DNF: The Last Princess by Galaxy Craze

The Last Princess 
By Galaxy Craze
Pages: 295
Format: Hardback
Source: Bought/B&N


Rating: DNF


Goodreads Synopsis:


Happily ever after is a thing of the past.

A series of natural disasters has decimated the earth. Cut off from the rest of the world, England is a dark place. The sun rarely shines, food is scarce, and groups of criminals roam the woods, searching for prey. The people are growing restless.

When a ruthless revolutionary sets out to overthrow the crown, he makes the royal family his first target. Blood is shed in Buckingham Palace, and only sixteen-year-old Princess Eliza manages to escape.

Determined to kill the man who destroyed her family, Eliza joins the enemy forces in disguise. She has nothing left to live for but revenge, until she meets someone who helps her remember how to hope—and to love—once more. Now she must risk everything to ensure that she not become... The Last Princess.


My Review: 


This book had so much potential! With a synopsis like that, how could it not be awesome?!? Ugh....sadly, it left a lot to be desired. More often the not, the reason I DNF books is because I neither hate it enough nor love it enough to stay interested. I believe that if I had finished, it would have been a 3. Yes, I have finished books before and given less stars so why did I not DNF them? Because although I was completely frustrated by them there was one aspect that I was just really interested in. There was just that "something" there that gave me emotions while I read it, whether good or bad. With this book all I felt was "meh". The entire time. I didn't feel anything while reading it. I was just reading words without really reading them. Here's a few reason why I ended up not finishing.


1. Not enough details.
This book should have been dark. I should have been scared out of my wits, or my heart should have been pumping with anticipation or something. Instead I felt nothing. Honestly, I didn't really care. I think more details about the world and the actions the characters take would've given off the atmosphere the author intended. Also, because of the lack of details, the plot was also lacking. It just couldn't keep my interest.


2. MC 
To be honest, I didn't really care about her. There was nothing significant about her. I don't feel as if I ever got to know her. Nothing in her "personality" stuck out to me. I think a lot of this again has to do with lack of details, but I should've having some feelings towards the MCs but I just couldn't get myself to care. 


3. Romance:
Ugh....I don't even know how they ended up together. One moment he's just in a few pages, next thing you know their making out (and slept together?). Um...what?!? I don't even know where the romance came from! It wasn't "insta-love" per se, but it definitely didn't build. I don't even really know how to explain it. It just wasn't good. I'll leave it at that.


4. Pacing:
The pacing was far to quick. At the very beginning, it was great and the perfect pace. Then everything was happening and it all happened so quick and I just didn't get the full picture of what was happening. This book needed to slow it down and give more details (again with the details! :P) and it probably would've kept my interest more. 


Overall: 
I didn't love the characters or the plot and was therefore just not interested. Normally if I love one of those 2 things I can deal with it but I just couldn't make myself. I have too many other books that I want to read and don't want to waste my time on a book that I won't like. I might finish it...eventually. But that's only because I don't like to leave things unfinished. And who knows? Maybe it gets better. But so far, not for me. 


If y'all have read this book and you think you can convince me to finish it, please do! I'd love to know if it gets better or if any of these things bother you. 

All the best ♥

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In My Mailbox (8)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren in which we showcase books we borrowed/bought/won in the past week.

The Last Princess by Galaxy Craze

Bought via Barnes and Noble

I was sooo excited for this book. It had so much potential but , alas, it has fallen flat. The dark nature is intriguing but the book lacks in details and I'm not feeling the MC or the romance. It moved far to quickly and was just kind of stupid. Oh well. I ended up DNFing so I'll put up a post as to why soon. 

The Hunt by Andrew Fukuda

via the Publisher

YES! I'm so psyched for this book!! I've heard some creepily fantastic things about this book from people I trust so I'm really looking forward to it! Hope to start it soon!!

