This audiobook was enjoyable to listen to. The narrator was clear and expressive which made the characters lifelike and more relatable. I normally listen at 3x normal speed, but was only able to listen at 2x before the narrator’s voice was real choppy, skipped words, and had a large echo, but I attribute this to the platform not the narrator. 

The characters and settings were all very rich and had their own characteristics and defining features, yet the problem that I had was that there were so many that they all, in the end, just blended together. Ifueko has a very beautiful writing style and I loved listening to her descriptions of people and places, but the imagery never really sunk in. 

The core plot was simple and easy to follow. It created emotional growth and anticipation to know what would come next and what choices would be made. I always did want to read on, even if I wasn’t fully aware of everything and everyone. The sub plots tended to get in the way and, although interesting, created more confusion for the story.

In the end I really did enjoy this story but felt it got bogged down by too much. This is definitely a time when I thought that less would be more. I look forward to seeing more from this author and hope that there is more growth in an already fantastic writing style.

I listened to this book instead of reading it. I had a digital galley from Netgalley that had to be read on their app.  I say this because it reflects part of my review.  Overall, I really did like this book.  However, if you were in the office when i first started it and it dragged on FOREVER you might have thought i would say i didn’t like it.  I really wished I could speed the reader up.  I think that would have helped tremendously.  The first half of this book (approx. 7 hours) was world set up.  

Tarisai is a lonely little girl who has been kept from the world.  She also has wishes that must be granted, even if those wishes are harmful to others.  She is sent to the palace to become a member of the next council.  She must bond with the raybearer if she hopes to become one of his 11 confidants and life protectors.  They are all kids.  Bonding can take years.  After a fire, Tarisai loses her memories.   We skip forward a few years and most everyone is teenagers and the bonds have been set.  The king in waiting is learning how to rule along with his council.  But here is when Tarisai’s wish takes over and life changes forever.  It was up to this point that I almost DNFed this book.  It got especially hairy when everyone started talking about their sex lives and looking for pregnancy.  Just not something I wanted to think about as to this reader, the characters were still little kids.  

However, once Tarisai’s wish is activated the story picks up, moves quickly and sucks you in.  The story at times reminds me of The Black Witch,  while being wholly original.  I do think I would have enjoyed the book better if I had read it, or if I had the ability to speed up the reader.  I think, at least for the first half, the read is way too slow.  But once again, overall I liked it and can not wait for the sequel.

Let me just say, I am very lucky that I got an ARC of this book courtesy of Netgalley Audio. This book is fantastic. To all the people who want to read a YA Fantasy book about love, abandonment and betrayal, with some magic, destiny, fate. This is a book you should read. When I made a request for this I was not expecting this book to be what it actually was. It was 14 hours of goodness with 368 pages. 

The book is about the Chosen One, a girl who is chosen to protect the one she is born to destroy. Tarisai as a kid has lots of abandonment issues cause since birth she is being raised in isolation with almost no-touch, and separate from the world. The Lady makes her crave for almost simplest things in life, which we believe are a given, like care from her mother, unconditionally love and even The Lady calls her "made of me" rather than her name. I was sad every time, I read their conversations and their parts in the book.. When Tar goes (The Lady sends her) to the capital of the global empire of Aritsar, to be chosen as one of the Crown Prince’s Council of 11. Which means connecting with the crown prince through his "ray" so they become undefeatable. The complex, multi-layered world-building, and how the magic system worked was another thing in favour of the book. I loved how the African Mythology was connected and yet they remained different with its own identity. 

Tar she finds family in Kirah, Sanjeet, Dayo, Woo In (disgraced prince) and other crown's council. The character of Kirah and the relationship of Sanjeet and Tar was my favourite parts from the book. Kirah's was such a sweet gentle soul with her hollow being of healing through music, it felt so good. Sanjeet the big burly kid, The Prince's Bear, who was abused and used by his father but still cared for Tar and his amah felt so precious. Tar even though never knew love or touch herself since her kids, still heals Sanjeet from his past, removes nightmares for every crown's sibling cause her hollow was knowing the past of person or thing.  The Lady may be very bad, but man was she proper bad, so we could hate her from page 1 to last even though at times I felt sorry for her I didn't care for such a villain much. 

