goal, the plot stayed on track and all of the threads from the rest of the series came together making the ending just masterful. There was a lot of heartbreak and the action scenes were very engaging to behold. With such a tight plot every action felt important and the entire novel was just exactly what I needed from the end of this series.

The only downside that I had with this ending is the characterization of Tatsumi. I enjoyed this perspective in the first novel, but with the events of that novel happening as they did I enjoyed Hakaimono’s perspective as well. After the cliffhanger of the second novel I wanted a mix of the characters, but instead we get very little of Hakaimono coming through and we don’t really get that.

Overall Night of the Dragon was a great addition to the story and I enjoyed it immensely. Fans of the series will not be disappointed by this novel and I am excited to read Kagawa’s backlist after this novel. Are you excited to finally read this novel? Leave a comment down below! Happy Reading

4.5 stars

As always, Julie Kagawa delivered a book full of action from the start. There wasn’t a dull moment up to the conclusion of the story. Each time our team of characters overcame a hurdle, another one appeared, keeping the pages turning. The first book in this series started strong, and this book brought the series to a strong conclusion. The same lovable and goofy characters we have come to love battled demons and worked together to try to save the world.

Each character in this book is well developed and unique. After the twist at the end of book two, Tatsumi is left to figure out his role in the group and the world, and Yumeko’s support for him is heartwarming. The relationships in this book build on the last in a way that, while not central to the storyline, adds emotional complexity.

This was a perfect conclusion to the series. It’s a great read for anyone who loves adventures, action, Japanese mythology, and an amazing ensemble of characters.

I wasn't really into it that much. This series overall was on I never really fell in love with, and this book is no different.

Even though this book has already been released, I want to say thank you to NetGalley and Inkyard Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. This book is also going to be used towards the 2020 Magical Readathon (Transfiguration) and 2020 Bangtanathon (ON by BTS).

To put it simply, I am a massive fan of Julie Kagawa because of this series and I was not disappointed with the end of the adventures of Yumeko the kitsune. Shadow of the Fox, Soul of the Sword, and Night of the Dragon are perfection and this series will always hold a special place in my heart. The book starts off right where Soul of the Sword left off. Lord Genno has all parts of the scroll and they must stop him in order to prevent mass chaos. Meanwhile, the Shadow Clan are out to get them because they know too many secrets of the Kage and while Yumeko managed to rescue Tatsumi/Hakaimono, he still struggles with finding out who he is.

I read this book in one sitting and I almost wish that I didn’t because this was such an emotional overload. I’ve grown to love Yumeko, Tatsumi, Okame, Daisuke, Reika, and Chu. They are a small family and the love is felt in every single word that Kagawa puts in this novel. Suki also gets more of a voice and a purpose in this book while the intentions of Lord Seigetsu, Lady Hanshou, and Lord Genno are known. Plenty of twists and turns happen though this book and I was delighted to learn about Yumeko’s past. It was never difficult to guess that Yumeko is more than just a peasant orphan who was left at the Steel Feather Temple to be raised by monks, but her story was told beautifully and tragically. The introduction to Tsuki Kiyomi, the Moon Clan daimyo was a nice touch.

Every moment was high stakes. As I said, the love is felt in almost every moment which makes the fight more intense. Okame and Daisuke had moments that made my heart full and the way that Tatsumi and Yumeko came together was so fulfilling. Even Reika’s love for the group was beautiful to see. I don’t want to gush but I just love this group so much.

The ending is certainly not a Disney ending. Julie Kagawa promised tears on Twitter for months and there were several times throughout this book where I felt my heart clenching and tears flowing. A lot of authors promise tears but don’t offer the authenticity and realism that comes with writing about such high stakes’ situations like this. My spoiler for the ending is that it ends beautifully and on a positive note.

My complaints are few because this book is close to perfection as far as plot, development, writing, and enjoyability. The first complaint will be more like a petty gripe. I have an issue with some aspects of Okame’s characterization at some points. His sense of humor felt a bit too modern at times and he reminds me of another Julie Kagawa character I love—Jackal from the Blood of Eden series. I kind of wish he was a little more serious in moments. Also, in some of the action scenes his presence was missed. Some of the action scenes were hard to follow and I had to go back a few times to try to understand what happened. Finally, what happened to Taka? I’m sure I missed that because as I said, I read this in one sitting.

All in all, as a superfan of this series and a fan of adventure books in general, Night of the Dragon is a must-read and I will cherish this series for a long time.

