This was one of my anticipated releases this year but I was a bit disappointed in this. What I can say is that I liked that this book picked up right where Beasts of Prey ended. We got new perspectives and met new characters. But along the way the plot kind of dragged for me. Its not the books fault but at times I felt like something was missing from the story. Beasts of Ruin did end on a cliffhanger so I hope the third book wraps up the trilogy nicely.

This book!! I absolutely loved Ayana’s first book and I have been DYING to continue the story, and Beasts of Ruin did not disappoint! The continued character growth, the twists and turns, the romance! All of it was phenomenal. Plus is just love love love the magic system Ayana built into this world and I loved getting to see it even more developed in book 2.

While I am still rating this four stars, I did give Beasts of Prey a near perfect five star rating last year, so Beasts of Ruin did fall into second book syndrome a bit for me. I think this is partly because Koffi and Ekon are separated, and their individual plots do not flow properly together. I'd go from the high stakes of one to a slow build towards the chaos in another. This back and forth inconsistency really threw me off because I'd want to go back to that character (EX: water scene with Ekon) and see what unfolds immediately afterwards.

Now I did enjoy the new characters A LOT. I don't want to get into details too terribly much, but Koffi certainly needed some female friends, so I was very happy for her to find some when she was locked away by Fedu. Also, Ekon's slight romance plot did interest me. I know a lot of people aren't into love triangles, but I thought it was realistic that Ekon or even Koffi could find someone else while on this journey. Koffi and Ekon hardly know one another besides their shared journey/ trauma within the jungle, but those experiences do not mean they owe one another anything in terms of romance. They can think about the other and yearn for them... but they're young adults. I say— let them live!

The biggest surprise and favorite part to this sequel for me was astoundingly Binti. I was a hot mess while reading all of her perspectives because I could see the slow descent from the get-go. I cried during Binti's chapters. The moment where she tells her mother that she no longer will go by Binti just... It ripped my soul in half. I wasn't sure if a third perspective would even be available in the sequel, but I'm very glad Ayana chose to give us Koffi's mother's experiences during pivotal moments of her life. I felt a deep pity but also anger, which was an interesting combination. Her choices make sense, but it doesn't make them the right ones.

"Sometimes things that seem dangerous are just misunderstood."

#BeastsOfRuin is the second book in the Beasts of Prey trilogy by Ayana Gray. It's been awhile since I read Beast of Prey so I was hesitant to start the follow-up in fear that I would have a hard time getting back into the world. But boy, was I wrong! Immediately upon picking up this book, I was fully absorbed again. I quickly recalled everything that happened in the last book (especially the ending!!) and still really care for the characters. I remember loving the easy way the world flows, how Ayana Gray is able to let the story and the world unfold together in a way where I never feel lost or confused or like I am being "taught" the world's dynamics. An excellent sequel, even better than the first! I look forward to the final installment.

5 out of 5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Disclaimer: I received an advanced reader copy from Penguin Teen and Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

"We're all going to die someday. If my day is today, I'd rather die doing something interesting."

Do we have a date for book 3 yet? Asking for a friend. 😂

I'm always wary going into book 2 of a series with the fear of it just being a filler book. I'm excited to say, this was not the case! I absolutely loved following along Koffi, Ekon and Binti through their own adventures. There are different POV throughout the book and one POV is in a different timeline. However, jumping through the different POV is done so well that I never felt like I was leaving one story for another.

I loved how much Koffi and Ekon's characters grew from the last book to this one. They are truly finding themselves and gaining confidence in themselves.

I cannot wait to see where their next adventure takes them.

A wonderful follow up to Beasts of Prey! Loved the continuation of the world building and how the magic system was expanded, as well as the addition of the magical academy. Super fast paced and full of amazing new characters, this book kept me entertained from start to finish. This does end in a cliffhanger, but it only makes me want the next book even more! *I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Beasts of Ruin is the second part of the Beasts of Prey. This is a realistic yet fantastical story by Ayana Gray.

