Mancella is the daughter of a cruel tyrant, and while she hates his actions, she also loves him. When Silver enters her life, he helps her begin to see that life isn't what she thought it was. Maybe it is time to rise and take action into her own hands, but when you have been abused and manipulated for years, that is easier said than done. The Beasts We Bury is a heartwarming tale of magic, love, deception, backstabbing, and self-discovery. Mancella and Silver do a lot of growing up throughout the novel, which is relatable and beautiful to see play out across the story. The fine line between love and hate is tested repeatedly by numerous people in Mancella's life, which is also relatable.
I had the privilege of listening to this novel in audiobook format. Both narrators did a fantastic job using tone and inflection to convey these two conflicting characters' intense feelings and desires. I would strongly recommend either the novel or audio version to anyone who loves enemies to lovers, YA fantasy, and stories that will leave you going, what just happened?!?!?!

The young man is doing what he can to protect himself and his friends, performing multiple jobs that will add up to a major heist for a man he’s not entirely sure he can trust.

She’s filled with an army’s worth of animals, a spirit for each and every animal she has (unwillingly) killed with her own two hands, but all she wants is peace.

He wants revenge against her father, but the more he gets to know her, the more he wonders if more violence is really the answer.

This dual POV, YA fantasy novel is full of secrets, the fierce loyalty of found family, feelings of betrayal, moral dilemmas, and a hint at the blush of young love.

Brenda Scott Wlazlo and Jake Chronister do an excellent job of capturing the youthfulness of the characters in their audiobook narration.

I enjoyed this story so much the narrator had a really soothing voice which I could listen to all day long she could probably read anything and I’d love ot

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.

Personally, if I could summon a magical horse at any moment, I would never shut up about it.

This was excellent. Not for the weak-hearted if you love animals, but the magic system is so fascinating, and how Mancella is abused and manipulated by it was so well done. Her father in particular is a nasty piece of work and I was continually shocked and wondering what would happen next as a result of his political machinations.

I'm not sure why this is pitched as a romantasy, because the romance is very much not the focus of the story and develops as a very slow burn. I loved that too though, and Silver is such an interesting counterpoint to Mancella in this world. Will definitely be reading the sequel!

The Beasts We Bury by D.L. Taylor and narrated by Brenda Scott was a unique YA fantasy/romantasy read. Appropriate for YA. Slow burn. Unique magic in that the FMC obtains the strength and skill from animals she kills, as forced by her overbearing ruler/“prime” father. The Beasts We Bury traverses family loyalty, parental expectations, morality, and many other topics teens and YA will be able to connect with. Mancella is an extremely likable FMC and Silver a good candidate for book boyfriend. Brenda Scott flows back and forth through the dual POV beautifully. The more popular adaptations are becoming, I can see The Beasts We Bury being a standout hit, both in writing and on screen.

I loved the world and how the rulers come to power but it felt like the main character did not grow. It felt like she was about to but more towards the end. Maybe she will in book two?

I got to listen to the audiobook thanks to NetGalley. It is narrated by two voices and they did a great job at consistency with each character. At first I wasn’t sure about the male narrator for Silver but as I got to know the character I realized he fit the character. Same for the female role. For the narrators I give them a 5⭐️’s /5.

3.5 stars! I really enjoyed the world building and getting to know Mancella’s character. The magic system in this book was very unique and easy to follow. I did feel like the character development for Silver was a bit lacking, and I found the relationship between the pair a bit strange. I never felt like it was fully developed. I also felt like there were parts where the plot was a bit lacking. The characters made some odd decisions. This YA romantasy may have been a bit juvenile for me, but magic and mystery made it worth it to me. The audio version was very well done. The narrators were wonderful! Overall, this YA fantasy is worth the read (or listen). Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing me with an ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this advanced copy. You can pick up The Beasts We Bury on February 4, 2025.

I haven't DNF's an audiobook in ages, but this one just... didn't hold my attention. The narrators did a good job, but nothing about this story or these characters really hooked me or motivated me to keep reading. I got 30% in and realized that I didn't have any connection to these characters, their struggle, or the plot overall. So, while I might come back to it someday, for now, I'm putting it aside.

