Author: Julie Kagawa
ISBN: 9781489267368
RRP: $19.99
Publication Date: 24 September 2018
Publisher: HQ Young Adult
Copy: Courtesy of the Publisher
Julie Kagawa is a prolific bestselling Young Adult author who has penned some amazing worlds, I have long wanted to check out her work but there just isn’t enough hours in my day.
Shadow of the Fox is the first book in a brand new fantasy series for young adults and I am excited to be sharing it with members of the Beauty and Lace Club.
Japanese mythology and intense imagination combine to create a captivating new world of shapeshifters, samurai, legends, demons and humans. A lushly drawn world to be drawn into.
Once every thousand years one age ends as another age dawns. Whoever holds the Scroll of a Thousand Prayers has the power to call the great Kami Dragon from the sea and ask for one wish.
The time draws near and all the pieces of the scroll will be searched for throughout the land of Iwagoto.
A humble peasant girl holds the first piece, and a dangerous secret.
The temple Yumeko was raised in has been burned to the ground by demons, killing everyone within. Yumeko lost the master who trained her but managed to escape with one part of the ancient scroll.
Fate sees her cross paths with Kage Tatsumi of the Shadow Clan, a mysterious samurai looking for what she has and under orders to destroy anything (or anyone) who stands in his way.
Shadow of the Fox sounds like an action-packed adventure that will keep readers turning pages long into the night. I can’t wait to find the time to pick it up and I hope our readers love it.
You can follow Julie Kagawa on Facebook, Twitter and her Website.
Shadow of the Fox is published by HQ Young Adult and is available now from Angus & Robertson, Bookworld and where all good books are sold.
Thanks to HQ Young Adult 10 of our Beauty and Lace Club members are reading Shadow of the Fox this month and you can read what they think in the comments below. Please be aware there may be spoilers.
I devour books, vampires and supernatural creatures are my genre of choice but over the past couple of years, I have broadened my horizons considerably. In a nutshell – I love to write! I love interacting with a diverse range of artists to bring you interviews. Perhaps we were perfect before – I LOVE WORDS!
another amazing story by Julie.
A long time reader she never disappoints!
A great story with Lust and adventure from the moment you open the first page!
Travelling to find a missing temple with many hurdles along the way with all the magical creatures Julie creates!
Also a great lesson of friendship and diversity mixed in!
CANNOT wait for book 2!
Shadow of the Fox is magical quest. I enjoyed discovering new creatures and the way they adapt and survive as they conquer the road ahead. The characters learn control tolerance, good lessons .
I enjoyed the face-paced quest described by author, Julie Kagawa in Shadow of the Fox. As an adult reading an young adult novel I found that the plot, theme and characters certainly kept me interested and wanting to read more. My only criticism was that at the conclusion I was disappointed as I felt that this part of the character’s journey was not completed and I found that I would not probably recommend reading as a stand-alone book because you will be eagerly anticipating the sequel. Thank you to Beauty and Lace Book club, HQ Young Adult and Julie Kagawa for the opportunity to review Shadow of the Fox.
Thank you for the opportunity to read a Julie Kagawa book and if you’re a fan of Japanese mythology and fantasy, then you will surely enjoy this book. I have to admit, the first few chapters were my favourite, and I enjoyed the character Yumeko, but it did get a bit long-winded during the middle. As with all Japanese stories, I loved the lessons woven in, and particularly the choices we make and the moral dilemmas that were faced throughout. The characters were fascinating and especially their points of view.
The biggest thing I found with this book, is that it is about the journey, not so much the destination/ending, but it is one book out of a trilogy. I think the YA would thoroughly enjoy reading this book if they’re fans of Japanese folklore and don’t mind having to get through a few early chapters to get going.
Thanks again for the opportunity to review a unique YA book.
Shadow of the fox is A magical journey of Japanese mythology, Julie has an amazing creative mind. They go on a journey to find a temple and meet many challenges and lessons along the way.
