Cold Fury (Cold Fury, #1)

Jul 24, 2012 Giselle rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, own, mystery-thriller

"Jason Bourne meets The Sopranos"! Yeah!

Starting off slowly, Cold Fury begins by throwing us into Sara's past - her family dynamics in particular - which has always been filled with whispers and secrets. This is all done via flashbacks and, while interesting, can become a bit tedious, or even confusing. Although I can't say that I was ever bored as the mysteriousness kept my attention from faltering. Page 104 is where it really begins, with a bang. House in shambles, her family gone, on the run...more "Jason Bourne meets The Sopranos"! Yeah!

Starting off slowly, Cold Fury begins by throwing us into Sara's past - her family dynamics in particular - which has always been filled with whispers and secrets. This is all done via flashbacks and, while interesting, can become a bit tedious, or even confusing. Although I can't say that I was ever bored as the mysteriousness kept my attention from faltering. Page 104 is where it really begins, with a bang. House in shambles, her family gone, on the run from what seems to be everyone who looks at her on the street; from this point on it's action packed until the very end. A race for answers - literally! With her pursuers ranging from family members to crooked cops, no one and nowhere is safe.

Like action movies, it's best to read this without thinking very much about the probabilities of what Sara conveniently stumbles upon that, at the very last second, saves her life. There are the typical conveniently located trap doors, tunnels, insider connections, and, my personal favourite: ninja rats. Ninja. Rats. :D Trained and bread to become body guards of sorts, rats, among other things, are the deus ex machina of this plot. On the same wavelength, there are flashes of paranormal powers that certain members of the mob inhibits. I was hoping that this would get a deeper explanation, or at least a bigger meaning. A few vague passages that are barely more than a brush off are not enough to give credibility to these plot elements. Thus, it makes it seem like a lot of twists are simply added for some extra oomph that, ultimately, means nothing. However, it works to give an exciting action mob story. You just have to roll with the punches.

Badass, smart, determined, courageous, are some of the qualities we see in our protagonist, Sara. Her tomboy ways - including learning how to box at 4 years old - will appeal to those who like a little kick in their female leads. Though I will never understand why after days of her being attacked and almost killed several times as soon as she steps outdoors, she decides it would be a good idea to go to school. Education above all else? This detail aside, I found her personality refreshing, and her fierceness, engaging. With a Mafia implicated plot comes a large history where we see how Sara's family comes into play in this complex, very well depicted, mob story which puts her right in the middle of it.

Yes, it has a very Bourne Identity feel to it, though I wouldn't go as far as saying it compares to it (as one of my favourite movie sagas this would be a near impossible feat). Intense and exciting with an intriguing ending that has me looking forward to book 2; if you're looking for an action-packed high speed chase, Cold Fury will definitely give you a run for your money!

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Apr 27, 2012 Marg K. rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2-star-rating

As always, I’ll give it to y'all straight. Despite the enticing synopsis describing Cold Fury as Jason Bourne meets The Sopranos, this book ain’t all that and a bag of chips. In actuality, it’s just a bag of chips—the kind that appears to be stuffed with yummy goodness, but once opened reveals itself to be filled with a whole lot of air…not to mention false promise & crushing disappointment. That’s not to say that Cold Fury didn’t have some goodness inside of it because it did, but there was...more As always, I’ll give it to y'all straight. Despite the enticing synopsis describing Cold Fury as Jason Bourne meets The Sopranos, this book ain’t all that and a bag of chips. In actuality, it’s just a bag of chips—the kind that appears to be stuffed with yummy goodness, but once opened reveals itself to be filled with a whole lot of air…not to mention false promise & crushing disappointment. That’s not to say that Cold Fury didn’t have some goodness inside of it because it did, but there was just not enough of that goodness to offset the book’s multiple missteps & shortcomings and to make it a satisfying read.

One of the things I did like about Cold Fury was its heroine, Sara Jane. Despite her over-the-top (and at times frustrating) tendency to want to handle practically every single conflict by beating it into whimpering submission, the girl was brave, smart, resilient, determined, loyal, and easy to relate to as well as like. Moreover, I enjoyed being inside of Sara’s head, seeing the story unfold through her POV, because (more often than not) she had a lot of insightful & amusing observations about the world & people around her.

Another thing that I enjoyed was the writing…well, except for the bits that had the characters conversing with each other (but I’ll get to that shortly). What I liked about the writing was its wittiness and its humor, which were often subtle & surprising and quite well-timed & incorporated into the narrative. The writing was also engagingly descriptive. Unfortunately, it fell incredibly short in regards to the dialogue. Man oh man, that was some incredibly cheesy & clichéd dialogue, and it kept alternating between being laughably exaggerated & painfully wooden. It was also frequently shallow.

