The Review

Wow, that was truly a captivating and visceral reading experience. The author has expertly crafted an original YA Fantasy/Historical Fiction horror tale that will not only entertain audiences but introduce many readers to the rich mythos that exists within Japanese folklore and the culture as a whole. The balance of Asian and European mythology that the author explores is great, but what really is amazing to see is how the European lore is very much a secondary component to the narrative, serving more as a stepping board for the character’s beginning arc rather than taking up the majority of the novel’s mythos.

The characters were so unique and rich to watch unfold. The protagonist herself was interesting, as she really toed the line between morality and her dark origins the further and further she went on her journey. Seeing how her brother and this new ally of Ren’s served as devil and angel on her shoulders throughout this journey, highlighting the hardship of having others tell you who you are while you are in the middle of trying to decide that for yourself.

The Verdict

A mesmerizing, haunting, and emotionally driven YA Fantasy and action novel, author Kylie Lee Baker’s “The Keeper of Night” is a must-read novel for YA Fantasy and horror fans this fall! Incorporating truly chilling mythology and brilliant character growth, the shocking final chapter and cliffhanger of an ending will have readers on the edge of their seats, eager for the next entry into this amazing duology.

Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC of this novel. 2.5/5 stars.

I thought this was going to be the perfect spooky season read since it's all about death and its harbingers and all the mythology associated with it. I was really, really looking forward to this and by 40% into the book I wasn't really wanting to finish it. Ren, our MC, is completely self-absorbed and selfish, and she blames it all on never feeling like she belongs. There's a point though where because she is death, she is so detached from anything except herself. The family issues made me sad with Neven. I didn't like the twist at the end with Hiro.

Good things? Japanese mythology. the concept as a whole. that's about it.

This book had a wonderful plot. The concept was one that I haven't encountered before, therefore feeling very fresh and original. I also felt as though the pacing was masterful. The whole thing was a ride from start to finish!

Title: The Keeper of Night
Author: Kylie Lee Baker
Genre: Fantasy, YA
Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Death is her destiny.

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… only to learn that here, too, she must prove herself worthy. Determined to earn respect, Ren accepts an impossible task—find and eliminate three dangerous Yokai demons—and learns how far she’ll go to claim her place at Death’s side.

The premise of this was excellent, and the writing was solid, too. The characters, however, didn’t really work for me. Ren herself was distant and cold—not human, I get it, but almost impossible to relate to—and I didn’t really care for her. Her brother just came across as weak 99.5% of the time. And Hiro, well, obviously he had secrets. Why on earth was Ren so surprised to find that out? The culture and mythology were rich and detailed, and I enjoyed that very much, but the characters just detracted so much for me.

Kylie Lee Baker grew up in Boston. The Keeper of Night is her debut novel.

(Galley courtesy of Inkyard Press in exchange for an honest review.)

The Keeper of Night by Kylie Lee Baker is the first book in a new duology of the same name. Ren Scarborough is half British Reaper and half Japanese Shinigami. She has been collecting souls as a Reaper in London for centuries. The Reapers despise her for being half Shinigami, and Ren is forced to flee to Japan when her growing Shinigami powers get out of her control. Ren’s younger brother accompanies her. Ren is determined to join the ranks of the Shinigami. But when she gets there, she finds herself faced with a challenge where she must prove herself as a real Shinigami. Along with her brother and an interesting new ally, Ren sets out to find and destroy three dangerous Yokai demons. When the task takes unexpected turns, Ren must decide how far she is willing to go for power.

This novel is deliciously dark and twisty. Ren is a force to be reckoned with who won’t let anyone stay in the way of what she wants. I can’t wait to see what Ren does next!

