Vendetta

Blood for Blood #1

by Catherine Doyle (Contributor)

When it comes to revenge, love is a dangerous complication.With a fierce rivalry raging between two warring families, falling in love is the deadliest thing Sophie could do. An epic debut set outside modern-day Chicago.

When five brothers move into the abandoned mansion in her neighbourhood, Sophie Gracewell's life changes forever. Irresistibly drawn to bad boy Nicoli, Sophie finds herself falling into a criminal underworld governed by powerful families. As the boys' dark secrets begin to come to light, Sophie is confronted with stinging truths about her own family, too. She must choose between two warring dynasties - the one she was born into, and the one she is falling in love with. When she does, blood will spill and hearts will break.

Genres: Young Adult, Romance, Contemporary, Mystery, Fiction, Crime, Young Adult Contemporary

352 pages, Paperback

First published February 24, 2015

About the author

Catherine Doyle grew up in the West of Ireland. She holds a first-class BA in Psychology and a first-class MA in Publishing. She is the author of the Young Adult Blood for Blood trilogy (Vendetta, Inferno and Mafiosa), which is often described as Romeo and Juliet meets the Godfather. It was inspired by her love of modern cinema. Her debut Middle Grade novel, The Storm Keeper's Island (Bloomsbury, 2018), is an adventure story about family, bravery and self-discovery. It is set on the magical island of Arranmore, where her grandparents grew up, and is inspired by her ancestors' real life daring sea rescues.

​Aside from more conventional interests in movies, running and travelling, Catherine also enjoys writing about herself in the third-person.

Reviews

[April (Tay Tay) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Five brothers?



An underworld with warring families??



Forbidden love???

OK. Yup.



Update: Pre-order for Feb 24th complete.

Finished! There are no words.

[Catherine Doyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

*innocent face*

[jv poore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Combining enthralling elements from Greek mythology to the mafia, including a mysterious abandoned mansion haunted by a WWII ghost story, while touching on friendship, loyalty, roofies and perspective along the way; seems a daunting, laborious chore….that probably won’t end with something super-fun to read. And yet, Ms. Doyle tossed all of these captivating, compelling themes into a hat, waved a magic wand and viola! Vendetta!

I love this book so very much, that writing this review has been a bit of a challenge. So, instead of fighting my urge to chatter excitedly like a ten-year-old-boy that hit his first out-of-the-park home-run, I’m just going to have to gush.

Weaving a bit of the story around the name Persephone pleased me immensely. Enough of the Greek myth seeped through for subtle suggestions, yet Sophie’s story is completely her own. Perfectly paced unraveling of back-story made this a page-turner….so much so that I wished I had blocked out time to read it straight from cover to cover.

Sophie’s foundation has been rocked by the removal of her father from the family home. With walls crumbling all around her, watching her mom silently shrink into herself, rumors swirling and only one friend left, this chick should be jaded, pissed and out for vengeance. She is no ordinary almost-seventeen year old. She has a super-power: her determinedly stubborn faith in mankind. Sophie’s genuine and upmost conviction that, basically people are good, and absolutely everyone should behave well in society, is so strong, unyielding and uncontrollable that Sophie absolutely, always speaks her mind. Written any other way, this character could seem confrontational….a disingenuous bitch. Ms. Doyle reveals Sophie’s heart and soul with crystal clarity, making her the scrappy underdog that the reader just has to cheer for.

Sophie fights….furiously. Not for herself, but for her mom…who’s barely holding it together now, and for Millie, the one friend that stuck by Sophie when no one else would. For those two people, solely so that they weren’t faced with losing absolutely everything….Sophie would fight.

When five brothers move into the aforementioned abandoned dwelling, Sophie’s vehement dislike of Luca, the very person that seems to strike fear in all other living beings, along with her willingness to call him out and remind him that she “has no respect for his authority” is such a fun and honest twist. It is a groovy way to remind the reader of Sophie’s toughness and determinedness for that which is good and right, while providing a bit of comic relief and a sneaky glimpse that Luca may have a soul after all.

Vendetta is packed with fabulous dialogue; colorfully complete and embraceable characters and a simply beautiful story. I’ll happily recommend this to most readers, Middle Grade and beyond and I’ll most certainly grab anything and everything I can find that Ms. Doyle has written.

This review was written for Buried Under Books Blog.

[Alienor ✘ French Frowner ✘ · Rating 2 out of 5]

... That's YA Mafia Romance for you, apparently?!?

I feel like my brain should be washed in bleach after Vendetta but as I'm a silly bitch who love rolling her eyes and giggling stupidly (apparently?!) I will most definitely read the rest, enjoy Luca and stab the puppy smile out of Nic the Creep's face. This book is trash, though, and does something I hate : it uses an attempted rape to serve the plot.

CONS : TSTL heroine - Instalove - Bad dialogues - Unbelievable - Predictable - NIC - The cheese, the cheese everywhere - these boys are just so beautiful, beautiful, beautiful BAHAHAHAHA (yes I'm losing it) - Remind me why they care about Sophie oh yes she's so spechul I'm drowning in snowflakes

PROS : girl friendship + LUCA (I like that he's not trying to be fed as a good guy like *cough*, and I'm very curious to see what he hides in him hehe - also he does try to tell Sophie to get lost which makes him way more decent than Nic The Creep) + Sometimes Sophie actually thinks and it makes my day + it's quite addictive, look at me, I should have DNFed on page 10 and I'm probably going to read the sequel XD

TW - Attempted rape, violence because it's the M A F I A (yeah I'm laughing don't shoot me)

Oh, and VAFFANCULO, NICOLI! (oops)

For more of my reviews, please visit:

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

So, this pretty much sums up my feelings about this book:



Vendetta combines depth and gritty realness with heart and humour. There was romance but no gooeyness. It's been a while since I've read a book where I could properly relate to the characters, and actually feel emotionally tied to their journey. The plot is incredibly twisty and fast-paced so I found it really hard to put down. And I may have shed a tear at one point. I am not ashamed. *sniffle*



Now just have to settle in for the loooong wait for book two. Nooooooooo.

