Thursday, May 2, 2013

ARC BOOK REVIEW - THE ETERNITY CURE by JULIE KAGAWA - BLOOD OF EDEN # 2 - HARLEQUIN TEEN - 5 GRITTY, DANGEROUS, DARK, BLOODY STARS!

By: Julie Kagawa
Published By: Harlequin Teen
Released : Available Now
Details : ARC for review from publisher, Paperback, 428 Pages

RATING: 5 GRITTY, DANGEROUS, DARK, BLOODY STARS!!

Blurb : Goodreads

In Allison Sekemoto's world, there is one one rule left: Blood Calls to blood.
Cast out of Eden and separated from the boy she dared to love, Allie will follow the call of blood to save her creator, Kanin, from the psychotic vampire, Sarren. But when the trail leads to Allie's birthplace in New Covington, what she finds there will the change the world forever - and possibly end human and vampire existence.

There's a new plague on the rise, a strain of the Red Lung virus that wiped out most of humanity generations ago - deadly to humans and vampires alike. The only hope for a cure lies in the secrets Kanin carries. If Allie can get to him in time...










BOOK REVIEW by Michelle:

Gritty, dangerous, dark, captivating, and there will be blood....lots of it.

Colour me happy people, this was quite a ride. There are no faeries in sight in this dark and fearsome instalment. Julie Kagawa has gone majorly dark, just check out the tone of the trailer and listen to that music!!

Oh, man! This was better than, ‘The Immortal Rules.’ Allison is now standing on her own two feet, well and truly. Kanin is at the torturous disposal of the enormously talented villain, Sarren.

This is one evil, crazy SOB. 

“Here you are, little bird. Here you are, and here we are , and the world spins and dies around us.”


When I say torturous.... in Sarren’s mind, what goes around comes around ... 1,000 fold.

Oh deary me, Ms Kagawa, somebody has decided to have fun playing in a dark and bloody world with a side order of cannibalism.

Jackal, oh you made me hate you in The Immortal Rules and now I think you are humorous and dare I say civilized when opportunity presents itself.

But can I trust you?

This book is broken up into parts, much like book 1. You may think you are in for a humorous easy ride in the first part with the odd couple teaming up and the sarcastic banter playing out. I like to call them Team Jackison. Not in the romantic sense... not even close, lol!

But hold that thought...........

The ride gets creepier and down right dark, to the point that it was rather frightening with crossbows, mole men, Rabadism, and those tunnels. There is backstabbing and betrayal, and an enormous amount of blood that will be spilled through the pages.

Allison is a very worthy lead. She has grown a lot since book 1. She is taking on a lot considering her age as a vampire. She is just holding onto her humanity, but she is welcoming the vampire side of herself, when the need arises. Little Allison has become quite the fighter.

You will always be a monster -- there is no turning back from it. But what kind of monster you become is entirely up to you.

Jackal is a great side kick, although don’t tell him I called him that. When things are dark and gloomy, he will pipe up with something humorously sarcastic. I love it when Jackal calls Allison, ‘sister.’ I got the feeling at times that he liked being blood related, having somebody he could call family.....and then other times.....

“I must admit, I’ve killed a few siblings , but you’re the first one I actually thought I could get along with.”



“What do you think he wants?” Jackal gave a distracted grunt.

“Don’t ask me. I’m not a psychotic maniac.” He paused. “Well not as much of a psychotic maniac.”




“Exciting, isn’t it?” Jackal grinned and folded the map again. “It’s moments like this that really make you appreciate immortal life. Don’t you love it, sister? Doesn’t it make you feel alive?”



“Comment number one -- how much do you weigh to snap the bridge like that? I thought you Asians were supposed to be petite and dainty.”

“He’s been here.”

“What? Sarren?”

“No , the boogeman. Look.”




“Sorry, sis. hard to think ... right now. Slight ... stomach-ache.”


“The good news is that the jeep is still where we left it, and I got the damned thing working again.”

“What’s the bad news?” I asked.

“Somebody took my fluffy dice.”



I can’t help it if I like him!!! It’s Julie’s fault.

I don’t trust him as far as I could...errr....well I couldn’t do anything as I am only a lowly bloodbag.

Ezekiel Crosse aka Zeke, do I love this guy or what! He is still such a selfless character, putting everyone before himself, but now he is also tougher. He knows how to go all Commando, and I don’t mean without knickers. The boy, who is still a boy in age... is fierce.

Vengeance is a pill not to be taken on an empty stomach.

Allison and Zeke, can anything be salvaged between them? Can Allison trust herself to keep that humanity within her. Or will she in time, become vampire, like Jackal? All humanity dissolved.


He met my gaze, unwavering. “It wasn’t home without you.” 

I really saw this book in my head like a movie. I was familiar with my surroundings as I could see them so clearly. It could be a video game, danger lurking, waiting, around every corner. A virus that needs to be stopped, video game magic.

Salazar, is he friend or foe, or is it again dependent on the opportunity that has arisen?

You really do feel the hopelessness and the want to survive of the humans, the Unregistered, who are trying to survive outside the Princes walls. I felt like I was one of them, living in a time where survival for even a few more hours was very unlikely, too many evils working against them.

I really liked by the end of book 2, I felt very satisfied how far I had come in this series, what I had learned and where Julie was taking me. She really does fill the pages with meaningful words.

The picture Julie paints of her world for us to see is so grim, but at the same time, there is this sliver of hope, hope that keeps me reading to find out more.

This is a really well written series, fast paced, energetic and enthusiastically bloody, lightened with Jackal’s running of his mouth.

Oh yes....and Mr Stephen. Part well played J

Julie is fearless with what she puts her characters through. But as I always say, it ain’t over to the fat lady sings.

“There are no good choices, Allison,”Kanin offered in a quiet voice. “There are only those you can live with, and those you can work to change.”



Michelle

5 comments:

  1. Oh, Jackal... he really surprised me in this one too. And that ending? I dont even know what to think.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Love this series! Love Jackal!! He stole my heart. And Mr. Stephen? Maybe it's just me, because I've heard other people say he got was coming to him and he annoyed people, but I felt bad for him. All he ever wanted was for Allie to see him as an equal, not as someone she grudgingly had to take care of. And Allie, human Allie, never saw him that way. She didn't let herself feel until she was a vampire, which is ironic, because once she was a vampire Stick didn't see her as an equal human anymore. Idk. I just felt bad for him. Allie was overly mean to him sometimes.

    Jesse @ Pretty In Fiction

    ReplyDelete
  3. I'm soooooo happy to hear you loved this! And yes, Ms Kagawa is certainly darker in this series. Keep in mind I've only read book 1, but it's so much darker and grittier than her Iron Fey series.

    Ha! Looking forward to reading some of those situations with Jackal that you quoted Mich!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Love the quotes you provided, putting me right back in the story, eager for more!

    ReplyDelete

COMMENTING HAS BEEN TURNED OFF

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.