.As soon as I started this, I was hooked. I thought this book was a breath of fresh air for multiple reasons, the setting being one of them. I’ve personally not found a lot of YA set in the good ol’ Wild West, so I was excited to see where Erin would take this series next.

I really enjoyed both Vengeance Road and Retribution Rails for the Wild West setting, but I think what set this book apart for me was the characters. Charlotte is witty and ambitious, fighting to be taken seriously and make her break into the world of investigative journalism like her role model, Nellie Bly (This was so refreshing and I loved seeing this character look up to a real life badass like Nellie Bly!) . Reece is a Rose Rider who wants nothing more than to be truly free, and is determined to change his future. Following their stories and seeing their frenemy relationship fall into place was so much fun, and I liked that there was an a focus on each of their own journeys of personal growth throughout the novel.

I loved the daring adventure and the Wild West setting initially introduced in Vengeance Road, and this installation allows us to explore more of that same place, which has expanded and modernized throughout the span of a decade. There were some interactions and throwbacks to the events of Vengeance Road that I really enjoyed, mainly because I thought it was neat to see how the aftermath was handled and how those events were viewed from the outside world. I felt like Erin did a good job of handling the transition between the two books; she kept in touch with the fun elements from Vengeance Road, while letting these new characters have their own narrative.

One of the main things that really stuck out to me was the relationships these characters had, and specifically the growth that occurred between Charlotte and Reece. I noticed that unlike a lot of YA novels I’ve read recently, their relationship didn’t drive the plot, and it honestly wasn’t even the main focal point of the story. Erin allowed these characters to get what they needed and grow into who they wanted to be, and moved things at a natural pace instead of just throwing them at each other. I have to say I really, really appreciated that aspect of this book!

Overall, I was really pleased with this novel. It was just a lot of fun, packed with the tropes you love to see in a western, and with characters you can't help but root for!

TL;DR All in all this was a fun, action-packed companion novel and strong follow-up to Vengeance Road. It's got all the fun tropes you love in a Western, plus Erin’s take on the transcontinental rail road (which makes for some awesome action scenes!). Along with historical Wild West setting, I instantly liked Charlotte and Reece, and loved watching them grow through fighting for their freedom and futures.

I can't get enough of Erin Bowman's books! I am not usually a fan of westerns but something about the way she writes just resonates with me. I think I enjoy the characters in this book even more than the first. It's super fast-paced, fun, action-packed, and all around adventurous. I am also a huge fan of companion novels. Sometimes sticking with the same characters over too many books is boring. I felt like these characters were unique enough to stand out on their own. I can't wait to see what Erin brings us next!

Such a great sequel to a book that I already enjoyed! Sometimes sequels do not live up to the success of the first book, but I felt that this equally matched the pace and tone of the first book.

“So you can either be scared yer whole life or you can try to enjoy it. I suggest the latter. Otherwise yer gonna blink and find yerself old and weary, talking yer last breath and regretting that you passed yer years tense and worrisome.”p. 247

Before I actually start this review, here is the quote that might be enough to convince you to read it:

“Reece Murphy was a boy who became a man while riding with the devil.” p. 368

From the first few pages, I fell in love with Retribution Rails. Truth be told, I hadn't read any summary of it, but as I loved Vengeance Road, I was confident I would enjoy it. What I hadn't expected was to fall in love with the story, to the point that I loved this companion novel even more. Once again, Erin Bowman did a lot of research to recreate the setting of that time, and I was transported all the way there, alongside the characters.

It's been a long time since I read a book with two points of view, but I thought it was so well-done here. Sometimes, the characters take a long time to meet and you don't understand how they'll come together, but in this case, Charlotte and Reece's paths were intertwined from the first few pages and I loved how Erin Bowman did it. Reece was that boy who had been given no choice, who seemed to be a villain from the outside, when the truth was so much more complicated than that and the lines between right and wrong were blurred. On the other side, Charlotte was this badass girl through her words, who wanted to be a journalist and to be independent. Their backgrounds were so interesting and I liked that we still got subplots involving Charlotte's family, as the main plot drifted away from it. Their dynamics were so well-developed, because it started with prejudice, mistrust and fear, and it was so interesting to see them change their minds. Besides, old characters from Vengeance Road played an important role in Retribution Rails, I loved to see what they had become.

