This story was really interesting. I love anything that is steeped in lore and myth, and this delivered. I also love learning about other cultures through books, even if it is fictional. It will often drive me to look things up on my own as this book did with regards to the Yokai and Shinigami. It is interesting to see how various cultures approach death and the different entities that maintain the balance of life and death in each. It is also really fascinating to see how each culture represents the afterlife. What does that have to do with this book you might ask? Our main character Ren is half Shinigami and have Reaper. The Shinigami serve the goddess of death in Japan, while the Reapers serve the god of death in Britain. Ren was raised in London, but she was never really accepted because of her mixed heritage and powers. She flees London with her brother in tow hoping to find acceptance in Japan, only to find that she has to prove herself to the Goddess there before she can serve as a true Shinigami.

This story was very unique and kind of dark. I think if you liked Katherine Arden's Winternight Trilogy, you will like this. It has that same dark, folklore vibe. Some of the spirits are harmless, while others are truly terrifying. This focuses on three specific Yokai that Ren has been sent to dispatch because they have upset the balance, but as Ren, her brother Neven, and their companion Hiro complete each quest, she realizes all may not be as it seems. Ren also has to question her own motivations and we'll call it humanity though she isn't human. There is definitely a struggle between her light and dark sides. Neven has always kept her grounded, and he's even a bit squeamish when it comes to his Reaper nature, but Ren has never had an issue when it comes to her duties and dealing with death and violence. Neven is seen as weak when he questions the actions of his kind, and when Ren finally feels she's found her place among the Shinigami she pushes him away. When she realizes that there may have been something to Neven's compassion it may be too late for redemption and forgiveness. I guess we'll find out in the next book.

I thought the world building in this was fantastic! The scenes were described in excellent detail. That being said be warned that there are several dark, violent, gory scenes in this book. I also thought the magic system was explained very well. Ren has the abilities of both a Reaper and a Shinigami, and while you'd think that would make her extra useful it is part of her character arc that makes her unwanted and outcast in both societies. I really enjoyed the dichotomy of Neven and Hiro as kind of the Angel and Devil on Ren's shoulders throughout the book, one pulling her to the light and one pulling her toward the dark. Ultimately she makes her own decisions in the end, but they were both there with her the entire way. I'm really anxious to see where the next part of the story goes. I was happy to see that this was a duology, but I thought this book ended nicely and could stand by itself. While there are things left open, it does conclude nicely and doesn't leave you with some great big twist or cliffhanger.

"Why am I the only one with no say in who I am?"

Seriously, this book has no business being this addicting.

Albeit, at first I struggled to read it because of the comparatively slow pace, but when I did get invested in it I ended up loving it so much. The Keeper of Night is the dark historical Asian fantasy of my dreams! If you like morally grey characters with a dash of dark romance be sure to pick this up.

The strongest and my favourite aspect of The Keeper of Night is its worldbuilding which is inspired by Japanese culture and folklore, which by the way, is gory and actually horrific?? The concept of Shinigami and what they do is honestly so creative. Asian inspired worlds and books are the ones I hold close to my heart, so this one definitely checked that box for me. I loved diving into the different stories and learning about the underworld of Japan and its creatures. It immediately drew me in with all its creepiness, violence and vivid imageries. Actually, this book should be perfect for the spooky season.

Ren is such a well written main character. Her struggles as a biracial Asian girl—not fitting in either worlds (British or Japanese) and being constantly told who she is—felt so raw to read about. I could really understand her anger and her desperation to prove herself as a rightful Shinigami. I really think this book will make mixed readers feel seen.

Apart from that, I will say Ren can come of as a total bitch making questionable characters but well, what good are morally grey characters otherwise? Her character arc is one of the best I’ve read, she’s flawed and she only gets worse as she chases the darkness that’s in her core all to make a place for herself. She wants to be a Shinigami and feel accepted but to what extent will she go to achieve her feat? When you read the last couple chapters and see the consequences, it’s honestly so pleasing.