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

Via Netgalley (ARC cover)

OMGOMGOMGOMGOMG!!! This is one of my most anticipated books of 2012! XD Its about a female ASSASSIN! Automatic WIN! I really want to read this ASAP but I'm not supposed to put up a review until a month before its released and I don't think I could contain my love for that long!! but I think I'm just going to have to give in :P Keeping my fingers crossed that its as good as I hope! 

Goodreads Links: 

Throne of Glass

The Hunt

The Last Princess

So what did y'all get in y'alls mailboxes this week? Be sure to let me know so that I can covet even more books!

All the best ♥

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Brightly Woven by Alexandra Bracken

Brightly Woven
By Alexandra Bracken
Pages: 354
Source: Bought/Amazon
Format: Paperback


Rating: Loved it!


Goodreads Synopsis:


When Wayland North brings rain to a region that's been dry for over ten years, he's promised anything he'd like as a reward. He chooses the village elder's daughter, sixteen-year-old Sydelle Mirabel, who is a skilled weaver and has an unusual knack for repairing his magical cloaks. Though Sydelle has dreamt of escaping her home, she's hurt that her parents relinquish her so freely and finds herself awed and afraid of the slightly ragtag wizard who is unlike any of the men of magic in the tales she's heard. Still, she is drawn to this mysterious man who is fiercely protective of her and so reluctant to share his own past.

The pair rushes toward the capital, intent to stop an imminent war, pursued by Reuel Dorwan (a dark wizard who has taken a keen interest in Sydelle) and plagued by unusually wild weather. But the sudden earthquakes and freak snowstorms may not be a coincidence. As Sydelle discovers North's dark secret and the reason for his interest in her and learns to master her own mysterious power, it becomes increasingly clear that the fate of the kingdom rests in her fingertips. She will either be a savior, weaving together the frayed bonds between Saldorra and Auster, or the disastrous force that destroys both kingdoms forever.


My Review: 




Humble Beginnings: 
All right, I'll freely admit that at first I wasn't completely in love with this book. Don't get me wrong, I really liked it, just didn't love it. Why? Because when i first started I had really high expectations (Thanks Small :P). Initially, what kept me going was the fantastic world-building and interactions between the characters.


Fantasy world at its finest:
Bracken created an absolutely fantastic fantasy world. It was fully-fleshed out without being bogged down by unnecessary details. To me, the world is one of the most important things when it comes to fantasy. I like to "see" this new world and really picture it in my head and this book doesn't disappoint.


Fiery red-head with an attitude to match:
Sydelle is just as fiery as her hair! She's independent and doesn't like to be told what to do. She doesn't want to rely on a man (girl-power!) but she wants to make a living doing what she loves to do, weave. While she may have a fiery attitude, she actually has quite a kind heart. I really fell in love with her independence and her attitude towards the world and those around her. 


Secrets and witty banter galore:
However, although I really loved Sydelle's fiery attitude, I fell in love with North! He just loved to bug Sydelle and it was so much fun to watch their interactions with each other. But underneath all that, you can tell that he truly cares about Sydelle. Does she see that yet? Of course not, but then again, if she knew he cared there wouldn't be any of that deliciously funny tension! Ah, but he's not just witty and funny, he's got secrets. Maybe its just the nosy, gossip loving girl in me, but I love me some secrets, so it was no wonder that he definitely peeked my interest. 


Huge amounts of awesomeness:
As I said, the characters are what initially kept me reading. I thought the plot was interesting and I was really intrigued but I wasn't completely smitten. Then.....

BAM!!

The plot just EXPLODES! Magic, suspense, intrigue, mystery, secrets, REVEALS! Gah! Everything just happens and you're constantly on the edge of your seat. And as if that wasn't enough, the characters get even more awesome! I seriously don't even know how thats possible. I just feel so bad for North. This guy has been through far too much for any one man and it's a  miracle this guy has kept on going but that's why I fell in love with him. I just wanted to go up and give him a big hug and say that I would always be there for him. And what made me fall even more in love with Sydelle is that she does exactly that. She may be irritated by him sometimes, but in the end she knows why and really just wants to help him. Ahh....such a swoon-worthy romance. It just makes my heart melt! 

