Bloodlines by: Richelle Mead
Goodreads Synopsis:
Blood doesn't lie...
Sydney is an alchemist, one of a group of
humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of human and
vampires. They protect vampire secrets - and human lives. When Sydney is torn
from her bed in the middle of the night, at first she thinks she's still being
punished for her complicated alliance with dhampir Rose Hathaway. But what
unfolds is far worse. Jill Dragomir - the sister of Moroi Queen Lissa Dragomir
- is in mortal danger, and the Moroi must send her into hiding. To avoid a
civil war, Sydney is called upon to act as Jill's guardian and protector,
posing as her roommate in the last place anyone would think to look for vampire
royalty - a human boarding school in Palm Springs, California. But instead of
finding safety at Amberwood Prep, Sydney discovers the drama is only just
beginning...
Review:
After my friend introduced me to the
Vampire Academy series two years ago, I was a goner. I lived and breathed those
books for about a week until I was finished with the whole series. When I heard
of the spin-off series, I was wary to say the least. I held off reading it, but
when I did, I had the very same problem of devouring the books, and I’ve never
looked back.
Sydney, the Alchemist from the previous series, is now back among her people and is given a new mission to show
her loyalty to her superiors after her screw-up in Last Sacrifice. Her
assignment is to watch over Jill Dragomir, the sister of the vampire Moroi
queen, Lissa, in order to keep a civil war from happening. She moves to
California, enrolls in a boarding school, and expects a relatively smooth job.
When she finds a mystery surrounding unexplainable tattoos, she discovers that
the Alchemist world and what she has been taught her whole life is far from
perfect.
Sydney is so much different from Rose in
many ways. She is the smartest heroine I have ever encountered, and she is so
pristine and good-natured. She thinks about every decision, its options and
consequences, deeply, and she does not act rashly. But don’t get me wrong, she
is willing to get dirty if need be. I would not say that she is innocent, but I
do think that she does not understand other people her age. It’s quite
hilarious to watch her interactions with her fellow classmates. She has been
taught a very strict set of rules and values since she was born, told that
vampires are ungodly and horrible creatures. I definitely could see her inner
struggle between what she was taught and what she experiences with the vampires
and the dhampirs she spends all her time with.
Adrian is just as perfect as ever in this
series. He had his heart broken and is still recovering from it. He is still an
enigma, and I am sure I will never encounter anyone, in books or real life,
that comes even close to Adrian. He is such a deep character, and I never could
have predicted his amazingness. He has a drive to become more than what people
expect of him, and it is really inspiring.
I loved having part of the cast from
Vampire Academy series return in Bloodlines. Eddie is Jill’s guardian, and he
is so protective of her. Jill has
grown up a bit from when we saw her last, and she is still really sweet. I love
her and Adrian’s interactions. Clarence, the vampire who lives in Palm Springs,
is such a kind old man, but he definitely has a couple screws loose. His son,
Lee, is a weirdo. His actions are confusing and I don’t understand him at all.
I think Sydney’s teacher, Ms. Terwilliger, is quirky and funny, and I think she
will be very important in the coming books.
The plot is exciting, and there were a
couple mysteries. I had no idea how they would get solved, and the ending kept
me on the edge of my seat. The writing is of course wonderful as always, and
while I loved Rose’s voice in Vampire Academy, Sydney’s was really unique. The
romance was not super prominent in this book, but there are inklings of what is
to come in book 2. There was no insta-love, which is probably one of my
favorite aspects of this series. It is built slowly and on friendship. Their
banter is funny, and Adrian is one person that Sydney can let loose around.
Sydney is kinda clueless when it comes to guys, and I loved seeing that come
across in her thoughts.
After I read this book, I immediately ran
out and bought The Golden Lily. This book made Bloodlines quickly become one of
my favorites series ever. If you haven’t read Vampire Academy, I highly suggest
it before digging into this spin-off series. Richelle Mead is a genius, and
this is hands down the best vampire series I have ever read.
Favorite Swoon-worthy Quote: “My god, Sage. Your eyes. How have I never noticed them?” That
uncomfortable feeling was spreading over me again. “What about them?” “The
color,” he breathed. “When you stand in the light. They’re amazing…like molten
gold. I could paint those…” He reached toward me but then pulled back. “They’re
beautiful. You’re beautiful.”
Rating: 5/5 Tar
Heels!
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