This had a Mulan & Memoirs of a Geisha kinds feel to it. For me anyway..The writing itself, was great. I just think it was a bit too slow for my liking. Perhaps it was the kind of mood I was in too. I wanted something more action packed and fast-paced. Overall, it wasn't a bad read and still manages to hold the reader's attention.

Shadow of the Fox is a great adventure through Japanese myths. Told through two alternating first person perspectives of Yumeko and Tatsumi, and the occasional third person narrative of a minor character Suki, the story takes us from the mountainous lands of the Earth Clan to the capital city of the Iwagoto, encountering all manner of creatures of Japanese folklore. Yumeko, part-kitsune herself, is passing as a human peasant while trying to deliver the scroll of the Dragon’s prayer to another temple via the shrine in the capital. Protecting her on the journey in exchange for her directions is Tatsumi, a shinobi bound to the Kage clan who doesn’t know that the scroll he has been sent to retrieve is actually in her possession. On the way, they encounter forests spirits, while being watched by a malicious presence, and collect (no, really, it is like they are collecting people in their squad!) a ronin, a nobleman samurai, and a shrine maiden.

Yumeko and Tatsumi are diametrically opposite sort of characters. Being part-yokai, she has a mischievous nature, and a naivete borne out of her secluded childhood in the temple. Meanwhile, Tatsumi has been brought up in strict discipline by his clan, to bear a possessed sword. Their upbringing was also different – while she wasn’t exactly adored by all the monks in the temple, they did bring her up in kindness, with the only stipulation that she not lean into her yokai nature much for fear of losing her human side; Tatsumi, though human, was treated more like a tool, and his value to the clan is only in how long he can survive being bound to the demon sword. Their initial relationship is rocky, because he sees her as too simple, too trusting, while she finds his cold nature a bit scary. The addition of Okame brings levity to their group, and the interactions between the trio gain a sense of camaraderie. But Yumeko has to increasingly lie as to what her mission is, while Tatsumi has to defend his decisions to his superiors, all the while starting to have feelings for her.

The story is an adventure, and is an exciting one. They encounter forest spirits, legends, haunted villages, and though Tatsumi doesn’t want to get involved in anything, Yumeko’s kind nature does and her approach works to resolve the obstacles that come up. She wants to help out when she sees something wrong, and her openness to the world brings him out of his closed off existence. While she initially comes off as a carefree kitsune, soon she becomes a courageous girl who takes matters into her own hands and faces off against mages, and demons, despite being at a disadvantage. She uses her powers of illusions and trickery in innovative ways, whether to prank Okame with a discomforting bed, or gaining access to the Emperor’s party as an onmyoji. As for Tatsumi, you can’t help but want to cheer for him falling for her, but also know how dangerous that is for him. As for the action part, there are some pretty cool fight scenes with him, and for the most part the danger is not from whatever he is facing down (he is a trained demonslayer after all!) but from the demon in his sword. Okame, while a secondary character, delivers some wonderful snark throughout his presence in the book; mostly it is bitterness with the class system but some of it is to tease Yumeko, too. I first thought Daisuke might be a shady character, but he turned out to be a wonderful addition to their group.

There are some minor parts where I thought Yumeko’s ruse shouldn’t have been so successful, like the time they were being attacked by some weasel yokai, and she pretended she didn’t know what they were, but later on, saved Tatsumi by applying something she learnt about them from a stranger. Also, the ‘fortune-telling’ performance seemed easy, considering it was at an imperial party. For a spy, Tatsumi is utterly clueless when it came to her, and hey, even if his specialty was killing, surely he was taught to be observant?

The writing brings out the magic of the stories it takes inspiration from, even when it deals with something like a demon bear (that arc gave me Princess Mononoke feels so much!) or with the legend of a samurai who challenges people on bridges (which was a little hilarious if you think about it). Anime fans will recognize the motifs, but even if you aren’t familiar with the things and the stories, the book always explains it, so even if you are new to all this, you won’t get lost.

