Soul of the Sword (Shadow of the Fox Book 2)

Julie Kagawa returns to the Shadow of the Fox trilogy with Soul of the Sword as Yumeko’s journey to deliver the final piece of the Dragon’s Prayer to the temple where it can be kept safe from demons and other evil entities that are wanting to call forth the dragon for the wish. Except now Yumeko has a new mission, one that will take her slightly off course and that is to save Tatsumi from the demon that once possessed his sword, Hakaimono, who is now possessing him.Wow. Firstly, it’s been a very long time since I read Shadow of the Fox and even with my notes, it was hard to really remember everything that happened. But the general gist of the story remained clear to me. I feel like what’s so challenging about this series are all the names and vocabulary. I am not familiar with Japanese culture so a lot of the names and the words that came after names confused me. Of course after I finished reading I discovered there was a glossary in the back, so note to self, next time read the real book instead of the ebook!We do still get the multiple points of view in this one and what was really interesting was getting Hakaimono’s point of view since he’s technically our villain. We get glimpses of poor Tatsumi, but those chapters were fleeting.There was still a decent amount of action in this book as the demons are all over the place and all are gunning to find the pieces of the prayer meant to call forth the Dragon. Time is of the essence since the time to recite the prayers is drawing closer and closer.Again, I will admit, that despite adoring Julie’s books, this one was tough for me. A lot had to do with the vocabulary that was unfamiliar to me and not knowing there was a glossary in back—cursed be the ebook—I think if I had known it was there and how to easily access that with the kindle, I might have done a lot better in reading comprehension with this one. But alas, you live and learn…then get the real book! Lol.I still enjoyed this one despite the struggles I had. I really enjoyed the characters. Julie is phenomenal when it comes to characters. I feel like there’s a little bit of Puck in Okame and maybe even a little bit of Ash in Tatsumi. That’s just my impression of course; it’s int eh little things that they do and their mannerisms. Okame is a riot! I love that dude! These characters continued to grow and develop along their journey and I was taken by surprise more than once with them. I’ll be eager to see what challenges they will face in the final stage of this series.All in all, despite my own struggles with Soul of the Sword, it was still a pretty enjoyable one. I think next time I will be sure to wait for the final copy to come out so that way, I can easily refer to the glossary in back and ease the confusing parts that occasionally pop up. I am also eager to see what will happen after that earth-shattering conclusion! Let it be said that Julie knows how to delight and agonize her readers!Overall Rating 3.5/5 stars

In Soul of the Sword, the second book in the Shadow of the Fox series, Kagawa continues the atmospheric story of Yumeko and Kage Tatsumi with a new journey filled with adventure, action, and ALL THE FEELS!I absolutely loved the first book in the series, Shadow of the Fox, but Soul of the Sword dialed my love up for this series up to 11. Steeped in Japanese mythology, Soul of the Sword manages to balance tortured emotions, whimsy, humor, and some seriously creepy moments. The threads of the story weave together into an explosive finale that left me begging for the next book! Soul of the Sword is not only one of my favorite books of 2019, but one of my favorite sequels of all time.

This was a great sequel to Shadow of the Fox. At times Yumeko’s naivety can feel grating, Reika’s temper overdone, Okame’s insecurities too profound, Daisuke’s honor too hyped up, but these are all things that make these characters so distinguishable. I really, really loved the storyline between Hakaimono/Tatsumi and I can’t wait to see what book 3 brings about for these two. I really want to know what shogi game Seigetsu is playing, and with whom, and what the stakes are. Will Suki ever move on? Will poor Taka ever be told he’s handsome? Without giving anything away, this book was a great read. I usually find myself getting about 40% in and then speed reading, skipping over chapters, but I read every single word of this book, and honestly, I haven’t enjoyed a story that much in a while, though I will say there seemed to be a lot of talking and considering and planning and less action that I prefer, at least until the end, and then it all blew up and was amazing. I hope we don’t have to wait forever for the conclusion!! Overall, I’m satisfied. I love the story, the characters, the Japanese influences, and the mystery of it all. It’s generally really hard to find good, Asian-inspired fantasy, but this does it justice.

Well written. I enjoyed the first one so much that I was going crazy waiting on the second (this one). Now I'm counting tune days till the third is out.I just devoured this book in one evening sitting. Not because it's short, because it's not, but because I couldn't put it down to sleep. I was exhausted at work, but worth it!The characters are engaging, the story is dynamic, the descriptions are just the right amount of information without becoming overbearing like some books. I could visualize easily without being taken out if the story flow.This had a great balance of emotional response, action, world building, and humor. You won't regret the money or time spent reading.

I loved the first book and I adore the second one! The author wasted no time hopping right back into the action here. We are thrust right back in with Yumeko and the others as they continue their journey to the Steel Feather temple. We get to meet some tengu (my favorite yokai) and Tatsumi...well, I won't spoil it but you are NOT going to believe the ending! The third book comes out later 2020 so I'm trying to (patiently) wait while also keeping my fingers crossed for an ARC of the third book!

This series is fast becoming one of my favorites. The plot in this one took off from the first and just got better and better. It was so hard to put this book down because I was always so excited to see what came next. The characters are so well done and they all have their own personal stories. Plus hello to a queer romance that I was so happy to see. I even started to like Yumeko and Tatsumi's relationship more than I did in the first book. There is a pretty intense level of violence in this book but it never came off as gratuitous. There is so much that I am looking forward to in the final book.

Second volume in a young adult fantasy series called 'Shadow of the Fox.' Book one in the series was called 'Shadow of the Fox.' This volume isn't a good jumping on point, so new readers start with book one.Regular ones, read on.This one runs for four hundred and twenty five pages. It has three parts. It's further divided into twenty nine chapters and an epilogue.There's a map of the setting at the start. And a glossary at the end.It is most definitely not the end of the story, thus lots is still up in the air when this finishes.Recommended reading age would be fourteen and up, thanks to some occasionally dark moments and violence, one mild adult moment, and some detailed prose at times.Following the end of book one, Yumeko's quest has been thrown into turmoil by Tatsumi being possessed. The demon in control of the latter has his own agenda, and just needs one thing for it. But Yumeko and her allies battle on..It was a while since I read book one of this series, but it was very easy to get back into and I was up and running in no time. This is a very good and decent second volume. It alternates the viewpoint between Yumeko and not Tatsumi, but rather Hakaimono. This is an interesting approach that works well, as the latter become a very solid creation. There are occasional chapters with another viewpoint character also, and those are nicely done and an interestingly different perspective.The fantasy oriental style setting really does come to life. The prose can be a bit involved due to this, and there are some very long paragraphs, so you do need to keep your focus on this one. But even so, it's a compelling setting and style throughout.It does manage to avoid the usual traps of second books in trilogies by doing what it does at the end. Rather than just set up to be wrapped up in book three, it escalates matters in a gripping finale that forces hard choices on all the characters. And will make you eager to see what results.Good fantasy in a very good setting, and a very good continuation of this series. I look forward to reading the third and final book.

The second book in the Shadow of the Fox trilogy finds Yumeko desperately trying to save Tatsumi from being possessed by Haikimono , the demon, whilst protecting the scroll that will summon the dragon granting a wish, along with her companions. That is the essence of the story and I will say no more than that about the plot , other than its a brilliant read. No spoilers , discover it for yourself.This book has everything; magic, Japanese myth and culture,threat, violence, romance and even a hint of homosexual love . I do think you need to read the first book though as the Japanese names and terms can be a bit confusing and it helps to know how / why the characters are in this situation.Another reviewer commented that it was largely taken up with the journey which it was but not to the detriment of the story. Following the groups journey allows us to see how Yumeko grows both in herself and her magic and the bonds that develop amongst her companions.The ending was particularly well written and had me unable to put the book down until I'd finished it. Fantastic piece of writing from Miss Kagawara, far superior to her Talon series.I absolutely loved this book and already have the final story on pre-order and can't wait to read it. My only concern is, can she top this one?

I found this to be as refreshing and compelling to read as the first book in the series.The story starts more or less where the last one finished, but now you get to experience the world from Hakimono's point of view following his possession of Tatsumi, which is certainly an interesting perspective, he is also a very engaging character, even if he is a bloodthirsty demon out for revenge.The existing characters personalities are further refined, with some interesting developments and all the new ones are engaging in their own ways, which given that quite a number are not human, is no mean feat.This is also a fascinating and educational insight into Japanese mythology as a whole slew of creatures are introduced, combined with a fast-paced story, which gets quite gory in places, with very well described scenes of magic and mayhem, makes it a very enjoyable, gripping and exciting read.

My thanks to HQ Young Adult for an eARC via NetGalley of Julie Kagawa’s ‘Soul of the Sword’ in exchange for an honest review. It was published in June 2019 and I subsequently bought its ebook and audiobook combination.This is the second in her ‘Shadow of the Fox’ series and it follows on from the events in the first book, ‘Shadow of the Fox’. I read it in October 2018 and fell completely in love with Yumeko, the half-kitsune, and her companions.I won’t say anything about the plot so to avoid spoilers for new readers of the series. Just to say that it more than fulfilled my hopes for the next stage of their journey with plenty of action and surprises.It’s a beautifully written fantasy focused on Japanese mythology and folklore and I highly recommend it and the series. I will be counting the days until the release of the next book currently scheduled for the spring of 2020.

Having absolutely loved Shadow of the Fox, I was eager to jump into Soul of the Sword. More adventures brimming with Japanese folklore, perfect for fans of Inuyasha, definitely did not disappoint