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Vengeance Bound
The Goddess Test meets Dexter in an edgy, compelling debut about one teen’s quest for revenge… no matter how far it takes her.
Cory Graff is not alone in her head. Bound to a deal of desperation made when she was a child, Cory’s mind houses the Furies—the hawk and the serpent—lingering always, waiting for her to satisfy their bloodlust. After escaping the asylum where she was trapped for years, Cory knows how to keep the Furies quiet. By day, she lives a normal life, but by night, she tracks down targets the Furies send her way. And she brings down Justice upon them.
Cory’s perfected her system of survival, but when she meets a mysterious boy named Niko at her new school, she can’t figure out how she feels about him. For the first time, the Furies are quiet in her head around a guy. But does this mean that Cory’s finally found someone who she can trust, or are there greater factors at work? As Cory’s mind becomes a battlefield, with the Furies fighting for control, Cory will have to put everything on the line to hold on to what she’s worked so hard to build.
Cory Graff is not alone in her head. Bound to a deal of desperation made when she was a child, Cory’s mind houses the Furies—the hawk and the serpent—lingering always, waiting for her to satisfy their bloodlust. After escaping the asylum where she was trapped for years, Cory knows how to keep the Furies quiet. By day, she lives a normal life, but by night, she tracks down targets the Furies send her way. And she brings down Justice upon them.
Cory’s perfected her system of survival, but when she meets a mysterious boy named Niko at her new school, she can’t figure out how she feels about him. For the first time, the Furies are quiet in her head around a guy. But does this mean that Cory’s finally found someone who she can trust, or are there greater factors at work? As Cory’s mind becomes a battlefield, with the Furies fighting for control, Cory will have to put everything on the line to hold on to what she’s worked so hard to build.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published April 2, 2013
17 people are currently reading
4274 people want to read
About the author
Justina Ireland
125 books3,127 followersJustina Ireland is the New York Times bestselling author of numerous books including Dread Nation and its sequel Deathless Divide, the middle-grade novel Ophie's Ghosts, which won the Scott O'Dell award for historical fiction, and a number of Star Wars books including Flight of the Falcon: Lando’s Luck, Spark of the Resistance, A Test of Courage, Out of the Shadows, and Mission to Disaster. She is a former editor in chief of FIYAH Literary Magazine of Black Speculative Fiction, for which she won a World Fantasy Award. She holds a BA in History from Georgia Southern and an MFA in Creative Writing from Hamline University.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 161 reviews
December 31, 2018
Q: “There are plenty of nightmares that stalk the night. I’m yours.” (c)
Q: “I’m here to hand down your judgment,” ... “You will pay for what you’ve done to me.” ... (c)
I don't like Dexter, so that reference was probably a minus.
A cheeezy story of preternatural young adult killer bent on righteousness and vengeance. One, that Furies gave a total makeover, along with unnaturally blue irises and blond bangs. Probably trying to remodel her after Alecto, the deserter Fury. Yes, you can desert from Furies' ranks, obviously. No, you can't talk about it, not directly.
So, here we have a story of the replacement Fury in training:
Q:
“If anything weird starts to happen, and you can’t get out, there’s a tranquilizer gun in the closet, okay?” ...
“That’s a bit extreme. What are you, possessed?” ...
“You have no idea,” (c)
And of her beginning affair with the lovey-dovey hero: Q: "He wields a broom handle like a sword, and despite the silliness of it, he looks amazing." (с)
And they go on to interact like this:
Q: “Who are you?” ... “I’m Thirsty.” He just stares at me, and I laugh again, this time for real. “That’s the part where you say ‘Hi, Thirsty. I’m Friday. Let’s get together Saturday and we’ll have a sundae.’”He just stares at me, ... (c) Obviously, our girl can't really control her Furies and still she goes like Q: There will be plenty of time for reality later. (c)
And this Q: Any guy who can tie a girl to a bed and then stick around when she starts to lose her mind has to be a keeper. (c) might have been the artistic inspiration behind the '50 shades' of whatever...
There is even a crazy doctor in the bunch: Q: It wasn’t until the night I left that I finally realized. The doctor was crazier than me. (c) And a lot of luck to go around, the last stroke of which was getting that doc shot. Pure luck.
Q:
Hello, dear. We’ve missed you.
The voice in my brain fills me with a terrible kind of excitement, like waiting for an ice-skater to fall. I haven’t heard Them for so long that I was half-afraid They’d left me. (c)
Q:
He can’t be working on anything honest this late at night. Is he falsifying test results, or writing a glowing review about one of his experimental procedures? (c)
Q:
“Oh,” I say. But in the back of my mind the Furies are screaming in joy. Hurting men like Annie’s dad is Their idea of fun. (с)
Q:
I was cleared of the charges because it’s hard to convict a fourteen-year-old girl of giving a grown man a heart attack. (c)
Q:
It doesn’t really help. It ain’t fit out for man or beast, as my grandmother used to say.
Perfect for me. (c)
Q:
Maybe this man driving in the middle of a snowstorm is just an average guy going to get milk so his kids can have hot cocoa.He’s thinking how nice it will be to cut out your heart.
The whisper in the back of my mind isn’t unexpected, and it puts the brakes on any doubts I may have had about the man driving. (c)
Q:
Let’s finish him now. I want to watch him squirm. ... I haven’t yet answered his question, and I hope it seems like I was considering my answer instead of the quality of his sins. (с)
Q:
Even if I didn’t have Them in the back of my mind, I would know there was something off about this man.
But if I were a normal girl, it would be too late. (c)
Q:
Snow and darkness hide the road, even with the headlights attempting to cut through the gloom. Trees press in on either side, their branches scraping the glass like the scrabbling hands of vengeful victims. I kind of like the sound. (c)
Q:
The heat of another realm fills the interior of the van, and the snowflakes sticking to the outside of the windows melt away. There isn’t much room for Them in the minivan. Tisiphone’s mottled brown wings press against the glass of the windows, and the serpents on Megaera’s head brush the roof of the minivan. (c)
Q:
In the back of my mind They keep up a constant dialogue, arguing between Themselves.
First we need to find a spot, somewhere off the main road . . . The serpent woman’s sibilant voice trails off as she starts to plan.
She’s interrupted by the hawk’s scream. No. Let’s do it now!
Patience, Tisiphone. We must do it right.
The serpent, Megaera, is correct. Rushing ends in disaster. (c)
Q:
The Furies are all I have left.
But I’m not afraid anymore. Not this time.
I know They’ll take care of me. ...
I’ll find him, and after I take care of him, I’ll focus on the small detail of the future.
I have all the time in the world.
And right now it’s time to hunt. (c)
Q:
But in the end it doesn’t really matter if what we do is right or not. The Furies are all I need. And I would do anything to keep Them happy. (c)
Q:
Their need to destroy life is an ever-present sensation, violence that simmers just below the thin veneer of control I wear. (c)
Q:
Tisiphone. She’s always there to soothe, even though she’s the crazier of the two. (c)
Q:
Alekto, the third Fury. The one I’ve replaced. (c)
Q:
When people think you’re dumb, they underestimate you, and being underestimated is the greatest tool a hunter can have. The Furies taught me that. It’s why I adopted the drawl. You can never make things too easy for yourself. (c)
Q:
After four soul-crushing classes that make me question the sanity of high school—the history teacher spends twenty minutes ranting about immigration, and the English teacher sobs her way through a reading of a Shakespeare sonnet—I discover that West County High School is one of those archaic institutions where students are forced to eat on campus. (c)
Q:
School was pointless. I was always a little ahead, and I already knew all of the answers. (c)
Q:
Obviously not every guy is bad, but They can make something as small as stealing a cookie sound like a capital offense. (c)
Q:
Smart people tend to realize there is something calculated about my responses. It’s one of the downsides of being possessed by vengeful, mythological monsters. (c)
Q:
Sorrow undercut with hope, excitement, and yearning. (c)
Q:
The night is quiet, and the darkness relaxing. I learned to love the dark long ago, and now it’s as soothing as a warm bath.
It’s the light you have to fear. (c)
Q:
“Listen. You can spend the rest of your high school career being the guy who got beat up by the tiny little blond girl, or you can be the guy who got jumped at a party. I suggest you think long and hard about which one you want to be.” (c)
Q:
According to what I found in the student folders, the only person without major issues is me.
This made me laugh. (c)
Q:
“You always have a choice. That is one of the beautiful things about your kind, the number of options you have.” (c)
Q:
(c) And yeah, I got your tickets for ya, darling. This girl knows how to court to her guys!
November 3, 2012
Note: This review is of an uncorrected advance reader copy.
1.5 stars.
When Amelie was a desperate pre-teen in a horrible situation, the Furies answered her call for help. Taking up residence inside her, in the aftermath of her trauma the Furies' presence caused Amelie to be institutionalized, where she fell victim to Dr. Goodhart, an unscrupulous psychiatrist engaging in illegal drug trials who thinks that treating Amelie's supposed multiple personality disorder will make his career. She escapes, and vows to get her vengeance on the sadistic doctor. In order to appease the Furies while she hunts Dr. Goodhart, Amelie helps them enact "justice" on men--murderers, rapists, child molesters, etc. But the Furies seem to be gaining in strength, and wanting vengeance more frequently, and it's all Amelie can do to hold onto her humanity in the face of their desires. To help keep her sane, she enrolls in high school, where she meets Niko, a boy who may be worth fighting the Furies for.
This book...was horrible. It started out okay, but got off track almost immediately. Here are three things I really hated about this book:
1. Niko and the relationship. It was insta-love. And the insta-love was especially terrible because neither Niko nor Amelie actually seem to have any likable characteristics. Niko is blander than dry toast, and Amelie is preoccupied with the murderous Furies who live in her head. Why did they like each other? Oh, right, they're both physically attractive. Niko's eyes, in fact, are seemingly the most important thing about him. Here are just a few of the dozen (I counted) times Amelie waxes poetic about his amazing eyes:
I think Amelie meeting Niko was supposed to really make things get exciting, but it actually had the opposite effect. Edward Cullen has a hundred times the personality this kid's got--I mean, at least we know Edward enjoys music, hunting large animals with his bare hands, and putting himself through the torture of high school over and over again for no reason. Niko? He likes...Amelie. Sometimes, I guess. Though he doesn't have a great way of showing it.
