The Immortal Rules (Blood of Eden #1)
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Julie Kagawa sees your sparkles & raises you a dystopian novel + REAL vampires.
(Updated: October 09, 2012)
Overall rating
4.3
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Okay, I'm a big enough girl to admit two things to you right now. One, I'm a book cover lover (But honestly, I don't think that's a secret to anyone at this point.), and I was instantly drawn to this book because this cover is pretty freaking fabulous. (Although, after reading the story, Allie is Japanese so...?) Two, I was all, WOMPWompwommmp, another vampire book. This was probably the biggest reason I've waited so long to read it. Now, I could kick myself. Ms. Kagawa took a cliché-ridden paranormal entity and completely recreated it in my opinion.
I've had Julie Kagawa's Iron Fey series on my TBR list for the longest, but I've yet to drop everything and read them. Nevertheless, I've heard nothing but amazing things about her writing, so when this came out, my interest was definitely piqued. I'm happy to say that it didn't disappoint either.
This story is set in a world where a large amount of the human population was wiped out by a disease called Red Lung or turning into vampire-like creatures known as rabids. With the vampires' food source dying off, they came out of hiding to offer a solution. They'd protect them from disease and being slaughtered from the rabids as well as providing them with food and shelter, if they became "registered" and freely offered their blood on a monthly basis. Most complied, and vampire cities sprang up all over. However, there were the few like our main character, Allie, who refused to become donor bloodbags and lived in the impoverished districts on the outside of the main city, but still within the protected outer wall. Life for the "Unregisters" was hard. They fought for food, shelter, and basically survival. Denying the vampires access to their blood meant they had to fend for themselves, and this is how the major plot device unfolds. On a trip outside the wall in search for food, Allie and her friends are attacked by rabids, and when her unlikely hero, a vampire, offers her the chance to live, she becomes the one thing she hates the most.
There were several aspects in this story that I truly appreciated. Even though Allie loathed the vampires and blamed them for her mother's death, when she was knocking at death's door, she chose to survive, even if that meant becoming "a monster." Then, despite all her claims to hold on to her humanity, Allie really struggled with it, showing just how challenging it is to cage the beast, no matter how horrified she was once she realized her thirst for blood. I enjoyed Kagawa's writing of Allie, and how sometimes no matter how much you want want to behave in a certain manner, instinct and survival can inherently change a person.
“Sometime in your life, Alison Sekemoto, you will kill a human being. Accidentally or as a conscious, deliberate act. It is unavoidable. The question is not if it will happen, but when.”
I also enjoyed all the scientific reasoning thoroughly explained throughout this book, making all the situations more plausible. I'm not really "in the know" about genetics and DNA, so for all I know, the author could have been filling my head full of crap, but it read like really good crap. For instance, she goes into detail about why vampires couldn't go in the sunlight, and it wasn't because of some lame excuse like "because we sparkle and that's a dead giveaway that we're vampires."
"Despite the legends, he explained we wouldn't immediately burst into flames, but our body chemistry had changed now that we were, technically, dead. He likened it to a human disease called porphyria, where toxic substances in the skin caused it to blacken and rupture when exposed to ultraviolet sunlight. Caught outside with no shelter, the direct rays of the sun would burn our exposed skin until it did, eventually, catch fire."
I also loved all of the characters, especially because they all had depth and flaws. I loved Allie for her realistic approach to her life, and boy did this chick have some bite (I'm not sure if I intended this pun or not, hmmm...). She was no pushover, she questioned everyone and everything, and when push came to shove, you can bet your behind she was pushing. Kanin was the perfect sire, hard and unrelenting when he needed to be, but he also had a caring side about him that showed not all vampires were lost to the monster within. Lastly, the love interest, Zeke, and his traveling group, were all perfect in their own way. Zeke, particularly, was someone that I found myself drawn to because of his optimism and gentle nature in the darkest of times.
My biggest complaint and the reason I couldn't give this the full five stars was because I felt like it was missing something. I'm not sure if it was because I wanted more time with Kanin and his training or more time with Zeke. Just when they finally allowed themselves to entertain the idea of a relationship, their time was cut short, and I was a little disappointed. All in all, this was a great setup for a great second book, and maybe that was the overall problem. This read more like the beginning of a new series rather than a complete stand-alone. All that being said, I can't wait to see what the next book has to offer, and I'll be waiting in line when it comes out.
*An e-galley was provided by HarlequinTEEN via Net Galley.