This books also stems in my mind that even though our destiny may have been written in stone, but we can still change it be whoever we wish to be and not succumb to the popular belief system. I love how fate and destiny are something we build and not something which is given and we have no control over it.

Through this book, Ifuenko kept Nigerian cultures at the foremost with the names of characters, their clothes, their customs, traditions. I needed to do a lot of back research for this book, to understand the things about this book, but it was definitely worth it. This story also requires a lot of concentration, effort from the reader to actually understand this.

An excellent audiobook production- I was completely taken in from the very beginning right through to the end. 

Raybearer hosts such a rich and compelling world. It centres a uniuely crafted political structure, alongside magically talented individuals, and the result is just. *chefs kiss*

Our main character, Tarisai, has grown up isolated from the outside world she can see from her window, and deprived of any real affection or human connection. Her mother, known only as The Lady, has raised her with one goal- to become one of eleven trusted Council Members, and to kill the Crown Prince..If she can make it through the trials and become a council member, she'll be joined to them through the Ray, a bond deeper than blood- and will become part of a family she's craved all her life.

Tarisai desperately wants to disobey her mothers wishes, but she's magically compelled to obey. Desperation makes us ruthless in finding loopholes, though, and Tarisai might just have figured it out. Or not.

What follows is a journey across the lands of Aritsar, a beautiful tale of found family, interesting magic, and a deep and expansive plot that makes me sigh with happiness. Told with gorgeous prose and compelling, complex characters, this novel was a brilliant start to what will very likely become a new favourite fantasy series.

Ifueko did a fantasic job of wrapping up this first book while also setting up book 2, and she got me hook, line and sinker.

This might just be my favourite YA Fantasy novel of 2020

Mark my words: this is the newest popular fantasy series! It has everything you want from a fantasy and more.
Quite quickly into the story you find out what the main character's job is. What she is ought to do.
This book doesn't slow down. Whenever there is a moment of rest in the book, something happens to quicken the pace.
Jordan Ifueko's writing style is great. It sucked me into the story even more! 
Tarisai's situation was very complicated. Many times have I wondered how she would get herself out of the mess. I felt myself on the edge of my seat, rooting for the young woman.

The narrator was perfect for this story! Their voice felt very fitting to the vibe and they were also very good at doing the different voices. That way I can seperate the characters to know who's talking. 
I'm not very familiar to audio books - think I've listened to two - but this one is definitely my favorite!

As a reader of fantasy, I loved every bit of this book. When we first begin reading it, we are introduced to Tarasai. She is sheltered and deprived of love and friendship. I felt empathy for her. I wanted nothing more for her than to be loved. She desired love from her mother, who was absent and unwilling to offer it. Throughout the novel, we see how this beginning helped to shape her outlook on life and how she related to others. This deprivation was unlike children in captivity experience. Though the setting of this story is in a fictional world, it is not undeniable to see the real world implications of childen in captivity (refugee camps, ICE detention, prison). As the story progresses, we see how this sheltering has made Tarisai feel connection with the other children on the council. She has found the family that she craved and needed.

Jordan Ifuenko did an amazing job creating this world. I felt that I could immerse myself in this story and visualize everything that occurs between the pages of this book. Aritsar is an empire of many peoples, and with the empire building, there is a dark side that becomes very apparent with the sacrifices of the children of Songland. These children are outside of the empire, yet the sacrifice of these Redemptors are on the behalf of the empire. The inequality is felt in the reading of these pages and is not ignored. Ifuenko has also brought forth the issue of gender equality. Only the men can lead this empire. As a reader, I felt that the writer addresses this very well and beautifully, without being preachy.

