This Savage Song by Victoria Schwab
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I was lucky enough to read this book all in one day (long day of travel), and boy does it hold your attention!
I loved the setting, modern day but with a twist, and the monsters are unique and interesting, both what they’re like and how they come to be. If you’re absolutely sick of dystopian, this book probably has too much of that for you, but I wouldn’t categorize it as strictly post-apocalyptic or dystopian; more like gritty contemporary fantasy.
It’s rare to find a book where the male and female characters are so evenly matched, both within the story and as narrators, but This Savage Song has done it. Kate transcends what could’ve been just “damaged girl becomes tough and strong,” and August transcends what could’ve been a one-note (haha) “thoughtful and sensitive musician.” The circumstances that bring them together (not romantically, at least not in this book) force them to rethink how they see the world and what they think they know about each other. Each has a strong arc with a satisfying ending that still leaves us ready for the next book.