The relationship between Ren and her Reaper brother, Neven, as it moves from mutual adoration to being tense is satisfying. I loved Neven’s character, his human heart despite being a reaper. I really sympathised with him—as he just wanted to support his sister but instead got dragged into the mess and for being the only sensible character throughout—so I’m really eager to see what he’s up to in the sequel.

Hiro, ah I love Hiro. I don’t want to spoil anything by talking about him but he’s so precious and I totally understood him. Though the outcome of his romance with Ren was predictable, seeing it all unfold was the real joy. Because these relationships form the stakes for the story. This trio is so fun to follow, as they have their own personal motivations but also we get the slightest glimpse of a bond between them.

Like I said earlier, once I got immersed into it, Kylie’s easy flowing writing with detailed and visual descriptions accompanied me through the book. The prose is really simple, but powerful to highlight every character and create the atmosphere filled with death. After reading it, you might say “I saw that coming” and frankly so did I, but it is an experience. As the events unfolded I was glued to the words, the chills and horror sinking into me when I realised how it would end.

TLDR; The Keeper of Night is a grimdark historical fantasy that takes you through 1800s Japan, featuring an antiheroine main character and a fast paced story. You really don’t want to miss this one!

I was immediately drawn to the description of this book because the main characters are Reapers, beings who collect souls for Death, and because it is richly steeped in Japanese folklore and spirits. Both of which are components that I love in a dark fantasy story. We immediately meet our MC, Ren, who is half British Reaper and half Japanese Shinigami, and her half brother Neven, who is full Reaper. We quickly learn that Ren doesn't feel a sense of belonging in England, especially with the bullying she endures from the High Reapers. Under dire circumstances Ren escapes to Japan to find the answers she's been looking for. The plot was so well written, it kept me invested the entire book. The incorporation of Japanese folklore was incredibly well done, and super creepy (which I loved). There was some incredible character growth, and some twists that I never saw coming. I gave this book four stars and am incredibly excited for the sequel and finale to the duology to release.

Half Reaper and half Shinigami, Ren Scarborough was reviled by most of the British Reaper society even as she worked collecting souls for centuries. Her Shinigami powers were feared, and when she lost control of them when tormented, she's driven from London and forced to escape rather than be killed. She went to Japan with her younger half-brother, the only one who loved her, and even there had to prove herself. Desperate, she accepted the impossible mission to eliminate three yokai.

As the first half of a duology, we get a lot of world-building woven into the beginning of the story. Each of these Reapers is given special clocks that allow them to stop time to do their work or eliminate obstacles, paying for that time with minutes off of their own lengthy lifetimes. It's fascinating to see Ren at

work, even as every Reaper and High Reaper goes out of their way to harass her and inflate their own egos and position in Reaper society. Even accepting Ren when her mother abandoned her had lowered her father's status, making me wonder why he bothered in the first place. He certainly didn't love her or care about her wellbeing past the basic clothing and shelter and didn't think well of his son either.

In contrast to the gaslamp London of the 1890s, Japan's underworld is literally darker than night. There are still rigid structures and functions in this world, with shinigami exalted over the deformed and the ordinary dead. Yokai are monsters that don't conform to the Goddess of Death's rules, and the three that Ren is tasked to eliminate had devoured and otherwise taken more than their fair share of human souls. Killing them doesn't leave Ren feeling victorious or better, and the glimpse of her future made her feel even more hollow. The connection with Hiro and the hope of being accepted somewhere was strong, and nothing could shake her desire to find a place to belong, even when her brother warned her that it wasn't what they thought it would be.

Ren has a quiet desperation to her that she calls selfish, but being of mixed ancestry caused its own problems that are difficult to explain to someone not in that category. The casual racism of both halves of her ancestry means she feels alone in both places, and that she discounts the warnings to try to fit in. She doesn't realize what this does to her until it's too late, setting up the sequel. Ren and all of the secondary characters feel fully fleshed out and real as I devoured this book. The second half of this duology comes out next year, and I'm looking forward to it!

