The Hunt by Andrew Fukuda Review

The Hunt (The Hunt #1) by Andrew Fukuda
★★★★☆
Release Date: May 8, 2012
Publisher: Macmillan, St. Martin's Griffin
Age: YA
Genre: Dystopian, Vampires, Adventure, Action
Format read: e-book
Source: Publisher via Netgalley
Preorder it: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Book Depository
Also available as an audiobook!

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?

I've been kind of avoiding vampire books, and when I began reading this one I didn't know what it was about, I only knew that I LOVED the cover. I know I know, never judge a book by it's cover, but in this case I'm glad I did. I'd say it's a dystopian adventure vampire novel, where the world has been completely taken over by them and there are not many hepers (humans) left. An eerie premise that translates into an amazing tale.

The beginning of The Hunt began a teensy bit slow and predictable for me, I really got a Hunger Games likeness vibe from the beginning. Not that that's a bad thing, it just didn't feel very original, but that really changed once I got into it. For other readers that, like me, tend to set books down and go back to them I will say with this one, don't. Keep with it, trudge on, it gets really really good and not far into the book. As the story goes on, the pace picks up and eventually completely takes off. It's a spectacular read; it's gruesome, suspenseful, and crazy at times. Andrew Fukuda takes his readers on an insane ride that ended for me with wanting more. I found myself lost in Gene's story, biting my nails, and grinding my teeth.

In all it is a completely new way to look at the future, doomsday preppers may want to add hostile vampire take over to their list of unnatural disasters to prepare for. Rule 1, stock up on deodorant...

This book is another one with a male protagonist, and as I've said before recently I am really loving reading books with male narrators. It's such a fresh POV from all the female lead books I read. I'm not sure how I feel about Gene in general, of course I was and am rooting for him but I found him hard to reach and relate to, distant. Also, the relationship in the story was hard to believe and understand. I didn't feel like it was a big deal, I mean of course it isn't when you're fighting for your life, but it was really overshadowed by everything else in the story. Kind of like background noise, even when it was definitely in the spot light.

The vampires chosen were diverse and a mystery. How Gene could live for so long, so close to things so vile is incomprehensible for me. It's crazy. The humans who are to be used for the hunt were my favorite characters. You'll have to read the book to see why.

The premise of The Hunt is really cool, and so interesting. With humans being so far in the minority of this world it will be interesting to see the story pan out in the series. I love a good underdog. :) I'm very excited for everyone to check out this book, it's awesome. My heart has never done the amount of somersaults it did while reading this book with any other, except maybe Divergent. So that should tell everyone how highly I regard it. It's pretty spectacular in all its' goriness.

It's a worthwhile adventure and a very interesting take on the vampire story, one I hope everyone reads.

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