2. Every female character aside from Amelie is some variety of petty, malicious, or insane--and I'm not talking about the Furies here. This book definitely fails the Bechdel Test (unless you count Amelie's weird dream-conversations with a cryptic former Fury), and it's not for lack of female characters.
3. The ending. I think it's meant to be a "triumphing over evil" sort of ending, but, uh, there's no triumph. There wasn't even really any major attempt to triumph over evil--what resolution with the Furies occurs is something that's completely out of Amelie's hands, and not exactly a desired outcome. I'm so confused about how not only the author but also her agent and an editor thought this ending was satisfactory.
Overall, I just really don't understand how there are people out there who like this book. It fails on almost every front. Disappointing.
1.5 stars.
When Amelie was a desperate pre-teen in a horrible situation, the Furies answered her call for help. Taking up residence inside her, in the aftermath of her trauma the Furies' presence caused Amelie to be institutionalized, where she fell victim to Dr. Goodhart, an unscrupulous psychiatrist engaging in illegal drug trials who thinks that treating Amelie's supposed multiple personality disorder will make his career. She escapes, and vows to get her vengeance on the sadistic doctor. In order to appease the Furies while she hunts Dr. Goodhart, Amelie helps them enact "justice" on men--murderers, rapists, child molesters, etc. But the Furies seem to be gaining in strength, and wanting vengeance more frequently, and it's all Amelie can do to hold onto her humanity in the face of their desires. To help keep her sane, she enrolls in high school, where she meets Niko, a boy who may be worth fighting the Furies for.
This book...was horrible. It started out okay, but got off track almost immediately. Here are three things I really hated about this book:
1. Niko and the relationship. It was insta-love. And the insta-love was especially terrible because neither Niko nor Amelie actually seem to have any likable characteristics. Niko is blander than dry toast, and Amelie is preoccupied with the murderous Furies who live in her head. Why did they like each other? Oh, right, they're both physically attractive. Niko's eyes, in fact, are seemingly the most important thing about him. Here are just a few of the dozen (I counted) times Amelie waxes poetic about his amazing eyes:
"They're a shade that reminds me of how the ocean looks right after a hurricane blows through, wind tossed and angry. A slate gray shot through with darker shades of navy and flecks of cornflower brightness. Cliched but true. His stormy eyes stop my heart for a second."
"His eyes are the color of the winter sky, and they're so bright, it steals my breath. For a moment the world falls away. I want this moment to last forever."
"He's now close enough for me to see the irises of his eyes. The low light makes them shine, the blue the same pale shade as the sky right before dawn."
"His eyes are the color of the sky in a Monet painting I saw once when I was younger, a gray-blue so perfect that it fills me with a longing sharp enough to cut stone."
I think Amelie meeting Niko was supposed to really make things get exciting, but it actually had the opposite effect. Edward Cullen has a hundred times the personality this kid's got--I mean, at least we know Edward enjoys music, hunting large animals with his bare hands, and putting himself through the torture of high school over and over again for no reason. Niko? He likes...Amelie. Sometimes, I guess. Though he doesn't have a great way of showing it.
2. Every female character aside from Amelie is some variety of petty, malicious, or insane--and I'm not talking about the Furies here. This book definitely fails the Bechdel Test (unless you count Amelie's weird dream-conversations with a cryptic former Fury), and it's not for lack of female characters.
3. The ending. I think it's meant to be a "triumphing over evil" sort of ending, but, uh, there's no triumph. There wasn't even really any major attempt to triumph over evil--what resolution with the Furies occurs is something that's completely out of Amelie's hands, and not exactly a desired outcome. I'm so confused about how not only the author but also her agent and an editor thought this ending was satisfactory.
Overall, I just really don't understand how there are people out there who like this book. It fails on almost every front. Disappointing.
February 17, 2020
This was short and fun! Nothing memorable, but enjoyable nonetheless. A bit too heavy on the instalove, but I liked seeing a modern interpretation of the Furies.
April 11, 2017
I'm not sure of my feelings on this. So much I liked, so much was just okay and so much was left feeling slightly undone and....anticlimactic. I liked it, I really did and it was definitely interesting and somewhat original in design yet something felt missing by the ending. Like too much was undone and too easy of a happily ever after was accomplished and yet it wasn't really a HEA at the same time. So for now, I'm going to rate this three stars until I can get my feelings sorted out for it.
Read
March 24, 2013Bleh couldn't get into this one at all. Cool premise but I couldn't care less about the characters and the capitalizing of "Them" "They" etc when referring to the furies was very distracting. I kept yelling the word in my head to give it emphasis and that was just annoying. I rather not like yelling at myself much.
dnf
August 4, 2012DNF.
November 17, 2017
FINALLY! This book took me a MONTH to finish. About halfway through it came easier, but c'mon! I REALLY wanted to like this because Justina is so awesome on Twitter & I'm stones for Dread Nation but this debut fell flat. The mythology was interesting, the high school clique was fun, but the opposite of info dumping happened, it was info pulling to even get any idea of what was happening. The plot and info reveals went around and around in circles. Just meh for me. The shark was brilliant though.
did-not-finish
March 23, 2013Not going to rate this because I didn't finish it but just wanted to leave a note as to why I DNF'd. I got to page 117 and had zero connection to the MC. I don't think we got to know her at all, it was all just her struggle with these furies living inside her and trying to keep them satisfied. There were hints to her past but that just left me confused because at no point in time did we get full stories as to what happened. The relationships at the school were pretty cliche. She shook hands with the boy and completely lost herself for a moment and then all they do is steal glances at one another every time they see each other. Oh and of course there is a big bitch who is so cold to the MC for some reason that we don't know, she's just a raging bitch right off the bat. And of course they both end up being friends with the nice girl so they are forced together on numerous occasions. Maybe there will be a good explanation for these things later on, but I don't care enough to stick it out and find out. There is a good amount of action, but just not enough substance.
April 20, 2013
What a wild ride! I love the way this book explores the fantasy of exacting justice/revenge against the wicked while reminding us of the toll that murder takes on our souls. (But I will say I enjoyed watching Amelie kick ass and take names.)
Loved the ending too, though I won't say anything more and spoil it. Justina, you rock my socks. Can't wait to read what you come up with next!
Loved the ending too, though I won't say anything more and spoil it. Justina, you rock my socks. Can't wait to read what you come up with next!
July 3, 2013
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I'm a huge Greek mythology geek so it's no surprise that I was excited to read Vengeance Bound. I was so happy to read a book that focused on the Furies and I was so happy that I was approved for an ARC of it. I am extremely disappointed with Vengeance Bound and unfortunately it didn't live up to my expectations at all. Instead of an spectacular take on Greek mythology, I was treated to a typical YA romance with little sustenance and development. Comparing this book to Dexter is extremely misleading because this book is nothing like Dexter at all.
Cory has to deal with the Furies and their hunger for vengeance. She is forced to kill men who have wronged women and spreads the Furies' so-called justice. The few sparse segments of this book that I enjoyed were the action sequences in which Cory and the Furies spread justice. These segments were action-packed, gory mindless fun but nevertheless I was entertained. This book opens up to an intense scene in a mental asylum and immediately started with a bang. There was little introduction to the concept of the Furies and their role in Cory's life. The backstory behind the Furies was very unconvincing and was poorly developed. I thought that the author could have used the setting of a mental asylum to her advantage but she poorly used the asylum as a setting.
Considering this book is supposed to be based on Greek Mythology, the author uses very little mythology beyond the basic myths about the Furies. In fact, this book doesn't feel well-researched at all and I feel like the author only used what basic mythology she knew. I expected some appearances from either gods or demigods but the Furies are the only mythological creatures in this novel and I was annoyed how the author constantly capitalized pronouns like They or Them when referring to the Furies. What was the point of this capitalization? There was no significance behind the capitalization and it felt extremely arbitrary.
Truthfully, Vengeance Bound is a contemporary romance veiled as a fantasy novel. The author chooses to focus on the dull romance between Cory and Niko. There's some typical high-school angst and drama that was so cliche and overdone to add onto the dull romance. I wouldn't have minded a romance between Cory and Niko if they were semi-interesting but there was nothing remarkable or interesting about either character. You would think that Cory would have alot of internal conflict or at least feel troubled that she is a killer but nope. All she cares about is falling for Niko and hoping he doesn't find out her secret regarding the Furies. This book was filled with hackneyed conflicts that are way too overused in YA lit and all hopes of this book being original were dashed.
Another thing that bothered me was the concept of revenge on evil-doers. Isn't hurting people who wronged others still wrong? It's kind of hypocritical to say that vengeance is justice and I think committing revenge makes you just as the bad as the evil-doer. Cory never seems to be bothered by the fact that she has to avenge people and it seems like she only cares about her boyfriend. Cory even wants to attack a security guard at her high school just because he told her she had to stay in the building. The security guard is just doing in this job and you want to punch him for doing his job? That's just not right and I expected that Cory would be more conflicted about hurting people.
Vengeance Bound really let me down and it was nothing like I expected. Instead of being focused on mythology, this book was more focused on typical high school drama. I am not sure if Vengeance Bound is part of a series or if it's just a stand-alone, either way I can't imagine wanting to read a sequel. Thank you Simon & Schuster for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for a honest review.
I'm a huge Greek mythology geek so it's no surprise that I was excited to read Vengeance Bound. I was so happy to read a book that focused on the Furies and I was so happy that I was approved for an ARC of it. I am extremely disappointed with Vengeance Bound and unfortunately it didn't live up to my expectations at all. Instead of an spectacular take on Greek mythology, I was treated to a typical YA romance with little sustenance and development. Comparing this book to Dexter is extremely misleading because this book is nothing like Dexter at all.
