Thank you to D. L. Taylor, Netgalley, and Macmillan Audio for sharing an ALC of The Beasts We Bury with me. This is book 1 in the Broken Citadel series.

The narration was wonderful, and the pacing was just right. I also very much enjoyed the emotion in the narrator's voices – they were powerful and the audio was done well.

This book has almost everything I’m looking for in a fantasy book: magic, betrayal, world building, character development, and a rebellion.

Mancella is heir to the throne, but lives a life she is not happy with. Her father has conditioned her to believe that in order for the realm to be strong, Mancella must be a portrayal of insurmountable strength. In order to be that strong, Mancella must kill animals of all kinds.. Once killed, she is able to summon these animals and fight with all their strength. It was difficult to learn about the animals she’s killed, especially when she’s able to get snippets of their lives and emotions right after they’ve been killed and their souls entering her body.

When she’s had enough, Mancella rejects the brutal monster her father has conditioned her to be and there’s so much that happens that eventually has her fight back - for her life, for the lives of the animals she wish she could have spared, and for her realm.

The character development was fantastic in this book. We learn so much about Mancella, her sister, her cousin, and Silver was an incredible book boyfriend – unwavering, genuine, and fierce. His character absolutely grew on me.

I’m very much looking forward to reading the next book.

You can read this book February 4th, 2025!

WOW! FIVE STARS!
Right from the beginning I was caught up and whipped away in this story, I went into this not expecting to love it as much as I do.

The FMC *chefs kiss* is fantastic the way she empathizes and feels, but is such a strong person.

The narrators really capture all the intense moments so amazingly, making me believe I'm listening to the characters themselves tell the story.

I'm here for the ending, I wasn't expecting that epilogue!

Thank you to Macmillan Audio, and the Macmillan team for the pleasure of listening to The Beasts We Bury. The audiobook format had some great strengths, such as both a male and female narrator, since the characters' POV changed with different chapters (this was a great detail and helped immerse me in the book). I also enjoyed the author's voice and her writing style and I personally love when a debut author emerges! I would argue many in the book community LOVE being introduced to fresh, new authors.

If I were to describe this book to somebody, I would tell them that it is a very dark fantasy book with a romantic subplot. Mance is the female main character, who possesses a special power to summon and use animals, however she has to kill them first (despite hating that she must kill them). Mance is subject to the harsh treatment of her abusive father, who forces her to kill animals and tries to use Mance as a weapon against opposing realms. He is essentially the "king" of his realm, and he is the villain of the book.

Mance is introduced to a poor young man named Silver, who hates her family due to his own hardships. Silver and Mance go through the enemies to lovers trope, and become fast friends and eventually have a liking toward one another.

The plot revolves around Silver and Mance, and their shared hatred for Mance's wicked father. They attempt to defeat the wicked ruler and the ending has a very nice cliffhanger that sets up the story for an intriguing second book. Overall, the ending was very satisfying.

I would recommend this book to YA readers who enjoy dark fantasy with a romantic subplot. I would caution readers who have triggers with: parental abuse and animal cruelty. I think this was a very interesting book because it was a fresh concept! I read a lot of YA books, but I haven't come across one with this concept or power before. I send my best wishes to the publisher, author, and team for a successful book launch!

Here is my Tiktok post review of this book:
https://www.tiktok.com/@keilahjude/video/7451025444045933855?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7361642482788861470

The narration was well done on this. The tone, pitch, reading speed, cadence was all spot on. The story was easy to follow and flowed well. I did feel the FMC narration was a hint over done at points but the enthusiasm for the part was there.

They dynamic of the characters was fun and exciting. I'm a sucker for an easy going baker bro. Every single time so Rooftop gets 2 thumbs up from me.

The story overall was okay. It certainly is a dark YA. But aside from some brutality the story didn't particularly stand out to me having read a lot of YAs as of late. It's a book with an interesting concept/magic system but it follows the usual formula of opposing sides, miscommunication, and betrayals. People still love these tropes and that's fine but I feel like it creates a predictable story that doesn't stand out.

Very easy for a fantasy read to understand the plot and magic. That epilogue cliffhanger was really great too!

I enjoyed <i>The Beasts We Bury</i>, and I'm looking forward to the second book! The audiobook narration was excellent. It made the story easy to listen to and follow.

Mance is giving high-level Diem vibes. She's to become the heir to her kingdom but wishes to keep it safe, out of war, and ideally, with no bloodshed. Mance's father forces her power's on her, she is able to summon animals, but the catch is she must kill them for them to become a part of her.

Mance's world is turned upside down when Silver, a thief tasked with a mission that could change his and his friend's lives, sets on a path to take down Prime (Mance's father) and Mance. That is . . . until he finds out she's not the cold-hearted killer he believes her to be.

