The Thirst Within by Johi Jenkins
Series: The Thirst Within #1
Published by Indie
Published on: August 9, 2013
Genres: Paranormal Romance
Pages: 299
Format: eBook
Source: Purchased
Amazon | Book Depo | GoodReads
Seventeen-year-old Tori Green is an orphan—again. Raised by her grandparents in a quiet Midwest town after an accident claimed the lives of her parents, Tori must now move across the country after her last surviving grandparent passes away. To a new family that doesn't seem to care about her. To New Orleans, The City That Care Forgot.
In a city full of new faces and new experiences, Tori finds solace in her new friend, Thierry, for whom she falls head over heels despite her many reserves towards the beautiful stranger. Thierry appears to genuinely care about Tori, until his brother shows up hinting towards a relationship that can never be. What is the big secret?
Determined to find the truth, Tori will find herself torn between two very different but gorgeous vampires...
The Thirst Within is tailored for a young adult audience and contains language, mild violence, and sexual situations, not recommended for readers under the age of 17.
I first heard of this book because the author and I are in one of the same GoodReads group, and we are also friends on GoodReads. However, she doesn’t know I read this or that I am reviewing it. And I am going to be totally honest. So with that said, here goes.
Tori is an seventeen year old orphan that has just moved to New Orleans to live with her uncle and his family. She is totally out of her element, has never visited before, and has never met the family before. She is pretty much treated like an unwanted house guest for the most part. So she is more then ready to befriend the guy she meets on her first shopping trip. Thierry is every girls dream-hot, rich and super nice to her. Things go along pretty well until she meets his brother, Corben. If it’s possible, he’s even better looking then Thierry. And he totally doesn’t want to have anything to do with her. Worse, he wants Thierry to stop seeing her. Tori hates him. Or does she? Thierry and Corben have a huge secret-they are vampires.
My first problem with the book is how easily Tori accepts that Theirry is a vampire. Sure, she is shocked, but really she is just intrigued. And the way she finds out would have had me running for the hills. The author does have some explanations for this. So okay, for purposes of moving the story along it ended up working. I read a lot of vampire books. And I mean a lot. So my second problem was that I have read too many books with a very similar plot and that took me away from the story a bit as I started comparing it to other books. In the authors defense, I guess there are just so many plot lines that you can write about vampires. Then there was the love triangle and the cliffhanger ending. I don’t mind a love triangle so much, especially when it’s necessary for the story as in this case, but cliffhangers really are getting on my nerves! One redeeming factor about the cliffhanger, she posted the beginning of the next book on her blog, so I forgive her!
The very fact that I looked up her blog, is very telling. I could not put the book down and HAD to find out what happened next. A good book does that right? This book reads like a YA, but since it’s from a seventeen year old POV, that made it pretty real. There are a couple of mild sexual scenes(above the waist), and some bad language and violence that bump it up to suitable for the over seventeen crowd.
Over and above the minor problems I had with the book, I did enjoy the story and the characters.The author does know how to write a book that kept me reading far into the night. I will definitely be adding the next book to my to be read stack as soon as it comes out. If I could, I would give it 3.75 paws and I am sure there’s a lot of readers in a younger age group then me that would rate it much higher.
I’m Lorna and I live in Maryland. Since retiring, I spend my time mostly reading and reviewing books. My favorite reads are Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy, and Young Adult. I read a lot of indie books in addition to traditionally published books. Favorite paranormal creature? Vampires, but I am really liking werewolves more everyday.
Part of me wants to dive right into this one and part of me is super hesitant too. Another vampire story? But I do love vampires…
Great review. I don’t think I will go out and start this one right away but I do think I will (eventually) give it a try. I can’t help it, I am a sucker for these kind of reads.
Hey me too-love vampires and I really did enjoy the read 🙂 and thanks!
I’m just so burned out on triangles. I will read a book with one in it but I’m incredibly picky about them — if there’s no purpose or it’s just there for tension, that’s a big no-no for me. Intriguing but the quick acceptance of vampires (esp. if it was a “run for the hills” finding out) might be a sticking point.
Pretty much most of the story hinges on the triangle in this book so it was okay with me-although that’s part of the reason I kept comparing it to other books. The acceptance part was a problem for me as well although she does get pretty shocked. I actually did enjoy the book once I got past that 🙂
I don’t think this book is for me but I love when you have to go stalking the next book either at the author’s website or goodreads or hunting your friends down that have read it. I am one of those have to know people LOL
Yup, that describes me too LoL!
I love vampires but hate that most YA books have to have a love triangle. It’s overdone in my opinion. Cliffhangers are also not my thing…LOL I recently read a book that I wasn’t in love with but just had to finish because I was invested in the characters so I totally get your review. Honestly this isn’t something I would enjoy, but am glad that it turned out to be a good read for you 🙂
I agree about love triangles and cliffhangers and YA books. But all in I did enjoy the book-and thanks!
I really appreciate your honesty, Lorna. It’s hard to review something by a person you know. I’m glad that this book has addictive qualities, but I’m sorry that it wasn’t a perfect read for you. Great review, you!
Thanks-it was hard to write but I try to be honest with my reviews. Hopefully, the author will understand 🙂
Reads like YA..so it is YA?
Not so much, lots of sexual thoughts and dreams and mild sexual scenes, bad language, some violence and the author even suggested it for the over 17 group. I agree with her 🙂
Believe me when I say i sometimes find it difficult to review books when i have personally talked to the author before or have them on goodreads/twitter or whatever. It makes me nervous to review their books in case i have anything negative too say. I don’t want to sound mean, but that being said i appreciate your honesty with this review and you managed to tackle it in a respectful manner. I’m glad you only had a few minor issues with it but were able to like the story overall (you shouldn’t have been worried) hopefully her next books is awesome too!
Lily @ Lilysbookblog
Thanks for this, I appreciate it, I did worry! (I am a worry wart for real)
I’m glad that – despite some minor problems – you enjoyed this one! Thanks for sharing Lorna, and, as always, brilliant review! <3
Thanks so much!
I love stories with orphans I don’t know why. I find they usually make very interesting characters who are strong and independent. One of my pet peeves in a book is lame reactions to supernatural findings and stuff like that though so I’d likely have the same issue on that aspect. But overall it sounds like a pretty good read!
I thought it was pretty good 🙂
Great review, and it is funny you said love triangle and I was all “Wait is the YA” ..lol
Thank you! and lol 🙂
I need to utilize Goodreads more, I think I should hang out there more often than FB or Twitter so I can get book scoops like this faster plus be amongst my “peeps”. As for reviewing books by author friends, I have to admit I’m more careful with my reviews. You did well though, It’s very objective and balanced.
Thank you, I appreciate that so much! You should join some of the groups,-there’s a Paranormal romance group and even a Fringe Fiction group for indie supernatural and paranormal fans. I belong to 3 or 4 of them 🙂
“The Thirst Within is tailored for a young adult audience and contains language, mild violence, and sexual situations, not recommended for readers under the age of 17.”
Wait, so it is for YA audience, but it isn’t recommended for readers under 17? Oookay. She needs to just say that it is Mature YA, because that warning sounds a bit contradictory. lol. Anyway, this sounds interesting, but I haven’t been reading very much paranormal lately.
Yes I know what you mean. The sexual scenes even above the waist were a bit too sensual for YA as was the language not appropriate for YA-although I know YA is using more and more of the tamer bad language. 🙂
I’m always surprised when the main character takes everything easily, it’s just difficult because it’s not really logic, so I can understand the proble. But the story sounds also interesting. I confess this one is new to me, so it’s nice to discover some new books.
It was pretty interesting and kept me up almost all night reading 🙂
I tend to agree with you Lorna, the vampire genre seems to contain a lot of the same old tropes, but at least this ended up hooking you in. Lovely review, I haven’t heard of this one before!
Thank you! Yes I was hooked in 🙂
hum does sound like it’s meant for slightly older crowd. I think that she accepts him so quickly as a vampire would bother me a little, but the story overall sounds fascinating.
It kept me reading all night one night, so I guess you could say I was pretty fascinated 🙂