Cory has to deal with the Furies and their hunger for vengeance. She is forced to kill men who have wronged women and spreads the Furies' so-called justice. The few sparse segments of this book that I enjoyed were the action sequences in which Cory and the Furies spread justice. These segments were action-packed, gory mindless fun but nevertheless I was entertained. This book opens up to an intense scene in a mental asylum and immediately started with a bang. There was little introduction to the concept of the Furies and their role in Cory's life. The backstory behind the Furies was very unconvincing and was poorly developed. I thought that the author could have used the setting of a mental asylum to her advantage but she poorly used the asylum as a setting.
Considering this book is supposed to be based on Greek Mythology, the author uses very little mythology beyond the basic myths about the Furies. In fact, this book doesn't feel well-researched at all and I feel like the author only used what basic mythology she knew. I expected some appearances from either gods or demigods but the Furies are the only mythological creatures in this novel and I was annoyed how the author constantly capitalized pronouns like They or Them when referring to the Furies. What was the point of this capitalization? There was no significance behind the capitalization and it felt extremely arbitrary.
Truthfully, Vengeance Bound is a contemporary romance veiled as a fantasy novel. The author chooses to focus on the dull romance between Cory and Niko. There's some typical high-school angst and drama that was so cliche and overdone to add onto the dull romance. I wouldn't have minded a romance between Cory and Niko if they were semi-interesting but there was nothing remarkable or interesting about either character. You would think that Cory would have alot of internal conflict or at least feel troubled that she is a killer but nope. All she cares about is falling for Niko and hoping he doesn't find out her secret regarding the Furies. This book was filled with hackneyed conflicts that are way too overused in YA lit and all hopes of this book being original were dashed.
Another thing that bothered me was the concept of revenge on evil-doers. Isn't hurting people who wronged others still wrong? It's kind of hypocritical to say that vengeance is justice and I think committing revenge makes you just as the bad as the evil-doer. Cory never seems to be bothered by the fact that she has to avenge people and it seems like she only cares about her boyfriend. Cory even wants to attack a security guard at her high school just because he told her she had to stay in the building. The security guard is just doing in this job and you want to punch him for doing his job? That's just not right and I expected that Cory would be more conflicted about hurting people.
Vengeance Bound really let me down and it was nothing like I expected. Instead of being focused on mythology, this book was more focused on typical high school drama. I am not sure if Vengeance Bound is part of a series or if it's just a stand-alone, either way I can't imagine wanting to read a sequel. Thank you Simon & Schuster for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for a honest review.
May 5, 2013
'Silver chains encircle my arms, leading back to Them and binding us together. My vision splits in three, seeing what They see too. It's like looking at a dressing room mirror, each image slightly different.
Tisiphone's vision is bright colors and a flash of images as she reads his past crimes. Megaera's is cast in red, heat vision more than anything. She sees the pain of his past victims clinging to him. I can see only what is in front of me, but my weakness isn't a hindrance.
Three is the right number. Now we are complete.'
Privacy is hard to come by when you're sharing the inside of your head with two other people.
But Cory Graff's 'mindmates' aren't just figments of her imagination. Cory's mind houses the Furies - the hawk and the serpent - whom she has little control over. Constantly fighting against their bloodlust and thirst for vengeance, Cory seeks a way out of the desperate deal she made as a child...a way to be separated from her 'sisters' who are bound to get her discovered - or, worse, killed.
The hand of justice can be swift. But the hand of love is all the more dangerous.
Niko is unlike anyone Cory has ever met. Though drawn to him, Cory knows that nothing can come of this attraction. After all - she's a monster. She rules the night, bringing those who have committed crimes to their knees and ending their lives with the Furies egging her on. But the Furies are just as curious about Niko as Cory is. One thing is for sure - he is more than he seems.
The fight is on.
The mind is a battlefield, stained with the blood of murderers, thieves and villains. And Cory wants to end the war on her own terms.
But when the chance to bring down the one man who ruined her past - her family and her life - arises, can Cory resist the lure? Can she make the choice between vengeance and justice before it's too late?
Tisiphone's vision is bright colors and a flash of images as she reads his past crimes. Megaera's is cast in red, heat vision more than anything. She sees the pain of his past victims clinging to him. I can see only what is in front of me, but my weakness isn't a hindrance.
Three is the right number. Now we are complete.'
Privacy is hard to come by when you're sharing the inside of your head with two other people.
But Cory Graff's 'mindmates' aren't just figments of her imagination. Cory's mind houses the Furies - the hawk and the serpent - whom she has little control over. Constantly fighting against their bloodlust and thirst for vengeance, Cory seeks a way out of the desperate deal she made as a child...a way to be separated from her 'sisters' who are bound to get her discovered - or, worse, killed.
The hand of justice can be swift. But the hand of love is all the more dangerous.
Niko is unlike anyone Cory has ever met. Though drawn to him, Cory knows that nothing can come of this attraction. After all - she's a monster. She rules the night, bringing those who have committed crimes to their knees and ending their lives with the Furies egging her on. But the Furies are just as curious about Niko as Cory is. One thing is for sure - he is more than he seems.
The fight is on.
The mind is a battlefield, stained with the blood of murderers, thieves and villains. And Cory wants to end the war on her own terms.
But when the chance to bring down the one man who ruined her past - her family and her life - arises, can Cory resist the lure? Can she make the choice between vengeance and justice before it's too late?
March 25, 2013
The Furies and Mythology what more could I ask for. I love mythology and the love the story of the furies. Lord they were some ruthless women who did not take crap from anyone and doled out vengeance like there was no tomorrow. Justina Ireland took me by storm by this book. From the opening sentence to ending sentence I was enthralled by this book and how everything came together and fit together nicely.
Cory looks like your normal teenage girl but Cory has a secret. She has escaped the asylum where she has been for years. She was placed there for her safety and others. See Cory carries the furies in her mind and they control her and as you know the furies are all for violence and getting revenge when they have been wronged. Cory has learned how to keep the furies at bay and she does it well enough that she can go out and live on her own. See Cory lives a normal life during the day by going to school and hanging out with friends and doing homework but at night boy oh boy that is where the fun is because the furies come out and dole out their vengeance. The furies are nothing to mess with at night but in the morning Cory goes back to her normal routine.
It is in this normal morning routine that Cory meets a very mysterious boy Niko. Niko is quiet and keeps to himself but something about him quiets the furies in Cory's mind and she for the first time does not know what to think about that. Can she have feelings for Niko? Can she be with him? Will she hurt him? What secrets are Niko keeping? Is Niko good for Cory? What does it mean when the furies are quiet? They are never quiet but around Niko they are. I will not spoil it for you because this is a must read book! So what ya waiting for April 02 is the official release day for this book!
Cory looks like your normal teenage girl but Cory has a secret. She has escaped the asylum where she has been for years. She was placed there for her safety and others. See Cory carries the furies in her mind and they control her and as you know the furies are all for violence and getting revenge when they have been wronged. Cory has learned how to keep the furies at bay and she does it well enough that she can go out and live on her own. See Cory lives a normal life during the day by going to school and hanging out with friends and doing homework but at night boy oh boy that is where the fun is because the furies come out and dole out their vengeance. The furies are nothing to mess with at night but in the morning Cory goes back to her normal routine.
It is in this normal morning routine that Cory meets a very mysterious boy Niko. Niko is quiet and keeps to himself but something about him quiets the furies in Cory's mind and she for the first time does not know what to think about that. Can she have feelings for Niko? Can she be with him? Will she hurt him? What secrets are Niko keeping? Is Niko good for Cory? What does it mean when the furies are quiet? They are never quiet but around Niko they are. I will not spoil it for you because this is a must read book! So what ya waiting for April 02 is the official release day for this book!
Read
February 16, 2022I am unsure what rating to give this one. The premise and the idea of the Furies is amazing, but there were moments in which the book bored me. Dee's friends from High School are underveliped, even Mindi which will come to be an important character, and Niko, the love interest. The love between Dee and Niko wasn't a palpable thing for me, it was like it was there only for the book to work.
I love Justina Ireland's "Dread Nation" and this is a first book and you can see the potential here, but I don't know I would go for a second reading of this one as I ended up skimming pages at the end as I just wanted to finnish it.
I love Justina Ireland's "Dread Nation" and this is a first book and you can see the potential here, but I don't know I would go for a second reading of this one as I ended up skimming pages at the end as I just wanted to finnish it.
November 16, 2014
The. Best. Book. Ever.
July 29, 2014
***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***
Vengeance Bound by Justina Ireland
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers
Publication Date: April 2, 2013
Rating: 3 stars
Source: Copy won from a giveaway
Summary (from Goodreads):
Cory Graff is not alone in her head. Bound to a deal of desperation made when she was a child, Cory’s mind houses the Furies—the hawk and the serpent—lingering always, waiting for her to satisfy their bloodlust. After escaping the asylum where she was trapped for years, Cory knows how to keep the Furies quiet. By day, she lives a normal life, but by night, she tracks down targets the Furies send her way. And she brings down Justice upon them.
Cory’s perfected her system of survival, but when she meets a mysterious boy named Niko at her new school, she can’t figure out how she feels about him. For the first time, the Furies are quiet in her head around a guy. But does this mean that Cory’s finally found someone who she can trust, or are there greater factors at work? As Cory’s mind becomes a battlefield, with the Furies fighting for control, Cory will have to put everything on the line to hold on to what she’s worked so hard to build.
What I Liked:
I'm not too sure how I feel about this one. On the one hand, I enjoyed the story. It was a fun, fast-paced book, with plenty of action and even a cute romance. On the other hand, I'm a little meh about this book. I don't feel like I should be gushing about it, or sharing it or recommending it or such. I liked it, but I didn't love it, how about that?
