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3.75 AVERAGE
3.75 AVERAGE
Entertaining. Flows at a good pace. Dynamic characters. No filler and not over descriptive. Well written. Waiting for book 2!
Finally! A contemporary book that has it all - mystery, snark and swoon! It's suspenseful, edgy, fast-paced and brilliant! A unique twist to the classic Romeo and Juliet story...
Sophie has been having a hard time lately. In the last year and a half, she went from having it all to having to down-size because of her father's mistakes that landed him in jail. Sophie and her mom are now living on the other side of town doing the best that they can. And even though what had happened was not Sophie's fault, she's had to pay for the consequence of losing all her friends, being a social outcast and being stuck at a summertime job. Thank goodness for Millie! Sophie's rock, her best friend, the only one that has stuck by her side and has made life bearable. And what makes Sophie even worthier is that she doesn't dwell on any of her losses. She is snarky and often upbeat and really has a good sense of who she is and what she wants.
That is until a couple of boys move into town. Five of them, to be exact.
And one of them may have caught Sophie's eye. (Although, I have my eye on two of them!)
And yes, there is definitely a 'vendetta' going on. Someone is out to seek revenge on something... it is too difficult to go into more of the story without any spoilers. Just know that there is a lot of details to be learned! Lots of twisty moves, ups and downs. So many revelations! And yet, with each known fact comes with a million more questions on top of it. You won't know who to trust... All of the characters are deep and complex and have something to say. Choices need to be made. Life and death situations... A great, great page turner!
I am so overly pleased that this is a trilogy... a superb start to more things to come! And although it can be described as a fun book, it is a lot darker than I expected it and that made it so I couldn't put it down. Forbidden love, family loyalty and murder are all in play! It has been so long since I've read a book in one sitting! I cannot wait for the next book to be released!!!
*An eARC was emailed to me from the publisher for this tour and an honest review. All thoughts are my own.
Sophie has been having a hard time lately. In the last year and a half, she went from having it all to having to down-size because of her father's mistakes that landed him in jail. Sophie and her mom are now living on the other side of town doing the best that they can. And even though what had happened was not Sophie's fault, she's had to pay for the consequence of losing all her friends, being a social outcast and being stuck at a summertime job. Thank goodness for Millie! Sophie's rock, her best friend, the only one that has stuck by her side and has made life bearable. And what makes Sophie even worthier is that she doesn't dwell on any of her losses. She is snarky and often upbeat and really has a good sense of who she is and what she wants.
That is until a couple of boys move into town. Five of them, to be exact.
And one of them may have caught Sophie's eye. (Although, I have my eye on two of them!)
And yes, there is definitely a 'vendetta' going on. Someone is out to seek revenge on something... it is too difficult to go into more of the story without any spoilers. Just know that there is a lot of details to be learned! Lots of twisty moves, ups and downs. So many revelations! And yet, with each known fact comes with a million more questions on top of it. You won't know who to trust... All of the characters are deep and complex and have something to say. Choices need to be made. Life and death situations... A great, great page turner!
I am so overly pleased that this is a trilogy... a superb start to more things to come! And although it can be described as a fun book, it is a lot darker than I expected it and that made it so I couldn't put it down. Forbidden love, family loyalty and murder are all in play! It has been so long since I've read a book in one sitting! I cannot wait for the next book to be released!!!
*An eARC was emailed to me from the publisher for this tour and an honest review. All thoughts are my own.
This book was even better a second time! Personally, the first book was the best one out of the series. I love when books surprise what I think I'll think of them, and this one totally did. I'm one for fantasy, so far be it for me to judge a crazy mystery mafia story, I just didn't know if it would be able to be pulled off. Surprise, surprise, it surpassed my expectations and I'm so thrilled that it did so. Humor and wit/cunning is such a big component for me in books and Vendetta had me laughing at all the right moments. Sophie is a character I could get behind and root for while also yelling, "Are you mad?!", when she did something completely daring and I only have gratitude for that.
I have been waiting to write this review, because I don't know how to say what I want to about VENDETTA. Overall, I really enjoyed this story.