I just need to start off with what ripped my heart out - the way that The Keeper of Night is so firmly rooted in Ren's biracial identity and quest for validation. This theme, struggle, exploration reached into my soul and squeezed. While I'm not biracial, I'm a transracial adoptee, it made me feel so seen. The ways that Ren doesn't fit into Britain and that moment when she realizes that Japan will not welcome her with open arms - punch to the heart.

The way that she feels like she has to be either British or Japanese because there's no examples for her to understand how to embrace both? Or how she is searching for validation and acceptance without fully realizing it? Why don't you just echo my own soul and questions I've been turning over in my head. And The Keeper of Night is rooted in the ripple effects of these questions, all the ways it permeates into our daily life. But beside the way that this book saw me, it's also full of stories and action.

Every culture needs entities to collect the souls of the dead. The English have Reapers, who can stop time; the Japanese, Shinigami with power over light and darkness. Ren is a hybrid of the two, which gives her the abilities of both but the respect of no one. When the abuse she has suffered for centuries in London escalates into mortal peril, she flees with the only person who has ever loved her: her younger half-brother, Neven. They head for Japan, the homeland she has never known. There Ren befriends an outcast Shinigami, Hiro, who helps her complete increasingly perilous tasks for the Goddess of Death. Dark and brutal.

* Thanks to Inkyard Press and Netgalley for an advance copy for review purposes *

This is a very dark fantasy story about belonging and the lengths we go to be accepted. Ren has both the blood of an English Reaper and a Japanese Shinigami; she lives in London and performs her Reaper duties along with her younger brother, but is frequently bullied by some of the high ranked Reapers because of being different. When the bullying escalates and she defends herself, she is forced to escape, and travels to Japan, to seek acceptance.

Loved the world building and fantastic characters drawn from Japanese mythology. Ren is an interesting character, but not very likeable - as her journey progresses, she goes deeper and deeper into darkness. At first, I sympathized with her; her experience is very relatable to someone that lives somewhere where you are always the "other". She kicks ass too when fulfilling her missions. But she is also full of anger. She is deeply flawed, and does not grow much during this book - this is the first of a book in a series (which I'm thrilled about, as I'd love to spend more time with the Yokai), so hopefully the character growth comes next. Appreciated the ending, very fitting to the tone of the book.

okay this book was something.

I was not expecting something so dark and graphic, but this book does not hold back. If you're looking for dark fantasy, you're in the right spot.

Ren is also not your typical heroine. She starts off likeable and relatable, and then somewhat gradually changes as the darkness and Death consumes her. And I'm not sure if I liked it?

Her relationship with her brother Neven was what made me really like the book from the onset, but then everything sort of changed. Neven does not understand what Ren feels–how lonely it must be to not belong in England, but also not belong in Japan. I think a lot of us who are immigrants can relate to that feeling so well, but at the same time she treats Neven terribly, and it's really quite a mess. I don't think Ren is meant to be likeable. She admits she's selfish and a horrible person, and I understand her motivations, but I think what really put me off was the romance that seemed to come between her and her brother.

Hiro started off great, but the second Ren started to notice his pulse and his eyes and kept getting drawn to him...I started to get uncomfortable, which is just me when it comes to romance. Neven's warnings about Hiro and how they shouldn't trust him did make the ending kind of predictable, but it did annoy me how infatuated Ren became with Hiro and how she picked him over her brother who she had dragged across the country. She is really selfish and throughout the book she even agrees and says she only brought Neven along so she wouldn't be alone. She doesn't think about anyone else until it's too late.

I feel like by the end of the book, Ren sort of lost her agency because of her infatuation with Hiro. The whole marriage thing happened so fast, and she just said yes right away without thinking about it at all. It really made me like her even less.

Overall, I just don't know how I feel about this book. I guess if you're looking for a book with a character who is selfish, murderous, and kind of evil, then this might be for you? I honestly don't read a lot of books with characters like Ren, so this is probably why I wasn't as huge of a fan. And despite sort of understanding some of Ren's motivations and reasons for doing what she did, it just went a bit too far for her to remain likeable enough.

