Rating: 4.5 stars
Buy Link: Amazon | iBooks | Amazon UK
Length: Novel
Noah Lau is a vampire hunter with the Vampire Hunter Association. He believes in his work because he never wants another child to grow up without parents, like he did. But he’s noticed that some of the intel his squad has received has been faulty, and bringing it up with the director has not resulted in much.
Six months ago, Noah was held captive by an old and powerful vampire and, in the process, he met Jordan. Though Jordan is a vampire, he doesn’t want to do harm to humans, and when Noah finally gets free, he helps Jordan get back on his feet. The two men become close, and Noah is able to share that he is autistic. Jordan, in turn, recognizes that he is asexual and learns to accept it. Together they embark on a relationship that brings them both happiness.
But as Noah looks into the bad intel his squad has been receiving, things take a turn for the worse. And when Jordan goes missing, Noah finds out the deception goes even farther than he ever expected. Both men’s lives are on the line, and their love might not be enough.
Let me start by saying that this book is not told in an entirely linear fashion and, had I known that, I wouldn’t have picked it up. My brain works best when stories are told linearly, and I usually avoid books that are told in a different way. But then, I would have missed out on this gem of a story, and I’m so glad I was able to read this book. And I will say that the bouncing around in time was done exceptionally well, so if you’re like me, don’t let this deter you from picking up this book.
I really enjoyed this story, from start to finish. I was drawn in right from the beginning and thoroughly engaged through the book. Yu does a great job at characterization here. Noah is autistic, and the author does a fantastic job of showing his neurodivergent thought processes and characteristics. It was awesome to see a character like him being portrayed so well. Too often, autism is shown in a stereotypical fashion that is not true to life. But Noah was so real, he could have stepped off the page.
Jordan, too, was a really endearing character. Turned into a vampire at 19, he’s now 95. And due to his circumstances, he’s still got a lot to learn. The beauty is that he is willing and able, and makes the effort. He also has a lot he needs to heal from. Emotional abuse is talked about and briefly described on page, but Jordan makes great strides toward healing. The way Jordan and Noah relate to each other is wonderful to see; they get each other, and make allowances and are understanding of each other’s triggers and flaws, as well as what makes them individual and unique. I loved watching them progress and grow, both as individuals and as a couple.
There are also Bad Things afoot in this story, and it’s pretty clear in what direction the story is going to go. To be honest, I would have liked to see just a little bit more originality here, or perhaps just a different twist. That being said, the mystery and the resolution were handled wonderfully and satisfyingly. So even if I would have liked to see something slightly different, I wasn’t disappointed with the turn the narrative took.
All in all, this one is definitely a winner. Yu gives us great characters and an interesting story, and shines some light on problems we face today, but gives them a paranormal twist. Well written and well executed, this book is an easy recommendation.
