So, perhaps I have reached a new level of lazy. However, let me defend my decision to write my reviews for the Bone Houses by: Emily Lloyd-Jones and This Savage Song by: Victoria Schwab in one post. It is largely because I listened to them both as audiobooks. Unlike with normal books, I don't pay a ton of attention to detail when I listen to audiobooks. This is mostly because I listen to audiobooks while I'm working, so I can't dedicate too much attention to the book. Basically, I really only maintain the story, not the details. I have a hard time discerning a lot about the writing style from the audiobook, so I don't feel like I can give much in those specifics. Therefore, I have decided to start doing two audiobook reviews at a time. So, now we can get into it starting with the Bone Houses by: Emily Lloyd-Jones.
The Bone Houses by: Emily Lloyd-Jones
Rating: 9/10
Summary and Book photo from Amazon:
"Seventeen-year-old Aderyn ("Ryn") only cares about two things: her family and her family's graveyard. And right now, both are in dire straits. Since the death of their parents, Ryn and her siblings have been scraping together a meager existence as gravediggers in the remote village of Colbren, which sits at the foot of a harsh and deadly mountain range that was once home to the fae. The problem with being a gravedigger in Colbren, though, is that the dead don't always stay dead.
The risen corpses are known as "bone houses," and legend says that they're the result of a decades-old curse. When Ellis, an apprentice mapmaker with a mysterious past, arrives in town, the bone houses attack with new ferocity. What is it that draws them near? And more importantly, how can they be stopped for good?
Together, Ellis and Ryn embark on a journey that will take them into the heart of the mountains, where they will have to face both the curse and the deeply-buried truths about themselves. Equal parts classic horror novel and original fairytale, The Bone Houses will have you spellbound from the very first page."
This book was everything. The audiobook narrator did such a good job, I just adored the story. It was refreshing to hear some new lore, well new to me at least. The lore in the story was based off of Welsh folklore. The action and events depicted in the story were fantastical, but set in a realm that felt realistic and plausible. There weren't overpowered characters or exceedingly unrealistic situations. Don't get me wrong, obviously walking corpses aren't a thing that actually exists. But, it felt true to the story. Hearing the different tales and lore surrounding them was also super fun and interesting to hear. This was ultimately a super cool, historical zombie book. Obviously that doesn't do the story justice. Just read it, it was worth it. I was interested the whole time I was listening. It felt like listening to different fairytales woven into a story of survival, bravery, and love. Not just romantic love, familial love was definitely the overarching theme. The love that parents have for their children, sibling love, and how far one was willing to go just to find their family. The ending really got me, call me a mama's girl, but it really hit different. I won't spoil it, but it was just heart-wrenching (though not in a bad way, it felt appropriate).
One of the characters, Ellis, was also dealing with chronic pain, which I thought was an interesting addition. It's not a characteristic that is common in main characters, particularly love interests. I thought it made Ellis more relatable and just realistic. And Ryn was the epitome of a strong, female protagonist. She wasn't annoying either, she was very humble (at times reckless, but not without reason). Her and Ellis were such a good pair. Seriously, read this book. It does not utilize aggressive YA tropes, there isn't an aggressive romance (there is some romance, but it isn't overwhelming or the main purpose of the story), and the story is just fascinating. This is by far, one of my favorite audiobooks that I've listened to this year, hands down.
This Savage Song by: Victoria Schwab
Rating: 7/10
Summary and book photo from Amazon:
"There’s no such thing as safe in a city at war, a city overrun with monsters. In this dark urban fantasy from acclaimed author Victoria Schwab, a young woman and a young man must choose whether to become heroes or villains—and friends or enemies—with the future of their home at stake.
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."
I'll be honest, this book didn't leave a horribly strong impression. I liked how creative the story itself was, there were big dystopian elements with fantasy elements interwoven throughout. The creativity that went into the creation of the three-creatures (that I always think of as demons, even though they aren't per se), isn't lost on me. I was impressed mostly with the elements of the story and the background that was so well-done. The general world-building was also impressive. It just didn't leave too much of an impression on me for some reason. I think it was because I did not really like the main character. August was everything, his whole trope of "the character that just wants to be normal, even though they can't change their nature" is one that I personally enjoy. Kate though, I just never liked Kate. Maybe I wasn't supposed to like Kate. Regardless, when I really don't like a main character, I have a hard time thoroughly enjoying a book. Plus, the villain was also pretty obvious right from the beginning of the story. Oh, and if I had to hear about Kate's "metallic nails" one more time, I was going to throw my phone across the room. Her "metallic nails" were mentioned ad nauseam. It just really got on my nerves once I picked up on its continual, unnecessary inclusion.
There wasn't any real discernible love story, like there were the traces/potential for one. It just never really came into fruition. I don't think this is necessarily a negative, but it made me a little sad. The love storyline was really something that I wanted for August (because he deserves the world). The end of the book also didn't provide much incentive for me to read the sequel (as this is a duology). Like, it ended in a way that was satisfying enough for me. Of course there was something that happened which was clearly meant to show that the story wasn't over. For some reason, I just didn't really care. Like I was satisfied enough with what I was given. However, I will be reading the next book. My friend owns it and I borrowed it from her. I think its alright overall, it was pretty good. I didn't love it. A 7/10 is kind of my "positive but still middle of the road." So, look out for a full review for that book. I have a physical copy of Our Dark Duet, so it will be getting its own, full review.
Summary and Photo sources:
The Bone Houses: https://www.amazon.com/Bone-Houses-Emily-Lloyd-Jones/dp/0316418412/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1592526419&sr=8-1
This Savage Song: https://www.amazon.com/This-Savage-Song-Monsters-Verity/dp/0062380869/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1592523786&sr=8-1