I’m really torn with this one.

What I loved:

The Japanese folklore - the Youkai demons were literally something out of my worst nightmares, and at no point does the author hold back on the gore!

The world building and atmosphere - it’s dark, desolate and the author does an incredible job of immersing you in 1800s London and Japan.

The battle of identity that Ren endures being mixed race - half British (reaper) and half Japanese (shinigami) but never completely whole with either identity and shunned by both cultures.

The battles/adventures - again, the plot is fast paced, and I loved watching Ren learn something new as she battled these demons.

What I didn’t enjoy:

The constant back and forth internal struggle that Ren has towards the relationship she has with her brother. He’s literally the only person that has supported her and runs away with her, and we yo-yo between him being her sole focus to her not caring what happens to him. It was just way too much back and forth and a lot of her decisions (especially towards the end) had me wondering why he was even a part of the plot in the first place.

Ren as a character. Look, I’m all for morally grey characters since I don’t think that characters are all good or all bad. But there are so many decisions that she makes that are the antithesis of who she is. Also, there’s several inconsistencies about her nature as half reaper and half shinigami, and the specific characteristics to each only come up when they are convenient to the story.

Instalove storyline - I don’t even dislike instalove as a trope, and I get behind it more often than not. It doesn’t work here. I’ll just leave it at that.

As a last bit, if you’re a person that doesn’t like cliffhangers, well turn back.

Thank you to Inkyard Press and Netgalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

THE KEEPER OF THE NIGHT centers on Ren’s quest to find a place where she belongs. Growing up in London with a British Reaper father and a Japanese Shinigami mother, Ren has always felt ostracized. When she and her younger brother, Neven, flee London and head to Japan, Ren expected to finally feel like she belonged. When Ren discovers that she’s also viewed as an outsider in Japan, she goes on a quest with Neven and the outcast Shinigami, Hiro, to prove that she deserves the chance to serve the Japanese god of death, Izanami.

I think THE KEEPER OF THE NIGHT is the first YA grimdark book I’ve read. In many ways, the tone of this book could be relentless. Over and over, I kept hoping that Ren would find a place where she would be accepted for who she is only to watch her encounter more vitriol and hatred. I found this aspect of the story the most compelling and it went a long way to make Ren a character I could relate despite some of the…interesting…choices she makes.

The world-building was a bit of an info-dump for the first few chapters but once the story found its footing, things got a lot better. I really loved how Baker’s writing immersed me in 1890s Japan and Yomi, the Japanese underworld. The Yokai were all incredibly interesting and each was truly terrifying in its own way.

The pacing and the focus on telling over showing were the two biggest reasons for my rating. The plot started out with some action and then had a long, slow portion before packing in most of the excitement into the last quarter. I would’ve loved it if the pacing had been a bit more consistent — or at least not so slow after the initial excitement. There was also a lot of telling, particularly in regards to Ren’s character development, that got frustrating at times. I tend to see this in a lot of debut novels but it’s one of my biggest pet peeves as a reader and makes it hard for me to stay immersed in the story.

Overall, THE KEEPER OF THE NIGHT is a dark and atmospheric read. Ren’s journey to feel like she belonged was compelling and the world-building was very immersive. If you’re looking for a scary YA fantasy read, this is definitely worth checking out.

What would you do to achieve everything you ever wanted; to change your place within society; to gain power over your own destiny? What would it take to change your world? Would you give up all that hold dear? Would you even lose your own soul? "Keeper of the Night" by Kylie Lee Baker is a masterful story about the world of death, reapers, and Shinigami that weaves intrigue, angst, unknown, doubt, betrayal, culture, and murder together in a way that is maddening yet delightful to the reader. The book is a fast-paced read that never gives the reader a moment of peace. The world within is shown, explained, and driven by the plot. There is no mystery where it should not be, and the reader is still left spellbound by the twists and turns that get them to the end.

