This Savage Song

So much suspense building....then it let me down. disappointing ending to a good start of a book. the girl was too bitchy and the boy to sad. Plus we hardly got to know the bad guy. He had like 4 pages in all, out of the whole book.

I have heard so much about Victoria’s Schwab’s work, especially her SHADES OF MAGIC series, so I was immediately interested in THIS SAVAGE SONG, her upcoming release. I was expecting complex characters and a thrilling plot, and although I was correct, I felt like this novel just lacked something that prevented me from really loving this book.

THIS SAVAGE SONG follows Kate and August, two characters from two completely different backgrounds, in a city divided between monsters and humans. Although this concept was incredibly interesting, I found that it lagged in several spots, which made it difficult to get through at times.

The characters were my favorite part of this novel. Both Kate and August had to make difficult decisions and it was so interesting to see how they developed throughout the novel from their individual lives to when they meet each other, which shaped them into complex and intriguing characters. However, when Kate and August first meet, I felt like Kate’s incredibly advanced detective work seemed to be far-fetched—the time she took to figure out that August was a monster would literally put Sherlock (or Charlotte!) Holmes to shame.

I don’t know, man, I’m the black sheep when it comes to this book. Don’t get me wrong, this book is clearly a novel that lots of readers will love and enjoy, but the pacing and dual POVs in this book weren’t for me. Overall, this novel is definitely one to check out because of its creative concept and complex characters (check out that alliteration!), but not one to expect something exceptionally fantastic.

4.7

With darkness in every corner, how do you fight your demons?

This Savage Song is a brilliant, creatively dark and deceptive book filled with dancing shadows and thrilling darkness. I breezed through this book and already I can't wait for the next one! Monsters that are actually bred from violence? Count me in! This is a dark and thrilling adventure, and I loved every minute of it!

The writing really made this book work for me. I was easily dragged in and I didn't want out. I flipped through pages easily and devoured the story as quickly as I could. My favourite part however, had to be the whole monster aspect. Violence breeds monsters; Actual monsters. You have Corsai, Malchai, and Sunai, all dangerous and dark and deadly. They are all horrifying in their greed and power and strength, but we also get to see a better side of the Sunai via August Flynn, and I really enjoyed that.

Being one of the most deadly monsters in the city, August should be cold, dark, and unforgiving like every other monster in Verity City, but instead he fights to be human, to act and feel like them, look like them. This is what eventually changes Kate's views on monsters, and what helps her character develop the way it does. It's a brilliant transformation, and it was very enjoyable to read, especially their interactions!

This book also has a dystopian feel to it. I didn't expect that, but it explained why the city was divided into two (Flynn's side and Harker's side; North and South) and the destruction and violence that occurs, and why they can't leave, why it's only their city being affected. The destruction of Flynn's side and utopia feel of Harker's side really let us delve into their characters a bit more, to understand why things happened how they did. Suffice it to say, Harker made my skin go cold. He was cruel, malicious, but almost seemed like a hero for letting people pay for his protection! He's a master liar and manipulator, and his darkness chilled me, but also made me enjoy this story a whole lot more. I loved every minute we got with destruction and horror, which is pretty much the entire novel.

Unfortunately, while you can connect with the characters in a way that you can understand their choices, feelings, and actions, you don't empathize or care. You see the destruction and horror and know you should feel something, but you can only watch it happen without the empathetic connection. It's a great read, and I couldn't put it down, but it wasn't because my heart was racing in fear for the characters, or aching to know what happens to them. It was because the world and the monstrous aspects and just the plot of it all held me captive while the writing hooked me, and I wanted more of that. That doesn't mean the characters are bad, because they aren't. They are brilliant and I loved them all, their strength and bravery, their struggles and confessions, the bad things they had to do... I just couldn't form that one connection that would've made this book a five-star read.

Overall, This Savage Song is a thrilling, mysterious and dangerous adventure that gave me chills and made my dark little heart smile. No one is safe, and hardly anyone is who they seems to be. I loved the writing, the world, and the plot. This is a book I would definitely recommend!

