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

This book truly had me by the throat, such a lovely story with loveable characters, I need a second book please!!!

Fully lived up to the hype I think. I’d heard so much about this book before I even managed to request it on NetGalley so knew I needed to read it one way or another.
The world building was amazing, I felt like I was actually there and had built this world up in my imagination so much and the magic and mythology intertwined with it was amazing.
It gives you a good old creep factor along with well gelled characters and a new world of pan African mythology. Can’t wait for the next!

Omg wow this book is amazing it's full of twists and turns it will keep you up all night I really enjoyed this book

Beasts of Prey is the first installment in the story of Koffi and Ekon, 2 young people whose separate plan to kill the deadly, infamous creature known as the Shetani brings them together in the jungle going from the hunted to the hunter.

I really enjoyed the world building in Beasts of Prey, it’s colourful and imaginative and well thought through. There are a number of creatures in the jungle and in the night zoo that create a wonderful and intriguing visual, such as the elephant/snake beast known as the Grootslang, or Diko. I also really appreciated the added detail of Ekon, who still mourns and is still affected by the death of his father, having a coping mechanism, counting, to get him through stressful situations. The long term effects of trauma aren’t always properly given attention in characters.

Koffi is the most interesting and engaging character in the book and I enjoyed her parts of the book the most. Ekon who shares about as much of the content I struggled to connect with, his character is pretty closed off but there felt like a wall around him. Adiah’s chapters seem a bit disjointed in the story until the story develops, her character does have potential but I feel like she was possibly a little wasted.
There’s a romance in this book that also feels quite forced, I really feel we need to encourage more platonic relationships in books, not every boy and girl has to look at each other’s lips, especially following a moment of openness or vulnerability, and on this occasion there is just no chemistry between Ekon and Koffi.

I can’t say I personally cared about the characters enough to read the next installment, however that’s just my opinion, there is plenty in this story on offer for others.

Thank you NetGalley for the copy in exchange for an honest review.

Beasts of Prey is such a powerful YA High Fantasy book full of an intriguing magic system and characters that tackles some serious topics in such a smooth way that feels so relevant. It is a beautiful look at Pan-African Mythology and I really recommend it to anyone who loves YA.

Gray really knows her way around a plot twist and this book is full of them! An excellent debut novel that has definitely convinced me to pick up the next book in the series.

This feels like a magical ride at the theme park that starts slow, and meanders round some displays that you just will to get on with the exciting part then all of a sudden theres dips, twists, and turns at breakneck speed.
This book perfectly sets up the series

Magic doesn't exist in the city of Lkossa; Koffi is indentured to the night zoo in order to pay off her family's debts. However, the night zoo is threatened by it's cruel master and Koffi unleashes a power that she didn't know she had. Koffi must align herself with Ekon and form a tentative alliance in order to save what they hold dear.

This was a really enjoyable and read and I devoured it in one sitting. It was an enchanting magical adventure story that I am eagerly awaiting the next instalment for.

Thank you to Netgalley an the publisher for a copy of the novel in exchange for an honest review

Magic, creatures, jungle... what's not to like?

I had been so keen to read this book, its got everything I love in a YA fantasy and I wasn't disappointed.
I live for world building and this is rich and immersive. Gray creates stunning beasts, lush settings and beautiful mythology.

The plot is twisty and face paced but be warned you'll be left on a cliffhanger for book 2!
The main character has some strength and determination and although there is a sideline romance it doesn't take over the main focus of the book and the plot remains interesting enough without the need to rely on romantic angst or drama.

Key issue with the writing here for me was the POV chapters that repeat events. Admittedly this is a pet peeve of mine so this may not concern others but I think it's worth noting that you may find yourself going over the exact same even through different eyes or views but I found and always do find this repetitive and not always as insightful as I would hope.

This book is defiantly pitched at the correct audience (Young Adult) but equally enjoyable for lovers of fantasy with rich worlds and settings. I can't wait for the next in the series

Beasts of Prey has been my biggest surprise of 2022, let me tell you! I really, really struggled with this at first as I was reading it as an ebook. I found myself confused and not as engaged as I would've liked. Fantasty hasn't been a genre I've read a lot of recently so was thinking maybe that's why I was so disconnected. I then spotted it in Waterstones, picked up the physical copy, just like that, I was hooked! I found my pace within the novel and it took over. I was obsessed! It had me holding my breath, my heart hurt, my jaw dropped; edge of your seat stuff! It's a roller coaster of emotions! The story is beautiful. The characters have so much heart and, not only that but the strong, badass women, I'm here for it! The writing, descriptions, imagery, I wanted to be there (as dangerous as it all sounded!). The twists. Ugh. I honestly have so much love. My heart bursts for this book! Please read!

This is the first instalment in the Beasts of Prey series.

<i>"Once upon a time, another lifetime ago, she'd been someone else, a girl with hopes and dreams and loves and wants. She'd been a girl caught between her heart and her mind. In the end she'd chosen both, a scarier thing, but the braver thing."</i>

First five star read of 2022!

Koffi and her family, both blood and found, are indentured to the Night Zoo. Freedom is fast approaching and their debts are all but paid up when Koffi unwittingly unleashes a powerful magic that sees her emancipation recede into the distance. The only hope of saving herself and her family from years of slavery is to venture into the feared forests and hunt an even more feared beast that resides at the heart of it. She won't be trespassing there alone, however.