Speaking of things that were cheesy & clichéd, the supporting characters seemed more like caricatures than realistic people, especially the bad guys. All of the characters aside from Sara Jane were one-note and very underdeveloped. They each had one (maybe two) overblown character traits that defined who they were and what role they played in the story and not much else. For example, there was the batshit crazy ski mask guy, the sleazy shifty uncle, the Mr. Miyagi-like mentor, the perfect boy-next-door love interest with zero personality, the genius wise-before-his-time little brother, the nerdy overweight best friend turned sidekick, etc. Truthfully, I could not stop cringing and rolling my eyes whenever these characters came on the scene. They were just too silly, boring, and completely uninspired.

On top of all of that, despite the sizable dose of fast-paced action that was injected into the second half of the book, the strong potential for suspense & excitement was shot to hell by way too much predictability & unbelievable convenience. Whenever the heroine was in any kind of trouble or was faced with an obstacle, a solution manifested itself almost immediately right out of thin air. And the solution was often implausible to the point of being absurd.

Finally, I will refrain from going off on a rant, but I do have to say that I found myself more than a little disappointed & bothered by the way the very serious issues of bullying and teen suicide were addressed & handled in this book.
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Jul 24, 2012 Christina (Ensconced in YA) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads

I won this book from goodreads first reads giveaways in exchange for an honest review.

Cold Fury by T.M. Goeglein is about a wonderful protagonist, Sara Jane, and her realization her family is missing. She has been trained as a boxer, and as she investigates her family's disappearance, she realizes that her parents have been keeping secrets upon secrets. Now she is the only one that can figure out the truth and save them.

I love the fact that I have so many books coming in that I can approach each...more

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Jul 25, 2012 Book Whales rated it 4 of 5 stars

Originally posted @ Book Whales

Cold Fury made me want to watch the sopranos again! This book is full of yummy goodness that will appeal to suspense and action lovers. The story will take you to the daunting streets of Chicago. Get ready for the twists and secrets that will put you on the edge of your seat. This book is fast paced!

The story is about Sara Jane’s quest to find her family and to discover the secrets behind the Rispoli Clan. She thought she had a normal life. She didn’t expect to be...more Originally posted @ Book Whales

Cold Fury made me want to watch the sopranos again! This book is full of yummy goodness that will appeal to suspense and action lovers. The story will take you to the daunting streets of Chicago. Get ready for the twists and secrets that will put you on the edge of your seat. This book is fast paced!

The story is about Sara Jane’s quest to find her family and to discover the secrets behind the Rispoli Clan. She thought she had a normal life. She didn’t expect to be a daughter of a mafia! Her uncle had betrayed her; parents and brother are missing and mean assassins are looking for her. Will she be able to her find her family? Are they still alive? You have to read this book to find out.

The world building is very good! I feel like I was watching a movie. The scenes are very cinematic! The part when Sara Jane watched her dad mauled by a guy in ski mask from a recorded camera made my heart pump so fast. It was gripping! The author did a great job keeping the readers glued to the book too. There were many questions and secrets that were yet to be revealed. I find myself thirsty for answers! I simply want to squish the book to get the answers right then and there. Instead, I patiently tried to control myself and let the story unfold. This book is a page turner.

The characters are vibrant and well developed. Sara Jane reminds me of Katniss and a bit of Harry Potter. She’s my favorite character here. I love how she’s independent and courageous. She won’t stop until she finds her family, all in one piece. I love her strong personality too! Willy is my second favorite. I love his perception in life. They way the author wrote the book, impressed me. Cross-gender narration is not easy. I give him two thumbs up for pulling it off. I enjoyed Sarah Jane as a character! How the author / Sarah narrates her life, past and present made this book an enjoyable read.

As for the love angle, this book has little romance it in. I must confess that I’ am disappointed. I love books that can make my knees weak due to the sugary dialogues and chivalrous acts. This book gave me none.

Overall, this book is a marvelous read! Cold Fury will satisfy the reader’s hunger for action and suspense. I can’t wait to read the second book!

Rating:

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Jul 18, 2012 Ashleigh Paige rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: back-in-the-oven-with-you-dear-book, blah-blah-blah, could-have-been-so-much-better, i-hate-infodumping, such-a-disappointment, the-shameful-shelf-of-get-rid-of-it

Also appears on The Screaming Nitpicker.

If I keep seeing the exact same issues in YA over and over again like I have been lately, I am going to put down the books for a little while and start making buttons in Photoshop. Typing out the same complaints over and over again gets old very quickly and if those buttons would create such a great shortcut for books like Cold Fury, whose problems I have all seen before and detailed my dislike of before. Negative portrayals of most women, spoilerific narr...more Also appears on The Screaming Nitpicker.

If I keep seeing the exact same issues in YA over and over again like I have been lately, I am going to put down the books for a little while and start making buttons in Photoshop. Typing out the same complaints over and over again gets old very quickly and if those buttons would create such a great shortcut for books like Cold Fury, whose problems I have all seen before and detailed my dislike of before. Negative portrayals of most women, spoilerific narrative choice, a badly developed heroine, and a slew of other issues made me happy to finish the book as quickly as I did.

On the bright side, I read this in a single day. Each chapter ends on a cliffhanger and it's easy to keep turning the pages. Maybe it was a little easier for me because I was trapped on a six-hour road trip and I wanted to get Cold Fury finished, but it stands that it was good enough for me to take only one day to read.

