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Dark & Savage #1
These Dark & Savage Things
One mistake has cost her everything...
Now, she must eliminate the bond and escape.
Katalina Vega is a Seer, but being able to foretell the future doesn’t prevent her from making mistakes.
The first mistake is trusting John Ganix, a handsome Shadowlord with a hunger for power and plans for Kat’s gifts. The second is believing she belongs in the Shadowlands, a world of magic and nightmares. And the third may be her hopes to remove the Blood bond she shares with the Shadowlord and escape the Shadowlands.
The only ones she trusts are her four Darklings, magical and skilled guards that have become her family during the two years she’s been in the Shadowlands. But are they enough, or is the enigmatic and charming Dixon someone she can rely on?
Will Dixon become another mistake?
For Kat, only one thing is sure; hard lessons come from big mistakes. She will have to learn from hers...or die trying.
Now, she must eliminate the bond and escape.
Katalina Vega is a Seer, but being able to foretell the future doesn’t prevent her from making mistakes.
The first mistake is trusting John Ganix, a handsome Shadowlord with a hunger for power and plans for Kat’s gifts. The second is believing she belongs in the Shadowlands, a world of magic and nightmares. And the third may be her hopes to remove the Blood bond she shares with the Shadowlord and escape the Shadowlands.
The only ones she trusts are her four Darklings, magical and skilled guards that have become her family during the two years she’s been in the Shadowlands. But are they enough, or is the enigmatic and charming Dixon someone she can rely on?
Will Dixon become another mistake?
For Kat, only one thing is sure; hard lessons come from big mistakes. She will have to learn from hers...or die trying.
429 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 23, 2023
1 person is currently reading
3549 people want to read
About the author
Rosali Penunuri
2 books55 followersRosali Penunuri grew up in Southern California with a huge family in a tiny home. She would daydream about escaping reality and having something all her own. This led to storytelling and, eventually, writing. She moved across the country after graduating from college with a B.A. in English Literature.
She lives with her husband and daughters; their troublemaker dogs Sam and Dean, and a small cat army.
She lives with her husband and daughters; their troublemaker dogs Sam and Dean, and a small cat army.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
February 3, 2023
Fast Paced and fun! The story grips and pulls you right into a deep world full of intrigue and danger.
The characters are complex and delightful, the story has fantastic twists. Great read.
I absolutely loved it and cannot wait for the sequels!!
The characters are complex and delightful, the story has fantastic twists. Great read.
I absolutely loved it and cannot wait for the sequels!!
August 11, 2023
I guess I didn't get this one. I ended up DNFing this one at about 35%. I thought the magic system was confusing. I'm not sure what powers and abilities people had. It seemed like so many characters could manipulate emotions. And I didn't really understand what Kat could do or what the Judgement was going to do to help her.
The time frame was also confusing. She didn't know what any of the musical devices were, like vinyl and CDs, but Dixon seemed to. And she said he must have come over later. But she was there for 19 months and he was there for 10 years. And she said her time before she came over was 1903, which makes sense that she didn't recognize vinyl records, but how could Dixon come over later yet have been in that world longer. I don't understand.
There was a ton of info dumping to explain the world and I was not understanding it, especially without a map, since I was reading the kindle version. I do hope there is a map in the hard copy. I don't usually do well with fantasy books that do too much info dumping in the beginning and don't slowly reveal the world as the book goes along.
I am guessing Dixon is the love interest, but I didn't like him. He literally put her in danger twice because he forgot to ask if she could swim and forgot to ring the bell when they made it to the Music Man's residence. Then he told her all about why the Music Man had the bell. If he knew so much about it, how could he forget to tell her? Especially if it could kill her?! And I am supposed to want them together?
Dixon was also a little cringey at times. Kat asked him to keep some space between them as he was getting close and distracting her. His response was that he can't help himself when he is around her. That isn't an excuse. He should have respected her space. After he said that he immediately closed the distance between them. It just felt weird and awkward.
It was also confusing as I thought Dixon was the guide she was waiting for as he mentioned that she looked lost and mentioned the book she bought. Two things she was told the guide would ask her, yet he wasn't the guide. I was lost.
She also ditched her four darkling bodyguards for Dixon, a guy she just met who isn't the guide she was supposed to be waiting for. What the heck!? Why did she trust him and where are her bodyguards? I actually searched the text for one of their names to see if they come back to her and they do, but in 50 pages, from where I stopped, so I wasn't about to read more.
