Immortal Rules (Blood of Eden, #1)

by Julie Kagawa

'Julie Kagawa is a strong new voice' The Sunday Express What if having a chance to save humanity meant becoming what you hate and fear most?

To survive in a ruined world, she must embrace the darkness...

Allison Sekemoto survives in the Fringe, the outermost circle of a walled-in city. By day, she and her crew scavenge for food. By night, any one of them could be eaten. All that drives Allie is her hatred of them - the vampires who keep humans for food. Until the night Allie herself dies... and becomes a vampire.

Forced to flee, Allie must pass for human as she joins a ragged group of pilgrims seeking a legend - the cure for the disease that killed off most of civilization and created the rabids, the bloodthirsty creatures who threaten human and vampire alike. And soon Allie will have to decide what - and who - is worth dying for... again.

Enter Julie Kagawa's dark and twisted world as an unforgettable dystopian journey begins. Perfect for fans of Holly Black, Sarah J Maas and Tomi Adeyemi.

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Readers can't get enough of The Immortal Rules:

'I could not put this book down.'

'a heart wrenching tale of survival'

'totally hooked'

'I loved this book, and would recommend it to nearly everyone!'

'kept me up all night!'

'keeps you enthralled from start to finish'

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The Blood of Eden series

Book One: The Immortal Rules

Book Two: The Eternity Cure

Book Three: The Forever Song

• ISBN10: 129938787X
• ISBN13: 9781299387874
• Publish Date: 1 January 2013 (first published 24 April 2012)
• Publish Status: Active
• Out of Print: 21 April 2015
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Harlequin Teen
• Format: eBook
• Language: English

Reviews

Review Originally posted at Miss Book Reviews

The Immortal Rules had been sitting on my shelf for around six months before I got the chance to read it. I don’t know why I didn’t read this earlier because I loved this book!

The Immortal Rules is a post apocalyptic set in a dystopian world where vampires rule in their vampire cities, humans are their food and that is that. Outside the vampire city are other monsters entirely. The Rabids are crazed flesh eating creatures that rise at night, so living outside of a vampire city seems impossible.

Allison Sekemoto is a girl that hates vampires, she thinks they are monsters but when she’s about to die a vampire gives her a choice; die forever or become a vampire and live. She chooses to live, no matter that she will become one of the monsters she so despises. Allison’s maker teaches her the vampire ways; how to feed, how to hunt, the vampire laws in the hierarchy.

I loved this book for many reasons. The obvious one being that I highly enjoyed it. The Immortal Rules is more than a post apocalyptic or a paranormal romance. Allison is a very likeable character. She is strong yet imperfect. Through the whole book we watch her struggle with the monster inside, I loved that she was tortured this way. She was interesting, she wasn’t a goodie two shoes, she had her own opinions, followed her own rules and tried to stop becoming the monster she despised.

This book was fast paced and had me hanging on the whole time. The world was very interesting and I found it so thoroughly intriguing that the world alone made me want to continue reading. It was just so interesting, I wanted to know more and more about everything.

Overall this book was very enjoyable and I am very excited for book two in the series!

Miss J
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[inlibrisveritas]

To all of those who know me personally it's common knowledge that I am a huge vampire fan. As a toddler it was the plastic vampire teeth, and then as soon as I was old enough the vampire movies and then when I hit high school I practically absorbed anything remotely related to the fanged creatures. So by this point in my life I've become some what picky in the vampire books I deem to be favorites, I have standards that a good deal of the newer books just can't stand up to.If you look at my Goodreads shelf for vampire books, the 5 stars are usually reserved for books like Dracula or Anne Rice.

So when I saw that Kagawa had a vampire book coming out I was eager to get started. I've only been able to read one her books, The Iron King, and I fell in love with her rich story telling and how vivid everything was. So I had expectations.

