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Revenge and the Wild
The two-bit town of Rogue City is a lawless place, full of dark magic and saloon brawls, monsters and six-shooters. But it’s perfect for seventeen-year-old Westie, the notorious adopted daughter of local inventor Nigel Butler.
Westie was only a child when she lost her arm and her family to cannibals on the wagon trail. Nine years later, Westie may seem fearsome with her foul-mouthed tough exterior and the powerful mechanical arm built for her by Nigel, but the memory of her past still haunts her. She’s determined to make the killers pay for their crimes—and there’s nothing to stop her except her own reckless ways.
But Westie’s search ceases when a wealthy family comes to town looking to invest in Nigel’s latest invention, a machine that can harvest magic from gold—which Rogue City desperately needs as the magic wards that surround the city start to fail. There’s only one problem: the investors look exactly like the family who murdered Westie’s kin. With the help of Nigel’s handsome but scarred young assistant, Alistair, Westie sets out to prove their guilt. But if she’s not careful, her desire for revenge could cost her the family she has now.
This thrilling novel is a remarkable tale of danger and discovery, from debut author Michelle Modesto.
Westie was only a child when she lost her arm and her family to cannibals on the wagon trail. Nine years later, Westie may seem fearsome with her foul-mouthed tough exterior and the powerful mechanical arm built for her by Nigel, but the memory of her past still haunts her. She’s determined to make the killers pay for their crimes—and there’s nothing to stop her except her own reckless ways.
But Westie’s search ceases when a wealthy family comes to town looking to invest in Nigel’s latest invention, a machine that can harvest magic from gold—which Rogue City desperately needs as the magic wards that surround the city start to fail. There’s only one problem: the investors look exactly like the family who murdered Westie’s kin. With the help of Nigel’s handsome but scarred young assistant, Alistair, Westie sets out to prove their guilt. But if she’s not careful, her desire for revenge could cost her the family she has now.
This thrilling novel is a remarkable tale of danger and discovery, from debut author Michelle Modesto.
373 pages, Hardcover
First published February 2, 2016
About the author
Michelle Modesto
2 books164 followersMichelle Modesto is an associate editor at Gold Man Review, a west coast literary journal. She is also a former tattoo artist and works as a dog groomer and rescuer. She loves hockey, mudding and redneck things. She lives in Northern California with her two kids and a couple of bed-hogging bull mastiffs
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 347 reviews
June 26, 2018
oh my god, i had so much freaking fun reading this book.
so, when i was little, my parents would dump me off at the library whenever they had one of those "kids make crafts" days and i'd be all wide-eyed at the tables full of pom poms, pipe cleaners and stickers thinking "free craft shit? for realz??" and i would greedily snatch up all the powder blue velvet ribbon and shiny silver spangles and plastic sparkle beads and i'd end up making some liberace-blob of glitter confusion because i never stopped to consider how everything would look together; i just wanted all the individual components to be mine, so i'd invariably end up with some tacky monstrosity. this is the difference between a hoarder and an artist - you can grab up all the shinies you want, but those parts need to blend into a harmonious whole. and this book, while it does have monsters in it, is in no way a monstrosity. michelle modesto went all grabby-handsing into those button buckets, but she made something magnificent out of her components, despite how mishmashy it sounds. it's a young adult paranormal steampunk western with cannibal con artists, belligerent leprechauns, excitable pet chupacabras, a little bit of love and a whole lot of killin'. it's being marketed as "true blood meets true grit," but it's probably more accurate to market it as "every fun book you have ever read ever" just to cover all the bases.
does it have cannibals? YES!
does it have a weaponized parasol? YES!
does it have zombies? YEAH IT KINDA DOES!
does it have a love triangle?? okay, that's a trickier question, because it does and it doesn't. we will return to that.
what this also has is huge crossover appeal into the adult urban fantasy market.
oh, and huge balls.
so, quick basic plot-stuff: when our heroine westie was a little girl, her parents, little brother, and right arm were eaten by a family of cannibals when her own family was separated from the rest of their wagon party. westie managed to escape and was found by the wintu huntress bena, who used the healing properties of her tribe to save westie's life. she lived among the wintu until she was adopted by nigel; an inventor originally from africa, who created a mechanical arm to replace the one that was eaten; an arm powerful enough to bend metal and crush bone. awesome. our story takes place in rogue city, where werewolves, elves, and other creatures live alongside humans underneath a protective, but permeable dome, powered by more of that wintu magic.
westie has grown up wild and stubborn, single-mindedly focused on locating and killing the cannibals who ate her family. she finally gets her opportunity for revenge when a very wealthy and familiar-looking family comes to rogue city to invest in nigel's latest invention. this invention's true function is the only way to preserve rogue city's magic and protect westie's friends, so - dilemma: personal vendetta vs. greater good vs. small portion of self-doubt because westie has mistakenly cried "family-eater" once before. plus there are all these smaller obstacles like the seductive lure of alcohol and its blessed emotional cushioning, the annoyance of a coming-out ball in her honor with all its irritating corsetry, and her conflicting feeeeelings about all these boys!
okay, so it's not quite like that, but this is where that sorta love triangle comes into play. with some adjustments.
westie's just your average foul-mouthed seventeen-year-old girl with a mechanical arm and a thirst for booze and vengeance. she's into alistair, the boy in the mechanical mask who, like westie, is the damaged survivor of a cannibal attack who has been adopted and modified by nigel. but there's also costin the vampire, a couple of the wintu boys, the dandy newcomer james, and they're all pretty much fascinated by westie on one way or another, with her tough talk and soft heart. and since alistair's being all aloof, westie's gotta acknowledge her options, even if she doesn't act on them. much. she is a powerhouse and a trainwreck both, and she attracts attention, whether that attention be in the form of love, lust, respect, fear, awe, or horror. but she's not some flirtatious tease, some swanning jade manipulating all the boys with her sex appeal. westie spends most of the book sweaty and smelly, drunk, fighting, puking, eating with her mouth open, tripping over her dresses and bitching about being trussed up like a fowl.
this is the basic level of her game:
Westie let loose the belch that'd been stalking up her throat and reached down the front of her sweaty bodice to scratch an itch between her breasts.
so she's not your typical dreamgirl.
but she might be mine.
i can't even get into this review - there's nothing i can say that's not just gonna be me giving high-fives all up in it. i love the characters, the setting, the energy, the vulgarity and the whole cocky attitude of it. this is a really assured debut novel that probably wants you to like it, but is confident enough to not give a shit if you don't.
but you will.
**************************************************
one more quote because it thumbs its nose at some of the ridiculous conventions of romantic fantasy and made me giggle:
When she was young he used to sit in that very chair, crossing his legs just like he was doing right then. His stories were always about the things she'd loved: castles and dragons, slaying evil with broadswords. Though she loved the medieval subjects, Nigel was a terrible storyteller. His characters were flat - the maidens were always beautiful, helpless half-wits, and the heroes handsome and perfect, when she knew darn well that after traveling for days to rescue the princess from her tower, they probably stank like pigs and were in need of a good shit.
**************************************************
ho. lee. shit.
i am so freaking in love with this book! i can't wait to review it, but there's too much life happening right now to do it any justice. so i just came here to brag, i guess. 'cuz i just read a really fun book, guys...
come to my blog!
so, when i was little, my parents would dump me off at the library whenever they had one of those "kids make crafts" days and i'd be all wide-eyed at the tables full of pom poms, pipe cleaners and stickers thinking "free craft shit? for realz??" and i would greedily snatch up all the powder blue velvet ribbon and shiny silver spangles and plastic sparkle beads and i'd end up making some liberace-blob of glitter confusion because i never stopped to consider how everything would look together; i just wanted all the individual components to be mine, so i'd invariably end up with some tacky monstrosity. this is the difference between a hoarder and an artist - you can grab up all the shinies you want, but those parts need to blend into a harmonious whole. and this book, while it does have monsters in it, is in no way a monstrosity. michelle modesto went all grabby-handsing into those button buckets, but she made something magnificent out of her components, despite how mishmashy it sounds. it's a young adult paranormal steampunk western with cannibal con artists, belligerent leprechauns, excitable pet chupacabras, a little bit of love and a whole lot of killin'. it's being marketed as "true blood meets true grit," but it's probably more accurate to market it as "every fun book you have ever read ever" just to cover all the bases.
does it have cannibals? YES!
does it have a weaponized parasol? YES!
does it have zombies? YEAH IT KINDA DOES!
does it have a love triangle?? okay, that's a trickier question, because it does and it doesn't. we will return to that.
what this also has is huge crossover appeal into the adult urban fantasy market.
oh, and huge balls.
so, quick basic plot-stuff: when our heroine westie was a little girl, her parents, little brother, and right arm were eaten by a family of cannibals when her own family was separated from the rest of their wagon party. westie managed to escape and was found by the wintu huntress bena, who used the healing properties of her tribe to save westie's life. she lived among the wintu until she was adopted by nigel; an inventor originally from africa, who created a mechanical arm to replace the one that was eaten; an arm powerful enough to bend metal and crush bone. awesome. our story takes place in rogue city, where werewolves, elves, and other creatures live alongside humans underneath a protective, but permeable dome, powered by more of that wintu magic.
westie has grown up wild and stubborn, single-mindedly focused on locating and killing the cannibals who ate her family. she finally gets her opportunity for revenge when a very wealthy and familiar-looking family comes to rogue city to invest in nigel's latest invention. this invention's true function is the only way to preserve rogue city's magic and protect westie's friends, so - dilemma: personal vendetta vs. greater good vs. small portion of self-doubt because westie has mistakenly cried "family-eater" once before. plus there are all these smaller obstacles like the seductive lure of alcohol and its blessed emotional cushioning, the annoyance of a coming-out ball in her honor with all its irritating corsetry, and her conflicting feeeeelings about all these boys!
okay, so it's not quite like that, but this is where that sorta love triangle comes into play. with some adjustments.
westie's just your average foul-mouthed seventeen-year-old girl with a mechanical arm and a thirst for booze and vengeance. she's into alistair, the boy in the mechanical mask who, like westie, is the damaged survivor of a cannibal attack who has been adopted and modified by nigel. but there's also costin the vampire, a couple of the wintu boys, the dandy newcomer james, and they're all pretty much fascinated by westie on one way or another, with her tough talk and soft heart. and since alistair's being all aloof, westie's gotta acknowledge her options, even if she doesn't act on them. much. she is a powerhouse and a trainwreck both, and she attracts attention, whether that attention be in the form of love, lust, respect, fear, awe, or horror. but she's not some flirtatious tease, some swanning jade manipulating all the boys with her sex appeal. westie spends most of the book sweaty and smelly, drunk, fighting, puking, eating with her mouth open, tripping over her dresses and bitching about being trussed up like a fowl.
this is the basic level of her game:
Westie let loose the belch that'd been stalking up her throat and reached down the front of her sweaty bodice to scratch an itch between her breasts.
so she's not your typical dreamgirl.
but she might be mine.
i can't even get into this review - there's nothing i can say that's not just gonna be me giving high-fives all up in it. i love the characters, the setting, the energy, the vulgarity and the whole cocky attitude of it. this is a really assured debut novel that probably wants you to like it, but is confident enough to not give a shit if you don't.
but you will.
**************************************************
one more quote because it thumbs its nose at some of the ridiculous conventions of romantic fantasy and made me giggle:
When she was young he used to sit in that very chair, crossing his legs just like he was doing right then. His stories were always about the things she'd loved: castles and dragons, slaying evil with broadswords. Though she loved the medieval subjects, Nigel was a terrible storyteller. His characters were flat - the maidens were always beautiful, helpless half-wits, and the heroes handsome and perfect, when she knew darn well that after traveling for days to rescue the princess from her tower, they probably stank like pigs and were in need of a good shit.
