"Do not ask how many people you will save. Ask to what world will you save them? What makes a world worth surviving in?"

Rating: All-Time Favorite

This book absolutely BLEW me away! I really liked Raybearer, but it wasn't one that I was obsessed with or really stuck in my mind after reading it. NOT SO with Redemptor. I cried SO MANY tears while reading this one just because of the sheer beauty of the story, the language, and Tarisai's journey and her growth throughout. Definitely something that will be living in my mind for a while, and it has definitely earned a place on my shelf of YA favorites!

So this book picks up fairly soon after the events of Raybearer. It covers the entire scope of Tar's appointing of a council through her journey into the Underworld. I was super nervous as I was reading because I had no idea how all of this was going to be covered in one book. I should not have worried one bit because it was executed flawlessly! There is another conflict that Tarisai must deal with simultaneously as she anoints her council, and she grapples with the implications of what exactly she needs to do in her role of Empress and how she can best care for her people and deal with the guilt that she is feeling.

Some things that I really loved about this book:
* it delves further into the concept of toxic family members and the impact that they can have on us as humans
* There are explorations of what it means to not really want sexual contact and what that can look like within the bounds of a romantic partnership
* It explores the ideas that not everyone *wants* to have children, and brushes the surface of adoption and different kinds of families, as well as the idea that it is alright to live for something besides your children, which is something that is super unique to this book in the realm of YA and really important for young people to see in my opinion
* It just really builds on the found family that was established in Raybearer and really showcases ALL the different kinds of love, and I loved it so much
* There is physical disability representation, and not just any physical disability, but a double upper limb amputee, which just filled my heart and my eyes to hear her story and to see her at the end of the book

Things I didn't like:
- Nothing. I genuinely have nothing. I was very concerned at first that the pacing would be off with the amount of time that Tar spends NOT in the Underworld, but it was perfect. I loved the pacing, and it was great. I wouldn't have minded seeing a bit more at the end, but I still absolutely loved it.

Overall, READ THIS DUOLOGY! It is beautiful, the physical copies are beautiful, the stories are beautiful, and Tarisai is a new favorite heroine. I love it so much.

Redemptor releases August 17! Mark your calendars and pre-order your copies! I know I certainly have!

**Please note any quotes are from an ARC and may change by time of publication. Many thanks to NetGalley and ABRAMS Kids for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. A review will be posted to my instagram @jemofabook in late July/early August nearer to publication. **

{4.5 stars}

"The only thing more powerful than a wish is purpose."

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The Raybearer was one of my favorite fantasy reads of last year and Redemptor is a beautiful ending to the story. Tarisai is the principled heroine that we all need in our lives. She learns some hard lessons as she must build her council and enter the Underworld. We see benevolent Dayo, brave Sanjeet and kindhearted Kirah by her side as she must find 12 new rulers to bear her Ray. We see more interesting cultures and characters from Aritsar and Songland, some who are ruthless and power hungry and others who are perhaps even more principled than Tarisai.

For me it is the characters who carry this story but the world building continued to be immersive and the temptations and horrors of the Underworld were fabulous. That would be my one criticism, I wanted more time trekking through the Underworld.

Redemptor is a fabulous ending to the series, I'd love another book in this world though!

Thanks to Netgalley for a copy of this novel. All opinions above are my own.

<i> Redemptor </i> picks up where [book:Raybearer|50158128] leaves off: After Dayo, Tarisai, and their council are abruptly put in charge of the realm, they must wrestle with how to approach centuries of oppression and grief. Simultaneously, Tarisai is wrestling with the impacts of her decision to enter the Underworld.

My thoughts on this book are probably best summed up by Ifueko's dedication: "For young revolutionaries, who have chosen the loneliest job in the world." <i> Redemptor </i> really tackles a lot of the struggles of advocating for big, systemic change including the overwhelming weight that guilt can hold, the difficulty of reparations, the feeling that you are alone or suddenly too angry, the seduction of the status quo, and the difficulty of asking for help when you need it. I feel like a lot of YA Fantasy novels shy away from the aftermath of acquiring power; we're often left to assume that because a good person is in power it all works out okay. I appreciate that Ifueko tackles these topics head on ([book:Bitterblue|12680907] also does this relatively well!). <spoiler> Although there are no easy solutions, Tarisai's emphasis on imagining a world worth surviving in and her final decision to redistribute the Ray to the people warms my anti-capitalist/abolitionist heart </spoiler>

