Another delightful and adventurous addition to Yumeko's journey, offering up a slew of new challenges filled with plenty of Foxfire magic and even more Japanese legends/lore including Demons, Spirits, Kami and Yokai's! Perfect for fans of Anime and Manga (and mythology in general) who will recognize many of the Japanese folkloric themes and archetypes (Samuri, Shrine Maidens, haunted places, objects possessed by spirits etc.).
Speaking of which, I would love to see this series made into a Netflix Anime series (hint hint). Julie's writing has a cinematic quality - when reading the book it's easy to visualize our little half-fox Yumeko with her ears and tail flicking this way and that, and her bursts of Foxfire and conjured illusions. Plus all those Demons, Yokai, and Spirits are just begging to be on the screen (uhhh hello super creepy and bad ass Twin Scorpion Yokai girls...not to mention Yumeko's descent into Tatsumi's dream world/possessed version of the Shadow Clans castle where Tatsumi is literally embedded in chains).

Overview: Julie's second installment in the Shadow of the Fox series continues right where the first one left off, re-joining our Kitsune shapeshifter Yumeko and her traveling companions (Daisuke, Okame, Master Jiro, Reika and Chu!) just after their defeat of the sorceress and the possession of Kage Tatsumi by the demon Hakaimono. After a rather slow start filled with somewhat ponderous decision making (my chief complaint in this volume, the slow 1st third of the book), the group finds themselves the guests of the Shadow Clan (and learning a new method of speedier travel via the "Path of Shadows") at their enormous and creepy clan castle before trying to beat the possessed Tatsumi/Hakaimono to the long lost Steel Feather Temple in order to secure the next piece of the Scroll. Meanwhile, Hakaimono has also teamed up with Genno, the Master of Demons, and his demonic army, greatly raising the stakes. All this leading to an epic showdown/battle scene at the temple between Yumeko and crew (along with the awesome winged guardians of the Temple) versus Hakaimono, Genno and Demon Army - a battle for both the pieces of the Scroll as well as Tatsumi's soul (with a good twist/resolve to the Tatsumi/Hakaimono conundrum).

Bottom Line: starts a little slow - but stick with it!

Low Points: Really missed Tatsumi's POV and as a character in general (as himself) in this story. Would have enjoyed even more new Yokai, Oni, Demons, Spirits etc (love the individual powers and lore with all of these).

High Points: Yumeko gains confidence and powers, any and all of the new Yokai/Demons/Spirits etc that were introduced along the way, Yumeko's descent into dream version of shadow clan castle to rescue Tatsumi, and the resolution of the Tatsumi vs. Hakaimono.

P.S. Suki and Seigetsu make brief appearances as well, the latter continuing his enigmatic role.

Review will go live on my blog on 07/04/19

Rating: 3.5/5 Stars

Things are not going well for Yumeko.  She and her allies successfully defeated the demon general who tried to kill them in his pursuit of the wish-granting Scroll of a Thousand Prayers, but in the mayhem of the battle, Hakaimono, the demon soul inside warrior Tatsumi's sword, managed to finally break his mental defenses and possess Tatsumi.  Now Yumeko must decide - does she carry out her mission to get the Scroll to the Steel Feathers Temple, or does she try to rescue Tatsumi from the demon?  And if she can't rid Tatsumi of the demon, will she have the strength to kill him instead?  Because Hakaimono is one of the most dangerous demons to ever roam the mortal realm, and if he returns to full strength, thousands will die.

SOUL OF THE SWORD is a solid follow up to SHADOW OF THE FOX, but not an outstanding one.  While SHADOW OF THE FOX was a monster-slaying fest, full of dangerous creatures and one thrilling fight sequence after another, it feels like surprisingly little happens in SOUL OF THE SWORD. That isn't to say that SOUL OF THE SWORD is a bad book - it's still beautifully atmospheric with plenty of mythology at play.  But while there are still some fight sequences, the plot here is much more about laying out the factions and pieces on the board, establishing who wants the Scroll of a Thousand Prayers and why.  The plot of SHADOW largely stayed with one group, switching between Yumeko and Tatsumi's viewpoints.  Now the story is more fragmented, as Tatsumi/Hakaimono travel alone on their own goals, and some characters who operated on the fringes of book one begin to make bigger moves.  The increased crosscutting slows down the pacing of the series a bit, in favor of some necessary exposition.

This fragmentation also leads to another weakness, the lack of the Yumeko/Tatsumi dynamic.  Plot necessitates that they be separated for most of the book, what with him being possessed by an evil demon with his own agenda and all.  Yumeko and Tatsumi's budding relationship was one of the underpinnings of book one, and you can tell how much it is missing by just how well their few tragic scenes together WORK in this book.  Tatsumi, trapped inside his own body, is desperate to see his life end and just as desperate to see Yumeko safe, and what little time they have together (thank you magical planes of existence) just tears at the heart.

