3.5 ⭐

A different kind of vampire story.

🩸Adrenochrome
🩸Hollywood pedos
🩸Child/Human sex trafficking

Obviously, very real and very horrendous topics.

I give the author total props for having the guts to go there. Easily the best part of the book.

The setting on the boat was pretty cool and I absolutely loved the inclusion of V.H! My favourite character was Tino.

3.5 - 3.75 ⭐️s??

I struggled to get into this book, so I am really late posting the review. I put the book down and picked it back up over several months. Several sections seemed to drag, and others sucked me in. But overall, I wasn't compelled to pick it up. The subject matter is horrific, but the plot is good, and the characters are well-developed. I recommend it to someone looking for splatterpunk, albeit with the warning that they should expect a rather slow start.

Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher, for the ARC.

Yes! Duncan Ralston does it again. This book was just ridiculously fun and wild. I'll read anything this man writes!

Duncan Ralston is awesome! I have heard so much about him and this was my first book. It was crazy and funny and gory and all things in between. He is definitely going to become one of my favorite authors. He's not afraid to push the envelope of what's accepted and to talk about taboo subjects.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and author for the copy of this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Another entertaining bloodbath from Duncan Ralston. I feel the author never takes things too seriously when developing the stories. I find this intentional as sometimes you just want to be entertained without any messages or politics being involved. You get lost in his stories as you do when you sit down to just simply enjoy a good horror movie.

I read this book as a courtesy from NetGalley. I had just started reading this book when I heard about the controversy with a certain seller of products. I immediately stopped reading another book and dove back into this one. I managed to read this book in 24 hours. My opinion of this book was H3!! Yeah! I will not post any spoilers. If you like to see bad people get theirs in the end then this book should be on your list to read. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. There was plenty of gore, action and revenge to make this one amazing read. When you try and ban books it only makes people want to read it more.

well now. that was interesting lol. it was a great premise. I'll have to stew on it for awhile. I always enjoy Ralston. HIS books make me think believe it or not.

As I cracked open "Pedo Island Bloodbath: A Vampire Novel" by Duncan Ralston, I braced myself for a journey into the depths of extreme horror. With a title as provocative as this one, I knew I was in for a wild ride. And wild it was indeed.

Ralston wastes no time plunging readers into the heart of darkness with an invitation to Emory Jackman's exclusive party on Little Pearl Island. From the outset, the tension is palpable, and the sinister undercurrents hint at the horrors to come. Trigger warnings abound, and rightly so. The graphic scenes of pedophilia are disturbing beyond measure, serving as a stark warning to those considering delving into this twisted tale.

Despite the unsettling subject matter, Ralston's narrative prowess shines through. The story starts slow, but gradually gains momentum, building anticipation until the inevitable bloodbath that awaits. References to death metal, classic literature, and pop culture pepper the narrative, adding layers of depth to the tale of vampires and debauchery.

Dialogue-heavy sections occasionally bog down the pace, leaving me yearning for more action and less exposition. However, as the plot thickens and the stakes rise, Ralston delivers a climactic ending that is nothing short of spectacular. The brutal violence and gore are unleashed with abandon, leaving a trail of carnage in their wake. This is where Ralston's talent truly shines, as he masterfully crafts scenes of visceral horror that will haunt readers long after they turn the final page.

The characters, though flawed, are compelling in their own right. From journalist Sven Olsen's desperate quest for the truth to porter Gabe Zimmer's unwitting entanglement in a web of depravity, each character adds a layer of complexity to the narrative. The plot twists, while few and far between, are executed with precision, tying together the threads of vampiric lore and mythology in a satisfying conclusion.

However, "Pedo Island Bloodbath" is not without its flaws. Some sections feel bloated with unnecessary filler, detracting from the overall impact of the story. A small typo towards the end also detracts from the reading experience, though it's a minor quibble in the grand scheme of things.

In conclusion, "Pedo Island Bloodbath: A Vampire Novel" is a mixed bag of extreme horror and literary prowess. While it may not be for the faint of heart, those who dare to venture into its dark depths will find a twisted tale of bloodlust and vengeance that is as captivating as it is disturbing.

Pedo Island Bloodbath by Duncan Ralston is an outlandish retelling of what really happened on Epstein's Island...or not. i have to admit i could fully get behind Epstein meeting his end in a way Duncan Ralston dreams up. that would be poetic justice, indeed.
Clarissa is a victim of the foster care system, falling from one slot to the next, never finding a home anywhere since her parents were murdered and her twin sister was kidnapped. but then years later, a voice suddenly speaks in her head, her long-missing sister telling her to come and find her.
Pedo Island Bloodbath takes off in a rip-roaring blast of every kind of triggering frenzy you can imagine and then so. but rather than being exploitive, Ralston manages to bring human faces to the anonymous numbers we read about. and rather than vampires being the ultimate monsters of terror, they pale in comparison to the sex traffickers profiting from the pain and misery of others.
highly recommended.
5 stars out of 5.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC to review!

3?? stars

Maybe some spoilers!!!

Well, to say the title made me do a double take is an understatement haha. I really enjoyed how this played out. The fact this happens and is currently happening is tragic but I liked how this was written so you are witnessing all of this happening, which can be very uncomfortable due to the nature of what is happening, with a twist.

