A review by nikitanavalkar
Savage Fae by Susanne Valenti, Caroline Peckham
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Beware some spoilers but nothing major that we don’t already know from book 1 or ZA. I try to keep it vague.
As much as I want to keep reading this series because the sisters put Killblaze in their books, I’m rather frustrated by the pacing of these books. Because as soon as a Gareth flashback pops up or I have to be in a pov I don’t care about, it takes me a little out of the story and I just want to get to the point. Which I know, in a 5 book series is a long time coming. Unlike ZA where I’m interested in all the little world and family building things and the little tangents, here I’m hyper focused on Veronica, I mean, Elise getting her revenge and her men, in no particular order. I know, all in good time.
While I am on board the RH train (more or less), I’m still the most invested in Elise and Gabriel and their clandestine trysts, and we get the least of those in this book? Or that’s what it felt like. More can’t live with you or without you magnetism please. Yes, E and Leo are adorably s3xy and all grumpy sunshiney, and Dante and her have some wholesome + steamy moments (I mean, that club scene for the love of stars 🥵), and even Ryder and E have their moments, I have history with Gabriel plus come on, that pull between them? Because I may scoff at fated mates, but I am helpless against their power over me. I know, the hypocrisy. Also fine, I have serious ZA bias. Even if poor Gabe is very vaguely interesting if we only base it on what we know from this series. Going back to Ryder, theoretically he should be the most intriguing of them all, with his darkness and now the hints of his horrific past and his powers and that sadomasochistic streak, with a hidden gooey center. I mean, dude not so secretly loves Lion King! Like Leon and Dante are the fun and relatively sweet ones with hidden dark sides, Ryder is the opposite. Then why is he so boring? Idk I don’t get it either.
Even with my Gabrielise obsession, I am enjoying Elise’s vastly different relationships with her men, and honestly it’s inspired that at least two of them are actual mortal enemies which is going to present problems for a while but also raises the stakes. And it is so refreshing to see the girl claiming the guys as “mine” for once. Own that power, Elise. Although I do wish they would all just talk to each other and avoid frustrating catastrophes. Then again, where would be the fun in that. But I miss my type A, mega bougie rich, power hungry, powerful ZA babies okay. I keep hoping for more ZA crumbs like a junkie and apparently they get to go there in the next book? Here for it.
As much as I want to keep reading this series because the sisters put Killblaze in their books, I’m rather frustrated by the pacing of these books. Because as soon as a Gareth flashback pops up or I have to be in a pov I don’t care about, it takes me a little out of the story and I just want to get to the point. Which I know, in a 5 book series is a long time coming. Unlike ZA where I’m interested in all the little world and family building things and the little tangents, here I’m hyper focused on Veronica, I mean, Elise getting her revenge and her men, in no particular order. I know, all in good time.
While I am on board the RH train (more or less), I’m still the most invested in Elise and Gabriel and their clandestine trysts, and we get the least of those in this book? Or that’s what it felt like. More can’t live with you or without you magnetism please. Yes, E and Leo are adorably s3xy and all grumpy sunshiney, and Dante and her have some wholesome + steamy moments (I mean, that club scene for the love of stars 🥵), and even Ryder and E have their moments, I have history with Gabriel plus come on, that pull between them? Because I may scoff at fated mates, but I am helpless against their power over me. I know, the hypocrisy. Also fine, I have serious ZA bias. Even if poor Gabe is very vaguely interesting if we only base it on what we know from this series. Going back to Ryder, theoretically he should be the most intriguing of them all, with his darkness and now the hints of his horrific past and his powers and that sadomasochistic streak, with a hidden gooey center. I mean, dude not so secretly loves Lion King! Like Leon and Dante are the fun and relatively sweet ones with hidden dark sides, Ryder is the opposite. Then why is he so boring? Idk I don’t get it either.
Even with my Gabrielise obsession, I am enjoying Elise’s vastly different relationships with her men, and honestly it’s inspired that at least two of them are actual mortal enemies which is going to present problems for a while but also raises the stakes. And it is so refreshing to see the girl claiming the guys as “mine” for once. Own that power, Elise. Although I do wish they would all just talk to each other and avoid frustrating catastrophes. Then again, where would be the fun in that. But I miss my type A, mega bougie rich, power hungry, powerful ZA babies okay. I keep hoping for more ZA crumbs like a junkie and apparently they get to go there in the next book? Here for it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief and Violence