In this book, Ifueko is a bit more explicit about tying the structure of the Council to non-traditional ideas of love (emphasizing platonic love equally (if not more) than romantic love). She also goes a smidge more in depth about Dayo's asexuality and his anxieties for the future, something I really appreciated. <spoiler> However, Tarisai's new council fell a bit flat for me. In many ways I was expecting this book to be very relationship focused; Tarisai has to build a strong bond with leaders from across the realm (and ideally they would bond with each other). This aspect of the book fell a bit flat for me, especially considering we know very little about most of the members of Tarisai's new council. They are important enough to her that their love helps carry her through the Underworld, but I didn't feel their impact as much as I wanted to. That being said, I loved Adukeh (Tarisai's Griot) especially; she was clearly a grounded character and I honestly would read a whole book focused just on her. I usually don't get too emotional reading, but many of her songs packed an emotional punch and she had more intimacy with Tarisai than a lot of other characters did </spoiler>

Overall, I enjoyed this book and I am really, really looking forward to reading reviews from others.

So happy to have gotten an Arc for Redemptor from NetGalley. My opinions are my own. I loved loved Raybearer, one of the most unique YA Fantasies I’ve read. I finished book 2 today and I wasn’t disappointed. Jordan’s writing is just soooo beautiful and mesmerizing. Rich, unique worldbuilding continues in this installment, the plot and pace are on point; we start the book and delve into action and I was on the edge. The romance, I’m here for it, TARJEET forever (very healthy). The main characters and some side characters were well developed and completed their arcs from book 1. BTW I love Melu (smiling over here). The magic system, again like book 1, is unique and blossoms much more in book 2. I really loved the concept of the Ray in book 1 and same in book 2 and it got bigger ( I won’t say more so I don’t spoil it for others). Found family, I’m here for it. Honestly, this duology is a classic and I can’t wait for it to come out, so I can get my hardcover and the audiobook as well. Some book 2s don’t live up to the first, but Redemptor SURPASSED it and then some. Tarisai is a Heroine I won’t forget in a long long time; her agency, her personality, her thoughtfulness which comes full circle with a thing she did with Melu at the end (which I can’t say so as not to ruin it). I really just want to round up by saying, I love love this duology and thank you, Netgalley for giving me an arc.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

If I could rate this book (this duology, really) more than 5 stars, I would.

A stunning conclusion to a beautiful duology. Jordan Ifueko has indefinitely changed my standards for the young adult fantasy genre (honestly probably my standards for any genre) and I honestly feel like I will have a difficult time finding another duology that makes me feel the way Raybearer and Redemptor made me feel.I felt connected to nearly all of the characters and related to so many of their emotions and experiences while reading, which isn't something that I experience often.

This duology has it all - the found family trope, amazing BIPOC representation, outstanding imagery and world-building, and examples of healthy & loving romantic relationships (which isn't seen too often in YA).

I adored the cast of characters in Raybearer, and I loved the new characters introduced in Redemptor almost as much. We also get to see our original anointed ones develop as characters and family, which was so heart warming.

The pacing of this book, and the duology as a whole, was fantastic. I never felt as if the story dragged or moved to fast

This book will stay with me forever and I will likely think of it every day for the rest of my life.

So we start off right where Raybearer ended. Tarisai has to anoint the 12 councilors of the realm ans get them to love her so she can enter the Underworld and end the treaty that allows the Redemptor children to be taken by the abiku.

What a journey. Tarisai is such a selfless ruler. She starts to question her sanity and decisions she’s made. She feels so much guilt and like she’s not doing enough. She really went through it here. Luckily, her brothers and sisters were there for her. Dayo was super supportive and I liked him in this book. I thought him and a certain someone were really cute.

Obviously I love my Sanjeev, though he didn’t appear in this book as much as I wished. He was off helping Aritsar. He did show up when Tarisai needed him most. I wish we could’ve gotten more scene with those two though.

We meet new characters that bring interesting storylines to the plot, like Zuri. There was a plot twist that I did not see coming that involved him. I was shocked. I liked Zuri and thought he was courageous and just.. wanted what was best for his people. He wanted justice.

We also see old characters that help Tar. This was such a good ending to an awesome duology. There seems to be a happy ending though I wish we did get an epilogue. I wanted more. I definitely recommend.

Redemptor, the sequel to Raybearer, features Tarisai the 17 year old empress trying and struggling to make peace in her kingdom. Tarisai is such a relatable character struggling with her feelings and self doubt, but overall sticking to what she believes. The ending is so satisfying. This is perfect for fans of Raybearer, as the sequel definitely doesn't disappoint.

From the first paragraph, I knew this book would be a good one. I immersed myself into the book from the first chapter and I cannot say enough good things about this book! Honestly amazing! The writing is incredible and the plot is just one to die for. I am absolutely obsessed with this book. My favorite part would have to be the character development throughout the book. Character development is something I look forward to and this book did not disappoint.

Love the strong female lead and the deep values of culture, unity and loyalty. Non stop adventure, and very unique and creative world building.

