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Awake While I Die
The only thing worse than living is living forever.
When seventeen-year-old Jason Harper enters the woods, he has no intention of leaving. Suicide is his endgame.
Only the bullet never finds its mark, and Jason makes it out of the woods alive.
Besides dirtied clothes and a few scratches, he leaves the woods unscathed. Except for one tiny bite mark on the side of his neck, everything seems to be normal -- well, as normal as can be expected when you're dragged into small-town life with an optimistic mother and her too-perfect boyfriend -- until nothing is.
If he thought life was complicated before, now it's a living nightmare. Because vampires are real, and he's one of them.
As the thirst for blood gets harder to ignore, Jason must learn to subdue the beast inside before it turns him into the monster he's always known himself to be. That is, if the demons of his past don't kill him first.
When seventeen-year-old Jason Harper enters the woods, he has no intention of leaving. Suicide is his endgame.
Only the bullet never finds its mark, and Jason makes it out of the woods alive.
Besides dirtied clothes and a few scratches, he leaves the woods unscathed. Except for one tiny bite mark on the side of his neck, everything seems to be normal -- well, as normal as can be expected when you're dragged into small-town life with an optimistic mother and her too-perfect boyfriend -- until nothing is.
If he thought life was complicated before, now it's a living nightmare. Because vampires are real, and he's one of them.
As the thirst for blood gets harder to ignore, Jason must learn to subdue the beast inside before it turns him into the monster he's always known himself to be. That is, if the demons of his past don't kill him first.
322 pages, Paperback
Published October 31, 2020
2 people are currently reading
10 people want to read
About the author
K.E. Woodruff
2 books13 followersK.E. Woodruff has been obsessed with dark stories, meaningful characters, and heartfelt themes since she was a child. Only recently did she venture into the world of writing her own novels. Awake While I Die is her first published work, but will not be her last.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
October 22, 2020
A teenage boy goes into the woods with every intention of killing himself. When he comes out, not only is he still alive, he's also become an immortal vampire...and he's not at all happy about it. What follows is the emotional and thought-provoking story of how protagonist Jason Harper navigates being a vampire and everything that comes with it. Because he still very much wants to die, but things are a lot more complicated now that his vampire mentor is trying to solve a mystery and Jason is starting to catch feelings for the cute vampire girl he just befriended all while trying to stave off his new cravings for human blood.
I think vampire stories have become especially tricky to execute ever since their surge in popularity with Twilight and other books. We all have our own ideas about what vampires should be, with some readers preferring a more romanticized view of them while others just want the monsters in all their bloody horror. This book strikes a good balance between the two. These vampires aren't bloodthirsty monsters who go around murdering everyone, but they also aren't the super sparkly, extra beautiful and mostly harmless types you'll find at the other end of the spectrum. I did wish we had spent a little more time exploring vampire society/culture, how they'd managed to stay hidden and cover up their feeding, what a mentor/fledgling relationship is supposed to be, etc. By the end, I still had so many questions and felt like not all of the plot threads were really wrapped up or even fully explored, and that was a bit frustrating. So much of those external plot pieces felt very rushed, and I really wished we had spent some more time on certain scenes.
However, this is very much a character-focused story, with the plot serving as more of a backdrop to Jason's growth and development. There is an element of mystery in the plot and some definite excitement in certain scenes, but we spend a lot of the story just sitting with Jason and moving about his world as he comes to term (or doesn't) with what has happened to him. And where that focus on character is concerned, I thought the author did a really good job. Jason is angsty and maybe even unlikeable in some regards. He's a very damaged kid and he has every right to be. But those characters are often the most interesting to go on emotional journeys with because they have so much potential to change for the better...or to become completely self-destructive until they crash and burn horribly. I won't say which camp Jason falls into, but I loved delving into his character and thought his arc was satisfying throughout the story.
Overall, I think this is a unique and well-executed vampire story, and a lot of that uniqueness comes from the close examination of Jason as a character and what it means to keep living when you feel like life isn't worth living anymore. Be sure to pick it up if that sounds appealing to you.
