New fab fantasy!
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If you are a fantasy lover, I have your new favorite right here. Did I join Netgalley just to get an eARC of this book? Yes, I did. Did I devour this in two sittings even though it’s a thick one? Again, yes, yes I did.
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Beasts of Prey is a debut YA fantasy from Ayana Gray and if you are a fan of hate to love, intriguing magic systems, mythical creatures who live in a terrifying jungle, and black girl magic, then this is a book you want to grab when it releases on 9/28. I was glued to the page as the story unfolded; there are so many creative elements to the story that set this up to be an amazing series set in a very exciting and magical world. The only problem with this book is that now I have to wait for the next one! Thank you to @penguinteen, @netgalley, and @ayanagray_ for the opportunity to read this ARC.
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Clean rating: 🧼🧼🧼1/2 some darker themes of parent death, abuse, and drugs. Plus one good kiss.
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When I started reading this book, I was at about 3 stars because while the writing was good, there wasn't much going on with the plot. It took a bit of time for things to pick up and the ball to start rolling. But once our heroes head into the Greater Jungle, that's when the fun really starts.

One thing I liked about this book was the alternating POVs. We get Ekon's, Koffi's, and a third POV - Adiah's. Adiah's is set in an indiscriminate time, but we know it takes place before Ekon and Koffi's because there's magic in Lkossa and it's practiced and trained openly. I will say, it was confusing for me at first to know what was going on because there was no indication of a switch at times, but once I got the hang of the different POVs and when they were switching, it mades things a bit easier. 

Another thing I really liked is all the lore behind the story. The creatures in the Greater Jungle, how the magic works, the gods and how they created the world - all of it was so interesting to me and easy to get a grasp of. I wasn't lost or felt like it was over explained, which is nice. 

But, one thing I wasn't a fan of, was the beginning. Until 50% of the book, I was liking it, but I wasn't into it. It was slower and harder for me to get through because not much was going on. The characters were going about their daily lives and while we got some backstory, it wasn't much to keep me interested - if that makes sense? Like I knew that the fun was going to start soon, but I was just waiting for that inciting action to kick us off and get the plot really moving. 

But once the plot started, it got really good. I'm definitely invested in the story and want to know what happens to Ekon and Koffi after the ending! Which was such a cliffhanger I'm almost mad about it. I hate being left on such unknowns with no answers in sight, it makes me want book 2 that much more lol

Overall, I liked this story a lot. Ekon's anxiety and possible OCD (not confirmed) made me anxious reading it, but it made sense with his personality. And Koffi's rashness was a great compliment to Ekon's preparedness. The characters worked well together and flowed really well in the story. I honestly can't wait for the next book!

Magical creatures full of dangers, misunderstanding, and found in stories. Not going to lie, that was my main motivation for reading - who doesn't want to read about more magical creatures?? But what ended up my favorite element had to be the characters of Koffi and Ekon. In their world of injustices and stories which are passed down to us, Koffi and Ekon embark on a dangerous journey.

One which unravels secrets that were buried. It questions the paths of destiny and forces Koffi and Ekon to examine what is important to them. While they may seem like opposites - Koffi's impulsive nature and Ekon's reliance on calculated choices - they both have to learn that what we've been told isn't always true. That we need to acknowledge our feelings and our past. To process what haunts us, so that we can continue to move forwards - honoring and acknowledging the past.

In Beasts of Prey, a monster has been brutally killing people for the past century. Koffi is indentured to the Night Zoo where she is a beast master. After losing control of a magic she didn't know she had, she must hunt down the monster to pay back her debts. She must work together with Ekon, a disgraced warrior looking for redemption, to find the Shetani. Both teenagers lie about their motivations and their lack of shared knowledge might just doom them in the end.

This book is absolutely action packed. I love books where there's no downtime and this one delivered. Anytime things started calming down my tension would ratchet up, because I knew something big was about to hit them. I kept waiting to see where Adiah's story would meet up with Koffi and Ekon and was blown away when it did. The fact that you know going into their quest that they have differing goals, really helps to keep the mistrust high. Also, this book was constantly throwing betrayals at me, especially with that ending. I am honestly so excited to see where the next book takes us because this one sure ended on a big cliffhanger. For me, this was a 4/5.

