There are books that you read, enjoy, finish and then go about your day. Then, there are books that you wait for, agonize over, let them consume you and then hold them in your mind and heart for days after finishing. These are the books that you remember, the books that you ruthlessly collect and throw at every person you see because everyone NEEDS to read it. Each release in the Shadow of the Fox trilogy IS that book.

I’ve been surprised by books before but nothing could have prepared me for the shock that I got when I first picked up Shadow of the Fox. The premise sounded interesting but I’ve never really had much experience with Japanese mythology, Samurai or even the author herself so this wasn’t a book I would have normally just picked up and started reading because there just wasn’t enough for me to commit to. What it DID have was a stunningly beautiful cover that I simply couldn’t resist. That’s right – I took a chance all because of a pretty face. I’m so superficial. Luckily, it worked out and this trilogy became something that completely changed my outlook on an entire genre that would have passed right by me.

From the first page, the first paragraph, the first chapter I fell head over heels in love with Kagawa’s beautiful writing and captivating characters. I wanted to both devour and savour each and every word and became so invested with this magical world and the unique group that travelled it. I didn’t want it to end but desperately looked forward to seeing how it would all wrap up.

Night of the Dragon has to be not only one of my most anticipated finales ever but also one of the best. Kagawa presents us with an emotional rollercoaster packed with action, heartbreak, betrayal and romance leading to one of the most surprisingly satisfying conclusions I have ever read. I’ve felt every emotion possible and I wouldn’t change a thing.

This is one series I highly recommend picking up. Not only will it look amazing on your shelves (this has to be one of the most beautiful collections I have ever seen) but this is a world that you’ll want to revisit time and time again.

Many thanks to NetGalley and InkYard Press for providing me with an early copy this book to read and give my own, honest opinions.

Night of the Dragon is the third, and final, novel in Julie Kagawa's Shadow of the Fox Trilogy. That means that everything is about to come to a head in the most dramatic and emotional of ways possible.

Last we saw, Yumeko was forced to give up the part of the sacred scroll she was protecting. A scroll that she had successfully kept safe for two entire novels. Now, she, alongside the rest of her companions, is determined to get it back. More than that, they're going to stop the Master of Demons from summoning the Great Kami dragon – something that would surely alter the world they all know for the worse.

“'I trust you,' Yumeko said very quietly. 'Even if you're not the same, I saw your soul that night. I know you won't betray us.'”

Oh my goodness, is this really the end of the Shadow of the Fox Trilogy? Say it isn't so. I'll admit that I got into this series rather late in the game, but I fell in love with it from that very first moment I started reading. Now, it's all over. I'm sad to see it go, even while I feel extremely satisfied to know how it concludes.

Night of the Dragon is the emotional and powerful finale to an epic series. Yumeko's journey (alongside her friends and allies) is harrowing, beautiful, and intensely fascinating. That holds true for the final novel as well.

Honestly, this is one of those novels that you're going to want to set aside a block of time to read. You're not going to want to put it down. At least, I didn't want to. I read it all in one go, and I have no regrets about it. It was that much of a whirlwind.

The events flow smoothly, one leading to the next so that there is no room for downtime or slowing down. Alongside that, it felt like the ante was consistently being upped, to the most dramatic of levels. It increased the scale significantly, which is impressive, given that the fate of the world already felt at stake.

Night of the Dragon was, at its core, a deeply personal tale. Yumeko, Kage Tatsumi, and all of their friends were human (well, yokai in Yumeko's case) first. They had hopes, dreams, flaws, and reasons for being involved in this quest. It added so much impact to the tale, especially at the ending of it. I'm not ashamed to admit that I cried (a lot) when this book was over. And I have a feeling I'm not the only one.

This entire series has demanded emotional investment from the start, so I'm not exactly surprised by how moving the conclusion itself was. At the same time, I was still blown away by how it made me feel. This is an ending that made complete sense for the story, even while it hit me straight to the heart (as all good endings do).

While I'm sad to see this series end, I have no regrets. I'm glad I took the time to read them all, and am thrilled to have followed Julie Kagawa's adventures. I'll miss Yumeko and the rest, while looking forward to seeing what comes out next.

After a thousand years, the Night of the Dragon is here.  Whosoever goes to the sacred mount and summons the Great Dragon with the Scroll of a Thousand Prayers will be granted any single wish they choose.  And right now, the scroll is held by the Master of Demons, who intends to open the gates of the underworld and flood the lands with his army.  Yumeko, the half-kitsune, half-human girl, and Tatsumi, whose human soul is now intertwined with a demon's, have one last chance to stop the ritual from happening.  Together with Okame the ronin, Daisuke the warrior prince, and Reika the shrine maiden, they'll have to fight through every ally the Master of Demons has if they have any hope of saving the world.