3.5/5 stars:
THE KEEPER OF NIGHT was a dark fantasy that is perfect for your spooky season TBR.. With morally grey characters, an enigmatic love interest that keeps you guessing and terrifying monsters, it is one of those books that turns your stomach in the best way. I loved learning more about Reapers and Shinigami and all the mythology surrounding them. I love how we are able to take a deep dive into Japanese mythology and how the author incorporated the yokai into all of this. The world-building based on Japanese mythology's darker elements was absolutely delicious and had me savoring for more. The level of darkness and moral grey-ness in this book is arguably it's strongest point. Also, Hiro. I can't say too much about him without spoiling things, but for the first 3./4 of the book I laughed at every word that came out of his mouth, and the character development when it comes to him in the last quarter of the book was really clever too. Ren had her moments. She was definitely not a likeable character by any stretch of the imagination, and that mostly works for her in this book. I will say I wasn't a fan of how she treated her brother and other people around her sometimes. I'm not a fan of characters that are just horrible to the people who love them and are good to them, but she certainly does reap the consequences of that by the end of the book. Ren is also a particularly valuable character in that we see how her biracial identity impacts her self-image and how she is viewed in her world, and watching her grapple with that is something I would imagine that a lot of BIPOC readers, particularly those who are biracial, can appreciate. THE KEEPER OF NIGHT is a story about making a place for yourself in a world that shuts you out because of who you are, and how choices made in pursuit of belonging can have both positive and negative ramifications.

Death, didn’t need to find me because it was always there, in my blood and bones. I was made of Death.
ARC provided by the publisher Inkyard Press / Harper Collins through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review as part of blog tour organized by TBR and Beyond Tours

The Keeper of Night is an enticing dark fantasy story about identity and belonging that is perfect for this spooky season.

First and foremost I would like to thank TBR and Beyond Tours for choosing me as one of the many amazing book bloggers for The Keeper of Night tour from October 11th to October 17th. Thank you as well to the author and publisher Inkyard Press / Harper Collins for providing an ARC (Advance Readers Copy) as part of this blog tour.

Everywhere in the world was its own hell.

When I first looked for books that will be releasing in 2021 earlier this year I stumbled upon this book being mentioned on my Twitter timeline. The cover reveal and interview that CW from The Quiet Pond did got me hooked and Kylie did mention briefly about the premise which further peaked my interest. At first I really tried getting the ARC (Advance Readers Copy) from NetGalley but I got denied. Thankfully because of this blog tour I can read books that at first weren’t accessible to me so I’m very happy about it when I got to join in to promote it. The cover illustration of the book is done by Jessica Coppet and directed by Kathleen Oudit. It is so beautiful how every time I look at it I see new details! It’s a cover that definitely stands out from the rest.

The Keeper of Night is the first book to a dark young adult fantasy series based of Shinto mythology and Japanese folklore. In this debut Kylie Lee Baker explores themes about identity, family, love, power, death, and a sense of belonging. The story follows Ren Scarborough, a half Reaper and half Shinigami girl that has lived for centuries collecting souls of the dead in London. Being a biracial child Ren is often bullied and treated badly by her fellow Reapers. Even her own father and step mother doesn’t acknowledge her or help her when she is in need. One day when a confrontation with other London reapers went awry, Ren is forced to runaway from her home to avoid execution. Together with Ren’s half brother, Neven, they set out on a journey to Japan, the home land of her Shinigami heritage, to find her mother. But having family ties isn’t enough to be acknowledged as a Shinigami. Ren will need to prove herself to the leader of Yomi and embrace the light that she’s been suppressing all her life.

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

Kylie’s writing is enchantingly dark and atmospheric engulfing readers within the world that gradually becomes more haunting as the story goes. There is dread creeping slowly that follows not only the characters but also the reader. The writing emphasized the darkness of the story with it’s precise, descriptive, and nuanced world building. The setting provides an atmospheric depth to the story adding a layer of eeriness, especially when the characters visit Yomi, the underworld that is ruled by Izanami. Kylie created a world that is unique filled to brim with Shinto mythology and Japanese folklore that I find fascinating. The Yokai that are mentioned and the lore of Shinigami in the story are some of the few that I’ve known from watching animes that are loosely inspired by Shinto mythology and Japanese folklore such as, Bleach, Nurarihyon, and Shounen Onmyoji. I’ve seen plenty of animes with worlds based of this but I’ve never read a book before with this setting and magic system. This is what attracted me to The Keeper of Night in the first place and it is what makes this story all the much more meaningful. It is unique and a refreshing story in young adult fantasy that has never been done before in my opinion.

The gripe I have with the world is the magic system overall because it is vague and abstract specifically the Shinigami side. I wanted to know more about the magic as it plays a big part in the story. It is sad that the story offered only glimpses of the capabilities of being a Shinigami or Reaper. Personally, I had a hard time grasping the scenes when the Shinigami magic is used in the story. For the Reaper part it’s a simple concept as it is straightforward and easily understood. The magic is used mostly during combat and there are a lot of encounters between the party and other beings. During these encounters in my opinion the action scenes isn’t gritty enough for my taste. There’s always an easy solution to the fights that made me think the stakes were too easy. But that’s just me! I still enjoyed the story even though I had thoughts about the magic and action. If readers don’t mind it shouldn’t become a hindrance. Hopefully in the sequel these factors could improve because I do see a lot of potential for it to be more impactful.

The idea of being nothing and no one was so much scarier than dying.

As a reviewer characters are one of the many important factors that make or break a story for me. While reading The Keeper of Night there are three major characters that are introduced and they are : Ren, Neven, and Hiro. Kylie did a great job with the characterization as each character are distinct, well fleshed out, and have clear motivations. The character development in the story are gradual and full of intent that is in harmony with the plot as a whole. Though there are a few moments it felt slightly rushed and inconsistent I could easily overlook it because the way I see it the characterization overall is good. The brother and sister dynamic between Ren and Neven are believable and heart warming. It is reflected on page how strong and deep their bond is with each other. Neven acts as balancing agent and good conscience to Ren’s chaotic and cold demeanor. Hiro on the other hand is the character I have slight issues with as his characterization is weaker compared to Ren and Neven. Hiro is the mysterious fishing spirit that aids Ren and Neven on their quest. In my opinion, Hiro’s character could’ve been explored a bit more since it took me a while to warm up to him. Ren’s relationship with Hiro is slightly insta-lovey at first but after I marinated my thoughts I finally understood the intent behind their dynamics. The way Kylie portrayed the rose tinted glasses and blinding infatuation that plagued these characters is commendable. I like how their relationship turned out as it is vital in the climax of the story shifting the narrative which opens up the story in preparation for the sequel.

Kylie weaved in many important and relevant themes in The Keeper of Night but the most prominent theme is about identity. Kylie weaved it through her characters, specifically through Ren, that any reader who is biracial can relate to. Being a Chinese-Indonesian myself I see the similarities of experiences Ren goes through that are parallel to my own. The struggle and inner conflict the character goes through are relatable and reflects in real life situations. Ren’s constant battle against herself as she tries to embrace a new identity in Japan but still being viewed as foreigner that doesn’t belong resonated with me. These moments is what led to Ren’s development that pushed her to make the choices that is monumental to the story. Acceptance and a sense of belonging are important factors for Ren, it didn’t connect with me while I was reading but after thinking about it for a while I finally understood the stakes and Ren’s position within the over arching plot.

The names that she had fought for meant nothing in the loneliness of eternity.

Final thoughts, The Keeper of Night is a wonderful first book to a promising dark young adult series featuring intriguing world building, unique magic system, and strong characters that surprised me with it’s deep themes of identity and belonging. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book as it is a fresh kind of young adult fantasy with intricate world building that is unique and heavily filled with culture. There aren’t many books like The Keeper of Night that is written by own voices authors of color that I know of. I’m glad I picked it up and I think everyone should too! If you’re looking for a book set in Japan with a world that is reminiscent of Animes such as Bleach, D Gray Man, or Demon Slayer I highly recommend for you to check out The Keeper of Night.

The quotes in this review were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication.

I would like to start by thanking HarperCollins Canada and the HCC Frenzy (YA influencers) team for not one, not two, but THREE opportunities to read and enjoy this fantastic book before it hit the shelves. One of my most anticipated fall catalogue titles after the fall preview evening, I requested both the eARC and audio ARC copies as soon as I could via NetGalley, and was later pleasantly surprised to see that this ended up being one of my two randomly assigned print ARCs that showed up at my door a couple of weeks later. Thank you! My thoughts are my own and my review is honest.

The Keeper of Night is a suspense-filled urban fantasy steeped in Japanese mythology that follows Ren, an biracial Reaper who suddenly finds herself unwelcome in Britain and fleeing to her other ancestral home, Japan, to join the Shinigami. When she finally arrives and finds the Goddess of Death she's tasked with three missions to prove her worth and sets off to complete these tasks with the help of her half-brother, British Reaper Neven, and a banished Shinigami by the name of Hiro. How far will she go to earn Death's favour? Who can she trust? Will she ever belong anywhere?

