The Little Blue Pig: Review: Cold Fury

Title: Cold Fury
Author: T.M. Goeglein
Pages: 313
Format: ARC/Paperback
Publishing Date: July 24th 2012
Publisher: Putnam Juvenile

Please note: I received an advanced reading copy for review. My review is thus then based on this ARC. Please keep in mind that your published copy may differ slightly from my ARC copy. My review is solely based on my opinion of the book. Thanks.

I haven't read a book in 2 months! So you could probably imagine my excitement when I finally had the time to pick up a book. Cold Fury jumped out at me while I was scanning my bookshelf for the perfect after-the-reading-slump-book to read. That and it is released in July, so I new I had to get a move on. Nevertheless, Cold Fury sounded like a pretty entertaining read and I couldn't wait to get started.

Boy was I wrong! Although the premises sounded promising- The Mob, assassins, a girl on the run with a mysterious brief case- the beginning was nothing I expected.

Generally when you pick up a book and open that fresh, crisp spine to the first page, you're starting somewhere. Maybe the character is in the middle of a situation or maybe he/she is about to be put into some sort of situation, either way, something usually happens within those first few chapters that hooks you into the story line (that is if the author did his or her job). I'm sorry to say that T.M did NOT do his job. I can't say the beginning hooked me in at all. Let me explain why...

1) First of all, you don't begin a story by explaining everything that's going on (past and present) within the first freaking 100 pages! Jeesh, all throughout those 100 pages I was overwhelmed with SO much information that there were hardly any dialogue. Seriously this isn't a very dialogue-filled book.

2) Can't say I knew the characters all that well. Not even the main character who spoke to you throughout the story. Sure, we get to know some family secretes, and we get to know about some assholes, but that doesn't mean you FULLY get to know anyone. There was just too much world building and not enough character building. One minute there is a new character introduced, and the next they seem to cease to exist. It's like the main character completely forgot about them! Ugh, now that's infuriating!

3) I was disappointed with the action. From the sounds of the synopsis:

"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."

you'd think there would be quite a bit of it. WRONG-O! In actuality, the author spent so much time TELLING you (instead of showing you) what the mob was about and the Outfits and so on and so fourth that when there was action, it was fast and boring. A jab here, a kick there, and Sara Jane was on the run again, telling us even MORE information. This book is so overwhelming with information it isn't funny.

4) Did I mention there was A LOT of information in this book. God, the author just went along the entire story line telling you stuff. I can't even remember half of the things that has to do with Sara Jane and her family.

Okay, so as I clearly stated showed above, the book was kind of crappy. That said, there were a few aspects I enjoyed about the book that earned it its 3 stars.

1) The premise is interesting and I did think the author had something going. The whole Italian-mob aspect of it really intrigued me and I loved learning of all the family secrets- it made me feel like spy!

2) Sara Jane wasn't an entirely bad character. Despite not getting to know her too well she is still one kick-ass characters, and this I admire her for that.

3) Doug, Sara Jane's friend, was hilarious and had me laughing whenever he was in the picture.

So if someone were to ask me (maybe you?) if they should read this book, my answer is... Yes, give it a try. I'm all about finding out for yourself how a book is. Maybe you'll be intrigued by all the information, or maybe you'll be completely turned off. Hard to say, so I think you should read and find out for yourself.