I thoroughly enjoyed this dark YA fantasy steeped in Japanese folklore—a really strong debut novel! This book explores ideas of family—how we are abused by family, how that affects us, and how that does not stop us from turning around and abusing others. It also deals a great deal with the desire to belong. Our main character is half British Reaper and half Japanese Shinigami, and she spends the book struggling to find a way to feel whole instead of always feeling like she's coming up short. I loved the cold brutality of the main character, which only made her cinnamon bun brother even more endearing. One of the best things about this book was getting to see a bunch of creepy beings from Japanese folklore. Unfortunately, I didn't find the romance compelling.

Being half British Reaper and half Japanese Shinigami, Ren has never felt like she fit in with her fellow Reapers in London. When she loses control of her Shinigami powers, Ren fleas London with her half brother in order to start a new life in Japan, and hopefully find a place she can call home. Once there, she is forced to prove herself by killing three powerful Yokai demons. What follows is an adventurous tale filled with amazing culture and truly creepy demons. Will Ren prove herself worthy to stand at Death's side?

I enjoyed this novel quite a bit! It is the perfect fall read, especially if you are looking for a fantasy novel that can give you those creepy, horror vibes. I'm looking forward to seeing how the author continues the story in the next book.

Rating: Alright = 2 stars

I was really looking forward to reading this book, especially during the spooky season. It sounded perfect: Ren is a Reaper of London with mixed heritage. Her father was a British High Reaper, and her mother was a Japanese Shinigami. She has spent her first few centuries collecting souls in London, but she is a hated outcast because of her mixed heritage and her Japanese appearance. She is tormented by the other Reapers until one day things go too far and get out of hand. She is forced to flee from the High Reapers, and her half-brother who loves her unconditionally goes with her. Ren seeks out Japan and the Shinigami among whom she was born, and goes on a quest to earn herself a place among them.

What I Liked:
+ I enjoyed all the mythology in this book. Ren hunts down different Yokai as part of her task to become a true Shinigami, and we learn about the different Yokai and the mythology around them as she figures out how to take them down. The Japanese setting was a nice change from all the European settings we see so often

+ A huge focus in this book was on Ren's mixed heritage and how she never really fit in anywhere. She was just searching for a place to belong and people to accept and love her.

What Didn't Work for Me:
- This novel read very, very young. It honestly didn't even feel like YA because there was SO much showing and so much repetition of thoughts and the big themes that ran throughout. The characters were two dimensional, and we were told over and over that Ren is dark and twisted, Hiro is irresistible, and Neven is so good, but none of them really developed a personality. I think that the intention in this was to have an unlikable heroine, but to me she wasn't even unlikable, she was just very bland. I couldn't dislike her, really, because there wasn't enough substance to dislike or like.
- This book just felt to me like it was following a cookie cutter outline. The setting and mythology makes it somewhat different, but it felt like an old tired story, which was really disappointing because reading the premise, I was so excited.
- The romance is really strange in this one. It is basically insta-love, and there is no reason for either of the characters involved to really care about the other. I thought it was a bizarre relationship that made no sense.
- The twists in this were so blatantly obvious that it was almost frustrating. I also thought the end was incredibly unsatisfying and non-sensical. I know that this is supposed to be the first entry in a duology, so obviously everything isn't going to be wrapped up but it just felt like the ending was really out of place.

Overall, I did not enjoy this one at all. It was fine, but definitely not something I recommend or one that I will continue with.

Thank you to Netgalley and Inkyard Press for the eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. It releases on October 12.

The Keeper of Night has blown away all my expectations, wants and needs for any book I have read this year, I am blown away! This story is a top read of 2021, no doubt about it. It has everything that makes my dark heart sing: Japanese folklore, scary scenes, visceral moments, dark action, addictive reading, smoky dark foggy atmosphere, morally grey characters, reapers, violence, death, monsters, and creatures. Listed as a YA fantasy historical fiction the story is that and so much more.