If a character is female in this book and their name is not Sara Jane Rispoli (and if they are not her mother; absent as she is, her mom doesn't get any characterization), they are almost certainly negatively portrayed. Uncle Buddy's wife Greta: cardboard character who is controlling, mean, and the implied reason the feud between Uncle Buddy and his brother got worse. Mandi Fishbaum: cardboard character who calls Sara Jane a slut and whose friends (all girls) join in to make fun of her. Gina: gossip. The major antagonist is also female.

What is that supposed to accomplish? Is Sara Jane supposed to look better in comparison with every other woman in the book? It doesn't work. It only makes me dislike the book more because that device is old and rather offensive to me. To be frank, Sara Jane could be genderswitched into a boy named Jack Rispoli and I would not know the difference. There is nothing authentically female about her voice or character.

Speaking of Sara Jane, I don't like action movies. This book, down to the hollow lead character who doesn't get any depth and just does what she needs to so the plot will advance and the lack of development, reminds me too much of the action movies that made me dislike the entire genre. Sara Jane had so many viable opportunities to show she has depth--a little bit of resentment toward her parents when she discovers how male children are prized over female children in Outfit families, for instance, because that's perfectly understandable--but she never takes them. She lives and breathes and moves, but inside, there is nothing complex going on. She's hollow.

Cold Fury has such an interesting, awesome storyline going on with the Chicago Outfit (better known as the mob), but the way in which it's executed and its history is explained is so droll that it becomes less interesting and awesome as a result. We learn the history of the Outfit and each family's place in it through pages and pages of infodumps by Sara Jane as she reads the notebook. I cared about what was being explained, but when delivered in such a dry way, I lost interest.

A few continuity issues range from mild, like when she first felt cold fury (we learn early on it happened during a boxing match; later, she says it happened after a girl called her a slut) to something more important like her birthday (her family's disappearance and the Spring Dance in late April/early May fall on her birthday, but it's an important detail that her birthday is November 23, 1996 because it opens an all-important suitcase). Because my copy was an ARC, I'd love for a friend with a finished copy to look through it and confirm whether or not those details are still there. If they aren't, that's fantastic and the continuity issues are nil. If they are still there, I may need to trim off another star.

My final complaint is the narrative choice. First-person past is what I prefer, but Sara Jane's reflections on her past tend to dole out spoilers like a card dealer in a Las Vegas casino. Spoilers aren't fun, especially when a book's own narrator is doing the spoiling. Though the jacket copy tells readers her family is involved in the Outfit, she herself doesn't learn this for at least half the book. Her reflections on the past make it so obvious what is about to happen or how important a moment is, but I don't want her to tell me this. I want to discover it and/or figure it out myself! Annoyance at this device made me put the book down multiple times.

Cold Fury is the first in a trilogy, but I'm unsure whether or not I will come back for book two. Hints at a possible love triangle between Max, Sarah Jane, and Tyler, a seventeen-year-old CEO who is an Outfit kid just like Sarah Jane, are scaring me away. Sara Jane already claimed she may love Max even though they barely interact during the novel--classically bad insta-love--and that doesn't give me much hope in any romance this series has to offer As I've learned, I really should stop saying never when it comes to sequels because sometimes, I break down and read them. This time, I'll say "maybe."(less)

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Jul 09, 2012 Juhina rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: penguin, review-books, my-arcs, own

Cold Fury was a roller coaster. It had its ups and downs but the end sealed it for me. It is a solid beginning to this thrilling series. I loved how the genre of this series is different from the usual YA novels. I LOVE crime/mystery novels/movies/shows and it finally transcending into the YA world just brings joy to my life! (a bit dramatic I know). Cold Fury has been on my wish list ever since I read the synopsis and I'm glad I was able to read it!

The story starts off when everything already...more Cold Fury was a roller coaster. It had its ups and downs but the end sealed it for me. It is a solid beginning to this thrilling series. I loved how the genre of this series is different from the usual YA novels. I LOVE crime/mystery novels/movies/shows and it finally transcending into the YA world just brings joy to my life! (a bit dramatic I know). Cold Fury has been on my wish list ever since I read the synopsis and I'm glad I was able to read it!

The story starts off when everything already happened. When Sara Jane already knows her family is entangled with the mob.. correction, her family IS the mob. So the bakery business her family runs is just a front. Also, her family has been kidnapped and she's all on her own. Oh, and she's a trained boxer. At the age of sixteen. How awesome is that? I was so excited to dive into the action straightaway but the next chapter takes us a couple of weeks before everything goes down. I was a bit unnerved at that because the story seriously slowed down. I wanted the action! the thrill! not Sara Jane in school, starting to like a guy, and worrying about a school dance. In a typical contemporary that would have been cute, but here? after getting a taste of the thrill at the beginning? not so much. Also Sara Jane keeps on eavesdropping on her parent's cryptic conversations along with her younger uncle's issues with her family because he isn't being included in all their secrets of the other family business. It took me a while to get through the 100 pages or so but I knew the book had promise and I loved Sara Jane's voice. She was definitely a powerful and smart female protagonist.

