Spotlight on The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa

The Immortal Rules

Julie Kagawa

Hardcover, 485 pages

April 24th 2012 by Harlequin Teen 
Amazon

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.

The Iron Fey series is one of my all-time favorites! So when I heard that Kagawa was releasing a vampire series, I did a silly happy dance, and stalked HarlequinTEEN until they sent me an ARC. (Thanks, Lisa! You rock!) Despite the length of this novel, the action and Kagawa’s clear, captivating writing style had me flying through the pages. I purposely ripped it from my hands a few times and made myself put it down, just so I could spend more time in this world and with these characters.

Allie was an awesome character from the start. I easily related to her, and her feelings toward the vampires of this new, terrifying world from the beginning. She’s bold and brave, but not too in your face about it. I like that she felt she had to be this way in order to protect those she cares for. And even though she knew the only way to survive was to think only of herself, she is selfless, and sacrifices her safety for others. Yes she changes once she becomes a vampire, but she kind of reminded me a bit of Louis from Interview with a Vampire, in that she struggled to hold on to a part of her humanity. But unlike Louis, she makes one kick ass , katana-wielding vampire!

The dystopian world Kagawa created is dark, eerie, and scary original. I loved the creepiness of it. Kagawa is a master of world-building. That is all. The romance between Allie and Zeke was well balanced by the action and fight scenes. I think I could have used a bit more on the romance side, but I like the slow simmer—the buildup, too. I know Kagawa will bring it in the books to come, and I can’t wait! As much as I enjoyed this whole book, I believe the ending is what hammered it home, setting up the series perfectly, and I need the next book NOW. The battle scenes were amazing, and that ending…You just have to find out! Amazing. 

Julie Kagawa was my very first Author Miniview when I first created YA Bound. She was super awesome to give a little blogger like me an interview =) Please feel free to check out that Miniview here!

HarlequinTEEN also has a fantastic interview they did Ms. Kagawa where you can learn more about Julie and her amazing books, and enter our giveaway of The Immortal Rules!