Revenge and the Wild by Michelle Modesto

Sep 05, 2015 karen rated it it was amazing

Shelves: why-yes-i-ya, creepy-children, from-publisher-or-author, tastes-like-people

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 st ...more

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Jul 10, 2015 Emily May rated it liked it

Shelves: young-adult, 2016, coverly-love, arc

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 ...more

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Apr 21, 2015 Jessica ❁ ➳ Silverbow ➳ ❁ rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: ya, weres-shapeshifters, the-book-boy-is-mine, fantasy, dead-things, creeptastic, edelweiss, fae, vampires, steampunk

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 ...more

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Jan 04, 2016 ☆☽Erica☾☆ rated it it was amazing

Shelves: all-time-favorites, favorite-heroines, ya-western

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 ...more

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Aug 11, 2015 Laura rated it it was amazing

Shelves: e-arc, fantasy, favorites, young-adult

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 ma 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! ...more

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Sep 14, 2015 Sarah Elizabeth rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: netgalley-edelweiss, fantasy, r2r-read, read-2015, romance, sci-fi, paranormal, young-adult, historical, steampunk

(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to HarperCollins and Edelweiss.)

“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 con ...more

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Oct 03, 2015 Mogsy (MMOGC) rated it it was ok

Shelves: arcs-and-galleys, western, paranormal, fantasy, review-copy, young-adult, edelweiss, steampunk

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 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. ...more

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Sep 11, 2016 Maja (The Nocturnal Library) rated it really liked it

Shelves: young-adult, werewhatevers, arc-2016, zombies-zombies-everywhere, steampunk, surprise-surprise, harper-teen, favorites, edelweiss, reviewed-iin-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 exp 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.

...more

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Jan 24, 2016 Lindsay Cummings rated it it was amazing

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 W ...more

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Aug 17, 2015 Saniya marked it as to-read

*looks at the cover*
*reads the description*

...more

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Oct 16, 2015 ♛Tash rated it really liked it

Recommended to ♛Tash by: karen

Shelves: arc, 2016-releases, high-fantasy

Flawed but damned entertaining. 3.5 stars.FRTC.

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Feb 03, 2015 Allison rated it it was amazing

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 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.

...more

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Oct 18, 2015 Rashika (is tired) rated it it was ok

Shelves: western, historical, ya, paranormal, would-have-blown-my-mind-but, wimpy-or-i-no-like-mcs, meh-romance, meh-characters, pnr-magic, e-arcs

***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 whil ***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 ...more

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Sep 02, 2015 Hafsah Faizal rated it it was amazing

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 ...more

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Jun 10, 2015 Jaime (Two Chicks on Books) rated it really liked it

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 ...more

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Aug 25, 2015 Drew rated it it was ok

Shelves: young-adult, historical-fiction, fantasy

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 r 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. ...more

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Apr 25, 2015 nancy (The Ravenous Reader) rated it it was amazing

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 w ...more

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Sep 15, 2015 Tanja (Tanychy) rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Good idea, but flat characters and love square have ruined it.

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Jul 15, 2015 Tigress marked it as to-read

Shelves: romance, historical-fantasy-ya, reviews, historical-fantasy, shapeshifters, children-teen-ya, elves, steampunk, sci-fi, adventure

THE 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. ...more

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Jun 25, 2015 Kristen rated it really liked it

Shelves: arc-or-galley, arcs-to-read, 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 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.
...more

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Oct 02, 2015 Sara (Freadom Library) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, read-2016, 2016-releases, steampunk, historical-fiction, paranormal, standalones, poc

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 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
(view spoiler)[I’m still a bit confused on my feelings about this book because it’s like a walking contradiction the whole time.

The plot is full, there is no other way to describe it. We follow Westie, a girl with a machine for an arm who lives in a Western-like town full of creatures and humans alike. She has been trying to find the cannibals who killed her family for her entire life when they show up in her town. And you bet your ass she’s hell bent on getting her revenge. There were a lot of different facets to this story and I feel like the author tried to do too much in this standalone. It made the book feel a lot longer and dragged out, when it was actually quite short. There were so many aspects and genres incorporated into the story and while unique, it was a bit overwhelming and a little full. I wanted and expected non-stop action from a premise like this one but it ended up feeling very slow. There was a plethora (yes, that’s the only word that fits) of characters and plot lines that somehow managed to all connect in a weird way but the messy writing style made them feel like separate entities for almost the entirety of the book. I honestly did not think that a connection was going to be pulled off and even when it happened, it was a little convenient and far fetched though very imaginative. There’s no mystery because we already know who the awful people are and the characters spend the whole time trying to catch them in the act. The romance wasn’t concrete and I had no idea how it would end, but it wasn’t as exciting as you’d think. There were too many love interests and too many *girl is swooning her heart out* moments for you to figure out who the heck was going to be standing at the end. And to be honest, it distracted from the awesome *catch the killers* plot and annoyed me. But the ending was perfection and the majority of the characters were quite awesome.