NIGHT OF THE DRAGON is a roaring success of a finale, a climactic last battle where the stakes couldn't be higher.  Picking up just hours after Yumeko and Tatsumi failed to protect the Scroll of a Thousand Prayers, the group journeys to the island where the Great Dragon must be summoned.  After a few bumps in the travel, the mood of the book takes a beat to lean into the bittersweet "eve of the final battle" somberness.  Final confessions are made, and it marks very clearly that we've entered the point of no return, that the chance that no one makes it out alive is very real.  After spending two books previously with this party of heroes, it's poignant to see these moments play out.  And while Yumeko and Tatsumi are traditionally the two POV characters, Kagawa makes use of a third POV character to show us some private moments our two heroes aren't privy too.

From the next morning onwards, the breaks are fully taken off the pacing.  The last 2/3 of the book is dedicated to this final race that takes place in a single day.  There are deadly battles, surprising reveals, and a constant escalation of stakes.  Once again, Kagawa leans into fantastical monster battles that pull from Japanese mythology, larger-than-life encounters that feel straight out of an anime.  The action sequences are breath-taking, whether they take place on the ground in a city, or in the sky in the middle of a storm. It never feels exhausting, but very much like you've reached the final act of a movie and it's do or die.

I also want to give a shout-out to the way the book overall feels like an anime captured on page, and not just in the action as I mentioned previously.  There's a cadence to the dialogue that makes me feel like I'm reading subtitles while spoken Japanese washes over me, and I mean that in the best possible way.   Somehow I can hear the familiar anime tones and exclamations, even though the story is written almost entirely in English.  The dialogue can occasionally come off overly formal, but not enough to truly detract from the book overall.

NIGHT OF THE DRAGON pays off so much that has been set up over the course of the first two books.  Characters that have been manipulating things from the shadows finally make their plans known, questions that have been lingering are finally answered.   And most importantly, that final battle has weight.  This is a book that left me in tears, both from tragedy and from the beauty of the final pages. I had no idea when I started this series that I would fall head over heels in love, but I can now say definitively that this trilogy easily has a place in my favorites of all time list!

You know those series that are so well written, so captivating that you've been invested in from the very first chapter? Those stories that you think about long after you've put the book down and those stories that, you can't wait to get the next book of because you need to know what happens next? You need to know that all is well. That some how, it will all work out. That your beloved characters will have a happily ever after. Those stories in short, that speak to your soul and change you. Make you wonder about things you've never thought about before and see things and legends and lore different. Books that put you in a book hang over when you are done because how could anything else possible live up to this masterpiece you've just read?

The Shadow of the Fox trilogy, has been that trilogy for me and I'll be honest, that passion, that urge to read quickly and devour, yet stop and savor at the same time hasn't happened for me in a YA series, heck in a YA trilogy, in a really long time.

And I did both devour and savor this. It was everything I was hoping it would be. So many emotions, thoughts, and feelings coursed through me throughout this whole last story. I cried, I laughed, I smiled, I got angry, and I cried again. I couldn't of asked for a better ending, a better story, or a better tale.

Beautifully written, detailed, and told, this was everything I was looking for and everything I didn't even know I needed and wanted.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a free copy of this eARC in exchange for an honest review. Let me say that the way I’ve consumed this entire series over the past couple of weeks is ridiculous. Julie Kagawa is masterful at weaving a tale infused with myth, the occult, and intrigue. The last book in the Shadow of the Fox series promises to be an emotional roller coaster from the very beginning and promises not to disappoint.

So first let me say that sometimes the ending to a series can be very frustrating because they don’t always turn out to be as promising as you hope. I’m happy to say that that was not the case with Night of the Dragon.

We pick up right where we left off, with the Master of Demons successfully gathering the Scroll of a Thousand Prayers and moving his army to call the Great Kami Dragon. Yumeko did succeed in saving her friends though, including Tatsumi, though he’s now half demon since they couldn’t fully exorcism the oni Hakaimono from his body. The two have instead merged into one so that they can work together to defeat the Master of Demons along with the rest of their group, Okame, Daisuke and Reika. Their mission is to now go after Lord Genno and stop him from actually summoning the Great Kami Dragon.

Okay, so I want this review to be as spoiler free as possible because I don’t want to ruin anything for anybody. Overall, I just enjoyed the way this book flowed. It was beautifully written and though we’re three books into this saga, it’s clear that the stakes are higher than ever before. Every moment and scene whether romantic or violent felt so intense that I had a hard time looking away. The entire time I was reading I felt like no one was safe. The unexpected obstacles that entered their path included demons, a swarm of undead, an ancient water demon, and a few mysterious faces from the past. We also get an even closer look at Suki (the ghost handmaiden’s) benefactor and what role she and the benefactor play in this whole debacle. I’ll admit that I could not figure out what Suki’s purpose was in Soul of the Sword, but she appears even more in this installment and it definitely helped to move the story along.

