Review of The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa

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.

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Julie Kagawa has written about two subjects I usually avoid. The first, is fairies/fae. I always avoid these, for reasons I know not. It's just never appealed to me. The second is Vampires. Originally I barely glanced at it but when I read the blurb I was intrigued – a Dystopian with Vampires? Could that work?

Boy, did it work. Julie has created a very rich and thought provoking world, filled with Vampires, Street Rats and Rabids. Add that to an extensive history of how this world came to be and an exotic kick-ass heroine and you have a recipe for awesomeness. I could hardly put the book down! The story is almost relentless in suspense and action and I enjoyed every minute.

During the story, we follow Allie (Allison), a street rat (not a literal one) living in New Covington with her crew – Stick, Lucas and Rat but she soon leaves them behind when she dies – and is turned into a Vampire by Kanin. Kanin is quite harsh with Allison but fair – he's trying to teach her how to survive as fast as possible. She soon separates from him too and makes her own journey across America, meeting a band of travellers.

There's definite potential for a love triangle here which I'm hoping for as I really like Kanin's character, which we didn't see much of this book! I can't wait for the next book, even though the first hasn't been released at the time of writing this.

5/5

Received free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review