At first I wasn't sure I could get into but then as I listened I started to realize "oh it's a quest' and from there was able to compartmentalize the story and keep up with it as it paced out. Kagawa does a great job using those side quests to tell the big story overall and I really enjoyed it!

Julie Kagawa is one of those authors I have been wanting to try for awhile now, and I am grateful to those who voted for it in my May TBR List Poll. Her home destroyed and the monks who raised her no more, Yumeko is on a quest to deliver a portion of a sacred scroll to a far off temple, whose exact whereabouts is unknown. She seeks help from Kage Tatsumi, a samurai of the Shadow Clan, whose strength and ability to slay demons will be invaluable to her along her journey. The only catch? He is on a mission to retrieve the very scroll she has, and she knows instinctively she cannot let it fall into his hands. She also hides another secret from the quiet and deadly Tatsumi. That she is half human, half kitsune.

Yumeko should seem too sweet for her own good, but, honestly, I fell for her character instantly. A bit mischievous and yet so kindhearted. She has a naivety about her, and yet she is extremely resourceful and has good instincts. I also really came to like Kage Tatsumi. He is trained to suppress his emotions and lives by a very strict code—part of which is probably for good reason. However, he finds it impossible not to want to protect Yumeko for more reasons than just the one that will lead him to the scroll (not realizing she actually has it). Along their journey, the two pick up other unexpected company. The villains in this novel made me shiver, particularly the main one. So much darkness and evil.

I thoroughly enjoyed my time reading The Shadow of the Fox. It has been awhile since I read a more traditional fantasy novel, and I especially loved that this one combined Japanese folklore and other Japanese elements into it. I hate that it ended with a cliffhanger, but I was not at all surprised. These types of books often do. I ordered the sequel right away. Then I’ll just have to wait forever for the third and final book in the trilogy to come out. I cannot wait to spend more time with Yumeko! We all need someone like her in our lives.

Julie Kagawa NEVER disappoints. This title is no exception and if I have the budget I want at least two copies on the shelf. Highly recommend.

TYPICAL YA PLOT AND CHARACTERS, SPRINKLED WITH JAPANESE MYTHOLOGY
actual rating: 2.5

You could shorten this book to half its length and probably wouldn't notice the difference. I mean, honestly, you could probably already guess how this book would go just by reading the synopsis... and majority of your guess would probably be right.

🐺 Shadow of the Fox is told from two perspectives--from an innocent, childlike half-fox-half-human hybrid, and from a brooding, murderous samurai. Neither really has any quality that you haven't seen in YA before.Although they're not entirely unlikable, they're a far cry from becoming your next favorite MCs.

🐺 Plot... What plot!? You know how with anime, 70% of the 200 episodes are actually just mini-stories that add zero substance to the actual story? Shadow of the Fox is the same. There were definitely a lot of interesting scenes, but the story would be the same if they were taken out.

🐺 The vibe is great. It feels anime-like, which is I think what the author was going for. I enjoyed learning more about Japanese mythology, although not a lot was memorable since everything felt very filler-y.

If you're looking for a great Julie Kagawa read, I'd direct you to The Immortal Rules, or even The Iron King. This just wasn't Kagawa's best work, and while the Japanese mythology involved was brilliant and fascinating, there isn't enough plot or character development to push it forward. I probably won't read the sequel unless there are some pretty rave reviews for it.

This book was just what I was hoping it would be an epic Japanese folklore story. I enjoyed the world, SO, much! This culture is what made this story more; the temple life, the samurai lifestyle and the royales, mixed with magic and friendship!

Yumeko was raided by monks. Yumeko is half kitsune her yokai nature; is playful and strong. She's grown up in a temple and this is her first time leave. The joy Yumeko finds in seeing everything rubbed off on me. While Tatsumi is a mysterious samurai who believes in doing what his clan has told him and not working with or getting close to anyone. I found their relationship very fun, strong and grows at a steady speed. As much as I enjoyed the two main lead characters, I fell madly for the side characters, they moved the plot along in many different ways. I also like how each side character entered in there own ways.

I also love how the magic system works. I'm not going to say anything about it because of spoilers. But I love the idea of the Scroll of a Thousand Prayers and how it drives people.

The writing for the scenes that have demon armies is beautifully written. The action dances right of the page. Just like the rest of the book, it's just a vivid world that you feel like you've stepped right into a whole new world.

With that said, part of the ending surprised me while the other part didn't. I enjoyed this and picked up the second book within the following week and can't wait to get my hands on the next book. It's writing with passion and action!

I don't know much about Japanese mythology, but tried to follow along as best I could. Yumeko is only half human, the other half having magical abilities attributed to a kitsune. There are a lot of well done action scenes that keep the pace moving quickly and it's also apparent there will be more to come.

An exotic adventure for all ages…
Shadow of the Fox is the first book in a new series by Julie Kagawa. Set in the land of Iwagoto, reminiscent of ancient medieval Japan, Julie builds a stunning world filled with exotic creatures, traditional attire, and long-held customs. The unlikely alliance of Kumeko, a half-human/half-Kitsune (magical fox), and Kage Tatsumi, an elite samurai of the Shadow Clan and wielder of the infamous demon slayer sword, sends them on a quest involving the Scroll of a Thousand Prayers; with one trying to protect it while the other is trying to find it. In the wrong hands the power of the scroll to summon the great Kami Dragon would be devastating. Numerous adventures along the way reveal the the magnitude of evil that is also trying to obtain the missing pieces of the scroll. Little do they realize that their own faults and weaknesses may be all that saves the scroll and protects them and the country.