[Jasmine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actual rating: 3.5/5 Mafiaso Stars

I want to study the realness of life, not the gloss. There is beauty everywhere; even in the dark, there is light, and that is the rarest kind of all.

Vendetta is so far the first Mafia story I've ever read about and simply the idea of Mafia fascinated me much; thus, I had high expectations for the book. Well, did it meet my standards? *turning into Le Penseur's, aka The Thinker by Rodin, mode*

To begin with, there are different titles for each chapter, which I absolutely love, and basically, those are exactly the cores of them. Honestly, I thought those topics wouldn't be so...specific because a part of me still wanted some surprises. Therefore, when I found out the pattern of them, I was a little bit disappointed (just a little bit!). Besides, I personally think the connection between chapter and chapter isn't strong enough to make me feel something. It's not that they're all separated from the previous ones, for me, it's just that I find it hard to be a part of the story when I can barely put myself in the main characters' shoes. As a result, I feel like watching some sort of drama as a third person throughout the book, as if whatever happens to the characters is none of my business. However, as a reader, I WANT IT TO BE MY CONCERN! The characters' problems are MY problems. Okay? *getting furious at the moment*

The story is about a seemingly innocent girl named Sophie Gracewell tangled up with a notorious Mafia family originated from Sicily, Italy. It all started with an unnoticed pot of honey left by someone on the table in her diner. Well, it actually meant a declaration of something much deeper than it seemed and you'll find out in the story later.

"It is an honor to be stung by such noble creatures. That they would lay down their lives for a fleeting moment of my attention is extraordinary."

There are 5 Falcones brothers in that family and she fell in love (at least she thought she did) with one of them. The one with beautiful brown, almond-shaped eyes and pretty hair. The one whom she was busy running away from when caught spying their mansion near her house. And also the one who hurt her uncle even when she told him not to. I like the way they met and their romantic development because seriously, they were hilarious and funny most of the time. He was a lovely guy when no fights or murders was concerned but sadly, that wasn't his true self. Maybe it was just her imagination because she wanted to be loved and to feel love too badly.

"Why would you pass the ball to me when her face was in the way?" Nic seethed over me.
"Why would you be feeling her up in the middle of a basketball game?"

When Sophie discovered something mysterious about her uncle Jack and his past with those boys, she decided to dig deeper and that was what dragged her down ever since. Perhaps she wasn't as innocent as she appeared to be.

The story building was pretty astonishing and as things turned out more complicated, it left me wanting more. Unfornately, I think the descriptions and the way it's told are lack of flourish. To put it differently, the words and phrases the author used in this book are quite simple and easy to grasp the whole idea of them but I truly hope that the story could be more well written. I mean, there are too many ways of speech that I've seen in other ordianry books several times and I'm tired of reading them again and again. Moreover, since it's all about Mafia's definition of loyalty and love, there are many Italian conversations in the story...without translation. >< Trying not to complain, but I'd like to understand what those Mafia boys are talking or arguing about while I'm reading the book. Although I did look up those words in a dictionary(trust me, the auto-translation on Google is incredibly perfect!), I admit that I'd rather not spend so much time searching them. But in the meanwhile, I believe it'll be a special reading experience for those Italian readers or anyone who understands Italian. :)

In the end of the story, there's a HUGE cliffhanger and I really want to continue it!!! Despite the fact that there are some flaws in the book, the entire idea of how the story was plotted still imprinted on me. I wouldn't say that I LOVE this book, but at least I LIKE it and that's enough for me. For now.
All in all, it's a quick and humorous read for me so I recommend Vendetta to those who're also interested in how Mafia works out and their circle of friends/family/love. I hope this book will intrigue you more than me. :D

[Maggie Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so much fun. And I feel kind of strange saying that, because it’s actually kind of dark…let me try to explain.

Sophie is your average teenager, with her one close friend and her crappy summer job—and her beloved dad in jail for something that has made Sophie an outcast in her small town. But Sophie doesn’t spend her time feeling sorry for herself. She’s funny, and snarky, and most of the time smart, but sometimes does some dumb things because she thinks they’re the right thing to do—in short, she’s a real, interesting teenage girl. I also loved her best friend Millie—it’s so fun to read a friendship where the friends are actually good friends to each other. As much drama as there was in this book, none of it was “frenemy” stuff—Millie is Sophie’s rock, and I loved that.

And then.

Sophie discovers a hot boy who’d just moved to town. New hot boy in the neighborhood? Yes please. But wait. There’s more. There isn’t just one new hot boy. There are FIVE new hot BROTHERS. Um, yes please. Sign me up now. I don’t care that they all appear to be bad news. Nope, don’t care at all.

There are so many twists in this book I don’t feel like I can say much more without being spoilery, but suffice it to say I was NOT disappointed. I meant to read a few pages before bed and ended up reading for hours because I had. To. Know. What. Happened. (And okay, yes, I HAD to see when Sophie kissed…somebody. ;) I know, tease! I’m sorry!)

In short, this is a perfect read for somebody looking for a great YA contemp with swoony, sexy (dangerous, mysterious) romance and a dark, gritty twist.

Book 2 NOW please!

[Ash · Rating 5 out of 5]

first read: July 3, 2015
first reread: April 15-21, 2017

OMG, this book was fantastic

“This life is so complex that we rarely get to be the people we are truly meant to be. Instead, we wear masks and put up walls to keep from dealing with the fear of rejection, the feeling of regret, the very idea that someone may not love us for who we are deep in our core, that they might not understand the things that drive us.”

I loved it. I loved the characters. The storyline. The twists & turns. I loved the use of the Italian language, and I loved me some Falcone brothers.

This was one of those books that I came across, and debated for days whether to buy it or not...I am so glad I talked myself in to it! I loved it! It sucked me right in, and I didn't want it to end. Every time I decided I knew what was going to happen, I was wrong. It really was great, and I am looking forward to whatever happens in the 2nd book.

Is it bad to say, that even though I liked Sophie and Nicoli....I can't help but hope she gets with Luca in the next book? He was kind of an asshole, but theres something about him that I really ended up liking.

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[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

My initial reaction after finishing this:



This was so different to what I was expecting, but in a good way. It was kind of like the Vampire Diaries meets the Godfather meets the Raven boys.