I picked up VENDETTA while using the rest of my Barnes and Noble gift cards in February. I had not heard anything about this book, but the premise seemed good, so I bought it (something I never do!). I am glad I picked it up. I started reading it the next day, and totally avoided everything I was supposed to be doing to read this book.
Doyle sets up a great story. While it can be very predictable at certain times, there are also moments that will surprise you. There are characters that you will love, characters you will love to hate, and characters that will just plain really confuse you.
My favorite part of this story was the way Doyle creates her characters, and how you see them grow and change throughout the novel. The book picks up the pace really fast, and right in the beginning you are introduced to five lovely, hot Italian boys (and if you needed a reason to read, there is one all on it's own). From the very beginning, these boys will leave you wondering about them and their life.
The writing in this book is great, the characters are great, and this is a book I really enjoyed. I can't wait for next year for the second book to see how the novel continues!
I picked up VENDETTA while using the rest of my Barnes and Noble gift cards in February. I had not heard anything about this book, but the premise seemed good, so I bought it (something I never do!). I am glad I picked it up. I started reading it the next day, and totally avoided everything I was supposed to be doing to read this book.
Doyle sets up a great story. While it can be very predictable at certain times, there are also moments that will surprise you. There are characters that you will love, characters you will love to hate, and characters that will just plain really confuse you.
My favorite part of this story was the way Doyle creates her characters, and how you see them grow and change throughout the novel. The book picks up the pace really fast, and right in the beginning you are introduced to five lovely, hot Italian boys (and if you needed a reason to read, there is one all on it's own). From the very beginning, these boys will leave you wondering about them and their life.
The writing in this book is great, the characters are great, and this is a book I really enjoyed. I can't wait for next year for the second book to see how the novel continues!
I first read this book not long after it was released last January, and immediately fell in love with Doyle's writing. I was lucky enough to win a copy from the publisher, and jumped at the chance to re-read it again.
Vendetta is set in modern Chicago, in a neighbourhood outside the city. Sophie has lived there all her life, and after her father is arrested for manslaughter, she has to deal with a certain amount of notoriety. She's relieved that it is now summer, even if it means she'll be working at her family's diner every day. One day, a new family come into town, and move into the abandoned Priestly house. What makes the new family even more intriguing is the fact that there are 5 boys, each as mysterious as the other. As Sophie grows closer to one, Nic, she learns things about both their families that knocks her world. Basically, think Romeo and Juliet, without the whole suicide-y bit.
Sophie was amazing, and not just because she has a fab name ;). She's the type of character that everyone wants to read about. Yeah, she's slightly naive, and makes bad decisions at times, but she grows as a character so much. She deals with everything that was thrown at her in the best way, and she made the book what it was. Without her, it would be nowhere near as enjoyable as it was.
The romance was so unbelievably swoony! Nic seems perfect for Sophie, though he isn't the guy I personally prefer - that would be Luca. Even though its bordering on a love triangle, I actually liked both romances, and didn't mind reading either. I just felt like Luca and Sophie's chemistry was out of this world, and can't wait to read Inferno; hopefully there'll be a lot more swooniness in that book.
The plot just brought everything that I loved together, and made it utter perfection! I've never exactly been a fan of Shakespeare, particularly not of Romeo and Juliet, but this kinda made me a fan of the original. It was an adaptation, that wasn't only and adaptation. Yeah, it may have similar aspects to Romeo and Juliet, but that was just the bare bones. Doyle turned the classic into a truly modern story, one that I think all audiences will love. The idea of forbidden romance and warring families is not new, but it seemed wholly unique in Vendetta.
If you haven't guessed by now, I'd recommend this book every single time. It's a UKYA that should be a classic, and everyone should just read it, okay? I should have read its sequel, Inferno, by the time this is published, and I'm dying to find out how Sophie, et al., deal with the fall out of this book. Vendetta deserves all the stars!
