A review by starrysteph
Beasts of War by Ayana Gray

adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.5

I can’t believe that the epic Beasts of Prey trilogy has come to an end. I’ll really miss my time with Koffi and Ekon.

We jump in right where Beasts of Ruin left off, and are treated to a whirlwind of an adventure filled with more often-terrifying mythological creatures, awe-inspiring gods, and our very stressed heroes. 

I loved experiencing so many different settings, from big cities to turbulent rivers to sprawling plains. The book was split into segments and the action never stopped. I read Beasts of War in close-to-one sitting, which is saying something considering that this is a 440 page book! I just kept thinking maybe one more chapter … 

The descriptions of the gods and creatures were excellent. I especially adored how much our characters think about protecting life (human and animal) and acting ethically & with care.

Koffi and Ekon have both had MASSIVE arcs, and here we saw them start to more solidly settle into their identities and strengths. There’s a great cast of supporting characters, too.

The ending happened a little too quickly and a little too neatly, but the epilogue did make me grin from ear to ear. 

CW: death (parent/child), violence, panic attacks, confinement, mental illness, terminal illness, grief, fire, abandonment, war, drug abuse

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(I received a free copy of this book; this is my honest review.)