Overall, though, it was an incredible journey and a delight to read this book. I read most of it in one sitting, because I just couldn’t put it down. And with that ending, the next book couldn’t come soon enough!

Ooh this is why I don't like starting a series until it's finished. How do people wait so long for sequels?!

Shadow of the Fox is a very fun Japanese folklore-inspired fantasy. Expect all sorts of spirits, monsters, demons, and plenty of swordfighting along the way. It does nothing groundbreaking but the tropes are well done so it doesn't feel like "just another YA fantasy". The writing errs towards younger YA yet some of the content is a bit violent, which can create something of a dissonance. Still, the characters are charming (if not entirely unique) and I can see a lot of potential for growth and complexity. The female protagonist is refreshingly balanced in terms of her abilities and while her naivety is a bit grating at times, she's also funny and impish. I'm crossing my fingers that she doesn't turn out to be a secret princess or inherit ~super special powers~ because those are the two YA tropes I'm allergic to.

Overall, it's good. Solid, without being great. I think what makes this stand out among the many "good, not great" YA fantasy novels out there is that it's written by an author of Japanese descent who has unapologetically been influenced by her culture. That takes it over the edge for me because there's nothing here that a sensitivity reader would object to, which has sometimes not been the case when authors write fantasy inspired by cultures not their own. East Asian inspired sci-fi and fantasy seems to be on an upward trend and long may it continue.

There's a lot here that feels familiar: an orphan is somewhat different from others, and is raised in a secluded environment; a boy is trained to be an assassin who has no feelings or emotions. They meet, etc.. What makes this special is the setting (a vaguely medieval Japan-like country), the mythology and the writing. The action set pieces are separated nicely, giving readers an opportunity to get to know the characters and the place rather than jumping from action to action to more action. I can't wait for Book 2.

eARC provided by publisher.

Julie Kagawa is a reference in the YA literature and I had high hopes around this book, but sadly I have mixed feelings.

The universe of the novel is Asian, I will even say Japanese. There is the presence of samurai, demons, kitsune and I loved immersing myself in it. I don't read a lot of books with this kind of universe so it's always a pleasure for me. The magical system is for me close to the ancient beliefs of this country and I like it. The book is mostly built around a great myth arround a dragon which wakes up every thousand years to fulfill the wish of the person who woke it up and let me tell you that everyone wants to wake it up.

We are following Yumeko, she is a kitsune and she grew up in a temple cut off from the world. She is in possession of the scrolls allowing the awakening of the dragon and must protect them. She is very naive, but also very brave. Not knowing the outside world she only sees the good side of things and tends to see the good in everyone which will play tricks on her, but she is smart enough to protect herself and she does surround herself well . We also follow Kage who is a samurai without emotions, he cross her road and help Yumeko in her task. He is a complex character who has been programmed to be bloodthirsty and he is very very different from Yumeko. I enjoyed the duo they formed, they are quite complementary.

Let's go to the plot which is my big flat. I find that the narrative pattern is very repeated throughout the book. There is the road, a demon who comes on the road to stop them, a fight and the road again. And it goes round and round. After reading this process 4 or 5 times I got a little fed up and it's sad, because the universe is great and the characters are interesting, but I got bored at some point. I sincerely wanted to love this book especially since I had seen only good things around it, but I have not managed to go into the story and overall I am disappointed with my reading.

A japanese fairytale esque book and lore too? Yes please. The world-building was amazing and i just flew through the pages. I really enjoyed this book and will be recommending it.

I liked this book more than I thought I initially would. The world building was good, and helped you along with some unfamiliar terms, but it took a bit to get into. The book ends on a cliff hanger for the next in the series, which was a bit disappointing, since I was enjoying the story only for it to abruptly end. The sequel is something I'd be interested in reading, but I hope it wraps up a bit more before hitting pause on the story. I knew what a kitsune was, but not a lot of other spirits, and I was really impressed at how the book took time to explain what each one was without sounding too expositional. I hope the sequel continues this, as I will likely need a refresher. The characters are interesting, and each one tags along in a believable way. An enjoyable read for fans of folklore and magic.