Shadow of the Fox is an excellent teen book that adults will greatly enjoy. The plot and descriptions are fascinating with the violence being graphic enough without being gruesome. The historical details make the story extremely realistic and transport you to another time and another place.

Julie has also created amazing characters, both Kumeko and Tatsumi, as well as a rich supporting cast. They are personable with wonderful quirks that bring humor and believability to the story. It is such an easy reading story in the sense that you are so quickly swept up into the action and adventure that you flow effortlessly from page to page. Of course, as with any good book in a new series, you are mildly frustrated when you are left hanging at the end. But, then again if you weren’t you wouldn’t be anxiously waiting for the next book!

I loved Julie Kagawa’s BLOOD OF EDEN series so I was excited to start another series by her. Unfortunately, I had trouble getting into the SHADOW OF THE FOX so this is a DNF for me (for now at least, I may try again in the future).

I tried reading this one and just never got into it. I will admit I didn't get very far and I haven't tried it in a while. But I don't think I will go back to it.

The premise is fantastic but this book is just not my cup of tea. I've started reading the hardcover, e-book, and tried listeing to the audiobook. I know it's well written and other readers have loved this book. but the writing just doesn't grab me and the characters aren't my favorite. A dnf for me, cries, because I hate not finishing books.

Kagawa is an incredibly talented storyteller, and this is a wonderful example of her skill. A historical fantasy based in Japanese folklore, Kagawa’s world building is solid and detailed. This is an Own Voices work, and uses a more Japanese storytelling pace than some Westerners may be used to, with slower building at some points, and seemingly-repetitive events build complex characters and add subtle details to the plot. Not all of the characters are human, and a glossary in the back is an assist to those who are not familiar with the non-human (and some human) types. (Although a reasonable familiarity with anime can also provide a lot of background.) Kagawa’s first installment of this eventual trilogy will be especially appealing to those who love road-trip style movies and stories, and those who see the point to be the journey more than the destination. The story is quite complex, and needs a bit more brain than a light read, and can be harder to follow since there are two points of view and the switches are not clearly marked. Overall though, it is a quite enjoyable read, and I’m looking forward to the next installment.

Sadly I just really didn't care for this one. I think that it would work our way better as a movie. The way it was written at least to me felt more like a screen play. I think that the visuals would have been amazing. I guess this was written via an anime so maybe that is why it felt like that to me. This is the first ever time that I haven't loved a story by Julie Kagawa and I hope that it will be the last that I ever do.

The story felt very choppy to me and with no mention of the dual POV changes it made it very hard to know who what what and where. The characters themselves just felt flat and overall I just didn't enjoy this one at all sadly.



Go Into This One Knowing: Dual POV with no headers for changes, Choppy Story

I started this book back in November 2018 and because I wasn't in the right mood for it, I stopped reading it. This month (May 2019) I picked it up again, finished it in a couple of days and I really liked it.
The rumors are true. It reads like an anime and I loved the way it is written. The eastern inspired world-building, with its yokai and demons, is amazing and very well constructed, as you would expect from the author.
I cannot wait to see how things will go in the next books. Thankfully there is no much time left to wait!

Julie Jakawa’s newest adventure is beyond amazing. Her writing never fails to amaze me and I was so excited to read this book. Her world building is on point and I cannot wait to see how things will progress with the next novel.

Every thousand years, the Great Dragon grants whoever holds the Scroll of a Thousand Prayers a single wish. That wish can either create something wondrous or plunge the entire nation into darkness and chaos, depending on who manages to find the scroll first. And it all rests in the hands of a half human, half kitsune girl who has never stepped far beyond the walls of the monastery where she was raised. Now Yumeko must trust a shadowy assassin, a disgraced ronin, and an enigmatic noble to help her get the scroll to safety. But how can the quest succeed when everyone in the group, including Yumeko, is hiding secrets.

Prologue sets up an over the top and unbelievable villain and a likeable heroine who is immediately killed. End of the world vibes, a quick switch to a different heroine, and a familiar setup had me more bored than curious. I put it down and couldn’t summon the motivation to pick it up again because I felt like I’d already read it.

- I hate that this book is told in two POVs, that aren’t labeled, both in first person. The narrative voices aren’t very different either.

- There’s a lot of tell instead of show.

- A lot of the setup already doesn’t make sense.

- I wasn’t overly invested in this book to begin with and assumed it would be a 3 star read or less, but hoped to be surprised. I can already tell where this book is going to go, so I have no motivation to continue.

I struggled a bit to really get into Shadow of the Fox, but I was finally able to settle in with the audiobook as narrated by Joy Osmanski, Brian Nishii, and Emily Woo Zeller.

By the end of this book, I was enjoying the story well enough, but it was never unputdownable. I think this is one of those books that will be best enjoyed by people who enjoy the journey, rather than readers like me who are impatient when the destination never seems to be in sight.

As I read this book, I was planning to give it a 3.5 rounded up. But then the end of the book irked enough to ding it a half-star and lower my score to 3. For those of you who hate being left in the lurch at the end, I recommend waiting until this trilogy is finished before you begin.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Teen for providing me with a DRC of this book.

I love Julie Kagawa's books, so I had high expectations for this and it did not disappoint! Shadow of the Fox is an incredible story, I'd not read anything based on Japanese folklore yet so I truly enjoyed this. One thing I really enjoyed was the sprinkling of Japanese word throughout, I always love when authors do that with their character's language (although I have seen people complain on it, I feel it's always a nice touch). A lot of the action really blew me away and had me holding my breath as well. Overall this is a great fantasy story with an interesting set of characters.

I am a huge fan of this author and in NO WAY did this disappoint. Julie Kagawa strikes again with this heart-pounding novel. I am thrilled and delighted by it.