This is such a beautifully dark and tragic story that manages to make you sympathize with immoral agents of Death and keeps you guessing until the very end. The prose is gorgeous, the elements of mystery are compelling, and the characters feel so real. Neven is precious! We would definitely be friends.

I found myself trying to figure out what Ren didn't know as the story went on, trying to figure out it Neven's worries were valid, and every time I thought I knew what the next reveal was going to be I was proven ever so slightly wrong. The pacing is perfect and the twists are so satisfyingly perfect, even if I couldn't quite guess them. Without spoiling anything, I'll say the ending is not a happy one, but I wouldn't want it to be. This book is far more impactful without the rose-coloured glasses that would be required to envision a happy ending, and I doubt any attentive reader will expect a happy ending by the time they've reached the halfway point.

And can we give credit where credit's due and praise the biracial representation? This main character is a BIPOC woman whose heritage is split between the East and the West, and neither world claims her as their own. Her turmoil and pain over this feels so genuine. For readers who are also biracial, I think they'll feel very seen and understood. For everyone else, it's a glimpse of understanding into an existence we might not otherwise understand.

The audiobook narration by Rebecca Yeo was fantastic! I appreciated the accurate Japanese pronunciations that really made it all feel that much more authentic. Rebecca was able to make each character sound distinct without adopting any annoyingly extreme pitch shifting tactics, and I'll always give props to narrators who can do that. My one critique is that every time the phrase "silver fish" came up, as in fish that are silver or metallic, is sounded smooshed together into "silverfish," which are tiny, moisture-loving pests that may crop up in a bathroom with poorly sealed fixtures. Context helped avoid genuine confusion, but it pricked my ears and made my take note every time it was said.

Thanks again to everyone who decided I needed to read this book. You were right, and I agree! I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves fantasy, Japanese mythology, or coming-of-age tragedies.

Oooh this was GOOD. Very gorey honestly, but I loved reading Ren's journey as a biracial girl trying to find somewhere she belonged. Neven was a wonderful character and learning about the lore and mythology in this world was SO fascinating.

The writing was also extremely compelling: I tabbed certain lyrical passages because they spoke to me so much, particularly in the world of darkness I felt a shiver down my spine whenever Baker built the atmosphere.

I can't wait to read book 2, I'm excited to see what else Kylie Lee Baker writes.

While reading The Keeper of Night, I did not know what to expect. Which is why, I think, this book surprised me in a pleasant way. I was not expecting to love it as much as I did and it easily finds its place as one of my top fantasy reads of this year. The Keeper of Night is full of beautiful writing and stunning worldbuilding. It is a unique and immersive fantasy that deals with death, the concept of Reapers and Shinigami. Another aspect that I really loved is how Japanese culture plays such a major role in the plot. The myths, the legends, the story of the Yokai and how central that is to the story, just added to the perfection of the world building for me.

The descriptions transport you straight into this world, letting you watch everything that happens in front of your eyes, as though you are watching a movie. Here, I have to mention that TKON has some incredibly beautiful quotes such as this:
"I was a butterfly twisted inside a tornado, the brightest colors between day and night, a little brown bird in the maw of a fox, waiting for the truth to bite down."

This specific quote has been stuck in my mind since I finished reading the book. And there are many other wonderful quotes like this.

When it comes to the characters, I think I loved them all, but Ren is definitely my favorite out of all of them. Her struggles with her identity and heritage as a British-Japanese girl, of not being able to find her place, of the struggles of being accepted, felt hard-hitting. She was a badass character through and through and her fierce determination to be accepted as a Shinigami really shines through and adds to her complexity.

Another thing that I loved about Ren is her relationship with Neven, her brother. It was clear to see how much Neven adored his sister and how much he cared for her. In the main trio of this book, he was the character that called into question, everything happening around him. His confusion and his fear for his sister was so easy to relate to.

Now, it's time to talk about Hiro. Oh, Hiro. *insert long sigh here* . I knew from the moment he appeared on the page that I would love him and he would have completely charmed me and I was not wrong at all. He makes dark jokes (specifically jokes about murder) and maybe my humor is broken, but I just laughed so hard at them. While I cannot talk about him further without spoiling the plot, I think he's an incredibly complex character that people will find themselves loving. I loved his relationship with Ren and while I'm not sure how I feel about their romance, I think Hiro and Ren have an interesting dynamic that just adds to the plot.

If there's one thing I want to say about The Keeper of Night, it's this: It would make for the perfect anime. It has great characters, great worldbuilding and I really loved the action scenes in the book, so to see them in anime form would be amazing. And literally, I will sell my soul for this to happen.

The Keeper of Night is a book that I thoroughly enjoyed and I think it's a book that will end up becoming an unexpected favorite for people.

Lyrical writing. Escape from Reapers of London. A quest for her mother. Interaction with gods and creatures of Japan. Death, death, death, because she is half Reaper and half Shinigami.

We see many words from the Japanese culture. I ended up using the Wikipedia function on my kindle often to see what the words meant.

People who love fantasy books will enjoy this duology. Thanks to Inkyard Press for allowing me to read this book.

DNF at 36%.

This just didn't work for me and it's probably more me than the book. I'm not in a place to read something so dark about an afterlife.

But beyond that it was very dense. The world building was fun and interesting, but it was told in info dumps at the beginning when I would've rather seen that instead of being told it.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.

The Keeper of Night is a unique Japanese-inspired historical fantasy. I love that it follows a morally gray non-human lead, with an exploration of racism and being caught between culture through that perspective. The world building, from the depictions of late-19th century England and Japan to the intricacy of the lore of the Reapers, Shinigami,Yokai, and more, are top-tier.

Ren is an interesting lead, and I appreciated Baker’s creativity in imagining how she would react to things as a non-human, while still making her feel like a relatively grounded character. There are elements about her that resonate, like her identity issues and her relationships with some of the other characters.

The story is fairly fast paced, and kept me pretty consistently engaged. There’s a somewhat darker tone, what with the somewhat darker character motivations, and the plot elements surrounding demon hunting, and it was a perfect read for this time of year.

I really enjoyed this book, and how it provided a fresh, more culturally rich take on some familiar tropes. If you like YA historical fantasy, but want something a bit darker, I recommend trying this one.

What I Loved

The Keeper of the Night mesmerized me from page 1 with its immersive world-building and unique and engaging story. I loved the mix of Japanese folklore with the different worldwide folklores surrounding death. I’ve never seen this combination before, especially the idea that there is a world, a part of our world yet outside it, full of reapers, Shinigami, and other similar beings. The detail describing this world allowed me to quickly forget the real world and enter this dark yet magically exotic realm.

Japanese folklore is very dark and scary and full of creatures called Yokai. My favorite in general, and in this story, is the kitsune, a nine-tailed trickster. They are foxes who take human form and have magical abilities. In this story, the kitsune takes the form of a young teen girl who needs protection and is helpless without a guardian. This take on the creature intrigued me even more than the stories with which I am already familiar.

The story explores many themes, the most dominant of which is the overwhelming need to belong that everyone feels but is particularly harsh when you are of two different races, creatures, or beings. In this case, Ren is half British Reaper and half Japanese Shinigami, and she doesn’t feel like she belongs anywhere. No group will accept one half of her or the other, and the scars from that reality lead her to make some less than admirable choices – sometimes even crossing that divide between right and wrong.

A romance happens a bit too fast and furious, but I quickly overlooked that when it plays out into an utterly shocking plot. Hiro and Ren hit it off right away, and he even comes along to help Ren and Neven complete the quest the death goddess sends them on. He says he is an ousted Shinigami and wants back into the fold and hopes he will be granted that opportunity by helping.

Characters

The characters are all wonderfully developed with layers of complexities that make them sympathetically flawed and purely engaging. They quickly swept me away and had me rooting for them to find the peace, love, and acceptance they so tragically feel they need.

What I Wish

I can’t think of anything that would have made this book a better reading experience, so my only wish would be that the second book matched the first one and comes to a reasonable conclusion that it may or may not be a happily ever after.

To Read or Not to Read

If you love to be swept away by a story where everything is far from perfect, and you wouldn’t have it be any other way, then Keeper of the Night must be your next read.

