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The Keeper of Night #2
The Empress of Time
Half British Reaper, half Japanese Shinigami Ren Scarborough is no longer the girl who was chased out of England—she is the Goddess of Death ruling Japan’s underworld. But her problems have never been greater. Her Shinigami see her as a foreigner on the throne. Her brother, Neven, is gone, lost in the deep darkness. And her fiancé, Hiro, has been killed by her own hand.
Then Ren receives the most troubling news yet—Reapers have been spotted in Japan, and it’s only a matter of time before Ivy, now Britain’s Death Goddess, comes to claim her revenge.
Ren’s last hope is to appeal to the god of storms and seas, who can turn the tides to send Ivy’s ship away from Japan’s shores. But he’ll help Ren only if she finds a sword lost thousands of years ago—an impossible demand.
Together with the moon god Tsukuyomi, who shares an uncanny resemblance to his brother Hiro, Ren ventures across the country in a race against time. As her journey thrusts her into the middle of scheming gods and dangerous Yokai demons, Ren will have to learn who she can truly trust—and the fate of Japan hangs in the balance.
Then Ren receives the most troubling news yet—Reapers have been spotted in Japan, and it’s only a matter of time before Ivy, now Britain’s Death Goddess, comes to claim her revenge.
Ren’s last hope is to appeal to the god of storms and seas, who can turn the tides to send Ivy’s ship away from Japan’s shores. But he’ll help Ren only if she finds a sword lost thousands of years ago—an impossible demand.
Together with the moon god Tsukuyomi, who shares an uncanny resemblance to his brother Hiro, Ren ventures across the country in a race against time. As her journey thrusts her into the middle of scheming gods and dangerous Yokai demons, Ren will have to learn who she can truly trust—and the fate of Japan hangs in the balance.
416 pages, Hardcover
First published October 4, 2022
85 people are currently reading
6164 people want to read
About the author
Kylie Lee Baker
14 books1,937 followersKylie Lee Baker grew up in Boston and has since lived in Atlanta, Salamanca, and Seoul. Her work is informed by her heritage (Japanese, Chinese, & Irish) as well as her experiences living abroad as both a student and teacher. She has a BA in creative writing and Spanish from Emory University and is pursuing a master of library and information science degree at Simmons University. In her free time, she plays the cello, watches horror movies, and bakes too many cookies. The Keeper of Night is her debut novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 451 reviews
August 5, 2022
this is a good conclusion to the duology and this sequel is still very on brand for the story as a whole. its dark, its gory, the characters are morally grey, and its mythically enticing.
that being said, i didnt quite enjoy this as much as the first book… and i think its because this installment takes place 10 years after the events of the first book. the first book ends on a cliffhanger and then the story picks up a decade later. yes, there is a summary of what happened during that time, but i would have loved to see it firsthand. i think the gap between events made me feel a disconnect between the characters and the story.
but still, i enjoyed how this sequel follows the same sort of quest structure as the first book. it allows for more world-building, character betrayals, spooky spirits, and a final resolution. again, a good conclusion, i just wish there had been a better bridge between this book and the previous one.
thanks, inkyard press, for the ARC!
↠ 3.5 stars
that being said, i didnt quite enjoy this as much as the first book… and i think its because this installment takes place 10 years after the events of the first book. the first book ends on a cliffhanger and then the story picks up a decade later. yes, there is a summary of what happened during that time, but i would have loved to see it firsthand. i think the gap between events made me feel a disconnect between the characters and the story.
but still, i enjoyed how this sequel follows the same sort of quest structure as the first book. it allows for more world-building, character betrayals, spooky spirits, and a final resolution. again, a good conclusion, i just wish there had been a better bridge between this book and the previous one.
thanks, inkyard press, for the ARC!
↠ 3.5 stars
December 8, 2023
The Empress of Time is the conclusion to Kylie Lee Baker's The Keeper of the Night duology. This story follows Ren Scarborough, who is half-British Reaper, half-Japanese Shinigami.
In the first book, Ren and her half-brother, Neven, fled London for Japan, where Ren hoped to learn more about her mother and her Shinigami roots.
Once there, Ren was given a difficult quest by the Goddess of Death. She needed to find and eliminate three dangerous Yokai demons.
Along with her brother and a new friend, Hiro, Ren's quest kept me glued to the pages. Death work is difficult business. It's fast-paced with extremely high-stakes. Over the course of the first novel, I became easily attached to this group of characters.
Additionally, the first book had a fairly earth-shattering conclusion, so I have been anxiously awaiting this second installment.
In The Empress of Time, Ren has now been ruling the Japanese Underworld as the Goddess of Death for the past decade. She is no longer the same conflicted girl who fled the streets of London all those years ago.
Now Ren has received startling news that her past has come back to haunt her though. There are British Reapers approaching the shores of Japan. They're here for Ren, for vengeance.
Ren seeks help and is again sent out on what seems to be an impossible quest. This time she must find and retrieve a magical sword said to have been missing for thousands of years.
With Hiro gone, Ren is joined this time around by the moon god Tsukuyomi, Hiro's brother, on her mission. Together the two race throughout the country trying to find the object they seek before time runs out for Ren.
As mentioned above, I have been really excited to get this second book. It was just as intriguing as the first one. I was a little surprised by the huge time jump, however. I was sort of anticipating this would pick up right where the first book left off, but that wasn't the case.
It did take me a little bit to come to terms with that.
As with the first book, Kylie Lee Baker really succeeds with the dark, beautiful imagery she is able to conjure up with this. And when I say dark, I mean it.
There's a lot of death, mutilation, even the occasional consumption of body parts. It gets bloody, dangerous and gruesome, but we love to see that in a Fantasy.
I loved the inclusion of so many elements from Japanese folklore and myth. The world is well-constructed and worked really well over the course of this story.
Another thing I really enjoyed about this was how Baker kept the themes from the first book alive. For example, in the first book there's a big focus on Ren's heritage and her inner conflict over being half-British Reaper and half-Japanese Shinigami.
For Ren, she never felt like she belonged in London and she was in fact treated like an outsider by the other Reapers.
In this book, even though Ren has found a bit more peace with who she is, she still doesn't feel like she has a true place she belongs. Particularly at the start of this.
So, bringing the Reapers to Japan and now having the Shinigami battle on her behalf, it was like the two sides of her being having an external conflict, instead of just the inner one from the first book. I am most likely explaining this terribly, but I found it really interesting.
This story was still about Ren searching for the place she truly belonged, but the playing field and the actors were so much larger in scope than in the first book. There has been a great evolution to Ren's character, but she is still a character in deep need of finding greater meaning for herself.
With that in mind, I loved how this concluded. The final little section was the icing on the cake. A conclusion that seems fitting for the life that Ren lived.
I definitely recommend this to fans of Dark Fantasy, Japanese-Inspired Fantasy and classic quest tales. Kylie Lee Baker really knows how to wrap it up. This was a beautiful finale for this lush story.
Thank you so much to the publisher, Inkyard Press and Dreamscape Media, for providing me with copies to read and review.
I had a lot of fun with this duology and definitely look forward to reading more from this author in the future!
In the first book, Ren and her half-brother, Neven, fled London for Japan, where Ren hoped to learn more about her mother and her Shinigami roots.
Once there, Ren was given a difficult quest by the Goddess of Death. She needed to find and eliminate three dangerous Yokai demons.
Along with her brother and a new friend, Hiro, Ren's quest kept me glued to the pages. Death work is difficult business. It's fast-paced with extremely high-stakes. Over the course of the first novel, I became easily attached to this group of characters.
Additionally, the first book had a fairly earth-shattering conclusion, so I have been anxiously awaiting this second installment.
In The Empress of Time, Ren has now been ruling the Japanese Underworld as the Goddess of Death for the past decade. She is no longer the same conflicted girl who fled the streets of London all those years ago.
Now Ren has received startling news that her past has come back to haunt her though. There are British Reapers approaching the shores of Japan. They're here for Ren, for vengeance.
Ren seeks help and is again sent out on what seems to be an impossible quest. This time she must find and retrieve a magical sword said to have been missing for thousands of years.