It was twisty and darkly romantic and kind of funny, and damn it was good.

[Maggie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Re-read (2017):

*3.75/5 gripping stars*

“Masks. Look what happens when we take them off.”

The first time I stumbled upon this book by a complete accident, the new idea behind this series intrigued me - YA contemporary/thriller about the mafia, inspired by Romeo and Juliet with lots of romance AND just as much female friendship (which let me tell you is RARE) - as well as a family aspect, but not many people here have actually read it, so my expectations were fairly moderate going into it. This series for sure surprised me in the best posible way! And this firt book just just a start!






This was my reread of the first two books, and now that I've finished the whole series, I apperciate this first book more as well.

Venetta is very enjoyble, surprisingly fun read that lays out the groundwork for the amazingness that is Inferno and Mafiosa! I also really enjoyed all the foreshadowing to the romantic aspect of the overall series in this one. I mean, I wanted him with Sophie basically from the very beginning when I read Vendetta for the first time, but now I noticed a lot of the foreshadowing and foreplanning I didn't before. My one and only ship in this series was decided basically from the get go of this book, and boy did I LOVE that guy even more in the sequels! Basically, for those who have not read the entire series. Or at least book two as well: the romance of the overall series is not what it may seem at first, and you will not experience all the swooniness, nor the clever way it was woven into the whole series, if you don't continue past Vendetta. Which, when it comes to the romantic arc, is just a set up and will make so much more sense in Inferno. The romance in Vendetta is supposed to be insta love-y on purpose and when you continue with the series, you realize that maybe there was someone better for Sophie all along, she just might not have seen it. All I'm gonna say is, if you did read Vendetta and quit it b/c of the romance there, you might just be pleasantly surprised if you do pick up Inferno by all the chemistry and witty banter and swooniness of the overarching romantic couple.


Aren’t you glad I have no respect for your authority?


Aside for the amazing romance aspect, and the way it was handled throughout the whole series, there is also an important female friendship between Sophie and her best firiend Millie. I have to say, after I read the rest of the series, aside for Luca, Millie is definitely my ultimate favourite character number two from this series. I loved her humour and interactions with Sophie, her supportiveness and loyalty so much!


“There is beauty everywhere; even in the dark, there is light, and that is the rarest kind of all.”


Then there's the family aspect of the story, which was very interesting to me, especially as it came to the Mafia family side of the story. Also, Valentino, my intelligent cinamon roll!!! As well as Sophie's relationship with her mom was nice to read about.





The thriller side of the story takes a bit of a time before it gets going in this one, as we need to be introduced to the cast, the various relationships and setting. I liked how the atmosphere was sligtly foreboding, but also unexpectedly fun thanks to the bomb that is Millie and Sophie's slightly sacrastic voice.

The most action and all the twists and tuns of the plot happen in the last sequence of the book, but no part of this story is in any way slow. It's written in such a fast, refreshing style that you won't be bored at all. I know I'm not the only one to say this, but this series reads like a film to me, it wold be an amazing tv show!

On a side note: the plot of the next two books starts right from the beginning, there are twists and turns on every page, because we've already been introduced to the cast and everything in this first book.


“How could a boy who was raised to believe that bad people are wholly bad possibly understand the idea that within bad there can be good and, more important, the potential for good? Luca and his family were looking at the world in black-and-white.”


All in all, if you want to read something a little bit different from the ususal YA fantasy or contemporary, try out this series! It's probably weird to say, but I think both contemporary AND YA fantasy readers will be able to get into the series very easily!

While it's esentially a contamporary book set in suburban Chicago with no magical element to it, it also has this 'takes you out of the real world' slightly dark atmosphere to it, with some thrills, underworld stuff, and lots of swoons and girl friendship. I'm primarily a fantasy reader, yet this one hit the mark for me! Highly recommended for YA readers.


“But he was setting me free, and whatever else was happening around us, that meant something.”





Vendetta ★★★★☆ (3.75/5 stars)

Inferno ★★★★★ (5/5 stars)

Mafiosa ★★★★★ (5/5 stars)


**********************************************

First Read 2016, Original review:

*3/5 stars*

“This life is so complex that we rarely get to be the people we are truly meant to be. Instead, we wear masks and put up walls to keep from dealing with the fear of rejection, the feeling of regret, the very idea that someone may not love us for who we are deep in our core, that they might not understand the things that drive us.”

Vendetta feels like a rather avarage contemporary read at first, but the second half improves imensely. Toward the end this book gets very gripping, with lots of secrets, mysteries, hard truths and shocking moments revealed.

There's some YA tropes thrown in the mix, I especially felt iffy about Nic and how completely romanticized he was.
The main heroine Sophie seemed quite naive at first due to how she grew up I guess - but she did get better at the end and I have high hopes for her in the sequel!
I didn't like the instalove-ish romance between her and Nic. It actually felt more like insta-lust to me. They 'fell' for each other way too quickly. And I wasn't that fond of Nic's character overall to be honest. He didn't really think about consequences of his actions, he was also very impulsive, bland and I wasn't generally to interested in his character.

But I pretty much rooted for her and Luca through most of this book. He and Sophie just had such an amazing hate to love (but not really because there was no love triangle, she had romance with only one guy) chemistry between them (but hate to love in a way that was never ever disrespectful like it can be some other books. And when you look underneath what peaople say and look at their actions instead, you're guaranteed to understand them - and their motivations - better), I found his character much more intriguing, fascinating and complex than Nic's. Luca was actually one of the best things about this book and I'm definitely looking forward to know more about him in the next book.


Despite my lower rating, Vendetta was by no means a bad book. And I still pretty much flew through it. It was very gripping, fast and entertaining read. I will pick up the second book in hopes that Vendetta was just setting things up for much bigger mind-blowing mystery in Inferno.




P.S. Fan-arts taken from Catherine Doyle's tumblr page.

[Snow · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.75 "omerta" stars

Oh hell yeah...
I didnt expect to like it as much...BUT I DID

Persephone "Sophie" Gracewell is your usual teen, a little bit awkward on the outside, but really smart, honest and bold...and she's spending her summer working at her family's dinner in the outskirts of Chicago. Her bestie Millie, a loud mouth, perky and open, makes a good sidekick to Sophie's personality.