Great news ya’ll: Tatsumi is officially back. In Soul of the Sword Hakaimono is running the show so we got his perspective as opposed to our Kage demonslayer. That’s changed now that the two have fused together. While we don’t particularly get Hakaimono’s point of view, his influence on Tatsumi is very clear and he’s still dealing with inner turmoil, just a different variety this time around. Part of this inner turmoil has to do with his feelings for Yumeko. We see the same from Yumeko’s perspective, which is great, AND we get more Okame and Daisuke (my bbys). Each relationship continues to blossom before our eyes, which only makes you feel like even more is at stake as thy try to prevent the rise of the Great Kami Dragon. I think what I love about the way Julie does romance is that it feels very natural. Nothing about the romances takes away from the adventure, but only adds to the emotions of the book.

Listen….all I can say without spoiling is that prepare to feel a lot of feelings while reading this and Julie completely ruined my life. The developments, the adventures, the magic, the battles, they all lend themselves to a great book. I highly suggest that when this book releases on March 31, run don’t walk to pick it up.

Yumeko had to give up the scroll in order to save everyone she loves. Now her and her companions must stop the Master of Demons from using the scroll. If he does and releases the Great Kami Dragon then everyone will die and the empire will be in chaos.
Kage Tatsumi is an assassin but has 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.
As we read on though there is another evil force watching them and waiting.
I loved the main characters and all of Yumeko's companions. Kage and Hakaimono sharing the same body but now working together was enjoyable to read. Learning the new evil was making it intense and will Yumeko and Kage stop this person before it is to late.
The ending was a bit sad and I was a little surprised how the author dealt with the companions.
I recieved this from NetGalley and Harper Collins for review

Sequels and endings to books are always iffy – but Kagawa’s Shadow of The Fox has an amazing way of getting better and better with each book.

Night of the Dragon has Yumeko and the gang traveling to the Moon Islands to stop Genno once and for all.

This is a very fast paced book, our band of unlikely hero’s is constantly in danger, and it’s exciting, almost non stop action until the very end.

Y’all know I like to talk characters first, so lets get into it.

Yumeko and Tatsumi – I LOVE these two. Between their feelings for each other (and that super slow burn romance), their belief in each other, and how much they grow together, they are just amazing. I love how Tatsumi finds the courage to still believe in himself, even though he’s now half demon. And Yumeko finds strength and power through her kitsune magic, proving herself to be awesome and badass despite fox magic being known for just trickery.

Okame and Daisuke – the ronin and the noble, these guys are GOALS. Both badass warriors in their own right, and their love for one another is everything. I love how unconditionally they are there for each other, despite the fact that they come from completely different backgrounds. They’re so perfect up until the very end, and I love them.

Reika – Reika doesn’t stand out as much as some of the other characters, but she’s just as important. I really like Reika’s form of magic – the words written on scrolls, and what she’s capable of. She’s amazing.

Suki – SUKI. I adore her, I feel bad for her, I grieve for her. Suki goes through so much in this book, her ghost life is more traumatic than her human life, and I was here for it.

Now, the plot of this book could only go one way – the gang gets to the Moon Islands in time, and defeats Genno.

BUT there’s so much more going on. There’s death, and excitement on the Moon Islands. There’s unexpected reunions, more deaths, unexpected villains, more demons, and just a bunch of “holy shit” moments.

And with those “holy shit” moments BOY WAS THERE A LOT OF THEM. I kept thinking the story was coming to an end, everything was getting wrapped up and then BAM, there’s more danger, or the previous danger wasn’t over yet, or there’s an unexpected giant twist. There were so many times that I was just blown away by how well the twists were written into the plot, and how nothing actually went the way I thought it was going too.

There were also plenty of times that I teared up – I love when author’s aren’t afraid to kill of some characters or have horrible tragedy befall them – and I think when Kagawa wrote these sorts of moments, she did it really really well. Every sacrifice that a character had to make, no matter how minor the moment or the character was, was absolutely crucial to the plot and made you really feel how strenuous this journey was for everyone involved. It was magical, thought provoking, and just amazingly well written.

Then there’s the ending. I love how this book wraps up. There were so many emotions going through my head just in the last five pages, and I don’t think I could’ve asked for a more perfect ending for Yumeko’s story. The little naive fox girl changes in so many ways throughout this journey, and I loved every moment of watching that growth.

Night of the Dragon is truly a spectacular book, as is the Shadow of The Fox series as a whole. And I cannot wait for what Julie Kagawa writes next.

