In the debut YA novel, you are dropped into the world of Mancella Cliff, soon to be leader of the Cliff Realm. Like every teenager on the verge of their destiny, Mancella struggles with the weight of her soon to be responsibilities. With the power to summon any animal she kills, this soon to be Prime struggles with the needless violence that comes with power in her world. Soon she is thrust is into a difficult situation, and finds an unlikely partner in annoyingly likeable Silver. Enjoy this unique coming of age fantasy.

Reading the dynamics grow between Mancella and Silver was fun as they both navigate and move throughout their very different lives. The magic system for this world is unique and there is a lot that can be done with it. I can't wait to read more. The opening pages of the book as well as the over are beautiful. Overall, this was great read!

"Am I strong enough yet?"

2.5 stars

It had an easy-to-follow world, underdeveloped tho because of that. Usually, I have to struggle through world-building but this was straightforward. The magic system was also too simple, and not all that exciting.

This is off to a negative start lmao

It doesn’t get better. I guess take this review with a grain of salt because it has my only trigger in it (on-page animal killing and torturing) but also, I was bored through most of it, so it wasn't just the trigger/dislike of the animals.

The cover is pretty, if that counts as something positive?

My main problem with this was that the author centred the entire book around killing animals. You can say it's something else, but no. Like…what? She doesn’t even mention it causally, it’s graphically detailed in the first few chapters and then more and more throughout the story in flashbacks and memories. It’s disgusting. Who even thought this would be a good idea? Having a character's power come from torturing and killing animals. Because she can’t kill them humanly, no, she had to brutalize them first. It’s pretty much universally accepted in the book community that animals are off-limits.

And the FMC, who’s supposed to hate killing animals and is only forced to do it, yeah, that doesn’t ring true. She feels bad and then eh, it’s done. She only started fighting back (and I say that lightly since she had the backbone of an invertebrate) when killing humans was brought up. She was also stupid. So there’s that.

"I was expecting a glittering monster, but she’s … just a girl.
Which means I can break her."

Silver, the MMC, was boring and naive lmao. I have nothing to say about him, I've literally forgotten everything about him and his friends. I guessed what he was actually involved in from the start and the fact that he didn’t? Nope.

Thank you to Fierce Reads, Colored Pages Book Tours, the author, and Netgalley for the eARC and a physical finished copy.

This was a fast paced, unputdownable YA fantasy! There was humor and banter while also exploring the deeper themes of classism, equality, and the beasts inside all of us. The anger and rage and grief we bury until it all finally erupts. Be mindful of trigger warnings for animal death and child abuse.

The found family of misfits reminded me of the Crows and I loved their dynamics. Silver and Mance’s friendship and sweet romance opened Mance’s eyes to the reality of the world outside her palace. Her evolution into the leader her people needed, one who would work for their benefit not her own, was beautiful. After suffering through years of abuse, seeing her finally taking back the power and standing up to a tyrant was so satisfying.

The magic system and world building was unique and I hope we get to explore the other kingdoms in future books. That ending was such a curve ball and I can’t wait to see how it’s going to play out!

Thanks to the publisher, Colored Pages Book Tours, and the author for the review copy!

This edition to the ever-expanding romantasy genre distinguishes itself from the rest by offering a rich, powerfully-strong, skilled-fighter of a female protagonist, and a scheming down-on-his-luck male lead. I genuinely enjoyed the swap. That, coupled with an interesting, if only slightly developed, magic system, made this an easy read that kept my attention. Mance and Silver are both complex characters trapped in a political environment where they have little influence and their struggles to make something out of that as well as the way their relationship develops is engaging and charming. This would be a great YA title to add to collections for romantasy lovers.

This wasn't what I expected, but the cover is absolutely stunning! This well-written, fast-paced YA fantasy is sure to please the right audience, but it's currently a DNF for me.

The magic system for the book is very unique. With that being said, the violence towards animals in the beginning of the book could be a turn off for some readers. Mancella has the ability to absorb an animal's soul and recall the animal at a later time, but to do this, she must kill the animal using her bare hands. Her father has made her kill many different animals to "protect" the kingdom. On the cusp of becoming the next in line for the throne, Mancella discovers that her father is not all she thought he was in protecting their kingdom. She becomes involved with Silver, who is rebelling against the crown, without knowing who and what he is.

This is a review of the ARC in exchange for honest feedback. Thank you to Macmillan and NetGalley!

Let me start by saying THIS COVER is beautiful!!!

I loved this book way more than I thought I was going to. The magic system is unique and almost all of the characters had great character development.

It’s in the description of the book but be warned it is explained two-three times when she is killing the animals she has to kill in order to gain control over them. If you keep an open mind about that while going into this book, and get to know our FMC’s background, all it does is make you feel for her that much more.

The love interest has amazing character development and considering this book is YA, the pacing of the love story is fun and fast paced.

