Monday 8 August 2016

Bloodlust by Alex Duval

346272 

 Series: Vampire Beach
Author: Alex Duval
Page Count: 233
Published: June 1st, 2006
Publisher: Simon Pulse
  3 Stars ★★★

 Jason has moved to Malibu and starts attending a new high school where he makes friends quickly and meets Sienna; hot, popular and taken. With a new crush and invitations to parties, things seem to be going fairly well for Jason. That is, until someone turns up dead.

When one of Jason's new friends reveals his crazy theory about the student's death, that she was killed by a vampire, he's skeptical but wary. But as the evidence begins to add up, Jason learns that there's something dangerous in Malibu, and everything is not as it seems. 

I think the best way for me to sum up my feelings concerning this book is that it was enjoyable, but it wasn't memorable. It's an easy, quick read, but it's not the kind of book that you'll be recommending to all your friends, rushing out to get the sequels or hoping that it becomes a movie. This is the kind of book that you read after you've read a long novel or you've just finished a series. It's a fill-in book, something to entertain yourself with while taking a break from a regular reading schedule or a big to-read pile. 

The characters weren't all that special, they were pretty flat and stereotypical. However, they did make the story move forward effectively, albeit predictably. Jason was a likeable main character because he seemed like a decent guy, but there was nothing really unique about him. He didn't really stand out from the crowd or make an impression like some characters in other books. 

The plot overall was really predictable, except for near the end where there was a twist. I thought it was a pretty good ending and a decent twist, however I wish that there had been more evidence or foreshadowing leading up to what happened. I don't really like it when twists seem random, or when clues only appear near the end of the book. I like to be able to guess, and this book didn't really fulfill that for me. 

While this doesn't really stand out from the rest of the YA books I've read, I do recommend it for fans of vampires and YA novels. If you're looking for a short read or a break from long, intricate books, you may want to give this one a try. 

Find Bloodlust on Goodreads