Shadow of The Fox
Author: Julie Kagawa
Series: Shadow of the Fox #1
Genre: Fantasy, YA
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
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One thousand years ago, the great Kami Dragon was summoned to grant a single terrible wish— and the land of Iwagoto was plunged into an age of darkness and chaos. Now, for whoever holds the Scroll of a Thousand Prayers, a new wish will be granted. A new age is about to dawn. Raised by monks in the isolated Silent Winds temple, Yumeko has trained all her life to hide her yokai nature. Half kitsune, half human, her skill with illusion is matched only by her penchant for mischief. Until the day her home is burned to the ground, her adoptive family is brutally slain and she is forced to flee for her life with the temple’s greatest treasure—one part of the ancient scroll. There are many who would claim the dragon’s wish for their own. Kage Tatsumi, a mysterious samurai of the Shadow Clan, is one such hunter, under orders to retrieve the scroll…at any cost. Fate brings Kage and Yumeko together. With a promise to lead him to the scroll, an uneasy alliance is formed, offering Yumeko her best hope for survival. But he seeks what she has hidden away, and her deception could ultimately tear them both apart. With an army of demons at her heels and the unlikeliest of allies at her side, Yumeko’s secrets are more than a matter of life or death. They are the key to the fate of the world itself.
my review
I received a free copy for an honest review. This book was at no means bad, but it was definitely a disappointing experience for me because ultimately, neither the storyline nor the romance was interested enough to truly keep me going with the book. Maybe it was because my expectations were too high? I mean, I did enjoy Kagawa's Iron Fey series (only after giving it a second chance) though, so I guess...I don't know, I think the thing that killed this book for me was I didn't get exactly (or close) to what I was expecting. But I also really, really hate Yumeko. I don't dislike her anymore, I truly hate her. She is the most annoying character I have ever seen. I'm happy to say that she is not completely brainless, but her constant questions, annoying curiosity and just infuriating stupidity in certain situations ticked me off so much... If I were Tatsumi I would've just left her to die to be honest. And when I say that about the main character and about a ship...yeah, it kind of gives you an idea of my opinion with this book. I don't think I'll cute Kagawa out of my life completely just because of this book, but my experience with this book now definitely makes me a little bit more wary of her work.
about the author
Julie Kagawa is the New York Times, USA TODAY, and internationally bestselling author of the Iron Fey and Blood of Eden series. Her debut novel, THE IRON KING, appeared on the YALSA Teens’ Top Ten List and won the RITA Award for Young Adult Romance. Born in Sacramento, she has been a bookseller and an animal trainer, and enjoys reading, painting, playing in her garden and training in martial arts. She lives near Louisville, Kentucky, with her husband and a plethora of pets. Visit her at www.JulieKagawa.com or follow her on Twitter: @JKagawa.
