Raybearer is Jordan Ifueko’s debut novel and it’s stunning. From the vividness of the world-building to the characters and villains throughout, Raybearer is truly a gem. I had the pleasure of listening to the audiobook courtesy of NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing, in exchange for an honest review and I am so glad I received this opportunity. While I don’t usually seek out audiobooks, the audiobook of Raybearer is exceptional.

Narrated by Joniece Abbott-Pratt, the Raybearer audiobook does a great job at not only still capturing the fantasy and magic but also captures each character in a way I’ve yet to encounter in another audiobook. Abbott-Pratt is pitch-perfect as Tarisai and every moment - all of the ups and downs in her journey are brought further to life with Abbott-Pratt’s outstanding voice work.

Where Raybearer really shines is in its originality. Many fantasy novels follow the same formulaic path for its protagonist, but Raybearer does a great job to set it apart from the other books in the fantasy realm and succeeds. The way that the book honed in on the theme of found family and didn’t have a romance that was quick to bloom really stood out for me. It was also equally exciting that there was so much myth and lore to explore. While I wasn't sure how all of this would translate in terms of an audiobook, but it was well done and I felt fully immersed in all of it.

For anyone looking for a fresh fantasy to explore, Raybearer is definitely the book for you. Rich with brilliant world and character building, it is hard to stop listening to the audiobook once you begin. I cannot wait to read the book because I definitely need another helping of the magic I experienced.

I’ve been struggling to write this review because there’s just so much that I loved about this story. I feel like my review isn’t going to do it justice, but here goes nothing.

Raybearer is the brilliant example of taking the classic tropes that tend to be overused in YA and mold them as your own in order to deliver a riveting and engrossing fantasy that will swallow you whole.

Tarisai grew up being starved of touch since her touch allows her to glimpse and manipulate the memories of others. Tarsai’s mother (The Lady) sends Tarisai to the capital with a special task: kill the prince after he anoints Tarisai as a part of his council. Once Tarisai is at the capital, she wants nothing more to be loved and have a family since it’s a life she’s never known, so is she capable of killing the prince if she’s chosen for the council?

This is one of those stories that I thought I knew exactly where the plot was going especially when it came to romances, and I was so completely off base but couldn’t have been happier. The author did a phenomenal job of creating a full cast of characters that you couldn’t help but love and then have them surprise in you when you least expect it. I loved watching Tarisai interact with Kirah, Sanjeet, and Prince Dayo the most. Each of them influenced Tarisai into becoming something more than a weapon.

The worldbuilding is intricate and beautifully crafted. You have these lush scenes that are chock full of West African lore, and I honestly couldn’t get enough. But, don’t be fooled by this gorgeous cover though because the author tackles a myriad of difficult topics such as: misogyny, race, class, patriarchy, colonization, and generational trauma. Even though this is a fantasy, so much of this tale was a lesson as well.

I don’t want to say much else in fear of giving away this book. I want to also highlight that there is queer, asexual representation in this book. It was what changed my entire experience of this story. I don’t want to give spoilers, but I do think that is incredibly important and needs to be normalized especially in BIPOC communities where it is not addressed as often.

Final note, just read this story. It is amazing and worth every single page.

Thank you to Blackstone Publishing for providing an advanced listening copy through Libro.fm and NetGalley and Pique Beyond (ABRAMS) for providing a review copy. This did not influence my review. All opinions are my own.

✨A luminous adventure R E V I E W ✨

(Thanks to @blackstonepublishing for the #gifted audio copy via @librofm and @netgalley)

Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko, officially released today, is such a breathe of fresh air when it comes to YA fantasy! ✨

Tarisai has only ever wanted a connection: love from her family, to know the outside world. But when she finally gets her chance it comes with a catch: she is sent to gain the trust of the crown prince, and she is sworn to kill him. ✨

What follows is such a grand adventure for a first book in a fantasy series. What I was expecting in the first 10% of the story is quickly squashed - over and over as we follow Tarisai grow up and fight for herself and others. Ifueko has built a fascinating world you can get lost in, characters that embody the deeply complicated feelings of family and friendship, trauma and wonder, and a book that I’ll happily return to when it comes to waiting for the sequel.

