Tortured Innocence

Blood and Goth

A little bit of Twilight, a little bit of “Goth Beauty and the Beast,” a lot of blood. This book is a fast-pace ride of torture, hence the title.

I recommend this to people who like vampire stories but are looking for something a bit different. The author has created her own lore and creatures, but the influences are clearly present.

Overall it's a solid debut.

A warning to readers, please heed the author's warning message as this book is disturbing.

Tortured Innocence follows a teenage girl named Nicole (Nikki) and her tragic, truly unlucky life. As a child Nicole witnesses her mother's murder by 2 nefarious men seeking revenge on her father who is in the Military. After the brutal incident, which Nicole witnessed, they relocate to a small town in the mountains where strange voices start to plague Nicole, as well as intense nightmares. Soon, Nicole's world will be turned upside down in a true tale of terror.

Ok, remind yourself to breathe and take breaks when reading this horrifying story. Nicole is dealt the most unlucky hand in life. Shantel Brunton wrote her characters so well that as a reader you feel for them and the experiences they go through. The more you read, the more you feel a sick dread creep up into your stomach. You think to yourself, ok this is about as bad as it gets, but there's always more...

Brunton sheds light on some tough topics, including something both scary and realistic; Stockholm Syndrome. The more I read, the more disturbing the relationship between Nicole and her captor became.

Also, if you enjoy books with a lot of torture and blood, this is the perfect read for you as there is plenty of that to go around.

The author adds an interesting twist when the Mecrathin, Twenty, starts to show his humanity with Nicole by allowing her an escape to her never-ending torture. Twenty uses the Joseph Campbell quote “ Find a place inside where there's joy, and the joy will burn out the pain.” That quote is perfect when describing Nicole's “safe-Haven” to her terrifying life in the Shadowlands. It goes to show what a person is willing to endure for a little piece of happiness.

I still find myself taken aback by what I read and this is definitely one of those books that get under your skin and stays there for quite awhile.