Book Review: The Immortal Rules (Blood of Eden #1) by Julie Kagawa

The Immortal Rules (Blood of Eden #1) by Julie Kagawa

Hardcover, 485 pages

Published April 24th 2012 by Harlequin Teen
Available on The Book Depository / 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 isnt 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.

Vampires= Sparkles+Romantic+Baseball? Read this book and tell me how you'd like to date a vampire. :)

THE IMMORTAL RULES? EPIC!! Let me tell you this: This book is not just any vampire or dystopian novel. NO! This is a book with the kind of story that will keep you reading all night with the lights on. If there’s a limit to how many times a heart could beat, I’m probably already dead ‘cause this book got me worrying that my heart’s beating way too fast. Even listening to Swift’s Safe and Sound couldn’t calm me down.

First of all, I love how Julie creates the world that is both unique and terrifying at the same time. It’s very well written and the Asian girl,- Allison Sekemoto- as the protagonist, PERFECT!  The actions and choices the cast seems genuine if you’d ask me, and it’s as if the characters are real.

When I read this book, I pictured Daybreakers and the rabids? Oh, that sooo Descent’s creepy creatures. As unpredictable how the story goes as it is, I was glued to my bed, unable to stop reading. I started to love the book right after Allie got attacked by the rabids and were given the choice to either die or become one of the vamps. WOAH!

Last but not least, Julie, finish the second book ASAP alright? ‘Cause I can’t wait to get my hands on it. *Thumbs up*

 - 4.5 stars

Almost perfect!

Extras

Note of Thanks

Thank you Thank you Thank you Mira Ink for the copy of The Immortal Rules!

Julie Kagawa was born in Sacramento, California. But nothing exciting really happened to her there. So, at the age of nine she and her family moved to Hawaii, which she soon discovered was inhabited by large carnivorous insects, colonies of house geckos, and frequent hurricanes. She spent much of her time in the ocean, when she wasn�t getting chased out of it by reef sharks, jellyfish, and the odd eel.

When not swimming for her life, Julie immersed herself in books, often to the chagrin of her schoolteachers, who would find she hid novels behind her Math textbooks during class. Her love of reading led her to pen some very dark and gruesome stories, complete with colored illustrations, to shock her hapless teachers. The gory tales faded with time, but the passion for writing remained, long after she graduated and was supposed to get a real job.

To pay the rent, Julie worked in different bookstores over the years, but discovered the managers frowned upon her reading the books she was supposed to be shelving. So she turned to her other passion: training animals. She worked as a professional dogtrainer for several years, dodging Chihuahua bites and overly enthusiastic Labradors, until her first book sold and she stopped training to write full-time.

Julie now lives in Louisville, Kentucky, where the frequency of shark attacks are at an all time low. She lives with her husband, two obnoxious cats, one Australian Shepherd who is too smart for his own good, and the latest addition, a hyper-active Papillon puppy.

Check her out at http://juliekagawa.blogspot.co.uk/

Book Review : The Blood of Cain by T.L. Gray

The Blood of Cain by T.L. Gray

Product Details

• Paperback: 193 pages
• Publisher: Fireside Publications; 1st edition (October 20, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1935517015
• ISBN-13: 978-1935517016
• Available on Amazon
  

Synopsis

Teagan Dacre loves fast cars, loud music and beautiful women, however he carries a secret that keeps him isolated from the general population; he has strange silver eyes, heals really fast and hasn't aged in over a hundred years.

The darkest secret of all - he has a blood thirst that must be satisfied by each new moon.

Believing himself unique, Teagan's world gets turned upside down when he meets an unruly family of immortals seeking their father and maker, none other than the world's first murderer, Cain.

Everything Teagan thought he knew about himself is transformed when he learns how vampires came to be and for what purpose he was made.

For everything, there's a price to be paid, Teagan wonders if he'll be strong enough to pay it.

Review

Cain was the firstborn child of Adam and Eve, and also the First Murderer. Many interpreters suggested that Cain is the embodiment of evil for murdering his own brother, Abel. In this novel, the author views him from a different perspective. Through this book, we learn that Cain actually committed the crime out of jealousy because God favoured Abel over him and wouldn't accept his offering. He sinned and regretted his crime for thousands of years, not having to chance to rest in peace for God laid a curse on him that marked him as an immortal.

Cain lived for a long time in isolation, until he met his friend Abital. He accidentally turned Abital into an immortal like himself, and out of self-reprimand, he tried to end his friend's life because he couldn't bear to see him live with the same curse as he. But later on, he finally learned to think of it in a positive way.

Teagan has lived for more than a century. He wanted to know more about himself - what is he, who made him and what is his purpose of living. He finally found a clue to his answer on the night he met Tatiana, one of the first immortals created by Cain. He discovered more about his new family and the truth behind everything while staying with his new family, one that was composed by five vampires - Tatiana, Blythe, Carpus, Chloe and Bartemaeus.

