I think this pretty much solidifies Japanese mythology as one of my absolute favourites to read.

I really do judge a book by its cover, and I'm sorry to say that I dragged my feet on starting this one because the style of the cover art just did not appeal to me. That was clearly my loss and mistake because I was obsessed with this right from the very first chapter.

Ren is half-Shinigami, half-Reaper; half-Japanese, half-British. As such, she is an immortal servant of a death god, and she takes the souls of those who are ready to die. In London, this means she can stop time around her and tear out a soul through a person's mouth. But her Japanese heritage means she also has the power to control light and darkness, which makes her dangerous. When the British Reapers decide she is a threat that must be stopped, she flees to Japan with her younger half-brother. In order to be deemed a Shinigami by the Japanese death goddess, she must kill three Yokai demons.

This was such a cool world with so much to love! Japanese mythology is so vast and rich, and Baker taps into it to bring this story to life in so many great ways. The magic of the Reapers and the Shinigami fit into the story so well and take it in exciting directions. I especially love the advantage the combined magic gave Ren in her quest to kill these supposedly undefeatable Yokai. And speaking of the Yokai, they were only mildly terrifying! One freezes men in the snow, one eats men in the sea, and another is a nine-tailed fox. I enjoyed how Ren had to work to figure out how to beat them.

Can we take a second to appreciate how morally grey the characters in this book were, though? Not everyone can pull it off, and Baker absolutely did with Ren. Her motivations, her decisions, the justifications she applied to certain actions. It really is something of a villain origin story and I loved that so much!

I found it so interesting how much Ren is driven by her identity. She is never seen just as who she is, no matter where in the world she is, but always as something half and lesser for it. In London, she is called Shinigami as an insult; in Japan she is belittled with the title Reaper. She is too Japanese for the Brits, but in the place where she was born, she is deemed a foreigner. She cannot ever be just one, but the world won't let her be both either. It really makes you sympathize with her as she makes her decisions based on how she wishes to be viewed and what pieces of her identity are most important to her. And it also makes you wonder whether those were the right choices or not.

That ending was incredible! So many fabulous twists, one after the other, that kept me on my toes and left me absolutely begging for the sequel because it looks like it is going to be a doozy.

Ren is such a great character and is relatable. Neven was my favorite character ever, such a sweet boy. I need to read book two to see if she ever finds what she was seeking!

I absolutely loved the Japanese folklore and mythology that was included in this book. I would argue it was the best part and in addition to the dark atmosphere, it made for some terrifying characters ahaha. I’m thinking of one character in particular, iykyk, I am absolutely terrified of her ahahaha. This book is packed with morally grey characters, the world and concepts of Reapers and Shinigami and their powers totally rocked my socks (even if there are a couple holes where things don’t make too much sense). I am a huge fan of powers that include time manipulation and squealed when I found out this had been included.

I appreciated the fact this book didn’t focus too too much on the romance. We actually get a deeper sibling relationship between Ren and her brother Neven, though, as a result, I didn’t really get why she would opt to prioritize Hiro, her love interest, when they first meet, instead of her brother, who she’s known and loved for more than a century. I am not a huge fan of MC’s making questionable decisions for the sake of adding conflict to the plot, which this clearly was to me, and it also made Ren and Hiro feel very instalove, which isn’t a trope I enjoy either. I also wish Ren’s character had gotten a bit more development - I would’ve loved to see more of Japan through her eyes, watch her fall in love with it and really want to become a Shinigami for that reason vs just wanting to belong.

In terms of content warnings, there is racism/conflict around Ren being “Other”, bullying, violence, death.

I listened to this as an audiobook and thought the narrators were great. If you’re one to get lost/confused when there’s a bunch of new terminology in a different language, I’d suggest reading a physical or ebook.

Overall, I’d probably give this a 3.5-3.75 stars (rounded to 4).

A huge thanks to Inkyard Press, Harper Collins Canada and Netgalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

Morally grey character? yes please! bi racial main character?! Honestly this book had so many good points! the story was very interesting, however the 2nd half of the book could of been a bit better. Otherwise I enjoyed this book

I really enjoyed this book. I hope the author continues to write more books in the future. I can't wait to see what the author releases in the future.