I can’t wait to learn more about the powers of the Ray, which was only a sliver of the magic present in this world. You can easily spend time dissecting character motivations and studying various kingdom factions. “Behold what is coming” indeed — it’s time you pick up this impressive debut.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Jordan Ifueko is a glorious new voice to have in YA literature. Raybearer, follows similar tones of the likes of Tomi Adeyemi (Children of Blood and Bone) and Roseanne A. Brown (A Song of Wraiths and Ruin) but is also something new and wholly its own. Following Tarisai as she fights against a cursed destiny laid upon her by her mother, readers are taken across lush lands and introduced to a whole new world of magic. Joniece Abbott-Pratt brings even more life to the epic journey with her narration of the audiobook. I breezed through the novel, fighting against hitting pause needing to know what would happen next. The only thing that gave my nerves a bit of a rest was knowing there was a planned sequel. Ifueko presents a wonderful array of characters and takes the tale in unexpected directions. If you like strong leaders, magic, and a cast of wonderful characters then this debut should absolutely be in your TBR pile.

***I was granted an audiobook ARC of this via Netgalley from the publisher.***

The book Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko is one of the best young adult novels I've read this year. The story follows Tarisai, a girl born half-human, half immortal through the machinations of her mother known simply as The Lady. The Lady uses Tarisai as a pawn in her game to get back at the emperor of Aritsar but forcing her to kill the prince, Dayo, once she gets him to love her. Tarisai is sent to the capital to join the prince's council, 11 individuals connected by the Ray which allows them to bond with him and keep him from death except by old age or assassination by a council member. Tarisai lives with the ever-present danger of fulfilling her mother's wishes via magic and the story sees Tarisai trying to find a way to seize control of her own destiny and not fulfill her mother's plans. This book's characters are its strongest point. You root for Tarisai and her friends, Sanjeet and Kirah, as you feel their lows, and their highs. Each character is dealing with some issues from their past and the author does a very good job of humanizing them while still showing their flaws. The world-building is great as well with an interesting magic system and a world populated with interesting people and creatures. The twists in this story also had my heart racing which is rare that because few books surprise me the way this one managed to. The narrator's performance was amazing as well. Each of the characters was given a voice that was individual to them allowing me to tell who was talking simply by hearing her voice. Overall, this was an amazing book and I look forward to its sequel which is surely coming after that great ending.

Rating: 5/5 stars. Would highly recommend to a friend.

It is not often the i go out a buy an audio book. There is something that is hard about reading what you just listened too. But that is not the case for this book, i need my own print copy so i can go back and reread certain scenes again and again till i am content, this was such a wonderful debut and i cannot wait until book 2.

This was wonderful, and rich and beautiful! This was originally read in an audiobook format, and the narrator really brought the story to life, and gave it so much personality. I loved everywhere it went, and every time I thought I knew what was going to happen next, I was very pleasantly surprised!

Jordan Ifueko’s debut novel, Raybearer, may leave you in tears. An epic fantasy tale of a world led by a West-African inspired royal family with a long and murky history of power and magic. A world with mystical creatures and horrific demons.

Raybearer is a coming of age story of Tarisai, a daughter yearning for the love and presence of her mysterious and absentee mother. A girl child coming into her own power and identity in the immediate shadow of corruption, misogyny, inequality, and lies spanning generations.

Tarisai was an isolated child, raised and imprisoned by a succession of tutors afraid to touch her because of her unique powers to experience the history of people and things with a touch. Tarisai spent most of her childhood longing for the presence and affection of a mysterious and often absent mother known only as “The Lady.”

While still very young, The Lady sends Tarisai 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 picked, Tarisai will be bonded to the Prince and Council via a bond deeper than blood through the Ray.

At the age of 10, Tarisai starts to experience the connection and community she has always longed for among the Prince and the council of children he begins to form. But she soon discovers that The Lady has long had other plans for her and the entire empire. Tarisai finds herself under the bondage of a magical wish with a command she is compelled to obey: kill the Crown Prince once she secures his trust.

