This was not flawless but an utterly charming debut novel. I love the protagonists, I love the world building and I found the magic system interesting and engaging enough to want to find out more - magic in this world is called “splendor” and there are some caveats to wielding it.
One issue that I have had with a lot of fantasy books aimed at teen and young adult audiences in recent years is that the world building happens through exposition over exposition and not organically. This is not the case here, we slowly are introduced to the world and its lore as we go along and it happens effortless and naturally. I think this is one of the hardest things to pull off in this genre and really highlights the strength of this debut.

The book contains a “classic quest” that is to be tackled by a heroine and a hero that are somewhat reluctant allies but grow closer. This quest takes them to a dangerous and forbidden area where they must learn to work together and new secrets about the world the inhabit are unveiled.
There is also a side story with further characters that I found quite interesting but that I don’t want to give away too much about because I’m aware it’s somewhat tied to a plot twist/reveal.

Mainstream fantasy books were a white man’s domain for such a long time. White women eventually put a foot into the door, mostly via the teen & young adult market. I’m definitely here to celebrate more fantasy works

***Mild spoilers ahead***
Personally I think the book would have been fine without a romance. The romance was the one thing that didn’t feel super organic to me - for me the relationship felt much more like friends or siblings. I don’t think fantasy or YA automatically needs romance shoehorned in, the book would have been absolutely fine without it.

It was taking me quite a while cause I was not in the mood. eventually I decided to def for now and give it a shot another time.

Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

It took me a long time to get to this book, but I’m very glad I did get there in the end! I do love a well done African inspired fantasy- and this was excellent- original and exciting- I enjoyed the world building and the magic (splendour), mistakenly believed to no longer exist.. Koffi and Elon were complex and well fleshed out characters and I’m very interested to see where the story takes me in its sequel. Many thanks to Netgalley for an arc of this book.

Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC of Beasts of Prey by Ayana Gray.
Beasts of Pray was packed with a lot of the things I enjoy in my fantasy reading; mythology, culture, multiple point if views, animals, beautiful descriptive writing, and solid world building.
Gray reay brought the beasts to life in a way that made me picture them all beautifully in my head. I love a mythical animal!
An amazing debut novel, and a series I look forward to continuing.

Beasts of Prey, by Ayana Gray, is a thrilling adventure that perfectly combines fantasy and mystery. Through Koffi and Ekon's intertwining narratives, readers follow them as they uncover secrets of their world, of the broken city of Lkossa and its citizens, of the formidable Night Zoo and the vicious Shetani that terrorizes it, and of their own selves and the magical powers they contain.

Gray creates a vivid world full of life and detail that both beckons the reader in and engages them from start to finish. From the greater jungle, full of mystery and wild magic, to the maze of the Night Zoo, both are spaces that are incredibly captivating to traverse with Koffi and Ekon. Gray deftly develops the stakes for Koffi and Ekon, both determined to make it through the hunt, recover their futures and free their loved ones from danger, making Beasts of Prey a thrilling and unputdownable ride.

A tale full of Pan-African mythology and themes, it has something to offer to fantasy lovers of all kinds and will keep them glued to its pages until the very end. Beasts of Prey is a riveting, magical adventure that fans of Ember in the Ashes, Shadow and Bone, and The Gilded Ones will absolutely adore.

I enjoyed this YA fantasy novel set in the fictional pan African Lkossa. Escapist, sometimes gruesome, pacy and well written, this book is the first in a series. I'm looking forward to the next one!

This first in a trilogy fantasy book took me in a journey through a new fantasy world. Can Koffi understand what is going on and capture the monster before it’s too late?

I enjoyed this fantasy read - this is not my usual genre but I’m really trying to branch out. I found this very diverse with the characters and I enjoyed the multi point of view from the characters. This was so interesting looking myself into a new fantasy world and I will continue the series. I also really enjoyed the authors notes st the end explaining the process and how they got to the point of the finished book. Definitely a good start to a new trilogy.

"Beasts of Prey" by Ayana Gray is a thrilling and imaginative novel that fully engages its readers from beginning to end. The author's writing style is vivid and paints a richly detailed world, filled with complex characters, intense action, and unpredictable plot twists. The story is fast-paced, and the characters are well-developed, making it easy to become invested in their struggles and triumphs. The world-building is excellent, with a unique and intriguing magical system that adds depth and texture to the story. I highly recommend "Beasts of Prey" with a full five-star rating to anyone who loves high-stakes action and epic adventures.

