Guest Review: The Hunt – Andrew Fukuda

Don’t Sweat.  Don’t Laugh.  Don’t draw attention to yourself.  And most of all, whatever you do, do not fall in love with one of them.

Gene is different from everyone else around him.  He can’t run with lightning speed, sunlight doesn’t hurt him and he doesn’t have an unquenchable lust for blood.  Gene is a human, and he knows the rules.  Keep the truth a secret.  It’s the only way to stay alive in a world of night—a world where humans are considered a delicacy and hunted for their blood.

When he’s chosen for a once in a lifetime opportunity to hunt the last remaining humans, Gene’s carefully constructed life begins to crumble around him.  He’s thrust into the path of a girl who makes him feel things he never thought possible—and into a ruthless pack of hunters whose suspicions about his true nature are growing. Now that Gene has finally found something worth fighting for, his need to survive is stronger than ever—but is it worth the cost of his humanity?

Series:  The Hunt #1
Release Date:  May 8, 2012
Publisher:  St. Martin’s Press
Source:  NetGalley
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Reviewer’s Thoughts:

Gene has lived his entire life with vampires. Using skills he learned from his father he has managed to not only survive but live among them as well. Now that he has just won the lottery for the next Heper Hunt, things will be a lot harder to cover up. Taken to a facility for vampires there is no water to wash, no deodorant to cover his smell, and no razor to shave. He just knows he is done for. Luckily he gets an unlikely ally in the ever popular Ashley June, but Ashley isn’t what she seems either. With time running out they need to find a way to get out of this Hunt before everyone realizes what they really are.

Ashley June is the most popular girl in school. If you want to sit with her you had better have an invite and don’t even think of crossing her. She is the center of the high school world and everyone’s attention. Now thanks to being a lottery winner she is stuck with the only guy she has ever really liked and can’t seem to figure out why he won’t like her back. When she does find out everything changes and now they are racing to stay alive.

Gene and Ashley have always liked each other but his reluctance has kept it at bay; because if Ashley June knew he was really a Heper she wouldn’t be trying to date him anymore, she would be trying to eat him.

This book was strange to say the least and it is not your typical romance blossoming in the Savannah either. In fact this book can truly be compared to The Hunger Games. Except this time the contestants are Vampires who are hunting Hepers (Humans). The way they conduct themselves in this book is strange but I have to commend the author for going outside that box of comfort and familiarity. Andrew Fukuda gives you something completely different from the rest and I was not in the least disappointed. If you are looking for something different I highly recommend this book.

Cocktail Recipe

Hunter’s Cocktail

 1 1/2 oz whiskey
    1/2 oz cherry brandy
    maraschino cherry for garnish

Preparation:

    Pour the whiskey and cherry brandy into an old-fashioned glass with ice.
    Stir well.
    Garnish with a maraschino cherry.
http://cocktails.about.com/od/whiskeyrecipes/r/hunter_cocktail.htm