She surpassed everything I expected and gave me so much more. This is probably one of the best young adult vampire books I've ever read. It's written in such a rich and detailed way that you have no trouble sinking right into the world presented. The world has been ravaged by a deadly virus that has turned a good deal of the population into terrifying, mindless and blood thirsty predators called Rabids and the remaining human population are now under the rule of the Vampires, who are just as blood thirsty and terrifying. These are not the soft hearted vampires that people have become so accustomed to, these are vampires that only see humans as blood cattle and will take whatever they want. These are the vampires I love, they are first and foremost predators by nature and they are something to be wary of. The world itself is pretty chilling when it comes down to it, there is little left and the cities are in ruins. The people don't remember who they were before the virus or how far they had advanced in technology. The story itself is really interesting and pretty original, and I had a hard time putting the book down when I started reading. I actually had to avoid reading it if I had anything to do because I'd end up reading for hours on end and then none of my work would get done.

The characters are detailed and have a great amount of depth to them, even the minor characters. Allison Sekemoto, or Allie, is a fantastic main character and one awesome kick butt female. Right from the being she's brave in her thoughts and actions, and very smart. She has her moments of self doubt and even faces those sheer sobering moments that really put things back into perspective, but she manages to hold it together and stand strong. Not to mention it's nice to see a main character who isn't afraid to get their hands (fangs and katanas) dirty. Then there is Kannin, who I may have developed a bit of a crush on. He's mysterious and there is clearly more to his story, so of course I'm dying to know more about him. Ezekiel Crosse, Zeke, is also a fantastic character and surprisingly I didn't get tired of him like I do with most human "side kicks". He's a genuinely good guy and his emotions are well thought out. He's not over protective, or reckless, and he's not completely head over heels in love that I can't see danger. I actually enjoyed his part in this story and none of it felt forced. Allie's relationship with him felt completely genuine.

At this point you should know I'm going to recommend it. If you love vampires with a bite then you should definitely pick up a copy of this when it hits shelves.

I received this from Harlequin and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[kimbacaffeinate]

Immortal Rules is the first in a new series by Iron Fey author Julia Kagawa. The Blood of Eden series is a dystopia that takes place sixty years after a virus killed off most of the world’s human population. The countryside has been abandoned and humans now reside in Vampire Cities. This was my first time reading Kagawa’s work and I found it to be absolutely delightful. It reminded me of a young adult version of one of my favorite books The Passage by Justin Cronin.

Our protagonist is Allie Sekemoto and she lives on the outer fringe of a vampire city. Her home is an abandon school. She resides there, with a couple of other orphans, and together they scavenge for food. Their world is not safe; they are cold, hungry and live in fear of things that move quietly in the night. When food becomes scarce, Allie leaves the safety of the city to hunt for food. During an attempt to bring food back into the city, Allie is attacked by rapids. She is offered the chance to live…by becoming the one thing she despises the most; a Vampire. Unable to return to her old life, she sets out into the unknown. The tale that unfolds is dark and beautifully written. It has elements of romance and horror. It is both captivating and terrifying. When you open up the pages and step into this world Kagawa has created, be prepared to let the rest of the world slip away. The climactic ending was exciting and heartbreaking. I am anxious to continue this series.

The characters rocked and had depth; even the secondary characters caught my attention. Allie is brave, intelligent and caring despite all that has happen to her. Her opinions of herself waiver and at times I wanted to shake her. I felt that if she could see how others perceive her, she’d hold her head up high. Yet, that is exactly what she does in the face of fear, she reacts and protects. With every challenge, every defeat, she gets up brushes herself off, and marches on. I am anxious to watch this young protagonist grow into the kick-ass warrior that Kagawa so brilliantly shows us glimmers of. Kannin is the vampire who saved Allie and the minute I met him I was smitten. He is tall, dark, handsome, powerful and mysterious. The seeds Kagawa plants regarding his story intrigued me, and left me wanting more. Ezekiel Crosse, referred to as Zeke is the son of a preacher man who travels with a group seeking an all human city. I liked Zeke and he exhibits all the qualities of a swoon worthy love interest. He is handsome, strong, brave, sensitive, caring and respectful. He takes Allie under his wing and befriends her as they travel. His acts of kindness without expectations shocked Allie. The romance that developed was perfect, sad, sweet and genuine. There was no insta-love here and it progressed at a refreshingly normal pace. I became emotionally invested in Allie and Zeke. I love a good tale with a side of romance and Immortal Rules delivered.

