This Savage Song (Monsters of Verity #1)

                Hello happy readers! So the event last night was amazing and so was my visit with my friend which is currently still happening. That said I will make this quick as I'm posting from my phone. I'm excited to share my thoughts on this first book in the Schwab book. I'll be hosting a giveaway next week so stay tuned for that. 

Rating:  5 Stars

                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. 

                Until next time…