If you like magical forests that want to kill you, beasts of all shapes and sizes, or want to see what happens when you throw two polar opposites together for a quest, this is the one for you.

I received a digital copy of this book free from Penguin Young Readers Group and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a beautifully magical book, written so masterfully. This story leaps off the page in such a way that I was shocked to discover this was a debut.

This surrounds two people, both running from something, and using the one common goal to combine forces and work together. Beasts of Prey is rich in magic and allure. Perfectly balanced the lines of incredible power and feeling inadequate in a way that only fantasy novels can.

This was truly a beautiful read and I look forward to more from Ayana Gray.

Wow okay I loved this book. There were so many different aspects that I loved, from the beasts to the characters to this intriguing magical world that the author created.

Let me start with the beasts, which are what drew me to this book and what kept surprising me. These creatures were so creative and unique, and absolutely described so well that I felt that I was standing before them; so much so that some of them really frightened me.  I felt the summary about the Night Zoo was a bit misleading because we don't actually spend much time there in the story, BUT in the time that is spent there we are shown so many cool animals that I didn't feel it was lacking.

The Greater Jungle is really what drew my curiosity and I am so glad that we are plunged in there for much of the story. It was somehow simultaneously easy to picture being there and equally still mysterious even after the book concluded. I feel like we are just given a small glimpse of all the secrets the Jungle holds. Also there is a unique magic system that has actually changed overtime. I love a story where the magic is hidden or forgotten and I think that was done so well in this book. The story in general was so well rounded and never got slow or boring or felt rushed.
I love all of the pan-African aspects of the world, the language and the characters.  I absolutely loved Koffi so much, a strong female character who is headstrong, but also willing to learn and accept that things aren't always what they appear. Ekon was a character that had his ups and downs for me, but knowing more of his secrets made me feel for him more and his growth while slower was well done. And his anxious tendencies were so realistic portrayed and I really appreciated that.

The cliffhanger! Somehow I did not know that this was not a stand-alone and I'm honestly so glad because I am not ready to say goodbye to this story and these characters. Now the interminable wait to see what fate has in store for them in the future!

Beasts of Prey by Ayana Gray is the story of two teens willing to go farther than any other to achieve their dreams. I love the mystery and magic Ayana Gray brought to life in this world!

Ekon wants to prove himself and become a man like his father and brother. Koffi wants to free herself and her mother from their debt. Both face set backs that make their goals seem impossible, unless they are willing to face The Greater Jungle and all of the dangers it hides. 🐍

I highly recommend you follow Ekon and Koffi into the jungle and experience the beasts for yourself! You can grab your copy on September 28th. I received an advanced readers copy of this book from NetGalley.

This was so much fun! The adventure, the character development, the magic, it was all just great! The characters were unique, well-developed, and relatable. I look forward to learning more about them! The world-building was in depth, well-rounded, easy to understand, yet still intriguing! For a debut fantasy, this really is one to pick up!

This book was absolutely AMAZING! This was a hell of a debut and I think Ayana Gray just became one of my new insta-buy authors. This fantasy novel centers around African mythology and blends the cultures of around Africa and it gives me so much joy to see everyone loving it so much. We tend to rate things lower if we don't understand them/find them confusing (especially if we don't share a culture like this) but I am so glad that is not happening with this novel.

The book was a bit longer than I expected but the fact that it was written in multiple perspectives really helped. I was hooked! I could not put it down sometimes, GENIUS! I'm not going to lie, I'm not the biggest fan of telling a story in the now and the going "back in time" to tell the story then. I'm not sure if that's just difficult for my brain to sort out, but that's really the only "complaint" i have!

Something on my part that I think I was subconsciously hoping for was a Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them moment where the animals (which were so freaking cool) to become almost sidekicks throughout the book. This one was no fault to the author or the story, but omg how cool would that have been!!

