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Tales of Akatsuki #3
Okami: A Little Red Ridinghood Retelling
A prisoner seeking his freedom.
A woman chosen by the gods.
To break himself of his centuries long bondage he must capture her.
Shin gave everything up for love. Uncaring whether he lives or dies, when he catches a spy in his master’s land, he lets her escape. What he hadn’t been counting on was just how cruel his master can be. Now he must catch the spy or be locked away for eternity in darkness.
Pretending to be a woman, he infiltrates a woman’s only temple. Akane, the spy is head strong and determined to not trust him. But when fate sets them on a quest to save a kidnapped girl, they’re drawn together. As he falls for her, Shin finds a new reason to live. But fail to bring her back to his master and he’ll never see the light of day again.
A woman chosen by the gods.
To break himself of his centuries long bondage he must capture her.
Shin gave everything up for love. Uncaring whether he lives or dies, when he catches a spy in his master’s land, he lets her escape. What he hadn’t been counting on was just how cruel his master can be. Now he must catch the spy or be locked away for eternity in darkness.
Pretending to be a woman, he infiltrates a woman’s only temple. Akane, the spy is head strong and determined to not trust him. But when fate sets them on a quest to save a kidnapped girl, they’re drawn together. As he falls for her, Shin finds a new reason to live. But fail to bring her back to his master and he’ll never see the light of day again.
239 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 14, 2018
22 people are currently reading
347 people want to read
About the author
Nicolette Andrews
41 books662 followersNicolette Andrews is a born and raised San Diegan with a passion for fantasy, especially if it has a romance and some mystery and intrigue mixed it doesn't go amiss either. Apart from writing, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two daughters, preferably somewhere outside enjoying the San Diego sunshine.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
February 24, 2019
Wow! I was so not expecting this to be this awesome!
Awesome new take on a fairytale favourite! It's Japanese inspired tale, and it works soooo well!
Akane is a guardian at the temple, her duty is to protect a young girl and help her fulfil her destiny. But things become pretty dangerous when she meets Shin. A wolf shifter, a Yokai
The problem? Akane is also a Yokai but she despises who she is because of the deaths she has caused. She refuses to shift, no matter how much her inner wolf wants to come out. But in times of danger, where other creatures are kidnapping innocents, Akane might have to join forces with Shin to protect those she loves.
But Shin has a terrible past, he is a slave to one of the most horrible creatures in the forest, but he refuses to do anymore of his deeds. So helping a fellow Yokai would be easy, except Akane hates his kind, and he doesn't understand why she won't shift to her true form.
Together, Shin and Akane will discover who they are. But will it heal them? Or make them hate each other?
This is a beautiful tale of love, betrayal, friendship, sacrifice, deception and horror. And I tell you now, this isn't like any red riding hood tale you know! It's better, more darker but a lot more interesting and detailed.
Highly recommended
Received a copy from the author herself, for an honest review, thank you!
Awesome new take on a fairytale favourite! It's Japanese inspired tale, and it works soooo well!
Akane is a guardian at the temple, her duty is to protect a young girl and help her fulfil her destiny. But things become pretty dangerous when she meets Shin. A wolf shifter, a Yokai
The problem? Akane is also a Yokai but she despises who she is because of the deaths she has caused. She refuses to shift, no matter how much her inner wolf wants to come out. But in times of danger, where other creatures are kidnapping innocents, Akane might have to join forces with Shin to protect those she loves.
But Shin has a terrible past, he is a slave to one of the most horrible creatures in the forest, but he refuses to do anymore of his deeds. So helping a fellow Yokai would be easy, except Akane hates his kind, and he doesn't understand why she won't shift to her true form.
Together, Shin and Akane will discover who they are. But will it heal them? Or make them hate each other?
This is a beautiful tale of love, betrayal, friendship, sacrifice, deception and horror. And I tell you now, this isn't like any red riding hood tale you know! It's better, more darker but a lot more interesting and detailed.
Highly recommended
Received a copy from the author herself, for an honest review, thank you!
February 5, 2019
Shin and Akane begin as enemies and soon become more. As they each work for their own purposes, they soon realize not everything is as it seems. I enjoyed seeing other favorite characters like The Dragon, Suzume, Rin, and Hikaru. A story full of mystery, intrigue, passion, connection, honor, loyalty, and Love. Can't wait for more from this world!
February 14, 2019
Fantastic
I love these stories. Japanese lore comes to life in this story world. Unlike the previous two, which are set about 500 years before the Dragon Saga, this book takes place at the same time as that connected series. I would reccomend all of these stories.
I love these stories. Japanese lore comes to life in this story world. Unlike the previous two, which are set about 500 years before the Dragon Saga, this book takes place at the same time as that connected series. I would reccomend all of these stories.