Sara Jane also possessed the "Cold Fury" which would be explained in a bit too much details (i ended up really confused) in the latter half of the book. Now when we finally get answers, we get them at an overwhelming rate that I ended up being a bit confused. There was a lot of history and people involved that I couldn't wrap my head around. However you don't really need to know that much information and throughout the book you gather the necessary info to keep you in the loop. When Sara Jane has finally gathered the info she needed and starts to take action, I couldn't put the book down. The amount of times she faced the bad guys and had to use her brains and boxing skills to fight them off or escape, I held my breath and couldn't flip through the pages fast enough! The last 100 pages or so were what made the book for me. I was on murky, meh ground but when the action finally started, I didn't care if it was a bit too late, it was worth the wait!

I expected the story to resolve at the end of the book however 30 pages to the end I told myself there was no way it would and I was right. Cold Fury is the first installment in a series, therefore I understood why the beginning was slow and the information was loaded on us. T.M. Goeglein spent most of this book building Sara Jane's world and the end of her kicking butt. While many issues weren't resolved, I have no doubt that we will jump straight into action for the second book and for many of those unanswered questions I have to be answered! I definitely recommend this book to all YA readers who want to read a different genre from the usual! (less)

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Jul 24, 2012 Rachel rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc

In an instant everything changed for Sara Jane Rispoli.

One minute she was arguing with her father. The next she was wishing she had waved goodbye.

One minute she had a close-knit, loving and peaceful family. And in the next they became one that kept secrets, told lies and betrayed those they loved. Even her.

And one minute all she had to worry about was going to the dance with a boy she liked. And in the next instant she had to find her family, uncover their secrets, discover the truth behind thei...more

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Jul 26, 2012 Lindsey rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book is a fast-paced, page-turning thrill ride! T.M. Goeglein's teenage heroine is one that SO many of us can relate to, and yet this particular teenager, Sara Jane Rispoli, is also a closet badass with a unique supernatural power that even she is still attempting to understand and harness.

Goeglein's writing is fluid and exciting, and you find yourself tucked within it, watching the action alongside Sara Jane (and rooting for her to get out of each situation alive!) The imagery is vivid, f...more

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Jul 23, 2012 Yearning To Read rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: won, arc, 15-and-up, 2012-read, borrrrring, did-not-like, fiction, insufferably-stupid, intriguing-idea, own, skimmed, such-ze-disappointment, young-adult, reviewed, series-will-never-finish

Cold Fury by T. M. Goeglein (#1)
Pages: 313
Release Date: July 24th, 2012
Date Read: 2012, June 13th-16th
Received: ARC won on Librarything
Rating: 2/5 stars
Recommended to: 15+

SUMMARY -
Sara Jane Rispoli thought her 16th year would be sweet. Instead, she finds herself being chased and hunted like a dog. Her family disappeared, her father's secrets ready to burst. It's up to Sara Jane to take a stand, before she loses her family forever.

MY THOUGHTS -
This is one of those books I wish I could write a 5-s...more

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Mar 27, 2012 Andrew rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: all

This book was great! The character's and the action were just gripping. If you like family secrets and Mafioso, this is the book for you. The story takes you through the mean streets of Chicago, the sewers of the underworld and an abandoned family speak easy. I loved this book and I can't wait till the next two come out. So suspenseful. The imagery the author expresses is wonderful. There's an awesome Ferrari 458 Italia! I'm a motor head if you haven't noticed ye (If you don't know what the 458...more

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Mar 31, 2013 Karen Yingling rated it 4 of 5 stars

Sara Jane Rispoli has a fairly calm life in Chicago-- her father and grandfather have a bakery, she goes to a private school, boxes, and is in a movie club with a couple of good friends. All that changes when she comes home from a school dance to find her family missing, the house covered in blood, and someone who wants to attack her as well. She gets further drawn into the family's mysteries, and finds that her grandfather was more than a baker-- he was a huge part of the Outfit, an underworld...more

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Mar 25, 2013 Luisa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: older-teens, new-teens

On the run, sixteen-year-old Sara Jane Rispoli employs her boxing skills as she tries to find her missing family before the people who want the notebook filled with secrets about The Outfit find her. The Outfit is an organized crime syndicate, and, when her dad’s clue leads her to the notebook, she finds out her family has been at the top for generations. In the old book, she uncovers access pages upon pages of contacts, secrets, safe houses and more. Set in modern-day Chicago and filled with gr...more

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Aug 16, 2012 Dorian added it

This book intrigued me as soon as I read the plot synopsis. It sounded so thrilling and adventurous that I couldn't help but read it. I've never quite read anything at all like this novel. It's a thrilling and exciting and adventurous read that I'm so glad I took a chance with.