This was a brilliant start to a new fantasy. It provided just enough of a backstory and world building to propel the story without being weighed down or overwhelming. I enjoyed this because I believe this allows time for more description and lore to be revealed in the second book. In other similar fantasy, I often feel like the plot is lost by the amount of structure and rules that need to be established for the story to make sense and I often resent characters who seem to be providing guided tours of their stories rather than moving the story along. I really loved the characters emotional development. There was an unexpected level of vulnerability in both Koffi and her confrontation of her father’s failures and in Ekon in his development of what a warrior truly can be and how he may not have to live up to his brother’s or father’s image. I really loved the twist and villain reveal, even though I had figured it out fairly early because of cleverly laid details. I still am very much looking forward to the next part of this story.

Thank you to the publisher, Penguin Teen Canada, and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Koffi and her mother are indentured to the Night Zoo and they care for the dangerous magical creatures it hosts. But just as they are closer than ever to finally paying off their debts for good, an incident occurs that threatens their safety and Koffi uses a magical power she doesn’t fully understand with severe consequences. Ekon is a warrior in training, going through the rites of passage to become one of Lkossa’s elite Sons of the Six, but the final rite is interrupted when a fire breaks out at the Zoo. Amidst the chaos, Koffi is attempting to escape and as Ekon gives chase, they encounter the Shetani, the monster that has been plaguing and killing people. Koffi’s mysterious power seems to cause the beast to listen to her, and that saves Ekon’s life, but when he lets her get away, he ruins his chances of becoming a warrior. Hunting down the Shetani seems to be the solution to both their problems and when their paths cross again some days later, they form a tentative alliance to travel into the depths of the deadly Greater Jungle. But not only are they hunting a vicious monster in a hostile jungle, they each have motives they are keeping secret from the other.

I absolutely loved the world building in this one! The descriptions of the Night Zoo, Lkossa and the magical Jungle were fantastic and it was great that so much background and lore were included, all in a very gradual manner that never felt like info dumps. Beautifully intertwined with African culture and folklore, the world building alone makes it hard to believe that this was a debut novel. The plot was no less intriguing and it held my attention right until the very last page. The story was narrated from three POVS and it was a little confusing initially – I found it hard to make out when the POVs switched during the narration, though given how far in advance I received my ARC of this book, I suspect the formatting is more to blame than the actual writing.

Koffi and Ekon were both interesting protagonists and their arcs were well developed. I wasn’t very fond of the initial slow pacing (which seems to be becoming something of a trend in this genre of late) and it takes a significant amount of time before things became more exciting. The best part of the story only started once they were actually in the jungle and it was really nice how an alliance of mutual convenience blossomed into a strong friendship as they faced the perils of the jungle together and began to bond. However, one thing that annoyed me were Adiah’s POVs – yes, it becomes clear later on who she is and why exactly she is important to the story, but for nearly 70% there is no connection between her arc and Ekon and Koffi’s, which made it very confusing.

Beasts of Prey ended on an exciting note with a couple of unforeseen last minute twists. They were excellently done and I didn’t suspect anything until much closer to the reveal. I assumed going into this book that it was a standalone and once the pace picked up, it was moving so fast that it was pretty surprising when it turned out to be a series after all. It’ll be interesting to see where this story goes after those twists and I can’t wait for the next book. Beasts of Prey was a marvellous debut and a gripping read. I would highly recommend this book for fantasy fans!

What a great debut novel!

The cover artwork alone drew me in and when the description said ‘magic night zoo’ I knew I had to see what that meant.

I found this story to be such a fun adventure and the three main characters were very likeable. There are three POVs but I found them to not be too overwhelming and I enjoyed Koffi and Ekon’s POVs the most. Adiah’s POV confused me for about half of the book but everything clicked and I enjoyed learning about her side of the story. I thought the slow burn romance with Koffi and Ekon was nice and I liked that it was more pushed to that back of the story and that the adventure was the main event. The author set the story up nice, I just found a hard time really getting into the plot until they entered the jungle, which was about halfway through the book. The adventure through the jungle was so much fun and I didn’t want to put the book down. I loved all the twists and some even surprised me. I can’t wait for the sequel!

Thanks to Penguin Teen for my digital ARC. This book is an amazing debut by Ayana Gray, I was hesitant to pick it up and went in blind but I was not disappointed at all. It was hard to get into the book in the beginning but once things start picking up it was hard to put down!