Sophie's family is broken apart cause of the accidental shootout where her father killed a man for whom he thought was breaking into the diner, which landed him in jail, leaving Sophie and her mother alone, with Sophie's uncle coming in and out for a casual look out.

Until one day, she finds a jar of honey with a black ribbon in the dinner.

A mysterious family moves into her neighbourhood.

The Falcones

5 dangerously looking teen boys/men (ages span 17-19), one scary man - a man with the scarred face, from the bees's stings and a mother, anyone has yet to see...

Sophie will enter another world she never thought possible, one that she can't grasp and it's hard for her to understand, comprehend...

It's in our blood.

From the very beginning every memeber of my family has been born into the Mafia. Not inducted. Born. For us there is no other choice, no alternate way to live.

it will overwhelm her, scare her and it will also reveal the secrets concerning her own family and when all the missing little pieces fall into their palce forming a mosaic webbed with lies, secrets, and one search for revenge to settle a blood debt. A Vendetta .

Sophie will cope with it all in a surprisingly bold and brave way, especially while she fights these new "butterfly stirring" feelings towards one of them, Nicoli/Nic Falcone entering the forbidden enemy sphere...and a strange annoyance coming off from one of the oldest of the Falcone boys, the mysterious gloomy Luca.

once the protecting bubble around her bursts Sophie will have to make a decision, between choosing her family (no matter the betrayal) or choosing to follow the new code of silence...



or can she juggle with both?


Extremely well written thriller/suspense/crime YA drama.
I still can believe this is YA...*shakes her head* It's enticing, realistic, authentic yet still vulnerably palpable with credible characters.

[booknuts_ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Original Review found at: www.awesomebooknuts.blogspot.com

I have been waiting to get my hands on this book! Once I heard what it was about, I wanted it. It just sounded so good and so interesting! And it was just that awesome! I am so excited to see how Catherine Doyle plays this series out. I can't wait for book two! UGH these series!

I really liked this book because I felt it was a gritty, tense, thriller of a family of crime. The cast of characters is so dynamic and diverse it was incredible. I enjoyed the drama of this dark tale of grudges, revenge, and obsession. I enjoyed the lines that were crossed between good and bad, what's right and what's wrong and how far one will go to stay true to your family and their beliefs.

The main character Sophie was ok, she wasn't amazing to me but not annoying either. I found myself rolling my eyes at her a few times but hey she's not terrible.

I really enjoyed the five brothers of this family that moves in and their wide range of differences in personality and character. I felt the author did a GREAT job with keeping them completely separate during the whole book.

One thing I hated and ALMOST put the book down was the "insta-love" I am finding that I just can't stand that in a book, where is the mystery and the enjoyment of the tenseness between two characters? sheesh! well like I said, I ALMOST put it down but however there was one character that really intrigued me and I even tweeted to the author while reading it that I wanted more of him! She promised that there would be more and I was not disappointed. I cannot wait to see what the author does with him and Sophie. Yes, this does elude that there is a possible love triangle but it was super intriguing and not at all annoying! The thing is, no character knows of it yet except the reader and you don't suspect anything till way later in the book which was fabulous!

I completely loved this book and the shock factor was so shocking I was floored! I totally did NOT see THAT coming! it was insane! wow! still blown over it.

Overall if you're looking for a fun, intense mysterious contemporary I would so recommend this book! I loved it!

Sexual Content: moderate (some kissing and an attempted rape-not graphic but enough to know what's going on)
Language: moderate (a few F words)
Drugs/Alcohol: moderate (underage drinking)

[Alice Oseman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vendetta is a YA novel the likes of which I can't say I've ever read before. A grimy, tense, crime/gang thriller with a dynamic cast of characters; Vendetta brings drama and realism to a dark story of grudges, revenge and passion. Not only does it have no limit to its cast of beautiful, worship-worthy, gun-wielding males, but Vendetta's characters are truly real - there is nothing cliche in any of the relationships that may or may not be formed within the novel. There are very few clear good guys or bad guys - in fact, not at lot at all is clear. This book will make you think hard, and this book will make you put it down for a few seconds just to process what exactly is happening, before you pick it up again and continue finding your way through the chaos. It will leave you questioning everything you have believed for the first 98% of it.

Read it, and don't let your guard down.

[booknuts_ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been waiting to get my hands on this book! Once I heard what it was about, I wanted it. It just sounded so good and so interesting! And it was just that awesome! I am so excited to see how Catherine Doyle plays this series out. I can’t wait for book two! UGH these series!

I really liked this book because I felt it was a gritty, tense, thriller of a family of crime. The cast of characters is so dynamic and diverse it was incredible. I enjoyed the drama of this dark tale of grudges, revenge, and obsession. I enjoyed the lines that were crossed between good and bad, what’s right and what’s wrong and how far one will go to stay true to your family and their beliefs.

The main character Sophie was ok, she wasn’t amazing to me but not annoying either. I found myself rolling my eyes at her a few times but hey she’s not terrible.

I really enjoyed the five brothers of this family that moves in and their wide range of differences in personality and character. I felt the author did a GREAT job with keeping them completely separate during the whole book.

One thing I hated and ALMOST put the book down was the “insta-love” I am finding that I just can’t stand that in a book, where is the mystery and the enjoyment of the tenseness between two characters? sheesh! well like I said, I ALMOST put it down but however there was one character that really intrigued me and I even tweeted to the author while reading it that I wanted more of him! She promised that there would be more and I was not disappointed. I cannot wait to see what the author does with him and Sophie. Yes, this does elude that there is a possible love triangle but it was super intriguing and not at all annoying! The thing is, no character knows of it yet except the reader and you don’t suspect anything till way later in the book which was fabulous!

I completely loved this book and the shock factor was so shocking I was floored! I totally did NOT see THAT coming! it was insane! wow! still blown over it.

Overall if you’re looking for a fun, intense mysterious contemporary I would so recommend this book! I loved it!