**************************************************
ho. lee. shit.
i am so freaking in love with this book! i can't wait to review it, but there's too much life happening right now to do it any justice. so i just came here to brag, i guess. 'cuz i just read a really fun book, guys...
come to my blog!
January 25, 2016
When Westie had asked if they were in need, both men looked up with blood on their faces and flesh between their teeth. Bodies had been scattered across the forest floor, their faces chewed to a pulp.
Revenge and the Wild is a promising debut (with a beautiful cover), but it is full of little issues that stopped me from liking it more.
Unlike some books, it's very easy to point out exactly what I liked and didn't like about this. I was under the impression that Modesto was going to add another book to the string of Westerns being released recently (Vengeance Road, Under a Painted Sky, Walk on Earth a Stranger...), instead, this is a kind of fantasy, sort of steampunk, maybe historical tale set in an alternate California.
But yes, that's not necessarily a bad thing.
The problem I have is that the first word that came to mind as I was reading was "messy". This is a multi-genre story and the mishmash of genres weakens it. Authors like Libba Bray can execute this well. Here, however, we have a setting I struggle to picture, a character who is both badass and blushing every time one of the love interests speaks to her, and an assortment of every supernatural creature you can think of - ogres, vampires, werewolves, zombies, leprechauns...
And cannibals. Which is pretty fantastic. Because, on the awesome side, this is a gritty, gory book featuring a protagonist whose family was murdered and eaten by cannibals. Makes for some interesting adventures.
One of the things I like most about Revenge and the Wild is our heroine - Westie. She is such a non-traditional character. Unconcerned with conventions and a foul-mouthed drunk. I liked her.
Westie let loose the belch that'd been stalking up her throat and reached down the front of her sweaty bodice to scratch an itch between her breasts.
But, yet again, this strong factor is weakened by something else - the romance(s). It seems every male character in this book has a thing for Westie and she has a habit of blushing every few pages. I found myself wanting to skim read through Alistair, Costin and James' flirtations to get back to the cannibals and nastiness.
It's a contradictory book in many ways. Inventive, but sloppy. Badass, but too often focused on romance and balls. Very little mystery, but with a damn fabulous plot twist. Still, I'll probably check out the author's future books.
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February 7, 2018
2/7/18 - ON SALE for $1.99:
http://amzn.to/2ELtnjF
Reviewed by: Rabid Reads
3.5 stars
SO. The good news is that it only took an afternoon to read REVENGE AND THE WILD by Michelle Modesto. The other news is . . . meh.
In all fairness, several of the contributing factors to the MEH are personal preference issues.
Like I find too few gadgets just as annoying as too many gadgets in steampunk. Dollface has a bionic arm, NOT-brother has a Bane-like face mask, Guardian is building a big ol' machine out of copper that amplifies magic, and that's pretty much it.
Oh, there were a handful of throwaway mentions, but altogether it didn't feel very steampunky.
There was also some of EVERYTHING, and I do mean EVERYTHING: vampires, trolls, werewolves, leprechauns, elves, undead, shamans, CANNIBALS . . . Too many things for any of them to make much of an impact. Except the cannibals.
Ye gods, the cannibals.
Once again, rules for fashion are excellent rules for writing: before you leave, look in the mirror and take off the lastthree accessoryies you put on.
BUT.
Once I adjusted to the cadence of Modesto's writing style, it was highly engaging. I flew through the middle 70 - 80%.
BUT.
When we got to the wrap-up 15%, the unraveling of our mystery was very . . . basic. The clues Westie found didn't link back to earlier planted threads, making the whole cohesive. It was more like a scavenger hunt, and scavenger hunts do not tickle my clever bone.
And all that middle I flew through . . . not really memorable.
ALSO, I did not buy
However, there was one very excellent plot twist that shocked the hell out of me. Especially b/c it was one of those where you know you've figured it out, and you did (b/c you can count), but BOOM that's not all, sucker!
So HOORAY for that.
Ultimately, REVENGE AND THE WILD by Michelle Modesto was entertaining enough to pass a pleasant afternoon, however, for me, there were a few preference-based misfires. BUT. If you like creature features and steampunk überlite, I'd say it's definitely worth a shot. And BONUS, it's a standalone, so no pesky wait for the next installment. Recommended with qualifications.
http://amzn.to/2ELtnjF
Reviewed by: Rabid Reads
3.5 stars
SO. The good news is that it only took an afternoon to read REVENGE AND THE WILD by Michelle Modesto. The other news is . . . meh.
In all fairness, several of the contributing factors to the MEH are personal preference issues.
Like I find too few gadgets just as annoying as too many gadgets in steampunk. Dollface has a bionic arm, NOT-brother has a Bane-like face mask, Guardian is building a big ol' machine out of copper that amplifies magic, and that's pretty much it.
Oh, there were a handful of throwaway mentions, but altogether it didn't feel very steampunky.
There was also some of EVERYTHING, and I do mean EVERYTHING: vampires, trolls, werewolves, leprechauns, elves, undead, shamans, CANNIBALS . . . Too many things for any of them to make much of an impact. Except the cannibals.
Ye gods, the cannibals.
Once again, rules for fashion are excellent rules for writing: before you leave, look in the mirror and take off the last
BUT.
Once I adjusted to the cadence of Modesto's writing style, it was highly engaging. I flew through the middle 70 - 80%.
BUT.
When we got to the wrap-up 15%, the unraveling of our mystery was very . . . basic. The clues Westie found didn't link back to earlier planted threads, making the whole cohesive. It was more like a scavenger hunt, and scavenger hunts do not tickle my clever bone.
And all that middle I flew through . . . not really memorable.
ALSO, I did not buy
However, there was one very excellent plot twist that shocked the hell out of me. Especially b/c it was one of those where you know you've figured it out, and you did (b/c you can count), but BOOM that's not all, sucker!
So HOORAY for that.
Ultimately, REVENGE AND THE WILD by Michelle Modesto was entertaining enough to pass a pleasant afternoon, however, for me, there were a few preference-based misfires. BUT. If you like creature features and steampunk überlite, I'd say it's definitely worth a shot. And BONUS, it's a standalone, so no pesky wait for the next installment. Recommended with qualifications.
March 15, 2016
GODDAMN. This book is nasty.
Thinking about reading this? Well let me give you a taste of what's in store.
Badass women with weapons? Check.
Racially and physically diverse characters? Check.
An action-packed storyline? Check.
A steamy romance that doesn't overpower the plot? Check.
Powerful challenging of social standards? Check.
Magic? Check.
Western genre? Check.
WHAT MORE DO YOU WANT.
This book is so fucking hardcore. I'm currently SO pleased at how many badass YA heroines I've been seeing lately and this book smashes into that positive zone as well.
Revenge and the Wild is a FANTASY WESTERN novel. Which in itself is stunning, but it doesn't even stop there.
Our main character is a girl named Westie whose family was killed and eaten by cannibals when she was ten (and she saw it). She lives in a old-fashioned, gold-hungry western America, which also has loads of magical creatures. Everyone lives together (with some difficulty sometimes though). Now, at 17, Westie is a foul-mouthed, alcoholic, gun-wielding, mechanical-arm-having, PTSD-enduring, badass who's set on revenge.
Like come on. You can't admit that she doesn't sound cool.
The story also includes: empowered and dynamic female characters, female friends that aren't stereotypes, men that aren't stereotypes, various racial groups, a male love interest who is mute and is facially scarred to the point where he wears a metal mask all the time, accepting of sexual preferences, honest about addiction and alcoholism, magic that the Native Americans possess that protect the whole world, vampires who want to pleasure you, leprechauns, fairies, goblins, and tons of other shit thats like WHY WOULD YOU NOT READ THIS.
It is so freaking unique in every way. There was virtually no part of it that followed any basic procedure. It fucking smashed the rules.
At first I thought it was just gonna be a revenge tale like Vengeance Road, but THEN it turns into this whole murder mystery, crime drama adventure and I'm just like :O!
The writing and pace is awesome. Modesto clearly put a ton of work and thought into crafting this story. It was engrossing and badass.
Thinking about reading this? Well let me give you a taste of what's in store.
Badass women with weapons? Check.
Racially and physically diverse characters? Check.
An action-packed storyline? Check.
A steamy romance that doesn't overpower the plot? Check.
Powerful challenging of social standards? Check.
Magic? Check.
Western genre? Check.
WHAT MORE DO YOU WANT.
This book is so fucking hardcore. I'm currently SO pleased at how many badass YA heroines I've been seeing lately and this book smashes into that positive zone as well.
Revenge and the Wild is a FANTASY WESTERN novel. Which in itself is stunning, but it doesn't even stop there.
Our main character is a girl named Westie whose family was killed and eaten by cannibals when she was ten (and she saw it). She lives in a old-fashioned, gold-hungry western America, which also has loads of magical creatures. Everyone lives together (with some difficulty sometimes though). Now, at 17, Westie is a foul-mouthed, alcoholic, gun-wielding, mechanical-arm-having, PTSD-enduring, badass who's set on revenge.
Like come on. You can't admit that she doesn't sound cool.
The story also includes: empowered and dynamic female characters, female friends that aren't stereotypes, men that aren't stereotypes, various racial groups, a male love interest who is mute and is facially scarred to the point where he wears a metal mask all the time, accepting of sexual preferences, honest about addiction and alcoholism, magic that the Native Americans possess that protect the whole world, vampires who want to pleasure you, leprechauns, fairies, goblins, and tons of other shit thats like WHY WOULD YOU NOT READ THIS.
It is so freaking unique in every way. There was virtually no part of it that followed any basic procedure. It fucking smashed the rules.
At first I thought it was just gonna be a revenge tale like Vengeance Road, but THEN it turns into this whole murder mystery, crime drama adventure and I'm just like :O!
The writing and pace is awesome. Modesto clearly put a ton of work and thought into crafting this story. It was engrossing and badass.
April 18, 2017
Michelle Modesto has managed to take a young adult fantasy western and throw in so many other genres that it ends up being one of the most unique books I have read in quite some time. There is everything - aspects of steampunk, fantasy, paranormal, action, western, a bit of romance, and everything in between. I applaud Michelle Modesto’s ability to blend all these genres into one completely entertaining story.
Rogue City is a place where creatures can live alongside humans because there is a magical dome over the city making it impossible for creatures to kill humans without giving up their own lives. This book has all kinds of creatures such as elves, dwarves, ogres, vampires, werewolves, chupacabras, etc. Most creatures keep to the wild, but some choose to live in Rogue City for a variety of reasons. If humans consume creatures, they become one of The Undying (kind of like a zombie). There are also native americans in this story. The Wintu tribe are the ones who created the dome with magic. Oh, and to top it all off..there are also cannibals, which is where I start my actual description of the plot.
Westie came to live in Rogue City with Nigel when her family was eaten by a family of cannibals and took her arm. She first lived with the Wintu tribe until Nigel adopted her, so she has a strong relationship with some of the natives. Nigel is an inventor, so he created Westie a mechanical arm that is extremely powerful. Nigel also adopted Alistair, a survivor of a different cannibal attack that left him with many scars and without a voice. I could go into all the different characters, but you should really just read this book.
Westie is hellbent on getting revenge. She has been looking for the cannibals who killed her family since she was fourteen. The past has never stopped haunting her, rightfully so. When Nigel’s latest invention is desperately in need of investors, he begs Westie to behave herself. She’s not typically the most ladylike. She is foul-mouthed with a whole lot of attitude, but is a complete badass. Unfortunately for Nigel, these things are the least of his worries. The investors show up and look exactly like the family that killed her family. How can such wealthy socialites be the cannibals Westie so seeks revenge after? Can she prove it is really them?
There is so much more I could say about the plot, world, characters, and etc. I could go on and on, but it is safer and better for you if I just say that this is a book well worth the read. I am really hoping that Michelle Modesto decides to write more stories set in this world. Don’t hesitate to pick this one up!