Ultimately this was very confusing, between the timeline, the magic system, the world in general, and the characters.
The time frame was also confusing. She didn't know what any of the musical devices were, like vinyl and CDs, but Dixon seemed to. And she said he must have come over later. But she was there for 19 months and he was there for 10 years. And she said her time before she came over was 1903, which makes sense that she didn't recognize vinyl records, but how could Dixon come over later yet have been in that world longer. I don't understand.
There was a ton of info dumping to explain the world and I was not understanding it, especially without a map, since I was reading the kindle version. I do hope there is a map in the hard copy. I don't usually do well with fantasy books that do too much info dumping in the beginning and don't slowly reveal the world as the book goes along.
I am guessing Dixon is the love interest, but I didn't like him. He literally put her in danger twice because he forgot to ask if she could swim and forgot to ring the bell when they made it to the Music Man's residence. Then he told her all about why the Music Man had the bell. If he knew so much about it, how could he forget to tell her? Especially if it could kill her?! And I am supposed to want them together?
Dixon was also a little cringey at times. Kat asked him to keep some space between them as he was getting close and distracting her. His response was that he can't help himself when he is around her. That isn't an excuse. He should have respected her space. After he said that he immediately closed the distance between them. It just felt weird and awkward.
It was also confusing as I thought Dixon was the guide she was waiting for as he mentioned that she looked lost and mentioned the book she bought. Two things she was told the guide would ask her, yet he wasn't the guide. I was lost.
She also ditched her four darkling bodyguards for Dixon, a guy she just met who isn't the guide she was supposed to be waiting for. What the heck!? Why did she trust him and where are her bodyguards? I actually searched the text for one of their names to see if they come back to her and they do, but in 50 pages, from where I stopped, so I wasn't about to read more.
Ultimately this was very confusing, between the timeline, the magic system, the world in general, and the characters.
November 18, 2023
an engaging book with high stakes
This book was immersive, with high stakes and a fascinating and unique magic system. Even better was how Kat attempted to free herself, reflect on her past, and build herself as a stronger woman. The theme on recovering from abuse hit really hard, and I’m glad the author discussed it. My reason for dropping a star is just the amount of romance — it’s sweet, but it’s a lot. And yet it’s supportive and genuine, and makes me really interested to read the sequel.
This book was immersive, with high stakes and a fascinating and unique magic system. Even better was how Kat attempted to free herself, reflect on her past, and build herself as a stronger woman. The theme on recovering from abuse hit really hard, and I’m glad the author discussed it. My reason for dropping a star is just the amount of romance — it’s sweet, but it’s a lot. And yet it’s supportive and genuine, and makes me really interested to read the sequel.
October 28, 2023
Went in blindly and thoroughly enjoyed.
Katalina Vega is a human trapped in a magical world, betrothed against her will and bound by a blood bond to a human Shadowlord named John. John also possesses powers of charisma, and is able to emotionally manipulate others. He abuses Kat, and wants her around only for her magical powers as a Seer and visionary. He's given her four darklings meant to be her wardens, but the darklings have sided with Kat and treat her like brothers instead of jailers.
The opening feels like a reverse portal fantasy as some characters want to open a portal to get back into the human world, but cannot without a Shadowlord's power.
Kat and her adorable darklings set out on a secret quest to find The Music Man, someone who can break the magic that binds her to her abusive fiancé, and she runs into a mysterious stranger named Dixon.
Dixon is a bit of a mixed bag at first. 90% of his scenes are incredibly sweet and swoon worthy. This fictional boyfriend delivers ALL THE WARM AND FUZZIES. As other reviewers mention, there are a couple instances where his dialogue seems "off" such as when he says he "can't help himself" about invading her personal space-- and another time he howls to show his affection for her.
But some chapters later...apparently this world has shifters.
Overall, Katalina's arc is evenly paced with elaborate emotional development, well-spaced flashbacks, and easy to follow world building. She and Dixon spend so much time together and yet there's a good balance of main plot problem solving as well.
Spice: 0
Steam: some kisses and LOTS of affectionate hand rubs, chin lifting, and hugging.
(Honestly, Katalina is surrounded by a bunch of men comfortable with hugging and chaste-kissing her on the top of the head and being guardians and big brothers.)
Language: Moderate. 2 instances of F-word. A half dozen other mild words.
The characters are well described and have good page presence. The dialogue is fairly natural, and I could easily hear Katalina's 1903 dialect vs Dixon's later period southern accent through their conversations.
The ending wasn't thrilling for me, but overall, it was a really hard to put down.
