The Forever Song by Julie Kagawa

Title: The Forever Song
Author: Julie Kagawa
Series: Blood of Eden #3
Genre: Fantasy/Young Adult
Page Count: 393 Pages (Hardcover)
Published: April 15th 2014 by Mira Ink
Rating: 5/5

Vengeance will be hers.

Allison Sekemoto once struggled with the question: human or monster? With the death of her love, Zeke, she has her answer.

Monster.

Allie will embrace her cold vampire side to hunt down and end Sarren, the psychopathic vampire who murdered Zeke. But the trail is bloody and long, and Sarren has left many surprises for Allie and her companions - her creator Kanin, and her blood brother, Jackal. The trail is leading straight to the one place they must protect at any cost - the last vampire-free zone on Earth, Eden. And Sarren has one final, brutal shock in store for Allie.

In a ruined world where no life is sacred and former allies can turn on you in one heartbeat, Allie will face her darkest days. And if she succeeds, her triumph will be short-lived in the face of surviving forever alone.

THE FINAL HUNT IS ON.

My Review:

All the feels! The Forever Song was my favourite book in this series.


Allie is broken from losing Zeke, and now vengeance is the only thing driving her. The road to revenge is paved in blood and heartache and I loved every minute of it.


Sarren has a head start and he isn't making it easy to follow him, let alone beat him to Eden. Allie and her unconventional family have to figure out a way to beat the psychotic vampire before he unleashed his hell on earth.


Jackal drove the story for me with his sarcastic humour and unpredictable nature. It lightened the mood when Allie was on a rampage or getting her soul crushed. I didn't always agree with the choices that Allie made, but in the end she made me proud.


The story was well paced and the conclusion was great without being too conveniently wrapped up.

Fav. Quotes (minus the spoilery ones):

“I am proud of you, Allison Sekemoto,” he whispered as he drew back. “Whatever you decide, whatever path you choose to take, I hope that you will remain the same girl I met that night in the rain. The one decision for which I have no regrets.””  

“Oh, heads are going to roll for this. I’m going to set up a special lane and use their skulls for bowling balls.”

My Rating: 5/5

You'll like this series if you liked

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, Twilight by Stephenie Meyer or The Iron King by Julie Kagawa.

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The Eternity Cure by Julie Kagawa

Title: The Eternity Cure
Author: Julie Kagawa
Series: Blood of Eden #2
Genre: Fantasy/Young Adult
Page Count: 434 Pages (Paperback)
Published: April 30th 2013 by Mira Ink
Rating: 4/5

In Allison Sekemoto's world, there is one rule left: Blood calls to blood

She has done the unthinkable: died so that she might continue to live. 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 Allie finds there will 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-and this strain is 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.

Allison thought that immortality was forever. But now, with eternity itself hanging in the balance, the lines between human and monster will blur even further, and Allie must face another choice she could never have imagined having to make.

My Review:

Eternity Cure was another gripping read by Julie Kagawa. Allie comes into her vampire self in this book. The story picks up with her hunting down Kanin and Sarren. Allie is hardened from her experiences in The Immortal Rules. I liked hunter Allie. She wasn’t trying to be human but she retained her morals and her character was stronger because of it.

The mission to save Kanin was just the beginning, bringing Allie into the middle of a plagued city and a new enemy.

The Eternity Cure had a good mix of old and new characters and settings. We get some resolution from questions left unanswered in The Immortal Rules while Julie threw some curve-balls in I didn’t see coming. The ending had my gaw dropping to the floor, so make sure you have The Forever Song on deck because you're going to want to start it immediately!

Overall I liked this book a lot. It lost a star for me because I felt like the fictive bubble was burst for me with the characters dumb decision making near the end. I just felt like they could have ended up in the same place without the ignorance.

Fav. Quotes (minus the spoilery ones):

“'I don't believe in fate,' he said carefully, 'but... I do believe everything happens for a reason. That there is some plan, some meaning to this darkness we live in.'”  

“Next time you two decide to go on a bloody killing spree, at least send me an invitation so I know that you care.”

My Rating: 4/5

You'll like this series if you liked

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, Twilight by Stephenie Meyer or The Iron King by Julie Kagawa.

