publisher: Putnam Juvenile
date of publication: July 24, 2012
format: ARC
pages: 313
source: from the publisher via LibraryThing Early Reviewers
From Goodreads:
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.
Upon first meeting Sara Jane Rispoli, one might think they aren't going to be treated to such a gutsy character. Such a misconception is not bound to remain for long, however, as Sara Jane's past is recounted, revealing a girl tougher than anyone around her can possibly know. In this action-packed thriller, perseverance is everything as one teenage girl takes on a shadowy band of corrupt authority figures, a jealous uncle, and quite possibly the eeriest villain I've encountered in a book this year. I can only say that I was wrong to think that Cold Fury would be a slow, convoluted book. It turned out to be anything but!
If I were to sum up Sara Jane in one word, that word would be "backbone." Beneath her quiet exterior lies a fiery core that is capable of more than Sara Jane herself even realizes. As she takes on all those who would seize or harm her, the full extent of not only her strength, but her intellect shines through, making her a very intriguing character to follow. She isn't perfect by any means, but her strength makes her a compelling character, nonetheless. Such an intelligent, determined, and loyal main character is one well worth reading about.
The pacing of Cold Fury worried me in the beginning as I slowly waded through the narrative of Sara Jane's early years. However, things soon picked up and the information learned during that narrative proved to be very useful in understanding all that was going on throughout the rest of the book. In addition to pacing, Cold Fury has some exemplary settings. The numerous Capone doors (a really clever means of escape) and the unpredictable streets of Chicago made for such a fantastic backdrop. Each one fit the actions and tones of the story perfectly. I couldn't wait to see where Sara Jane would find herself next.
Cold Fury is one of the more action-filled books I've read this year and I'm very glad to have had the chance to read it. It made for a perfect change of pace from my typical fantasy/dystopian/supernatural reading habits, a very important thing for someone in a bit of a reading rut. If you have a fascination for spy or mob movies, you should definitely check out Cold Fury. With its imposing main character, action, and unique settings, you're sure to find something you like in the pages of Cold Fury. Trust me when I say that you won't be bored.
Buy Cold Fury at the Following Locations
Obligatory legal
statement: This review copy was provided to me free of charge by the
publisher via Library Thing Early Reviewers. No monetary compensation was received in exchange for
this fair and unbiased review.
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