Invasive Species by Karle Johnson
GREETINGS STACK WORMS!!!!!!!!!!!
In two days I read Invasive Species by Karle Johnson.
Let's get into it then:
TRIGGER WARNINGS:
- Graphic Violence
- Alt-right speech (only with one character)
- Racist slurs
- Homophobic slurs
- Profanity
- child death
- werewolf corpses hitting the floor
- animal death
- drugs
- nudity
- sex
I believe that's it. Now, to the worst part of my reviews, the summary.
SPOILERS....DUH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We are first introduced to Cole Vaughn who goes about his night watch on a rather chilly night. Cole finds it so comfortable that he decides to take a bit longer at his duties than is necessary. In doing this though he winds up the first head on the kill count, by coming across a werewolf eating the cattle. I won't get into the gruesome details, you'll have to read if you want those.
Next up is his boss Ranse Everly. An ex-druggie and ex-husband but is a rather good man despite his past. His ex-wife, Sarah (why is it always Sarah?) calls him and asks him to take his son for a bit, later we find out it's because she's going into Chemotherapy (why is it always cancer?) and doesn't want her son around the chaos.
After HAPPILY agreeing, his day is somewhat brought down by the news his foreman, Mick tells him. Some heifers are dead. They go to check this out to be intercepted by a Trumper named Warren Maxxy. He accuses Ranse of having his ranch hands kill his cattle. Ranse tries to tell him that he's suffering from the same fate but Warren won't hear any of it. Stating it's all of the black and Mexicans that Ranse hired, faults.
Ranse punches Warren in the face causing Warren to call his buddy Jim Richmond, who seems to run the town with Warren. Jim threatens to take away Ranse's business license. This is precisely what Warren wants since he's been coveting Ranse's ranch for a while. Jim refuses to give Ranse and Mick an early hunting permit to kill the beast that killed their cattle.
Ranse orders Diego and Ricky to do some hunting that night. Which also happens to be the night Noah, Ranse's son is dropped off. Sarah leaves while Ranse checks on Noah and is tackled by a werewolf off the side of the road. She's scratched and survives.
Ranse doesn't know that his ex-wife is missing until he receives a call a few days later, after he, Noah, and Mick find Cole's corpse in the pond on Ranse's property. He tells Sarah's parents that he hasn't seen nor heard from Sarah since she dropped off Noah. They do fully believe him and call in the state troopers.
15 days go by and the werewolf virus has spread around town by mucus, bites, scratches, or blood. This is due to Sherrif Ray Logue being turned by the original werewolf, whom he killed, only after being attacked. Jim Richmond got turned by being bit by Ray. The veterinarian and coroner were turned by scratches from the corpse of Jim, whom Diego and Rick killed. Diego is a werewolf because Jim attacked him before Rick could kill him. This is all in another plot running parallel to Ranse and Noah's.
After those 15 days though, the full moon has come again and shit hits the fan. The entire town turn, Diego turns, Noah turns, and Trumper Warren turns. So, it's basically up to Mick and Ranse to take down the town of Maldus. Uh-oh, Mick gets eated. Leaving Ranse to kill off as many as he can until sunrise. And he does.
Ranse is the only one that makes it.
He takes up the responsibility of dispatching the rest of the werewolves, including Sarah, and then gets the hell outta dodge. Which is good because that very same day the Feds show up and find the mess that was Maldus. There were at least 100 people missing from the town, which means they were probably eaten. Leaving about 1,700 in werewolves that Ranse had to kill.
Ranse returns once to Maldus to see it thriving again and this time without the werewolves.
LIKES:
-Ranse's and Noah's relationship
-Mick kind of reminds me of my grandfather
-This book had lots of werewolves which I love
-The gore was pretty awesome
-quick read
-Warren gets eaten by his wife
-Warren getting punched
-Jim getting blasted to bits his first night as a werewolf
-how the werewolves change
-lots of werewolves
-Ranse's warning: If the weather and animals change, Run.
DISLIKES:
- Noah dies, it's such a heartbreaking scene too
- That the disease is spread around so easily (but then maybe it was a stand-in for Covid?)
- Warren stays around too long
I suggest reading this book, unless you're an alt-right Trumper then still do and see what evil does to your ass. ^_^ The only other complaints that I have about the book is that the format was wonky and needed some work and there were some Grammar issues, nothing I don't think a couple more checks wouldn't solve though. And these didn't get in the way of how good the story was so it's nit-picking bs at this point.
Another thing. This is a new thing I wanted to start doing. Adding a song that I thought suited the book. This time I picked Sonne by Rammstein.
I think that's about it. Seriously, read this book, it's good and quick. Unless you already have, then tell me what you like or disliked about the book down below. Did you like the review? What could I do better? I always encourage constructive critiscm. Thank you for reading!! And thank you HellBound Books!!!! ❤❤
Toodles!
- Bug
P.S.
It's my birthday the 21st and I'm turning 31. So, if you wanna be sweet and get me something new to review here are a few books I'd be so happy to do so with https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/dl/invite/8hEyy2M?ref_=wl_share
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