SEQUEL PLEASE!!!!!!! ♥

In short:

While the beginning was good, the last half was fantastic. Between all the action, twists, amazing characters, and epic plot this book is definitely a must-read for any fantasy fan. 

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Moving

Goodbye Hawaii

Hello Georgia!

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I am....

As I'm sure you've all seen by now, there is this huge thing going round the blogosphere talking about the factions of Divergent. I absolutely loved Divergent (gushing review coming soon) and I wanted to show my support. Well, I was dilly-dallying around because I wasn't exactly sure which faction I would choose. However, after some thinking, I've decided I am....

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DAUNTLESS

I didn't choose dauntless just because Tris' was in it, or just because it was "cool" (though, it totally is!). I chose it because I believe there is bravery in everything we do.

Sometimes it takes bravery to use your knowledge to voice your opinion like those in Erudite

Sometimes it takes bravery to tell the truth no matter what trouble it gets you into like those in Candor.

Sometimes it takes bravery to be selfless and stand up for those who can't stand up for themselves, especially if it means losing you own life, like those of Abnegation.

And sometimes it takes bravery to compromise and take the peaceful way out like those in Amity. 

One of my favorite quotes about the Dauntless is “We believe in ordinary acts of bravery, in the courage that drives one person to stand up for another.” How can you not be encouraged by that?

However, even though I would choose Dauntless if I lived in that society, in the end I am....

DIVERGENT

If you had to choose, which faction would you belong to? 

Faction Before Blood

♥Mackenzie♥

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The Assassin and the Pirate Lord

The Assassin and the Pirate Lord (Throne of Glass 0.1)
by Sarah J. Maas
Pages: 40 (Really? Felt longer!)
Source: Bought from Amazon
Format: ebook


Rating: Loved!


Goodreads Synopsis: 


A Throne of Glass novella.

On a remote island in a tropical sea, Celaena Sardothien, feared assassin, has come for retribution. She’s been sent by the Assassin’s Guild to collect on a debt they are owed by the Lord of the Pirates. But when Celaena learns that the agreed payment is not in money, but in slaves, her mission suddenly changes—and she will risk everything to right the wrong she’s been sent to bring about.


My Review: 


Celaena:

One word: Sassy. And I loved that about her! Not to mention the fact that she's an assassin so she's awesome by default. She was sarcastic and witty. Sure she was a bit high and mighty for my taste but she had that handed to her a couple times and she didn't go overboard. She is good, no doubt about it, and while she could sometimes be a bit cocky, at least she had a right to be. But she didn't always let it go to her head. She knew she was good, but not invincible. What is really liked is that we get to see her heart in this novella. She thinks she is going to see the pirate lord for one reason, but instead is there to negotiate a trade of slaves. She learns to take charge and stand up for what she believes in no matter the cost. She ended up being truly admirable.

I liked the background of the characters and how they all became assassins. You don't get the full story, but you get little glimpses that keep you interested. I look forward to seeing which characters will be in the actual book.


Also, this may only be 40 pages, but I felt like it was a fully written book! The plot was fantastic, plenty of action,  and developed characters. That's a grand accomplishment for so few pages. The only thing really was the lack of worldbuilding as a whole, but that's to be expected for lack of pages. I can tell that we'll learn more about the world in the actual book.


Overall:
I thoroughly enjoyed this novella! While it may have only been a novella, it felt like a whole book! If I can expect this awesomeness from Throne of Glass, it'll definitely be in my top books of 2012!! 

 All the best ♥

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Waiting on Wednesday (10)

 Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine in which we showcase upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating.