Rogue City is a place where creatures can live alongside humans because there is a magical dome over the city making it impossible for creatures to kill humans without giving up their own lives. This book has all kinds of creatures such as elves, dwarves, ogres, vampires, werewolves, chupacabras, etc. Most creatures keep to the wild, but some choose to live in Rogue City for a variety of reasons. If humans consume creatures, they become one of The Undying (kind of like a zombie). There are also native americans in this story. The Wintu tribe are the ones who created the dome with magic. Oh, and to top it all off..there are also cannibals, which is where I start my actual description of the plot.
Westie came to live in Rogue City with Nigel when her family was eaten by a family of cannibals and took her arm. She first lived with the Wintu tribe until Nigel adopted her, so she has a strong relationship with some of the natives. Nigel is an inventor, so he created Westie a mechanical arm that is extremely powerful. Nigel also adopted Alistair, a survivor of a different cannibal attack that left him with many scars and without a voice. I could go into all the different characters, but you should really just read this book.
Westie is hellbent on getting revenge. She has been looking for the cannibals who killed her family since she was fourteen. The past has never stopped haunting her, rightfully so. When Nigel’s latest invention is desperately in need of investors, he begs Westie to behave herself. She’s not typically the most ladylike. She is foul-mouthed with a whole lot of attitude, but is a complete badass. Unfortunately for Nigel, these things are the least of his worries. The investors show up and look exactly like the family that killed her family. How can such wealthy socialites be the cannibals Westie so seeks revenge after? Can she prove it is really them?
There is so much more I could say about the plot, world, characters, and etc. I could go on and on, but it is safer and better for you if I just say that this is a book well worth the read. I am really hoping that Michelle Modesto decides to write more stories set in this world. Don’t hesitate to pick this one up!
February 11, 2023
I really should write a proper review for this, but I'm not inspired at the moment.
I swear it's got nothing to do with the book, I'm just not in the mood to write about it right now.
I can tell you, though, that I had tons of fun with this book and definitely didn't expect this to be so damn wild and unhinged.
Don't let those tags full you, this is only YA because the main character is 17, but she's basically a middle-aged alcoholic loner man in the body of a teen girl. There are sexual situations, albeit of the fade-to-black kind, mature language and so much violence to last for decades.
Definitely not YA, right?
As for the genre, I feel like I should give you guys the same advice.
This book doesn't belong to a single genre.
Revenge and the Wild is a genre soup that leaves out nor discriminates nothing and no one. Pick up this book and you'll have a western/steampunk setting filled with automatons, cowboys, natives, zobies, elves, dwarves, cannibals, vampires, werewolves, a pet chupacabra and so on to infinite; and then of course there's magic, and mystery, and romance, and so much sass you'll have to give some to your friends because you won't be able to contain it all by yourself.
It's basically a pipe dream book that leaves nothing to immagination and is its reader's biggest fan. Highly recommended to the ones who don't have a weak stomach.
book #44
◾this hashtag is something I self-indulgently created for fun when I decided to thin out my immense tbr list as a new years resolution starting from books I added on GR back in 2017/2018/2019, and since I can't seem to do anything quietly and I'm well known for being an overachiever, I had to go and turn it into an official thing. Feel free to check out the #PenguinOnATBRMission shelf if you don't mind keeping up with this insanely over-hyped adventure I got myself into. Take it as a chance to rediscover some books from a few years ago that might have accidentally flown under your radar, or to simply share with another fellow reader your very own reading experience. Happy reading and stay penguin-y!◾
To Be Continued...🐧
(っ◔◡◔)っ ♥ this review is teen penguin approved! ♥
I swear it's got nothing to do with the book, I'm just not in the mood to write about it right now.
I can tell you, though, that I had tons of fun with this book and definitely didn't expect this to be so damn wild and unhinged.
Don't let those tags full you, this is only YA because the main character is 17, but she's basically a middle-aged alcoholic loner man in the body of a teen girl. There are sexual situations, albeit of the fade-to-black kind, mature language and so much violence to last for decades.
Definitely not YA, right?
As for the genre, I feel like I should give you guys the same advice.
This book doesn't belong to a single genre.
Revenge and the Wild is a genre soup that leaves out nor discriminates nothing and no one. Pick up this book and you'll have a western/steampunk setting filled with automatons, cowboys, natives, zobies, elves, dwarves, cannibals, vampires, werewolves, a pet chupacabra and so on to infinite; and then of course there's magic, and mystery, and romance, and so much sass you'll have to give some to your friends because you won't be able to contain it all by yourself.
It's basically a pipe dream book that leaves nothing to immagination and is its reader's biggest fan. Highly recommended to the ones who don't have a weak stomach.
book #44
◾this hashtag is something I self-indulgently created for fun when I decided to thin out my immense tbr list as a new years resolution starting from books I added on GR back in 2017/2018/2019, and since I can't seem to do anything quietly and I'm well known for being an overachiever, I had to go and turn it into an official thing. Feel free to check out the #PenguinOnATBRMission shelf if you don't mind keeping up with this insanely over-hyped adventure I got myself into. Take it as a chance to rediscover some books from a few years ago that might have accidentally flown under your radar, or to simply share with another fellow reader your very own reading experience. Happy reading and stay penguin-y!◾
To Be Continued...🐧
(っ◔◡◔)っ ♥ this review is teen penguin approved! ♥
December 21, 2015
(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to HarperCollins and Edelweiss.)
This wasn’t a bad book, but it didn’t hold my attention well at all.
Westie was an okay character, and she was certainly intent on finding the people who had killed and eaten her parents (yes, eaten!). That being said, she did like to go charging into situations without thinking first, and because of that constantly needed someone else to make her consider what it was that she was doing before she did it.
The storyline in this was a bit slow, and the world building seemed to have too much going on for me. We had Westie with her robotic hand, in a steam-punk setting, trying to stop the cannibals who had eaten her parents and brother, but then we had vampires, werewolves, zombies, magic, and other strange creatures thrown into the mix, and it was all just a bit much for me, and detracted from the main storyline.
There was a little bit of romance in this, but that didn’t really interest me much either.
The ending to this was okay, and I will say that the little twist that was thrown in was quite clever, and I didn’t see it coming! This was only an okay book for me overall though.
6 out of 10.
“I think those folks are the ones who killed my family.”
This wasn’t a bad book, but it didn’t hold my attention well at all.
Westie was an okay character, and she was certainly intent on finding the people who had killed and eaten her parents (yes, eaten!). That being said, she did like to go charging into situations without thinking first, and because of that constantly needed someone else to make her consider what it was that she was doing before she did it.
The storyline in this was a bit slow, and the world building seemed to have too much going on for me. We had Westie with her robotic hand, in a steam-punk setting, trying to stop the cannibals who had eaten her parents and brother, but then we had vampires, werewolves, zombies, magic, and other strange creatures thrown into the mix, and it was all just a bit much for me, and detracted from the main storyline.
There was a little bit of romance in this, but that didn’t really interest me much either.
The ending to this was okay, and I will say that the little twist that was thrown in was quite clever, and I didn’t see it coming! This was only an okay book for me overall though.
6 out of 10.
February 6, 2016
2.5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum http://bibliosanctum.com/2016/02/06/y...
It’s a real shame this book and I didn’t hit it off, because I feel it had the potential to be something much greater. I doubt I can pinpoint any one reason why it didn’t work for me either, because in actuality it was a series of smaller issues that compounded together to give me a feeling of “offness”.
When details about Revenge and the Wild first came out, it was billed as a Young Adult fantasy western taking place in a lawless world of ��dark magic and saloon brawls, monsters and six-shooters.” The protagonist is Westie, a seventeen-year-old who lost her arm to cannibals as a child while she and her family were on the wagon trail to California. The lone survivor, Westie was rescued by a tribe of Wintu and taken to Rogue City where she was subsequently adopted by Nigel Butler, the eccentric local inventor. The cannibals responsible were never captured or brought to justice.
Armed with a new—well, arm made of metal, Westie has taken it upon herself to hunt the family of cannibals who killed hers, and she’s not going to rest until vengeance is served. Then one day, at long last, Westie believes she has found her targets—except there’s one huge problem. The cannibal family are the Fairfields, wealthy friends of the mayor, and they’re all in Rogue City now looking to make a deal with Nigel, who desperately need the funds to finance his newest invention: a machine with the potential to improve the lives of magical creatures everywhere.
With a buzz term like “fantasy western” (which happens to be a growing sub-genre I’m crazy about), I should have been all over this book. Unfortunately though, the “westerness” ends up getting lost in all the noise. I’m a big proponent of the “less is more” principle, and I have been perfectly happy in the past with fantasy western settings that have just a touch of magic. In contrast, Revenge and the Wild was the prime example of having too much of a good thing. Magic, werewolves, vampires, zombies, elves, dwarves, trolls, leprechauns—it felt like the author threw in everything but the kitchen sink. And then there was the steampunk. In a world already over-encumbered with all manner of paranormal creatures, throwing in more things like airships, robot limbs, and mechanical gadgetry felt like overkill. Greedy. Attempting to cram so much into one book results in not being able to develop any one aspect, so in the end they feel tacked on.
Then there’s Westie, who is just one hot mess. This girl is a walking disaster who can’t seem to do anything right, breaking promises, telling brazen lies, going off on half-baked plans, and making the same impulsive mistakes again and again. Poor Nigel. I’m amazed he hasn’t dropped dead from anxiety caused by Westie-related stress. It would be comical if this were aimed at younger readers—which I originally thought, given the overly simplistic prose, but the strong language, violence and sexual undertones ended up dispelling that theory.
To be fair, this book had some strong points. Westie’s flashback and run-ins with the cannibal family were creepy as hell—like I’m talking Texas Chainsaw Massacre meets Children of the Corn creepy. I also really liked Bena and her Wintu tribe, and I can’t help but feel the story might have been stronger if more attention had been given to the Native Americans rather than the paranormal creatures. Lastly, there were a few great twists at the end, including one that I never would have seen coming IN A MILLION YEARS.
All told, Revenge and the Wild was a fun but rather shallow and disorganized story on account of it trying to do too many things at once. It is okay for a debut novel and great for a light read, but overall I feel it needs more streamlining and polish. If you’re looking for a book with teen appeal that also has a fantasy setting with a stronger western vibe, you might want to also take a look at Lila Bowen/Delilah S. Dawson’s Wake of Vultures. It also has magic, Native American mythology, and paranormal creatures, but I feel it better integrates those elements.
It’s a real shame this book and I didn’t hit it off, because I feel it had the potential to be something much greater. I doubt I can pinpoint any one reason why it didn’t work for me either, because in actuality it was a series of smaller issues that compounded together to give me a feeling of “offness”.
When details about Revenge and the Wild first came out, it was billed as a Young Adult fantasy western taking place in a lawless world of ��dark magic and saloon brawls, monsters and six-shooters.” The protagonist is Westie, a seventeen-year-old who lost her arm to cannibals as a child while she and her family were on the wagon trail to California. The lone survivor, Westie was rescued by a tribe of Wintu and taken to Rogue City where she was subsequently adopted by Nigel Butler, the eccentric local inventor. The cannibals responsible were never captured or brought to justice.
Armed with a new—well, arm made of metal, Westie has taken it upon herself to hunt the family of cannibals who killed hers, and she’s not going to rest until vengeance is served. Then one day, at long last, Westie believes she has found her targets—except there’s one huge problem. The cannibal family are the Fairfields, wealthy friends of the mayor, and they’re all in Rogue City now looking to make a deal with Nigel, who desperately need the funds to finance his newest invention: a machine with the potential to improve the lives of magical creatures everywhere.
