The Keeper of Night is such a great YA fantasy that leaves you eager for more.

The characters are well written and feel real. They make mistakes that are understandable and their decisions make sense with who they are.

I loved the writing style and the dialogues. It all felt very authentic and flowed.

I did have a hard time getting into the book but once I got past that set up point, it was easy to fall in love.

The Keeper of the Night is not normally a book that I would read but I was intrigued by the description and ended up loving the book. The world was incredible and I loved following the characters as they made their way around it. The cliffhanger killed me and I cant wait for the next one.

I was so excited for this book, and it honestly did not disappoint. I love the premise, and the Japanese folklore weaved throughout the book was brilliant.

Ren is such a fascinating main character, she was the morally grey character that I never knew I needed. At times some of her decisions were questionable, but I actually found that I still liked her, and the way she impacted the story.

The world building was brilliant, and the weaving of the mythology was written excellently. The separation between the creatures and their individual types of magic was intriguiging, and also done very well.

The pacing in this book was a little off, however I would expect that the second and final book in this duology wouldn't have the same issue. I am looking forward to reading the second book!

Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

i had such high expectations going into keeper of the night. a japanese inspired fantasy novel? sign me up!

while i still enjoyed this book, it fell short of my expectations.

my biggest issue with keeper of the night was the characters. i spent over half of the book not liking or forming attachments to anyone. towards the end, things got better and i began to build trust with out protagonist. i just wish it had happened sooner.

the plot was non stop. there was always something going on. unfortunately, i wasn’t a fan of the writing style. a lot of the mythology and folklore was briefly skimmed over. as someone with little to no experience with japanese mythology, it made it difficult to follow along with the book. it would’ve made things easier if there was a guide at the back for all the japanese terms.

while i did learn a lot towards the end, it wasn’t an easy experience. (i guess this is my fault for not being more educated in japanese folklore, and i expect my next book of similar inspiration will be easier for me to enjoy).

i’ll be keeping an eye out for the next book in this series, as i’m keen to see where the book will go next.

Ren Scarborough is an outcast within the British Reaper community. She works hard to harvest the souls of London and gain her place within her people however her heart lies elsewhere. She is half British Reaper and half Japanese Shinigami and she longs to connect with her Japanese heritage and culture. Accompanied by her younger brother, Ren travels to the Japanese underworld to live a better life. But she must prove she is worthy to call herself a Shinigami and serve the Goddess of Death.

I had never read a book which incorporated Japanese culture and mythology throughout the storyline. I found it incredibly fascinating to learn about the Shinigami, Izanami and the Yokai. Kylie Lee Baker writes her novels inspired by her cultural heritage (Japanese, Chinese and Irish). You can tell when reading this book that Kylie is writing from a place of passion and connection, taking extreme care to accurately represent her culture through the storyline and the characters.

I found the story was fast paced and exciting, with twists and turns throughout. There was not a moment I felt the story dragged or that I felt bored. There were sections of the book that felt like it was "information dumping" to ensure the reader understood the background and mythology being used in the story (e.g. Izanami no kami). I appreciated the extra information that was provided during these sections however I feel that people who are familiar with Japanese culture and mythology may feel these sections drag.

The Keeper of the Night was an enjoyable and exciting read which had me on the edge of my seat, trying to guess what was happening next. Book 2, "The Empress of Time" is being released in October 2022 and I cannot wait to get my hands on it!

CONTENT WARNINGS (as per Kylie's website): death, racism, sexism, ableism, bullying, emotional neglect of a child, mentions of child abandonment, violence, murder, blood, gore

