“The world was made for us. We’re the ones who breathe the air. We drink from the streams. We live in the shade of the trees. We eat the fruits grown from the dirt of the earth.” It’s a dark world where vampires rule in Blood Dry by Stephanie Marie. Humans are either surviving and hiding from them in the woods or become their prisoners－their blood supplies. As the prolonged drought makes the water scarce, humans are dying of thirst and vampires are losing their precious drink. Mason, one of the prisoners, was left to die outside of Prosolis, the vampires' city, when he was saved by Soka, Elora, and Bray, a trio living in underground caves. However, there will never be peace as long as the vampires keep hunting them. The humans want to take back their world.

Thirst defines the desperation for both humans and vampires in Blood Dry. Stephanie Marie's dystopian world is gloomy where the sun only provides a temporary reprieve before hellish night engulfs the humans again, especially the ones in Prosolis. The solid characterization strengthens the plot. Soka is a resilient protector for the delicate but intelligent Elora, the one with the knowledge of the past and the one whom I related to the most. I found Bray's kindness invigorating and Mason's change from powerless to vengeful satisfyingly justifiable. The vampires are sadistic antagonists and easily resonate with the horror and grisly elements. Readers will find unpredictable twists as the story moves towards its thrilling ending, which is filled with instances of gratifying vengeance but also devastating loss. Intriguing, disturbing, dark, and emotional, this is a solid and entertaining read.

Blood Dry by Stephanie Marie is not a typical vampire novel. No cities exist where the vampires can hide and prey on humans, but instead, they hold most of the human population confined like animals in a place called Prosolis. The humans, apathetic and barely alive, serve a single purpose: supplying the vampires with blood. The main characters are humans, including Mason who has lived in vampiric captivity most of his life, feisty Soka, who along with young, analytical Elora, resides in a mountain hold, and wandering Bray, who carries the marks of many fights but shows a childlike devotion toward Elora. Other free humans roam the land as well, all sharing two common foes: the vampires and a drought. This water scarcity means a drought of blood for the vampires. In the inevitable battle to stay alive, who will win? The vampires or the humans?

Blood Dry by Stephanie Marie gives us a unique view of a world ruled by vampires. They are not invincible against nature but are affected by its whims through their human prey, and I like that. Blood Dry has the time-honored fact that while vampires are superhuman, humankind is not completely helpless before them. Humans can fight back and win, even if the threat of vampires is not gone forever. The writing is consistent and conveys the dread and desperateness of the characters, both human and vampire. I feel the story is unique in that it puts vampires back where they belong - haunting the night. Blood Dry is a brisk read, combining vampires with dystopian tropes and characters who refuse to surrender. If readers enjoy these features, this book comes highly recommended.