Seven Deadly Shadows audiobook

Imagine if you will, that someone took the plot of Seven Samurai, set it in modern day Japan, replaced the bandits with Yokai, put in a ton of anime tropes and replaced the villagers with one lone Japanese school girl/shrine maiden who has to find seven death gods to defend her temple. Oh, also Toshiro Mifune’s character is a girl who is a combination of classic samurai, with a slight punk rock aesthetic. Okay, okay, she's not quite the same character, but she's obviously channeling him through her actions, and yes, that actually is as badass as it sounds.…And yes, I’m as shocked as you are that someone managed to pull this off. The two authors of this book are to be commended. When I first heard the description, it made me smile but I didn’t honestly think that it would be a success; more the sort of book I’d read once, feel like I got some amusement out of it and then proceed on. I did not expect it to be a genuinely clever take on all of the above topics. The anime tropes are used successfully throughout, making for some comic relief as you read on. The classic samurai aspects also succeed, as while Kira’s story is one of hope (much like the villagers in Seven Samurai), the Shinigami’s are all tales of regret. Particularly noteworthy is Shimada (who plays essential the same role as Takashi Shimura did in Seven Samurai) who comes across as the same lonely figure, helping in a cause that he figures is not realistically winnable, but still feeling it is the only option left to him. I do have a few minor complaints. The ending seemed a tad rushed. A few characters were not used to their full potential and one or two had some jarring character development a little too quickly (view spoiler)[Seriously, I feel like I blinked and Yuza changed sides and everyone was just like, “Yeah, sure, let’s trust the death god that was trying to kill us two pages ago. Brilliant idea. We are so damn good at this.” (hide spoiler)] Flaws aside, the good by far outweighs the bad.This is one of those books that I just sped through and now that it is over, I’m torn. I liked the world created here. I liked the characters that I met and the journey they take. I liked how it managed to capture both the feel of old samurai films and modern anime… but I don’t know if I want a follow up novel. If the authors chose to continue, I hope they come up with another clever take on both styles (perhaps a using the plot of Yojimbo?), but once you pulled off a Seven Samurai story… well, it’s a hard one to follow up. 4/5 stars["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>