I'm struggling with how to describe This Savage Song. It was so good, just so darn good--how can I convey just how good it was?

This dark, urban fantasy takes place sometime in the future, in a world where monsters now exist. The location, Verity City, is split between two factions: one ruled by Harker and his tame monsters, and the other governed by Flynn and his task force. The children of these two, August Flynn and Kate Harker, become schoolmates, enemies and then allies as they try to prevent another war between the two factions.

Don't think this is some sort of Romeo and Juliet love story. It's not. There is no romance: just a lot of action, violence, strong emotion and darn fine story telling.

Schwab had me hooked from the beginning, and I became more and more involved as the story went along. She drops the reader straight into this world, and the reader spends several pages picking up clues and arranging them to discover just what sort of world this is, where the monsters come from, and how our two protagonists fit. It was fantastically well done, actively involving the reader right from the start.

The prose is as good as the plot, with some nicely turned phrases such as "The thoughts fell like dominoes inside his head, one knocking into the next into the next into the--" I also found the character development to be impressive; the characters grew into complex personalities as the book progressed.

I know that this is a book I'll be raving about all year; I high recommend it.

The hype surrounding Victoria Schwab's novels is HUGE. Everyone on my Twitter feed appears to love her works and worships the ground upon which she walks. Maybe that's why I'm constantly feeling a little underwhelmed by her novels? I'm not sure.

Last year I read A Darker Shade of Magic and was massively disappointed. The characters felt like cardboard cutouts and the world-building was very much lacking. By the end of the story, I felt myself wondering, "so what?" Now, I did listen to the audiobook and the author herself was not pleased by the audiobook narrators. And many people have said the second book is much better... but it would take A LOT of convincing to get me to continue a series that I'm not in love with.

I do, however, believe in second chances. This is where This Savage Song comes in. A story concerning two kids, August Flynn and Kate Harker, who are on opposite sides of the war but come together to try to keep their city from falling apart. There's music, there's monsters... what's not to appreciate?

I did come to really like August and Kate as characters. August is a monster. And he struggles against his baser nature in order to hold on to some semblance of humanity. Kate had a good life, once. Before her father stepped back into her life and her mother was taken from her. To cope and in an attempt to impress her father, she pretends to be unemotional and cruel. They both suffer such angst but despite that, and despite their positions on opposite ends of the war, they form an unlikely friendship. (And thank the heavens that doesn't result in some kind of cheesy romance.)

As much as I liked the characters, however, I feel like This Savage Song suffered from the same lack of world-building that A Darker Shade of Magic did. For a good portion of this novel, I was confused by what was going on in Verity. And even at the end of the novel, I was somewhat confused about how Verity fit into the larger world. There's not a lot of explanation here and I really wanted to get it.

I also felt like the plot was a little bit cookie cutter. I definitely feel as though I've read something similar before and I wanted Schwab to just dig a little deeper and surprise me. I'm hoping she will when I read the sequel Our Dark Duet.

All in all, I'd give This Savage Song a solid three stars. Nothing to write home about but I really did like the characters.

Rating: 5/5

Genre: YA Fantasy

Recommended Age: 16+ (violence, gore, trigger warnings for those who have been victims of mass shootings. Please protect yourself before reading if you are triggered.)

Pages: 464

Author Website

the store Link

Synopsis: Kate Harker and August Flynn are the heirs to a divided city—a city where the violence has begun to breed actual monsters. All Kate wants is to be as ruthless as her father, who lets the monsters roam free and makes the humans pay for his protection. All August wants is to be human, as good-hearted as his own father, to play a bigger role in protecting the innocent—but he’s one of the monsters. One who can steal a soul with a simple strain of music. When the chance arises to keep an eye on Kate, who’s just been kicked out of her sixth boarding school and returned home, August jumps at it. But Kate discovers August’s secret, and after a failed assassination attempt the pair must flee for their lives. In This Savage Song, Victoria Schwab creates a gritty, seething metropolis, one worthy of being compared to Gotham and to the four versions of London in her critically acclaimed fantasy for adults, A Darker Shade of Magic. Her heroes will face monsters intent on destroying them from every side—including the monsters within.

I will admit that I love Romeo and Juliet. It’s always been my weak spot and I enjoy reading spin-offs of the story. One of my favorites is now This Savage Song. While not directly a Romeo and Juliet retelling, you can tell there are many borrowed references. The book, however, is nothing short of unique and wonderful in its own right. The character development is marvelous and the world building is as well. The plot kept me intrigued throughout the book and the pacing was marvelous for the book. And the best thing about this book is how the monsters are incorporated and created and how music is incorporated as well.

However, I just wish that this book had went more into the other cities and countries around Verity, but it looks like book 2 will do that so I’m excited! Definitely a must read for me!

Verdict: I just want to talk more about this book, but it’s something you should experience blind. Go into it. Don’t read anymore reviews. Experience it, feel it, and enjoy.

This Savage Song is a dark urban fantasy duology following a two young people who have to choose to become heroes or villains, friends or enemies, for their world at stake. Kate Harker and August Flynn are children of rules of both halves of the divided city. A city at war in a time where violence creates literal monsters. Kate is trying to be as ruthless as her father who lets monsters roam to feed on those who don’t pay for his protection. August ‘s father is on the other side protecting the innocent and he wants to play a bigger part. He wants to be normal. To be human. But he is one of the monsters, a Sunai who can steal your soul. When a chance comes up for August to play a larger role and go undercover at Kates new school he is ready to help keep an eye on the Harkers. Until Kate is a smart cookie and figures things out, but not before someone tries to kill them making them flee together. Neither knows the whole truth or who to trust.

This is only my second Schwab book but I do enjoy her writing. She has such a beauty to her writing and the words just flow I did enjoy this one via audiobook which made the almost lyrical aspect even more depth. Music plays a very big part in the book as that is how Sunai use their power, stealing souls. I enjoyed learning about the three different types of monsters the world has created with acts of violence. The Corsai, mindless full of tooth and claw; the Malchai, vampire like, sharp and sly; and the Sunai who are most rare and most human who steal dark souls to survive. This concept alone, three types of monsters born of violence; that is enough to fill many books. Add in a city at war and you have yourself a show stopper.

I liked going back and forth from Kate to August. I liked how we could get to know each of our leads in their own environment. Who they are as individuals and then how they interact with others of opposing views/incentives. Kate is forced to reevaluate her views on monsters when she meets one who is more human than most humans she knows. August is learning many new things in this world seeing how distorted the view can be from one side. I liked the interaction between the two and how it had ups and downs throughout. I enjoyed the push and pull of things and how trust was not instantly given but earned. The whole idea of what is right or wrong really hits you.

I can’t really discuss much of the plot or I feel I would give away too much. I went into this story mostly blind. Just that it had music involved and it was about monsters. The writing was so beautiful and made so many amazing quotes like the following:

“The beautiful thing about books was that anyone could open them.”

“It doesn’t matter if you’re monster or human. Living hurts.”

“It was a cycle of whimpers and bangs, gruesome beginning and bloody ends.”

“I’d rather be able to see the truth than live a lie.”

These were just a couple that spoke to me. The character development really made you feel for the characters both good and bad. It had real depth to it. Considering this is a rather short book compared to some and it packed a punch. It had plenty of suspense, drama, and action going on. Monsters are in the world after all and who knows where you might run into them. Plus the different political sides of things with how Harker and Flynn choose to run their sides of the city in such drastic ways and what it means for the people. This is the type of world that has so much potential I am curious to know what will happen next.

Wow! I really liked the Darker Shade of Magic series, and Victoria Schwab did it again with This Savage Song. Actually she did it better. I loved this. This book had me hooked from page 1 and did not let up at all.