Amelie/Cory is the third Fury - she replaced Alekto. Cory is human, but she has the other two Furies with her, sort of. They inhabit her mind, and when they are ready to execute judgment on guilty men, they pop out, and with Cory, punishment is given out. Cory has been running from her past - she used to be in an insane asylum of a sort, with a crazy doctor who wanted to study her for his own means. So Cory has been on the run since she was twelve. She ends up back in Pennsylvania, trying to go to high school, while search for that doctor, to kill him.
The inclusion of Greek mythology is really nice! It's just the three Furies, but still, Greek mythology nonetheless. I love Greek mythology.
I have to say, I don't think I was too bored for too long at any point in the book. I wanted to know how Cory would get rid of the Furies inside her - you know that will be a conflict, you just know it will be. And as soon as she meets Niko, in high school, my attention perked up. So there was the internal battle with the Furies, finding the doctor, high school drama, and Niko.
I like Niko. I honestly think he was a little flat and underdeveloped, but I liked him - or at least, the idea of him. Cory and Niko are a cute couple. I wasn't really feeling the romance, even though I really wanted to be invested in it. I feel like it was brought on too quickly, and then the snowball rolled down the mountain. I'm not saying there was insta-love, but it felt like the romance was a bit detached.
Anyway. I liked the story. That's good. I liked the voice of this book - Justina Ireland definitely has a distinctive writing style and voice. It was the same voice I noticed in Promise of Shadows. I wonder if all of Ireland's books will have this voice and tone? I suppose I will see - if I choose to read any more of her books. So far, I haven't been super impressed.
What I Did Not Like:
I said above that I thought the romance was detached. Here's the thing about me and romance: if you're going to have the romance in the book, then don't make it detached or informal or basically not there. If the story is marketed as having a romance, then make it in the story, with FEELS romance and whatnot! In this book, I can think of one scene that gave me a butterfly or two in my stomach. Maybe. That was it. BUT the romance in this book is supposed to be monumental, earth-moving, window-shattering, or whatever. It is because of Niko (Cory's feelings for him, really), that Cory questions her duty with the Furies. But I really was not feeling the romance.
Also, I didn't really connect well with Niko. He seemed a little one-dimensional, like there wasn't much to him besides him being a love interest to Cory and best friend to Cory's best friend. Which was weird. That chick is whack, just saying.
I think I could connect with Cory, but I didn't necessarily like her. I'm not sure why, but I didn't really like her very much. I think she's a little messed up, but she's supposed to be. Maybe I didn't really connect with her after all. I don't know, I just didn't get a positive vibe from her.
Overall, I was a bit meh about this one. I liked the story, but I didn't necessarily like it enough to re-read it or recommend it to someone else. And honestly, while there was plenty of action, this book had a fluffy tone to it. I expected more kickbutt, dark vengeance... nahh, it wasn't that dark.
Would I Recommend It:
Nahhh. Maybe it's just me, but I'm not a huge fan of Justina Ireland's books. I LOVE Greek mythology, and I love that Ireland chooses to incorporate it into her books, but the execution is so mehhh.
Rating:
3 stars. Good, but not amazing. I read it because I had a copy, not because I was about to break my neck trying to read it. Otherwise, ehhh, it would have flown under my radar.
Vengeance Bound by Justina Ireland
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers
Publication Date: April 2, 2013
Rating: 3 stars
Source: Copy won from a giveaway
Summary (from Goodreads):
Cory Graff is not alone in her head. Bound to a deal of desperation made when she was a child, Cory’s mind houses the Furies—the hawk and the serpent—lingering always, waiting for her to satisfy their bloodlust. After escaping the asylum where she was trapped for years, Cory knows how to keep the Furies quiet. By day, she lives a normal life, but by night, she tracks down targets the Furies send her way. And she brings down Justice upon them.
Cory’s perfected her system of survival, but when she meets a mysterious boy named Niko at her new school, she can’t figure out how she feels about him. For the first time, the Furies are quiet in her head around a guy. But does this mean that Cory’s finally found someone who she can trust, or are there greater factors at work? As Cory’s mind becomes a battlefield, with the Furies fighting for control, Cory will have to put everything on the line to hold on to what she’s worked so hard to build.
What I Liked:
I'm not too sure how I feel about this one. On the one hand, I enjoyed the story. It was a fun, fast-paced book, with plenty of action and even a cute romance. On the other hand, I'm a little meh about this book. I don't feel like I should be gushing about it, or sharing it or recommending it or such. I liked it, but I didn't love it, how about that?
Amelie/Cory is the third Fury - she replaced Alekto. Cory is human, but she has the other two Furies with her, sort of. They inhabit her mind, and when they are ready to execute judgment on guilty men, they pop out, and with Cory, punishment is given out. Cory has been running from her past - she used to be in an insane asylum of a sort, with a crazy doctor who wanted to study her for his own means. So Cory has been on the run since she was twelve. She ends up back in Pennsylvania, trying to go to high school, while search for that doctor, to kill him.
The inclusion of Greek mythology is really nice! It's just the three Furies, but still, Greek mythology nonetheless. I love Greek mythology.
I have to say, I don't think I was too bored for too long at any point in the book. I wanted to know how Cory would get rid of the Furies inside her - you know that will be a conflict, you just know it will be. And as soon as she meets Niko, in high school, my attention perked up. So there was the internal battle with the Furies, finding the doctor, high school drama, and Niko.
I like Niko. I honestly think he was a little flat and underdeveloped, but I liked him - or at least, the idea of him. Cory and Niko are a cute couple. I wasn't really feeling the romance, even though I really wanted to be invested in it. I feel like it was brought on too quickly, and then the snowball rolled down the mountain. I'm not saying there was insta-love, but it felt like the romance was a bit detached.
Anyway. I liked the story. That's good. I liked the voice of this book - Justina Ireland definitely has a distinctive writing style and voice. It was the same voice I noticed in Promise of Shadows. I wonder if all of Ireland's books will have this voice and tone? I suppose I will see - if I choose to read any more of her books. So far, I haven't been super impressed.
What I Did Not Like:
I said above that I thought the romance was detached. Here's the thing about me and romance: if you're going to have the romance in the book, then don't make it detached or informal or basically not there. If the story is marketed as having a romance, then make it in the story, with FEELS romance and whatnot! In this book, I can think of one scene that gave me a butterfly or two in my stomach. Maybe. That was it. BUT the romance in this book is supposed to be monumental, earth-moving, window-shattering, or whatever. It is because of Niko (Cory's feelings for him, really), that Cory questions her duty with the Furies. But I really was not feeling the romance.
Also, I didn't really connect well with Niko. He seemed a little one-dimensional, like there wasn't much to him besides him being a love interest to Cory and best friend to Cory's best friend. Which was weird. That chick is whack, just saying.
I think I could connect with Cory, but I didn't necessarily like her. I'm not sure why, but I didn't really like her very much. I think she's a little messed up, but she's supposed to be. Maybe I didn't really connect with her after all. I don't know, I just didn't get a positive vibe from her.
Overall, I was a bit meh about this one. I liked the story, but I didn't necessarily like it enough to re-read it or recommend it to someone else. And honestly, while there was plenty of action, this book had a fluffy tone to it. I expected more kickbutt, dark vengeance... nahh, it wasn't that dark.
Would I Recommend It:
Nahhh. Maybe it's just me, but I'm not a huge fan of Justina Ireland's books. I LOVE Greek mythology, and I love that Ireland chooses to incorporate it into her books, but the execution is so mehhh.
Rating:
3 stars. Good, but not amazing. I read it because I had a copy, not because I was about to break my neck trying to read it. Otherwise, ehhh, it would have flown under my radar.
May 5, 2013
3.5 stars
review appears on My ParaHangover
Ever notice that there are authors who are great with crazy story ideas and concepts and on the other side there are authors who do a fantastic job building worlds and characters to live in those worlds? But it’s the rare and fantabulous book that combines all these qualities; combines both the crazy unique story idea with the well fleshed-out supporting world and characters. These books for me are ones written by Kim Harrison, Patricia Briggs, Rachel Vincent, or Darynda Jones. Why am I discussing this in a review of another book? Because Vengeance Bound has the super crazy-awesome story idea but for me it just lacked a little hutzpah in the character department. I just needed to explain where I’m coming from; why I thought it got half the recipe correct.
Setting / World Building
Where the story starts is in a mental institution. We’re then off to a small town in Pennsylvania where Cory has relocated herself to so she can continue her hunt for her former psychiatrist. She’s looking to exact revenge for all the pain and suffering he’s put Cory through. At this point in the story, it isn’t clear exactly what has happened. We’re not even sure if he’s as evil as Cory makes him out to be. Because anyone with “personalities” in their head are usually considered short on rolls in their bread basket. You’re just going to have to let this story play out to find out who did what to who.
Cory is stuck with the Furies in her head and their need to feed their hunger for fear and death is pretty strong at times. Cory longs for a portion of her life to be “normal”. So she enrolls in the local high school and goes through the act of being just like every other teenager there. Ms. Ireland did a great job illustrating this typical high school and it’s surrounding small town, showing us where and how Cory lived, and all the places she travels to hunt her prey for the Furies. And even though this story is a typical urban fantasy, we do get a few pretty cool dream sequences with some whacked out settings.
Story / Tempo
In regards to story telling, it was slow and steady all the way to the end due to a lot of the details being held back as part of the slow reveal to the ending of the book. Often times that drives me batty because I find that I get distracted by not knowing what is going on. Then I get lost on what is actually happening because I’m still trying to piece it all together, and it’s a big crazy catch-22! This time, I let my mind go, let it all play out, and it worked out just fine. You just can’t get too wrapped up in figuring out the mystery before it’s revealed to enjoy this one.