Katalina Vega is a human trapped in a magical world, betrothed against her will and bound by a blood bond to a human Shadowlord named John. John also possesses powers of charisma, and is able to emotionally manipulate others. He abuses Kat, and wants her around only for her magical powers as a Seer and visionary. He's given her four darklings meant to be her wardens, but the darklings have sided with Kat and treat her like brothers instead of jailers.
The opening feels like a reverse portal fantasy as some characters want to open a portal to get back into the human world, but cannot without a Shadowlord's power.
Kat and her adorable darklings set out on a secret quest to find The Music Man, someone who can break the magic that binds her to her abusive fiancé, and she runs into a mysterious stranger named Dixon.
Dixon is a bit of a mixed bag at first. 90% of his scenes are incredibly sweet and swoon worthy. This fictional boyfriend delivers ALL THE WARM AND FUZZIES. As other reviewers mention, there are a couple instances where his dialogue seems "off" such as when he says he "can't help himself" about invading her personal space-- and another time he howls to show his affection for her.
But some chapters later...apparently this world has shifters.
Overall, Katalina's arc is evenly paced with elaborate emotional development, well-spaced flashbacks, and easy to follow world building. She and Dixon spend so much time together and yet there's a good balance of main plot problem solving as well.
Spice: 0
Steam: some kisses and LOTS of affectionate hand rubs, chin lifting, and hugging.
(Honestly, Katalina is surrounded by a bunch of men comfortable with hugging and chaste-kissing her on the top of the head and being guardians and big brothers.)
Language: Moderate. 2 instances of F-word. A half dozen other mild words.
The characters are well described and have good page presence. The dialogue is fairly natural, and I could easily hear Katalina's 1903 dialect vs Dixon's later period southern accent through their conversations.
The ending wasn't thrilling for me, but overall, it was a really hard to put down.
July 30, 2023
Blurb:
One mistake has cost her everything...
Now, she must eliminate the bond and escape.
Katalina Vega is a Seer, but being able to foretell the future doesn’t prevent her from making mistakes.
The first mistake is trusting John Ganix, a handsome Shadowlord with a hunger for power and plans for Kat’s gifts. The second is believing she belongs in the Shadowlands, a world of magic and nightmares. And the third may be her hopes to remove the Blood bond she shares with the Shadowlord and escape the Shadowlands.
The only ones she trusts are her four Darklings, magical and skilled guards that have become her family during the two years she’s been in the Shadowlands. But are they enough, or is the enigmatic and charming Dixon someone she can rely on?
Will Dixon become another mistake?
For Kat, only one thing is sure; hard lessons come from big mistakes. She will have to learn from hers...or die trying.
My review:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5
Tropes:
♾️ fated mates
🔥 slow burn
🔮 magic
👨👨👧👦 found family
I loved this novel! I would classify it as a fantasy/sci-fi/modern type book.
I was lost in this new world and enjoyed the FMC Kat and MMC Dixon’s chemistry. From the moment they met, I was hooked and captivated. Swept away by banter. The side characters are also just as interesting and the antagonist is everything you loathe in a character. I was on the edge of my seat and I can’t wait to read the next book to see what happens next!
One mistake has cost her everything...
Now, she must eliminate the bond and escape.
Katalina Vega is a Seer, but being able to foretell the future doesn’t prevent her from making mistakes.
The first mistake is trusting John Ganix, a handsome Shadowlord with a hunger for power and plans for Kat’s gifts. The second is believing she belongs in the Shadowlands, a world of magic and nightmares. And the third may be her hopes to remove the Blood bond she shares with the Shadowlord and escape the Shadowlands.
The only ones she trusts are her four Darklings, magical and skilled guards that have become her family during the two years she’s been in the Shadowlands. But are they enough, or is the enigmatic and charming Dixon someone she can rely on?
Will Dixon become another mistake?
For Kat, only one thing is sure; hard lessons come from big mistakes. She will have to learn from hers...or die trying.
My review:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5
Tropes:
♾️ fated mates
🔥 slow burn
🔮 magic
👨👨👧👦 found family
I loved this novel! I would classify it as a fantasy/sci-fi/modern type book.
I was lost in this new world and enjoyed the FMC Kat and MMC Dixon’s chemistry. From the moment they met, I was hooked and captivated. Swept away by banter. The side characters are also just as interesting and the antagonist is everything you loathe in a character. I was on the edge of my seat and I can’t wait to read the next book to see what happens next!
