Latest Read: The Forever Song by Julie Kagawa

The Forever Song (Blood of Eden, #3) by Julie Kagawa
Publication date: April 15, 2014
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Category: Young Adult - Dystopian/Paranormal
Source: Purchased
Summary: 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. (Adapted goodreads.com)

[I’m going to keep this as spoiler-free as possible but if you haven’t read The Eternity Cure, you probably shouldn’t be reading this.]

The good

I swear, I think I’ve been writing about the end of a series at least once, if not twice, per month lately. And here is yet another with The Forever Song. It feels like it’s been forever (hah!) since I read The Eternity Cure but that ending was unforgettable. Poor Zeke and Allie! Two strong, kind souls who fell in love despite what seemed like insurmountable differences. I had his final moments and her heartbreak in mind when I began reading. I was so ready for answers and Julie Kagawa definitely delivered on that front (and without dragging it out which made me happy!).

Allie, her brother Jackal and their sire Kanin are hunting down Sarren, the psychotic vampire who murdered Zeke and wants to unleash a virus that will kill humans and vampires alike. They know he’s headed to Eden but they are determined to stop him and moreover, Allie is determined to have her revenge. These three were interesting traveling companions, to put it mildly. Allie is grieving and giving into her vampire side more and more. Kanin is silent but observing and trying to remind Allie of her humanity. And Jackal is.. well, he’s Jackal. He’s there with his quips and antagonizing both Allie and Kanin (although, there is truth to his outbursts!). Jackal is the character who you want to hate and know you should but you can’t help but like the guy anyway.

There’s a sense of urgency with The Forever Song and if you felt the tone of the previous books were somber, it’s even more so here. These people are in despair and I was rooting for Allie and even Kanin & Jackal to not only defeat Sarren but to find some sort of peace. Since the beginning, this has been a very different kind of vampire series. Darker, a bit slower, more dystopian-like. It’s something I’ve always appreciated about the story and the writing and this was no different. Plus it still managed to surprise me a few times!

(Minor) reservations

I really, really enjoyed the Blood of Eden series as a whole but I did find this one to be the less gripping of the three books. Maybe it had to do with my mood or the somber pacing? But I did feel like some internal conflicts slowed down the pace or even got repetitive at times. Jackal at one point yells at them to just get over it and move on and I have to say, I felt that way a few times throughout the book.

Do I recommend?

I do! If you want to read an atypical vampire series and especially if you’re already a Julie Kagawa fan, check this one out.

Happy reading!