ARC Review: The Eternity Cure by Julie Kagawa + Giveaway!

Woman, what have you done to me?

I was literally grabbing the edge of my seat at the last few pages of the book and I completely fell off it after turning the page over and realizing it was the last one. A scream followed soon after.

Title: The Eternity Cure (Blood of Eden #2) by Julie Kagawa
Release Date: April 30th 2013 (US) / May 3rd 2013 (UK)
Published by: Harlequin Teen/ MIRA Ink
Source: Publisher (Thanks Lisa & Elise for giveaway copy!)
Buy: Amazon | Book Depository

Summary:

Allison Sekemoto has vowed to rescue her creator, Kanin, who is being held hostage and tortured by the psychotic vampire Sarren. The call of blood leads her back to the beginning—New Covington and the Fringe, and a vampire prince who wants her dead yet may become her wary ally.

Even as Allie faces shocking revelations and heartbreak like she’s never known, a new strain of the Red Lung virus that decimated humanity is rising to threaten human and vampire alike.

I should not be surprised of the unexpected twists and turns a Julie Kagawa book presents, but it still gets to me, every single time. In this action packed sequel, Allison is on a race against time to save her sire, Kanin. Trapped in the hands of a psychotic vampire named Sarren who will do anything to inflict the same pain he has felt when Kanin betrayed their race, Allison is on a desperate search to find him, but she won't be able to do it without enlisting the help of an unexpected ally. As they track Sarren, Allison comes face to face with something much worse than the Red Lung virus, and it's infecting everyone, including vampires. Now Allison had the seemingly impossible task of finding Kanin, and stopping the virus before it kills everyone.

I've said this before and I will say this again: Allison Sekimoto might be small, petite to some, but she's never to be underestimated. She's got a heart bigger than anyone, and she's not afraid to do anything in order to protect the ones she loved. Her struggle to not become the monster she fears will drive away the people she had learned to care about is the main conflict for her in this book, and my admiration for her just grows. I agree with what Jackal and Kanin says: it takes a certain strength to become a creature of the night, and Allison got through it. There's a lot going on inside her head as she was wondering if embracing who she has become was the right thing to do, and what does becoming a vampire has in store for her in the future. What about her and Zeke?

Am I crazy, or am I just reading too much into Kanin and Allison's relationship? I never, not once, did I feel, that his actions were fatherly towards her. Not once. Granted he might be her sire, but I felt there were moments where they were just connected in a way Zeke and Allison will never be, and it's not just the call of blood. There was one particular moment where I still wonder if it was punishment and cruelty that Kanin wants to show or was it something leaning towards something more. This part of my review just confirms how I secretly will not object if Kanin and Allison will ever have that 'something'.

Trust Julie Kagawa to mess with my mind as I struggle to make sense of Jackal's true character. Even after the end of this novel I am uncertain if he's one who hides under the facade of evil but has something inside of him that might make him a little good, or if it's the reverse. Some of his intentions were good, and according to Kanin he's lost, but can someone who lost his way be redeemed? Jackal is a fun vampire to read, and though I hated him in Immortal Rules, he's showed sides to him in The Eternity Cure that can't be overlooked. Also, Jackal took over the limelight and stole it away from Zeke. Although Zeke's character tends to fade in the background a little bit because of his kind nature, he's shown flashes of strength and leadership that gives his character room for potential growth. I just hope he's able to withstand whatever the story throws his way especially with the trials he went through in this book.

The plot is nothing short of brilliant! I've always had high praises for Julie Kagawa for being such an imaginative writer and The Eternity Cure just takes me into a world unlike anything I've read of before. If you think Immortal Rules was a high octane read, The Eternity Cure was filled to the brim with action scenes one after another. Be prepared to plunge in to the fast paced story from page one because it doesn't stop until the end. And the best part is? You'll want more even after you're finished reading. It's a dark, bloody world and Julie Kagawa did a great job building it and creating characters who can kick butt and still manage to be complicated and deep at the same time. If you think the story ends when the race to find Kanin comes to a close, you have a new type of plague, Bleeders, deranged vampires and the potential threat of all life on earth ending to keep you going. An explosive story with rapid pace, highly volatile characters and unexpected plot twists, Julie Kagawa had the recipe for an amazing follow up down a tee in The Eternity Cure. I cannot get enough of this series!