The story unfolds in an immersive way. I couldn’t help but immediately connect with the main character and follow her along her dark journey. As I turned the pages, I became more and more connected to this world and the characters. I was immersed into the almost hypnotic dark verse and the vivid and visceral moments within.
The author did everything right here (for me at least) but what really stands out for be beyond the atmosphere, folklore and haunting moments is the development of grey untrustworthy, bold, and well-developed characters. No matter if it is the main character, a side character, a yōkai or any other being within these pages, they come alive, and I could feel them in my room with me. That makes the story that much more amazing. This is a no holds barred story for sure.

I highly suggest this story to all readers but especially those looking for unique, strong and boundary line crossing stories. I would also suggest turning out the lights, lighting a few candles, grabbing some snacks, and hanging your Do Not Disturb sign up because once you star you will not want to put this down!!

I received an ARC via NetGalley and Inkyard Press and I am leaving an honest review. I also preordered this book because there is no way I am not reading this at least two more times his Halloween/spooky season. I know this will be a favorite read for years to come. Oh, and watch out for that ending it is a killer… *wink, wink*
Here are a few worlds that come to mind while reading (just for fun): fearless, brave, courageous, valiant, gritty, dark, determined, and intense.

#TheKeeperofNight #NetGalley #TopReadof2021 #Perfection #ReapersfortheWin


I will be posting my review and promotion for this on (or around) October 12th 2021 (when my pre-order of the book comes in so I can include photo in my post).

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This YA fantasy novel inspired by Japanese folklore had me hooked from the very first page.

Ren Scarborough is half British Reaper and half Japanese Shinigami. For most of her life, Ren has, at best, felt like she hasn’t belonged, and at worst, hated because of her mixed heritage.

One fateful night, Ren loses control over her powers and accidentally injures three High Reapers. Ren knows that she would suffer severe punishment if she stayed in London, so she decides to flee to Japan with her brother Neven, where Ren hopes to find her identity. In Japan, things do not come as naturally as Ren had hoped and she ends up going on a quest to carve a place for herself among the Shinigami of her birth country.

This novel incorporates plenty of dark and fantastical elements of Japanese folklore, including Shinigami (death spirits), yōkai (supernatural spirits), Yomi (the Underworld), the nine-tailed fox, and much more. Before reading this, I knew embarrassingly little about Japanese folklore and mythology, but now I am very excited to learn more.

This novel is set in the late 1800s and due to that fact, Ren endures a lot of racism and Othering. There are discussions on belonging, white fragility, identity, and family.

As I mentioned, this book hooked me from the first page. My one critique would be the insta-love relationship, although I will say that it goes to very unexpected places, places that had me shocked and wickedly delighted.

I cannot wait for book two in this incredible duology.

Thank you to Inkyard Press for the ARC provided via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

If the idea of a dark YA fantasy with a morally gray main character and creepy Japanese mythology sounds appealing, you should definitely check out The Keeper of Night.

The story opens in a gripping way that throws you right into the life and experiences of Ren- half British Reaper, half Japanese Shinigami and struggling to find a place where she can be entirely accepted. At its core this is a book about identity, family, and the experience of being a person of mixed race where both sides reject you and see you as lesser.

Ren has been raised in London where she reaps souls and tries to avoid the young Reapers who torment her for her difference. But when she reveals a secret about her power, she's forced to go on the run with her younger half-brother and Ren is determined to track down the Japanese mother who gave her up.

This book brings Japanese mythology to life and let me tell you, a lot of it is very dark and violent! I didn't expect how creepy this would be, at times almost leaning into horror, but it's kind of perfect heading into spooky season. Ren is hurt, angry, and willing to do anything for the acceptance she has been denied. But will she lose her own soul in the process? This does have a dark romantic subplot as well, but I don't want to say too much about it. Suffice to say I have a feeling that given the YA love for dark and brooding love interests, we're probably going to be see some fan art of this character.