I've had Julie Kagawa's Iron Fey series on my TBR list for the longest, but I've yet to drop everything and read them. Nevertheless, I've heard nothing but amazing things about her writing, so when this came out, my interest was definitely piqued. I'm happy to say that it didn't disappoint either.
This story is set in a world where a large amount of the human population was wiped out by a disease called Red Lung or turning into vampire-like creatures known as rabids. With the vampires' food source dying off, they came out of hiding to offer a solution. They'd protect them from disease and being slaughtered from the rabids as well as providing them with food and shelter, if they became "registered" and freely offered their blood on a monthly basis. Most complied, and vampire cities sprang up all over. However, there were the few like our main character, Allie, who refused to become donor bloodbags and lived in the impoverished districts on the outside of the main city, but still within the protected outer wall. Life for the "Unregisters" was hard. They fought for food, shelter, and basically survival. Denying the vampires access to their blood meant they had to fend for themselves, and this is how the major plot device unfolds. On a trip outside the wall in search for food, Allie and her friends are attacked by rabids, and when her unlikely hero, a vampire, offers her the chance to live, she becomes the one thing she hates the most.
There were several aspects in this story that I truly appreciated. Even though Allie loathed the vampires and blamed them for her mother's death, when she was knocking at death's door, she chose to survive, even if that meant becoming "a monster." Then, despite all her claims to hold on to her humanity, Allie really struggled with it, showing just how challenging it is to cage the beast, no matter how horrified she was once she realized her thirst for blood. I enjoyed Kagawa's writing of Allie, and how sometimes no matter how much you want want to behave in a certain manner, instinct and survival can inherently change a person.
“Sometime in your life, Alison Sekemoto, you will kill a human being. Accidentally or as a conscious, deliberate act. It is unavoidable. The question is not if it will happen, but when.”
I also enjoyed all the scientific reasoning thoroughly explained throughout this book, making all the situations more plausible. I'm not really "in the know" about genetics and DNA, so for all I know, the author could have been filling my head full of crap, but it read like really good crap. For instance, she goes into detail about why vampires couldn't go in the sunlight, and it wasn't because of some lame excuse like "because we sparkle and that's a dead giveaway that we're vampires."
"Despite the legends, he explained we wouldn't immediately burst into flames, but our body chemistry had changed now that we were, technically, dead. He likened it to a human disease called porphyria, where toxic substances in the skin caused it to blacken and rupture when exposed to ultraviolet sunlight. Caught outside with no shelter, the direct rays of the sun would burn our exposed skin until it did, eventually, catch fire."
I also loved all of the characters, especially because they all had depth and flaws. I loved Allie for her realistic approach to her life, and boy did this chick have some bite (I'm not sure if I intended this pun or not, hmmm...). She was no pushover, she questioned everyone and everything, and when push came to shove, you can bet your behind she was pushing. Kanin was the perfect sire, hard and unrelenting when he needed to be, but he also had a caring side about him that showed not all vampires were lost to the monster within. Lastly, the love interest, Zeke, and his traveling group, were all perfect in their own way. Zeke, particularly, was someone that I found myself drawn to because of his optimism and gentle nature in the darkest of times.
My biggest complaint and the reason I couldn't give this the full five stars was because I felt like it was missing something. I'm not sure if it was because I wanted more time with Kanin and his training or more time with Zeke. Just when they finally allowed themselves to entertain the idea of a relationship, their time was cut short, and I was a little disappointed. All in all, this was a great setup for a great second book, and maybe that was the overall problem. This read more like the beginning of a new series rather than a complete stand-alone. All that being said, I can't wait to see what the next book has to offer, and I'll be waiting in line when it comes out.
*An e-galley was provided by HarlequinTEEN via Net Galley.
C
Christina
Top 500 Reviewer
Great characters, lots of action
Just when you think that nothing new can be done with vampires, Julie Kagawa decides to write about them, and boy does she write a refreshing take!
I was immediately drawn to Allie, the main character. I love her survivor instinct and how she clings to her humanity and ultimately who she is even in the darkest of circumstances. This is really what defines a strong main character. They can have all the wit in the world or the hottest guy, but if they don't stay true to themselves (this doesn't mean they don't struggle or make mistakes, by the way--in doing these things they discover more about who they are and make me ultimately like them more) then I don't really find them to be believable.
I really love the mystery surrounding Kanin and I can't wait to find out more about what makes him tick and what led him to the place he's in now. Ms. Kagawa has such a talent to keep me guessing, because for every answer we get in the book, five more questions arise.
