The Hunt by Andrew Fukuda

The Hunt

Author: Andrew Fukuda

Publisher: St. Martin’s Grffin

Pages: 304

Rating: 4.5 Stars!

Team: Sissy 

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?~Goodreads

This book was intense. Like, intensely intense. There was never a dull moment and I was on edge until the very last sentence!

Everyday the main character of this story, Gene, puts his life at risk. He can’t sweat or laugh or sneeze or clap or get goose-bumps or roll his eyes or do anything that will cause him to stand out. As soon as he’d make one false move, he’d be a goner.

This is because Gene is a heper. Or what us fine folks would refer to as a normal human being. And unfortunately, Gene lives in a world where hepers are a delicacy, a food source, the prey. DUN...DUN...DUN...

The townsfolk are basically creepy ass vampires. And their idiosyncrasies are so disturbing that I can’t even begin to tell you how freaked out I was by them. These people are seriously messed up and in order to survive, Gene has to disguise his true and pretend to be one of them.

Then, as luck would have it, Gene wins a lottery that allows him to be a part of the Hunt, a competition to seek out and devour the last remaining hepers. As soon as he wins he’s immediately whisked away to the Institute to train. OH. MY. GOD. He doesn’t even have his fang cleaner or razor or nail clipper or dormant with him. *ensure panic attack*

There were so many times I was FREAKING OUT thinking he’d (literally) get sniffed out by someone and then attacked. He had so many close calls! I WAS FLIPPIN'! Especially when he started to sweat and he became dehydrated! AH! His only option was to run to the closest water supply...in the Dome.

 

THE DOME! This is where the hepers for the hunt are forced to live until the actual event. It opens up at dawn so they can wander about and then it closes at dusk. And when Gene enters the Dome, that’s when I fell in love with this story.

There's this one scene that takes place while Gene is in the Dome and oh my gosh you guys! The imagery!? Brilliant! The fact that Gene has to suppress all his facial expressions and emotions, so the others won’t find out that he’s actually human, caused every expression depicted in this story to be that more powerful. Just...just take a look whouldja?

“It is squinting; I stop in my tracks. I’ve never seen anyone squint. It is so...expressive. The eclipsed half closing of the eyelids, the wrinkles coming off the corners of the eyes like a delta, the brows contracted together, even the mouth frozen in a snarl of confusion. It’s a strange expression, it is a lovely expression.” 

How fantastic is that?? I loved it. And the heper squinting at him? That would be none other than the leader of the hepers, Sissy! As soon as she hooked Gene’s briefs on a dagger and threw them over the Dome...I was in love with her. She is seriously SO BAD ASS. And I was hoping-praying-anticipating a romantical connection between her and Gene! GAH! I wants that so badz.

But alas, Gene has already fallen for someone else, Ashely June, a girl from school who had also won the lottery. I’m sorry, I just did not like her one bit. I didn’t think she was anything special and she was a tad bit pushy and slightly manipulative. I don't know, I just couldn’t connect with her character. And I most definitely did not want Gene to end up with her! *huffs*

Also, the ending?? ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! UGH! SUCH a cliffy!

Overall, The Hunt is a chilling debut with tons of action and 

suspense! It will be on your mind days after you finish!