✨ You can read an excerpt of the book on Epic Reads now, and you definitely should! "I am a girl surrounded by monsters and ghosts from an ancient world. Most days, they scare me less than people do." I'm a big fan of Courtney Alameda's writing, so I jumped at the chance to read and review an ARC of this retelling of Akira Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai despite not being familiar with the source material. This book cured my slump and I devoured it in two sittings. This is a fun and immersive read that I recommend with my whole heart.The characters? Love them.The magic system? Pretty badass.The tension? Palpable.The pacing? Lightning fast. "Something screeches in the darkness. The sound drags itself across my skin, sharp enough to leave welts." This is a retelling that is very accessible to someone who isn't familiar with the source material (aka me). Fast-paced and engaging, the worldbuilding  is richly and respectfully crafted. Shinto is a living faith and I appreciate that the authors took care to not depict rituals on page, as well as made a point to say that referring to Shinto or deities as "mythological" is inappropriate. I'm not an own-voices reader, but I could feel the care that the authors took to depict Shinto respectfully (which was reiterated in the author's notes).I think I should read more urban fantasy because I'm a sucker for stories with a hidden reality just beyond our knowledge that only a few Chosen can see. Every book in the genre that I pick up, I love. This book included! "Perhaps it is better not to be the hero. You must remember one thing about the heroes from the old stories - not all of them survive." I was so invested in this book because of the captivating plot, but also because I loved the characters. Our main character is Kira Fujikawa and her family has tended to the Fujikawa Shrine for nearly one thousand years. She is the only one in her immediate family who has the ability to see the otherworldly beings called yokai demons around; it seems the gift skipped from her grandfather directly to her. This has her at odds with her parents and family tradition, the latter of which she is intensely proud to be a part of. "In manga the hero responsible for saving the world generally gets a free pass on real life . . . but I don't like in a manga world. The real world keeps moving forward, despite the danger it's in." My favorite aspect of Seven Deadly Shadows is that Kira has to prepare for a supernatural war alongside all of her other responsibilities. Much like Buffy had to juggle high school with Slaying, Kira has to learn the skills necessary to battle against great evil, recruit allies, go to school, and find time to sleep. And she is tired. Kira doesn't seem superhuman and become instantly good at battle, and she doesn't become a master after one mere month of training either. She's just a regular girl - Chosen insofar as having the ability to see the Yokai - rising to an insurmountable challenge and doing her best.The band of champions that Kira recruits to fight alongside her gave me so many feels. I love groups of unlikely heroes. The more reluctant the "hero," the more I love them and their sarcasm. Every character felt fully-fledged and real to me, each with varying and conflicting objectives that lead to complicated and tenuous relationships. "Something screeches in the darkness. The sound drags itself across my skin, sharp enough to leave welts." The writing is effortless and engaging. While I wouldn't remotely categorize this book with horror crossover, the atmosphere and horrific descriptions that I've come to associate with Alameda's books is spine-tingling and present. I was able to guess most of the main plot points but it didn't detract from my enjoyment because the story doesn't hinge on those developments as twists. "Fear doesn't grip me immediately - it creeps into my soul like ice overtaking a pond, starting from the outside and working its way into the deepest, darkest parts of me." Overall, I absolutely adored Seven Deadly Shadows and devoured the book in two sittings. The rich worldbuilding draws you in slowly, building around you while you're focused on everything else. I definitely recommend this to fans of anime, as well as anyone who enjoys urban fantasy.Content warnings: bullying, death, depictions of grief, loss of a loved oneeARC provided by the publisher, HarperCollins, and FFBC in exchange for my honest review as par of the blog tour. This does not affect the content of my review. Quotations are from an uncorrected proof and subject to change upon final publication. Blog | Twitter | Pinterest

Immerses you in the culture and life of modern day Japan, while introducing you to the rich tapestry of demons, legends, magic and religion- or at least a small portion of it all! Suspenseful, with a hint of humor and more than a hint of romance, it made me want to eat all the food and touch all the clothes. I'm almost angry at the description of the magic wardrobe that produces any clothes you can imagine . . . I would kill for this wardrobe! But alas!I struggled with Kira's family- they're all assholes! But I understand that, well, culturally they look at family roles very differently from the way I do. I loved her grandparents, however. And I really loved the notes and glossary at the end.

4.25/5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐.25ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The best thing about reading a book that features unfamiliar mythology is getting to do an internet deep-dive to learn all you'd like to know about said mythology. I love books that encourage me to learn, and Seven Deadly Shadows did just that. I had an incredible time reading this! It might not have been perfect, but it was a lot of fun! There were many fascinating characters to learn about- and plenty of adventure to enjoy. I think this author duo worked really well together- and I would love to read more from them in the future should they decide to write another book together.