Book Review

That is the plot in a very abbreviated nutshell. But Raybearer is a nuanced, intentional, and lovely YA novel that does not fall victim to the many pitfalls of the genre.

So much is done to and chosen for Tarisai. She is a weapon, a means to an end, and a child laden with expectation and responsibility. She is also deeply intelligent, observant, strong-willed, and passionate. She makes hard decisions for reasons beyond herself. She falls in love, but her journey is not defined by it. Her complexity is not minimized.

The world of Raybearer is filled with complex characters. A well-paced plot that is not entirely predictable, with storytelling that does not drag along.

For me, the icing on the cake was the cultural gradation. The diversity of cultural storytelling and representation. The narrative within the narrative that will make you pause at times when you think how often it is erased in popular North American literature. I found myself pausing more than once to soak up the intimacy and detail of a scene.

There were moments that I did find myself frustrated with Tarisai. But these moments were often mitigated by the pace and progression of the narrative. The story is the first book in the series, and while it ends with work to be done and journeys to be completed, it does not close with an extreme cliffhanger that leaves the reader bereft. There is clear closure of a chapter that leaves you with a sea of complex emotions.

Raybearer is an engaging and exciting read. A reader’s level of enjoyment will come down to taste but, in my opinion, worth taking a chance on.

Comments On Narration For Audiobook Listeners

The voice actor had their work cut out for them. There was an array of cultural accents, songs, and characters to voice. The acting was neither annoying nor a distraction. The narrator was emotive, clear, and consistent. Overall solid, and if your preference is for Audiobooks, I think you won’t have any material issues or complaints with Raybearer.

This audiobook was enjoyable to listen to. The narrator was clear and expressive which made the characters lifelike and more relatable. I normally listen at 3x normal speed, but was only able to listen at 2x before the narrator’s voice was real choppy, skipped words, and had a large echo, but I attribute this to the platform not the narrator.

The characters and settings were all very rich and had their own characteristics and defining features, yet the problem that I had was that there were so many that they all, in the end, just blended together. Ifueko has a very beautiful writing style and I loved listening to her descriptions of people and places, but the imagery never really sunk in.

The core plot was simple and easy to follow. It created emotional growth and anticipation to know what would come next and what choices would be made. I always did want to read on, even if I wasn’t fully aware of everything and everyone. The sub plots tended to get in the way and, although interesting, created more confusion for the story.

In the end I really did enjoy this story but felt it got bogged down by too much. This is definitely a time when I thought that less would be more. I look forward to seeing more from this author and hope that there is more growth in an already fantastic writing style.

I listened to this book instead of reading it. I had a digital galley from Netgalley that had to be read on their app. I say this because it reflects part of my review. Overall, I really did like this book. However, if you were in the office when i first started it and it dragged on FOREVER you might have thought i would say i didn’t like it. I really wished I could speed the reader up. I think that would have helped tremendously. The first half of this book (approx. 7 hours) was world set up.

Tarisai is a lonely little girl who has been kept from the world. She also has wishes that must be granted, even if those wishes are harmful to others. She is sent to the palace to become a member of the next council. She must bond with the raybearer if she hopes to become one of his 11 confidants and life protectors. They are all kids. Bonding can take years. After a fire, Tarisai loses her memories. We skip forward a few years and most everyone is teenagers and the bonds have been set. The king in waiting is learning how to rule along with his council. But here is when Tarisai’s wish takes over and life changes forever. It was up to this point that I almost DNFed this book. It got especially hairy when everyone started talking about their sex lives and looking for pregnancy. Just not something I wanted to think about as to this reader, the characters were still little kids.

However, once Tarisai’s wish is activated the story picks up, moves quickly and sucks you in. The story at times reminds me of The Black Witch, while being wholly original. I do think I would have enjoyed the book better if I had read it, or if I had the ability to speed up the reader. I think, at least for the first half, the read is way too slow. But once again, overall I liked it and can not wait for the sequel.

An excellent audiobook production- I was completely taken in from the very beginning right through to the end.

Raybearer hosts such a rich and compelling world. It centres a uniuely crafted political structure, alongside magically talented individuals, and the result is just. *chefs kiss*

Our main character, Tarisai, has grown up isolated from the outside world she can see from her window, and deprived of any real affection or human connection. Her mother, known only as The Lady, has raised her with one goal- to become one of eleven trusted Council Members, and to kill the Crown Prince..If she can make it through the trials and become a council member, she'll be joined to them through the Ray, a bond deeper than blood- and will become part of a family she's craved all her life.

Tarisai desperately wants to disobey her mothers wishes, but she's magically compelled to obey. Desperation makes us ruthless in finding loopholes, though, and Tarisai might just have figured it out. Or not.

What follows is a journey across the lands of Aritsar, a beautiful tale of found family, interesting magic, and a deep and expansive plot that makes me sigh with happiness. Told with gorgeous prose and compelling, complex characters, this novel was a brilliant start to what will very likely become a new favourite fantasy series.

Ifueko did a fantasic job of wrapping up this first book while also setting up book 2, and she got me hook, line and sinker.

This might just be my favourite YA Fantasy novel of 2020

Mark my words: this is the newest popular fantasy series! It has everything you want from a fantasy and more.
Quite quickly into the story you find out what the main character's job is. What she is ought to do.
This book doesn't slow down. Whenever there is a moment of rest in the book, something happens to quicken the pace.
Jordan Ifueko's writing style is great. It sucked me into the story even more!
Tarisai's situation was very complicated. Many times have I wondered how she would get herself out of the mess. I felt myself on the edge of my seat, rooting for the young woman.

The narrator was perfect for this story! Their voice felt very fitting to the vibe and they were also very good at doing the different voices. That way I can seperate the characters to know who's talking.
I'm not very familiar to audio books - think I've listened to two - but this one is definitely my favorite!

As a reader of fantasy, I loved every bit of this book. When we first begin reading it, we are introduced to Tarasai. She is sheltered and deprived of love and friendship. I felt empathy for her. I wanted nothing more for her than to be loved. She desired love from her mother, who was absent and unwilling to offer it. Throughout the novel, we see how this beginning helped to shape her outlook on life and how she related to others. This deprivation was unlike children in captivity experience. Though the setting of this story is in a fictional world, it is not undeniable to see the real world implications of childen in captivity (refugee camps, ICE detention, prison). As the story progresses, we see how this sheltering has made Tarisai feel connection with the other children on the council. She has found the family that she craved and needed.

Jordan Ifuenko did an amazing job creating this world. I felt that I could immerse myself in this story and visualize everything that occurs between the pages of this book. Aritsar is an empire of many peoples, and with the empire building, there is a dark side that becomes very apparent with the sacrifices of the children of Songland. These children are outside of the empire, yet the sacrifice of these Redemptors are on the behalf of the empire. The inequality is felt in the reading of these pages and is not ignored. Ifuenko has also brought forth the issue of gender equality. Only the men can lead this empire. As a reader, I felt that the writer addresses this very well and beautifully, without being preachy.

By the end of this book, I didn’t want it to end. I could have read more and been satisfied. I am grateful to have stepped into this world, and can’t wait for what happens next.

Issues I Had with this Book:
*DoinTooMuchitis-This is the next book to suffer from this ailment and it's almost always debut fantasy authors. Sometimes when it's an own voices and it's set in a different country, they tend to want to put so much in their story that there is no focus and the story becomes confusing. This is what happened here. This story has a very simple plot; at least it did for the first 50%. And then the second half started.

Although I only had one issue with this book, I still dropped it to a 3/5 because there was so much to focus on and I stopped caring about everything around the 75% mark and I guessed a major thing within the first 5 chapters.