January 2, 2025
The finale of this trilogy was everything I wanted it to be. It was action packed, full of twist and turns. I was rooting for Shin and Akane but everything was pulling them apart. Their journey was full of misunderstandings, guilt, pain, and ancient evils. I love how everything came full circle from book 1. I was a little confused when it first started about the timeline, but it became clear as time went on. It was good to see Rin and Hikaru again, even if it had been 500 years since the events of Kitsune. Honestly, this series was exactly what I needed to kick off the new year
March 1, 2022
I went into this book thinking it was a Little Mermaid retelling. Kinda shows how much of a grasp I have on reality, now that I think about it. I previously reviewed Yuki: A Snow White Retelling, I didn’t know I had all 3 books. While I spent the first few hours of this story lost and confused, I still feel I have a decent grasp of what was going on.
That’s not saying much though. I was still lost. There were a bunch of Japanese names and words being brought up, much like in Yuki. I’ve heard the names before (okami, oni, etc.) but I have no idea what they mean. I’ve also never had more than a passing familiarity with the Red Riding Hood story in any format. All this to say; I went into this with little to no context.
We’ve all seen the story about a pair who are reluctantly traveling together and slowly starting to have feelings for each other. It’s well done and even if you want to call it unoriginal, it’s a retelling. So it’s not like the book is pretending to be original.
The failing here is the pacing. All of the romance scenes are really sped up. They really didn’t do the whole “I can’t stand you and I can’t wait to not have to travel with you anymore!” thing. There were some sweet bonding scenes and scenes where they shared a moment and grew as characters. There was always so much more of import going on story-wise, the romance really took a back seat. The protagonists had chemistry but not the time to properly develop it in a way that didn’t feel rushed.
There was a super obvious scene. The moment I describe it, if you’ve read any romance before, you’ll know what I mean. The scene where one character finds out the other was lying about or hiding something, then gets pissed at them for a few chapters before forgiving them. That scene played out as expected, but it really felt wasted as it was over with so quickly, it really didn’t feel like it needed to happen.
The audio narration was great. I didn’t take any notes because there weren’t any repeated audio instances, I was always able to tell who was speaking. The narrator didn’t constantly mispronounce words and spoke in a clear, consistent tone of voice. It was a nice treat to have a competent narrator with clean audio.
NOTE: This copy was provided to me free of charge as a digital review copy. The opinions stated in this review are mine and mine alone, I was not paid or requested to give this book a certain rating, suggestion, or approval.
That’s not saying much though. I was still lost. There were a bunch of Japanese names and words being brought up, much like in Yuki. I’ve heard the names before (okami, oni, etc.) but I have no idea what they mean. I’ve also never had more than a passing familiarity with the Red Riding Hood story in any format. All this to say; I went into this with little to no context.
We’ve all seen the story about a pair who are reluctantly traveling together and slowly starting to have feelings for each other. It’s well done and even if you want to call it unoriginal, it’s a retelling. So it’s not like the book is pretending to be original.
The failing here is the pacing. All of the romance scenes are really sped up. They really didn’t do the whole “I can’t stand you and I can’t wait to not have to travel with you anymore!” thing. There were some sweet bonding scenes and scenes where they shared a moment and grew as characters. There was always so much more of import going on story-wise, the romance really took a back seat. The protagonists had chemistry but not the time to properly develop it in a way that didn’t feel rushed.
There was a super obvious scene. The moment I describe it, if you’ve read any romance before, you’ll know what I mean. The scene where one character finds out the other was lying about or hiding something, then gets pissed at them for a few chapters before forgiving them. That scene played out as expected, but it really felt wasted as it was over with so quickly, it really didn’t feel like it needed to happen.
The audio narration was great. I didn’t take any notes because there weren’t any repeated audio instances, I was always able to tell who was speaking. The narrator didn’t constantly mispronounce words and spoke in a clear, consistent tone of voice. It was a nice treat to have a competent narrator with clean audio.
NOTE: This copy was provided to me free of charge as a digital review copy. The opinions stated in this review are mine and mine alone, I was not paid or requested to give this book a certain rating, suggestion, or approval.
March 14, 2019
This was a really good read!
I'm a big fan of Asian Mythology and especially Japanese. It was refreshing to read a novel that has these elements in it But the story focus more on the Okami (wolf shape shifters) if I'm not mistaken. Both Akane and Shin have a dark past and have a inner conflict going on inside from mistakes they've made in their past. That's what I liked about both characters that they were flawed and wasn't perfect in everything they did. When they met they both instantly dislike each other because of their strong personality and because both have they own duties that they need to carry out. But somehow they crossed paths again and we she how they learn more about each other and grow closer which was great to see. I highly recommend this book or the trilogy if like adventure with a little bit of romance.
I'm a big fan of Asian Mythology and especially Japanese. It was refreshing to read a novel that has these elements in it But the story focus more on the Okami (wolf shape shifters) if I'm not mistaken. Both Akane and Shin have a dark past and have a inner conflict going on inside from mistakes they've made in their past. That's what I liked about both characters that they were flawed and wasn't perfect in everything they did. When they met they both instantly dislike each other because of their strong personality and because both have they own duties that they need to carry out. But somehow they crossed paths again and we she how they learn more about each other and grow closer which was great to see. I highly recommend this book or the trilogy if like adventure with a little bit of romance.
