Kingdom of Souls is the first installment in a young adult West African-inspired fantasy trilogy. The story follows Arrah, the daughter of two powerful witchdoctors who has no magic herself but who hasn’t lost hope of obtaining powers of her own. When children start disappearing and her grandmother—who happens to be the Chieftan of one of the tribes—starts to have some premonitory visions, Arrah decides to take matters into her own hands and resorts to trading years of her life in order to get magic.

I liked the concept and was entertained by the first half of the book, but the second part just lost me with how off the pacing became and how bizarre the plot turned out to be with everything involving Arrah’s sister: the way she was conceived, the inconsistency of the speed at which she grew up, what happened with Rudjek towards the end. Overall, I didn’t particularly enjoy it, so I won’t be reading the rest of the trilogy.

Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

I will not be giving feedback on this book as I couldn’t really get into it but I think others may enjoy it.

Kingdom of Souls… This copy was kindle gifted to me from the publisher in exchange for an honest review (submitted on Instagram)

Amazing West African inspired magical fantasy!

Kingdom of Souls is definitely one of the better fantasy novels I've read in its approach to magic and divinity. There are different regions with their different gods and their different types of magic, but there are enough common links to make it feel organic and connected.

There are the tribal regions, where everyone has magic and it's a part of life and ceremony. Their magic comes from a deal with their god, Heka. That's an element I really liked and hadn't really seen before, the contractual nature of divine magic, and it's one that had serious implications in the story too.

There's also the city, where there are a number of different gods each with their own portfolio of responsibility. These are the Orisha and there's a wonderful mysteriousness about them. There are hints throughout of them interacting with mortals, from demanding rituals to gifting mysterious statues of themselves to the temple, and one of them is an Unnamed One with an unknown and mysterious past. While magic in the tribal regions is seen as a spiritual force, in the city it is used for everything from healing to changing one's hair colour. I really liked this playfulness to the magic, and cosmetic application of spells definitely feels like something that would happen in any world where magic is commonly available.

Rena Barron does a fantastic job at seeding plot threads in the early parts of the novel that are then yanked taut at the perfect time later on. These include Arrah's need for magic, and her peculiar powers that make her hard to read, her strained relationship with her mother and her love for her father, the veiled predictions of her grandmother, it all plays an important part in the growing story.

This is a book about two of the most destructive forces in life, love and revenge. There's politics, but with a light touch. It's a motivating factor but it doesn't spend too long dealing with political machinations. There's a beautiful romance at the heart of it too, slow and softly spoken but burning strongly throughout.

Kingdom of Souls really becomes something quite extraordinary about halfway through. The first part of the story does an excellent job at establishing the world and the characters, there're mystery elements with missing children and we see what Arrah is prepared to sacrifice for magic and answers. Then things shift dramatically and incredibly effectively. There's a surreal, dream-like quality to it, as the magical forces around overwhelm Arrah, twisting reality and time. There's such a sense of power here, but in a slowly building threat kind of way. It's very human, which makes it all the more dramatic rather than a distant, powerful overlord to be overcome.

The orishas really come into their own, becoming complex character as they're revealed as both very powerful and vulnerable, and we learn more about the demons, another crucial element in both historic and current conflicts and more complex than they may appear at first glance.

Then things shift again into a violent and very dramatic conclusion, as secrets come to light and everything is revealed.

There are elements of horror throughout, from old tortures and the lingering effects they had to beings of great power with all the moral restraint of a bored cat.

With the depth and strength of its magical world, the complexity of its characters, and the freshness of its West African inspired setting, Kingdom of Souls is one of the best fantasy novels I've read in a long time.

Kingdom of Souls was a book I looked forward to, but, when I read it found it so so close and yet so so far from something I could love.

There was a richness to the world and the characters, and a real depth to the relationships between them, but ultimately there was something off about it. I don't know if it was the pacing, or the progression of the actual narrative, but it fell a little short for me

I was really disappointed because this looked like such a great concept. And I was interested in the look at the Orisha and the other religious powers. Reading it reminded me of the Greek/ Roman gods, the way they played about with their own ambitions and wants, without much care for humanity.

I just found the pacing really put me off. It was so slow to start with and it had so much build up with so little happening. The middle felt rushed, I would have liked to see more of Efia's development and her change the way she lacked empathy and how her mother and the demons effected that.

That said, I would be really interested to see the sequel, because it was a really interesting story and aside from the pacing issues, I enjoyed it.

I will not be reviewing this title, as significant time has elapsed since I received the ARC and/or I was unable to finish it.

Omg......... this book was amazing I flew threw the pages with Olympic speed I was hooked from the very first page. I found it full of twists and turns threw out and it kept me on the edge of my seat all the way threw  I would defiantly recommend this book if you like a good book to keep you reading threw the night hopefully you enjoy it as much as I did

This book had a fascinating world and magic system. I liked the relationships between the characters but the plot felt uneven throughout.