Julie Kagawa writes with such immediacy for her characters and with the right amount of detail that it makes me feel like I am a part of the story rather than a passive passenger. I also admire the talent she has to craft these paranormal societies with such subtleties and dysfunction all at the same time. I'm amazed at how authors such as Ms. Kagawa continue to have things up their sleeve to surprise me, because she did it beautifully in The Immortal Rules with the plot twists and revelations, from Jeb's secret, to the mysterious Raider King, Kanin and the whole story with Zeke.
As I mentioned a bit earlier, the characters are crafted wonderfully in this first book of The Blood of Eden. I admired Allie's loyalty and resiliency, and Zeke's unwavering ability to see the good in others. Not only are there great characters, The Immortal Rules is packed with action and adventure. You know it's true when one line reads: "I was tired of being shot, stabbed, burned, gutted, staked and thrown out windows..." It is also a sign that you have one kick butt heroine on our hands.
I was immediately drawn to Allie, the main character. I love her survivor instinct and how she clings to her humanity and ultimately who she is even in the darkest of circumstances. This is really what defines a strong main character. They can have all the wit in the world or the hottest guy, but if they don't stay true to themselves (this doesn't mean they don't struggle or make mistakes, by the way--in doing these things they discover more about who they are and make me ultimately like them more) then I don't really find them to be believable.
I really love the mystery surrounding Kanin and I can't wait to find out more about what makes him tick and what led him to the place he's in now. Ms. Kagawa has such a talent to keep me guessing, because for every answer we get in the book, five more questions arise.
Julie Kagawa writes with such immediacy for her characters and with the right amount of detail that it makes me feel like I am a part of the story rather than a passive passenger. I also admire the talent she has to craft these paranormal societies with such subtleties and dysfunction all at the same time. I'm amazed at how authors such as Ms. Kagawa continue to have things up their sleeve to surprise me, because she did it beautifully in The Immortal Rules with the plot twists and revelations, from Jeb's secret, to the mysterious Raider King, Kanin and the whole story with Zeke.
As I mentioned a bit earlier, the characters are crafted wonderfully in this first book of The Blood of Eden. I admired Allie's loyalty and resiliency, and Zeke's unwavering ability to see the good in others. Not only are there great characters, The Immortal Rules is packed with action and adventure. You know it's true when one line reads: "I was tired of being shot, stabbed, burned, gutted, staked and thrown out windows..." It is also a sign that you have one kick butt heroine on our hands.
A wonderful new series filled with action, romance, hard decisions and blood-red tears, with a new h
Overall rating
5.0
Plot
N/A
Characters
N/A
Writing Style
N/A
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
N/A
This book was definitely worth the anticipation! I couldn't really find anything I completely disliked in this book. Great characters, great plot, great writing style, beautiful cover. Oh, now I know what I didn't like. The wait for the next book... Cliffhanger alert!
Allie is a new YA heroine. She kicks butt and is a hot vampire chick. Amazing, right? She has to become the thing she despises most, or die. And her choice to become somthing she hates shows that she's a fighter, she won't give up. Also, it shows that she is a survivor. Allie is a great role model, smart, great sense of humor, very human -even though that's impossible for her- and no fear of what's coming. The other characters were amazing, too. They're looking for Eden, the 'holy' city where you can live without the vamps, and are very religious. They believe in a world without vampires, a better world. I loved Zeke, even though some of his actions really pissed me off...But everyone makes mistakes, right?
The plot with had many interesting turns to keep it a nice and anything-but-boring read, even though it was almost 500 pages. The dystopian world displayed in this is horrifying. A world ruled by vampires, and with crazy zombie-like monsters with vampire powers lurking around every corner of the abandoned streets, trying to grab you and eat you? No thanks! Then I'd prefer to live in a world like we live in now! I start to see a pattern in all YA distopia I read, Lots of horrible futures in which the way of living seems to be returning to the way the people lived around 1700-1900. Lack of technology, lack of food and a huge gap between the rich and the poor. Not that I don't like it, just that I always thought dystopia should be great, and amazing, so that people want to live in the future, or invent the future. *I was a few years younger and many books earlier when I thought that way*
Vampires get a whole new image in this book. They are displayed as kings, rulers of the world, but also as nice people, who don't like to drink blood, but just have to do that in order to survive. These new vampires were very interesting, altough they didn't win it from Stoker's dracula. No vampire can win it from Dracula.
A wonderful new series filled with action, romance, hard decisions and blood-red tears, with a new heroine that every reader will love.
rating:
5 stars - highly recommended!