April 26, 2023
Magical read!
I was looking for a story to get into that had everything I love in a story and this one checks most of my boxes so it was great! It has its own twist on a magical world and beings, good vs evil, love, and a main character I can relate to.
I’ll admit there are some plot holes and other things that I really hope to see get addressed in the next books of the series. Like, what happened to the actual guide Kat was supposed to meet when she met Dixon? What an actual darkling is and looks like, and the backstory of Kat’s darklings in particular? And what’s up with those wolves? Is Dixon really from the human world like he said? I look forward to reading the rest of the series to find out.
I don’t want to spoil the story too much so I’ll end it here. But read it, you won’t be disappointed!
I was looking for a story to get into that had everything I love in a story and this one checks most of my boxes so it was great! It has its own twist on a magical world and beings, good vs evil, love, and a main character I can relate to.
I’ll admit there are some plot holes and other things that I really hope to see get addressed in the next books of the series. Like, what happened to the actual guide Kat was supposed to meet when she met Dixon? What an actual darkling is and looks like, and the backstory of Kat’s darklings in particular? And what’s up with those wolves? Is Dixon really from the human world like he said? I look forward to reading the rest of the series to find out.
I don’t want to spoil the story too much so I’ll end it here. But read it, you won’t be disappointed!
Read
August 18, 2023These Dark and savage things is an amazing read with page-turning events. The author has depicted a beautiful bond between the characters which melts the readers’ hearts. The events and expressions are pictured well with enough information for us to travel throughout the book with the author. Introducing the concepts of Seers and Shadowlords and a lot other magical words out of nowhere would be a little bit challenging for a beginner in fantasy. I appreciate the author for setting the plot in the correct tempo, and for some of the current world concepts mentioned here and there. I’m eagerly waiting for the next part of this book.
July 31, 2024
I feel like this book really had potential at the beginning but then it just fell off. I’ll say I wasn’t really a fan of the main character’s inner monologue (which is a main reason it didn’t score higher), and the romance was too much too fast for me like it didn’t evolve, it just was… still interested to look into the next book though
June 24, 2024
This was one of the first fantasy books that I’ve read and I’m hooked. It was so good and I can’t wait to read the next book. 5 ⭐️
October 5, 2023
This was great! It had a good pace throughout that kept me entertained while allowing me to fully take in what was happening. The world building was goof and unique, with a magic system that I found quite compelling. I enjoyed meeting all the characters and can't wait to see what they get up to next.
November 19, 2023
Fast read
The cover is to die for because it’s so beautiful! I love the main characters’ name. I like the quote, “I suppose there is always danger mixed with beauty.” Really get into it, after downloading it, I read 15 pages in the first day. Fast read.
The cover is to die for because it’s so beautiful! I love the main characters’ name. I like the quote, “I suppose there is always danger mixed with beauty.” Really get into it, after downloading it, I read 15 pages in the first day. Fast read.
March 3, 2024
Interesting magical system. It took me a little bit into the book to really grasp it. I enjoyed Kat's Darklings A LOT. They are so adorable. Their loyalty to her and each of their unique personalities made me fall in love with them. I would like to know more about Darklings in general, though, as they are hatched, apparently? Very interesting considering I see them as human-esque.
The abuse from John is terrible, but I like how this hard topic was incorporated, as well as how Kat was able to get out of the situation & reflect upon what happened and how she got there in the first place & how to overcome it & get back to the strong woman she use to be & still is!
I dropped 1 star just because I am slightly confused on how time works in the Shadowlands? Kat is from the early 1900s, but it seems basically everyone else is aware of more modern technology. So how long has she been there and not aged? I am still trying to figure that out. Maybe I missed something?
Overall, I can't wait to start the 2nd book!
The abuse from John is terrible, but I like how this hard topic was incorporated, as well as how Kat was able to get out of the situation & reflect upon what happened and how she got there in the first place & how to overcome it & get back to the strong woman she use to be & still is!
I dropped 1 star just because I am slightly confused on how time works in the Shadowlands? Kat is from the early 1900s, but it seems basically everyone else is aware of more modern technology. So how long has she been there and not aged? I am still trying to figure that out. Maybe I missed something?
Overall, I can't wait to start the 2nd book!
November 15, 2023
An absolute awesome and fun read!
Realms, magic, characters with goals, incentive, and morally gray boundaries is the love language here. And I'm all for it.
I thoroughly enjoyed the world building in this book! It was intricate, easy to grasp, and swept me right off my feet.
