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City of Kaus #1
Revenge
A swashbuckling upper YA/NA LGBTQ+ sci-fi western you don't want to miss!
It has been three years since Elvira "Ellie" Ryder was betrayed by her ex-boyfriend Cor, which caused the destruction of her people by invaders from a different Zone. Now she will do anything to find him and make him pay.
Ellie has found someone who knows where Cor is. The price-assassinate a half-human, half-Sirian who is trying to join the Society, a high-class club only for the rich. Ellie takes the job, as it wouldn't be the first assassination job she has taken, and heads to the Human Zone. However, when she learns more about her target, the more she realizes what is going on behind the curtain, and how her people were really destroyed.
Will Ellie be able to forgive Cor after learning the truth? Or will she forever hold on to that hatred?
It has been three years since Elvira "Ellie" Ryder was betrayed by her ex-boyfriend Cor, which caused the destruction of her people by invaders from a different Zone. Now she will do anything to find him and make him pay.
Ellie has found someone who knows where Cor is. The price-assassinate a half-human, half-Sirian who is trying to join the Society, a high-class club only for the rich. Ellie takes the job, as it wouldn't be the first assassination job she has taken, and heads to the Human Zone. However, when she learns more about her target, the more she realizes what is going on behind the curtain, and how her people were really destroyed.
Will Ellie be able to forgive Cor after learning the truth? Or will she forever hold on to that hatred?
382 pages, Paperback
First published November 16, 2021
11 people are currently reading
1046 people want to read
About the author
Dani Hoots
72 books418 followersDani Hoots is a science fiction, fantasy, romance, and young adult author who loves anything with a story. She has a B.S. in Anthropology, a Masters of Urban and Environmental Planning, a Certificate in Novel Writing from Arizona State University, and a BS in Herbal Science from Bastyr University.
Currently she is working on a YA urban fantasy series called Daughter of Hades, a YA urban fantasy series called The Wonderland Chronicles, a historic fantasy vampire series called A World of Vampires, and a YA sci-fi series called Sanshlian Series. She has also started up an indie publishing company called FoxTales Press. She also works with Anthill Studios in creating comics through Antik Comics.
Her hobbies include reading, watching anime, cooking, studying different languages, wire walking, hula hoop, and working with plants. She is also an herbalist and sells her concoctions on FoxCraft Apothecary. She lives in Phoenix with her husband and visits Seattle often.
Feel free to email her with any questions you might have!
danihootsauthor (at) gmail (dot) com
Check out her websites and follow her on social media:
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews
November 16, 2021
Revenge
by Dani Hoots
⚡️ I was provided an ARC by the author in exchange for an honest review
🌟: 1 / 5
📚: Two shapeshifting bounty hunters are hired to hunt down a member of high society with with promise of information about the man responsible for the destruction of their home.
💭: I don’t even know where to begin with this review, so I will start with summarizing exactly how I feel about it: this book is not good. I had a lot of problems getting through reading it— everything from the characters, to the plot, to the worldbuilding and setting, to the writing itself made this book feel like a marathon to get through.
Revenge follows Ellie and Zach (please note that every character in this book has a wild biblical-style name that is never used after they’re introduced), two bounty hunters who are also the last of a race of shapeshifters on their planet, as they accept a job to assassinate a prospective member of an elite society before he is inducted. In exchange, they’re promised information that leads to the whereabouts of Cor, Ellie’s ex, who they believe orchestrated the genocide of their people when they were teenagers.
A big element of their characterization of almost all of the characters lie within the racial traits of whatever type of alien they are; however, we don’t actually see many of these traits or learn much of anything about these different races, and instead, we get statements along the lines of “this character is always grumpy because he is x alien.” There is very little, if any, description of these races (one of them is never actually explained, there are 6 races in the book and we only learn about 5), despite the fact that (sorry spoiler alert) the majority of the plot essentially revolves around genocide and a race war reaching its boiling point. Even main characters who are from different races living on this planet are never shown as distinct from each other, aside from the differences in name only. Many of them are a shape-shifting race? The concept that they can do it to begin with is just dangled in front of readers constantly, but we only ever see it twice and never in any meaningful way (honestly why even have your main characters be shapeshifters if it never actually comes up beyond just having them constantly state that they can change their appearance, WHY?!). One is half of the alien equivalent to a mermaid? Brought up vaguely multiple times and then never explored or explained. It honestly just felt so lazy in terms of both worldbuilding and characterization, and I was just so completely frustrated and almost blindsided by the fact that this major and half-assed aspect of worldbuilding came to play such a pivotal role in the plot.
Characters are so one dimensional, despite the fact that this book is written from four different points of view and readers literally get to see into their heads— Zach’s entire personality is that he likes fruity drinks and is asexual, while Ellie is “not like other girls” because she likes whiskey and is out for revenge (which is used at least once per page in chapters written in her point of view).
As mentioned before, the worldbuilding in this book is just bad. Space westerns aren’t a new concept, but this book almost gives off the impression that the author didn’t use the existence of the genre as a benchmark at all. Instead, Revenge feels like it just pulled random tropes of science fiction and western writing without bothering to integrate them in any cohesive way. I think it’s important to note at this point that imagery is a super important element within any type of fiction writing, but especially one with a clearly very elaborate world like in this book. In an attempt to turn off the scientific side of my brain and suspend disbelief, I let myself get caught up on the fact that I had no grasp on the races, geography, or technology that the characters encountered and had to continually flip back to chapter one, where many of these basic things were explained for the first, and only, time. [Just as a side note— one of the things that really got me hung up was the fact that the characters all ride horses and use coin money, but about halfway through, they just suddenly switch to using credit cards and riding on some sort of space tram thing (also never explained)].
Essentially there were never reassurances or context clues that certain things were something that we had seen before, which just made me feel lost while reading it. If you include all of the times where statements about technology or the setting or any other offhand thing was just thrown out as if we were supposed to know about this already with no explanation, then I felt lost A LOT. (Also please don’t get me started on the fact that about a third of this book is just descriptions of poker games because I do not understand poker and I don’t know if anyone who reads this book would understand enough about poker to determine whether or not a character is clever or something. I had no idea what was happening in those scenes, honestly, it was hellish for me.)
I feel like I jokingly say that some books I read don’t really feel edited, but I genuinely don’t think that this one was. From wrong synonyms being used and weirdly frequent subject-verb agreement errors to the same sentence being repeated with a word or two changed and statements blatantly contradicting each other (within the same paragraph or on the next page!), I almost felt like I was having flashbacks to elementary school English tests where you had to correct grammar in a short reading.
I’m guilty of having to go back and reread paragraphs because I accidentally skim them, but I found myself going back a lot more frequently than I ever have in a single book because I thought I was missing something that was almost never actually there. There was a point where I sat down and had to diagram out the setting because it read more as a brain teaser (a la an “if A is bigger than B, but B is taller than C, A must be how big?” comparative puzzle) than an actual description or imagery-filled statement. Revenge also constantly does this thing where characters will refer to something very specifically (for example, a character getting “the illness” and another being inducted into “an elite society”), as if we are already supposed to know or it will be explained later, and then never elaborates or explains what that specific thing actually is at any point.
At times, I assumed that I was reading the outline of a book more than an actual completed work. Major plot points were just really dropped throughout the book, more as statements than things that are shown or explained, with dialog sprinkled on top of them as almost an afterthought. Even the main characters’ apparently carefully planned out schemes were just so clumsily plotted out that it felt laughable at times. The story felt so disjointed that I assumed that I was missing something. The plot of this book is definitely there, but it’s more of a bare bones and no meat at all situation, there’s a scaffold to it but nothing compelling to tie points together in an engaging way.
Also a major component of the plot is essentially written to mock sex work and the fact that one of the characters has to stoop to doing it? It’s so demeaning and uncomfortable to read over and over (and over because it just keeps going) again. At first, part of me really hoped that maybe this would show the character being empowered by this job or having them talk to the other characters about how they shouldn’t imply that sex workers are morally bad or deserve to be degraded for their job, but somehow it became almost a running joke throughout the story that this character was a sex worker and deserved to be shit on for it. It was probably the worst way that I could have seen this storyline go, and somehow the author managed to do it.