Received a copy via Netgalley thanks to Harlequin Australia.
~~~

I enjoyed the world building, the magic and the mythology involved.

Personally being of mixed heritage this hit close to the heart at times, however I definitely distanced myself near the end with how angry Ren tended to be.

Having the Japanese tales incorporated into the plot was a fresh take, and allowed us to introductions without getting overwhelmed. One could sympathise with Neven as for him all of the second half of the book was happening in another language which he didn't understand after a trip around the world.

Without spoiling it when I got to the end, I thought it was mostly finished. It could easily have been left as another part to Japan's tales. But seeing that it is meant to be part of a duology leaves me intrigued on what aspects of the world will be fleshed out further?

Will the Reapers heritage and the Western Gods come back into the picture at all?
I'll probably pick up the second book to find out.

What an interesting book! I loved learning about the different cultures and the setting of this book. I will likely read this again in the future. I would rate this a four out of five stars.

Fantastic fast paced, actioned packed fantasy, filled with the problems of a biracial main character. This story is dark and has some fantastic twists and turns.

A short while back I was approached to review this title and I hadn’t heard of it prior – it’s been a while since I’ve actively read young adult fantasy, but I was intrigued by The Keeper of Night because it not only feature Japanese folklore, but also appeared to be quite a dark fantasy. It certainly delivers on both.

Set in the 1800’s we meet Ren, who lives in London and is a Reaper. Half-Japanese, half-English, she doesn’t quite fit in and the other Reapers don’t let her forget it. When one incident goes too far she flees London and travels with her brother to Japan where she hopes to join the ranks of the Shinigami. Tasked with killing three Yokai demons to prove her worth, Ren must navigate a new world, expanding powers, and her relationship with both her brother, and the mysterious Hiro, who are both helping her with her quest.

I was not expecting this book to be quite as dark as it was, and I loved it for that. Add in the historical element, and it gave this book the perfect, spooky feel for October. The entire book has this theme of darkness – and what that means to each character – woven through it, and the exploration of who and what makes a monster was fascinating to read.

Ren is a delightfully complex protagonist. She never quite fits in wherever she is and this causes a lot of internal (and external) conflict for her. She spends a lot of time trying to fit herself into the definitions of what she believes she should be and that gives her a lot of room for growth… especially given the ending. In contrast, Neven (her younger brother) is a very peaceful soul. Despite being a Reaper himself, he’s never really had a taste for hunting down souls and he acts, in many ways, like Ren’s conscience. Add in Hiro, another complex character with a hidden past who may or may not be who he appears to be, and you have a trio of characters who are dynamic and interesting to read about.

I loved the themes explored through the Reapers, Shinigami and Yokai demons. When I reflect on my reading experience, the notion of ‘does being a monster truly make you monstrous‘ stands out (along with ‘everyone’s the hero of their own story’, because not all Yokai demons are monsters, and our protagonist is willing to do some monstrous things to be accepted. It’s a great conflict to read about.

The pacing was a little inconsistent in places, however, for a debut this holds up pretty well. It’s the first book in a duology – the ending certainly confirms this, so be aware of that going into it – and it’s one I wouldn’t mind reading the sequel to.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the review copy.

**edit 28.10.21**

Run don't walk to your nearest bookstore and buy this book!!

Japanese folklore - terrifying, reapers, betrayal, villian rising, heartbreak, twists what more could you want?!

Honestly this book is in my favourite top 5 of 2021, I cannot fault it.

I thought this book was a standalone I'm so excited to find out it is a duology!!!

27.10.21- Incredible! I need time to process.
Will be back with full review asap

Special thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review

I received a free eARC from the author/publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Keeper of Night was one of those books that I feel really on the fence about. While there were a lot of aspects I liked, overall it just didn't hit the mark for me.

So I'll start with what I liked:
- the writing was good. At times it was beautifully descriptive, but on the whole it was straightforward and easy to read.
- the worldbuilding and magic system were highlights for me. Not only do we have a rich world of Japanese mythology, with appearances from creatures ranging from kitsune to Yuki-Onna. I really liked how the Reapers in Britain and the Shinigami of Japan had different gods and methods of soul extraction. I also liked that they had different types of magic - Reapers have powers over time, while Shinigami have power over light.
- I liked the general plot, but I admit I saw the twists coming because of a prior interest in Japanese mythology. Still, I thought the new spin on established mythology was clever.
