The Beasts We Bury

November 18, 2024
Sixteen-year-old heir to the throne Mancella Cliff wields a terrible gift: she can control animal spirits, but only by killing them with her bare hands first. Her father, a ruthless ruler, believes Mancella is his greatest weapon; Mancella yearns only for peace. Meanwhile teenage Silver is intimately familiar with the cost of war. Following his parents’ deaths, he’s placed in an orphanage that turns its inhabitants into soldiers. Though Silver and his friends escape, they live hand-to-mouth, unable to find work without “the proper papers.” Offered a job by a mysterious man, Silver breaks into the palace to steal items of great importance to the throne to secure his future. There, he targets Mancella for help, believing her to be monstrous but malleable; Mancella agrees, thinking Silver an ally who can stop the current war brewing. Via the teens’ alternating perspectives, Silver discovers Mancella is more than her reputation implies, and Mancella learns that, with her power, she can become more than a pawn in her father’s schemes. Court intrigue and humorous banter propel Taylor’s whirlwind romantic fantasy debut. Characters cue as white. Ages 14–up. Agent: Catherine Cho, Paper Literary.

January 1, 2025
Tainted magic and a father's twisted nature unite an heir and a runaway. Like royals before her, Mancella entered the Broken Citadel at age 8 and emerged with the magic to summon animals--albeit at a fearsome price. Over the years since, she's endured the manipulations of her father, the Prime, hoping that her sacrifices as heir apparent can protect others. Silver, a young thief on the run from the Prime's draconian Academy, strikes a deal with a shadowy figure to secure a better future for himself. Disguised as a servant, he infiltrates the castle grounds with the goal of seducing and double-crossing Mancella. When her father's demands cross a line, Mancella is drawn to Silver and the rebellious plot he's a part of, causing both to vacillate between duty and lust. This gruesome book is not for the faint of heart, but those who can stomach Mancella's brutal acts of violence toward animals (which are balanced by depictions of the emotional toll of these acts) will find elements to relish. Though Silver's character development is not as robust as Mancella's, their romance still simmers. This debut's worldbuilding and lore are ambitiously sketched but ultimately let down by generic language and other missed opportunities for more robust development. The leads' alternating first-person narration highlights divisions between the social classes in this vaguely European historical setting. Main characters are cued white. A uniquely twisted if unevenly executed dark fantasy duology opener.(Fantasy. 14-18)

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January 1, 2025
Grades 8-10 When heir-to-the-throne Mancella Cliff completed the quest to receive magic, she was given the power to summon animals, but only if she killed them first. As she prepares for her ascension to the throne, she uncovers the ruthless ways her father has been ruling and wants to implement changes. Mancella crosses paths with Silver, a thief who has received a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity from a mysterious patron. Silver is set on stealing from the palace, but as he gets to know Mancella, his deception becomes harder to maintain. This is an action-packed fantasy with a hint of enemies-to-lovers romance, though the romance takes more of a backseat to the story with action, betrayal, and secrets taking center stage. Readers sensitive to animal violence should take note that Mancella's powers involve killing animals, and there is plenty of fighting and bloodshed. Albeit written to feel more modern than the classic fantasy setting it occupies, readers will be satisfied with the fast-paced, action-packed plot of this series starter.

COPYRIGHT(2025) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.