By the end of this book, I didn’t want it to end. I could have read more and been satisfied. I am grateful to have stepped into this world, and can’t wait for what happens next.

Issues I Had with this Book:
*DoinTooMuchitis-This is the next book to suffer from this ailment and it's almost always debut fantasy authors. Sometimes when it's an own voices and it's set in a different country, they tend to want to put so much in their story that there is no focus and the story becomes confusing. This is what happened here. This story has a very simple plot; at least it did for the first 50%. And then the second half started.

Although I only had one issue with this book, I still dropped it to a 3/5 because there was so much to focus on and I stopped caring about everything around the 75% mark and I guessed a major thing within the first 5 chapters.

What I Liked About This Book:
*The Pacing on the first 60%-Ifueko did lots of stuff differently than the traditional YA fantasy and I liked that.
*The Folklore-There was one story with the Phoenix and the earth and the sea that was really good.
*The Underworld-There is an underworld component that was nice but it's almost an afterthought until it's either info-dumped or brought up when it's convenient.
*Themes-Feminism; revenge; jealousy; friendship were among the themes in Raybearer which makes this book a good book club selection.
*Diverse-Although it's an African fantasy, there are diverse characters within the world-Middle Eastern, European, and East Asian.

I hope there is going to be a second book! Raybearer is an immersive and stunning debut Ya fantasy novel. I loved everything thing about this story but the characters stole my heart. Tarisai and the journey that she undergoes to realize she isn’t a monster made me tear up. Dayo and his unending love for Tarisai. Sanjeet who was such a sweet bean under that hard exterior and Kirah who was such a good friend no matter what. All of them were just a joy to read and journey with throughout this story. The book does sort of throw you into the world from the start which can be a little jarring but once you get accustomed to the atmosphere that Jordan Ifueko has created you will be hooked.  Thank you to NetGalley and the Blackstone publishing for the Arc. 

Side note: I really loved how Tarisai would tie her hair up every night and it was mentioned in the book. This is such a small thing but it was so realistic and accurate of a young black girls hair and things like this are often never mentioned in books especially fantasy books.

This story certainly impressed and was so beautiful. This story is one of the rare ones that kept me guessing all the way through to the end - I did not see the ending coming. The characters are developed and developed so well that they actually feel fully fleshed out! The world is developed perfectly and built so you can feel yourself inside of it. I am over the moon in love with this book and cannot wait to read more from this author! 

The audiobook for this one was completely stunning and enchanting.

All Tarisai has ever wanted is to belong. When she is chosen to join the Crown Prince’s Council of Eleven she is connected to them through the Ray, a bond deeper than blood. She has finally found a family.

But Tarisai has a secret.

Born to The Lady with one purpose, and one purpose alone, Tarisai is compelled by a magic deep within her bones to kill the Crown Prince she has come to love.

Can she resist The Lady's will?

Or will she be responsible for destroying those she holds most dear?

Ifueko's stunning world-building and character development immerse you from the very first word. A captivating tale of loyalty, fate, and belonging, this fantasy world feels as tangible as our own.  Exploring politics, exploitation, and trauma, Raybearer scratches far more than just the surface.

Written in mesmerizing prose, this diverse fantasy YA novel gives up a complex and determined heroine to look up to, flaws and all.

Joniece Abbott-Pratt's narration was full of emotion and perfectly captured all of the many varied characters.  I was on the edge of my seat and listened to the entire book in just two days, mouth hanging open at the twists and turns.

I can't wait to continue this journey with Tarisai in the next installment! 

Thank you to Netgalley, Blackstone Publishing, and Jordan Ifueko for providing me with a free audiobook copy of Raybearer in exchange for an honest review.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3388338575?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1
https://www.instagram.com/p/CD180kYpQBF/
(YouTube review to come)

4.5 stars
Wow - I'm not a huge fantasy reader but I was happy to receive this advanced audiobook version because this was brilliant. I'm happy that I was given a copy of this book because the plotline and the characters were captivating and did a great job of incorporating magic. I loved the vivid depiction of the Black girl magic, from the description of the braids to the jewelry that was worn. 