Now when can I please have the next book?

My rating:

Content (plot, story flow, character):

As a reader, I know how hard it is for a story to sustain its "life" especially when it comes to sequels as it is often a hit or a miss, but not Julie Kagawa. She's just a brilliantly awesome and a highly talented writer, and she's also my favorite. Will 5,000 butterflies do as a rating? :)

Stunning: Worthy of a Goddess' Praise!

Book Cover:

I love it! And then I just realized, are those the capillaries in the lungs? I thought they were tree roots.

GIVEAWAY ALERT!
WIN AN ARC OF THE ETERNITY CURE BY JULIE KAGAWA!



Because I want you all to read this stunning book, I am giving away this ARC to one lucky person!

Rules:

Open internationally
Must be at least 13 to enter
Ends 5/20
No cheating! I will check the entries and I WILL DISQUALIFY you if I find you cheating.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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

Welcome, Julie, to the world of vampires!

Title: The Immortal Rules (Blood of Eden #1) by Julie Kagawa
Pages: 504
Release Date: April 24th 2012
Published by: Harlequin Teen (US) / MIRA Ink (UK)
Source: Publisher & Publicist (Thanks Becky and Karen!)
Buy: Amazon | Book Depository

Summary:

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.

Dear readers, throw away all of your expectations out of the window. This series is NOTHING like The Iron Fey. No glittery, sparkling, wonderful looking faeries, and there are no happily ever afters. What you get is a world darker than anything you have read before, where you do just about anything to survive, and you kill if you do not want to be killed. Survival just took on a different meaning in the first book in Julie Kagawa's new series.

After completely capturing readers' love and affection with The Iron Fey, now Julie will take over the vampire world with the first book in her Blood of Eden series. Dark, sinister, and mysteriously captivating, The Immortal Rules brings back the scare to the vampires. You will not only be mesmerized, you will fear them at the same time.

Allison Sekemoto is one resilient girl. She's this dynamic person in such a small body and yet she has this fierce determination to live on, as a vampire or as a human, it doesn't matter. Allie struggled coming to terms with being a vampire after being a human for so long. She's unlike other vampires. She knew she just became part of a harsh, unforgiving world, but she's determined to prove that she's not like them. She might not have a beating heart anymore, but she cares for people. She's just so different, she makes one feel that these predators are capable of doing something good, not just to kill. And did I mention that she kicks butt? Allie packs a lot of power in her small frame, and if her sword wielding self and her general fierceness won't interest readers, I don't know what will.

And what's more fantastic than having a strong female protagonist? A myriad of great supporting characters and a couple of interesting male leads! I've developed a curious fascination for Kanin and the secrets he keeps. He opened Allie's eyes to the harsh truths about the vampire world, and he's this mysterious enigma who played a big part in creating the virus that destroyed life as we knew it. As Allie's creator, he comes off as a father figure, but is it too much to hope for something else? I felt goosebumps when they first met inside the tunnels. That scene where you can only focus on the feelings of dread and imminent death and yet be utterly fascinated with a character. Julie Kagawa had the ability to make a reader focus on a single moment in the book with utter fascination and horror over and over. Where Kanin is dark, Zeke is bright, like a beacon of hope. Maybe he's too naive, too nice, but in a world where despair is everywhere and fear fill the in people's hearts every time, his optimism and that hope for something better is what makes him such an attractive character.

Once again, I give kudos to an author who can create such a rich and intriguing world and Julie's ability to do just that leaves me in awe. Life inside the wall is different, where humans are slaves, and the vampires the masters. The predators and the prey co-existing alongside each other. And then there's the rabids, upping the ante for terrifying scenes as if the presence of the vampires weren't enough already. It's a dark broken world, but it's one that is highly believable and even if you don't have a highly imaginative mind, you will get to experience Allie's world, and feel a multitude of emotions, pleasant or not, through the power of Julie's writing.

Filled with non-stop action and twists and turns enough to make you crave for more, The Immortal Rules brings back the scare to the vampires. With a highly addictive storyline and dynamic characters, The Immortal Rules is a great start to a new series we can all look forward to, different and like a breath of fresh air, only heavier and scarier. If you think Julie Kagawa has successfully caught tons of readers across the world with The Iron fey series and made us fall in love with the Fairy genre, then I am so pleased to tell you, dear readers, that she has kicked butt in the vampire genre. If you feel really skeptical with all the vampire books currently out there, give yourself a chance and read this book because I tell you, it will make you love the Vampire genre all over again. It's dark, it's gritty, it's bloody and Julie wrote a fine novel about Vampires in The Immortal Rules.

My rating:

Content (plot, story flow, character):

Julie just keeps on getting better and better with her writing and now we have another great book to admire!

Stunning: Worthy of a Goddess' Praise!

Book Cover:

Captures the mood of the book perfectly.

I received this book free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Immortal City by Scott Speer

Celebrities with wings, these are the Angels.

Want to be an Angel? This book might help you think of it a little deeper and reconsider grabbing the chance if you can be one.

Title: Immortal City (Immortal City #1) by Scott Speer
Pages: 336
Release Date: April 3rd 2012
Published by: Razorbill
Source: Publisher (thanks Tina!)
Buy: Amazon | Book Depository

Summary:

Jackson Godspeed is the hottest young Angel in a city filled with them.

He's days away from becoming a full Guardian, and people around the world are already competing for the chance to be watched over by him. Everyone's obsessed with the Angels and the lucky people they protect - everyone except for Madison Montgomery.

Maddy's the one girl in Angel City who doesn't breathlessly follow the Angels on TV and gossip blogs. When she meets Jackson, she doesn't recognize him. But Jackson is instantly captivated by her, and against all odds the two fall in love.

Maddy is swiftly caught up in Jackson's scene, a world of glamour, paparazzi - and murder. A serial killer is on the loose, leaving dead Angels' wings for the police to find on the Walk of Fame. Even the Guardians are powerless to protect themselves in the face of this threat & and this time it's up to Maddy to save Jackson.

For all the angel-themed books I have read, never have I thought of them made to resemble celebrities. They were supposed to be celestial beings sent by God to save us all. In Scott Speer's book, they're the same. Sent from the heavens hundreds of years ago during The Awakening. Fast forward to today, these beautiful, captivating beings barely heed the purpose they supposedly have. Now residing in their own version of Beverly Hills, maybe Hollywood, their own City of Angels (literally) because the eyes of the people are on them. They're celebrities, models, endorsers, reality show stars. They have a whole channel dedicated to following them 24/7. They even have their own Walk of Fame stars! What about saving people, you ask? They still do, but for a hefty price. It was all about the money and the fame for these winged creatures and the most popular of them all is Jackson Godspeed. And then he became a suspect in an Angel murder spree.

Despite the very cheesy name, Jacks has been looking forward to becoming a full-pledged Guardian all his life. He has a bright future ahead of him, with the whole world watching over his every move. Utterly gorgeous Jacks with the most beautiful, ethereal wings and heavenly features, this blonde and blue eyed Angel is used to being in the spotlight. Growing up in a celebrity family puts a lot of pressure in his shoulders and all that Jacks wants is to go out there saving lives. He has never questioned his purpose in life, nor of the Angels, until he meets Maddy. Suddenly he re-examines his life and all his beliefs. And goodness gracious, Jacks is one hot winged creature! He's used to getting what he wants, cocky, arrogant but he's a good guy who's got a strong sense of family and doing what he thinks is right. If there really were Guardian Angels and he was one of them, I'd want him to save me too. Jacks' life unraveled the moment he became the prime suspect mortalized Angels, and suddenly he was facing an ancient evil, uncovering the secrets of his seemingly perfect family, and following a destiny he never knew he had.

