This was received as an ARC from Netgalley.

Overall this was a decent novel that pulled various aspects of Japanese mythology and western ideologies wrapped up together. I do have some issues with the details of how the narrative is told but not with the story itself. There are some sections in the text that describe the characters as not having an item, then later having it in their possession with no real explanation.

There are also sections of the text that are, "left out." I understand keeping the story concise, but a little more details regarding the character's travels would have been nice. Again, a decent story overall, but it lacks some details that would have assisted in the reader's understanding.

This book was received as an ARC from Inkyard Press - OwnVoices in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

At first I did not understand the purpose and theme of this book but, as I read on I could not help but enjoy it. Having such an intimidating job as the soul collector and have your superiors despise you puts such dramatic pressure on someone. Then Ren travels to the underworld in Japan and leaves the underworld in London to of course find self discovery but in order to get what she wants, she must prove herself worthy to the Japanese Underworld goddess and her mission is to find and kill the three deadly Yokai demons. Along the way accompanied by her brother, Ren is determined to accomplish her tasks. As told in many YA Fantasy novels, secrets are unveiled and the truth is in the light and it is no exception to Ren. Such an adventure that is worth the ride and I know our teen book club will have a lot to share for this book.

We will consider adding this title to our YA collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.

The Keeper of Night is a gritty, gore filled, dark historical fantasy placed in 1890s England and Japan. Ren Scarborough, our main character, half English Reaper half Japanese Shinigami, is an anomaly amongst her fellow reapers in Britain. They look down upon her for her Shinigami origin and her ethnicity. She faces discrimination and violence on the daily from those whom are meant to be her equals and after an incident where she retaliates, she must flee England for Japan in search of a new life as a Shinigami and to find her long lost mother. Along with her comes her younger brother Neven, a GREAT side character. When the pair reach Japan, they descend to the underworld to meet the goddess of death herself where they are tasked with killing 3 powerful Yokai for a place in her underworld. Ren, Neven, and a male stranger (who is not long a stranger) that they meet along the way adventure through Japan and create bonds, defeat demons, and learn things they never thought were real. Twists happen, secrets are revealed, it’s like whiplash at every chapter! This story is filled with tension, suspense, action, and mystery. The fantastical elements of the story are so well woven in, and the writing flows seamlessly! The characters and their developments were astounding, and so real! If you love a truly morally grey character then you will love our main character Ren! I couldn’t put this book down, and I thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of the tale that Kylie Lee Baker has woven for us readers. 5/5 stars, I HIGHLY recommend this book and I cannot wait for it’s release to the public!

Wow, The Keeper of Night by Kylie Lee Baker was such a creepy thrill ride! I never thought I'd be so fascinated by creatures of Death. Baker created new worlds that were entirely believable despite their fantastical nature.

We are introduced to Ren Scarborough, a half English Reaper and half Japanese Shinigami. She's been collecting souls in London for centuries, but she has never really fit in. The other Reapers, including her own father, have never accepted the Shinigami side of her. No one except for her half brother, Neven.

After a situation where Ren lost control of her Shinigami powers with a fellow Reaper, she decides to escape to Japan to find her mother and finally fit in. Neven won't let her go alone, so they both leave for Japan while trying to avoid capture by Reapers. When they finally reach Japan, they meet mysterious Hiro who isn't exactly a Shinigami, but he can help Ren find a way to be accepted by the Japanese Goddess of Death.

However, Ren finds that she doesn't belong in Japan either, but she is determined to prove herself worthy. We go on a journey as Ren discovers more about herself, her brother, and exactly how far she will go to fit in. She has to figure out what is really important.

I can't wait to get this for my library. I have so many students who are interested in stories that are dark, creepy, and kind-of twisted...but in a really great way!

Ren’s journey is difficult and full of questionable decisions. All I can think now that it’s over is WHEN DO I GET TO READ THE NEXT ONE.

The Keeper of Night is a wonderful, dark and incredibly rich mystery/thriller novel, so well built and fast paced that I wasn't able to put it down till I reached the end. I was absolutely captivated by the atmosphere, and the characters.

This novel submerges the reader in a landscape so imaginative and detailed that the information of the world building/plot never feels forced, and is never difficult to understand or picture in one's mind.