The city of Verity was destroyed by war and is split into North and South. The north is controlled by Callum Harker. His citizens pay him to keep them safe from the monsters (Malchai, who drink blood and Corsai who eat their victims) The south is run by Henry Flynn who is far more nicer than Harker and just wants to keep his citizens safe.

The book centers around their children Kate Harker and August Flynn. Kate wants to be with her father and make her father proud, so she has gotten herself kick out of all the boarding schools she has been sent to so she can finally be sent home. August wants to make his father proud and help keep the treaty separating the two cities in tact. Oh yeah and August is also a monster, but he is a Sunai. Sunai do not kill just for the heck of it. They only kill those who have committed crimes. And their method is awesome. They use music and steal their souls.

When Flynn finds out that Kate is back in the North and going to school there, he arranges for August to also enroll in the school to keep an eye on Kate in case they need to use her as leverage if the treaty breaks. And then after a series of attacks Kate and August are forced on the run together.

I loved both Kate and August. I loved their interactions together. Even when things were tense, they still had some dialog that made me chuckle. I also liked the 3 different type of monsters that Victoria created.

Like I said I loved this whole book. There was never a dull moment. And as the book went on the tension and action really picked up and I couldn't read it fast enough.

Rating: 5/5

Genre: YA Fantasy

Recommended Age: 16+ (violence, gore, trigger warnings for those who have been victims of mass shootings. Please protect yourself before reading if you are triggered.)

Pages: 464

Author Website

the store Link

Synopsis: Kate Harker and August Flynn are the heirs to a divided city—a city where the violence has begun to breed actual monsters. All Kate wants is to be as ruthless as her father, who lets the monsters roam free and makes the humans pay for his protection. All August wants is to be human, as good-hearted as his own father, to play a bigger role in protecting the innocent—but he’s one of the monsters. One who can steal a soul with a simple strain of music. When the chance arises to keep an eye on Kate, who’s just been kicked out of her sixth boarding school and returned home, August jumps at it. But Kate discovers August’s secret, and after a failed assassination attempt the pair must flee for their lives. In This Savage Song, Victoria Schwab creates a gritty, seething metropolis, one worthy of being compared to Gotham and to the four versions of London in her critically acclaimed fantasy for adults, A Darker Shade of Magic. Her heroes will face monsters intent on destroying them from every side—including the monsters within.

I will admit that I love Romeo and Juliet. It’s always been my weak spot and I enjoy reading spin-offs of the story. One of my favorites is now This Savage Song. While not directly a Romeo and Juliet retelling, you can tell there are many borrowed references. The book, however, is nothing short of unique and wonderful in its own right. The character development is marvelous and the world building is as well. The plot kept me intrigued throughout the book and the pacing was marvelous for the book. And the best thing about this book is how the monsters are incorporated and created and how music is incorporated as well.

However, I just wish that this book had went more into the other cities and countries around Verity, but it looks like book 2 will do that so I’m excited! Definitely a must read for me!

Verdict: I just want to talk more about this book, but it’s something you should experience blind. Go into it. Don’t read anymore reviews. Experience it, feel it, and enjoy.

This Savage Song is a dark urban fantasy duology following a two young people who have to choose to become heroes or villains, friends or enemies, for their world at stake. Kate Harker and August Flynn are children of rules of both halves of the divided city. A city at war in a time where violence creates literal monsters. Kate is trying to be as ruthless as her father who lets monsters roam to feed on those who don’t pay for his protection. August ‘s father is on the other side protecting the innocent and he wants to play a bigger part. He wants to be normal. To be human. But he is one of the monsters, a Sunai who can steal your soul. When a chance comes up for August to play a larger role and go undercover at Kates new school he is ready to help keep an eye on the Harkers. Until Kate is a smart cookie and figures things out, but not before someone tries to kill them making them flee together. Neither knows the whole truth or who to trust.