- I thought the exploration of identity and the difficulties of being biracial were done well. This was especially potent because of the differences in Ren's treatment compared to her half-brother, Neven. Despite their love for each other, he can never fully understand what Ren feels, and the tension between them because of it really drives home the point.

So now to the parts that didn't quite work for me:
- I felt like Ren crossed the line between morally grey into complete anti-heroine, and I wasn't really a fan. I don't mind an unlikable heroine if she had redeeming qualities, but Ren is selfish, and hates pretty much everybody. Neven really serves as her conscience, Jiminy Cricket-style. And she doesn't even treat him that well.
- The moments when Ren had the opportunity to grow through the choices she made- either positively or negatively - were essentially taken away from her, so she seemed passive in her own story right until the end of the book. She really only makes two clear decisions, the first of which is to go to Japan and become a Shinigami, and the last which ends the book.
- I really didn't understand or enjoy Ren and Hiro's budding 'romance.' It's very insta-lovey.

So in the end, I liked a lot of elements from The Keeper of Night, but the character development is what really let me down. Unfortunately I don't think I feel invested enough to continue with the sequel, but I can see a lot of people really enjoying it. I think it has similar vibes to The Shadow of the Fox by Julie Kagawa and Beyond the Ruby Veil by Mara Fitzgerald, so if you enjoyed those you may like The Keeper of Night.

As I grew up reading a tonne of manga, I’m always keen for any Japanese inspired fantasy novels. The Keeper of Night is a beguiling tale, set in the beginning of the 19th century Japan, of a mixed race child seeking her place and identity in worlds that neither recognise nor welcome her.

The story is told solely from main protagonist’s, Ren’s, view, so readers are privy to all her thoughts; from her confusion as to her identity, her desperate dream to feel that she belongs, to her destructive intent to do and sacrifice all to be loved. By definition, Ren is a monster without any feelings but, in fact, she feels too much and darkness is ever encroaching. In her journey, she is accompanied by her half brother who loves her & wants the best for her and an enigmatic ally who appears to also wants her to have what she wants but why is he being so helpful?

I found author’s prose to be beautiful and I have really enjoyed this book. There was just something mesmerizing even if, now that I’ve finished and am reflecting upon the it, it was all very heartbreaking and very very dark. As a migrant myself, I can sort of sympathise with protagonist’s struggle in seeking her place of belonging though I obviously have no wish to do the things she did! That twist at the very end just crushed me. I look forward to its conclusion in the next book.

Three Minute Thoughts:

This book was plenty entertaining and certainly captivating, and the mythology and magic systems – though a little under-explained – were unique and wonderful to read about. The characters were powerfully morally-grey – all except for my precious baby Neven, an angel in the shape of a Reaper. Plus, I loved the amazing biracial rep!
I’m so glad I read this, and I recommend it to lovers of morally-grey characters, violent fantasy, and plot-twists to give you whiplash.

The Extended, Long, and Very-Probably-Messy Review:

I’m not 100% sure what to think of this book. On one hand, I loved the biracial rep (as a biracial person myself) and I can absolutely understand the feeling of not belonging and separation from one side of your culture. I loved all of that rep and all of those beautifully depicted feelings, and I’m so glad a book like this exists to others out there who might feel like no-one understands. However, at the same time, I was a little let-down by the ending to this book.

Let’s start with the good! This book was beautifully written, had a magical mythological aspect, and the characters were so morally-grey it hurt. Our MC, Ren, was angry and violent and unpredictable and such an incredibly refreshing character to read about. She most certainly wasn’t perfect, and she didn’t even pretend to be civil and act politely – she put up with a grand total of zero crap. Well, except for from one person. But we’ll talk about that later. Anyway, I loved Ren so much, and another thing I loved was her relationship with her brother, Neven, the only person she actually liked. Well-written platonic relationships bring me joy in life, and Neven was such a cute little cinnamon-bun that I couldn’t help but want to love and protect him forever.

“Everyone has terrible parts inside them, even if they pretend otherwise. You’re just honest about it.”
“Not Neven.”
(This quote may not be in the published version of this novel, it was copied from the advanced reader’s copy.)

The writing in The Keeper of Night was also amazing! I can’t wait to read more of the author’s work, because she has undeniable talent in creating worlds and drawing people in with her prose.

“She knew then that the fabric of her soul was neither time nor light, but the pattern of stars over a restless sea, and stories whispered in catacombs, and steamship journeys to faraway lands, and her brother’s hand in hers. The names that she had fought for meant nothing in the loneliness of eternity.”
