This book was so beautifully written.
The content is difficult and chilling but it is so well written you’re just compelled to keep going. I’m looking forward to reading more books from Tiffany McDaniel.

This one was dark and haunting. On the Savage Side was intense, while I didn't really want to continue reading it, I couldn't stop my eyes from flitting to the next page.

Wow, this was an intense story! Addiction is always a very heavy topic for me. The damage drugs like Heroin can do is one of the scariest things out there. The sisterhood between Arc and Daffy and their descent into drugs and the dark side really made for an emotional book. I will not be forgetting this one anytime soon.

The story is inspired by the unsolved murders/disappearances of 6 women in Chillicothe OH over a one year period. Arc and Daffy are twins born to drug addicted parents. Arc tells the story of her sister, mother, aunt, grandmother and friends. Their lives are grim, but Arc tries to uplift those around her with her bright imagination. The ending is revealed at the beginning, but it was still very shocking and abrupt.

It's difficult to review this book. The writing is amazing and I very much enjoyed listening, but the story is so dark, almost hopeless. After a listening session I would be in a mood for the rest of the day. This book really impacted me. It's an amazing book I'm not sure I can recommend to a friend.

This was quite the emotional book. It takes a toll on you and will stay with you for awhile. I got vibes of Firekeeper's Daughter. This is a rollercoaster of emotions type of book. It's told through past and present as we all know is my favorite. It does have lots of triggers so go in prepared.

Six women—mothers, daughters, sisters—gone missing. Inspired by the unsolved murders of the Chillicothe Six, this harrowing novel tells the story of two sisters, both of whom could be the next victims, from the internationally best-selling author of Betty.

On the Savage Side by Tiffany McDaniel was a heavy read. Definitely check any trigger warnings. I'm not going to say I "enjoyed" it based on the subject matter but it did keep me reading and engaged.

I love Tiffany McDaniel’s writing and the way she brings her characters to life. The suspense in this book was one of my favorite things and a style that was new to me from McDaniel. She’s an auto-buy and auto-recommend author for me!!!

Thanks to NetGalley and Knopf for the opportunity to read a digital ARC of Tiffany McDaniel's "On The Savage Side." This novel tells the story of two twin sisters, Arcade (Arc) and Daffodil (Daisy), born to a drug-addicted mother in Chillicothe, OH, and raised by a grandmother. Arc and Daisy's family members have endured generational trauma, drug addiction, sexual abuse, and prostitution. Unfortunately, the parents' sins fall on their children in this narrative about the two sisters as they progress from infancy to adulthood. The author also wrote this novel to bring attention to the unsolved murders of the Chillicothe Six by a serial killer; these women lived lives similar to Arc and Daisy. "On the Savage Side" is a brutal, raw, powerful, engaging, and complex novel. I found myself rooting for these young women to escape the generational trauma. This novel's conclusion was shocking but heartbreaking and totally unexpected. 

After reading "On The Savage Side," I'm eager to read another novel by Ms. McDaniel.

Wow, what a story. This book was heavy, and I had to put it down at times because it was so heartbreaking and dark. Told from the perspective of Arc Dogg, we learn of a family of women living with addiction. Arc and her twin sister Daffy raise themselves after their grandmother dies when they are nine years old, and the mother and aunt they live with are drugged out more often than not. This is a story of friendship, family, addiction, abuse and so much more. The writing was beautiful, and often alternated between a dream-like state and reality. There's a lot to unpack with this story, and reading it will impact anyone that can get through the pages. I imagine it would be triggering for some, so please read the trigger warnings.

This was my first McDaniel book and I thought I was ready for the hurt, but I don't think I truly was;
It took me a while to get through it because of how hard of a read it was ; but it was definitely worth it.
I feel like I was truly sucked into the despair these women felt every day. It was such a raw and compelling story of the forgotten women of society. Brave women, mothers, daughters, sisters, friends ; just omen who the system completely abandonned ; women who have been through the worst and nobody even tried to help them so they had to help themselves. So it's not pretty, and it doesn't have a happy ever after, but it's their lives and that's it.

Thank you NetGalley, Knopf and the author for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This one was very heavy and emotional - it’s definitely a book to read when you’re in the right frame of mind. But it was also wonderfully written and you’ll learn a lot if you make it through!

This was my first Tiffany McDonald and it will not be my last. It was very emotional and intense which makes for an engaging read. I would recommend this book

An atmospheric Appalachian gothic, the state of Ohio and the Chillicothe River are characters in their own right — something I haven’t experienced on this level since reading White Oleander.

What a ride this was. Set in a small Appalachian town, it follows the lives of twin sisters, both grappling with their dark pasts, the violent world around them, and their struggle for agency. McDaniel's writing is lush and atmospheric, blending beauty with brutality, as she delves into the impact of systemic neglect and the persistence of love. While the novel is emotionally intense and filled with sorrow, it also carries a sense of resilience and hope amidst despair. McDaniel’s raw, evocative prose leaves a lasting impression, making this novel a powerful exploration of human endurance and the complexity of the human spirit.

This was a masterpiece. There is no other word to describe what this book is. Do not go into this book thinking you will have a good time, because you won’t, but you will be missing out so much if you don’t read it.

Trigger warning: addictions, trauma and very graphic

Based on real life events the characters are very well written. The story is very dark in nature, so make sure you are in the right head space when you read it.

Thank you #NetGalley, # Knopf, Pantheon,VintageandAnchor, #TiffanyMcDaniel,#OntheSavageSide for the ebook for my honest review.

I've had this on my TBR list for awhile and I'm kicking myself for not reading it sooner. I didn't know much about the case that inspired the book and it did send me down a rabbit hole. The way that McDaniel was able to humanize the women and really make you feel the tragedy they endured that led them to make the choices that led them into a serial killer's sights. The book is a thriller, but it's so much more than that. It really goes into deep characterizations that make you understand that a person is so much more than their addictions. The book is very dark and draining, so you may want to follow up with something light and fluffy as a palate cleanser.

Thank you @netgalley for the Advanced Reader Copy of On the Savage Side by Tiffany McDaniel. This is fiction, but was inspired by a true story. The story is about Arcade and Daffy, twins who are brought up some by their mother and her sister, both heroin addicts, and some by their grandmother. It is a very sad and depressing story, and I’m sorry to say I did not finish it. I will try to go back at another time to read it, but need to be in the right frame of mind.

The subject matter of this book is heavy and hard to read at times since it covers a lot of triggering topics, so I would recommend checking out content warnings beforehand. That being said though, wow, what a beautifully written book. This was my first Tiffany McDaniel read, but I will definitely be checking out her other works after this.

I felt for Arc and Daffy (along with the other girls) throughout the book, even when they frustrated me. There were those moments when their lives were going well, and then they'd do something to screw that all up. I felt that the portrayal of addiction was very real though and how it consumes lives.

That twist definitely got me, but looking back, there were definitely hints sprinkled throughout. I think this is one of those books where so much more could be discovered from a re-read.

A definite recommend, and I know that I will be thinking about this book for years to come.

On the Savage Side has been on my TBR for over a year. It sounded super interesting, but felt like it would require a lot of mental and emotional energy, so I kept putting it off. I finally picked it up (partially via audio) last week, and I’m glad I finally made the space to read this one.

On the Savage Side is inspired by the Chillicothe Six and follows twins Arcade and Daffodil as they grow up and are faced with the possibility that a killer may walk amongst their community.

I’m a huge crime fiction reader, so the mystery aspect of this story really intrigued me. However, that angle is not super prominent in the novel. While the mystery is essential to the plot, the story is more focused on the family drama and relationships between Arcade and Daffodil. The twists and tension aren’t completely forgotten though, as there are some plot points that definitely surprised me.

While I’d recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading literary fiction about sisters or generational trauma, I will caution all readers that this book is heavy. There’s a lot of discussion about and descriptions of drug use in addition to other heavy topics around family and death, so take care and look up content warnings before reading.

On the Savage Side is available now. Thanks to Knopf and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.