Engaging, exciting YA Fantasy with genuine cultural authenticity!Hey there fellow Book Dragons!I am so excited to share this review with all of you because it's been a while since I've come across a book, I found to be this unique in such a very large market.Imagine your favourite manga for me. Now, blend it with extremely well-written, well researched urban fantasy and beautiful Japanese traditions and mythology. Sounds like a lot right? I promise you, this book has it all and then some.The pacing of Seven Deadly Shadows is a little slower than your average YA book, the build-up more purposeful, but I found it also to be more realistic in the sense that our heroine is not instantly brave, nor does she possess the skills to take down the bad guys right from the first confrontation. She learns and trains, which to me, made her journey from school girl to bad ass demon slayer, so much more authentic. Tricky for fantasy but it works very well. The Japanese culture is already one that I find fascinating. From the country's rich history and traditional values, to it's mythological gods and modern sensibilities. Naturally, a book that seamlessly blends all of these things was a no-brainer for me, and I loved it!The characters are colourful and entertaining and the plot is exciting! I honestly couldn't put it down! Even though the the story is more of an epic journey than a race, the explosive ending is action-packed, bloody, and fun! I adored Kira, and Shiro is just adorable! He's also pretty bad ass himself. Seriously, every character has something special to offer.Seven Deadly Shadows is a riveting, one-of-a-kind story and I'm thrilled tomorrow is release day because I can't wait for people to read this book so I can start blabbing about it without risk of spoilers!Hurry up and get a copy already! You won't regret it!Rating... A+⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Big thanks to Harper Collins Canda for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Fantastic Flying Book Club, Edelweiss, and HarperCollins for this free copy. All quotes in this review are taken from the Advanced Reader Copy and may change in final publication.So everyone keeps mentioning how this book reminded them of an anime or a manga, and I have to say I totally agree. I was also going to pick a more action packed gif of a kitsune from an anime, but I feel like it could have triggered an epileptic reaction so I changed it, but you should totally look it up if you’re interested. I will say that I was a little hesitant at first about this one, despite absolutely loving the synopsis and seeing that Maetani was one of the authors. Honestly, my doubts or fears about this novel were washed away as I was reading this, and wow I can’t get over this one.I freaking loved the story that Kira had to go through in this story, and I know that the whole “finding out your family has some secret that you never knew about which ends up coming to bite you in the ass when you least expect it” trope can seem played out, but it’s a good trope that works. Don’t knock something that’s so good at pulling a reader in to the story. And in this case, I feel like Alameda and Maetani did an amazing job of pulling me in from the get to.Like immediately.I feel like one of the reasons why I had a little bit of doubts in the beginning was because I wasn’t sure how Alameda and Maetani were going to do this, and I was just hoping that the Japanese mythology and culture in this novel would be done right, and done properly. So I was so thankful to read this and see some familiar stories that I remember hearing growing up, and seeing that it was done in a way where I could be proud of this story growing up. And I’m just so freaking glad that I was able to read this novel. I know I said this over and over and over, but I just really fell in love with this novel.

3.75/5- lowkey I’ll give any ya fantasy standalone a good review (haha jk .. unless?)- no but really, they way my patience for drawn out series is depleting- I loved, loved, loved alameda’s shutter (still do, highly recommend) so I was so excited to see her come back for another paranormal/supernatural ride and with a ton Japanese mythology (love the authors note detailing their efforts and research)- And it was great!!!- I’m a huge anime fan and because this was so dynamic and action packed with so many highs and it was really easily imaginable - My only con would be the lack of development concerning character relationships

How many of you want a demon-filled, Seven Samurai/anime/manga/Miyazaki inspired fantasy? If less than all of you don't raise your hands, I'm coming over there and slapping some sense into you. You don't know what you want, so let me tell you.SEVEN DEADLY SHADOWS is about our girl Kira, who is one of those strong and confident heroines, as she battles demons who attack her shrine in modern-day Japan looking for an ancient artifact. Alongside, Shiro, who s half fox and half boy mind you, they discover that the only way to beat the demon-lord and find the missing pieces of an ancient sword, they must enlist the help of seven shinigami (death gods) to aid the impending war.This book read like I was watching an anime. The demons and ghosts that only Kira can see, as well as the fantastically grotesque monsters, were something out of a Miyazaki flick. There were absolutely no dull points I can think of. Every page was magical. If you have been following my reviews, when a book reminds me of Miyazaki, you can expect five stars. I'm just that easy to please. The romance took a backseat, which was nice. Kira had a head on her shoulders and was not easily thrown aside against those who thought her weak. She relied heavily on those she loved and used their power to strengthen her. I love heroines who are goal-oriented, who have heart and emotions, and who are not afraid to take chances, and that is Kira rolled up in one neat package. We need more like her. Please. I feel the one thing this book was lacking was food. When I think Miyazaki not only do I think of magic but of the delicious food the animation studio loves to makes us drool over. This was just my WANT, and it did not affect the rating. Clearly.If you want a book rooted in Japanese culture and mythology and filled with an homage to Seven Samurai, this is your book.

