Severed Ties by Kevin Krohn

All her life, Nyne has been training in the martial arts and dealing with weapons. Ever since her mother died when Nyne was two when their house went up in flames, she and her father have moved around a lot to avoid the reason why their peaceful life was shattered in the first place—the Stanfield’s. The reason why Nyne believes the Stanfield’s are after her and her father is that her father had blown a huge corporate cover-up, and that Roger Stanfield, the VP of Rytax Pharmaceuticals, did not want this potentially reputation-destroying information to get out, so he tried to get rid of Nyne and her family.

That was years ago, and Nyne is now a freshman in college and she’s out for revenge. Her father has sent her on mission after mission to go pick off the Stanfield’s, one at a time. Fueled by her thirst for revenge, Nyne becomes a skilled killer. But even as she getting her vengeance, Nyne cannot help but wonder what a regular life with family and friends instead of constant fight and flight would have been like. Nyne and her father constantly move around and lay low for the most part, unable to put down roots and constantly making up lies to keep their cover. But with most of the Stanfield’s eliminated, Nyne is hoping that she can start her life over and try to live a normal life with her father once she finishes the job. After all, there will be no more power-hungry corporate workers to run from, but can Nyne really live a normal life? Can she deal with all those deaths on her conscience? How normal can her life really be, after knowing nothing but lies, death, and violence all her life?

On the final stretch before she can attempt to live a normal life, Nyne starts to question why she is doing all this, and if it is the right thing to do. Is there more to her past than her father has told her?—Is it actually more complex and deep than the simple story her father has had her believe? Will she falter, or can she get the job done and eliminate all the Stanfield’s once and for all? Is revenge really the right path to be taking? But she’s already gone to far to turn back—but what if she was taking the wrong path in the first place? One move could blow her cover, but one move could also change all her beliefs, and jeopardize everything she’s ever known and believed in…

Author Kevin Krohn does a fantastic job of hooking readers in. The action-packed start will compel readers to continue to read this thrilling novel! Although some of seemed a little far-fetched (or at least it seemed that some things came too easily for Nyne), Severed Ties is and undoubtedly an action-packed, suspenseful novel that will keep you guessing and hungry for more! Surprises and twists and turns will keep you reading until the very end of this well-paced adventure!
A job well done for the cover as well—it’s thought-provoking, leaves a lot to the imagination, and it really drew me in, wondering what the book would be about!
Overall, Severed Ties was a great novel dealing with revenge, decisions and consequences, the meaning of family, and growth. I can’t wait for Volume II!