Keeper of the Night by Kylie Lee Baker

What would you do for your sibling?  In Keeper of the Night by Kylie Lee Baker, the love a brother has for his half-sister is out of this world, literally.  The dark fantasy/horror/thriller is set in 1890s Britain and Japan.  But the story gives insight into worldwide folklore surrounding death and the idea of Death personified.  Death is one thing every single person in this world has in common.  Half British Reaper, half Japanese Shinigami, Ren Scarborough is a tormented girl.  She’s unloved by her father and stepmother.  She’s bullied for being biracial.  And she’s harboring her secret magical powers.  She does know the amazing true love of her stepbrother Neven.  For all the torment and darkness in the story, Neven is hopeful, loving, and empathetic.  Ren flees Britain to go to Japan to find her mother.  Neven goes with her just because he loves her.  The venture to Yokohama.  They meet the Goddess of Death Izanami.  To try to find her purpose and place of belonging Ren must defeat the Yokai.  Neven is so nice and trusting, he doesn’t stand a chance in the underworld.  Ten has to defeat the Yokai while also protecting Neven.  She encounters Jorogamo, a yôkai with the form of a spider.  Next, they meet Yuki-Onna, a snow woman ghost described as inhumanly beautiful with deadly eyes.  Travelers get lost traveling in the snowy mountains thanks to her.  Then there’s  Iso Onna, the Sea Vampire.  There’s also the demons kitsune, a nine-tailed trickster posing as a child/fox.  Ren gets help from Hiro.  From the very start, Neven doesn’t care for Hiro and if Neven doesn’t trust him we know something is wrong.  Hiro is rejected by all due to his disability which makes him such a complex character.  You want to love him.  I loved Ren despite her selfish, idiotic thoughts ad actions. The choices she faces are crazy.  The ending in this book got me!  I was shocked and bewildered and yet at the same time, I knew some of the things were likely to happen.  This is supposed to be for young adults but it’s so dark and gory.  I’m not one for dark gore but I was so excited to learn this story has a sequel coming out.  I can’t quite explain why I loved this book so much since it is quite depressing.  I guess I just got sucked into the dark underworld.  

Triggers: bullying, racial prejudice, gore, violence, death, killing of children, emotional abuse by parent