The audible to this book was good, as far as narration goes. I enjoyed it. I feel the narrator did an excellent job of bringing the characters and story to life. I would like to read the book and see if that makes me feel differently about the book at all.

I felt like it was a bit dark but unique and interesting. Mance doesn't want to be the monster that her father has trained and honed her to be. She longs to reign with peace. But as in every good story of empires and heirs we find out that the world looks different from the other side Power, things are not as great as her father made them appear. She wants to save her realm, but others just want to survive. And the boy she is falling for - well he was sent to bring down her father's power. And his actions may be fueling the problem that pushes Mance to become the monster she never wanted to become in the first place.

I felt like this was a good book.

On a side note: the artwork on the cover is beautiful.

"And that, just like he can never stomp the flowers out fully, I won’t let that spark of goodness in me die completely either."

very well written. i loved the characters and how well developed they were so quickly. I love that it was a quick paced book and not drawn out like some fantasy books are.

I really enjoyed the magic in the story as well as the premise of the story.

Great job!!

So far am LOVING this listen. The narrator is amazing. The only thing I dislike is the trigger warnings for animal cruelty - I understand why it is needed in this read but it was hard to listen to! Overall would recommend this story

2.5 Stars ✨

“One thing that I have learned is that ash makes excellent fertilizer,” “Is that so?” “Yes, once you’ve burned everything down, it’s the perfect time to help new things grow.”

**Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this advanced audio copy of The Beasts we Bury, in exchange for an honest review.**

Audio 🎧 Narration 5/5 ✨

Mance, heir to the throne, longs for a reign and life without bloodshed but ever since she was young, she emerged from the arena with the power to summon animals- but only after killing them with her bare hands. Her magic is a constant reminder of the horrors her father (the Prime) has forced upon her for power. She lives every day in fear of what he will make her do next.

Silver is a thief struggling to make ends meet in the world torn apart by Mances father. One day a man full of intrigue, presents him with a job that could change his life, and also a chance to bring down the Prime and his castle. But first he will have to manipulate his daughter Mance the heir.

Mance must find a way to save her realm without becoming the ruthless monster she's been bred to be. And when Silver discovers that his actions are fueling the violence that Mance wants to prevent, he'll have to choose between his ambition and the girl he’s falling for.

This was an ok read. It started off kinda dark with some animal brutally, I wasn’t sure I would finish it. It wasn’t over the top or anything- just I love animals and I didn’t like the way this magic system was presented. It did get better the more I read- but I wasn’t excited about it. The characters were just ok and nothing truly ever got me invested in them. I also felt like there were a good bit of holes throughout the book- and things seemed a bit hollow. The romance was weird and not fully fleshed out. I also thought the ending was super confusing- especially if this ends up being a standalone. The narrator did a great job on it though. Except for the beginning just hitting me in my feels with the animal violence- this was a clean read- but unfortunately because I didn’t really enjoy it - I won’t be recommending it.

I absolutely loved this book. I usually am it super into ya as I prefer more spice but this was perfect. I did the audiobook as a got an advance copy of the audiobook and the two narrators were absolutely perfect and brought the story to life so beautifully. And let me just say I absolutely was routing for the fmc and mmc !

I can't really seem to get into the audio. Not sure if it's the narration or the storyline honestly. I'm hoping to pick this up on kindle and traditionally read and provide a review then.

I absolutely loved this book. I had a hard time putting it down. It was an epic YA fantasy that took you to a new world with dark magic and a sweet romance. I enjoyed the characters so much, especially Mance and Silver. The story was well written, and I loved the twists and turns. The beasts and the raw power of Mance and hidden magic of others made this so fascinating. I admit that I was shocked at the end, and I am looking forward to more from this author. I recommend this novel, even if you aren't YA. It is worth your time, and you won't regret it. It is an amazing book.

Thank you Net Galley ARC and MacMillian

This was really good! It starts off with a bang (with a lot of triggers so be weary). I loved our characters, it's a quick paced book which is what I look for in a fantasy, there was always something happening in the plot. The plot itself was good, I enjoyed the premise of the story and the magic system was well done.

I might have to dive more into some daker fantasies in the future!

the narrators were both great, I think this story really did well having two different narrators!

*The Beasts We Bury* is a darkly compelling romantic fantasy that follows Mancella, an heir with deadly powers, and Silver, a thief with a vendetta against her family. Their chemistry is charged as they navigate betrayal and unexpected affection, with each struggling to reconcile personal ambitions with their budding connection. The narrators, Brenda Scott Wlazlo and Jake Chronister, bring depth to these complex characters, making the tension between duty, vengeance, and love feel vivid and real. the audiobook's immersive world-building and strong performances make it a gripping experience for YA fantasy fans.

I really enjoyed this. It felt like the kind of YA that I used to read and love. Lately the market seems saturated with the same types of stories and I felt like these characters were well crafted, unique, the magic system was unique especially with Mancella's powers. I liked how this focused on the relationship Mancella has with her father, her sister, and her people rather than just a standard fantasy romance. It holds more than that and that's what I like to read in YA fantasy. I took away only one star because, well it does deal with animal death a lot, and then during the big climax I got confused as to where certain characters were to the point where I thought the main love interested died for a second and I thought oh is this how she discovers her animal ability works on humans? haha, but he was okay folks! I'm very intrigued as to how this duology will conclude now with how things turned out.