Overall, I really liked this and it's a very strong debut. There were times the pacing didn't totally work for me and moments where the YA angst and tropiness was a bit too much for my personal taste, BUT that was very much overshadowed by the use of Japanese mythology, the cool and creepy world-building, and having an angry, murderous female MC. Definitely one to watch. The audio narration is really great as well and I would especially recommend it if you're unfamiliar with these Japanese terms and their pronunciation. I received an advance audio copy of this book for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

With a tagline that grabs you from the getgo and a plot focusing on Japanese yokai and shinigami, I was ready to love this. Unfortunately for me, this just didn't go the way I wanted it to. Books that follow the main character doing whatever they need to to get what they want are simply not for me. That is exactly the case with Ren's story as her journey is fueled by, while not exactly unwarranted, entirely selfish desires that isolate both the other characters and the reader from her. That being said, take what I say with a grain of salt because a lot of what I didn't like about this book comes down to personal taste.


Writing:

Starting on a positive note, I found the writing to be rather stunning at points. Poetic isn't exactly the word I would use, but it was very beautiful and philosophical. It is the kind of writing that makes you sit there and go 'wow'. It didn't feel forced either, like it was intentionally trying to sound that way as the words flew naturally off the page.


Plot:

This book wastes no time diving right into the catalyst for our main characters to go on their journey. While that might not be a bad thing in certain cases, everything was moving too quickly. I think the book would have benefited from having more initial time getting to know Ren and Neven, our main and side characters respectively. The further I went on as well, the more I found my enjoyment waining. The folklore aspect was the saving grace of the book, especially when it started to focus on character relationships instead which wasn't exactly what I wanted to read about.

What also decreased my enjoyment of the book was that the entire journey was fueled by misplaced optimism and incompetence. When she is forced to leave the reapers, Ren thinks it is only logical to travel to Japan where she will meet her mom, fit right in with the shinigami, and get everything she thinks she deserves in life. The reader knows that that probably isn't going to be that easy (or happen at all), so it is frustrating to see her bumble her way to a different country without even thinking of a plan b.

When I reached the climactic point, I had no sympathy nor empathy in my body for Ren. Her character development, while not necessarily a bad thing, just didn't work for me. Personal feelings aside, I felt like the climax happened way too suddenly, and way too much was going on. I was rather baffled by the chaotic ending, and not in a good way. I was left there suspended in disbelief, wondering why it ended like that and whether or not a sequel is necessary.


World-Building:

This is set in a world where each respective country and culture have servants who are under the command of their respective figure of death. On the positive side, I thought that the book did a good job at establishing the world and explaining the aspects of the cultures. The author interweaved the tales of the yokai into the story which I thought was a way to integrate backstory into the world. What I would have liked more of, however, is an explanation as to why the reapers act the way they do.

I found that a lot of the book hinges on being cruel for cruelty's sake. The world of the reapers is cutthroat, but I didn't get a good enough sense as to why. You are just told that there is a hierarchy where the superior can do whatever they want to the inferior. I think Ren's journey would have been more appealing to me if she went to find her place in the world out of her own volition, and not because the reapers were horrible to her.

There were other small details that bothered me as well. For one, I had no idea what time period this was supposed to be set in. It is not stated in the synopsis, and although some hints are given due to the obvious sexism, racism, and xenophobia, it would have been nice to have a concrete date instead of a vague one in order to help get a better sense of the surrounding world.


Characters:

Let's start with our main character, Ren, shall we? She is, to say the least, unlikable and unsympathetic. I know that not all characters have to be likable, but when they have no redeemable qualities whatsoever, I tend not to have a good time following them. The best words I would use to describe her are selfish and foolhardy, and she is not alone as it seems like most of deaths servants are supposed to be emotionless and love the macabre. I spent more time hoping for something bad to happen to her than for her to get what she wanted. It makes it really hard to enjoy a book whose main characters' entire journey you are hoping would fail.

