I didn't expect a YA fantasy to be my favorite read of the year so far, but look.

The story is gripping from the first to the last page. I don't think there was a single chapter that was lacking or that wasn't needed. It's also divided in 4 parts with short chapters within, so if you struggle to read plot heavy books because there's nowhere to stop, this one is for you. I was intimidated by the novel before picking it up because fantasy usually requires some effort to get into the world, but in this case it was immersive and made it so easy to dive in.

The main characters are so easy to root for. Tarisai is a wonderful protagonist, complex and strong without falling into Mary Sue territory. Dayo is a literal ray of sunshine, and Kirah and Sanjeet are both lovely and complex too. When it comes to the rest of the characters, though, this book also shines, portraying grey characters in a manner that makes sense, where no character is just plain evil. I found my opinion about so many characters changed organically as I found out more, both for better and for worse.

The immersive atmosphere aids to the rich worldbuilding of the book. I could see each scene perfectly thanks to the beautiful descriptions that didn't fall into purple prose. The story is complex, gripping from chapter one, filled with well crafted plot twists that build the puzzle that is this story. The world is not as perfect as it seems, and you find out along with Tarisai what justice truly means in a situation that reflects colonialism and erasure of culture, and patriarchy in the real world. By the end of the book, I was thoroughly satisfied but so happy that this is actually a duology and we're getting one more dive into this beautiful world and another chance to be with the characters.

This has it all. Found family. High stakes. Complex, deep rooted problems. Beautiful imagery. Hope. I strained my brain to find something I didn't love so that this review isn't me gushing nonstop, and the only thing I could come up with is that I wished there was more Dayo. So there you go. Take this as a push to pick this up. 

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%)

TALENTED BRILLIANT INCREDIBLE AMAZING SHOW-STOPPING SPECTACULAR. QUITE POSSIBLY THE BEST YA FANTASY I'VE READ IN YEARS. I AM IN LOVE 😭😭😭

The world building had breadth, but not depth. That combined with the fast pace made moments of this book disorienting and overly complicated. I wish we had more time to develop the characters and intricate world. I appreciated the ace representation, though I think the character was infantilized.

Wow!

I had high hopes for this book and it did not disappoint. I loved the world, the characters, the magic, all of it.

Tarisai definitely grows as a character just within this book and that was also really great to see.
I surprisingly didn't hate the romance. I love the found family aspect.

The history and culture are so rich and Jordan Ifueko did a fantastic job of bringing it all together. And because I'm a sucker for a good plot twist, the fact that there were multiple was the icing on the cake.

Also love the LGBTQ+ rep.

I LOVED this book! It was such a good read and is easily one of my favorite books and honestly my top read of 2021 so far. This book was so engaging and I absolutely loved the world, the characters, the magic system and the plot.

The world building was really well done in my opinion. This world fascinated me and left me wanting to know so much more about the lore and history. I loved the way the magic system worked and found it super interesting and different from anything I had read before, it felt fresh and I really liked that about it. The characters were also all super lovable and I enjoyed watching them grow and develop throughout the story. 

Overall I just felt this was a really good book that told an amazing story and I cannot wait until book two is in my hands. Basically, GO READ THIS BOOK!