With Hiro gone, Ren is joined this time around by the moon god Tsukuyomi, Hiro's brother, on her mission. Together the two race throughout the country trying to find the object they seek before time runs out for Ren.
As mentioned above, I have been really excited to get this second book. It was just as intriguing as the first one. I was a little surprised by the huge time jump, however. I was sort of anticipating this would pick up right where the first book left off, but that wasn't the case.
It did take me a little bit to come to terms with that.
As with the first book, Kylie Lee Baker really succeeds with the dark, beautiful imagery she is able to conjure up with this. And when I say dark, I mean it.
There's a lot of death, mutilation, even the occasional consumption of body parts. It gets bloody, dangerous and gruesome, but we love to see that in a Fantasy.
I loved the inclusion of so many elements from Japanese folklore and myth. The world is well-constructed and worked really well over the course of this story.
Another thing I really enjoyed about this was how Baker kept the themes from the first book alive. For example, in the first book there's a big focus on Ren's heritage and her inner conflict over being half-British Reaper and half-Japanese Shinigami.
For Ren, she never felt like she belonged in London and she was in fact treated like an outsider by the other Reapers.
In this book, even though Ren has found a bit more peace with who she is, she still doesn't feel like she has a true place she belongs. Particularly at the start of this.
So, bringing the Reapers to Japan and now having the Shinigami battle on her behalf, it was like the two sides of her being having an external conflict, instead of just the inner one from the first book. I am most likely explaining this terribly, but I found it really interesting.
This story was still about Ren searching for the place she truly belonged, but the playing field and the actors were so much larger in scope than in the first book. There has been a great evolution to Ren's character, but she is still a character in deep need of finding greater meaning for herself.
With that in mind, I loved how this concluded. The final little section was the icing on the cake. A conclusion that seems fitting for the life that Ren lived.
I definitely recommend this to fans of Dark Fantasy, Japanese-Inspired Fantasy and classic quest tales. Kylie Lee Baker really knows how to wrap it up. This was a beautiful finale for this lush story.
Thank you so much to the publisher, Inkyard Press and Dreamscape Media, for providing me with copies to read and review.
I had a lot of fun with this duology and definitely look forward to reading more from this author in the future!
Want to read
September 10, 2021the keeper of night hasn't even been published and already i am in dire need for book 2 😭😭
December 5, 2022
"As the keeper of night and the end of all things, I give you my word that the shadows will walk beside you, and that you will never be alone in darkness."
The Empress of Time picks up years after The Keeper of Night, but since Ren has spent all of those years trying to find Neven, it seems like not much time has passed. And now she has a new threat too, Ivy has taken over as the Death Goddess in Britain, and is coming to invade Japan and kill Ren.
Ren knows that she can't stop her alone, so she turns to the god of the seas to turn their ships away - but instead is faced once again with the title of "foreigner" and put on a wild quest to once more prove herself. She's not alone though, Tsukuyomi, the moon god is forced by his father to accompany her - because if Ren dies, the world falls to the darkness and demons. Also, Tsukuyomi? The brother of Hiro - her almost husband before she killed him, and they share a face.
Ren is one of my favorite morally grey characters of all time, she's started of as a death reaper, and now she's a death goddess so clearly she's not above killing or murder. That's already more than most, so definitely be ready for that level of gore and violence. A major focus of this book is on finding identity as a mixed race character. Ren often says how she's out of place and disrespected in both Britain and Japan. We see Ren, full of power, and yet, still so so lonely. So much of this is Ren finding love with herself, and her worth - which I loved.
This was one of the best companion duologies full of self growth, adventure and self discovery. I loved reading every single line of it.
cw// racism, blood and gore depiction, cannibalism, death of a mother mentioned, death of a fiance by stabbing recounted, death of a brother, murder, and torture
rep// Japenese Cast & Setting
Find me on: instagram | tiktok
The Empress of Time picks up years after The Keeper of Night, but since Ren has spent all of those years trying to find Neven, it seems like not much time has passed. And now she has a new threat too, Ivy has taken over as the Death Goddess in Britain, and is coming to invade Japan and kill Ren.
Ren knows that she can't stop her alone, so she turns to the god of the seas to turn their ships away - but instead is faced once again with the title of "foreigner" and put on a wild quest to once more prove herself. She's not alone though, Tsukuyomi, the moon god is forced by his father to accompany her - because if Ren dies, the world falls to the darkness and demons. Also, Tsukuyomi? The brother of Hiro - her almost husband before she killed him, and they share a face.
Ren is one of my favorite morally grey characters of all time, she's started of as a death reaper, and now she's a death goddess so clearly she's not above killing or murder. That's already more than most, so definitely be ready for that level of gore and violence. A major focus of this book is on finding identity as a mixed race character. Ren often says how she's out of place and disrespected in both Britain and Japan. We see Ren, full of power, and yet, still so so lonely. So much of this is Ren finding love with herself, and her worth - which I loved.
This was one of the best companion duologies full of self growth, adventure and self discovery. I loved reading every single line of it.
cw// racism, blood and gore depiction, cannibalism, death of a mother mentioned, death of a fiance by stabbing recounted, death of a brother, murder, and torture
rep// Japenese Cast & Setting
Find me on: instagram | tiktok
October 3, 2022
3.5 stars rounded up
I didn't enjoy this as much as the first book and I think it suffers a bit in the beginning from doing a ten year time jump from the end of book one. However, it still delivered a good story, a satisfying conclusion to the duology, and the creepy, dark Japanese mythology from book 1. Thematically this continues to explore our main character's struggle to find where she fits as a biracial woman, rejected on both sides. But more than that, it's a story about complicated sibling relationships that still involve intense, protective love. If you liked book 1, it's definitely worth picking this up to conclude the story. The audio narration is good as well and fits the tone of the book. I received an audio review copy of this book via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
I didn't enjoy this as much as the first book and I think it suffers a bit in the beginning from doing a ten year time jump from the end of book one. However, it still delivered a good story, a satisfying conclusion to the duology, and the creepy, dark Japanese mythology from book 1. Thematically this continues to explore our main character's struggle to find where she fits as a biracial woman, rejected on both sides. But more than that, it's a story about complicated sibling relationships that still involve intense, protective love. If you liked book 1, it's definitely worth picking this up to conclude the story. The audio narration is good as well and fits the tone of the book. I received an audio review copy of this book via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
October 6, 2022
I don't think I enjoyed this quite as much as book one, which is why I knocked off the half point, but overall I think it's a pretty solid duology -- even if it won't be a new favourite.
This story really shines in both the tone and the worldbuilding/setting. It's dark but somehow also vibrant. However, much of this one does feel a bit wheel spinny in the sense that Ren is sent running around Japan for.. reasons.. and only one of the encounters along the way was actually interesting. This side quest in the run-up to the big conflict does give a little breathing time for a certain reunion but it does also end up feeling like a lot of nothing happens between those bits. And this isn't a short book!
Having said that, I was really pleased with how everything went down at the end. Unlike book one, I actually enjoyed the big conflict and how that resolved. I finished this feeling very satisfied and that's a win despite some of the middling middle bits.
If this is on your radar, I would definitely suggest you give it a try. I will be very interested to see what comes next from this author.
** I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **
---
This review can also be found at A Take From Two Cities.
This story really shines in both the tone and the worldbuilding/setting. It's dark but somehow also vibrant. However, much of this one does feel a bit wheel spinny in the sense that Ren is sent running around Japan for.. reasons.. and only one of the encounters along the way was actually interesting. This side quest in the run-up to the big conflict does give a little breathing time for a certain reunion but it does also end up feeling like a lot of nothing happens between those bits. And this isn't a short book!
Having said that, I was really pleased with how everything went down at the end. Unlike book one, I actually enjoyed the big conflict and how that resolved. I finished this feeling very satisfied and that's a win despite some of the middling middle bits.
If this is on your radar, I would definitely suggest you give it a try. I will be very interested to see what comes next from this author.
** I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **
---
This review can also be found at A Take From Two Cities.
Want to read
November 15, 2021I ✨need✨ to read the sequel as soon as possible. The ending left me with so many feelings 🥺.
November 12, 2024
Un pochino meglio del primo (tre stelle al posto di due), ma si poteva comunque fare di più.
September 19, 2022
#1) The Keeper of Night ★★★★☆
➸ Trigger warnings for .
▷ Representation: Japanese mcs & setting.
Blog • Trigger Warning Database • StoryGraph
Want to read
February 10, 2022no mention of neven in the blurb……… interesting…
October 23, 2022
It might be more of a 3.5.
I’ve been pretty bad this year at keeping up with series and that’s what happened with this finale/sequel and I couldn’t read it before the release despite having both a digital and audio arc. The Keeper of Night was one of my top favorite reads of last year, so when I finally felt in the mood for this book, I finished it way quicker than I expected.
While the first book was about Ren’s descent into darkness, I think this was about what she is going in the darkness now that she is all alone. I can’t say that she has entirely become cruel or that she is a very bad person, but her compassion mostly only extends to Neven and what she can do to save him. The love depicted in this series is all angsty and gut wrenching, but no way any less impactful while reading. I don’t know if I like Ren a lot anymore but there’s no doubt that I still wanted her to succeed and protect her brother, gain the acceptance that she so craves, and make a home for herself.
But the plot itself didn’t feel as exciting as I found the first book. It almost was like Ren didn’t know much about what she had to do and was scrambling across Japan to figure it out - which felt too reminiscent of the first book. I also think meeting all the different Yokai in the first book felt exciting, so there wasn’t much new world building this time. Meeting a couple of new gods was fun but again I got the feeling it didn’t add much to the story.
Overall, while I did enjoy following the characters - old and new - again and see what they’ve been upto, the not very substantial plot slightly disappointed me. I think I just had too many expectations after loving the first one a lot. But I did love the narration of Rebecca Yeo in the audiobook and she made it a pretty fun and quick listen. Despite my conflicting thoughts about this book, I’m still definitely looking forward to the author’s new series next year.
I’ve been pretty bad this year at keeping up with series and that’s what happened with this finale/sequel and I couldn’t read it before the release despite having both a digital and audio arc. The Keeper of Night was one of my top favorite reads of last year, so when I finally felt in the mood for this book, I finished it way quicker than I expected.
While the first book was about Ren’s descent into darkness, I think this was about what she is going in the darkness now that she is all alone. I can’t say that she has entirely become cruel or that she is a very bad person, but her compassion mostly only extends to Neven and what she can do to save him. The love depicted in this series is all angsty and gut wrenching, but no way any less impactful while reading. I don’t know if I like Ren a lot anymore but there’s no doubt that I still wanted her to succeed and protect her brother, gain the acceptance that she so craves, and make a home for herself.
But the plot itself didn’t feel as exciting as I found the first book. It almost was like Ren didn’t know much about what she had to do and was scrambling across Japan to figure it out - which felt too reminiscent of the first book. I also think meeting all the different Yokai in the first book felt exciting, so there wasn’t much new world building this time. Meeting a couple of new gods was fun but again I got the feeling it didn’t add much to the story.
Overall, while I did enjoy following the characters - old and new - again and see what they’ve been upto, the not very substantial plot slightly disappointed me. I think I just had too many expectations after loving the first one a lot. But I did love the narration of Rebecca Yeo in the audiobook and she made it a pretty fun and quick listen. Despite my conflicting thoughts about this book, I’m still definitely looking forward to the author’s new series next year.
July 10, 2023
Bello come il primo, ma forse questo era il suo problema
In questo libro, ambientato 10 anni dopo il primo, vediamo una Ren nuova: ora imperatrice di Yomi e delle anime, i suoi obiettivi e le prove da superare sono diverse, in linea col ruolo di dea dei morti e degli inferi del Giappone, nonché signora degli shinigami
Ma sotto sotto, è sempre la stessa Ren, quella spaventata, il cui unico obiettivo non era (solo) quello di scappare per trovare un futuro migliore, ma soprattutto farlo cercando di dare a suo fratello tutta la protezione della quale lei era capace. E alla fine anche i problemi da affrontare a questo giro quasi non cambiano: ritornano i fantasmi (letteralmente) del passato, e lei è costretta a rendersi conto per l'ennesima volta che nessuno la reputa mai all'altezza.
Troppo inglese per essere una shinigami, troppo giapponese per essere una mietitrice, gli inglesi la cercano per punirla per ciò che ha fatto prima di lasciare il Regno Unito mentre i giapponesi non si fidano di lei e alcuni fanno addirittura il doppio gioco pur di non farla vincere in questa battaglia che potrebbe costare l'indipendenza del Giappone
Il libro ti tiene incollata alle pagine, rendendoti curiosa di capire cosa accadrà dopo e quanti altri viaggi ancora Ren e il suo gruppo dovranno affrontare per avere un po' di pace. Non mancano i colpi di scena, forse qui ancora di più e più 'privati' che rispetto al primo volume, e anche questi contribuiscono a tenere vivo l'interesse, in alcuni casi per la crudeltà di certi momenti, in altri perché LO SAPEVO CHE DI L*I NON CI SI POTEVA FIDARE
Devo dire che è stato interessante vedere come certe cose sono cambiate, in Ren principalmente, ma anche in Yomi - i modi diversi che lei ha usato per far sentire il suo potere e soprattutto come lei usava i nuovi poteri. Mi è piaciuto anche come l'autrice ha sottolineato varie volte il modo complicato che aveva la protagonista di relazionarsi con le cose discutibili che aveva fatto, dall'usurpare il trono a mangiare le anime dei morti pur di raggiungere i suoi scopi, nonostante questo l'abbia portata a ricoprire un ruolo che in realtà non le interessava. Credo sia questo il mio aspetto preferito di Ren, lei agisce in fretta, a volte senza pensare, soprattutto alle conseguenze, e poi si ritrova in situazioni completamente lontane da quello che voleva davvero, in un effetto domino continuo perché alla fine non impara mai
C'erano alcuni parallel tra il primo libro e il secondo e questo, come detto prima, è stato sia una scelta apprezzata che un po' una condanna del libro: in alcuni tratti (e mi dispiace dirlo perché io adoro questa dilogia) sembrava quasi che il secondo libro fosse la copia del primo - di nuovo una situazione picaresca, di nuovo accompagnata da un gruppo all'interno del quale figurava un dio con il quale ci sarà un accenno di relazione... per fortuna però l'autrice è riuscita a sfruttare bene la nuova situazione nella quale Ren si trovava e ad introdurre questioni diverse e più varie, insieme ad una sottotrama i cui fili erano stati tessuti dietro le quinte, lontano dagli occhi della protagonista stessa, che hanno comunque dato quel qualcosa in più, quel qualcosa di caratteristico di questo libro che alla fine lo ha salvato dal risultare veramente una copia del precedente
Un aspetto che è ritornato e che però mi è piacito tantissimo, e sono felice sia rimasto in questo libro come nel primo, è l'amore: non è un sentimento facile per gli dei o per i mietitori, loro vivono per il potere, per l'attimo presente e per il futuro sperando sia ancora più proficuo, ma Ren non ha mai seguito gli schemi, e per amore del fratello avrebbe fatto di tutto. Per amore del fratello lei ha fatto di tutto e anche se Neven ci mette sempre tanto, troppo, a capirlo (mamma mia come si vede che è il fratello minore)(shade a mia sorella minore: fatto) è questo che ha fatto e continua a far girare la storia, e in questo caso anche ad ispirare gli altri personaggi. Il dio minore della luna Tsukuyomi, bandito per aver ucciso una delle sue sorelle, dopo millenni spera ancora di poter tornare nelle grazie della sorella maggiore Amaterasu, dea del sole, che invece lo detesta: lui non fa che guardare con malinconia e invidia il rapporto tra Ren e suo fratello, e paragonarlo a quello complicato con Amaterasu dalla quale dipende da sempre a causa dei loro ruoli. L'ho trovata una cosa molto poetica e in linea con quel mood da leggende che la dilogia riesce sempre a presentare, riuscendo a trasportarci davvero in quel mondo magico della mitologia giapponese (un aspetto che torna anche nelle ultime due pagine del libro, ripetendo quell'epilogo a mo' di leggenda che tanto avevo apprezzato già nel primo volume
Che dire, una dilogia che consiglio davvero tanto. Avrà certamente i suoi difetti (come il fatto che sta tipa non ha un attimo di pace da una vita rip), ma è davvero molto evocativa e accattivante, piena di emozioni che riesce a trasmettere bene e questioni lasciate in sospeso che danno quell'aria di mistico (la nota dell'autrice alla fine di questo secondo libro ne è la prova), e anche l'idea di fare di questa storia una dilogia, così da far vedere in un libro la Ren umana - ma sia mietitrice che shinigami, quindi più forte dei nemici 'normali', quasi come fosse una dea - e nell'altro la Ren dea -ma con ancora gli stessi dubbi e gli stessi trattamenti di una vita, e le stesse emozioni, così da mostrare ancora la parte umana che era in lei - è stata una scelta davvero interessante ma molto forte. Uno yin e yang che vi accompagna per queste avventure, un filo rosso che vi conduce in questo mondo di leggende nel quale, posso assicurarvi, non vi dispiacerà perdervi.