I was invested in the story after about 15%, the world building is incredible with subtle nods to Pan-African myth/folk, I loved the representation. The characters are well written with the dual POV which is always a positive in my book. The twists and turns are so good and kept me guessing, I would have loved to see more romance between Koffi and Ekon but since there are going to be more books in the series, I am being hopeful for more in the next book!

That being said it ended on a cliff-hanger which means I need the next book ASAP!!

3.5 stars rounded up

A solid YA fantasy debut with intriguing world-building and characters that are about what you might expect from the genre. For me the world and magic were definitely the highlight of Beasts of Prey!

We follow a girl who is an indentured servant working for the Night Zoo with dangerous animals, and a boy in the final stages of training to become an elite warrior. But the night of a fire at the zoo, everything changes for both of them. The magic, lore, religion and rituals are cool and feel like they bring something fresh to the genre, centering Black characters and loosely African ideas. And if you like the idea of fantastical beasts, you just might love that element of the book!

The characters are fine and pretty typical of what you would find in YA fantasy. Nothing that really made me fall in love with them, but I'm also not the target demographic! I did like how fierce and determined Koffi is throughout the story. Ekon is clearly intended to be neurodiverse in some way, maybe with OCD and anxiety? It's not totally clear but I appreciate that representation. There is a romance subplot but it's not the main points of the story. Again, it's about what you would expect to find in a first love sort of YA romance and again, I'm not really the target demographic here.

The plot was interesting, had some twists that weren't terribly surprising to me, but might be surprising to younger readers who are less familiar with the genre. I was mostly engaged and enjoying the reading experience, though there was one thing I found distracting. Before the two perspectives really sync up, the book does this thing where one character will do something and there's a moment that intersects with the other character. Then it will GO BACK and do the whole lead up to the SAME MOMENT from the other character's perspective. This often felt really unnecessary and like not trusting the reader to put together very simple things. It caused a loss of momentum to the story and really should have been cut out to make things tighter.

Overall though, I liked this pretty well and I think it's going to really resonate for some readers. I like the creativity with the world and magic so while I don't know that I would keep reading in this series, I would keep an eye out for books the author would write a bit farther into her writing career. The audiobook has a full cast and is very well produced. Definitely a good way to check this one out! I received an advance audio & digital review copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

I am not normally a fan of fantasy books. However, I heard the author speak at a conference and she completely convinced me to read this book. I am SO glad I did.

Beasts of Prey takes place in the magical city of Lkossa, where teen Koffi holds secret magical powers she hides. Living as an indentured servant, she cares for creatures at the night zoo to pay off her family's debts. But when one mistake completely upends her life, she is thrust into the jungle, only to find Ekron, an elite warrior, and Shetani, a vicious monster. The three are set on a path to save the city and unearth the truth of Shetani's origin and evil ways.

This book started a tad slow for me, but I think that is because of the world building that needed to take place in order to set the stage for the rest of the series. Told in parts, once I got to the end of Part 2, I was so hooked and could not stop reading. Told in three different POV's, I was captivated by the intricate details of the world, the subtle themes of class and privilege, and the beautiful prose of the author's words.

I listened to this book and I am incredibly happy I did. The audiobook features three narrators - Keylor Leigh, Tovah Ott, and Ronald Peet - and runs just shy of 16 hours. Ronald Peet's narration is absolutely spectacular and I loved how he changed his voice for all the characters, especially the villain. I sped the narration up to 2x, but definitely could have listened faster, especially toward the end, when I just wanted to know how this book would end.

I will definitely be continuing to read this series and I have already started telling all my students that they need to pick up this book as well.

Thank you to Penguin Teen and PRH Audio for the gifted copies.

I don't even know where to begin with this book! I was immediately sucked in and finished this book so fast even though it's pretty thick! The world building was so immersive and the descriptions made me feel like I was right there in the book. I felt so scared and exhilarated with every creature that Koffi and Ekon encountered because the descriptions created vivid pictures in my mind!

ALSO! I DIDN'T REALIZE THIS WAS NOT A STANDALONE! I was hooked to the last page and screamed when it just ENDED. SO RUDE.

Usually chapters that have a different POV that the main characters feels off to me but this one connected so well I was so impressed, especially because when things started to connect it added an extra layer of excitement to the story!