Maddy is unlike other teenagers. She's not Angel obsessed. She can't see what there is to rave about a bunch of winged creatures who were supposed to save everyone in need and not just the privilege few who can pay them for protection instead of parading themselves on TV, getting busy attending parties. And then she met Jackson because of a pretense, and suddenly she was swept into his world. Maddy is a great character to read of because she was special. She wasn't easily blinded by the superficial, shallow life the Angels lead and despite her very negative outlook towards life and herself, she's one who can see the good in people. Innocent, very naive, she couldn't see the point why Jackson was fascinated with her. But Maddy had secrets of her own, and then in a flash being the freak in school had a reason, a deeper connection with Jacks and ultimately with the Angels. Maddy had a lot of spunk in her, and even though she spends a lot of time belittling herself, I loved how she slowly transform into this person who would do anything to protect the ones she loves. From a shy, timid girl to a strong lady who will do anything to fight for what she believes in.

What made Immortal City such an interesting read was the drastic make-over of the Angels. They've been turned into these celebrities people worship and adore and yet they didn't lose that Celestial presence in them. It's like turning them into a significant part of pop culture, or like a big family of well known people, venerated but in a way that we can all relate to, like the way we treat a well known popstar, or models, actors and actresses. Also, what gave this book depth is the way Scott Speer tackled the act of saving people. How can the Angels turn such a divine purpose into a business? An income generating occupation? The question 'if one needs to be saved, does it matter if he has money or not' is a constant theme in this book. Does money determine who dies and who gets to be saved? Saving was supposed to be an essential, sacred part of an Angel's duty and it was turned into a big publicity event where people gossip and rave who gets to be protected and who doesn't. Is that fair? Why and why not? That moral dilemma will make the readers examine if the Angels do deserve all the attention and admiration they are getting.

Such a fascinating concept gave birth to such a wonderful read. Immortal City has a great and well balanced combination of forbidden love, popularity and stardom, mystery and intrigue, heart stopping action scenes and a little bit of religion and faith all in one great package. Immortal City has a great ensemble of characters, ranging from those you will love to hate and those you will hate to love. Engaging right from page one, Immortal City left me craving for more! I want to know more about Jacks and Maddy, and how their relationship will progress. I want to experience more of the complicated yet highly fascinating world of the Angels. I want to be more immersed in the book. It's a highly addictive read! I think I found a new favorite Angel themed book.

My rating:

Content (plot, story flow, character):

I love this story so much!

Stunning: Worthy of a Goddess' Praise!

Book Cover:

That's Jacks in the cover!

I received this book free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Q&A with Julie Kagawa + The Immortal Rules Giveaway!

HAH! Yes, you've read it right. I have a Q&A from the superbly fabulous Julie Kagawa, who is the author of the equally awesome Iron Fey series. And I also have a giveaway!

Since The Iron Fey series has now come to a close, Julie has started another series that sounds just as interesting but much, much different than The Iron Fey so if you want to know more about this new book, read on below!

The Immortal Rules (Blood of Eden #1) by Julie Kagawa
April 24th 2012 by Harlequin Teen

You will kill. The only question is when.

In the dark days since the insidious Red Lung virus decimated the human population, vampires have risen to rule the crumbling cities and suburbs. Uncontested Princes hold sway over diminished ranks of humans: their "pets." In exchange for their labor, loyalty and of course, their blood, these pets are registered, given food and shelter, permitted to survive.

Unregistered humans cling to fringes, scavenging for survival. Allison Sekemoto and her fellow Unregistereds are hunted, not only by vampires, but by rabids, the unholy result of Red Lung-infected vampires feeding on unwary humans. One night, Allie is attacked by a pack of rabids, saved by an unlikely hero...and turned vampire.

Uncomfortable in her undead skin, Allie falls in with a ragtag crew of humans seeking a cure, or cures: for Rabidism and for Vampirism. She's passing for human...for now. But the hunger is growing and will not be denied. Not for friendship—not even for love.

The Immortal Rules will be published by Harlequin Teen. You can pre-order a copy now through the links below:

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Harlequin

Indiebound

A Q&A with

New York Times Best Selling Author Julie Kagawa

After writing the Iron Fey series for so many years, how difficult was it to immerse yourself in a futuristic world filled with vampires, rabids and an enslaved human race?