Sexual Content: moderate (some kissing and an attempted rape-not graphic but enough to know what’s going on)
Language: moderate (a few F words)
Drugs/Alcohol: moderate (underage drinking)

[kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't expect to enjoy this as much as I did. To be honest, I didn't really know what to expect at all. I think all I expected was a run of the mill, cliche Romeo and Juliette retelling but I'm happy to say Vendetta was much more than a simple retelling. The plot line was brilliant and unique to anything I've read before. Sophie's character was refreshing in the sense that she wasn't totally naive to everything. Yes, she often ignored the obvious but it was in a way that you could kind of understand. It wasn't that she couldn't see that something wasn't quite right, she just didn't know how to fit the pieces together, but maybe more importantly, I don't think she wanted to have to deal with it when she did. Yes, there were a few predictable moments but it still had me turning the pages, unwilling to put it down.
There were a few plot twists that caught me off guard and I found myself warming to characters that I didn't expect too, such as Luca. I thought Millie's character and friendship was great and loved that Sophie didn't keep her totally in the dark about everything, it made the story more believable. I had a love/hate/relationship with Nic's character and his relationship with Sophie. Although the instalove was very much instant, they both weren't totally blinded by it which I appreciated. It was a modern Romeo and Juliette retelling, which felt both so close and also far away from the original story. Overall I'm pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this. Vendetta was a fast paced, gripping, romantic read that was incredibly difficult to put down. I can't wait to read the next book in this series.

[aimee (aimeecanread) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Actual rating: 2.5 stars.

What would you do if you had to choose between the lives of your family and the lives of the crazy-ass strangers you met just weeks or months ago?

If you're anything like the heroine in Vendetta and are seriously conflicted about this huge decision, then you're probably living in a cheesy Mafia movie.

Vendetta had so much potential--I mean, who doesn't want to read about a girl whose dad is in prison for murder? About a girl whose life is suddenly turned upside down as she uncovers each of her family's secrets? But ultimately, I think this book just wound up being another "typical" YA love story.

What I Liked:

- Nic was a sweet love interest (finally--we don't have enough of those). He was flirty in a cute way, and was in no way an arrogant prick! He was also protective about Sophie, which was really endearing.

- Sophie had an amazing friendship with her best friend, Millie. They were clearly caring towards each other, to the point that Millie gave up having a social life with more friends just so she could have Sophie's back. They stuck with each other through thick and thin; they were like sisters in the most important sense.

- One of the main twists about Sophie's dad being a drug pusher--was actually pretty surprising. I don't know about everybody else, but I actually didn't see it coming.

What I Disliked:

- Like I said earlier, this book was a bit too cheesy in general. We have the airhead who doesn't listen to her elders, the new guys in town who're totally hot and gorgeous, and the crazy family issues that the heroine is too busy in Cloud Nine to take notice of until the last few chapters of the book.

- Sophie was kind of an idiot, to put it frankly. She never listened to ANYONE'S advice about staying away from the family of hot strangers, because, of course, she's drawn to them.

- There's a potential love triangle for future books. Yep, and the other guy is Nic's aggressive and arrogant older brother, Luca. Yeah sure, this guy had good intentions but he's such a prick and I just wanted to punch him most of the time.

- The other twists--about Valentino being the crazy-ass mastermind and about the boys being part of a Mafia family in general--were really predictable.

Overall:

Even if it may have seemed like I did nothing but rant about this book, I definitely saw the potential and I'm still curious enough to pick up the sequels in this trilogy.

I would recommend this book to romance fans who are okay with reading about your typical YA tropes.

Thanks so much to Scholastic and Chicken House Books for the review copy!

[Giulia · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Masks. Look what happens when we take them off."

I'm pretty sure that, if you looked for the definition of "guilty pleasure read" on the dictionary, you would most definitely find this book under it. I mean... okay. Let's get one thing straight: this is a cheesy mafia book with too much romance and an impending love triangle. It is extremely inaccurate in its depiction of organized crime and in its use of Italian, and usually this kind of things do not make an enjoyable book for me. But... I liked it. I know! I did. It was extremely entertaining, and now occupies a special place in my "junk food for my brain" shelf.

Vendetta is the story of a young girl, Sophie, that comes across a mysterious family of young boys that just moved into the house next door. Everything keeps hinting that they're dangerous. Everyone warns her to stay away from them. She doesn't.
I feel like Sophie's fascination with the Falcone boys was a result of her own family history, and a way to have a fresh start. She finally met someone who did not judge her because of her past, and it was too much of a tempting opportunity not to seize it. But soon, she found herself getting involved in a perilous world of crime families - a world that had always been around her, but that she had always failed to see.

I didn't mind Sophie as a main character. I guess my biggest complaint is that she was very generic, and sometimes a bit like every other stereotypical YA heroine. But I liked that she had a strong friendship with Millie, the only one who hadn't abandoned her after what had happened to her family, and that despite she claimed to be afraid of the boys that had moved next door, some part of her was still drawn to them. To danger.

This book did not have a love triangle - not yet, I daresay, since I think there will be something of the sort in the next book.
I hereby present you with the Priestly boys: Gino, the Unstable, with his quick temper; Dom, with his slicked back dark hair and his flirty attitude; Nic, the youngest and the one that Sophie couldn't help but fall for; Valentino, the artist and the strategist; and finally Luca, the most charming of the five, with his bad swearing habit, his tough exterior and protective streak, but also with his wits and sensibility. If Nic seemed kind but was actually reckless and impulsive, Luca could be angry one second and cold and perfectly collected the next, already planning his next move.
Should I say it? I'm gonna say it. I have it bad for Luca Falcone. And his chemistry with Sophie was amazing. *waves Nic goodbye* You're not needed anymore, mio caro!