I love duologies because they remove the risk of those "filler" second books typically seen in trilogies. And, unless it was not always intended as a duology, the second books tend to shine so brightly. I always expected to love Raybearer (and I did, but a couple of items felt a bit short to me) so when I read the premise of Redemptor, I was so incredibly sold! I'm already invested in this world, in Tarisai and Dayo, in Ifueko's writing style, and now we get to GO TO THE UNDERWORLD. Hell yes. Sign me up.

But this brings me to probably my only negative aspect of this book: I expected the bulk of the plot, based on the ending of Raybearer and the synopsis, to be focused on Tarisai's council and her trip to the underworld. But it wasn't. About halfway through the book, when we weren't anywhere near the underworld, I was getting a bit concerned like "was I wrong and this is a trilogy?" and "how the heck will we have time for this epic adventure?" And while I did love what we got, I had expected more. We got very overarching stories of her new council, but much like Dayo's in Raybearer, only a few members actually got the spotlight shown on them. Instead, the bulk of the book focused on Tarisai and Dayo's relationship and future, Tarisai coming to terms with guilt over the actions of her ancestors and her worthiness to assume the role of Empress Redemptor role of nobles and people in power exploiting those beneath them. This honestly felt like a more appropriate use of pages than building a council (hey, we already kind of got that) and authentic to Tarisai's story.

The message and themes present in this book hit all the right notes, and I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. I loved getting to know old characters more and meeting a couple of new characters. I think anyone who enjoyed Raybearer will be just as thrilled to get their hands on Redemptor.

After what happened in book one I was looking forward to the sequel. Cliffhangers are the worst! My initial thoughts are that this was a good ending to this duology but it also wasn’t as good as the first book for me.

Tarisai is back and having to deal with a lot when it comes to her deal with the Underworld and forming alliances as a Raybearer. You can tell that it does weigh on her and sometimes she can be a bit stubborn when it comes to listening to the advice of those around her. At times she was hard to like because of it but as with anyone, it does lead to growth and it was nice to see how she has progressed throughout both books.

When it came to the rest of the cast of characters, I felt like they lacked the depth they had in book one. Some of the characters had more page time than others but since a lot of the book talks about their bonds to one another I just was expecting a lot more from it.

The pacing and plot were a hit or miss depending on where I was in the book. Some of the plot twists happened so quickly that I had to reread to make sure I understood what was happening. The beginning and ending of the book had a faster pace while the middle seemed to drag on a bit. At least there was still great world-building and clothing descriptions which is what I also liked in book one. There are topics found in the book that mirror our own in the real world which is always nice to see.

Overall, it was good but I was just expecting a bit more from it.

Readers who couldn't get enough of Tarisai in Raybearer will enjoy this story of the 17 year old empress as she works to make peace in the kingdom. Though she continues to struggle with self-doubt and her feelings for Sanjeet, she remains true to her principals and makes the perilous journey to the underworld. The story gets a bit bogged down in the middle, but an exciting and satisfying ending makes up for it. Definite Black Panther vibes, lush fashion, and a little romance will make this series a popular choice for ages 13-17.

5 stars!

I loved this book so much! It was full of self love, family, and the difference between guilt and conviction. There were so many moments that I just wanted to give Tar a hug and hold her tight from all the evils of this world.

Of course my favorite trope in this was the found family trope. We see applied everywhere, from new to old characters. The other thing I loved was the messages behind nepotism and the burden that places both on those in the castle and those outside. This system where some are given a divine right by only their birth is never one that ends well. I love how this book dealt with that in the ending.

Finally seeing how Tar examines her anxiety and Dayo with asexuality is a touch that I didn't think I'd see in this duology but was so happily surprised to find. This was an incredible sequel, with more world building into the richness discrepancy in the kingdoms.

Thanks to netgalley for approving me to read the conclusion to what has quickly become one of my favorite series! This was a FANTASTIC sequel, and I enjoyed every moment of it!

This is a hard book to review without spoilers, so read on with caution.

I loved following Tarisai's story from the very beginning of her life to coming into her own as a Raybearer and Redemptor queen. In this book, she struggles so much with wanting to do the right thing that she's literally haunted by guilt, which takes form in the ojiji. I really felt for her as her responsibility started to wear on her mental health, and was glad to see her eventually overcome this. I also found the ojiji themselves to be really intriguing, especially how they seemed to haunt Tarisai like the weight of anxiety/guilt from generational trauma.

Overall, I love how this book wrapped everything up. Tarisai and Sanjeet are everything to me, and Tarisai is such a great protagonist. I can't wait for this book to come out so I can get myself a physical copy to reread again in the future!