With a buzz term like “fantasy western” (which happens to be a growing sub-genre I’m crazy about), I should have been all over this book. Unfortunately though, the “westerness” ends up getting lost in all the noise. I’m a big proponent of the “less is more” principle, and I have been perfectly happy in the past with fantasy western settings that have just a touch of magic. In contrast, Revenge and the Wild was the prime example of having too much of a good thing. Magic, werewolves, vampires, zombies, elves, dwarves, trolls, leprechauns—it felt like the author threw in everything but the kitchen sink. And then there was the steampunk. In a world already over-encumbered with all manner of paranormal creatures, throwing in more things like airships, robot limbs, and mechanical gadgetry felt like overkill. Greedy. Attempting to cram so much into one book results in not being able to develop any one aspect, so in the end they feel tacked on.
Then there’s Westie, who is just one hot mess. This girl is a walking disaster who can’t seem to do anything right, breaking promises, telling brazen lies, going off on half-baked plans, and making the same impulsive mistakes again and again. Poor Nigel. I’m amazed he hasn’t dropped dead from anxiety caused by Westie-related stress. It would be comical if this were aimed at younger readers—which I originally thought, given the overly simplistic prose, but the strong language, violence and sexual undertones ended up dispelling that theory.
To be fair, this book had some strong points. Westie’s flashback and run-ins with the cannibal family were creepy as hell—like I’m talking Texas Chainsaw Massacre meets Children of the Corn creepy. I also really liked Bena and her Wintu tribe, and I can’t help but feel the story might have been stronger if more attention had been given to the Native Americans rather than the paranormal creatures. Lastly, there were a few great twists at the end, including one that I never would have seen coming IN A MILLION YEARS.
All told, Revenge and the Wild was a fun but rather shallow and disorganized story on account of it trying to do too many things at once. It is okay for a debut novel and great for a light read, but overall I feel it needs more streamlining and polish. If you’re looking for a book with teen appeal that also has a fantasy setting with a stronger western vibe, you might want to also take a look at Lila Bowen/Delilah S. Dawson’s Wake of Vultures. It also has magic, Native American mythology, and paranormal creatures, but I feel it better integrates those elements.
September 12, 2016
4.5 stars
The first thing you need to know if and when you decide to read Revenge and the Wild is that it will be the most fun you’ll have in ages. Entertainment is pretty much guaranteed, regardless of your usual reading preferences. For a book that refuses to be labeled or in any way categorized, Revenge and the Wild is pretty universally lovable. I challenge you to be grumpy while reading it.
The second thing you need to know if you’re a curious sort of person is that you need to throw your expectations right out the window. With a 16-year-old one-armed alcoholic for a heroine, you’ll certainly be in for a few surprises. And when I say alcoholic, I don’t just mean a drink here and there at parties – I really mean nasty, belching drunk prone to fits of rage and unseemly behavior.
For all the entertainment it provides, Revenge and the Wild offers a surprisingly deep characterization and great emotional moments. Westie was left alone as a child when her family (and her arm) were eaten by cannibals. She was saved and adopted by a famous inventor, who created a mechanical arm for her and raised her as his own. Westie has never given up on finding the cannibals who killed her parents so when they show up in her small, protected town pretending to be rich and civilized, it’s a pretty big challenge for her family and her addictive personality.
Revenge and the Wild is a fantastic blend of paranormal steampunk with elements of horror. There’s something in it for everyone, and yet it doesn’t seem crowded and it works surprisingly well. Modesto pulled out all the stops with her worldbuilding by creating a colorful setting that can be enjoyed from the very first page. The only thing missing were dragons, everything else was already there. She did the same with romance, which seemed honest from the start, despite many roadblocks. I love romances that develop from years of friendship, especially those that are a bit weird and quirky on top of that. Westie and Alistair seemed perfect for each other from the start.
Overall, Revenge and the Wild is quite a surprise and perhaps not entirely suitable for readers with delicate sensibilities. Since I most certainly am not one of those (the nastier the better, as far as I’m concerned), I’ll be keeping my eye on Michelle Modesto, hoping to get another one of her wonderfully wicked adventures very soon.
The first thing you need to know if and when you decide to read Revenge and the Wild is that it will be the most fun you’ll have in ages. Entertainment is pretty much guaranteed, regardless of your usual reading preferences. For a book that refuses to be labeled or in any way categorized, Revenge and the Wild is pretty universally lovable. I challenge you to be grumpy while reading it.
The second thing you need to know if you’re a curious sort of person is that you need to throw your expectations right out the window. With a 16-year-old one-armed alcoholic for a heroine, you’ll certainly be in for a few surprises. And when I say alcoholic, I don’t just mean a drink here and there at parties – I really mean nasty, belching drunk prone to fits of rage and unseemly behavior.
For all the entertainment it provides, Revenge and the Wild offers a surprisingly deep characterization and great emotional moments. Westie was left alone as a child when her family (and her arm) were eaten by cannibals. She was saved and adopted by a famous inventor, who created a mechanical arm for her and raised her as his own. Westie has never given up on finding the cannibals who killed her parents so when they show up in her small, protected town pretending to be rich and civilized, it’s a pretty big challenge for her family and her addictive personality.
Revenge and the Wild is a fantastic blend of paranormal steampunk with elements of horror. There’s something in it for everyone, and yet it doesn’t seem crowded and it works surprisingly well. Modesto pulled out all the stops with her worldbuilding by creating a colorful setting that can be enjoyed from the very first page. The only thing missing were dragons, everything else was already there. She did the same with romance, which seemed honest from the start, despite many roadblocks. I love romances that develop from years of friendship, especially those that are a bit weird and quirky on top of that. Westie and Alistair seemed perfect for each other from the start.
Overall, Revenge and the Wild is quite a surprise and perhaps not entirely suitable for readers with delicate sensibilities. Since I most certainly am not one of those (the nastier the better, as far as I’m concerned), I’ll be keeping my eye on Michelle Modesto, hoping to get another one of her wonderfully wicked adventures very soon.
January 26, 2016
In one word: Amazing!! REVENGE AND THE WILD is going to be a hit, I just know it. I wasn't sure what this book was about, really, because I picked it up based on the cover image alone. When I first dove in, I thought, "Oh, Great, it's a Western!" Then a few pages later, I thought, "Oh it's a steampunk!" Then I thought, "No...it's a fantasy."
Cue the part where I tweeted Michelle Modesto saying, WHAT GENRE IS THIS BOOK IN NEVERMIND I DON'T EVEN CARE IT'S AMAZING.
Seriously, it is. Revenge AND THE WILD is literally a mashup of genres, and it is SO well done. A dark, disturbing mystery is at the root of everything, and usually, I'm pretty good at picking up on "who done it." ....not the case with this one. I was completely shocked by the twist ending. And the romance! Can we say steamy?! I just loved it. I can't wait for y'all to read this one. I am obsessed! Super creepy evil cannibals, an AWESOME heroine who has real-world issues on top of fantastical ones, and... not to mention, Michelle Modesto's writing style is just lovely.
I. Am. A. Fan.
Cue the part where I tweeted Michelle Modesto saying, WHAT GENRE IS THIS BOOK IN NEVERMIND I DON'T EVEN CARE IT'S AMAZING.
Seriously, it is. Revenge AND THE WILD is literally a mashup of genres, and it is SO well done. A dark, disturbing mystery is at the root of everything, and usually, I'm pretty good at picking up on "who done it." ....not the case with this one. I was completely shocked by the twist ending. And the romance! Can we say steamy?! I just loved it. I can't wait for y'all to read this one. I am obsessed! Super creepy evil cannibals, an AWESOME heroine who has real-world issues on top of fantastical ones, and... not to mention, Michelle Modesto's writing style is just lovely.
I. Am. A. Fan.
Want to read
August 18, 2015
*looks at the cover*
*reads the description*
*reads the description*
January 11, 2016
Flawed but damned entertaining. 3.5 stars.FRTC.
September 13, 2015
Where do I even BEGIN? This book has everything: vampires, some steampunk, magic, cannibals, pet chupacabras, child psychopaths, weaponized parasols, werewolves, a sweaty and foul-mouthed heroine with a mechanical arm? (Ending that list with a question mark, since my voice is getting higher and my hand motions are becoming more frantic the longer I talk about it like "HOW DARE YOU PUT THIS ALL INTO ONE BOOK AND MAKE IT WORK?") Also, pretty dresses.
I've read a few books that try to cram a lot of "stuff" into one setting, and it rarely works well. Carey's Agent of Hel series comes to mind. I found myself saying "Jesus, what kind of creature NOW?" a lot. Also, the Powder Mage trilogy. "So this kind of magic. But also this kind? And a few other magic systems also. Actually I have no idea!"
"Revenge and the Wild" somehow seamlessly blends all of the above elements into a believable world. The magic is straightforward: there is magic, the Wintu control it, and everything that is magical or needs magic ..... contains or uses the existing magic. Simple. No more on that, because spoilers, but I promise the creatures fit into everything and don't clutter the narrative. ALSO, sexy vampires. Ok, and I don't usually like sexy vampires, but Costin was a much less annoying, less stalkery, but still super rich, version of Jean-Claude (of Anita Blake fame).
The steampunk elements really only surface in Nigel's inventions: Alistair's mask, Westie's arm, some airships, Emma, etc. You don't get the feeling that, crammed in with everything else, there's also a giant steampunk theme underlying the narrative. Just steamy ~bits. And other steamy bits, because aforementioned vampires and also Alistair, a scarred and rugged fellow cannibal-attack survivor. Somehow there isn't a love triangle. It's not really a love triangle. I promise.
And then Westie herself: a foul-mouthed, mechanical arm-wielding, cannibal-hunting, recovering alcoholic. She's pretty damn great, I guess. I'll let her speak for herself.
Also, lots of cannibals. So many cannibals. Cannibals equal parts terrify and interest me (the old man in the hermit shack in the first Witcher game, too many Lovecraft stories, an obsession w the Donner party as a child, etc; I could blame all of this), and I shouldn't have read this as late at night as I did.
I've read a few books that try to cram a lot of "stuff" into one setting, and it rarely works well. Carey's Agent of Hel series comes to mind. I found myself saying "Jesus, what kind of creature NOW?" a lot. Also, the Powder Mage trilogy. "So this kind of magic. But also this kind? And a few other magic systems also. Actually I have no idea!"
"Revenge and the Wild" somehow seamlessly blends all of the above elements into a believable world. The magic is straightforward: there is magic, the Wintu control it, and everything that is magical or needs magic ..... contains or uses the existing magic. Simple. No more on that, because spoilers, but I promise the creatures fit into everything and don't clutter the narrative. ALSO, sexy vampires. Ok, and I don't usually like sexy vampires, but Costin was a much less annoying, less stalkery, but still super rich, version of Jean-Claude (of Anita Blake fame).
The steampunk elements really only surface in Nigel's inventions: Alistair's mask, Westie's arm, some airships, Emma, etc. You don't get the feeling that, crammed in with everything else, there's also a giant steampunk theme underlying the narrative. Just steamy ~bits. And other steamy bits, because aforementioned vampires and also Alistair, a scarred and rugged fellow cannibal-attack survivor. Somehow there isn't a love triangle. It's not really a love triangle. I promise.
And then Westie herself: a foul-mouthed, mechanical arm-wielding, cannibal-hunting, recovering alcoholic. She's pretty damn great, I guess. I'll let her speak for herself.
Also, lots of cannibals. So many cannibals. Cannibals equal parts terrify and interest me (the old man in the hermit shack in the first Witcher game, too many Lovecraft stories, an obsession w the Donner party as a child, etc; I could blame all of this), and I shouldn't have read this as late at night as I did.
February 12, 2016
***This review has also been posted on The Social Potato
After reading and loving three YA westerns last year, I expected Revenge and the Wild to be another winner but sadly, I was let down. I went into this book expecting my mind to be blown and was ready to fall in love but that didn’t end up happening. Instead, I was very disappointed.
One of the biggest problems with the book is that it isn’t very consistent. This could be because I am reading the eARC as opposed to the final copy but while I was reading the book, there were many details that would come out of nowhere and left me feeling confused. It seemed like things were being pulled from thin air and there wasn’t a lot of consistency throughout the text.