Uh also Space Nazis get introduced at 88% and it just kind of ends? I think that they author tried really, really hard to give readers a cliffhanger that would make them want to read the next book in the series, but instead we get more of a “well it looks like we have a race war on our hands, do you guys want to go to my mom’s house?” It’s the unsatisfying end that an unsatisfying book deserves, I guess. This is easily the worst book I’ve read all year, and even after stewing on this book for a week after finishing it, there really was nothing that I would highlight or write home about. Would not recommend if you value your own time, even if you’re absolutely desperate for a queer space western.
TL;DR I hated this book, I hated writing this review, I need to go calm down because I’m mad that I spent so much time reading this book and then writing this review.
by Dani Hoots
⚡️ I was provided an ARC by the author in exchange for an honest review
🌟: 1 / 5
📚: Two shapeshifting bounty hunters are hired to hunt down a member of high society with with promise of information about the man responsible for the destruction of their home.
💭: I don’t even know where to begin with this review, so I will start with summarizing exactly how I feel about it: this book is not good. I had a lot of problems getting through reading it— everything from the characters, to the plot, to the worldbuilding and setting, to the writing itself made this book feel like a marathon to get through.
Revenge follows Ellie and Zach (please note that every character in this book has a wild biblical-style name that is never used after they’re introduced), two bounty hunters who are also the last of a race of shapeshifters on their planet, as they accept a job to assassinate a prospective member of an elite society before he is inducted. In exchange, they’re promised information that leads to the whereabouts of Cor, Ellie’s ex, who they believe orchestrated the genocide of their people when they were teenagers.
A big element of their characterization of almost all of the characters lie within the racial traits of whatever type of alien they are; however, we don’t actually see many of these traits or learn much of anything about these different races, and instead, we get statements along the lines of “this character is always grumpy because he is x alien.” There is very little, if any, description of these races (one of them is never actually explained, there are 6 races in the book and we only learn about 5), despite the fact that (sorry spoiler alert) the majority of the plot essentially revolves around genocide and a race war reaching its boiling point. Even main characters who are from different races living on this planet are never shown as distinct from each other, aside from the differences in name only. Many of them are a shape-shifting race? The concept that they can do it to begin with is just dangled in front of readers constantly, but we only ever see it twice and never in any meaningful way (honestly why even have your main characters be shapeshifters if it never actually comes up beyond just having them constantly state that they can change their appearance, WHY?!). One is half of the alien equivalent to a mermaid? Brought up vaguely multiple times and then never explored or explained. It honestly just felt so lazy in terms of both worldbuilding and characterization, and I was just so completely frustrated and almost blindsided by the fact that this major and half-assed aspect of worldbuilding came to play such a pivotal role in the plot.
Characters are so one dimensional, despite the fact that this book is written from four different points of view and readers literally get to see into their heads— Zach’s entire personality is that he likes fruity drinks and is asexual, while Ellie is “not like other girls” because she likes whiskey and is out for revenge (which is used at least once per page in chapters written in her point of view).
As mentioned before, the worldbuilding in this book is just bad. Space westerns aren’t a new concept, but this book almost gives off the impression that the author didn’t use the existence of the genre as a benchmark at all. Instead, Revenge feels like it just pulled random tropes of science fiction and western writing without bothering to integrate them in any cohesive way. I think it’s important to note at this point that imagery is a super important element within any type of fiction writing, but especially one with a clearly very elaborate world like in this book. In an attempt to turn off the scientific side of my brain and suspend disbelief, I let myself get caught up on the fact that I had no grasp on the races, geography, or technology that the characters encountered and had to continually flip back to chapter one, where many of these basic things were explained for the first, and only, time. [Just as a side note— one of the things that really got me hung up was the fact that the characters all ride horses and use coin money, but about halfway through, they just suddenly switch to using credit cards and riding on some sort of space tram thing (also never explained)].
Essentially there were never reassurances or context clues that certain things were something that we had seen before, which just made me feel lost while reading it. If you include all of the times where statements about technology or the setting or any other offhand thing was just thrown out as if we were supposed to know about this already with no explanation, then I felt lost A LOT. (Also please don’t get me started on the fact that about a third of this book is just descriptions of poker games because I do not understand poker and I don’t know if anyone who reads this book would understand enough about poker to determine whether or not a character is clever or something. I had no idea what was happening in those scenes, honestly, it was hellish for me.)
I feel like I jokingly say that some books I read don’t really feel edited, but I genuinely don’t think that this one was. From wrong synonyms being used and weirdly frequent subject-verb agreement errors to the same sentence being repeated with a word or two changed and statements blatantly contradicting each other (within the same paragraph or on the next page!), I almost felt like I was having flashbacks to elementary school English tests where you had to correct grammar in a short reading.
I’m guilty of having to go back and reread paragraphs because I accidentally skim them, but I found myself going back a lot more frequently than I ever have in a single book because I thought I was missing something that was almost never actually there. There was a point where I sat down and had to diagram out the setting because it read more as a brain teaser (a la an “if A is bigger than B, but B is taller than C, A must be how big?” comparative puzzle) than an actual description or imagery-filled statement. Revenge also constantly does this thing where characters will refer to something very specifically (for example, a character getting “the illness” and another being inducted into “an elite society”), as if we are already supposed to know or it will be explained later, and then never elaborates or explains what that specific thing actually is at any point.
At times, I assumed that I was reading the outline of a book more than an actual completed work. Major plot points were just really dropped throughout the book, more as statements than things that are shown or explained, with dialog sprinkled on top of them as almost an afterthought. Even the main characters’ apparently carefully planned out schemes were just so clumsily plotted out that it felt laughable at times. The story felt so disjointed that I assumed that I was missing something. The plot of this book is definitely there, but it’s more of a bare bones and no meat at all situation, there’s a scaffold to it but nothing compelling to tie points together in an engaging way.
Also a major component of the plot is essentially written to mock sex work and the fact that one of the characters has to stoop to doing it? It’s so demeaning and uncomfortable to read over and over (and over because it just keeps going) again. At first, part of me really hoped that maybe this would show the character being empowered by this job or having them talk to the other characters about how they shouldn’t imply that sex workers are morally bad or deserve to be degraded for their job, but somehow it became almost a running joke throughout the story that this character was a sex worker and deserved to be shit on for it. It was probably the worst way that I could have seen this storyline go, and somehow the author managed to do it.
Uh also Space Nazis get introduced at 88% and it just kind of ends? I think that they author tried really, really hard to give readers a cliffhanger that would make them want to read the next book in the series, but instead we get more of a “well it looks like we have a race war on our hands, do you guys want to go to my mom’s house?” It’s the unsatisfying end that an unsatisfying book deserves, I guess. This is easily the worst book I’ve read all year, and even after stewing on this book for a week after finishing it, there really was nothing that I would highlight or write home about. Would not recommend if you value your own time, even if you’re absolutely desperate for a queer space western.
TL;DR I hated this book, I hated writing this review, I need to go calm down because I’m mad that I spent so much time reading this book and then writing this review.
December 19, 2021
I mildly enjoyed this. Please don’t read this for the world building or setting because there really isn’t much. It’s a kind of weird western set in Space. The storyline also is quite weak too, but I enjoyed the banter between the four main characters. I probably wouldn’t read the sequel.
Want to read
November 12, 2021i just need to talk about this cover hang on
October 28, 2021
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Revenge centers around four people all in different places in their lives, but all connected by one thing: the destruction of an entire race. Ellie is hell-bent on finding Cor, her ex-boyfriend who she suspects in aiding in the extermination of the Kausian people. Zach, her bestie, is right there alongside her, working to find out what really happened to Kaus.
Our other two povs are Cor, Ellie's ex, and his boyfriend Gabe. Cor works as a prostitute to pay their way across the planet. Cor has been hiding, terrified he'd be blamed for what happened.
The four cross paths while tasked to kill one another. Old flames begin to rekindle while old truths start to appear. Was Cor really responsible for what happened? Or was he a pawn in the game?
Revenge very much lives up to its title.
This is a very character-driven story. I pictured this on a stage with all four characters expressing their inner monologues to the audience as we watched the settings behind them. I could even hear the glasses clinking and the silverware against plates (our characters do drinks and eat A LOT), adding the dialogue of each of our heroes. Because I began to think of it as a play, the fact that the sparse world-building and action did not bother me one bit. Ellie, Zach, Cor, and Gabe drove this story with their individual personalities, past traumas, and realizations that perhaps they were after the wrong thing all along and that together, they can find the truth. Ellie and Zach together are a fire-cracker team, but the four of them together are a force to be reckoned with. I cannot wait to see what these four do in the next book.
