Review: The Immortal Rules

The Immortal Rules (Blood of Eden, #1) by Julie Kagawa
Publisher: Harlequin Teen 
Format: eGalley
Source: Provided by Publisher For Review 
Release Date: April 24, 2012
Amazon |  Goodreads
★★★★☆

In a future world, Vampires reign. Humans are blood cattle. And one girl will search for the key to save humanity.

Allison Sekemoto survives in the Fringe, the outermost circle of a vampire city. By day, she and her crew scavenge for food. By night, any one of them could be eaten.

Some days, all that drives Allie is her hatred of them. The vampires who keep humans as blood cattle. Until the night Allie herself is attacked—and given the ultimate choice. Die… or become one of the monsters.

Faced with her own mortality, Allie becomes what she despises most. To survive, she must learn the rules of being immortal, including the most important: go long enough without human blood, and you will go mad.

Then Allie is forced to flee into the unknown, outside her city walls. There she joins a ragged band of humans who are seeking a legend—a possible cure to the disease that killed off most of humankind and created the rabids, the mindless creatures who threaten humans and vampires alike.

But it isn't easy to pass for human. Especially not around Zeke, who might see past the monster inside her. And Allie soon must decide what—and who—is worth dying for.

In market flooded with vampire books, The Immortal Rules stands out as a refreshingly original and brutal dystopian tale.

Allison was given a choice: die or become the very thing she despises. She chooses life… well kind of. Allison chooses to become a vampire. Throughout the book she struggles with this fact. There is a never-ending battle waged between her heart and her body. Her hunger doesn't discriminate: She fights it around everyone, even those she cares about. Despite her new vampire nature, she sacrifices herself many times for those she loves. I found her to be an extremely honorable and strong main character.

Not only did Allison struggle with her new vampire state, but as the story progressed she began to unravel a much larger mystery. Julie created the perfect balance between personal and large scale issues: neither overshadowed the other. I really felt for Allison’s situation. Being a vampire, people looked at her different, as if she was a monster. Even she, herself,  pondered that thought at times. Did she have a soul? When Zeke and his group came into the picture she was given some purpose and direction in her new life. She grew to love, appreciate, and trust them, Zeke in particular.

The tension and love between Zeke and Allison grew to impressive levels, but in the end left me a bit disappointed. I was looking for something more from them... But maybe that's the beauty in it: They found a plain love in a complicated world. Both had duties that came before their personal desires; creating a love that was believable and realistic. If you are looking for insta-love, I'm happy to say you will not find it here!

I’m a huge fan of Julie’s Iron Fey series! Unfortunately, so far, The Blood of Eden series doesn’t seem to be surpassing it…. yet. I see so much potential, but I feel that parts of this book were rushed and the ending was somewhat anticlimactic. I imagine I will like the upcoming Blood of Eden novel more so than this one. Saying that, I still believe that The Immortal Rules is one of the best YA vampire books out there. The combination of dystopian and paranormal elements is sure to please readers across genres!