Blood Donor

by Karen Bass

Seventeen-year-old Jo McNair is one minute late for her curfew, and thanks to her controlling father, she's now locked out, cold and wandering the streets. She has no money and nowhere to sleep. Halfway through the night she meets someone who says they're with a group working with at-risk kids, helping them get back on their feet. Jo gratefully accepts the offer of shelter for the night, only to find she has walked into a kidnapper's trap. Now Jo and several other teens are being held prisoner. Their captors drug them regularly and force them to donate their blood. What is so special about the teens' blood? And how long before they're drained dry? When one of the teens doesn't return, Jo suspects their days are numbered. She has to find a way to escape before their time runs out.

Genres: Horror, Young Adult, Teen, Mystery, Thriller

128 pages, Paperback

Published August 17, 2021

About the author

Karen's high school teacher told her she should be a writer, but it took quite a few years for that thought to take root. She began writing shortly after she was hired to manage the local library. Run Like Jager is her first novel, and she has seven more on her published shelf. Two novels, Graffiti Knight and Uncertain Soldier, won the Geoffrey Bilson Award for Historical Fiction for Young Readers. Her newest novel, Blood Donor, is an Orca Soundings book for readers who like short, exciting stories, and is a Junior Library Guild Gold Star Selection.

A few years ago, Karen moved from her long-time home in northwest Alberta, to southern Ontario, where she is enjoying exploring a whole new province as she gathers new story ideas.

Reviews

[Marsha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tense, taut and oh so tightly written! Loved this book! Karen Bass deftly plunges the reader into Jo's head as she's kidnapped and drained for blood and the narrative never strays from the immediacy of the action and tension. Utterly un-putdownable. The dyslexia-friendly print and tight writing will draw in reluctant readers, but everyone will enjoy this thriller. #orca #netgalley #karenbass #greatread

[sarahthebibliomania · Rating 2 out of 5]

2/5
Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for giving me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The concept of this book was horrifying and it had so much potential but this book was far too short for such a disturbing plot. Due to how short this book was it felt very rushed and it was super disappointing because I was so excited to get to read this book. There wasn't much character development and I was never able to bring myself to care much about any of the characters. The was decent but like I said the whole book was just way too fast-paced and I really wish the author would've taken for time to structure and build up the characters. Overall this book had so much potential but it fell flat for me and I personally wouldn't recommend it unless you want a simple and fast book for your reading goal. Once again I do want to thank NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for giving me the chance to read this book!

[Karen Upper · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blood Donor...the title is creepy by itself!
Although is this a short read ,it a fast paced thriller that will definitely keep the reader engaged from start to finish.
Action, suspense, mystery are a potent combination as the central character, "Jo" struggles to come to terms with being locked out of her home because of missing curfew.

This seems like such a small reason to be locked out of the home, but the practice of 'tough love' was something real, that parents resorted to if their teenager was/seemed defiant.

It is this parental action begins a chain of events that quickly spin out of control.

A subsequent kidnapping, being held on the whim of a mysterious group of strangers, locked in with other young teens, leaves Jo frantically searching for a way back out.

A highly engaging well written story, that I recommend for any age reader!

FIVE STARS!!

Received this ARC by Orca in exchange for an honest review

[thegirlonfire · Rating 3 out of 5]

i requested this ebook on netgalley. its a very short fast simple read. the description of it had me intrigued so i picked it up. i like survival stories. i like the main character jo, she was smart and good at making decisions and knowing what to do, she comes from a troubled house. i also liked thorn. we dont know much about the other girls but thats normal bc this is a short book i think meant for high interest low difficulty so its very easy to read and keep interest which i dont mind bc it means the story develops faster and its more direct and theres less filler. the reason for the kidnapping was also interesting. i think it also flowed well even tho its a fast read short book, things happened fast for a reason. overall an ok read but i liked it and would recommend for someone who enjoys fast simple easy reads like this and or is looking for a survival/ kidnapped story. SPOILERS AFTER THIS SECTION



i think it also flowed well even tho its a fast read short book, things happened fast for a reason. (that the kidnappers were gonna kill jo so of course its normal she would have to find a way out and escape very soon and fast). im glad she was able to get help. at the end i kept thinking they were gonna get her or the police was gonna be on it and take her back and it would be a sad ending i was hoping that wasnt the case and im glad it wasnt. also glad she told the officer that she has problems at home too and its not safe there and she and her mom need help. im glad she asked for help and that she also will keep in contact with dylan and thorn.