Beasts of Ruin benefited from the world-building that took place in Beasts of Prey. I was with Koffi and Ekon as we see them right where we last left them. Gray's words transported me in the best way, giving me a rich culture and experience that was enhanced through the use of three different POVs. I found Binti's to be my favorite storyline. I loved learning more about the magic in this world and that we were able to dive into it more here. I also appreciated how this fantasy world also had themes of class and privilege and that they didn't just magically go away.

I did a combination of audio and e-reading for this book and I loved the audio portion. There were three narrators for the three POVs and I loved the distinct voices they gave to their characters and the other characters that were in their scenes. I listened to it on 2x and wished that I could have listened to it faster because I wanted to know how it ended, that's when I switched mostly to physical reading even though I missed the narrators!

I am anxiously awaiting the follow-up because the ending had me all kinds of stressed. This book is perfect for fantasy lovers!

Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Young Readers, and PRH Audio for providing me with an ARC and ALC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a fun sequel, with more about the magic system and interesting new characters to meet. I thought the pacing was solid and I liked the back and forth chapters between Koffi and Ekon (plus some bonus chapters by someone named Binti.) There are also more fantastical creatures that I enjoyed and a bit of romance to round it out.

Koffi and Ekon are separated for this book, after she was captured at the end of the last one. They each worked to survive and get back to each other while also learning more about themselves and their strengths. I thought Ekon's parts were a bit more exciting because he was traveling south to find Koffi. He meets up with a powerful daraja and a caravan of spice traders along the way. Ekon still manages his anxiety and OCD pretty well, but he does struggle at times and I liked the way it was portrayed.

Koffi is learning all about daraja abilities and I liked the different orders and how the power manifests in unique ways. It was nice seeing Koffi make new friends and get a crash course on how to use her splendor, plus there's a new potential love interest. I liked that it wasn't all about the main characters pining for each other and they each had individual growth. If Koffi and Ekon don't end up together, I think I'd be okay with that. Now starts the wait for the final book!

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All opinions are my own. Thank you to G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers and NetGalley for the copy.

I devoured the first book and I devoured this one too. We jump right back into the story with how the first book ended, Koffi and Ekon got separated and now Koffi is at some magical academy and she can’t leave. Ekon has set off to find and rescue Koffi, along with her grandmother.

How can Koffi escape the school and Fedu, the God of Death? Well that’s what this whole story is about. The two main characters coming together in their own ways to fight.

This book was packed just like the first and full of that magical charm Ayana Gray brings to her story and characters. I absolutely loved Thornkeep, the magical academy and the side characters were introduced to along the way. Because let’s be honest, you can’t not have bee friends when your separated and searching and fighting. I loved the plot adventure we’re taken on.

Ayana Gray has this touch of magic herself that translates into her stories and if you love fantasies with magic and friendships and finding yourself, than this series is definitely for you. And honestly for a second book, I’m shocked I loved it as much as the first!

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Teen for the ARC!

I’m so glad I got to read this one early. I was a bit nervous to read this one since book two’s of series can be very “hit or miss.” But I actually enjoyed this one a lot more than Beasts of Prey.

I liked the fact that Koffi and Ekon each had their own storylines going on in this one, as it frankly made them both more interesting. But I think Binti’s chapters were my favorites.

There were also some great supporting characters. Zain, Themba, Safiyah, and Makena were lovely additions to the story.

The writing in this book seemed light years ahead of book one as well. Ayana Gray definitely figured out how to hook you into the story on a much higher level this time around. I can’t wait to see what happens next!

Definitely recommend.

4.5 stars!

