Julie by Dennis Young:

5 stars

Forever sixteen, Julie, a vampire, is searching for a new purpose. Since her making, she has educated herself, fought in wars, and continued hunting the “eaters.” While in Texas, however, she encounters a group of strange characters whose story doesn’t quite add up. Someone is conducting vampire-related experiments, and their motives cannot be good. It falls to Julie and a handful of questionable allies to stop them before it’s too late.

A lot happens in this relatively short follow-up to Bloodlines, and the resulting confusion feels abrasive, yet intentional. Uncertain loyalties, deeply emotional conflicts, and drugs that are both addictive and effective on vampires create an atmosphere of chaos and instability. There are no clear-cut “good” characters here. Human frailty is constantly dismantled, examined, and exploited. Even the villains, while narcissistic and megalomaniacal, are also pathetic and cowardly.

As a result, Julie struggles to find her footing, though it is difficult to blame her. The situation is both complicated and horrifying. What begins as apparent monstrosity gradually becomes something worse as motivations distort and evolve. The novel becomes a fascinating study of how genuine good intentions—noble intentions— can slowly warp into obsession, ambition, and greed. We are given a chilling portrait of moral collapse.

Julie remains very much the Julie from Bloodlines. While many stories focus on dramatic character transformation, Julie’s strength lies in her steadfastness. She is not a pillar of virtue, but she deeply values what remains of her humanity and constantly questions herself. That self-awareness keeps her from slipping into evil, and it makes her remarkably relatable.

Carlos, Tara, and an old acquaintance create a maddeningly changeable cast. Every new revelation threatens the fragile ties that bind them because each character is pursuing very different goals. Fear drives much of the conflict, and deceit permeates nearly every interaction.

This world is dangerously immersive, the pacing is sharp, and the characters create an unflatteringly accurate portrait of human behavior while still leaving room for hope. Paragons are simply those who have not yet been tested; here, there is only gritty, unvarnished truth.

Julie will appeal to readers looking for psychological hardship and staggering realism blended into dark urban fantasy. It is fast, harsh, and wildly engrossing.