I loved the concept for this book. The atmosphere and the way the Reapers and Yokai magic works was interesting. The plot unfortunately was a little tropey and predictable.

This YA Fantasy was so unique and captivating that I was immediately sucked in. Following our main character, who is half British Reaper and half Japanese Shinigami (hello, Death Note fans), this story is suspenseful, horrifying, heartbreaking and action packed to the brim! I loved the characters, especially the sibling relationship featured, and I cannot wait for more from this author!

Japanese folklore inspired novel with morally gray characters, and a side kick you fall in love with. This book has some great descriptive writing, a dark atmosphere, and the concept of Reapers, especially with how they can "manipulate" time, was so fun to read. You will not be disappointed and be screaming for book 2 by the end!

My Review:

I received an e-ARC of this book from Inkyard Press in exchange for a place on this blog tour – thanks!

I was so so excited/intrigued by the premise of this book, but it made so many strange choices for the characters that just fell flat for me and tainted my enjoyment of it. I absolutely adore historical fantasy, and the world of this book is definitely the reason why it is getting 2.5 instead of 3 stars, but the last half of the book had me going ‘???’ the entire time.

The first half of the book hooked me right from the start. I read that half in one sitting and was tempted to stay up to finish the rest. I really enjoyed the journey part of this story, and the mythology that was woven into it. I was liking Ren’s character, her determination and grit made me root for her, however, it was a short lived liking.

Somewhere around the middle of the novel, right after Hiro is introduced, everything started to fall apart for me. Ren’s infatuation with Hiro really dulled her character and the way that she becomes so trusting and reliant on him made her seem so naive compared to the first half of the novel. I had a feeling that there would be a romantic aspect of their relationship, even as much as I had hoped for it to be this journey with her new friend and her brother. I think it could have been so much more interesting without that, and because of it, the second half of the novel felt so rushed and so off compared to the beginning. It was just disappointing.

I feel like there will be people who really love this book, and those, like myself, who it just did not vibe with. I may pick up the conclusion, just to see where the story goes. But I can’t say with a hundred percent certainty that I would after just finishing it.

The Keeper of the Night releases October 12th

Happy Reading!

What a story!!! I am a sucker for folklore/mythology and I love how deeply rooted Japanese mythology was in this story!
Also I loved how unique the whole soul collector/reaper aspect was
I was immediately drawn to the synopsis and was extra interested in the underworld aspect of it
And let me tell you- it was chilling!!
This book is intricate and the world building is absolutely fantastic, I recommend!

Overall

As soon as I read the synopsis for this book, I knew I needed to read it! It almost had a Bleach vibe to it that made me really curious. Plus, the cover’s all dark and mysterious. And Japanese mythology! Which of course lends itself well to dark fantasy. There was just no way I wasn’t picking this one up.

The Keeper of Night is a dark fantasy set in a world you won’t want to visit but will love reading about. Packed with Japanese mythology, Shinigami, and Yokai, this book will ensnare you and refuse to let go.

The world Baker creates is absolutely fantastic and pulled me right in! However, this book employs a couple of my least favorite tropes, including instalove and “person you’ve known all your life is suspicious of this newcomer but for some reason you completely ignore them in favor of this person you’ve known for 30 seconds,” which always frustrates me. Readers who enjoy or don’t mind these tropes will likely have a better time with this one than I did. Despite those, though, I really enjoyed this book and I’ll be looking forward to reading the next book!

My Thoughts

- The grimdark world Baker sets up in The Keeper of Night isn’t for the faint of heart . . . but it is wonderfully immersive and likely to suck you in and refuse to let you come up for air. I mean, you can read that sentence in a lot of different ways, and whatever interpretation you come up with is probably correct. Yes, it’s gripping. Yes, it’s addictive. It would also drown you without blinking an eye and feast on your corpse. Welcome to Yomi! In this world, Reapers and Shinigami exist as agents of death, and Japanese mythology is real, including the idea of Yokai. If you’ve ever heard any stories about Yokai, you’ll understand why this might be a problem. Sure, there are some mostly harmless and sometimes adorable Yokai . . . but then again, adorable Yokai are just as likely to eat your soul as any other. Don’t be fooled!

