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NEWS: Erin Bowman announces companion to stunning ‘Vengeance Road’


‘Vengeance Road’, the rootin’ tootin’ YA western by Erin Bowman was released 2015 and it was a stunner. Not only is it a stonking good story, but the book itself literally begged to be photographed.

We’re not kidding. Look:

Vengeance Road: 5/5 Stars . “When her father is murdered for a journal that reveals the secret location of a gold mine, 18 year old Kate Thompson disguises herself as a boy and takes to the gritty plains looking for answers—and justice. What she finds are untrustworthy strangers and a pair of stubborn brothers who refuse to quit riding her shadow. But as Kate gets closer to the secrets about her family, she gets closer to the truth about herself, and must decide if a heart so filled with hate has any room left for love.” (synopsis from dust jacket) This is my first 5 star read of 2016! As a Utah girl and someone whose heart is filled with deep love for the West (it’s legends, it’s people, and “God’s Country”) this story was right up my alley. This isn’t some fluff story set in the West, this is a gritty, unforgiving tale of cowboys, outlaws, and Indians. It’s a tale of revenge, hate, unbearable sadness, and all types of love. I love stories of all types of women from this time period, but I adore stories of a girl living in rough country that knows how to handle a horse, and take a man down with her sharp shooting skills. (anyone read “These is my Words” by Nancy Turner? It’s a similar type of story and it comes with my highest recommendation.) I related to and connected so much with Kate. I feel like I would have thought, felt and done just as she did, and it’s rare that I find a character in which I can see myself so clearly. For that, I know this will always be a favorite of mine. This book is loaded with feelings and how they govern a heart. I felt like the way those feelings were depicted and how events unfurled were some of the truest and realistic descriptions that I’ve read in a long while. This is written in the language and diction of the old West, and I thought that it added a lot of wonderful character to the story. I found this exciting, suspenseful, fun, and heartbreaking. It touched my heart in an honest way, and I’m so glad I finally read it!

A photo posted by Folded Pages Distillery (@foldedpagesdistillery) on

 
It’s almost too gorgeous for words:

It even looks good naked:

Remember the other day when I said that I was gonna eat shaved ice? Well, it turns out it’s called snow ice, and the store we wanted to go to no longer sells it 😭 But the good news is @apageofheaven and I stumbled upon another dessert store that has it! We were so happy and tried the matcha flavour, hehe 😁 We also went to check out a very pretty church and were bookstagramming outside by the road. I bet we got tons of weird looks from the passing cars 😂 – #bookstagram #booksofinstagram #igreads #book #books #love #bookish #booklove #booknerd #pretty #lovely #ya #bibliophile #bookworm #booklover #bookaholic #fandom #fangirl #bookphotography #booktography #yalit #ireadya #booknerdigans #read #vengeanceroad #erinbowman

A photo posted by Jing Zhi (@thejinglebook) on

  But if you thought it was over then hold on to your hat and strike your spurs because YEEHAW! Bowman announced on her site that there would be a companion novel. It’s to be titled ‘Retribution Rails’ And here’s what she had to say about it: “This is a completely separate story, with a new plot and new characters. It’s still set in Arizona (roughly ten years after the events that unfold in VR), but you can read RR without reading VR, and it will absolutely make sense. (Although you should read them both because 1) I’m biased and think you’ll like them and 2) there will be some easter eggs in RR that only readers of VR will pick up on.)”

And can we expect the same hijinks and action? “Set in 1887 Arizona and about a boy in possession of a mysterious gold coin who is forcibly recruited by a train-robbing gang interested in the piece, and about the aspiring female journalist who will either be his ticket to freedom—or a noose, again.”
leonardo di caprio cowboy Well gosh darn it, we’re just about ready to lasso that sucker in right now! It has been tentatively cited for release in 2017. Boo! And even though there isn’t any sign of a cover yet, we’ll wait. In excited anticipation. Just like this dog:

Are you as excited as we are? Tweet us @maximumpopbooks