Serpent's Shadow (The Kane Chronicles #3)

by Rick Riordan

Release Date: May 1, 2012

Goodreads Synopsis:

He's b-a-a-ack! Despite their best efforts, Carter and Sade Kane can’t seem to keep Apophis, the chaos snake, down. Now Apophis is threatening to plunge the world into eternal darkness, and the Kanes are faced with the impossible task of having to destroy him once and for all. Unfortunately, the magicians of the House of Life are on the brink of civil war, the gods are divided, and the young initiates of Brooklyn House stand almost alone against the forces of chaos.

To find the answer they need, the Kanes must rely on the murderous ghost of a powerful magician who might be able to lead them to the serpent’s shadow... or might lead them to their deaths in the depths of the underworld...

Why:

This is what I do every time I realize May 1st is getting closer and closer.

Well, if I was black and could actually do that, that's what I'd be doing. But alas, I'm not that awesome :P But y'all get the point. Rick Riordan is one of my favorite authors. Seriously, this guy is AMAZING! I first fell in love with his Percy Jackson series and when The Kane Chronicles came out, I just had to get my greedy hands on it and I was not disappointed. When a series can make you laugh and cry (well, almost cry in my case which is a huge accomplishment on the author's part), has heart-pounding action adventures and makes your heart go all a-flutter then you know that its pure awesomeness. So, to say I'm excited for this is a huge understatement. I'm freakin psyched! Just look at the gif again!!

XD

P.S. Sorry for lack of reviews this week. I promise I have em coming, but I forgot to schedule them this week and with the movers and all I've been pretty darn busy. Thanks for understanding :) Reviews coming soon! 

All the Best ♥

Mackenzie

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100 Follower Giveaway!!! ♥

Drum Role please

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<a href="http://ohfortheloveofbooks.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img alt="Oh, For the Love of Books!" src="<span style="font-family:Cambria;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin"> </span>http://www.flickr.com/photos/74209749@N02/6928665174/"/></a>

That's right y'all. Time for my 100 follower giveaway! 

Woot! 

First off, I want to thank you followers that have stuck with me thus far. I'm still trying to figure this whole blogging thing out, but so far so good XD Y'all have been so nice and sweet and I adore your comments. Always happy to know that people are willing to listen :D Alright, alright, enough jibber-jabber. 

ON TO THE GIVEAWAY!

What am I giving away? 

Books!

More specific? 

Some of my favorite books I've read recently! 

♥♥review here♥♥

♥♥Review here♥♥

♥♥Review here♥♥

♥♥Review here♥♥

♥♥Review here♥♥

♥♥Review here♥♥

♥♥Review here♥♥

1 person (this is international too) will win their choice of one of these books. I absolutely loved all of them and just want to spread that love. I will be shipping this through The Book Depository so if your international make sure they ship to you. However, if I reach 200 followers before this giveaway ends, I'll add another winner! Yay! 

Good luck!! 

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Black Shard Giveaway

It's giveaway time! 

This giveaway is for The Black Shard by Victoria Simcox (see review here). 

The winner will receive 1 hardback copy of The Black Shard via the author.

*Note: This is the second in the series. The first can be bought at various bookstores and retailers

*Open to US Only*

(sorry international folk. I've got another giveaway coming soon for y'all too :D )

On to the giveaway!

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Kill Me Softly by Sarah Cross

Kill Me Softly
By Sarah Cross
Pages: 314
Source: Netgalley
Format: Ebook


Rating: I Really Liked it


Goodreads Synopsis:


Mirabelle's past is shrouded in secrecy, from her parents' tragic deaths to her guardians' half-truths about why she can't return to her birthplace, Beau Rivage. Desperate to see the town, Mira runs away a week before her sixteenth birthday—and discovers a world she never could have imagined.

In Beau Rivage, nothing is what it seems—the strangely pale girl with a morbid interest in apples, the obnoxious playboy who's a beast to everyone he meets, and the chivalrous guy who has a thing for damsels in distress. Here, fairy tales come to life, curses are awakened, and ancient stories are played out again and again.

