Blood Work

By: Jeff Johnston

Narrated by: Edison McDaniels

Length: 7 hrs and 36 mins

Publisher's summary

Reverend Blake Hardesty has lived the life of Job. His parents were killed in a fire when he was seven. The aunt who raised him died just before he graduated from the seminary. His wife was killed during a bank robbery only a year ago. And a diagnosis of brain cancer is only the latest in a long line of hardships he’s had to endure. Yet he continues to preach faith in God to a dwindling congregation, sharing his life with his teenage daughter, Bethany, who seems to blame him for her mother’s death. If it weren’t for the angel who protects him from the beast who fills his dreams, he would be completely alone. But when trying to help a disturbed congregant makes him the victim of a vicious attack, he realizes that the angel may not be able to protect him any longer from the beast - the wolf - that is now growing inside him.

Scott Draven has been looking for a higher power all his life. He thought he’d found a path to the Almighty via Bluejay and his followers, and his message of power through cannibalism. With each meal, Draven’s powers grow, changing him into a new being and, he’s convinced, bringing him even closer to God. One more home invasion, one more family on whom to feed, and then it will be time for him to move on from Bluejay. But when Scott learns about the man who can change into a beast, he knows he must find him. He is convinced that communion with him will be the final step he needs to find God and gain ultimate power.

When the two finally meet, tragedy pushes Blake over the edge and into the arms of the beast. The werewolf - the lycanthrope - has been in existence for thousands of years, as much a child of God as any human, or any of his creatures. And now, while Blake, in his new form, is intent on using the time he has left to be God’s ultimate warrior against those who prey on the weak and innocent, Scott Draven is more determined than ever to track Blake down, this time to devour him, and make the creature’s power his own. No matter what it takes.

©2022 Jeff Johnston (P)2022 David N. Wilson

It's ok.

I had high hopes for this book because it sounded like my kind of read, but I have to say that for the most part, I found it quite boring. My attention kept wandering throughout and when I came back to the story I kept having to rewind to see if I missed something. I knew at that stage that it was time for me to stop listening. I will say that overall it's not a bad story, it's just very slow to start and I like my werewolf books to be action packed!
Narration wise, the narrator was ok. He read it well, as in nice pace and well enunciated, but he didn't have a wide variety of voices for the characters.

Holy Werewolf

First off I will say that this was a good book, well written and the first book I've read from author Jeff Johnston.

The loose story is based around a Reverand and his family in a small town, which has recently been struck by a spat of brutal killings. Soon the Rev. and his family are caught in the middle.

As mentioned already the story is pretty good, and there were a few positive surprises in the book. However, I thought by the end the story was dragging a little and the ending was pretty predictable. The other thing I will mention is that there seemed to be a lot of "preechy" writing in the book. I know the main character was a holy man, but many characters in the book seemed to be "having internal conversations with God", it seemed a bit much.

The book was naratted by Edison McDaniels. He does have a voice that reminded me of Droopy the Dog, but that isn't a bad thing. He suited the book and reads well.


*I received this book for free in return for an honest and unbiased review.

Blood Work review

Overall an interesting story. Well worth listening to and have every intention of revisiting the author in the future.

The Beast Inside!

Reverent Blake Hardesty lost his parents in a fire, his wife was killed during a bank robbery and his daughter dies during a deadly home invasion. If all of this loss in his life isn’t enough Blake discovers he has cancer, and his days are numbered. While trying to help a mother and her wheelchair bound son, Blake is bitten by a werewolf. The beast of his childhood dreams is now inside him; will he be able to harness the beast’s power to his advantage in his final days. This is a very good werewolf story; The narration seemed to fit almost all the characters with the exception of the women… maybe having a second narrator for the women in the story would have helped. Overall, it was a very good story. I received this audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

Dark, Frightening, Fabulous!

If it weren’t for bad luck, Reverend Blake Hardesty would have had no luck at all, and the hits just keep coming, the latest being a vicious attack that turns him into a lycanthrope. Yikes! Bloodwork is a well written, riveting, terrifying story that is not for the meek or squeamish! Jeff Johnston’s characters are fabulous and so well developed that I had some very strong feelings about them. The bad guys are evil, completely, heart stompingly irredeemable evil personified! The plot was magnificently written, clear, easily understood and terrifying! The narration was very good and at times actually gave me the shivers, adding to the “dark noir” feel of the story. Blood Work is the whole package, part thriller, part horror story, part mystery and I LOVED it! Five stars!