May 14, 2023
È arrivata la resa dei conti nell’Akatsuki, tra lo yokai cinghiale Akio e la divinità drago che Shin seguiva un tempo. Le guerre di umani e demoni hanno sfiancato ormai ogni fronte e la resistenza è agli sgoccioli.
Insieme all’autrice ci siamo inoltrati nelle antiche terre giapponesi, piene di demoni, di spiritualità, spettri dalle forme animali e divinità capricciose, scontri tra clan, dove si collegano tradizioni del luogo alle classiche fiabe a cui siamo abituati. Cultura, azione e sentimento si uniscono in maniera perfetta e creano storie nuove e accattivanti.
In Okami – che in giapponese significa lupo – ritroviamo come protagonista Shin, demone lupo conosciuto nel primo volume di questa serie, Kitsune, dove aveva sacrificato la propria fedeltà e libertà per la yokai che amava, sebbene non ricambiato. Buone premesse riguardano appunto questo personaggio, perché parte subito tormentato da sentimenti mai corrisposti e combattuto a causa di ciò che è costretto a perseguire. Shin, infatti, non ha assoluta stima verso il suo padrone, ma gli è impossibile tradirlo.
Come però capita in una storia che si rispetti, arriva il momento di cambiare il proprio destino. Questo giunge quando Shin incontra Akane, anch’essa una okami, che tuttavia rinnega da sempre la sua natura. Akane appare in veste di miko – sacerdotessa shintoista – ed è una figura rilevante al tempio sacro, in cui le elette divengono il contenitore di una divinità protettrice. A chi è avvezzo al mondo manga, tutto ciò appare molto familiare, in particolare se si è appassionati del genere.
Naturalmente lei e Shin partono col piede sbagliato, anche perché gli sconfinamenti vanno puniti dal protettore della foresra. Akane e il lupo maschio hanno molto in comune e al contempo sono agli antipodi e viene naturale scontrarsi. Nemici poi alleati, almeno in apparenza, in missione per salvare la vita di una ragazza speciale.
Akane non si è mai accettata in quanto yokai, poiché ritenuti mostri dagli umani. Abituata a rimanere in mezzo a loro, insieme ai suoi simili avverte disagio. È appunto molto scontrosa, all’inizio ricorda troppo Kikyo di Inuyasha, invece riesce poi a dimostrare tenerezza.
Come Shin anche lei ha vicende passate da dimenticare e ancora dei tradimenti con cui fare i conti. Insieme all’altro okami deve superare le proprie debolezze e compiere scelte sul proprio futuro. Shin mi è già piaciuto nel primo volume, è stato capace di iniziare follie ed è uno che non cambia sentimenti facilmente. Il che non guasta e lo valorizza ma a volte mette un filo di isterismo.
Questo volume è ritenuto un retelling di Cappuccetto rosso. Come sempre chiarisco, in minima parte perché la vicenda è più vasta. La storia chiarisce l’enorme importanza della natura e della sua forza nella cultura giapponese, spesso presente negli anime. Lasciatevi sorprendere dall’ambientazione feudale e il suo magico, crudo sfondo.
Insieme all’autrice ci siamo inoltrati nelle antiche terre giapponesi, piene di demoni, di spiritualità, spettri dalle forme animali e divinità capricciose, scontri tra clan, dove si collegano tradizioni del luogo alle classiche fiabe a cui siamo abituati. Cultura, azione e sentimento si uniscono in maniera perfetta e creano storie nuove e accattivanti.
In Okami – che in giapponese significa lupo – ritroviamo come protagonista Shin, demone lupo conosciuto nel primo volume di questa serie, Kitsune, dove aveva sacrificato la propria fedeltà e libertà per la yokai che amava, sebbene non ricambiato. Buone premesse riguardano appunto questo personaggio, perché parte subito tormentato da sentimenti mai corrisposti e combattuto a causa di ciò che è costretto a perseguire. Shin, infatti, non ha assoluta stima verso il suo padrone, ma gli è impossibile tradirlo.
Come però capita in una storia che si rispetti, arriva il momento di cambiare il proprio destino. Questo giunge quando Shin incontra Akane, anch’essa una okami, che tuttavia rinnega da sempre la sua natura. Akane appare in veste di miko – sacerdotessa shintoista – ed è una figura rilevante al tempio sacro, in cui le elette divengono il contenitore di una divinità protettrice. A chi è avvezzo al mondo manga, tutto ciò appare molto familiare, in particolare se si è appassionati del genere.
Naturalmente lei e Shin partono col piede sbagliato, anche perché gli sconfinamenti vanno puniti dal protettore della foresra. Akane e il lupo maschio hanno molto in comune e al contempo sono agli antipodi e viene naturale scontrarsi. Nemici poi alleati, almeno in apparenza, in missione per salvare la vita di una ragazza speciale.
Akane non si è mai accettata in quanto yokai, poiché ritenuti mostri dagli umani. Abituata a rimanere in mezzo a loro, insieme ai suoi simili avverte disagio. È appunto molto scontrosa, all’inizio ricorda troppo Kikyo di Inuyasha, invece riesce poi a dimostrare tenerezza.
Come Shin anche lei ha vicende passate da dimenticare e ancora dei tradimenti con cui fare i conti. Insieme all’altro okami deve superare le proprie debolezze e compiere scelte sul proprio futuro. Shin mi è già piaciuto nel primo volume, è stato capace di iniziare follie ed è uno che non cambia sentimenti facilmente. Il che non guasta e lo valorizza ma a volte mette un filo di isterismo.
Questo volume è ritenuto un retelling di Cappuccetto rosso. Come sempre chiarisco, in minima parte perché la vicenda è più vasta. La storia chiarisce l’enorme importanza della natura e della sua forza nella cultura giapponese, spesso presente negli anime. Lasciatevi sorprendere dall’ambientazione feudale e il suo magico, crudo sfondo.
February 17, 2019
Okami by Nicolette Andrews is a Japanese twist on the fairy tale of Little Red Riding Hood. In this book, we are introduced to a variety of characters. Akane is a wolf yokai who is the guardian for her temple. She crosses over into another’s territory and garners the attention of Shin…a fellow yokai. Instead of turning her over to Akio, he lets her go. But he’ll pay a price for this kindness to her. Now Shino is tasked with bringing her back or forfeiting his own freedom to be sealed away in darkness for a hundred years. Akane is trying to protect a girl she loves from becoming tainted, so that she will not lose her to death, but there is a dark secret that pervades everything all around her. A quest for power, those determined to succeed, and a darkness that swirls all around.
Okami is an engaging story and perfect for those who enjoy Japanese mythology and folklore swirled into a familiar story. I enjoyed the variety of characters that the author gives us in this book. Akane is an engaging character. She’s a tormented soul because of what happened to her years before behind the loss of another girl. I’m pained behind how much she despises the wolf side of herself. She holds herself utterly responsible for what happened and fears losing control. Shin is another unique character. He is quirky and fun. I like how dogged he is to be free and how hard he fights for what it is that he wants. When I read that this book was going to be a Little Red Ridinghood retelling, I was expecting the story to follow more closely than it does, but I have to say that I enjoyed this story immensely.
My only real critic concerning this book would be that I would have liked a small index of some sort that tells the reader the different Japanese terms that the author uses in the story. I also honestly wish that there had been a way to identify the different yokai when not using their specific species coupled with yokai.
All in all, this is a book that I truly enjoyed. The author weaves an engaging storyline with a slow blooming romance. This book is beautifully written with characters battling their pasts as they seek a brighter future not just for themselves, but for those that they care about. If you’re looking for a good book that mixes, Japanese folklore with a fairytale retelling then this is the book to pick up. I’m rating this book 5 out of 5 stars.
Okami is an engaging story and perfect for those who enjoy Japanese mythology and folklore swirled into a familiar story. I enjoyed the variety of characters that the author gives us in this book. Akane is an engaging character. She’s a tormented soul because of what happened to her years before behind the loss of another girl. I’m pained behind how much she despises the wolf side of herself. She holds herself utterly responsible for what happened and fears losing control. Shin is another unique character. He is quirky and fun. I like how dogged he is to be free and how hard he fights for what it is that he wants. When I read that this book was going to be a Little Red Ridinghood retelling, I was expecting the story to follow more closely than it does, but I have to say that I enjoyed this story immensely.
My only real critic concerning this book would be that I would have liked a small index of some sort that tells the reader the different Japanese terms that the author uses in the story. I also honestly wish that there had been a way to identify the different yokai when not using their specific species coupled with yokai.
All in all, this is a book that I truly enjoyed. The author weaves an engaging storyline with a slow blooming romance. This book is beautifully written with characters battling their pasts as they seek a brighter future not just for themselves, but for those that they care about. If you’re looking for a good book that mixes, Japanese folklore with a fairytale retelling then this is the book to pick up. I’m rating this book 5 out of 5 stars.
February 15, 2020
I totally forgot that this is a retelling of "a Little Red Ridinghood" and while reading it nothing even clued me into thinking it actually is. There are wolves and a girl in the woods, but that would be it. I cannot make any connections with the original story. But that's not a really big deal.
On to the bad stuff!
*Fight scenes are very confusing and hard to picture. Very unrealistic. All the fights started out promisingly, but then something went wrong. Characters make moves that cannot really follow one another in a real fight. Quite disappointing.
*Why does she carry that damn bow? She isn't even a good archer.