And now... this brings me to the more serious part of my review. (Am I really going to do this? Trying to talk about accuracy when I'm dealing with a book like this? Whatever, I'm doing it.)
Most of my Goodreads friends know that I'm Italian. Not all of you, however, know that I'm also from Sicily. Yep, you guessed it! Now stop muttering lines from The Godfather and bear with me for a second. Because I want to make sure that everyone realizes that none of what is said in this book is an accurate depiction of the mafia. None of it.
Now, I'm going to give you a couple of examples. They are going to contain some spoilers, so if you don't want to know anything about the book, please skip the rest of this entire paragraph.
Case 1: The boys' father, Angelo Falcone, was a mafia boss. He was dubbed "The Angel-maker" due to his alleged position as a prolific Mafia career assassin. After his death, his sons also go into the family business of killing people for money. In fact, it seems that the Falcone family acts as the "Mafia police" and gets rid of everyone who does not abide by the rules set by the various crime families. Now, first of all, mafia families are very rarely allies. They are competing for power, and they're usually killing each other mercilessly. But, okay, they can technically form an alliance. Fine. But the thing is: high-ranking mafia members hardly ever kill people. They order the killings. Being a paid assassin is not a valued profession in the mafia world, and it is extremely unlikely that the sons of a mafia boss would happen to do such a job.
Case 2: Nic saying: "Everything I do is about protection." Now, I know that when he says this, Sophie does not entirely believe him, because she's not that naive. But it seems to me that, even in the end, the Falcones are still seen as somewhat a bit more honorable than the other crime families, because they only kill bad people. This is not real. The only rule the mafia follows, is to make a lot of money and gain more power. They do not spare innocents. They kill their enemies' families, and law enforcers, and everyone that stands in their way. They are not honorable. I just thought I needed to make this more clear than it already was.
Case 3: Felice saying: "If I were ever to traffic drugs, which of course I would not, (...)". Again, no. Drug trafficking is the main source of income for the Italian mafia and most criminal organizations, along with prostitution. The mafia needs drugs to survive and earn money. That's just how it is.
Case 4: This is more a case of the book being a bit unrealistic. In one of the last chapters, Nic shoots Sophie's uncle, Jack, trying to kill him. Sophie says that, however, Nic misses Jack's heart and that the bullet only lands near it. Now, I am not a killer, and I am not a doctor, but I am indeed a writer, and I can tell you this: it is actually easier to kill someone aiming around their heart, because of all the veins and arteries around it. So, I don't know. I find the fact that Jack survived unlikely, but the author didn't exactly describe the specifics of what happened, so I cannot be 100% sure.

I have one last complaint, and a polite requests to all authors: if you want to use a foreign language in your book, please make sure to double-check with someone that actually speaks that language (or knows something about the country's culture.)
First things first: the names.
• The main love interest has a name that literally doesn't exist. Nicoli is not an Italian name. It's either Nicola or Niccolò, but I've never heard of anyone named Nicoli.
• Brother n.2: Dominico. That is not a name either. The actual name is, in fact, Domenico.
• Brother n.3: Giorgino, who they thankfully called "Gino". In Italian, "-ino" is a suffix that indicates smallness, a bit (but not exactly) like the German "-chen" or the Spanish "-ito", if those are languages you're more familiar with. And people do not have diminutives for names. So, please, make that Giorgio.
Apart from very awkward but not grammatically incorrect sentences, and Luca swearing in Italian even when he didn't really need to (I've heard us Italians have a reputation for being big swearers though, so maybe that's why), there were a couple of other mistakes. A few more examples:
• Nic saying to Sophie: "Stai tranquillo, sei al sicuro", which literally translates into: "Stay calm (masculine form), you're safe." Which doesn't work, since Sophie is a girl.
• Nic saying: "Gino? Dom? Cosa vuoi?" Again, this does not work either, because "Cosa vuoi?" = "What do you (singular form) want?" You can't use a singular form to refer to two people.
• ... "Capisce?"
I'm not sure why people think that makes sense in Italian. The Italian for "Do you understand?" would be "Capisci?" (or, better, "Hai capito?"), but "capisce" is actually the 3rd person singular of the verb. So you're just saying "understands? (3rd person)", which makes very little sense.


Sorry about the too long language rant but, come on, you can't make such simple mistakes, especially if you're trying to make some of your characters pass as native Italian speakers. But, besides all the - language and accuracy - problems I had with this book, it doesn't change that I did, after all, enjoy it a lot. It was a very quick read and impossible to put down, and I'm probably going to read the second book right away, because: 1) Luca, 2) Luca, 3) Did I, by any chance, mention Luca?

[Casey Ann Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I first heard about this novel and its plot, I needed it asap! Me being a huge romance, thriller, Romeo and Juliet/forbidden love fanatic, this one just screamed "Casey read me" and I'm so glad I did.

Where do I start describing how AMAZING this novel is? I truly am speechless. Vendetta is a compelling, heartbreaking, and heart-wrenching novel that I couldn’t put down. This book has got to be the each chapter, each page and each line had me crying, sighing and smiling. I’ve never had a book touch me in such a way that had me thinking about it days after in a long time. The detail that Catherine has put into this novel is spectacular. You can tell she has worked so hard at writing this novel from the amount of detail to the amount of pages.

This book was everything I hoped! It was faced paced, intense, on the edge of your seat and getting hot underneath the collar. The plot is everything I want in a YA novel. Girl has a troubled life. Meets a group of 5 boys who move in next door, while she falls for one of them, but she cant be with him because O.M.G you will find out once you read it.

I think its descriptive and effective. Catherine has created word images so vivid that it is almost like watching a movie. She takes you for a romp through an action packed suspenseful event with badass people that had my heart facing and had me excited from beginning to end.

The characters are not at all two-dimensional! I keep talking about a scene that I really loved in the novel where Luca (one of the lead males) is arguing with Sophie against his car. He stares at her lips for a moment and then shakes the thought off. I think that scene was so little but so dramatic at the same time and made my heart race.

If you’re a fan of Romeo and Juliet like me, If you love a good thriller and author that isn’t afraid to takes risks, and if you just love badass teenagers who kickass then this is the book for you.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read an uncorrected proof of Vendetta.

Sophie is a 16 year old waitress living in the Chicago suburbs during a boring summer. She has been made infamous by something her father did and because of that she is more or less a social outcast. But when five mysterious brothers move into her neighbourhood, things change and she finds herself drawn towards a boy who is not interested in her family's infamy but in her. But everything is not what it seems, and with the arrival of Nic and his family comes a darkness that nobody was expecting. As Sophie begins to unravel the secrets of the brothers and their growing suspicious behaviour, she discovers some skeletons of her own. With romance comes danger and choices she never thought she would have to make about her heart and her family.