The author uses alternating points of view in writing the story - Cain's and Teagan's, which supplies the story with a foundation on the vampiric myth. She weaves the story nicely with simple words which gives readers an exact idea of what is going on. But I've a few things to comment. First of all, I discovered some typos. On page 21, Cain is written as Cane and on page 25, Abel is written as Able. I think this may have something to do with the spelling check. Next, in chapter nineteen, Cain had a conversation with Tatiana. The date is 240 BCE, in Greece.

Tatiana: "You've been across the great western sea?"
Cain: "Yes and I've traversed it, too, only to come to another sea. I sailed across it only to find myself back in China and Indonesia."

At this time period, I think Indonesia was known as "Nusantara" or "Sumatra". The term "Indonesia" was first used in 1850 by the British anthropologist J. R. Logan to designate islands called the "Indian Archipelago" by other Western writers. As for China, I'm not so sure what was it called in the olden days, but 240 BCE was during the reign of Qin Shihuang from the Qin dynasty. It should be written as "the Qin dynasty". This is not a big deal, but I think it feels strange to hear an ancient man using modern-day terms.

This book is interesting and intriguing. The author writes in such a way that we can feel the loneliness and yearning for redemption in Cain's heart. He constantly ponders of a way to obtain God's forgiveness, not knowing that he is already forgiven (pg 166). With a mere 176 pages (excluding the excerpt of book 2), The Blood of Cain proves to be an enjoyable and enlightening read, because we get to learn about the God's never-ending love for us, which is full of grace and forgiveness.

Rating:

I'd like to thank T.L. Gray for sending me a signed paperback copy of The Blood of Cain for this review. Thank you!

About the Author

T.L. Gray lives in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains just west of Atlanta with her family, friends, four dogs and one cat. In childhood when asked what she wanted to be when she grew up she replied, "A Queen". Since that title isn't available within a democracy, she chose the next best thing...and author.

Book Review : Blood Coven Vampires (#1 - #3) by Mari Mancusi

Boys that Bite (Blood Coven, #1)

When Sunny McDonald gets dragged to Club Fang by her twin sister Rayne, she doesn't expect to find anything besides a bunch of Goth kids playing at being vampires. But when some guy mistakes Sunny for her dark-side-loving sister and bites her on the neck, she finds out that his fangs are real—and deadly.

Now, Sunny has less than a week to figure out how to reverse the bite, or else she's going to end up as the perpetually undead. And not only will she be a vampire, she'll also be bonded to Magnus—the bloodsucker who bit her—forever. And forever is a really long time...

My thoughts:
Wow. This book rocks! I got hooked starting from the first few chapters and I just couldn't stop reading! It's amazing how a book can affect me like this. Sunny and Rayne are twins, but that's where the similarity ends. Their personalities are oh-so-different, and their dreams in life contrast greatly. Sunny's wish is much like a normal person: get into a good college, get married and have children, while Rayne's sole ambition is to be a blood-sucking creature of the night.

When Sunny is accidentally bitten by a vampire called Magnus who is initially arranged to be Rayne's blood mate, she discovers that she will turn into a vampire in seven days! This shocking event leads her to go on a journey to England with Magnus to find the Holy Grail to restore her humanity.

This story is somewhat refreshing, entertaining and different from the others of the paranormal genre because of its teenager-vise prose. Filled with humorous, witty descriptions and dialogues, this book is sure to make you laugh. The chemistry between the main characters in this book, Sunny and Magnus will surely pique your interest. They developed a strong feeling of love for each other on their mission to get the Holy Grail you can see sparks flying everywhere (well, literally) ! The main point is, is Sunny willing to give up her humanity for Magnus' sake? Or will she choose to give up the handsome vampire to embrace a normal person's life? You'll have to read this book to find out!

Rating:

Stake That! (Blood Coven, #2)

Rayne McDonald had it all figured out. Get turned into a vampire, become the mate of the Blood Coven leader, and live the high-life for all eternity. Too bad the head vamp took a bite out of her twin sister by mistake. Now, not only is Rayne still not a vampire, but she learns she's a slayer instead—destined to destroy vamps gone bad.

After being recruited by a secret organization, Rayne is given her first mission: infiltrate a seedy bar downtown and expose its vampire owner, Maverick, for purposely spreading a nasty blood virus. Luckily the Blood Coven sends some help—in the form of sexy vampire Jareth. Will vampire and slayer be able to settle their differences and work together to bring down the evil Maverick? Or will they find their own hearts on the line?