This is only my second Schwab book but I do enjoy her writing. She has such a beauty to her writing and the words just flow I did enjoy this one via audiobook which made the almost lyrical aspect even more depth. Music plays a very big part in the book as that is how Sunai use their power, stealing souls. I enjoyed learning about the three different types of monsters the world has created with acts of violence. The Corsai, mindless full of tooth and claw; the Malchai, vampire like, sharp and sly; and the Sunai who are most rare and most human who steal dark souls to survive. This concept alone, three types of monsters born of violence; that is enough to fill many books. Add in a city at war and you have yourself a show stopper.

I liked going back and forth from Kate to August. I liked how we could get to know each of our leads in their own environment. Who they are as individuals and then how they interact with others of opposing views/incentives. Kate is forced to reevaluate her views on monsters when she meets one who is more human than most humans she knows. August is learning many new things in this world seeing how distorted the view can be from one side. I liked the interaction between the two and how it had ups and downs throughout. I enjoyed the push and pull of things and how trust was not instantly given but earned. The whole idea of what is right or wrong really hits you.

I can’t really discuss much of the plot or I feel I would give away too much. I went into this story mostly blind. Just that it had music involved and it was about monsters. The writing was so beautiful and made so many amazing quotes like the following:

“The beautiful thing about books was that anyone could open them.”

“It doesn’t matter if you’re monster or human. Living hurts.”

“It was a cycle of whimpers and bangs, gruesome beginning and bloody ends.”

“I’d rather be able to see the truth than live a lie.”

These were just a couple that spoke to me. The character development really made you feel for the characters both good and bad. It had real depth to it. Considering this is a rather short book compared to some and it packed a punch. It had plenty of suspense, drama, and action going on. Monsters are in the world after all and who knows where you might run into them. Plus the different political sides of things with how Harker and Flynn choose to run their sides of the city in such drastic ways and what it means for the people. This is the type of world that has so much potential I am curious to know what will happen next.

Wow! I really liked the Darker Shade of Magic series, and Victoria Schwab did it again with This Savage Song. Actually she did it better. I loved this. This book had me hooked from page 1 and did not let up at all.

The city of Verity was destroyed by war and is split into North and South. The north is controlled by Callum Harker. His citizens pay him to keep them safe from the monsters (Malchai, who drink blood and Corsai who eat their victims) The south is run by Henry Flynn who is far more nicer than Harker and just wants to keep his citizens safe.

The book centers around their children Kate Harker and August Flynn. Kate wants to be with her father and make her father proud, so she has gotten herself kick out of all the boarding schools she has been sent to so she can finally be sent home. August wants to make his father proud and help keep the treaty separating the two cities in tact. Oh yeah and August is also a monster, but he is a Sunai. Sunai do not kill just for the heck of it. They only kill those who have committed crimes. And their method is awesome. They use music and steal their souls.

When Flynn finds out that Kate is back in the North and going to school there, he arranges for August to also enroll in the school to keep an eye on Kate in case they need to use her as leverage if the treaty breaks. And then after a series of attacks Kate and August are forced on the run together.

I loved both Kate and August. I loved their interactions together. Even when things were tense, they still had some dialog that made me chuckle. I also liked the 3 different type of monsters that Victoria created.

Like I said I loved this whole book. There was never a dull moment. And as the book went on the tension and action really picked up and I couldn't read it fast enough.

Book: This Savage Song
Author: Victoria Schwab
Rating: 2 Out of 5 Stars

I loved this setting...A world where monsters roamed few and two cities at odds with each other. The song that described each of the monsters was simply stunning and I was just in love with the world. Sadly, the unique world of this book was not enough to save it. I was simply bored by the characters and only found myself interested when we got to see the world being built. It was just simply dull.

Kate is one of our main characters. She is your typical young adult lead. She is supposed to be a strong and will do anything to get what she wants, even if it means burning down her old school's chapel. She wants more than anything to return home. However, she is not a nice girl and seems to prefer to bully her way to the top. There is a fine line between being a strong, role model like character and an insurgent jerk. Kate does cross that line and I just didn't care for her attitude. She is just a bad character with no sense of inner strength. Inner strength is what I'm looking for in my characters.

August is supposed to be our male lead and he's a monster. Well, he is supposed to be the one who readers are supposed to fall in love with. I thought he was kind of boring. He's the tortured soul type, but we just don't get any emotional vibes off him. Hearing him whine about how messed up his life is did get old after four hundred pages.

I think the major downfall with the characters and the story was there was no emotion. This book has a lot of character, but it just doesn't come across well on the page. Victoria is a very good writer, but she is just lacking that emotion that makes for a good story. Everything was just too dry and cookie cutter and that is just not what I'm looking for.

I really did like the beginning of this one, but it just did not hold my attention for the entire story. It's kind of like Snow Like Ashes for me. Some of the book was good and other parts were just a struggle.

Oh, well, off to the next one.

Disclaimer: My two star rating probably has more to do with my personal taste than the story itself. I was expecting a fun, charming adventure book, such as A Darker Shade of Magic. This story is not fun. It is very dark and bleak. I still believe Ms. Schwab is a wonderful author and will gladly read other titles by her. This one just wasn't my cup of tea.

THE GOOD:
- August, one of the two main characters, is a very charming, sympathetic character. I found myself genuinely caring for him.
- The story is very creative! Monsters born out of tragedy is a new idea.
- I liked how the book was constructed and how all the pieces wove together.

THE BAD:
- Kate, the other main character, is a terrible person that I did not care about at all. Every time she was in mortal peril, I found myself wishing the monsters would finish her off already.
- MILD SPOILER-
I did not know how to feel about how August was "born"- it seemed incredibly morbid and upsetting, especially the repeated lines about how he always hears gunshots (which I assumed had to do with the event that caused him... although I could be wrong about that.)

Again, not my cup of tea, but other readers may love it!

*I read this as an ARC during #ARCAugust (2017) and reviewed it then. This is my first Schwab book. As always, this is my honest opinion.

You know how sometimes, you avoid certain authors because they’re so highly praised you don’t think they’ll live up to that expectation and then you’re the black sheep? Victoria Schwab is one of those authors for me.

This Savage Song is one of those books that I don’t know how to review. It’s such a fun and wild ride and I devoured it in three sittings (and only because life got in the way). It’s all kinds of strange and dark and kind of creepy, but also classic YA teen savior.

It’s beautiful.

I loved Kate from the beginning. She’s a girl with something to prove and isn’t afraid of doing what it takes, even if that thing is not exactly good. And, I adored August. His desire to be something other than he is, was done so well, and you sympathize with him. The banter between the two, the slow process of realizing they need each other was well done and enjoyable.

I think my favorite thing about this book was its atmosphere. I was so immersed in the story and could see it so vividly in my mind. The plot starts off slow, but then kicks off and it’s nonstop.

Reading this book…I was hooked. I had to know what was going to happen. My fingers are itching for the next book. It’s enjoyable, the characters are fully fleshed and developed, the secondary characters are endeering, and the story is something special. It’s dark and heavy, but it’s also light and fun at times. It’s a perfect blend of both worlds into something truly special.

To say I was enthused for Victoria Schwab’s new YA novel is an understatement. I’ve only read A Darker Shade of Magic and own but still have to read The Archived and The Unbound, but I know she has unique storylines.

When it comes to fantasy, world building is a priority for me. This Savage Song’s world building is phenomenal. The United States has broken up into territories; our story takes place in Verity. This territory is further divided by a power struggle between Calum Harker, who rules the northern half with a mafia-style mentality, and Henry Flynn, who polices the south. The only thing these two sides of Verity have in common is the monsters. There are three types “bred” from horrifying origins, and they’re each described with enough disturbingly creepy detail. It’s these creative ideas that reaffirm why fantasy is still my favorite genre.

Our two main characters are Kate, Calum’s daughter, and August, Henry’s adopted son. When we first meet Kate, she’s doing some shocking things to get back home. She’s constantly trying to prove she’s worthy of the Harker name. She’s vicious, mean, and yes, unlikable. But unlikable characters don’t bother me, and I found her fascinating because there’s more to her than she lets on. August is a monster who wants to be human. He’s conflicted and a little brooding (for obvious reasons), yet he’s fond of his adopted family and adept at music for reasons he loathes. When they met, I was on the edge of my seat quickly flipping through the pages.

The pacing was incredible. I felt like I was given spoonfuls of information and things to think about to get me to read faster. It brought up questions like, “What makes someone a monster? What makes someone human?” The writing is gorgeous. Ms. Schwab makes even the most gruesome of scenes poetic, and those gruesome scenes happen often. Everything was tied together in a bow that is then shredded apart by the end of the book. Overall, it’s gritty and violent and dark, and I really do love my dark storylines.

The reason I was so excited for This Savage Song was the lack of romance. A male and female character who meet and don’t fall in love? Yes! Give me more books like this, please. I think if Kate and August had fallen in love, it would have taken away from the plot, and there’s a lot that had to be covered. Which leads me to my critique.

I was disappointed that the book took the safe route on certain things. I was loving what I was reading, but there’s a twist that’s not very strong–in fact, it was quite predictable. I wanted more from the crisis and the twist. The ending leaves you with some questions, but there’s a second book to look out for, after all. It’s going to be a very long wait for that next book.

This is a heady fantasy penned by a talented storyteller. If you’re looking for something a little creepy and very creative, try THIS SAVAGE SONG.

**I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.**

**MILD SPOILERS**

I totally loved this book! The idea of the different monsters were really cool. I'm not sure I understand all of it but this is what I understood about the monsters:

1. Malchai - Drink blood but are not vampires. Formed/Form from murders.
2. Corsai - Feed on flesh and bone. Formed/form from violent acts
3. Sunai - Feed on sinner souls (killers etc.). Formed/form from major catastrophes (bombs etc.).

Kate Harker is the daughter of Callum Harker. He controls some of the monsters and he's pretty evil. An event in his life sent him right over the edge. Or maybe he was already on that edge. Kate tries to be evil like her father. She does some some evil things but she's really good deep down inside.

August Flynn is a sunai and his father (that took him in) is Henry Flynn. He is a good guy trying to keep the bad monsters and people at bay. And trying to keep a peace treaty among said monsters. August also has a brother Leo and sister Ilsa that live with Henry.

I loved both characters of August and Kate. August is a sweet person that doesn't want to be a monster, but to me he is a good kind of monster. Taking the souls of those that do horrible things isn't so bad.

Kate is just a bad @ss and gets stuff done. And contrary to what she ever thought, she becomes a monsters friend instead of his enemy.

Together August and Kate have to fight some enemies that are trying to cause a war. People and things die, things are reborn.

I thought it was a really cool concept in this new world. I enjoyed learning about the monsters. The story line was awesome and that ending! What is coming next? I need to know!

Overall the book was awesome, but that's my opinion =) Enjoy

(Review taken from bookish blog Literary Weaponry)

“It was a cruel trick of the universe, thought August, that he only felt human after doing something monstrous.”

Let me just start off by saying that I love Schwab. Her Darker Shade of Magic books are some of the most amazing things I have ever had the privilege of reading. So, you can imagine, that when I decided to pick up This Savage Song as an audio book that I was expecting the same pull that I had found from her before. In this case, I didn’t. I wanted to point out that while the story didn’t exactly tick my boxes, it was still very easy to recognize it as a good story.

We had a strong female lead, a diverse and vast cast of characters that were well developed, and a story that flowed easily from one point to the next. For me it just lacked something. There wasn’t that zing I was hoping for, you know? So, while it was a good book by all of the tick box points, it wasn’t as engaging as I had hoped and it won’t be making my re-read list.

About: This Savage Song is a young adult fantasy written by Victoria Schwab. It was published on 7/5/16 by Greenwillow Books, an imprint of Harper Collins, 464 pages. The genres are young adult, fiction, and fantasy. This book belongs in a series of two books called Monsters of Verity: book 1 is called This Savage Song and book 2 is called Our Dark Duet.