I’m so excited about this series. I love how immersive the story world is. This is the first series I’ve read that’s based on Japanese folklore. It’s super different than anything I’ve read before, and I really got into it.

Okay, I feel like all the things I want to say are spoilers, so apologies if I seem unclear.

This third book wrapped up some of the things we’d been waiting for from the first two books. It gives us more information about Yumeko’s past. There are some sweet romantic moments. There’s lots of buildup to the big fight that we know is coming.

When I first agreed to review NIGHT OF THE DRAGON, I was unfamiliar with the series, but a fan of Julie Kagawa’s books. I’ve been having trouble sleeping lately, so I started listening to the first two books in the series as audiobooks, and I’m REALLY glad I did! I don’t think I would have enjoyed the third book nearly as much or followed it nearly as well without reading the first two. So this isn’t really a series I’d recommend jumping into at the end.

This is a great series for fantasy lovers and of course anyone who loves manga and anime. It’s got amazing characters and a deeply immersive story world– which is probably something we all need right now!

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

An endearing and educating Asian fantasy, NIGHT OF THE DRAGON is the concluding volume in Julie Kagawa's exciting SHADOW OF THE FOX Series [SHADOW OF THE FOX; SOUL OF THE SWORD; NIGHT OF THE DRAGON]. Enjoyable fantasy, lots of sword-and-sorcery action, views into a different culture not our own: NIGHT OF THE DRAGON wraps up all ends and brings a satisfying conclusion; but if you haven't read Books 1 and 2, you can certainly enjoy this novel on it's own.

3 STARS


Night of the Dragon has the air of a final boss fight.


This is the thing that struck me most, here at the series' end. I can't help but think of the Ōkami games, not only because they share a great deal of Japanese mythology in their world-building, but because of the growing scope of the danger. Every time one big bad falls, another rises in their place, until there is nothing less than an ultimate, deadly battle at the end, one destined to come about all along. Plus, imagining all the action in Ōkami's sweeping, elegant art style does wonders for upping the ante.

And this is what a finale should be! Engaging and exciting, and at the same time nerve-wracking as all the final pieces fall into place. I was so dang nervous about how all this would shake out, given the rising odds against our cast, and that's how I want high-stakes finales to make me feel. The roaring action and towering obstacles delivered with aplomb on this count, and I have to applaud that.


"There are hearts and souls in this world that are worth saving."


Possibly one of my favorite things about the entire Shadow of the Fox series has been Yumeko and her insistence on trying to do the right thing. She's inclined to mischief, sure, but at the end of the day, her focus is on making sure that she's done the right thing, not the easy thing. So many times, she could have given up on this journey and insisted someone else take it up. She could have thrown in the towel so easily. Of course, that wouldn't make for an interesting story if she did, but it makes her an interesting character. And we all know I have a soft spot for characters who just insist on being good.

And with Night of the Dragon, I found myself appreciating Tatsumi even more. Conflicted about his changed relationship with the demon Hakaimono, and uncertain of how his own existence has changed, he's showing more emotion and confusion than ever. It really drives home the fact that he's a teenage boy who has been used all his life as a pawn in the service of dangerous powers, and that this is the first glimpse at freedom and individuality that he's had in a long, long time.

On top of that, you get a classic dose of "I'm a monster, I'm pushing you away to protect you" in opposition to Yumeko's sheer compassion and trust in Tatsumi, and it makes me soft.


And yet today, we end up with a rating lower than any other book in the series.


It pains me to give it 3 stars, too. I wanted so badly to see this as the shining capstone of the series, for it to go out on a soaring high note.

But in the last fifty or so pages, Night of the Dragon dropped the ball.

It is incredibly difficult to discuss this part without spoilers. I'll do my best, but if you don't want to have even a glimmer of the details, I recommend you skip this section. Despite being vague, I do have to give some sense of the ending to adequately express my frustration.

Last chance, folks.

Are you sure?

You must be if you're still here, so here goes: the Shadow of the Fox series finale had two problems that spoiled the ending. The first is how the only queer characters are treated. Not only do we see their relationship almost exclusively through a third character spying on them, but their destinies are inherently tragic. Instead of taking a route that could address class disparities and give queer characters a fulfilling arc and a shot at a happy ending, Night of the Dragon took the tired, easy way out. It disappointed me deeply to see their character arcs resolve in such a sensationalized, tragic way.

Of even greater disappointment, however, is the fact that everything Yumeko has worked for over three books feels like it was for nothing.

Maybe that's a melodramatic claim to make, but all the relationships she's built, all that she's learned about the world, all that she's come to love, all of these things are thrown on the pyre in the name of a dramatic, shock factor finale. And while she gets answers about her past, that's no substitute for the found family she's built over three books. Couple that with an epilogue that screams to me of restlessness and emptiness over triumph and satisfaction, and I genuinely feel betrayed by the ending.