Allie is a new YA heroine. She kicks butt and is a hot vampire chick. Amazing, right? She has to become the thing she despises most, or die. And her choice to become somthing she hates shows that she's a fighter, she won't give up. Also, it shows that she is a survivor. Allie is a great role model, smart, great sense of humor, very human -even though that's impossible for her- and no fear of what's coming. The other characters were amazing, too. They're looking for Eden, the 'holy' city where you can live without the vamps, and are very religious. They believe in a world without vampires, a better world. I loved Zeke, even though some of his actions really pissed me off...But everyone makes mistakes, right?
The plot with had many interesting turns to keep it a nice and anything-but-boring read, even though it was almost 500 pages. The dystopian world displayed in this is horrifying. A world ruled by vampires, and with crazy zombie-like monsters with vampire powers lurking around every corner of the abandoned streets, trying to grab you and eat you? No thanks! Then I'd prefer to live in a world like we live in now! I start to see a pattern in all YA distopia I read, Lots of horrible futures in which the way of living seems to be returning to the way the people lived around 1700-1900. Lack of technology, lack of food and a huge gap between the rich and the poor. Not that I don't like it, just that I always thought dystopia should be great, and amazing, so that people want to live in the future, or invent the future. *I was a few years younger and many books earlier when I thought that way*
Vampires get a whole new image in this book. They are displayed as kings, rulers of the world, but also as nice people, who don't like to drink blood, but just have to do that in order to survive. These new vampires were very interesting, altough they didn't win it from Stoker's dracula. No vampire can win it from Dracula.
A wonderful new series filled with action, romance, hard decisions and blood-red tears, with a new heroine that every reader will love.
rating:
5 stars - highly recommended!
Good Points
the whole thing!
A New Take On Vampires
Overall rating
5.0
Plot
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Characters
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Writing Style
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Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
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I am one of the many people who fell in love with Julie Kagawa’s storytelling and writing in her Iron Fey series. This newest book is completely different from that world and takes a new and inventive look at vampires.
I know what you're thinking. Vampires? Really? Trust me I know how you feel. But Julie Kagawa makes them new again in The Immortal Rules, and its not just a world with vampires, there are humans and rabids as well. I personally found the rabids creation story to be fascinating.
The vampires are the ruling class in this post-apocalyptic world. Which was a twist that I found interesting, and it affirmed the fact that vampires are DANGEROUS and not to be messed with. I also really liked how Allie struggled to keep hold of her humanity, it made her easier to relate with and made you feel for her even though she is a vampire.
Also Allie is a bad-ass before she gets bitten, which I appreciated because I am not a fan of weak female characters. There is also a little romance, but it is not a big thing that consumes the whole story which I really liked.
I liked so many things about The Immortal Rules but my absolute favorite was learning the mythology behind Julie Kagawa’s vampires. The way they were created and how their bodies work made so much sense to me, and I loved learning about it.
Even though The Immortal Rules is a pretty size-able book I was able to finish rather quickly and I never got bored. I totally recommend it for fans of vampires and those who are a little tired of them as well. And if you fell in love with Julie Kagawa’s Iron Fey series I think you will like this as well! I cannot wait for the next one!
I know what you're thinking. Vampires? Really? Trust me I know how you feel. But Julie Kagawa makes them new again in The Immortal Rules, and its not just a world with vampires, there are humans and rabids as well. I personally found the rabids creation story to be fascinating.
The vampires are the ruling class in this post-apocalyptic world. Which was a twist that I found interesting, and it affirmed the fact that vampires are DANGEROUS and not to be messed with. I also really liked how Allie struggled to keep hold of her humanity, it made her easier to relate with and made you feel for her even though she is a vampire.
Also Allie is a bad-ass before she gets bitten, which I appreciated because I am not a fan of weak female characters. There is also a little romance, but it is not a big thing that consumes the whole story which I really liked.
I liked so many things about The Immortal Rules but my absolute favorite was learning the mythology behind Julie Kagawa’s vampires. The way they were created and how their bodies work made so much sense to me, and I loved learning about it.
Even though The Immortal Rules is a pretty size-able book I was able to finish rather quickly and I never got bored. I totally recommend it for fans of vampires and those who are a little tired of them as well. And if you fell in love with Julie Kagawa’s Iron Fey series I think you will like this as well! I cannot wait for the next one!
M
Mariah
Top 500 Reviewer
Beautifully eerie...
Overall rating
5.0
Plot
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Characters
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Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
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This book is set in a truly bleak future where most of the remaining humans are enslaved to the vampires, who use them as a sort of food source. Everything about this book is eerie and very creepy: Vampires, rabids, diseases and ghost towns, this book was beautifully terrifying for the faint of heart.