Reasons to Read:

1.One of the strongest female protagonists I have read about:

Sara is a main character that I really, really have to admire. She is incredibly strong and clever. She is placed in this really hard situation,...more This book intrigued me as soon as I read the plot synopsis. It sounded so thrilling and adventurous that I couldn't help but read it. I've never quite read anything at all like this novel. It's a thrilling and exciting and adventurous read that I'm so glad I took a chance with.

Reasons to Read:

1.One of the strongest female protagonists I have read about:

Sara is a main character that I really, really have to admire. She is incredibly strong and clever. She is placed in this really hard situation, and yet she manages to almost keep it fully together the entire time. While she does fall apart at one time, she is able to get back up again and keep moving forward. She knows when to attack her enemies and when to hold it back. While she is a really strong heroine, at the same time she is only a teenage girl. That side of her still shows through in some instances, which I felt made her feel more real.

2.Easy to understand:

I wasn't quite sure of how much I would be able to understand the parts about the Mob in the novel. I don't have a lot of background information on it, so I hoped that I wouldn't have to know all about it in order to understand. I was really glad when I started reading it, and all the things that were mentioned, were explained. It's good to have a litle bit of information beforehand, but I don't think that it's necessary for the book to make sense. Complicated situations I thought were explained fairly simply, which I was really glad of.

I will admit that the first third or so of this book goes by a bit slow. A lot of it is background stuff that happens way before the book's main plot. While it is a bit tedious, I was glad of it because without it I don't think that the book would make as much sense. I know that this novel has a lot of mixed reviews, but I think that it's really good. I would reccomend this to someone looking for a thrilling read.

ARC received from Penguin Canada for my honest review; no other compensation was received.(less)

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Aug 07, 2012 Jo Sorrell marked it as to-read

Unstoppable, fierce, feisty Sara Jane Rispoli is an uber-cool teen heroine with an in-your-face attitude and she won’t cower down from bullies, bullets, or baddies. Girls will admire her and want to be her; guys will want to meet her and if they’re brave, date her. From the first words in the “prelude,” I was reading with breathless anticipation of what would happen next. This book is a suspenseful thrill-ride that will have teens reading into the wee hours of the morning.

The day of her sixteent...more

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Jul 24, 2012 Liviania rated it 4 of 5 stars

When I began COLD FURY, I thought it was a standalone. So I'll go ahead and warn you: It's not, and COLD FURY will leave you wanting more.

Sara Jane Rispoli just turned sixteen. It's been a rough couple of months. First her grandparents died, and then her father and her uncle stopped speaking to each other. Then the day she turns sixteen, Sara Jane comes home to an empty house, her brother's dog lying injured on the floor on a note that warns her to beware.

COLD FURY is full of things I love. Ther...more

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Jun 24, 2012 Rachael rated it 3 of 5 stars

Sara Jane Rispoli has lived most of her life thinking she was just an ordinary girl in an ordinary family. But when her parents and brother are kidnapped, Sara Jane finds that boys and school dances are the last thing on her mind—right now, it’s much more important that she escapes from all the corrupt cops, the masked assassin, and her jealous uncle who are after her. But no matter how long and far Sara Jane keeps running, the danger will never stop because her family, the Rispolis, has long be...more

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May 14, 2012 Casseyrmt rated it 5 of 5 stars

Cold Fury is an awesome debut novel by TM Goeglein. The story is fast-paced and insightful, blending all the fun of being inside the mind of an unconventionally tough sixteen-year-old girl with the serious danger and plot twists of a Mob tale. When the mysterious disappearance of protagonist Sara Jane Rispoli's family forces her to discover the truth about their secret past, she finds herself at the center of a dangerous web and catapulted down a path of self-preservation and self-discovery. Goe...more

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May 02, 2012 Selder820 rated it 5 of 5 stars

As a fan of YA fiction on one end of the spectrum and dramas about organized crime on the other, I approached Cold Fury with some degree of skepticism. Would I find a character I could like and root for in the way I did for Katniss? Would I be able to suspend reality enough to accept that a 16-year old girl could penetrate and outsmart the mob? The answer to both questions is yes. Goeglein effectively and successfully combines all the right elements to create a fast-paced thriller balanced by re...more As a fan of YA fiction on one end of the spectrum and dramas about organized crime on the other, I approached Cold Fury with some degree of skepticism. Would I find a character I could like and root for in the way I did for Katniss? Would I be able to suspend reality enough to accept that a 16-year old girl could penetrate and outsmart the mob? The answer to both questions is yes. Goeglein effectively and successfully combines all the right elements to create a fast-paced thriller balanced by realistic insight into the teenage pains of self discovery. In his protagonist, Sara Jane Rispoli, Goeglein creates a smart, empathetic and resourceful character who is forced to defer the typical teenager's milestones and expected right to wallow in self-centeredness because she must fight for her and her family's survival. Of course, Sara Jane is no ordinary teen. She's a boxer, she's savvy, she's introverted yet projects the self-possession and "I don't care" attitude that gets her noticed and she admits to the admirable flaw of having her "emotional core" being rooted in family. When her family disappears, her resourcefulness pays off as she fits together pieces of her family puzzle to understand that her family is, or was, at the heart of the mob and that her and her family's future lies in her control of a family notebook and an innate power she has to affect outcomes -- the power of the cold fury. Goeglein's Sara Jane is not unlike the superhero you can't help loving for their self-sacrifice and unwavering commitment to translating their power into something good, yet he makes her more real and relateable. With a cast of characters that includes Max, a potential love interest, Doug, a conflicted friend who is seeking to escape certain coming-of-age discoveries in his own life to join the chaos of Sara Jane's, an endearing brother, an insecure uncle and a mysterious masked man, and writing that brings Chicago and the heartlessness of organized crime to life, Cold Fury allows you to invest in the plot, at the expense of your sleep. (less)

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Apr 16, 2013 Alison rated it 3 of 5 stars

Cold Fury...

The book couldn't sound more awesome right?

Ohhh, yeah. The girl is a boss. Briefcase, check. Gadgets, check. And a furious expression on her face, check. Very nice cover. Too bad, it didn't show her freaky blue eyes.

What's the book about?

Jason Bourne meets The Sopranos in this breathtaking adventure
Sara Jane Rispoli is a normal sixteen-year-old coping with school and a budding romance--until her parents and brother are kidnapped and she discovers her family is deeply embedded in th

...more Cold Fury...

The book couldn't sound more awesome right?

Ohhh, yeah. The girl is a boss. Briefcase, check. Gadgets, check. And a furious expression on her face, check. Very nice cover. Too bad, it didn't show her freaky blue eyes.

What's the book about?

Jason Bourne meets The Sopranos in this breathtaking adventure
Sara Jane Rispoli is a normal sixteen-year-old coping with school and a budding romance--until her parents and brother are kidnapped and she discovers her family is deeply embedded in the Chicago Outfit (aka the mob).
Now on the run from a masked assassin, rogue cops and her turncoat uncle, Sara Jane is chased and attacked at every turn, fighting back with cold fury as she searches for her family. It's a quest that takes her through concealed doors and forgotten speakeasies--a city hiding in plain sight. Though armed with a .45 and 96K in cash, an old tattered notebook might be her best defense--hidden in its pages the secret to "ultimate power." It's why she's being pursued, why her family was taken, and could be the key to saving all of their lives.
Action packed, with fresh, cinematic writing, Cold Fury is a riveting and imaginative adventure readers will devour.

Hmm... The book's a little like Jason Bourne but with superpowers and all that good stuff. Missing family, check. Rogue cops, check. Crazy family, check. Masked assassin, check. Weapons and cash, check. Sara Jane, get ready for the rush of your life.

Sara Jane is this innocent little girl who doesn't realize that she hold the secret of her family. She has the power--Cold Fury.

The plot was excellent. The reactions of other characters when Sara Jane did something was understandable and realistic. There was little to no plot holes. The writing was good, and had a few errors, which I dismissed. I thought there were some randomness, which I hope will be cleared up in the second book.

After reading about the first 5 chapters, I thought this book would be like All these thing I've Done. Then I realized, it was more than that. There was this underlining supernatural thing going on. First it was all mob, and then you have a plot thrown in, seemingly random.

So it was normal family, then kidnapped family. Then after reading the journal or notebook or whatever you want to call it, it turns into supernatural family with recessive genes that control the power. And then there were these door things.

Random, right?

I asked the book questions, and some questions were answered, others were not. I decided that this was one of those "buckle in your seat belts and--no do not raise your hands--enjoy the ride, readers." (Evil laughter is expected)

Cold Fury--as far as I can tell--is this power to "see" other people's fear. It also gives you the power to intimate other people, just by looking. Sara Jane has that power. Her dad has Cold Fury.

Sara Jane is the first female in the family to have Cold Fury. Her brother, Lou, is expected to have it, but doesn't.

She runs from assassins and people who wants her power. She does it all while controlling the mob. (Sixteen year old controlling the mob is not exactly my vision of the mob, but oh well). And plus, she's badass.

Not bad girl way. Badass way like this:

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Yep! Like Sarah Conner. Perfect, except the gun isn't like that. But other than that the picture is perfect!

Anyone, this plot was fast while being excellent. (I have no idea how it's like that, but to me it is) Fast and excellent mixed in well.

This book is a three out of five.

This review is also on my blog.

(less)

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May 19, 2012 Amanda rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-releases

Wow! Are you looking for something packed with action on every page? Something fresh, fast and gripping? That's what Cold Fury is: a furious and unique adventure that keeps readers on the edge of their seats from beginning to end. With clear, straightforward writing that feels like it works better in an action movie, this book will keep you up reading late into the night.

Young Sara Jane Rispoli hasn't had a completely normal life -or a completely normal family. She's grown up on her own terms, t...more

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Oct 15, 2012 Isamlq rated it 2 of 5 stars

Cold Fury had Sara Jane swing from wise guy remarks complete with a briefcase, a gun, thousands of dollars and a mysterious notebook to being, if not quite swoony over a boy (the words I think I might love so and so were used) then at least sounding younger much than the sixteen years old she was .