SOUL OF THE SWORD is a book that suffers a bit by being the middle child.  The whole traveling band is back to pledge their undying loyalty to each other as they take on all demons. But this book is definitely setup to the final book of the trilogy, and you won't find nearly the same number of mythological set pieces that made up SHADOW.  This is still a series I very much enjoy and I look forward to the final book, but I do miss the much more overt anime feel of book one.

Julie Kagawa creates a stunning, rich environment that I love spending time in. I ate up Shadow of the Fox last year, and I felt so lucky to get a pre-release of this sequel. The beautiful world continued with the heartbreaking consequences at the end of the first.

We rejoin Yumeko and her rag-tag group of companions as they try and complete her mission to get the Dragon Scroll to the safety of the Steel Feather Temple, but she cannot bear to leave Kage Tatsumi trapped in the demon sword, Kamigoroshi. Wielded and trapped by Hakaimono, who has some serious revenge on his mind after being trapped by the Kage for so long.

Its brutal and it hurts me, but I loved every minute of it. I did think it took a little while moving forward, especially the time with Yukemo and crew. I feel like they were moving through sand to get on their way and Hakaimono was just cruising all over the country.

I cannot wait for the third novel after this trilling ending. I need more!

4 stars for me.

**2.5/3 Stars**

This may be one of the hardest reviews I've had to write in a long while. With how much I fell for and adored Shadow of the Fox, I can't help but think my expectations were incredibly high for its successor—with good reason. What was so intriguing and fascinating in that first novel was the connection between Yumeko and Tatsumi; their antagonistic relationship developing slowly with tension and unwanted attraction that made it impossible to put down. That and its great Japanese lore were what made it stand above so many other fantasy novels that have been written lately. But unfortunately, this second installment held little pull, often feeling very slow and lacking what made the first one so special. Because of the nature of this part of the story, the tension and build between the two main characters was so sorely missing and I believe that was what killed a lot of what kept me dialed in in the first place. There was still growth in varying aspects on both sides of the story and I still enjoyed Yumeko's storyline, but there was no excitement or action or draw to keep me turning pages for what may come in the future.

I'm incredibly torn and sad that Soul of the Sword didn't live up to my expectations, but I have hope that Kagawa could turn it around in the next installment.

Okay that's it. I'm calling it now Ms. Kagawa is the queen. I have never met an author who is so diverse in their stories. I swear anyone anywhere will find a series she has written and love it.
Soul of the Sword takes place after the repercussions of the battle in the previous book in the series. With Yumeko and what is left of Co. heading to the temple of feathers to obtain the other part of the scroll. I will say the action was much more intense and detailed in Soul of the Sword than Shadow of the Fox. And the plot really moved along I found it didn't have many lagging moments. I also really liked Yumeko I found she grew as a character. I do wish some of the side characters got more fleshed out as you usually see in sequels but I found they didn't here. And the romance for some of the characters we see progress and some we kind of see come out of nowhere and we don't even see it progress from their POV and I'm wondering if that's why it felt like it did just seem all of a sudden they were a couple. I cannot iterate enough how much I love Ms. Kagawas detail to descriptions and worldbuilding. I feel Shadow of the FOs series is an excellent example its almost as if your watching a movie it is that good.

overall Soul of the Sword is an excellent sequel and I cannot wait what's in store for the next installment. (spoiler) I mean were kind of left in a situation where I wasn't expecting the story to just end.

Thanks to NetGalley for the copy for review. The author is so highly skilled at world building. I had to read the first book to review this one and the evolution in the world was phenomenal. The prose was good, and it was dark and gritty in a wonderful way. I had a hard time progressing with the plot just because it was so slow. It might have just not been the right day for me to read this, but the character growth in this one didn't seem as good as the first book. Overall I enjoyed it, it just was a slower read for me.

**Disclaimer: I was given a free e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. There are spoilers ahead if you have not read the first book in this series, Shadow of the Fox.**

Title Soul of the Sword (Shadow of the Fox #2)

Author Julie Kagawa

Description

One thousand years ago, a wish was made and a sword of rage and lightning was forged. Kamigoroshi. The Godslayer. A weapon powerful enough to seal away the formidable demon Hakaimono.

Now he has broken free.