I loved how the main character was the monster, not the one trying to survive from them. Even through all the things that happened, I love how Allison didn't succumb to the monster within her, she fought on. She has a spirit that never vanished through all the pain and death, she was forever strong, and very human.
The author painted a very real picture in my mind. She must of thought a lot about this, before she wrote, because everything that happened could be very real, we can only hope so...
This book is truly about what it means to be human, even when you are a monster, you can hold on to your humanity, but only if you chose to.
I loved how the main character was the monster, not the one trying to survive from them. Even through all the things that happened, I love how Allison didn't succumb to the monster within her, she fought on. She has a spirit that never vanished through all the pain and death, she was forever strong, and very human.
The author painted a very real picture in my mind. She must of thought a lot about this, before she wrote, because everything that happened could be very real, we can only hope so...
This book is truly about what it means to be human, even when you are a monster, you can hold on to your humanity, but only if you chose to.
Dark, mysteriousness, two huge thumbs up (SPOILERS AHEAD)
Overall rating
5.0
Plot
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Wow. I swear that is one of the best vampire books I have ever read.
I really loved how the story was told first from the human perspective, which told us how much vampires were hated and how they used humans as blood cattle, but then it was told from the perspective of a vampire, which shed a whole new light.
I was beginning to hate the vampires for what they did and everything (which I suppose is what Julie Kagawa is trying to get us to feel) but then when Allison get Turned into a vampire, I was reeling, and came to understand the vamps. Or most of them anyway.
Allison Sekemoto is a girl living in a city ruled by vampires. Humans are their blood bags. Well, most of them. In the Fringe, doing what they can to survive, are the Unregistereds. Those who refuse to live by the vamps' rules. Allie is one of them, living with her gang, Stick, Rat and Lucas.
One day, Allison discovers a jackpot: a whole basement full of cans of food that could last the gang the whole winter. But when they all go to collect them, something goes terribly wrong. They are met by a pack of Rabids, the worst thing you could ever meet. Rat and Lucas are both killed instantly, and Allison nearly sacrifices her life to try to save Stick. She is saved by a vampire. She chooses to be a vamp over death, and begins her training.
But there is a lot to learn. And not much time for it. Her teacher is a wanted criminal and suddenly Allison finds herself all on her own. She hooks up with a gang searching for Eden. But how can she keep up this charade of being a human? She can't go without blood for very long...
This is an absolutely brilliant book which had me on the edge of my seat the whole way through. If it was possible, I'd give this book more than five stars.
I really loved how the main character was the monster, instead of one trying to escape from them. And I really loved how Allison didn't choose to succumb to the demon, instead to fight it all the way through. This truly shows that, even if you are a monster, you can still be human. You only have to choose to be.
If you are familiar with the Iron Fey series, my advice is this: Don't try and go looking for resemblance. This book is so different to the Iron fey series.
Trust is something you give only when you are sure of someone, love even more so. Because you never know when someone will stab you in the back.
BRILLIANT!!!
I really loved how the story was told first from the human perspective, which told us how much vampires were hated and how they used humans as blood cattle, but then it was told from the perspective of a vampire, which shed a whole new light.
I was beginning to hate the vampires for what they did and everything (which I suppose is what Julie Kagawa is trying to get us to feel) but then when Allison get Turned into a vampire, I was reeling, and came to understand the vamps. Or most of them anyway.
Allison Sekemoto is a girl living in a city ruled by vampires. Humans are their blood bags. Well, most of them. In the Fringe, doing what they can to survive, are the Unregistereds. Those who refuse to live by the vamps' rules. Allie is one of them, living with her gang, Stick, Rat and Lucas.
One day, Allison discovers a jackpot: a whole basement full of cans of food that could last the gang the whole winter. But when they all go to collect them, something goes terribly wrong. They are met by a pack of Rabids, the worst thing you could ever meet. Rat and Lucas are both killed instantly, and Allison nearly sacrifices her life to try to save Stick. She is saved by a vampire. She chooses to be a vamp over death, and begins her training.
But there is a lot to learn. And not much time for it. Her teacher is a wanted criminal and suddenly Allison finds herself all on her own. She hooks up with a gang searching for Eden. But how can she keep up this charade of being a human? She can't go without blood for very long...
This is an absolutely brilliant book which had me on the edge of my seat the whole way through. If it was possible, I'd give this book more than five stars.
I really loved how the main character was the monster, instead of one trying to escape from them. And I really loved how Allison didn't choose to succumb to the demon, instead to fight it all the way through. This truly shows that, even if you are a monster, you can still be human. You only have to choose to be.
If you are familiar with the Iron Fey series, my advice is this: Don't try and go looking for resemblance. This book is so different to the Iron fey series.
Trust is something you give only when you are sure of someone, love even more so. Because you never know when someone will stab you in the back.
BRILLIANT!!!
Vampires like never before!
Overall rating
5.0
Plot
N/A
Characters
N/A
Writing Style
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Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
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I have to admit I was literally afraid to start this book and it took me two months to finally push myself to start reading it. This was my first book written by Julie Kagawa and I heard so many good things about her and her writing that I guess I just didn't want to be disappointed. In the last few weeks I've read quite some very highly praised books that fell completely flat to me. But then I started The Immortal rules and quickly became completely engaged in the story. You can officially call me a Julie Kagawa fan.
Vampires come in so many forms, there are so many books about them and very often the stories become repetitive, always the same - innocent human girl meets a strange pale guy, long story short, they're cheesy, romantic, sweet. The Immortal Rules brings something completely different - it brings a fight for survival, it brings action, intelligence, it brings an inside battle of good versus evil. There are no sweet little girls here, there are no good vampires with tender hearts who eat bunnies and squirrels. Vampires rule the world with a cold hand of power. Cities are owned by vampires, majority of humans consists from Registered who donate blood when needed. Outside of the city walls there are rabis, vicious creatures who'll eat you alive. Very few remember what life was like before. Allison Sekemoto falls in the minority - Unregistered human who struggles to survive day by day.
If you're looking for an independent strong female lead, here you have one. Allison delivered in every single way. She knows that sometimes she has to be selfish in order to live. She has to put herself first. She stands strong behind her values - she despises vampires and blood donnors, they often use humans as their private pets and she wants to be owned by no one. Freedom means everything to her. But she discovers a hidden stock of food outside of city walls and when returning home in the middle of the night she meets a strange vampire - he actually leaves her alive and unharmed. But not everything goes according to plan, next day she returns to the food stock with her three Unregistered friends and gets attacked by rabids. The mysterious vampire saves her but her wounds are fatal, she has to make a chance - will she die and risk becoming a rabid or will she take on an immortal life as one of the monsters she always despised?
You can't blame her for accepting immortality, it was a way to survive. Her life changes completely, sun is not an option, actual food is out of the questions and she can't survive on drinking blood from animals. She has to be a blood sucker, she has to feed from humans. Kanin, her vampire creator, teaches her everything she has to know about the vampire world and... game on! When their ways must split she goes behind the cities walls and circumstances lead her to joining a group of humans who are traveling by night and searching for city of Eden. The struggle to fight the bloodsucking hunger is hard. What's harder? Convincing herself she feels nothing for those weak human creatures. But she does. And that's what makes her different from other monsters of the night.
The world building is simply phenomenal, the characters are all multi-layered and so nicely done. Even those I hated, I hated them with pleasure (if that makes sense). I love Allison, but my favorite by far was Kanin. I wish there was more with him and I'm really looking forward to the sequel, hopefully we get to know his story more. He seems so different from other vampires, always burying himself with guilt yet trying to remain cold and heartless on the outside. Zeke, a human boy Allison falls for, was a great addition. He fights for his beliefs and he values loyalty, honesty, he's kind of an utopian character I believe... he sees the world from different perspective, he sees the good in people. But nevertheless is a fierce warrior when push comes to shove.
Overall, reading this book was one hell of a ride. ^^
Vampires come in so many forms, there are so many books about them and very often the stories become repetitive, always the same - innocent human girl meets a strange pale guy, long story short, they're cheesy, romantic, sweet. The Immortal Rules brings something completely different - it brings a fight for survival, it brings action, intelligence, it brings an inside battle of good versus evil. There are no sweet little girls here, there are no good vampires with tender hearts who eat bunnies and squirrels. Vampires rule the world with a cold hand of power. Cities are owned by vampires, majority of humans consists from Registered who donate blood when needed. Outside of the city walls there are rabis, vicious creatures who'll eat you alive. Very few remember what life was like before. Allison Sekemoto falls in the minority - Unregistered human who struggles to survive day by day.
If you're looking for an independent strong female lead, here you have one. Allison delivered in every single way. She knows that sometimes she has to be selfish in order to live. She has to put herself first. She stands strong behind her values - she despises vampires and blood donnors, they often use humans as their private pets and she wants to be owned by no one. Freedom means everything to her. But she discovers a hidden stock of food outside of city walls and when returning home in the middle of the night she meets a strange vampire - he actually leaves her alive and unharmed. But not everything goes according to plan, next day she returns to the food stock with her three Unregistered friends and gets attacked by rabids. The mysterious vampire saves her but her wounds are fatal, she has to make a chance - will she die and risk becoming a rabid or will she take on an immortal life as one of the monsters she always despised?