But fairy tales aren't pretty things, and they don't always end in happily ever after. Mira has a role to play, a fairy tale destiny to embrace or resist. As she struggles to take control of her fate, Mira is drawn into the lives of two brothers with fairy tale curses of their own . . . brothers who share a dark secret. And she'll find that love, just like fairy tales, can have sharp edges and hidden thorns.


My Review:


If your looking for Disney princess happily-ever-afters, then stop right now because you won't find it in this book. This book is weird, creepy, and disturbing, yet so incredibly addicting. 


A Melting Pot:


There is no shortage of characters in this book. There are many unique characters with many different traits. While I fell in love with some, there were others that I could do without.  


I had a love/hate relationship with Mira. There were some things I really enjoyed about her, like her kindness and her curiosity and her growth by the end of the novel. However, there were reasons I didn't like her, but I don't know if that is the writing, or her. For example, the book starts off with her planning on running away, yet the author tells us that she's not normally rebellious, but shows us something different. Don't tell me one thing about her but show me the opposite. Also, once she meets Felix, she goes from "little miss innocent" to questioning herself (and going kind of sleazy) around him all the time. Look, I understand he's older (btw, she's total jailbait!) but she shouldn't worry about that. If he's worth it, he'll like her for who she is, immaturity and all. What really bothered me, however ,was the fact that she kept questioning herself, even when he showed her that he cared. She also gave way to many excuses for people's actions for my taste. "Well, he did this so it means that, but it could've meant this, but then again..." and so on, so forth. Annoying! However, although some things she did annoyed me, she grows a lot throughout the novel and learns to accept things about herself and others, even if she doesn't like it and her kindness and compassion really shows through her actions. If you're looking for a kick-butt character, then she's not what your looking for. But, she'll stand up for herself and others, and she grows a lot throughout, so I say give her a chance.


I loved Blue! Okay, not at first. Honestly, the first line out of his mouth is rather creepy, but I knew he was doing it for a reason and I wanted to know why. I like mysterious characters and trying to figure out the reasons behind their actions, but what I liked about him was that he wasn't just mysterious, he was funny and sarcastic and I loved his banter with Mira. But he was also incredibly kind and selfless, and although I can't say anything else without a huge spoiler, I will say that I felt incredibly sorry for him but because of his actions I fell in love with him.


Felix...was hot. No doubt about it. Heck, I'd have a hard time not falling for him! He was sweet and kind, yet mysterious. He's seemed like genuinely sweet guy yet everyone kept saying to stay away. I wanted to know why. In the end, like Blue, I felt bad for him. He just handles it in a completely different way than Blue. 


Freddie, on the other hand, annoyed me beyond belief. Prince Charming my butt. He was pathetic and week and annoying. Look, Prince Charming is supposed to be chivalrous, I get that, but he's also got the perfect amount of man's man in him. He should know how to make a gal feel better, but also be willing to beat the crap out of the person that hurt her. That is Prince Charming. Not "I look like a kicked puppy" Freddie. 


The other characters are all unique and really portray their "fairytale" characters well. While some annoyed me, at least I understood why. 


Happily Ever After? Yeah, right:


Let me give credit to the author for doing an utterly fantastic retelling of the fairy tales. Also, I like that this isn't the fluffy, disney movie types of fairy tales. Nope, this is the classic "what is this happily ever after you speak of" kinda deal. Now, I may have never read the classic Grimm's tales, but now I don't want to. Talk about depressing! Each tale was of misery and destruction! Yet, I enjoyed the fact that she incorporated the classics in. There was a certain...beauty, in it. While she kept the darkness of the originals, she gave the characters hope. Each knew their fate, but many tried to change it. She gave the characters opportunity and choice. Also, taking a look back at the incorporation of the classics in this modern tale, many of the woes the characters faced were due to their own decisions. They didn't have to do any of that, they chose to and the author is giving these characters the chance to choose the better one if only they'll take it. Is it easy? Probably not. But, I firmly believe their are always choices. Some just make different choices and handle things differently. 


