This book is darker than I expected. Main character is more of an antihero than hero but it was fascinating to read.

This book was so good! I loved the world building and character development that took place throughout the novel. I haven’t read a fantasy book that had me hooked in awhile. This is my first book by this author but I am definitely interested in any book they come out with now. I highly recommend this book to anyone who’s a fan of YA fantasy.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC.

A lovely story with just enough newness brought to a classic Japanese tale that I couldn't put it down.

Ren Scarborough lives and works in London - as a Reaper, collecting souls at the moment of death. But she's never been accepted there, because she's only half Reaper. Her mother was a Shinigami. She's managed to make a life despite being an outsider, but when bullies hurt her and she reacts, exploding a light and blinding them, she knows she has to leave before she's killed by the High Reapers for her actions. With only her brother, Neven, with her she leaves for Japan to try to find acceptance there.

I loved the premise and the elements of Japanese mythology that were included in the book. It's truly original, and the only similar book I could think of was [Grave Mercy], but the comparison is superficial. [The Keeper of Night] is much darker and descriptively violent. Ren has always felt like, and been treated like, and outsider and she's angry about it. Her brother, Neven, was my favorite character: a soft heart, despite being a Reaper, and someone who truly loves his sister, though she can be cold and calculating. The love interest was a little forced, but the author does a good job of creating tension of should she or should she not trust him.

A dark fantasy novel that kept me hooked from beginning to the end. This Japanese folklore has many terrifying and gripping elements.

Half British Reaper, half Japanese Shinigami, Ren Scarborough has been collecting souls in the London streets for centuries. Expected to obey the harsh hierarchy of the Reapers who despise her, Ren conceals her emotions and avoids her tormentors as best she can.
When her failure to control her Shinigami abilities drives Ren out of London, she flees to Japan to seek the acceptance she’s never gotten from her fellow Reapers. Accompanied by her younger brother, the only being on earth to care for her, Ren enters the Japanese underworld to serve the Goddess of Death…

Once Ren begins her journey of trying to prove herself to the Goddess of Death, you get a full view of just how far Ren is willing to go. With a morally gray MC, terrifying monsters and a story that will keep you engrossed. I cannot wait for the sequel!!!

Thank you Netgalley and Inkyard Press for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The first in a duology, The Keeper of the Night, was a highly interesting read in that it delved into the mythology and legends of an area of the world I'm not very familiar with. There were elements I'd come across before, but most was brand new. I did feel the protagonist was a bit back-n-forth with her thought process, falling in the morally-grey area quite a bit, but that fits with someone who's experienced a duality in their background and for someone who's considered a young adult who's still figuring out their life.

I felt there was a big build-up and then the plot just sprinted to the cliffhanger, so I was little startled with some of the first book's ending but I'm hoping that the second one will help with that eventually.

All in all, a great intro to a new fantastical world, with a character who you're not quite sure is good or evil -- a good way to keep the audience engaged and the reader guessing.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Loved this book. The world was fascinating and I was just immediately drawn in and loved the adventure.

An entertaining read for both those liking fantasy as well as Asian/Japanese culture. I liked the biracial story line, the treatment of how it complicated family relationships and the struggle the main character endured to accommodate not only what was expected of her but what she expected of herself. I think this is an appropriate read for a YA collection as well as for adults.

A dark fantasy novel, filled with monsters and violence galore.
The idea of Reapers and their powers sucked me in, however, the story did seem to drag for me at times. This may be one I need to pick up and read again to really grasp everything as the details of stopping and starting time and the collection of souls did confuse me a bit.
The family dynamic and racism towards Ren made me angry - which I imagine was the intention - but I was hoping for more depth into that end of the story. How is she possibly the only mixed race reaper to ever is exist in all of history? Why is her dad such a dick? etc.
We may have to wait and see what the next title in the series has to offer and if all our questions are answered.

I am a die-hard fan of Japanese folklore, and THE KEEPER OF NIGHT does not disappoint! It has a touch of horror when it comes to the depiction of the yokai and the world itself. And Ren, the protagonist, is not at all what you'd expect; she is not heroic, loyal, mortally righteous, or even kind. But this actually drew me to her character, sparking my curiosity about who and what she is. The whole story was rich, imaginative, and compelling in all the right ways that kept me clutching the book from start to finish.

This book took me by surprise. It is very different than what I've been reading lately.
A sort of retelling of Shinigami and Reapers, there are no good guys. And normally I need a good guy to root for but somehow this story drew me in despite that. The MC, Ren, was not nice. She wasn't kind or loyal or anything. But somehow I still found her fascinating. It was so much fun reading about the different Yokai too. And the mystery behind Ren and her powers. She was BA for sure! I liked not knowing what was going to happen because Ren's decision making would be sporadic. I also liked the adventure/ hunt for yokai across Japan!

The Keeper of Night is one of these books that keeps you awake in the night. This one have to be more recognized. The writing makes this book a action-packed fiction to good to not be read by everyone.

Rich and compelling. Those were the two words that surfaced when I dived into the first installment in The Keeper of Night duology. The story began with a haunting yet alluring scene of Ren Scarborough froze the time and heartlessly took a human’s soul to be delivered to the Ankou, the God of Death. That moment beautifully described Ren’s character and her job as a Reaper. It was so powerful and I knew that this is going to be one hell of a ride.

But in the next second, the bizarre scene turned into another night of torment for Ren as some of the High Reapers blatantly disregard her half British Reaper blood then tortured her. Angered and in an act of self-defense, Ren accidentally unfurled the power that she was trying so hard to conceal because no British Reapers should have the will to control the light. It’s what Japanese Shinigami do.

Escaping her doomed fate in British, along with her brother Neven, Ren decided to visit the land she always imagined as her home—Japan—only to met with a test Izanami, the Goddess of Death, has given her. Only by succeeding in this dangerous task, Ren would finally be recognized as Shinigami.

I cannot get over how The Keeper of Night enchanted me from the first chapter. Every word written painted stark and haunting images on my mind. Woven with Japanese folklore, it truly enhanced the world-building. Ren’s adventure in completing the impossible task brought me to travel different places in 1800s Japan and met with blood-curling demons. I couldn’t help but think that this book is perfect to be read in October as the month of horror and terror.

Shinigami’s power to control light was another thing that interest me. Although there was no detailed explanation on how it worked, basically a Shinigami could extinguish or even blow up the source of lights around them. Emotion played an important role in this especially if the Shinigami is not yet a thousand years old. Aside from that, Shinigami also has the ability to see in the dark. It’s a must-needed skill if one needed to travel to Yomi, the Japanese underworld and Izanami’s domain.

I could hardly tell that The Keeper of Night is Baker’s debut novel because the pacing was smooth. Even though the ending seemed a bit rushed, I didn’t find another trouble with the pace work. It started strong then built up nicely to the climax with the perfect amount of action, eerieness, and a layer of mystery. If you’re wondering whether this book has a romance in it, the answer is yes. It wasn’t insta-love but it has been hinted since the beginning. Although, I think Ren would do just fine without any romantic relationship.

Speaking of Ren, she is a character with such an interesting arc. She began as a biracial girl who didn’t feel like she belong in her British Reaper family. The Reapers always treated her as a foreigner, even her father acted like she didn’t exist. What I admired about Ren were her determination and courage. When she arrived in Japan and thought that she’d be free of the foreigner’s label, Ren still needed to battle the Yokai demons to be accepted as a Shinigami. In the end, she realized that she didn’t need someone else to tell her who she is.

Neven was probably my favorite character aside from Ren. He deserved to be loved and protected at all costs! Born and raised by British Reapers’ parents, Neven’s gentle personality contradicted Reapers’ harsh, cold and detached nature. Even though he has been through a lot, his heart remained pure and kind. On the other hand, there was also Hiro. A mysterious boy the siblings met when they arrived at Yomi. I had a good impression of his character at first because he has the potential to be more.