You can't blame her for accepting immortality, it was a way to survive. Her life changes completely, sun is not an option, actual food is out of the questions and she can't survive on drinking blood from animals. She has to be a blood sucker, she has to feed from humans. Kanin, her vampire creator, teaches her everything she has to know about the vampire world and... game on! When their ways must split she goes behind the cities walls and circumstances lead her to joining a group of humans who are traveling by night and searching for city of Eden. The struggle to fight the bloodsucking hunger is hard. What's harder? Convincing herself she feels nothing for those weak human creatures. But she does. And that's what makes her different from other monsters of the night.
The world building is simply phenomenal, the characters are all multi-layered and so nicely done. Even those I hated, I hated them with pleasure (if that makes sense). I love Allison, but my favorite by far was Kanin. I wish there was more with him and I'm really looking forward to the sequel, hopefully we get to know his story more. He seems so different from other vampires, always burying himself with guilt yet trying to remain cold and heartless on the outside. Zeke, a human boy Allison falls for, was a great addition. He fights for his beliefs and he values loyalty, honesty, he's kind of an utopian character I believe... he sees the world from different perspective, he sees the good in people. But nevertheless is a fierce warrior when push comes to shove.
Overall, reading this book was one hell of a ride. ^^
AD
Aleksandra Dee
Top 1000 Reviewer
Gritty
Overall rating
5.0
Plot
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It was really interesting to see a girl turn into what she fears the most and how she deals with it. Allie bravely embarks on her own after being seperated from her vampire mentor. She finds a lost child and returns him to his group. Zeke, the groups second in command, convinces her to join the group, not knowing shes a vampire. Allie knows it's unwise to travel with humans when she doesn't have her hunger under contol yet the boy intrests her so she does. Soon she is found out and cast out. Following her humans without them knowing, she sees the group attacked and captured. Teaming up with Zeke, they try and save the group from a vampire king. The author creates such a vivid and hopeless world that keeps the reader interested. With so many dangers, the reader won't know what will happen next.
Good Points
So gritty. This author doesn't skip around the gore!
B
Brittany
Top 100 Reviewer
Vamps have taken the world on this dystopian series!
Overall rating
5.0
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I have to let you know that I simply love this book. I have read other vampire books but this one has been so different to what I have read so far. I'll let you know a little about the story.
Allison was born inside a vampire city. Human population has a cattle status and registered citizens has to provide the nutritional needs of the vamps. Until now she had survived by her street smarts and audacity. She is part of a gang of kids who no longer know a home and who have found shelter on a deteriorated school. Everyday her gang survives by their scavenger ways, stealing food and looking for anything they might use. Allison takes care of herself and Stick. Stick is a kid from the gang. His efforts to help out the gang are bearly visible and Allison has become his provider. This is why Allison ventures by herself one day to find food behind the wall sorrounding the city. Looking on the ruins she finds a cellar full of food and everything that could help them get through the winter. Could you imaging to find such resources in times of scarcity? She decides to let her gang know about such bounty and in that precise moment is when everything begins to go wrong in Allison's life.What will become of these kids? What will become of Allison?
Inevitably, Allie will change. Her love for reading will be the only thing that will be accompanying her on a journey where new characters will make an impact on her way to see to world.
The author takes time building the story and its characters of this post-apocalyptic dystopian book. This made possible for me to understand the world she wanted to portray. A world order where vampires dominate sounds scary and Allison has to survive on this world. She is strong and determined. She represents revolution and change. Definitely a complete character and I have no doubt on my mind, she will be a catalyst on that society. Stick is the other character that stood out to me. I despise Stick in every dimension of his literary persona. Always portraying himself as a victim and certainly Allison is the one who enables his dependency by providing for him. I see this character as a perfect example for cowardice, he is the antihero of this story.
Finally, don't miss this book. Julie Kagawa wrote a page turner with The Immortal Rules. Whether you are looking for a new vampire book or looking for your first vampire book; this first part of Blood of Eden is your book.
Review copy was provided by Harlequin via Netgalley. This book has been reviewed according to its merits.