This is a clever, highly entertaining book that delves into the darkness of our hearts. There's plenty of queer reps, as well as a deep dive into racist-coded subplots centering around the mass genocide of certain people and the prejudices that still surround the world. It goes without saying that I would love the read the second book; I cannot wait to see what my babies do next.
Revenge centers around four people all in different places in their lives, but all connected by one thing: the destruction of an entire race. Ellie is hell-bent on finding Cor, her ex-boyfriend who she suspects in aiding in the extermination of the Kausian people. Zach, her bestie, is right there alongside her, working to find out what really happened to Kaus.
Our other two povs are Cor, Ellie's ex, and his boyfriend Gabe. Cor works as a prostitute to pay their way across the planet. Cor has been hiding, terrified he'd be blamed for what happened.
The four cross paths while tasked to kill one another. Old flames begin to rekindle while old truths start to appear. Was Cor really responsible for what happened? Or was he a pawn in the game?
Revenge very much lives up to its title.
This is a very character-driven story. I pictured this on a stage with all four characters expressing their inner monologues to the audience as we watched the settings behind them. I could even hear the glasses clinking and the silverware against plates (our characters do drinks and eat A LOT), adding the dialogue of each of our heroes. Because I began to think of it as a play, the fact that the sparse world-building and action did not bother me one bit. Ellie, Zach, Cor, and Gabe drove this story with their individual personalities, past traumas, and realizations that perhaps they were after the wrong thing all along and that together, they can find the truth. Ellie and Zach together are a fire-cracker team, but the four of them together are a force to be reckoned with. I cannot wait to see what these four do in the next book.
This is a clever, highly entertaining book that delves into the darkness of our hearts. There's plenty of queer reps, as well as a deep dive into racist-coded subplots centering around the mass genocide of certain people and the prejudices that still surround the world. It goes without saying that I would love the read the second book; I cannot wait to see what my babies do next.
September 12, 2022
This entire book is a wild ride that I loved every minute of! The characters' personalities really shine, each with a very distinct voice, and by the end of the story, they feel like old friends! There's a lot of angst hidden by the humor, and I think it's a perfect balance to keep the story flowing naturally. I need more of these characters and am anxiously awaiting book 2!
December 17, 2021
Received this book as an arc. Review to come.
(Edit 12/16/2021)
*This Review contains minor spoilers*
I received this book as an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Now I want to say right off the bat that I went into this book loving the concept, and it has a really awesome cover, so points to it there.
In it, we have the characters Ellie and Zach who are, after they’re betrayed and their entire race destroyed by their best friend (and Ellie’s ex-fiance), Cor, on a mission to seek revenge on him for all the harm he caused. In order to finally get to him, they take a job to assassinate a human named Gabe, who is trying to get into the prestigious, off-planet rich people club called the Society. Little do they know, Gabe and Cor are more closely connected than they think, and Cor’s role in the destruction of their species is much more complicated than they’re aware.
Being a sci-fi, there are of course several different alien races and the biggest plot point connecting them is that they’re all willfully segregated by race into different factions, or Zones as they’re called in the book. There are humans, Pleiadeans “if one counted [them] separate from humans,” Lyrans (cat people), Sirians (mer-folk), Silurians (lizard people), and finally, there are the Kausians, the golden-eyed shapeshifters who were all but destroyed by the Silurians all thanks to Cor. Cor, Ellie and Zach seem to be the only ones left, and Ellie and Zach are rightfully hurt, angry, and understandably feeling vengeful. Then we have Gabe who has a bounty on his head for trying to join the Society as a half human, half Sirian.
The story had a lot of potential here, whether it be as a commentary on the flaws of a society like this, as a space-western, or even simply as a good, fast-paced character driven novel. Unfortunately, that’s about where the good things I have to say end because in the end it didn’t deliver. I desperately tried to like this book and I read all the way through, hoping for something that would redeem it, and was left disappointed.
I’m not sure where to begin, because all of it was rather frustrating and I’m not even sure if I can touch on it all in a single review. It often felt like the story was being spoon fed to the reader and more often “told” than “showed” when it came to the characters’ feelings, interactions, and even some scenes throughout the book. This didn't leave a lot of room for the reader to think, or room for much of any suspense or tension to build up, especially at the end where suspense would have been this book’s ally. As for the worldbuilding in the book, it could have used more detail as well - anything to make it easier to understand the setting the characters interacted with beyond the knowledge of the Zones. And despite being a space western, the space and the western meshed together like a raygun in the wrong holster.
There was also a lot of odd and unnecessary repetition littered across the pages. For example, a character would come to a conclusion, and upon that conclusion reiterate that same point over and over just in different ways from that point on. Then in the next pov chapter, that next character would have that same thought or quickly come to the same conclusion, and the cycle would continue. One instance that comes to mind is when Cor is on a ship to the Society and he thinks about the fact that he easily gets sick on transportation like this. Then in both Ellie and Zach’s following chapters, they both make points to reiterate how they, too, get sick on ships the instant idea is brought up. Then when we get to Gabe’s pov, it is mentioned that he observes this in the former characters, and he reaches the conclusion that all Kausians seem to get sick on transportation (excuse me, WHY???). In another instance, Ellie would spend most of her chapters thinking about how she wanted to get revenge and how hurt she was and how there was no way she could ever forgive Cor and she’s definitely going to kill him. But then when she sees him again and he recounts his version of events, she seems all too ready to forgive him and the subsequent “oh but I’ll just wait and see how he turns out before I trust him,” was very unconvincing.
It truly felt like a good chunk of the book was telling me things I already knew and things that didn’t need to be reiterated. On the flip side, the book failed to provide or focus on many details for things that would have been helpful to know for the flow of the plot and characterization. Taking Ellie as an example again, it would have been great to read about her memories or in-depth thoughts on her old feelings for Cor that would have given the reader something more to go off of than the fact that they’re exes and he betrayed her, thus making her a more “relatable” character.
On that note, the characters were rather two-dimensional and all of their meager personalities read the same more often than not, especially for Ellie, Cor and Zach (oh and everyone felt annoyingly hypocritical, but I’ll get to that later). Ellie hated dresses, liked poker, and was focused on Revenge. Zach liked “frilly” drinks, was asexual, and functioned as the slightly more reasonable side of Ellie. With Cor at least, while not having much beyond wanting to make up for his actions and being a sex worker, we get a slightly more in-depth look into his backstory since its needed to explain why . Oh and did I mention all three of them get sick on transportation? Honestly I found myself wondering if they were a hivemind, because they had similar behaviours and thought processes, and somehow seemed to accurately guess how another of the three was probably feeling. Them being thick as thieves as teenagers doesn’t seem like a valid excuse. Gabe was probably the most well developed out of the four, maybe because he differed enough in personality from the others, and he’s given concerns beyond the plot directly in front of him.
Moving on from the characters themselves, the dialogue and conversations were also incredibly awkward and juvenile. For a book that’s marketed as upper YA/NA, I expected more. There was a scene not long after Zach and Ellie meet Gabe where they find out Cor has had to do sex work to get by, with Gabe often serving as his pimp. After a similar reaction from Ellie in her pov, we get to read this lovely reaction from Zach:
Zach then proceeds to double over laughing, but then assures in his head that there’s nothing wrong with being a prostitute, its just so darn funny that their ex-friend is one. Oh but of course he’s offended when Gabe is confused by his reaction and tries to explain that many people like sleeping with Kausians for their shapeshifting abilities. This wasn’t funny or comedic relief, it was annoying, and for the amount of times he and Ellie took digs at sex work, it didn’t feel much like they were really joking either.