Well done! This is a beautiful story!!
Realms, magic, characters with goals, incentive, and morally gray boundaries is the love language here. And I'm all for it.
I thoroughly enjoyed the world building in this book! It was intricate, easy to grasp, and swept me right off my feet.
Well done! This is a beautiful story!!
February 16, 2023
I NEED to read the next book!! Once I started this first one I couldn't put it down!
The cover art for this book is beautiful.
The characters were well written and I had no trouble liking or disliking them in some cases, (I'm looking at you John.)
The main character, Katalina (Kat), has been through multiple traumatic experiences over time and keeps picking herself up, staying stronger than ever. I loved her spirit. The Darklings are entertaining characters. You can see how they've been influenced by Kat, becoming her family instead of just personal guards. The relationship between Kat and Dixon is intriguing and I'm curious to see what happens to the two of them. The Music Man was such an eccentric and enjoyable character. The world in the book is so well written. I was able to go on this wild ride with Kat and lose myself in the magical world around her.
Waiting as patiently as I can for book two.
* I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.*
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 12, 2024
I recently joined a new book club, and THESE DARK AND SAVAGE THINGS was this month’s selection. Fantasy is outside the genres I normally read—but the beautiful cover drew me in and I quickly became invested in the plucky main character, Katalina Vega. There’s a lot of magic, which I loved, as well as a complex and unique world, which loyal fans of the genre should appreciate. There is also romance! THESE DARK AND SAVAGE THINGS is the first in a new series and also, I believe, the author’s first novel. The book is a promising start, and I look forward to more from this writer.
March 9, 2024
The story line grabs your attention right away. The book was very easy to get into and was a joy to read.
Kat Vega has to get out of her situation and find herself. This is an awesome story of her doing just that. She does find a someone she reluctantly relies on to help her along with her darklings. The characters all have great chemistry and the various groups in the book fit together really well. The little arguments and nuances from the characters draw a mental picture of the scenes for me when I read this.
Highly Recommended!
Kat Vega has to get out of her situation and find herself. This is an awesome story of her doing just that. She does find a someone she reluctantly relies on to help her along with her darklings. The characters all have great chemistry and the various groups in the book fit together really well. The little arguments and nuances from the characters draw a mental picture of the scenes for me when I read this.
Highly Recommended!
April 3, 2023
It's a fun and mystical book full of thrill. Once I started reading, I couldn't put it down over my curiosity over what happened next. The characters are well written, and the author definitely leaves many things up to the readers imagination. I can't wait to read the next book and see where Katalina will do next.
August 11, 2023
The biggest strong point for this book is its complex characters and the detail given to them. The book has a magic system that is well defined and is built on. This book was fast paced, and I wished it would never end. I do wish the author did a bit more showing and a little less telling. The cover is beautifully designed.
November 24, 2023
Very good book. I liked the pace and the vibe. I was immediately pulled into the story, and it kept me wanting more. I also loved the complexity of the characters and I easily related to them.
Bring on the next works.
Bring on the next works.
August 12, 2023
Katalina is pulled into another dimension by a mysterious stranger, and from there on things only get more complicated.
🫒 The characters are well-defined, and the two protagonists have believable motivations, even if they can feel constrained by them at times. You quickly learn who is an ally and who is not, which makes it a pleasant read without jump scares.
🎣 There is a lot of telling rather than showing which makes it more difficult a reader to become fully immersed in the story. This can make it harder for readers to connect with the characters and events as they don't learn details gradually.
🧋The magic system is intriguing since it draws on a variety of well-known institutions of what constitutes the otherworldly and then takes them to a fresh space. Penunuri has put thought into building a unique and interesting world for her story.
The premise is promising, and I expect that the next books will improve the story significantly.
[An ARC was shared with me ahead of release, in exchange for my unbiased review.]
🫒 The characters are well-defined, and the two protagonists have believable motivations, even if they can feel constrained by them at times. You quickly learn who is an ally and who is not, which makes it a pleasant read without jump scares.
🎣 There is a lot of telling rather than showing which makes it more difficult a reader to become fully immersed in the story. This can make it harder for readers to connect with the characters and events as they don't learn details gradually.
🧋The magic system is intriguing since it draws on a variety of well-known institutions of what constitutes the otherworldly and then takes them to a fresh space. Penunuri has put thought into building a unique and interesting world for her story.
The premise is promising, and I expect that the next books will improve the story significantly.
[An ARC was shared with me ahead of release, in exchange for my unbiased review.]
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews