The Hunt by Andrew Fukuda

Goodreads Blurb

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?

As the only human in a world of vampires, Gene has to be careful. He’s been trained by his father: Don’t be noticed. But now, Gene is on his own, his family either dead or turned, and he needs to tread lightly. One wrong move, word, reaction, and he would be dead in an instant, his blood being sucked out. Then, the worst happens; the Heper Hunt. What happens is that the government had captured humans, feeding them, growing them, until they’re “plump enough”. A few lucky winners will be the hunters and will get to suck the humans’ blood. It’s dangerous enough for Gene, but when he’s picked to be a hunter, things get even more edgy. Worse, Ashley June, someone who may, just might, know, or suspect, Gene’s secret. And the only one that Gene is attracted to, and the one who definitely is attracted to Gene. But she’s hiding a secret of her own. And not to mention the fact that the other winners are starting to suspect his race, making it all the more dangerous. No matter where you look, where you go, all you have to do is be careful.

Half the time when Gene was on the verge of being discovered, I just sat there with my heart pounding in my chest, even though I knew that he wouldn’t be killed. Yet. But it was still scary. I mean, we can relate to Gene in many ways, in ways we relate to anyone. If this world was real, I wouldn’t want to be Gene. It’s creepy, having to be careful about my reactions, my smell, my looks. Ugh, no thanks! It would be terrifying, but Gene is used to this, has been all his life. It’s hard to think of.

The vampires in this story seem different than in other stories. Yes, they drink blood, yes they’re bloodthirsty, yes they can’t go in sunlight, but they don’t have to hide what they are. Most vampire books, the world is dominated by humans, and the vampires have to hide what they are; it’s the humans who hunt the vampires. When people say “a new take on the paranormal world” now, The Hunt is what pops into my mind. The story is wonderfully written, twists and turns at every edge.

It was weird seeing them use “unknown” phrases when they were ones we used every day. I just wanted to jump up and say “I know what it means!” When they did something that seemed unnatural I wanted to shout “That’s what you’re supposed to do!” I smiled and shook my head so much, I’m surprised my head wasn’t stuck that way. I trusted Ashley June until about three fourths in because of a warning issued by a stranger. But we’ve learned in books, that those warnings are the ones you have to listen to, right? So that’s what I was thinking. (Currently, I’m still reading…this is on March 14 so that none of y’all get confused.) I’m still not sure whether or not to trust her.

The anticipation killed me in the “final scene” as they call it. I was in shock! Pure shock. And I was so scared. My mom dropped something and was like “Ah!” And I screamed. Yeah, that’s how creeped out I was! The story is just so written that we can imagine ourselves in Gene’s shoes. Which petrified me throughout the entire book. Especially the last 50 pages or so. And the ending? I fell on the floor and was moaning “I should’ve known! Of course it was him!” And when the book stopped there…kill me! There has to be a second book and I will be the first one in line, guaranteed.

Summary: the Hunt was full of intrigue, anticipation, danger, fear, betrayal, and trust, with just a pinch of romance. It will make your heart pound and shivers go up your spine. Be prepared to read one of the most orignial books of 2012.

Pages: 304
Series: The Hunt #1
Genre: Dystopian/Paranormal/Romance
Rating: 5 stars

“A horrific howl rips up the hallway, a screech that rattles the building. A skittering of noises along the walls. Distant thumps. Another howl, softer but with more anguish.”