Characters
Cory, our protagonist and narrator, was just “meh” for me. Her personality seemed a little wishy-washy. At times she acted like an old soul trapped in a young body with the smarts that went along with it. Then at other times she acts like a typical teenager. I know she was “posing” as a teenager in high school every time she went to a new school but it shouldn’t be such an act for her. I just couldn’t pinpoint a clear direction for Cory’s personality. That kind of frustrated me.
Add on top of that some nasty high school students and I was generally turned off by the supporting cast. But that’s a completely personal thing for me – some readers might like the nasty high schoolers. I just happen to think nasty high schoolers, in general, reads like Gossip Girl. Not for me…
BUT, even though I wasn’t fan of the character development, I have got to say this book had THE best ending of a book that I have read in a very long time. Extremely well done, couldn’t have been more perfect.
I think if you want to read something that is completely different than anything out there and has one of the classiest, most perfect endings, you should give this one a shot. Just keep your mind open to some of the flaws.
review appears on My ParaHangover
Ever notice that there are authors who are great with crazy story ideas and concepts and on the other side there are authors who do a fantastic job building worlds and characters to live in those worlds? But it’s the rare and fantabulous book that combines all these qualities; combines both the crazy unique story idea with the well fleshed-out supporting world and characters. These books for me are ones written by Kim Harrison, Patricia Briggs, Rachel Vincent, or Darynda Jones. Why am I discussing this in a review of another book? Because Vengeance Bound has the super crazy-awesome story idea but for me it just lacked a little hutzpah in the character department. I just needed to explain where I’m coming from; why I thought it got half the recipe correct.
Setting / World Building
Where the story starts is in a mental institution. We’re then off to a small town in Pennsylvania where Cory has relocated herself to so she can continue her hunt for her former psychiatrist. She’s looking to exact revenge for all the pain and suffering he’s put Cory through. At this point in the story, it isn’t clear exactly what has happened. We’re not even sure if he’s as evil as Cory makes him out to be. Because anyone with “personalities” in their head are usually considered short on rolls in their bread basket. You’re just going to have to let this story play out to find out who did what to who.
Cory is stuck with the Furies in her head and their need to feed their hunger for fear and death is pretty strong at times. Cory longs for a portion of her life to be “normal”. So she enrolls in the local high school and goes through the act of being just like every other teenager there. Ms. Ireland did a great job illustrating this typical high school and it’s surrounding small town, showing us where and how Cory lived, and all the places she travels to hunt her prey for the Furies. And even though this story is a typical urban fantasy, we do get a few pretty cool dream sequences with some whacked out settings.
Story / Tempo
In regards to story telling, it was slow and steady all the way to the end due to a lot of the details being held back as part of the slow reveal to the ending of the book. Often times that drives me batty because I find that I get distracted by not knowing what is going on. Then I get lost on what is actually happening because I’m still trying to piece it all together, and it’s a big crazy catch-22! This time, I let my mind go, let it all play out, and it worked out just fine. You just can’t get too wrapped up in figuring out the mystery before it’s revealed to enjoy this one.
Characters
Cory, our protagonist and narrator, was just “meh” for me. Her personality seemed a little wishy-washy. At times she acted like an old soul trapped in a young body with the smarts that went along with it. Then at other times she acts like a typical teenager. I know she was “posing” as a teenager in high school every time she went to a new school but it shouldn’t be such an act for her. I just couldn’t pinpoint a clear direction for Cory’s personality. That kind of frustrated me.
Add on top of that some nasty high school students and I was generally turned off by the supporting cast. But that’s a completely personal thing for me – some readers might like the nasty high schoolers. I just happen to think nasty high schoolers, in general, reads like Gossip Girl. Not for me…
BUT, even though I wasn’t fan of the character development, I have got to say this book had THE best ending of a book that I have read in a very long time. Extremely well done, couldn’t have been more perfect.
I think if you want to read something that is completely different than anything out there and has one of the classiest, most perfect endings, you should give this one a shot. Just keep your mind open to some of the flaws.
March 12, 2013
Read Review at Bewitched Bookworms
Greek Mythology and .. the Furies!
Greek mythology is always something I’m interested in , and especially with a modern urban setting. Here, the tale of the Furies is explored in a new refreshing, but also dark and edgy way. Cory is connected to the furies in a rather special way, as they only appear when they about to hand down justice to a man ( never women), otherwise they somehow only exist in her mind. Even if they are in the back of her conscience, she always aware of them and they also can trigger her emotions and try to influence them.
Alone! …. only the Furies are there..
Cory is on her own since she was 15, ever since she connected with Furies. Some truly horrific things happened to her, things I’m going to let you explore for yourself. But, all I can say is that my heart broke for her hearing about everything she went thought at such young age. It’s cruel and horrific and made me gasp!
But, all this changed her and made her grow up super fast. She had to take care of her life for herself and she not only grew up, matured super fast but also build a wall around herself and her heart.
Having her tale told from her POV was rather interesting as she definitely sounded far from the 17 yr old girl she was. In her behavior and her way of speaking shone clearly the level of maturity through. I didn’t mind this as I even prefer a more mature protagonist.
Justice?! … how far is too far
The story explores justice. How far can we go to hand down justice and who is really guilty and who might even be a victim? I loved the way those questions were explored and how Cory slowly began to realize herself that not everything is black and white. Of course, the added romance gave the story the perfect sweet counterpart to the cruel and sometimes horrific scenes. The romance was sweet, cute and definitely enough to satisfy my romantic heart!
Bottom Line
Vengeance Bound by Justina Ireland was a gripping tale filled with greek mythology set in the modern world. Cory was a great and amazing heroine who was sadly wise beyond her years and only now begins to question her quest for Vengeance!
Greek Mythology and .. the Furies!
Greek mythology is always something I’m interested in , and especially with a modern urban setting. Here, the tale of the Furies is explored in a new refreshing, but also dark and edgy way. Cory is connected to the furies in a rather special way, as they only appear when they about to hand down justice to a man ( never women), otherwise they somehow only exist in her mind. Even if they are in the back of her conscience, she always aware of them and they also can trigger her emotions and try to influence them.
Alone! …. only the Furies are there..
Cory is on her own since she was 15, ever since she connected with Furies. Some truly horrific things happened to her, things I’m going to let you explore for yourself. But, all I can say is that my heart broke for her hearing about everything she went thought at such young age. It’s cruel and horrific and made me gasp!
But, all this changed her and made her grow up super fast. She had to take care of her life for herself and she not only grew up, matured super fast but also build a wall around herself and her heart.
Having her tale told from her POV was rather interesting as she definitely sounded far from the 17 yr old girl she was. In her behavior and her way of speaking shone clearly the level of maturity through. I didn’t mind this as I even prefer a more mature protagonist.
Justice?! … how far is too far
The story explores justice. How far can we go to hand down justice and who is really guilty and who might even be a victim? I loved the way those questions were explored and how Cory slowly began to realize herself that not everything is black and white. Of course, the added romance gave the story the perfect sweet counterpart to the cruel and sometimes horrific scenes. The romance was sweet, cute and definitely enough to satisfy my romantic heart!
Bottom Line
Vengeance Bound by Justina Ireland was a gripping tale filled with greek mythology set in the modern world. Cory was a great and amazing heroine who was sadly wise beyond her years and only now begins to question her quest for Vengeance!
April 3, 2013
I love stores about Greek mythology, especially when they occur in a modern day setting, so I was very intrigued when I saw that this book was going to be about furies, something I haven't read too many books about. Seventeen-year-old Cory Graff is the main character and heroine in this novel. She has been on her own since she was 15 years old, since escaping from the mental facility where she was institutionalized after a traumatic event and was subsequently taken advantage of by a not so upstanding doctor. This all occurred after Cory made a deal of sorts, which resulted in two furies, Tisiphone and Megaera, taking up residence inside Cory's head, only appearing to hand out what they believe is justice to men, never women. Cory is always aware that they are there, and try as she may to control them, when their blood lust becomes too strong she knows she must give in and let them out. They are only visible when she lets the out, and they know how to play on her emotions to encourage this. Cory finds herself moving from place to place, trying to live a normal life by day, then at night, when the furies demand justice, she often finds herself in the middle of a blood bath as the furies seek revenge on males they have determined are guilty and need punishment.
Now in a new place, Cory starts a new school going by the name Amelie, and for the first time finds herself actually having friends. One boy in particular, Niko, captures her attention and they end up falling for one another. Meanwhile, the furies are getting harder and harder to control, and her other new friend Amber, who isn't all that mentally stable, is very upset about Niko and Amelie. Amber has a crush on Niko, even though he has made it clear they are only friends, which intensifies the drama even further. Between things with the furies getting further out of hand, the evil doctor making an appearance, her relationship with Niko, and an unstable Amber, things climax into something Cory never saw coming, but will she survive, and will she even have a relationship with Niko after all is said and done?
I enjoyed Vengeance Bound. It is dark and very intense at times, with brutal murder justified as violent acts of vengeance, and twists and turns that I didn't see coming. Cory is a strong character and because of her circumstances, is much more mature than most 17-year-old girls. The furies themselves are something else. They are manipulative and hellbent on vengeance, and it was interesting seeing how they interacted with Cory, the inner struggles she went through while dealing with them, as well as seeing how they interacted with one another. I enjoyed the romance between Cory and Niko, which was sweet, but satisfying, and little unstable Amber really surprised me towards the end. Overall, I enjoyed this book, and if you are a fan of Greek mythology with a little murder, mystery, and romance mixed in, then Vengeance Bound is something you might want to check out.
Now in a new place, Cory starts a new school going by the name Amelie, and for the first time finds herself actually having friends. One boy in particular, Niko, captures her attention and they end up falling for one another. Meanwhile, the furies are getting harder and harder to control, and her other new friend Amber, who isn't all that mentally stable, is very upset about Niko and Amelie. Amber has a crush on Niko, even though he has made it clear they are only friends, which intensifies the drama even further. Between things with the furies getting further out of hand, the evil doctor making an appearance, her relationship with Niko, and an unstable Amber, things climax into something Cory never saw coming, but will she survive, and will she even have a relationship with Niko after all is said and done?