In questo libro, ambientato 10 anni dopo il primo, vediamo una Ren nuova: ora imperatrice di Yomi e delle anime, i suoi obiettivi e le prove da superare sono diverse, in linea col ruolo di dea dei morti e degli inferi del Giappone, nonché signora degli shinigami
Ma sotto sotto, è sempre la stessa Ren, quella spaventata, il cui unico obiettivo non era (solo) quello di scappare per trovare un futuro migliore, ma soprattutto farlo cercando di dare a suo fratello tutta la protezione della quale lei era capace. E alla fine anche i problemi da affrontare a questo giro quasi non cambiano: ritornano i fantasmi (letteralmente) del passato, e lei è costretta a rendersi conto per l'ennesima volta che nessuno la reputa mai all'altezza.
Troppo inglese per essere una shinigami, troppo giapponese per essere una mietitrice, gli inglesi la cercano per punirla per ciò che ha fatto prima di lasciare il Regno Unito mentre i giapponesi non si fidano di lei e alcuni fanno addirittura il doppio gioco pur di non farla vincere in questa battaglia che potrebbe costare l'indipendenza del Giappone
Il libro ti tiene incollata alle pagine, rendendoti curiosa di capire cosa accadrà dopo e quanti altri viaggi ancora Ren e il suo gruppo dovranno affrontare per avere un po' di pace. Non mancano i colpi di scena, forse qui ancora di più e più 'privati' che rispetto al primo volume, e anche questi contribuiscono a tenere vivo l'interesse, in alcuni casi per la crudeltà di certi momenti, in altri perché LO SAPEVO CHE DI L*I NON CI SI POTEVA FIDARE
Devo dire che è stato interessante vedere come certe cose sono cambiate, in Ren principalmente, ma anche in Yomi - i modi diversi che lei ha usato per far sentire il suo potere e soprattutto come lei usava i nuovi poteri. Mi è piaciuto anche come l'autrice ha sottolineato varie volte il modo complicato che aveva la protagonista di relazionarsi con le cose discutibili che aveva fatto, dall'usurpare il trono a mangiare le anime dei morti pur di raggiungere i suoi scopi, nonostante questo l'abbia portata a ricoprire un ruolo che in realtà non le interessava. Credo sia questo il mio aspetto preferito di Ren, lei agisce in fretta, a volte senza pensare, soprattutto alle conseguenze, e poi si ritrova in situazioni completamente lontane da quello che voleva davvero, in un effetto domino continuo perché alla fine non impara mai
C'erano alcuni parallel tra il primo libro e il secondo e questo, come detto prima, è stato sia una scelta apprezzata che un po' una condanna del libro: in alcuni tratti (e mi dispiace dirlo perché io adoro questa dilogia) sembrava quasi che il secondo libro fosse la copia del primo - di nuovo una situazione picaresca, di nuovo accompagnata da un gruppo all'interno del quale figurava un dio con il quale ci sarà un accenno di relazione... per fortuna però l'autrice è riuscita a sfruttare bene la nuova situazione nella quale Ren si trovava e ad introdurre questioni diverse e più varie, insieme ad una sottotrama i cui fili erano stati tessuti dietro le quinte, lontano dagli occhi della protagonista stessa, che hanno comunque dato quel qualcosa in più, quel qualcosa di caratteristico di questo libro che alla fine lo ha salvato dal risultare veramente una copia del precedente
Un aspetto che è ritornato e che però mi è piacito tantissimo, e sono felice sia rimasto in questo libro come nel primo, è l'amore: non è un sentimento facile per gli dei o per i mietitori, loro vivono per il potere, per l'attimo presente e per il futuro sperando sia ancora più proficuo, ma Ren non ha mai seguito gli schemi, e per amore del fratello avrebbe fatto di tutto. Per amore del fratello lei ha fatto di tutto e anche se Neven ci mette sempre tanto, troppo, a capirlo (mamma mia come si vede che è il fratello minore)(shade a mia sorella minore: fatto) è questo che ha fatto e continua a far girare la storia, e in questo caso anche ad ispirare gli altri personaggi. Il dio minore della luna Tsukuyomi, bandito per aver ucciso una delle sue sorelle, dopo millenni spera ancora di poter tornare nelle grazie della sorella maggiore Amaterasu, dea del sole, che invece lo detesta: lui non fa che guardare con malinconia e invidia il rapporto tra Ren e suo fratello, e paragonarlo a quello complicato con Amaterasu dalla quale dipende da sempre a causa dei loro ruoli. L'ho trovata una cosa molto poetica e in linea con quel mood da leggende che la dilogia riesce sempre a presentare, riuscendo a trasportarci davvero in quel mondo magico della mitologia giapponese (un aspetto che torna anche nelle ultime due pagine del libro, ripetendo quell'epilogo a mo' di leggenda che tanto avevo apprezzato già nel primo volume
Che dire, una dilogia che consiglio davvero tanto. Avrà certamente i suoi difetti (come il fatto che sta tipa non ha un attimo di pace da una vita rip), ma è davvero molto evocativa e accattivante, piena di emozioni che riesce a trasmettere bene e questioni lasciate in sospeso che danno quell'aria di mistico (la nota dell'autrice alla fine di questo secondo libro ne è la prova), e anche l'idea di fare di questa storia una dilogia, così da far vedere in un libro la Ren umana - ma sia mietitrice che shinigami, quindi più forte dei nemici 'normali', quasi come fosse una dea - e nell'altro la Ren dea -ma con ancora gli stessi dubbi e gli stessi trattamenti di una vita, e le stesse emozioni, così da mostrare ancora la parte umana che era in lei - è stata una scelta davvero interessante ma molto forte. Uno yin e yang che vi accompagna per queste avventure, un filo rosso che vi conduce in questo mondo di leggende nel quale, posso assicurarvi, non vi dispiacerà perdervi.
October 5, 2022
I didn't like this one as much as the first. Some parts I found slow and boring but I do think that's because this was a little on the longer side in my opinion. I'm glad to see the series through though and happy it's a duology because I feel complete now lol.
Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy!
Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy!
October 14, 2022
I really enjoyed the first book in this duology and was looking forward to seeing how everything would play out after Neven goes missing and Ren takes over as the Death Goddess for Japan. This definitely had some good moments, a quest, more mythical creatures, and a new love interest. I also thought Ren and Neven's relationship was interesting and I liked that they had to work out their issues instead of everything immediately being fine.
The pacing was slow for me, especially the first half. I felt like some of the plot could have been cut out without making much of a difference. While I understand Ren having a difficult time being the new Death Goddess and getting her Shinigami to respect her, I didn't love that she became so mean and hardened. She's a morally grey character and that's fine, I just had a hard time rooting for her sometimes.
The ending wrapped up pretty well and the duology was definitely unique. I also thought the audiobook was well narrated and recommend going that route.
I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All opinions are my own. Thank you to Inkyard Press, Dreamscape Media, and NetGalley for the copy
The pacing was slow for me, especially the first half. I felt like some of the plot could have been cut out without making much of a difference. While I understand Ren having a difficult time being the new Death Goddess and getting her Shinigami to respect her, I didn't love that she became so mean and hardened. She's a morally grey character and that's fine, I just had a hard time rooting for her sometimes.
The ending wrapped up pretty well and the duology was definitely unique. I also thought the audiobook was well narrated and recommend going that route.