What I Liked About This Book:
*The Pacing on the first 60%-Ifueko did lots of stuff differently than the traditional YA fantasy and I liked that.
*The Folklore-There was one story with the Phoenix and the earth and the sea that was really good.
*The Underworld-There is an underworld component that was nice but it's almost an afterthought until it's either info-dumped or brought up when it's convenient.
*Themes-Feminism; revenge; jealousy; friendship were among the themes in Raybearer which makes this book a good book club selection.
*Diverse-Although it's an African fantasy, there are diverse characters within the world-Middle Eastern, European, and East Asian.

I hope there is going to be a second book! Raybearer is an immersive and stunning debut Ya fantasy novel. I loved everything thing about this story but the characters stole my heart. Tarisai and the journey that she undergoes to realize she isn’t a monster made me tear up. Dayo and his unending love for Tarisai. Sanjeet who was such a sweet bean under that hard exterior and Kirah who was such a good friend no matter what. All of them were just a joy to read and journey with throughout this story. The book does sort of throw you into the world from the start which can be a little jarring but once you get accustomed to the atmosphere that Jordan Ifueko has created you will be hooked. Thank you to NetGalley and the Blackstone publishing for the Arc.

Side note: I really loved how Tarisai would tie her hair up every night and it was mentioned in the book. This is such a small thing but it was so realistic and accurate of a young black girls hair and things like this are often never mentioned in books especially fantasy books.

This story certainly impressed and was so beautiful. This story is one of the rare ones that kept me guessing all the way through to the end - I did not see the ending coming. The characters are developed and developed so well that they actually feel fully fleshed out! The world is developed perfectly and built so you can feel yourself inside of it. I am over the moon in love with this book and cannot wait to read more from this author!

The audiobook for this one was completely stunning and enchanting.

All Tarisai has ever wanted is to belong. When she is chosen to join the Crown Prince’s Council of Eleven she is connected to them through the Ray, a bond deeper than blood. She has finally found a family.

But Tarisai has a secret.

Born to The Lady with one purpose, and one purpose alone, Tarisai is compelled by a magic deep within her bones to kill the Crown Prince she has come to love.

Can she resist The Lady's will?

Or will she be responsible for destroying those she holds most dear?

Ifueko's stunning world-building and character development immerse you from the very first word. A captivating tale of loyalty, fate, and belonging, this fantasy world feels as tangible as our own. Exploring politics, exploitation, and trauma, Raybearer scratches far more than just the surface.

Written in mesmerizing prose, this diverse fantasy YA novel gives up a complex and determined heroine to look up to, flaws and all.

Joniece Abbott-Pratt's narration was full of emotion and perfectly captured all of the many varied characters. I was on the edge of my seat and listened to the entire book in just two days, mouth hanging open at the twists and turns.

I can't wait to continue this journey with Tarisai in the next installment!

Thank you to Netgalley, Blackstone Publishing, and Jordan Ifueko for providing me with a free audiobook copy of Raybearer in exchange for an honest review.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3388338575?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1
https://www.instagram.com/p/CD180kYpQBF/
(YouTube review to come)

4.5 stars
Wow - I'm not a huge fantasy reader but I was happy to receive this advanced audiobook version because this was brilliant. I'm happy that I was given a copy of this book because the plotline and the characters were captivating and did a great job of incorporating magic. I loved the vivid depiction of the Black girl magic, from the description of the braids to the jewelry that was worn.

The only reason I gave this 4.5 stars instead of a 5 is that some of the beginning parts of the books were a little boring for me. However, the second half of the book picked up and I couldn't put it down. I'm excited to read more books in this world because I must know what happens next.

Thank you Netgalley for providing a free advanced audiobook version of the book. All opinions are my own.

For as long as she can remember, Tarisai has been alone with nothing but her tutors to keep her company. Her mother, known as “The Lady” rarely ever comes around and her father is nowhere to be found. She’s grown used to this existence up until the moment where The Lady comes to gather her. She has a special trip planned. It turns out, Tarisai has been kept isolated from the world for a purpose: to join Prince Dayo’s Council of 11 when she comes of age. Tarisai knew nothing of this plan until her mother showed her a picture of Dayo. See, Tarisai is half ehru, which means she’s compelled to fulfill a limited number of wishes for her mother. For her third and final wish, The Lady orders Tarisai to gain Prince Dayo’s trust, become one of his 11 and then when he loves her the most, kill him. Tarisai is brought to the capital of Aritsar, but she has no clue why she’s there. She doesn’t know what this visit is about, what will happen and doesn’t even remember what her mother commanded her to do. Tarisai is excited at the possibility of finally having friends and not being alone…but little does she know those friends will come at a cost.