My thoughts:
Stake That is a great continuation of Boys That Bite. I never expected Rayne to be selected as the new vampire slayer. Rayne has no choice but to accept her destiny. She is to act as an undercover in the Bite Bar, owned by an evil vampire called Maverick to find out his wicked plan to stage a coup d'état. And she is aided by Jareth, who hates her at first but eventually agrees to partner up with her to investigate the case. And I'm totally betting on Rayne's love relationship with Jareth, who is also the general of the Blood Coven. Even his name sounds sexy... >< Rating:

Girls That Growl (Blood Coven, #3)

Now that she's an official vampire and full-fledged member of The Blood Coven, Rayne assumes her vampire slaying days are over. Sure, she doesn't have any vampire powers, thanks to a mutated blood virus, but she and Jareth can go out in the sun, which is a pretty good trade-off.

But just when Rayne's starting to enjoy her afterlife, she's contacted by Slayer Inc once again. It seems that a member of her high school's football team has disappeared—and the powers-that-be think the cheerleaders had something to do with it. Now Rayne has to infiltrate the squad before the cheerleaders have a chance to sink their teeth into someone else...

My thoughts:
Mari added another paranormal creature in this book, the werewolves. It was interesting at first, with Rayne blackmailing the cheer-leading team captain who was once her BFF to get into the group. Not that she likes it, she just wants to find out the truth behind the mysterious disappearances of two football players. I was a little perturbed by the way she treats Jareth in this book. She is spiteful and irritable, and no matter what Jareth does, she feels that he is stupid and does not act like the Jareth he used to be anymore. Only when Jareth decides to break up with her that she decides to turn over a new leaf.

Girls That Growl is quite an entertaining read, although there are some parts that I don't really like, especially Rayne's cranky attitude. But somehow, the ending once again catches my attention. I can't wait to read the next installment of the Blood Coven Vampires!

Rating:

Official Blood Coven Vampires Website

Mari Mancusi used to wish she could become a vampire back in high school.

But she ended up in another blood sucking profession —journalism — instead. Today she works as a television producer for a women's lifestyle show in Manhattan and has won two Emmys. As if writing and TV producing weren't enough to keep her busy, Mari also enjoys videogames, goth dancing, manga, cheesy horror movies, and hanging with her dog Molly. She lives in Jersey City.

Mari Mancusi official website | Mari Mancusi's Blog

Book Review : First Drop of Crimson by Jeaniene Frost

First Drop of Crimson (Night Huntress World, #1) by Jeaniene Frost

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Avon; Original edition (February 9, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061583227
• ISBN-13: 978-0061583223

The night is not safe for mortals. Denise MacGregor knows all too well what lurks in the shadows—her best friend is half-vampire Cat Crawfield—and she has already lost more than the average human could bear. But her family's past is wrapped in secrets and shrouded in darkness—and a demon shapeshifter has marked Denise as prey. Now her survival depends on an immortal who lusts for a taste of her.

He is Spade, a powerful, mysterious vampire who has walked the earth for centuries and is now duty-bound to protect this endangered, alluring human—even if it means destroying his own kind. Denise may arouse his deepest hungers, but Spade knows he must fight his urge to have her as they face the nightmare together . . .

Because once the first crimson drop falls, they will both be lost.

First Drop of Crimson is my first book by Jeaniene Frost. In my opinion, it is well-written and full of surprises, and it certainly has the elements that paranormal fans will enjoy tremendously. The story is mainly about a woman's quest to seek her ancestor who traded his soul with a demon long ago to save the lives of her few living kins whose safety are threatened by the demon. She realizes that she cannot do it alone, so she asks for a Master vampire's help, who turns out to be a friend of her best friend's husband.

The main characters in this novel are Denise (human) and Spade (vampire). I did not have any problems with this book, as it was entertaining and interesting. I'll start off with Denise. She is a kind, brave and caring woman. But sometimes, she gives me an impression of a headstrong, petulant child (yes, I know she's an adult, but still...) She felt as if she owed Spade a lot because he helped her out in finding her ancestor Nathaniel, who is, strangely, still alive because he was branded by a demon and therefore couldn't die. She denied her feelings towards Spade at the beginning because she felt guilty of falling in love with someone else shortly after the death of her husband.

As for Spade, he reminds me of the usual type of vampire which is always found in paranormal books - dark and brooding. He didn't realize it at first, but soon, he found out that he was falling for Denise in the process of helping her, as she is the one who made him feel the power of love again. He was willing to go at great lengths to assist Denise and made her feel comfortable on their journey.

Overall, this novel is quite good, and I'd recommend it to paranormal romance lovers. Don't say I didn't warn you: You'd probably get bitten!

Note: This book is intended for adults / readers above 18 years of age only.

Rating:

Jeaniene Frost is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Night Huntress series and the Night Huntress World novels. To date, foreign rights for her novels have sold to fourteen different countries. Jeaniene lives in Florida with her husband Matthew, who long ago accepted that she swears like a sailor, rarely cooks, and always sleeps in on the weekends. Aside from writing, Jeaniene enjoys reading, poetry, watching movies with her husband, exploring old cemeteries, spelunking and traveling – by car. Airplanes, children, and cookbooks frighten her.

Jeaniene Frost Official Website