Now, when it comes to the plot, I loved how it was linked to the events taking place in Vengeance Road. The novel started as Reece and Charlotte's story, before the reader discover that the stakes are so much higher than that. Would I recommend you to read Vengeance Road before Retribution Rails? I do, because it's awesome and it makes a lot more sense when you have that background, but you can understand without having read it. In short: it's up to you.

Anyhow, the plot was so gripping, I read this book in a few sittings and there weren't any dull moments. Retributions Rails is a page-turner with amazing action scenes and such an interesting historical background. Moreover, my feelings got all over the place. “Why would you do that to me?” Is all I ask. I'm sorry, but I need to recover from everything that happened in the end. I just need more from these characters and I'm totally up for another companion book (but sadly it won't happen)(please do it though), for I want to see everyone again.

Overall, this book was absolutely amazing and I loved it even more than Vengeance Road. I thought that the two points of view balanced the book perfectly, I was so attached to the characters that I don't really want to let them go (I'm still in denial) and the plot was so gripping. If you think you don't like historical fiction, please reconsider. Vengeance Road and Retribution Rails might change your mind.

This is the follow-up I dreamed of! Heart-pounding and unputdownable! A really terrific read.

Vengeance Road was a tour de force, so I was thrilled when I heard there was going to be a sequel (of sorts – more on that later), and although it’s not released until November, I couldn’t wait. I devoured it ASAP.

And you know what, I wasn’t disappointed. Thank the unicorns!!

Retribution Rails is a companion novel, not a direct sequel, so if you missed out on Vengeance Road you need not worry (although you really should read it!), there are two new plucky main characters to focus on, and it’s set around ten years after the first book.

Charlotte Vaughn is a young aspiring journalist who is determined to succeed despite all the odds that are stacked against her. Inspired by her hero (and real-life feminist icon) Nellie Bly she takes matters into her own hands and heads off in search of a story worthy of being her big break. A story so big that the newspapers won’t be able to turn her down. Even if she is a woman.

When Charlotte’s train is targeted by the fearless and ruthless Rose Riders, it could be the answer to her prayers, or it could be the death of her. Her encounter with the infamous Rose Kid sets in motion a whole train map of trouble, leading her on a wild west adventure that’s a little more than she bargained for.

This book was a rip-roaring adventure full of heart. Erin Bowman’s ability to bring history to life with a fresh and modern outlook is nothing short of a revelation, and I really think she’s paved the way for a whole new strand of YA. It’s a great, empowering story for young girls, and full of action for any thrill-seeker.

I couldn’t remember the ins and outs of Vengeance Road going into this (probably because I’m old and drink too much), just that I really enjoyed it, but as we are reunited with Kate and Jessie from the first book it all slowly came back to me. It was so nice to back in their company and see how life had panned out for them ten years on.

I loved everything about it. The adventure, the romance, the historical accuracies, the suspense, the heart-break, the everything. More please!

Have ALL THE UNICORNS.

After Vengeance Road, I didn't think I'd really enjoy any follow-up novel to this series. Boy, was I wrong. Retribution Rails was just as good as, if not better than, Vengeance Road, IMO. If you're reading this book just for Kate and Jesse, you definitely won't be disappointed, because there's plenty of them to go around in this book. Although this is just a companion novel to Vengeance Road, I advise reading the first book to really get the full story.

Erin's ability to write tough-minded, strong young women of the west truly never ceases to amaze me. Charlotte has such a vivacious character that you just can't help but root for from the very beginning. Throw in her determination and quick wit? You've got yourself a helluva character! Oh, and don't get me started on Reese Murphy. His character really brings in a certain kind of complexity that was not present in the first book. Haunted by his actions, he struggles to reconcile who he is versus how he views himself. He tries to right his wrongdoings every chance he gets, and is constantly at war with himself. When Charlotte and Reese collide, they slowly change each other's perceptions of themselves and of the other. Their interactions were something I constantly looked forward to!

