What do you think?
Rate this book
Poa
Not yet published
Expected 25 Jun 26"A master of modern Japanese horror."
After the bestselling, award-winning success of the Japanese horror sensation KAI, Derek Vasconi returns with his most disturbing vision yet: a chilling exploration of devotion so absolute it consumes everything in its path.
________________________________________________________________________
Her love is a virus: quiet, invisible, and perfectly patient…
Ayano is a predator.
While the world sees only a woman of flawless beauty, her perfection is a calculated front maintained through ascetic yoga and a deliberate immersion in the sex trade. She did not become a prostitute for money, but for an education in the mechanics of human intimacy—learning about the desires of men while mastering the art of manipulation. She is a woman obsessed, sculpting herself into the only shape capable of catching the eye of Taka Yoshino, Japan’s most adored eromen idol.
After meeting Ayano at a DVD release event and later an arranged fan date, Taka—a professional at selling a gentle fantasy of love to the housewives and lonely women of Japan—believes he has finally found a fan he can truly be himself with. He is impressed by Ayano’s beauty and feels they have a rare, genuine connection.
He was wrong. Dead wrong. Because for Ayano, Taka is only the first step into total, absolute madness.
In the tradition of Ryu Murakami’s Audition, the curated grace of the "perfect woman" is merely a shroud for a horror that defies comprehension. But where Murakami’s nightmare was an intimate betrayal, Ayano’s is a global contagion. Indeed, her devotion is to a vision far more sinister and devastating than a simple obsession. Everything she does is for somebody who has shaped her entire being since she was a child, molding her into an instrument of destruction that will bring about the end of the world—in order to save it.
But can she save herself?
After the bestselling, award-winning success of the Japanese horror sensation KAI, Derek Vasconi returns with his most disturbing vision yet: a chilling exploration of devotion so absolute it consumes everything in its path.
________________________________________________________________________
Her love is a virus: quiet, invisible, and perfectly patient…
Ayano is a predator.
While the world sees only a woman of flawless beauty, her perfection is a calculated front maintained through ascetic yoga and a deliberate immersion in the sex trade. She did not become a prostitute for money, but for an education in the mechanics of human intimacy—learning about the desires of men while mastering the art of manipulation. She is a woman obsessed, sculpting herself into the only shape capable of catching the eye of Taka Yoshino, Japan’s most adored eromen idol.
After meeting Ayano at a DVD release event and later an arranged fan date, Taka—a professional at selling a gentle fantasy of love to the housewives and lonely women of Japan—believes he has finally found a fan he can truly be himself with. He is impressed by Ayano’s beauty and feels they have a rare, genuine connection.
He was wrong. Dead wrong. Because for Ayano, Taka is only the first step into total, absolute madness.
In the tradition of Ryu Murakami’s Audition, the curated grace of the "perfect woman" is merely a shroud for a horror that defies comprehension. But where Murakami’s nightmare was an intimate betrayal, Ayano’s is a global contagion. Indeed, her devotion is to a vision far more sinister and devastating than a simple obsession. Everything she does is for somebody who has shaped her entire being since she was a child, molding her into an instrument of destruction that will bring about the end of the world—in order to save it.
But can she save herself?
314 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication June 25, 2026
About the author
Derek Vasconi
16 books30 followersDerek Vasconi was raised in Sharon, Pennsylvania, a small town near Pittsburgh, PA. He didn't stay there for very long, as after graduating from high school, he co-founded the metal band, From A Second Story Window, and went on tour for most of his early 20's. In 2006, Derek made the decision to move on from the band and pursue a Bachelor's Degree in Human Development, which he achieved, at Penn State University. After doing this, he went to Japan to live on and off for the next five years, and life has never been the same for him since.
Derek has accomplished a myriad of things in his life, including founding a traditional, independent book publishing company, creating an iphone app (eMobo, which brought the Japanese cell phone novels, or "keitai shousetsu," to the Western world), and now, has pursued writing himself. His first book, KAI, showcases Derek's passion for both Japan and horror, as he blends them seamlessly in an unforgettable and jaw-dropping debut book about one girl from Hiroshima who wants to destroy the world.
Additionally, Derek is currently working on several more horror novels, and when he's not writing, he spends his time hopelessly devoted to all things otaku, listening to JPOP music, and hanging out with his little daughter and pet cat, Gachapin, who hates all humanity.
Derek has accomplished a myriad of things in his life, including founding a traditional, independent book publishing company, creating an iphone app (eMobo, which brought the Japanese cell phone novels, or "keitai shousetsu," to the Western world), and now, has pursued writing himself. His first book, KAI, showcases Derek's passion for both Japan and horror, as he blends them seamlessly in an unforgettable and jaw-dropping debut book about one girl from Hiroshima who wants to destroy the world.
Additionally, Derek is currently working on several more horror novels, and when he's not writing, he spends his time hopelessly devoted to all things otaku, listening to JPOP music, and hanging out with his little daughter and pet cat, Gachapin, who hates all humanity.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 of 1 review
April 29, 2026
Ayano is obsessed with an famous eromen and she finally gets to meet him.
This was a wild book. I was prepared for one thing and then halfway through it took a sharp turn into a different kind of horror altogether. I loved it, it was so interesting and horrifying. It was beautifully written and well plotted. I read it in one sitting, it kept me hooked. Fantastic story. Ending was excellent too!
This was a wild book. I was prepared for one thing and then halfway through it took a sharp turn into a different kind of horror altogether. I loved it, it was so interesting and horrifying. It was beautifully written and well plotted. I read it in one sitting, it kept me hooked. Fantastic story. Ending was excellent too!
Displaying 1 of 1 review