The main character was an okay human being and I liked how independent she was (without having to crossdress to be free) but I hated the way her alcoholism was treated in the book. For starters, I would have liked a better background but also just a more realistic struggle with alcoholism. I didn’t want it to be something that was meant to add to her character, I wanted the alcoholism to be explored and given the attention it deserved. Instead, it just became a deus ex machina and that was really disappointing.
On top of that (if you heard me rant on social media you might already know this) this book puts forward a very uncomfortable idea of sex. The main character describes sex as a gift to be given and that was not something I was okay with. Of course, there is nothing wrong with wanting your first experience to be special but the way this scene was written made the main character seem extremely passive. As if, her enjoyment was not important at all and it also seemed to imply that a sexual encounter is not worth having if it isn’t super special. THAT IS A LIE and definitely not what I would describe as sex positive.
So, going back to the main character. Every guy seems to be in love with her? I wouldn’t necessarily describe the situation as a love rectangle but there are a lot of men vying for her attention even if she is clearly in love with one of them. I didn’t understand that but I am also just generally opposed to every guy being interested in the MC. There is something very off-putting about that.
The ‘main’ romance in the book was actually pretty decent until the love interest--Alistair-- gives a shit explanation for why he was a douche for all those years. Then I was just like why?!?! It was the worst excuse in the entire universe and Alistair deserves to be punched in the face for his pathetic excuses.
Moving on, the world building in this book was actually pretty awesome-sauce and I liked the way magic mingled with the wild west. There were some references to things that happened in real life which just helped add to the world. I will say that I do wish the storyline with the natives had gone another way. The author uses them to make many valid points but I would have been so happy if they were an even bigger part of the novel (especially since they contribute so much to the world of this book.)
The plot of this book did seem all over the place though. There seem to be a bunch of inter-related things going on but the various pieces of the puzzle didn’t fit together as well as they could have. There was also this twist at the end that just creeped me out. It could have been a really good twist but given everything else that had happened, I was seriously weirded out by it.
Would I recommend this book? If anything I mentioned in my review is off putting to you, you might want to steer clear but I do know that many reviewers whose opinions I trust have enjoyed this book so perhaps you might too!
Note that I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
After reading and loving three YA westerns last year, I expected Revenge and the Wild to be another winner but sadly, I was let down. I went into this book expecting my mind to be blown and was ready to fall in love but that didn’t end up happening. Instead, I was very disappointed.
One of the biggest problems with the book is that it isn’t very consistent. This could be because I am reading the eARC as opposed to the final copy but while I was reading the book, there were many details that would come out of nowhere and left me feeling confused. It seemed like things were being pulled from thin air and there wasn’t a lot of consistency throughout the text.
The main character was an okay human being and I liked how independent she was (without having to crossdress to be free) but I hated the way her alcoholism was treated in the book. For starters, I would have liked a better background but also just a more realistic struggle with alcoholism. I didn’t want it to be something that was meant to add to her character, I wanted the alcoholism to be explored and given the attention it deserved. Instead, it just became a deus ex machina and that was really disappointing.
On top of that (if you heard me rant on social media you might already know this) this book puts forward a very uncomfortable idea of sex. The main character describes sex as a gift to be given and that was not something I was okay with. Of course, there is nothing wrong with wanting your first experience to be special but the way this scene was written made the main character seem extremely passive. As if, her enjoyment was not important at all and it also seemed to imply that a sexual encounter is not worth having if it isn’t super special. THAT IS A LIE and definitely not what I would describe as sex positive.
So, going back to the main character. Every guy seems to be in love with her? I wouldn’t necessarily describe the situation as a love rectangle but there are a lot of men vying for her attention even if she is clearly in love with one of them. I didn’t understand that but I am also just generally opposed to every guy being interested in the MC. There is something very off-putting about that.
The ‘main’ romance in the book was actually pretty decent until the love interest--Alistair-- gives a shit explanation for why he was a douche for all those years. Then I was just like why?!?! It was the worst excuse in the entire universe and Alistair deserves to be punched in the face for his pathetic excuses.
Moving on, the world building in this book was actually pretty awesome-sauce and I liked the way magic mingled with the wild west. There were some references to things that happened in real life which just helped add to the world. I will say that I do wish the storyline with the natives had gone another way. The author uses them to make many valid points but I would have been so happy if they were an even bigger part of the novel (especially since they contribute so much to the world of this book.)
The plot of this book did seem all over the place though. There seem to be a bunch of inter-related things going on but the various pieces of the puzzle didn’t fit together as well as they could have. There was also this twist at the end that just creeped me out. It could have been a really good twist but given everything else that had happened, I was seriously weirded out by it.
Would I recommend this book? If anything I mentioned in my review is off putting to you, you might want to steer clear but I do know that many reviewers whose opinions I trust have enjoyed this book so perhaps you might too!
Note that I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
January 18, 2016
When a fantasy is a standalone, I’m instantly wary. I’m reluctant to pick it up. I just end up not picking it up, even if I’m intrigued by the synopsis.
Why? Because I doubt an author can create a conflict, fully solve this conflict, build a believable world, and develop a fleshed out cast of characters, all in the span of one book.
Luckily for me, I didn’t even know Michelle Modesto’s debut, THE REVENGE AND THE WILD, was fantasy. Nor did I know it was a standalone. I though it was a western novel, and I was in love with the cover enough to pick it up.
Because we all know I judge books by their covers. Blame it on the designer in me.
Fast forward a few weeks after I discovered the book, back when it merely had a blurb of a synopsis to its name, and I was going through a series of DNFs. I’d say I was on a DNF-ing spree. It was bad. Really bad.
I felt certain REVENGE AND THE WILD would be next, and opened up the eARC with a heavy heart.
I read one page, which became two. Then a chapter, and then another. I read about a magical dome and vampires and trolls and did a double-take. For I had no idea it was a fantasy.
My interest was piqued and the pages continued to virtually flip faster than I thought they would.
I was loving it.
The world was utterly unique. Unlike any other fantasy I’ve read before, combing the strains of steampunk, a western setting in America, weaving in Native Americans, and throwing in a huge heaping of the paranormal/supernatural. Werewolves, vampires, cannibals, leprechauns, fairies. It was an unbelievable mix that I thought would get confusing fast.
But Michelle Modesto knows how to weave a story, and boy does she weave it well.
Aside from the phenomenal world, we have our characters. Westie, was a brilliant protagonist. She has a mechanical arm that makes her stronger and subsequently braver. She has a big mouth and a great heart. Her character arc was spectacular.
Then there was Alistair, Nigel, Costin, James, Isabelle, and more. The cast was amazing. So well done and fleshed out and I had no trouble envisioning them.
So with a great world and great characters, you’re probably expecting the plot to be not so great, yes? How can one book be so good, bordering, dare I say, perfect?
REVENGE AND THE WILD is a book that is very near perfect. The plot was one that revolved around Westie, with subplots that revolved around Westie. That soon gobbled up the world and suddenly everyone was in danger. Yet, as the book was a standalone, it ends beautifully. With hope, and happiness, and a sense of peace that I couldn’t help but compare to what most of us would like for our own world.
See, if I start drawing comparisons between a fantasy world and my own, then you know I loved it. Even now, weeks after I’ve finished Michelle Modesto’s debut, I still remember everything and my love is still going strong.
So go. Pick up this amazing debut and get cozy. REVENGE AND THE WILD is one wicked ride you don’t want to miss.
Visit IceyBooks for more reviews
Why? Because I doubt an author can create a conflict, fully solve this conflict, build a believable world, and develop a fleshed out cast of characters, all in the span of one book.
Luckily for me, I didn’t even know Michelle Modesto’s debut, THE REVENGE AND THE WILD, was fantasy. Nor did I know it was a standalone. I though it was a western novel, and I was in love with the cover enough to pick it up.
Because we all know I judge books by their covers. Blame it on the designer in me.
Fast forward a few weeks after I discovered the book, back when it merely had a blurb of a synopsis to its name, and I was going through a series of DNFs. I’d say I was on a DNF-ing spree. It was bad. Really bad.
I felt certain REVENGE AND THE WILD would be next, and opened up the eARC with a heavy heart.
I read one page, which became two. Then a chapter, and then another. I read about a magical dome and vampires and trolls and did a double-take. For I had no idea it was a fantasy.
My interest was piqued and the pages continued to virtually flip faster than I thought they would.
I was loving it.
The world was utterly unique. Unlike any other fantasy I’ve read before, combing the strains of steampunk, a western setting in America, weaving in Native Americans, and throwing in a huge heaping of the paranormal/supernatural. Werewolves, vampires, cannibals, leprechauns, fairies. It was an unbelievable mix that I thought would get confusing fast.
But Michelle Modesto knows how to weave a story, and boy does she weave it well.
Aside from the phenomenal world, we have our characters. Westie, was a brilliant protagonist. She has a mechanical arm that makes her stronger and subsequently braver. She has a big mouth and a great heart. Her character arc was spectacular.
Then there was Alistair, Nigel, Costin, James, Isabelle, and more. The cast was amazing. So well done and fleshed out and I had no trouble envisioning them.
So with a great world and great characters, you’re probably expecting the plot to be not so great, yes? How can one book be so good, bordering, dare I say, perfect?
REVENGE AND THE WILD is a book that is very near perfect. The plot was one that revolved around Westie, with subplots that revolved around Westie. That soon gobbled up the world and suddenly everyone was in danger. Yet, as the book was a standalone, it ends beautifully. With hope, and happiness, and a sense of peace that I couldn’t help but compare to what most of us would like for our own world.
See, if I start drawing comparisons between a fantasy world and my own, then you know I loved it. Even now, weeks after I’ve finished Michelle Modesto’s debut, I still remember everything and my love is still going strong.
So go. Pick up this amazing debut and get cozy. REVENGE AND THE WILD is one wicked ride you don’t want to miss.
Visit IceyBooks for more reviews
December 14, 2015
Wow this book was really good! I'm going to forever call Revenge And The Wild "the kitchen sink book" because Michelle took everything she could think of including the kitchen sink and put it into this novel! This book was a historical, western, fantasy, with steampunk, magic, and paranormal elements. And you would think that having all of that it wouldn't work but, in this case it really did!
Also let me talk about the MC Westie for a bit. She was totally crass and I loved her. She cursed like a sailor and could drink most men under the table! Also I loved the love story it had the perfect slow burn.
There also is a vampire in this that won my heart! Costin could bite me anytime lol
Overall this book rocked and I'm kinda sad it was a standalone. I'd love to spend more time in this world and I can't wait to see what Michelle comes up with next!
Also let me talk about the MC Westie for a bit. She was totally crass and I loved her. She cursed like a sailor and could drink most men under the table! Also I loved the love story it had the perfect slow burn.
There also is a vampire in this that won my heart! Costin could bite me anytime lol
Overall this book rocked and I'm kinda sad it was a standalone. I'd love to spend more time in this world and I can't wait to see what Michelle comes up with next!
March 27, 2016
2 1/2 stars
I started off really liking Revenge and the Wild and thought it could easily be a four-star read. It had everything I wanted - an unapologetic heroine, gritty western violence, and an intriguing story. But as the plot went on, it felt as though the author wasn't quite sure where she was directing the story. The more I read, the more choppy and confusing the plot became.
At first I loved the storyline that was gory and I had strangely never come across in YA before - cannibals. That's right, in this book Westie's family was captured and eaten by cannibals on the wagon train. Westie managed to escape the cannibals with the loss of her arm, and now, years later, the cannibals show up in town and Wesite has an understandable, burning desire to get revenge.
The grizzly details describing the stew in the cannibals' cabin cooking strange-looking meat really grossed me out - especially considering I'm a vegetarian - but I mean, it was also kind of awesome. Cannibals as the bad guys? That's not something you read every day.
