A Fury

by Eva Vertrice, Leslie Arnold, Kelly Kamp (Editor)

In 1161 A.D., Merek gifts his cousin and lover Maerwynn a silver ring, adorned with strange symbols and a black stone. That same night, an unwelcome visitor to Maerwynn’s chambers, forces her to throw the ring out the castle window and into the river below to try and save her and Merek’s life.

800 years later, the ring appears once again in a small auction house in modern day New York City. Maerwynn, now Rachel, and her companion Lilith, want it at any price. They aren’t the only ones.

The ring has secrets, but so do Rachel and Lilith. Can they still trust each other once their secrets unravel and they discover their connection to the ring and their part in a giant power struggle in Heaven?

378 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 3, 2023

About the author

I didn’t always love to write. Let’s face it, I didn’t even know I could until my forties. But I always had in the back of my mind the bucket list item to write a book. Now, I honestly don’t know if I added it to the list with the intent of ever doing it, or if it was just one of those things you add with no intention of ever actually doing, but it sounds good. Kinda like jumping out of a perfectly good airplane. Never gonna happen to this chick.

I have however, always loved reading. I guess that love of reading was what gave me the push to sit down and take a story I had been noodling for several years and bring it to life. What I was not completely prepared for was how much I would love the process. From typing that first word, to holding it in my hands, to meeting others who love the story as much as I do. I’m completely hooked.

I’ve never been the sort of person to start off small and work my way to larger things. Nope. I’m a go all the way or go home kinda girl. ‘A Fury’ was already a huge idea when I started it, and then it started to take on a life of it’s own as I wrote. Before long, I’ve got a novel trilogy just bursting to get out plus ideas for two other books. Look for a lot more to come from me soon.

Oh, you want to know a little more about me? Well, I lead what I think is a relatively normal life, but what others would call insane. In between writing, I square dance, coach soccer, volunteer for The Keeneland Concours (which raises money for the NICU of the UK Children’s hospital, a great cause), spend lots of hours on the computer, either writing or managing social media, and I try to have a little bit of fun in between. I don’t get to watch TV or read very often, so it’s a treat when I find the time. I love Mardi Gras masks, Funko Pops, Arensbak trolls, marigold carnival glass and I’m not afraid to admit that I have an impressive collection of comic books. I live with my four dogs, Taz, Maggie, Beannie & Hopie, and my two guinea pigs, Oliver and Omen. I think if I could describe myself in one word, it would be “unique”. I think all of my friends would also agree. I’ve always been my own person and that’s just how I like it.

Reviews

[LTJ · Rating 3 out of 5]

“A Fury” by Eva Vertrice is a novel I enjoyed for the most part, even though it strayed away from what I usually enjoy when I read horror. I enjoyed the story, characters, and the mysterious opening, but as I kept reading, I realized this might work with others, but probably not diehard horror readers like myself.

Before I begin my review, I found one main trigger warning while reading. It was…

- Sexual Assault

If this triggers you, please do not read this novel. Moving along, being from Queens, New York, I loved that my hometown was mentioned here. That was awesome, on top of the mysterious opening, which immediately drew me in and set the tone for a potential horror mystery with a vampiric twist. I enjoy creature feature horror now and then, especially vampires, so I looked forward to seeing where this would all lead.

When it comes to horror novels, I don’t mind a little romance to a degree, but when it’s happening way too much, it’s a turn-off for me. Don’t get me wrong, if you enjoy vampire lust and smut, you will undoubtedly enjoy this novel. I was looking for more vampiric gore, bloodshed, and violence, not the lovey-dovey stuff. There’s more of that stuff than horror, which was a bummer.

I enjoyed Vertrice’s writing style; she’s very talented. This is her first novel, so I greatly respect her for writing something this good and original. “A Fury” has prominent Gothic tones, so again, if you’re looking for a vampire story done in this style with good characters, a good plot twist, and a bit of horror, this is one I would recommend.

If you love horror as much as I do and want that bar set high to all the usual horror you’d expect from a novel, it doesn’t deliver in this category. The story is engaging but a bit heavy on the dialogue. I also enjoyed the formatting of this novel, which went back and forth over periods, making the ending even better. The ending was solid and helped this novel bounce back for me. I would never spoil anything for you, but it’s pretty good. I also loved that the horror was amped up when it mattered most at the end.

I give “A Fury” by Eva Vertrice a 3/5 for being a good story with interesting characters, solid Gothic writing, and many vampires. I wish it had more horror and not so much dialogue that dominated most of the novel, but aside from that, I enjoyed it. Vertrice is an author to keep an eye on, especially if she amps up the horror in future books or makes a name for herself in the Gothic fiction scene. Try this one if you love vampires, romance, and that Gothic style in books. It’ll be worth it. Remember, you will not get “‘Salem’s Lot” level of vampiric horror here, but there is some decent horror to sink your teeth in.

[ChristineB · Rating 5 out of 5]

Are you looking for something different? I’ve never read anything like this! Good luck putting it down because you have to know what’s next and there is no way you guess what’s coming!! So excited this is a trilogy!! Ready for Book 2!

[Jessica Lindsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun read. I enjoyed the vampire lore and the relationships in the story. The history was an added bonus! The characters were well thought out and I loved the use of demons, angels, and goddesses along the way. There were twists and turns and fun concepts not usually found in vampire stories. I'm looking forward to see what Rachel and Lilith get into next.

[Kim T Shea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can't wait for the sequel.

I was hooked from page one. I've always been a fan of the supernatural. A Fury brings a different view. I love the relationship between Rachel and Lily. I'm looking forward to the next adventure.

[Dave Weller · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed A Fury. The story pulled me in quickly and kept building with great pacing. What stood out most were the twists. You could never quite tell who to trust, which kept the tension high and made the story hard to put down.