(This quote may not be in the published version of this novel, it was copied from the advanced reader’s copy.)

Now, my biggest issue was that I wished there was a little more depth for the mythology – I loved the idea of time magic and light magic, but we didn’t get much description of either, which was a little sad. I also loved the whole quest idea with killing the yokai etc, but they were just so easy to kill? I expected there to be a little more of a struggle, and for it to only get harder after the first yokai, but the last two yokai were much easier to get rid of. A bit of a let-down.
I also wasn’t sure what to think about the ending, but now that I’ve let it settle a little more, I do think I loved the massive plot-twists and major turn-around at the end there! I’m definitely interested in seeing where this series continues, and what direction the author decides to take us.

All in all, I was definitely very captivated by The Keeper of Night, and I look forward to seeing what else the author comes up with! There were perhaps a few issues that stuck out to me, but overall this book was amazingly enjoyable and a beautiful masterpiece of moral greyness combined with cute cinnamon-bun sweetness. Not 100% sure if this review makes sense at all because it’s 12am, but anyway, I do recommend checking this out! An amazing debut. Thank you so much to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC copy provided in exchange for an honest review❤.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin for providing me access to an eARC for review!

Similarly to others who gave this the same rating, I enjoyed the Japanese folklore elements and Ren's struggle to belong. I think interweaving these cultural elements with the story of a girl trying to work out who she is, stuck between multiple different worlds, had a lot of potential. Even the descriptions of the different regions of Japan they travel to, and the spooky/supernatural elements worked really well. However, I found it hard to keep up with Ren's motivations and to understand her as a character (even an unlikeable one). She seemed to constantly go between disdainfully complaining about her brother and his morals, to wanting to give up everything to save his life, mostly because he didn't trust/like Hiro. She was so immediately defensive of this hot man they just met, and who I immediately didn't like either, that I found myself taking Neven's side a lot more than Ren's. I feel the antihero/morally grey protagonist arc for Ren didn't spend enough time getting me into her head and sympathising with her to keep me on her side during her descent, and instead I found a lot of her decisions and reactions frustrating.

I think if you liked She Who Became the Sun you might enjoy this, as both had the 'like calls to like' and 'I'll do anything for power' elements. I definitely can see why Ren would be drawn to Hiro as someone who has finally found another outcast, who seems to accept her completely as she is, but I was just never fully brought around to rooting for her. I also thought there were some things I didn't understand with the magic, like how when pursuing the final Yokai she couldn't walk in the fields without killing the crops around her but it seemed fine in the forest, or how she could light a box of matches with her power but Hiro couldn't start a campfire, which pulled me out of the story while I was trying to work out if I had missed something. Would definitely be interested in reading from this author in the future, especially if she sticks to the dark/folklore themes seen here, but unsure that I'll continue with this series in particular.

CW from author's review: death (on-page + discussed frequently), racism, sexism (brief), ableism, bullying, emotional neglect of a child, mentions of child abandonment, violence, murder, blood, gore.

I'm saddened to say I can't give The Keeper of Night a more positive review. I was immediately intrigued by the use of Japanese mythology and the historical setting. Sadly, this was was almost my first DNF in a few years.

The pacing is difficult to enjoy. I originally put this book down at 25% as I was seriously struggling. I blamed it on my mental state at the time and waited over a month before attempting again. I am in a much more focused and relaxed headspace but I found staying committed to finishing The Keeper of Night almost impossible.

The first 80% of the novel passes so rapidly there is no chance for us to immerse ourselves. The time spent with the Reapers is minimal and shown only through Ren's eyes so we have no unbiased perspectives. Her journey to and through Japan is so fast that it seems unrealistic. What occurs in the space of months takes only a few pages and it's disorienting. Fast pacing is wonderful but not at the expense of important plot points, backstory and character development.

The formatting of the eArc didn't help in terms of pacing. I thank Netgalley and Harlequin for giving me the opppourtunity to read and review this novel early however, I believe the poor formatting has prevented myself (and possibly others) from enjoying this novel more. There are absolutely no chapters. Numerous times I had to read back to understand I was reading a new chapter from a new location. Everything blending together the way it did made it very difficult find a rhythm and ultimately, made for very difficult reading.

I am sorry I can't offer more positive feedback.

