very intriguing start to a series!

had a bit trouble understanding the world building in the beginning because you get thrown right in but not for long. the writing style is accessible and precise, I had so much fun following the main characters on their journey.

I definitely don't think I am the target audience for this one (and that's okay). It just read as *really* YA and that just wasn't for me. I'll definitely be recommending it to my fantasy-loving teens though!

I loved this novel. Original, fast paced and fiercely feminist. Tons of action and gorgeous world-building. From the author's clear and detailed descriptions, I could visualize each scene. Ms. Gray gives us a woman warrior who is neither American or European coded. Instead, Beasts of Prey is afrotastic, firmly centered in Afrofuturism.

An awesome start to a new series. The descriptive writing builds the "visual" as the characters discover their gifts and mature into the warriors they are meant to be.

This book is the chosen pick for If All Arkansas Read the Same Book 2023 and I'm so glad that I read it for the author event in August. I'm so excited to read Beasts of Ruin, the sequel to Beasts of Prey before the event in August. I would highly recommend this series to any reader who like ya fantasy or fantasy in general.

Thank you PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group and Netgalley for this sneak peak arc!

From the beginning this sneak peak had me HOOKED. I cannot wait to read the full book, which I will be picking up from my library soon!

"Beasts of Prey" by Ayana Grey is an extraordinary literary masterpiece that pushes the boundaries of imagination and dives headfirst into a world of danger, suspense, and moral complexity. From the very first page, Grey weaves a spellbinding narrative that keeps readers hooked until the very end.
Koffi and Ekon are two unwilling allies that find themselves forced to work together. I appreciate the character development and the palpable tension between these two as they both set out to reach their goals without knowing how much they have in common. Not to mention, their complexities and interwoven relationships add depth and nuance to the plot, making the reader feel emotionally invested in their fates. As the story progresses, these characters undergo gripping transformations, and I am here for it!
Grey's imagination and creativity drip all over the page. I can't wait to read more from them.

Even though this is a preview of the book, I was completely hooked. I have read and purchased this series for my students. I also listened to the books as audiobooks and the narration was excellent.

thank you Netgalley for the advance sneak peek.

Thank you Netgalley for letting me read and review this sneak peak. This is a sneak peak of the book Beasts of Prey, that will be published in September of 2021. I am excited to read the book! I haven't read a book by Ayana Gray before, but this book looks amazing.

I'd been invited to read a physical ARC of this book when it first came out, and I remember thinking the storytelling was unique in the way that it was not predictable based on past fantasy tropes. The ending was shocking, and I remember screaming in my head, "WHEN IS THE NEXT BOOK COMING OUT?!" Overall, it was a great start to the series.

This is a debut from Ayana Gray that did not disappoint. It was adventurous, suspenseful and captivated my attention. This sample is enough to peek my interest to continue on with the while book.

Koffi is an indentured servant, who took over her father's indenture when he died. Ekon is an aspiring warrior, who wants to follow in his family's footsteps. Adiah is a user of the "splendour", the magic of her world, who wants to be more than her parents. All three will come together to seek answers.

This is a wonderful fantasy, full of magic in a way I've not seen it presented before. The story is told from three points of view, which combine in the end into a wonderful whole. I can only hope that the sequel - and there had better *be* a sequel - will be a good. Recommended for middle school through adult readers.

This was so amazing and I need the rest. It makes me so excited for more of Ayana Grey's work and I hope to see some soon! I was hooked very quickly and the writing kept me engulfed in the book. Would recommend to everyone to read!

This was a fantastic sample and I can't wait to pick up the book. I loved learning about the world and this was just the tip of the iceberg. The writing style really appealed to me and so did the characters.

I actually have the full book of this and hadn't read it yet but after reading this sneak peek I've bumped it up my tbr list!
Absolutely cannot wait to see what happens so will give a preliminary 5stars because what I've read so far deserves it!

This preview was amazing! I'm so interested in the world and how the characters' stories are going to overlap. I can't wait to read the entire thing.

Now I know why I see this title so often on BookTok. Wow! This sampler really has peaked my interest. I will be getting the full copy soon so I can catch up and get to the second one! Deep and imaginative story, plot driven and fast paced.

This sneak peak had me purchasing the full novel. The world building in this novel was spectacular. It gave a look into the magical world of animal circuses. The writing kept me on the edge of my seat. I can't wait to finish the full novel.

This was a really tantalizing book! I really liked the characters and the way they interacted. Can't wait for the sequel!

The map is so beautiful. The characters captivating, the plot so far was intriguing and I am pulled in! I love YA scifi so I cannot wait to pick up the full copy when I can. This is like an unfair peak cuz now I need to get my hands on the real thing! The writing was easy to follow and kept my attention throughout. What a rich rich world!