Reviews with content warning for Classism - Beasts of Prey - La chasse continue

Not going to lie, this sequel was a disappointment. For some reason, I thought this series was a duology, but it's a trilogy at least, and this book quickly felt like a middle filler book and nothing at all like the first one.

The plot just moved so slowly, it took me forever to get through this book. I just kept getting bored with it, but I hate DNFing so I was determined to finish. And I do like the main characters and their development. But this book introduced SO MANY new characters, and a love square that did not feel necessary, and the urgency of the first book is talked about a lot but never felt (I remain confused as to why the main villain just kinda...disappears from the story, even though he is supposed to be right there and an ever-present threat). Certain things that happen to advance the plot don't always make sense with regards to the characters or the rules of magic that have been established (which honestly get a little murky with this book).

The world of the first book was so interesting to me, but this one didn't expand it at all, and by the end of the book, I felt like we were basically in the same spot as the beginning. Koffi and Ekon are fun and interesting characters—and the reason this gets two stars instead of one—but I'm not sure they'll be enough to get me to read the third book...

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Teen for my e-ARC.

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starrysteph's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional lighthearted mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Beasts of Ruin was a remarkable continuation to what is becoming one of my favorite young adult fantasy series.

We’re dropped right into the action here. Koffi is trapped by Fedu, the cunning & powerful god of death. Ekon is alone for the first time in his life, desperate to reunite with Koffi and continue their mission. And we’re introduced to a new POV in this book as well - continuing the trend of a third, slightly separate storyline (I loved it and found all 3 equally engaging).

Though we don’t get much interaction between Koffi and Ekon here (they spend most of the book very far apart), their character development continues and we witness them mature. We also get lots of wonderful new supporting characters … and potential love interests. :) And some familial bonds were explored further as well, especially regarding Koffi’s lineage.

We get several new settings in Beasts of Ruin, each as unique and creative and vivid as the jungle and zoo from Beasts of Prey. The storytelling is exquisite and the chapters were short & sweet, often ending on cliffhangers that made me desperate to keep on reading. Gray continues to utilize real-life references and a wide variety of mythology (definitely check out the author’s note at the end).

It did have a little bit of middle-book-lag, but overall this was a delightful read and I simply can’t wait for the next book.

CW: death, murder, grief, animal cruelty, animal death, classism, kidnapping, mental illness, slavery/servitude, toxic relationship

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isabellesbookroom's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

I liked this one more than the first book. What bothered me in the first book was the repetitive use of « in a matter of strides he closed the gap/space between them » and for the first 60% I don’t recall her using it in this book but after that point it was used quite a lot. I liked the cast of characters though and I did not see that twist coming at all! This story flows well and is very easy to read. I’m looking forward to her next book. ( Also all the CW/TW are VERY brief and mild)

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bookwormbullet's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

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