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Bad Penny
Penny is addicted to being bitten by vampires. She seduces them into biting her, then kills them. This makes for a complicated life. Penny is a complex anti-hero, sexy and lethal yet tormented by her need for the vampire's bite. Each kill brings her closer to damnation, making her the deadliest of prey.
With its heady mix of dark fantasy, horror, and noir, Bad Penny grabs you by the throat and doesn't let go.
With its heady mix of dark fantasy, horror, and noir, Bad Penny grabs you by the throat and doesn't let go.
182 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 5, 2023
6 people want to read
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
September 2, 2024
I so badly wanted to give this book 5 stars. The story was very enjoyable and I was constantly gripped by the atmosphere it explored. However, I constantly felt a bit lost or dazed, like a lot of information I needed to know was skipped or missed that wasn't in the book.
There were many aspects to this story that claimed my attention, but I most particularly enjoyed pretty much every appearance of the Preacher. His presence as a safe space when he was needed kind of wrapped up everything I like in a character like him. The story offers valuable insights on how addiction can get you into trouble you can't get away from without asking for help, no matter how hard you try to go it alone, and I really liked how that element tied into the tale.
My overall takeaway is that I enjoyed the depths the author explored throughout the book, and I enjoyed the twist on the classic vampire tale in the vampire hunter that is Penny. I desperately wanted to know so much more about a lot, especially the Preacher, but just could never really feel satiated in the pages provided.
Here's what knocked it down two stars and why:
- The AI cover: Generative AI is a huge ethical issue in both the writing and artistic community right now. Using Midjourney for the cover, even when you're open about it, forfeits a lot of trust from both communities. How am I to know the author didn't also use Generative AI to write bits and pieces of the book--if not the book entirely--when I pick it up off the shelf/add it to my cart online?
- An apparent lack of editing: Throughout the book, it was clear that it was not given a run through for edits before publishing. Open quotes are missing in various places throughout dialog, and sometimes there are closing quotes missing or in the wrong place. Some words are capitalized sometimes, whereas in other places they are not.
Gaps in the storytelling and setting: Throughout most of the book, I'm not able to glean much more than the fact that I'm in a city troubled by vampires. Most fantasy readers want to know more about where they are and what to expect. Furthermore, even understanding that I am jumping around to perspectives from different people, I often felt like things would move forward way to soon without giving any attention to something that could have been expanded on (spoiler free, of course).
- The pacing: In my opinion, as is the entirety of this review, the pacing was great. However, there were some places were it felt too fast and other places where it felt too slow. I really think it would benefit the author to include just a little more detail here and there, as he did occasionally with character backstories. There's almost never too much to tell when crafting a world in fantasy.
There were many aspects to this story that claimed my attention, but I most particularly enjoyed pretty much every appearance of the Preacher. His presence as a safe space when he was needed kind of wrapped up everything I like in a character like him. The story offers valuable insights on how addiction can get you into trouble you can't get away from without asking for help, no matter how hard you try to go it alone, and I really liked how that element tied into the tale.
My overall takeaway is that I enjoyed the depths the author explored throughout the book, and I enjoyed the twist on the classic vampire tale in the vampire hunter that is Penny. I desperately wanted to know so much more about a lot, especially the Preacher, but just could never really feel satiated in the pages provided.
Here's what knocked it down two stars and why:
- The AI cover: Generative AI is a huge ethical issue in both the writing and artistic community right now. Using Midjourney for the cover, even when you're open about it, forfeits a lot of trust from both communities. How am I to know the author didn't also use Generative AI to write bits and pieces of the book--if not the book entirely--when I pick it up off the shelf/add it to my cart online?
- An apparent lack of editing: Throughout the book, it was clear that it was not given a run through for edits before publishing. Open quotes are missing in various places throughout dialog, and sometimes there are closing quotes missing or in the wrong place. Some words are capitalized sometimes, whereas in other places they are not.
Gaps in the storytelling and setting: Throughout most of the book, I'm not able to glean much more than the fact that I'm in a city troubled by vampires. Most fantasy readers want to know more about where they are and what to expect. Furthermore, even understanding that I am jumping around to perspectives from different people, I often felt like things would move forward way to soon without giving any attention to something that could have been expanded on (spoiler free, of course).
- The pacing: In my opinion, as is the entirety of this review, the pacing was great. However, there were some places were it felt too fast and other places where it felt too slow. I really think it would benefit the author to include just a little more detail here and there, as he did occasionally with character backstories. There's almost never too much to tell when crafting a world in fantasy.
Displaying 1 of 1 review