The setting was a weirdly cool mixture of genres - historical fiction and fantasy. There was the typical western setting - saloons, guns, and outlaws - but there were also elves, trolls, werewolves, and vampires. Surprisingly, this combination really worked for me and Modesto somehow made it feel natural for a vampire to be walking down a dusty street in a cowboy town.
I think all the problems I had can be boiled down to the writing. It felt so scattered and amateur. One minute Westie would be sneaking around town looking for proof that the cannibals murdered her family, then in the next chapter she was dancing with Alistair and going on and on about how his gorgeous eyes made her feel all melty.
I also felt like Westie sold herself as more than she was. Everyone called her "foul-mouthed" and "unladylike" but I've read about much tougher heroines than her. The truth is Westie rarely swore, wore dresses, and swooned over every guy who looked her way. I think characters in other westerns I've read, Under a Painted Sky and Vengeance Road, were much more hardcore than Westie.
This book began with lots of potential, but was lacking in the big climatic ending I was anticipating. It's sad, too, because with smoother writing and a better execution of the plot, I think I could have really enjoyed it.
I started off really liking Revenge and the Wild and thought it could easily be a four-star read. It had everything I wanted - an unapologetic heroine, gritty western violence, and an intriguing story. But as the plot went on, it felt as though the author wasn't quite sure where she was directing the story. The more I read, the more choppy and confusing the plot became.
At first I loved the storyline that was gory and I had strangely never come across in YA before - cannibals. That's right, in this book Westie's family was captured and eaten by cannibals on the wagon train. Westie managed to escape the cannibals with the loss of her arm, and now, years later, the cannibals show up in town and Wesite has an understandable, burning desire to get revenge.
The grizzly details describing the stew in the cannibals' cabin cooking strange-looking meat really grossed me out - especially considering I'm a vegetarian - but I mean, it was also kind of awesome. Cannibals as the bad guys? That's not something you read every day.
The setting was a weirdly cool mixture of genres - historical fiction and fantasy. There was the typical western setting - saloons, guns, and outlaws - but there were also elves, trolls, werewolves, and vampires. Surprisingly, this combination really worked for me and Modesto somehow made it feel natural for a vampire to be walking down a dusty street in a cowboy town.
I think all the problems I had can be boiled down to the writing. It felt so scattered and amateur. One minute Westie would be sneaking around town looking for proof that the cannibals murdered her family, then in the next chapter she was dancing with Alistair and going on and on about how his gorgeous eyes made her feel all melty.
I also felt like Westie sold herself as more than she was. Everyone called her "foul-mouthed" and "unladylike" but I've read about much tougher heroines than her. The truth is Westie rarely swore, wore dresses, and swooned over every guy who looked her way. I think characters in other westerns I've read, Under a Painted Sky and Vengeance Road, were much more hardcore than Westie.
This book began with lots of potential, but was lacking in the big climatic ending I was anticipating. It's sad, too, because with smoother writing and a better execution of the plot, I think I could have really enjoyed it.
April 12, 2016
Черт, эта книга прекрасна. Я начала её какое-то количество времени назад, но именно сегодня я по-настоящему взялась за нее и проглотила за несколько часов.
Что мы имеем в этой книге? Прекрасную не мэри-сьюшную героиню с металлической рукой (я, как тру фан Цельнометаллического алхимика, не могу не обожать это) и алкоголизмом (мне понравился серьезный подход автора к этому, так как я сама терпеть не могу алкоголь и считаю зависимость от него серьезной проблемой), её немой, израненный и очень милый лав интерест по имени Алистер, который когда-то был другом гг до того, как замкнулся в себе и перестал общаться с ней, а также еще несколько удивительных персонажей вроде опекуна героини и странноватого вампира.
+ различные существа: вампиры, оборотни, эльфы, гномы и даже чупакабры и магический купол, защищающий город.
И да, также там есть семейка каннибалов, что в общем-то довольно пугающе, но не менее интересно.
Короче, в этой книге вы найдете все, что вы хотите, если вы ценитель YA фэнтези.
Что мы имеем в этой книге? Прекрасную не мэри-сьюшную героиню с металлической рукой (я, как тру фан Цельнометаллического алхимика, не могу не обожать это) и алкоголизмом (мне понравился серьезный подход автора к этому, так как я сама терпеть не могу алкоголь и считаю зависимость от него серьезной проблемой), её немой, израненный и очень милый лав интерест по имени Алистер, который когда-то был другом гг до того, как замкнулся в себе и перестал общаться с ней, а также еще несколько удивительных персонажей вроде опекуна героини и странноватого вампира.
+ различные существа: вампиры, оборотни, эльфы, гномы и даже чупакабры и магический купол, защищающий город.
И да, также там есть семейка каннибалов, что в общем-то довольно пугающе, но не менее интересно.
Короче, в этой книге вы найдете все, что вы хотите, если вы ценитель YA фэнтези.
July 26, 2016
Holy Canoli! This book! What can I say about REVENGE AND THE WILD by Michelle Modesto except that it is AMAZING and unlike anything I have read before it. This epic tale of girl trying to find her parents murderers is wholly different and disturbingly fascinating.
As I began to dive into REVENGE AND THE WILD I did not know what to expect. It all seemed like a gun-slinging revenge western that quickly morphed into the best genre mash-up ever. We are introduced to elements of steampunk and magic while visiting a mind bending list of paranormal characters as Westie tries to find the cannibals, yes you read it correctly, cannibals that claims ate her parents and nearly killed her. When she returns from another failed mission she returns to a her hometown and realizes that the magic protecting her town is fading and there is nothing that can be done to stop it except the invention of her adopted father.
Westie. Oh, dear Westie. She is beautiful, crass, and completely hell bent on seeking revenge and causing havoc to anyone that stands in her way. The only two people she respects are her adoptive father Nigel and Alistair, the boy she cannot stop thinking about. But her world is set on its axis when she believes that her father's saviors are the very same ones that ate her family and nearly killed her many years ago.
Michelle Modesto has penned a novel that is truly unique and engagingly brilliant while showcasing one of the most unforgettable heroines you will ever meet. I don't think I have laughed this much while being equally terrified as I plowed on through this read. It's lines like this that kept me belly aching with laughter.
"Do you see any other dumb shits around here with a death wish?"
This novel is perfect for fans of every paranormal creature and genre imaginable and then some. Believe me, you will be pleasantly surprised by how everything fits together so well and you will cry for more when you are finished.
Bon appetit!!
As I began to dive into REVENGE AND THE WILD I did not know what to expect. It all seemed like a gun-slinging revenge western that quickly morphed into the best genre mash-up ever. We are introduced to elements of steampunk and magic while visiting a mind bending list of paranormal characters as Westie tries to find the cannibals, yes you read it correctly, cannibals that claims ate her parents and nearly killed her. When she returns from another failed mission she returns to a her hometown and realizes that the magic protecting her town is fading and there is nothing that can be done to stop it except the invention of her adopted father.
Westie. Oh, dear Westie. She is beautiful, crass, and completely hell bent on seeking revenge and causing havoc to anyone that stands in her way. The only two people she respects are her adoptive father Nigel and Alistair, the boy she cannot stop thinking about. But her world is set on its axis when she believes that her father's saviors are the very same ones that ate her family and nearly killed her many years ago.
Michelle Modesto has penned a novel that is truly unique and engagingly brilliant while showcasing one of the most unforgettable heroines you will ever meet. I don't think I have laughed this much while being equally terrified as I plowed on through this read. It's lines like this that kept me belly aching with laughter.
"Do you see any other dumb shits around here with a death wish?"
This novel is perfect for fans of every paranormal creature and genre imaginable and then some. Believe me, you will be pleasantly surprised by how everything fits together so well and you will cry for more when you are finished.
Bon appetit!!
September 22, 2015
Good idea, but flat characters and love square have ruined it.
Want to read
March 26, 2017THE HEROINE OF THIS BOOK LOST HER ARM TO CANNIBALS.
LOST. HER ARM. TO CANNIBALS.
I... I don't know what to think.
(Also, did the cannibals just, like, eat it off of her, or did they cut it off first, or...... Why am I wondering about this...?)
*half-heartedly* Anyway, steampunk and vengeance in the wild west, woo! I'll just ignore the... cannibals.
LOST. HER ARM. TO CANNIBALS.
I... I don't know what to think.
(Also, did the cannibals just, like, eat it off of her, or did they cut it off first, or...... Why am I wondering about this...?)
*half-heartedly* Anyway, steampunk and vengeance in the wild west, woo! I'll just ignore the... cannibals.
February 16, 2016
This and other reviews on my blog My Friends Are Fiction
My Thoughts:
I really had no clue what to expect from Revenge and the Wild. I assumed with “wild” in the title I’d get some wild west but I did not expect all the fantasy and paranormal elements. It was a really wonderful inclusion and so unique. Modesto was able to weave together a wild west setting with vampires, cannibals, magic with a dash of steam punk. How was this even possible?
Had I known that all these elements would collide in one story I think I’d have been pretty hesitant because wow….that’s just so much to throw into one setting and story. But Modesto somehow succeeded in having me believe that her world was plausible and that all these characters could all be inhabitants. Rogue City was actually pretty easy to visualize and imagine.
I really loved Westie, the main character. She was so incredibly flawed and yet so heartfelt. She struggled with addiction and insecurity and these elements made her more intriguing to me. I found it easy to love her and hurt for her past and the pain she dealt with presently. This poor girl really had it rough. As a child she lost her family to cannibals and barely made it out alive. Yes. Cannibals. And somehow it all works. I’m not entirely sure how!
The secondary characters were beautifully executed for the most part. I found the vampire, Costin, to be a particular favorite as well as Westie’s adopted family- Nigel and Alley. Each character had depth and I could easily understand their point of view and motivations. The interactions between the characters and dialog were great and each character had their own voice. And there was chemistry! I fully shipped Westie with two folks in this book. That might lead to the question- was there a love triangle? Hmm, I guess technically yes but it worked for me. I think Westie’s emotions were explained well and completely understandable.
Where the novel sort of dipped for me was in the development of the bad guys. I felt the majority of them (yes more than one bad guy) were flat and though a motivation was given I didn’t exactly feel it.
This book was fast paced and the writing easy to read and digest. I felt it was straight to the point and Westie’s voice, in particular, was beautifully done. I found the very ending of the book to be lacking some. With the crazy mixture of genres I expected an ending that would blow me away with how strange it was but instead it was rather cliché. It wasn’t overly predictable but at the same time it was a bit of a let down. I felt the novel was strong enough not to suffer too much with the lackluster ending though.
Final Thoughts:
I found Revenge and the Wild to be a riveting and incredibly unique book. I’ve yet to see all the elements Modesto threw together work in one book but somehow it did in this one. I loved the main character and felt that this was an immensely entertaining read.
My Thoughts:
I really had no clue what to expect from Revenge and the Wild. I assumed with “wild” in the title I’d get some wild west but I did not expect all the fantasy and paranormal elements. It was a really wonderful inclusion and so unique. Modesto was able to weave together a wild west setting with vampires, cannibals, magic with a dash of steam punk. How was this even possible?
Had I known that all these elements would collide in one story I think I’d have been pretty hesitant because wow….that’s just so much to throw into one setting and story. But Modesto somehow succeeded in having me believe that her world was plausible and that all these characters could all be inhabitants. Rogue City was actually pretty easy to visualize and imagine.
I really loved Westie, the main character. She was so incredibly flawed and yet so heartfelt. She struggled with addiction and insecurity and these elements made her more intriguing to me. I found it easy to love her and hurt for her past and the pain she dealt with presently. This poor girl really had it rough. As a child she lost her family to cannibals and barely made it out alive. Yes. Cannibals. And somehow it all works. I’m not entirely sure how!