I genuinely loved the two main characters so much! They were both so fleshed out and I loved seeing their strengths and weaknesses spotlighted depending on the scenario. They were truly well balanced and my heart is genuinely so excited (and a little scared) to see what's next for them!

This book started out strong and I was drawn in to the premise. I listened on audio and the narration was incredible. But after about halfway the book just took a slow dive down. More characters popped up and the plot just got really confusing. Plus this book is really long so it was hard to stay engaged with the rest of the book. Overall a strong start but fell flat.

I think I may be in love, and need book 2 now for peace of mind.

Not sure how to review this without getting into spoilers, so here are some reasons why you should check it out;
- 2 black teens venturing into a magic jungle with hopes of capturing a monster that has been terrorizing their village.
- great world building and fantastic lore( particularly loved the bit about the Umdhlebi tree)
- has a god meddling in human affairs because he is tired of the way they treat each other and the rest of the world.
- a mc that needs every thing to be in dividends of three(most precious boy)
- a maybe magical mc that doesn't take sh*t from nobody
-ancestral magic
- I really enjoyed Satao, and would love like a lil prequel or something about the time he spent in the Great Jungle

“Destiny is not a single path, but many. Some are as straight as an arrow, others twist and tangle like thread. Our duty is not to question them, but to follow them.”

4.5 out of 5 stars (4.5 / 5) This was fabulous! I wanted to read it in one day. It’s almost 500 pages! It hooked me right from the start and I couldn’t wait to get back to reading.

“Often, we run from painful things and hope that they will tire of chasing us. But in truth, avoiding our troubles simply gives them more sustenance, allowing them to eventually consume us whole. Only when we cast light on them and acknowledge them can they truly be vanquished, allowing our spirits to be free.”

Koffi and her mom are indentured to a circus. A tragedy leaves her running for her life where she runs into Ekon and their paths converge. They embark on an adventure in the jungle that kept me flipping pages with my eyes bugging out of my head. The spiders? <shiver> What is it with beasts and creatures and mysterious jungles that makes me so giddy? I think it’s the Indiana Jones that I grew up on. Bring on all the adventure, I’m here for it!

The romance was there but it did not take over the plot, which to me, was fabulous. I think a book needs romance but that it shouldn’t overshadow what is going on around them. This is the perfect example of that. There was adventure and excitement on every page with romance as the side story.

“Maybe there’s a beauty in the scars,” she said. “Because they’re a reminder of what’s been faced, and what’s been survived.”

There is rumor for a sequel which is good because I still have a few questions that need answered! I will be stalking this series and author until I hear more. This could be one of my fav reads of the year!

Content Summary: As the author states on Goodreads, there are physical/verbal abuse (minor), blood, bodies/corpses, bones, death/dying, drug use, captivity/kidnapping, murder is referenced, sexism/misogyny, mild sexual content, slavery/indentured servitude, spiders, mild violence. Phew! That was a lot. As you can see from my review, there is absolutely NO LANGUAGE, very little intimacy, some violence. I believe most will be able to read this one!

Thank you to Penguin Teen for the gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

Wow wow wow. So much good in one book. An adventure, a friendship, beautiful world building, a lot myths and beliefs woven together to build this great story.

Koffi is working with her mother as indentured servants for Night Zoo. When everything goes wrong, and what seemed like the light at the end of her long tunnel has ben extinguished. So she makes a deal with the owner of the Zoo, she will bring back the most feared animal of their lands in exchange for their freedom.

Meanwhile, Ekon is trying to earn his spot in the distinguished guard. He has trained for this all his life, his brother is one of the leaders, and he aims to be just as good as him. When his and Koffi's roads intersect, he looses his chance to be part of something he has lived for all his life. Now he needs to redeem himself, and without knowing sets himself on the same path as Koffi - except he wants to kill the most feared animal of their lands.

The two characters though complete opposites, they embark on this journey together. They both have some growing up to do, as they learn the actual secrets of their world - the lies, the cover ups, all the ugliness - but it creates these choices for them, where they learn who they actually are. What is more important to them, and what sacrifices they are actually willing to make.

A lush and immersive story that is a must read for any fantasy lover.