Week 34 Reviews: The Keeper of Night, The Empress of Time

From Goodreads:

Death is her destiny.

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

When her failure to control her Shinigami abilities drives Ren out of London, she flees to Japan to seek the acceptance she's never gotten from her fellow Reapers. Accompanied by her younger brother, the only being on earth to care for her, Ren enters the Japanese underworld to serve the Goddess of Death… only to learn that here, too, she must prove herself worthy. Determined to earn respect, Ren accepts an impossible task—find and eliminate three dangerous Yokai demons—and learns how far she'll go to claim her place at Death’s side.

From Goodreads:

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.

My Review:
These books were so great to read! I loved this world with Death, and the different death Gods, and species that have been created to get the souls to the afterlife. And how Ren is half Reaper, half Shinigami, and has never been accepted by the Reapers, besides her brother.

Ren is not a good person, which is understandable because of how she's been treated all her life. Plus this is a society based around death, it's very morally grey. And I loved reading about her, the decisions that she made, and her love for her brother. She was a fantastic character! 

She learns a lot in the first book, and goes through so many struggles about acceptance. And that ending, that was pretty brutal! I had to continue and see what would happen next! And oh, the sequel didn't disappoint, I couldn't put it down! 

Things I wanted to know in book 2 where, was she going to get her brother back? How did Ivy become Britain's Death Goddess. And oh, was it a fantastic adventure! I loved watching her and Tsukuyomi searching for this sword, and everything that happened along the way! That ending, chef's kiss! I just will always want more! 

They were such great reads, and I can't wait to read more by Kylie Lee Baker! 

Author: Kylie Lee Baker
Series: The Keeper of Night #1, 2
Read: August 23rd, 24th, 2022
Source: Edelweiss 
Reason Why: Sounded really great, and they're Historical Fiction 2022 Books and Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2022 Books! And The Keeper of Night is a DAC Book, and The Empress of Time is a End of Series 2022 Book and Sophomore Challenge Book! 
Publisher: Inkyard Press
Published: October 12th 2021

Expected Publication: October 4th 2022

The Keeper of Night:

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

The Empress of Time:

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars