This Savage Song

It’s been 12 years since the supernatural “Phenomenon” that fractured V-City, transforming violent acts into physical monsters: the Sunai, who feed on the souls of sinners; the vampiric Malchai; and the animalistic Corsai, who feed on fear. August, a rare Sunai, has been taken in by the Flynn family, which keeps chaotic South Verity safe. Callum Harker runs North Verity with an iron fist, using the Malchai and Corsai as his hammers; his daughter, Kate, is determined to prove to her father that she’s as ruthless as he is. August is asked to spy on Kate at her new school, but a rebellion is brewing, and Kate and August form an unlikely alliance. Schwab (The Unbound) has built an strange, captivating alternate America filled with offbeat, fascinating characters. August uses his violin to make feeding more bearable, struggling to accept himself as a “monster,” and Kate’s attitude and swagger mask a vulnerability that she’s loath to reveal. Readers looking for a dangerous and engrossing new world to fall into will find it with this fast-paced, frightening read. Ages 14–up. Agent: Holly Root, Waxman Leavell Literary. (July)