This was a gloriously inventive and highly evocative fantasy novel, with absolutely fantastic world-building. Extremely well-written characters, from our supremely relatable protagonist to her infamously powerful mother, and the plot was intriguing but not too convoluted. Recommend!

I completely invested myself in the world that Kingdom of Souls was set in: a young girl, Arrah, is the daughter of two powerful Witch Doctors, who themselves come from a long line of Witch Doctors. But when Arrah comes of age, her powers do not come with it. She’s incapable of even the simplest acts of magic. So when children start disappearing, one of them being a friend of hers, Arrah decides to buy magic from a Charlatan. The cost is years from her life for every magical act. But in borrowing her powers, Arrah discovers a terrible secret. That all Witch Doctors, all people, are in grave danger.

I really enjoyed this - it’s completely immersive, and every detail needed to build an alternate world is thought of. The end could have been a bit more succinct and to the point, and I’m always a bit sad when a previously strong female character seems to lose it over a man, but on the whole, I really enjoyed this and will look out for the next in the series on audible (I really enjoyed the audiobook)

Kingdom of Souls by Rena Barron is about Arrah, both of whose parents have magic, and are descended from powerful witchdoctors, and yet Arrah has no magic.  She feels like a constant disappointment to her mother, but is treasured by her father.

When children start to disappear, Arrah becomes worried about her young friend, who is then taken.  Arrah decides to turn to a darker side of magic to find answers.

This is a fantasy novel, set in a world of magic and legends.  It's got twists and turns, and moments that make sense.  

I found this book to be a little too much, and at 496 pages, I do feel like it could have been two books, which might have made the story not feel so rushed in places.

Kingdom of Souls was published on 3rd September 2019 and is available from Amazon, Waterstones and Bookshop.org.

You can follow Rena Barron Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and her website.

I was given this book in exchange for an unbiased review, and so my thanks to NetGalley and to  HarperCollins UK .

This is a really great read with a rich world and amazing magic system. There are so many twists and turns in this book. I can’t wait to read the next one!

I loved Kingdom of Souls a whole lot more than I was expecting to. As is usually the case, I "wished" for this book and then maybe-sort-of-accidentally forgot about it, and then here we are several years later and I've only just finished it.

I *really* wish I had read this book sooner, because... wow!!

Kingdom of Souls follows Arrah, who year after year has been unable to call her magic despite her desperately willing it to come. I loved Arrah as a protagonist: she's brave and strong, but unlike a lot of protagonists in that she hasn't been properly trained and things in life (like her magic) don't always come easy to her.

The worldbuilding in Kingdom of Souls is amazing. From the rich way Rena Barron described the settings to the world lore and the types of magic, I couldn't get enough.

I will absolutely be picking up the sequel, Reaper of Souls, as soon as I possibly can. I need more!!!

Kingdom of Souls is a beautiful, complex novel which was more dark than I had anticipated (which, for me, is an added bonus!). I loved the world building and magic system, it was unique and complicated in the very best way.

On paper this book was something that I thought I would whole heartedly love.

Magic and mysticism felt a little less mystery and a little more meh.

The characters were well fleshed out and the concept had a lot of potential but I couldn’t help feel like the plot was tedious, repetitive and drawn out.

Thank you to Netgalley for an e-arc copy in exchange for an honest review.

I bounced off this hard. I knew fairly early in that I did not get on with the writing style but had decided to power through as I had chosen this as the book I read for a reading challenge. However, I am in a horrific reading slump and it proved too difficult for me to keep reading. The reviews I read do not sound like the book would improve for me. I am very much the wrong reader here.

Unfortunately I DNF'd at 30%. I just couldn't get into the lore or the characters. I thought the lore had a lot of potential but trying to follow all the different deity names and the tribes was very confusing.

Arrah is from a family of great and powerful witch doctors - except she doesn't have any magic to call her own. Desperation, and a danger that begins to threaten the children of her community, lead Arrah to make a deal to get the magic she needs. But it's a deal that results in years being taken from Arrah's life.

There is a lot to take in from this story, and it is jam packed full of action, intrigue and dark magic. The magic system is really interesting, complex and steeped in African mythology and stories that interweave together to make a fascinating world filled with intensity and drama. The magic itself is never described as something that is easy to come by. It's difficult and dangerous, something compelling yet ultimately needs sacrifice in exchange for power. I loved that concept.

Arrah is also a well developed character. Her ability to give her life for magic, and the ability to help people, already makes her a sympathetic character. Add elements of guilt and desperation, angst and tension and you have a very dramatic story with some highly atmospheric scenes. Arrah struggles constantly with her ever changing situation and the fresh faced naïve girl at the beginning goes on a very strong character arc.

I will say that at times the pacing is a bit off, especially at the beginning as the author focuses on world building and character development over plot. It did mean that at first I struggled to feel connected to the characters, however once the pacing picks up around 35% of the way through, I found myself really invested in the story.

Wonderful, unique magical system and some strong characters. A great YA fantasy.