[This Savage Song: Monsters of Verity I] Victoria Schwab

I’m going to be honest: I’m glad I read this author’s adult fiction works before I read her young adult fiction. It’s not to say that I didn’t enjoy This Savage Song, but it was considerably tamer than I expected, especially coming off of the Shades of Magic series. I expected to be more captivated by the characters and world than I ultimately was, which is okay. It just means that I enjoy V.E. Schwab’s grittier and darker worlds, despite this one also having those qualities.

This Savage Song is a story of a divided city and the heirs that live inside of it. The divided city is reminiscent of Romeo and Juliet, but with a lot more monsters and no distracting qualities of romance. I LOVED that there was no romance in this novel. Too often the plot of dystopians get overtaken by the romantic ramblings of teenagers in love, but not so in this book. Kate and August were their own characters with their own agendas. When they were pushed together, they had to deal with the tension of technically being each others’ enemy on top of running for their lives. That made the book far more interesting than a romantic-dystopian novel.

It’s rare, I think, to read a dystopian novel that doesn’t have a romantic sub (or main) plot. That’s why This Savage Song was such a refreshing read. The plot didn’t focus on it, which allowed the world to be fleshed out more and the focus to be on everything happening instead of the two characters catching feelings. Their friendship grew tentatively and I loved seeing how their feelings about each other changed into an understanding that only they could create. There needs to be more great friendships in young adult literature that doesn’t become a relationship. I love reading those stories too, but there doesn’t always need to be a romance. I love that Schwab didn’t go the route that now seems the norm in young adult literature.

While I loved that, I didn’t find myself connecting to the characters as much as I expected. Kate wasn’t very relatable and I never really got why she wanted to return to the city, other than her desire to be near her father. He wasn’t someone that was there for her, so that being her main drive was odd to me. She presents herself as a badass, but really she has the hard exterior created to hide her softer feelings inside. I couldn’t really figure out what her goals were exactly, which made her feel very one dimensional. I’m hoping I’ll like her personality more in the next book, because she had grown on my slightly by the end of This Savage Song.

August  is my favorite. Unlike Kate, I definitely related to his feelings of being lost and not knowing himself. He was a far more sympathetic character; the monster who doesn’t want to be a monster. I love reading takes on characters like this. August’s character arc is what made the book so interesting for me to read. I wanted to see what would happen to him more than I cared about Kate or the problems within the city. I am looking forward to reading where he goes in the next novel.

The world in This Savage Song is very well-written, as I expected of a Schwab book. It did take me a few chapters to get into the book, but once I did I found myself reading during any spare downtime I had. Schwab as a way of easing you into the world that doesn’t feel like it’s too heavy. The world is built through small moments as the characters go about the day, teasing you just enough to make you curious and hopeful that it’ll be explained later down the line. I loved her take on violence breeding literal monsters and the explanation for them. It seems like it could be just a step away. Schwab has a real world-building talent that I am both inspired by and jealous of. I can trust that she’s going to have an amazing world created in whatever book I pick up next.

I will be continuing this duology, and I definitely recommend it for readers who have enjoyed V.E. / Victoria Schwab books before. If you enjoy dystopians but not the romance that’s often included, I think you’ll enjoy this book. There’s a reason that readers keep coming back to Schwab books. They’re full of great characters that you both like and loathe, set in a world that is carefully created and feels like it could be just around the corner even with it’s fantastical elements.

3.5 stars.

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[Furyborn] Claire Legrand

The premise of Furyborn is the legend of two queens: one of light and one of blood. Legrand takes the legend of these two queens and sets them miles––and years––apart. As the story spans across centuries, the legend of the two queens becomes just that––a legend. But when a girl who can’t be injured comes along, people begin to believe that perhaps it’s not just a legend.

To start off, I think that the premise for this book is amazing. I love the idea of things that don’t seem connected at first, especially when they involve the falls of kingdoms and of powerful women who don’t downplay their talents. It’s something that I love seeing in books, because I feel like there’s a ton of female characters who write off their talents. This was not the case for Rielle and Eliana. They both know that they’re talented––one with the elements and one with knives––and they’re both really unapologetic about it. There need to be more women like this in fiction. Having the book focused on the two of them made it really enjoyable, and I liked how both of their perspectives were super different. Their lives were so different too and seeing that contrast showed more of the world than if they’d both come from the same background.

The worldbuilding in this novel was great! The world was easily my favorite part about this novel. It was really interesting to see how Legrand built up the world by subtly putting in information as Rielle was going through the elemental trials. It was just enough that I really wanted to know more––or perhaps I could read some prequels about the Saints?? please and thank you––without taking away from the rest of the story. This novel kind of has two different settings and worlds, too; even though both Rielle and Eliana technically exist in the same world, they exist a thousand years apart. That means that Rielle’s reality, the one that we’re shown with angels and magic, is not Eliana’s reality. In fact, so many years have passed that people don’t really believe that magic ever existed. They think that they’re just stories. I loved that we could see these two settings side by side because of the dual perspective. I also really appreciated that Legrand showed negatives and positives to both times and didn’t make one better than the other.

Ten of my favorite character names

I had a whole post planned around things I like in names and name creation but then life happened and I only had four things written by the deadline. It will come in the future! Instead, I wanted to focus on some of my absolute favorite names (and oftentimes some of my favorite books) in today’s post.

Names are a big part of writing and reading for me. I spend so much time finding the perfect name when I’m in the middle of writing. I usually set a chunk of separate time aside because I can get stuck looking at names for hours. Because of my own naming tendencies,  I love when authors pick names that fit their characters well. Here are some that have stuck in my mind!

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Names in Books

The Raven Cycle. I just love his name. It fits his personality perfectly. I’m beyond excited that he’s getting his own series soon!

Charmed. I read the companion novels a long time ago but I loved the show more. I also really love the name Piper.

The Mortal Instruments. Despite the problems I have with this franchise, I do really love these names.

The Hunger Games. I love this name so much I’m using it as one of my character names!

Ten books I disliked* but still appreciated something about them

*Sometimes dislike is too strong of a word. So a lot of these are disappointments, which––for anyone who’s ever disappointed someone before––is far worse than if they just dislike you.

I’m going to try my best to not be super negative in this post because I tend to go all angry English major when I read books that disappoint me in some way. As a result, I tend to avoid books that I know I’ll dislike because I don’t want to spend time on something that makes me unhappy. But sometimes, a book comes up to you with a beautiful premise and a visually engaging cover, promising that it will be the next thing you’ll love, only to disappoint you in the end.

I’m splitting my post up between dislikes––or changed opinion––and disappointments. I think that better reflects my readings of these books.

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Disappointments

I’m finishing up my review on this upcoming novel this week, but if I had to sum it up in one sentence, it would be about the unfulfilled promise of its premise. I wanted to love this one––and there’s two more in the series so maybe things will be better in the next ones––but ultimately it just was looooonngggg without much going on. There’s a lot of potential, though, so I’ll be continuing it!

The one Scott Westerfeld book that has disappointed me. Somehow the fact that he wrote this with two other authors makes it worse. Someone should have had the writing power to make this interesting.

I fully expected to like this one when I read it. I’d liked her sister’s Jane Eyre and Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. But Wuthering Heights wasn’t what I was expecting and that made this a difficult one to get through. I’d like to think that if I gave it another chance I may find enjoyment in it, but I also don’t know if I can get over Heathcliff’s aggression. I don’t really see how this is a great love story.

The disappointment I felt for this one tasted especially bitter. Seraphina was such a unique and fascinating story, but the sequel did not bring back everything that I loved about the first novel. I’m really interested in checking out Tess of the Road, as it’s set in the same world.