That leads me to the characters’ hypocrisy. Like Zach and Ellie’s reactions to sex work, there would often be an “-ism” (racism often) portrayed in the book by some side character, then the pov character would make sure to say or think, “oh yes but I dont approve of that.” But of course this is never actually showed in the book, and again like with Ellie and Zach’s reactions to prostitution, they often contradicted themselves. For a character-driven book with a heavy focus on the racism that the main characters faced (to the point of genocide in the Kausian’s case), one would think at least one of them would have more empathy (the closest we got to was with Gabe)? For every one of them to instead go off and do things like box the other races into stereotypes was…not great. Had any of the characters acknowledged this as a flaw, or showed signs of them realizing the problems with the dynamic of their society if not by the end, then in the following book(s), then I think it would have actually made for a truly interesting piece of characterization and plot that would have worked well. But no, their world was just like that.
This book honestly felt like it was trying to be something it wasn't, like trying to fit a round peg into a square hole. Or a raygun in the wrong holster.
(Edit 12/16/2021)
*This Review contains minor spoilers*
I received this book as an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Now I want to say right off the bat that I went into this book loving the concept, and it has a really awesome cover, so points to it there.
In it, we have the characters Ellie and Zach who are, after they’re betrayed and their entire race destroyed by their best friend (and Ellie’s ex-fiance), Cor, on a mission to seek revenge on him for all the harm he caused. In order to finally get to him, they take a job to assassinate a human named Gabe, who is trying to get into the prestigious, off-planet rich people club called the Society. Little do they know, Gabe and Cor are more closely connected than they think, and Cor’s role in the destruction of their species is much more complicated than they’re aware.
Being a sci-fi, there are of course several different alien races and the biggest plot point connecting them is that they’re all willfully segregated by race into different factions, or Zones as they’re called in the book. There are humans, Pleiadeans “if one counted [them] separate from humans,” Lyrans (cat people), Sirians (mer-folk), Silurians (lizard people), and finally, there are the Kausians, the golden-eyed shapeshifters who were all but destroyed by the Silurians all thanks to Cor. Cor, Ellie and Zach seem to be the only ones left, and Ellie and Zach are rightfully hurt, angry, and understandably feeling vengeful. Then we have Gabe who has a bounty on his head for trying to join the Society as a half human, half Sirian.
The story had a lot of potential here, whether it be as a commentary on the flaws of a society like this, as a space-western, or even simply as a good, fast-paced character driven novel. Unfortunately, that’s about where the good things I have to say end because in the end it didn’t deliver. I desperately tried to like this book and I read all the way through, hoping for something that would redeem it, and was left disappointed.
I’m not sure where to begin, because all of it was rather frustrating and I’m not even sure if I can touch on it all in a single review. It often felt like the story was being spoon fed to the reader and more often “told” than “showed” when it came to the characters’ feelings, interactions, and even some scenes throughout the book. This didn't leave a lot of room for the reader to think, or room for much of any suspense or tension to build up, especially at the end where suspense would have been this book’s ally. As for the worldbuilding in the book, it could have used more detail as well - anything to make it easier to understand the setting the characters interacted with beyond the knowledge of the Zones. And despite being a space western, the space and the western meshed together like a raygun in the wrong holster.
There was also a lot of odd and unnecessary repetition littered across the pages. For example, a character would come to a conclusion, and upon that conclusion reiterate that same point over and over just in different ways from that point on. Then in the next pov chapter, that next character would have that same thought or quickly come to the same conclusion, and the cycle would continue. One instance that comes to mind is when Cor is on a ship to the Society and he thinks about the fact that he easily gets sick on transportation like this. Then in both Ellie and Zach’s following chapters, they both make points to reiterate how they, too, get sick on ships the instant idea is brought up. Then when we get to Gabe’s pov, it is mentioned that he observes this in the former characters, and he reaches the conclusion that all Kausians seem to get sick on transportation (excuse me, WHY???). In another instance, Ellie would spend most of her chapters thinking about how she wanted to get revenge and how hurt she was and how there was no way she could ever forgive Cor and she’s definitely going to kill him. But then when she sees him again and he recounts his version of events, she seems all too ready to forgive him and the subsequent “oh but I’ll just wait and see how he turns out before I trust him,” was very unconvincing.
It truly felt like a good chunk of the book was telling me things I already knew and things that didn’t need to be reiterated. On the flip side, the book failed to provide or focus on many details for things that would have been helpful to know for the flow of the plot and characterization. Taking Ellie as an example again, it would have been great to read about her memories or in-depth thoughts on her old feelings for Cor that would have given the reader something more to go off of than the fact that they’re exes and he betrayed her, thus making her a more “relatable” character.
On that note, the characters were rather two-dimensional and all of their meager personalities read the same more often than not, especially for Ellie, Cor and Zach (oh and everyone felt annoyingly hypocritical, but I’ll get to that later). Ellie hated dresses, liked poker, and was focused on Revenge. Zach liked “frilly” drinks, was asexual, and functioned as the slightly more reasonable side of Ellie. With Cor at least, while not having much beyond wanting to make up for his actions and being a sex worker, we get a slightly more in-depth look into his backstory since its needed to explain why . Oh and did I mention all three of them get sick on transportation? Honestly I found myself wondering if they were a hivemind, because they had similar behaviours and thought processes, and somehow seemed to accurately guess how another of the three was probably feeling. Them being thick as thieves as teenagers doesn’t seem like a valid excuse. Gabe was probably the most well developed out of the four, maybe because he differed enough in personality from the others, and he’s given concerns beyond the plot directly in front of him.
Moving on from the characters themselves, the dialogue and conversations were also incredibly awkward and juvenile. For a book that’s marketed as upper YA/NA, I expected more. There was a scene not long after Zach and Ellie meet Gabe where they find out Cor has had to do sex work to get by, with Gabe often serving as his pimp. After a similar reaction from Ellie in her pov, we get to read this lovely reaction from Zach:
"...And I dress Cor up for his job."
I pressed my fist on my palm as if I had a thought. "Oh that reminds me. Can you give me a specific word for what he does?"
"He’s a prostitute."
Zach then proceeds to double over laughing, but then assures in his head that there’s nothing wrong with being a prostitute, its just so darn funny that their ex-friend is one. Oh but of course he’s offended when Gabe is confused by his reaction and tries to explain that many people like sleeping with Kausians for their shapeshifting abilities. This wasn’t funny or comedic relief, it was annoying, and for the amount of times he and Ellie took digs at sex work, it didn’t feel much like they were really joking either.
That leads me to the characters’ hypocrisy. Like Zach and Ellie’s reactions to sex work, there would often be an “-ism” (racism often) portrayed in the book by some side character, then the pov character would make sure to say or think, “oh yes but I dont approve of that.” But of course this is never actually showed in the book, and again like with Ellie and Zach’s reactions to prostitution, they often contradicted themselves. For a character-driven book with a heavy focus on the racism that the main characters faced (to the point of genocide in the Kausian’s case), one would think at least one of them would have more empathy (the closest we got to was with Gabe)? For every one of them to instead go off and do things like box the other races into stereotypes was…not great. Had any of the characters acknowledged this as a flaw, or showed signs of them realizing the problems with the dynamic of their society if not by the end, then in the following book(s), then I think it would have actually made for a truly interesting piece of characterization and plot that would have worked well. But no, their world was just like that.
This book honestly felt like it was trying to be something it wasn't, like trying to fit a round peg into a square hole. Or a raygun in the wrong holster.
June 17, 2023
Although I love this cover, I was apprehensive about this book after reading the blurb (westerns and/or sci-fi aren't really interests of mine) but I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed the story. The plot is unique and flows well. Character development and world building were executed with expertise, but I found myself often confusing the characters with each other. I usually struggle with alternating POV, and I did a little bit with this one but not much. First person POV, however, remains my arch nemesis and unfortunately plays a big role in how much I enjoy a book. Gabe was my favorite character; he seemed sweet, sincere, and protective but still mysterious. The writing was a tad simple at times but overall it moved the story along at an engaging pace. I wonder what will happen next!!
November 17, 2021
I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Knowing very little about Revenge by Dani Hoots before diving in made my time with it all the more surprising, memorable and fresh. The first Sci-Fi Western I'm adding to my bookshelf, but certainly will not be the last as I'm already eager to get my hands on Book 2 in the City of Kaus series. Ellie, Zach, Cor and Gabe were well-written, fully realized characters that kept me engaged from beginning to end. The story changes perspective between these four characters throughout and the author did a fantastic job giving them each a distinct voice and personality. I love reading novels with queer representation and found that the character's identities were well-crafted, feeling both nuanced and authentic. Their queer identities were consistently present but not gratuitously prominent in their personalities and plot - they felt like real people.