Ekon is all but destined to become a Son of the Six but his dreams have too been thwarted and now, desperate to return his former glorious position, he makes a deal with a girl he can't trust and leaves his brother, his home, and his role to hopefully soon return to them with the feared beast none can seem to conquer.

Two individuals with one shared goal, but what happens when both want to keep it for themselves? And just what will they be forced to confront, both inside the forest and themselves, along their adventures together?

The impeccable pacing of the story had me immediately immersed and easily borne along on the story's trajectory. There were no dead moments and the twisted narrative ensured I was hooked throughout. There were so many unforeseen elements contained inside of it that ranged from the borderline-terrifying to the deeply shocking to the tremendously heartbreaking.

I loved both Koffi and Ekon's perspectives equally and appreciated how they each illuminated a different insight to the kingdom they inhabited. It was endlessly intriguing to learn about this world from their differing positions. My immersion inside this fantastical construction was equal to my love for the story set inside of it and the two were consistently developed as the book continued. Flawless YA fantasy and its absolute finest!

Really rather too good for the YA market. This was subtle, both in its depiction of characters, and in its world-building. Originally attracted by the beautiful cover, I then put it a bit down my TBR pile, as I am too old and disillusioned for too much YA romance. However, Gray refreshingly gave us a book that was (very unusually for a YA book) heavier on plot than on the first-love trope, and when she finally gave the hormones some space, she handled the relationship with far more maturity and realism than one would normally find in YA literature. The characters were more credible and the romance more meaningful as a result, and I was genuinely pleased for Koffi and Ekon, rather than slightly nauseated.
The world-building was also excellent. Gray says in her postscript that she deliberately took elements from the pan-African mythos, and I think this was a good choice, as it allows her far more choice in the plot evolution, and also gives the story a more inclusive feel. It's also a great introduction to those readers who may not be familiar with any African mythology, and I have to say she does it in a far more accessible manner than Marlon James.
The pacing was good too; I found the introduction a little confusing, as the characters mentioned didn't come back into the narrative for the next two-thirds of the book, but it was worth waiting for and, once their relevance had become clear, it was actually quite a clever ploy. We need to hear more about the old lady in the marketplace, but - as I was distraught to find out at the end - this is not a standalone, but the start of a series, so I'm sure the author will remedy this, and give us a satisfactory ending. It's just the waiting that's difficult!
All in all, a mature and well-written book, and I will certainly have the sequel on my watchlist.

Thank you so much to Ayana Gray, Penguin, and Netgalley for the ARC of this book.

I tried to read this one, but it is DNF for me. I usally do not not finished, but I just couldn't.
It just wasn't one for me.
2.5 stars

A magical world building masterpiece filled with gods, monsters, love, betrayal, and everything that will hit you in all the right places.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

I've read a few fantasies based on African mythology over the last few years, but Gray's is one of the most interesting and different. The world-building was intriguing and I'm hoping we get to see more of it in the second book. Koffi and Ekon were identifiable protagonists and I enjoyed the relationship between them. I'll definitely be reading the second installment of this series.

I struggled with this book....and I'm sorry to say after giving it a good chance I decided it wasn't for me.
It didn't hold my grip and I had no desire to pick it back up - choosing to do nothing instead of reading it.
However I kept going, as I read it picks up pace and gets unputdownable....alas that point never came - life is too short waiting on a book to get to a maybe 3 or 4 star when there's books I will love from page one. Something has to really wow me to really 'get' YA fantasy these days and this was not it for me.

A thrilling fantasy debut that I struggled to put down. Ayana Gray has crafted such a rich world; it was a joy to read.

This book is nothing short of spectacular.
It sparks the reader’s imagination to life.

I have never read a prologue like the one in BoP. It was bewitching, and from that moment, I knew this would be a story that would hold me captive until the very last word and beyond.

The language is breathtaking. It conjures up such a magnificent world, a world steeped in vibrancy & grandeur. Beautifully rich in culture and history. An immersive landscape so alive you can almost feel the rough terrain underfoot and smell all the intoxicating scents that fill the air.
For me, the writing is as beautiful as the story itself.

I could gush about this book for the rest of my life (or until book two comes out). It is marvellous.
I adore the correlation between Koffi & Ekon and Adiah & Tao. Especially Koffi and Adiah. Centuries apart, but it is like they are the same person.

Koffi & Adiah are strong, independent young women following a predetermined path, one they are trying to escape and find their way, free from the shackles that bind them.
Ekon & Tao are the silent, book-smart friend. The sensible ones, using their heads and not their hearts. Logical, but strong in their way.
These are characters you love and walk with side by side as they make their perilous journey.

Honestly, I could go on and on, but if you are yet to discover this Mary Poppins of a book (practically perfect in every way), then I shall add a few more wonderous things that await you.

*Creatures and beasts equally terrifying as well as beautiful.
*Intricate & divine descriptions/imagery.
*Revelations that I knew/hoped would be revealed along with others that took me by surprise.
*The Night Zoo = Majestic.

And finally, a beautiful friendship that gradually builds, but not one that overpowers the story, yet still, your heart has hope for what is yet to come for Koffi & Ekon.

I wanted to mark this down, even if just by 0.5, for a scene involving certain eight-legged things, but I cannot do it. I love it too much.

Thank you, Ayana Gray, for my introduction to Pan-African Mythology and, of course, to @NetGalley & Penguin Random House, for the arc ebook in return for my honest review.

To be added to my Instagram asap xo