[Marian · Rating 4 out of 5]

I recently attended a literary event where this author spoke and I was very intrigued by this novel which was written for young adult readers who may have trouble engaging with more difficult reading levels. This is a mystery and a thriller which progresses quickly, contains dyslexia-friendly print, and is only 128 pages long. It's perfect for reluctant readers as you are quickly drawn in when the main character is locked out of her family home for being a few minutes late and wandering the streets without a plan. The 17-year old is lured by a woman who poses as a street worker offering help and suddenly Jo, the main character, is kidnapped, drugged, and locked in a house with other troubled teens who are being forced to donate blood. When her life is at risk, Jo plots to escape. This author does a fantastic job of keeping the story moving and I can imagine this story appealing to youth who might otherwise classify themselves as non-readers.

[Gisela]

I'd never read a book for "reluctant readers" before, but this one by my friend Karen Bass is sure to keep anyone who wants a fast, easy read turning the pages to find out what happens next. Thank you to Karen for sending me a signed copy!

[Tina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like the writing style, but the premise of the book requires you to suspend your disbelief - big time.

[S.E. · Rating 2 out of 5]

The take-away from this book is the example that young people should not get into the cars of people they do not know. However, I could not give the book more than a 2-star rating due to the language used. The use of words like $hi+ and F**k was gratuitous. It added nothing to the story and implies the use of this language is acceptable. For some of us, it is not.

[Kori Potenzone · Rating 4 out of 5]

OH ! MY ! GOD ! The Blood Donor, is absolutely terrifying.

My hands are shaking.

How did I get through this?

Jo comes home literally a minute late for curfew. Jo's father is beyond controlling and now she is locked out. Wandering the streets, no where to sleep and not a dollar to her name she meets someone who offers her shelter. Extremely grateful, Jo cant help but to accept this generous offer.......

Jo has just walked into a trap.

Jo is now prisoner and she is not the only one. Held against their will, they are being drained of their blood. Why do these people want their blood? When one of the others do not return, Jo realizes she does not have time and needs to escape, but how ?

This novel was literally terrifying. I truly feared for my life on my evening walks, constantly looking over my shoulder. If you enjoy having the life sucked out of you and a true nail biter, this novel is for you.

Karen Bass, you have created a follower out of me! I can not wait to see what you come up with next!!!

[Cici S. · Rating 1 out of 5]

I cannot stress how awful this book is. This is probably the worst book I've ever read.
The plot had so much potential but did not meet any expectations, horrible description and writing, did not surprise me, the ending sucked, the names sucked, the main character did too much (if you understand what I mean), and the cover even looks AI generated (if it's not, the cover is still bad). I can't believe I finished the book. I would love to go into detail but I am going to keep this spoiler-free.
I will say, this book may be good for you or someone you may know if you or they are a younger audience (maybe 8-10?) or someone with a lower reading level who have started to get into thrillers or horrors. This isn't a scary book, but it could be a good intro into the horror genre. This review is based on my experience.

[Vanessa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Short read and it was just ok. Home less teens are kidnapped and used as illegal blood donors in a secret location what is described to be an old mansion house. Jo is one of those kids that is snatched up. Right from the start the story had my attention and wanted to know what happened next. Fast paced with very little character development.

Jo is the only one out of the girls being held that questions what is happening. some of the other seems rather content to eat, sleep and have their blood taken. From the start Jo tries to get out. Escape, be free. What seems like a too easily predictable escape plan is executed with some bumps along the way.

I did not think this was scary or creepy but more of a very fast paced thriller. The ending was very rushed and was not really ending.

[Lacy · Rating 3 out of 5]

There was some creepy Twilight Zone type of show some years back, that Blood Donor reminds me of. Blood Donor is an extremely short thriller where kids are kidnapped from the street and forced to donate blood constantly. It's not a scary story but it's creepy in a spine tingling cringey way. I liked that it was a short fast-paced story but because it was so short, the action was constant and it made the plot lack depth. It was basically an episode of a show about creepy stories. I can't wait to check out more of these.

***Thank you to Netgalley and Orca Books for providing me with a review copy.***

[Victoria · Rating 4 out of 5]

I purchased this book after hearing the author speak at an event, because I loved hearing the author's advice and opinions on writing, and because the book sounded so interesting! I thoroughly enjoyed the book. It was fast-paced with a novel concept and characters that I cared about. Sure, I had to suspend my disbelief a bit to buy the whole "kidnapping kids to steal their blood" thing, but I didn't mind that too much. I felt slightly dissatisfied with the ending, which felt fast and unrealistic, but otherwise, I found this to be a charming book. It reminds me of books I loved to read when I was younger, so I can definitely see how this would be a hit with teens.

[Treena · Rating 3 out of 5]

First off, this is a YA book, and after reading other reviews I realize it is for “reluctant readers” and has dyslexic friendly font. That being said, it’s not bad. I feel like the writing was very juvenile but understand why. The story is creepy but very rushed and the book is short. I would have liked more character development and backstory.