As a matter of fact, I felt this whole book was fun and fast paced! I was invested right away all the way through to the end. I recommend this book to any fantasy/romantasy lover!!!

If i had to have ONE issue with this book it would be that for me personally the story was wrapped up all nice and neat and the epilogue gave a cliffhanger that clearly paves the way for a second book. Am i going to read that second book? Absolutely. I just hope it lives up to this first one because it ended perfectly before the epilogue!

I requested this one on a bit of a whim, largely due to the unique cover. I mean, who has seen a leopard made out of purple flowers on a book cover before? That said, I was also a bit hesitant, as I personally often struggle with shared POV novels, especially when they are YA. It’s tough to write one compelling character with a good story arc, let alone two in one book! But this book was here to prove why it’s always good to take a chance on a new author who may just prove that they’ve cracked the code!

And as I’ve already mentioned my typical struggle point, two POV characters sharing the lead of one YA fantasy novel, let’s just jump right into that point! I really enjoyed both of these characters! Not only did they each have rich back stories and compelling arcs throughout the novel in which they had to learn and grow, but they both had a distinct voice, making their chapters read as wholly unique to themselves. I was never confused about whose head I was in. I’d either be getting a hefty dose of Silver’s wit, craftiness, and struggles with the morality of his choices. Or I’d be in Mancella’s head, following her determination, her love/hate relationship with her powers, and her willingness to hope for and see the best in everyone around her, despite how often they let her down. I honestly couldn’t choose whose story I enjoyed more or was more invested in.

I will say, however, that I’m impressed with how well Silver was written. Here you have a character who is morally grey throughout much of the book and he’s up against another POV character who has incredibly unique and powerful magical abilities. It says something about the author’s strength as a writer that she was able to make Silver an equally compelling lead, sometimes even more so, given the nature of his history and the decisions he makes throughout this book.

Speaking of Mancella’s powers, I thought the fantasy elements in this book were incredibly good! There were familiar “abilities” here and there, but they were all twisted and used in creative and original ways. Obviously we spend the most time with Mancella herself, so we get a deep dive look into the extent and limitations of her powers. But as the story grows, so does our understanding of just what the possibilities are with a power like this. And, of course, the deep price that must be paid. But beyond our main character, there were also numerous other characters (villains and side characters, both) who had incredibly interesting abilities. There’s a fairly late reveal, in particular, that was very intriguing.

I also liked the balance between the romance and the action of the book. The author avoided instalove on the side of either of her characters. And while both slowly grow to trust and care for the other, they also never lose sight of their own goals or pre-existing relationships. All too often you see the romantic pairing fall in love and then seemingly lose interest in every other person they cared about previously in their life. Not so here. Instead, we have some nice looks into the challenges and joys of found family and sibling relationships.

Overall, this was a fun, fast read! It wasn’t necessarily breaking any boundaries as far as YA fantasy goes, but it was also leagues ahead of many other similar books I’ve read in the simple fact that the author created fully fleshed out characters who peopled an original and unique world and followed a well-paced plot. It’s refreshing to pick up a book like this and feel like you’re actually reading something new, and not just another “deadly magical competition” with an enemies-to-lovers instalove romance at its heart. If you’re looking for a solid, stand-alone YA fantasy novel, definitely give this one a go!

Rating 8: Absolutely charming and a breath of fresh air in the packed YA fantasy arena! D. L. Taylor is definitely one to keep an eye on!

Link will go live on The Library Ladies on Feb. 5

'The Beasts We Bury* was a thrilling and fast-paced read that pulled me in from the very beginning. The magic system was inventive and added a fascinating layer to a story filled with deception, betrayal, and intense family drama. The power struggle between Mancella and her father was particularly gripping, creating moments of emotional conflict that added depth to the narrative.

With part of the story told from Silver’s perspective, I appreciated his cleverness, resourcefulness, and loyalty. His chapters offered a fresh and intriguing viewpoint, but I found myself wanting more insight into his background earlier in the story. Understanding more about his past and motivations would have made his character feel even more fully realized and added greater emotional weight to his journey.

While the relationship between Mancella and Silver felt rushed at the start, it evolved into a dynamic I really enjoyed by the end. Their bond grew stronger as the story progressed, and their connection added a layer of warmth amidst the tension of political intrigue and high stakes.

The ending was exhilarating and left me excited for what’s to come. My only critique is that the supporting cast felt underdeveloped, and expanding their roles could have enriched the story’s world and stakes.

Overall, *The Beasts We Bury* is an engaging YA romantasy with a creative magic system, high-stakes drama, and compelling character dynamics. Despite wishing for more depth in Silver’s backstory and the supporting characters, I thoroughly enjoyed this debut and can’t wait to see what the author delivers next!