This world is dark and gory and often bloody, so if that’s not your thing, turn away now and save yourselves. If you’re like me and are easily tempted to the dark side, you will definitely appreciate this world and all the creatures you meet along the way!

- Ren isn’t a particularly sympathetic or likeable character (a fact which she reiterates several times and is obviously aware of), but she gets the job done. It’s hard not to empathize at least a little with Ren, who is biracial (half British Reaper, half Japanese Shinigami). She’s spent her life with a father who didn’t want her, tortured by other Reapers who call her a foreigner (and that’s when they’re being nice about it). All she really wants is a place where she can belong.

If you’re the sort of reader who needs a sympathetic or likeable protagonist, you’re probably not going to find it in Ren. She’s very upfront and honest about what a horrible person she is, though she flip-flops between wanting not to be a horrible person and just accepting that it’s who she is. I usually love gray characters, but I have to say I didn’t love Ren. Didn’t hate her, either. I admired her determination and ingenuity in the face of adversity, but I didn’t always understand her actions.

- Ren is joined on her quest by her half-brother, Neven, who is a full Reaper but softer than any Reaper has the right to be. Like Ren, Neven doesn’t exactly belong in Reaper society, either. He, at the very least, was wanted and loved and given attention by his parents while being raised, but he was also mentally abused in an attempt to harden him into the Reaper he was meant to be. After all, Reapers should be cold and unfeeling, and Neven is anything but. I enjoyed the sibling bonds in the beginning of the book, where each sibling would do anything for the other and they were a force to be reckoned with as they supported each other and stood together. Their characters are very different, of course, but they balanced each other out in an interesting way. Which made it a little disheartening when Ren begins turning on Neven and trusts a stranger over the brother she’s known for a century. This is my least favorite trope, because it makes no sense! Whyyyyy?! I’m not nearly as close to my siblings as Ren and Neven are, but if one of them told me someone was acting shady, I’d at least entertain the idea and listen to their reasoning, rather than casually dismiss them!

In any case, Neven is a joy, and his character growth is just *chef’s kiss*. He provides a nice contrast to Ren, who may be stronger and more powerful in general, as he starts meek and discovers his inner strength when it matters most.

- Then we’ve got the mysterious Hiro, who our duo meet while searching for Yomi, the land of the dead. And boy is he charming! He’s apparently handsome (which is overrated), but more than that, he’s just plain funny! I loved Hiro’s banter. It’s hard not to feel for him, too. Due to a foot deformity, he’s outcast from the Shinigami and looked down on by them, even though, by all rights, he is one. There’s a bit of instalove going on between Ren and Hiro, so if that’s your thing, you’ll probably love this pair! I mean, it’s hard not to love Hiro in general, regardless of how you feel about Ren. For me, though, I’m not a fan of instalove, and I just wasn’t feeling this romance.

- There’s a lot of blending the lines of good and evil in this book, which I really enjoy. The whole world is shades of gray, which is the best sort of world, of course. You’ll never know who is the villain and who is the hero . . . and sometimes characters can be both at the same time. Because people are complicated, okay? I love the complexities of worlds like this, especially the way they lend themselves to plot twists! There’s plenty of those to be had in this book, too.

I was able to read this as well as listen to the audiobook, and I am just thrilled with the Japanese folklore that is presented in this novel. The main character, Ren, is a very head strong and resilient character, as she tries to figure out where she belongs as she is a "half-breed." With the ability to stop time and also collect souls, Ren has her hands full and wants to know more about her family, which no one seems willing to talk about.

Always the big sister, Ren tries to make her brother Neven behave, but also has no control over him. The ending was unexpected, only because I didn't realize that this was only book 1, and frankly I eagerly await the next title.