Although it was off to a slow start, I ended up genuinely enjoying this book. The description was beautiful, the world building was very powerful and gripping. I really enjoyed the two main characters, the beasts we encountered were very well brought to life. I loved the mythology and would definitely recommend for YA fantasy adventure lovers.

Unfortunately this didn’t click with me at all, I did end up finishing it, but found I didn’t connect to the story or characters as much as I’d hoped. Especially reading the author’s note at the end made me hope that this resonates a lot more with other readers!

I absolutely adored this, the world building was perfect and the characterisation was on point. A fantasy you can completely lose yourself in.

Though this book is a bit of an early-YA story, I very much enjoyed it! The tropes may be familiar, but the mythology behind it is something new to me and I really love how books can open up our horizons to new cultures and histories, even via fantasy books! A magical journey all around.

Beasts of Prey ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Initially, this caused me to start rolling my eyes. Indentured servants/slaves managing a dangerous zoo. A little too young YA. As it was an arc I kept going and I’m so glad I did as I really enjoyed it.

The tale pulls from (what I assume are) African myths - I was oblivious to them so very unfamiliar to me.

Essentially, Koffi has agreed to use her new, untested magic to capture a new beast for the zoo in return for her and her mum’s freedom. But there’s so much more to it than this.

I finished it in two days, it just kept pulling me along! I will definitely read book two which has just released.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for providing this E- ARC in exchange for an honest review.

beastsofprey, jungle adventure, YA, magic,

Beasts of Prey is an outstanding YA fantasy adventure with compelling characters and remarkable world-building. An excellent start to a brand new series sure to hook readers from the first page. Be sure to check out Beasts of Prey today.

Not really a book i would read but i enoyed it none the less. The book is very descriptive and it made each plant and image ump through its pages.

It was a slow burner but it did pick up in the end.

Thank you

A sumptuous story, rich in detail and character development. I loved the relationship between the two main characters. Magic, myth and great storytelling, I look forward to the next in the series

Find me a person who doesn't want to read about myth, folklore, ferocious beasts and magic. I'll wait.

Ayana Gray explodes onto the radar with this fantastic exploration of family, magic and what it truly means to be beastly. I absolutely loved that this book was dripping in appreciation for heritage, culture and freedom. Give me more.

In Lkossa, a place evidently inspired by Africa but imagined around lots of different parts of it, magic no longer exists. Or so it would seem. Except Koffi has been working in the Night Zoo with creatures epitomising what it means to be gloriously magical, and she's got a little something-something going on herself. When events occur which means she must leave the Night Zoo to find a Shetani - a murderous creature feared by many - Koffi meets Ekon. Ekon is also on the hunt for the Shetani so it makes perfect sense for this decorated hero to help Koffi on her mission, but perhaps for his own agenda.

The blurb wasn't enough to entice me into this book, but I picked it up on a whim because I was having Tomi Adeyemi withdrawal and this had all the vibes! I am so glad I did because it was completely compelling, filled to the brim with awesome creatures and the atmosphere was to die for.

My only real complaint was that I found the romance inevitable and it became a bit too much a bit too quickly - I prefer it to feel more authentic, with a gradual burn rather than immediately on fire and sappy. Nevertheless, I won't hesitate to pick up the sequel and I had a truly fantastic time living in the world Ayana Gray created.

This pan-African inspired fantasy fascinated me from the very beginning, and I struggled to put it down.

Koffi is an indentured beast keeper at the Night Zoo, who sets out to change her family’s fortune after discovering she has a mysterious power. Ekon is one step away from becoming a respected and revered Son of the Six, when a chance encounter changes both their fortunes forever.

I adored Koffi and Ekon, and found their adventure intriguing from the start. The way they accept each other and drive each other to be better was really refreshing to see, especially in YA literature.

I enjoyed the whole novel, and the ending left me eager to continue the series later this year.

An amazing fun story with great character and really wholesome vibes.
I love the magic and the setting makes it more original. There are some great twists and turns and just stunning world building