Kitsune shapeshifter Yumeko has one task: to take her piece of the ancient and powerful Scroll of a Thousand Prayers to the Steel Feather temple in order to prevent the summoning of the Harbinger of Change, the great Kami Dragon who will grant one wish to whomever holds the scroll. But she has a new enemy now, more dangerous than any she has yet faced. The demon Hakaimono is free at last, and he has possessed the very person Yumeko trusted to protect her from the evil at her heels, Kage Tatsumi of the Shadow Clan.

Hakaimono has only one goal: to break the curse of the sword and set himself free to rain chaos and destruction over the land forevermore. To do so, he will need the scroll. And Yumeko is the only one standing in his way.

Initial Thoughts

I was so excited to read this book. I preordered it basically the minute I finished Shadow of the Fox because I loved the story so much. And, since that book ended on a cliffhanger, I was pretty desperate to see where Julie Kagawa was going to take the story.

Luckily, I was chosen on NetGalley a few weeks before this book was published so I started before my physical copy arrived at my house.

Writing Style

I love the alternating POV style that Julie Kagawa uses for this series. In Shadow of the Fox, the main narrators were Yumeko and Tatsumi. So, I like the change of pace for Soul of the Sword. In this book, we have more chapters told from random POVs from minor characters as well as Hakaimono’s viewpoint has replaced Tatsumi’s as the second main POV.

Some Things I Liked

The scene with the discussion about epic poems — I love how profound the characters are. They think about such interesting things. I loved the scene where they discuss the epic-ness of the poems that will be written about them if the succeed or fail.
Hakaimono — he really grew on me. Yes, I know, he’s a murderous monster. But, I like his character. He’s comic relief in many scenes and his bratty attitude is hilarious. I also think, despite what he wants to admit, he doesn’t want anything to happen to Tatsumi. He’s my Darth Vader in this series.
Dreamwalking — I loved the dream walking scenes. There are so many subtle hints and clues hidden during those scenes and I thought they were fantastically done.
Daisuke and Okame — I feel like I don’t need to go on. Their relationship is perfect and I love how they think nobody knows. Also, I love that Yumeko actually doesn’t know.
Something I Wasn’t Crazy About

This is entirely a personal preference, but, the slow burn between Tatsumi and Yumeko is too much! Just admit you like each other already! It pains me to watch them tiptoe around the subject so much.
Final Thoughts

This book had a slow start for me (it took me almost 2 weeks to finish the first part while I read the other two in one day). But, overall, I love the direction the story took. There is a nice sense of conclusion in both Shadow of the Fox and Soul of the Sword that leaves you satisfied that this leg of the journey is over. I am very excited to read the final installment coming out in March 2020, Night of the Dragon.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Hopes for Night of the Dragon

An “admit your feelings” conversation between Tatsumi and Yumeko — that’s like #1 for me.

More about Seigetsu and Suki — what’s his endgame? I need to know more. SPOILER ALERT, I think he might be the white fox. Something about the way the last chapter said he “reached for his blue ball of light and it wasn’t there” made me think of how the white fox gave his blue light ball of power to Yumeko. Now, bear in mind, I could be totally off base here. But, I think Seigetsu is more than he seems at the very least.

A happy ending for Reika. She deserves it. She’s all alone now and everyone else has someone. I hope we get a new character for her to pal around with.

Night of the Dragon will be released on April 7, 2020

Recommendations for Further Reading

Empress of All Seasons by Emiko Jean – this is another Japanese inspired story of romance, oni, and yokai. If you like one, you will defintely like the other.
Talon, Rogue, Soldier, Legion, and Inferno by Julie Kagawa – I love Julie Kagawa’s writing style (and dragons) so if you do too, check out the 5 book Talon Series.
Smoke and Key by Kelsey Sutton – this one is not dragons or Asian inspired, but it captures themes of supernatural elements and ghosts and has been one of my favorite reads of 2019 so far so give this one a chance if you like supernatural books.

I love the first book, and I loved this book as well. This book did feel a bit shorter than the first, but I guess that’s good because I read it quickly and was left wanting more. There is no way for me to really talk about what I liked about this book without revealing spoilers. So I’ll just say the twists, turns, reveals, and new beings were a joy to read. I will say that I am so glad this is as much a story about friends who become family as much as it a love story. I’m also glad that Tatsumi isn’t a jerk, and his aloof behavior was for very good reasons but he never treats Yumeko like trash (which is a problem in YA). I enjoyed learning more about Tatsumi and that ending was one I did not see coming. The third book cannot come fast enough.

I love all of Kagawa's books!

She has an amazing ability to bring her fantasy worlds and characters to life, they are always a breath of fresh air. She makes sure you are fully immersed in her stories, making them feel all too real.

I was highly anticipating Soul of the Sword. I am am happy to report it did not fail any of my expectations!

