Review: Takes “getting even” to a different level
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 06 1, 2014
DISCLAIMER:  I was given a copy of this book by the author (via Goodreads/Shut Up and Read/Read It And Reap) in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.ADVISORY:  This book contains sensuality, violence and abusive/bullying situationsSynopsis:Jonathan Harper and his best friend, Giles, have been bullied all of their lives, most of it at the hands of the O’Keefe gang.  The other students, as well as the teachers, turn a blind eye to their shenanigans, for fear of retribution.  On the last day before a break, Giles is again the victim of a vicious attack, and Jonathan enlists the aid of the caretaker, Mr. Johnson, as well as Giles’s mother, Linda, to try and rescue him from their clutches, with disastrous results.  People wind up in the hospital, and the police get involved, with an imminent court date.In the meantime, the O’Keefe’s terrorize Giles’s family and vandalize their property, and once they discover Jonathan’s involvement, they threaten to do the same.  However, Jonathan’s father does special research for the government, and they offer to relocate the family from Leeds to London.  Jonathan wants to start a new life, leaving the past behind, and for a while, things go really well.  But in time, he attracts unwanted attention from a new set of bullies, and things take a bad turn.When he goes to his father’s place of employment for help, he discovers that there is more to this world than meets the eye when he discovers a vampire, Subject X, who was captured and is being studied and experimented upon.  Subject X senses Jonathan’s anger (“blood and rage, how sweet”), and seizes the opportunity, planting thoughts and ideas in his mind.  Though Jonathan is quickly removed from the facility, he continues to obsess over the things that Subject X has shown him, especially those needles that he took, which contain something very powerful.Things come to a head, and Jonathan needs to make a choice.  Will he continue to be the victim, or will he need to take matters into his own hands?  And can Subject X help, or will she be the death of him?Comments:An interesting take on the vampire mythos, and a reversal of the norm – this is one where the guy (Jonathan) starts out as the helpless one, and the vampire gal (Subject X/Thorn) is the powerful one.I find bullying to be appalling, especially when others witness it and turn a blind eye.  However, I also cheer for those who stand up for themselves (or others).  Plus it’s always fun to see someone get payback (though perhaps not quite at this level)!Anyway, this story took some interesting turns, with Jonathan feeling conflicted about the decisions and choices he has made (represented by Day Jonathan and Night Jonathan).  And Thorn is not always as she appears to be.  At times, they are both seeking vengeance, but at other times it is about making things right for other victims.There’s a lot more going on there, especially with the Hunters.  And what about Jonathan’s dad and the secret government research (as well as the underhanded things they did)?  There is plenty more vengeance to be had.  I look forward to the sequel.Overall, I felt that this book was fairly well-written, with good character development.  The only complaint I have is about misspellings (there were quite a few), and some occasional grammatical errors.  Spell check does not replace a good editor, especially when the misspelling is also a valid word.BTW, I read the short prequel, “I Want Vengeance”, after reading this book.  It helped fill in some of the back story, and is currently FREE on both Amazon and Barnes and Noble.