Vendetta by Catherine Doyle – Mafia, Mayhem & Major Nostalgia | Book Review

Hey there! I’m back with my 6th book review, and this one is a real blast from the past. We’re going all the way back to my 12th-grade days, right when I was transitioning into college life—chaotic times, but oh-so-special. And the book that made that phase even more unforgettable? Vendetta by Catherine Doyle, the first in the Blood for Blood series.

This review is a love letter to that era, to those painfully slow but weirdly charming old computer systems I read the entire trilogy on (RIP to them 😔), and to my best friend who introduced me to this criminally underrated series. Honestly — thank you. I had no idea I could be this invested in a Mafia plot until Vendetta came into my life and knocked me sideways.

Mafia Boys, Mysterious Secrets & Pure Chaos

At its core, Vendetta is everything a YA fan didn’t know they needed. Five dangerously attractive brothers? Check. Mafia family secrets? Check. A headstrong heroine, Sophie, who stumbles right into the middle of it all? Big check.

This book had me in a chokehold from page one. It’s fast-paced, dramatic, and unafraid to get messy—in the best way. Sophie’s voice is sharp, funny, and relatable, and her gradual unraveling of the secrets surrounding her family and the mysterious Falcone brothers was chef’s kiss suspenseful.

And let’s talk about the vibes — romantic tension, thrill, danger, and that teenage heart-racing confusion when you can’t tell if you’re falling for a hero or a villain (or possibly both). Catherine Doyle seriously knew how to deliver.

Criminally Underrated (Pun Intended)

Honestly, I don’t see nearly enough people talking about this series, and it deserves the hype. If you like your YA with dark edges, swoony moments, and plot twists that keep you up at night, Vendetta is a gem. It gave me all the Romeo & Juliet but make it Mafia feels — without feeling cliché.

And the nostalgia? Ugh. Just writing this makes me want to go back to those simpler days, curled up with my creaky old desktop, devouring chapter after chapter like my life depended on it.

What’s Next

This is just the start of my deep dive into the Blood for Blood world — I’ll be reviewing the next two books (Inferno and Mafiosa) in my upcoming blog posts. So stay tuned for my 7th and 8th reviews as I fully indulge in this nostalgic reread journey.

As always, I’m posting every Friday — trying to stay consistent and slowly building this little reading corner of mine. If you’ve read Vendetta (or if this review just made you curious), I’d love to hear your thoughts! 💥📚

Until next Friday

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini — I was not ready for this emotional rollercoaster

Hey hey! Back again with my fifth book review (I know, I can’t believe it either 😭). And this one? This one absolutely wrecked me — in the most beautiful, painful, unforgettable way. I finally read The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini as part of my 2024 reading backlog, and… oh my god. I cried for days. DAYS.

I wasn’t prepared for how deeply this book would cut into my heart — and then gently, painfully, try to stitch it back up again.

The Story That Grabs You by the Soul

Set in Afghanistan, the novel follows Amir and his childhood friend Hassan, and explores the themes of guilt, redemption, betrayal, love, and the heavy, haunting weight of memory. The writing is lyrical and powerful — it doesn’t just tell you a story, it pulls you in and makes you feel every heartbreak, every moral dilemma, every ounce of longing.

There’s something timeless and terrifying about how Hosseini captures both the innocence of youth and the brutality of growing up in a war-torn world. I felt so many things — frustration at Amir, pure heartbreak for Hassan, and just this deep ache for everything that could’ve been different.

I Knew It Would Hurt. I Didn’t Know How Much.

It’s one of those books that feels so intimate it’s almost hard to read. And yet, you can’t stop. There were moments I had to put it down, breathe, cry a little (or a lot), and pick it back up. Because no matter how painful it got, I had to know what happened. I had to hope redemption was coming.

There’s a scene — if you’ve read it, you know — that just destroyed me. And it’s not just that one moment. It’s the aftershocks. The guilt that lives in Amir for years. The way that trauma stretches and reshapes itself in different parts of his life. It’s… haunting.

If I Had to Say One Thing That Didn’t Click

Okay, just to balance it out — if I had one small critique, it would be that at times, the pacing felt slightly uneven. Some sections felt a bit rushed in comparison to others, especially later in the book. But honestly? That didn’t take away from the emotional weight it carried. And in a way, the whirlwind of time kind of mirrors how life moves on, even when we’re stuck in the past.

Final Thoughts

The Kite Runner isn’t just a book — it’s a whole emotional experience. It stays with you long after you close the last page. It breaks you open, but also, quietly, shows you the power of atonement and forgiveness. It’s painful, but necessary. Tragic, but hopeful. And for me, it’s now etched in my heart forever.

This is officially my fifth review, and I’m still holding on to my promise of posting every Friday (shocking, I know). Every post feels like another step toward actually being consistent in something — and this one was tough to write because I still get teary just thinking about this book.

Have you read The Kite Runner? Did it hit you just as hard? Let’s cry and talk in the comments 💬💔