It was fun to go back into this story and see what happened next for the characters, however I think it would have been useful to have some sort of reminder or recollection of what happened last time, just because there are so many characters and by the end of this book I still felt like I didn't know half of them. For a while I thought Shezmu and Daho were the same person? In a similar way to another character in the book.

Overall not as gripping as the first book, and I had more trouble imagining the setting compared to the first one, apart from the city they live in.

What an incredible follow up to Kingdom of Souls. This was one of my most highly anticipated reads of 2021 and it really did not disappoint! I adored Rena's writing style in Kingdom of Souls, the Arrah's tale is perfectly interwoven with folk magic and voodoo and hits exactly the right spot for me in terms of the level of fantasy, adventure, magic -vs- romance elements. Hopefully the third installment arrives soon! I've ordered the beautiful Goldsboro books edition to match my Goldsboro Kingdom of Souls and can't wait to pair the two together on my shelf!

Reaper of Souls is the sequel to Kingdom of Souls and picks up where the last one left of. There is so much going on in this world that I wish I had time to go back and re-read the first before this one. However after reading a recap I managed to get back into it.

I find Rena Barron's writing style really draws me in and makes me want to devour her books. I particularly liked the flashback sections and learning more there (I will say no more because spoilers). My main criticism would be that I found the battles a little chaotic with some things coming out of the blue but not hitting me emotionally as I would expect.

I am excited to see where the story goes next!

WOW!!!!!!!! 😍 😍 😍 😍 (I still don't know if my brain can form coherent sentences, but here it goes.)

The publisher kindly offered me a reader copy via NetGalley. Yet, this is an honest review of the book expressing my own opinion.

If I had to sum up this book in a phrase, it would be, Oh, Arrah. It's not easy being Arrah. Not when she doesn't have what she wants, and not when she has it, either. This girl has the burden of the world on her shoulders, and a huge crisis to solve--a crisis her family contributed to quite actively.

I also haven't seen this many plot twists in a book. My jaw was dropping, and I was gasping every few pages. Rena Barron has created a masterful book, weaving plot threads like a Goddess of Writing, and thus creating one of the best sequels I've ever read. Most second books in a series aren't as good as the first book. But this one, oh this one delivered exquisite magical adventures with different casts of characters (depending on your POV) that had me in awe.

The richest of world-buildings. We traveled a lot. We saw many different places, in many different ways, and I never felt confused or lost. The writing kept me in that place, and Arrah propelled us forward.

A main character who you root for and empathize with. I love Arrah. She's my girl. I winced every time she hurt, and I wanted to hug her so many times.

This is a multi-POV book, in case you're interested in this information. Arrah, Rudjek, and one more that I'll keep a secret. I'm not a fan of multi-POVs, but this one I loved. All three POVs are necessary to deliver this multi-layered story, and you'll end up liking them all, like I did. Having said that, in the first 40% of the book, there are some scenes that could have been cut. I personally enjoy this world so much that it didn't bother me, but I did find some scenes that could have been omitted.

This series is spectacular. One of the best fantasy book series out there. Please, please, buy it and spread the word. Reaper of Souls is a showcase of masterful writing, plot-threading magic, deep character developments, and beauty all in all--even in the cruelest moments.

100+++ stars – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Author: Rena Barron

What a fascinating book with a complex set of plots. I have no conception of how Rena Barron managed to keep track whilst writing it. As a reader its complexity made for a relatively slow read and, writing this, I have decided that I need to read it again as I will get a lot more the second time around.

Do not let me put you off as it is a truly fascinating read and well worth buying. Just do your best to read it somewhere quiet.

"What I've done is unforgivable. I am no better than Arti or Efiya. I'm something worse."