I remember when I finished my arc of Beasts of Prey I instantly said GIVE ME BOOK 2. Well, I got it and it didn't disappoint in ANYWAY. Yall this book is SO GOOD. It was even better than Beasts of Prey. I loved the magical academy! I'm a suckler for books with magical academies and this one did not disappoint in ANY way. I love how it developed both the world and Koffi's character. That's something this book did incredibly well! I had already falled in love with the characters in book 1, but Beasts of Ruin just put them on a whole other level. Character driven books are my kryptonite and Ayana owns my soul with how she developed these two. I loved how Koffi grey and even her new relationship (something I never thought I'd say from how much I loved Ekon). Ekon grew so much in this book and I loved seeing him grow in the face of so many challenges. Overall, this book was an easy 5 stars and I can't wait to see what's next!

I absolutely loved this follow up! I waited impatiently and it did not disappoint.

I loved everything about it and I cannot wait to get a copy for my LFL for the neighborhood kids!

A great follow-up to Beasts of Prey.

So, I highly recommend re-reading the first book if it’s been a while. I didn’t, and I regret it. There were so many details I forgot. It came back to me slowly, but I lost the sense of urgency since I couldn’t remember the cliffhanger from the first book.

Beasts of Ruin is a lot of world-building. We learn waaaay more about Koffi’s family. We also learn more about Koffi’s powers. I thought it was a little slow, but sooo worth it. Personally, I love learning all of the details and intricacies of the splendor system and interpersonal relationships. This book is VERY rich. Don’t fret, it does pick up and after it picks up, it doesn’t stop!

Lastly, I LOVE the author’s note at the end. I love learning about the inspiration behind certain characters and parts of the story. It makes the story THAT much richer.

I have to say, I am so excited for the next book! If you read the first one, this is a must-read. If you haven’t read the series yet, you should…especially if you love YA fantasy.

Thank you PenguinTeen for this eARC!

A show stopping incredible sequel. Usually I’m not the biggest fan of sequels but this one was amazingly done.

“At this point, Koffi, I think I’d go just about anywhere with you.”

Koffi and Ekon got separated at the end of book one, and now she's at a magical academy of sorts, for darajas that Fedu collected and neither she, nor the others can leave.

Meanwhile Ekon sets off on a journey to save Koffi with her very own grandmother and runs into some bumps on the road. Will he manage to save her before Fedu's plans come to fruition?

This is high up there with the best second/sequel books in the world for me. I LOVE IT SO MUCH.

I am crazy about magical academies so this setting was right up my alley, but the jungle wasn't fully abandoned either.

Everything expands in Beasts of Ruin, the magic system with Koffi, and the world building with Ekon. One of my "complaints" from Beasts of Prey was that I wanted more of everything and I got it now.

If Fedu wasn't who he was I'd want to attend Thornkeep too, the training seems so cool.

Koffi and Ekon both made new friends, and some other potential love interests too. This might be my favourite part of all actually, because I wasn't overly fond of Ekon before, but he's at his best with Safiyah, they'd make a good match.

And Zain, I LOVE HIM. That quote at the start of my review was from him, by the way. He and Koffi should be together and if they aren't...well, I'll be more than sad. He understands Koffi in a way that Ekon doesn't.

I SAID WHAT I SAID.

I desperately want a physical copy now so I can highlight all the Koffi and Zain moments, so I'll have to get one soon.

BUT GUYS, this book has so much going on that I was never bored, not for one second. I read the whole thing in one day and if it was even longer I wouldn't mind.

I CANNOT WAIT FOR BOOK THREE, BECAUSE THAT ENDING??? THAT WAS SO ABRUPT AND UNFAIR. I don't even know when it's coming out, but I'll be counting down the days.

All the stars, of course.

*Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review*

**Thank you to Penguin Teen and NetGalley for the eARC of this title in exchange for this review. This in no way changed my rating**

Beasts of Prey was one of my favorite books this year. It was a stunning debut that was well paced, thoughtful, exciting, and full of new and wonderful mythology waiting for readers to explore it. The characters were great. I had nothing but good things to say about it and was so excited to read the sequel.