Why did I invest myself in an entire trilogy for this? Why did everything and everyone I came to care about in this series have to be treated that way? How can I believe in the ability of Yumeko's compassion to save the world when this is the cost?

I believe a finale, while filled with sacrifice, should come with resolution. This, however, was not resolution. This was kicking the reader while they were down. It was, in my eyes, a rush job, cutting arcs short to reach a conclusion.


I wish I loved this series as much at the end as I did when it started.


Shadow of the Fox was the first ARC I ever received. It holds a special place in my heart because of that. But here, at the series' end, I feel like I invested a lot of love into something that only let me down.

Three stars feels like an appropriate rating as a result. Up until those last fifty or so pages, I was entirely in love. Secrets were revealed, characters found their purpose, and it was coming to a close. Plus, the fight scenes were dynamic and vibrant in a way that captured my heart.

The simple fact of the matter is that the ending undid a great deal of hard work. I certainly hope some changes have been made in the final copy, and I'd be willing to read it again to find out. But my experience with the ARC was well and truly soured by the conclusion as it stands.

If you want to know how Yumeko's story ends, Night of the Dragon releases next week. On March 31st, it will be available for purchase. What with everything going on right now, perhaps this will be a good time to support your local indie or even Barnes & Noble, last bastion between Amazon and indies. I hope you find more joy in it than I did, and that you find the series worth it.


CW: violence, suicide, body horror, gore, loss of a loved one

I don't even have the words to describe how much I loved this book. I've backspaced on my review so many times already because I just didn't like how the words sounded. They didn't express enough. I loved this whole series. I think that in the English world of fiction there is a lack of non-European based mythologies being written, and that is highly unfortunate. So every time there is an author who tackles writing books based on a non-European mythology and makes sure they have the research/background to do so well I am there for it! And the fact that Julie Kagawa writes in such an engaging way doesn't hurt! Fans of Julie Kagawa's other series will love this. People who want to know more about mythologies around the world will likely love this. And anyone who wants an adventure story starring a female lead where romantic love isn't the end-all-be-all (don't worry, it's still there, but it is subtle and the familial love takes centre-stage) is going to enjoy this series. I am very happy with the way Julie Kagawa finished this series off. It isn't too sweet, or too sad. It was a perfect mix of all the feelings. I suggest this series to anyone, and especially this book.

4.5/5

Thank you to NetGalley, Julie Kagawa, and Inkyard Press for the opportunity to read Night of the Dragon in exchange for an honest review.

Everything that has built up in the first two books in the Shadow of the Fox trilogy comes winding down in a magically fast-paced conclusion full of battle action and heart-pounding plot twists at every turn.

Since this is the third and final book in the series, I don't want to say too much about it, as I do not want to spoil anything in this conclusion. Thus, this review will be a bit shorter than my previous ones.

The Scroll of a Thousand Prayers is in the hands of someone who wants to use the great wish for a sinister end to the world as humanity knows it. Kitsune Yumeko, along with Kage Demonslayer Tatsumi, noble Daisuke, ronin Okame, shrine maiden Reika, and ghost Suki, must band together to stop the Dragon Scroll from being used for evil intentions.

Along the way, they encounter many obstacles (of course). These characters are quite dynamic, and even if there is a character I don't care so much for, I still find my heart racing when they are in the midst of battle, at death's door. We learn even more about the characters and their secretive pasts (especially that of Yumeko), and the twists that play during the second half of the book just keep coming and coming. While there is a good deal of foreshadowing hints strewn about, like how certain characters will die, as a reader you might think, well maybe they'll be fine. Nope. There is death EVERYWHERE, and the deaths of the characters are not wasted. They are all honored fighters. You'll just have to find out who and how when you read the book for yourself :).

I love the continued development of heroine Yumeko as she continues to practice with her fox magic and learn about her past. As a leading female character, I find her to be an excellent model for the genre.

I loved the twists in this book. I love the characters.  I love the Japanese references and lore. This is an all-around wholesome series that I would highly recommend to lovers of Japanese culture and fans of older Feudal-Japan type of anime like Inu-Yasha.

The ending could do with or without the Epilogue, though the last line of the Epilogue is riveting! A stunning conclusion!

And just like that, an amazing trilogy comes to an end. And what a smashing and satisfying end it was!

A quick summary of where this story kicks off. Both pieces of the Dragon scroll are now in the hands of Genno, Master of Demons, and the team is racing to stop him from summoning the great Dragon and using the one wish granted every thousand years to begin an age of Demons. Rejoining the team is Tatsumi, but there’s a small issue of trusting him since his soul has now blended with Hakaimono’s the mighty demon general who possessed the sword bearer in the second book.