It was...very different. I think the hardest thing for me was the fact that this story does take place in the real world -- a futuristic, vampire-infested world, but the real world nonetheless. Things had to make sense, for example: how far can a large group walk in a single day if there were no roads, they were going through thick woods, and there were children in the group? I had to have logical reasons for everything; I couldn't just make something work "because of faery magic," lol.


Just like Meghan Chase in the Iron Fey series, the main character in The Immortal Rules, Allison Sekemoto, is a “take charge and kick butt” kind of girl. Is this intentional? What woman – real or fictional, alive or deceased – do you look up to or admire?

Yes, Allison comes from a very different world than Meghan Chase. Meghan's upbringing was pretty normal; Allison grew up among vampires and monsters, where every day was a fight to live, so she couldn't afford to be weak. While Meghan had to learn to "take charge and kick butt," Allison's first impulse is stab first, talk later.

As for female role models, the first that comes to mind--when it comes to kicking vampire butt, anyway -- is Buffy Summers. Thank you, Joss Whedon, for making me love feisty, snarky, heroines who can dust all sorts of nasties but who also look good in a cheerleading outfit. ;)

You mention in your acknowledgements in The Immortal Rules that at the beginning of your writing career you promised yourself you wouldn’t write a vampire book. What changed your mind?

Well, there were already so many really good books about our favorite bloodsuckers, so many stories and ideas, I thought I didn't have anything new to add to the masses. I was actually toying with a post-apocalyptic YA novel when my agent mentioned I might want to try writing a vampire series. I wasn't intrigued with the idea at first, but then I thought about combining vampires with the post-apocalyptic novel and then rest sort of fell into place.

Allison claims she hates vampires and believes they are monsters yet when faced with a choice of die or become one, she becomes a vampire. Would you have made that same decision?

Me personally? No. I'm like Zeke in the belief that there is something better waiting for me beyond this life, and I just have to do my best until it’s time for me to go. Besides, I love pizza and Mountain Dew too much to give it up.

Who do you think the most complex character is in The Immortal Rules?

Probably Kanin, Allie's sire. He's a vampire who has made his peace about being a monster, yet chooses to live by his own set of moral rules. He warns Allison about getting too close to humans, yet he does not kill unless he absolutely has to. He is tormented about something in his past that he refuses to share with anyone. He is certainly the most mysterious of all the characters, if not the most complex.

How many books will be in the Blood of Eden series? When will the next book be coming out?

At the moment, there are three books planned, with the second coming out sometime next spring, after the release of the new Iron Fey series this fall.

Before you starting writing full time you were a professional dog trainer. Do the professions share any similarities?

Lol, well you have to think on your feet a lot. And some of the small dogs could be compared to tiny snapping goblins, but writing requires less dodging skills, though perhaps the same amount of creativity and problem solving.

When starting a new series, like Blood of Eden, do you have the entire series mapped out in detail or do you let the story develop book by book?

I have a high point that I write toward in each story; I know this and this has to happen, but getting from point A to point B usually develops as I go along.

And for the speed round:
What book have you read and re-read, and read yet again?

Any of the Harry Potter books.

Favorite song to play when writing a fight scene?

My "favorites" change daily. Right now its "Awake and Alive" by Skillet.

Worst job?

Working a kiosk in the mall during Christmas. It sold glass figurines, and the maneuvering space around the hundreds of very breakable merchandise was quite small. I was like a bull in a china shop.

Best vacation spot?

Walt Disney World

Sweets or salty?

Sweet.

One thing most people don’t know about you – and would never guess!

I used to play the flute when I was a kid. I was really good at it too, but my instructor stopped teaching to have a family, and I never went back to it.

-----

GIVEAWAY TIME!

WIN A FINISHED COPY OF THE IMMORTAL RULES BY JULIE KAGAWA!

I did mention you can win a copy of The Immortal Rules, right? A shiny, FINISHED COPY? I don't know about you guys but I'll fight tooth and nail for this! Check out the form below on how you can join!

Rules:
US/Canada Only (sorry International peeps, publisher's request!) *
Prize will be sent AFTER the book's publication date, April 24th.