Ren is a girl of two worlds. Half British Reaper, half Japanese Shinigami she lives in London never quite fitting in, constantly aware that she will never become a full Reaper, with only her half brother for company. But then something happens, Ren looses control and show powers that, as a Reaper, she should not have access to. Forced to run she heads to the one place she feels might just accept her. Only when she gets to Japan, she is still treated as a foreigner. Determined to prove her worth and right as a Shinigami, Ren accepts a task from the Goddess of Death to kill three Yokai Demons. Along with her brother and guide Hiro, Ren will need to decide exactly how far she will go to earn the acceptance she craves, and who she is willing to hurt to achieve it.

Ren wants so desperately to fit in, but that need causes her to make some dubious decisions. At the start of the book I really felt for her, a girl from two worlds who somehow never fits into either, but as the book went on she became almost entitled, determined to become a Shinigami, and with that determination came blinders to the seriously dodgy situation she was in. She is incredibly strong and resilient, something she has had to learn due to her treatment from the other Reapers, but once that turned to entitlement I found myself loosing my connection with her, and just got angry at the silly decisions she was making.

The two main characters that follow Ren on her journey are her half brother Neven, and Hiro the boy that first helps her when she enters Yomi, the land of the dead. Neven was loyal to Ren to a fault, the only person who stuck with her in London, even if it made him somewhat of a pariah. He's too soft to be a Reaper, and escapes with Ren hoping for something better in life, but the more time she spends in Japan, and with Hiro, the more he can see her actions becoming more erratic. Hiro rescued Ren when she first entered Yomi and takes it upon himself to become her guide in this country that is so foreign to her. But he has motives of his own, ones that Ren thinks she knows, and she finds herself trusting him without knowing who he really is.

If you enjoy stories steeped in Japanese mythology then look no further. Baker really focuses on the darker side of the mythology, with the tales of dangerous Yokai (demons) and she uses these to create a brilliantly rendered world. As well as following Ren on her journey to become a Shinigami, we get little tales throw in about the different Yokai she meets along the way/ is sent to murder, each slightly gorier and dark than the last. The stories are definitely not for those faint of heart, but it all adds to the atmosphere of the story making it dark and creepy in equal measure.

The story starts off fairly slowly with Ren's time in London, but once she leaves the life of a Reaper and journey's to Japan the pace seriously picks up. I did find some events towards the end of the book a little 'too' quick, and felt that more time could have been spent on them for us to better understand the chain of events, and Ren's reasoning behind her actions. There are plenty of plot twists thrown in, but for me they were either predictable or just completely out of the blue, and went against the ideals of the characters themselves. The book certainly ends on a cliff-hanger, one that I definitely did not see happening, but has ensured that I want to pick up the final book in the duology.

Keeper of the Night is perfect for fans of unapologetically morally grey characters, epic journeys and battles, and stories steeped in dark mythology. Though there were some parts that let this story down for me, the almost insta-love relationship and Ren's bizarre decision making towards the end, I definitely enjoyed it as a whole and can't wait to see what the author has in store for the final instalment.

This is a perfect read for the spooky season! It’s about death, reapers, and shinigami and is an amazing story! It’s the first in a duology and I need the second book!! The world building was super easy to follow and understand, which I really appreciate in fantasy/supernatural books and it jumps right into the action! I really love books that jump right into the story and build the world naturally as it unfolds and this book does it perfectly! It’s quite fast paced, but doesn’t feel rushed at all!

As a white Indigenous woman, I related to Ren a lot due to her being biracial. Her identity being so divided into categories like reaper/shinigami and British/Japanese is something that all bi+ racial people can empathize with and relate to I believe. The constant struggle of wanting to be accepted and feeling like you’re not X enough was super powerful and really well done. Ren’s experience really echos the experience of all in diaspora, but especially those in the Asian diaspora. The agony of not knowing one’s own culture, stories, and language is such a heartbreaking thing and it is evident throughout the book that Ren feels that wound profoundly.

In terms of the story, I loved learning about Japanese stories and beliefs surrounding death and the afterlife. I also loved learning about the different yokai and their stories! Learning about Yomi was so cool and learning about all the characters had me completely hooked.

Overall, I really enjoyed all of the characters, the world was awesome, and the story (and its little stories told within it) was incredible! I highly highly recommend this book!

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

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

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

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

Seriously, this book has no business being this addicting.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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