"Reaper of Souls" is the second book in a "Kingdom of Souls" series by Rena Barron. After the disastrous conflict with her sister Efiya, Arrah is left as the last living witch doctor. Driven by guilt, she returns to her hometown to discover she is treated either as a dangerous freak or the chosen prophet of Orishas (gods). To make things worse, she can't even touch the boy she loves, as their powers continuously clash with each other, causing them pain. When she discovers that there is a possibility that some of the tribes survived, she embarks on a dangerous journey to find them.
I think the sequel of "Kingdom of Souls" is less chaotic than the first book, what makes it even more enjoyable. Arrah's biggest dream was to use magic, but now she ended up as the only one who can. And suddenly it's not as wonderful as she imagined. It turns out it is hazardous. Thanks to combined spirits of all tribes' chiefs, she wields unimaginable power and has access to all the rituals her ancestors ever knew. But all that knowledge comes with temptation. Everything could be resolved so quickly, just with a flick of her fingers. All that magic power draws the attention of demons, who are still plotting to bring the Demon King back and take over the world.
We follow the story from two points of view, Arrah and Rudjek. There are also chapters with the tale of Unnamed Orisha, where we slowly learn the story behind the Demon King's origin. Thanks to those we also discover a great deal about the other Orishas and the whole universe, consisting of different worlds. I enjoyed learning all those old and forgotten tales, and how they incorporated more tension to the main plot, slowly revealing their secrets bit by bit.
The story based on folk magic and voodoo rituals is still very dark at times, but I find it fascinating. I think it's the thing that differentiates this series from other YA books. It can be brutal at times, but it all fits well with the author's world. Arrah is not a beautiful enchantress that waving her wand around – she is a witch doctor, with missing teeth, years of her youth traded for magic and concocting blood medicine that would disgust most people.
There are several twists in the novel, some are unexpected, and others are a bit much, and I didn't always find them believable. But the ending is genuinely epic, leaving us wanting more and waiting impatiently for the next book.
I think the "Kingdom of Souls" series is a unique story among recent YA books. If you enjoy unusual settings and dark stories where demons can eat your soul, you should give this book a try.

I was lucky enough to be offered an advance copy of Reaper of Souls by Rena Barron and instantly jumped at the chance. Everything that I loved about the first in the series, Kingdom of Souls, returned with a bang, as we were thrown instantly into the chaos of a city where the Almighty One has been killed, his son deposed, the tribes decimated, and the characters on the brink of disaster.
Reaper of Souls dives right in, so if it's been a while since you read Kingdom, it's worth going back and at least having a skim. Plus, Kingdom of Souls is delightful, so why wouldn't you want to read it again? Once you've situated yourself clearly in the lore, then it's time to get going. Arrah is trying to get to grips with having the tribal leaders' kas in her head, and understanding her new magic. At the same time, she's dealing with the end of her sister, and the fact that the Demon King is ready to arise. Meanwhile, interludes from the Nameless Orisha give us a greater look into how the Demon King rose, and why he might not be as bad as you think.
Meanwhile, Rudjek is now Crown Prince of the Almighty Kingdom, and trying to come to terms with the fact of his heritage, his newly discovered power, and the fact that he and Arrah are physically repelled by each others' presence. Awkward.
Rena Barron is a phenomenal writer, and the depth and breadth of worldbuilding in this book is stunning. Lush worldbuilding and intricate magical (and anti-magical) systems intertwine as the past becomes clear and the impacts of the actions of the Orisha reverberate into the present and the future. Efiya, despite having been trapped in the Demon King's dagger, still manages to make an appearance, and the book finishes on a high which leaves me, yet again, aching to find out what happens next. Intrigue, misdirection, romance, fate, and magic take centre stage as high-stakes choices are made with long-ranging consequences. Daggers, demons, and death interact at a sometimes frantic pace. My only complaint here is that the pacing can sometimes seem a little choppy. While it's occasionally endless punches, these interludes are interspersed with not so much rest breaks as lulls which seem dull? And to be honest, I'm not sure I fully understood what was going on with the magic and the gate. But that might just be that I'm dumb, no shade to Barron there.
Overall, thoroughly enjoyable, richly detailed, and I'm very much looking forward to the third in the trilogy.