Overall, The Keeper of Night was an enthralling and unputdownable fantasy read that highlighted Ren’s struggles as no British Reapers nor Japanese Shinigami claimed her as wholly theirs. As a biracial myself, reading this book and witnessing Ren’s immaculate arc was encouraging. Being half this and half that and both sides never see you as someone whole, I could relate to that. If you’re looking for a newly released YA fantasy with rich world-building set in 1800s Japan and a plot that will hook you until late at night with its twists, The Keeper of Night is a perfect choice for you.

[Received an ARC]

Rating 5/5
Plot 5/5
Character Development 5/5

“The Keeper of Night” by Kylie Lee baker is a YA, Historical Fiction, that shares a Japanese folklore story. This book shares the life of a girl who is part of two worlds (half Reaper, half Shinigami), but is accepted by none all while, the soul collector seeks her destiny. This book is a haunting and dark fantasy that takes place in Japan during the 1890s.

This was my first time reading a dark fantasy and Kylie Lee Baker didn’t disappoint! I first heard about this book during an HCCFrenzy book event and I was intrigued from the beginning. This is the first book in the series and I can’t wait for the sequel (coming out in 2022).

This book is so incredibly good I have been recommending it to students, friends, and anyone who will even remotely listen to me. As the Goodreads blurb states: "Half British Reaper, half Japanese Shinigami, Ren Scarborough has been collecting souls in the London streets for centuries." Like...WUT. Y'all. I love a piece of fiction that introduces me to new things, and you better believe I went down a rabbit hole of what Shinigami are. We meet Ren, and her Dad is cold and a jerk and also a little racist? Which is WILD since he HAD A CHILD WITH A JAPANESE WOMAN, but whatever. She is a Reaper (cool), oppressed and unhappy (racism), who gets in trouble (undeservedly) and decides to bail and go on a quest to locate her mother in Japan. Her brother, a myopic, loveable boy who hates reaping, joins her.
The adventure is amazing and Baker weaves it in such an effortless and informational way. There's also a hint of a romance which is lovely until it's not (but in the BEST WAY). This was truly a fantastic reading adventure which did, in fact, keep me guessing until the end. I cannot wait for the next book in this series!

#TheKeeperOfNight #KylieLeeBaker #Netgalley #bookstagram #bookreflection #bookreview #Japan #Reaper #Shinigami #Mythology

Pluses: first-person POV, Japanese Mythology, World building
Minuses: I didn't like the main character (Ren) very much and reading her arc felt like watching a trainwreck.
Overall, I got lost in the beautiful prose.

Full of twists and turns and things lurking in the darkness, The Keeper of Night is one of the funnest books you'll read this year. Beautiful writing, unexpected story and great characters.

Rating: 3.5/5 ☀️

Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book in exchange for an unbiased review. This review is also posted on sunglowreads.wordpress.com as of December 26, 2021.

To get into it – The Keeper of Night was an enthralling fantasy adventure full of lush descriptions and amazing worldbuilding. The mythology was gorgeously rendered, and the way it intertwined with the historical setting was so well done. It was a unique take on a villain origin story and corruption arc, and admittedly I came away feeling somewhat dissatisfied with the execution, but I can not deny that it was a pretty great reading experience.

I loved the journey aspect of the book, and how the way the reaper/shinigami realms were described. The quest and the mythology of the kitsune were also really strong. And then there was Neven, who absolutely won my heart. I loved him as a character so much in terms of what he represented for Ren and how his character developed.

Hiro is a point of conflict for me. At the beginning, he came across as rather boring. Ren was just so ready to take him at his word and the perspective of him is so rose-tinted that even though I knew he probably had some ulterior motive, he just was not inciting much of a reaction from me. Even the romantic chemistry was lacking. However, when the reveal happened, I was so, so excited. I went from hoping he would die to wanting to read more of him. Unfortunately, it happened quite far into the book, and then it was cut off before I could even enjoy it. The pacing at the end was a real weak point, as the last few chapters shoved so much in there and it was so rushed. It honestly felt like it should have been in the sequel.

