James Kean
average rating is 5 out of 5 Character development, ecchi shenanigans, and youkai vs youkai combat. What's not to love?
Reviewed in the United States on June 21, 2017
Verified Purchase
American Kitsune is a series that has impressed me from the start, and A Fox's Mate is no exception. This entry in the series may not introduce any new characters barring the villain, but the character development, that's the real gem in this entry.
One of the biggest drawbacks I've seen in many light novels, fanfictions, and the ecchi comedy series as a whole, is the characters. Most of them can be replaced with cardboard cutouts and I wouldn't be able to tell the difference. Others, are just plain useless. Not so with American Kitsune, and A Fox's Mate shows that quality in spades, then proceeds to go the extra mile. All of the characters, from the man in the spotlight Kevin Swift, to even the side-characters like Lindsay, all of the characters have grown tremendously since their introduction.
That being said, the series wasn't all sunshine and rainbows. This is actually the darkest book in the series up to this point, and oddly enough, I'm finding that to be a good thing. A large piece of the story this time was Kevin dealing with his actions at the end of the previous book, and the trials and tribulations that come along side said actions. And that, is the reason I love this series, and why I praise Brandon Varnell's work as an author. Kevin is a human, plain and simple. Or maybe not, we're not sure yet. But Kevin isn't like the protagonists of Rosario Vampire, To Love Ru, or any other ecchi anime. He has logical emotions, he reacts how a human would react, but above all, he's not some generic anime protagonist. And THAT'S what makes him an incredible character.
In short, American Kitsune book 6: A Fox's Mate is one of the best entries into the series, and that's not something I'd say lightly. If you're a fan of the series, and you enjoyed book 5, this book is going to be great. If you're a newcomer to the series however, I'd recommend reading the previous five books first.
