A fantastic narrator highlights this Black Girl Magic feminist fantasy that was one of my favorite reads of the year. Amazing debut from Ifueko that will leave readers/listeners clamoring for the sequel.

This was a solid fantasy book. The world was well-developed along with the magic and other aspects of the setting. It solidly stands on its own, while also generating interest for the sequel. I needed to listen to this book. The reader sang the songs throughout, which added a deeper layer that enhanced this novel. I found that when I tried to read this book I would lose interest, but as I listened to it, I loved it. This book is a commitment, but if you are looking for a great fantasy, this should be your next read.

Once the story got going, Raybearer was enjoyable. The beginning, however, was a bit slow-paced and made it a bit difficult to get immersed into the story. Once you get there, though, it is worth the time investment.

Although it took me a while to read Raybearer, I had a lot of fun with this debut fantasy novel! I started out reading Raybearer as an audiobook (thank you, NetGalley) and I immediately fell in love with the narration. I think the narrator truly added to the experience of reading this book as she captured the protagonist’s voice perfectly.

I finished off Raybearer as a physical book, and I have to say I do think my reading experience was enhanced by listening to the audiobook first, because I kept hearing the narrator’s voice in my head!

Raybearer is a fast paced fantasy novel, and while it is a bit longer than your average YA book, I found that the time flew by and I enjoyed every second of the book.

The main point I want to press that truly makes this book stand out from the rest is the relationships between the characters. As I grow older, I find myself more and more drawn to books with solid relationships between friends and partners. Raybear was more than solid, with excellent platonic friendships between people who truly cared about each other, and a romance that wasn’t exactly what was expected.

I’d highly recommend picking up this unique fantasy debut that explores friendship in such a complex and fantastical way. I’m very much looking forward to reading the sequel, although I’m definitely going to have to recap this one first!

Wow. Just wow. This book was incredible and took me through a whirlwind of emotions. It’s hard to articulate just how exceptional this book is. Everything about “Raybearer” is original and unique – from the world itself to the writing style to the characters. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book where so many of the characters logical and smart and reasonable. They’re flawed, of course, but there weren’t many times where I rolled my eyes at a plot device or a character’s reaction. Even if I disagreed with what they were doing, I understood why they were doing. I often felt that if I were in their position, I would probably be doing the same things. I love and respect Tarisai, the main character, so incredibly much. She was wonderful to get to know, and I can’t wait to read the next book.

No plot points were too drawn out; albeit, the beginning is a little slow, but it picks up in the second half and is a race to the finish. The world created is amazing, and it’s so naturally built throughout the story. It never felt forced upon me or, on the opposite side of the spectrum, not detailed enough – Ifueko gives you the amount of information you need to know, when you need to know. Plus, Ifueko is an expert at showing balanced with some necessary telling. I’ve never read any world like this before, and I seriously couldn’t get enough.

The commentary on society is masterful. The parallels to our world and the metaphors woven through the story aren’t shoved in your face, but they’re not difficult to pick out either. Also, the setup for the next books in the series is incredible! I was left satisfied with some of the points in this book, but also burning with so many more questions and theories. This book is seriously such an impressive feat. Raybearer was a book that made me feel grateful for the ability to read, and I’m so grateful to Jordan Ifueko for writing it. The story is vibrant and rich and enthralling – I can’t wait for the next book in the series!

The audiobook was wonderful. I’m very picky with my audiobooks, and I feel like this one enhanced my experience of the story. I alternated between reading a physical copy and listening to the audiobook, and I had a great time doing so.

Tarisai is just wanting a loving family. Wanting respect and love of The Lady. The Lady sends her to the capital for her to compete with other children who if pick will become part of the Crown Prince's Council of 11. The story starts with Tarisai very young and we follower her as she's growing up. She goes through a lot in her life; giving things up and fighting for what and who she believes in. Even though we do watch Tarisai and others grow up, the pacing is steady. This is not rushed or pushy.  
Raybearer is amazing, powerful, one of a kind; I could list words afterward about how much I love this book. I fell into this world, easy, it has so many layers that it felt real. Like it's somewhere, I could go to right now. The characters Tarisai, Dayo, Kirah, Sanjeetso, and more brought this book to life. This is one of my all-time favorites found family books. There was not one moment where I was bored. I always wanted, no, needed to know what was going to happen next. The Council of 11 is something I found very interesting, the way everyone is connected and what they stand for in this world fascinated me. The relationships drove this book. Watching them grow and develop is done so well.
The way music plays into this book is beautiful, if you get the chance to read this book by audiobook, then to do. The narrator brings this word, this story, alive in a magical way. It's one of my favorite audiobooks. It's narrated by Joniece Abbott-Pratt. I would love to hear more books read by her, her voice is strong, emotional and it's easy to tell the different voices for each character.
I have to talk a little about Jordan Ifueko's writing style because her style is just wow, I can't put it into words but her as a writer may be my number one new favorite from this year.
This is a book that I see myself talking about over and over for the up and coming years, I need more books by Jordan Ifueko like now, she's a new favorite!