Full Review to ComeBOOKCITEMENT LEVEL 3.7/5This story was really interesting and sort of different from other YA books. I really loved the idea of it, all the pieces that it was made of. It reminded me a lot of a manga or anime. I think those mediums would have worked really well for it. There were a lot of visual elements that would have been cool to actually see.I enjoyed this story, but there was something about it that didn't grip me all the way. The idea for this was so big and grand, but it was almost too big for a standalone story. There is supposed to be this quest aspect in the story where Kira and Shiro are trying to recruit Shinigami to their cause, but that gets glossed over in actuality. We see them doing it just for a little bit, and then it's just background mentioned after that. I wish we had gotten to see more of that quest. The romance build-up was very subpar. I wanted more from that. I definitely was a fan of the couple, but I wanted to see more of their relationship journey. There were just a lot of things in this book that felt very rushed, I'm sure because of it all having to be crammed into one story.The ending battle wasn't as epic as I thought it was going to be. Well, I mean it was and it wasn't I guess. They really built up to that battle and it seemed like it was over as soon as it began.I really did appreciate all the research that went into this story. I liked seeing and learning about all the monsters and demons. I liked getting a little intro into different spirits and beings. I could see that the authors really tried to do their best by portraying everything as accurately as they could. I liked all the Shinigami and Oni-chan. It's a cool story.

Honestly this was so good. The culture in this book along with the history totally worth the read. I can see where these authors pulled their references from and I thought it was done well. Highly recommend. There were parts that I thought were too quick but seeing as this is a standalone and only 359 pages I get it. Oh there were some creepy parts with spiders so if you wanna read this in the fall it’s perfect for that.

Rating: 4 Stars ★★★★ Seven Deadly Shadows is a character-driven contemporary fantasy that follows Kira Fujikawa, whose on a quest to save her family's shrine by finding 7 death gods and reconstruct a legendary sword in order to fight a demon king! Featuring Shinto and Japanese culture, this YA urban fantasy is filled with adventure, action, and a fascinating tale to keep you turning the page! Honestly I'm so surprised this book has such a low rating! I loved it and I mean who wouldn't want to read about a priestess in training and her half-kitsune guardian trying to save the world? Kira is a priestess in training who looks after the family shrine with her grandfather and half-kitsune guardian and best friend Shiro. Her family is able to see yokai and when the shrine is attacked because its rumored to house a powerful sword, she's left to pick up the pieces and prepare for a looming battle with a demon lord. She's traveling from Kyoto to Tokyo to enlist the help of shinigami to aid in her quest and also keep up with her school work! The way this book handled this dual world of Kira's was phenomenally done, it added a lot of depth to how she views these 2 parts of her life and how she tries to balance them. The magic and supernatural parts of her life also seamlessly blend into the reality of day-to-day life in Japan. For a standalone, you get a solid grasp as to who these characters are and their stories. The dynamics explored in this book are great. Kira and Shiro's friendship is incredibly strong, he's always eager to help her and you sense how strong their bond is as it develops over the course of the story. Seeing the different shinigami work together brought lots of energy to the page and one of my favorites who surprised me was O-bei. She is a powerful force on the page and yet also retains an air of mystery, I loved learning about her. There's also the mysterious, almost under-explored brotherhood between Shiro and his older brother Ronin, but what we're given still leaves you understanding their complicated sibling dynamic. The plot, while a bit slow, is always surprising as Kira goes to and from Kyoto to Tokyo to complete her quest of not only finding the sword shards, but also recruiting more gods for her battle. A lot of the story is spent at the shrine preparing for the battle, but also at school. She's traveling to shinigami's homes hidden among our world, spirit worlds, and stepping more into the supernatural world she's grown up learning about. You see how she feels so out of place in the real world, and is still finding her footing in the world of yokai and shinigami. It was heartbreaking to see Kira navigate this world without her grandfather, who she loved so much, but seeing the support of Shiro, Oni-chan, and the shinigami allowed her to grow and better understand this world she feels so close to. I will say the build of those last few chapters to the final battle were my absolute favorite and adored seeing how the plot was coming together. It was fun immersing myself into the story and learning more about Amaterasu's sword, the different shinigami, Kira's journey and overall the plot always had something new to explore and I loved that! Alameda and Maetani's writing styles really flowed well together and I would love to read more books co-authored by them in the future! Also adored how this was written by to female authors of color (Latina & Japanese)!! While there are some moments of repetition and a couple moments of cliche metaphors, the writing was so good. I personally love 1st person and felt it allows the reader to really picture the setting, but especially understand Kira and her journey to gain inner confidence. Important themes of this novel were loyalty, honor, and family. When Kira's grandfather is killed she carries on his work at the shrine because he showed her how important it was. Her goal is to not only honor him, but also preserve his legacy by saving the world. Their bond was incredibly strong and you see how his loss motivates her to take action. Kira's relationship with her parents, even brother Ichigo is not the most solid, so you see this divide in her family because of the time she puts into the shrine, which they don't understand. Exploring all these different family dynamics made the story feel so real and brought another layer of depth to her journey. There was also a lot of beautiful descriptions and imagery of Japan, spirit world, and the setting/atmosphere as a whole that bring the world to life. I felt so rooted in this world and was beginning to grasp all its unique layers that once you reach that last page, you just aren't ready to leave Kira's world. The atmosphere of the Fujikawa shrine evokes a deep connection to its lore and history with each page. My only issues that made this a 4 was that again, because we know the final battle is coming, the pacing can feel slow as we already know what the end goal is. There's lots of traveling, training, and preparation, while its fun you can sense the pacing suffer at times. There were also some character threads that I felt weren't necessary, like Kiku's because there's already so many other shinigami that we've already gotten to know...so his story just felt placed in and it just felt unnecessary. This is definitely a fun, unique YA filled with lots of depth that's definitely gone under the radar. I personally loved this book and felt when it finally wrapped up, I felt sad to be leaving Kira's world, I would not mind future books with more of Kira's adventures at the shrine. Seven Deadly Shadows is a quiet, underrated standalone that will leave you wanting more! Driven by the dynamic characters, and unique story, Kira's journey is about growth, honor, and finding your own path! The wonderful writing, great cast, exploration of Japanese culture and compelling story makes Seven Deadly Shadows a must read.

I loved this book so much it had everything that I love going for it I love Japanese settings and Yokai most of all. I also liked that it was an adaptation of The Classic Japanese movie Seven Samurai I really liked how that was done it added a really interesting element to the story. I really liked the characters as well especially Kira and Shiro I liked that the romance between them was understated and mostly in the background the story focused more on finding the shinigami and finding the katanna and defeating the big bad. What I really liked about Kira was her complete and unwavering love for the shrine that her Grandfather was the priest of and also I loved her love for Shiro the Kitsune Shrine guardian. I also loved over time she learned to believe she could be more than she was ever told she could she is more than just an outcast. I really loved Shiro for his unwavering support of Kira as well as his love for her and how he was willing to doing anything for her. I really loved the plot of the story it started with a girl that is bullied and treated like an outcast then the shrine is attacked and the Grandfather she loves is killed as a result she then going on a journey to save the shrine and the world and so much more. I also would like to save I dislike most of her family other than her little sister who is only six I disliked her parents most of all who just wanted her to conform to their way rather than she going her own way.

Ahhh this was so much fun! Reminded me of watching or reading shoujo. Almost like a mix of Re-Kan!, InuYasha and just throw in just a bit of shounen for those action-y scenes. This was really fast paced, and I was pretty immersed for the whole time. I connected with Kira right away, and I just loved her throughout this entire book! Shiro was also really fun as well, and I was always really happy to see him and Kira interact. The book itself is pretty predictable, especially the romance, but the book was just so damn fun that it doesn't matter. You can tell that the authors had fun writing it, but they never sacrificed any important details that they needed to do research for. I'm definitely no expert on Japanese culture, history, etc, but I think they did a really good job! Nothing felt forced. Nothing felt like it was added in because it would be "cool". It was well thought out, and I think that's pretty awesome.