[Tyler Johnson Was Here] Jay Coles

Tyler Johnson Was Here is the second book I’ve read this year that throws light on the experiences of members of the black community in the United States. It focuses on twins Marvin and Tyler Johnson, who are slowly drifting apart as they prepare for college. Marvin wants to be close to his brother again, but there are some things that Tyler isn’t telling him. In an attempt to keep an eye on his brother, he follows him to a party where there’s a shooting. When Tyler doesn’t come home, it’s up to Marvin to cover for his brother. As the hours pile up, Marvin finally reveals the thing that scares him the most: he doesn’t know where Tyler is. When his brother is found dead and a video showing his death surfaces, Tyler is suddenly a hashtag trending on the internet. In his search for justice, Marvin wants to show the world that Tyler was so much more.

This is another hard book to review. I think that the book was successful in telling a story that shows what it means to be black in the United States (and elsewhere in the world, but this is specifically set in the U.S.) and how Marvin Johnson’s whole life––his whole survival––is based around the idea that he has to act a certain way in order to not be killed. This is something that I’ve never had to experience. I have a lot of privilege that allows me to move through life without thinking about daily survival. While I had other lessons on “how to behave,” I didn’t have the lessons that Marvin and Tyler were taught. Books like Tyler Johnson Was Here are part of my lesson in learning how my life is drastically different than others around me. Like The Hate U Give and Long Way Down, Tyler Johnson Was Here struck me in the heart and made me incredibly angry about the systemic racism that has permeated all aspects of the society of the United States.

It’s impossible to read this book without feeling emotional, and I went through a lot of anger and sadness as I read the story. While this is a fictional story, Coles did a good job of weaving fiction with reality. That’s what makes books like Tyler Johnson Was Here difficult to read.  You can’t just read it as a work of fiction. It can’t be thought of as only a work of fiction when the book illustrates the reality of black men and women being harmed and killed by the police. There’s a reality that is unavoidable when you read books like this, and I don’t recommend that you try avoiding it. It’s something that needs to be read. It’s something that needs to be understood by those who have never had to experience it. It’s so important, and I’m so glad that books like this are being talked about.

Ten books with bits of green

Today’s prompt is to write about books with your favorite color on their covers. I decided to go with green, because spring is finally here and I wanted to celebrate! Green always makes me think of fresh and happy things. I really like this prompt, so I may do some more later, but with different colors!

The books I picked today are ones that I’ve read before and have had an impact on me, or books that I really want to read, because––you know––endless TBR pile and all that.

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Just add it to the pile––I’ll read it eventually:

A retelling and an evil queen origin story? Sign me up! This one also has a setting that I love reading so I’m super excited to read this one! I really hope it’s everything I want it to be.

I’ve heard that this one has art in it, which makes sense since the protagonist is the artist of an online web series. I love when books have more contained in them than just words!

I’ve talked about this one before, so I’m not going to today. I love how the colors in the titles of  Eliza and Gentleman’s are nearly the same though. Such a lovely green!

I’ve heard so much about this series including that it’s “Harry Potter for adults” so I need to read it.

Ten books I’d slay a lion to get early

I love the prompt for this week’s Top Ten Tuesday. There’s a lot of books I want this year that I have to wait for. And for some of them, I have no problem waiting. But for others…others I truly would do most anything to get one early. Apparently that extends to slaying a lion. (Though truthfully, if it came down to it I’d never be able to do it. It’d be too scary!)

Anyway, this is my ultimate list of books I really, really, REALLY want. I will probably cry tears of joy if I got any of them earlier than other readers.

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1.

January 8th, 2019. (I don’t know how I’m going to wait this long!)

This is my number one right now. If I got this one I would disappear to read it in one go. I really loved the first and am so excited for this one!

2.

July 10th, 2018

This is the final installment in my favorite alternate-historical fiction. Lada is one of the most powerful female characters I’ve ever read. And her brother, Radu, is also extremely well-written. These siblings are two of my favorite characters.

3.

October 9th, 2018

I loved the first novel in this series and have been eagerly anticipating the second since I finished. I must see how it continues!

4.

June 7th, 2018

I’m intrigued by this because the author is a bookstagrammer and book blogger who writes books in two days. The story also sounds really sad but hopeful, so I want to check it out.