The Keeper of Night is a dark historical fantasy about a biracial soul catcher in 1890s Japan - and when I say dark, I mean it in the literal sense because a lot of this book is set in an underworld that is in pitch black darkness. The setting is so enthralling and the atmosphere felt so alive as if it were it's own character. Our protagonist Ren is forced to flee London with her brother to escape punishment from the British High Reapers and return to her birthplace in Japan to find her mother and take up her stance as a Shinigami. Throughout the book, Ren grapples with her frustration about who she is and where she belongs, so in a quest to prove herself, must complete three kills ordered by Izanami, the goddess of death, before she is initiated as a Shinigami. I very much enjoyed this book and the lore that filled it and need the sequel asap.

My favourite part of the book was Ren and her younger brother Neven. Their sibling bond was the backbone of the plot and after that ending will continue to be into the next one. Their established relationship was so well written that you could tell how loyal they were to each other from their first page together. I look forward to seeing them again in the next book.

This book was quite challenging for me.
I wanted to love it, as a biracial person I was so excited to see a biracial character. But this book is not something I’d usually read if I knew all that entails.
This book is dark. And gruesome. And very spooky.
I liked the twists and turns but there were so many times when I flat out disagreed with what happened. I really don’t like doing that with books I read.
This is a great book for people who like dark, who like horror. There are moments I loved, but the overall feel of the book just wasn’t for me. Sorry!

Thank you to the publisher for letting me read this!

I need a physical copy of this book right now, that’s how much I loved it. The story felt fresh and unique I loved every minute of it. From the first chapter I was hooked, the way Kylie writes is so immersive, I would love to read more of her work!

Definitely recommend this one for someone’s next read!

⛩ A tapestry of Japanese Myths
👤 A biracial, morally grey MC
🚢 A journey to belong
⏱ Time turning, soul collecting siblings
🗡 A series of trials
☠ A brutal conclusion

(ARC received in exchange for honest review at www.netgalley.com)

Ren is a half British Reaper and half Japanese Shinigami collecting London's souls. Despised and tormented by her peers she dreams of escaping to Japan and finding acceptance. ⛩

After an incident drives Ren out of London she and her loving brother flee to Japan where she enters the Japanese underworld to serve the Goddess of Death...but first Ren must prove her worth by eliminating three dangerous Yokai demons. With the help of her brother and a mysterious new friend can Ren claim her identity and position before Death comes for them all? ☠

This was a fascinating read - I loved/was totally creeped out by the Yokai deamons. This book is dark - but what more would you expect from a book about reaping souls, Japanese folklore, tragedy and ultimately death? 🗡

The characters feel well developed, deep and nuanced. Ren's struggles with identity, being biracial and ostracised for it were heartbreaking and poignant. While I didn't always like Ren or agree with all her's decisions I could mostly understand why she made them (EXCEPT THAT ONE!!! WHY REN? If you know, you know) 💔

Neven is a sweet pudding and needs to be protected at all costs. He was my favourite character - always trying to support Ren even at his own expense, sensitive and level headed. I loved how he acted as a moral compass for Ren, helping her navigate the darkness within and with out🏮

Hiro was quirky and funny but also EXTREMELY suspicious and while I understood Ren's attraction to him after centuries with out acceptance from others... the love aspect felt a bit sudden also suspicious 🧐

The worldbuilding was phenomenal and drew me in with it's unique take on quests to kill wicked monsters, the incorporation of Japanese folklore, soul collecting hierarchies and dark magic 🔮

That ending was brutal and I absolutely NEED to know what happens next! 🖤

This was such a dark ride and I was here for it.

Keeper Of Night was far more than I was expecting and as the story progressed, I found myself falling deeper and deeper into the dark vibes as Ren sets out to complete a complex quest. As a whole, I loved Ren as a character but did find myself getting a little annoyed with her towards the end when she started putting her trust and respect in the wrong places. I get it given her inner turmoil, but I still wasn't a fan of this moment. Her brother Neven is hands down the best character in this book and his sweet soul was such a nice contrast to the other characters we go on this journey with. NEVEN MUST BE PROTECTED AT ALL COSTS! The banter Hiro provides helps add some light into this other dark world and I enjoyed listening to his bad jokes.

The world building in this is vast and so well done that I was easily invested whether we were on the streets of London, in a remote Japanese village or crawling through the darkness of the underworld. I loved the intricate details and the way the author weaves the Japanese mythology into the story to build some truly tense moments.

Hands down this is one of my favourite fantasy reads of the year. I loved our leads, the dark vibes, the Japanese folklore and the creepy characters we meet along the way.