Book Review: Thirst by Claire Farrell

Thirst for me was undeniably an enjoyable novella. At 149 pages, it was succinct, suitably written with a clear concept from start to finish.
We follow the story of Ava Delaney, a willowy red-head living on the brink of society. She hides from human interaction, fearful of the dark seed that blooms within. She is what the vampires call a hybrid - half human, half vampire, otherwise known as a day-walker. She craves fresh blood, a constant, aching need that drives her virtually crazy, her only form of calm is to count - count the heartbeat of a would-be victim.
Ava hates the very essence of herself, determined to avoid human contact and beat the burning thirst within. Unfortunately, in trying to avoid and or help the very thing that her vampiric side covets, she winds up with a thrall - a human called Carl, a poor soul lost to her very whims.
The book sees her explore her nature to extent, remaining true to her protective instincts and urge to help those who cannot help themselves. I enjoyed her consistency and the writer's ability to stay on track with topics - a clear cut story line with inevitability in keeping with the character's chosen paths.
Despite this novella being perfectly on target for flow of interpretation, I felt slightly cheated by lack of descriptive content. Sometimes it was hard to picture certain characters, grasp their moods, or envisage the scenes when the novella only allows so much time for detail.
The story itself was built on basic subject matter, a blossoming introduction in which the author makes very clear that there is definitely more to Ava Delaney. The action was plentiful, though brief as every other aspect of this novella projects, and I must admit, I am a little curious to see if this relatively sedate girl will unfurl into a dangerous vixen. At least, I certainly hope so.
I rate this book three out of five fangs. I enjoyed it, and I am curious about future works, but I wasn't completely engaged from beginning to end.

Synopsis:

Ava Delaney calls herself a hybrid - a living, breathing human who happens to have vampire poison running through her veins. The only thing greater than her thirst for human blood is her capacity for guilt. She does her best to avoid the human world, for everyone's sake.

When Ava accidentally enslaves a human while saving him from a vampire, she realises she has to look for help setting him free. Despite her misgivings, she expands her world but finds herself dragged into a possible vampire civil war. With the help of some new friends with ambiguous loyalties, she tries to find a way to keep her human, and herself, alive.