Sophie was a great narrator. I found she was a great mix of rebelliousness and vulnerability, and she was sarcastic, which made her relatable to me. Her friendship with Millie provided a good backdrop to some of the more serious elements of the story. The boys were all intense complex characters and it was fun to pick a favourite personality and see how it progressed with the story, which had secrets and twists right until the very end. My favourite was Luca however I found myself at times going back and forth between him and Nic throughout the book.


It was tough to choose just who the villains were, when the darkness of the underworld draws a hazy line between right and wrong but the contenders were unique, terrifying, and at times, darkly humorous, which I really loved! It was refreshing to read villains portrayed like this. I was a little squeamish about one scene but over all, I loved this book. Could not recommend enough!

[Beatrice · Rating 3 out of 5]

Vendetta is a good start for a YA Contemporary Romance/Suspense trilogy. I enjoyed the first ten chapters and the story has an edge but reaching halfway this book, it went a bit downhill. This is a Mafia themed book, I just want to give you a heads up there's mild violence. If you're uncomfortable with it, this book might not be for you.

Sophie Gracewell's father has been convicted due to a murder case, she and her family are outcasts or Cedar Hill's gossip topic. When the abandoned mansion in their town was occupied by these five good looking brothers and she's attracted to the youngest brother, Nic Falcone. She's been warned not to associate with these men for they're considered dangerous. Family secrets resurface, the Falcone family is in Cedar Hill for a serious business and it's complicated for Sophie and Nic to be together.

I like the direction of the story but it lacks the thrill. I'm craving for it especially towards the end. Sadly, it turned out dull and predictable. I'm not a huge fan of Sophie. She's stubborn, naive and annoying. She doesn't have any self preservation which really got in my nerves. No wonder she's prone to danger. Nic is a great hero. He may be part of the Mafia family but he's a good and lovely guy. However, he and Sophie have an average chemistry. It was alright, kind of lackluster but I'm hoping there will be an improvement on the next book. Lastly, Luca Falcone is by far my favorite. He's a complex character and can be intimidating at times but he has a good judgment. He'll do the rightful thing no matter what and I love him.

Most likely I'll be reading the sequel and crossing my fingers it will be better. I'm excited to see what happens next.

[Cora Tea Party Princess · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Words: Romance, family, obligation, Mafia, forbidden-love.

And the award for most awesome looking book this year goes to... Vendetta. Why? Well, I don't know what your copy looks like but mine has all kinds of pretty, drool-worthy art on the sides of the pages. In striking red ink. Everyone stared as I read and I was like "that's OK, this book is awesome".

Full review to come. Eventually.

I received a copy of this for free via Goodreads First Reads.

[Sophia Sardothien · Rating 2 out of 5]

Review 2.0

I dive into this book without knowing much since I thought it's gonna be a steamy revenge book.
What? HAHAHAHAHAHHAAH NO
This book is boring to the point where I got nothing to say. Predictable? Predictable.



God ALL I WANNA DO IS READ A NICE BOOK.

I WAS SO PISSED WHEN I SAW THE "READ BOOK" BUTTON IN GOODREADS, WHY WHY DID I SPEND MY MONEY THIS THING?



THE PROTAGONIST OHMYGOD her name is Sophie. Also known as stupeeed. Okay not really but SHE ACTS LIKE A HELPLESS GIRL ALL THE TIME



Oh and there's A FREAKIN STUPID INSTA LOVE THATS SO STUPID.

Sophie literally fall in love with a guy's shadow.



THEN SHE GETS ALL WHINNY "God i know he's dangerous and bad news" but... but.... the next thing you know. She starts kissing him, eye rolling much?



And the guy's like "AWW Sophie don't cry, please I never wanted to hurt you all I even wanted to do is to protect you" MAN YOU ARE THE REASONS TO ALL HER STUPID INJURIES.



Summary of this book: nothing happens AND it's super-duper cliché

overall thoughts; this book is a piece of cheese and lust that's great for your sandwich :)

[Deborah · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 to 4*

Having read some really good reviews on this and being in the mood for a Mafia romance (although let's face it when aren't I) I decided to grab myself a copy and have a go, now this book wasn't what I expected but it's difficult now to say exactly what it was I expecting but within a few pages I was hooked and loving it.
Persephone Gracewell or Sophie as she prefers to be known is sixteen and working at her family's restaurant along with her best/only friend Millie. Sophie is basically your average teenager expect for the fact that her father is in prison for murder and as a result she's been ostracised by her peers but as long as she's got Millie she's fine.
I have to stop here and just say that Millie is fabulous, she's everything a true friend should be more and she was one of the many strengths of this book.
Sophie's life changes irrevocably when a new family moves into the old Priestly house, five boys Valentino, Gianluca, Giorgino, Dominico and Nicoli, I mean seriously their names alone are so hot, what a collection.
This new family brings mystery with it, who exactly are these boys and what are they doing in Cedar Hill?
Sophie finds herself attracted to Nic but there's much more going on here than she realises, in fact she's no idea at all what's really going on.
It starts with a mysterious jar of honey left in the restaurant, uncle Jack making himself scarce and several dead bodies turning up.
What's the connection between Sophie and the new family, what's going on with uncle Jack and why won't anyone tell her anything?
I really enjoyed this book and I found the Falcone's intriguing especially Valentino and Luca, there's just something about Luca.
Straight onto book 2 for me now.

[Natalie (Never trust a duck) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanna pass notes with Luca.

[AleJandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Douchelords STARS

“There’s nothing more important than the bonds of family.”
La famiglia prima di tutto."

Relectura y por fin le haré su merecida reseña. Porque la primera vez que leí este libro, lo hice cuando estaba en medio de un maratón de novelas de mafia, y entre varias series que leí este libro sin querer termino escapándose de mi memoria.

Si alguien me preguntara. Cuáll es mi género literario favorito?

Mi respuesta más sincera seria:

Romance Contemporáneo, en especial el Dark romance, en especial el Mafia Romance, en especial Young Adult Mafia Romance.

Así que era obvio que me gustaría este libro. Para empezar la portada me gusto por los colores y mezcla de imágenes. Toda la estética del libro es muy linda, la separación en 3 partes, que cada capítulo tenga título (me encanta que hagan eso las autoras).