This suffered from "middle book syndrome" so badly to the point that I'm unsure if I'm interested in reading book three, which is coming. In a way, this series is like Serpent & Dove in that I think it would have benefitted from being a duology, but was expanded to be a trilogy.

To start with, the pacing was nowhere near as good as the first book. There are three POV characters: Koffi, Ekon, and Binti. I get from the author's note what Gray was trying to do with Binti's POV, exploring heritage and what the outcome could be if we try to distance ourselves from it or deny it, as well as giving us insight into Koffi's mother and family. However, I don't think her POVs were necessary and didn't add a ton to the story, so it just kind of bogged it down. Koffi spends 2/3 of the book kidnapped and undergoing a training montage. Ekon spends that same 2/3 on a drawn out roadtrip (one of my least favorite plot devices). Traveling can be great, but we need a goal urging us forward. Ekon had a goal in mind and somehow, it still becomes a meandering string of wandering until he remembers "oh, yeah! I had a goal!" more than 60% of the way in. I am disappointed to say this book had maybe 2-3 interesting chapters in the middle before going back to being boring. The "interesting" parts happened in the last 6.5 chapters (half because one was Binti's POV and those don't really count). When I have to get through 80% of a book to get to the "good" part, that's a problem.

I'm also going to say, straight up, I hate the trend YA is going in by going back to the love triangle trope (or in this case, love square?). It's so unnecessary and frustrating. I REALLY liked Safiyah as a character until she was becoming a secondary love interest for Ekon for the span of a few chapters. There was no reason for that. Additionally, really liked Zain...until he became a secondary love interest for Koffi. We already spent book one rooting for Ekon and Koffi together. So why am I now supposed to get caught up in hoping they'll be happy with other people while they're STILL on a mission together? That easily was one of the things I disliked the most.

The last thing I want to say, in terms of what I didn't like, is that I think there are going to be some comparisons to Shadow & Bone, which could have been avoided. This book starts out with Koffi having been kidnapped in the last book and taken to an area called Thornkeep, where she's kept with other darajas. All well and good. Here's where the comparison comes in:
-a genocidal maniac with magical powers trains a group of younger people who also have magical powers in his supposedly utopian society for just magic users while teaching them the outside world is bad because they're discriminatory and separating the students into groups by ability which are easily identifiable by color. The main character is "the only magic user" in the group with their power and they don't know how to use that power, so they get trained by others and slowly start to grow confidence, but then are overwhelmed by their power and start to grow power-hungry. This causes an internal conflict.

Sound familiar? Thornkeep is The Little Palace. The darajas are grisha. The kaftans are kefta. The colors are the same, except Gray added one. Koffi and Fedu are essentially Darklina. A large part of this book is Shadow & Bone, but set it in Fantasy Africa instead of Fantasy Russia. I was very frustrated by this situation. There was literally no need for this, especially when book one was so good and so unique.

All of this aside, I did like the character growth Koffi and Ekon both underwent. The characters are Gray's strong point and I like both of them quite a bit. They're flawed, but not so flawed you don't want to root for them. I also like the continued introduction of the god and goddess characters. We meet a new one in this book for a brief moment, but if I read book three, I'm hoping we meet the others. Additionally, we get some new fantasy animals from Gray, and these are also great. The world of Eshōza is vast and well built, which makes readers want to explore. So again, if I read book three, I'm looking forward to seeing more great world building.

Many other reviews note it ends on a cliffhanger. That alone wasn't enough to cause me to want to read book three. So we'll see, but the cliffhanger felt inevitable and wasn't the big reveal a bunch of reviews made it out to be, just as a heads up.

Overall, I'm giving this book a 3.5, rounded to a 3 for GR. The characters and world building continue to be great, but the plot was plodding and it felt like a completely different book than the first entry.

2 out of 5 stars (2 / 5) To say I’m disappointed is an understatement. Sigh. Book 1 was a favorite last year but this one just didn’t live up to it. I quickly lost interest in the very slow pace.

