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BEASTS OF PREY

Ayana Gray

When a beast from the depths of an ancient jungle threatens their home, a headstrong beastkeeper and an aspiring warrior must ally to hunt it down - before they become the hunted.
Everyone knows the Night Zoo, the menagerie full of Eshözan's most fearsome and magical creatures. But few are familiar with its beastkeepers, the zoo's workers who risk life and limb to keep the animals safe - and to keep the visitors safe from the animals.

As the daughter of a beastkeeper, the Night Zoo is seventeen-year-old Koffi's whole world: its animals, its grounds, the temperamental moods of its greedy owner, Baaz. When Baaz threatens Koffi's friend, she loses her temper and control over her hidden fire magic - and the circus goes up in flames, Koffi's future and freedom burning down along with it.

Blamed for the incident, Koffi strikes a deal with Baaz: he will clear her now insurmountable debt, and in exchange she will capture the Shetani - a vicious demon-like creature that has been emerging from the city's surrounding jungle and killing its residents for years - and return him to the circus as its new lucrative star attraction. But if she wants to catch the most evasive and dangerous creature of all, she'll need help - and she might find it in the least likely of allies: Ekon, a wealthy and recently disgraced soldier whose only hope of rejoining the city's elite guard is performing a true act of valor. An act such as killing the demonic monster that has been terrorizing the city.

There within lies the problem: Ekon needs to hunt and kill the Shetani; Koffi needs to find and return it alive; and neither is telling the other the truth. Forging a tentative alliance, they team up and head into the forbidden jungle, where they'll have to find the Shetani fast... because out here, it's not just their future and freedom on the line - it's their lives. And the longer they search, the less clear it becomes whether they're hunting, or being hunted.

Ayana Gray (pronounced: eye · YAWN · uh) received degrees with honors distinction in both political science and African and African-American Studies at the University of Arkansas before traveling around the world to explore and write. Originally an Atlanta native, she now lives in sunny Florida where she writes fantastical stories, follows Formula One racing avidly, and champions African wildlife conservation. She can be found on Twitter (@AyanaGray), Instagram (ayanagray_), and at www.ayanagray.com.
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Book

Published 2021-09-28 by Putnam Books for Young Readers

Book

Published 2021-09-28 by Putnam Books for Young Readers

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UK announcement of BEASTS OF PREY in the Bookseller - PRH Children's snares 'electrifying' YA debut fantasy series by Ayana Gray ... Read more...

In this wildly original debut, Gray marries the lush imaginative wonder of African mythology with an action-packed tale of two teens on the opposite ends of fate, figuring out what's truly worth fighting for. Swoony, twisty, action-packed, Beasts of Prey is as epic as it is unforgettable.

GMA ran Ayana Gray's TikTok unboxing video, where she saw advanced copies of BEASTS OF PREY for the first time! Read more...

A propulsive mystery mixed with a moving coming-of-age tale and a touch of romance, Beasts of Prey asks: When we go into the jungle, who will we be when we come out?

Epic doesn't begin to encompass the jolting twists, sparkling mythos and magical quests that fill the pages of BEASTS OF PREY. This is the sort of read that's beyond transportive, it's downright transcending - a tale full of heart and magic, and sure to ensorcell readers body, bone and soul.

Rich in magic and mythos, Beasts of Prey is a feast for all the senses.

Tune into Ayana Gray's Beasts of Ruin playlist while you read! Read more...

Beasts of Prey is a delight. I rarely fall in love with characters as quickly as I did with Koffi and Ekon. Gray masterfully balances the wonder and uncertainty of youth with a deftly, fully imagined world that I was dying to learn more about.

The protagonists achieve a rich emotional depth complemented by the fast-paced action, and a light romantic element lends the plot additional support... imaginative debut.

GOOD MORNING AMERICA ran Ayana Gray's TikTok unboxing video on May 18th, and teased to her upcoming appearance in September! Read more...

With its memorable characters, and a lush, expansive world, Gray's debut is an action-packed adventure that will tug at hearts and keep teens glued to the page, yearning for more. Essential for all collections.

SISTERS FROM AARP, a newsletter geared toward Black women, included BEASTS OF PREY in a roundup of "Fiction Page-Turners So Irresistible You Shouldn't Read Them on a Work Night!" Read more...

Featuring content from Beasts of Prey and written in tandem with author Ayana Gray, the game brings players on Koffi and Ekon's journey to hunt down the Shetani. Read more...

This pan-African story, rife with betrayal and narrated through poetic language that evokes vivid imagery, will ensnare readers, keeping them engaged with its energetic pace. The beautiful blend of mythology, romance, and action ends with a hint at more to come. All characters are Black. A dazzling debut. Read more...

all three books: UK / ANZ: Penguin Random House UK ; French: De Saxus ; Greek: Fantastiko Kosmos ; Hungarian: Caraphilus ; Italian: Sperling ; Polish: Muza ; Portuguese (Brasil): Record ; Romanian: Bookzone ; Russian: Eksmo ; Spanish: Planeta

Ayana Gray's wonder-filled world of mythos and monsters and magic comes to life in the ensnaring, enchanting Greater Jungle. An unputdownable tale that unfolds in a maze of twists and turns, driven by the crackling wit of two protagonists on a quest to vanquish the beasts of their present and past.

Ayana Gray, author of Beasts of Prey and Beasts of Ruin, is taking over our newsletter this week to celebrate her new novel! Read more...

Gray's debut is a thrilling series opener with twists and turns that will delight.

Gray's pan-African fantasy is filled with monsters, mythos, and Black girl magic. Her characters are well developed, and the plot is filled with African lore, expanded upon in an extensive author's note. Fans of Forna's The Gilded Ones and Ifueko's Raybearer will enjoy this engrossing debut novel.

Book Announcement: Ayana Gray's new YA book trilogy combines 'monsters, mythos, and #BlackGirlMagic' The hunt for your next YA fantasy book trilogy obsession has ended. EW can exclusively announce that Putnam Books for Young Readers has acquired Ayana Gray's Beasts of Prey trilogy, about two Black teenagers who go on an adventure to hunt the ancient creature attacking their home. It's set for publication in spring 2022. ... Read more...

Select accolades: New York Times bestselling series Indie Bestselling series A 2021 Kirkus Best Book A 2021 New York Public Library Best Book Pick A 2021 Chicago Public Library Best Book Pick A 2021 Tor.com Young Adult Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror Best Book Pick A 2021 Parade Best YA Book Pick A 2021 Black Caucus American Library Association Best of the Best Booklist Pick An Apple Best Book of the Month Pick October 2021 An Amazon Best Book of the Month October 2021

Step into the lush, magical jungles of your new young-adult fantasy obsession... Much more than just your standard hero's journey, Beasts of Prey is a story of courage, friendship, and community that's as inspiring as it is exciting.

The hunt for your next YA fantasy book trilogy obsession has ended.

article - as part of the Kirkus Reviews BEASTS OF PREY Sponsorship Read more...

OprahMag.com has exclusively revealed the cover image and first excerpt for Ayana Gray's highly-anticipated debut novel BEASTS OF PREY! In the article, they speak with Ayana about her inspiration for the book, and call her language "rich and powerful". Read more...

Book Club Guide - as part of the Kirkus Reviews BEASTS OF PREY Sponsorship Read more...