I received a complimentary ALC of Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko from Blackstone Publishing through Netgalley. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Raybearer came out in August 2020!

Tarisai grew up isolated from the outside world. Her only family has been her absent mother known only as The Lady. When The Lady sends Tarisai to the capital to compete to become one of the Crown Prince's eleven council members, Tarisai has the chance to become part of a new family. If she's chosen to be on the council, she will be permanently and magically linked through the Ray to the crown prince and the other council members. Unfortunately, Tarisai knows she must not accept a place on the council. The Lady used a magical wish to compel Tarisai to kill the prince as soon as she becomes a council member because the Ray protects him from everything except his chosen council. Tarisai must find her own path and avoid becoming her mother's pawn.

I adored this book. It's epic, beautifully written, and full of gorgeous, African-inspired world-building. The characters are loveable and complex and it's lovely that we get to see them mature and grow throughout the story. I listened to the audiobook and I can't recommend it enough! The narrator Joniece Abbott-Pratt did a fantastic job bringing this book to life. Although there is a love story, this book is primarily about friendship, loyalty, and found family. If you're interested in a YA fantasy inspired by West African mythology, look no further! This book is stunning and I can't recommend it enough! (And seriously, the audio is 🙌)

Thank you NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for this audiobook. As always, all opinions expressed are my own.
Wow! Okay! Where do I even start with this masterpiece of a book! The worldbuilding in this book was incredible. I felt like I was instantly transported into the story. Also, I LOVE the main character Tarisai! I was inspired by her intelligence and strength. I usually get annoyed by the main characters of books, but not with Tarisai. I usually give a short synopsis in my reviews but I feel like readers should just pick this one up. I did that, and I was instantly immersed into the story. Also, the narrator did a very good job on this audiobook. The whole listening experience was amazing! I would suggest this book to anyone, not just YA readers. It was that good!

This is one of the single most beautiful books I have ever read. The cover... the settings... the characters... the inclusion and diversity... the narration... the songs... I NEED MORE. Honestly, this was such a beautifully written story. It is easily my top read of the year. Without giving away much I loved the found family idea here. It was so well done. The narrators singing was beautiful and really immersed me into the story. My heart broke for Tarisai. She spends the whole story just wanting to be loved and I can see how this story needs to be told. So many children always looking for love and never getting a healthy dose. That is where this beautiful found family comes in and I AM HERE FOR IT. Also, I LOVE LOVE LOVE the queer and asexual representation here. There needs to be more where queer people are just living their lives.

Rating: 9/10

Raybearer is one of the most unique fantasy books I have ever read, most likely because I have not read a lot of African-inspired fantasy. I am happy to have expanded my reading palette for this book because the plot was really intriguing and I enjoyed the cultural aspects.

I have never really read a plot like this. It is a totally different take on royalty and power. The big theme in this book, in my opinion, is the strength that comes from the collective. It shows up in all aspects of the story, from the Council to the ceremonies to the group chants, and gives off a harmonic vibe which creates an embracing atmosphere that I felt very acutely throughout the book. It was very comforting to read a fantasy that steps out from the standard and creates a world where togetherness and trust is the key to success. In the fantasy book realm, this is often accomplished through acts of war and violence. In Raybearer that same goal is attained through unity and love; and, in 2020, I think we can use more of that.

