Facing Revenge follows Calista Snipe and Skyler McCray as they navigate friendship, romance, and rising danger during their high school year. The book opens with normal teen routines, like rides to school and lunchroom drama, then slowly shifts as tension rises around bullying, simmering grudges, and a growing threat targeted at their friend group. The story builds toward a frightening climax in which Skyler, Clair, and others face off against masked attackers to rescue kidnapped girls, a scene vividly shown when Sky bursts into the loft to confront four hooded figures reviewing photos of their captives. The novel blends everyday teenage life with suspense, friendship loyalty, and moments of courage.

I found myself pulled into the friendships more than anything else. The banter between Sky, Bax, Leantos, and Clair made the group feel familiar and warm, even when they were dealing with tense moments, like when Clair was harassed in the cafeteria, and Eli slammed Boman against the milk cooler in his defense. The writing had a casual rhythm that felt like listening to actual teens talk. Sometimes the dialogue rambled, but that looseness also made the quieter emotional moments land harder. Seeing Clair’s anxiety before his first wrestling match and the tears on his cheeks afterward made me feel protective of him. Those scenes felt honest in a way that surprised me.

I also reacted strongly to the darker parts of the novel. The boys plotting revenge in Bakari’s bedroom, talking flippantly about grabbing Calista or Gabrielle, hit me with a jolt because of how casually they floated the idea, almost like it was entertainment rather than cruelty. That casual malice felt real and unsettling. And by the time the kidnapping unfolds, the book had built enough dread that the violence in the loft genuinely shocked me. The moment Sky uses the stave as a ruse, fakes high, then sweeps the attacker’s knees while Clair charges like a human battering ram, felt unexpectedly intense for a teen novel.

I felt satisfied with the way the story balanced its emotional beats. The friendships carry the book, and the suspense gives those bonds real weight. I would recommend Facing Revenge to readers in the older-teen range who enjoy stories about tight friend groups, school drama, and real danger woven together. It would especially fit readers who like character-driven suspense that still feels grounded in everyday life, and anyone who appreciates stories that highlight loyalty, bravery, and the way ordinary kids can rise to extraordinary moments.

Pages: 195 | ASIN : B0F5N8YYS9