The plot is super fast-paced. Almost from start to finish you are on the edge of your seat with a ton of action scenes that are easy to follow. It was also surprisingly twisty. You may colour me impressed by Kagawa. We all know this book ends with the Dragon's Wish, but the last 100 pages are an absolute trip. I had an e-arc and at a few points I thought we were close to done and what's leftover was weird formatting and that extra useless stuff that sometimes finds its way in. Heavens no. I think I can count three times where I thought that was it and Kagawa went nah, and took me for another 25 breathless pages of good sh*t.

I’m always a fan of ragtag teams, and this is no exception. I love the butting of heads because of different personalities and the way they come to compromises. The same familiar characters we have come to love are still here: Yumeko the naive Kitsune, Tatsumi the demon soul sharing sword bearer, Reika the snarky shrine maiden, Okame the ronin, and Daisuke the noble. Their relationships grow and the same humour I've come to love between them is still there. And most of them make it to the final battle. Yeah, you read that right. Brace yourself for some tear-jerking moments. Characters, tear jerking

As with all series coming to an end, I can't let this review be void of that discussion here. As far as endings go, it was good. It was realistic, utterly bittersweet and satisfying. Kagawa does not hold your hand, but you're probably going to want to find someone to cling to because you are in for a rough ride.

Where this book let me down was in the action. I realize that may sound a bit contradictory, given that I lauded it earlier in this review, but my chief issue was in the amount of it. This book was a very fast-paced one, and as such it became somewhat exhausting to read. There were few quiet, reflective moments and so I was unable to read I long chunks like I normally would have given how difficult this book was to put down. I had to put the book down after every few chapters to take a breather, if you will. This also felt less complete than the others, and that may just be because I read an unfinished disclaimer. Like, in retrospect, it may have glossed over a few things without explanation.

Despite that, as a whole this series gets 4 .5 stars!

The following review was posted to somethingofthebook.com on 3/24/2020 (I will also post this review on consumer sites after publication):

A perfect ending to a wonderful trilogy. Kagawa consistently proves herself to be a fantastic writer with a dramatic flair all her own. Nothing compares to the Shadow of the Fox trilogy, and I doubt anything ever will.
Rating: 5 Stars

I’ve been reading Julie Kagawa’s books since 2013. From the Blood of Eden trilogy to the Iron Fey series, she has never let me down as a reader. And the final book in the Shadow of the Fox trilogy is no different. Full of epic battles, heart aching romance, and gut-punchy emotions, Night of the Dragon is one of the best books I’ve read in 2020.

The emotional payoffs in this book are phenomenal in ways that will make you triumph and/or cry your eyes out. When I had tweeted about receiving a copy of this eARC, Kagawa responded that there would be tears and she was not wrong. But she nails every emotional beat and nothing ever felt contrived or used for shock value. Even when she is ripping your heart out, Kagawa is delicate in her execution.

What really stands out to me through not only Night of the Dragon, but this series in general, is the characters. From timid Suki to noble Daisuke, each character is built to perfection. The growth of each character is another part of the journey that truly shines in this book. Yumeko starts as a mischievous and naive young girl who has never seen the world, yet through the course of the series she becomes confident and responsible in her kitsune powers, learns she is a strong fighter, and finds faith in herself. But she does all this without changing who she is in her core; she grows by finding these things were in her all along. Tatsumi’s emotional journey is particularly poignant, but full of spoilers so I can’t speak much of it, but watching this character, who was taught his whole life that love and connections is a weakness, find people who care deeply for him basically wrecked me. Whenever there is a “rag tag group” in a novel, I typically only truly care for 1 or 2 of the characters, but I was deeply invested in each member of the core group in Night of the Dragon.

To top it all off, the world building in this novel is nothing short of fantastic. The atmosphere that Kagawa brings to this series is eerily whimsical and filled with surprises. I loved all the Japanese mythology and folklore and am hoping to find more books showcasing other culture’s mythology. The writing style makes it easy to slip into this fantastic world Kagawa has built and even harder to leave.

Endings are hard. But Night of the Dragon is probably one of the best series endings I’ve read in a long time. Kagawa brings us tragedy and hope, love and loss, but most of all, she gives us a fantastical journey to join when we need a break from the world. And I don’t know about you, but that is exactly what I want in a book.

Night of the Dragon is the third and final installment in author Julie Kagawa's Shadow of the Fox trilogy. This book picks up right where Soul of the Sword ended. The book actually features several narratives including Yumeko, Kage Tasumi, and Suki the ghost girl who has been hanging around with a Key player in the game, Lord Seigetsu. The game is balancing on an edge waiting for someone to make a costly mistake that could destroy the entire world. Even though Genno, Master of the Demons, has all (3) pieces of the Dragon Scroll, hope has not been lost.

