While the world (and wardrobe!) building continues to be excellent in this duology, pacing and character development struggle. Tarisai spends the vast majority of this book being given solid advice....and then ignoring it, usually so she can continue to moodily torture herself with guilt. Like many readers I was surprised that her traversing across the underworld, something both books emphasized repeatedly as the high point of both Tarisai's adventures the fate of her world, was given so few chapters and posed so little challenge (so little, in fact, that Tarisai chooses to undergo the ritual a full year before she agreed to at the conclusion of the previous book and which breaks down to five "challenges," all of which she is able to prepare for in advance and can be resolved by either continuing to walk straight ahead or repeating a statement she has already memorized). It's not clear to me if a third book was originally intended and then withdrawn or if the main plot simply became less and less interesting to author in comparison with Tarisai's personal problems. Familiarity with the first novel in the series is required. Heavy emphasis on hurt/comfort themes.

This was a fantastic follow up to Raybearer! Such a fascinating world and system of power and the characters are awesome! My only problem with the book is that the end seemed very rushed. It seemed like the story between both Raybearer and Redemptor had been written as one book but had been divided. So the part at the end with the descent into the spirit world just went by quickly for all it was set up to be. Either way, I would love to read more books like this and especially more books set in this world!!

This is a satisfying conclusion to the story begun in Raybearer. I found Tarisai a bit whiny but in the end she overcomes it and fulfills her destiny that she discovered in the first book.

3.5/5

Audiences find themselves back in Oluwan with Redemptor Empress Tarisai. This time, readers root for Tarisai as she attempts to convince the 12 leaders of the realms of the empire to love her and accept her Ray, thus forming her council before she enters Oruku Breach. Readers are reunited with all of their favorite characters and anxiously watch Tar grapple with her impending doom coupled with the challenges of ruling an empire.

I was most excited to read this book for Tar's journey to the underworld, but the book really focused on Tar’s ability to form a council and what that meant for the empire and its corrupt nobles. While that story was rich, the lead up to the breach felt drawn out compared to the actual moments in the underworld.

Standing by and anxiously awaiting more reviews to discuss this highly anticipated sequel to one of my favorite books this year.

Thank you so much to ABRAMS Kids and Amulet Books for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I can’t believe this duology is over! I had an incredible time jumping into the world of Aritsar when reading Raybearer for the first time last month and the fact that Tarisai’s journey has come to an end is leaving me with such a bittersweet feeling. I think I enjoyed Raybearer slightly more than I did Redemptor, but these characters and this story still left such a warm fuzzy feeling in my stomach that I’ll ultimately give Redemptor 4.5 stars.

Redemptor picks up practically right where we left off in Raybearer with Tarisai as the new Empress of Aritsar, now focused on anointing a council of her own. For this plotline, although it was interesting to focus more on the relationships Tarisai was building with a select number of her council prospects, such as Zuri and Min Ja, I wish we had gotten a closer look at the other council members she appointed, because I feel like that was glossed over a bit.

Another big topic on Tarisai’s mind as Empress is her inevitable journey to the Underworld. This plotline underwhelmed me as the main conflict of the plot. We spent so much of the book discussing how dangerous this journey would be for Tarisai and how she would probably not make it out alive or within two years. However, within the last few chapters of the book, this plotline felt super rushed. It seemed like a let down as the climax, considering how time Tarisai spent training building up the courage to go on this journey.

My favorite part of Redemptor was definitely seeing Tarisai shine and grow more into a confident and empathetic young woman as Empress. She’s definitely an amazing role model for young readers and the growth in her character arc was so wonderful to see.

The part that made me the happiest in Redemptor and honestly in this entire duology is the heartwarming character relationships and found family trope. Sanjeet is literally the most perfect brown boy I have ever read in a fantasy book, I’m not even joking. The way he supports Tarisai, loves her unconditionally, and always pushes her to be the best she can be is so admirable. They are so adorable together, and such a perfect example of a loving, healthy couple in YA. I also loved Tarisai’s relationships with Dayo, Kirah, Woo In, and the whole crew. These characters honestly hold such a special place in my heart, especially with the amazing BIPOC representation, and I will love them forever.

All in all, please read the Raybearer duology if you haven’t already. Obviously, read Redemptor if you were a fan of the first book. Jordan Ifueko’s storytelling and worldbuilding is out of this world and I will forever recommend this duology to anyone and everyone. I really wish there was a duology like this when I was younger but I’m so happy that young readers of color have Tarisai and her loved ones as their friends.