There was more action, danger, and tension this round. The plot was engaging and fast-paced, it was impossible not to be bored.

Overall, I enjoyed seeing Yumeko and Hakaimono again. I loved that this was a bit darker than the first book and I can't wait to see what comes next.

I loved this. I thoroughly enjoyed Shadow of the Fox, and this one felt like it flowed better and kept my attention more. It could alternately be titled "Things Do Not Go According To Plan" and was a lot of fun to read. The love story from the first book gets little attention here (beyond Yumeko realizing her feelings), as Tatsumi has been possessed by the demon Hakaimono and spends the book working against Yumeko and friends. However, there is a secondary love story that gets a lot of time in this one that I really loved. I can't wait for the third book!

This was a pretty solid sequel although I didn’t love it as much as the first one. It has left a solid foundation for the third book. I enjoyed the character development of the side characters and th expansion of the magic system.

DNF at 30%, no formal review will be posted to my blog due to completion status.

The Story-
Like the first book, the pacing and plot give me Inuyasha vibes. Solely from the band of misfit characters that they seem to pick up on the way, to the succumbing evil to one of our heroes, to the item that all these people and demons are after for more power. But the pacing was just so boring. I thought I would like Hakaimono's chapters, but they didn't seem to really add much to the story, except show that Tatsumi was somewhere in there. It just got to the point that I just really didn't care anymore about what was happening. There would be some travel and then blam a demon or kami would pop out to attack. Over and over again. It just got old.


The World Building
One of the things I do really like about these books was the fantastic imagery that Kagawa uses. Throughout the adventure of the characters we are given this really dark vibe between traveling through the land of the dead and creepy forests that hunger for humans. Not only that but she seems to be taking every single bit of Japanese folklore and folding it into the story. She does a great job of helping the reader visualize what is happening and what the characters are seeing or experiencing.

Im still going to rate this high because I know a lot of people like this series. But im still having a hard time getting into it. I still can't pronounce a lot of these words. Nothing is happening still. It just seems like a lot of filler.

A gruesome epic steeped in Japanese lore that leaves you eager to see how the story will unfold. Kagawa creates an intricate and imaginative world that immerses readers in action, adventure and the bonds forged by the trails Yumeko and her companions face in their quest to keep the Dragon scroll safe.

I read the first book in this series last year and I remember thinking that although it was slow, the ending made me excited to read the second one. I can say my thought are almost the exact same for this one. Soul of the Sword picks up immediately after the first book ends, with Tatsumi possessed by the demon in the sword, Hakaimono and who is know trying to obtain all of the scrolls to obtain the Dragon's Wish. Yumeko and crew are also making their way to the Steel Feather Temple in order to protect the scrolls and prevent someone from making the Dragon's wish.

My main criticism of this book lies in the first half of the novel, especially in Yumeko's perspective. This book spent a lot of time in the same area, where the characters did not accomplish a lot of things and the plot seemed to stand still for the first 40% of the book. There was a lot of repetition, where characters were say over and over and over what the plan was, to only do so again a few pages later. I thought the first book was slow, but I personally found that this one took a long time to really get going. There were some exciting battle scenes towards the end, and again the ending was exciting enough to make me want to see what happens in the last book in the series.

I still really enjoy the characters in this book. I still don't particularly love Yumeko, but the side characters in this series are all really interesting and I am glad that we learned more about them in this novel. I understand why Tatsumi was not around in this book, but I found myself really missing his presence in this book. I really did want to see more of Okame and Daisuke as well, but I am hoping to see them more in our final installment.

Overall, I think the premise of this book and series is interesting, but I have struggled with the pacing of the series.

I have voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this title given to me via NetGalley. Soul of the Sword is the second book in the Shadow of the Fox series and it was so good. I loved getting to enter this world and meet these wonderful characters. I just fell in love with this story and these characters and I am so excited to see what this author writes next.

Julie Kagawa never fails to surprise me! I was completely blown away by the events that unfold in Soul of the Sword, and was disappointed when the story reached its conclusion. Thankfully, there's going to be a third book! I cannot wait to see how this new group dynamic is going to work, and which souls will be triumphant in the end. ;)

I've had a feeling about Seigetsu from the beginning, and while nothing was confirmed, I do think my suspicions were correct. However, he's still an enigma, and I'm excited to see what his role is in all of this. He's clearly had a hand in everything that's happened, although we don't know why he's so invested in the events of this story. I enjoyed his companion, Taka, and would love to know more about how that partnership/friendship started.