What really kept me interested were the questions burning in my mind from the very first page. My thirst for answers was insatiable! And with these questions came a few twists I didn't see! I was shocked! And loved it! 




Overall:


This book is dark and depressing, but also beautiful with the characters learning to rule their own lives. Its a treasure to see how the characters react to their situations. When you know your fate is pre-determined, would you fight it or accept it? While I was iffy on some characters, the plot and the many burning questions that entailed were more than enough to keep me interested. 

All the best ♥

Mackenzie

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Waiting on Wednesday (9)

 Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine in which we showcase upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating.

Insurgent (Divergent #2)

By Veronica Roth

Release Date: May 1, 2012

Why I want it:

OMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMG!! HOW COULD YOU NOT WANT TO READ THIS?!?!?!!?

 Whew....I'll calm down now and try to give a reasonable response :P To say I fell in love with Divergent is an understatement. I devoured it. All the action kept my heart pumping with excitement and don't even get me started on Four! I've been eagerly anticipating this book ever since I finished the first. It's a crime that I had to wait this long till it comes out, but it's definitely worth it. You can bet that I'll be at that bookstore to buy this book that day it comes out :D 

So what are y'all waiting on this fine Wednesday? Be sure to let me know in the comments below! 

All the best ♥

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Wither Discussion

Catch Wither Fever is a Read-a-long hosted by Andrea at The Overstuffed Bookcase and Jessie at The Daily Bookmark where we can read Wither and/or Fever and do reviews and discussion posts on them. Today, I've decided to discuss the content of Wither. 

This is an OPINION post, so please respect that. And I'm always open to other people's opinions so share away in the comments :D 

Content. 

As you know from the synopsis, this book deals with a polygamous marriage and Rhine's fight for freedom. I'm going to have to agree with Andrea at The Overstuffed Bookcase that the polygamy wasn't main aspect that bothered me. Do I agree with it? No. But in this book, it was the forced marriage that hit me harder. If you choose to be in a polygamous marriage, then by all means go ahead. But that is your choice. In Wither, Rhine isn't given a choice, but forced to be in this marriage. These young women are taken from their home and given to men with money with no other options. Did they ask to be there? No. They were forced. To say that I felt bad for them in an understatement. I can't even begin to imagine being in that situation! Which brings me to....

What would you do? 

In Wither, we are given 3 different POV's on the situation. While the book itself if just Rhine's perspective, you learn about the other sister wive's views on the polygamous marriage. You have Rhine, the freedom seeker. Cecily, the perfect sister wife. And Jessica, the accepter.  Just as each girl in the book reacted differently, so would each girl out in the real world. A lot of it depends on how your brought up also. For example, Rhine had freedom forcibly taken from her and just wants that freedom back, even if life inside the Mansion is better. Cecily was brought up thinking that becoming a sister wife was all there was to life and therefore, wanted to be the best she could be. Jessica, although she didn't truly want to be there, she was resigned to it. Each girls background helped shape her future. If I was in this situation, I'd love to believe that I'd be the defiant one and that I would do whatever I could to get out of there and get away from that injustice. But who knows? I'll admit, that mansion is nice, but to be forced to marry a guy you don't love? That's positively medieval! 

So what did y'all think of Wither? Do you believe the polygamy or lack of choice is worse? What do you think you'd do in this situation? Sound off in the comments below! I'm always happy to hear other's opinions :D 


All the best ♥

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

The Immortal Rules (Blood of Eden #1)
by Julie Kagawa
Pages: 485
Format: ebook
Source: Netgalley

Rating: Fan-freaking-tastic! 

Goodreads Synopsis: 

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.

My Review:

o_O  Mind is blown with the pure awesomeness that is The Immortal Rules. It was such an emotional thrill ride! I don't even know what to say that won't sound like blubbering, rambling, incoherent mess! My mind is still reeling! All I can think to say is GO BUY IT NOW (well, when it comes out)! I’ll buy it for you if I must just so you can read this pure awesomeness. Actually, scratch that. I have no money (its what being poor does to you), but if I did, I would totally buy everyone a copy!  

No Sparkley Vamps:

That’s right. No sparkles here! Just your class-A human blood-suckin, kick-butt, killing machines! And it’s amazing. This book made me terrified of vampires again!

Creepy atmosphere:

Kagawa did a fantastic job of world-building and creating such creepy and eerie atmosphere. I felt fully immersed in this world while reading. It was dark and gritty yet intoxicating. I was terrified and loved every moment.

4 books in 1:

This book is long, no doubt about it at a whopping 482 pages, but its divided into 4 different parts making it almost like reading 4 different books. Each has its own plot but they all flow together so smoothly and I loved every single one.

Allie:

Allie is an utterly fantastic character. She's tough, rough and hardened, but not without heart. She's always hated vampires, but after being attacked while saving a friend she ends up being saved by a vampire and given the choice to die or become like him. She always did whatever she could to survive, even if it meant become the very thing she hated. Now she's your regular blood-sucking, katana wielding (you read right), kick-butt killing machine. But don't hate on her just because she's a vampire. She may not be human, but she's bound and determined to not lose who she once was and that takes heart. Its hard on her, extremely hard, but although she may be considered a monster, she still has a choice, and that choice is to remain good. To not let herself become the monster everyone thinks she is. Is it easy? No. But is she going to do whatever she can to remain true to herself? Yes. And that, my friends, is something to be respected.

Kanan:

Awww Kanan, your so cool! He teaches her to weild weapons! XD I’d definitely love to have him as my vampire teacher. Sure, he’s more of a tough love kind of guy, but you can tell he really care’s about Allie. He was mysterious and aloof, but really wanted to help her. I don't want to give to much away but I  can’t wait to learn more about his story! Its heartbreaking! I really believe he's a great guy, you just gotta dig around to find it. 

Zeke:

This is the guy you want in real life. The sweet, caring guy that has such an incredibly good heart. But don’t think that he’s a wimp. No way. He may have a good heart, but he’s tough and protective too. A guy that’s incredibly sweet but also knows how to protect a girl? A perfect combination of sensitive guy and a man's man . Seriously, I fell in love with him. He was also so real. Unlike a lot of fictional boys, he’s not perfect, but I loved that about him. He had his faults and weaknesses, but he knew what they were and worked through them anyways.

Katanas:

She’s a katana wielding vampire. How freaking cool is that?!

Don’t worry, there’s still hope:

Perhaps one of the best things about a dark and gritty book is when their is always that little spark of hope. Even in the darkest of times, there's always that little light of hope and faith that your going to be alright. This book is dark and these characters are put in some awful situations but they keep going. No matter how bad things get, even if they sometimes doubt themselves, they have faith that things will get better. This is especially true when it comes to Zeke, something I absolutely loved about him. He went through unimaginable stuff, yet he never lost faith in something better. 

There was one thing I was kind of iffy about. The religion. Its nothing specific, but being religious myself, I kinda hate when they make religion bad. Of course there are....fanatics...out there, but not every religious person is. However, in this book it wasn't bad because A) it wasn't in your face (like some other books I've read before) and B) it showed both sides and didn't make the bad side ridiculously crazy. I actually let this part go to the back of my head because it didn't exactly make religion a bad thing, but I just wanted to warn you readers that it is in here. 

Overall:

This book was utterly fantastic. I loved the dark, gritty nature of the book and loved that, even in the darkest times, there was always hope. It was actually quite a beautiful story. It had fantastic characters and plot arcs and I know that Kagawa definitely has a fan for life when it comes to this series.

All the best ♥

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