I don't believe I've read a book with this type of power before, so I'm very intrigued for what's to come!

Thank you to Netgalley, Macmillan Audio, and D.L. Taylor for a copy of the audiobook! All opinions are my own.

The Beasts We Bury was unlike any book I have read. It was a completely new concept and I was thrilled to discover it! Just a warning, if you are looking for spice, the most that occurs in this book is kissing. THE PLOT WAS WORTH IT. Definitely one of my top contenders for ya read of 2024.

I thought this was a good first book! It has a lot of potential and I'm excited to see where the series goes. I really liked the magic system and how it's pretty sensitive to how it works. I thought that Mancella's journey to find her way was very well written. I thought that Brenda Scott Wlazlo and Jake Chronister did a good job with the audio overall. For some things I didn't love. It's marketed as enemies to lovers. Silver is the only one who thinks they are enemies and that's a bit of a stretch. He's enemies with her father the king and dislikes her because she is his daughter. He quickly switches to liking her but being upset that he likes her. I thought the plot was a little silly. Silver is written to be more observant but he misses all of the big red flags about what's going on. Overall it's a great first book for D. L. Taylor and for this series!

Mancella Cliff will soon be appointed Second by her brutal father, the Prime. Forced to kill animals from a young age to increase her magic, Mancella joins forces with Silver, the only person who has ever befriended her, to form a crucial political alliance. However, Silver is plotting to take down her ruthless father. Mancella's ability to summon the animals she has killed from the dead makes this YA fantasy unique. Full of intrigue and excitement, this is an excellent debut novel.

Dual narration from Brenda Scott Wlazlo and Jake Chronister provides clarity to the listener. Brenda's tone is rich with emotion and engaging making it easy to transport the listener into Mance's world. Jake's voice is fine, but lacks urgency and expression during intense scenes.

Special thanks to Netgalley and MacMillan Audio for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

What do you do when your life’s mission is to take down a family power that’s plagued the whole of your realm? Do you work to break the wheel or do you cower to defeat?

If you choose to follow this dangerous path you deceive not just the players in this game of deception, but the heir to throne. In doing so you must decide if betraying your own thoughts is worth betraying your own heart.

This Y.A fantasy by D.L. Taylor was fast paced and started off with a bang that left me feeling both Intrigue and sadness with how the FMC Mancella’s magic is first introduced to us. The plot never felt like it was dragging especially for it being Y.A. We get to really see how Mancella’s deeply rooted trauma and hurt manifest its way into the person she is when she encounters our MMC Silver. He’s essentially a street rat who goes undercover in the city walls to dismantle the family whose dealings has plagued
the entire realm for far too long.

Being kept in the dark about so many things Mancella needs to uncover a way to break the bonds her father holds over her. With the unlikely alliance of her and Silver working together Mancella must navigate family dynamics, betrayal and the dangers of her father’s desire to exploit and grow her power..all while sparks form inside the deepest parts of her heart for the boy who first offered her a slice of cake.

I would have liked to see a little more world building if I’m being picky and more developed side characters. I wanted more from them. One of them was giving me “Hot pie” vibes from GOT who I loved in that series. In my humble opinion they are what holds the glue together most times for our MC’s. ….Filling in the pieces of personality our main characters unknowingly hide.

I really enjoyed listening to this via audiobook. Having a dual POV narration was perfect for this story, giving both MC’s a chance for us to be inside their thoughts and emotions. I thought Mancella’s character was richly developed. I liked being able to see both her rage & her compassion. I could feel both her anguish and love develop through the lines in this story.

The Beasts we bury is a duology and with how the story ended you could feel the change in the air. I was not expecting that ending. This alone should solidify your return to the second part of Mancella’s story.

Thank you to Macmillan & NetGalley for this audio ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I walk away from ‘The Beasts we Bury’ giving it 3 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to listen and review this audiobook.

This is my first D. L. Taylor book, and I attempted to listen to the audiobook.

I really like the plot of this story and I like the author's idea for the magical system and the FMC's ability. I also enjoyed the MMC's drive and ambition. This book has a many positive aspects for me.

Unfortunately, I had to DNF the audiobook at 25%. I am not sure if it is the writing or the female narrator, but the FMC is presented as too overly, and annoyingly, dramatic for my taste.

Since this story has so much potential and I really like the author's idea and where this might be going, I might try to physically read the book once it is released to see if it is just the audiobook that is bothering me.

the starting of how it started had me really interested on how this would go but as i kept listening to it didn't hold my attention i started zooning out had to restart it several times. didn't like the narrators

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.

Before I get further into the review I want to give a big Thank you to D.L. Taylor, Netgalley, and MacMillan Audio for the ARC audio of this book. This is my first ever audiobook experience and man “The Beasts We Bury” was a wild ride.

⚠️ Also Big disclaimer: please check trigger warnings before reading this book. I definitely did not do that and was not expecting what unfolded. If you have issues with any of the below topics please seek other reading material:
-Mental and Physical abuse
-Graphic description of animal cruelty/sacrifice

When I tell you this a dark romantic fantasy novel. I’m not bluffing. I honestly wasn’t expecting D.L Taylor to go that hard but she didn’t hold back. I also went into this book completely blind. So Listening to this audiobook to and from work was a trip. And it left me multiple times screaming, gasping, and laughing. This book immediately grabs you in and doesn’t release you. The only reason I didn’t finish the audiobook sooner was because of one of our narrators. I absolutely loved Mancella narrator. She was easy to follow and her voice matched perfectly with what I thought her character might look like. Our narrator for Silver on the other hand definitely took some time getting used to. I didn’t really start vibing with him until way past the half way point. His voice never felt like it fit the vision I had for that character.

Even with all that I still thoroughly enjoyed the book. It was a high stakes page turner with plenty of twists and swoon worthy moments. The fact that this was D.L Taylor’s debut novel still blows me away. Overall I really enjoyed listening to this and would recommend it to anyone who’s a fan of the romantasy genre.

PSA: Animal lovers this has some hard scenes to read, check trigger warnings but I still recommend.

I couldn’t put this book down, a high stakes, quick moving YA Romantasy. I felt like I was right there experiencing life with the characters. Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for the E-ARC.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the ALC of The Beasts We Bury by D.L. Taylor. All opinions are my own.

The premise of this story sounded interesting to me, so that is why I wanted to give this story a chance. While I do think the magic in this story was unique, I didn’t find the plot that interesting or the characters that likable. I ended up not finishing the story because it wasn’t keeping my attention.

The main character’s dad was completely awful, but the other characters just didn’t stand out to me. I also thought the romance was just okay from the part that I read.

The narrators for this story were fine, so I would recommend the audiobook format if you decide to give this book a try.

While the synopsis does give a bit of a suggestion as to what content might be included in this story, I would also just like to warn readers that there is a pretty graphic scene in the beginning of the book about the death of an animal. It was very hard to read for me because of my personal feelings about animals.

This is a YA fantasy with a very dark magic system with a slow-burn enemies-to-lovers romance with no spice.

The descriptive writing was amazing and allowed me to become fully immersed in the story from the beginning and kept me engaged until the end.

This story is told from dual points of view, Mancella the MMC and Silver the FMC, alternating between chapters with both a female and male narrator for each protagonist. I wasn’t sure how I felt about the male narrator Jake Chronister at first but then came to realize the voice was perfect for the age and personality of the MMC. The female narration by Brenda Scott Wlazlo was phenomenal, as I could feel the emotions of her character and I could listen to her voice all day.

Be aware that the descriptive writing and emotional narration for Mancella also make the scenes when she is forced to slay animals and the parts depicting the horrid mistreatment of her and other children even more heartbreaking.

Mancella’s father the Prime ruler of their realm is a true villain in this story. I have not despised a character this much since Lionel from Zodiac Academy.

This story surprisingly became one of top favorite reads of 2024 and I cannot recommend this enough. If a second book is released in the future, it will be an immediate purchase for me and I will be purchasing a physical copy as shelf trophy with all my other favorites.

Thank you to D.L. Taylor, Netgalley, and MacMillan Audio for the ARC audio of this book.

This is a lovely YA enemies-to-lovers romantic fantasy. I absolutely love that this is most plot driven, there's a clear story being told here and it's not hinging on romantic ties. The romance involved is very YA, nothing descriptive, which is a nice change of pace for me. I love the power Mance gains through the book, you can really see her develop from a weak-ish girl to a powerful woman. Silver also grows on me, especially in the end. I wasn't sure how to feel about Mance's older sister, because I couldn't pinpoint if she was good or bad. We find out in the end. I don't want to spoil it.
Overall I really enjoyed listening to this and would recommend to someone looking for a fast paced YA romantic fantasy.

The audiobook was great. I really liked both narrators, more so the woman than the man but both got the job done.

You should read if you like ❤️
- YA romance
- Enemies-to-Lovers
- family secrets
- badass FMC

Warning ⚠️ 
-graphic description of animal cruelty/sacrifice

I just can't get into this, I am not in the mood. This book as a great premise, very unique and interesting. I like the characters the FMC seems interesting and dynamic the MMC seems sexy like a good booktok boyfriend. But I just can't finish it at this time.

Thank you Macmillan Audio, NetGalley, and D. L. Taylor for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook. I’ really dove into this book headfirst. I found myself so invested in the characters and the world-building and I was so excited to actually feel like there was something completely different about this book. The way magic manifests and how it truly takes from the wielder… yes, there were parts and themes that were pretty atrocious, but I think it made for a really great story. I look forward to the second book!