Allison was born inside a vampire city. Human population has a cattle status and registered citizens has to provide the nutritional needs of the vamps. Until now she had survived by her street smarts and audacity. She is part of a gang of kids who no longer know a home and who have found shelter on a deteriorated school. Everyday her gang survives by their scavenger ways, stealing food and looking for anything they might use. Allison takes care of herself and Stick. Stick is a kid from the gang. His efforts to help out the gang are bearly visible and Allison has become his provider. This is why Allison ventures by herself one day to find food behind the wall sorrounding the city. Looking on the ruins she finds a cellar full of food and everything that could help them get through the winter. Could you imaging to find such resources in times of scarcity? She decides to let her gang know about such bounty and in that precise moment is when everything begins to go wrong in Allison's life.What will become of these kids? What will become of Allison?
Inevitably, Allie will change. Her love for reading will be the only thing that will be accompanying her on a journey where new characters will make an impact on her way to see to world.
The author takes time building the story and its characters of this post-apocalyptic dystopian book. This made possible for me to understand the world she wanted to portray. A world order where vampires dominate sounds scary and Allison has to survive on this world. She is strong and determined. She represents revolution and change. Definitely a complete character and I have no doubt on my mind, she will be a catalyst on that society. Stick is the other character that stood out to me. I despise Stick in every dimension of his literary persona. Always portraying himself as a victim and certainly Allison is the one who enables his dependency by providing for him. I see this character as a perfect example for cowardice, he is the antihero of this story.
Finally, don't miss this book. Julie Kagawa wrote a page turner with The Immortal Rules. Whether you are looking for a new vampire book or looking for your first vampire book; this first part of Blood of Eden is your book.
Review copy was provided by Harlequin via Netgalley. This book has been reviewed according to its merits.
Good Points
Interesting setting, strong characters
J
Jess
Top 500 Reviewer
REDEEMS THE VAMPIRES!
Overall rating
5.0
Plot
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Characters
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Writing Style
N/A
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
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OH
MY
DONUTS!!
THIS BOOK WAS FLIPPING AMAZING!! XD
It was AMAZING TIMES 2000000 OTHER AMAZINGS!
Let's get this striaght
I LOVED THIS BOOK!
(there may be some spoilers)
This book takes place in a dystopian future where the vampires are in control.
I know that most of you are saying "VAMPIRES! NOT AGAIN!!"
but this book is not like other books.
No.
It does not have stupid cliche moments
No love triangle
and the girl is not a complete weakling
It is actually the opposite
Now the people are in vampire cities believing that they are some of the last humans left and that all that is past the city walls are rabids (who are a lot like zombies).
There are two types of people in the city
Registers
and Unregistered
Registers are marked with a tattoo by the vampires and they get the necessities they need (like food) as long as they donate blood to the vampires every so often.
Unregisters don't have to donate blood but they have to fend for themselves.
As you probably guessed, our main character, Allison, is an unregistered. And she absolutely hates the vampires for treating them like cattle. But when she goes outside the walls and gets into an intense rabid attack...she comes extremely close to death.
But then a vampire comes and asks her if she would rather die or....
become a vampire.
being an unregistered her instinct is to survive so she chooses to become what she hates.
The whole book mostly consists of her fighting the monster inside her and trying to hide the fact that she is a vampire.
THIS IS A REALLY GOOD BOOK!
MY
DONUTS!!
THIS BOOK WAS FLIPPING AMAZING!! XD
It was AMAZING TIMES 2000000 OTHER AMAZINGS!
Let's get this striaght
I LOVED THIS BOOK!
(there may be some spoilers)
This book takes place in a dystopian future where the vampires are in control.
I know that most of you are saying "VAMPIRES! NOT AGAIN!!"
but this book is not like other books.
No.
It does not have stupid cliche moments
No love triangle
and the girl is not a complete weakling
It is actually the opposite
Now the people are in vampire cities believing that they are some of the last humans left and that all that is past the city walls are rabids (who are a lot like zombies).
There are two types of people in the city
Registers
and Unregistered
Registers are marked with a tattoo by the vampires and they get the necessities they need (like food) as long as they donate blood to the vampires every so often.
Unregisters don't have to donate blood but they have to fend for themselves.
As you probably guessed, our main character, Allison, is an unregistered. And she absolutely hates the vampires for treating them like cattle. But when she goes outside the walls and gets into an intense rabid attack...she comes extremely close to death.
But then a vampire comes and asks her if she would rather die or....
become a vampire.
being an unregistered her instinct is to survive so she chooses to become what she hates.
The whole book mostly consists of her fighting the monster inside her and trying to hide the fact that she is a vampire.
THIS IS A REALLY GOOD BOOK!
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