This picks up right where Raybearer left off. Intricate and multi-layered, Ifueko expands on the universe and its characters even more. Tarisai remains a character you can't help but root for, and she's grown in complexity. One of the better written fantasies of the year, this is a fitting close to the duology that's captivated its readers from the very beginning.

Raybearer is one of my favorite books of all time and Redemptor has quickly joined that list.
This book was amazing in every aspect from the world-building to the character arcs, ughhh I can't wait until everyone gets to read it so I can scream about it.
(Also not to be dramatic or anything, but I would die for Kirah.)

Redemptor is about love. It is about all types of love and validating all different kinds of love and the families that are created from them. I thought Redemptor was a solid ending for this duology. Endings sometimes leave me with a sour taste but this one hit just right. The journey has heart, a solid plot, and amazing characters. It is simply the first book continued.
I always give an extra star for a book that has asexual representation but this book was going to get 5 stars anyways. Thank you for a book that highlights love in all forms and that all these forms of love are worthy of love back.

I am just as in awe of Redemptor as I was Raybearer. Now my favorite duology.

The beautiful world and love of culture continues in Redemptor with the same great pacing and action. Where they differ is that Redemptor reads as the more grown up and mature version. The struggles and mental battles Tarisai fights become even more complex and dark. As if the book is aging and maturing right along with our favorite main character.

I love how effortlessly the important themes, that apply to our real world, are weaved within this book to make you think critically without feeling at all out of place. I never fail to be inspired by Tarisai and this holds true in Redemptor as well. I’m only sad that it’s over.

The prose in this book was absolutely beautiful. Tarisai has developed into an interesting character. She is slowly healing from the trauma of being used as a tool and finding her footing as a new leader. However, the story felt rushed, and I did not care about or connect to anyone mentioned.
As much as I enjoyed this book, it did suffer greatly from second book syndrome. This book is hurt the most by the fact that realistically, this should have been a trilogy. There is so much that should have been built up as a peak plot point in this story, that the ending felt lackluster.
This story still gets a high rating from me, primarily because of Tarisai and the context of her story, as well as the beauty of the prose.
My full review will be posted on August 9th, 2021.

Raybearer was one of my favorite books of 2020, so I was incredibly excited to receive an ARC of the sequel! Redemptor picks up right where we left off, with Tarisai facing an impossible quest to save her people. Tarisai must convince fellow rulers to join her council and prepare to undertake a dangerous journey to the underworld. Meanwhile, she faces court opposition as not everyone is convinced that having an empress is a good thing. When the ghosts of dead children start appearing before her, Tarisai is overwhelmed with guilt and fear. Tarisai must rely on Sanjeet, Kirah, Dayo, and her council siblings to help the spirits and ensure justice prevails.

I absolutely loved Redemptor! Themes of social justice and equality shine through this book, seamlessly intertwined with Tarisai’s perilous quest. One of my favorite aspects of this book is the extraordinary growth that Tarisai goes through, while always remembering who she is and where she comes from. The focus is on Tarisai’s journey, but the supporting cast is really endearing and lovable too! Tarisai steadily adds to her found family throughout the book, which is one of my favorite tropes. The prose was smooth and flowing, with vivid descriptions that carefully paint each scene. Ifueko makes so many poignant points about activism, mental health, and self-care. These are very important lessons and I really appreciated how they were incorporated.

Redemptor is a lyrical and spellbinding conclusion to the Raybearer duology. I hope we get to see more from this world one day! Maybe a novella to follow up with Kirah or Dayo? This is one of my favorite duologies that I will be recommending to everyone! Redemptor releases August 17, 2021. Thank you so much to Jordan Ifueko, Amulet Books, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

For publisher: My review will be posted on the publication date and I will publish it on Instagram, Goodreads, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble etc

If you enjoyed Raybearer, Redemptor is right up your alley. That said, toward the end of the book the pacing gets a little weird and I often felt I must have blinked and missed something important, reread, and discovered it was just something happening with very little narrative elaboration.

I liked this book better than the first one. I felt more time was spent building Tar as an independent individual instead of the group which I enjoyed.

I loved Raybearer and was eagerly awaiting its sequel which did not disappoint. The pacing seemed a bit stuttered throughout with some slower parts followed by a speedy ending, but all-in-all Redemptor offered a satisfying end to the duology.

I received this book as an eARC from Netgalley. All opinions are my own!

Tarisai is now Empress Redemptor, but she must anoint a council of her own, then descend into the Underworld if she has any hope of saving her people.

Where do I even begin with how much I adored this book?! Tarisai is hands-down one of my favorite heroines of all time. Watching her grow up and then evolve into such an amazing Empress Redemptor was one of the most heartwarming and gratifying stories I have ever read.