Vendetta is set in modern Chicago, in a neighbourhood outside the city. Sophie has lived there all her life, and after her father is arrested for manslaughter, she has to deal with a certain amount of notoriety. She's relieved that it is now summer, even if it means she'll be working at her family's diner every day. One day, a new family come into town, and move into the abandoned Priestly house. What makes the new family even more intriguing is the fact that there are 5 boys, each as mysterious as the other. As Sophie grows closer to one, Nic, she learns things about both their families that knocks her world. Basically, think Romeo and Juliet, without the whole suicide-y bit.
Sophie was amazing, and not just because she has a fab name ;). She's the type of character that everyone wants to read about. Yeah, she's slightly naive, and makes bad decisions at times, but she grows as a character so much. She deals with everything that was thrown at her in the best way, and she made the book what it was. Without her, it would be nowhere near as enjoyable as it was.
The romance was so unbelievably swoony! Nic seems perfect for Sophie, though he isn't the guy I personally prefer - that would be Luca. Even though its bordering on a love triangle, I actually liked both romances, and didn't mind reading either. I just felt like Luca and Sophie's chemistry was out of this world, and can't wait to read Inferno; hopefully there'll be a lot more swooniness in that book.
The plot just brought everything that I loved together, and made it utter perfection! I've never exactly been a fan of Shakespeare, particularly not of Romeo and Juliet, but this kinda made me a fan of the original. It was an adaptation, that wasn't only and adaptation. Yeah, it may have similar aspects to Romeo and Juliet, but that was just the bare bones. Doyle turned the classic into a truly modern story, one that I think all audiences will love. The idea of forbidden romance and warring families is not new, but it seemed wholly unique in Vendetta.
If you haven't guessed by now, I'd recommend this book every single time. It's a UKYA that should be a classic, and everyone should just read it, okay? I should have read its sequel, Inferno, by the time this is published, and I'm dying to find out how Sophie, et al., deal with the fall out of this book. Vendetta deserves all the stars!
Feb 1, 2017 EDIT: I love this book/series and everything I said before seems irrelevant now
3.5 stars
The critical part of me is shaking its head saying "no" but my heart is saying "yes!!!"
To be honest, it only seems absurd on many levels because some aspects of the story weren't well executed. Otherwise, it would have been much more suspenseful and exciting.
Personally, I think Sophie has yet to become an original character on her own; so far she's characterized as impulsive and naive, which I'm going to blame on the fact that she's constantly blinded by her feelings and idealism of Nicoli. We see a glimpse of strength within her towards the end of Vendetta and it gives me hope that she'll become a character we see growth in in the later books.
The romance was... tolerable. It has room for improvement, that I can say.
Also, I did not expect to form an attachment to Valentino. Luca? Yes. Valentino? He's on a whole new level and is definitely a character I'm glad for since I've had enough of infantilized disabled characters.
Overall, I really enjoyed reading it regardless of its minor faults and it's certainly a promising debut, so mad props to Catherine Doyle for taking the risk.
(SHOUTOUT TO NAZEEFA WHO HYPED THIS FOR ME!)
The critical part of me is shaking its head saying "no" but my heart is saying "yes!!!"
To be honest, it only seems absurd on many levels because some aspects of the story weren't well executed. Otherwise, it would have been much more suspenseful and exciting.
Personally, I think Sophie has yet to become an original character on her own; so far she's characterized as impulsive and naive, which I'm going to blame on the fact that she's constantly blinded by her feelings and idealism of Nicoli. We see a glimpse of strength within her towards the end of Vendetta and it gives me hope that she'll become a character we see growth in in the later books.
The romance was... tolerable. It has room for improvement, that I can say.
Also, I did not expect to form an attachment to Valentino. Luca? Yes. Valentino? He's on a whole new level and is definitely a character I'm glad for since I've had enough of infantilized disabled characters.
Overall, I really enjoyed reading it regardless of its minor faults and it's certainly a promising debut, so mad props to Catherine Doyle for taking the risk.
(SHOUTOUT TO NAZEEFA WHO HYPED THIS FOR ME!)
finished book so fast. really good and excited for book 2