I find that in many stories with multiple viewpoints the characters are often in parallel adventures, converging somewhere near the end. However, I believe Revenge benefits nicely from the characters sharing their thoughts with the reader as they are experiencing the events unfold together. We learn so much about the characters within each chapter and the reader's perception is often challenged when faced with new information. I also never found myself waiting for one character to stop talking so I could get back to the "good part." We've all been there.
The universe that the author has created is incredibly immersive with plenty of tension. There are five (or six) races and each one feels distinct and intriguing, yet not entirely unfamiliar. The world building in this first book does a wonderful job of painting a vivid picture, while leaving plenty of mystery for a sequel.
I've been enjoying reading quite a few Star Wars novels this year and between the bounty hunting, gambling, and Trandoshan-esque Silurians (Am I right?), I could easily imagine this book feeling right at place on Canto Bight or some unknown planet in the Outer Rim. This was such a fun read that I can wholeheartedly recommend to anyone as intrigued by the Sci-Fi Western genre as I was.
Knowing very little about Revenge by Dani Hoots before diving in made my time with it all the more surprising, memorable and fresh. The first Sci-Fi Western I'm adding to my bookshelf, but certainly will not be the last as I'm already eager to get my hands on Book 2 in the City of Kaus series. Ellie, Zach, Cor and Gabe were well-written, fully realized characters that kept me engaged from beginning to end. The story changes perspective between these four characters throughout and the author did a fantastic job giving them each a distinct voice and personality. I love reading novels with queer representation and found that the character's identities were well-crafted, feeling both nuanced and authentic. Their queer identities were consistently present but not gratuitously prominent in their personalities and plot - they felt like real people.
I find that in many stories with multiple viewpoints the characters are often in parallel adventures, converging somewhere near the end. However, I believe Revenge benefits nicely from the characters sharing their thoughts with the reader as they are experiencing the events unfold together. We learn so much about the characters within each chapter and the reader's perception is often challenged when faced with new information. I also never found myself waiting for one character to stop talking so I could get back to the "good part." We've all been there.
The universe that the author has created is incredibly immersive with plenty of tension. There are five (or six) races and each one feels distinct and intriguing, yet not entirely unfamiliar. The world building in this first book does a wonderful job of painting a vivid picture, while leaving plenty of mystery for a sequel.
I've been enjoying reading quite a few Star Wars novels this year and between the bounty hunting, gambling, and Trandoshan-esque Silurians (Am I right?), I could easily imagine this book feeling right at place on Canto Bight or some unknown planet in the Outer Rim. This was such a fun read that I can wholeheartedly recommend to anyone as intrigued by the Sci-Fi Western genre as I was.
November 16, 2021
Revenge is a fast-paced YA/NA LGBTQ+ sci-fi western with just a hint of vintage of Star Wars thrown in for good measure. The opening chapter starts with a BANG and the action never slows down. I enjoyed the multiple POV’s and seeing how each character reacted to what was going on at the time. The interaction between all 4 main characters was humorous at times, yet there is an undercurrent of love and hurt that needs to be addressed. Revenge is a heartwarming story of friendship and accepting people as they are. What an ending! I cannot wait for the next installment.
“It has been three years since Elvira "Ellie" Ryder was betrayed by her ex-boyfriend Cor, which caused the destruction of her people by invaders from a different Zone. Now she will do anything to find him and make him pay.
Ellie has found someone who knows where Cor is. The price—assassinate a half-human, half-Sirian who is trying to join the Society, a high-class club only for the rich. Ellie takes the job, as it wouldn’t be the first assassination job she has taken, and heads to the Human Zone. However, when she learns more about her target, the more she realizes what is going on behind the curtain, and how her people were really destroyed.
Will Ellie be able to forgive Cor after learning the truth? Or will she forever hold on to that hatred?”
“It has been three years since Elvira "Ellie" Ryder was betrayed by her ex-boyfriend Cor, which caused the destruction of her people by invaders from a different Zone. Now she will do anything to find him and make him pay.
Ellie has found someone who knows where Cor is. The price—assassinate a half-human, half-Sirian who is trying to join the Society, a high-class club only for the rich. Ellie takes the job, as it wouldn’t be the first assassination job she has taken, and heads to the Human Zone. However, when she learns more about her target, the more she realizes what is going on behind the curtain, and how her people were really destroyed.
Will Ellie be able to forgive Cor after learning the truth? Or will she forever hold on to that hatred?”
November 16, 2021
This is my first introduction to author, Dani Hoots. For which, this book did get me hooked and wanting to check out more books by this author.
I am a fan of westerns and sci fi, so when you say western sci fi book; I say sign me up. Thus how I came to read Revenge by Dani Hoots. This book has a great cast of characters. Each character has an equal part in the overall storyline.
Ellie is the only female presence. She is great. She has a take charge attitude and helps to keep the group focused on their mission. Zach who is Ellie's best friend might be my favorite. He brought comedic relief to the story. Then there is Cornelius aka Cor (Ellie's ex) and his new boyfriend, Gabe. They help to round out this group of four.
The story does start out a bit slowly but does progress quicker the further you get into the storyline. With it really picking up momentum in the latter half of the story. I look forward to book two.
I am a fan of westerns and sci fi, so when you say western sci fi book; I say sign me up. Thus how I came to read Revenge by Dani Hoots. This book has a great cast of characters. Each character has an equal part in the overall storyline.
Ellie is the only female presence. She is great. She has a take charge attitude and helps to keep the group focused on their mission. Zach who is Ellie's best friend might be my favorite. He brought comedic relief to the story. Then there is Cornelius aka Cor (Ellie's ex) and his new boyfriend, Gabe. They help to round out this group of four.
The story does start out a bit slowly but does progress quicker the further you get into the storyline. With it really picking up momentum in the latter half of the story. I look forward to book two.
November 22, 2022
RAPID REVIEW
"𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙣 - 𝙄 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙩𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙣𝙜𝙚 𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙢𝙖𝙣 𝙬𝙝𝙤 𝙗𝙚𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙮𝙚𝙙 𝙢𝙚 - 𝙬𝙝𝙤 𝙗𝙚𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙮𝙚𝙙 𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙙. 𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙣𝙤 𝙧𝙚𝙥𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙝𝙚'𝙨 𝙙𝙤𝙣𝙚."
I enjoyed this book so much! I'm not an avid reader of Sci-Fi or westerns, but this Dani Hoots combined these two genres and gave us an addictive read. This book is described as a swashbuckling sci-fi western, it's action packed and I couldn't put it down. Imagine Six of Crows but more sci-fi. This is the first book in the City of Kaus series and centres around four characters. Ellie and Zach were betrayed by Cor, Cor's actions had a major consequence. Cor is filled with guilt but also hopes that his friends will one day be able to forgive him. Cor and Zach are in a relationship and things are going as well as they can be until something happens that causes some doubt.
I loved getting to know these characters and found the shape-shifting interesting as well as the bond between the characters. Enough information is given for the world-building and the different POV's makes for a great read.
• Character-driven
• Assassination
• Casinos & guns
• Different races/species and zones (think divergent).
Many thanks to MTMC Tours and the author for this electronic gifted copy.
"𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙣 - 𝙄 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙩𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙣𝙜𝙚 𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙢𝙖𝙣 𝙬𝙝𝙤 𝙗𝙚𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙮𝙚𝙙 𝙢𝙚 - 𝙬𝙝𝙤 𝙗𝙚𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙮𝙚𝙙 𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙙. 𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙣𝙤 𝙧𝙚𝙥𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙝𝙚'𝙨 𝙙𝙤𝙣𝙚."
I enjoyed this book so much! I'm not an avid reader of Sci-Fi or westerns, but this Dani Hoots combined these two genres and gave us an addictive read. This book is described as a swashbuckling sci-fi western, it's action packed and I couldn't put it down. Imagine Six of Crows but more sci-fi. This is the first book in the City of Kaus series and centres around four characters. Ellie and Zach were betrayed by Cor, Cor's actions had a major consequence. Cor is filled with guilt but also hopes that his friends will one day be able to forgive him. Cor and Zach are in a relationship and things are going as well as they can be until something happens that causes some doubt.
I loved getting to know these characters and found the shape-shifting interesting as well as the bond between the characters. Enough information is given for the world-building and the different POV's makes for a great read.
• Character-driven
• Assassination
• Casinos & guns
• Different races/species and zones (think divergent).
Many thanks to MTMC Tours and the author for this electronic gifted copy.
December 31, 2021
3.5/5 RTC
November 17, 2021
Revenge (City of Kaus) is a novel exploring many concepts: it's a Young Adult, New Adult, LGBTQ+, Sci-Fi, Western, 1st-person POV but with multiple perspectives, character-driven adventure... so, that begs the question: does it work? Mostly it does. Surprisingly well, actually.
The most impressive aspect of the book to me is the laser-focused, tightly-woven plotline. It's so tight, it's a French braid (those are the ones that go along the scalp, right?). It reminded me of a murder mystery, where every time a character walks through one door, another door in the same room opens a split second later and another character walks onto the scene. No moment is wasted, and Dani's ability to design what all four characters are doing simultaneously - while still being interesting- is nothing short of masterful.
The pacing of the book is superb - it picks up momentum from the first or second chapter and never stops or even lulls. The characters are varied, and the LGBTQ+ representation in particular is very inclusive. It felt natural in her setting and didn't feel shoehorned in, which I always appreciate.
The only thing I wish had been a little stronger were the stakes. While Dani ambitiously creates an entire world of fantastical races and a slew of interspecies politics, the scaled-down battle sequences and casual, carefree way the main characters dispatch the many foes they come up against ultimately gave me the feeling they were never truly in danger - in a very, very dangerous world. On its surface, the stakes are sky-high as the book introduces global conflict and genocidal warfare; but within the actual pages, it's more of a drama between the characters. This isn't a bad thing: they are, indeed, focused on Revenge.
In the end, I'd say Revenge (City of Kaus) is more lighthearted than the name implies, but that doesn't mean it lacks gravity: the characters continue to develop until the very last page, the pacing is quick, the exchanges between characters are just plain fun, and the reveals roll in from beginning to end (and some are left open for the sequel, leaving you wanting more). This was an enjoyable read, and a masterclass in weaving together four distinct plot arcs into a single, clear storyline.
(I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.)
The most impressive aspect of the book to me is the laser-focused, tightly-woven plotline. It's so tight, it's a French braid (those are the ones that go along the scalp, right?). It reminded me of a murder mystery, where every time a character walks through one door, another door in the same room opens a split second later and another character walks onto the scene. No moment is wasted, and Dani's ability to design what all four characters are doing simultaneously - while still being interesting- is nothing short of masterful.
The pacing of the book is superb - it picks up momentum from the first or second chapter and never stops or even lulls. The characters are varied, and the LGBTQ+ representation in particular is very inclusive. It felt natural in her setting and didn't feel shoehorned in, which I always appreciate.
The only thing I wish had been a little stronger were the stakes. While Dani ambitiously creates an entire world of fantastical races and a slew of interspecies politics, the scaled-down battle sequences and casual, carefree way the main characters dispatch the many foes they come up against ultimately gave me the feeling they were never truly in danger - in a very, very dangerous world. On its surface, the stakes are sky-high as the book introduces global conflict and genocidal warfare; but within the actual pages, it's more of a drama between the characters. This isn't a bad thing: they are, indeed, focused on Revenge.
In the end, I'd say Revenge (City of Kaus) is more lighthearted than the name implies, but that doesn't mean it lacks gravity: the characters continue to develop until the very last page, the pacing is quick, the exchanges between characters are just plain fun, and the reveals roll in from beginning to end (and some are left open for the sequel, leaving you wanting more). This was an enjoyable read, and a masterclass in weaving together four distinct plot arcs into a single, clear storyline.
(I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.)
December 8, 2021
*3.5 Stars*
First off, I want to say I love the cover of this book. It reeled me in with the silver haired man, that I’m a sucker for in any media whether it be in book, manga, or anime format lol
Revenge had a great plot idea that I was looking forward to. A lover hell-bent on revenge against her ex after their planet was destroyed, the ex being up in the air and lots of secrets, a LGBTQ+ cast of characters. All set in Cowboy Bebop-esque backdrop.
I really enjoyed Revenge, but it had its issues. One being that the dialogue often did not advance the storyline at all, it was often like a slice of life conversation – where you talk about everything but nothing at the same time. It also took over half the book for things to ramp up, which I do understand being a future series, but I honestly wish that some things could have been cut out that didn’t really help the plot or backstory of these characters. I also felt like the characters had flat personalities up until the 60% mark of the book, which made it hard to get into the characters from the beginning. Ellie is “I’m not like other girls” type of character, Cor is the mystery man, Zach is the adorable ace man, and Gabe is the man in distress. I also felt some of the representation often shamed sex work, which isn’t cool at all, and it also felt like it shamed those who had sex at all. The polyamorous representation also felt super unhealthy, and I don’t know if that was an intention or just part of one of the characters feelings.
Overall, I enjoyed this book to see how the storyline progresses with future books and if the author improves on the story telling and character developing. I also really love Zach, not gonna lie. Despite my issues with the book, it was still cool to see where it ended and get more backstory on the characters near the end.
Disclosure: I received Revenge as an ARC through BookSirens and I'm voluntarily leaving this review.
First off, I want to say I love the cover of this book. It reeled me in with the silver haired man, that I’m a sucker for in any media whether it be in book, manga, or anime format lol
Revenge had a great plot idea that I was looking forward to. A lover hell-bent on revenge against her ex after their planet was destroyed, the ex being up in the air and lots of secrets, a LGBTQ+ cast of characters. All set in Cowboy Bebop-esque backdrop.
I really enjoyed Revenge, but it had its issues. One being that the dialogue often did not advance the storyline at all, it was often like a slice of life conversation – where you talk about everything but nothing at the same time. It also took over half the book for things to ramp up, which I do understand being a future series, but I honestly wish that some things could have been cut out that didn’t really help the plot or backstory of these characters. I also felt like the characters had flat personalities up until the 60% mark of the book, which made it hard to get into the characters from the beginning. Ellie is “I’m not like other girls” type of character, Cor is the mystery man, Zach is the adorable ace man, and Gabe is the man in distress. I also felt some of the representation often shamed sex work, which isn’t cool at all, and it also felt like it shamed those who had sex at all. The polyamorous representation also felt super unhealthy, and I don’t know if that was an intention or just part of one of the characters feelings.
Overall, I enjoyed this book to see how the storyline progresses with future books and if the author improves on the story telling and character developing. I also really love Zach, not gonna lie. Despite my issues with the book, it was still cool to see where it ended and get more backstory on the characters near the end.
Disclosure: I received Revenge as an ARC through BookSirens and I'm voluntarily leaving this review.
November 15, 2021
Revenge by Dani Hoots takes readers on a mystical adventure with fascinating characters along an action-packed quest for retribution. The story takes place on a planet filled with beings of various races-some humanlike and others with supernatural traits. There is a mutually understood hierarchy of the races, making life far more difficult and dangerous for those in the ‘lower class’, like our main characters.
This page-turner is written in alternating first-person points of view, allowing us to learn and empathize with all sides of the story. We meet Ellie and Zach, childhood best friends who are now forced to take bounty hunter jobs and live on the run, in order to survive. We learn this is due to a betrayal of their people leading to an attack on their zone and the demise of their race. They believe the culprit may have been their other best friend, and also Ellie’s ex-fiance, Cor. Ellie is determined to seek revenge on the man who not only broke her heart, but betrayed their entire race, leading to the deaths of their friends and family.
If you’re not generally into the science fiction / fantasy genre- this may be the book to change your mind! Hoots has a way of speaking through her characters that leaves you feeling deeply connected to them, despite their fantastical features. The basis of the story itself is a relatable tale as old as time- a heartbroken woman seeks vengeance on the man who deceived her. The clever world that Hoot’s creates complicated twists and turns, featuring revelations of hidden truths and forbidden feelings. Between the LGBTQ-friendly sensual vibe, and nerve-wracking near-death experiences- this one is sure to keep readers entertained.
Revenge is a science fiction adventure story that is fun to follow and is easy to get lost in.
