Beasts of Prey by Anaya Gray Review

 Title: Beasts of Prey 

Author: Anaya Gray 

Age Group: Teen/Young Adult 

Genre: Fantasy 

Series: Beasts of Prey, book one 

Star Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars 

I borrowed this book from my local library and reviewed it. 

TW: Gore, death off page, murder off page. If any of these things trigger you, I would suggest not reading this book; your mental health always matters!  

I was browsing at my local library, trying to recover from reading The Old Drift, and this book’s cover, adorned with a striking snake, jumped out at me. I decided to read this book first out of my library haul, and I did not regret it! A unique African fantasy full of magic, folklore, and monsters, I absolutely adored Beasts of Prey; it might be one of my favorite books I’ve read in 2022! With breakneck pacing, stunning worldbuilding, gods, monsters, and magic, this book took me to a brand-new world that didn’t let me go until long after the last page! I can’t wait for the sequel! 

Koffi has longed her whole life to escape the yoke of The Night Zoo, in which she and her mother work. When a tragic accident happens, burning the zoo to the ground, she flees, only to be brought back by force. She meets Ekon in the capital of Lloksa, a young scholar desperate to prove himself as a worthy member of the Sons of Six. Forming a reluctant alliance to capture a man-killing monster called The Shetani, Koffi and Ekon encounter dangerous monsters, mysterious magic, and legends made real. Will they live to see their alliance honored? Or will The Heart of the Jungle devour them whole in the process? 

I really, really enjoyed this book! I love fantasy novels, but this one had a distinctly Black African spin, and I adored it! The pacing was breakneck; at times it was a little confusing, the way the narrative went back and forth between Adiah, Koffi, and Ekon, but that’s just a minor quibble. I was immediately captivated by the plights of the different characters, especially Koffi! The jungle was just as much a character as the humans in this book; I loved the mythology surrounding it! This book has everything I love in a fantasy: strong, well-drawn characters, a gorgeous, dangerous setting, political intrigue, magic, monsters, and gods. I loved every moment of this book; I was absolutely enchanted. Despite the back and forth taking me a bit to get used to, this book is one of my favorites I’ve read in 2022! An absolutely stunning, unique work of art! The bottom line: Rich with magic, danger, and surprises, I loved Beasts of Prey!