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

I love Julie Kagawa.  I really do.  She is so sweet and kind. I've met her twice now at BEA and everytime I see her is a joy.  I was lucky enough to get a signed copy of Immortals Rules at BEA and it was well worth the time in line!  Here's the cover and Goodreads blurb:

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.

I've said it before and I will say it again.  Anything that Julie Kagawa touches is gold.  She could write copies of the phone book and it would be the best thing anyone ever read.  This book was wonderful.  Julie talks in the acknowledgements about being leary of writing "a vampire book."  Well, I read a lot of vampire books.  I thought I had seen and heard it all when it came to vampires but Julie Kagawa strikes again with a new and interesting take on them.  I really enjoyed reading about Allie and her journey to come to terms with being one of the things that she hates most.  She has to make choices as she learns about her new life.  What can she do, if anything, to keep from being the monster that her maker swears all vampires are?  Allie meets a lot of different people who all leave marks on her as she goes on her journey.  This book really shows how the people we meet and the experiences that we have in life mold us into the people that we are.  How we deal with life and its experiences will change who we become.  I really enjoyed this book and I highly recommend it.  The sequel, The Eternity Cure will release on April 23rd so you still have plenty of time to catch up!  So read this today!

You can click here to add The Immortal Rules to your Goodreads.  Julie Kagawa can be found on her website, her blog, Twitter and on Facebook.  I give The Immortal Rules 4 Fairies for a unique and interesting new take on vampires and what it means to be human.