The writing, as always, was top notch! Erin has such a vivid writing style that immediately transports you to the Wild West, infusing your imagination with exciting train robberies, gunfights, and showdowns. The world is very impressively well-built and immersive. It's really unlike anything I've ever read -- very refreshing!

I truly can't recommend Vengeance Road and Retribution Rails enough! Before VR, I never would've thought of myself as someone who would pick up a book from the Western genre, but I'm a changed woman now! Trust me, you'll thank me later.

From the well-written vernacular to the complex characters to the immersive world, Retribution Rails is a wild ride from start to finish. So buckle up!

After reading (and loving) Vengeance Road, I couldn't wait to get my hands on its companion novel, Retribution Rails. I knew it took place a decade or so later and that characters from Vengeance Road would make an appearance, but I didn't realize how much I was going to enjoy it!

What I loved about this novel:

1. It is action-packed from page one! You start this story, and it's just one big event after another. There's no down time, so don't read this one if you want to get some sleep.

2. I LOVE the women in these novels. They are so authentically bad ass. Sometimes you read a book and it's very clear that the author was trying to make a strong woman character. These women in the wild west had to be bad ass, and they're freaking awesome.

3. I knew that Kate and Jesse from Vengeance Road would make an appearance in this novel, but I didn't realize how much their story would intertwine. I loved how their story connected with that of Charlotte and Reece. LOVED IT! 

4. I said it about Vengeance Road, and I'll say it about Retribution Rails too: I LOVE how Erin Bowman wrote the novel in a Western dialect. It made the story feel even more authentic and made it an even more fun read.

5. The ending melted my heart. It was simply perfect, and that's all I'll say.


I would recommend this book to anyone who might have even the slightest interest in a young adult Western. It's so fun, you'll have a hard time not enjoying it.

Note: This is the companion sequel to VENGEANCE ROAD, where you can find my review here (https://onewayoranauthor.wordpress.com/2015/09/06/erin-bowman-vengeance-road/). This review will not contain any spoilers.

Also: There is graphic violence and deaths in this book. Please be aware!

I really enjoyed VENGEANCE ROAD years ago and thought that the Western setting was refreshing and incredibly immersive. While RETRIBUTION RAILS proved a fun sequel that led readers to another exhilarating adventure, the overall reaction I felt from it was “easily forgettable.” The read was very worth it, however, and I still recommend this quick and action-packed story to readers looking for a historical setting captured with vibrancy and brilliance. For something of a bit more substance and long-lasting impact, this book won’t provide it.

Told between the alternating first person perspectives of Reece, the Rose Kid, and Charlotte, an aspiring journalist, RETRIBUTION RAILS takes place ten years after the ending of VENGEANCE ROAD Familiar characters are seen as the main characters of the previous book make important cameos in this story. Although I enjoyed seeing how they were doing, my personal opinion is that they got a bit TOO involved with this story. In any case, reading RETRIBUTION RAILS certainly acted as a nice extended epilogue for those particular characters. Reece is part of the Rose Riders, who are dangerous men on the run from the law (and will be familiar to readers of VENGEANCE ROAD). However, this was not by his choice. The leader of the Rose Riders, Boss, is looking for the gunslinger who killed his half-brother, the previous leader, and Reece’s memories holds the key to that path.

“You display yer weakness ‘round these type of men and they’ll eat you alive.”

It was really easy to sympathize with Reece, who is half-white and half-Mexican, as he follows a life that he doesn’t want. He’s had a tough upbringing, made even tougher by the simultaneously harsh yet loving lessons of Boss. I like how Bowman didn’t paint the Rose Riders as sympathetic, though. They are mean and harsh men through and through, and the author didn’t cut them any slack. However, she also adds a bit of feeling and dimension between the men’s interactions, which gave them more character. While robbing a train, Reece meets Charlotte, an aspiring journalist with plans of her own. They cross paths multiple times throughout the story until Charlotte is finally sucked in with Reece’s situation and the rest of the Rose Riders.

I really liked Charlotte’s character. She grows a lot in the book, as she figures out how to deal with problems by herself after failing to get the help of others. She’s independent, vivacious, and filled with writing energy. She has to deal with her antagonistic uncle trying to marry her mother in order to get the money from the investments her now-deceased father made. At first, she thinks that she can get someone else to deal with the problem. But by using her resources, she takes the reigns by herself and sorts out her own problems, making her a very nicely-written independent character. Add to that the fact that she’s working to become a journalist during a time when journalism was seen as a man’s job, and you get a hard-working and determined young woman looking to save her family.