I enjoyed Vengeance Bound. It is dark and very intense at times, with brutal murder justified as violent acts of vengeance, and twists and turns that I didn't see coming. Cory is a strong character and because of her circumstances, is much more mature than most 17-year-old girls. The furies themselves are something else. They are manipulative and hellbent on vengeance, and it was interesting seeing how they interacted with Cory, the inner struggles she went through while dealing with them, as well as seeing how they interacted with one another. I enjoyed the romance between Cory and Niko, which was sweet, but satisfying, and little unstable Amber really surprised me towards the end. Overall, I enjoyed this book, and if you are a fan of Greek mythology with a little murder, mystery, and romance mixed in, then Vengeance Bound is something you might want to check out.
April 16, 2013
Originally posted at: Girls on YA Books
~Review:
Woah. Just woah. I kinda new what to expect when I agreed to do the Vengeance Bound Tour. I saw the cover and read the premise. It seemed interesting enough so I went ahead and agreed and signed up. Now when I started reading it I totally forgot what it was about and was kind of caught off guard.
This book was really really good. I was a bit iffy of how I would feel about it but in the end I really really liked it. I finished it in about 6 hours (spread over the course of two days). I didn't even know I was reading so much till I looked and saw the percentage I was at. The writing style of Justina Ireland is just so smooth. It was like riding a floaty tube in the lazy pool. Once you get into the rhythm and get comfortable you are surprised by how many trips you have made around and around again. I enjoyed we writing style very much. Justina has definitely got a talent and I'm looking forward to more books from her!
The story was very interesting. Talk about some chics out for guys blood! Along with Amelie/Cory's help the two Furies (one hawk woman and one serpent woman who frankly reminds me of Medusa) go around serving justice by killing the men who have done injustice among women. It really was pretty cool but also terrible. It was vicious and terrible how blood thirsty the Furies were! This book was action packed of sorts. When Cory went on her runs it could get pretty serious. I definitely would be shaking in my bots if I ever can across them.
An awesome story line, mythology recreated for today's age and great writing equaled one great book! I would totally suggest this to everyone who is fond of mythology romance with a little bit of blood and vengeance put into the mix ;D Holy crap the romance dudes!!! I am in love with Niko!! I want one ;) haha I liked how Justina made each character important. I kind of saw the end coming but just the one part of the ending. The ending was killer and absolutely terrible! Then of course absolutely amazing!! Buy it borrow it, I don't care just give it a chance when you can ok? Trust me it's good! :)
***This review was a part of the Vengeance Bound Blog Tour hosted by AToMR Tours.***
~Rating:
4 of 5 stars!!! <3
~Review:
Woah. Just woah. I kinda new what to expect when I agreed to do the Vengeance Bound Tour. I saw the cover and read the premise. It seemed interesting enough so I went ahead and agreed and signed up. Now when I started reading it I totally forgot what it was about and was kind of caught off guard.
This book was really really good. I was a bit iffy of how I would feel about it but in the end I really really liked it. I finished it in about 6 hours (spread over the course of two days). I didn't even know I was reading so much till I looked and saw the percentage I was at. The writing style of Justina Ireland is just so smooth. It was like riding a floaty tube in the lazy pool. Once you get into the rhythm and get comfortable you are surprised by how many trips you have made around and around again. I enjoyed we writing style very much. Justina has definitely got a talent and I'm looking forward to more books from her!
The story was very interesting. Talk about some chics out for guys blood! Along with Amelie/Cory's help the two Furies (one hawk woman and one serpent woman who frankly reminds me of Medusa) go around serving justice by killing the men who have done injustice among women. It really was pretty cool but also terrible. It was vicious and terrible how blood thirsty the Furies were! This book was action packed of sorts. When Cory went on her runs it could get pretty serious. I definitely would be shaking in my bots if I ever can across them.
An awesome story line, mythology recreated for today's age and great writing equaled one great book! I would totally suggest this to everyone who is fond of mythology romance with a little bit of blood and vengeance put into the mix ;D Holy crap the romance dudes!!! I am in love with Niko!! I want one ;) haha I liked how Justina made each character important. I kind of saw the end coming but just the one part of the ending. The ending was killer and absolutely terrible! Then of course absolutely amazing!! Buy it borrow it, I don't care just give it a chance when you can ok? Trust me it's good! :)
***This review was a part of the Vengeance Bound Blog Tour hosted by AToMR Tours.***
~Rating:
4 of 5 stars!!! <3
April 12, 2013
This book was violent. At least two dozen people died throughout.
I gave it half a star just for that. :D
The start was somewhat raw; it could have been done much better. The concepts were introduced far too quickly and I couldn't relate to the protagonist's hate for the person whom she wanted revenge against. After the first two chapters, however, the pacing issue solved itself and the story took a better turn. The tone got much darker too--darker than YA's usually get.
Some of the character's seemed to have no purpose at all, though. I guess they were just put there to accommodate for an otherwise lacking cast of productive characters. In the end, it just came off as bad plotting.
Until 2/3 in, I wasn't planning to give this more than three stars, but the end took a twist I didn't see coming, and the resolution was worth reading the book for.
I gave it half a star just for that. :D
The start was somewhat raw; it could have been done much better. The concepts were introduced far too quickly and I couldn't relate to the protagonist's hate for the person whom she wanted revenge against. After the first two chapters, however, the pacing issue solved itself and the story took a better turn. The tone got much darker too--darker than YA's usually get.
Some of the character's seemed to have no purpose at all, though. I guess they were just put there to accommodate for an otherwise lacking cast of productive characters. In the end, it just came off as bad plotting.
Until 2/3 in, I wasn't planning to give this more than three stars, but the end took a twist I didn't see coming, and the resolution was worth reading the book for.
February 19, 2022
Really enjoyed reading this book again, I just love the idea of the Furies, and it's just a fantastic read! Still interested in a sequel!
*First Read May 30th, 2013*
What a great book, really enjoyed it, very unique take on the Furies, and I hope there's a sequel, because of Mindi, and yeah, really great book!
*First Read May 30th, 2013*
What a great book, really enjoyed it, very unique take on the Furies, and I hope there's a sequel, because of Mindi, and yeah, really great book!
December 16, 2012
Justina Ireland channels her dark passenger with great dexterity in this (mostly) assured debut. A good ear for dialog and character, but too much kissy stuff and a climax that feels like a Harvey Weinstein-ordered rewrite to appease test audiences. Still: this is a flowing, fast read that proves YA need not be all sparkly vampires and mushy romance. More like a 3.5 out of 5 than a full-on 4.
January 25, 2013
Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales
Quick & Dirty: A retelling with promise, only to leave me feeling disconnected from the story.
Opening Sentence: Annie shakes my arm frantically, startling me awake from a nightmare of blood and nameless terror.
The Review:
I had a little trouble getting into Justina Ireland’s Vengeance Bound. The premise sounds great. Furies who inhabit a young woman to help her deal out justice and revenge. But once I started reading Vengeance Bound, I never really connected to the main character or the story itself. But there are so many factors why it didn’t work for me and why it could for you.
After a traumatic episode, Cory was institutionalized. Due to the Furies who take up residence in her internal psyche, Cory’s parents feared her, leaving no choice but to take residence in the mental hospital. But she fell victim to a certain doctor, and after months of slumbering Furies, she allowed them to awaken and wreck havoc. Cory was saved by the Furies, escaping into a life away from that danger. But the Furies weren’t satisfied with casting judgement on the doctor. Some time has passed and Cory and the Furies live in a new life, attempting normalcy during the day and passing judgement at night. Little by little the Furies are controlling her body, and the fight for normalcy is getting harder and harder. Will Cory survive her life and better yet, will she survive the Furies?
Cory is a strong character. With the events that Ireland has written for Cory, it was realistic to see her with flaws. Cory has these internal struggles within herself and with the Furies. They definitely don’t make it easier for Cory, at all. But I felt that her voice wasn’t fluid, losing her strength along the way. I couldn’t completely connect with her because of her actions and decisions. And I know that is the point of the Furies invading her mind, but it was just difficult to separate them. I couldn’t get a sense of who Cory really was, and it somewhat ruined the reading experience for me.
While attempting to live a normal life, Cory meets Niko. He has eyes that penetrate and Cory feels he is staring straight into her soul. Niko is the unrequited love interest. It is interesting to see how Cory and Niko interact with each other. Niko becomes infatuated with Cory and makes her question her whole world. She goes against every belief that she has been living with since she left the institution.
Vengeance Bound is dark, which is refreshing given the other choices in young adult at the moment. Ireland brings the main character to dark places and thoughts. A few moments had me contemplating if this should even be considered YA. There are graphic scenes, detailed to complete the mood and overall setting. Demons, murderers, demented minds make up for a lot of the judged and the things that happen to them aren’t for the faint of heart.
Vengeance Bound has a lot of promise. For the most part, it was fast-paced with twists and turns that I didn’t expect. I felt there were a few odd areas with slow and staggered pacing, but overall it was enjoyable. For myself, it was just okay, but like I’ve said my personal preferences may vary from yours.
Notable Scene:
We don’t have to kill him. How about a little pain, hmm? We can just break his arm. Megaera’s voice is so matter-of-fact that she could be talking about what she had for lunch.
Come on, Amelie. We’ll fix him up as good as new after We’ve had a little fun. Tisiphone’s whisper trails off into a high-pitched giggle.
I focus on my breathing, mentally steering Them back into the cage of my mind with the force of my will. While I’m doing that, I turn around and pretend to peruse the selections in the vending machine. The Furies strain and fight, not ready to so easily take up residence back in my subconscious. I count backward from twenty, pushing them back with concentration and some serious mental effort. After a few seconds of resistance, They retreat back into my subconscious, and I slam shut the barrier that keeps Them away. They howl in frustration, and I sweat from the effort.
