#BlogTour Night of the Dragon by Julie Kagawa

It’s an absolute pleasure to take part in the BlogTour for the last part of the Shadow of the Fox series, Night of the Dragon by Julie Kagawa.

About the Author

Julie Kagawa, the New York Times bestselling author of the Iron Fey, Blood of Eden, Talon, and Shadow of the Fox series was born in Sacramento, California. But nothing exciting really happened to her there. So, at the age of nine she and her family moved to Hawaii, which she soon discovered was inhabited by large carnivorous insects, colonies of house geckos, and frequent hurricanes. She spent much of her time in the ocean, when she wasn’t getting chased out of it by reef sharks, jellyfish, and the odd eel.

When not swimming for her life, Julie immersed herself in books, often to the chagrin of her schoolteachers, who would find she hid novels behind her Math textbooks during class. Her love of reading led her to pen some very dark and gruesome stories, complete with colored illustrations, to shock her hapless teachers. The gory tales faded with time, but the passion for writing remained, long after she graduated and was supposed to get a real job.

To pay the rent, Julie worked in different bookstores over the years, but discovered the managers frowned upon her reading the books she was supposed to be shelving. So she turned to her other passion: training animals. She worked as a professional dogtrainer for several years, dodging Chihuahua bites and overly enthusiastic Labradors, until her first book sold and she stopped training to write full time.

Julie now lives in North Carolina with her husband, two obnoxious cats, and a pair of Australian Shepherds that have more Instagram followers than she does.

Follow @Jkagawa on Twitter, on Goodreads, on Amazon, Visit juliekagawa.com, Buy Night of the Dragon

About the book

All is lost – In a desperate last-chance attempt to stop the Master of Demons from calling upon the Great Kami dragon and making the wish that will plunge the empire into darkness and destruction – Yumeko and her ragtag band of companions must journey to the wild cliffs of Iwagoto.

But even with their combined skills and powers, this most unlikely team of heroes knows the forces of evil may be impossible to overcome.

And now there is another layer in the battle, a player who has been watching and waiting for the right moment, that no one even realised existed…until now.

As darkness rises and chaos reigns, a fierce kitsune and her shadowy protector must face down the greatest evil of all in the epic conclusion to the Shadow of the Fox trilogy.

Review

This is by far the best series of books Kagawa has ever written. The last few chapters are simply superb and bring this absolutely riveting story to a stunning conclusion.

Although this is YA fantasy it is as intricate and as complex as the majority of high fantasy I have read. When it comes to fantasy I think there should be an extra sub-genre for the more complex body of work that comes under the young adult category.

This book begins where Soul of the Sword left off, the dragon scrolls in the hands of the Master of Demons, who is on his way to set everything in motion to receive the Wish, with destruction and death left in his wake.

Yumeko, the kitsune, has helped Kage Tatsumi regain a decent level of control of his body, despite the demon Hakaimono living inside him. It’s almost as if the demon lets Tatsumi use his power where needed, which is completely unlike the true nature of the powerful demon.

The merry band of fighters, the ragtag group of unlikely friends – and they have become friends after everything they have been through – are determined to stop the opening of the floodgates. Power corrupts and corrodes the soul.

It’s young adult fantasy – a complex myth and culture driven story with extraordinary world-building.

Kagawa is a spectacular writer. This is hardcore evidence of how talented and creative she is, and although plenty of her readers will know how good some of her previous books/series are, with the Shadow of the Fox series she steps it up a notch.

Without going into too much detail, the last few chapters are powerful, heartbreaking, vicious and ultimately they also heal. It’s a read I highly recommend.

Buy Night of the Dragon at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: HQ Young Adult; pub date 2 April 2020. Buy at Amazon com.

Read my review of Soul of the Sword (Shadow of the Fox #2) by Julie Kagawa.

#BlogTour Soul of the Sword by Julie Kagawa

Today it’s my turn on the BlogTour Soul of the Sword by Julie Kagawa. It’s YA fantasy embedded with a deep sense of culture, identity and mythology.

About the Author

Julie Kagawa, the New York Times bestselling author of the Iron Fey, Blood of Eden, Talon, and Shadow of the Fox series was born in Sacramento, California. But nothing exciting really happened to her there. So, at the age of nine she and her family moved to Hawaii, which she soon discovered was inhabited by large carnivorous insects, colonies of house geckos, and frequent hurricanes. She spent much of her time in the ocean, when she wasn’t getting chased out of it by reef sharks, jellyfish, and the odd eel.

When not swimming for her life, Julie immersed herself in books, often to the chagrin of her schoolteachers, who would find she hid novels behind her Math textbooks during class. Her love of reading led her to pen some very dark and gruesome stories, complete with colored illustrations, to shock her hapless teachers. The gory tales faded with time, but the passion for writing remained, long after she graduated and was supposed to get a real job.