“If my career will not come waltzing to me, I will hunt it down myself. I will claim it for my own.”

The character interactions were actually more in-depth than I expected, considering all the adventure and action going on. You don’t have to read VENGEANCE ROAD to understand the connections to this book, and the author does a good job in incorporating the previous book’s story elements very smoothly in this one. Charlotte and Reece are extremely apprehensive about each other in the beginning, and have this super slow development into trust and understanding throughout the entirety of the book. The romance – if you can even call it that – is extremely light, kind of like subtle sprinkles on a cupcake. I think this progression was also carefully done, because the development really fit the role the characters had and how they each grew as a person throughout the whole story. So I’d like to point out it’s there, but definitely put in the back seat for individual growth, plot progression, and action.

“She challenged me, and I challenged her right in return, and maybe we’ve both grown from that.
How a person can change.”

Although I didn’t have any qualms with RETRIBUTION RAILS, I can’t help but note how forgettable it is. Maybe it’s because I read it extremely fast, but I do recommend it as an action-packed adventure set in the gritty, dusty wild West (and its developing industry at the time). The historical setting was really well-done, the characters easy to like, and plot as exciting as ever. However, the bottom line is that although I liked this book, it’s altogether too easily forgettable and didn’t make that much of a lasting impact for me. Like I said, I do recommend this book to other readers, but sparingly, as even though the adventure and fun is there, there just really isn’t a memorable thing to make this book quite stand out.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

RETRIBUTION RAILS kicks off with a train robbery and doesn’t quit ‘til it’s ridden off into the sunset. Intrigue, debts, romance, criminals, justice, and characters driven by fire, Bowman draws from the classic cup of a good Western and shapes it subtly for contemporary readers.
-pooled ink Reviews

4.5 stars

I received the NetGalley through a giveaway here on GoodReads. Retribution Rails is a companion novel to Erin Bowman's previous novel Vengeance Road. I read Retribution Rails without reading Vengeance Road first and I was perfectly able to enjoy Retribution Rails a lot.

Retribution Rails follows the story of outlaw Reece "The Rose Kid" Murphy and aspiring journalist Charlotte Vaughn. Reece wants out of the Rose Riders but before he can be a free man, he has to point out the cowboy who killed his boss's brother. Charlotte wants to save her mother and herself from her greedy uncle who is out to get the family's mine. The two meet when the Rose Riders, the group of outlaws Reece is part of, pulls a heist on a train. The story has a nice build up and the climax, in my opinion, is super awesome.

I definitely recommend this book, especially when you have enjoyed Wait for Me by Caroline Leech. Even if historical fiction is not your thing, this book might change your mind about that.

SPOILERS!! FOR THIS POINT THERE ARE SPOILERS!!


I warned you.


I loved how Charlotte and Reece gradually grew to like each other. The development had a really nice pace. It made it believable. From hate and distrust in the coach to friends and maybe even more in the last chapter.
Reece struggle also seemed very natural. Turning on the people you called family and knew for three years couldn't be easy.
Can we talk about that amazing climax where they are running on top of the train? Because I just think that was so awesome! When DeSoto and Diaz attacked the Coltons' house, I just couldn't stop reading. The stakes just felt so real.
How Kate just shot DeSoto while holding her newborn baby made me really want to pick up Vengeance Road.
I also really like the message about how people aren't all good and aren't all evil.

This book is amazing. It is a wonderful companion to Vengeance Road. I loved the new characters and their different points of view. I loved how I felt actual stress for them when I was reading this book. I loved how I felt I was in the Wild West along with Reece and Charlotte. I loved how Ms. Bowman did it again with a terrific entry into the Western genre. Read Vengeance Road, then read Retribution Rails. Don't be turned off by the fact that they are Westerns. These books are the only Westerns I have ever read, and I love them.