What I loved in book one was the adventure in the jungle with Koffi and Ekon. In this book, there was no jungle-like experience which is fine but what replaced it was minimal in time and not as interesting. Another aspect I didn’t like was that Koffi and Ekon weren’t even together until the last 10% or so.

I definitely needed a small refresh of book one because it took me quite a while to find a groove in this one. I had a hard time remembering characters and the full story. Each chapter left on a small cliffhanger and jumped back and forth between POV. It took me a bit to remember each part of the story after the POV change. More than anything, I could put this down for days, even weeks and it did not pull to me.

And without giving too much away, Why didn’t Koffi go after Zola when she went in the mistwood? I am so confused.

Rating: 3.5 stars

This was a fairly good sequel! I have been very curious about the continuation of this series since I finished the first book last year. Even though there were things I didn’t like as much, I still found enjoyment and am looking forward to seeing how it all ends.

The book is told through multiple point-of-views. I did like Koffi’s and Ekon’s more than Binti’s. I do understand why we got Binti’s as it does show us how the rules for darajas started and how it all comes together as like a prequel to the plot for the first book. Koffi’s plot line was a bit slower and didn’t have as much suspense as her previous one. It seemed like what she went through wasn’t as harsh as Ekon’s and things wrapped up a bit more quickly as well. Ekon goes through many deadly situations and does everything to remain free from the Six. He isn’t going back! Both teens do have a lot of growth and through that we learn more of Koffi’s ability and why Ekon is so important.

There is more to do with the gods and Fedu is something else! He isn’t a god I would want to mess with. I’m happy that he had more page time and through that we learn more about the daraja he is harboring. He seems like he will continue to be a key player in the next book and I am looking forward to what his plan really entails.

The thing I disliked the most was the weird love square thing that started going on. If I recall correctly, Koffi and Ekon seemed like they liked each other and would pair off. I guess when they say that distance makes the heart grow fonder did not work in this case. Just not my taste.

Overall, this was a good sequel and the plot stayed consistently interesting throughout. Looking forward to seeing how these characters fair in the next book!

Beasts of Ruin is, by all accounts, a solid sequel. It expands on the world Ayana Gray created in Beasts of Prey, dives deeper into both Koffi and Ekon’s characters, and introduces an in-depth magic system.

First of all, can we give a shoutout to the OCD and anxiety rep?

Ekon struggles with both of them, and I love how intricately they’re tied to his actions. Of course, that doesn’t make him any less able to do what needs to be done, but it is still great rep to see.

I always admire Ayana Gray’s ability to deliver a good twist. Honestly, I think that the “extra” characters she follows in each of the books (Adiah in the first one, a character named Binti in this) have my favorite storylines. They always seem to be the chapters that feel most like fables, with atmospheric writing and great twists.

ALSO, I LOVE THE NEW MAGIC SYSTEM! You’d better believe I get overly excited when I see a guide to the magic system at the front of the book*! I liked how we got to dive more deeply into this world and the intricacies of its magic.

To be honest, I think that I’m just a little bit too old for this series. I love Gray’s world, magic, and plotting but I honestly can’t really connect to most of the characters. I also find myself just kind of reading without too much passion? It’s definitely enjoyable but in a way that I just wasn’t as invested in. Thus, there are not really any complaints I have about this book that apply to anyone other than myself.

This book is a great read for someone who wants an easy YA fantasy series, and who wants a great series inspired by African mythology!

I like that Beasts of Ruin gives us some time with Koffi and Ekon individually, but I'm not the biggest fan of the romance subplots in this series. I also think this suffered from an issue I found with the first book - that it felt like it was setting up to the next book rather than being able to stand on its own. Overall though I would recommend this to younger YA readers, and think Gray's goal of showcasing African culture and folklore despite centuries of erasure is an important one.