The Eternity Cure by Julie Kagawa

I like this cover better than the first book! 

Title: The Eternity Cure

Author: Julie Kagawa

Page count: 434 pages.

Publishing date: April 2013.

Publisher: HarlequinTeen

My rating: 4/5 stars!

Blurb:

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 journey with the Blood of Eden series began quite some time ago. Julie Kagawa has been a favorite author of mine for many years- my love beginning with her Iron Fey series. When I picked this series up, beginning with The Immortal Rules, I really wasn't too apprehensive about the idea of another vampire book because of how much I admired Kagawa. When I finished The Immortal Rules, however, I was left a little disappointed. After following the adventures of Meghan, Ash, Puck, and friends it was hard to adapt to this new series, which is completely different. 

I didn't hate The Immortal Rules, but I didn't fall in love with it and promptly forgot about the series at all until a week ago when I saw The Eternity Cure and The Forever Song on a bookshelf at my local library. I picked them up, thought to myself, why not, and began reading The Eternity Cure. 

After having read it, I will still stick by the thought that this series is nothing like the Iron Fey. And what did I learn? That's okay. I should have read this series with more of an open mind and I think my overall experience for the first book would have been better. 

The Eternity Cure begins after the events of book one. Allie, the protagonist, is searching for her blood sire, Kanin, and hoping to help him escape from the clutches of the insane vampire Sarren who holds him captive. On her journey she encounters Jackal, her sarcastic blood brother with no regard for human life. After reluctantly striking a deal with Jackal, Allie and Jackal find themselves back at Allie's old home- New Covington. Somewhere inside those walls Kanin is being held. And with each day that passes, Kanin's very morality is threatened. In New Covington, Allie will find someone she left behind for what feels like a long time ago, a threat to everyone, and the possibility that she could find her happy ending.

In my opinion, Jackal made this book so much more interesting and entertaining. I don't know what it is with me and bad boys, but I so desperately love them. Jackal is one example. Snarky, dangerous, and thrilling, Jackal gives the book a sense of dark humor. Combined with Allie's redemptive and loyal side, the reader knows that this friendship is going to be very rocky. And also very very entertaining to read about. I loved the constant bickering between the two. And while both of them would never admit it, they have each others' backs. When Jackal and Allie are together, they are definitely a force to be reckoned with. 

As for Allie herself, I still have trouble connecting with her. She's not horrible or unbearable to read about but there's just something about her that makes it hard for me to connect. I respect her ongoing battle to control the vampire side of her, to tame the monster. I like that about her, but I think it might be the way she constantly pities herself that really annoys me. She always treated herself like the victim, like it was almost unbearable for her to be a vampire and feed on humans, but she's the one who choose to become this. Either learn to satisfy the monster like Jackal or learn how to deal with the guilt. Either way, choose. Being whiny doesn't solve anything. 

Zeke, the human love interest for Allie and the sole reason that Allie tries to be good, is probably someone I'll never really like. He just rubs me the wrong way. It's like everything he does is soooo good... even when he's killing others. But, oh.. if Jackal does it then everyone thinks that he is this evil monster. Zeke is a goodie-goodie and, like I said, bad boys are more my thing.

Kanin. He's awesome. The end.

As for the plot itself, I very much enjoyed it. A new element is brought into the story that could very well end the existence of all life on earth, and I thought that was really awesome. This book was a perfect time to incorporate that element. I enjoyed being back in the familiar New Covington and especially enjoyed Jackal's opinions of his blood sister's home when she was a human. 

The last few chapters were very intense and paved the way for a strong and powerful final book, The Forever Song, which I am reading right now. I'm excited to see how Kagawa ends the series and can't wait to finish the third book.

OH. And if Jackal dies, I'm rioting. 

                                        

                                           Until next time,