This page-turner is written in alternating first-person points of view, allowing us to learn and empathize with all sides of the story. We meet Ellie and Zach, childhood best friends who are now forced to take bounty hunter jobs and live on the run, in order to survive. We learn this is due to a betrayal of their people leading to an attack on their zone and the demise of their race. They believe the culprit may have been their other best friend, and also Ellie’s ex-fiance, Cor. Ellie is determined to seek revenge on the man who not only broke her heart, but betrayed their entire race, leading to the deaths of their friends and family.
If you’re not generally into the science fiction / fantasy genre- this may be the book to change your mind! Hoots has a way of speaking through her characters that leaves you feeling deeply connected to them, despite their fantastical features. The basis of the story itself is a relatable tale as old as time- a heartbroken woman seeks vengeance on the man who deceived her. The clever world that Hoot’s creates complicated twists and turns, featuring revelations of hidden truths and forbidden feelings. Between the LGBTQ-friendly sensual vibe, and nerve-wracking near-death experiences- this one is sure to keep readers entertained.
Revenge is a science fiction adventure story that is fun to follow and is easy to get lost in.
December 8, 2021
I was granted complimentary access to Revenge as part of a blog tour for this title with XPresso Book Tours. Thank you to all involved in affording me this opportunity! My thoughts are my own and my review is honest.
Revenge is a scifi western full of LGBTQIA+ representation and a very twisty, turny plot that depends deeply on the connections, relationships, and conflicts between its characters. It gives us multiple POVs and I think my favourite character to read was Ellie. She's a badass and not at all afraid of showing her true self to the world.
This book is full of great LGBTQIA+ representation, and not just the run of the mill L/G/T monogamous stuff. There's a loud and proud aro/ace character, there's polyamory and open relationships, everything! That's refreshing to see. I think all of these different identities and orientations thrown together in one cast was handled very well.
In terms of the plot beyond the characters, that's where this one loses a star for me. We've got lots of different humanoid species living together, a race called Kausians are facing extreme discrimination, and the main cast has players on both sides of the anti-Kausians, pro-Kausians battle. Other than that, I finished this book a couple of hours ago and I don't remember much. The characters won my heart and I love a good character-driven book so it still gets a high rating, but the finer points of the plot did not stick at all. I'm not sure if that's the book or the fact that I don't normally go for westerns, but if this is scifi western it's one of the best examples of the genre.
If scifi westerns are your thing, get in here! If you want a good character-driven book with the less-represented LGBTQIA+ minorities on full display, also get in here! This book is different, in a good way, and I think it's worth a shot.
Revenge is a scifi western full of LGBTQIA+ representation and a very twisty, turny plot that depends deeply on the connections, relationships, and conflicts between its characters. It gives us multiple POVs and I think my favourite character to read was Ellie. She's a badass and not at all afraid of showing her true self to the world.
This book is full of great LGBTQIA+ representation, and not just the run of the mill L/G/T monogamous stuff. There's a loud and proud aro/ace character, there's polyamory and open relationships, everything! That's refreshing to see. I think all of these different identities and orientations thrown together in one cast was handled very well.
In terms of the plot beyond the characters, that's where this one loses a star for me. We've got lots of different humanoid species living together, a race called Kausians are facing extreme discrimination, and the main cast has players on both sides of the anti-Kausians, pro-Kausians battle. Other than that, I finished this book a couple of hours ago and I don't remember much. The characters won my heart and I love a good character-driven book so it still gets a high rating, but the finer points of the plot did not stick at all. I'm not sure if that's the book or the fact that I don't normally go for westerns, but if this is scifi western it's one of the best examples of the genre.
If scifi westerns are your thing, get in here! If you want a good character-driven book with the less-represented LGBTQIA+ minorities on full display, also get in here! This book is different, in a good way, and I think it's worth a shot.
April 20, 2025
Revenge is a fun little space western romp with a queer cast, fast pacing, and plenty of drama—but it doesn’t quite hit the depth it seems to be reaching for. I went in excited for the swashbuckling, sci-fi-meets-cowboy energy, and to its credit, the vibes are strong. There’s a cool, chaotic energy here, and the snappy banter helps keep the momentum going.
Ellie’s central drive—revenge against the ex who supposedly led to her people’s destruction—is compelling on paper, but starts to fall apart the more you think about it. The world-building hints at fascinating ideas, but never really digs into them. The moral logic here is fuzzy at best, and I kept waiting for a deeper exploration. But I CAN let that go because Ellie and Zach had trauma that influenced them, obviously.
Character-wise, there’s charm, but not a lot of complexity. Most of the cast leans heavily into a single personality trait and stays there. It’s also got a bit of the classic "all X species act the same" issue, which always flattens the world for me. And if your characters can shapeshift… why aren't they doing it? That felt like a major missed opportunity.
Still, I had a decent time. The story is quick, the queerness is casual and present (love that!), and the tone leans toward the light and entertaining side. A cute, if shallow, sci-fi adventure. Great for a weekend read when you’re not looking to get too emotionally invested.
Ellie’s central drive—revenge against the ex who supposedly led to her people’s destruction—is compelling on paper, but starts to fall apart the more you think about it. The world-building hints at fascinating ideas, but never really digs into them. The moral logic here is fuzzy at best, and I kept waiting for a deeper exploration. But I CAN let that go because Ellie and Zach had trauma that influenced them, obviously.
Character-wise, there’s charm, but not a lot of complexity. Most of the cast leans heavily into a single personality trait and stays there. It’s also got a bit of the classic "all X species act the same" issue, which always flattens the world for me. And if your characters can shapeshift… why aren't they doing it? That felt like a major missed opportunity.
Still, I had a decent time. The story is quick, the queerness is casual and present (love that!), and the tone leans toward the light and entertaining side. A cute, if shallow, sci-fi adventure. Great for a weekend read when you’re not looking to get too emotionally invested.
November 20, 2021
What a world!! I'm floored!
I loved it!! This is so much more than I thought. As a YA/NA LGBTQ+ sci-fi western I was floored with the detailed and dynamic world Dani has created. I was on the edge of my seat and needed to know what happened next. I loved the diverse range of characters, sexualities (I love Zach!), and connection. I cannot wait for BOOK TWO!!!!
An adventurous escape into another world so imaginatively created, it's so complex and has elements of magic, shifters, sci-fi, futuristic, cowboys, assistants, and dystopian feels.
I love fantasy and other worlds but this is the first SciFi (ish) western I've read and omg I'm hooked. The characters are so wonderfully vivid you feel like you're along for the ride as you cheat death at every turn, reveal secrets that will shock and be on the edge of your seat as you discover a truth that could change everything.
My only comment would be that the writing style was a bit unique and "backwards" in terms of certain phases being said "in the wrong order" I feel I only noticed this or had an issue with it because of my dyslexia which made parts a little challenging to read and flow through. This would totally be because I received an ARC, so this might not be the case with the final cut!
I really enjoyed the pace of this book and I was never bored or wondering where this was going. I liked the friendships and connections and am interested in seeing how the dynamic between Ellie, Cor, and Gabe. I feel for Gabe and his love for Cor, knowing he's not necessarily number 1. I worry for him and what the future holds for the whole gang.
These four have worked their way into my heart and I can not wait for the next book!! I need it now, I have so many questions, OMG!
I loved it!! This is so much more than I thought. As a YA/NA LGBTQ+ sci-fi western I was floored with the detailed and dynamic world Dani has created. I was on the edge of my seat and needed to know what happened next. I loved the diverse range of characters, sexualities (I love Zach!), and connection. I cannot wait for BOOK TWO!!!!
An adventurous escape into another world so imaginatively created, it's so complex and has elements of magic, shifters, sci-fi, futuristic, cowboys, assistants, and dystopian feels.
I love fantasy and other worlds but this is the first SciFi (ish) western I've read and omg I'm hooked. The characters are so wonderfully vivid you feel like you're along for the ride as you cheat death at every turn, reveal secrets that will shock and be on the edge of your seat as you discover a truth that could change everything.
My only comment would be that the writing style was a bit unique and "backwards" in terms of certain phases being said "in the wrong order" I feel I only noticed this or had an issue with it because of my dyslexia which made parts a little challenging to read and flow through. This would totally be because I received an ARC, so this might not be the case with the final cut!
I really enjoyed the pace of this book and I was never bored or wondering where this was going. I liked the friendships and connections and am interested in seeing how the dynamic between Ellie, Cor, and Gabe. I feel for Gabe and his love for Cor, knowing he's not necessarily number 1. I worry for him and what the future holds for the whole gang.