What made this book so amazing to me was that Tarisai continued to grow and discover who she is. She didn't simply become Empress and stop there. She fought for her people, and through learning about them and what they needed, she found a deeper understanding of who she was and what she was meant to be.

The one thing I was slightly disappointed in with this book was that I had expected more action. But in the end, I did enjoy the tension and how Tarisai ended up learning from her journey and finding out who she really was.

Redemptor was an amazing sequel to an extraordinary debut, and I loved every single second of it! Tarisai and her found family all but became my family as well, and I adored being taken on every last up and down with them.

If you have not picked up Raybearer, now is the perfect time to do so! This duo is spectacular in every way!

Redemptor picks up shortly after where Raybearer left off. Tarisai and Dayo are working together for the benefit of a united Aritsar, and Tar has just two years to build her council before entering the Underworld as part of her bargain to become Empress Redemptor.

The problem is, the ojiji are haunting Tarisai’s every step, making her doubt herself and those she loves. Just like in Raybearer, this book is about overcoming self-doubt and finding yourself.

Such a beautiful end to Tar’s story.

We need to bear in mind here that Raybearer was not just a favourite read of 2020, but up there with my favourite reads ever. So this sequel was always going to have a hard time living up to that. And I'm coming away from it feeling a little flat because honestly... it didn't, quite.

The book starts off right into the action and I was excited. But then the middle section really started to languish. The anointing of the extra council felt a bit pointless and we didn't get the depth of connection that we got with the first group. It felt like the council sickness concept was done away with a little too easily and conveniently. The final section is really the main part of the story, so it felt quite short compared to the weight it carried, and over kind of abruptly.

This story definitely felt heavier than the first, and it felt like a little of the magic was missing. Tarisai spends most of the book frenetic and miserable. The character connections we loved so much from the first book took a bit of a backseat.

I did appreciate the way Tarisai stood up to Sanjeet and wouldn't make herself less. That was really great. I also liked how the difference is highlighted between an attraction that's heady but unhealthy, versus a love that feels safe and supportive. So often YA books glorify the "exciting and dangerous" guy so it was really refreshing.

This book really goes deep into themes of social injustice and I appreciated that too and the thought provoking nature of it, although I'm not sure how I feel about the way things ended up. Tarisai spent the whole book worried about not being worthy enough, so I feel like now she kind of never gets to rest and truly feel worthy... like she'll still always feel like she needs to "do more".

Ughhhh if I'm really honest with myself, I think this was really more of a 3.5 which I really wasn't expecting. I still love the first one but I almost wish I'd left it at that honestly. Having said that, I would definitely still love to read more set in this world!

Huge thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for letting read an advance digital copy.

This was a fun duology overall. I did find this ending to be... a little too open ended and I'm hoping we'll get more in this world. But, I enjoyed this.

I think what I struggled with was the pacing. There was so much going on in this one and there were so many loose ends to tie up that in part 5 of the book, everything seemed to go so quickly that I was like "wait, what?"

If you liked the first one, you'll like this one too. I really loved Tar as a main character and the message and meaning behind her. But, I felt the execution of this one just felt a little lackluster compared to the first book.

I'm hoping there are more stories to tell in this world!

I loved this book so much! It's even better than the first! The villain was sooo well written. I continued to love the magic system in this book - it keeps getting more complex and I love it. I'm excited to see what else Jordan Ifueko has in store!

Redemption, the final book of the Raybearer duology, follows Tarisai as she takes her newly shared seat on the empire’s throne. She’s so determined to find her purpose and do right by everyone, but does that end up changing the girl who we’ve all come to know and love? What makes her so sure she’ll be able to rewrite history and keep it together? I know I couldn’t. But nonetheless, the book earns 5/5 stars from me.

What I loved:
- all the diversity
- the rallying of the nations
- the fight against morals
- hidden agendas, which I can’t talk about for spoiler purposes, but the ones in this book were great

What I didn’t love so much:
- did we really have to sit through another anointing? I mean I get it, but it’s repetitive and her new anointed don’t contribute much of anything character-wise. Uniting kingdoms? Sure, that was the only use of it
- we did not get enough time in the underworld!! For that to be the whole major twist at the end of the first book, it did not get enough recognition and time as a scene in the second.

Thanks to NetGalley and ABRAMS Kids for sending me and advanced ecopy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Redemptor comes out August 17, 2021 - I know I’ll be there to buy my physical copy (can’t have Raybearer sitting on the shelf without it’s pair!)