Refuge


Young Adult - Paranormal
212 Pages
Reviewed on 06/04/2015
Buy on Amazon

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Author Biography

Jason K Macomson is a practicing veterinarian and former public school teacher/administrator in Lavonia, Georgia. Refuge is his first published novel. Dr. Macomson practices mostly small animal medicine and lives on a farm. In his spare time, he raises German Shorthaired Pointers. He likes to bike, fish, read, and write novels.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Brenda Casto for Readers' Favorite

Refuge by Jason K. Macomson is a page turning vampire tale that pits good against evil and left me with breathless anticipation wondering what the final outcome might be! After the death of her parents, eighteen-year-old Carol Westdale feels adrift, and decides to spend the holidays with her aunt, who happens to be the only family she has left. Traveling at night on snow covered roads, she has an accident just a few miles from her destination that truly puts her in the wrong place at the wrong time. She has no idea the lone dark figure she sees in the middle of the road is actually a vampire, that is until Will and Eric who happen to be vampire hunters swoop in and save her. The story that they share with her about who they are and what they stand for is something that is extremely hard for Carol to believe. Unsure of who to trust or what to believe, she finds herself faced with making a choice that could ultimately seal her fate for eternity.

Jason K. Macomson blends together a paranormal tale of vampires along with a faith based message that makes for a uniquely interesting story that begs to be read. Richly written, with just the right amount of emotion, the story drew me right into Carol's plight. Her skepticism and doubt made for a more realistic plot, while also laying the foundation for Will to disclose who he and Eric were and what they stood for. There is plenty of action without being gory, and the suspense of the final outcome kept me on the edge of my seat. The final twist that provided the ending was something I would never have imagined happening, but it also whetted my appetite for the next book in the series. The faith based themes are an integral part of this story, and actually made Refuge a stand out story for me, because Mr. Macomson points out the choices we all have and how making the right choice can affect us for eternity. While geared toward young adults, this book will appeal to anyone who is looking for a great vampire fiction tale. As someone who is a huge fan of the vampire fiction genre, I feel that Mr. Macomson has created an intriguing story that is second to none, and I can't wait to read the next book in the series.

Melinda Hills

A sudden car accident on an icy Maine road is just the beginning of trouble for young Carol Westdale. As she looks for help on the lonely road, Carol is approached by a tall stranger who seems to compel her to come to him. What happens next starts a chain reaction of running and fighting that Carol can hardly comprehend – this stranger is a vampire that goes up in flames when attacked by two other strangers. Saved by Will, a true believer in ‘The Way’, and Eric, a ‘good’ vampire, Carol joins with them to find refuge from the coven that now wants her dead.

Refuge by Jason K. Macomson portrays the struggle between good and evil, leaning heavily on basic Christian belief in the power of trusting in God. Personal choice is a key component to the plot and it is Will’s choice to dedicate himself to God that keeps him safe from the vampires. It is also Eric’s choice to fight his vampire nature and protect humans that makes him a target for the coven. Carol must make a choice, too, even though she has never really thought much about God or faith. Will her choice save her or put all three of them in jeopardy?

Vivid descriptions and exciting action hold your interest in Refuge by Jason K. Macomson as the characters are swept up in a fight for their lives. A straight forward explanation of the power of faith provides the definition of refuge for believers when confronted with evil and is clearly contrasted with the intent to harm while turning one’s back on God. As religious as this may sound, Macomson gets this point across without preaching – it is through the action of the characters and realistic dialogue that the concept is portrayed. Refuge is an excellent story, both fast paced and entertaining, that happens to have a deeper message if you want to think about it.

Lisa McCombs

On a dark, snow laden route to her aunt’s house, Carol drives her car into a ditch. Not certain of her whereabouts but determined to reach the security of her aunt’s home, Carol leaves her car to continue on foot. Evil lurks in the distance but is diverted by the presence of two young strangers. She is captive in an unrealistic scenario straight from the big screen. She is sworn to secrecy when Will and Eric disclose their true identities and impress upon her the grave danger that is her fate. She must travel with them to avoid falling victim to a coven of vampires who burned her aunt’s home, killing her in the blaze. Carol learns that Eric is a rogue vampire whose purpose is to protect society from his own kind, and that Will, his human protector, believes in the light and love of Christ. Just the idea of these supreme examples of good and evil walking hand-in-hand through destiny is enough to force Carol into believing in a faith that never existed in her life.

Refuge is a unique tale of good versus evil wonderfully told! I love the fact that author Jason K. Macomson uses this opportunity to bring God’s word and a lesson in morality to young readers. With the current popularity of vampire lore in YA fiction, I assume that his story will be wildly popular. Thank you, Mr. Macomson, for braving the wrath of literary critics in order to bring this message to print.

Jamie Georgianson

On her way to see her aunt, a young woman named Carol comes across a man after suffering a car accident. This unknown man eventually leads her to two other unknown men named Eric and Will. On first sight these two young men seem relatively normal, however Carol later finds out that they are anything but, as both of them are revealed to be vampire slayers. Soon, without truly knowing it, Carol has become a part of this duo and all three of them must quickly find a way to bring down the vampire known as Master and his coven. But is the idea of vampires, vampire slayers, covens and God too much for Carol to absorb in such a little time?

Refuge by Jason K Macomson was a good read for many reasons. One of those reasons is Macomson’s depiction of his vampire characters. They are more realistically described than usual and the novel is similar enough to Twilight that fans of Meyer’s novel can enjoy Jason K Macomson’s novel too, but is different enough that Refuge can be seen as a novel in its own right. I enjoyed how detailed and well written the novel is; how engrossing the storyline is, and how Carol does not accept the existence of vampires as quickly as we would expect her to. I especially enjoyed the merging of vampires and religion, and I believe Macomson managed this combination very well. All in all, Refuge is an intriguing, suspenseful novel with an unexpected ending that suggests another well-written and suspense-filled sequel.

K.C. Finn

Refuge is a paranormal novel by Jason K. Macomson focusing on young adult characters. The central heroine of the story is Carol, who finds herself stranded in the wild and isolated mountains of Western Maine due to circumstances beyond her control. It’s here that her worst nightmares are realised when Carol comes face to face with a gruesome collection of vampires, only to be saved in the nick of time by dynamic hunting duo Will and Eric. But Carol soon realises that her saviours have their secrets too, and the lines between good and evil are not as clear cut as she once thought. Carol must make a difficult choice in the face of death, and question everything she thought she knew about faith in the process.

Jason K. Macomson has put a fascinating spin on the vampire genre by adding the sub-theme of Christian faith to the mix. Carol explores some really interesting themes about the nature of evil during her adventure, which are sure to leave readers conflicted and thoughtful when they’ve finished the high adventure and exciting rescue mission portion of this book. Refuge follows a standard plot line for the paranormal genre, with plenty of tense moments and dramatic teenage angst, but it’s really the themes of the plot that stand out above the character development. Overall, die-hard fans of the vampire fiction genre are sure to love the familiar tropes that have been employed, and they might just find something new to ponder along the way too.

Mamta Madhavan

Refuge by Jason K Macomson is a gripping story that will take readers into a world of Christian values and vampires, making this faith based story a compelling read. Carol finds herself stranded on an isolated road after an accident while visiting her aunt. As she sets out to look out for help, she runs into vampire hunters, Eric and Will, who rescue her from vampires that are after her. Three days together with Will and Eric make her understand them more. She is faced with a choice of life and death after being captured by the local vampire coven. Will Eric and Will be able to save her?

The story oscillates between good and evil, and the character sketching and dialogues are quite interesting. It's the kind of plot that has an element of eeriness to it, but at the same time is not that scary. The vampire theme makes it fascinating for young and older readers alike. The definition of good and its victory over evil unfolds as the story progresses. The author's writing style is simple, descriptive and fluid, giving the story a good pace and movement.

The author pulls readers into the story with an intriguing plot and interesting characters that, by their strangeness, will keep readers intrigued by their behavior till the very end. The narration is very descriptive, making the story visual, and it comes alive as readers turn the pages. Exceptional plot, very original and different. The cover design gives the book an eerie vibe.