I liked seeing this progression, and I felt that Baker was careful to show the reasons why someone who has dealt with so much oppression, pain, and harm could turn to violence and cruelty, without necessarily condoning some of the darker choices Ren made. It makes for a protagonist who has to internalize a lot of self loathing, and as her journey to find acceptance goes on she makes harder and harder decisions, which push her more and more morally grey. Of course, Ren soon realizes that in Japan she is also out of place due to her Reaper heritage. It makes sense that she is desperate to find a place where she fits in, so going to Japan in hopes of allying herself with the Shinigami is a logical choice.

Since she grew up being targeted by other Reapers due to her Shinigami heritage, and since her father has merely tolerated her but favored her half brother Neven, Ren has dealt with constant Othering and emotional abuse.

Right from the start she’s a bit rougher around the edges than I was expecting. And given that I had recently read another book that talks about Yokai and Japanese folk lore (and wanted more), “The Keeper of Night” was a great follow up to “Nothing But Blackened Teeth”.įirst and foremost, I loved our main character Ren. When I read the description I knew that this would be one of my exceptions. And this brings me to “The Keeper of Night” by Kylie Lee Baker, a dark fantasy novel about demons, death collectors, and the trauma of being rejected due to one’s identity. There are a couple of exceptions to this rule: “The Lord of the Rings” is my favorite book series of all time, and if there are dark elements or things that have to do with creepy things in the story, I am definitely all in. Review: Thank you to Kylie Lee Baker for the ARC she sent me through a contest!Īs well all know by now, for the most part fantasy as a genre isn’t my jam.

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. 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. 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. Expected to obey the harsh hierarchy of the Reapers who despise her, Ren conceals her emotions and avoids her tormentors as best she can. Half British Reaper, half Japanese Shinigami, Ren Scarborough has been collecting souls in the London streets for centuries.

Where Did I Get This Book: I won an ARC in a contest run by the author. Publishing Info: Inkyard Press, October 2021 Book: “The Keeper of Night” by Kylie Lee Baker

The keeper of night by kylie lee baker