While the world (and wardrobe!) building continues to be excellent in this duology, pacing and character development struggle. Tarisai spends the vast majority of this book being given solid advice....and then ignoring it, usually so she can continue to moodily torture herself with guilt. Like many readers I was surprised that her traversing across the underworld, something both books emphasized repeatedly as the high point of both Tarisai's adventures the fate of her world, was given so few chapters and posed so little challenge (so little, in fact, that Tarisai chooses to undergo the ritual a full year before she agreed to at the conclusion of the previous book and which breaks down to five "challenges," all of which she is able to prepare for in advance and can be resolved by either continuing to walk straight ahead or repeating a statement she has already memorized). It's not clear to me if a third book was originally intended and then withdrawn or if the main plot simply became less and less interesting to author in comparison with Tarisai's personal problems. Familiarity with the first novel in the series is required. Heavy emphasis on hurt/comfort themes.

This was a fantastic follow up to Raybearer! Such a fascinating world and system of power and the characters are awesome! My only problem with the book is that the end seemed very rushed. It seemed like the story between both Raybearer and Redemptor had been written as one book but had been divided. So the part at the end with the descent into the spirit world just went by quickly for all it was set up to be. Either way, I would love to read more books like this and especially more books set in this world!!

This is a satisfying conclusion to the story begun in Raybearer. I found Tarisai a bit whiny but in the end she overcomes it and fulfills her destiny that she discovered in the first book.

3.5/5

Audiences find themselves back in Oluwan with Redemptor Empress Tarisai. This time, readers root for Tarisai as she attempts to convince the 12 leaders of the realms of the empire to love her and accept her Ray, thus forming her council before she enters Oruku Breach. Readers are reunited with all of their favorite characters and anxiously watch Tar grapple with her impending doom coupled with the challenges of ruling an empire.

I was most excited to read this book for Tar's journey to the underworld, but the book really focused on Tar’s ability to form a council and what that meant for the empire and its corrupt nobles. While that story was rich, the lead up to the breach felt drawn out compared to the actual moments in the underworld.

Standing by and anxiously awaiting more reviews to discuss this highly anticipated sequel to one of my favorite books this year.

Thank you so much to ABRAMS Kids and Amulet Books for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I can’t believe this duology is over! I had an incredible time jumping into the world of Aritsar when reading Raybearer for the first time last month and the fact that Tarisai’s journey has come to an end is leaving me with such a bittersweet feeling. I think I enjoyed Raybearer slightly more than I did Redemptor, but these characters and this story still left such a warm fuzzy feeling in my stomach that I’ll ultimately give Redemptor 4.5 stars.

Redemptor picks up practically right where we left off in Raybearer with Tarisai as the new Empress of Aritsar, now focused on anointing a council of her own. For this plotline, although it was interesting to focus more on the relationships Tarisai was building with a select number of her council prospects, such as Zuri and Min Ja, I wish we had gotten a closer look at the other council members she appointed, because I feel like that was glossed over a bit.

Another big topic on Tarisai’s mind as Empress is her inevitable journey to the Underworld. This plotline underwhelmed me as the main conflict of the plot. We spent so much of the book discussing how dangerous this journey would be for Tarisai and how she would probably not make it out alive or within two years. However, within the last few chapters of the book, this plotline felt super rushed. It seemed like a let down as the climax, considering how time Tarisai spent training building up the courage to go on this journey.

My favorite part of Redemptor was definitely seeing Tarisai shine and grow more into a confident and empathetic young woman as Empress. She’s definitely an amazing role model for young readers and the growth in her character arc was so wonderful to see.

The part that made me the happiest in Redemptor and honestly in this entire duology is the heartwarming character relationships and found family trope. Sanjeet is literally the most perfect brown boy I have ever read in a fantasy book, I’m not even joking. The way he supports Tarisai, loves her unconditionally, and always pushes her to be the best she can be is so admirable. They are so adorable together, and such a perfect example of a loving, healthy couple in YA. I also loved Tarisai’s relationships with Dayo, Kirah, Woo In, and the whole crew. These characters honestly hold such a special place in my heart, especially with the amazing BIPOC representation, and I will love them forever.

All in all, please read the Raybearer duology if you haven’t already. Obviously, read Redemptor if you were a fan of the first book. Jordan Ifueko’s storytelling and worldbuilding is out of this world and I will forever recommend this duology to anyone and everyone. I really wish there was a duology like this when I was younger but I’m so happy that young readers of color have Tarisai and her loved ones as their friends.

This picks up right where Raybearer left off. Intricate and multi-layered, Ifueko expands on the universe and its characters even more. Tarisai remains a character you can't help but root for, and she's grown in complexity. One of the better written fantasies of the year, this is a fitting close to the duology that's captivated its readers from the very beginning.