I was invited to read Reaper of Souls, having read (and very much enjoyed Kingdom of Souls last year) and I was so happy!
My first read of the year, this sequel picked up mere weeks from the end of book 1 (and wasn't that an ending) and I was quickly pulled back into the rich and vibrant lands that Rena Barron has created.
Aarah is struggling with her guilt after the events of the battle at Heka's Temple, and the loss of the tribes, she misses Rudjek (who is dealing with his own elevation in status and restrictions, thanks to his Dad, along with his newly discovered heritage and the gifts and the constraints that come with it) and the demon king keeps sliding into her thoughts!
Added to this, the demons are still a threat, the Acting Almighty One (Rudjeks father) wants to dismantle the temple and ban magic.

This novel is fast paced, full of twists and turns and depending on your feeling towards certain characters will potentially leave you a little bit broken by then end (I am not ok and I need book 3 immediately in the hope that it will leave me less broken!)

As is often the case, this book is really hard to say a whole lot about without giving too much away (and I am not one for spoilers) but 2 books in, it's already in my favourite trilogies list and I highly recommend reading them!

Arrah has magic now, the only one who does. She's the last witchdoctor. She carries the voices of the chieftains and the burden of the murdered tribes. But what if some of them survived? She needs to visit the tribal lands, to try to find them - in hopes that they can help stop the Demon King's impending return. Add politics into that mix, with the acting Almighty One doing all he can to stay in power, and you have a mind-blowing fantasy epic.

Okay, I jumped into this one without rereading the Kingdom of Souls, which may or may not have been a good idea because I don't quite remember anything that happened in the first book except that I liked it (oops). I did reread my review, so that helped a little! This was probably the reason why I floundered a little in the beginning, trying to remember who was who and who did what! I kept thinking, 'there's something more to this, isn't there?' but couldn't remember what.

Reaper of Souls is a story of love and sacrifice, both the sacrifices made for the sake of love, and the love that is sacrificed for the sake of others. Arrah and Rudjek face terrible choices, but so too did the gods themselves. And it is this past immortal drama, full of secrets and stark choices, that has landed all of them in this current predicament.

But oh God (gods?) - and this is really the good part - even with my slow, struggling start, each layer builds on each other, with each fresh revelation, each new twist tying together into this really inevitable ending. Barron keeps you guessing at some parts (ha, and I guessed wrong a couple of times), but she leads you so well that when you reach the end, you can only react in both awe and horror.

Note: I received a digital ARC of this book via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I really liked Kingdom of Souls, but Reaper was even better! I think that book one set up this one perfectly. The characters are all there, but there’s an edge to them now, a hardness that might not have been evident in Kingdom of Souls. Rena Barron has a wonderful, evocative writing style, and it’s clearly evident in Reaper of Souls. I found myself thinking about this book when I wasn’t reading it, eager to get back into it to see what was going to happen. Reaper of Souls was magnificent. Beautifully drawn characters (both good and bad), a gripping story, and enthralling magic meant I couldn’t put this book down. Loved it.

Brace your necks, people! The sequel to Kingdom of Souls is just as fast paced and twisty as I remember the first being - I don't want anyone to get whiplash.

This is a book packed full of action, revelations & self-discovery, loss & regret, and, it seems, there's still more to come.

I missed not having much time in the city or with the tribes but instead we get more development & backstory for the "demons" & gods. Hint: all gods are bastards (a fine mythological tradition). If Kingdom of Souls was a more traditional fantasy myth/magic style then Reaper of Souls veers towards a slightly scifi-ish multiple worlds type of fantasy that I'm looking forward to seeing more of.

As with the first, the romance was too angsty for me but I like that more complexity was gradually revealed.

(I'm not sure if their was a bit missing from the copy or if it was deliberately missed out but it felt like there was a POV section for Rudjek that was skipped near the end - it felt like some important bits had happened off page. )

Thank you to HarperTeen for sending me this ARC! And, before we start of, the same disclaimer which applied to my Kingdom of Souls review applies here: I´m not an own voices reviewer for this book. A black book blogger could say so much more about it.