I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All opinions are my own. Thank you to Inkyard Press, Dreamscape Media, and NetGalley for the copy
July 24, 2022
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!
I'm rating this purely based on my enjoyment of this book (and the duology as a whole). I loved the first book, but I've seen the criticisms, and while I don't necessarily disagree with some of them, I simply just do not care because of how much I enjoy this series. I do think that if you didn't enjoy the first book, I don't think the second book will be a better reading experience for you (but on the flip side, if you enjoyed The Keeper of Night, I think you'll probably enjoy The Empress of Time).
The writing, as expected, is stunning. It's the perfect balance of lyrical and atmospheric, but also a little graphic and gory (not excessively so, it is still YA after all...). It's compulsively readable, and I found myself flying through the chapters.
In terms of theme, plot, and characters, this book is very much a continuation of the first book. A lot of the same themes are explored, and the general vibe of the book is very much the same - it's still a quest fantasy at its heart, Neven and Ren's sibling dynamic continues to be the driving force of this entire story, and Ren continues to let her anger take over and make bad decisions. I personally love all of these things, and so I loved the second book. As with the first book, there's some unexpected twists and turns, and I think this continues to lean on the darker side of YA fantasy. A couple of negatives: I do think that tying in colonization into this world with the Reapers vs Shinigami was really interesting, but I wish that it went more in depth than what we got, and I also wanted a little more from Ren's character development throughout the book.
If you are a fan of books about folklore and mythology, Japanese folklore, dark fantasy, books that read a little bit like an RPG, and angry female characters, I highly recommend this duology. I was very satisfied with that ending, and I can't wait to see what Kylie Lee Baker comes out with next.
I'm rating this purely based on my enjoyment of this book (and the duology as a whole). I loved the first book, but I've seen the criticisms, and while I don't necessarily disagree with some of them, I simply just do not care because of how much I enjoy this series. I do think that if you didn't enjoy the first book, I don't think the second book will be a better reading experience for you (but on the flip side, if you enjoyed The Keeper of Night, I think you'll probably enjoy The Empress of Time).
The writing, as expected, is stunning. It's the perfect balance of lyrical and atmospheric, but also a little graphic and gory (not excessively so, it is still YA after all...). It's compulsively readable, and I found myself flying through the chapters.
In terms of theme, plot, and characters, this book is very much a continuation of the first book. A lot of the same themes are explored, and the general vibe of the book is very much the same - it's still a quest fantasy at its heart, Neven and Ren's sibling dynamic continues to be the driving force of this entire story, and Ren continues to let her anger take over and make bad decisions. I personally love all of these things, and so I loved the second book. As with the first book, there's some unexpected twists and turns, and I think this continues to lean on the darker side of YA fantasy. A couple of negatives: I do think that tying in colonization into this world with the Reapers vs Shinigami was really interesting, but I wish that it went more in depth than what we got, and I also wanted a little more from Ren's character development throughout the book.
If you are a fan of books about folklore and mythology, Japanese folklore, dark fantasy, books that read a little bit like an RPG, and angry female characters, I highly recommend this duology. I was very satisfied with that ending, and I can't wait to see what Kylie Lee Baker comes out with next.
October 30, 2022
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary ALC in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my rating.
Content warnings: Violence, gore, bullying, racism
In this exciting sequel, Ren is back ten years later, still facing the decisions she’s made up to this point. She’s now the Goddess of Death, which comes with its own set of difficulties. The Shinigami under her rule don’t want to accept her as ruler as they see her as a foreigner. She’s also been devouring human souls in hopes of becoming strong enough to bring her brother back. But things get really messy when Ren finds out Ivy, who is now Britain’s Death Goddess, intends to take revenge.
I’ve been so excited for this book to come out ever since reading The Keeper of Night last year! I’m so happy that this book exceeded my expectations. Ren was already morally grey in the last book, but in this one she becomes almost evil. I loved seeing how she changed over the two books and what she learned about herself.
This book also had such beautiful writing that further drew me into the story. I suspect I’ll reread sometime in the future, but I’m also super excited to read what Kylie Lee Baker writes next!
Audiobook note: The narrator, Rebecca Yeo, did an excellent job bringing Ren and this story to life!
Content warnings: Violence, gore, bullying, racism
In this exciting sequel, Ren is back ten years later, still facing the decisions she’s made up to this point. She’s now the Goddess of Death, which comes with its own set of difficulties. The Shinigami under her rule don’t want to accept her as ruler as they see her as a foreigner. She’s also been devouring human souls in hopes of becoming strong enough to bring her brother back. But things get really messy when Ren finds out Ivy, who is now Britain’s Death Goddess, intends to take revenge.
I’ve been so excited for this book to come out ever since reading The Keeper of Night last year! I’m so happy that this book exceeded my expectations. Ren was already morally grey in the last book, but in this one she becomes almost evil. I loved seeing how she changed over the two books and what she learned about herself.
This book also had such beautiful writing that further drew me into the story. I suspect I’ll reread sometime in the future, but I’m also super excited to read what Kylie Lee Baker writes next!
Audiobook note: The narrator, Rebecca Yeo, did an excellent job bringing Ren and this story to life!
May 19, 2023
those who know me know I can't visualize things I read, especially in fantasy books, but somehow Kylie Lee Baker has the magical ability to make it happen. I love meeting all the Yokai demons and all the gruesome writing that comes with Ren killing people and taking souls. the writing is absolutely stellar throughout the entire book, and there wasn't a single moment where I was the least bit bored. I'm usually not big on sibling dynamics, as I am an only child, but Ren and Neven are an exception. I think I will say I like the first book just a SMIDGE more, but the betrayals and action scenes are definitely just as intense in this sequel. Kylie Lee Baker is officially one of my all-time favorite authors, and I can't wait to read her upcoming novels!
Want to read
November 9, 2022anddddd another october arc that I haven’t read yet, everyone look away…
gotta read this one for the biracials, even if I’m still not sure if I enjoyed the first book haha. wish me luck!
gotta read this one for the biracials, even if I’m still not sure if I enjoyed the first book haha. wish me luck!
October 7, 2022
I've been anticipating this sequel since last year but now that I've read it, I feel that I was equal parts intrigued and frustrated with it. The Empress of Time keeps up with its prequel's gory descriptions, atmosphere and intricately woven Japanese mythology. We're given more insights into the culture and mythical creatures and also introduced to new dangerous quests. And, pretty much like the first book, this also deals with Ren's struggle to fit in her new position as a biracial woman. Overall, I really liked Ren's character arc and was a huge fan of the setting Baker presented throughout. It also wraps up neatly with a satisfying conclusion.
I think what bugged me the most was the ten-year time jump between the end of TKON and start of TEOT, because it did not feel like that much time had passed and there wasn't a significance to it. Also, given how book one ended, I was looking forward to a bone deep tension between Ren and her brother Neven and how they would cross that bridge. However, that relationship did not stir many emotions in me and the build up wasn't as satisfying.
thank you Netgalley and Inkyard Press for the ARC!
I think what bugged me the most was the ten-year time jump between the end of TKON and start of TEOT, because it did not feel like that much time had passed and there wasn't a significance to it. Also, given how book one ended, I was looking forward to a bone deep tension between Ren and her brother Neven and how they would cross that bridge. However, that relationship did not stir many emotions in me and the build up wasn't as satisfying.
thank you Netgalley and Inkyard Press for the ARC!
March 21, 2025
The Empress of Time (The Keeper of Night #2) by Kylie Lee Baker is a fantastic finale to this YA fantasy duology. I enjoyed book one, but it just got better from there. If you're a fan of mythology retellings, historical fantasy, morally gray leads, you'll have to give this duology a try. This hasn't gotten nearly enough love as it should have, especially this finale. I can't wait to read more from Kylie Lee Baker in the future.
