Reading the first few chapters of this on Netgalley blew me away! I wasnt even intending on reading it all but once I opened it I literally could not put my phone down. Absolutely amazing; I was invested in the characters straight away and couldn't wait to buy the book when it was published. Which I did do, and am currently reading 😊 highly recommend this, a real pleasure to read.

I have only read a sampler of the Raybearer from NetGalley (the first 8 chapters), however in that short time it is building up to be a cracking story. Tarisai is sent by her mother, The Lady, to become one of the Crown Prince’s trusted council, and, once anointed, to kill him. But once she’s reached the palace, away from her mother’s influence, she becomes attached to Prince Dayo. Can she find a way to break her mother’s wish?

The Raybearer starts slowly, and slightly confusingly, with references to the different realms and the talents, or Hallows, that people possess. But once you get into the swing of it, it’s fascinating and has left me wanting to know more. What is the back story between The Lady and the Emperor, and why does she want the prince dead? 

The friendships developing between Tarisai, Dayo and two of the other candidates, Kirah and Sanjeet are surely signs of the struggles and decisions to come later in the book.

A brilliant start to what I am sure is a great book.

If I didn’t already want to read Raybearer enough, this sampler made me even more excited to get my hands on it! Already, the complex worldbuilding and magic system is introduced in rich detail that has left me longing to learn more. Set in a world where the Crown Prince must connect his mind to eleven council members, eleven-year-old Tarisai is sent to infiltrate the council of Prince Dayo so she can kill him. But as she grows closer to Dayo and fellow council members to-be, Kirah and Sanjeet, her decision becomes increasingly harder. I loved seeing Tarisai grow up in the early chapters of the book, and how she keeps her softness and vulnerability as she grows into adolescence. Her inner conflict is already gripping as she struggles to choose between gaining the approval of her mother (a mysterious figure known only as The Lady) and her love for her friends. I can’t wait to read the full thing!

I dislike the term "young adult" when describing a book genre.  As someone way past his teen years, I have enjoyed many so-called YA books, and found them as gripping, thought provoking and satisfying as any other genre.

Raybearer will inevitably be compared to the likes of Tomi Adeyemi's Children of Blood and Bone, but this debut book stands all on its own.  From the 100 page sampler, we get a lush, well rounded world and a heroine in Tarisai. It mixes African mythologies with a new world of magic and machinations.  

The writing is tight and flowing, and written in the first person, you can hear Tarisai's voice clearly.  I wanted more than 100 page sampler.

Well worth a look.

What an excellent introduction to this magical book. I loved it, loved all the characters and the colours it created in my mind of a different world with strange and magical beings. A definite must read for YA. A rival to other fantasies out there

I can't believe the sample ends there! What shall I do until I get the full book. That cliff hangar-

Tarisai is such strong and empowering character and I can't wait to see what she'll do in the rest of the story! So much rests upon her shoulders!
I'm so glad this is going to be part of a series, because I honestly don't want to part with these beautiful characters.

Jordan Ifueko's writing absolutely flows and I already know that this is going to be a stunning debut from the little I've read. Everyone must pick this us!!

Thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for providing a sample in exchange for my honest impression. All opinions are my own!

I received an audiobook sampler of this book but unfortunately didn't really get a feel for the book from it.

Beautiful prose and a fascinating magic system and world-building that has had me intrigued since the first chapter. I’m excited to see where the rest of the story leads!!
Thank you to Hot Key Books for the sample.

This sampler was amazing......I can’t believe they ended it where they did.....I will be buying the book immediately.

Blooming heck this was so good - definitely need to check out the full book! I need more! Can already see what the hype is about!

I really enjoyed the sampler and can tell by the writing that Raybearer is going to be a very vibrant and adventurous read and I can't wait to read the full publication.

This is my short review of the promotional sample of ‘Raybearer’ by Jordan Ifueko published by Bonnier Books U.K. Hot Key Books on 18 August.

At 100 pages this was a generous sample of this YA fantasy inspired by Nigerian mythology and folklore. 

While I am aware that I am outside its targeted demographic, this did appeal to me and I will be purchasing its full edition. 

The 4 stars are a placeholder and after reading the entire book will write a fuller review and post to Amazon.

That is where you end this sampler? oh my gosh! This was such a good start to a book and I cannot wait to read the full novel. The writing is interesting and the characters are already very intriguing.

I need MORE... like now haha. This was a really interesting and compelling narrative. At first I was slightly confused but as the story developed and we got to the children’s palace I found myself understanding more and more.
I loved the world building and the intrigue and I can’t wait to see what will happen to her and the Bear. Will they become council members? Will she be able to fight against the wish? I find myself on tender hooks wanting always wanting more

This is a mesmerising, vibrant and fresh feeling Afrofantasy novel which is infused with West African tradition and mythologies. I found the prose dazzling and compelling from the get-go and the worldbuilding was some of the most engaging and accomplished I've ever seen; time and effort have been given to craft intricate details of this sprawling world and the descriptions are so vivid and immersive you feel as though you are actually there.

I've already pre-ordered Raybearer and now I've read this sample I'm 100% glad I did! I loved this first introduction to the Raybearer world. It's so beautifully detailed and varied, and I was instantly drawn into the story. Much of what has happened so far seems to be to set up the main conflict but it was still fascinating in its own right. I can't wait to find out how (or if?) Tirisai unravels the curse and I hope we see more of her father and the different types of magic colliding.

This is a review of sampler only (not full book). 
I’m hooked and I need this book like yesterday, it’s original, so interesting, I was gutted when it came to an end , the writing style is beautiful and I eagerly await the full book

This book was incredible. It’s about Tarisai who has been starved of affection her whole life, longing for love, a family, and a home. It’s a story about found family, self-acceptance, fighting for what’s right, and so much more.
It’s filled with so much power, hope, and emotion that I could not stop reading until I finished it. I adored the characters, and I loved how many kinds of relationships it explored. There was a really strong m/f friendship, a female friendship, and a forbidden romance that wasn’t a big part of the book but it made my heart ache none the less.
It’s fast-paced, complex, and intriguing, it has extremely high stakes which makes it even more gripping, and it’s unlike anything I’ve read before. I desperately need to read the next book to see more of the characters, and the journey Tarisai goes on next.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

I'm so disappointed that this is only a sampler as I was hooked by the first 100 pages and want to read the rest! Ifueko's world is well-developed and engaging and the concept of rulers being supported by and linked to representative members of their constituencies is very interesting. The Lady is such a mysterious figure and I really want to know where the story ends up!

Original and exciting, this is such a great story. I cannot wait to read the rest! Thank you to netgalley for the promotional sampler I will be buying this when it comes out.