Rating: 3.5/4* rounded up to 4/5*




My Review:

This, it turned out, is the third and final book in a trilogy..... and I believe it would have been very beneficial for me to have read the earlier two books before reading this one! Don't get me wrong, it is still an enjoyable read but I felt I missed out on so much of the background information and that detracted from my enjoyment of the story. I'd also recommend reading it in a paper based format as it turns out there is a brilliant glossary explaining many of the terms used as part of the story but if, like me, you're reading it in an e-format you won't discover that helpful information until you've finished the book!

This is a fantasy adventure with a wide range of paranormal characters, an essential quest to be completed and the world as we know it (or don't really) to be saved. It is an action packed page turner that keeps you on the edge of your seat right to the very end. A very different saga, this is the finale but still leaves with the potential for follow up books in future including some of the diverse characters. Get ready for super hero powers, surprises galore and battles to be won in this epic read.

I requested and was gifted a copy of this book via NetGalley and this is my honest review after choosing to read it.

'Night of the Dragon,' the third and final book in the 'Shadow of the Fox' trilogy by Julie Kagawa, centers around a group of companions that are determined to stop the Master of Demons from using an artifact called the Scroll of a Thousand Prayers.

The Dragon's Prayer is a ritual that can be used once every 1,000 years to summon the god called the Great Kami Dragon, who will grant the summoner one wish. If they should fail on their quest to stop the Master.. Genno.. from using the scroll, the empire will fall to chaos.

This was my first Kagawa read, so I didn't really know what to expect from her. I knew she seemed to have a pretty big following and certainly the concept of the story sounded interesting.

Unfortunately, unpopular opinion time, I just wasn't impressed. You're going to find this is a mostly positive review, even though she didn't rock my world. Don't get me wrong, she's a very solid writer. She understands the acts and how to move the story along. She understands the importance of relationships and various types of intimacy. The quality is there, the story just lacks the factors that could make it stand out and become something exceptional. In fact, there are a ton of things she's actually great at.

Her battle scenes were very visual, without being so blown out that you couldn't focus on anyone. She did touch on different parts of the fights, but she lingered long enough with each group to give the reader a good understanding of what was happening, what the characters were feeling, and enough play-by-play to let you 'see' what occurs, before moving on.

Telling the story from multiple view points, she does a fine job of transitioning between them, though they did lack those distinctive voices that make this approach work to it's best. Other than who they were talking to and/or about, they mostly sounded the same.

Character wise, the group is likeable. Yumeko, the kitsune shifter and main character, is sweet and determined. She does suffer from a little of that 'can figure out how to do just about anything in a couple of seconds' syndrome, but we're going to chalk that up to her unique heritage.

She's accompanied by Kage Tatsumi, a shadow clan shinobi, who is stuck sharing his body with the First Oni, Hakaimono. Now, the demon General is actually my favorite character in the book. Don't ask me why. He's the Beast, I suppose. He's the most powerful, most dangerous oni in the demon army, he's a bit brooding, he's always a bit disgusted with everyone, but he's still the one for me.

There are others, of course.. Reika the shrine maiden and Chu the komainu guardian, Daisuke the noble warrior prince, Okame the ronin, and a host of smaller characters that still play pivotal roles. Daisuke and Okame, especially.. have a rather soft, beautiful relationship for a pair of warriors.. and I absolutely loved that. Yet.. all these things aside, the characters still felt like we were really only seeing the surface layers of who they might have been.

As I read the book, I constantly felt as if it was really just very average. Most of it seems to rely heavily on the hope that readers will just be fascinated with the idea of the mythological Japanese characters to begin with. There's no impression of the author reaching to be creative with them at all, but rather to keep things "interesting," she would just throw in another creature and then do pretty much nothing to expand on the existing mythos surrounding them.

Instead of foreshadowing, she outright telegraphs what's ahead and honestly, the story just feels like she combined a lot of existing cliches from long standing Asian stories and put them forth like they were unique in some way, without putting in the work to make them that way. And frankly, I didn't feel any investment or interest until I was over 60% through the novel.

I love seeing diverse content published and on a personal level, I obviously love seeing content that relates to my own heritage, being consumed. But this felt like a mediocre effort. Like.. hoping the majority of the audience just wouldn't be that familiar with the other media much of it seems to be drawn from. I did like that she's not afraid to let go of a character. Almost any character. But that would be more effective if she didn't display the urge to find a way to make things okay afterward.

Aside from all that, objectively.. if I'd been less familiar with the subject matter, I might have been bowled over a bit more. Plus, like I said, she's a good writer. I just don't think she's a very creative one. I do, however.. think people are going to love the book.

Title: Night of the Dragon
Author: Julie Kagawa
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: 5 out of 5

All is lost.

To save everyone she loves from imminent death, kitsune shapeshifter Yumeko gave up the final piece of the Scroll of a Thousand Prayers. Now she and her ragtag band of companions must make one desperate final effort to stop the Master of Demons from using the scroll to call the Great Kami Dragon and make the wish that will plunge the empire into chaos.

Shadow clan assassin Kage Tatsumi has regained control of his body and agreed to a true deal with the devil—the demon inside him, Hakaimono. They will share his body and work with Yumeko to stop a madman, and to separate Hakaimono from Tatsumi and the cursed sword that trapped the demon for nearly a millennium.

But even with their combined skills and powers, this unlikely team of heroes knows the forces of evil may be impossible to overcome. And there is another player in the battle for the scroll, a player who has been watching, waiting for the right moment to pull strings that no one even realized existed…until now.
Julie Kagawa is one of those authors that I just know when I pick up a book she wrote, I’m going to be enthralled. The Shadow of the Fox series is no exception, and Night of the Dragon was a fantastic conclusion to this story.

The stakes kept getting higher and higher with every new scene and the challenges seemed ever more impossible. Yumeko is a lovely character who truly discovers her strength in this novel—and embraces it. Tatsumi is one of the best conflicted characters I’ve ever read—I mean, he shares his body with a demon—and his struggles are vividly rendered. The culture truly makes this story sing, and I loved every page of this novel!
Julie Kagawa is the New York Times bestselling author of the Iron Fey, Blood of Eden, Talon, and Shadow of the Fox series. She was born in Sacramento, California.

(Galley courtesy of Inkyard Press in exchange for an honest review.)

Julie Kagawa is one of my favorite authors as she can spin a story like no other. Let's just say that she does not disappoint in this series either. Without giving any spoilers, this is a spectacular ending to the series.
I highly recommend EVERYTHING written by this author!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

Night of the Dragon was a wild but perfect ending to Julie Kagawa’s Shadow of the Fox trilogy. From the beginning to end, Yumeko and her friends are in a race to stop Genno, master of demons, who has both pieces of the Dragon scroll and now has the prayer to summon the dragon and wish for an age of Demons. Rejoining Yumeko and her friends is Tatsumi, Shadow Clan Assassin, who’s sharing his body with demon Hakaimono. However, will Hakaimono help them? There is no choice but to trust him because they need all the help they can get to go up against Genno and his army of demons.

Overall, Night of the Dragon had me and will defiantly have fans reading as fast as one can to see which side will win this battle. It feels like only yesterday I was reading Shadow of the Fox, Yumeko was just a trickster and Tatsumi was emotionless assassin. Now look at them, both have grown and matured into stronger people which we see in this final installment. So get ready for tense fight sequences and emotional scenes with our favorite characters as you reach the end of this wonderful trilogy.

Stunning conclusion to an epic quest leaves me both satisfied and hungering for more. This book must be read in the order it was written for the best experience. Night of the Dragon starts off right after the last book ended. Yumeko made a tactical error with the dragon scroll due to her soft heart. This causes a major rift between Yumeko and those who have saved and helped her. In addition, it creates more complications for her quest. This is nicely set up because Yumeko's decision is in line with her character and continues the ball rolling to the end game.

I loved this trilogy. From the first page of the first book through to the last page in this book, I am enamoured of Ms. Kagawa's writing voice and world building. This is the kind of young adult fantasy I loved as a kid. The rich story is built upon character growth as well as a complicated fight between good and evil. This style of writing focusing on relationship, loyalty and how looking beneath the surface is what first pulled me into fantasy in my youth. For readers who loved the Harper trilogy from Ms. McCaffrey and the Last Herald Mage trilogy by Ms. Lackey, this is a trilogy for you.

Yumeko is a flawed character who does her best. Her choices come from a lack of experience and maturity and yet is driven by an intrinsic good heart. This balances her band of friends who she collects on her journey. Each of them are a bit of misfit in their world. Her friendship is what helps them showcase the best in themselves. Her actions encourages others to strive to do the "right thing", even when it is taking the hard path. Yumeko's choices nicely contrast against some of the more experienced and jaded character's "adult" choices. It is refreshing to have morals subtly taught through this story.