Amazing! Shadow of the Fox is just the sort of fantasy that I enjoy devouring with adventure, danger, and demons. What a thrilling ride this was! I'm only sad that I now have to wait for the sequel to release.

Set in historical Japan in a world where fearsome mythical creatures roam the Earth, Shadow of the Fox is the tale of Yumeko, a kitsune - a half-fox half-human - and Tatsumi, a samurai and demon slayer for the mysterious Shadow Clan. The book is told in both of their voices allowing readers to become intimately acquainted with their characters. Raised by monks until the day she witnesses the temple and the monks being attacked by demons, Yumeko has never seen the outside world. When she is tasked with protecting an important scroll that has the potential to change the world if it falls into the wrong hands, Yumeko is taken on a dangerous and enlightening quest. She started off the book as being an innocent and naive young woman, but someone who was endowed with courage that we slowly see emerging. Everything about Yumeko was endearing. I especially liked how adorable her prankster fox side could be. She was also an emotive character whose feelings about this new world she was discovering were a strong part of Shadow of the Fox.

Alongside Yumeko on this journey is Tatsumi, a samurai shrouded in layers and layers of mystery. Tatsumi wasn't the easiest character to gauge and he remained an intriguing protector to Yumeko throughout the book. With the soul of the demon battling his humanity for his mind, he was absolutely fascinating. For most of the book, he was a stoic, intense and gruff character, but a softer side slowly started to materialize as he began to trust and care for Yumeko. With the way this book ended, I'm quite keen to figure out how his character will grow and how his dynamic with Yumeko will be challenged. In this book, they were only just beginning to trust each other and had grown what I would call a friendship. I'm not sure if the romantic in me was looking at their relationship through rose-colored lenses, but there is a potential here for an epic and swoony romance and I really really really hope I am right.

Shadow of the Fox was written in a quest/adventure style, which is one of my favorite types of books to read. Yumeko and Tatsumi face monsters, make new discoveries and meet new people, good and bad, along the way. While the pacing of the book was slow-moving as the two travel to a faraway temple that many believe is just a myth for the safekeeping of the scroll, the book itself was far from monotonous. There were plenty of exciting battles that kept me on the edge of my seat, with twists and turns that I couldn't foresee. Not to mention, we also get a few scenes told through the POV of the villain, who was compelling, power-thirsty and left no stone unturned to trouble our heroes. The book was just so entertaining, it's something you have to read for yourself to understand because it's difficult to capture that in a review. Shadow of the Fox was also rich in its culture, mythology, and lore. The world-building here was just beyond stellar. I've read many books by Julie Kagawa and her writing only seems to get stronger with every new book.

Shadow of the Fox was a legendary story for me! The ending of the book had me crying in a corner because the wait for the sequel is going to be ardous and I NEED IT RIGHT NOW.

Wowza. Not even sure where to begin with this one. The amazing Japanese lore, world building and characters just make this book into a total adventurous package. Julie Kagawa definitely nailed this one!

With our protagonist, Yumeko, she's young and very shielded from the world for good reason. I will say she came off very naive, almost baby-like, and while it annoyed me a bit in the beginning, I began to understand that she was growing with the story and becoming who she finally needed to be. She's the type of character you become proud of.

On the other side, I adored all of the side characters. Okame, Daisuke, and especially Tatsumi. Okame is the perfect character relief you’re always looking for. While much larger of a role is Tatsumi. He is our other main character on a journey of his own that quickly becomes tied to Yumeko. I adored his darkness and constant internal conflicts. He’s every bit the brooding protector and I loved every part of his story.

Overall, the world building and information on the accident Japanese demons and empires were out of this world. It look me a bit to get into the story, but once it took off, it really took off. I adored the last 40% of the book and honestly could NOT put it down. Absolutely fabulous read and cannot wait for the next book in the series.

