Book Review: FURY by Elizabeth Miles. Umm...an unexpected delight.

I received an ARC of FURY and I couldn't have been more surprised. It's the debut novel of Elizabeth Miles. I so, enjoyed this story. I'm a total romance junkie, so if that's not a big part of the plot, I tend to be somewhat disappointed. I had no idea what FURY was about initially, but the cover drew me in immediately and I had to check it out. Let's look at the description:

Sometimes sorry isn't enough....
It’s winter break in Ascension, Maine. The snow is falling and everything looks pristine and peaceful. But not all is as it seems...
Between cozy traditions and parties with her friends, Emily loves the holidays. And this year’s even better--the guy she’s been into for months is finally noticing her. But Em knows if she starts things with him, there’s no turning back. Because his girlfriend is Em’s best friend.
On the other side of town, Chase is having problems of his own. The stress of his home life is starting to take its toll, and his social life is unraveling. But that’s nothing compared to what’s really haunting him. Chase has done something cruel...something the perfect guy he pretends to be would never do. And it’s only a matter of time before he’s exposed.
In Ascension, mistakes can be deadly. And three girls—three beautiful, mysterious girls—are here to choose who will pay.

Since this story is not particularly romantically focused, I wasn't sure I would be that into it. I couldn't be more wrong! I was into this story, totally. Miles pulls the reader through a fantastic mystery and I'm happy to say, there's an undercurrent of a romance brewing under the surface, waiting to be discovered! It's clear that Em has been a very naughty girl, so I could understand why she may be due a little revenge coming her way. Chase; on the other hand, I wasn't so sure. I thought I had missed it or maybe the author had, as I didn't find him to be that bad of a guy and didn't understand why he was a target. Well, without giving away any spoilers, everything isn't as it first appears and Miles hasn't missed a beat. She knows just what she's doing and the reader will find out all in good time.

I'm not really a mystery kind of girl, but I raced through the pages to find out what was going to happen next! Who are these three girls and what the heck are they about?! This was a great story and it ended in a way I wasn't expecting. I definitely have to read the sequel to learn what's going to happen next. You can't go wrong with this novel. Fury is one to add to your list. Kudos to Elizabeth Miles. She does scary good.

FURY releases August 30, 2011 by Simon and Shuster.

Toodles!