I've never read a Pan-African fantasy book and Beasts of Prey was fantastic!

So fun to read and felt truly unique. I loved the mythology and the characters and the pacing was quick! I didn't even realize I was devouring it.

Themes explored were power, identity, and the complexities of human relationships.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group for this DRC.
Fantastic fantasy set in the Greater Jungle, Koffi, a poor girl with unknown powers and Ekon, soon to be an elite warrior, have their lives turned upside down by the Shetani, a magical beast.
An intense adventure, totally worth the suspense!

#BeastsofPrey #NetGalley

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a free advanced copy of this book to read and review.

An easy, wonderful read that I enjoyed. Captivating, engaging, and full of suspense, this book is one I can’t wait to recommend my students. With two emotionally flawed characters, and references to African mythology, this is an amazing read!

This was a very different take on fantasy than I have read before. I really enjoyed following the storyline and will definitely seek out the second book in this series. A great read!

Another one I heard amazing things about and they were totally right!

Great world, characters, and story.

I would absolutely recommend this to anyone!

Absolutely loved this book and couldn't put it down! Black girl magic + multiple Black Main Characters! Yes please!

There is a reason why this book has gotten so popular and received so much attention! There is incredible world building, amazing characters, and engaging writing. While the book starts a little slow, the pace picks up and keeps you interested the whole time.

After trying this one a second time, I've decided it's just not working for me. It isn't poorly written, it's just not keeping my interest enough to have me picking it up. I've gotten over 60% and have found that I just don't care what happens, which is my sign to put it down and pick up something else. I'm confident that this book will be loved by many, and I'm sorry it wasn't me.

I loved the two main characters Koffi and Ekon. Overall, the plot was really fun, and the mythology was amazing. There were a few loose ends that weren't addressed by the end, and I'm hoping those are covered in the next book. Looking forward to reading the next book!

First of all, thank you so much to Penguin Teen and NetGalley for sending me an eARC of this book! Reading this and knowing that this was Gray's debut is unbelievable. I felt immediately connected to every character from page 1 and became so invested in each and every one of their storylines. I also adored learning about different cultural aspects of Africa from the religion to little details of the characters' every day lives. This is one of those books that will undoubtedly remind you of why you fell in love with reading and ultimately just give you that perfect escape! With that being said, I only got about 35% through before a friend of mine who also received an ARC notified me about an arachnophobia trigger warning which is something that I personally have to look out for, so I unfortunately had to DNF for now, until my arachnophobia gets better. Having said that, I would absolutely recommend this book 1000 times over and can't wait to eventually finish it!

What a unique, yet disturbing book. I am absolutely here for it and cannot wait to see how the series continues.

This book was everything and more. I know i am late with my review but I had to take a hiatus due to personal reasons but I did very much enjoy this read

This is such a cool world. I loved the world-building here and each of the POVs were so strong. Cannot wait for book 2!

Love the premise for this one and the characters help draw you in. Having said that I put this one down for now. Would be willing to pick it up again when I’m in a different reading frame of mind. 3.5 for what I read. Rounded up to 4

I'd recommend this book for anyone into young adult fantasy and magic. The book felt slow at first but it's because there was a lot of back story, building of the characters and setting up the plot for all the fun twists and turns. I cannot wait for its sequel.
Full review to come on YouTube

Ayana Gray has delivered the next YA trilogy to watch!

Beginning with that gorgeous cover, a riveting plot, and relatable, respectable characters, BEASTS OF PREY is next in a new tradition of harrowing, startling, and wondrous African-inspired YA Fantasy reads!

Joining the ranks of Children of Blood and Bone, A Song of Wraiths and Ruin, Witches Steeped in Gold, and The Gilded Ones, Gray blends magic, atrocity, desperation, and the will to survive into a feast for the senses.

Add this to your shelves immediately!

I wasn't able to read this book prior to it's pub date due to unforeseen circumstances in my personal life. I regret that I was not able to do this, but I want to let the publisher and Netgalley know that I did not simply ignore this responsibility. I appreciate the publisher, Netgalley, and the author for gifting me this copy anyway. I will be purchasing a copy of this though because I have heard incredible things.

This is a very adventurous novel and focuses on three young people. Their world is full of magic, class, and their community’s religion. There are two timelines and this is slowly revealed over the course of the story. When Koffi, a female indentured servant and Ekon, a warrior-to-be, meet not once, but twice, their connection grows stronger when they decide to search for a monster in the jungle. They both have their reasons for finding the creature and as they have one dangerous encounter after another, their partnership grows to friendship, and then a light romance. Unfortunately they are unaware of who is friend or foe both in the jungle and beyond.

Each of the three main characters have their own insecurities and Ekon may be seen as someone on the ASD spectrum and/or dealing with anxiety. The people, places, and creatures are written with such vivid details that many readers will be able to “experience” the colors, smells, and tactile sensations. There is an element of mystery as well as a few fight scenes. As of writing this review, this book is an installment in a duology. it does provide some answers before the end, which keeps it from finishing on a big cliffhanger.

I listened to the audiobook on Libby and read along with parts of the e-galley. Thanks to Penguin Random House and NetGalley for the e-galley. My ratings and reviews are my own.

Okay, but this cover?! Gorgeous. Grabbed my attention instantly. I tend to be very picky when it comes to fantasy novels. Some of those I have read, I feel like the content has gone way over my head, but this was a very easy read. I enjoyed the African culture, and absolutely enjoyed the characters as well. This was a nicely paced book.