Erin Bowman bowls another strike! Honestly, this book is just as amazing as Vengeance Road. We've jumped ten years into the future, with new characters and new troubles...but all the same demons. It was so wonderful to meet new characters, and to reunite with old ones. While it had the same atmosphere and language of its predecessor, it never felt like a rehashing. It was fresh, but familiar. Very much enjoyed and I can't wait to have a finished copy in my hands come November.

It must be said - Erin Bowman is brilliant! She is bringing that classic Western feel to the YA audience and she is doing it brilliantly! What an excellent companion to "Vengeance Road." It was wonderful to be reunited with Kate and even more of a delight to be introduced to Reece and Charlotte. Seriously, what well drawn and interesting characters! Additionally, much like "Vengeance Road," there is that undeniable aura of the old west. It drips through the setting, the language, and just the overall mood of the story creating a reading experience that feels almost tangible at times. Also - you can't go wrong with a classic old timey train heist! Ugh! SO much fun! It's so great to see authors pushing boundaries and while, yes, this is a companion, it stands on its own and does something remarkable for the YA market. Bravo Ms. Bowman, Bravo!

When I saw a Retribution Rails ARC on Instagram, I freaked. I loved Vengeance Road when I read it in 2015, and was so excited to see a companion novel coming soon. Soon as in... November 2017. Yikes. So, I requested my first ARC and was surprised to get an email with instructions to download the eARC. And now I'm deep in ARC-heaven/hell....

Anyway. Retribution Rails is a really fun ride. It follows Reece, a member of the Rose Riders gang seeking redemption and freedom, and Charlotte, an aspiring journalist dreaming of her own freedom.

I loved the alternating POVs between Charlotte and Reece, and how perfectly the story from Vengeance Road was continued and woven in. (Mild spoiler - yes, characters from VR reappear!) Retribution Rails more conflicts and twists with a satisfying conclusion.

My only complaint (no camping this time - whew!) is that there is maybe too much time spent inside of the character's heads. I get that Reece feels guilty and Charlotte is mad about everything - they sure think about it a lot.

Once again, Erin Bowman wrote a Western novel that is relatable and exciting. I fell in love with new and old characters, and have a weird urge to ride a train around the country now.

4.5 stars.

“You think,” he continues, “that we mighta been friends in a different life? You and me?”
“We’re already friends in this one,” I tell him.

First thing’s first, this book absolutely floored me. I finished it in two days and immediately wanted to start it again.

This book is the second in the Vengeance Road series, but they’re companion novels, so you don’t have to read them in publication order. I’m living proof of this, because I read Retribution Rails and am now going to see if I can get myself a copy of VR.

Retribution Rails is a wild-west inspired historical fiction, with the fast pace and drama of a YA novel. It has cowboys, it has gunslingers, it has train heists. Well, one train heist, but a dramatic one at that. Yet, where it differs from a traditional western is it’s portrayal of women, specifically the two main female characters.

Charlotte is fiercely determined, courageous and more than a little persistent in her aspirations to become a journalist. She renounces traditional gender roles and pursues a job with the all-female newspaper where her idol Nellie Bly worked. Never once does she accept that she can’t do things just as well (if not better) than a man and I loved her for it. Initially, her binarised view of good and bad (you’re either one or the other) suffocated the narrative, but as the novel progresses, she grows to realise that people (Reece in particular) are not so clear cut.

Similar to Charlotte, Kate is full of tenacity. She instantly disarms Reece when we first meet her and wields a gun like she was born to do so. I liked her unyielding nature and ‘sort it out yourselves’ attitude when it came to Reece and Charlotte’s respective plights. But, like Charlotte, she too mellows throughout the novel, becoming more compassionate and trusting of the new people in her life.

Despite how much I adore these two women, the character I warmed to the most was Reece. He’s held hostage by the gang that forced him to become a killer yet retains his morals and refuses to commit atrocities. What really tugged on my heart, was that fact that be didn’t believe himself worthy of being saved, despite all the evidence pointing to the contrary. I found myself (as I always do) rooting for his redemption. And boy does he get a redemption arc. But that would be spoiling.