Reaper of Souls starts off almost immediately after the end of the first book. The great battle is won, for now the demon King and Arrah´s sister have been beaten back, and it´s time to deal with the aftermath. And that´s something the book does really well I think, focusing on what’s left, what´s going to happen after everything you know and loved has been destroyed.

Arrah won and saved the world, but she lost her family and all of the tribes in the process. Her world has been shaken and destroyed and she has to slowly find her way back into the new one. We see how the Kingdom is changing now (and not entirely in the best way), we see Arrah and her friends struggle with the trauma and loss they faced, and in Rudjek´s case also with the new heritage he has and the new title he bears after his father declares himself the new ruler.

Living is messy, emotion and healing are complicated and Arrah´s journey into the tribe lands, to find if there truly are no survivors left, is also a journey for her to find back to herself. If some survivors are left the survivor’s guilt she herself feels as the last witchdoctor, can be lessened.

But if all of that wouldn´t be complicated enough, the demon king is far from done. His demons are a constant threat, and over the course of the book it becomes clear he might not be as locked up as it seems. At this point I have to take a short aside, because I´m kinda proud of myself for catching the twist the moment it was set up. And that´s all I´m going to say for that, no spoilers.

Finding the tribes becomes intertwined with a race against the demon kings gathering armies and his growing plans, and at the same time, Dimma, the forgotten Orisha, is starting to tell her own tale, bringing more and more truths to the light. Arrah´s connection to her and their often clashing goals and loves add another layer of conflict for Arrah.

Kingdom of Souls was an amazing dark fantasy, full of nuance and great characters and deep twists. Reaper steps up the game even more, letting the characters grow and change and shedding light on some, like Daho, the demon king and Dimma. The question of good versus evil isn´t quite as easy and simple as it seems and yet some hard choices are still clear.

I loved seeing how the characters deal with what happen, how they grow and change. Sometimes bad choices are made, sometimes good ones, but the characters remain complicated and human and I just adore Arrah. Her ability to pick herself up again and again is remarkably, and after a while I just wanted to wrap her in a blanket and give her chance to rest. Because somehow, things just keep getting worse for her. She´s able to keep up, to keep fighting, and her love for her friends and family, even her sister, as complicated as that relationship is, is still strong. But she deserves a break.

If the first book deals heavily with the circle of abuse, this one focusses on how to move away from it, to try and break it. We are not there yet, this is the second book in a trilogy, which means we are left with an extremely evil cliffhanger and possible the end of the whole universe ahead (as it should be of second books in trilogies), but Arrah is now growing more and more aware of the role she plays and ready to take her fate and that of her world into her own hands.

I can´t wait for the Finale!

I was so excited to read this book as I really enjoyed the first one. Unfortunately this book was okay and for me it wasn’t as good as the first book, I still enjoyed the world and the characters. I liked the demon king but I had higher expectations for this book, I didn’t enjoy the romance and the sort of love triangle in the book. I’m just not sure it was needed. There were also parts where it felt I was skim reading to just get through it. Overall it was still a good book but I just didn’t enjoy it as much I thought I would which saddens me.

Reaper of Souls is a story about the fate of the world they live in, but at the same time it's a story about love. Fluid and descriptive, Reaper of Souls has some fantastic writing twists that made me pause. Full of a love that would tear them apart, Arrah and Rudjeck face a love that repeals each other, one that could unmake them. But can they overcome it together despite the odds? Reaper of Souls hooks you from the beginning with action which demands that Arrah move forwards.

Because at the heart of this story is the question: can we escape the mistakes of our past? It's easy to think that the past shouldn't define us. That the actions of our parents should have no bearing on our present. But what happens when we are confronted with the same choices, the same compromises? How do we make sure we don't fall into the same cycle of mistakes? What starts out as Arrah resisting the legacy of her mother, becomes more complicated as Arrah must fight for her life.

