Book Review - Savage Lands by Stacey Marie Brown

Savage Lands by Stacey Marie Brown

I had seen this book on TikTok but it didn't really pique my interest until my cousin recommended it. I didn't have any expectations going into reading this book, but if I did, they would have been far exceeded. This is definitely up there on the list of my favorite reads this year. Full disclosure, I'm writing this review as I'm reading the third book in the series because I literally could not wait to read the next book. 

This book takes place in Eastern Europe (mostly Budapest) which is now split between Buda and Pest, with one side being the fae and the other being the humans. Each side sees the other as the enemy. Brexley is an orphaned girl who was taken in by the leader of the human side. For fun, she sometimes likes to steal things from trains headed to the fae. On the night before everything is going to change for her, she decides to rob a train one last time, except this time she's caught and sent to Halalhaz, the fae prison where no one who goes in ever comes out. While there, Brex faces a constant struggle to survive and makes alliances with fae and other creatures. However, she's drawn specifically to one man, Warwick Farkas, a legend among both fae and humans, which could prove to be very dangerous. There is a major twist at the end that I NEVER saw coming!

I absolutely loved all the characters in this book. They grow on you so quickly and you feel like you're being sucked right into the story. At first I wasn't so sure about Brexley because she sounded really stereotypical and angsty, but as the story progressed I grew to love her. I felt so sorry for her when she was brought to Halalhaz but still enjoyed reading about all the characters she met along the way. Warwick is also so dreamy, I mean I did find it a bit funny how the author kept describing him as "massive" but after getting past that it was so easy to love him. He's arrogant and kind of a dick but also perfect. There isn't much romance in this book, but there is some major tension. 

After reading book one, I am hooked and cannot wait to continue the series.