The only reason I gave this 4.5 stars instead of a 5 is that some of the beginning parts of the books were a little boring for me. However, the second half of the book picked up and I couldn't put it down. I'm excited to read more books in this world because I must know what happens next. 

Thank you Netgalley for providing a free advanced audiobook version of the book. All opinions are my own.

For as long as she can remember, Tarisai has been alone with nothing but her tutors to keep her company. Her mother, known as “The Lady” rarely ever comes around and her father is nowhere to be found. She’s grown used to this existence up until the moment where The Lady comes to gather her. She has a special trip planned. It turns out, Tarisai has been kept isolated from the world for a purpose: to join Prince Dayo’s Council of 11 when she comes of age. Tarisai knew nothing of this plan until her mother showed her a picture of Dayo. See, Tarisai is half ehru, which means she’s compelled to fulfill a limited number of wishes for her mother. For her third and final wish, The Lady orders Tarisai to gain Prince Dayo’s trust, become one of his 11 and then when he loves her the most, kill him. Tarisai is brought to the capital of Aritsar, but she has no clue why she’s there. She doesn’t know what this visit is about, what will happen and doesn’t even remember what her mother commanded her to do. Tarisai is excited at the possibility of finally having friends and not being alone…but little does she know those friends will come at a cost.

Let me tell you what I loved about this book, which was essentially…EVERYTHING!

From the moment we meet Tarisai, you can’t help but feel connected to her. She’s a little girl who wants nothing more than to be loved by the mother she almost never gets to see, but even deeper than that she just doesn’t want to be alone anymore. You can’t help but feel sorry for her, simply because from the beginning it’s clear she’s being used as a pawn in a game she doesn’t understand. She’s thrust into a situation she doesn’t understand as a child and is forced to adapt despite the fact that according to the current emperor and his Council, she looks exactly like her mother who was a traitor to the empire, or so they say. She has no idea if it’s true or not or what her mother did, but being the spitting image of her and having a hallow that allows her to see, steal, and replace memories can be very dangerous. The Council of 11 are the only ones who can harm the Emperor. They are his most trusted advisors, helping to keep the realm and Emperor safe, connected by something known as a Ray, which connects their minds to one another. What will happen if Tarisai actually becomes a member of the Council? She could be a danger to Prince Dayo? She seems innocent enough, but how can they be sure? How can Tarisai herself be sure?

These questions lead me to my point. No one knows for sure what’s going to happen. It’s clear that Tarisai has found her place in the capital, but the curse is also always in the back of the readers mind. How will Tarisai overcome this obstacle? Is she strong enough to fight against her mother’s wishes and forge her own destiny? Will anyone figure out what’s truly going on??? THE PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW!

The other piece of Raybearer that I loved were the characters themselves. I think often times, side characters don’t get enough love and so we’re left not feeling connected to them. Jordan did an amazing job going against that grain with this book. Kirah, Dayo, and Sanjeet are all amazing in their own right. Kirah and Tarisai immediately connect with one another and Kirah is such a kind soul that it’s hard not to love her from the very beginning. Dayo, it’s clear, has spent his whole life waiting for the moment that he’ll have his own Council of 11, not because he wants to rule, but because that means he’ll finally have friends who understand him and love him; People he’ll be connected with for the rest of his life. Sanjeet….listen I swooned over Sanjeet the moment he was introduced. He’s completely misunderstood because of his size and his past, but he’s so much more than a soldier or a fighter. After growing up in an abusive home and losing his little brother, he’s come to adore Dayo, but he’s terrified of losing him too. He understands Tarisai in a way that no one else can. He understands what it’s like to grow up alone and afraid and wanting your parent’s love and approval, but never seeming to be enough. I just wanted to wrap him up in my arms and never let him go. It was like that for so many of the characters. You learn and watch them grow along the way and you can’t help but to root for them.

Finally, the Jordan’s writing is just amazing. She brings the cultures and the world of Aritsar alive with her words and imagery. This felt like a kingdom I not only wanted to visit, but also spend serious time in. Each of the kingdoms of the Empire has their own culture and beliefs and I just wanted nothing more than to learn about each and every one of them. It’s truly amazing when an author can meld fantasy, culture, and amazing characters into one story and honestly, that’s exactly what Jordan did with Raybearer.

Not only is this story amazing, but it also tackles some amazing things. We get to see on page Ace rep, the threat of losing your culture to colonization, just how harmful colonization can be, the importance of friendship, parental abandonment and abuse/manipulation, misogyny, the bullshit that is the patriarchy, and what happens when men are scared of powerful women.

I just have a lot of feelings about this book okay. Deal with it.

As a side note, I absolutely loved the narration of the audiobook. The narrator captured the magic of the story as well as the characters, which can sometimes be difficult. I would definitely listen to it again.

This is by far one of the best books I have read in 2020. I already know it is going to be in my top 5 no matter what else comes out. The relationships between Tarisai and Jeet and Tarisai and Kirah made my heart grow five sizes.

This book is a ray of excellence! ….And I will not apologise for using a completely appropriate title pun just now 😌 I just absolutely adored every page of Raybearer. (Well I listened to the audiobook, which was also incredible and I can’t recommend enough!!) It felt fresh and powerful, creative but also gives that comfort of a good sprawling fantasy world that you can just lose yourself in.

I suspect this will be the best YA fantasy I’ll read this year and I am here, in awe.

This is generally what sells a book for me, and oh I love the cast of Raybearer so much. Tarisai is cunning and clever, soft and vulnerable. She just wants a family and to be loveeeeed. Her voice is spectacular; she has the kind of narration that makes every scene a delight to be in. She also has a very specific gift: she can see the memories of a person or object just by touching them. She can also erase or dull memories, and she actually uses this for good to take away her childhood friends’ bad dreams. 🥺

The side characters also stole my heart too. I loved Dayo (the prince) and his and Tarisai’s really tight friendship. Then there’s Kirah who was practical and clever but also that mothering friend. And Sanjeet! The one who is too tol, too intimidating…but secretly an utter marshmallow. (Also can we take a second of deep appreciation that a YA book exists where the first boy Tarisai meets isn’t the love interest 😂👌🏻 thank you.)

The complexities of the villains (are they villains 👀) were also thoroughly captivating. I also loved the coming-of-age bent to this. The prince and his Eleven are still only growing up, so while they learn politics, the adults are still busy controlling the world. Their backstory was both layered and dark and fascinating too.

The world is so deliciously complex and huge, it had so many layers. It felt REAL. Vast and unmappable. You don’t have to remember or understand every people group or country, because it reminds you of who is who until you fall into the rhythm of the story. I genuinely appreciate a complex world and history! The backstory is amazing too. Like you could easily want a prequel following The Lady’s life?! (Or am I just craving more from this author…also that.)

The story starts when Tarisai is young: it follows her growing up under tutors and being taught to be terrifically smart. But all she wants is the love and affection of her distant mother, known only as The Lady. At 12 years old, Tarisai is taken to the palace to join the contest to become one of the prince’s sacred 11. This is how the kingdom is ruled: the king (the Raybearer) has a council of 11 and they are all completely interwoven and close and can talk through their minds and all linked by deep deep love.

Of course there are SO many twists and backstories and I’m not even going to go into it too deeply because just read it!!!! But least to say Tarisai gets chosen by the prince and the world unravels and changes from there.

Raybearer really captured my heart and imagination, and I can’t properly articulate just how exquisite this story is. It was creative and nuanced, beautiful and layered. I’m still thinking about it days later and aching with need for the sequel — because w o w that ending has left me both whole and wrecked. I love.

Wow! This audiobook was fabulous! Such a magical thrill ride that I was not expecting to love so much!! I am SO glad I was able to listen to this book via netgalley.

SURPRISING.

Is one word to explain my feelings towards this book. This book is so unlike any YA fantasy book I've ever read, it takes such basic tropes and twists them so perfectly in just the slightest of ways.


The first line immediately caught my interest and I was in love by the first dialogue. I love the songs and spoken storytelling woven into this book and the main plot, I love almost all the characters, good, bad, or gray for various reasons!

Jordan Ifueko truly did an amazing job in capturing the reader's attention and using so many amazing West African inspirations that I'm sure had own voices Nigerians in love because, I, as an Jamaican reader truly connected and loved this book because of those portrayals and the foods mainly!

This book came together so perfectly, I truly enjoyed it and it's now one of my TOP favorites of this year!!!!

Phenomenal narrator, she slipped between the diverse cast of characters seamlessly. Every character had a distinct voice. There are many audiobooks I need to do something while I listen, this one kept me enraptured to the point I often couldn't drive and listen!

Engaging, moving story, I believe middle grade and teen readers will love the narration as much as adults. Full of mythology, a world that is decidedly not Western and strong women and the men who surround them. Just when you think you understand the motivations of a character you are surprised.

A book I will listen to again and again.

First of all, thank you to Amulet Books for approving me for an ALC of Raybearer on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!

Tarisai is the only daughter of The Lady, and in her blood is the last wish that Tarisai must obey: once she gains the trust of the Crowned Prince, she must kill him. The Lady sends her to the capital where she must compete with other 11 year-olds to be chosen for the Crown Prince's Council of 11. If chosen by the Prince, she will counnect with him and the other Council members through the Ray.

Tarisai has never really belonged, but surrounded by other children with Hollows (gifts), this might be everything she could have wanted. All Tarisai wants, now, is to be a part of something, but the wish of The Lady is growing stronger inside her.

THIS BOOK. This book. ThIs BoOk. Like, where do I start? The world-building, the magic, the backstory. The characters are just YES. And the writing is beautiful and easy to read. This is definitely a fast read, but just becuase I was so sucked into the story and the world! It's so immersive, you'll stay up until 1 a.m. reading it. The romance in it is so sweet, and the characters, though young, are mature and thoughtfully written.

AND THE AUDIOBOOK! Like, one second, you think the physical copy is amazing, BUT WAIT. THERE"S MORE. Abbott-Pratt did an absolutely amazing job with this book! Her voice was absolutely perfect for this book, her pacing was amazing, and it just made me love Raybearer EVEN MORE, if that's even possible! So read it, listen to it, or, ya know, DO BOTH!

I just want to scream about this book becuase it is AMAZING. I don't know what else to say but read this! Add it to your TBR, because this might be my favorite debut of the year!

Why I Requested This: I love a shot at reading new debut books ahead of time. The starting point to this YA fantasy series was no exception after seeing this cover and reading that description. Additionally, this story is Nigerian inspired fantasy and I’m trying to get more into non-western fantasy worlds.

Pros:
The story hooks you from the starting point while learning about Tarisai’s backstory and about The Lady who is clouded with mystery.
Speaking of Tarisai, the characters in this one are absolutely fleshed out making their motives fully understandable.
Did I mention straight-up world-building yet? Because this world is so unique that I just kept wanting to learn more especially about the magic system.

Cons:
Sometimes the pacing does feel a bit wonky which is probably due to the fact that this is a debut novel.

Overall: Despite some pacing issues, this is a story that hooked me from the start that I can’t wait to see where it heads.

An instant classic! I finally found something new that I can use in my classroom!

(The audiobook is an absolute treasure as Joniece Abbott-Pratt provides award-worthy narration throughout.)

I simply can not wait for the next installment -- I just hope it arrives soon,, before "council sickness" sets in!