The bigger issue, though, was just Ren herself. I can accept terrible choices made over the course of a corruption arc, but she was unlikable from the start in a way that makes it really difficult to feel bad for her. She seemed edgy for the sake of establishing her darkness, but I didn’t necessarily see her as any worse than the other reapers or shinigami since everyone was just doing their job. It made me pretty annoyed and it was difficult to be sympathetic for her beyond getting her feelings as an outsider, especially with how she treated Neven.

Still, the book even missed the mark in its approach to Ren’s mixed heritage and the conflict it created. Ren was just strangely haughty regarding her heritage, and while I understood her desire to belong somewhere, there were a number of moments where it felt like she saw herself as superior to the other shinigami. I found myself thinking about it in terms of my own identity: I’m ethnically South Asian, and while I am not mixed, I grew up in the United States and I would never presume to know better than people who live in India, nor do I expect them to see me as the same as them because I know I am not. It’s not better, it just is. However, the narrative not only upholds Ren’s superiority, but affirms it as she becomes the new goddess for a world she is barely a part of, and I hope I misread, but it seemed to have an imperialistic savior implication.

So yeah, it was a conflicting read for me. I’m somewhat at a loss, because where it worked, it really worked, and where it didn’t work, it really didn’t work. Personally, I’m undecided whether I want to read the eventual sequel, but I think this is another book where readers might have to decide for themselves.

This book does a lot of telling rather than showing. The first person POV doesn't help, with Ren's narrative constantly spelling everything out for the reader. I never had to connect any dots or piece things together because Ren did it for me. I wish Baker's editor had cracked down on the filtering and telling. Even for a YA debut, but the writing felt kind of amateur.

This book makes the mistake of creating characters with extreme lifespans that don't reflect any of the experience or wisdom they would gain in those years. Ren is supposed to be about 200 with Reapers living to around 2000. They age and mature much more slowly than humans, putting Ren around young adult age. I can accept this at face value, but at no point does Ren show any inclination of having gained wisdom in two centuries of life. She reads no differently than a fresh-faced 16-year-old teenager. The inciting incident with Ren losing control and light-attacking her bullies reads like a teenager losing control; it's a lot harder to believe that from a character with two centuries under her belt.

The Japanese mythology and folklore were the only reasons I stuck with this as long as I did. I didn't feel any attachment to the characters, and the story wasn't interesting enough for me to push through. Other reviews have said that Hiro eventually becomes a love interest, which I figured since this is YA fantasy.

If I only could use one word to describe 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐊𝐞𝐞𝐩𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 by Kylie Lee Baker, it's gonna be MINDBLOWING! Even giving this book five stars still won't justify how much I love this book because it deserved a gazillion stars.

In this book, we follow Ren Scarborough, Half British Reaper, half Japanese Shinigami who has been collecting souls in the London streets for centuries. But being half Shinigami makes the Reapers despise her and bully her for being "different". When her failure to control her Shinigami abilities drives Ren out of London, she flees to Japan to seek the acceptance she’s never gotten from her fellow Reapers.

☾ 𝕎𝕙𝕪 𝕀 𝕃𝕠𝕧𝕖 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐊𝐞𝐞𝐩𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭
This book is very thick with Japanese culture and folklore. And as someone who used to be a huge addict to all things Japan, I could feel the authenticity.
The scenes were so vivid that you could feel that you saw everything instead of reading it.

Exploring about the world of death already made this book stand out but I honestly didn't expect this book is a debut novel because the writing style is so damn good! It's very atmospheric and the way she described the world of "death" sent chills throughout my body.

This book is so gruesome, eerie, and dark but also deep at the same time. Lots of sentences that resonate with me but this is my tops: "Even the land of the living has hellish creatures, but that doesn't make it hell"