Do not get me wrong, I am talking about a vanilla utopia, here. The plot has its share of conflict and tension. It is just that the author, Jordan Ifueko, chooses non-traditional fantasy means to solve them. It is also very much a coming-of-age story which is centered around the main protagonist, Tarisai, which is an interesting element that compliments the rest of the narrative well. The book not only embraces the themes of unity, love, and togetherness as power as I mentioned before, but it is written over the backdrop of Tarisai and the rest of the council growing up. I think there is something really inspiring there, in putting easily-influenced young people in a situation where they are surrounding by acceptance and warmth. That is an important message.

Interestingly enough, as I was typing that last paragraph I decided to look up the listed genre/sub-genre of Raybearer, as the term “coming-of-age” always sends my mind in a particular direction. I see that it is listed as “Teen/YA Fantasy”, which I find interesting because I never got that vibe reading it. Looking back I see a few of the tropes and the angst that are typical of YA-style books, they are not overwhelming. I am not an avid YA reader, but this book resonated with me.

One of the best aspects of Raybearer, in my opinion, is how good the writing was in relation to the different settings. Ifueko was so descriptive and everything felt so vibrant that it was a real treat for the senses. I could visualize everything so well, and I found it really easy to get lost in the story that way.

From the interesting characters, intriguing plot, beautiful settings, and contemplative themes, Raybearer was a really good read. It is also one of the few books that truly cannot tell where the second book in the series is going, and I am really looking forward to the surprises that will show up. I recommend this book for all fans of fantasy, and especially those who are looking for something unique.

An engaging, compelling, and effectively-narrated audiobook that compares to Children of Blood and Bone but better! Balanced blend of myth, romance, vengeance, deception, and quest - the essential fantasy elements. Recommended for age 12+.

Tarisai has always longed for the warmth of a family. She was raised in isolation by a mysterious, often absent mother known only as The Lady. The Lady sends her to the capital of the global empire of Aritsar to compete with other children to be chosen as one of the Crown Prince’s Council of 11. If she’s picked, she’ll be joined with the other Council members through the Ray, a bond deeper than blood. That closeness is irresistible to Tarisai, who has always wanted to belong somewhere. But The Lady has other ideas, including a magical wish that Tarisai is compelled to obey: Kill the Crown Prince once she gains his trust. Tarisai won’t stand by and become someone’s pawn—but is she strong enough to choose a different path for herself?
I listened to the audiobook of Raybearer and it was just purely magical. I felt like I was being carried through the worlds and the story and I was there with the characters on their journeys. Narrated by Joniece Abbott-Pratt, and she did the perfect job with bringing this world to life, I couldn't imagine anyone could have read it better.
I felt the story was especially strong in the area of celebrating friendship. The whole story surrounds how important and significance of friendship. It is strongly represented through the ‘Ray’ that the crown prince and his chosen 11 council members have. It is a beautiful aspect of the story. The other main theme throughout was of identity. Tariasai wants to create her own path and find out who she is rather than be who her mother wants her to be. It was nice to see her stand up to the pressure put on her and watch her grow into her own person along the way.
I was captivated throughout by the narration. I haven't yet read the book but I know when I do come round to reading it then I will be reliving the wonderful way that Joniece would bring the songs to life.
Overall a wonderful story that I would recommend and would suggest you listen to the audiobook if you get the chance to, it is magical.

Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko crafts a larger than life story about family, friendship, and identity.

When we meet Tarisai, she's a child, and we follow her as she grows up, first in Burkina House and then at the various palaces. Her lonely childhood has made her long for the family she finds in her council, but The Lady's wish haunts her and she goes to extremes to get away from it before finally accepting she needs to find a way to free herself. This journey of self discovery is complicated, and heart wrenching, but makes her strength all the more obvious. Ifueko subverts the usual YA tropes of love or friendship being enough to break magical bonds, to give us a fresh take on a hero's journey. A particular detail I loved about Tarisai was how her journey was represented by her hair: At first, it's gathered in braids, that tighten the more she follows the rigid rules of palace life, but this changes as she discovers the truth about herself.

Ifueko also takes care with her secondary characters. Tarisai's council siblings lend her strength and complement her personality. Sanjeet and Dayo, in particular are calm presences in her life that anchor her. I will say that beyond Sanjeet, Dayo and Kirah, we didn't get to know the other council members as well, which I would have liked.
I found The Lady to be a formidable villain. She's an imposing figure one that takes up most of Tarisai's life even when she's not present. Learning her reasons and history only makes her more complex.