August 20, 2024
⊹ ࣪ ˖₊˚⊹⋆review✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧
4.25 Stars
(♡ˊ͈ ꒳ ˋ͈)The Empress of Time by Kylie Lee Baker is a captivating conclusion to the Keeper of Night duology. Ten years after the events of book one, Ren is now the god of death. Tsukuyomi, the god of the moon, is sent by his father to accompany Ren as they try to stop Ivy and her Reapers, from invading Japan and exacting her revenge. Ren turns towards the god of storm and seas, Susano'o for help when her own Shinigamis are unwilling to obey her commands. In return, she must find a sword that was lost centuries ago. Along with Tsukuyomi, her brother Neven, and the Yōkai, Tamamo No Mae, Ren Ventures on a journey to save Japan.
Kylie Lee Baker is an excellent writer. I loved the beautiful imagery and amazing characterization that is present in all of her books. Ren, our protagonist, has been the god of death for the past 10 years after she killed her fiancé Hiro and took his throne. Ever since then, she's been haunted by her past actions and thinks of Neven and Hiro constantly. I absolutely adored all the complex characters, especially our protagonist, Ren, who is willing to do anything in order to save her brother.
Ren was one of the most complex characters I've read in a while. Ren is one of those characters whose actions can't all be deemed "right" or "fair." In fact, some of the things she does pushes her closer to a villain than that of a morally grey person. Despite this, her want to save people and her love for certain people in her life made me as the reader to continue to root for her. Due to the events in book one, Ren and Neven have a very difficult relationship. The bitterness and the love between both of them made for an interesting dynamic. I love when books focus on platonic relationships, especially sibling relationships. I loved Ren and Neven's strong bond and the way they both developed as people throughout the story.
Tsukuyomi was an interesting addition to the cast of characters. I loved how this novel explored how Ren's past relationship with Hiro caused her to have a fear of being loved and loving, yet Tsukuyomi showed her what love really was. Their romance was filled with emotion and angst. Compared to Hiro and Ren's romance, I found Tsukuyomi and Ren's romance to be a lot more natural and healthy.
This is a beautiful and powerful conclusion to the duology that explores Ren's relationship with her own self and those around her. The action-packed sequences and emotional scenes were all well-written. This is one of the best books I've read this year. I would absolutely recommend it for those looking for a read with morally grey characters, a strong female protagonist, Japanese mythology, and epic action sequences.
☑️PLOT
☑️CHARACTERS
☑️PLOT TWIST
⊹ ࣪ ˖₊˚⊹⋆quotes✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧
"He'd looked at me like he loved me, even if I hadn't known what love was at the time. I wanted to ruin this human for making me remember him, and what had happened after. For when I had seen that look in my brother's eyes, I had done nothing at all."
-Ren about Neven
“As I walked alone through the still evening, I remember that this is what I traded Neven for— the power to do anything except for things that mattered, a dark festering anger that had no end, and shackles of darkness around my feet. Everywhere I went, I dragged the weight of the entire night sky behind me, and I carried it alone.”
-Ren
“I looked into his eyes, and for one terrible moment, all the questions of how and why he had returned dissolved. I imagined that this was the Hiro from before, the one who had held my hand on the shores of Takaoka and tried to wear my frozen skin as we read Hakutaka’s book together by moonlight. Hiro who'd only existed in that tiny sliver of time when I'd still believe in happy endings. Whenever I thought of that Hiro, grief carved me open and hollowed me out until there was nothing left inside of me but echoes and empty rooms.”
-Ren
“Tsukuyomi wasn't breathing anymore, just sitting perfectly still apart from the slowly spinning stars in his eyes, looking at me like I was the first breath of light on the horizon after a long, dark night. He was closer to me than before, though I had no memory of him leaning in, like I was a planet drawn into his orbit.”
-Ren about Tsukuyomi
“But Tsukuyomi would never understand. He didn't know what it was like to feel as cold and hollow as the corpses you reaped, to never even know if you had a heart at all until you met someone who proved it to you, to love them and drink their beautiful promises and burn the world down just to keep them, then find out that you never even knew their name.”
-Ren about Tsukuyomi
“I had expected Nevin's forgiveness to feel like the whole Earth adjusting its tilt, like every problem in the world had suddenly been fixed. But as I pressed my hands to his back and his cold tears tracked down my neck, I felt more like I’d taken my first breath after drowning, because everything still hurt and nothing had changed, but somehow I was alive again.”
-Ren
“Loving Hiro had been like holding on tight to a shooting star as it rocketed across the sky. But Tsukuyomi felt like a sunrise unfolding over a dark and silent morning, the thousands of locked doors to empty rooms in my palace suddenly thrown open, and for once I didn't need to be destroyed to know that I was real. All I needed was this one moment when I was someone worth coming back for, someone worth saving.”
-Ren about Tsukuyomi
4.25 Stars
(♡ˊ͈ ꒳ ˋ͈)The Empress of Time by Kylie Lee Baker is a captivating conclusion to the Keeper of Night duology. Ten years after the events of book one, Ren is now the god of death. Tsukuyomi, the god of the moon, is sent by his father to accompany Ren as they try to stop Ivy and her Reapers, from invading Japan and exacting her revenge. Ren turns towards the god of storm and seas, Susano'o for help when her own Shinigamis are unwilling to obey her commands. In return, she must find a sword that was lost centuries ago. Along with Tsukuyomi, her brother Neven, and the Yōkai, Tamamo No Mae, Ren Ventures on a journey to save Japan.
Kylie Lee Baker is an excellent writer. I loved the beautiful imagery and amazing characterization that is present in all of her books. Ren, our protagonist, has been the god of death for the past 10 years after she killed her fiancé Hiro and took his throne. Ever since then, she's been haunted by her past actions and thinks of Neven and Hiro constantly. I absolutely adored all the complex characters, especially our protagonist, Ren, who is willing to do anything in order to save her brother.
Ren was one of the most complex characters I've read in a while. Ren is one of those characters whose actions can't all be deemed "right" or "fair." In fact, some of the things she does pushes her closer to a villain than that of a morally grey person. Despite this, her want to save people and her love for certain people in her life made me as the reader to continue to root for her. Due to the events in book one, Ren and Neven have a very difficult relationship. The bitterness and the love between both of them made for an interesting dynamic. I love when books focus on platonic relationships, especially sibling relationships. I loved Ren and Neven's strong bond and the way they both developed as people throughout the story.
Tsukuyomi was an interesting addition to the cast of characters. I loved how this novel explored how Ren's past relationship with Hiro caused her to have a fear of being loved and loving, yet Tsukuyomi showed her what love really was. Their romance was filled with emotion and angst. Compared to Hiro and Ren's romance, I found Tsukuyomi and Ren's romance to be a lot more natural and healthy.
This is a beautiful and powerful conclusion to the duology that explores Ren's relationship with her own self and those around her. The action-packed sequences and emotional scenes were all well-written. This is one of the best books I've read this year. I would absolutely recommend it for those looking for a read with morally grey characters, a strong female protagonist, Japanese mythology, and epic action sequences.
☑️PLOT
☑️CHARACTERS
☑️PLOT TWIST
⊹ ࣪ ˖₊˚⊹⋆quotes✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧
"He'd looked at me like he loved me, even if I hadn't known what love was at the time. I wanted to ruin this human for making me remember him, and what had happened after. For when I had seen that look in my brother's eyes, I had done nothing at all."
-Ren about Neven
“As I walked alone through the still evening, I remember that this is what I traded Neven for— the power to do anything except for things that mattered, a dark festering anger that had no end, and shackles of darkness around my feet. Everywhere I went, I dragged the weight of the entire night sky behind me, and I carried it alone.”
-Ren
“I looked into his eyes, and for one terrible moment, all the questions of how and why he had returned dissolved. I imagined that this was the Hiro from before, the one who had held my hand on the shores of Takaoka and tried to wear my frozen skin as we read Hakutaka’s book together by moonlight. Hiro who'd only existed in that tiny sliver of time when I'd still believe in happy endings. Whenever I thought of that Hiro, grief carved me open and hollowed me out until there was nothing left inside of me but echoes and empty rooms.”
-Ren
“Tsukuyomi wasn't breathing anymore, just sitting perfectly still apart from the slowly spinning stars in his eyes, looking at me like I was the first breath of light on the horizon after a long, dark night. He was closer to me than before, though I had no memory of him leaning in, like I was a planet drawn into his orbit.”