Things I liked: that you’re not quite sure what make her special and that once things are made clearer, you see all these unlikely connections. I even enjoyed how different The Family was. I enjoyed h...more

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May 10, 2013 Daphne rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: kickass-heroines-heros

I didn't see that coming.....at all! At first, I was a bit skeptical as to if I would enjoy this novel, because as all of my regular readers know, contemporary books aren't my cup of tea. Although I admit, I probably shouldn't be too quick to judge considering the fact that I can count all the contemporary books I've read on one hand alone. With that being said, if you know any really good, fast paced contemporary reads, feel free to recommend them to me! I'm definitely open to new suggestions,...more I didn't see that coming.....at all! At first, I was a bit skeptical as to if I would enjoy this novel, because as all of my regular readers know, contemporary books aren't my cup of tea. Although I admit, I probably shouldn't be too quick to judge considering the fact that I can count all the contemporary books I've read on one hand alone. With that being said, if you know any really good, fast paced contemporary reads, feel free to recommend them to me! I'm definitely open to new suggestions, because I'm trying to get over my silly prejudices and take a step outside my comfort zone. Anyways, I digress. Cold Fury was a package of pure epicness confined within the boundaries of ink on a page. Although I did have a hard time getting sucked into the novel and reaching my equilibrium, it was nothing but fast paced action and nail-biting suspense once I did.

Sixteen-year old Sara Jane Rispoli was an admirable protagonist who wasn't afraid to kick ass when necessary or stand up for others who had the misfortune of being bullied just for being different. Her Italian heritage and background intrigued me, and I enjoyed spending my time learning about her culture and reading the Italian phrases thrown in now and then. Of course, since I'm not fluent in Italian, I can't tell you if the phrases were used correctly or not, but I did understand the gist of it, which was all that mattered to me. xD I was also pretty shocked to learn after reading the book that this completely believable, albeit slightly boyish, protagonist was written by a male author. It's a hit and miss in these situations, but T.M. successfully accomplished what he was going for. An independent, courageous, female lead who is as tough as nails, yet still has a sensitive girlish side that has her insecure moments when it comes to talking to guys, something all of us girls can relate to.

I really could've done without the romance. The majority of YA books are enhanced once the romance is intertwined with the plot, but there are a few exceptions that don't need relationships to stand independently on their own. Since that's coming from an action junkie's perspective, I guess that statement wouldn't hold true for those who favor romance over action. The relationship between Sara and Max was just...weird. It wasn't love at first sight......but love at second sight, which doesn't make it much better in my eyes. It seemed as if they jumped right into a relationship with each other like they already had one to begin with. Sorry, but just because you exchanged a few encouraging words at a party a couple years ago doesn't make you soul mates. The other problem I had was the love interest himself. Sure...he was nice, but that's all I really got from him. I never felt any sparks between them, just a constant annoyance that there had to be a romance added in the first place.

The pacing was erratic. In the beginning few chapters, I was interested in learning how Sara's family worked, judging her character based on her everyday, mundane decisions, listening to the cute little conversations between her and her younger brother, Lou, who I wholly adored. But then....the flashbacks from present to past began to grate on my nerves, and I soon found myself wishing that the author would just stick to one period of time, instead of hopping back and forth between the two. It became confusing, and I had trouble discerning what was happening, what had already happened, and what was to come.

However, once I got used to T.M.'s slightly eccentric writing style, I slowly started becoming more and more immersed in the danger filled world T.M. created. Once I reached the half point mark, I was completely hooked! Another point I wanted to make, there were tons of movie references in this novel, movies that I had never heard of before and therefore couldn't relate to. If your a fan of classic or older movies filmed in the 1900s, you'll probably connect more with this book than I did, but to me, it was boring, and I just ended up skipping them altogether.

Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. It took a while to get into, but once I did, it was nothing but smooth sailing from there! The romance didn't feel realistic enough and progressed way too quickly for my tastes, but it wasn't gag or bang-my-head-on-a-table worthy. Even if your not a huge contemporary fan, like me xD, I would still recommend this novel to you, because it does have a sort of paranormal twist to it. Nothing to the extent of vampires or werewolves, something a little more subtle, but no less extraordinary.

Heroine- 4.5/5
Action- 3.5/5 Pace increased once
I hit the half point mark.
Romance- 2/5
Totally unnecessary.
Writing- 3/5
Some of the explanations were difficult to understand. Present to past changes annoyed me.
Overall- 4/5

For more reviews, visit my website Reading Until Dawn. :D (less)

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Jun 12, 2012 Carrie Ardoin rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc-tour, omgggggg, posted-on-blog

Sara Jane Rispoli has just turned 16 years old. While she has the normal worries that teenage girls have--getting people to join her club at school, going to the dance with a cute guy--she also discovers that she has much bigger issues to worry about. Sara Jane's parents and little brother have disappeared, ans she discovers that their disappearance is connected to the existence of a certain notebook. This notebook contains all of the family's secrets about the biggest thing they were hiding--th...more Sara Jane Rispoli has just turned 16 years old. While she has the normal worries that teenage girls have--getting people to join her club at school, going to the dance with a cute guy--she also discovers that she has much bigger issues to worry about. Sara Jane's parents and little brother have disappeared, ans she discovers that their disappearance is connected to the existence of a certain notebook. This notebook contains all of the family's secrets about the biggest thing they were hiding--the Rispoli family has been a vital part of the Chicago mafia, called the Outfit.