As this is a book for teenagers it was at some points a little young for me but it has some great lessons and morals for the young I would definitely recommend for the age group of young adult.
Thanks for the opportunity beauty and lace for reading shadow of the fox.
So I’m a longtime reader of Julie Kagawa’s since the Iron Fey series first came out so it was great to get an opportunity to read her latest book.
Shadow of the Fox is a story filled with Japanese mythology and culture that made me reconnect with Japan. It is the tale of our two main characters Yumeko and Kage Tatsumi who in unusual circumstances end up teeming up on a quest involving a powerful scroll. One of them has been sent to take it and the other one has been tasked with protecting it. I enjoyed this novel although at times I did find it hard to follow the story and other sections felt a little dragged out. It is the perfect novel for anyone who enjoys reading fantasy YA novel and is prepared to wait for all the books in this trilogy to be released before finding out how the story ends. Thanks to Beauty and Lace and HQ Young Adult for the opportunity to read this book.
WOW! What a book! Cannot wait until the next one : )
An fast paced adventure with it all, demons, magic, loss, sorrow, redemption, secrets and maybe a little budding romance.
Yumeko, a young Kitsune (if you’ve seen teen wolf, you’ll know) on a journey to find the missing pieces of an ancient scroll and to stop an evil that could destroy the world. A young Samurai joins her journey whose task it is to find the scroll at any cost, will he be friend or for…or both? Others join along the way as they travel through the land of Iwagoto and form a unlikely band with unique skills and secrets.
It ended too quickly for my liking, looking forward to the next book in the series. Thank you beauty and lace and Julie Kagawa, I have found a new Author to add to my extensive book collection!
This book was so much fun to read as a lover of all things Japanese I just loved it! A fantastic adventure a quest with lots of challenges and friends to meet along the way. My son recently visited Japan and I’ve passed shadow of the fox on to him and now he can’t put it down either. Highly recommended
SHADOW OF THE FOX
This is in the fantasy realm but it has a heavy Japanese mythology slant. At first I wasn’t a fan but I have to admit that by the end of the book I was identifying with the characters and invested in them winning out over evil. I will definitely be buying the sequel because the author, Julie Kagawa, has made her characters appealing (or hateful depending on their role) and her plot leaves one wanting to know what happens next.
Part One introduces the different major protagonists in separate scenarios. There is ‘Daisuke’ who is a minor member of the royal family and expert in Samurai skills. Yumeko is a ‘kitsune’ half breed, a half human, half fox shapeshifter. She was left at and brought up in a remote temple as a baby, where she is taught to master her ‘non-human’ abilities. Tatsumi is a samarai of the Shadow Clan, chosen to carry and use the demon sword ‘Kamigoroshi’ and eliminate demons and other supernatural enemies of the Clan.
Part 2 is where the different characters begin to interact together and with and against other characters that make the story whole. Part 3 brings them through trials and adversity to success but only in the first part of their quest, the story continues in the sequel.
The basic story line is that it is the end of a millennium and parts of a scroll need to be found and united to enable the holder to call the great Kami Dragon from the sea and to ask for any one wish. Obviously different factions wish to have the power so send their protagonists to acquire the pieces. Yumeko has been entrusted with one piece, after the monastery that she grew up in is burned by demons and all the priests are killed, with instructions to take it to a remote monastery for safekeeping. Tatsumi had also been sent to the monastery to acquire the scroll piece for his clan but found it burning and Yumeko running for her life. Without admitting that she had a scroll piece and by bending the truth, Yumeko manages to persuade Tatsumi to join her in going to the Capital to get directions for the monastery that she needs to go to. Daisuke also joins their party along the way (I won’t spoil the surprise of their initial meeting) along with more characters as they finally reach the capital. Some of the evil is vanquished and the next step is enabled but that is where the story ends for the moment. Bring on the sequel!