-Ren about Tsukuyomi
“But Tsukuyomi would never understand. He didn't know what it was like to feel as cold and hollow as the corpses you reaped, to never even know if you had a heart at all until you met someone who proved it to you, to love them and drink their beautiful promises and burn the world down just to keep them, then find out that you never even knew their name.”
-Ren about Tsukuyomi
“I had expected Nevin's forgiveness to feel like the whole Earth adjusting its tilt, like every problem in the world had suddenly been fixed. But as I pressed my hands to his back and his cold tears tracked down my neck, I felt more like I’d taken my first breath after drowning, because everything still hurt and nothing had changed, but somehow I was alive again.”
-Ren
“Loving Hiro had been like holding on tight to a shooting star as it rocketed across the sky. But Tsukuyomi felt like a sunrise unfolding over a dark and silent morning, the thousands of locked doors to empty rooms in my palace suddenly thrown open, and for once I didn't need to be destroyed to know that I was real. All I needed was this one moment when I was someone worth coming back for, someone worth saving.”
-Ren about Tsukuyomi
March 20, 2023
This series I didn't want to end I think its underrated Ren was such a badass and I hope the author has more books like this up her sleeve!
December 13, 2023
Does the finale stick the landing? You bet your butt it does!
I inhaled the first book in this duology earlier this month and book two was evidently no exception to that. I opted for the audiobook again, and big kudos to Rebecca Yeo for doing such a fabulous job! She told Baker's story really well and it was so difficult for me to stop reading.
The sequel picks up, surprisingly, ten years after the shocking events of the first book. Ren is Queen of the Dead in Japan, Hiro is dead, and she has spent the last decade devouring soul after soul after soul, hoping just one more will be enough for the darkness to give her back her brother, Nevin.
As before, this book is chockfull of morally grey characters, dark and gory scenes, and so much incredible mythology. I really did love it as much as the first, especially because we got to meet more yokai and multiple gods. There was a group of ghost pirates that showed up and honestly, they were my absolute favourites! I laughed so hard in that scene. And Tsukuyomi was a wonderful addition. He looks just like Hiro, being his brother and all, but he was so much better as a person and for Ren in every single way. Of course, Tamamo No Mae was great to have with a bigger role. The kitsune and Nevin are so cute together and I love the twist that comes up.
As with the first book, Ren's desire to fit into a place she can belong as a half Japanese Shinigami half British Reaper is just as much at the forefront. Queen of the Underworld yet neither her Shinigami nor the other gods take her seriously. When the new Reaper God of Death is found to be coming to take Japan from her, Ren has her work cut out for her to find allies. I wanted her to win so badly. You would think that by having the light powers of a Shinigami and the time stopping power of a Reaper she would be considered fearsome, but all they see is a foreigner and a young girl in over her head not worth helping. And I love the juxtaposition of how she's seen as useless to some, and a villain to those she loves most. And a villain she is at times. Her actions and how she justifies them can be quite dark, but that made me really love her character development.
The ending has a touch of bittersweetness to it, but I really liked that. I see Baker has another series coming out and I will definitely be lining up to read that one the first chance I can!
I inhaled the first book in this duology earlier this month and book two was evidently no exception to that. I opted for the audiobook again, and big kudos to Rebecca Yeo for doing such a fabulous job! She told Baker's story really well and it was so difficult for me to stop reading.
The sequel picks up, surprisingly, ten years after the shocking events of the first book. Ren is Queen of the Dead in Japan, Hiro is dead, and she has spent the last decade devouring soul after soul after soul, hoping just one more will be enough for the darkness to give her back her brother, Nevin.
As before, this book is chockfull of morally grey characters, dark and gory scenes, and so much incredible mythology. I really did love it as much as the first, especially because we got to meet more yokai and multiple gods. There was a group of ghost pirates that showed up and honestly, they were my absolute favourites! I laughed so hard in that scene. And Tsukuyomi was a wonderful addition. He looks just like Hiro, being his brother and all, but he was so much better as a person and for Ren in every single way. Of course, Tamamo No Mae was great to have with a bigger role. The kitsune and Nevin are so cute together and I love the twist that comes up.
As with the first book, Ren's desire to fit into a place she can belong as a half Japanese Shinigami half British Reaper is just as much at the forefront. Queen of the Underworld yet neither her Shinigami nor the other gods take her seriously. When the new Reaper God of Death is found to be coming to take Japan from her, Ren has her work cut out for her to find allies. I wanted her to win so badly. You would think that by having the light powers of a Shinigami and the time stopping power of a Reaper she would be considered fearsome, but all they see is a foreigner and a young girl in over her head not worth helping. And I love the juxtaposition of how she's seen as useless to some, and a villain to those she loves most. And a villain she is at times. Her actions and how she justifies them can be quite dark, but that made me really love her character development.
The ending has a touch of bittersweetness to it, but I really liked that. I see Baker has another series coming out and I will definitely be lining up to read that one the first chance I can!
August 12, 2022
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Inkyard Press for the advanced copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This was such a good book, and it closed off the duology nicely. We pick up ten years after the first book's cliffhanger. While the jump in time was a little jarring, the author did fill us in on what had happened in those years. However, it would have been nice to see how those ten years of loneliness affected Ren, instead of just a summary. We follow Ren, Neven, and a few other characters, new and old, on a quest, much like the first book.
The story still belonged to Ren and Neven. We get to follow along on the journey of them learning to forgive themselves, and each other. We see them overcome the hatred buried in their hearts, learning how to forgive themselves, and each other.
Ren is truly a morally gray character. She has her own code of conduct, which she adheres to, no matter how many times she is tempted to break it. It is a very selfish sense of right and wrong, all centered around Neven and what is best for him. Many of the things she does are horrific and terrifying, but never out of character for her. We also still see the prejudice she struggles with, even as the goddess of Death. Her Shinigami still refuse to respect her, and the other gods mock her. We see her grow into her confidence in who she is and break past the narrow mindsets that everyone has when it comes to her.
This duology is great for those who love Japanese mythology, morally gray female MCs, and beautiful prose that gives you chills.
——
OH GOD AFTER THAT ENDING I NEEDED THE NEXT BOOK YESTERDAY THIS IS WHY YOU SHOULD ALWAYS MAKE SURE IF YOU THINK ITS A STANDALONE TO FREAKING CHECK
This was such a good book, and it closed off the duology nicely. We pick up ten years after the first book's cliffhanger. While the jump in time was a little jarring, the author did fill us in on what had happened in those years. However, it would have been nice to see how those ten years of loneliness affected Ren, instead of just a summary. We follow Ren, Neven, and a few other characters, new and old, on a quest, much like the first book.
The story still belonged to Ren and Neven. We get to follow along on the journey of them learning to forgive themselves, and each other. We see them overcome the hatred buried in their hearts, learning how to forgive themselves, and each other.
Ren is truly a morally gray character. She has her own code of conduct, which she adheres to, no matter how many times she is tempted to break it. It is a very selfish sense of right and wrong, all centered around Neven and what is best for him. Many of the things she does are horrific and terrifying, but never out of character for her. We also still see the prejudice she struggles with, even as the goddess of Death. Her Shinigami still refuse to respect her, and the other gods mock her. We see her grow into her confidence in who she is and break past the narrow mindsets that everyone has when it comes to her.
This duology is great for those who love Japanese mythology, morally gray female MCs, and beautiful prose that gives you chills.
——
OH GOD AFTER THAT ENDING I NEEDED THE NEXT BOOK YESTERDAY THIS IS WHY YOU SHOULD ALWAYS MAKE SURE IF YOU THINK ITS A STANDALONE TO FREAKING CHECK
August 22, 2022
I found myself equal parts frustrated and drawn to this book (series). It is such a cool fantasy concept, but Ren's character drove my crazy throughout the whole series. She has serious communication issues, and while Baker includes overcoming these problems in Ren's character arc; it doesn't make reading through them any easier. While I would actually recommend the book to people interested in fantasy, I include the major caveat that a lot of the plot issues are caused by Ren's shallow actions and inability to communicate; making this a frustrating read at times.
October 23, 2022
Keeper of the Night sent me spiralling down into the deep darkness, crashing through each layer of the Earth. It was an ending that left me yearning to know what would come next, and with that I eagerly devoured Empress of Time.