To pay the rent, Julie worked in different bookstores over the years, but discovered the managers frowned upon her reading the books she was supposed to be shelving. So she turned to her other passion: training animals. She worked as a professional dogtrainer for several years, dodging Chihuahua bites and overly enthusiastic Labradors, until her first book sold and she stopped training to write full time.

Julie now lives in North Carolina with her husband, two obnoxious cats, and a pair of Australian Shepherds that have more Instagram followers than she does.

Follow @Jkagawa on Twitter, on Goodreads, on Amazon, Visit juliekagawa.com

Buy Soul of the Sword

About the book

One thousand years ago, a wish was made to the Harbinger of Change and a sword of rage and lightning was forged. Kamigoroshi. The Godslayer. It had one task: to seal away the powerful demon Hakaimono.

Now he has broken free.

Kitsune shapeshifter Yumeko has one task: to take her piece of the ancient and powerful scroll 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 of a Thousand Prayers. But she has a new enemy now. The demon Hakaimono, who for centuries was trapped in a cursed sword, has escaped and possessed the boy she thought would protect her, Kage Tatsumi of the Shadow Clan.

Hakaimono has done the unthinkable and joined forces with the Master of Demons in order to break the curse of the sword and set himself free. To overthrow the empire and cover the land in darkness, they need one thing: the Scroll of a Thousand Prayers. As the paths of Yumeko and the possessed Tatsumi cross once again, the entire empire will be thrown into chaos.

Review

What the Talon series lacks in complexity and world-building the Shadow of the Fox series makes up for it tenfold. It’s quite interesting how Kagawa manages to divide the YA category into sub-categories. She can write books that appeal the readers looking for a less mind-boggling and intricate fantasy read, and then turn around and create the kind of read that appeals for those who like their fantasy hardcore complex.

Kitsune shapeshifter Yumeko more or less the holds the key to peace or war and destruction. Her small piece of the powerful and very dangerous scroll has to be transported to the Steel Feather temple in order to avoid the worst possible scenario. Obviously there are other forces also seeking the ability to summon the Kami Dragon, so it isn’t just plain sailing for her.

For one, the demon Hakaimono has possessed Kage Tatsumi of the Shadow Clan, someone Yumeko thought would always be there to protect and support her. Now he has inadvertently become her biggest enemy or rather the one to be the most wary of.

The author uses strong emotional ties and relationships to help drive the plot. This is especially the case with Reika, Okame and Daisuke when it comes to supporting the quest and Yumeko. The flip side of that plays out between Yumeko and Tatsumi. The struggle to reconcile with the fact her friend is in there somewhere, but powerless and at the mercy of Hakaimono. The belief she can save Tatsumi may put her in a precarious situation.

This is without a doubt the kind of series I am wont to follow. It’s YA fantasy embedded with a deep sense of culture, identity and mythology. Kagawa creates her own mythology to weave throughout and strengthen the story, albeit one that is based on the sinuous and intriguing mythology of Japan. It’s an incredibly intense read.

Buy Soul of the Sword (Shadow of the Fox #2) at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: HQ Young Adult; pub date 27 Jun. 2019. Buy at Amazon com.

Read my reviews of Soldier, The Iron Warrior and The Iron Traitor by Julie Kagawa.

Soldier, The Talon Saga by Julie Kagawa

I was completely underwhelmed by Soldier. Kagawa is a brilliantly creative writer with quite a few best-selling series.Talon is full of dragon politics, genetic manipulation and a love triangle, This book is a little on the tepid side though.

This is the third in the Talon series, an urban fantasy with scaled fire-breathing shifters. It sort of felt like an in between book packed with information with the sole purpose of leading us into a culmination of the fighting between all the factions.

Ember is still trying to figure out whether she should listen to her dragon or her human side when it comes to Garret and Riley. Her dragon clearly wants Riley, but perhaps more on a physical level. Her heart wants Garrett on an emotional level.

No wonder she is confused, irritated and suffering from insomnia. I suppose it’s like having two souls, which technically she probably does.

Things are heating up, loyalties are being questioned and connections are being revealed. Betrayal at the highest level is on the table. Nothing is as it seems.

Soldier may be full of action, but it is a little low on the usual entanglements, herzschmerz and meaningful interactions. Perhaps the next instalment will have more of Kagawa’s usual flair.

Buy Soldier (Talon #3) at Amazon UK or go to Goodreads for any other retailer.

The Iron Warrior by Julie Kagawa

When I got to the end of this book I was bit surprised to read that this is the last in the Iron series.

I still remember reading Kagawa’s first venture into the Fey world with Megan, when she had to retrieve her baby brother from the claws of the Fey. Now Ethan is all grown up and fighting his own battles.