The secondary characters were beautifully executed for the most part. I found the vampire, Costin, to be a particular favorite as well as Westie’s adopted family- Nigel and Alley. Each character had depth and I could easily understand their point of view and motivations. The interactions between the characters and dialog were great and each character had their own voice. And there was chemistry! I fully shipped Westie with two folks in this book. That might lead to the question- was there a love triangle? Hmm, I guess technically yes but it worked for me. I think Westie’s emotions were explained well and completely understandable.
Where the novel sort of dipped for me was in the development of the bad guys. I felt the majority of them (yes more than one bad guy) were flat and though a motivation was given I didn’t exactly feel it.
This book was fast paced and the writing easy to read and digest. I felt it was straight to the point and Westie’s voice, in particular, was beautifully done. I found the very ending of the book to be lacking some. With the crazy mixture of genres I expected an ending that would blow me away with how strange it was but instead it was rather cliché. It wasn’t overly predictable but at the same time it was a bit of a let down. I felt the novel was strong enough not to suffer too much with the lackluster ending though.
Final Thoughts:
I found Revenge and the Wild to be a riveting and incredibly unique book. I’ve yet to see all the elements Modesto threw together work in one book but somehow it did in this one. I loved the main character and felt that this was an immensely entertaining read.
August 25, 2017
Enjoyed this book much more towards the end. It felt really long and the plot was really drawn out but I loved the twists and the characters. Looking forward to more from this author #2016DebAuthC
This review was originally posted at https://freadomlibrary.wordpress.com/
Critically
Plot – 3.5 out of 5 stars
It was a very slow moving plot but also had a lot of different elements of genres working together. It had paranormal, steampunk, historical fiction and some western aspects all over. It was very unique in it’s premise and execution but kind of dragged at times. There was revenge, death, travel, action and mystery. There are a lot of things that contradict each other and make the story feel messy.
Writing Style – 3 out of 5 stars
This is the part that I had the most trouble with. The book is short but the writing made it feel very long and dragged out. It’s very descriptive and detailed which in general is great, but it kind of felt like too much at times. It was really slowed paced and there were some parts that I found really boring, kind of mudding through as I wait for the action to start. But at the same time, it was easy to read and understand.
Characters – 4 out of 5 stars
I’m a huge fan of the characters in this book. There’s a lot of them which felt overwhelming and sometimes as little bit extensive. Our main character Westie is quite awesome but also a huge contrast within herself. She’s really rough and tough, tomboy kind of girl with a drinking problem. She’s badass and stubborn and decisive even when those decisions were not going to be helping anyone, not even her. She bothered me sometimes because she was so frustrating but I really liked her character development. I felt like I could see the difference between her in the beginning and the end. Her growth was great and natural, it didn’t feel rushed at all. There’s also a lot of supporting characters, quite a huge assemble cast. While there’s some of them that I really liked and were very well developed, there were others that were there just to be there. They were necessary to the plot but by the smallest degree and felt like there was absolutely no motivation for their existence except to cause trouble. There was also quite a number of love interests which unfortunately took more of a center stage than I was expecting. I would’ve liked it more if it made sense to have so many guys paying attention to our heroine but it felt forced most of the time. I felt like if there hadn’t been a romance a lot, I would’ve enjoyed this ten times more.
Emotionally
This review was originally posted at https://freadomlibrary.wordpress.com/
Critically
Plot – 3.5 out of 5 stars
It was a very slow moving plot but also had a lot of different elements of genres working together. It had paranormal, steampunk, historical fiction and some western aspects all over. It was very unique in it’s premise and execution but kind of dragged at times. There was revenge, death, travel, action and mystery. There are a lot of things that contradict each other and make the story feel messy.
Writing Style – 3 out of 5 stars
This is the part that I had the most trouble with. The book is short but the writing made it feel very long and dragged out. It’s very descriptive and detailed which in general is great, but it kind of felt like too much at times. It was really slowed paced and there were some parts that I found really boring, kind of mudding through as I wait for the action to start. But at the same time, it was easy to read and understand.
Characters – 4 out of 5 stars
I’m a huge fan of the characters in this book. There’s a lot of them which felt overwhelming and sometimes as little bit extensive. Our main character Westie is quite awesome but also a huge contrast within herself. She’s really rough and tough, tomboy kind of girl with a drinking problem. She’s badass and stubborn and decisive even when those decisions were not going to be helping anyone, not even her. She bothered me sometimes because she was so frustrating but I really liked her character development. I felt like I could see the difference between her in the beginning and the end. Her growth was great and natural, it didn’t feel rushed at all. There’s also a lot of supporting characters, quite a huge assemble cast. While there’s some of them that I really liked and were very well developed, there were others that were there just to be there. They were necessary to the plot but by the smallest degree and felt like there was absolutely no motivation for their existence except to cause trouble. There was also quite a number of love interests which unfortunately took more of a center stage than I was expecting. I would’ve liked it more if it made sense to have so many guys paying attention to our heroine but it felt forced most of the time. I felt like if there hadn’t been a romance a lot, I would’ve enjoyed this ten times more.
Emotionally
January 10, 2016
Istyria book blog ~ A World of Enchanted Books
4.5 stars
Okay, so I went into this expecting a YA historical fiction novel. A western with cannibals. That's not what I got. I got a YA Historical Fiction/Fantasy/Steampunk/Romance. And I'm sure I'm missing something. A clash of genres like this could very easily backfire on the autor and suck big time. Luckily though, Revenge and The Wild did not suck in the least.
Revenge and The Wild tells the story of Westie. Westie lives in Rogue City, a lawless place full of magic, saloons, monsters, and six-shooters. Westie has been in the care of local inventor Nigel ever since she lost her family and her arm to cannibals at a young age. Westie seems tough on the outside with her powerful mechanical arm and foul mouth, but her past continues to haunt her. Then one day a wealthy family comes into town, looking to invest in Nigel's latest invention. And they look exactly like the family that killed Westie's.
This book was entirely too awesome and so much fun. There's tons of action that made my heart pound a mile a minute. There's a lot of swoons that made my heart race and characters that crept into my heart before I got a chance to stop them. Whoever it was that said there's not enough morally complicated YA these days, really should read this book because my god, it really doesn't hold back. There's violence. Lots of it. And I liked it. The romance was soooo good. Yes, there's a great ship to be shipped, people. And again, the author doesn't hold back. It doesn't go far enough to make it a more adult novel, though. It comes a bit close in one scene but I don't think that's a bad thing because these kind of things are normal and I like it when authors touch upon the intimate parts of a relationship without handling it with kid gloves. I'm just saying. There's no holding back.
I loved loved LOVED the characters. Costin, the badass vampire. He's just awesome and if it wasn't for that one other person I would've shipped him with Westie so hard. Also Nigel, Westie's adoptive father. He's so cool, really. Bena was awesome too. Alistair. SIGH, Alistair. He's badass and sweet and cool and I adore him. He's perfect for Westie. And yes, Westie. I loved her too. She was a kickass heroine that didn't need anyone protecting her and that's just how I like my heroines. She's flawed, but she's perfect. That makes sense, right? There's one tiny thing that kept me from giving it five stars though. And that's the way the characters talk. This feels like a historical novel. A western with some fantasy and steampunk mixed in. But sometimes the historical/western part got a tiny bit lost because they talk very modern. I didn't mind because I'm not a big historical fan anyway, but it would've fit a bit better with the book, I think.
Overall Revenge and The Wild is a very unique, original and awesome book that you absolutely have to read. I would recommend this to fans of... hmm... Well... Young Adult in general I guess. If you're a fan of either genres this book has, and you want something different, this one is the perfect choice.
4.5 stars
Okay, so I went into this expecting a YA historical fiction novel. A western with cannibals. That's not what I got. I got a YA Historical Fiction/Fantasy/Steampunk/Romance. And I'm sure I'm missing something. A clash of genres like this could very easily backfire on the autor and suck big time. Luckily though, Revenge and The Wild did not suck in the least.
Revenge and The Wild tells the story of Westie. Westie lives in Rogue City, a lawless place full of magic, saloons, monsters, and six-shooters. Westie has been in the care of local inventor Nigel ever since she lost her family and her arm to cannibals at a young age. Westie seems tough on the outside with her powerful mechanical arm and foul mouth, but her past continues to haunt her. Then one day a wealthy family comes into town, looking to invest in Nigel's latest invention. And they look exactly like the family that killed Westie's.
This book was entirely too awesome and so much fun. There's tons of action that made my heart pound a mile a minute. There's a lot of swoons that made my heart race and characters that crept into my heart before I got a chance to stop them. Whoever it was that said there's not enough morally complicated YA these days, really should read this book because my god, it really doesn't hold back. There's violence. Lots of it. And I liked it. The romance was soooo good. Yes, there's a great ship to be shipped, people. And again, the author doesn't hold back. It doesn't go far enough to make it a more adult novel, though. It comes a bit close in one scene but I don't think that's a bad thing because these kind of things are normal and I like it when authors touch upon the intimate parts of a relationship without handling it with kid gloves. I'm just saying. There's no holding back.
I loved loved LOVED the characters. Costin, the badass vampire. He's just awesome and if it wasn't for that one other person I would've shipped him with Westie so hard. Also Nigel, Westie's adoptive father. He's so cool, really. Bena was awesome too. Alistair. SIGH, Alistair. He's badass and sweet and cool and I adore him. He's perfect for Westie. And yes, Westie. I loved her too. She was a kickass heroine that didn't need anyone protecting her and that's just how I like my heroines. She's flawed, but she's perfect. That makes sense, right? There's one tiny thing that kept me from giving it five stars though. And that's the way the characters talk. This feels like a historical novel. A western with some fantasy and steampunk mixed in. But sometimes the historical/western part got a tiny bit lost because they talk very modern. I didn't mind because I'm not a big historical fan anyway, but it would've fit a bit better with the book, I think.
Overall Revenge and The Wild is a very unique, original and awesome book that you absolutely have to read. I would recommend this to fans of... hmm... Well... Young Adult in general I guess. If you're a fan of either genres this book has, and you want something different, this one is the perfect choice.
January 22, 2016
This review was originally posted on It Starts at Midnight
I have some mixed feelings about this one. I will fully admit that the cover will go firmly into the "good" section, because look at it. But alas, we aren't here for that. I'd say that I liked this more than I didn't like it, but I did have some pretty sizable issues.
The Good Stuff
So, the characters in the book were pretty fabulous. They'd all suffered a lot, because this world basically sucked. Westie, the main character, had a mechanical arm because people tried to freaking eat her. Yeah, and succeed in eating her arm. And oh yes, her family. Messed up as that is, it was intriguing for sure and is a positive. Now, not only did I love Westie, but I loved the entire cast of supporting characters. Or hated them with a fiery passion, depending on the character in question. At any rate, I was definitely invested in their stories!
There's also a lot of adventurous plot happening as Westie plans her revenge (in the wild, no less, how about that?). Well, plan is maybe not the right word, because Westie just basically reacts to stuff without thinking anything through, so most of the time she's either trying to prove herself, or trying not to die. Or be eaten. Again.
The Not as Good Stuff
See, cannibals aren't the only creatures roaming the west. No, there are vampires, and magical Native Americans, and trolls, and a bunch of others that I am probably not remembering perfectly at all. I just don't know that they were all necessary? I mean, sure, the cannibals, because they are what threw the whole story into motion. But vampires and trolls (and elves, I think, maybe)? I just didn't really get why they were all involved. There wasn't really a good enough explanation for me to buy it. And there's a lot of different plot stuff happening too. There's political stuff, there's some issues with alcohol abuse, and survival, and wagon trails which makes me think of like, The Oregon Trail circa 1848. Which maybe it was supposed to, but I didn't really know, which brings me to the next issue.
I didn't really understand the world. I guess it was supposed to be historical, technically? But since there were mechanical arms and vampires and no real clues on what the actual time period was, I just kind of surmised the historical part from tags on Goodreads, so that's super professional.
