Thank you Rodale/Harmony and Netgalley for an ARC of this book.

James Kimmel presents a very heavily researched account of revenge and his findings on how it is an addiction. Kimmel provides heavy evidence to support this hypothesis stating that many of his colleagues and other academics do not wish to place revenge in the addiction category.

Kimmel’s book digs deep into the neuroscience behind revenge. It is incredibly well researched and has a very high scientific stance.
I was seeking something a little less research based so found the book heavier than I had hoped.

This book will appeal to those who enjoy the detail of scientific psychological theory. This is an interesting book and it has provoked lots of thought for me about revenge and what my thinking is from the addiction standpoint.

Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I found The Science of Revenge by James Kimmel to be a fascinating and timely read. What struck me was Kimmel’s central idea that revenge can function like an addiction. That concept made a great deal of sense once I started reading. Kimmel explains that people who feel wronged often rehearse their grievances repeatedly, which activates neural pain pathways in the brain. To cope with that pain, the brain starts to crave the "high" of revenge, just like it might crave a drug. The book prompted me to reflect on how frequently we witness this cycle unfold, not just in individuals but across society, particularly in politics and the media.

Kimmel’s writing made the science approachable, and I appreciated how he supported his arguments with neuroscience while maintaining an engaging tone. I was surprised to learn that even just watching revenge play out on screen can trigger the brain's reward systems. It explains a lot about the popularity of revenge stories and why they’re so emotionally satisfying.

One of the things I found most valuable was the hopeful message that revenge addiction can be treated, much like substance abuse. Kimmel suggests that mindfulness, emotional regulation, and evidence-based therapy can help break the cycle of grievance and revenge. That gave me a lot to think about in terms of how we might address conflict, both personally and societally.

Another standout part of the book was Kimmel’s distinction between justice and revenge. He points out that while justice is supposed to mean fairness and respect, the word is often misused as a way to justify acts of violence. That resonated with me, especially considering how frequently we hear people invoke “justice” to explain harmful behavior.

That said, I can understand why some readers might feel the book oversimplifies things. Not every act of violence stems from a place of revenge, and framing it that way might feel somewhat limiting. Even so, I thought Kimmel’s perspective added a new and vital layer to understanding violence and human behavior.

Overall, I found this to be a powerful and thought-provoking book. It challenged my perspective on revenge, justice, and the role of the media in shaping our emotional responses.

Reading this book made me stop and take a hard look at how much resentment I’ve been carrying—and how it’s been quietly damaging my health and peace of mind. Kimmel does a powerful job of explaining the deep psychological and physiological toll that holding onto revenge can take, and it hit home in a way I wasn’t expecting. What I especially appreciated was how practical the book is—it's not just theory. The book also gives practical strategies to deal with your feelings if you've been wronged, in particular, it gave me a clear, doable way to shift my thinking in the moment. It’s a thoughtful, grounded guide for anyone who wants to let go of anger and actually feel better—mentally, emotionally, and physically.

There are a .lot of things that are addictive but I never would of thought revenge was one of them. Now when I read about someone that does the same thing over and over I will be thinking about addiction,.

Wow. I came away from reading this book with a renewed perspective. I had no idea that revenge even could be addictive. I also had no clue how to help someone make a different choice than revenge.

I'm a survivor of someone who enacted a vengeance campaign for almost all of my teen years after I told the authorities what she'd done. I've never understood how or why she and her enablers would do that, but this book has answered my questions. It was about revenge. I think that the abuse I endured from her was about revenge as well.

Life is complicated, and people have many motivations. Something most--if not all--of us have thought about at least is revenge when we're hurt. This book includes a way for us to satisfy our cravings for revenge and increase empathy. Research has been and continues to be done on this strategy, and it may not work for everyone. However, it gives me hope.

I have hope that if more people read this book, violence will decrease.

As a teacher, I highly recommend other teachers read this.

Can you really be addicted to revenge—thinking about, justifying, and carrying it out? The author thinks so—and gives credible evidence for his beliefs. Full of real-life scenarios and science, this book is a fascinating explanation of why revenge can be so harmfully addictive, including warning signs that you or someone you know may need immediate help.

this book was okay, it was very informative and it had a lot of data. It was interesting and kept me entertained. I don't think this book was the easiest to read but it was still interesting

Thank you to NetGalley, to the author, and to the publisher for this complimentary ARC in exchange for my honest review!!!