She guides the dead to their rest—until the afterlife itself is torn apart.
As a collector of souls, Aysha spends her days leading spirits to the Gates of Judgment. Her work is monotonous, each day blurring into the next, and she longs for more than the dull repetition. But when her wish is answered, it comes in the worst possible way.
The Gates are invaded. The passage of the dead is blocked. Spirits now wander, lost and restless, and the balance of life and death begins to unravel. To restore order, Aysha must rise beyond routine and confront the evil that holds the afterlife hostage.
Dark fantasy collides with action-packed adventure in the opening of the Reaper Trilogy, where angels, demons, and the fate of souls hang in the balance.
Susan Stubblefield –
Aysha the Reaper.
Tired, bored, a little sad.
Little did she know her world would be threatened by the existence of an unnatural force.
Her quest? To form a squad suitable to defeat this terror.
Join her on her mission.
You won’t be disappointed!
Amanda –
This was a great read! Just what I needed to get me out of a reading slump!
Aysha had a huge character growth from the indifferent presence she seemed to have at the beginning.
There is a lot of action in such a short story and I’m here for it!
Though the story felt rushed, I can honestly say i loved this unique story. It was refreshing!
I look forward to reading the second one soon!
Liora Davies –
Aysha is such a compelling protagonist. As a collector of souls, her quiet routine of guiding spirits to the Gates of Judgement initially feels solemn and almost peaceful, but the story quickly transforms when chaos erupts and the gates are suddenly blocked. What begins as a monotonous existence becomes a desperate and dangerous mission, and watching Aysha rise to the challenge is incredibly satisfying.
Novelcrush –
Reaper is a gripping dark fantasy that instantly pulls you into a world where life, death, and destiny collide. Scarlett masterfully builds Aysha, a soul collector craving purpose, into a compelling heroine thrust into chaos when the Gates of Judgment fall under siege. The stakes feel genuinely cosmic, with wandering spirits and a crumbling afterlife raising the tension beautifully. If you love angel-and-demon lore wrapped in pulse-pounding adventure, this is your next obsession.
Jennifer Amaral –
Reaper delivers a dark and gripping story that pulls you into a world filled with intensity, danger, and emotional depth. From the start, there’s a strong sense of tension that keeps the story engaging and hard to step away from.
What stood out most to me was the atmosphere. The darker tone adds depth to the narrative and creates a sense of intrigue that carries through the entire story.
The characters bring the story to life, especially through their emotional struggles and complex dynamics. Watching their journey unfold adds weight to the plot and keeps you invested in what happens next.
For me, this lands at 4 ⭐ because the story was compelling and immersive, though there were a few moments where additional detail could have made certain scenes even more impactful.
This is a 4 ⭐ for me because:
• the dark atmosphere creates strong intrigue
• the characters feel layered and engaging
• the emotional tension adds depth
• the story keeps you invested throughout
Dark. Intense. Engaging.
Read this book if you like:
• darker romance or suspense
• emotionally driven stories
• complex character dynamics
• intense and atmospheric reads
Peter Valor –
I have always been fascinated by stories about death and what comes after, but I have never read one quite like Reaper. Scarlett Hyde has taken something we all wonder about and turned it into something fresh, unsettling, and surprisingly human.
What got me, and what I think most readers might overlook, is how Aysha’s boredom at the beginning is actually the whole point. She is tired of the routine, tired of the same thing every day, and she wishes for something more. Be careful what you wish for, right? But here is the twist that really made me stop and think. Her longing for change isn’t just a plot device. It is a reflection of something we all feel. That quiet restlessness when life feels like it is just happening to us. Hyde takes that universal feeling and drops it into the most high stakes situation imaginable. The afterlife itself is breaking apart.
I loved that Aysha isn’t some chosen one who was born for greatness. She is just a collector, doing her job, until she has no choice but to become something more. That felt real to me. Most of us aren’t waiting for destiny to tap us on the shoulder. We are just trying to get through the day, and then something happens that forces us to rise up. Hyde understands that.
The world building is spare but effective. There is no info dumping, no long explanations about how the Gates work or what the rules are. You just get dropped in and trusted to figure it out alongside Aysha. And that made the whole thing feel more urgent, more immediate, like I was right there with her, trying to make sense of a world that had suddenly gone wrong.
I am recommending this book because it is short enough to read in one sitting but dense enough to stay with you. It asks big questions about purpose, duty, and what happens when the systems we rely on start to fail. It is dark, yes, but there is hope underneath the darkness. And sometimes that is exactly what we need.
Scarlett, if you ever read this, thank you for writing a story that doesn’t talk down to its readers. Thank you for trusting us to keep up with Aysha’s journey and for giving us a heroine who earns her growth. I am already looking forward to the next book in the trilogy.
If you are tired of the same old fantasy tropes and want something that feels fresh and a little bit dangerous, give Reaper a try. Just don’t blame me if you finish it and immediately want more.
Angelique –
Great concept. Needs to be longer, I felt like I was missing pieces of the characters or I was reading the condensed version.
Fewer smirks, everyone smirked.
Rebecca Doyle –
Oh wow this book was so awesome. I was hooked right from the start. there was everything you could want in a book. and the action scenes had you guessing what was gonna happen next. everything about this book was chefs kiss.
Poskana –
I was completely captivated by Aysha’s journey from routine to chaos.
The stakes felt real, emotional, and deeply intense.
The world-building around the Gates of Judgement was vivid and unique.
Five stars for this gripping and unforgettable fantasy adventure.
Brandon E. Hammond –
From the first page the story starts strong and stays that way. Great story, plenty of action, non stop pace is a great read. Looking forward to continuing the story with the follow up books!!