FTC Advisory: Simon & Schuster provided me with a copy of Vengeance Bound. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
Quick & Dirty: A retelling with promise, only to leave me feeling disconnected from the story.
Opening Sentence: Annie shakes my arm frantically, startling me awake from a nightmare of blood and nameless terror.
The Review:
I had a little trouble getting into Justina Ireland’s Vengeance Bound. The premise sounds great. Furies who inhabit a young woman to help her deal out justice and revenge. But once I started reading Vengeance Bound, I never really connected to the main character or the story itself. But there are so many factors why it didn’t work for me and why it could for you.
After a traumatic episode, Cory was institutionalized. Due to the Furies who take up residence in her internal psyche, Cory’s parents feared her, leaving no choice but to take residence in the mental hospital. But she fell victim to a certain doctor, and after months of slumbering Furies, she allowed them to awaken and wreck havoc. Cory was saved by the Furies, escaping into a life away from that danger. But the Furies weren’t satisfied with casting judgement on the doctor. Some time has passed and Cory and the Furies live in a new life, attempting normalcy during the day and passing judgement at night. Little by little the Furies are controlling her body, and the fight for normalcy is getting harder and harder. Will Cory survive her life and better yet, will she survive the Furies?
Cory is a strong character. With the events that Ireland has written for Cory, it was realistic to see her with flaws. Cory has these internal struggles within herself and with the Furies. They definitely don’t make it easier for Cory, at all. But I felt that her voice wasn’t fluid, losing her strength along the way. I couldn’t completely connect with her because of her actions and decisions. And I know that is the point of the Furies invading her mind, but it was just difficult to separate them. I couldn’t get a sense of who Cory really was, and it somewhat ruined the reading experience for me.
While attempting to live a normal life, Cory meets Niko. He has eyes that penetrate and Cory feels he is staring straight into her soul. Niko is the unrequited love interest. It is interesting to see how Cory and Niko interact with each other. Niko becomes infatuated with Cory and makes her question her whole world. She goes against every belief that she has been living with since she left the institution.
Vengeance Bound is dark, which is refreshing given the other choices in young adult at the moment. Ireland brings the main character to dark places and thoughts. A few moments had me contemplating if this should even be considered YA. There are graphic scenes, detailed to complete the mood and overall setting. Demons, murderers, demented minds make up for a lot of the judged and the things that happen to them aren’t for the faint of heart.
Vengeance Bound has a lot of promise. For the most part, it was fast-paced with twists and turns that I didn’t expect. I felt there were a few odd areas with slow and staggered pacing, but overall it was enjoyable. For myself, it was just okay, but like I’ve said my personal preferences may vary from yours.
Notable Scene:
We don’t have to kill him. How about a little pain, hmm? We can just break his arm. Megaera’s voice is so matter-of-fact that she could be talking about what she had for lunch.
Come on, Amelie. We’ll fix him up as good as new after We’ve had a little fun. Tisiphone’s whisper trails off into a high-pitched giggle.
I focus on my breathing, mentally steering Them back into the cage of my mind with the force of my will. While I’m doing that, I turn around and pretend to peruse the selections in the vending machine. The Furies strain and fight, not ready to so easily take up residence back in my subconscious. I count backward from twenty, pushing them back with concentration and some serious mental effort. After a few seconds of resistance, They retreat back into my subconscious, and I slam shut the barrier that keeps Them away. They howl in frustration, and I sweat from the effort.
FTC Advisory: Simon & Schuster provided me with a copy of Vengeance Bound. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
April 3, 2013
With retelling of one of the less-used Greek myths about Furies, Vengeance Bound tells us a story about a girl possessed by these vengeful mythological beings. Amelie Ainsworth aka. Cory Graff is tortured by her own tragic past, running away from psychiatric hospital, fighting against unforgiving rightfulness of her possessors and desperately trying to save her integrity and a piece of her humanity.
Sounds like something awesome and original? Yes. Was it really? Weeeeeeeell... not so much. I don't know how but Vengeance Bound turned into a cliched young adult paranormal plot: new school, meeting group of good friends, insta-love with handsome moody and quiet boy who can (of course) save our heroine... Honestly, when I got up to that I thought about DNF-ing this book. I kept on reading just because Mila 2.0 started the same and then turned into action-packed page-turner. Sadly, Vengeance Bound did not stray from well known formula for young adult paranormal novels.
I am not sure what was Justina Ireland's intention with Amelie/Cory. Should we feel sorry for her because of traumatic events during her childhood? Should we be impressed with her awesome powers and declare her our favorite kick-ass heroine? The more I got to know Amelie, the more unfortunate resemblance to possessed girl from movie The Exorcist came to my mind. Talking in altered voices, easily angered, has attacks when she can't control her actions and gets violent (occasionally murderous) tendencies toward other people, puking green slime if she tries fighting against the beings that possessed her...
As always when you get some idea stuck in your mind, I could not get rid of this vision of Amelie anymore. I didn't like her, I could not cheer for her, I didn't believe in her narration and descriptions because I did not trust her judgement... The way she told her story, every girl in school was either mentally deranged or a slut or both and all men were horny and amoral. I hoped that the ending is going to get me to at least respect Amelie for winning against her possessors, but it did not happened as I expected. The feeling that Amelie accomplished anything was not there because everything resolved without her influence, just a lucky coincidence...
As always when I do not like the book and write a negative review I feel like I was too harsh. I feel sorry for the writer who invested a lot of time into writing a book. Justina Ireland writing was easy to read, her descriptions were very vivid, I could sometimes almost feel the heat and wind when the Furies raged... And picking a topic about when pursuing justice and being righteous is overstepping the boundaries of humanity is great choice. I'm all for "Let He Who Is Without Sin Cast The First Stone" philosophy. Sadly, all that got lost in my dislike for heroine and cliched ya novel setting. But I am sure that there are a lot of people out there who are going to enjoy and love Vengeance Bound.
My rating: 2 stars
I recommend this book to fans of: young adult paranormal novels; just-moved-to-town starting-new-school premise; heroines with tragic and traumatic past; insta-love romance; greek myth about furies; ...
Disclaimer: I was given a free eBook by the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for a honest review. This text is also posted on my blog Bookworm Dreams in a little bit more styled edition.
Sounds like something awesome and original? Yes. Was it really? Weeeeeeeell... not so much. I don't know how but Vengeance Bound turned into a cliched young adult paranormal plot: new school, meeting group of good friends, insta-love with handsome moody and quiet boy who can (of course) save our heroine... Honestly, when I got up to that I thought about DNF-ing this book. I kept on reading just because Mila 2.0 started the same and then turned into action-packed page-turner. Sadly, Vengeance Bound did not stray from well known formula for young adult paranormal novels.
I am not sure what was Justina Ireland's intention with Amelie/Cory. Should we feel sorry for her because of traumatic events during her childhood? Should we be impressed with her awesome powers and declare her our favorite kick-ass heroine? The more I got to know Amelie, the more unfortunate resemblance to possessed girl from movie The Exorcist came to my mind. Talking in altered voices, easily angered, has attacks when she can't control her actions and gets violent (occasionally murderous) tendencies toward other people, puking green slime if she tries fighting against the beings that possessed her...
As always when you get some idea stuck in your mind, I could not get rid of this vision of Amelie anymore. I didn't like her, I could not cheer for her, I didn't believe in her narration and descriptions because I did not trust her judgement... The way she told her story, every girl in school was either mentally deranged or a slut or both and all men were horny and amoral. I hoped that the ending is going to get me to at least respect Amelie for winning against her possessors, but it did not happened as I expected. The feeling that Amelie accomplished anything was not there because everything resolved without her influence, just a lucky coincidence...
As always when I do not like the book and write a negative review I feel like I was too harsh. I feel sorry for the writer who invested a lot of time into writing a book. Justina Ireland writing was easy to read, her descriptions were very vivid, I could sometimes almost feel the heat and wind when the Furies raged... And picking a topic about when pursuing justice and being righteous is overstepping the boundaries of humanity is great choice. I'm all for "Let He Who Is Without Sin Cast The First Stone" philosophy. Sadly, all that got lost in my dislike for heroine and cliched ya novel setting. But I am sure that there are a lot of people out there who are going to enjoy and love Vengeance Bound.
My rating: 2 stars
I recommend this book to fans of: young adult paranormal novels; just-moved-to-town starting-new-school premise; heroines with tragic and traumatic past; insta-love romance; greek myth about furies; ...
Disclaimer: I was given a free eBook by the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for a honest review. This text is also posted on my blog Bookworm Dreams in a little bit more styled edition.
March 27, 2013
Review originally posted on my blog: A Book Obsession..
Cory's life uses to be perfect. Until the unthinkable happens, and she made a devil's bargain with the Furies when she was a child. They live inside her head always waiting and watching for the opportunity to slip Cory's chains and wreak havoc on the male population. She made the mistake of revealing what was going on in her head, and paid for it with a several years long stint in an asylum. But she eventually escapes and tries her best to live a somewhat normal life, if you don't count her weekly quests for vengeance in order to slake the Furies hunger. It isn't much of a life, but it's the best she can manage. But all that changes when she meets Niko, and finds that the first time in her life the Furies are quiet around a male. But the peace she gains with him is only short lived, as when ever she isn't around him the Furies fight harder than ever to reclaim her for their own. It will only take one tiny slip, and they will own her for their own path of bloody vengeance forever.
I just couldn't quite connect to VENGEANCE BOUND, especially when it came to the characters. I mean I did feel for Cory, but honestly her fluctuating inner strength really started to irk me after only a short while. I mean she would be on this path to righteousness and standing firm in her determination to control the Furies to ensure that the people she killed were sent to the other side for judgement. Otherwise, when they are allowed free reign, they torture, maim, and then burn away their prey's souls. And considering how they target ALL men, it really made me sick when Cory would just cede them control simply because it was easier than fighting them. She would get sick with guilt immediately after, and stay strong for a while, but then before you knew it, she would have another terrible lapse. Perhaps if she didn't keep trying to excuse herself, I would have been a bit more understanding. In fact, she never seemed to hold to her guns on anything, and because of that I couldn't seem to grow attached to her, which made it really hard to care about what was going on.