Absolutely loved this book despite the cliffhanger! This was a first for me since I have never read Julie Kagawa before and I definitely regret that decision. Shadow of the Fox set in a demon riddled Japan intertwines the narratives of Yumeko, a half human half kitsune, and Kage Tatsumi, a mysterious demon slayer, who possess a rather dangerous sword. Their worlds come together when Yumeko's home is destroyed. As a baby, Yumeko was abandoned at the Silent Winds temple, where she learned to hone her fox powers. One day, her mentor, Master Isao, reveals that the temple safeguards an ancient scroll that can call forth the dragon. As a result of this, demons come to the temple and as a last resort, Master Isao entrusts Yumeko with the scroll and tells her to deliver it to the Steel Feather Temple.

Forced to run, Yumeko is tearing through the forest when runs into Tatsumi, who has been tasked to retrieve the scroll. Warned about the intentions of others, Yumeko lies to Tatsumi and tells him that her master sent the scroll away before the demons arrived. She convinces him to accompany her by telling him that she is trying to find a man named Master Jiro, who knows the location of the Steel Feather Temple. Yumeko very craftily tells Tatsumi that this is the place where her master sent the scroll instead of it being on her back. These two characters set off on what really becomes a wonderful journey. They face off against wind witches, free Kodama from an ancient spirit and form unlikely alliances with a ronin, a dishonored samurai and a noble.

I absolutely loved all the characters in this book, however, I have a special place in my heart for Yumeko! I don't think I have ever encountered a female protagonist like her before. Not only is she mischievous and a prankster, but she is completely naive and trusting in a completely non-annoying way. For instance, she is able to see beyond Okame's status as a disgraced ronin and brings out the best in him. Without spoiling too much, he abandons his dastardly ways and proves that he is honorable in his own way. The romance in this story caught my heartstrings and the ending practically tore them out. I cannot wait to read the sequel and the final installment in this trilogy.

Additionally, I have to quickly mention how Kagawa was able to seamlessly throw in Japanese words into English sentences without any awkwardness. It really captured the setting in a way that wasn't outlandish and added to the overall atmosphere of this fantastical Japan. Again, I feel bad that I haven't read her other books before but I will quickly remedy that problem.

Okay full disclosure, I LOVE Julie Kagawa. I read all of her Iron Fey series during the summer in between my college years, and I adored them so much! I read Talon from her a few years ago, so I was so excited when Netgalley* gave me the opportunity to read an advanced reader copy of the first book in her newest series, Shadow of the Fox!

This fantasy series was so cool, because it really dug deep into Japanese feudal society and folklore of the Yokai. Which I knew next to nothing about going into this book, but I feel like I have learned a lot about Japanese mythology, while also being really entertained! I saw a lot of reviews saying it gave them Inuyasha feels, and I would say that is pretty accurate. She paints a clear picture with her words of the setting of this novel, and I also felt like I got a really good sense of the culture.

At first I was really unsure about this novel because we are introduced to a character whom I thought was the protagonist, and then we kind of forget about her and focus on our main characters Yumeko & Tatsumi. I was so very confused, but that character you first meet does play a part later on in the novel, I just didn't know it yet. I was really glad that Kagawa brought that around, because I was thinking, "okay, why have that intro??" I also got over it, because I really loved the characters Yumeko and Tatsumi that were brought to life later in the book.

Yumeko is a super interesting character to me, she's a half-Yokai -- a Kitsune (fox), but she has to hide her true form when she ends up traveling with humans. I found her delightful, even though she is super naive and trusts anyone she comes across. I think it makes sense since she grew up in a temple raised by Monks and knows pretty much nothing about the outside world. I also think she is so trusting because she likes to see the good in everyone and she really tries to do the right thing. Even though at the same time she is deceiving everyone around her. I think her personality really painted the conflict she feels inside of trying to balance her human and Yokai sides.

Tatsumi is such a stoic, crotchety character, so of course I loved him! He has a lot on his plate, and is dealing with his own demons (literally) so it's really hard for him to trust anyone or even be around other people. My heart really broke for him and his situation. I'm not sure if it's clear about his background in the Shadow Clan. I was curious if he was born into it, or if he's like a slave and can never leave it. Can he chose to leave the life of Shinobi, or is he stuck in his predicament? I'm hoping to get more answers on this as this series progresses. I also feel there might be a slow burn romance between Tatsumi and Yumeko? He definitely learns to care for her, and I liked seeing that struggle in Tatsumi.

