Review: Fury by Elizabeth Miles (and Giveaway!)

Fury by Elizabeth Miles

Sometimes sorry isn't enough....

It’s winter break in Ascension, Maine. The snow is falling and everything looks pristine and peaceful. But not all is as it seems...

Between cozy traditions and parties with her friends, Emily loves the holidays. And this year’s even better--the guy she’s been into for months is finally noticing her. But Em knows if she starts things with him, there’s no turning back. Because his girlfriend is Em’s best friend.

On the other side of town, Chase is having problems of his own. The stress of his home life is starting to take its toll, and his social life is unraveling. But that’s nothing compared to what’s really haunting him. Chase has done something cruel...something the perfect guy he pretends to be would never do. And it’s only a matter of time before he’s exposed.

In Ascension, mistakes can be deadly. And three girls—three beautiful, mysterious girls—are here to choose who will pay.

Em and Chase have been chosen.

Review:

Fury is one of those books that I felt had so much potential but just didn't live up to it. I loved the premise and, of course, the cover is gorgeous. I think one of the biggest things that makes or breaks a book for me is the characters. As soon as I feel a disconnect with them I lose touch with the book. Of course, I did still like Fury, it just wasn't the powerful and fantastic read I was hoping for.

Greek mythology has always fascinated me and so when I heard this book involved Furies I was hooked. Elizabeth Miles definitely did her research on these frightening beings and I loved their involvement in the story. The tagline "Sometimes sorry isn't enough..." couldn't be more true in the case of Fury. It's the middle of a chilling winter in Maine and Em and Chase have made terrible mistakes. Em has hooked up with her best friends boyfriend and Chase has done something terrible to an old friend he regrets more than anything. As their guilt continues to pile up, Chase and Em are about to discover that the worst is to come. Because three mysterious girls have just arrived in Ascension, Maine to make two people pay. Two people they think deserve it most- Em and Chase.

As I mentioned before, I never really liked Em or Chase. Of course they weren't meant to be entirely likable, but still I wished I felt more of a connection with them. There were several secondary characters that I liked, though (JD, for one). Of the two, Em made the biggest impact on me. She did start to change for the better as the book progressed and I think she learned a lot over the course of the novel.

The premise was extremely unique and unlike anything I have read before. Plot wise, this book was a winner. Packed full of endless twists and surprises, I enjoyed all the intrigue and suspense. While it may not seem like it will be at first, by the end of Fury I was 100% creeped out. Things just get more and more creepy as the book progressed and I looked behind me and out the window a few times while reading. I wish these things started happening earlier on, though. The first half of the book was a little slow and I wish the Furies had appeared sooner. But, overall, I liked how fast paced the plot was and how it threw a lot of curve balls that kept me guessing.

Elizabeth Miles has a nice writing style and several of the passages were very beautifully written. I liked seeing the story develop and trying to figure out how things would end up.

Although I didn't enjoy Fury as much as I had hoped I would, this was a solid debut. The ending definitely left me eager to read the sequel and I'm interested in seeing what's going to happen next.

Overall: 3.5 out of 5 stars

August 30, 2011/Simon Pulse/352 Pages/Young Adult/Book One

Source: Publisher (ARC)

___

I'm also excited to be hosting a giveaway for a signed, finished copy of Fury by Elizabeth Miles.

Fill out THIS FORM to be entered!

US Only. Ends September 12. Good luck!