Brian Review: Revenge and The Wild by Michelle Modesto

Revenge and the Wild

Author: Michelle Modesto

Published On: 2/2/16

Page Count: 384

Synopsis: (Found on Goodreads)

The two-bit town of Rogue City is a lawless place, full of dark magic and saloon brawls, monsters and six-shooters. But it’s perfect for seventeen-year-old Westie, the notorious adopted daughter of local inventor Nigel Butler.

Westie was only a child when she lost her arm and her family to cannibals on the wagon trail. Nine years later, Westie may seem fearsome with her foul-mouthed tough exterior and the powerful mechanical arm built for her by Nigel, but the memory of her past still haunts her. She’s determined to make the killers pay for their crimes—and there’s nothing to stop her except her own reckless ways.

But Westie’s search ceases when a wealthy family comes to town looking to invest in Nigel’s latest invention, a machine that can harvest magic from gold—which Rogue City desperately needs as the magic wards that surround the city start to fail. There’s only one problem: the investors look exactly like the family who murdered Westie’s kin. With the help of Nigel’s handsome but scarred young assistant, Alistair, Westie sets out to prove their guilt. But if she’s not careful, her desire for revenge could cost her the family she has now.

Overall Rating: 4/5

Cover: 4/5

I really love the font used for this cover. It works with the cover art and background and altogether tells an interesting story. I usually don’t like quotes used on a book cover, but this one works very well to set the tone for the book before you open it.

Characters: 4/5

Westie: The main protagonist, Westie was a very interesting character. She is constantly struggling to overcome her past and it feels like she spends most of the novel trying to adjust. She never really got over the traumatic events of her childhood and would rather chase the ghosts of her family’s murderers than try to fit in at home.

Alistair: Another character with a tragic past, Alistair can only speak with the help of a machine created by his and Westie’s makeshift adopted father, Nigel. He grew up with Westie after being saved from cannibals, and their friendship brought them close, though their current feelings for each other are somewhat awkward. Alistair is a classic strong and silent type, always looking to protect Westie when he can, and help Nigel with his inventions.

Plot: 3.5 / 5

I need to start by saying I really enjoyed reading through this book. The story was interesting, the characters had depth and were likable, and I would absolutely recommend anyone interested in picking up this book. The only gripe I had was that the story itself felt a bit cluttered. The creatures in the book, aside from a select few, seemed tossed in for no real reason. I think that either having a few different types of creatures in the story, or having more pages to flesh out the numerous races would have made the story more enjoyable for me. While I’m trying to reconcile werewolves, vampires, fae, and goblins, Westie will turn the corner and run into a banshee and an orc. It was a bit too much for me. All of that aside, I don’t believe that it detracted from the book that much, and it was a very fun and fast read.

~Brian