This book was so action-packed! It also is a "quest" novel, which is my favorite type of fantasy novels to read. I loved all the trials and Yokai they come across in their journey to the Steel Feather Temple. They collect a group to travel there and come across some real binds to get out of. Like a cursed town, a demon bear and a blood mage! This book was so exciting! Although, fair warning if you have read Kagawa before, you know she likes to leave you itching for the next book in the series. This one was no different. The book doesn't end with Yumeko getting to the Temple. She has just started her journey, and it ends with some crazy things that will need to get resolved in the next books. I am very excited to continue reading this series and see where it goes.

This book is written in different perspectives, sometimes it was in third person, and sometimes we would get the first person switching back between Tatsumi and Yumeko. I found this slightly distracting, and I think maybe this book would be slightly better written in third person altogether. I also had some issues distinguishing between the two first person voices. It wasn't a deal breaker for me, because the plot and action in this novel was amazing, but it did make me rate this a little lower than I normally would. I still think this is a really awesome start to a series, and I highly recommend it.

Are you excited for this new series?

*I received a free egalley copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I received this book on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review of the book.

I honestly do not know where to start with this review. There is so much that I absolutely loved about this book. The book starts off in a way that left me wary, where was this going, what could I expect from this book? And then just wow. I do not think there was ever a part of this story that I was bored or that I wanted to sit the book down and come back to it later. All of the characters are compelling and that is saying something based on all the characters that appear in this story. The way that the author weaved everyone's story together was so utterly satisfying and something that you do not usually get when perspectives jump back and forth.

And Yumeko the main character is such a refreshing breath of air when it comes to main female characters. She is such a strong female character, but she is also such a kind character. She has her faults, she is not a perfect person by any means, but I do not hate her for her faults, they endear me to her. I just really wanted every chapter to be Yumeko but it is also wonderful to see her through the eyes of the other main character. Authors, give me more of characters that are so full of dimensions as Yumeko!

The only fault I have for this book is a personal preference. I hate when books in conversation switch between languages. I do not find it necessary to say Thank you or yes in Japanese woven between English words, when all of the dialogue is in English. I feel it breaks me from the conversation and these basic words are not teaching much to readers to have them in there.

Buy this book, read it!

I love Julie Kagawa. I read the Iron Fey Series ages ago and when I saw this ARC come up as available, I jumped right on it.

I thoroughly enjoyed Shadow of the Fox. Yumeko - a half kitsune and Tatsumi are a great pair. I really liked my introduction to Japanese folklore because I've read very little of it (and I have never seen an anime before, either). So I felt like I was jumping straight into something fresh.

This sort of fantasy is not overdone, it's very new to the Young Adult scene and I'm interested to see where the series goes. The world building was beautiful and I appreciate good descriptions. I really enjoyed the scarier bits.

I didn't understand some of the Japanese words and mannerisms that are interspersed but I think anyone more familiar with the culture would enjoy it.

Absolutely a 5/5 title for me. I'm looking forward to more!

Another exciting read by Julie Kagawa! Jumping right into Japanese folklore, it was thrilling right from the start. Through the up's and down's, you grow attached to the characters right away. It's a book you don't want to put down!

Okay upon further reflection, I'm rounding my review up from 3 to 4 stars.

Shadow of the Fox is told from several points of view, all of which center around our heroine Yumeko. Yumeko is an awesome heroine because she isn't constantly complaining about how unfair everything is, has skills of her own and isn't dependent on strong male characters to save her, and is a yokai - a spirit. In her case, she is half fox, half human. Which means she can pass as human (unless someone sees her ears and tail in her reflection) but she also has the use of fox magic. Yumeko was abandoned as a child and has been raised by monks in the Silent Winds temple, and lives there still, until her temple is attacked by monsters, everyone she has ever loved is slain, and she has a terrible, difficult task thrust upon her right as all she's ever known comes crashing down.