My Experience: I started reading This Savage Song on 5/24/17 and finished it on 5/27/17. This book is a great read! I enjoyed the world building, the characters, and the plot. It’s unlike any other books I have read. The start of the book is strong and it keeps my interest going. I like following both main character’s point of views, especially when their point of views are flipped often and they wonder what each other is thinking and trying to read the other’s facial expressions. I like when they hold onto their self control so they can appear normal when they are afraid inside.

“Panic served no purpose. It clouded your head, led to fatal mistakes.” 55%

In this book, readers will follow the point of views of Katherine (Kate) Olivia Harker as she intentionally burn down a church at the boarding school she attends, her sixth school in 5 years. She’s the daughter of Callum Harker, a human as ruthless as monsters who extorted and instilled fear into people for protection and monsters as pets/weapons. Kate wants to be her father’s daughter. She takes actions to show how she’s her father’s daughter but sometimes feels lost within herself. Another point of view is August Flynn, the youngest son of Henry Flynn who wants to be human. He wants to help his family in the Flynn Task Force, but he’s one of the rare monster that help protect the city. He’s a sweetheart and afraid at the sight of blood. He’s even less of a monster than Kate. Both live in Verity where 6 years ago, there was a war that divided Verity into North and South. North is currently controlled by Callum Harker and the South is protected by Henry Flynn or the Flynn Task Force. The city is separated by a truce, but the south thinks the north wants to cause another war. The twist you won’t expect to come!

“Even if surviving wasn’t simple, or easy, or fair. Even if he could never be human. He wanted the chance to matter. He wanted to live.” 90%

I enjoyed reading this book greatly. It’s a different kind of fantasy and that’s what makes it interesting. I like how this book focus on the darkness inside a person. A person can be a monster if they think & act evil and a monster can be a person if they are good. I like how music is being embedded in this book. I like the family issues. I enjoy the humor. This book is lacked of romance but the actions & adventures made up for it. I highly recommend everyone to read this book.

Pro: family, music, a new kind of fantasy, self control, fast paced, page turner, suspense, adrenaline rush, some humor,

Con: none

I rate it 5 stars!

***Disclaimer: I borrowed this ebook from my library and my opinions are honest.

xoxo,
Jasmine at howusefulitis dot wordpress dot com for a detailed review

Kate Harker wants to be the daughter she thinks her father has always wanted. The problem is that her father is essentially a mob boss, ruling one half of Verity whose citizens pay tribute for his protection. Kate has only ever wanted her father to “see” her, and she thinks the only way to make that happen is if she becomes like him. August Flynn lives on the other side of the wall in Verity, where his family rules. His family keeps the citizens on their side safe by getting rid of the bad guys. Needless to say, these two families are at cross purposes and may be coming closer to a war to take control of the entire city.

Victoria Schwab creates a really unique world where monsters are the outcome of violence. August is a creation made out of violence. He becomes alive during the violent chaos of a school shooting, and has lived for the past few years fighting against his nature. He is one of the monsters, but only wants to be a normal human being. Kate is a normal human being who is trying to catch her fathers attention by becoming a monster. Their meeting is strife with conflict. Will Kate use August to become what she thinks her father wants? Will August use Kate to become more of the monster he’s trying to avoid becoming?

Once I got into this new world the pace of the book flowed really well. I will admit that the first few chapters were kind of confusing and I put this book down several times before reading another review where it was given five stars. I picked it up again and decided to give it one last shot. It only took me about 10 more pages to get immersed in the story line, overcoming any confusion I’d had. Maybe I was in the right frame of mind to understand monsters?

This Savage Song is a different take on the classic Romeo and Juliet theme. Boy and girl from opposing families, meet and end up being able to rely on only each other. How does this change their families dynamics? Well, I won’t tell you! You’re going to have to read this one to find out. I will say that it took a surprising direction and I didn’t expect the outcome.