What I liked most is how good versus evil is blurred. The story clearly shows the villains and all their bad deeds. The motivations and how they came to be dark and evil is expertly written. Giving characters a second chance to chose a different path is a recurring theme in this story. I loved this because it shows that people can change. Those who have committed atrocities may have a catalyst in their life to make them fight for good. Just as those who have been loyal and good can turn sour through betrayal and loss. This constant struggle is beautifully examined throughout this heroine's journey. The most impressive part of Ms. Kawaga's writing is how all of this comes across like a gentle breeze instead of a heavy handed lecture.

This young adult fantasy is highly recommended to everyone. A must read for all ages.

This is the third and final book in the Shadow of the Fox trilogy by Julie Kagawa. I ended up not loving this one as much as i did the first two books. I think that is mostly due to the fact that the first two books are very character driven and i fell into that expectation for the third book.

The focus in the third book is based mostly on the battles and the monsters. That shift frustrated me and made it so I really started to not care how it was all going to play out. I did feel like I needed to read it so that all the secrets, plots twists and final battles could be played out. I just wish it had followed the format of the first books and maybe i would of enjoyed it more. I still a huge fan of this author and she did not disappoint and it could of been my mood or the events that are going on in the world. I sure i will come back to this series as it well worth the read.

The Final Battles of Yumeko’s Team to Save the World from Chaos

In the third and final book in the Shadow of the Fox series, the team brought together by Yumeko is given an almost impossible task. Genno, Master of Demons, has both pieces of the Dragon scroll. He plans to use it to summon the great Dragon and make a wish that is granted every thousand years. If he is successful, it will become an age of demons and chaos will reign over the world.

The is a fast paced book full of action. It’s an almost non-stop chase scene as Yumeko and her band must battle enemies at every turn on their quest to stop Genno. Although the action is the major part of the story, we still have time to get to know the characters. The are the same characters from the earlier books: Yumeko, Tatsumi, Reika, Okame, and Daisuke. One of the best parts of this series is that the characters grow and change over the three books. I love the way the team interacts with humor and bravery.

Since this is the third book in a tightly woven series, it’s best to read the other two books first. However, this book can still be enjoyed for the medieval Japanese setting and the complex characters who populate the story.

I received this book from Harlequin for this review.

I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review

Julie Kagawa is an amazing writer and this book is so magical and hooks you from the very first page.

I’ve found in a lot of cases series endings simply fall short. They don’t live up to your high expectations. I am happy to say this is not those series.

Night of the Dragon, as they say, sticks the landing.

And now to attempt a spoiler free blog post about a third book series finale…

Yumeko our adorable kitsune part human, part fox has been entrusted with a mission of protecting this super important scroll in which if the parts are put together will call a wish granting dragon.

Which doesn’t seem like a bad thing because dragons are awesome only the people that want to scroll… not so awesome. They’d like to fill the world with demons and it’s up to Yumeko and her friends to stop it.

Her friends include an on it Shrine Maiden and companion, a wise-cracking Ronin, a noble well Noble and of course her assassin love interest with the demon souled sword. Both of whom are having severe personality issues. And sometimes a ghost girl.

One thing I will say up front about Night of the Dragon a lot of series that are leading up to these big events they short-change them in the end. Again, not this series.

This book is perhaps a full half hardcore action.

And zombies.

And heartbreak.

And family.

And pain.

And hope.

And when will you be snapping up the rights to this one Netflix?

The other thing I want to add there’s a relationship that starts up in the second book kind of on the down low and I was wondering well, is this just lip service Kawaga but no… that relationship is just so beautiful in this book!

Plus the ending!

Well the ending just speaks to me.

Recommend: Yes.

Needless to say I love the series and was very happy with this finale.

*Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of an ARC to participate in this blog tour. It had no bearing on my opinion.

In the thrilling finale of the Shadow of the Fox trilogy, Yumeko and the gang are still working on stopping the Wish from being made to the Great Kami Dragon by the evil Master of Demons. Night of the Dragon is action-packed, more so than other books. The action really started at the halfway mark and did not stop until the very end. I finished this book all in one day and it just flowed so easily.

By this point, I love all the characters. This group of fighters mesh so well and each bring something different to the table. They all have their own skills and abilities, while working together seamlessly to achieve their goals. I also love the ships that sail during this book, but no spoilers as to which ones!

The plot of this series was really top level, and it culminated in a very well scripted final action scene... which basically was the last half of the book. The ending made me feel so many emotions, all at the same time. I even cycled through several emotions a few times. It was back and forth, give and take, with so many twist and turns. The epilogue was SO needed and continued the emotions.

Seriously, read this series if you love Asian inspired fantasies such as Wicked Fox and Descendant of the Crane.