ARC Review: Roaring by Lindsay Duga | It Was “Gatsby x This Savage Song” That Did It For Me

Title: Roaring by Lindsey Duga

Published: August 4, 2020 from Entangled Teen

Rating: 4/5 ★★★★

Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Kobo

Notes: I received an e-arc of this from the publisher through Netgalley. This in no way affects my opinions.

Synopsis

From Goodreads

Colt Clemmons is an agent in a specialized division within the Bureau of Investigation—one that hunts down not just mobsters, but also monsters.

For reasons that are kept top secret, Colt is the only person who can resist a siren’s voice. But he’s never had a chance to test this ability. The last siren left in the world mysteriously disappeared years ago.

Then one night, with a single word, she reveals herself. It seems too good to be true. 

And it is. Because nothing about this siren—her past, her powers, or her purpose—is what it seems…

Review

When I say I rushed to request this book I mean maybe I finally lost some calories during this quarantine because I jumped up, typed like my life depended on it, and had my heart racing in anticipation by time I was done hitting “request this title”. Dramatic but true. Gatsby is my favorite classic and This Savage Song?? Come on. That’s a killer pair and one that I didn’t know I needed until right now. So I had pretty high expectations going into this one.

It delivered and then some.

Characters

“‘Don’t wait for her to speak, Colt, because if she does, it may be the last thing you ever hear.'”

I don’t read synopses too much because I like going into a story open minded and with as few expectations as possible. So I conveniently forgot our protagonist was a siren. Sirens are so interesting to read about and we have such a complex situation with Eris because she does get to use her voice to sing for entertainment purposes but otherwise, her voice makes her feel ostracized and cruel.

Seeing her be so pure at heart and battle with all of the tribulations thrown her way was so entertaining and a refreshing to read. I loved being in Eris’s mind, watching her interact with monsters, mosbsters, children, *heart eyes* Colt. She’s what made the book for me. A really solid character and a joy to read about and see her development from a sheltered barmaid to…well you’ll have to find out.

And then there’s Colt. Dreamy, steamy, charming. He even charmed me at one point. He’s such a sweet soul with a troubled past and a way with people. Like a Flynn Ryder type. YES! His character development was especially interesting. Colt was particularly bold and I wish we got more backstory for him, because a few of his decisions seemed to be for the sake of plot and without real motive. Nevertheless, I loved him. If I can get a screen adaption so I can gush over him even more that would be great.

I do wish we got more backstory and motive from the villains in our story, and more depth overall from some secondary characters that played a bigger role in the book.

The Romance

“‘Worried I’ll leave without you? I’m the one always after you, remember?'”

Just give me a minute to scream about the romance. AHHHH!!! They are so pure, so cute. I love them. I ship them with my whole heart. No there is nothing intelligent written in this section just me screaming because we love two soft characters being a power couple!!!! Opponents to lovers? Yes please. The tension just about gave me a heart attack but it was so worth it.

Plot and Writing

“‘If you have a voice, you should be able to use it. No one should take that from you.'”

This plot and Lombard Street in San Francisco, California have a lot in common. They’re winding, fun, and you want to experience them again. I can’t tell you how many times I thought I knew where this story was going and then it threw me for the biggest loop. I’m not the fastest reader but I finished this in two sittings, practically within a day. The pages flew by and I truly couldn’t put it down.

There is a lot of 20’s slang used in this book which made Roaring seem so authentic. Not to mention, the descriptions of settings and clothes were so rich with detail that I was fully immersed in the story. I remember my sister slammed a door in the house and I jumped, forgetting that I wasn’t in 1920’s New York with a siren and FBI agent. That kind of thing never happens to me so props to Lindsey Duga on that one.

This book flew by. Maybe the pacing was a little fast but I was very eager to find out how the story ended for Eris and enjoyed soaking up every bit of action and adventure in the roaring 20’s.

Overall

This was a great read. Fast paced, action packed, full of troupes and elements that I love. It really hit the mark and exceeded expectations. The characters were great, the plot kept me on the edge of my seat, the romance gave me all the feels. I highly recommend to readers of fantasy, especially if you enjoyed The Great Gatsby and/or This Savage Song.

*All quotes were from the ARC and are subject to change upon publication.*

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