After all, Yumeko has proved herself time and time again, and her allies, Reika, Taiyo Daisuke, Hino Okamo and Kage Tatsumi would follow her to the end of the earth if she asked. If Yumeko and her band of unlikely heroes can’t stop Genno in time, he will summon the Great Kami Dragon, make his wish, and plunge the world into chaos and darkness. Yumeko has definitely gotten stronger since she left her temple. Both in her fox powers, and as a person.

She's determined to save the world no matter the cost to herself. Despite all that she has gone thru and suffers here, she still remains pure and unselfish. Yumeko's journey is one of enlightenment as well. One could say that Yumeko's journey returns to where it began by traveling to meet the Moon Clan and its leader on the Island of Ushima. It is here where Yumeko learns about her heritage. It is here where Yumeko must make a final stand against Genno and the hoards of hell eagerly flooding the Island in hopes of complete chaos and destruction.

Meanwhile, former-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, thanks in large part to Yumeko. They will share his body and work with Yumeko and their companions to stop Genno. Hakaimono is still dangerous and can't truly be trusted, but his strength gives Tatsumi an edge when it comes. The pair soon find out their combined power and skills may not be enough to help Yumeko overcome what's ahead. Especially when the group discover there's been a shadowy figure following their every move, and he has his own plans in store.

With all the pieces of the game all making their way to Ushima, it will be a matter of ultimate survival or ultimate sacrifice for our heroes and heroines. Suki is one of those pieces. Suki has always been an outside character who fell into a bad place thanks to evil machinations and now can only look on while someone she loves puts himself at death's gate. Suki is actually used to help Yumeko in this book which was fine with me. Yumeko and her allies could use every little assistance they gain gather. Because of who she is with, Lord Seigetsu, her part in this book has never been more important and crucial to Yumeko's survival.

A variety of new demons are introduced, from smaller yōkai such as the fire wheel Wanyūdō to the much larger sea priest Umibōzu. I found myself flipping back and forth between the glossary at the end of the book just to keep myself fully immersed in the story and its characters. Fair warning gentle readers, the author holds absolutely nothing back. The final battle was action packed and very emotional. Far too often I am left disappointed when the last fight is so anti-climatic that it was almost boring and it was less than epic. Not the case in this book. The Shadow of the Fox trilogy was inspired by the authors love for and knowledge of the myths and legends of Japan and is set in a fully imagined Japanese-fantasy world.

This was not necessarily the conclusion I was expecting, but after finishing Night of the Dragon, it was the conclusion I needed. Yumeko, Tatsumi, and their group come together one final time to fight the evil determined to call the great dragon and wish for darkness and death to all they love. At the beginning of the story, we see the band where they were left from Soul of the Sword, reunited, with the addition of Tatsumi/Hatomi— two souls fighting for one body. They have to journey far to get to the last battle where the dragon will be called upon. Of course, the way is never simple for them. Sea beasts, demons, ancient gods and tricksters form a blockade. Through loss and perseverance they make it to the great cliff and the great battle. What happens after, you will need to read to discover.

What I enjoyed is the satisfaction I felt finishing this novel. After closing the book, I could sit back and soak in the storyline and my feeling of relief. It didn’t leave me craving (of course I would love more of this world) or missing anything. There are deaths, as there have been in every book, but they are deaths with a purpose, and I like when books are more realistic in the sense that not everyone survives in battles, that sometimes bad things happen and people must move on. For me, this makes a story more real and creates more of a connection.

Connection is something I really appreciate about Julie Kagawa’s stories. I connect and like the characters, the world she imagines is one I can imagine, and all the side characters and mysteries from the first two novels lead back to a connection that unites in the conclusion of the novel. Being thrust into near constant action, Yumeko’s backstory being revealed, the use of mythology, and the sweet epilogue at the end make this another five star for me. I highly recommend this series in its entirety and Night of the Dragon as a well-written conclusion to Shadow of the Fox.

Thank you NetGalley and Inkyard Press for sending me this ARC in return for an honest review.

Night of the Dragon is my favorite out of the series from Julie Kagawa and what a fast paced, heart wrenching conclusion. The characters have really grown on me through the series and this did not disappoint. I just read all three stories in a row so the story was fresh and flowed so well. My advice, grab tissues people!
I was provided with an electronic ARC through NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I'm in tears right now. Night of the Dragon is such a beautiful end to the Shadow of the Fox series by Julie Kagawa. I'm so glad I had the chance to read it and I recommend you do too.

The Night of the Wish is almost there. Yumeko and her companions have to make it to the summoning location in time and stop the destruction from occurring. How are they going to do it? What will happen to the companions? What will happen to the combined soul of Kage Tatsumi and Hakaimono? You'll definitely want to know.

