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starryorbit12's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Raybearer is one of the books you can't put down. If your a fan of found family and stories about breaking cycles of abuse, this book is for you. The Lady shows an abuse child that grows up to hurt others on the way she was hurt. Tarsai is a abused child who grew up wanting to do things that would help instead of hurt. Sanjeet is also another abused and also bullied child that choose to protect and heal instead of seeking vengeance or choosing to inflict pain to make other hurt they way he has. This is also a story of women erased from history and how child are often sacrificed to preserve the status quo. It not just about breaking the cycle of abuse and finding purpose outside the life parents wish for you, but it also about do what is right even if it not easy to make a better world for everyone. Frankly, this is my favorite read in 2021 so far. The only thing I really wanted more from in the story would be the other count members outside of Sanjeet and Kirah. Tarsai talk about the fondly and says she loves them like family, but we only get a few interactions with them. Often, the other members blend together because we don't hear enough or speak to them enough for them to stand out in the way Dayo, Sanjeet, and Kirah do. However, they don't do much in the grand scheme of the story compared to Dayo, Sanjeet, and Kirah so I can see why they weren't as fleshed out.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Gaslighting
smchoate's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This was such a beautiful, incredible book. I loved the plot, the characters, the writing, and honestly, I don't have anything bad to say about it. Writing style is so important to me, and every word of this book just filled me with such joy. I gave this to my younger brother to read before my loan at the library expires, and I will be recommending it to any teens or adults I come across from now on! I cannot wait for the sequel!!
This book has such incredible things to say about different types of love, systems vs. individuals, admitting & fighting historical prejudice, found family, pride, empathy, the importance of names, cycles of abuse, gaslighting, and even gossip. There is asexual and queer representation, and it's unquestioningly accepted by the characters, which is so great for young people to read. The characters are racially diverse, and I didn't take issue with the clear real-life inspirations for the different lands. I loved learning about the magic as well as the religions of Aritsar, and as a government major, I loved the political aspect as well. READ THIS BOOK!! :)
This book has such incredible things to say about different types of love, systems vs. individuals, admitting & fighting historical prejudice, found family, pride, empathy, the importance of names, cycles of abuse, gaslighting, and even gossip. There is asexual and queer representation, and it's unquestioningly accepted by the characters, which is so great for young people to read. The characters are racially diverse, and I didn't take issue with the clear real-life inspirations for the different lands. I loved learning about the magic as well as the religions of Aritsar, and as a government major, I loved the political aspect as well. READ THIS BOOK!! :)
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Slavery, Xenophobia, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, and Murder
Minor: Bullying and Sexual content
linaanderson's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Confinement, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, and Grief
Minor: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship
sweekune's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
I picked this up via Libby from my local library purely based off the gorgeous cover and it was beautiful. I loved the world that was unrolled before me and how the characters changed and grew.
The Good:
- A different and diverse fantasy. The way leadership was set up was interesting and different from anything I've read before.
- The many facets of the land were beautifully described. I especially enjoyed the descriptions of Swana.
- The ending was just right in that it wrapped certain things up but also created lots of routes the second book could go down.
What Could Have Been Better?:
- I'm aware this is YA but sometimes the characters behaved in ways that seemed too young or out of character.
- Some of the plot lines were more interesting than others and consequently made for different enjoyment levels during different parts of the book.
Overall, I really enjoyed this story and am looking forward to the sequel which, I believe, is out in August.
The Good:
- A different and diverse fantasy. The way leadership was set up was interesting and different from anything I've read before.
- The many facets of the land were beautifully described. I especially enjoyed the descriptions of Swana.
- The ending was just right in that it wrapped certain things up but also created lots of routes the second book could go down.
What Could Have Been Better?:
- I'm aware this is YA but sometimes the characters behaved in ways that seemed too young or out of character.
- Some of the plot lines were more interesting than others and consequently made for different enjoyment levels during different parts of the book.
Overall, I really enjoyed this story and am looking forward to the sequel which, I believe, is out in August.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Confinement, Emotional abuse, Violence, Blood, Grief, and Death of parent
Minor: Child abuse
kylieqrada's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I haven't been picking up YA fantasy as much lately, but I am so glad that I grabbed this one. I probably would have loved it just for the asexual rep, but it is actually just an all-around really good book as well. The world-building and character development that Ms. Ifueko was able to accomplish in such a relatively short novel is incredible, and definitely sets the stage for the second installment in the series. The use of time jumps within the narrative allows the author to provide a good amount of back story for Tarisai without getting bogged down, and keeps the story moving along. While I definitely felt that the characters were the main draw for me personally, the plot had just enough intrigue and twists and turns to keep me hooked. A very enjoyable reading experience overall.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Misogyny, Sexism, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, and Murder
sunsetcity's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Child death, Death, and Blood
peachmoni's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
"No, we don't deserve the burdens that our parents gave us. But we can't defeat monsters that we won't face."
A fantastic novel about love, duty and desire: how they can shape - or distort - who we are and who we become.
I found that the story picked up in Part 2, and from then on, I was engaged. Ifueko reveals mysteries bit by bit, which made me want to keep reading till the end. (Confession: I almost tapped out at around 90% because I thought the main story was over and everything else was filler. I am glad I continued, not only because that wasn't the case, but also because Jordan Ifueko writes nicely!)