I feel like maybe it all could have worked if there was time to build the world and the backstory and really introduce all the subplots and characters, but it just felt like a very brief overview of a lot of topics, and took away from the main story.
Bottom Line: It was entertaining and I enjoyed the characters, but some of the potential fizzled with plot and character overload and not enough pages to flesh it all out. Still, I was definitely invested enough to want to know how the story ended.
*Copy provided by publisher for review
I have some mixed feelings about this one. I will fully admit that the cover will go firmly into the "good" section, because look at it. But alas, we aren't here for that. I'd say that I liked this more than I didn't like it, but I did have some pretty sizable issues.
The Good Stuff
So, the characters in the book were pretty fabulous. They'd all suffered a lot, because this world basically sucked. Westie, the main character, had a mechanical arm because people tried to freaking eat her. Yeah, and succeed in eating her arm. And oh yes, her family. Messed up as that is, it was intriguing for sure and is a positive. Now, not only did I love Westie, but I loved the entire cast of supporting characters. Or hated them with a fiery passion, depending on the character in question. At any rate, I was definitely invested in their stories!
There's also a lot of adventurous plot happening as Westie plans her revenge (in the wild, no less, how about that?). Well, plan is maybe not the right word, because Westie just basically reacts to stuff without thinking anything through, so most of the time she's either trying to prove herself, or trying not to die. Or be eaten. Again.
The Not as Good Stuff
See, cannibals aren't the only creatures roaming the west. No, there are vampires, and magical Native Americans, and trolls, and a bunch of others that I am probably not remembering perfectly at all. I just don't know that they were all necessary? I mean, sure, the cannibals, because they are what threw the whole story into motion. But vampires and trolls (and elves, I think, maybe)? I just didn't really get why they were all involved. There wasn't really a good enough explanation for me to buy it. And there's a lot of different plot stuff happening too. There's political stuff, there's some issues with alcohol abuse, and survival, and wagon trails which makes me think of like, The Oregon Trail circa 1848. Which maybe it was supposed to, but I didn't really know, which brings me to the next issue.
I didn't really understand the world. I guess it was supposed to be historical, technically? But since there were mechanical arms and vampires and no real clues on what the actual time period was, I just kind of surmised the historical part from tags on Goodreads, so that's super professional.
I feel like maybe it all could have worked if there was time to build the world and the backstory and really introduce all the subplots and characters, but it just felt like a very brief overview of a lot of topics, and took away from the main story.
Bottom Line: It was entertaining and I enjoyed the characters, but some of the potential fizzled with plot and character overload and not enough pages to flesh it all out. Still, I was definitely invested enough to want to know how the story ended.
*Copy provided by publisher for review
January 15, 2016
Disclaimer: I received a free copy via Edelweiss for review purposes.
First Impressions: I liked the Steampunk aspect, and the mystery element. But I think there was too much going on; elves, dwarves, trolls, cannibals, vampires, werewolves, magic... An interesting read, but a lot going on.
Review: As a child, Westie and her family were attacked by cannibals on the wagon trail. Westie lost her arm, but her family lost their lives. Westie continues to mourn her family and searches for the cannibals that killed them. Nigel, an inventor, took her in as a child, taking her to live in Rogue City - a lawless place filled with saloons and magic, vampires and werewolves. Westie has a tough exterior, and a mechanical arm and wit. One day, the cannibals that Westie has been searching for arrive right on her doorstep, interested in investing in Nigel's latest invention - a machine that draws the magic from gold; the magic that protects Rogue City. Westie sets out to prove their guilt and make them pay for taking her family.
Revenge and the Wild was an enjoyable novel, but there were aspects that I felt brought the book down. I thought Westie was a remarkable character. She was tough, intelligent and her mechanical arm made her a fearsome woman to be meddled with. Westie has a drinking problem, and it debilitating, and the author does not shy away from it. There was a fantastic female friendship going on too, which was one of the highlights of Revenge and the Wild.
I enjoyed the romance between Westie and her mute companion Alistair, yet I felt it unnecessary to have a love square. Yes, the focus was on Alistair as the main romance interest, but I disliked the love triange/square.
I enjoyed the murder mystery and Westie's search for the cannibals that killed her family. Michelle Modesto manages to capture the reader with her twists and turns throughout. Yet what I felt let Revenge and the Wild down, was that there were just too much going on. There were trolls and elves, vampire and werewolves and it all felt too much. It felt like a big mash-up of everything supernatural. It might work for some, but unfortunately it didn't work for me.
Nevertheless, Revenge and the Wild is an enjoyable read, with a steampunk/western feel to it, but not entirely my cup of tea.
First Impressions: I liked the Steampunk aspect, and the mystery element. But I think there was too much going on; elves, dwarves, trolls, cannibals, vampires, werewolves, magic... An interesting read, but a lot going on.
Review: As a child, Westie and her family were attacked by cannibals on the wagon trail. Westie lost her arm, but her family lost their lives. Westie continues to mourn her family and searches for the cannibals that killed them. Nigel, an inventor, took her in as a child, taking her to live in Rogue City - a lawless place filled with saloons and magic, vampires and werewolves. Westie has a tough exterior, and a mechanical arm and wit. One day, the cannibals that Westie has been searching for arrive right on her doorstep, interested in investing in Nigel's latest invention - a machine that draws the magic from gold; the magic that protects Rogue City. Westie sets out to prove their guilt and make them pay for taking her family.
Revenge and the Wild was an enjoyable novel, but there were aspects that I felt brought the book down. I thought Westie was a remarkable character. She was tough, intelligent and her mechanical arm made her a fearsome woman to be meddled with. Westie has a drinking problem, and it debilitating, and the author does not shy away from it. There was a fantastic female friendship going on too, which was one of the highlights of Revenge and the Wild.
I enjoyed the romance between Westie and her mute companion Alistair, yet I felt it unnecessary to have a love square. Yes, the focus was on Alistair as the main romance interest, but I disliked the love triange/square.
I enjoyed the murder mystery and Westie's search for the cannibals that killed her family. Michelle Modesto manages to capture the reader with her twists and turns throughout. Yet what I felt let Revenge and the Wild down, was that there were just too much going on. There were trolls and elves, vampire and werewolves and it all felt too much. It felt like a big mash-up of everything supernatural. It might work for some, but unfortunately it didn't work for me.
Nevertheless, Revenge and the Wild is an enjoyable read, with a steampunk/western feel to it, but not entirely my cup of tea.
January 30, 2016
I was so excited for this. And while it was interesting and fun, I didn't really get sucked in.
I loved the concept. In a sort of alternate universe that's wild west meets magic and paranormal fantasy, Westie is hell-bent on revenge for her family after they were attacked by cannibals (cannibals!). Not only are there cannibals, but magical and paranormal creatures of all sorts roaming around (including the vampires, leprechauns, dwarfs, ogres and more).
I liked the wild west setting. I had just finished Vengeance Road and was dying for more gun-slinging, nitty-gritty adventure. And while were some really awesome good ol' fashion shoot-em-up fun...
the plot itself didn't really keep me engaged. As cool as the western cross paranormal mixed genre sounded, it was too much and I found the world-building all over the place. I did like the steampunk elements, but the story felt a bit convoluted and drawn out.
It was awesome that Westie was your not so typical YA heroine. She's a foul-mouthed, sassy, recovering alcoholic. But the romance in this book was kind of a downer, with this weird love square thing, and everyone falling in love with the heroine bit. Though I did like Alistair. He was cool.
Overall, it was a fun sorta Westerns read with a lot of potential and a tipsy-turvy twist at the end. It didn't quite hit the mark for it's world-building/plot but the action and grittiness kept things interesting.
{Thanks to Balzer + Bray and Edelweiss for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review. Original review at Bookmunchies
I loved the concept. In a sort of alternate universe that's wild west meets magic and paranormal fantasy, Westie is hell-bent on revenge for her family after they were attacked by cannibals (cannibals!). Not only are there cannibals, but magical and paranormal creatures of all sorts roaming around (including the vampires, leprechauns, dwarfs, ogres and more).
I liked the wild west setting. I had just finished Vengeance Road and was dying for more gun-slinging, nitty-gritty adventure. And while were some really awesome good ol' fashion shoot-em-up fun...
Westie's breath was erratic as she looked around at the six dead bandits lying in pools of blood and loosed bowels.
the plot itself didn't really keep me engaged. As cool as the western cross paranormal mixed genre sounded, it was too much and I found the world-building all over the place. I did like the steampunk elements, but the story felt a bit convoluted and drawn out.
It was awesome that Westie was your not so typical YA heroine. She's a foul-mouthed, sassy, recovering alcoholic. But the romance in this book was kind of a downer, with this weird love square thing, and everyone falling in love with the heroine bit. Though I did like Alistair. He was cool.
Overall, it was a fun sorta Westerns read with a lot of potential and a tipsy-turvy twist at the end. It didn't quite hit the mark for it's world-building/plot but the action and grittiness kept things interesting.
When Westie had asked if they were in need, both men looked up with blood on their faces and flesh between their teeth. Bodies had been scattered across the forest floor, their faces chewed to a pulp.
{Thanks to Balzer + Bray and Edelweiss for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review. Original review at Bookmunchies
January 31, 2016
I'm actually really disappointed that this is only a standalone, because it's one of those books where the world and characters and story could be taken so much further. I don't say this because the book felt incomplete in any way; it's more because I loved it so much that I wish I could read more about these characters.
Main character Westie is one of the most unique characters I've come across- partly because of the type of character that the odd mix of steampunk/fantasy/Western requires, and partly because she's so headstrong and foul-mouthed and to put it plainly, awesome. She's not completely without flaw- she struggles with alcoholism and has pretty bad manners (to put it lightly), but these negatives help her become a more rounded and realistic character.
The story is completely gripping as well. Basically, Westie's family was murdered by a family of cannibals, and she's therefore on the hunt for revenge and justice. They turn up in an unexpected way, and Westie has to come to terms with how she's going to take them down. So many things happen on her journey towards justice, with many of the other characters taking on interesting roles. It's rather awesome- the book has all sorts of mythical creatures. Vampires, zombies, trolls, chupacabras, clockwork creatures- you name it, this book probably has it in some form or another.
Basically, you need to read this book. It features so many different things that you're bound to love at least one of them.
Ratings
Overall: 9/10
Plot: 4.5/5
Romance: 4/5
Writing: 4.5/5
World Building: 4/5
Characters: 5/5
Cover: 3/5
Main character Westie is one of the most unique characters I've come across- partly because of the type of character that the odd mix of steampunk/fantasy/Western requires, and partly because she's so headstrong and foul-mouthed and to put it plainly, awesome. She's not completely without flaw- she struggles with alcoholism and has pretty bad manners (to put it lightly), but these negatives help her become a more rounded and realistic character.
The story is completely gripping as well. Basically, Westie's family was murdered by a family of cannibals, and she's therefore on the hunt for revenge and justice. They turn up in an unexpected way, and Westie has to come to terms with how she's going to take them down. So many things happen on her journey towards justice, with many of the other characters taking on interesting roles. It's rather awesome- the book has all sorts of mythical creatures. Vampires, zombies, trolls, chupacabras, clockwork creatures- you name it, this book probably has it in some form or another.
Basically, you need to read this book. It features so many different things that you're bound to love at least one of them.
Ratings
Overall: 9/10
Plot: 4.5/5
Romance: 4/5
Writing: 4.5/5
World Building: 4/5
Characters: 5/5
Cover: 3/5
February 2, 2016
This book was so much fun and what a great twist at the end, did not see that coming at all! Full review to come soon!
November 27, 2015
Phew! I flew through these pages. I liked the paranormal/steampunk mash-up, which was delightfully odd. Plus, I can get behind a foul-mouthed, mechanical-armed heroine any day. So much fun!
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