*Repetitions!! OMG this one was driving me nuts! I've learned already that she is incredibly strong in her wolf form, but why reminding me every time a fight is about to break out? It should have been shown with action, not words. Once is enough. Same for Shin, he's Akio's dog... a pitiful creature with little self-respect. The author just wanted to make sure I wouldn't forget. I appreciate that, however, there was no need for that extra care.
*Character development wasn't really there. But maybe that month wasn't enough for them to evolve in a spectacular way, or that wasn't the author's intention in the first place.
*I find it really confusing that the author makes her female protagonists so unrelatable and annoying.
*Description holes. Some of them were hard to picture.
Now the good stuff!
- a couple of plot twists that were pretty surprising
- Shin's character was pretty cool. (He reminds me of Shiro from Annette Marie's Red Winter trilogy)
- rather simple, but quite funny witty banter
- pacing was good
- Tomoe
Overall, I had fun reading this, hence 4 stars. However, it could have been better. The idea is really good, but the execution - not so much. The writing is ok, pacing as well, it can be consumed over a period of 3 days very easily. I think I found a couple of mistakes and confusing paragraphs where I couldn't really make out who was speaking and who was doing what. Nevertheless, I did enjoy it and would recommend.
On to the bad stuff!
*Fight scenes are very confusing and hard to picture. Very unrealistic. All the fights started out promisingly, but then something went wrong. Characters make moves that cannot really follow one another in a real fight. Quite disappointing.
*Why does she carry that damn bow? She isn't even a good archer.
*Repetitions!! OMG this one was driving me nuts! I've learned already that she is incredibly strong in her wolf form, but why reminding me every time a fight is about to break out? It should have been shown with action, not words. Once is enough. Same for Shin, he's Akio's dog... a pitiful creature with little self-respect. The author just wanted to make sure I wouldn't forget. I appreciate that, however, there was no need for that extra care.
*Character development wasn't really there. But maybe that month wasn't enough for them to evolve in a spectacular way, or that wasn't the author's intention in the first place.
*I find it really confusing that the author makes her female protagonists so unrelatable and annoying.
*Description holes. Some of them were hard to picture.
Now the good stuff!
- a couple of plot twists that were pretty surprising
- Shin's character was pretty cool. (He reminds me of Shiro from Annette Marie's Red Winter trilogy)
- rather simple, but quite funny witty banter
- pacing was good
- Tomoe
Overall, I had fun reading this, hence 4 stars. However, it could have been better. The idea is really good, but the execution - not so much. The writing is ok, pacing as well, it can be consumed over a period of 3 days very easily. I think I found a couple of mistakes and confusing paragraphs where I couldn't really make out who was speaking and who was doing what. Nevertheless, I did enjoy it and would recommend.
April 22, 2023
Recensione a cura del blog Romantic Fairies
Eccoci al terzo capitolo di questa serie, questa volta siamo al retelling di Cappuccetto Rosso, ma il cattivo della storia non è un lupo.
Il romanzo è il vero sequel del primo: abbiamo lasciato una strega vecchia, un guardiano della foresta, il Drago e la figlia dell’imperatore.
E Shin, l’amico di Rin, che per permetterle di vivere il suo amore ha sacrificato la sua libertà.
Non so voi, ma io ero abbastanza curiosa di capire che fine avessero fatto.
Sono passati cinquecento anni, vissuti da Shin nella schiavitù di Akio, anche se di lui si può dire che non sia stato sicuramente il servo più fedele. Essere stato il braccio destro del Drago gli ha conferito una certa autorevolezza e, anche se è il cane del guardiano della foresta, è ancora temuto dagli altri servitori. Un’unica eccezione… il Cacciatore.
Un incontro improvviso con Akane, anche lei giovane Okami a forma di lupo, lo trasporta in una nuova avventura, perché la purezza della guardiana del santuario lo spiazza o lo affascina allo stesso tempo, ma soprattutto stimola la sua gentilezza e la parte di animo buono, lo stesso che lo ha portato a sacrificarsi per l’amica amata.
Nuove consapevolezze prendono forma nei nostri protagonisti, scardinando alcune paure e certezze e, quando si ritrovano a dover combattere per riportare la kamigakari Tomoe al santuario, l’unione dei loro sforzi li porterà a svelarsi l’uno all’altra fino ad ottenere la reciproca piena fiducia.
Una storia dolce, bellissime le descrizioni dei giochi dei due protagonisti in forma di lupo. Parole che creano immagini davvero invocative.
Sto prendendo confidenza con la scrittura dell’autrice e quindi la lettura appare meno complicata del primo romanzo. Ma fra Okami, yokai, kami, miko, haori, ofuda e altro faccio ancora fatica ad orientarmi, anche se le note aiutano.
Eccoci al terzo capitolo di questa serie, questa volta siamo al retelling di Cappuccetto Rosso, ma il cattivo della storia non è un lupo.
Il romanzo è il vero sequel del primo: abbiamo lasciato una strega vecchia, un guardiano della foresta, il Drago e la figlia dell’imperatore.
E Shin, l’amico di Rin, che per permetterle di vivere il suo amore ha sacrificato la sua libertà.