Ifueko's writing, like every aspect of her novel, is breathtaking. Her lyrical prose reflects the importance of having a voice in her world, without bogging the text down so much that it's unpleasant. At times, she also incorporates frequently used YA tropes in her subplots, only to subvert them later on, which kept me on my toes throughout.
In terms of plot, there's two distinct parts in Raybearer. The first part of the book is rather slow, both because of the rich worldbuilding, and the fact that we're essentially skipping through Tarisai's life growing up, and then follow her as she attends to her duties with the prince. However, plot takes off rapidly about midway through, with a quickening pace that lasts up until the climax. Personally, I welcomed the pace of the first part as it allowed me to understand the world as well as get to know the characters well.

A central theme of the book is culture, specifically belonging to one. The council is made up of members from the difference provinces, one to represent each. During official outings, they wear patterns and cloth from their province to show this belonging. Midway through the book, there is a push to unite the people under a single culture in order to strengthen the bonds between provinces. However, instead of celebrating the different cultures, they are squashed. The empire's cloth is cheaper and therefore more attractive, while children who receive an "empire" name are given a stipend. The council representatives are dressed similarly, and finally the protests are quashed with violence. The uniformization of the empire in this manner echoes attempts to erase African heritage during colonial times.
Another theme is tradition. Ifueko's world places incredible importance on oral traditions and histories with griots, traditional West African story tellers, being central to plot development and certain subplots.

This is where the audiobook format comes out on top in my opinion. Joniece Abbott-Pratt's narration pays particular attention to the sounds and rhythm of the text during the passages of oral history. She also takes care with each character's voice and accent, which served to make the experience even more immersive.

Finally, I loved Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko. It blew me away on every level and I cannot wait to read the sequel.

Everyone was talking about Raybearer in the lead-up to its release, and like with most hyped YA fantasy books I was a little cautious going in. I'm a reader that can really be let down by hype, however I'm here to say that Raybearer is absolutely worth your time and is one of the best books of the year!

I wont lie, I've been struggling with YA fantasy for a long time. After "discovering" the genre in 2017 and reading every YA fantasy book I could get my hands on, I became much more picky with what I liked. Since that point, I've really struggled to find books that break the mould and are truly something special. Raybearer is one of those books.

The world that Ifueko creates is absolutely marvelous. From the gorgeous settings across cities and countryside and mountains, to the lush architecture and blend of cultures, to the magic that connects people, the world of Raybearer is easily one of the most beautiful I've read (and one of the few fantasy settings I'd love to explore in real life!). The magic system is particularly special. The power of a raybearer to mentally connect their council and communicate across the ray was fantastically done. The consequences of this power, 'council sickness', was so fantastically done and works so well with the themes of found family, friendship, and trust within the novel.

Tarisai is a fantastic character and a new all-time favourite of mine. Ifueko does a wonderful job of developing her from a lonely young child to a cautious preteen and into a sharp and intelligent young woman. I totally understood her every action and decision, as well as how her loneliness and desire to belong to a family or a group impacted her. Her romance, although definitely a side plot and not the main focus of the book, was particularly well written and one of the few YA pairings that felt truly authentic and real. Although she was mature, she still felt like the teenage character that is so central to YA fantasy. I think she could easily be a case study into how to write a fantastic teenage heroine.

There is so much to say about Raybearer and I could go on and on to anyone who will listen to me ramble about this fantastic book. I read this book alongside the fantastic audiobook narration, and would highly recommend the audiobook for anyone interested in listening to a novel with a fabulous narrator.

Raybearer is easily one of the best books of the year and Ifueko is a debut author to watch!

Raybearer was one of the best YA fantasy novels I’ve read in a long time. I complete devoured this one and am so excited for the sequel. The world-building was fantastic, the characters felt so realistic, and the plot was filled with action and adventure.

At first, I wasn’t completely sold on this book. And then I kept reading and this incredible world that Jordan Ifueko created drew me in. I can’t say too much without spoilers but Raybearer is a book that you will not want to put down. The descriptions are so vivid, I felt like I could see everything that was happening. Plus I loved seeing how the dynamics between the characters shifted and changed as they grew older.

If you’re a fantasy fan, definitely pick this one up! I’m definitely planning on preordering the sequel because I need to find out what happens next.