I can’t remember ever having read a western before, but if they’re all like this then I’ll definitely be reading more. This novel took me completely by surprise with it’s high-octane action sequences and detailed world-building. The pace was relentless in the best possible way; there’s no time to even consider DNFing this novel because it moves swiftly from one confrontation to another. In fact, the pacing is some of the best I’ve come across in a long time and really suits the genre of the book. The narrative style was simple but effective; there’s little time for dramatic metaphors when you’re running for your life through a panic-striken town, and so accordingly Bowman is sparce with those and other types of lyrical language.

I appreciated the inclusion of non-standard dialect features in Reece’s speech, because similar to Starr’s use of AAVE (African American Vernacular English) in The Hate U Give, it gave a sense of his identity and upbringing. The only problem with including non-standard dialect features is that readers can often (wrongly) assume the character using them is unintelligent (as people often in the real world). In some cases, authors do use non-standard speech to signal ignorance (harmful in many ways as it implies accent/dialect equate to intellect, which is nothing more than a social construct and simply not true), but most use it to indicate heritage, birthplace, social and geographical identity, and projected image. In this case, Reece’s language suggests a ruggedness and lack of care about social expectations that come from living with the Rose Riders.

The research that’s gone into the novel is impressive, and Bowman takes the time to list which events are factual and which are embellished by artistic license in her acknowledgements. The only reason I knocked a half star off this book was because of its lack of diversity. All the main characters were white, western, and straight, and it wouldn’t have been too hard to include POC or Native American characters in the story, especially since the latter were a prevalent, persecuted group during the era.

Overall, though, this was a fantastic adventure story. The characters are full of depth and I’m a sucker for the enemies-to-friends trope so I loved this development. The novel has romance, shoot outs, and action at every turn, and I can guarantee you’ll not be bored for a minute.

I'm so thrilled to have been able to read this book so early. It isn't out until November, and oh, I have waited so long to read it. This book was an exciting one. And I enjoyed it a whole lot. But sadly, I didn't love it, and so I'm giving it three stars. I have reasons for this, and also a lot of reasons for why you should read this book.

I enjoyed Vengeance Road a whole bunch when I read it, close to two years ago now. And I wanted a second book a whole lot. Retribution Rails is not a sequel; but a companion book set in the same place as the first. This one takes place ten years later, with some very different characters. Which were pretty exciting, tbh.

I enjoyed reading about Reece and Charlotte. While I didn't fully love either of them, aw, I liked reading about them both a whole lot. This book is told from both point of views, and I liked that a lot. I preferred reading about Reece, but I adored Charlotte too. And getting to know them was all kinds of awesome. Reece is eighteen years old; he have been riding with the Rose Riders for three years now. Well, he has been forced to ride with them. And getting to know his story was pretty heartbreaking. Even though I didn't fully connect, aw, I still enjoyed reading about it so much. Reece was an amazing character and I loved getting to know him. Really wish Charlotte had treated him better, but I couldn't blame her either, to be honest. He had a bad reputation.

Charlotte is sixteen, and wants to be a journalist. Her father just died, and she and her mom are having issues with her uncle. Which reminded me a bit too much of another western series I love, so that was a bit annoying, yet it was different too. But oh, still, a bit too much the same. But even so, I did like reading about it. Charlotte is pretty strong, and she gets even stronger as the story goes on. I suppose her mom was strong too, but I didn't care for her at all. Aw. But their issues were pretty sad though, I must admit.

This story is about Reece and Charlotte ending up together, and having to work together too. And that was pretty interesting to read about. Reece is with the Rose Riders, whom are the very worst men in this territory. They murder and steal and worse. Reece isn't fully like them, but he too has done murder. So he's not the best kind of boy. Yet he's kind and gentle too, and I was pretty curious about him. Wish there had been a bit more details about him, though. I wish I had gotten to know him even more. Wanted more.

Reece is a criminal, Charlotte is a lady. And I loved reading about them meeting each other. He's robbing her train, and her, she's about to shoot him. It was all kinds of exciting and interesting. I really enjoyed reading about everything that happened after that too. I just didn't feel that strongly about the characters. Aw. Probably because they pretty much hate each other for a long time. And I didn't like how they treated each other at times. But I did like reading about them, even so, and they had an interesting relationship.