Despite having some very satire moments, the fact this is happening without the supernatural elements makes it even more horrofying.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I'll be real with you, I totally requested this based on the title. It made me snort laugh when I first saw it and I was so happy when I got approved to read it.

This is honestly out of the norm from what I typically read, and it was not what I was expecting at all, but I think that's what made it so great. It's definitely splatterpunk horror - so if that is not your thing, I would definitely recommend skipping this one. There are scenes that are EXTREMELY disturbing and I would recommend checking some of the TWs before diving into this one.

But this novel was an interesting take on vampires and even though there was a bit of a slow start, once the book picks up, it's like a runaway train headed towards a metal barrier and you're strapped into your seat. Honestly, you can't get off this ride and why would you?

Absolutely psycho of me to say how much I enjoyed this book. The title made me stop scrolling and the cover had me downloading. I didn’t even read the blurb so the vampires were a surprise. I didn’t feel even a little bad when the pervs became snacks. Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for a copy.

80/100 or 4,00 stars

Thank you to NetGalley for providing a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was not what I was expecting at all. To be fair, I didn't read the description at all before reading. I knew the author from a previous read, so I knew they were extreme horror, and I wanted to see if I would like this the same as their other book. I did not see the vampires coming.

I was surprised to see how much of the story focused on the vampires over the extreme horror I was expecting. Don't get me wrong, there are still horrific things in here that are in my head forever; I will never look at vampires the same again. It was way better than I was expecting, to be honest. It was a little too long and there were some things that were obnoxious, but overall it was a solid extreme horror book.
I would check out the author's other works, and I would even read another book in this universe if the author wants to make another, as I would be interested to see where the characters go!

The title alone beckoned me to explore, and upon glimpsing the author's name and a brief description, I was hooked. The initial pages echoed shades of 'Blood Cruise,' but the narrative swiftly evolved. While certain prolonged discussions lacked story progression, I eagerly devoured the action-packed sequences and the anticipated, meticulously executed bloodbath.

Some secondary characters veered into stereotypes with cringe-worthy dialogues, yet the intricate plot compensated for these moments. The seamless integration of ancient vampire lore with the contemporary world created a compelling narrative. Each main character possessed a captivating and intricately detailed history, elevating the story beyond a mere gore fest.

For those unswayed by trigger warnings – and this book nearly covers them all – brace yourself for an undeniably entertaining journey.

This is one of those books where the title alone already decides whether you want to read the book or not. I definitely was lured into taking a closer look, and reading the author's name and the short description sealed the deal for me.
The first hundred pages or so strongly reminded me of 'Blood Cruise', but that changed soon. While I did not care for some lengthy discussions that did not really push the story forward I eagerly rushed through the pages that were filled with action and the highly expected and expertly delivered bloodbath. Some minor characters felt stereotypical and their exaggerated way of speaking made me cringe, but the elaborate plot definitely made up for that. Ancient vampire lore and the modern world went very well together, and each of the main characters had his or her own fascinating detailed history, giving the story depth and making it more than just your average gore feast.
If you don't shy away from with trigger warnings - and this book almost has them all - you are in for a very entertaining time.

I have been a huge Duncan Ralston fan until I picked this up. I think it is mainly just my mood wasn't jibing with the book. I think I will try to pick this up another time just not anytime soon.

After seeing this title, I definitely wanted to read how the pedos would be punished for their disgusting crimes. I haven’t read a vampire book in a while, and this book didn’t disappoint me at all. It was satirical, gory, and fun. It wasn’t fast-paced initially, but I enjoyed getting to know the characters. Clarissa is my favorite. She risks everything to find her younger sister, who had gone missing when they were children. I was just as surprised as Clarissa when she revealed secrets aboard the Ceres, a yacht that sails the worst types of people to Little Pearl Island. The plot moves at a neck-breaking pace as soon as we discover the truth, and I enjoyed the homage to Bram Stoker’s Dracula. I highly recommend this book!

I’d like to thank NetGalley, Duncan Ralston, and Shadow Work Publishing for the eARC of Pedo Island Bloodbath in exchange for an honest review.

At a first glance at the cover and the title you’d think this would be an extreme horror where pedophiles die in a terrible vampire bloodbath, especially with Ralston as the author. Thats what I thought at least.

However he decided he wanted to dip into old horror roots and write something out of his comfort zone. Vampires, Vampire Hunters, and young girls and pedophiles thrown into that mix, makes for a slow burn horror story. Very, very slow burn. I’d like to add that it’s not bad it is simply not what I was expecting.

The story follows several characters starting with Clarissa a 17 year old girl on a quest to find her missing twin sister who after ten years after being kidnapped spoke in her head and led her to board the boat to Little Pearl Island. There she meets a young man named Gabe. Gabe is a worker on the ship and has never gotten off onto the island, he’s in for a rude awakening when our third protagonist Coltrane shows up with information on the kids, the island, and the man who runs it all.

Trigger warnings for: pedophilia, sex trafficking, kidnapping, grooming, sexual assault, child abuse, sex slaves, parent death, child death, body horror, drugging

Lastly; Epstein didn’t kill himself.

I was obsessed with Duncan’s Puzzle House! I had to try this one out and boy was it a wild and fun ride! The combination of current events/issues and vampires makes for an exciting and intriguing read!