3.5 stars

BEASTS OF RUIN takes the series from a national threat toward a global one.

This is not a short book for YA but it's so pacy that you don't feel how long it is. There is a sort of magic school (though students teaching students as there's no teacher, just the evil headmaster figure!), a trek through inhospitable lands, and plenty of monsters! The various beasts range from creepy to deadly to intriguing - and I appreciated the author's note at the back explaining some of the inspirations behind them.

Koffi and Ekon spend effectively the entire book apart, Koffi trapped and Ekon trying to get to Koffi. Ekon's goal meant that the two felt somewhat connected and part of the same story, despite each other's actions not affecting the other (something I find crucial with multi-POV stories to engage with all POVs.) I was surprised to find, then, that I was engaged with both of them. Ekon and his trek across the country (not to mention Safiyah being so much fun!) was the one I was a little more eager for.

There is a third POV, in first rather than third person. This is Binti, Koffi's mother, and is set in the past. It shows her life as she grows up amidst increasing suspicion and discrimination against those with magic. It is pretty separate from the others', not revealing any information or adding layers of mystery. It shows the complicity of a society in enforcing segregation laws though.

I would have really appreciated if this book started with a "previously" summary. It's been two years since I read the last book and this entry takes several chapters to get the most pertinent information out (I don't think I would have got all the points without the blurb.) It meant it took a while for me to get into the story as I was struggling to remember what this book was building on.

I will probably read the final book - and attempt it much sooner than this one so I have a shot of remembering what happened.

Thank you for my earc!
Did I request this before I had finished book 1? Yes.
Do I regret it? No 😂
So well written and so engaging. I can’t wait for more from this author

What can I say, other than flippin fantastic, amazing, wonderful, fabulous I am running out of superlatives, can you tell I liked this. I mean wasn’t really in doubt, I was going to enjoy it when I loved Beasts of Prey so much, but I’m just blown away by this book. Something I didn’t love, that cliffhanger, what do you mean I have to wait, you can’t leave me like this, excuse me whilst I go cry into a corner. (Seriously read this and if you haven’t read Beasts Of Prey, what are you waiting for, you don’t know what your missing )

Multiple POVs done perfectly, Character growth, new characters, family history learnt and just a fantastic story, what more could you want

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

“We are all going to die someday. If my day is today, I’d rather die doing something interesting.”

This book did not fall in the second book syndrome slump AT ALL. The character development that Koffi and Ekon went through from book one was astonishing. I love how nothing felt rushed, and you can really see the author putting her heart and soul into these two becoming confident, powerful, and who they are truly meant to be.

I was a bit intimidated by the multiple POV’s and two time lines, but it was written clearly and the transitions were smooth. I also never felt like rushing to the next POV which was a first for me, I loved that. Ayana just hats off has a brilliant writing style.

Beasts of Ruin starts where it left of- Koffi saving the boy she loves, but now has to endure the punishment that comes with it. Serving the God of Death. Ekon now is on the run from the Brotherhood, eager to be reunited with Koffi. We follow these two’s journey from the past, and ultimately comes together in the present.

You will see Koffi in all her ‘splendor’ 😉finding her place among the darajas, which was an incredibly interesting magic system and I loved how the different orders and power manifestations were described. Ekon’s journey equally as interesting, as he travels South to find Koffi.

What I loved most about this book: Where this could have been solely a book about romance and these two main characters pining for each other and fighting against the world to find one another- I loved how the author placed emphasis on making them grow as individuals in the time where they are separated.

THE CLIFFHANGER OH MY SOUL. Brutal. Now the wait for the next book starts!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin YA Books for this ARC

After book one was such a hit, I knew I’d enjoy this second part of the story…but I’ll admit that it didn’t quite grab me as I’d hoped it would.
The book focuses on the separate experiences that Koffi and Ekon have. Koffi has been taken by the God of Death, and he is determined that he will learn of her special skill and use her to pursue his own interests. As she grows in strength is clear that her life is in danger.
Ekon, on the other hand, finds himself cast out from all he knows and having to depend on people he wouldn’t usually trust to help him.
The alternating experiences of the two characters kept the story ticking along nicely, though I did find it infuriating to have them separated for so long. There were some interesting additions to our cast this time round, and I felt a lot more time was given to the building up of the world of the story and explaining the background to events.
While this had something of the air of a ‘filler’, keeping us waiting for the real focus of the story, it would appear that both characters have a part to play in something very important, and that the pieces are now in place for a very interesting endgame.
Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the chance to read this prior to publication.

Wow Ayana has done it again but it’s even better!!! I adored BoP when I read it earlier this year and was so excited to find out I only had to wait a few months to read the sequel - and it didn’t disappoint!

Obviously we left BoP with Koffi getting flown off to god knows where and Ekon meeting Koffi’s grandmother - so I’ll admit that not having them together to bounce off each other was super sad, but it was nice to see them shine on their own and with different people. And a lot of these other characters were really interesting to get to know and I’m excited to see where their stories will go in book 3 too!

Koffi is just so cool and I want to be her when I grow up or yknow when I Benjamin Button back down to a teenager. And I felt quite proud of Ekon, he made so many silly decisions in the first book that I screamed at but he wasn’t as bad here! There were still a few moments but he’s young and he’s just focused on getting Koffi back so I can forgive him haha

I don’t want to talk about anything more as I’ll spoil the whole story for y’all so I’ll just continue screaming that this is amazing and you should go pick it up right now!!

This is a brilliant pan-African fantasy series. In Beasts of Ruin the author, Alana Gray, continues the story of Koffi and Ekon. I loved the first book in the series, and this is equally good. Deftly written YA fantasy with humour sprinkled throughout. This is a story that races forward as Koffi searches to control the ‘splendour’ and find a way home, and Ekon searches for Koffi. New adventures await on both, new friends are made, and family history will be revealed. I can’t wait to see where the story goes next. Thank you to Penguin Random House Children’s Uk and NetGalley for the ARC. The views expressed are all mine freely given.