These four have worked their way into my heart and I can not wait for the next book!! I need it now, I have so many questions, OMG!
October 25, 2021
I stumbled upon this author through the book, City of Kaus Revenge and it was a page turner! I enjoyed the characters the author created and the 1st person narrative of the four main characters to allow the reader to get more depth about each of their feelings throughout the story. I was able to get fully immersed in the sifi word created and I can't wait to read the second book in this series to see where the story goes! This book openly talks about LGBTQ+ and normalizes that it is ok to be different. More books should follow this path!
October 26, 2021
I liked this book a lot! It switches between the four main characters: Ellie, Gabe, Zach, and Cor, but the point-of-view switches are done really well and I was never confused about who was speaking. The characters are really well done and I can't wait to find out more about their pasts and how the discoveries from this book will change their plans for the future.
October 23, 2021
Amazing take on future and past western history with then some. Wonderful characters that have past events to work thru. Bounty Hunter gotta ❤️ them. ❤️📚👍
October 25, 2021
A fantastic book and start of a series. It was interesting enough to continue the rest of the series and more from the author.
November 22, 2021
This was such a fun, fast paced book with lots of action! The sci-fi/western setting of the book was so interesting. This story is told from multiple POVs (Zach, Cor, Gabe and Ellie) which I always like. I really enjoyed the characters and their different quirks, personalities and abilies. I'm excited to read the next book in the future, learn more about each zone and continue Ellie's story! I always love a badass women MC 💪🏻
October 19, 2021
This was such a refreshing take on the Old West in a new and modern setting. This book is full of action with wonderful characters. Truly enjoyable to read.
August 13, 2022
This a really good scifi/fantasy book, that gives you a Firefly vibe, with the western feel of it, the role and idea of the outsider and the scoundrel, and a lot of the action taking place in taverns!!! I think the entire feel and world building is great, you see the difference in where they come from and the persecution because of it, and then even better the book also gives you a really good squad, with great chemistry and dynamics with each other, and this look from something new coming in, which allows a different perspective!!!
Definitely a nice read if you're looking for a scifi western!!!
(I received this book through BookSirens in exchange of an honest review :) )
Definitely a nice read if you're looking for a scifi western!!!
(I received this book through BookSirens in exchange of an honest review :) )
November 15, 2021
Revenge by Dani Hoots is an intresting space advanture with the gun slinger feel and thirst for revenge. I love it! The characters are well done and the story moves fast that it kept me engrossed in the plot. I can't wait was in store for the next book in the series
I received an advance review copy for free from Book Sirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free from Book Sirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
December 16, 2021
Revenge by Dani Hoot is a science fiction western about Ellie, a Kausian, which is a discriminated against species of alien who can shapeshift into any other alien but who typically look like golden eyed humans. Ellie and her best friend Zach are bounty hunters looking for their ex-best friend, Cor, who may be the one responsible for destroying their home city. When the two of them find Cor’s half human boyfriend, they are thrown into a political plot that is way over all their heads. This is a fun, fast paced story about found family and facing your own prejudices.
I enjoyed this book a lot! I am a big fan of science fiction that features alien races and am looking forward to learning more about the races in up coming books. Zach is my favorite character because he is so completely ace like me. Him “seducing” Gabe without even trying was super funny. I also loved Ellie because she was so badass. I’m interested to see where her relationship with Cor and Gabe goes from here. Overall, I thought it was a very fun book!
I enjoyed this book a lot! I am a big fan of science fiction that features alien races and am looking forward to learning more about the races in up coming books. Zach is my favorite character because he is so completely ace like me. Him “seducing” Gabe without even trying was super funny. I also loved Ellie because she was so badass. I’m interested to see where her relationship with Cor and Gabe goes from here. Overall, I thought it was a very fun book!
October 13, 2022
I was given this book for free to review by the author. All opinions are my own*
This book was amazing. I loved how the author mixed science fiction and western themes together well but do wish there was a bit more world building. This book has one of my favorite tropes found family. I fell in love with all four characters. Ellie with her strength and drive, Zach who is the sweetest cinnamon roll ever with a love for girly cocktails, Cor with his charm and secrets and Gabe with his love of hats and wish to belong. This book also shows that it doesn’t take but a small spark of hate to start to generations of it. One of my favorite scenes was when Zach and Gabe first meet(I was laughing so hard and really felt for Zach). I loved the LGBTQIA+ rep(Asexual,Bisexual,Gay) in this book. This book had some great humor and I didn’t see some of the twists coming. I can’t wait to get my hands on book 2.
Rating: 5 stars
This book was amazing. I loved how the author mixed science fiction and western themes together well but do wish there was a bit more world building. This book has one of my favorite tropes found family. I fell in love with all four characters. Ellie with her strength and drive, Zach who is the sweetest cinnamon roll ever with a love for girly cocktails, Cor with his charm and secrets and Gabe with his love of hats and wish to belong. This book also shows that it doesn’t take but a small spark of hate to start to generations of it. One of my favorite scenes was when Zach and Gabe first meet(I was laughing so hard and really felt for Zach). I loved the LGBTQIA+ rep(Asexual,Bisexual,Gay) in this book. This book had some great humor and I didn’t see some of the twists coming. I can’t wait to get my hands on book 2.
Rating: 5 stars
March 19, 2022
The cover. That was the only reason why I picked the book. I am so obsessed with the cover. I had no idea what the book was all about. What genre it was. I am so glad that it turned out to be such a good decision as the book was amazing.
A book with multi-characters and all of them standing so strongly without merging was the most amazing thing about this book. The book is a switchback narration between four characters. I have seen books with two-person narration failing so badly but this one had four different characters narrating the plot. I don’t know if you can’t vouch for this as the writer’s talent then what will
Each character has a distinctive trait and it shines through every page, every dialogue. It stays strong till the end of the book. There are some amazing features about this book that I adored. One. The portal of the LGBTQ community. I can’t exactly explain it but the way the book treats it is so beautiful that it brings tears of joy. I think this is the first and the only book where I have seen a book that has an Asexual character which was brilliant. Why it is beautiful is because of the normalcy with which all the characters are portrayed. There is no emphasis on the LGBTQ part. Like it is not educating or preaching on the community goals but without doing so it teaches a lot.
Coming back to the book, the book doesn’t deviate. Trust me it has a lot of things in which it can deviate but it doesn't. It opens with a core plot, sticks with it and the direction of the book is crystal clear. It doesn’t experiment and halt in its journey but keeps its track pretty focused and that is why you know where exactly the book is headed and in turn, helps you enjoy the ride.
There are a lot of things in the book that will help you fall in love with it. The characters, the language, narration, pace and brilliant humour that peeks in between. Moreover, the book has the smoothest plot direction I have seen. The book is clear with its goal so it doesn’t unnecessarily hoard on sub-characters and plots.
A book with multi-characters and all of them standing so strongly without merging was the most amazing thing about this book. The book is a switchback narration between four characters. I have seen books with two-person narration failing so badly but this one had four different characters narrating the plot. I don’t know if you can’t vouch for this as the writer’s talent then what will
Each character has a distinctive trait and it shines through every page, every dialogue. It stays strong till the end of the book. There are some amazing features about this book that I adored. One. The portal of the LGBTQ community. I can’t exactly explain it but the way the book treats it is so beautiful that it brings tears of joy. I think this is the first and the only book where I have seen a book that has an Asexual character which was brilliant. Why it is beautiful is because of the normalcy with which all the characters are portrayed. There is no emphasis on the LGBTQ part. Like it is not educating or preaching on the community goals but without doing so it teaches a lot.
Coming back to the book, the book doesn’t deviate. Trust me it has a lot of things in which it can deviate but it doesn't. It opens with a core plot, sticks with it and the direction of the book is crystal clear. It doesn’t experiment and halt in its journey but keeps its track pretty focused and that is why you know where exactly the book is headed and in turn, helps you enjoy the ride.
There are a lot of things in the book that will help you fall in love with it. The characters, the language, narration, pace and brilliant humour that peeks in between. Moreover, the book has the smoothest plot direction I have seen. The book is clear with its goal so it doesn’t unnecessarily hoard on sub-characters and plots.
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