* For international readers, if you have someone in the US/Canada who can receive the book for you, then you can enter!


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Interview with Julie Kagawa + The Immortal Rules sneak peek + a (sort of) Giveaway!

Hi everyone!

So you've seen my review of The Iron Knight... *points to post before this* It took me a while to actually read the book because I wasn't really prepared for the series to end. Just goes to show how much I love the series that I can't quite accept that it has ended already :)

Anyway! I had a chance to ask Julie a few questions about The Iron Fey series and if you're interested, check out her answers below:

Can you pick one sentence (from any of the books in the Iron Fey series) that can describe it as a whole?

"This should be very interesting." ~Grimalkin, The Iron King.


(Okay, so that was a cheater line, but just one sentence is hard, lol.)


How did it feel writing The Iron Knight, knowing that it's the end of Meghan and Ash's story?


It was a little sad and a little scary, too. Last books come with such high expectations, and you know not everyone is going to be satisfied with it. Plus, switching to Ash's POV was a pretty big gamble; what if people hated the real Ash? But I'm very pleased with the way everything turned out for Ash and Meghan. I can leave with a sense of peace knowing their story ended exactly as it should.


Would you rather be: An Iron Fey, part of the Summer Court, or the Winter Court?


I wish I could say I was Winter, because I like snow and ice and despise the heat, but I couldn't live without my video games, so I'll have to say Iron.



Have you ever considered killing / writing off any of the major characters (Ash, Puck, Meghan, Grim) from the story?


Oh, goodness, I shudder to think of the consequences! I think the fans would kill me, lol. But I will say this, if the story demanded it, if there was no other way, then yes. But killing a main character is a very serious, solemn business and one that I do not take lightly. If, someday, I do decide to sacrifice the main character, it was because it was the only logical way the story could end.


Was there any part of it (the series as a whole or just one book) you'd want to rewrite if you had a chance?


There are a few scenes and chapters I know I could write differently now, but a writer is constantly changing and growing, and there comes a point where you just have to say you wrote the best book you could at that time and not look back.


Please tell us something about your new book, Immortal Rules! (Can we get a teaser quote from the book?)


The Immortal Rules is a post-apocalyptic vampire series, set in a world where a plague has decimated most of humanity and vampires have risen up to take control. The protagonist is a girl named Allison who suddenly finds herself turned into a vampire, and must struggle with what that means, while at the same time protecting a group of humans in their search for the vampire-free city of Eden.


And here is a small teaser:


My vampire creator told me this:

"Sometime in your life, Allison Sekemoto, you will kill a human being. Accidentally, or as a conscious, deliberate act, it is unavoidable. The question is not if you kill them, but when. Do you understand?"

I didn't then. Not really.

I do now.

-----

The Immortal Rules (Blood of Eden #1) by Julie Kagawa
April 24th 2012 by Harlequin Teen

You will kill. The only question is when.

In the dark days since the insidious Red Lung virus decimated the human population, vampires have risen to rule the crumbling cities and suburbs. Uncontested Princes hold sway over diminished ranks of humans: their "pets." In exchange for their labor, loyalty and of course, their blood, these pets are registered, given food and shelter, permitted to survive.

Unregistered humans cling to fringes, scavenging for survival. Allison Sekemoto and her fellow Unregistereds are hunted, not only by vampires, but by rabids, the unholy result of Red Lung-infected vampires feeding on unwary humans. One night, Allie is attacked by a pack of rabids, saved by an unlikely hero...and turned vampire.

Uncomfortable in her undead skin, Allie falls in with a ragtag crew of humans seeking a cure, or cures: for Rabidism and for Vampirism. She's passing for human...for now. But the hunger is growing and will not be denied. Not for friendship—not even for love.

AND FOR THE GIVEAWAY!

You might want to check me out on Twitter (@amaterasureads) because I will be having a flash giveaway of my ARC of The Iron Knight tomorrow (sometime around 8 pm, Philippine Time). If you haven't read it yet (WHY!?) here's your chance to read the conclusion of Ash and Meghan's story!