Non so voi, ma io ero abbastanza curiosa di capire che fine avessero fatto.
Sono passati cinquecento anni, vissuti da Shin nella schiavitù di Akio, anche se di lui si può dire che non sia stato sicuramente il servo più fedele. Essere stato il braccio destro del Drago gli ha conferito una certa autorevolezza e, anche se è il cane del guardiano della foresta, è ancora temuto dagli altri servitori. Un’unica eccezione… il Cacciatore.
Un incontro improvviso con Akane, anche lei giovane Okami a forma di lupo, lo trasporta in una nuova avventura, perché la purezza della guardiana del santuario lo spiazza o lo affascina allo stesso tempo, ma soprattutto stimola la sua gentilezza e la parte di animo buono, lo stesso che lo ha portato a sacrificarsi per l’amica amata.
Nuove consapevolezze prendono forma nei nostri protagonisti, scardinando alcune paure e certezze e, quando si ritrovano a dover combattere per riportare la kamigakari Tomoe al santuario, l’unione dei loro sforzi li porterà a svelarsi l’uno all’altra fino ad ottenere la reciproca piena fiducia.
Una storia dolce, bellissime le descrizioni dei giochi dei due protagonisti in forma di lupo. Parole che creano immagini davvero invocative.
Sto prendendo confidenza con la scrittura dell’autrice e quindi la lettura appare meno complicata del primo romanzo. Ma fra Okami, yokai, kami, miko, haori, ofuda e altro faccio ancora fatica ad orientarmi, anche se le note aiutano.
June 17, 2023
Oggi sono qui per parlarvi di un'altra bellissima opera arrivata nelle nostre librerie.
Come sapete sono una grande amante del genere, quindi potevo farmelo scappare? Assolutamente no.
La serie Racconti da Akatsuki per ora comprende:
1. Kitsune - retelling de La Sirenetta
2. Yuki - retelling di Biancaneve
3. Okami - retelling di Cappuccetto Rosso
Da super fan non solo del Giappone ma anche delle fiabe, questi retelling sono stati da subito pane per i miei denti. E non c'è stato uno che non ho trovato bellissimo!
A differenza del secondo, questo terzo volume è da considerarsi un sequel del primo.
Dopo cinquecento anni di schiavitù, Shin ha ormai autorevolezza tra gli altri suoi simili.
Quando incontra Akane, a sua volta una Okami lupo, però, la sua vita non solo verrà messa sottosopra ma anche la scoperta di sentimenti e una purezza mai vissuta prima lo porteranno a comprendere meglio anche sè stesso e a vedere con occhi diversi cosa lo circonda.
" E se l'agnello fosse il lato oscuro? "
Bellissimo. La storia è scritta in modo fluido e il libro che già di per sé è piccolo, si legge per questo in modo davvero veloce.
Nonostante ciò però, la descrizione di luoghi e animi dei personaggi sono scritti in modo egregio, non troppo lenta la narrazione né troppo veloce, un misto perfetto per una lettura leggera ma al tempo stesso anche intensa. Sicuramente lo rileggerò più volte, come faccio sempre con i miei libri preferiti.
Come sapete sono una grande amante del genere, quindi potevo farmelo scappare? Assolutamente no.
La serie Racconti da Akatsuki per ora comprende:
1. Kitsune - retelling de La Sirenetta
2. Yuki - retelling di Biancaneve
3. Okami - retelling di Cappuccetto Rosso
Da super fan non solo del Giappone ma anche delle fiabe, questi retelling sono stati da subito pane per i miei denti. E non c'è stato uno che non ho trovato bellissimo!
A differenza del secondo, questo terzo volume è da considerarsi un sequel del primo.
Dopo cinquecento anni di schiavitù, Shin ha ormai autorevolezza tra gli altri suoi simili.
Quando incontra Akane, a sua volta una Okami lupo, però, la sua vita non solo verrà messa sottosopra ma anche la scoperta di sentimenti e una purezza mai vissuta prima lo porteranno a comprendere meglio anche sè stesso e a vedere con occhi diversi cosa lo circonda.
" E se l'agnello fosse il lato oscuro? "
Bellissimo. La storia è scritta in modo fluido e il libro che già di per sé è piccolo, si legge per questo in modo davvero veloce.
Nonostante ciò però, la descrizione di luoghi e animi dei personaggi sono scritti in modo egregio, non troppo lenta la narrazione né troppo veloce, un misto perfetto per una lettura leggera ma al tempo stesso anche intensa. Sicuramente lo rileggerò più volte, come faccio sempre con i miei libri preferiti.
February 3, 2023
I was hoping this book would be as good as the second and it did start strong though rather confusing. There is quite a time jump since book 2 to the now. Shin has been Akio's slave for hundreds of years and he meets Akane, a protector of priestesses but also a wolf okami, just like him. Fascinated with her, he lets her escape when she sneaks into Akio's forest.
Slowly, Shin gets drawn into her world and they fall for one another. I liked how both did it slowly and through trust. There wasn't flowery language or going on and on about how good looking the other person was. I liked the spin on the fairytale and how both of them are wolf shifters. Familiar characters like Rin, Hikaru, the Dragon and his love interest appear again. It was interesting how the author chose to have Akane be bisexual. The one or two sex scenes are closed door and the reader only gets kissing between Shin and Akane.
But this was too draggy after the half way mark. It felt like the author was setting up more books.
Tropes: dislike to love
Slowly, Shin gets drawn into her world and they fall for one another. I liked how both did it slowly and through trust. There wasn't flowery language or going on and on about how good looking the other person was. I liked the spin on the fairytale and how both of them are wolf shifters. Familiar characters like Rin, Hikaru, the Dragon and his love interest appear again. It was interesting how the author chose to have Akane be bisexual. The one or two sex scenes are closed door and the reader only gets kissing between Shin and Akane.
But this was too draggy after the half way mark. It felt like the author was setting up more books.
Tropes: dislike to love
February 14, 2019
5 Stars
Okami by Nicolette Andrews
Akane, a Guardian to the temple who denies her true heritage. She protects with a fierce loyalty but has her trust been misplaced?
Shin, a former General and current slave to Akio for the last 500 years. Given orders he cannot disobey, he struggles to find a way out even if in death.
Okami is a tale of heartbreak and sacrifice. Steeped in Japanese folklore and written so that you can not tell friend from foe, or enemy from lover through twists in the plot. It is engaging and full of action.
Heartfelt and at times deeply moving is this unique retelling of Little Red Ridinghood. I enjoy the lore and cultural aspects of the tale and the dynamics between characters.
I greatly enjoyed reading this newest tale in the Akatsuki.
Okami by Nicolette Andrews
Akane, a Guardian to the temple who denies her true heritage. She protects with a fierce loyalty but has her trust been misplaced?
Shin, a former General and current slave to Akio for the last 500 years. Given orders he cannot disobey, he struggles to find a way out even if in death.
Okami is a tale of heartbreak and sacrifice. Steeped in Japanese folklore and written so that you can not tell friend from foe, or enemy from lover through twists in the plot. It is engaging and full of action.
Heartfelt and at times deeply moving is this unique retelling of Little Red Ridinghood. I enjoy the lore and cultural aspects of the tale and the dynamics between characters.
I greatly enjoyed reading this newest tale in the Akatsuki.
February 14, 2019
Who's afraid of the big bad okami? Definately not me unless of course I was their enemy!
Upon discovering a spy in his master’s territory Okami Shin begins a life changing chain of events. In Okami we follow the story of Shin and Akane as they face their own personal battles while on the quest to rescue a kidnapped girl.
I was honestly so hooked on this story that I couldn’t put it down. The characters are very strong and well written the story and plot flowed well with many twists and turns. I definitely recommend this book for any of those that love Romantic Fantasy, Japanese Mythology, Mythological Creatures, and wolves. (okami)
Upon discovering a spy in his master’s territory Okami Shin begins a life changing chain of events. In Okami we follow the story of Shin and Akane as they face their own personal battles while on the quest to rescue a kidnapped girl.
I was honestly so hooked on this story that I couldn’t put it down. The characters are very strong and well written the story and plot flowed well with many twists and turns. I definitely recommend this book for any of those that love Romantic Fantasy, Japanese Mythology, Mythological Creatures, and wolves. (okami)
February 13, 2019
I will admit that shifter books are not my favorite;. For me, shifting into in the form of an animal seems weird. But Nicolette Andrews changed my mind. "Okami" was intriguing, with a lot of twists and turns. The story held my attention to the end, and it made want to go and read the other books in The Tales of Akatsuki series. Additionally, I love that the characters had Japanese names and how she incorporated Japanese culture. Okami was better than I expected it to be. Nicolette has gained a new reader.
February 26, 2019
With Priestess's disappearing, Akane enters the domain of Akio to find out why.
Shin, a slave to Akio and former general to the Dragon, comes across Akane and instead of turning her in to Akio, helps her to escape.
Akio tasks shin with returning Akane to him or being locked up for 100 years.
Shin takes the form of a woman to enter the woman's temple and so begins a journey of self discovery and more for both Shin and Akane.
Nicolette writes a wonderful retelling of a classic fairy tale with a Japanese twist.
Shin, a slave to Akio and former general to the Dragon, comes across Akane and instead of turning her in to Akio, helps her to escape.
Akio tasks shin with returning Akane to him or being locked up for 100 years.
Shin takes the form of a woman to enter the woman's temple and so begins a journey of self discovery and more for both Shin and Akane.
Nicolette writes a wonderful retelling of a classic fairy tale with a Japanese twist.
February 16, 2022
GOOD VALUE, DETAILED AND ENTERTAINING.MYTHICAL CREATURES
I could have sworn the writer must be Japanese to have so many details of the myths, in fact I looked up the writers profile and was surprised to find she is not so. The narrator did boar and evil monkey voices perfectly along side men's and women's voices, very clever, I could see all the action thanks to her descriptive elocution. This is over 7hrs in audio form of non stop action, greed, scheming , self recriminations and healing by friendship. RECOMMENDED
I could have sworn the writer must be Japanese to have so many details of the myths, in fact I looked up the writers profile and was surprised to find she is not so. The narrator did boar and evil monkey voices perfectly along side men's and women's voices, very clever, I could see all the action thanks to her descriptive elocution. This is over 7hrs in audio form of non stop action, greed, scheming , self recriminations and healing by friendship. RECOMMENDED
February 14, 2019
I love these stories!! Such great descriptions and unique characters. The words easily leave the page and weave themselves into a visual masterpiece.
I love reading about Shin again. Fell in love with his honorable heart in Kitsune and so glad to see him again and with Akane. Now there is a powerful female character. Fierce, independent, a guardian and full of fire. The twists within the plot kept the book fresh and made it a nonstop read.
I love reading about Shin again. Fell in love with his honorable heart in Kitsune and so glad to see him again and with Akane. Now there is a powerful female character. Fierce, independent, a guardian and full of fire. The twists within the plot kept the book fresh and made it a nonstop read.
February 1, 2022
I really enjoyed this tale written by Nicolette Andrews. I liked its creativity and the addition of Japanese folklore elements. The characters were fun and complex. The plot had many twists and turns with a lot of action. The use of magic and fantastical beasts added to the excitement of the story. Joanna Roddy's narration was fine. I was given a free copy of the audiobook and I have voluntarily posted this review.
February 7, 2022
My rating system
5- Gush/Absolutely Loved
4- Low Love/High Like
3- Like
2- Meh
1- Dislike/Hate
If it is a .5 star I round up
4 Stars
Third and final book in the Tales of Akatsuki series.
Okami is a retelling for A Little Red Ridinghood takes place in Feudal Japan but centuries after the events in Kitsune.
Recommend this for anyone that enjoys Japanese Mythology (with romance), fairy tale retellings, anime or manga.
5- Gush/Absolutely Loved
4- Low Love/High Like
3- Like
2- Meh
1- Dislike/Hate
If it is a .5 star I round up
4 Stars
Third and final book in the Tales of Akatsuki series.
Okami is a retelling for A Little Red Ridinghood takes place in Feudal Japan but centuries after the events in Kitsune.
Recommend this for anyone that enjoys Japanese Mythology (with romance), fairy tale retellings, anime or manga.
February 16, 2019
As before this author has taken a fairy tale and given it an unusual twist. Japanese mythology comes to life in this retelling of Red Riding Hood. The characters are well developed and the world they inhabit is beautifully described. Grab a cuppa, curl up in your favourite reading spot and lose yourself in a fabulous book. Highly recommend.
February 21, 2019
Another great book by Nicolette Andrews. I always enjoy reading different authors versions of fairy tales. Her version of red riding hood was great and I was hooked from the beginning. The characters Shin and Akane are portrayed very well and the mythology hits throughout the story weaved and flowed so well.
February 24, 2019
“Where do I go from here? Who am I now?” “That’s the easy part, you can be whoever you want to be.” The good thing about change is that you can either let it beat you down or make the best of it and become a better person. Akane found out that her life was a lie and the temple and head priestess she served were fakes. Even though she felt like she was broken, she found someone to help her put the pieces back together and to move on. This was a great story where the big bad wolf can sometimes be inside of us.
March 18, 2019
I enjoyed reading this book. I expected a retelling of the little red riding hood story that I was told as a child, but what I got was way better. Thanks Nicolette for a new perspective on fairy tales.
I received an ARC copy of the book and I am leaving a voluntary review. The above statements are my opinion.
I received an ARC copy of the book and I am leaving a voluntary review. The above statements are my opinion.
March 25, 2019
I love these stories. Japanese lore comes to life in this story world. Unlike the previous two, which are set about 500 years before the Dragon Saga, this book takes place at the same time as that connected series. I would recommend all of these stories.
February 15, 2019
Wow. Another book in the wonderful continuation of a different version of Little Red Riding Hood. Shin gives everything up for love and gets cruelty instead. I can never get enough of these stories. Anxiously awaiting the next book.
February 28, 2022
As with all of Nicolette Andrews' novels, Okami was intriguing from the start. The characters were well developed and I felt for them as they worked though the ties that pulled them in all directions. Definitely worth the read!
February 15, 2019
This is book number three in this wonderful series I loved it. I love when folk lore comes to life in stories that I read. I can not wait to see what this author will write about next.
March 10, 2022
Another great story that keeps the reader's attention. The characters are familiar as you follow along in this Asian saga.
September 21, 2022
This is a retold little red riding hood story with a Japanese twist that I enjoyed listening to. It was well written with wonderful characters and amazing narration.
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