Yumeko's journey leads her to join up with several side characters, including a disgraced samurai, an assassin, and a member of the royal family. I absolutely loved the use of setting. Feudal Japanese culture is really done justice here in a way that I found myself wishing for in Flame in the Mist. These two stories have a LOT in common, but I couldn't stand Flame in the Mist; the heroine is insufferable and can't stop talking about how "clever" she is (she's not) and the romance is poorly done. Shadow of the Fox does everything right that Flame in the Mist got wrong.

Overall a great start to a new series.

A thousand years before, a wish was granted and the land of Iwagoto suffered. Now is the time for a new age, a new wish and a new world, but that wish will only be granted to the holder of the Scroll of a Thousand Prayers. One half-kitsune raised by monks will be tasked with a part of that precious scroll and a quest to find the rest. The fate of her world will rest on her shoulders, but she will not journey alone as an unlikely group of allies join with her, unaware she hides a piece of the prize.

SHADOW OF THE FOX by Julie Kagawa is a beautiful tale of magical beings, mystical places and a journey that will test the mettle of all who take it. Mystery abounds, suspense hangs heavy and demonic danger will nip at their heels as good races against evil for the future of the world.

Julie Kagawa has used fabulous descriptions to draw readers in while deftly twisting her tale just enough that the “light at the end of the tunnel” is just out of reach, keeping readers guessing at what will happen next.

An amazing journey, a captivating read and incredibly likable characters makes this tale a strong foundation for what promises to be an entrancing series!

I received a complimentary ARC edition from Harlequin Teen!

Series: Shadow of the Fox - Book 1
Publication Date: October 2, 2018
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Genre: YA Fantasy
Print Length: 416 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
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I'm so happy this is going to be a trilogy. There is so much Japanese lore and legend in these pages, so much action, and the two main characters are perfectly balanced: one adorable and one frightening. The only reason I marked one star down is that the middle sections dragged for me a bit, but the ending absolutely blew me away. Well done, and I can't wait to recommend this series to everyone!

I wasn't into this one. Which is a HUGE bummer because back in the day I was the biggest fan of Kagawa's work. SOTF started off interesting with the setting beginning in the past with the servant girl's depressing short story, and when it switched to present time it seemed so promising. Then as I got in about 30 percent I started losing interest, got confused at some points and kept mixing up characters. It felt a little overplayed with the whole "girl meets guy and they go on an adventure to find an object together" plot. I felt like I was missing parts of the story...or maybe the story just flew over my head. Either way I'm bummed. Maybe I'll pick it back up down the line but as of right now it wasn't my jazz.

I enjoyed this book. It wasn't as good as her Iron Fey series but I still liked it. I do feel that there were some places were the story dragged on but I liked the characters enough to keep reading.

Commence squeeling and fangirling. Squeeee….Okay now that we got my little episode out of the way we can start the review. Julie Kagawa can publish her to do list and it will be epic, for an author who can write from faeries to vampires and dragons I am not surprised how well she handled Japanese mythology. Shadow of the Fox follows to main characters. Yumeko is a half human half yokai (haf demon) She is part Kitsune pronounced (Kee-Tsoo-Nay) is a trickster fox whose skills rely on tricks and illusions. Kage Tatsumi is a samurai who wields a sword possessed by a demon who tries without end to possess him. After Yumeko’s home is burned down she is thrust into a partnership with Tatsumi on a epic adventure. This book is steeped in Japanese lore and mythology, the aesthetics are amazingly detailed. This could be turned into a movie would be beautiful. The plot moves along easily and there is plenty of action. I really enjoyed Yumeko she is a very sympathetic character having her home burned down and hiding her half demon self from everyone could be very hard for anyone to deal with and she handles it very well. We also have some background characters in Daisuke a nobleman and Okama a ronin who add some delightful comedic relief. There is also a very evil villainess which I am glad to see more in YA women can be quite vicious when we need to be. Overall this is a great ne take on the fantasy genre full of Japanese folklore. I believe manga and anime fans will gobble this up and will also cater to those ho want something more than just your typical European based fantasy.