Title: Vengeance Bound
Author: Justina Ireland
Publisher: Simon & Schuster for Young Readers
Release date: April 2, 2013
The Goddess Test meets Dexter in an edgy, compelling debut about one teen’s quest for revenge… no matter how far it takes her.
Cory Graff is not alone in her head. Bound to a deal of desperation made when she was a child, Cory’s mind houses the Furies—the hawk and the serpent—lingering always, waiting for her to satisfy their bloodlust. After escaping the asylum where she was trapped for years, Cory knows how to keep the Furies quiet. By day, she lives a normal life, but by night, she tracks down targets the Furies send her way. And she brings down Justice upon them.
Cory’s perfected her system of survival, but when she meets a mysterious boy named Niko at her new school, she can’t figure out how she feels about him. For the first time, the Furies are quiet in her head around a guy. But does this mean that Cory’s finally found someone who she can trust, or are there greater factors at work? As Cory’s mind becomes a battlefield, with the Furies fighting for control, Cory will have to put everything on the line to hold on to what she’s worked so hard to build.
EXCERPT FOUR
I push the memories aside and walk back into the main building. Once inside, I head straight to my locker to hang up my coat. When I pull open the metal door a newspaper clipping, yellowed with age, flutters to the ground. It’s one of The Furies’ abilities, leaving me messages like this. I have no idea how They do it. I’ve learned over the years that They don’t wholly exist in this world, and that Their presence here is intertwined with mine. But I’m not sure if They place the clippings using some rip in the space time continuum or if They have free run of this world while I sleep. I’ve never asked.
I don’t really want to know.
I pick up the slip of paper and read the headline: Man Convicted of Four Murders Released for “Good Behavior.”
The article goes on to relate how Hank Meacham, a local mechanic, had originally been sentenced to twenty-five years in prison for the murders of several young women. The state paroled him after only ten years, since he had been a model prisoner.
I clench the article in my hand, crumpling the newsprint. The date on the story is from five years ago. The news clipping isn’t random. It’s Their way of signaling our next target. They weren’t happy about quickly dispatching Alders last night, and now They’re ready to hunt again.
I could ignore Them like Alekto wants me to, not go out tonight to get rid of the man in the article. Really, I’d like to never hand down another Justice, to just live my life like an average girl. But that’s the fool’s errand, as my grandmother used to say. I tried it once, and the outcome was a hundred times worse than anything before or since. My grandmother might even still be alive if I hadn’t lost control so severely.
A little control is better than none at all.
Justina Ireland enjoys dark chocolate, dark humor, and is not too proud to admit that she’s still afraid of the dark. She lives with her husband, kid, and dog in Pennsylvania. Vengeance Bound is her first novel.
I "know" Justina back from the early days of #yalitchat and I've been anxiously waiting for this one for awhile now. Congrats, Justina!
ReplyDeleteShe must be an excellent author if she likes dark chocolate. Dark chocolate rules!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI've had my eye on this book. Sounds like a really great read!!!
ReplyDeleteThis book sounds original and cool! I am definitely gonna read it!
ReplyDeleteI'm a huge Dexter fan, so I think I will enjoy this one!
ReplyDeleteThanks,
Leanne
This book sounds like a really good read, can't wait
ReplyDeleteI would love to read this book. It sounds really good. Thanks for the giveaway. Please enter me.
ReplyDeleteAaahh the cover of this is actually so epic! This looks like something I'd read, I can't wait for the release date!
ReplyDeleteSounds interesting! Been eyeing this one for a while. Worth the wait I guess!
ReplyDeletePati~deffinetly not something I heard of before! I have to get this ASAP!!!
ReplyDeleteOoooo, great excerpt! Can't wait to read this one! :)
ReplyDeleteThis looks like a great book. I can't wait to read it. Thanks for the giveaway!!
ReplyDeleteOh I think I am going to like Cory very much. Thank you for sharing this new to me read, I am looking forward to more :)
ReplyDeleteOMG The Goddess Test meets Dexter....I'm sold :) Loved the excerpt and cannot wait to read this!!
ReplyDeleteJolene A
This sounds like a fantastic read for me and my teen...who gets to read it first, though....hmmmmmmmm....
ReplyDeleteBarrie
Sounds like a great read! Thanks for the giveaway!
ReplyDelete