Jordan Ifueko

Series Info/Source: This is the 1st book in the Raybearer duology. I borrowed this on ebook from my library.

Thoughts: This was the last book I had on my list of books I really wanted to read in 2025. I was honestly not that excited to pick it up since I was in the mood for something else completely. I thought I would read the first 25% or so and then maybe set it aside if it didn't grab my attention. Imagine my surprise when I started reading this and found I was really, really loving it. show more This is so well written, I loved the world and characters here and enjoyed the adventures that Tarisai ends up on.

Tarisai has been raised in luxury in a lonely estate. Her life has been one of tutors and solitude with occasional appearances by her mother only known as The Lady. Then, one day she is picked up by her mother's minions and carted off to the capital of Aritsar. There she will fight to become one of the Crown Prince's council of 11. However, her mother has also made one final wish about Tarisai's fate and that is that Tarisai must kill the Crown Prince to finally get out from under her mother's thumb. Tarisai fights her path with all she is worth until one day things change.

I loved the world created here and the unique abilities the characters have. The closeness of the Council was fascinating, and this was an intriguing way to rule a kingdom. This book was incredibly engaging and spans quite a bit of time. We follow Tarisai as a young child, then as a young competitor for a council seat, and then as young woman trying to change her path. The story shifts between different themes. At first, it is all about a lonely girl learning about her powers. Then it is about politics and surviving a competition. Then it is about finding a family to call you own. Then it is about adventure and surviving deadly terrain. All of it was done well. The side characters have a lot of depth and really come alive. The decisions Tarisai is faced with are heartbreaking and tough.

This was an amazing fantasy book that really surprised me with how much I enjoyed it. It is complex and intriguing without being confusing. I really cared about the characters and their stories. I enjoyed the magic and the adventure as well. When I finished this I was excited to read the second book in this duology.

My Summary (5/5): Overall this was a fantastic fantasy read. It has excellent world-building, amazing characters, and a variety of engaging story elements that really kept me intrigued and engaged. If you are looking for your next fantasy read, I would definitely recommend. I look forward to reading the second book in this duology, "Redemptor". show less

Oooh I loved this book. I was intrigued om the fist page. Although, full disclaimer, I do love it when fantasy books are based on different cultures. This was a massive plus for me and I kept finding myself wanting to learn more about this world.

The book mainly focusses on Tarisai's journey and I loved seeing her grow and become more confident through the pages. We meet her as a child and learn more of her world as she matures and grows up. The whole concept of the curse is fascinating and show more I loved seeing her struggle with it, her largely unknown family and what she wants for herself. I enjoyed seeing the subtle shifts in the writing as she grew up to reflect her own changes. While this book is marketed as YA, it is definitely just as suitable for adults. It feels a lot more fleshed out than a lot of the YA books I've recently read and doesn't rely on romance to push the plot forward. The characters feel real and I think that people of all ages can It focuses a lot less on romance than modern YA books seem to and spends more time looking at self growth and destiny and the importance of other forms of love (something I absolutely love and want to see way more of in books). While some characters were definitely more of a focus than others (especially Tarisai and Dayo), all of them felt well thought out. I very much enjoyed how deeply flawed they all were and learning about their weaknesses and fears just as much as their strengths.

There is a lot of beautiful imagery in this book and I liked how it tied back to its African folklore inspirations. The author did reuse a lot of descriptions though and often in the same scenarios. I enjoyed the unique magic system and the concept of the council. The way it works and grants power is fascinating. I don't think I've seen anything quite like it before. The world is clearly well thought out and the book does and incredible of of exploring it and just how diverse all its cultures are, while also looking at the dangers of xenophobia and attempts at cultural suppression for the sake of conformity. Although I felt some parts towards the end were a little bit expositiony, this is largely done in a natural way through the plot.

I can definitely recommend this book to fantasy lovers who would like to explore a unique world, particularly those who would like to read beyond the typical European-inspired fantasy realms (not that there is anything wrong with them of course). And to those who enjoy YA fiction but are tired of how romance and love triangle heavy the genre has gotten. I will definitely be reading the next book as this one, while it has a good end point, definitely leaves a lot of questions unanswered about the future of Tarisai's world show less

4.5/5

This story, its world and its cast of characters are a breath of fresh air in YA high fantasy. I loved that at each turn when I expected the plot to drag (such as with chapters upon chapters describing a never ending journey rather than the action as is soooo common in high fantasy) it instead flew forward into new, exciting and often unexpected turns. Tarisai is a heroine you root for and love in her complexities, hoping she’ll find a way to break the curse that’s plagued her for show more years but with no idea how she’ll actually manage it. I also loved the relationships built up between the characters and the way they are all connected into a mishmash of a family. This first in the series was excellent and I can’t wait to read the sequel. show less

This was fantastic! I really loved the world Ifueko built here, with Nigerian-inspired mythology that hints lightly at our world but dances away into fresh fantasy settings just as quickly. The characters were all really well-developed; Tarisai's story was heartbreaking yet powerful. The ending was completely gratifying, even as it left me urgently wishing to run back to my house so I can grab the next book in the series--I have to know what happens next!