Along the way, the companions face monsters and obstacles. Questions that maybe you didn't even have are answered. Villains are revealed. And there are surprises.

Be prepared to break out the tissues if you cry while reading books, because I cried both happy and sad tears while reading the last 15% or so of the book. And the ending is quite lovely.

It's been a year since I read the first two books in this series, so it took me a while to get up to speed in the story. If you can, I recommend reading all three books in the series together, or at least not a year apart from each other.

But I highly recommend the Night of the Dragon as well as the other two books in The Shadow of the Fox series. If you like medieval-Asia based fiction with a sweet, likeable but naive main character, kitsune and demons teaming up, and a group of companions working together to save the world, you should definitely read this book (and the two books before, or you might get lost).

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book so much. I felt it was a perfect ending to the series as heartbreaking as it all is.

I loved the characters and the tropes they represent and how the stereotypes are broken down by virtue of the groups closeness. A lot of time is spent on Yukemo an Tatsumi but the story would go nowhere without the others as a foundation.
There's a lot of action and there's something so cinematic about these scenes that I would love to see an anime version of this. The mental images are stunning.

Circumstances are dire for the kitsune trickster Yumeko and her friends. The final piece of the Scroll of a Thousand Prayers is in the Master of Demons’s hands, and he has a head start- not to mention an army aiding his passage to the summoning site in the mysterious Moon Clan territory. If Yumeko and her band of unlikely heroes can’t stop the demons, their master will summon the Great Kami Dragon, make his wish, and plunge the world into chaos and darkness.

Meanwhile, Tatsumi has come to an accord with the demon Hakaimono, and both will aid Yumeko in her quest. But even with Hakaimono’s skills added to his own, Tatsumi will be hard-pressed to protect Yumeko against an army of demons.

And none of the heroes knows about a final player in this great game is about to show his hand- one who has been waiting in the shadows and pulling the strings for a long time.

“No, I wasn’t worried that he would betray us. I worried that his guilt and the fear of what he’d become would prompt him to leave for our saftey. That one night, Kage Tatsumi would slip quietly away into the shadows, and I would never see him again. Knowing Tatsumi, he would try to find and confront Genno on his own, and though the demonslayer was incredibly strong, I didn’t know if he could single-handedly destroy the Master of Demons and his army of monsters, blood-mages and yokai.”

There are a lot of expectations for the last book of a trilogy. Multiple storylines must converge, character arcs must find their endings, the books’ overarching story must come to a satisfying conclusion. Conflicts the author has been building up to must find their resolutions in just the right amount of time. If the author fails to deliver on any of the elements, and the entire trilogy becomes weaker for it.

Fortunately for the Shadow of the Fox trilogy, Julie Kagawa delivers a finale that is suspenseful, heartbreaking, and ultimately satisfying. The primary characters, Yumeko and Tatsumi, have grown and changed throughout the trilogy and become something more than the naïve trickster and emotionless warrior they began as, but without losing the core traits that made them who they were. Both have learned and changed for the better, growing into people who can face their greatest fears and risk everything to save not only each other but the rest of the world, too.

This is not to say that the rest of the characters are flat and unchanging. Even the ghostly Suki grows, becoming less shy and more accepting of her state. She learns to be happy for the living, not resentful for the life she was denied. It’s hard to say good-bye to each of Kagawa’s characters, but they have earned their farewells.

The Shadow of the Fox trilogy is often described as a ‘traveling story’ because Yumeko and her friends travel great distances, encountering new friends and new enemies in an episodic fashion that could seem random if Kagawa had not had a clear plan for all three books at the outset. Each encounter serves not as a way for Yumeko and her friends to ‘level up’, but for them to learn new ways of dealing with conflict that help them more than any new fighting stance or battle strategy could. Though surrounded by warriors, Yumeko consistently looks for a way to resolve conflict without fighting, but is not unwisely opposed to it if there is not other way out. She might seem like a naive and flippant character at the beginning, but Yumeko develops wisdom throughout the three books without losing her innocence or becoming jaded by the darkness in the world.

Though dark and gritty realism is the trend for fantasy novels– even for YA fantasy– Kagawa’s Shadow of the Fox trilogy serves as a breath of fresh air for readers who have grown tired of protagonists whose chief characteristics are sarcasm and a tendency to attack first and ask questions later. There is romance and humor, political intrigue and action, magic and mysticism, and a wealth of lore based on Japanese legends and folktales. For readers looking for a fantasy series that doesn’t rely on the same old European-based settings, or characters who are more than sword-slinging smart badasses, Julie Kagawa’s Shadow of the Fox trilogy is a must-read, and Night of the Dragon is a fitting end to a beautiful tale.



Thank you to NetGalley and Inkyard Press for providing me with a free digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion in any way.