The world-building and writing style of Kagawa was impressive. The world she has created gave me shivers and the back story left me satisfied, and yet left me craving more. The world outside of the vampire cities reminded me of Manhattan in Partials and the wilds of Pandemonium. I found her take on vampires to be refreshing and unique. This is a dark tale and you will find no Edwards here. The vampires do not hide and are to be feared. Kagawa's words flowed from pen to page and not a single word was wasted. Her imagery placed me right in the tale, and I experienced everything with the characters. I could see and smell the tunnels and the creatures that dwell there. My heart raced as we were pursued by the rapids. The picture she paints of the towns overrun with weeds, the cracked and raised streets, the tossed homes, the dead. It all felt surreal. The action-packed twists and turns had me on edge. The way in which she ended this first novel sent my emotions on a tilt-a-whirl from elation to sorrow. It wasn’t a cliff-hanger BUT it was a cliff-hanger and that's all I am saying.
I want to thank Harlequin Teen and NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for my unbiased review.

[Suz @ Bookish Revelations]

The Immortal Rules is a dark and thrilling dystopian full of danger, survival, and sinister creatures that are threatening to humans and vampires. It's a terrifying world where humans are treated as blood cattle and vampires reign victoriously over them. Forced to scavenge for food and whatever few necessities they can find, most unregistered's live in fear of being caught and killed. The post-apocalyptic world that Kagawa has set-up, is brimming with danger and betrayals, thrilling adventure and subtle forbidden romance, with a smattering of fanaticism applied. Readers will definitely find themselves on the edge of their seats craving more.

The characters are fantastically developed, there's suspense and intrigue, intermingled with danger and turmoil lurking around every corner. Dark twists and turns are filled with crazy amounts of tension and terror, as they try and maneuver their way to safety. It is a world that is dark and gritty, definitely unlike any other dystopian novel in young adult fiction today. Kagawa certainly doesn't scrimp on tapping into a world of unpredictability and emotional pain, anger, and betrayal. She drives her plot home with an incredible force, hard enough to hit readers hard keeping them hooked until the end.

Allie is such an amazingly kickass character, who is attacked and almost killed one night by the very thing she despises. She soon finds herself faced with the choice of having to die or become the very thing she hates - she chooses to become immortal because she wants to live. In order to survive, she has to learn what it takes to be immortal. As she struggles with accepting the fact that she is now a "monster", she still retains a great deal of her humanity never letting it go. This makes such a fantastic heroine with a bit of originality to her. She's incredibly determined, full of strength and resilience, and never forgets who and what she really is.

Zeke is a wonderful match for Allie, almost as soon as he comes into play. He sort of balances out the darkness with light. Even though he's experienced more danger and heartache for most of his life, he still remains faithfully optimistic in a sense with a strong will to survive as much as Allie. He quickly trusts her, without really getting to know who she is, while she's busy trying to hide it from him. It may be a bit naive, but in a way he seems to keep her tethered to her humanity while she bears the brunt of keeping them protected as much as she possibly can with her strength. It's interesting to watch these two shoulder the pain, heartache, betrayal, and danger in the face of surviving long enough for them to get his group to the promised land called Eden.

There are so many possible ways this story can go and yet, the cliffhanger is enough to leave readers screaming and begging for more. It's a paranormal dystopia array of danger, highly anticipated tension filled pages containing death, destruction, crazy action, and unpredictable twists and turns. This is a book that paranormal fans will absolutely not want to miss out on. It's bold, daring, dark, and gritty. It's an endless supply of awesome.

o_O Mind is blown with the pure awesomeness that is The Immortal Rules. It was such an emotional thrill ride! I don't even know what to say that won't sound like blubbering, rambling, incoherent mess! My mind is still reeling! All I can think to say is GO BUY IT NOW (well, when it comes out)! I’ll buy it for you if I must just so you can read this pure awesomeness. Actually, scratch that. I have no money (its what being poor does to you), but if I did, I would totally buy everyone a copy!



No Sparkley Vamps:

That’s right. No sparkles here! Just your class-A human blood-suckin, kick-butt, killing machines! And it’s amazing This book made me terrified of vampires again!



Creepy atmosphere:
Kagawa did a fantastic job of world-building and creating such creepy and eerie atmosphere. I felt fully immersed in this world while reading. It was dark and gritty yet intoxicating. I was terrified and loved every moment.

4 books in 1:
This book is long, no doubt about it at a whopping 482 pages, but its divided into 4 different parts making it almost like reading 4 different books. Each has its own plot but they all flow together so smoothly and I loved every single one.

Allie:
Allie is an utterly fantastic character. She's tough, rough and hardened, but not without heart. She's always hated vampires, but after being attacked while saving a friend she ends up being saved by a vampire and given the choice to die or become like him. She always did whatever she could to survive, even if it meant become the very thing she hated. Now she's your regular blood-sucking, katana wielding (you read right), kick-butt killing machine. But don't hate on her just because she's a vampire. She may not be human, but she's bound and determined to not lose who she once was and that takes heart. Its hard on her, extremely hard, but although she may be considered a monster, she still has a choice, and that choice is to remain good. To not let herself become the monster everyone thinks she is. Is it easy? No. But is she going to do whatever she can to remain true to herself? Yes. And that, my friends, is something to be respected.


Kanan:
Awww Kanan, your so cool! He teaches her to weild weapons! XD I’d definitely love to have him as my vampire teacher. Sure, he’s more of a tough love kind of guy, but you can tell he really care’s about Allie. He was mysterious and aloof, but really wanted to help her. I don't want to give to much away but I can’t wait to learn more about his story! Its heartbreaking! I really believe he's a great guy, you just gotta dig around to find it.

Zeke:
This is the guy you want in real life. The sweet, caring guy that has such an incredibly good heart. But don’t think that he’s a wimp. No way. He may have a good heart, but he’s tough and protective too. A guy that’s incredibly sweet but also knows how to protect a girl? A perfect combination of sensitive guy and a man's man . Seriously, I fell in love with him. He was also so real. Unlike a lot of fictional boys, he’s not perfect, but I loved that about him. He had his faults and weaknesses, but he knew what they were and worked through them anyways.


Katanas:
She’s a katana wielding vampire. How freaking cool is that?!

Don’t worry, there’s still hope:
Perhaps one of the best things about a dark and gritty book is when their is always that little spark of hope. Even in the darkest of times, there's always that little light of hope and faith that your going to be alright. This book is dark and these characters are put in some awful situations but they keep going. No matter how bad things get, even if they sometimes doubt themselves, they have faith that things will get better. This is especially true when it comes to Zeke, something I absolutely loved about him. He went through unimaginable stuff, yet he never lost faith in something better.

There was one thing I was kind of iffy about. The religion. Its nothing specific, but being religious myself, I kinda hate when they make religion bad. Of course there are....fanatics...out there, but not every religious person is. However, in this book it wasn't bad because A) it wasn't in your face (like some other books I've read before) and B) it showed both sides and didn't make the bad side ridiculously crazy. I actually let this part go to the back of my head because it didn't exactly make religion a bad thing, but I just wanted to warn you readers that it is in here.

Overall:
This book was utterly fantastic. I loved the dark, gritty nature of the book and loved that, even in the darkest times, there was always hope. It was actually quite a beautiful story. It had fantastic characters and plot arcs and I know that Kagawa definitely has a fan for life when it comes to this series.