You might enjoy this book if you like thieves and princesses teaming up, and complex magic systems.

The Beasts We Bury is a young adult fantasy story that follows Mancella, an heir to the throne who has the magical ability to summon animals, but only after she has killed them. We also follow Silver, a thief who has been tasked with infiltrating the castle and deceiving Mancella. Things become complicated as the two get to know each other better.

I really enjoyed this book and thought both of the main characters were likable. They each had distinct personalities that were relatable. There were some interesting side characters, and Mancella’s father was a special kind of evil that made him quite a villain. I thought the magic in this world felt different and unique from other books I’ve read. Mancella’s magic could definitely be hard to read about at times since it involves killing animals, but I could also feel her despair about it all. I liked the relationship between Mancella and Silver, feeling it was believable and enough to create tension without being the focus of the story. I’m not sure if this book is the beginning of a series, but I’d definitely like to dive back into this world if it were.

I was able to listen to the audiobook version, which I thought was done very well. There were two narrators to represent the two main characters. I thought both narrators did a great job at representing the emotions and personalities of both characters.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio, Macmillan Young Listeners, and NetGalley for the advance audiobook copy of The Beasts We Bury! All opinions in my review are completely my own.

Thank you NetGalley and D L Taylor for allowing me to listen to this audio!
Honestly I DNF. Not only was I not a fan of the narrators but the story was dark. The plot is interesting but theres a lot of animal cruelty and grooming. I couldn’t get into this book. And I just honestly don’t think I can finish it.

4 stars

I really enjoyed this book! Very fast-paced, action-packed, full of twists and dark themes.

I loved how strong the FMC was and how cunning and quick-witted the MMC was. The character development in both of them was my favorite part of the book. I’m also a huge animal lover so anything that involves lots of animals in it highly peaks my interest haha.

The writing was also really well done. Descriptive and gripping without being overly verbose and pretentious.

Some parts of the book seemed to unfold a bit too fast or in a way that was kind of confusing. which is why I docked a Star. But otherwise, a really fun read and I’m looking forward to more books to come!

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the arc!

4.5 ⭐️

The Beasts We Bury was sooooo good. It didn’t quite hit my, “I’m in love with this book!” feels, but it got close.
I listened to the audiobook thanks to Netgalley, and I’m glad I signed up for this one. ❤️‍🔥

For a YA book, I think it was well written with a unique storyline. (At least not one I’ve experience before. Lol) How Mancella receives her powers is WILD. (Literally? 😂) I think it was a good take on a magic system.

The audiobook is dual narration. Personally I LOVED how emotional Brenda Scott Wlazlo got. Ohmygosh she really brought home Mancella’s character. She did such a great job narrating. I’ve got to emphasize again… The EMOTIONS this woman showed. Chef’s freaking kiss!

Jake Chronister narrated for Silver’s POV, and while I don’t think he conveyed emotions the same way as Brenda, he was a good choice for Silver’s voice. I could absolutely imagine Silver with that voice. I think he did well. :)

Without any spoilers, the ending was very well rounded out, and leaves it open to a second book, which I absolutely will look out for in the future. The “big battle” was probably my favorite scene. I think that Mancella receiving *redacted* was a really great way to keep the story going in the future.

Anywho! If you enjoy a good YA fantasy with a good plot and well structured characters, you’ll enjoy The Beasts We Bury. ❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥

We need more books like this one, please! The magic system was unique, the main character was super Likable, the audio book is amazing! 💕 I will continue to read whatever else this author writes because I fell in love with this book! I want to read it again. This is a perfect YA book and it’s clean so I love that! Now can I have book 2? Thanks

While this book explored intriguing themes, I had a hard time connecting with the story. However, that is obviously on me and not the book. I recognize that it has great potential to appeal to other /readers and I encourage others to try it out! Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an audio copy of this book.

D.L. Taylor’s The Beasts We Bury is a dark and gripping exploration of survival, secrets, and the shadows we carry. With atmospheric prose and morally complex characters, Taylor crafts a story that is as haunting as it is thought-provoking. A must-read for fans of richly layered and emotionally intense fiction.

The Beasts We Bury is a fascinating Dark YA Fantasy. This book grabs you from the opening chapters and refuses to let go until the very end. I was pleasantly surprised by how much of a punch this book packed in from betrayals, twists, difficult family dynamics, to unique yet devastating magic. The plot was relatively fast paced as well. It never felt like there was nothing happening in the story — everything that occurred had a purpose in furthering the plot. The FMC, Mancella, is so well written and richly developed. You can feel her struggles, trauma, and the desire to do better for her people. I also enjoyed the dynamic and chemistry she had with Silver. I read this via audiobook and loved the decision to have separate narrators to voice Mancella and Silver. It added to my overall enjoyment of the story. I thought the narration for Mancella was especially great with bringing forth all the emotions she experienced throughout the story. I would recommend both this book and audiobook, but make sure you check trigger warnings. I also look forward to reading more work by this author in the future.

This book was absolutely incredible. I love the idea of having these beasts inside while also not wanting to give in to a more "beastly" nature. I loved the two main characters and their narrators were amazing. Mancella's narrator had me on the edge of my seat during the more intense portions and it had me sitting in my car just a little bit longer just so I know what happened. The plotline was fantastic and the pacing was brilliant. The ending had me reeling with how thought-provoking it was - caging the darker parts of yourself so they don't have free reign. Overall, this was a thrilling read and I loved every moment of it.

For me, a three star review has met the following qualifications:
• The book has a clear beginning, middle, and end.
• I didn’t hate reading/listening.

That’s basically it.
It’s just kinda - meh.
Was it bad? No. But was it good? Also, no.
Will I recommend it to others? Maybe?? If you’re looking for a very specific trope or vibe, some people might enjoy it. I’m just not one of those.

Honestly, this book kind of confused me on who the intended audience is supposed to be. It reads veryyy YA. The romance is basically two barely adults having their first crush and some sloppy making out at the end. That’s it.
However, this book deals with some pretty heavy themes.

***TRIGGER WARNING:
Animal suffering/harm/death ON PAGE.
Parental psychological/emotional abuse of a child ON PAGE
Physical abuse of a child ON PAGE

***SPOILER WARNING***
The FMC is tasked with mindlessly killing animals practically her entire life. Her father forces her to kill animals because she’s able to absorb their essence/powers into her own magic. She starts by being conditioned to kill tiny insects as a very young child - her father rewards her with cupcakes for killing bugs. This gradually grows to rodents, birds, then A KITTEN, and eventually large predators like a bear, jaguar, and wolves.
For a lot of people, death and harm of animals is a major trigger. Had I known it was a main theme of this book, I probably would have skipped it.

Then there’s the child abuse/grooming/conditioning aspect of this plot that basically gets no real attention in the story. FMC loves her father despite all of the horrible things he’s done and has made her do. There’s no real exploration into how this has affected her long term or any healing from a literal life time of trauma. Ick.

There’s also an orphanage/school where children are literally tortured. Literally. They have secret torture chambers hidden away where they strap children down and do gods know what until the children are screaming in pain and submission. They’re also forced to strap rocks and boulders to their ankles and walk around 24/7 as punishment for disobeying or talking back. The older children are even tasked with assigning these punishments to the younger children. It’s really f’d up.

So yeah, maybe you see why I have a hard time believing this is YA or even New Adult. It’s dark. It’s mentally hard to digest.

The loose, fluffy plot of saving the realm just isn’t really worth all of the icky dark triggers to me.

The Beasts We Bury is a YA (dark?) fantasy that tells the story of Mancella and Silver. I enjoyed this book as it was a fun, yet, somewhat dark story. I say somewhat dark because it still felt appropriately YA!

I really enjoyed the dual narration between Mancella and Silver, and I especially love the way the audiobook narrators narrated their respective chapters. However, this book fell a bit flat to me. While I understood the characters and their actions, I felt like there was something lacking in character depth.

I think that this is a fun and quick read overall if you want a story with a cool magic system that can also be a bit gory.