There is so much happening in this book. And I'm not going to talk about all of it. Have mentioned some parts, but there is still tons more going on. This book is set in such an awesome time period, and I loved reading about that. The setting was amazing. I liked the characters, despite not loving them. And reading about the Rose Riders was pretty horrible yet so fascinating too. I really enjoyed reading about how they were going to take them down. And how so much went wrong. Lots of surprises included in this book too.

One thing that I enjoyed a whole bunch about this book was that we get to see a lot of old characters too, from book one. They are now older, yet still so awesome. Not going to mention that much more, just that I loved reading about them again, and that their part in this story was pretty good. I loved how things had changed in these ten years. Sigh. I didn't remember all the details from book one, but remember enough, and getting these small reminders of the book made me so happy. And might wish to read it again. Hmph.

I think that one of the biggest reasons for why I didn't love this book was because there was no romance. Reece and Charlotte are not friends at all for most of the book. But they slowly get to know each other a little bit, but because of how fast this book is moving, there isn't time for anything else. And so there is no kissing. And there is no feelings between them. There are hints near the ending that there might be small feelings between them, but nothing shown, and that just disappointed me a bit. Aw. I wanted a romance.

I liked the ending of the book, but one thing bothered me a little. Oh, well. While I didn't love this one, I liked it a lot. And I think that Retribution Rails is a book worth reading. It's exciting and brutal with such interesting characters. It's a fast read, and I found it to be pretty interesting. I'm just a bit sad that I didn't love it more. But I did like it, and I'm happy with that. This book is gorgeous, and I can't wait to own the finished copy too. Huge, huge thank you to the publisher, HMH Books, for the most gorgeous ARC copy.

Honestly, I wasn't very excited about Retribution Rails after the end of Vengeance Road. Becuse the end of Vengeance Road was feeling very end. Retribution Rails was companion novel, Erin Bowman said, but I had doubts about that. I was still expecting a re-telling of Vengeance Road, after 10 years later and new two main characters and their own POV.
It was true at the beggining, very similar to Vengeance Road. THEN changed. It was a fast-paced, like Vengeance Road, but better. Erin Bowman improved herself with sensible and strong main characters. And I realy liked that, they didn't play dumbs. Really, I got bored about that in nearly all of the YA books.
I liked Reece and Charlotte and their movements. And the main reasons of author's inspiration. It was like Vengeance Road, but has more reality.
I've got two problems with this book; first the end (not the 'very end' but close); second, the similarity with Vengeance Road- maybe because they were both Western and in the same time line.
If you like Western or liked Vengeance Road(they're both the same but anyway) highly recommend it. If you didn't read anything about Western... Well, you can try it with this series!

When I first read Vengeance Road in 2015, I wasn't sure if I would like it or not. I had not really read any YA Western books, so I was apprehensive. All of my fears were quelled when I began the story. Erin Bowman wrote a wonderful story set in the Wild West, and I loved every second of it. So of course when I saw that Retribution Rails was available on Netgalley, I immediately requested it.

Retribution Rails is set in the same Wild West world as VR, but 10 years later. The main character is 18 year old Reece Murphy, also known as the Rose Kid. He is an unwitting member of the Rose Rider gang, and has been accused of multiple murders that he did not commit. He meets the very fierce Charlotte Vaughn while attempting to rob the train she is on. Their meeting sets off a deadly chain of events that is non-stop throughout the book.

First off, I LOVED Reece and Charlotte. Sure, Charlotte was really impulsive and did plenty of stupid things throughout the book, but she was also fierce and determined to get her life back. I can't fault her because I think plenty of us would be willing to do whatever it took to get out of bad situations like she and her mother were in. Reese on the other hand, was not your average bad guy. He was caught up in a bad situation and forced to do what he had to do to protect his mother. Despite his reputation and tough exterior, Reese was actually a very good guy.

Both of them had quite the dynamic together. It was a lot of tension when they got together, that's for sure.

I must say that when I got to the last page, I was SO confused because I kept swiping trying to get to the last page only to realize that I had already reached the last page! Then I read the epilogue and was still shocked that it just ended like that. Why Erin, why?!

Overall, I was very happy with this companion story to Vengeance Road. Erin Bowman does a wonderful job at writing Westerns, and I hope she continues to do so.