Mance, the heir apparent to the current leader, is known to the world as being a vicious killer. She has famously killed hundreds of animals using nothing but her bare hands, after all. But it turns out that not all is as it seems as it is her tyrant father has been forcing her to engage in these brutal acts for years. Silver, tasked with infiltrating the palace in order to earn a better life for him and his friends, realizes this only after gaining her trust and then betraying her. Overall, the Beasts We Bury is a decent stand alone. Had it been made into a duology/trilogy, some of the instances where things felt forced could have been more fleshed out. The world building is excellent, and the characters are relatable. The only negative is that it lacked the depth I hoped to see. The ending makes me feel like this is not the last we will see of this world, and I look forward to it!

I read up to 27% of this and unfortunately it’s not something that I am enjoying. It’s quite boring and i keep stopping it because i want to love it! I may just not be jiving wirh the audio, but at this point i’ve decided to DNF.

I was not sure I would like this book based on the first few chapters. It is difficult to stomach Mancella's power. She gets to keep animals spirits and summon them at well but only if she killed them with her bare hands first and in a fair fight. But Mancella is a powerful FMC and I don't mean her powers. Her character won me over. You feel her pain, her struggle. As she meets Silver and begins to trust him, you see her kindness and desire to be different than her father grow. Manc and Silver are amazing characters who are easy to cheer on, even when they're unknowingly working against each other.

Her father, the ruler and Prime, is an easy villian to hate. He would sacrifice his entire family if it meant he could gain more power. He's cruel and manipulative and I spent the majority of the book enraged at him on Mancella's behalf.

Overall, a solid read. I will read future books by this author. I also really enjoyed the narrators. I love dual narrators and these 2 were fantastic!!

This one really surprised me. I believe this is a debut novel as I haven’t heard of anything from this author before. I picked this up as I was very intrigued by the description on NetGalley and I ended up enjoying it a lot. I loved the way we got to explore Mancella powers and her relationship with her father/her past as we go through the book.

I would have appreciated a bit more info on Silver as I didn’t connect with him as much as I wanted to and that made me kinda meh on him as her love interest. But I was obsessed with the resilient, strong, and stubborn Mancella. Overall a very good read that surprised me a ton!

This book took me about 20% to get into. I feel like the story just drops you into the middle without explaining the manic system, but once I got into the story I couldn’t put it down.

The magic system is amazing, but the mfc was treated horribly by her own father to test the limits of her magic, testing her limits and if she refuses then he would lock her up until she complies.

I did not expect to cry within the first couple of chapters. This dark YA fantasy surprised me. The writing was incredible so vivid while listening to it through the audiobook. I appreciated the two POVs being two different voice actors for Mancella and Silver. This is a very unique world and magic system I enjoyed very much. The FMCs powers are different from what I've read before.


Thank You to NetGalley and MacMillian Audio for the audiobook ARC !

The Beasts We Bury is the 1st book in a duology by debut author D.L Taylor. It's a YA fantasy teeming with political Intrigue, betrayal, and a sweet enemies to lovers romance. From the first page I was hooked, the characters are so well developed that I instantly felt connected to them. Mancella, the FMC, is shackled by her father (both literally and figuratively) as she fights for not only her freedom but her kingdoms as well. And Silver, the FMC is sarcastic but loving in his own way, who is also fighting for his and his friends freedom. Together Mancella and Silver and the best combination for a couple I've seen in a book lately. The world-building and magic system are also well described and unique in a way that I haven't seen. Overall, I would recommend this to anyone who loves a high stakes, sweet romance, with the threats of looming war.

⭐⭐⭐⭐.75/5

The Beasts We Bury is a fierce, spellbinding YA fantasy with a lovely romance, an interesting magic system, and a fun plot.

Ooh, this was a good one. The magic system was my favorite part: it was a unique and emotional magic that hooked me from the beginning. Mancella was a great FMC, and I loved her personality and determination. Silver was a fantastic love interest and MMC; his golden retriever vibes and personality were top-tier. The banter and connection between Mancella and Silver was everything I hoped it would be. The pacing was great, and I adored the prose and writing style. The world was exciting and well-developed, and I enjoyed the many settings. The ending was great and has me desperate for a sequel. I highly recommend this addictive fantasy!

The audiobook narrators for this one were great. Mancella’s narrator fit her character perfectly and added a fierce depth to the story. Silver’s narrator also fit him wonderfully, and the energy he brought to Silver’s character was fantastic. This is a beautifully immersive audiobook listen!

Thank you to the publisher for the free ALC!

This book exceeded my expectations! The story focuses mainly around a girl named Mancella who has the power to summon animals. The catch? She has to kill them in order to be able to summon them. Her father abuses and manipulates her so much as he wants to be able to wield her in war and other various political tasks. I can't remember the last time that a villian actually made me dislike them as much as her father did.

The other main character in the story is a boy named Silver, who is a rebel thief. Mancella's path crosses his as Silver is trying to pull of a heist to rob the castle. As time goes on, Silver starts to care for Mancella and starts to regret his actions. I really enjoyed their relationship towards the end of the book when Silver finally starts to learn right from wrong.

There are so many twists in this book with Mancella's family that I found surprising. This audiobook had the perfect narrator's and they truly captivated me from start to finish. I loved Mancella's power and how we got to meet several of her animals and the stories behind all of them and how she obtained them. Some of the stories are truly heart breaking and Mancella is such a strong character to have endured what she has.

Thank you to Netgalley, Macmillian Audio, and D. L. Taylor for an ARC of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Set the beasts free. So many fun animal perspectives in this book. Which I thoroughly enjoyed.

Join our main character in a war torn land. She’s next in line to rule, with a deep dark secret. Which side will she end up on? Who can she trust? And what is best, for her and her people?

Treachery around every turn. Can a street rat help the princess find her way? Or will everything crumble down around them?