The Beasts We Bury by D.L. Taylor
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Audience: Young Adult — Genre: Fantasy — Sub-Genre: Dark High Romantasy
Length: Print: 362 pages | Audio: 11:36:00 — Dates Read: 06.11.25
Spice Level: ★ — Plot: ★ ★ ★ ★



🕊️ ➞ Top 5 Tropes:

Slow Burn — Friends to Lovers — Deadly FMC
Magic — Courtly Intrigue



🕊️ ➞ Synopsis:

Deceit and betrayal abound in this dark YA romantasy about an heir to the throne who can summon an army of animals and a thief who plans to manipulate her to pull off a once-in-a-lifetime heist.

Will he steal her heart or her chance at the throne?

Daughter and heir to the throne, Mancella Cliff yearns for a life without bloodshed. But as a child, she emerged from the Broken Citadel with the power to summon animals — only after killing them with her bare hands. Her magic is a constant reminder of the horrors her father, the ruler of the realm, has forced upon her to strengthen their power.

Silver is a charming thief struggling to survive in a world torn apart by Mancella’s father’s reign. When a mysterious benefactor recruits him for the heist of a lifetime, a chance to rob the castle, Silver relishes the opportunity for a real future—and revenge. But he’ll have to manipulate Mance and earn her trust to pull it off.

As the deception and carnage mount, Mance must find a way to save her realm without becoming the ruthless monster she’s been bred to be. And when Silver discovers that his actions are fueling the violence that Mance wants to prevent, he’ll have to choose between his ambition and the girl he’s falling for.



🕊️ ➞ Progress Notes & Initial Thoughts:

***Possible Spoilers below

33% // Chapter one with animal death broke me, and now Ch. 7 they’re discussing child death????

Side Note: This was me when I read about the cubs.



&&

This was me when I read the dinner scene and realized what the meat was.



God, I hated the king.



🕊️ ➞ My Thoughts:

***Possible Spoilers below

This book was a tough read for me since the basis of the FMC’s power was the murder of animals and enslaving their souls to hers.

When Mancella was eight, her father forced her and her older sister into a citadel in hopes they’d be gifted powers. Knowing full well that there was a high chance of them dying. Mancella emerged with magic, and her sister emerged with severe deformity.

Mancella learned quickly that she could control the spirit of any animal, but she had to kill them with her bare hands.



Enter Silver, an orphaned thief who infiltrated the castle after being promised a home for him and his friends. He began cozying up to Mancella and slowly began to realize she wasn’t as heartless as she came off to the general public. His employer, Guerre, had him get several items from Mancella under the guise of helping the uprising.

Mancella’s father began pushing her magic further and further until he suggested she attempt to kill a human and enslave their soul. He believed she could, since humans are technically classified as animals. I read that, and the gasp I gusped was ghastly.



My heart broke for her when she unwittingly did it in the final battle. Especially considering who that person was to her.


🕊️ ➞ Conclusion:

This one was a tough, tough read due to the extent of Mancella’s power. I spent a lot of this read sobbing; that being said, I do recommend it. I enjoyed the lore and worldbuilding of the story. The romance was okay, nothing to write home about. The plot focused more on Mancella discovering who she wanted to be, finding her inner strength, and overcoming her father and his oppression. The author’s goal with her metaphor of the situation and the sense of feeling incredibly trapped was: 1. Immensely successful, and 2. a beautiful, eloquent representation of inner turmoil and toxic family situations.

If you enjoy dark, ethereal worlds mixed with monarchies and heists, then you should run to the store. I will not be rereading… If you’ve read The Beasts We Bury, drop a comment with your thoughts!

xoxo,

L.B.


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