The end of the Iron Traitor (The Call of the Forgotten #2) left readers in shock. With Ethan somewhere between life and death, the Veil lifted to reveal the Fey and then closed again, and all at the hands of the Iron Prince.

Kierran made a choice between his love and his soul, a decision which has left cracks in both the Fey and human world. Once the golden boy and heir to the Iron Kingdom, he is now a traitor as far as his fellow Fey are concerned.

In the Iron Warrior we see Kierran become the pawn of the Old Forgotten Fey Queen and the leader of the huge Forgotten army. Aim: to destroy the Veil and restore the Forgotten Queen to power. Unfortunately the majority of the Fey don’t remember the era of her terrible reign, which means they can’t really comprehend the danger and risk coming their way. A few of the ancient Fey do remember and decide to intervene in the so-called fate propelled prophecy.

It was great to see Kenzie get a bigger and more active part in the story, although I personally felt there was too much romance and too many intimate moments taking up space in the book.

As I read the last chapter I was still quite unaware of this book being the last in the series and I was already busy thinking about where Kagawa could possibly take it from there. I believe it is a case of quitting before the air goes out of the story, and whilst it is still quite a popular read. I can’t fault her for that thinking, but I admit I will miss this quirky bunch of Fey, especially Razor who is the equivalent of Potter’s Dobby. No more sarcastic Grimalkin or snooty Puck, no more icy Ash or any of the drama driven Fey monarchy.

It is certainly an ending worthy of the Iron bunch & Co.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy of The Iron Warrior.

Buy The Iron Warrior at Amazon UK or go to Goodreads for any other retailer.

Talon by Julie Kagawa

This is the first in Julie Kagawa’s dragon-shifter Urban Fantasy. Ember and Dante are dragons, who can assume a human form, which they need to do to stay hidden within the human society, The two of them come from the same nest, which is highly unusual in dragon society.

Note that although the assumption is that they are considered by all and themselves to be twins, the phrasing Kagawa uses may indicate a second origin for either Dante or Ember. Just speculation on my part, mainly due to the way their egg nesting or hatching is described.

The two teens couldn’t be more different. Ember is outgoing, free-spirited, rebellious and Dante is determined to abide by the rules, regimented and happy to stay within the boundaries laid out for him.

Ember is torn between her two souls. Her human soul and body wants Garret the human, and her dragon body and soul really want Riley. Ember and Riley’s dragons speak to each other on such an intimate level it is as if they were destined to find each other.

Little does Ember know that both her hunky heartthrobs have hidden agendas, one of them is planning to kill her and the other save her from Talon. Apparently Talon isn’t exactly what they are pretending to be. Are they really protecting the hatchlings?

Kagawa has once again created an exciting venture into Urban Fantasy. I can see this story appealing to younger readers, especially those in the midst of the their first experiences with love.

Is it as intricate as Kagawa’s Iron Fey series,? No. Or as dark and mesmerizing as her dystopian Blood of Eden series? No. It is a little more mellow when it comes to complexity and focuses a lot more on matters of the heart and gut emotions.

Perhaps time will tell if this romantic ménage à trois will develop into a series with more grit. At the moment it does tick all the boxes for a compelling Urban Fantasy read, but knowing Kagawa this is only the beginning and there is much more to come.
I received a copy of this book courtesy of Harlequin UK & Harlequin Teen.

The Iron Traitor by Julie Kagawa

It seems as if Kagawa is experiencing a peak in her writing at the moment. She seems to be ticking all the boxes in her newest books.

The Iron series The Iron King started as a bland mixed bag of sweets with a penchant for ripping off fairy tales and the legends of Fey.

That series leads into this spin-off featuring the son of Ash and Meghan. Kagawa has grown as a writer and turned this series into a challenging and entertaining YA experience.

In this book the prophecy begins to rule the outcome of events. The role that Keirran will play in the Fey game of chess slowly becomes apparent. It is almost like looking back upon the first fissures Megan created during her early years in Fey. Keirran acts without thinking through the consequences of his actions and he does it all in the name of true love.

Meanwhile Ethan is split between supporting his family and acknowledging his real feelings. It takes a visit to a goblin market for him to unlock the subconscious anger that has been slowly drifting beneath the surface.

His anger in combination with the darkness growing inside Keirran is a ticking time-bomb waiting to implode. Question is who will lose control first?

The ending was a cliffhanger and dramatic extravaganza par excellence. I am not going to reveal any spoilers but what I can and will say is that in the next book all hell is going to break loose. Life as they know it in Fey, the Never Never, the Inbetween and the good old real world will never be the same again.

Yes, the ending is that good.
I highly recommend the series for younger and older readers alike and have actually purchased the entire series in paperback for my 15 year old.
I received a copy of this book via NetGalley.

View all my reviews