What a fantastic magic system! One of the most unique in YA fantasy that I’ve read in a while. My only gripe is I wish it was expanded upon even further and we were able to see more from it! However, it looks like we will be getting a sequel (hopefully) and I’m truly hoping the author builds up the magic system even more. I will say for animal lovers out FMC’s magic might be a bit triggering 🥲.

I really loved how fast paced and to the point this story was and how very unlikeable Mancella’s (FMC) father was. It’s truly been so long since I’ve hated a character so greatly. He definitely gets the most disliked dad award in my book 😂.

The only thing I didn’t enjoyed was the romance. It wasn’t quite romantic enough for me and I didn’t love the FMC at times unfortunately. However I did love Silver’s POV and was happy to see we had a dual pov from two different perspectives!

Overall, I did enjoy this story and found it to be pretty unique! I’m hoping the world, magic system and romance is built upon in the sequel!

I love the fairytale vibes of this book! The character development is fantastic. I was left wanting more for sure. I wish the romance had been more exciting, and there were times I felt the plot dragged a bit. However, I would definitely recommend this book to my students!

4/5 stars. What a fantastic debut novel. The magic system was new and refreshing albeit a bit dark. The characters (main and side) were done so well- not flat at all. I loved how the book takes these deep and dark situations/emotions and shows that no matter how dark it gets, you can still choose light. I enjoyed the ending because I'm a HEA (happily ever after) kind of girl and the end of the book neatly tied up all the loose ends while the epilogue left room for a second book but without a ridiculous cliffhanger. All in all, it was a satisfying read that I would recommend.

I gobbled up this dark fantasy page-turner with alternating POVs. It is well-plotted and well-paced, and Mance is a likeable, badass MC who is easy to empathize with and cheer for.

I do wish that Silver, the other POV, had more depth and a stronger plot arc of his own to match Mance’s. He frequently felt like too much of a supporting character. He’s not unlikeable; his personality just pales compared to Mance’s. Although he is pivotal to Mance’s development and does hold some influence, he is more of a pawn than a pilot in the overall plot. And because his role in the realm and its politics is less consequential, I frequently found myself fast forwarding through his POV chapters to get to Mance’s.

I also wish that the world building overall were more intricate, with stronger lore and clearer magic rules. It took a while for me to understand how Mance’s magic worked, and up to the end, I felt like the magic system was quite arbitrary — but the book still holds up despite the loosely developed magic! Casual fantasy readers would enjoy this book’s focus on character building, plot setup, and light romance.

All that said, I enjoyed reading Mance’s story enough to keep reading!! It wasn’t hard to devour the book in one sitting once I got into it. And that ending definitely has me craving more.

This is a review of the ARC in exchange for honest feedback. Thank you to Macmillan and NetGalley for the opportunity!

I can’t believe more people aren’t talking about this book! “The Beasts We Bury” is perfect for readers who want a YA fantasy with an original plot. I am a little disappointed with the romance (it definitely leans towards the fantasy side of fantasy romance), but overall, I think “The Beasts We Bury” is a solid read. 3.75 stars rounded up!

In a genre flooded with new releases and overdone tropes, this book stands out. “The Beasts We Bury” isn’t your typical cut-and-paste YA novel. It has a unique magic system, secret identities, and complex characters that feel like real people. I especially love how the characters navigate the challenges that come with their magic. The FMC, Mancella, can summon the spirit of any creature she kills in a fair fight. I think the author does a wonderful job showing how Mancella grapples with the ethical implications of her magic and her father’s attempts to use her for her power.

And speaking of Mancella’s father, it’s been a while since I’ve read such an unlikable character. He’s the definition of morally gray! Her father is obsessed with gaining more power, which makes his predicament at the end of the story so satisfying. I’m happy (and impressed!) by the author’s ability to pull that plot twist off.

While I love this book’s magic system and character arcs, I have some issues with the romance. I think part of the problem is that I struggled to connect with Mancella. She comes across as entitled and brash—two of my least favorite qualities in a character. Luckily, this book alternates between her POV and that of a street boy posing as a servant. Silver encompasses so many things I like in a MMC: he’s clever, resourceful, and willing to do anything to protect the people he cares about. I also love his witty dialogue! I think the romance between him and Mancella needed more page space to fully develop (the kiss scene, in particular, seems ill-timed and unrealistic), but I still like the idea of them together.

Overall, I enjoyed “The Beasts We Bury”. 3.75 stars and a solid recommendation! I’ve never read a story with a magic system like this. I think this book is an excellent fit for readers who want a fresh, fantasy-forward YA story. This book comes out on February 4th; make sure to preorder or grab a copy!

I received an ARC of this book courtesy of the publisher and Netgalley; all opinions are my own.