I was really excited for this one. I loved the first few chapters and dived in wholeheartedly. But as I really got into the story and what was happening. I found that there were major plot holes within. So many things started being complete inconsistent with what we were told about the Reaper's history and powers then a few chapters past what we were told would completely change. It just ended up being a mess of things basically being lies and I started wondering if the main character was an unreliable narrator or something. I think this could have been much better executed if these inconsistencies would have been caught. Overall, I did want to know more about the reapers but with all the issues I just couldn't really love this one.

The Keeper of the Night is a young adult fantasy set in a historical Japan. Ten is the protagonist in the novel. However, she seems cold and distant. Therefore, I could not relate to her. However, I found the world building to be very intricate. The setting of Japan was very refreshing and unique. I like how it blended the mythology and history of Japan together. The writing is very evocative and beautiful! Therefore, I am interested in the sequel! Hopefully, in the next novel, Ren will be more likable! I recommend this for fans of Shadow of the Fox, Spin the Dawn, and Eona!

I read this awhile back for my neighborhood book club. I enjoyed the journey that Ren had to go on in this story. It kept me entertained and it was interesting to learn more about the culture.

DNF 58%

I just couldn’t continue one - the plot was slow moving and Ren wasn’t as strong a MC i wanted her to be. I felt bad for her treatment and *expectation* she had for her brother - I felt she cared very little for what truly happened to him as long as she was able to escape the Reapers. This trait of hers really make me dislike her.

i was utterly spellbound when i started this novel.

in fact, the keeper of night reminds me why, after so many years, i continue to love YA fantasy: these stories can be a wondrous combination of escapism and ingenuity. this genre can draw me so wholly into a fantastical, other world and have me rooting for its devious, charming characters. i can get swept up in fast-paced banter and world-building and relive those coming-of-age moments that always seem to strike a chord. this novel evoked these things in me.

but somewhere after the halfway mark, my reading experienced dimmed.

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what's this novel about? well, lemme just give you a taste of its utterly intriguing premise...

ren scarborough, daughter of a british reaper father and japanese shinigami mother, exists at an intersection of death. her mixed heritage means she can wield dual powers of time-turning (reaper) and light-flaring (shinigami) - but has also drawn scorn, ridicule, and rejection time and again throughout ren's centuries-old life. she works unhappily as a soul-collector for the reapers and their death god, ankou, in england, the only bright spot being her endearing and soft-hearted half-brother, neven.

but when ren's shinigami powers explode - literally - and grievously wounds her tormentors, she is forced to flee england with neven at her side to seek solace on japan's shores. in her birthplace, among the shinigami of yomi, ren seeks desperately for the belonging she has been denied all her life. if she can vanquish the yokai (demons) tasked her by japan's death goddess, then she - along with neven and hiro, a charming newcomer - can finally claim a rightful place in death.

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off the bat, kylie lee baker's lush, evocative prose drew me in. drawing from british death lore and japanese mythology, she weaves a gorgeously dark tale with vivid metaphors and imagery. i love YA fantasy, don't get me wrong - but so many stories feel tired and overdone (particularly those featuring eurocentric characters and worlds).

i have never encountered a story like ren's. baker draws upon her own mixed heritage as a japanese, chinese, and irish person to really bring ren's nuances to life. i loved the interweaving of mythologies and overall themes of struggling to forge a place in which one's belonging is not decided by gatekeepers, in which one's identity is not of halves but a unique whole. i resonated with ren's desire to define herself on her own terms.

not to mention, ren is a morally grey character who must navigate contradictions, ambiguity, and complexity. and those always make for the most interesting stories, in my humble opinion!

i also LOVED neven's character. i felt such endearment for this sweet, animal-loving, squishy boi. which made it all the worse when i realized that ren was going to take out her trauma on him - though i absolutely empathize with ren, i didn't enjoy the repetitive way in which she'd lash out at neven (apparently being true to her "selfish/cruel/cold" inhuman-being nature?) and then demand his understanding and forgiveness (why would a selfish/cruel/cold inhuman being need either of these things?). this inconsistency didn't really work for me and felt hypocritical instead of morally grey.