I tried to figure out what was going on, which I don't actively do, usually... and I was wrong as hell, which I appreciate. 😂
Also of note:
- Cool to see ace representation as well, though I cannot judge whether it is 100% accurate
- The description of Tarisai's loneliness, particularly in the first book resonated with me, as a child who was often left to her own devices. Unlike Tarisai, though, I was able to make and keep friends at school and in my neighborhood.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Death, and Genocide
Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, and Murder
Minor: Rape, Sexual content, Slavery, Torture, Kidnapping, and Grief
xoodlebooks's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Sexism, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Death, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Death of parent, and Murder
Minor: Child death, Physical abuse, Rape, Suicide, Xenophobia, and Medical content
whatellisreadnext's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
𝘐 𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨: 𝘈 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘩 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯 𝘸𝘢𝘴𝘯'𝘵 𝘣𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘵 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘮𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘯.
Tarisai was raised in isolation by her mysterious and often absent mother. Now she is being sent Artisar to become one of the coveted eleven that the Prince keeps as council. But she is bound by a wish her mother made, once she gains the trust of the Prince, she is to kill him.
Is it really a surprise to anyone that I loved this book so much? Most of you have been yelling about how good it is for months, and I'm just super late to the party. I'm not going to lie I saw 'fairies' mentioned in a few reviews, and it totally put me off. Well let me tell you, I was wrong to deny how good this would be, and fairies play a very small part, plus they're kind of cool💁🏻♀️
The world building is incredible, and I love all of the characters so much. Tarisai is a complete badass and Sanjeet is a sweet baby angel. The stakes are super high, and the journey the main character goes on is so so fascinating. And THAT ENDING. Don't even get me started on how good the ending is, I need the next book Redemptor like now please.
If you love fantasy, you need to read this book immediately. It is SO FRIGGIN' GOOD
Tarisai was raised in isolation by her mysterious and often absent mother. Now she is being sent Artisar to become one of the coveted eleven that the Prince keeps as council. But she is bound by a wish her mother made, once she gains the trust of the Prince, she is to kill him.
Is it really a surprise to anyone that I loved this book so much? Most of you have been yelling about how good it is for months, and I'm just super late to the party. I'm not going to lie I saw 'fairies' mentioned in a few reviews, and it totally put me off. Well let me tell you, I was wrong to deny how good this would be, and fairies play a very small part, plus they're kind of cool💁🏻♀️
The world building is incredible, and I love all of the characters so much. Tarisai is a complete badass and Sanjeet is a sweet baby angel. The stakes are super high, and the journey the main character goes on is so so fascinating. And THAT ENDING. Don't even get me started on how good the ending is, I need the next book Redemptor like now please.
If you love fantasy, you need to read this book immediately. It is SO FRIGGIN' GOOD
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Confinement, Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, and Death of parent
blakethebookeater's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Raybearer is simply the best YA fantasy I have ever read. I need to see whole curriculums based around this book because it is indeed THAT good.
Tarisai is a child born of a wish. A wish from her mother that destines her to kill the one she is supposed to love. And so begins a tale of magic, found family, and the Underworld. To say more would be to spoil all the wonderful surprises that Jordan Ifueko has cooked up within these brisk 350 pages. And trust me, you do NOT want to be spoiled.
One of my favorite things about this book is the PROSE. Jordan Ifueko's words were so lyrical and beautiful and they wove the story so intricately and vividly that it was so easy to fly through this book. Sentences wound their way inside my heart in the best of ways and I can't how many quotes I scribbled down because they were just too good.
But the story itself is just as wonderful as its wrapping. There are so many twists and turns that Ifueko could easily have stretched this out into a longer series but instead we are getting Tarisai's story completed later this year with Redemptor. This didn't feel like a debut novel. In all the best ways. You can come into this novel secure in the fact that you are dealing with a master storyteller who only has more amazing things for us in the future.
5/5 stars
(p.s. I would die for Tarisai, Dayo, Sanjeet, and Kirah, found family is the best trope 100%)
Tarisai is a child born of a wish. A wish from her mother that destines her to kill the one she is supposed to love. And so begins a tale of magic, found family, and the Underworld. To say more would be to spoil all the wonderful surprises that Jordan Ifueko has cooked up within these brisk 350 pages. And trust me, you do NOT want to be spoiled.
One of my favorite things about this book is the PROSE. Jordan Ifueko's words were so lyrical and beautiful and they wove the story so intricately and vividly that it was so easy to fly through this book. Sentences wound their way inside my heart in the best of ways and I can't how many quotes I scribbled down because they were just too good.
But the story itself is just as wonderful as its wrapping. There are so many twists and turns that Ifueko could easily have stretched this out into a longer series but instead we are getting Tarisai's story completed later this year with Redemptor. This didn't feel like a debut novel. In all the best ways. You can come into this novel secure in the fact that you are dealing with a master storyteller who only has more amazing things for us in the future.
5/5 stars
(p.s. I would die for Tarisai, Dayo, Sanjeet, and Kirah, found family is the best trope 100%)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault
Moderate: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Violence, Blood, Religious bigotry, and Death of parent