There are so many wonderful characters in this book! I've really enjoyed learning more about each of them, and seeing how their relationships have developed over time. They've all grown close as a group and as friends, but love is in the air... and it's an amazing, heartwarming romance. I swooned underneath that tree with them, and really wish Yumeko had stuck around longer! Haha!

I'm sad Tatsumi didn't have a larger role in Soul of the Sword (for obvious reasons if you've read the first book), but did enjoy learning more about his past and how he became the Kage demonslayer. His upbringing had been rigorous and challenging before being chosen to weild Kamigoroshi. Once he was selected for that...ugh. It was interesting to see what aspects of himself he'd chosen to lock away, and to understand how hard it had been for him to keep Hakaimono under control.

I adore Yumeko and her inability to understand most metaphors. She's determined and fiercely protective of her friends. She wouldn't risk their lives for anything, and frequently puts herself in danger to lend a helping hand. Reika is a maternal presence, and you can tell she really cares for the kitsune and the rest of their group. Chu is amazing even though he doesn't speak, and resembles a dog most of the time. Okame is hilarious and adds humor to the story. Everyone else is pretty serious, but he chooses to be obstinate on principal, even at the expense of others. However, he's a loyal friend that frequently puts himself down because he doesn't think he's worth very much. Daisuke is our noble, although he never acts like he's better than anyone else. He sees everyone as equals and looks forward to testing his skills against demons and humans alike. He wants to die with honor, which means on his feet and in the throes of battle (despite that being what he wants, I'd like for him to stay alive indefinitely).

Julie shows us more of the world she's created, and Iwagoto is a beautifully vivid and complex place. There are multiple clans and territories, but we've only traversed a few of them as the characters try to reach the Steel Feather Temple. The Shadow Clan's castle was both unique and fascinating, although I wish they'd encountered more issues within its walls during their visit (it's supposed to be impossible to navigate, but they didn't seem to have too much trouble). I hope we get to experience more of this world in the next book, although I'm worried the group is going to be too distracted to enjoy their surroundings.

I really liked the relationship between Tatsumi and Hakaimono. They're enemies, but it's so much more complicated than that. I can't really say more without spoiling what happens in this book, but I'm really curious about their situation and how it's going to play out. There are so many moving parts in this story! I have no idea how the author manages to keep track of all the different pieces. I briefly felt bad for Hakaimono, it was really a flicker of fear on his behalf, because the Oni has been suffering for centuries. It takes skill to make me feel concern for something that is wholly evil.

Suki has been with us from the beginning, although her story has been mostly sad. I'm not sure what happened to her at the end of this book, but I have a feeling she still has a role to play in the outcome of this story.

Shadow of the Fox was one of my favorite reads last year, and Soul of the Sword is already one of the best books I've read this year. Julie Kagawa is truly an artist, and she paints a rich and vibrant world with authentic and endearing characters. I want all of them to get a happy ending when this is over, but I don't know if Kagawa will be so kind...

Shadow of the Fox (the first book in this series) was a surprise hit for me when I read it last year. I really enjoyed reading about all the characters and their travels during their quest. It hit all the teen fantasy points for me in a good way.

This book was a disappointment in comparison to the first book in the series. There were points in the story that felt forced and too easily solvable. There is a cliched love story, a helpful spirit guide, and a creepy stalker lord/magician/something that I'm still not sure of his part.

I did enjoy the end of the book, and I did enjoy some of the inner conflict of some of the characters. I also enjoyed the chapters that were told from the demon's POV (I like reading about the 'bad guys'), and the hints of Japanese lore that were prevalent throughout the entire book.

I will still pick up book 3 when it is published, as I hope this book just suffers from the dreaded middle book syndrome,

Thank you to netgalley for the free e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Soul of the Sword is exactly how the title reads. The story delves into the relationship between the Demonslayer and Hakaimono. We see a different side to these characters. The only problem is…I’m not sure that I like it.

One thing I wish the novel had more of was the supporting characters. Shadow of the Fox left me wanting to know each and every one of their stories. I was just left hanging on some of them.

Soul of the Sword is the picture of loyalty, love, and justice. Some parts even took me for a spin and the next installment is sure to bring some more!

Thank you to Harlequin Teen Inkyard Press and NetGalley for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. I definitely enjoyed Soul of the Sword more than Shadow of The Fox. I felt like the characters grew more and I felt more emotions from them than I did in the previous book. I also really enjoyed the different point of views and the gory details the author gave! What horrid but awesome imagery! There was a lot of action scenes in this book that I enjoyed. I also enjoyed all of the folklore incorporated in this book. Sometimes all the terminology was a lot to try and keep up with and felt overwhelming. This was overall a good read I would definitely recommend to readers who enjoy Asian inspired fantasy and vividly descriptive gruesome scenes!