Blood Donors Reviews/Press

“DISTINCTIVE, FRESH & DECIDEDLY CREEPY”

The Guardian

included in the Diverse Voices list of the 50 best children’s books from 1950-present day that celebrate cultural diversity

Peoples keep dyin’ in The Finger, the scuzzie old tower block where they put us antisociable families. Authorities say it dirty smack goin’ round, but them bodies ain’t all users…an’ they look like they die screamin’.”

Marshall O’Connor the First lives in The Finger with his mum and lil bro. Dad’s in prison, school kicked him out, and the bedbugs are driving him crazy.

True, Marsh got himself some issues. But it ain’t the drugs that peoples should be worryin’ about, ‘cos them bloodsuckin’ bugs have grown some, and they ready for a bigger feed…

Blood Donors, the terrifying debut novel by STEVE TASANE

“Debut of the month”

lovereading4kids. co.uk Full review

“In all honesty Blood Donors is without doubt the most disgusting book I’ve ever read, but that’s what makes it so good!”

readeraptor.co.uk Full review

“What’s really distinctive about this novel is the narrative voice, as sure-footed, compelling and sympathetic (in its way) as that of Huck Finn.”

Achuka.co.uk Full review

“Blood Donors does something almost impossible – it combines an utterly convincing setting and all-too-human characters with a story of nightmarish intensity. The language hums with energy and the pace is relentless.” Anthony McGowan, author of The Knife That Killed Me

“This is a confident debut, Steve Tasane’s creation of a unique adolescent patois is convincing and adds to the insular nature of the book which makes the horror all the more deeply felt. The bed bugs at the heart of the story are cleverly deployed and the story succeeds in making the skin crawl and the flesh creep whilst also having more serious undertones around the nature of social and class prejudice.” *****

Jake Hope, Books For Keeps

“Blood Donors teaches us to treat everyone equally, and not to treat deprived people as demons to be vanquished. The metaphor of a truly horrific bug infestation brilliantly captures the terrible situation of welfare-dependent people.”

The Red Threat Full Review:

“A gory fun packed riot with characters that catapult off the page”

Joseph Coelho Full Review:

“I couldn’t read much of this too much at night for fear of having nightmares. It gave me shivers just reading it on my lunch break”

Sister Spooky Full Review:

“This is a fast-paced, excitement-packed book… not for the faint-hearted…Tasane produces a punchy and straight to the point story with no waffle or flannel, but plenty of guts and gore… Reminding me somewhat of John Wyndham’s 1951 classic The Day of the Triffids, this is a thoroughly enjoyable read and I highly recommend it. I guarantee that after just a few pages, you’ll be scratching and thinking about washing the bedding!”

Elizabeth Baskeyfield, The School Librarian

Read the thoughts and rhymes of Blood Donors’ hero,

by clicking THE MARSHALL CHRONICLES

DON’T SLEEP. DON’T.