“It is only in love and murder that we still remain sincere.” FRIEDRICH DÜRRENMATT , Incident at Twilight

Aunque es una escritora debutante hizo un gran trabajo enganchándome a la historia, su forma de escribir es ligera y sin mayores pretensiones, lo cual encaja bien al ser una historia de adolescentes. Está enfocada al romance, pero también controla muy bien los misterios de la historia y la esencia de algunos personajes es muy divertida, en resumen, tenemos mucha MAFIA, ROMANCE Y DIVERCION.

La historia empieza como muchas otras, con una familia mudándose a un pequeño pueblo. La prota es la típica chica delegada por circunstancias fuera de su control y por supuesto recibe la atención de los recién llegados.
Justo cuando todo parece predecible, la historia cambia de rumbo y nos lleva por un camino, de asesinos, secretos, abejas, venganzas y amor.

Los protagonistas:

Sophie-Persephone

"I’m pretty sure I prefer cartoons over real life and I only have one real friend. I’m terrified of storms and I’m deeply suspicious of cats. I obsess over the cuteness of sloths and sometimes I cry at commercials."

Ame su nombre completo y me encantaba como peleaba por que la llamaran así, yo también odie mi primer nombre y me sentí identificada con eso. Es una prota bastante simplona en unos momento demasiado ingenua, pero no me molesto. Creo que la autora está dándole espacio al personaje de evolucionar y sorprendernos con la manera en que toda la situación la cambiara.

Nic

“If I knew that night would be the last time I got to kiss you, I wouldn’t have stopped.”

Es el hermano menor de la Familia Falcone y el que desarrolla mayor interés por la protagonista.

Vale mencionar a los otros hermanos.

Valentino

"I want to study the realness of life, not the gloss. There is beauty everywhere; even in the dark, there is light, and that is the rarest kind of all.”

Me gustó mucho su personaje, todas las reflexiones que tiene con Sophie y toda la cuestión con su discapacidad lo hace un personaje muy complejo e interesante.

Gino y Dom, los gemelos no los vemos mucho, uno es muy despistado el otro es muy sínico, pero ambos son igual de desalmados.

Y mi favorito Luca

Si me agrada Nic, pero Luca me enamoró por completo, aunque no lo note la primera vez que lo leí, es obvio que él también tiene sentimientos por Sophie desde el inicio, Su insistencia de alejar a Nic de Sophie creo que tiene que ver poco con la cuestión familiar, y es más por sus celos, él quiere a Sophie. Y de todos los hermanos él es el más fuerte, astuto y leal.

Mi único desagrado es la espera de un año por la continuación, entiendo que cada autor tiene un proceso creativo diferente y si a algunos les toma más tiempo que a otros, pero ojalá la autora escribiera más rápido, porque esta historia da para mucho.

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

With secret plans for vengeance and relationships brimming with romantic tension, Vendetta is exactly the young adult novel I’ve waited for: for story with a teen protagonist, it’s got crossover appeal galore. Don’t let the blurb fool you, Vendetta is so much more than a mere modern retelling of Romeo and Juliet: it is the ideal mix of action, chaos, and romance. Finally.

Doyle has created completely accessible characters that find themselves in extraordinary, albeit convincingly plausible, life or death situations. When a family of brothers move in up the block, Sophie, our plucky protagonist— think Maggie Stievfater’s Blue (The Raven Cycle) and Cassandra Clare’s Jace (The Mortal Instruments)—is thrust headfirst into something she never bargained for: warring dynasties, murderous revenge plots, and family secrets of her own that she must reconcile before she falls victim to a bloody feud.

It’s really great to see such drastic differences between characters. When you’re writing character like Felice “The Sting” who is extraordinarily dramatic and over-the-top, having such a normal, down-to-earth protagonist like Sophie is the perfect counter-balance. Sophie’s normalcy is one of her greatest triumphs: I know that we’ve become so used to the grandiose, one-woman-armies a la Katniss Everdeen (and we’ve definitely seen enough of the Bella Swan’s to last a lifetime), but it’s refreshing to have a character that could easily be you or I at sixteen. Sophie is a real girl, who is just trying to get by after being burned by the world around her. She’s appropriately naïve and justifiably guarded.

With so many recently published YA novels falling so quickly into the boy meets girl, boy and girl can’t be togeth—… yaaawn. Sorry, I got bored even trying to write it—it’s so wonderful that Doyle doesn’t rely strictly on the romantic storyline to drive the plot. Don’t worry: there is no shortage of stolen kisses, angst, or ill-fated romance, but Doyle doesn’t stop there. Instead, she weaves a web of interesting characters, exciting action scenes, and irresistible intrigue to really satiate her readers.

Vendetta pulls the reader on an action-packed journey where ominous and larger-than-life characters and perilous situations blur the lines of right and wrong. With a healthy smattering of humour, Doyle has done everything right. If Book 1 is any sign of things to come, I’ll be waiting anxiously for Book 2!

More at: https://chatterbooks.wordpress.com/

[Sophie · Rating 5 out of 5]

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!

[April (Aprilius Maximus) · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was full of annoying YA tropes and I wasn't impressed with the use of sexual assault as a plot device but the ending made me want to read the next book. V disappointed :(

Around the Year in 52 Books Challenge Notes:
- 39. A previous suggestion that didn't make the list - A Retelling

[Victoria Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fan-freaking-tastic! Full review to come...

[S · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was thrilled to get an advance reader copy of Vendetta. However, I now kind of regret this as I realize how long I have to wait until I can get my hands on the next installment in this series!! Vendetta is a great and very refreshing addition to YA literature. I spent some time at the beginning trying to guess what the mysterious boys would turn out to be- vampires? spirits? angels?- and was so pleasantly surprised that an author had remembered you can write an interesting, suspenseful, engaging thriller/love story with just humans. Of course, they’re not your run-of-the-mill, everyday boys, but they are human. And hot. And moody. And protective. And there are several to choose from- just the way I like my YA male protagonists! Add in the snappy dialogue, the twists and turns, and the grayness of the good and the bad guys, and I was completely sold.