Society's collapse affected the weather, the government, and the country's citizens. Now, distractoids -those weaned on instant gratification who need constant musical, sexual, visual, or chemical stimulation to distract them from the bleakness of their lives and keep them from questioning their government- live in hubs, water is the highest form of payment, and many people try to drop off the grid. Some of these are Mariah, Gabriel, and their shifter companions from the Badlands. However, Mariah cannot control her increasingly violent were-shifter nature, and Gabriel seems to be losing the fight to maintain a semblance of humanity despite his own vampiric nature. They are bonded, but he tries to keep his distance, as Mariah and Gabriel have difficulty being in the same room without feverish passion igniting their animalistic natures. They aim east toward outposts and hubs to search for a mythical cure. Meanwhile, the dangers they hoped they'd outrun in the Badlands continue to haunt them.

Returning to themes regarding "what is a monster?", this second work in the Bloodlands series depicts a gritty world where tough choices are a matter of survival. Gabriel wants Mariah to find her inner strength, but he fears not only what her journey will do to her; he fears how it will affect him. As they try to get closer to a potential cure, they learn more than they might survive; riddles whose answers they might not wish to confront.

An excellent work, BLOOD RULES jets along with fascinating depictions of a horrific potential future and encourages the reader to ponder the characteristics or actions that truly make one "human." Christine Cody's writing style is excellent, as she keeps some of the cards close to her chest; the reader gets to partake in the adventure with the characters, and the plot devices are fresh and interesting, quite a feat!

Book Summary

After the man named Gabriel came to the Bloodlands, Mariah Lyander was forced to face her true nature, and the horrible things she had done. To redeem herself, she embarks on a quest to find a rumored cure for her were- creatures hoping to recover her own humanity-and Gabriel's love.