Now Sara Jane is on the run with the notebook, a gun, and some cash in a briefcase. As she delves deeper into the notebook, she discovers many things that can help her while she's trying to stay safe and find her parents. She just needs to learn who she can trust...and that is basically only herself.

I really loved this book! I've always been a big fan of mafia and spy stories (Burn Notice is one of my fave shows), and Cold Fury has a great mix of action with just the slightest touch of the supernatural.

Sara Jane is such a great heroine, and narrator. She never tries to be the hero, she just does what needs to be done. What I loved about her what that she has such a strong, independent personality, but we still see touches of her vulnerability at times, and that makes the reader remember that no matter how badass she seems, she is still a teenage girl.

I especially enjoyed the rich backstory that the author gives about the Outfit and their history in Chicago. The fact that this story is rooted in factual events makes it that much cooler to me. I really want to go to Chicago and look for Capone doors now!

The second half of the book went by in a flash. There were twists that I definitely didn't expect. I also feel that Sara Jane grew so much throughout the course of the book. I loved everything about this book, and I will definitely be joining Sara Jane on the next part of her journey!(less)

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Mar 28, 2013 Benjamin59 rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Dès que je commencé à lire les premières pages, j’ai de suite été happé par cet univers. Pourtant, au départ, j’ai tout de même été un peu déstabilisé de la façon dont l’auteur traite son histoire puisque c’est Sara Jane qui nous explique le début.
Mais celle-ci ne se contente pas d’exposer des faits, c’est assez étrange et impossible à expliquer à l’écrit. Le style de T.M. Goeglein est radicalement différent de ce qu’on a l’habitude de voir en littérature jeunesse. Parfois, on a un peu l’impress...more

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Dec 29, 2012 P๏€cɨℓią* L rated it 4 of 5 stars

It's similar to "All these things I've done" by Gabrielle Zevin, another YA Soprano story. But, it has a more intriguing plot, more action scenes, and more mysterious elements; the Cold Fury, the rats, and the Capone doors. It borderlines on paranormal but not quite. What I really like about it is somehow it's able to blend in YA elements seamlessly. It started out like any YA novel (first kiss, gossip, school dance etc) and then took a complete turn into a more Bourne Identity story. I also rea...more

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Jul 23, 2012 Renee Booth (Sassy Book Lovers) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Cold Fury is not in the typical genre I would usually read but none the less it was enjoyable. Sara Jane is your typical loner teen. She avoids the limelight and appreciates seclusion. The one thing she loves and
cherishes the most is her close-knit family. Her world gets turned upside down when her parents and brother disappear and she is left to uncover her family's deep and dark secrets.

Cold Fury has the feel of a diary entry. It is informative and very detailed. There is insight into everythi...more

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Jul 04, 2012 Savannah (Books With Bite) rated it 5 of 5 stars

I love these types of stories. Fresh, innovative, and daringly exciting, Goeglein painted a fantastic story that kept me glued to the story till the last page. Even then, I wanted more.

What I enjoyed most about the story are the characters. The reader meets Sara Jane. An outcast in her family once her brother is born, Sara is kept in the dark about everything. Her anger builds and she is secretly molded into a fighting machine. I adore how wonderfully this character is built. The author does a g...more

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Apr 11, 2012 Haley rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book was exciting, but slightly disappointing because it wasn’t as supernatural as I thought. I thought she was a demi-god/vampire/something. She just has an ability that runs in the family. I love the setting. I’m from Chicagoland, so I’m familiar with it. The author may have edited a few things. I also liked the action. The beginning kind of dragged on with her past, but once it got going, it got going. Mafia/mob stuff you don’t see often in YA, especial non-historical and from the point...more

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Oct 10, 2012 Annabelle Marie Veronica rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: suspense, romance, arcs, mystery

***FINAL RATING: 2.60 STARS***

CATCHALL
I definitely struggled with Cold Fury. It wasn't the most amazing book I've ever read. And yet somehow I also really enjoyed it. I really liked a unique sci-fi concept that it has and the story was modern yet also historical. I definitely found it boring at many places like a lot of people, but despite this it was still an overall pleasant experience for me and I was excited when I finished it that there would be more.

THE HEROINE
SARA JANE RISPOLI
Sara Jane...more

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Jan 18, 2013 Francesca Miller rated it 3 of 5 stars

I read this book prior to it being published - I found it intriguing and fun, a few slip-ups here and there that I am sure were taken care of in the final version. Goeglein created an interesting teen protagonist, a girl who is a skilled boxer and knows how to take care of herself. An entertaining YA and a quick read.

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