I loved this! I've not been in a romantasy mood for a few years, so this was the first one I've really felt sucked into! I found the magical world very unique and the characters authentic. The character arc and dilemma was deep and thought-provoking. The romance was pretty closed-door, so THE BEASTS WE BURY would appeal to readers who prefer closed door or for younger readers. I have 12 yo and would encourage her to read. Oh! And it ends with a whollop/rewriting of all you've read. Loved! Overall, highly recommended.

I enjoyed this novel. The different magics that exist felt new. The FMC's does rely on the death of animals, so that may be a turn-off for some readers. The magic manifests differently in each character although there seems to be a darkness that accompanies it. Mance is a strong, thoughtful lead. I love her interactions with others. Silver, Rooftop, and Vie are fun characters, and I'm glad all of them were included. Each character has some sort of trauma they must deal with, and how they choose to deal with it causes the conflicts that exist within the story. There is a lot of deception, and the stakes are high for each character. They are fighting for survival and for each other.

While I thought the premise of The Beasts We Bury was intriguing and the sentence-level writing was good, ultimately, The Beasts We Bury wasn't for me. Taylor's book is interesting and I really enjoyed reading about how the different magics manifested in different people. I also like that Mancella's ethical dilemmas kept getting more and more twisted and forced her--and us, as readers--to think critically about her actions (or lack thereof). I really, really liked the first fight scene between her and the jaguar. It was so well written and sets up the tone of the book so well.

So there are definitely upsides to this book. Taylor is a skilled writer and the pace of the book clipped along well. However, Silver and Mancella (or "Mance") ultimately weren't characters I cared very deeply for. I didn't find their individual POVs to be that compelling and they didn't have any of the chemistry I'd expect from this genre. The "twists" were also very predictable and I felt like I saw both (?) of them a long way coming, so neither landed well for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group | Henry Holt and Co. (BYR) for the ebook ARC. All opinions are mine alone.

THAT EPILOGUE!!!!!
This was an absolutely fantastic magical YA fantasy!!!! (EXTREME TW if you are an animal lover...)
Mancella has been through so much at the hands of her father all to be named his second and to obtain power under the pretense of "peace" and "protecting the people from impending war" that is a constant threat. In order to obtain her power, she must do unspeakable and horrifyingly violent acts to innocent creatures to obtain their power and drawn them within her. This is an absolutely traumatizing experience for Mancella and as much as she grows to love her animal "companions", she is tormented by what she has done. When plans are put into motion that threaten the realm and her father, the Prime's, position--she teams up with unlikely allies who seem to be part of a resistance movement to ensure peace, something she wants more than anything, and will ensure she can stop using her powers in such a traumatic way.
This book is so hauntingly epic. On one hand, you have a very dark magic system that is violent and traumatizing and there is something to be said about that in a YA fantasy. The characters, however are so cleverly written that you can really feel their emotions, the turmoil, grief, anguish at the way their powers are used and the desperation to find an alternative route to peace. There is great commentary in this book about man's duplicity and the manipulitive way those in power abuse those who don't have it(and how those who don't have it manipulate others so they can obtain it).
It was a really wonderful book, despite being rather sad at times. Also, the romance is SLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW Burn.
**Side note: If you get the chance to listen to this on audio, the narration is so well done and the emotion is very clear in the characters/actor's voices.

3.5 stars from me ... I loved the idea of Mancella being able to obtain the souls of the the animals she has beaten in battle. She tries to gain all the magic needed to help strengthen herself for her kingdom. Unfortunately her father is the one who forces her to engage in these battles with Mancella not wanting to. I really enjoyed Silver in this story . I loved his loyalty to his friends. There were a few twists . Overall it was a good story. If you enjoy a fantasy with some young love , battles, and an unexpected ending...check it out !!

Thank u to netgalley for allowing me to read this story .

3.5/5 ⭐️
*spoiler free*

I thought that this was a good YA Romantasy debut by D.L. Taylor! This is the first book in a duology. The world building was easy to follow, and the magic system is unique and interesting. Mancella (the FMC) has the ability to raise animals from the dead - but it comes at a traumatizing cost. My heart HURT for her, and on multiple occasions my eyes got misty when she was describing her magic. The opening chapter alone is heavy. 😭

I felt that the love interest and MMC, Silver, could have had more back story and character building done - a little ‘oomph’ to take him to the next level. Especially since you get his POV every other chapter. But, I still enjoyed his dynamic with Mancella. My only qualm with them is that their first interaction felt rushed and off pace.

Dialogue between characters felt very juvenile at times (which, granted that the main characters are like 16-18 it makes sense). The plot was still captivating though, so I didn’t get too hung up on it - a comparison would be like HP or Percy Jackson.

Overall, I enjoyed this story and zoomed through the book in a couple days. The plot kept me intrigued and wanting to know what was going to happen next. This will be released in February 2025, so keep an eye out!

Thank you to Macmillan Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC and provide my honest feedback 💕