We begin here: ten years have passed. Shrouded in the inky darkness of death and night, Ren continues to search for Neven with a longing so fierce that she inconsolably shatters the image of what a death goddess should be. Themes from the first book persist here. Ren continues to battle with her sense of belonging, her sense of home. Ren paid for her place as a goddess of death and she paid for it in blood and betrayal. Yet, the Shinigami that are supposed to bow to and respect her watch her with narrowed, begrudging eyes, uttering the word foreigner under their breaths. Where Keeper of Night explored what it means to be biracial and feel unwelcome in a place that is meant to be home, Empress of Time continues that exploration. And it is here that we get to watch Ren grow deeper into her morally grey characteristics.
When Reapers are spotted in Japan, a race against the clocks goes underway. Again Ren is faced with taking on a world that just seems to reject her. She will face her enemies and she will do what she needs to do to achieve her goals. She is confidently who she is: a goddess of death. She wavers for no one and will not think twice about reaching into your chest and devouring your heart…that is with the exception of Neven.
The sibling relationship in this book was a little slice of light in a place full of vast darkness. Complimented with the other characters of this book, it was a treat to watch Ren grow into herself and learn to let parts of herself go too. I felt that the characters were well developed and having read Keeper of the Night, I felt a connection to the characters. I think that the folklore and myth added to that character development and connection. It’s a special part of this book – perhaps my favourite part, as it not only impacts the characters, but the entire world that Baker creates.
Final note … I think I liked this book more than the first, and in terms of a sequel to a duology, Empress of Time felt well thought out and left me feeling satisfied. I quite liked the Author's note at the end, that was a nice touch that left something to ponder.
Thank you to the publisher for providing with me an ARC. I’m leaving this review voluntarily because books are cool!
We begin here: ten years have passed. Shrouded in the inky darkness of death and night, Ren continues to search for Neven with a longing so fierce that she inconsolably shatters the image of what a death goddess should be. Themes from the first book persist here. Ren continues to battle with her sense of belonging, her sense of home. Ren paid for her place as a goddess of death and she paid for it in blood and betrayal. Yet, the Shinigami that are supposed to bow to and respect her watch her with narrowed, begrudging eyes, uttering the word foreigner under their breaths. Where Keeper of Night explored what it means to be biracial and feel unwelcome in a place that is meant to be home, Empress of Time continues that exploration. And it is here that we get to watch Ren grow deeper into her morally grey characteristics.
When Reapers are spotted in Japan, a race against the clocks goes underway. Again Ren is faced with taking on a world that just seems to reject her. She will face her enemies and she will do what she needs to do to achieve her goals. She is confidently who she is: a goddess of death. She wavers for no one and will not think twice about reaching into your chest and devouring your heart…that is with the exception of Neven.
The sibling relationship in this book was a little slice of light in a place full of vast darkness. Complimented with the other characters of this book, it was a treat to watch Ren grow into herself and learn to let parts of herself go too. I felt that the characters were well developed and having read Keeper of the Night, I felt a connection to the characters. I think that the folklore and myth added to that character development and connection. It’s a special part of this book – perhaps my favourite part, as it not only impacts the characters, but the entire world that Baker creates.
Final note … I think I liked this book more than the first, and in terms of a sequel to a duology, Empress of Time felt well thought out and left me feeling satisfied. I quite liked the Author's note at the end, that was a nice touch that left something to ponder.
Thank you to the publisher for providing with me an ARC. I’m leaving this review voluntarily because books are cool!
December 18, 2022
3.5
I was super excited for the release of this book, because I absolutely loved the first book. I was very curious on where this book was going to go especially the way book one ended and it was very interesting and not what I expected.
First, I love this authors writing style, and I thought she did an amazing job at building this world. With a sprinkle of history and culture it was a very unique world. I love the idea of Shinigami, a death, Gods being powerful, and yet still having limitations.
The main character Ren goes through a very deep, emotional, lonely experience in this book. And her growth as a character was probably one of my favourite aspects of the second book. Surprisingly, there was an added romance, which I had no interest in. I almost would’ve preferred there be no romance in this book.
I think the part of this book that I like the least was the plot. I found the plot in the first book was a lot stronger, and this book it felt like it was just being held by a couple string so that there could be a second book. Although the ending was super interesting, and the twist was quite obvious, I still overall enjoyed the ending of this duology.
I think overall, I would’ve preferred this series to have been a standalone and just a little longer but it was still a very interesting story, I really enjoyed it, and I’m looking forward to see what more else this author will write in the future.
I was super excited for the release of this book, because I absolutely loved the first book. I was very curious on where this book was going to go especially the way book one ended and it was very interesting and not what I expected.
First, I love this authors writing style, and I thought she did an amazing job at building this world. With a sprinkle of history and culture it was a very unique world. I love the idea of Shinigami, a death, Gods being powerful, and yet still having limitations.
The main character Ren goes through a very deep, emotional, lonely experience in this book. And her growth as a character was probably one of my favourite aspects of the second book. Surprisingly, there was an added romance, which I had no interest in. I almost would’ve preferred there be no romance in this book.
I think the part of this book that I like the least was the plot. I found the plot in the first book was a lot stronger, and this book it felt like it was just being held by a couple string so that there could be a second book. Although the ending was super interesting, and the twist was quite obvious, I still overall enjoyed the ending of this duology.
I think overall, I would’ve preferred this series to have been a standalone and just a little longer but it was still a very interesting story, I really enjoyed it, and I’m looking forward to see what more else this author will write in the future.
December 5, 2023
This duology is so dear to me.
Can I interest you in a novel of japanese mythology and a goddess' journey to save her country from English reapers who want to skin her alive and take all she has? a tale that starts with Ren swimming in the depths of her loneliness, a story laced with the moon's light and most importantly, a biracial woman's search for her identity and grasping purpose to her existence, and living -just living- in peace with the only breathing being that matters to her, her brother.
If I'll have to pick the two most impressive aspects of this book to me it would come down to:
1) the stunning, immersive atmospheric writing, her words make you bleed stars and nightmares! you plunge into the world and sink deeper with Ren's failures and ruthless actions, what she sees and observes around her. She does this so well, her setting is breathing alongside the characters and I loved this.
2) the sibling relationship, Ren and Neven. REN AND NEVEN!!!!!!!!! there's angst there's this sibling bond that's unbound to time and space and mistakes, love and sacrifice and you're the only person in this universe that I care about kind of love.
this was a stunning end to the duology, one far exceeding my expectations!<3
Can I interest you in a novel of japanese mythology and a goddess' journey to save her country from English reapers who want to skin her alive and take all she has? a tale that starts with Ren swimming in the depths of her loneliness, a story laced with the moon's light and most importantly, a biracial woman's search for her identity and grasping purpose to her existence, and living -just living- in peace with the only breathing being that matters to her, her brother.
If I'll have to pick the two most impressive aspects of this book to me it would come down to:
1) the stunning, immersive atmospheric writing, her words make you bleed stars and nightmares! you plunge into the world and sink deeper with Ren's failures and ruthless actions, what she sees and observes around her. She does this so well, her setting is breathing alongside the characters and I loved this.
2) the sibling relationship, Ren and Neven. REN AND NEVEN!!!!!!!!! there's angst there's this sibling bond that's unbound to time and space and mistakes, love and sacrifice and you're the only person in this universe that I care about kind of love.
this was a stunning end to the duology, one far exceeding my expectations!<3
August 17, 2025
Very similar feelings to the first one. It was a quick read and I liked the motivation of Ren and how she still was selfish but otherwise didn't stand out.
July 27, 2025
4,5 ⭐️
Review complète à venir plus tard,mais j'ai tellement bien fait de me lancer dans ce second tome, j'avais peur vu que le tome 1 m'a vraiment énervée... Mais "The Empress of Time" c'est tout ce que j'aurais voulu que soit le T1. C'était presque parfait,presque un coup de cœur.
Review complète à venir plus tard,mais j'ai tellement bien fait de me lancer dans ce second tome, j'avais peur vu que le tome 1 m'a vraiment énervée... Mais "The Empress of Time" c'est tout ce que j'aurais voulu que soit le T1. C'était presque parfait,presque un coup de cœur.
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