I also found her to be rather hypocritical when it came to her half-brother, Neven. Neven joins Ren on her journey and, as time goes on, Ren becomes less and less sympathetic with what Neven is dealing with, and not rightfully so. Neven honestly deserved way better than her, and it was a shame to see his character used that way, not as a supporting character but as something that was in the way. He was a much more intriguing character than Ren, and I would have liked for him to have more of the limelight.

Hiro, someone they met in Japan who aids them on their journey, was also more intriguing than Ren (for the most part). He is mysterious and suspicious and has a lot more personality than Ren does. I wasn't a fan of the direction his character arc went in though as it wasn't surprising and, like Neven, I felt like it was a waste of potential. In the end, it felt like his character was only there for Ren rather than being his own character.


Concluding Thoughts:

Books that focus on the main character doing whatever they can to reach their goal never ends well for me. If you don't mind characters who are on more of the chaotic evil side, then this might work for you. If you like the idea of yokai and shinigami, then your best bet would be to watch some anime or read some manga. I would suggest Bleach, Demon Slayer, XXXHolic, Mushi-shi, and Natsume's Book of Friends (if you want something more on the lighter side).

Thank you NetGalley and Inkyard Press for granting me access to review this.

What a fun freaking time!!

I feel like this book is so good and it is not at all what I expected!! Lots of thoughts to process, but I can say that this book is DARK. And not in a super gory, people are getting tortured kind of way, but more so it features the literal underworld (not the cute version where women fall in love with hades and want to stay with him forever), with infinite darkness, decay, and sadness. AS WELL AS a goddess of death, loss, betrayal, ancient lore, intense fight scenes and just WHAT WAS THAT ENDING.

I really thought this was a standalone so I’m very interested in what the second book in this duology will be like! But be warned this book is not for the faint of heart!

Overall I really enjoyed this. If I had anything to compare it to I’d say it reminded me of a cross between Bleach (anime) and Princess Mononoke (anime), but dark y’all- DARK DARK DARK. Our MC is in no way a good person and it shows, but like… I love her anyway???

If you want a true epic tale centering around Japanese lore, featuring trials, a soul reaper storyline/magic system, and hints of tragedy.. then this baby is perfect for you.

Bravo Ms. Baker. BRAVO

xx
-Christine (less)

Ren is half British Reaper and half Japanese Shinigami, a heritage that leaves her shunned and abused, even though she has been dutifully serving Death in London for centuries. But she can only take so much. When her Shinigami powers of light go out of control, she's forced to run from the only home she's ever known, hoping to find her place alongside the Japanese. But even there, she has to prove her own worth, and is given a dangerous task: find and destroy three powerful Yokai. With only her half-brother and a mysterious water god to assist her, she will learn how far she is willing to go to earn her place.

I have mixed emotions about this book. I adore Asian mythology and was thoroughly excited to see it represented here. But I also must acknowledge that while I don't mind morally gray characters, I struggle a little bit with "villain stories," and I think Ren's can be described as such. (This, of course, is an arguable point, but that was my take on it.) And so, in true mixed-emotion form, I'm giving The Keeper of Night 3 stars.

The novel is set sometime in the late 1800s, starting off in London, where Ren is constantly bullied and belittled by the Reapers around her. Reapers are generally cold and not prone to emotion, and Ren even more so, in an effort to survive the climate she lives in. Ren is a difficult character to love, as she's truly detached from most situations. Combined with her half-brother, Neven, and the secretive water god Hiro, and you've got a formula for a lot of interpersonal conflicts between characters.

What stood out for me was Japanese mythology, complete with the story of Izanagi and Izanami and the land of the dead, as well as various Yokai. From spider-women known as Jorogumo to the snow woman Yuki-onna, fans of this Eastern mythology will feel totally immersed in a magical, yet dark world.

At the end of it, I enjoyed The Keeper of Night, but I just didn't love it. I believe it just wasn't the right kind of book for me, but remain confident that others will thoroughly enjoy it.

Posted to Goodreads 9/21/2021