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The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa

Title: The Immortal Rules
Author: Julie Kagawa
Series: Blood of Eden #1
Genre: Fantasy/Young Adult
Page Count: 485 Pages (Hardcover)
Published: April 24th 2012 by Harlequin
Rating: 5/5

MY VAMPIRE CREATOR TOLD ME THIS:

"Sometime in your life, Allison Sekemoto, you will kill a human being. The question is not if it will happen, but when. Do you understand?"

I didn't then, not really.

I DO NOW.

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.

My Review:

Well, I can’t believe I waited this long to start such an amazing series. I am in love with The Immortal Rules.

In my defence I have been burned a couple of times by other authors and decided to wait until all three books in the trilogy were released before starting, and I guess the silver lining is now I don’t have to wait for the next one I can just dive right in.

The immortal rules is a story about an orphaned 17-year-old girl who is living her life in the outskirts of a walled-in city that is run by vampires. She scavenges, steals, and begs to keep herself alive with the other “unregistered” because she refuses to sell her blood to the monsters that run the city in exchange for food and shelter. Outside the walls the world is in ruins and swarming with “rabids” - infected people and animals that are zombie-like with a vampire flare. I don’t know how much more to say without major spoilers. It’s a vampire book with a Walking Dead feel.

Although it’s YA it’s not angsty or juvenile. Allie is a strong female lead that is bad-ass and like-able. The supporting characters are both lovable and loathable (yes I’m making up terms) making for a well-rounded cast to traverse the story with.

One thing I will say is that it took me a few chapters to realize that Kannin isn’t meant to be a love interest, but more of a mentor role. That may be obvious to others but I thought it was worth mentioning.

I loved the story and world-building. Julie Kagawa has been one of my favourite authors since her Iron Fey series and she didn’t disappoint with her take on vampires.

Fav. Quotes (minus the spoilery ones):

“You will always be a monster, there is no turning back from it. But what type of monster you become is entirely up to you.”  

"The closer you got to someone, the more it would destroy you when they were inevitably gone."

My Rating: 5/5

You'll like this series if you liked

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, Twilight by Stephenie Meyer or The Iron King by Julie Kagawa.

Cover Coverage

This series has had a couple cover makeovers.Which is your favourite?

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*As a side note: I was given an ARC of this book by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, but since I missed the publication date I purchased a hardcover and man am I glad that I did!

Caraval by Stephanie Garber

Title: Caraval
Author: Stephanie Garber
Series: Caraval #1
Genre: Fantasy/Young Adult
Page Count: 407 Pages
Published: January 31st 2017 by Flatiron Books
Rating: 5/5

Remember, it’s only a game…

Scarlett Dragna has never left the tiny island where she and her sister, Tella, live with their powerful, and cruel, father. Now Scarlett’s father has arranged a marriage for her, and Scarlett thinks her dreams of seeing Caraval—the faraway, once-a-year performance where the audience participates in the show—are over.

But this year, Scarlett’s long-dreamt-of invitation finally arrives. With the help of a mysterious sailor, Tella whisks Scarlett away to the show. Only, as soon as they arrive, Tella is kidnapped by Caraval’s mastermind organizer, Legend. It turns out that this season’s Caraval revolves around Tella, and whoever finds her first is the winner.

Scarlett has been told that everything that happens during Caraval is only an elaborate performance. Nevertheless she becomes enmeshed in a game of love, heartbreak, and magic. And whether Caraval is real or not, Scarlett must find Tella before the five nights of the game are over or a dangerous domino effect of consequences will be set off, and her beloved sister will disappear forever.

Welcome, welcome to Caraval…beware of getting swept too far away.

My Review:

Goodreads awards brought this gem to my attention and my birthday put it in my hands. I might just make my wish list the top picks every year if this is what I'll get.

This book for me was a mixture of Alice and Wonderland, a murder mystery, and Pirates of the Carribean -- while at the same time nothing like any of them because it was totally unique.

From the very start of the book, I was trying to figure out if there was really magic Scarlett's world or if it was all illusion and that question wove through the whole story. You never know what is real, or if anything is real and it is fantastic!

Even the love interest side of the story is twisted and turned into something I wasn't expecting. I love being surprised and Stephanie Garber got me over and over again while staying true to the story and the characters.

In a nutshell, the story is about a girl who finds herself stuck on a mysterious island trying to win a bizarre game in order to save her sister, all the while living out her biggest dream of being a contestant. The competition is fierce and she's not the only one who will lose if she doesn't claim the victory.

The ending was totally satisfying, but I can't wait for the sequel to see where the story will go.

Fav. Quotes (minus the spoilery ones):

“Do you always focus on what you're giving up, rather than what you'll be gaining? Some things are worth pursuit regardless of the cost.” 

“Dreams that come true can be beautiful, but they can also turn into nightmares when people won't wake up.”

My Rating: 5/5

You'll like this series if you liked

Queen in Exile by Donna Hatch, Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers or The Iron King by Julie Kagawa.

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With All My Soul - 5/5

Title: With All My Soul
Author: Rachel Vincent
Series: Soul Screamers #7
Genre: YA, Fantasy
Page Count: 384 Pages
Published: March 26th, 2013 by Harlequin Teen
Rating: 5/5

What does it mean when your school is voted the most dangerous

It's time to kick some hellion butt...

After not really surviving her junior year (after all, she did die), Kaylee Cavanaugh has vowed to take back her school from the hellions causing all the trouble. She's going to the find a way to turn the incarnations of Avarice, Envy and Vanity and the rest on each other. And so she–and her gang–make plans to protect her friends and finish this war, once and forever.

But then she meets Wrath. And Kaylee realizes that she's closer to the edge than she's ever been. Especially when one more person she loves is taken...

My Review:

I am reviewing right after putting the book down. I feel like my heart is too big for my chest.

Picking up right after Before I Wake left off, this final Soul Screamers book takes you on a whirlwind journey as Kaylee tries to gain vengeance against the hellion of greed.

I didn't know what to expect from the book focused on wrath, but I have to say that angry Kaylee is my favourite so far. The fierceness of her righteous anger gave her a backbone of steel that made her a force to be reckoned with.

The frustration that came with their hopeless fight against impossible odds kept me glued to the page, wondering how on earth (or the Netherworld) were they going to defeat the immortal forces that opposed them.

As with other Rachel Vincent books, I didn't see the twists coming, and I was an emotional wreck and a giddy fool throughout the span of this book.

I feel like I'm not ready to let go of this world, but I am happy with how things were left.

Well done Mrs. Vincent, well done.

Fav. Quotes (minus the spoilery ones):

"You expect me to believe that if someone threw a pie in your face at a funeral you wouldn't lick your lips?" Sabine - pg 12

"Oh, that will never be enough for me, little fury." Ira - pg 158

"We owe the world something. We owe the world everything." Kaylee - pg 220

"This is the most frighteningly beautiful mouth I have ever seen." Tod - pg 314

"The pain begins, and within seconds it consumes me." Kaylee - pg 341

My Rating: 5/5

Other books in this series

(Click highlighted titles for my review)

1 - My Soul to Take
2 - My Soul to Save
3 - My Soul to Keep
4 - My Soul to Steal
5 - If I Die
6 - Before I Wake
7 - With All My Soul

Prequels and Short Stories:
0.1 - My Soul to Lose
0.2 - Reaper
0.3 - Fearless (Kiss Me Deadly - Anthology)
4.2 - Niederwald (Enthralled - Anthology)
5.1 - Never to Sleep

You'll like this series if you liked

Shifter series by Rachel Vincent, Twilight by Stephenie Meyer, Darkest Powers Trilogy by Kelley Armstrong

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Soul Screamers Breakdown

By now you should all know of my love for all things Rachel Vincent. After finishing the Soul Screamers Reading Challenge and being involved in the video spoiler chat for Before I Wake I was reminded of some awesome artwork I stumbled on last year by Marta Dahlig over on deviantArt.

It's a 7 Deadly Sins series, and I thought it would fun to match up her rendition of each deadly sin with the corresponding Soul Screamers book now that we know where each one fits in.

*NOTE: I do not own any of this artwork, and if you like it please head on over to Dahlig's deviantART gallery and give her the praise she is due.*

Vanity - My Soul To Take

Avarice (Greed) - My Soul To Save

Gluttony (Addiction) - My Soul To Keep

Envy - My Soul To Steal

Lust - If I Die

Sloth (Interpreted as fighting Depression) - Before I Wake

Wrath (Rage) - With All My Soul

I love the omnibus set and have even purchased the 4th volume for the only short story I don't own but I irrationally want to own them all, even with the individual books 1-7 and 3 anthologies on my shelf--I have a sickness! To order the 4 omnibuses click on the images below: