Customer Reviews

Thirsty: A Novel

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(26)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

Review by Jill Williamson

Alcoholic Nina Parker has lost everything. But she's just completed her ninety days of rehab and is ready to try and put her life back together. She doesn't know if her ex-husband will ever forgive her or consider mending their relationship. So she takes her teenage daughter to her childhood home to try and rebuild that relationship as well as the one with her parents. But there are horrors in her past she isn't ready to face and a murderer loose in town. Can she deal with all this and stay sober?

I've heard a lot of people talking about this book as a Christian Twilight. It is not that at all. Thirsty is a combination women's fiction and Brandilyn Collins-like suspense. That said, this was a powerful story, vampire subplot aside. Whereas the vampire subplot fit well with the story and had some intriguing parallels, the book would have been just as good without the vampire subplot.

Nina's story--her life--was so real it gripped me entirely. It got me thinking about my own addictions to busyness and work, my husband's side of partnering with me in life, my father and grandfather's alcohol addictions. I was overcome with intense emotions after finishing this book. Maybe that's because it was two am... I started it at nine and had to stay up until I finished. Always a good sign of a powerful story. But through Nina's husband's points of view especially, I was able to relate to my husband a bit more. I was able to thank God for sparing me from my family's generational addiction of alcohol and was able to consider the effect my addiction to busyness might have on my family. For that, I am grateful. Perspective is a hard thing to get in life, and here Tracey Bateman has done it with fiction by writing characters you become.

As to whether this book is a good one for teens, it depends on the teen. It is an intense book. But the characters are so real that any teen dealing with addiction--be it their addiction or a loved one's--could benefit from the perspective this novel offers. A very highly recommended book.

Nina Parker is a recovering alcoholic fresh out of rehab. The rehab was court ordered after she was arrested because of a drunken display in front of her ex-husband's house. She hit rock bottom, losing both her husband and her children. She moves back to her home town to start fresh, taking her teenaged daughter with her for a short time. Nina is really trying to reconnect with her daughter and make amends for her past mistakes, but Meagan is an obstinate teenager who doesn't forgive easily. Meanwhile in the town, there have been a rash of ritualistic killings of animals, and later a human, that are gruesome and shocking to the small town. Do these murders have to do with Nina's attractive neighbor Markus, who seems to follow her around? Or is it the work of something else more sinister?

I liked this book, but it did have some problems. The story flowed very well and compelled me to read on. I stayed up way later than I expected to some days because I just got sucked into the story. Nina is a great flawed character, whose life and journey was the most interesting part of the novel. Her childhood dealing with an alcoholic parent to her adult life as an alcoholic (very much like her father) was interesting and heart wrenching. I was very emotionally invested in her life, her family, and what happened to her.

On the other hand, I love vampire novels and I don't really consider this one. The main focus is on Nina and her personal journey. The vampires serve as a means progressing in that journey and act as a reflection to her alcoholism. The vampires weren't as fleshed out as the human characters and seemed to just be props in the story. It also bothered me that Markus was just viewed by author as pure evil even though he did good things and struggled against his nature as a vampire. The ending was conveniently wrapped up perfectly. With the rest of the novel being so vivid, I felt it was contrived. Also, I didn't realize it was a Christian novel when I started reading it, which didn't bother me at first. However, near the end, the Christian message became very heavy handed, which didn't match the fluidity of rest of the novel.

Thirsty is an interesting novel about a woman and her addiction. If you are a fan of supernatural fiction, you might be disappointed. The novel has some flaws, but as a whole was a good, easy read.

Nina Parker has her demons like we all do. It just so happens that her demons live in the bottom of the next bottle. Alcohol has taken over her life and the thirst has separated her from everyone she loves. Saddled by guilt and desperation she makes another attempt at rehab, hoping she will find the strength to fight through her addiction.

After a successful stint of sobriety, Nina decides to return home to Abby Hills with her estranged daughter. Soon Nina befriends a mysterious stranger who seems to be more than infatuated with her. When a series of grisly animal deaths and a murder occur in her peaceful hometown, Nina begins to suspect that something sinister is lurking in the shadows. Nina must now turn to an unlikely ally to fight the both the darkness within and the terror that threatens to harm everything she holds dear.

Everywhere we look vampire novels are crowding the shelves and it comes as no surprise that the Christian market is suddenly becoming more open to the concept. At the risk of being lost in the shuffle and alienating herself from a conservative readership, Tracey Bateman has set out to write a vampire story that is both redemptive and relevant. I think Bateman does just that in her first foray into supernatural suspense.

To be fair, readers who are looking for the next Twilight or True Blood may not appreciate the story they find here. Yes there are vampires, but they are mild compared to the violent and sensual blood suckers that are so often portrayed in the genre. One could even argue that this story could have been told effectively without the vampire angle at all. Nevertheless, Bateman does a great job of effectively using the vampires to give this story a strong suspenseful feel.

The strength of this novel is found in Nina's battle with addiction. Her fight to win back her family and conquer her demons is inspirational for anyone who has ever lived through similar situations. Nina's personal journey alone is enough reason to pick up this novel, and this is a great story to pass on to friends and family who are dealing with addiction.

Is Thirsty the greatest vampire novel ever written? Well, I don't think it was meant to be. Take the vampires or leave them. The choice is yours. Just don't let your fear of the unknown or your overexposure to a familiar genre get in the way of experiencing this powerful story.

Batemen's talent for poetically conveying deep emotion effectively helped me understand how hard it is for someone to give up an addiction. It really helped me see what some people I know go through when battling their `demons'. It's really true that recovery is not for cowards. I highly recommend this book. It is great just for entertainment, but also for people that have addictions. Parents may even find it beneficial to read with their older children (it's probably not appropriate for young readers), because it paints a realistic picture of how addictions can destroy your life and the lives of those you love and come in contact with. There are even some questions at the end of the book to facilitate discussion.

Veterinarian Nina Parker fled her hometown of Abbey Hills, Missouri two decades ago with no thoughts of going back. However that is before she became an alcoholic, a divorcee and a professional failure due to intoxicated negligence when she neutered a prize horse. Unemployed, sober and single she comes home accompanied by her angry teenage daughter Megan and her eight year old son Adam stays with her sister Jill the cop. Her spouse Hunt follows them.

As she stays sober one day at a time but filled with remorse for what her drinking did to her family and her former employees, Nina is ignorant that she is being watched by a male who believes he has found his desire. The two and a half century old vampire Markus stalks his new neighbor with plans for her.

THIRSTY is an intriguing Christian vampire thriller starring a broken remorseful heroine, her family, and the vampire who in many ways surprisingly steals the show. The story line focuses on second chances and redemption with a few clever spins refreshing the theme. Although shifts between the past and the present are confusing as the change seems abrupt, fans will enjoy Tracey Bateman's fine inspirational as readers will wonder whether a vampire can have a soul.

Harriet Klausner

I borrowed the audio version of Thirsty from my library, as for some reason this was the only version they had. Another reviewer has commented that it is difficult to tell whose point of view the story is being told from, and I can only say that this is made even more difficult in the audio edition.

The narrator speaks in a virtual monotone, with no noticeable difference in voice or tone between different points of view. I gave up listening on the second CD when I found I couldn't tell whether I was listening to Nina or Hunt, and the story had not developed sufficiently quickly to hold my attention. Lesson for me: if I can't read the book, don't waste my time with the audio.

I bought this kindle edition for 99 cents and thought it would be at least worth that. I was wrong. It really had a very weak plot, predictable story line, and didn't have any redeeming value. I kept reading just to see how the author would turn this into a Christian novel and I never saw it. It was basically a clean secular novel and not a very interesting one at that. Keep your money and save your time for something better.

I was reluctant to read this book after reading the other reviews. I'm not typically a fan of down and out main characters. After a friend highly recommended this book, I ordered it. The author does a fantastic job of developing the characters. Nina, Markus, Eden, Meggie and Hunt became so real that I felt that I knew them. I found myself having to put the book down for a few moments several times in order to catch my breath as events unfolded. The authors ability to develop the relationship between Nina and her daughter was so believable for anyone that has raised a teenage daughter.

Vampires incorporated into a book with a Christian genre seemed unlikely to keep my logical mind satisfied. I found myself spell bound!

The flashbacks at the beginning of each chapter helped the reader understand how Nina came to where she was and how much Hunt, her husband, could love her despite all of the destruction she has bestowed upon this family.

Markus is developed very well and although a vampire, has redeeming qualities. Tracy really pulled this one off. Vampire Eden is evil to the core but so charismatic that she is able to draw people in so easily.

I began and finished this book in one day. It grabbed me and wouldn't let go until the very last page!

Thirsty is basically about a recovering alcoholic who has gone back to live in her old childhood town. Facing an ugly past daily, she squirms for a drink every second. Not to mention the fact that her hateful daughter was dragged along for a week to 'bond' with the mother who wasn't there for her in years past. This whole book is basically the week her daughter is visiting.

The main character meets a vampire neighbor who has a crush on her.

I kept asking myself why didn't this novel command my attention? Honestly I read it so quickly because I wanted to be done with it. I think she did a great job at telling the story but not showing it. Rarely did I feel like I was watching it unfold.

I loved that Tracy had the guts to create a vampire novel for the Christian market.

Yes, this book happens to have vampires in it as major characters. But the book isn't really about them; they are a sideline. Yes, this book happens to be "Christian fiction" but Christ also is a sideline. This book is an interesting look at one woman's search for redemption from alcoholism. But she muddles through with will-power and the Serenity Prayer, but an actual relationship with God. A fine entertainment for a few hours of reading.