I work in a HS library and will recommend this one to students who like creepy stuff but don’t really like reading. It’s straight forward and is an easy read.

[Mckenzie Newsom · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jo is a high school student who gets locked out of her home after being one minute past curfew. Someone finds her on the street, someone who claims that they help homeless youth, however; that isn’t the case. Jo is kidnapped and finds herself in the basement of an old mansion with other girls. After talking with them she realizes she has been kidnapped and is being used for her blood. The other girls in the basement have given up, but Jo has one goal, to get out and get back home.

Quick and easy read. Simple storyline that is easy to follow but is still engaging.

[Icces Crocker · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book!
The book picked up right from the beginning and held my attention. There were twists but not too much so that it became too much. I recommend this book for anyone looking for a quick, interesting read.

Jo was a fierce, but unlikely hero. I enjoyed the twists of the dumbwaiter and Dylan.
I enjoyed having short, coherent chapters to get the story.

My one complaint is not getting to characters more.

[Kimberly Kerr · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you netgalley and orca books for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review.

All I can say is, what a wild ride! This book had me HOOKED from peg one and I couldn’t put it down! If I wasn’t working I’d read this all in one sitting I totally would have. The author has such a creative way of telling this story that I kept imagining it as an action movie. When this comes out 8/17/21 I will be buying a copy!

[Shelbi · Rating 2 out of 5]

The author definitely made my skin crawl with the concept of this book because it was something that is so possible. This was a super short quick read and because of that I felt like everything in the plot moved too quickly. There wasn’t much character development and I felt like the writing structure was very choppy. If some more time was put into developing this cool story concept, I believe it would be more impactful.

[Dana Goldstein · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for the advance reader copy.

Without knowing this was an Orca Soundings book, I was not prepared for the fast pace and short format of this book. In that context, this would be an engaging story for teens who are reluctant to read or not interested in diving into a thicker novel. Interesting characters (I wanted to learn more about them) and a fascinating premise. I would be interested in reading this as a fleshed-out novel.

[Sophia · Rating 4 out of 5]

The suspense had me on edge if they were going to be okay or not escape. Thank Natasha Preston for the twisted cliffhanger endings ;)

Never really liked the father and Red, they're all a-holes, I love Jo, Thorn, and the other side characters, wished I could have known what Dylan looked like though.

I think my imagination couldn't go where the story telling me, so I got some confusing landscape ideas and windows and whatnot.

[Jasmine Book · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book had a good concept. I thought the idea of the book was a lot better then the actual book. For me it just seemed to happen wayyyy to fast for my own personal liking. I am willing to try this book again later on but I just didn’t really vibe with it. In the first chapter she was already kidnapped and I thought we would get more backstory into her home life first. Not awful but not great.

[Sarah · Rating 1 out of 5]

1 🌟 This book took me all of 30-45 minutes to read. It felt like to me that the synopsis on the back of the book was as long as the actual book itself and everything stated in the synopsis was about everything that happened in the book, nothing came to a surprise to me. The writing seemed amateur and corny at times as well.

[Dawn Whynot · Rating 2 out of 5]

Definitely helped that this was such a quick read. Too predictable and very unrealistic. Being kidnapped as a homeless kid...sure. But then the spa aspect and the escape don't sound plausible. Maybe if there had been more character and plot development, I might have been able to get behind the basic premise of the story.

[Joyce Grant · Rating 5 out of 5]

You don't have to wait for the action to start, that's for sure! And after that first moment, when the protagonist is put into an impossibly horrifying situation, we are HOOKED. Great for YA readers who want a real page-turner!

[Mac · Rating 2 out of 5]

This wasn't bad but it was way too short in my opinion. It had a pretty decent plot, and with some more character development and description it could have been even better. Sadly this one missed the mark for me.

[tired · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story had a great plot, and I would happily read this as a full-length book, but I think making it a short story was the wrong move. I get the appeal, however I feel as if the story could not be conveyed as quickly as it needed to based on the story's length.

[Logan G · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick read. Fast paced. Got through it in about 3 hours. I like the concept, the execution needs work. There were a lot of unexplained plot points, like who really owns the spa, how this idea of the young blood came to be, etc. Questions could have been answered before the resolution.

[Robert Alicea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Purely driven by action, but with heavy undertones of persistence and hope in the face of terrible circumstances. A very quick read for any adult that will make you wonder about physical and psychological prisons.

[Ashlyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a quick read. It took less than an hour and I couldn’t put it down. I really liked Jo as a character and how she handled her situation. This had such a creepy premise! I love these little novellas.

[Ranette · Rating 3 out of 5]

a short story about a girl who is kidnapped and finds other teens there captured for their blood.