Change is a difficult force to resist. Even more difficult to influence. When we act out of fear it becomes even more complex. Reaper of Souls is an action packed sequel which only increases the stakes from Kingdom of Souls. Full of revelations and sacrifices, this second book explores the nature of choices. Barron doesn't allow readers to make a clear distinction between villain and heroes. Instead, Barron showcases the complexity of our past, our intentions which be merciful, but end up as cruelty.

Reaper of Souls sees our return to the lush, vibrant, and dangerous world that Rena Barron has masterfully constructed in her debut Kingdom of Souls. After years of yearning for magic, Arrah finally attains the one thing she's wanted - but she too discovers that it came at too steep a price. Still reeling from the devastating events in Kingdom of Souls, Arrah is left to shoulder the weight of a legacy, shattered relationships, a kingdom plunged into chaos, and a love so ill-fated.

True to the reputation Kingdom of Souls has built, this book continues the trend of driving head-on to messed-up situations - yet Barron manages to juggle all the hideous circumstances placed on her cast with the depth and nuance they deserve. The battle lines are clearly drawn, but the reckoning of the ugly truth behind the Kingdom's history leaves no one unscathed and forces many to reckon with the weight of their decisions on their conscience.

As Reaper of Souls reveals, no one is completely good or bad in this story. Not the Orisha, not the royalty, and not even our heroes. Everyone has their own secrets, and it's only a matter of time when they come to light. This book flips back and forth between Arrah and the Unnamed Orisha's stories, expanding the scope of the world as Barron dives deeper to the Kingdom's history, the demons' origins, and the utter havoc that still haunts the Orisha to the present day. I thought the climactic reveal in Kingdom of Souls would be the most shocking reveal in the series, but Reaper of Souls does not hesitate to strip down the grandeur from history and expose the ugliest, messiest bare bones lying beneath it. Not even this, though, can be trusted as Barron shows that there are always another perspective of things — some of which would later serve as a complete game-changer in the narrative.

Barron's lush and atmospheric writing makes for a truly immersive adventure where magic permeates all things. The vibrant traditions and rituals of Arrah's ancestral magic come to life a captivating mirage; while the dark magic and its dangers are truly felt as a sense of creeping, chilling horror where the worst can happen at any moment (which as Reaper of Souls demonstrates, it often does).

Barron's cast is no slouch either. Each and every relationship, actions, and choices made by every character take on a new, deeper meaning with each page. Barron made the right choice in having her narration flipping back and forth throughout the Kingdom's history, as each turn of events at one point come to provide context and/or affect another. Even the bittersweet romance—and the messy dynamics surrounding Arrah, the Unnamed Orisha, Daho the Demon King, and Rudjek—blossoms into a tangled web of complex, yet deeply meaningful relationship between all four parties involved. Reading Reaper of Souls was akin to watching a meticulously-arranged domino pieces fall down — a thrilling rush of excitement as the characters grow, interact, and drive their relationships in new ways while finding their way through the chaos.

Arrah's dark characterization, in particular, continues to impress me in this book. She finds herself struggling to juggle handling the war she had found herself embroiled into, the legacy of those who paid the price for her survival, and the destructive revelation of her true identity. Barron has made it clear in her first book that Arrah is a flawed heroine (with a lot of baggage heaped on her) who will make some dark choices in times of desperation, and Reaper of Souls sees this arc spiral further down a darker path as Arrah is thrown to even more desperate times where she does indeed have to make some harder calls.

Reaper of Souls is a profound book exploring passion, hard decisions, and heavy consequences that come with every single choice transcending ancestral lines. It is a much more intimate, emotional, and character-driven book that tells its dark plot exceptionally well with generous helpings of insane plot twists and high-octane suspense. This roaring, explosive sequel to Kingdom of Souls is impossible to put down, and promises an explosive finale to the trilogy I sure wouldn't want to miss.

My many thanks to HarperVoyager UK and the author for the Advance Reader’s Copy of Reaper of Souls in exchange for an honest review!