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

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

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

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

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

4/5 stars

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Kitsune saga unfolds!

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

A Harlequin TEEN ARC via NetGalley

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Menagerie of Japanese characters!
Thanks to Harlequin Teen and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review The Soul of the Sword by Julie Kagawa!
The book opens with a thousand-year-old legend of a sword known as Godslayer. Tatsumi wielded this sword when it contained the demon Hakaimono. Since then, the demon has possessed Tatsumi, who continues to fight for survival against Hakaimono. Yumeko continues her mission to the Steel Feather Temple but has been waylaid with her companions to try to save Tatsumi, even though a pact was made centuries ago that if Haikaimono possessed a person, that person would be killed to stop destruction that the demon might cause. As everyone tries to thwart the demon’s plans, he shows his power and what he’s willing to do to get what he wants. The plot twists as the rivalry changes and the enemy of both becomes the focus of all. Genno, the demon who wants the scroll pieces so he can summon a Kami for the wish to rule all, will be the focus of the third book in this trilogy. At times, Yumeko seems a bit dim but then she manages to pull off some amazing feats, with the help and inspiration of others; go teamwork! I also found myself struggling to keep names and descriptions straight and I’m sure that’s because I need to learn more about the Japanese culture. 4 stars for a Japanese fantasy full of a menagerie of characters!

Thank You Netgalley and Harlequin Teen for this ARC in exchange for a honest review.

I freaking loved Shadow of the Fox, so I just couldn't wait to get my hands on this! I love the Japanese Lore in this story, and the magic Ms Kagawa weaves in.

Soul of the Sword picks up right after the events in book one, (which left me in a panic) lucky for me I read book one, shortly before this one was to be released, the story follows along as we travel across The Empire trying to deliver the piece of the scroll to the Steel Feather Temple, our band of misfits are in for one hell of a ride, not to mention they still have a certain foe/friend to contend with.

I love the characters in this series, they have stolen my heart. I cant imagine how this story will end, but I'm along for the ride. I feel like so much happened in this book, and yet not enough...?
I honestly don't know what to expect in the next book. There are players in this that we (or I) just don't understand yet, what part they're playing, and the ending was surprising in a couple of different ways. I feel we're in for a twisty end to this trilogy.

Whatever happens I'll be here for it. I don't know how I'm going to wait an entire year for the next book...

If you enjoy samurai and Japanese mythical creatures you should read this series!


Happy Reading!

I received an ARC of Soul of the Sword from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. It was just released on June 25th.

I read Shadow of the Fox last year and absolutely loved it (check out my review over here). I was so stoked to dive back into the world again with Soul of the Sword. As with the first book, I loved the continued world building and more of the Japanese legends and culture. I thought Julie did a great job at recapping the events in the first book in this one, so it was really easy to jump back into the story and not have to worry too much about forgetting certain things that happened in the first book.

I thought Soul of the Sword was an amazing sequel and I had so much fun reading it. It was such an adventure with so many things happening. Once again filled with so much tickery and magic. I loved how Yumeko grew throughout the journey and learned to better use her Kitsune magic. She did some pretty amazing things with her illusions and magic. I was living for the interactions between Okame and Daisuke. I am dying to see what happens with these two in the next book. You get to be in the head of Hakaimono, which is really cool and while I didn't like him too much...I also kind did? You're also introduced to more key players and more creepy creatures.

Overall, I really loved Soul of the Sword and I was really happy with everything that happened. I thought it was a lot darker than Shadow of the Fox, which I loved. It's a lot more gory and violent than the first book as well, but honestly I love that kind of stuff. The twist toward the end was so amazing and I didn't see it coming. I am actually really excited about it though, because it's going to make book three even more interesting. I can't wait! The wait for it is going to be so hard. I highly recommend reading Shadow of the Fox, because Soul of the Sword was such a great book and needs to be read! If you've already read the first book...what are you waiting for? Pick up the sequel ASAP!

I wanted to love this book but there is just something missing for me. It was a little bit slow and I had a hard time connecting with the characters. I didn’t love the different POV’s in this one either. I’m not sure if it was my mood or the book itself but I just didn’t enjoy this one as much as the first. A lot of people really loved this one though so I would still give it a read if you enjoyed the first book!

Since Shadow of The Fox was pretty much my favorite book of 2018 I was VERY eagerly anticipating Soul of the Sword, so was over the moon when I got approved for an eARC.

First things first, Soul of the Sword pretty much picks up where Shadow of the Fox left off and has the same anime like feel. Many scenes felt like they were a transcript of an anime and it was amazing. In this way the book was very similar to Shadow of the Fox. While there are a few new characters thrown in, it is mostly the same cast of characters. The overall character development and building of relationships in this book were top notch and I'll admit, makes me worry a bit about what is going to happen in the third book and how much Julie Kagawa is going to break my heart.

I did feel that this story suffered a little from 2nd book syndrome and the first half was a bit slow, which is understandable considering all the set up that was happening but the rich settings, characters and characters more than make up for the slowness. The last 20% was a thrilling journey where the action was non-stop and had me on the edge of my seat.

It will be very interesting to see where the final book goes as so many loose ends are going to need to be tied up. It's definitely going to be a long wait until it's available!

Oh my goodness, I can’t wait to read the next book!! I don’t want to spoil the first book in the story with many details, so I will just say I LOVE the characters in this series!! Their struggles with integrity immersed me in this magical world. I love their innocence and seeing them grow into themselves, as well as their internal and external struggles. This vastly different group of characters develop a bond that unifies them with a common purpose, I felt like I took the journey with them, can’t wait to continue with them in the next book!

First if you haven't read Shadow of the Fox, I truly believe you should. This book continues the story on from where Shadow of the Fox left our characters. It is written to give each character a chance to let the reader know what is going on with them during a particular time period of the story (each chapter or close to it is from a different characters POV). I loved this book and am seriously counting down until the next one is available. I received an e-copy from Netgalley and this review is my honest opinion of the book.

I loved Shadow of the Fox so much that when I saw this, I knew I had to read it! Honestly, I like this book even more than the first one. There is so much action and adventure this time, with less romance and I'm ok with that. We see the characters grow and develop more as they struggle to meet their goals. I truly love seeing the first Oni interact with other demons.

This is a perfect sequel and I truly love all of the Asain culture and mythology added in. Julie has outdone herself once again and created a captivating and enthralling story.