Epic YA fantasy rich in cultural diversity and with lush, descriptive settings.. If you loved Tomi Adeyemi's Children of Blood and Bone book, you'll enjoy this title even more.

Unfortunately I couldn't get this audio to work, but I did buy a copy instead because this book sounded amazing. ❤

There was so much hype for this book, which is completely warranted by the way, but honestly what got me interested in this book was seeing the author speak at YALLSTAYATHOME.  She was very well spoken and I found the plot very interesting. I was excited to find it on NetGalley, and even more excited to test out the audiobook feature of it.

The audiobook was really well done.  I really liked the narrator.  She was good at voices and she really brought the story alive for me.  I will admit that I had a lot of difficulties with the Netgalley app but that's not anything against the audiobook itself.

Storywise, it was excellent.  As I mentioned, it is completely worth the hype.  Jordan Ifueko has built a really fantastic world and I was really intrigued by the magic system and how things were going.  The whole council system felt really intriguing and was definitely not something I've read about before.  Sure, other fantasy worlds have council systems, but they were never really like this one and the bond between Tarisai and the other characters on the council were really interesting.  Past the council, I liked the different magical powers that each of the characters had.  There was a special word for this but because I read it as an audiobook I'm not really sure how to spell it.  I loved learning about the royal family and how the dynasty worked, and it was really evident that Jordan Ifueko put a lot of thought and care into her world.  It made for a fantastic debut novel.

On the note of characters, I was obsessed with each and everyone of them.  I loved Tarisai a lot, of course, and you really empathised with her for her impossible choice.  I also really grew to fall in love with the side characters.  They were all really well developed and I liked the connections they shared.

This book really stressed me out, but in a good way.  It's been awhile since a book gave me such a visceral anxiety-esque reaction that I had to set it down for a good while.  It got to the point where my students were lightly teasing me for not finishing (I have a currently reading thing up on the whiteboard in my classroom).  However, once I got back into it, it was really quick to devour the rest of the story.  I just needed to know what was happening and I was very satisfied with how it all played out.

I'm definitely behind on the times with this book, but honestly, I highly recommend it and if you haven't already checked it out, you should definitely find yourself a copy of it to read.  Since it's already out, that shouldn't be too hard! :)

“Uniformity is not unity. Silence is not peace.”
•
Oh please, if you are going to read this book, try the audiobook. Not only the narrator is great and the names would be too difficult to pronounce, but there are also nursery rhymes and songs that I really enjoyed listening to! Tarisai is a girl with a power: she can see the past of any object or any person she touches. Her mother plans to use her to take revenge.. she wants her to kill the crown Prince. The only problem is that the Prince is blessed and only his most trusted people can actually kill him, so she is sent to become one of his closest circle and betray and slay him. Tarisai’s story is very sad, she has never been shown loved before going to the palace and once she has found a true family, she is cursed to disappoint everyone and kill one of the few people that has actually known and loved her. But she is more powerful than she thought and you are going to love to see how she becomes aware of it and what she can do with it. The atmosphere is really magical and the social structure is so original. It’s actually very interesting to see how people’s believes can be manipulated if you instruct them since when they are very young. Though not everyone can be put down and if they are strong enough, they’ll find their own voice. Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to listen to this great audiobook.

4 -4.5 stars

& a million stars for the talented narrator.

Raybearer is a unique tale that stole my breath away from the first page.

First, let’s talk about that beautiful cover. Saw it and immediately had one of those moments that I KNEW I was going to love this book. And guess what? That’s exactly what happened. That feeling is never wrong.

The world-building was epic, with the beautiful lush voice of the narrator describing the places and the people, I felt like I was right there in the book. And that kind of storytelling is incredible. The different people, the different religions each pulled me in and made me fall in love some more.

On to the characters, no one beats Tarisai for the best character. She was incredible from the start. All this brilliant girl wanted was family, a family that she deserved and slowly but surely she gets it. Her companions Daya, Kirah, and Jeet were all lovely and I quickly loved them all. Even The Lady and all her meanness, I loved. Her backstory was sad and cruel but so interesting! Now I don’ want to spoil anything so just read it and you will understand what I mean.

If magical settings and epic characters are things you like, then read this. And if you are an audiobook fan, then pick it up for this one. Trust me, you won’t regret it. But seriously, when is book 2 coming?

Thanks, NetGalley for the audiobook!