Let me tell you what I loved about this book, which was essentially…EVERYTHING!

From the moment we meet Tarisai, you can’t help but feel connected to her. She’s a little girl who wants nothing more than to be loved by the mother she almost never gets to see, but even deeper than that she just doesn’t want to be alone anymore. You can’t help but feel sorry for her, simply because from the beginning it’s clear she’s being used as a pawn in a game she doesn’t understand. She’s thrust into a situation she doesn’t understand as a child and is forced to adapt despite the fact that according to the current emperor and his Council, she looks exactly like her mother who was a traitor to the empire, or so they say. She has no idea if it’s true or not or what her mother did, but being the spitting image of her and having a hallow that allows her to see, steal, and replace memories can be very dangerous. The Council of 11 are the only ones who can harm the Emperor. They are his most trusted advisors, helping to keep the realm and Emperor safe, connected by something known as a Ray, which connects their minds to one another. What will happen if Tarisai actually becomes a member of the Council? She could be a danger to Prince Dayo? She seems innocent enough, but how can they be sure? How can Tarisai herself be sure?

These questions lead me to my point. No one knows for sure what’s going to happen. It’s clear that Tarisai has found her place in the capital, but the curse is also always in the back of the readers mind. How will Tarisai overcome this obstacle? Is she strong enough to fight against her mother’s wishes and forge her own destiny? Will anyone figure out what’s truly going on??? THE PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW!

The other piece of Raybearer that I loved were the characters themselves. I think often times, side characters don’t get enough love and so we’re left not feeling connected to them. Jordan did an amazing job going against that grain with this book. Kirah, Dayo, and Sanjeet are all amazing in their own right. Kirah and Tarisai immediately connect with one another and Kirah is such a kind soul that it’s hard not to love her from the very beginning. Dayo, it’s clear, has spent his whole life waiting for the moment that he’ll have his own Council of 11, not because he wants to rule, but because that means he’ll finally have friends who understand him and love him; People he’ll be connected with for the rest of his life. Sanjeet….listen I swooned over Sanjeet the moment he was introduced. He’s completely misunderstood because of his size and his past, but he’s so much more than a soldier or a fighter. After growing up in an abusive home and losing his little brother, he’s come to adore Dayo, but he’s terrified of losing him too. He understands Tarisai in a way that no one else can. He understands what it’s like to grow up alone and afraid and wanting your parent’s love and approval, but never seeming to be enough. I just wanted to wrap him up in my arms and never let him go. It was like that for so many of the characters. You learn and watch them grow along the way and you can’t help but to root for them.

Finally, the Jordan’s writing is just amazing. She brings the cultures and the world of Aritsar alive with her words and imagery. This felt like a kingdom I not only wanted to visit, but also spend serious time in. Each of the kingdoms of the Empire has their own culture and beliefs and I just wanted nothing more than to learn about each and every one of them. It’s truly amazing when an author can meld fantasy, culture, and amazing characters into one story and honestly, that’s exactly what Jordan did with Raybearer.

Not only is this story amazing, but it also tackles some amazing things. We get to see on page Ace rep, the threat of losing your culture to colonization, just how harmful colonization can be, the importance of friendship, parental abandonment and abuse/manipulation, misogyny, the bullshit that is the patriarchy, and what happens when men are scared of powerful women.

I just have a lot of feelings about this book okay. Deal with it.

As a side note, I absolutely loved the narration of the audiobook. The narrator captured the magic of the story as well as the characters, which can sometimes be difficult. I would definitely listen to it again.

This is by far one of the best books I have read in 2020. I already know it is going to be in my top 5 no matter what else comes out. The relationships between Tarisai and Jeet and Tarisai and Kirah made my heart grow five sizes.