Speaking of not connecting, I could get attached to the romance either. Considering just how much of a character and romance driven person I am, it was rather frustrating. I mean there was supposed to be this incredibly strong connection between them, to the point where neither one could fight the "pull", yet I just didn't feel it. I felt like I was being told about it rather than getting to experience it with them. I would have preferred to have been shown the romance rather than told about it so I could have felt more immersed in the story. I may be a little picky, but when there is romance in a book, I want it to be swoon worthy, and this one fell far short of that mark.
When I first read the blurb for VENGEANCE BOUND, describing it as The Goddess Test meets Dexter being a huge fan of both, I instantly added to my must read queue. There's just something to be said about mixing Greek mythology with a strong quest for justice, and it made for a really interesting premise. While there was so much to like about VENGEANCE BOUND, it never quite made the "intrigued with the premise" stage for me. Considering just how much I wanted to love this book, it was incredibly frustrating when it just didn't quite work for me. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't a terrible book, but my disconnect from the characters and the romance just left me feeling rather mediocre in the end.
Cory's life uses to be perfect. Until the unthinkable happens, and she made a devil's bargain with the Furies when she was a child. They live inside her head always waiting and watching for the opportunity to slip Cory's chains and wreak havoc on the male population. She made the mistake of revealing what was going on in her head, and paid for it with a several years long stint in an asylum. But she eventually escapes and tries her best to live a somewhat normal life, if you don't count her weekly quests for vengeance in order to slake the Furies hunger. It isn't much of a life, but it's the best she can manage. But all that changes when she meets Niko, and finds that the first time in her life the Furies are quiet around a male. But the peace she gains with him is only short lived, as when ever she isn't around him the Furies fight harder than ever to reclaim her for their own. It will only take one tiny slip, and they will own her for their own path of bloody vengeance forever.
I just couldn't quite connect to VENGEANCE BOUND, especially when it came to the characters. I mean I did feel for Cory, but honestly her fluctuating inner strength really started to irk me after only a short while. I mean she would be on this path to righteousness and standing firm in her determination to control the Furies to ensure that the people she killed were sent to the other side for judgement. Otherwise, when they are allowed free reign, they torture, maim, and then burn away their prey's souls. And considering how they target ALL men, it really made me sick when Cory would just cede them control simply because it was easier than fighting them. She would get sick with guilt immediately after, and stay strong for a while, but then before you knew it, she would have another terrible lapse. Perhaps if she didn't keep trying to excuse herself, I would have been a bit more understanding. In fact, she never seemed to hold to her guns on anything, and because of that I couldn't seem to grow attached to her, which made it really hard to care about what was going on.
Speaking of not connecting, I could get attached to the romance either. Considering just how much of a character and romance driven person I am, it was rather frustrating. I mean there was supposed to be this incredibly strong connection between them, to the point where neither one could fight the "pull", yet I just didn't feel it. I felt like I was being told about it rather than getting to experience it with them. I would have preferred to have been shown the romance rather than told about it so I could have felt more immersed in the story. I may be a little picky, but when there is romance in a book, I want it to be swoon worthy, and this one fell far short of that mark.
When I first read the blurb for VENGEANCE BOUND, describing it as The Goddess Test meets Dexter being a huge fan of both, I instantly added to my must read queue. There's just something to be said about mixing Greek mythology with a strong quest for justice, and it made for a really interesting premise. While there was so much to like about VENGEANCE BOUND, it never quite made the "intrigued with the premise" stage for me. Considering just how much I wanted to love this book, it was incredibly frustrating when it just didn't quite work for me. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't a terrible book, but my disconnect from the characters and the romance just left me feeling rather mediocre in the end.
March 29, 2013
Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy
When a book is described as ‘The Goddess Test meets Dexter’ it gets shoved to the very top of my TBR pile. What could be better than a teenage serial killer hunting down human monsters with the help of the Furies from Greek Mythology? It’s such an amazing premise that unfortunately fell just a little flat.
As a crazy rabid fan of the show Dexter, I was hoping to find another character who recognized the darker part of themselves and found a way to indulge it without becoming as vile as her victims. That’s not exactly what we find in VENGEANCE BOUND. Cory is wracked by guilt and the sight of blood makes her ill. She’s an unwilling bystander mostly. The Furies burst forth when they find a new target and gleefully torture them before Cory is forced to make the killing blow (which comes off as humane at this point).
Then there’s the romance, which I’m sorry to say was on the average side. The whole point of the story involved Cory embracing and finding love in order to break free from the endless cycle of vengeance that the Furies demanded. You’d be expecting an epic love story, right? Not so much. Niko is handsome and he’s got some weird relationship going on a fragile girl that Cory befriends. These two have zero chemistry and practically zero meaningful interactions, but Cory is flustered and weak kneed from their first meeting.
I also had some issues with the pacing. There is a lot of repetition especially in the beginning. It almost felt like the author wrote three different versions of the beginning and instead of choosing one, she included all three. Really, you could almost start the book from chapter four and Cory’s first day of school. The premise, even with the slight character cop out for Cory, is still cool and it’s a nice change from the increasingly similar titles in the paranormal YA genre. There are also a few unexpected plot twists that kept me turning pages despite my other complaints. VENGEANCE BOUND is a good book, my criticisms stem more from the fact that it could have been amazing with a few changes. The ending is somewhat open, so I imagine a sequel is already in the works.
Sexual Content:
Kissing. Attempted sexual assault. Vague references to rape and sexual abuse.
When a book is described as ‘The Goddess Test meets Dexter’ it gets shoved to the very top of my TBR pile. What could be better than a teenage serial killer hunting down human monsters with the help of the Furies from Greek Mythology? It’s such an amazing premise that unfortunately fell just a little flat.
As a crazy rabid fan of the show Dexter, I was hoping to find another character who recognized the darker part of themselves and found a way to indulge it without becoming as vile as her victims. That’s not exactly what we find in VENGEANCE BOUND. Cory is wracked by guilt and the sight of blood makes her ill. She’s an unwilling bystander mostly. The Furies burst forth when they find a new target and gleefully torture them before Cory is forced to make the killing blow (which comes off as humane at this point).
Then there’s the romance, which I’m sorry to say was on the average side. The whole point of the story involved Cory embracing and finding love in order to break free from the endless cycle of vengeance that the Furies demanded. You’d be expecting an epic love story, right? Not so much. Niko is handsome and he’s got some weird relationship going on a fragile girl that Cory befriends. These two have zero chemistry and practically zero meaningful interactions, but Cory is flustered and weak kneed from their first meeting.
I also had some issues with the pacing. There is a lot of repetition especially in the beginning. It almost felt like the author wrote three different versions of the beginning and instead of choosing one, she included all three. Really, you could almost start the book from chapter four and Cory’s first day of school. The premise, even with the slight character cop out for Cory, is still cool and it’s a nice change from the increasingly similar titles in the paranormal YA genre. There are also a few unexpected plot twists that kept me turning pages despite my other complaints. VENGEANCE BOUND is a good book, my criticisms stem more from the fact that it could have been amazing with a few changes. The ending is somewhat open, so I imagine a sequel is already in the works.
Sexual Content:
Kissing. Attempted sexual assault. Vague references to rape and sexual abuse.
April 4, 2013
First off, I want to say that I really love the authors name...and I really loved the premise for the book. Can you beat a female version of Dexter? I'm so tired of the weak-oh-woes-me characters appearing in YA fiction lately so Amelie/Cory was a welcome relief from that...but that's where my enthusiasm ends.
I wouldn't say that this book is awful, but it is definitely juvenile and redundant. I feel like Cory/Amelie spends most of her time dealing out justice with the furies, and the rest of the time complaining about them while simultaneously feeling like she can't live without their presence. There is just a lot of the same stuff reiterated again and again whereas I would have liked to have seen the plot move forward a lot more than it did.
The characters aside from Amelie are all one dimensional. Mindi, Amber, Adam and Niko are all shadows of what they could actually become. Wow, and talk about insta-romance! I don't think I've ever seen such a quick brew happen...There were lines like "Do you like me?" that reminded me of elementary school while we were waiting for our crush to check the 'yes' or 'no' box on scrap paper on the bus ride home...none of it worked.
I wouldn't say that this book is awful, but it is definitely juvenile and redundant. I feel like Cory/Amelie spends most of her time dealing out justice with the furies, and the rest of the time complaining about them while simultaneously feeling like she can't live without their presence. There is just a lot of the same stuff reiterated again and again whereas I would have liked to have seen the plot move forward a lot more than it did.
The characters aside from Amelie are all one dimensional. Mindi, Amber, Adam and Niko are all shadows of what they could actually become. Wow, and talk about insta-romance! I don't think I've ever seen such a quick brew happen...There were lines like "Do you like me?" that reminded me of elementary school while we were waiting for our crush to check the 'yes' or 'no' box on scrap paper on the bus ride home...none of it worked.
October 2, 2012
My lips are sealed because it's way too soon to post my review. What I will tell you is that I really ended up enjoying Vengeance Bound and I can definitely see why you can get the Dexter vibe from it.
June 27, 2014
I really loved this book. I was really into it. I love the story behind the Furies. They totally intrigue me. I need to find more books like this!
The writing is great and the story line held me. I also really liked the main character. She was someone to root for!
The writing is great and the story line held me. I also really liked the main character. She was someone to root for!
August 1, 2012
I was torn with this book: I loved the darkness and the violence, but it felt more like an adult book than a YA one. I'd be careful who I recommended this to, but I would definitely recommend it!
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