[BookstoreGirl]

I read this fictional novel years ago, and I wanted to see if iTunes had it, but I can't remember the title or author to save my life.

It takes place in Japan, I think during like the feudal era. It's about a girl or very young woman from the noble class who's family pretty much has some sort of tragedy befall them (I think their house had been burned down or something, and her sister's husband is killed). Some point early into the book she runs away with her catatonic sister and they find shelter in like a run-down shrine or something. The girl prays to the spirit or god of the shrine for help, and basically they're found by a bunch of tengu. And the girl goes to try and find the soul of her brother-in-law (I can't remember why), and one of the tengu sort of accompanies her and eventually becomes her friend. Eventually they find out his soul isn't in the after life because for some reason he's still stuck on earth. I don't really remember how the story ends, just that it was a fairly happy ending.

[Wondergirl]

Little Sister: Kara Dalkey: 9780140386318: Amazon.com: Books

From School Library Journal
Grade 5-8-Dalkey blends elements of Shinto and Buddhist folklore with historical facts about Japan around A.D. 1100. Mitsuko, 13, is a member of the powerful Fujiwara noble family. As her family flees the city to escape the marauding warrior-monks, her sister's beloved husband is killed and the young woman plunges into a catatonic state. Mitsuko believes that the only way to save her is to search for her soul, which must be seeking the soul of her dead husband. She runs away, taking her sister with her, and meets up with a tengu, or shape-shifting demon, who agrees to help with Mitsuko's quest. So begins a fantastical journey in which the brave girl meets many mystical figures of Japanese mythology, resulting in the eventual recovery of her sister, a reunion of her family, and the changing of Mitsuko's life forever. The author never really generates the excitement one might expect. Despite an endnote delineating cultural fact from folkloric fiction, the onslaught of unfamiliar mythical figures may frustrate less-than-patient readers. Also distracting is the rhythm of the language, which is choppy and unnatural. The ending is strangely ambiguous and seems tacked on. Even with these flaws the book will be of interest because of its unusual setting. It should appeal to readers of romantic fantasy thanks to a strong female protagonist, the engaging and humorous tengu, and the chance to discover an unfamiliar mythology.