another reason i didn't vibe too well with the latter half of the story is that i had a hard time believing how hard and fast ren fell for the love interest. she made decisions that spurned her brother in favour of this love interest, and that didn't feel totally believable for me. as such, the ending lacked the emotional poignance i was craving - and also felt a smidge rushed!

bottom line: i enjoyed this unique and dark story, and i implore folks to continue reading, writing, and publishing ownvoices stories like this one - besides the fact that we deserve representation, our stories also make for such rich, complex, funny, endearing, and enchanting narratives.



many thanks to netgalley and inkyard press for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

“I no longer had to run from death, for I had become it”

Japanese Folklore, villain origin story and an amazing novel that will leave you desperate for the sequel!

In a play on Japanese folklore, Kylie Lee Baker writes a story follow Ren, a Reaper. Being half British and Half Japanese, she tackles the inability of being able to fit in into each of her cultures. After an incident, she must escape to her mother’s home town, followed close behind by Death itself. Will she be able to fulfill her tasks and find out why her mother had given her up? Or will she succumb to the mundane horror that is death?

This was wow. The writing was absolutely beautiful, the plot was so very unique. The only downside was that certain parts dragged a little, and didn’t keep my interest. Other than that, I was truly enthralled with the story and world Kylie Baker has created.

Did my heart shatter at that ending? Perhaps. But you will definitely find me in line for the sequel !!

(spoilers below !!!)

> i do believe that hiro and ren loved each other but they were too driven by their own greed that the love fell away :( hiro’s death was written so beautifully, despite the reader supposed to be hating him, i couldn’t help but be sad. “please ren, just hold me, i don’t want to be alone” THAT IS SOME DARKLING TYPE DEATH!

> it was so interesting reading the story and seeing ren’s character slowly morph into the “villain”/death?? it began with her willing to do anything for her brother but ended with her brother being trapped in the darkness BECAUSE of her?? wow.

> is there any info about the sequel yet ?? because i’d love to see more of neven!! despite everything he was the only one who TRULY loved ren from the start. he deserves the world <3

HOLY SHIT!!! Yes! This is what I want!

I’m gutted that life prevented me from getting to this ARC before now because this… this is phenomenal.

That ending…ooof. I NEED THE SEQUEL NOW!

Ok,ok, here’s the review.

This book is dark, it’s graphic, the MC is often intolerable (which if you know me, I love a flawed and unlikeable MC). She is written to be this way, not unlikeable because she’s so perfect but somehow doesn’t know it, but genuinely a bit psychotic, self absorbed and infuriatingly stubborn. Granted she is this way because of trauma, but Ren is awful and damnit, I love her for it.

I also love a book where people get what they deserve but also LOVE when someone else pays the price.

This book is teeming with Japanese folklore but also has created this story that feels so new! I’m obsessed. It’s gruesome but AMAZING!

Keeper of the Night follows Ren, a biracial English/Japanese Reaper of Souls. The English are Reapers and the Japanese a Shinimagi. Due to values of racial purity and procreation laws, Ren is disavowed by her father in favour of her younger ‘pure blood’ half brother, Neven. Despite this set up for a siblings at odds story Ren and Neven are thick as thieves and when Ren has an outburst due to harassment that results her needing to flea for her life, Neven goes with her as she seeks out her mother in Japan.

Things obviously don’t go as planned and Ren goes on a quest to prove her worth in which she runs away from everything she is and will give up anything to achieve her goal. In this book we watch Ren struggle to decide how much of herself she is willing to give up, including her hopes, dreams and relationships.

There were a few small plot holes that left me a little irritated but the overall experience made up for it.

4.5 stars rounded to 5 stars.

This deals with grim reapers, and the rolls they may play in the deaths of humans. Half British Reaper, half Japanese Shinigami, Ren Scarborough has been collecting souls in the London streets for centuries. Expected to obey the harsh hierarchy of the Reapers who despise her, Ren conceals her emotions and avoids her tormentors as best she can. She is eventually forced to flee with her brother to Japan, but does not find acceptance there either.

Overall found this to be rather grim.