If I had to use one word to describe this book, all I would say is, wow. Baker did an amazing job at gripping the
reader in from the first couple of pages. Honestly, I had no expectations going into the book. It was something new for me, as I have not read any books about Japanese folk tales, and the only media that I really consumed was Ghibli films.

Let me tell you, this is far darker than what I expected, however, that was not a problem. In fact, it made the story more gripping. Our main character, Ren, is split between two worlds. She feels welcomes in none, and from here, we follow her journey to see exactly what she risks for the acceptance of others.

For this to be in the young adult category was quiet surprising, considering all the darker elements I feel would fit better in adult fantasy. This does not take away from the fact the story was something worth reading. Baker did an excellent job at displaying the emotions of our main character and the conflicts she goes through. The thought process of Ren made me like her even more, even with her faults which eventually leads to our ending.

Speaking of the ending, it is already making me wish I had the second book in my hands. I would not consider it a cliffhanger, but it does leave the reader grasping for more to come. Baker did swell work, from beginning to end with this and keeping the reader interested in whatever was going to come. It deserves the five stars I gave it.

Thank you to NetGalley, Inkyard Press, and Kylie Lee Baker for an advanced digital readers copy of this book.

While I think this book is going to appeal to a lot of people, and a lot of people are going to fall in love with it, it just was not for me. I just did not fall head over heels with the plot, but I did find the majority of it very, very interesting. The characters were also another highlight for me; I found them very vivid and I really, really liked pretty much all of them.

This book was great! I was certainly intrigued by the premise and love fantasy, this blew me away.

I don't know Japanese culture or folklore well (read: at all) so it was great to read a story based on an unfamiliar world. While the book is set in the 1800s, it isn't written in an old time-y fashion so it's really easy to get into! It's a well written, fully formed world that tells the story of a bi-racial girl who is just trying to find a place she is welcome and can call home. We can't all understand what Ren goes through every day, everyone can relate to feeling on the outside and you can sympathize with Ren's choices.

But my favorite part of this book? That it surprised me! I didn't see the end coming! Maybe if I was more familiar with Japanese folklore and so wasn't as mesmerized with the world I would have, because it makes sense and you can see the clues looking back. So it was satisfying ending. I also love that it's going to be a duology because I do want more, and it's easily open for more, this did feel like the end of a book. You aren't left on a huge "cliffhanger".

What exactly do i do after finishing this? This book was everything I want from a fantasy. It was dark, gruesome, and had amazing worldbuilding. I was dreading the end of this, partly because I knew it would hurt, and partly because I didn't want to let go of the world.

This book is terrifying. Several times, I had to put my phone down, and reevaluate what I was reading. I don't think I've ever read a fantasy as gruesome as this. Don't get me wrong, I loved it, but there was an adjustment period. Seriously, people get burnt to a cream, and faces splatter. And those are just two of the gruesome deaths.

But that gruesomeness allowed us to have a true morally gray character. She was like an avenging spirit, and I loved it. She would do anything to protect her family, and she absolutely refused to let go of the power she had attained. It was such a welcome change from the goody protagonists we normally see.

The worldbuilding in this was another thing I loved. For the past few months, I've been loving Japanese inspired fantasies, and this was no exception. The yokai and gods we got to see were super interesting, and I loved how they all had their own stories. The world here was unlike anything I've ever read before, but I was immediately drawn into it.

And the ending of this was definitely cinematic. Everything started going so wrong, but at the same time, so right. I couldn't look away. I couldn't put the book down. This almost could've been a standalone, but I can't wait for the next book. If this is any indication, it'll be even better!

Thanks to Kylie Lee Baker and Netgalley for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review!

This was so interesting.

Half British Reaper, half Japanese Shinigami, Ren Scarborough collects souls. That line right there sold me, and I knew this would be an unique and new story.

Kylie Lee Baker gives a fresh take on soul magic, anti-heroes, and knowing who the REAL bad person is.

I was not sure if I was going to like this book but I decided to give it a chance. I am so glad I did because it was so good! The main characters were very interesting and relatable. I will be purchasing this book for my libraries YA collection.