Westie was amazing. She’s a real badass. I loved her spunk and her take no shit attitude. She gave as good as she got and her mechanical arm definitely helped her keep bullshitters and shit starters at bay, which you can imagine there’s a lot in a Western full of magical creatures. She spoke her mind and cared little about lady like type of things, though girls who enjoy that aren’t any less badass. But she was kind of selfish and stubborn. She was dead set on doing things on her own and the way she thought was best. Most of the time her choices and actions ended up making the plot a lot more complicated than it had to be which was so frustrating since I already felt like it was dragging and long. She made things so much harder for herself and for the people around her. She has a lot of personal issues, and yes it’s not only that her family was killed by cannibals, and I really enjoyed her personal growth. It was thoroughly and believable and I feel like it made her a better protagonist overall because of it.

There are also quite a few side characters (read: A LOT) and while I enjoyed most of them, there was definitely a divide between them. There were some that were well developed, thought out and essential to the plot and it’s progress. And there were others that were weak, temporary or lacked good background and motivation. So I was really torn on that which is why this book got a four star. The contrast was very confusing in general but with the characters the most. Some were too simple and others felt overly complicated. There were some scenes as well that weren’t needed and looking back did nothing to move the plot or the character’s development, main or side both.

Overall, it was a very entertaining read and I enjoyed myself, but there was a lot going on and it felt really long. Either way, I am going to try other books from this author. (hide spoiler)] ...more

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Sep 14, 2015 Bee rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, books-i-own-ebook, arc, debutauthor-challenge2016, fantasy, romance, newreleasechallenge-2016, edelweiss, young-adult, steampunk

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 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.

sign bieke

...more

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Oct 24, 2014 Shannon (It Starts At Midnight) rated it liked it

Shelves: read-for-review, 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 mechani 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 ...more

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Aug 24, 2014 Lauren ✨ (TheBookishTwins) rated it liked it

Shelves: historical-fiction, edelweiss, highly-anticipated-2016, owned, disability

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 cannibal 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. ...more

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Jan 03, 2016 Cynthia rated it liked it

Shelves: teen-bopper, sci-fi-fantasy, first-reads-arcs, wild-west, 006

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 fi ...more

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Dec 25, 2015 Nara rated it it was amazing

Shelves: edelweiss, owned-ebook, for-review, reviewed, historical, fantasy, paranormal, magic, steampunk

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 p ...more

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Jun 25, 2015 Crystal | decorating.reader rated it really liked it

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!

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Jul 15, 2015 Lisa rated it really liked it

Shelves: arc, 2016

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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Sep 21, 2015 Hannah McBride rated it it was amazing

I seriously love this book to pieces

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Sep 19, 2015 Michelle rated it it was amazing

Shelves: read-in-2016

My Review:
This is a book that belongs on a book shelf, one that I plan to purchase when it comes out just to have it. I loved the heck out of the book. I can’t even express in a review how much I love this book. It has EVERYTHING in it, I mean EVERYTHING, from Vampires, Trolls, Steampunk, Western, Werewolfs, it’s like the kitchen sink of books. If this is Michelle Modestos first book I have a new author I need to follow because this was fantastic.

This story was amazing and the characters are My Review:
This is a book that belongs on a book shelf, one that I plan to purchase when it comes out just to have it. I loved the heck out of the book. I can’t even express in a review how much I love this book. It has EVERYTHING in it, I mean EVERYTHING, from Vampires, Trolls, Steampunk, Western, Werewolfs, it’s like the kitchen sink of books. If this is Michelle Modestos first book I have a new author I need to follow because this was fantastic.

This story was amazing and the characters are beyond wonderful. Westie is a great MC, strong-headed, independent and hilarious. The story has paranormal, magic, mystery and a thriller. When I say it packs so much in one book it really does and never once did anything get all mushed together that it became confusing. It was beautifully written and each point was done perfectly.

Westie’s family was killed by cannibals and she was found by the Wintu people and adopted by Nigel and extraordinary inventor. When investors come to town to purchase one of Nigels inventions Westie realizes she knows them and will stop at anything to expose who they really are. With the help of Alistair, Nigels assistant the two get into some crazy situations, a lot of them had me on the edge of my seat. I really enjoyed the world this book took place in and the characters, one of my favorites is Costin, a vampire that owns a blood brothel. He is a gentle vamp who seems to love Westie and a dedicated friend.

Here is the one thing about this book that I thought was interesting, I want to say that you might feel it’s predictable and maybe the build was a little slow at times but when it is all said and done and you get the twist that is thrown at you closer to the end it knocks you over. I really didn’t see that coming. I was never bothered by the slow parts only because I was so worried and eager to find out what happened next. This book has so many laugh out loud parts and I just really adored the chemistry between Alistair and Westie.

I can’t recommend this book enough and I am pretty sure this review make no sense at all to how amazing this was. It’s been a very long time since I read a book with so much going on that it worked perfectly. This book has some adult situations but nothing graphic at all so younger teens should read with cautions however it’s really not that bad just implications of what is going on rather than graphic detail.

The year isn’t over yet but this is by far one of my favorites, looking forward to reading more from Michelle Modesto, think I found a new favorite author.

Thank you so much for stopping by to check out my review

Hope you have a great day and Happy Reading!