I think vampire stories have become especially tricky to execute ever since their surge in popularity with Twilight and other books. We all have our own ideas about what vampires should be, with some readers preferring a more romanticized view of them while others just want the monsters in all their bloody horror. This book strikes a good balance between the two. These vampires aren't bloodthirsty monsters who go around murdering everyone, but they also aren't the super sparkly, extra beautiful and mostly harmless types you'll find at the other end of the spectrum. I did wish we had spent a little more time exploring vampire society/culture, how they'd managed to stay hidden and cover up their feeding, what a mentor/fledgling relationship is supposed to be, etc. By the end, I still had so many questions and felt like not all of the plot threads were really wrapped up or even fully explored, and that was a bit frustrating. So much of those external plot pieces felt very rushed, and I really wished we had spent some more time on certain scenes.
However, this is very much a character-focused story, with the plot serving as more of a backdrop to Jason's growth and development. There is an element of mystery in the plot and some definite excitement in certain scenes, but we spend a lot of the story just sitting with Jason and moving about his world as he comes to term (or doesn't) with what has happened to him. And where that focus on character is concerned, I thought the author did a really good job. Jason is angsty and maybe even unlikeable in some regards. He's a very damaged kid and he has every right to be. But those characters are often the most interesting to go on emotional journeys with because they have so much potential to change for the better...or to become completely self-destructive until they crash and burn horribly. I won't say which camp Jason falls into, but I loved delving into his character and thought his arc was satisfying throughout the story.
Overall, I think this is a unique and well-executed vampire story, and a lot of that uniqueness comes from the close examination of Jason as a character and what it means to keep living when you feel like life isn't worth living anymore. Be sure to pick it up if that sounds appealing to you.
December 17, 2025
Awake While I Die is a refreshing quick vampire read.
It takes on a whole unique perspective to a main characters journey through transformation into a vampire.
Jason goes through the entire range of emotions throughout the story and it was done well.
The writing style is clean and immersive.
There were quite a few moments where my jaw dropped from surprise. And there were moments where I was veraciously reading through the tension and suspense to see how everything panned out.
There were a few places I wished could have had expanded transitions from scene/location to scene/location. and a few other places where the description and immersion on the emotional response from Jason could have been just a smidgen deeper. I personally think the end could have been expanded by a chapter or two, and expanded out some scenes to transition through his state of mind from wanting to leave the world to acceptance. However, the way it was executed was well done and wanting more is just a personal reference. it didn't take away from the story.
Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book. I do recommend others pick it up if they are looking for a quick read that has a fresh take on vampire activities (and aren't overly triggered with self harm concepts.)
It takes on a whole unique perspective to a main characters journey through transformation into a vampire.
Jason goes through the entire range of emotions throughout the story and it was done well.
The writing style is clean and immersive.
There were quite a few moments where my jaw dropped from surprise. And there were moments where I was veraciously reading through the tension and suspense to see how everything panned out.
There were a few places I wished could have had expanded transitions from scene/location to scene/location. and a few other places where the description and immersion on the emotional response from Jason could have been just a smidgen deeper. I personally think the end could have been expanded by a chapter or two, and expanded out some scenes to transition through his state of mind from wanting to leave the world to acceptance. However, the way it was executed was well done and wanting more is just a personal reference. it didn't take away from the story.
Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book. I do recommend others pick it up if they are looking for a quick read that has a fresh take on vampire activities (and aren't overly triggered with self harm concepts.)
March 27, 2021
Awake While I Die is a book about a teenage boy who's trying to fight his way through a tragedy and failing. But this is more than just a coming of age story. This story is about love, redemption, and accepting the past for what it was and pressing on to better things.
The author did an exceptional job at pulling me in and making me feel like I was the character. Her descriptions are out of this world and this book makes me look forward to her future writings!
The author did an exceptional job at pulling me in and making me feel like I was the character. Her descriptions are out of this world and this book makes me look forward to her future writings!
June 18, 2021
Awake While I Die is a vampire novel so brutally honest in the way the author confronts the realities of depression and suicide. This story will stay with me long after I’ve turned the last page.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews