Status
Available
Call number
Collections
Publication
Puffin (2011), Paperback, 416 pages
Description
Fantasy. Romance. Young Adult Fiction. Young Adult Literature. HTML:The first book in Richelle Mead's New York Times bestselling Bloodlines series When alchemist Sydney is ordered into hiding to protect the life of Moroi princess Jill Dragomir, the last place she expects to be sent is a human private school in Palm Springs, California. Populated with new faces as well as familiar ones, Bloodlines explores all the friendship, romance, battles, and betrayals that made the #1 New York Times bestselling Vampire Academy series so addictive�??this time in a part-vampire, part-human setting where the stakes are even higher and everyone's out for blo
User reviews
LibraryThing member MrsBoswellBooks
I LOVE Richelle Mead's Vampire Academy series, so I was super excited to hear that she was going to be publishing a spin-off series. I was slightly hesitant towards the book at first because I was originally so invested in Rose. I loved her perspectives and all of her little quirks. I wasn't sure
Sydney Sage is an alchemist, who basically cleans up after the Moroi, Strigoi and Dhampirs. She is now tasked in protecting Jill Dragomir, which requires both of them (plus a couple extras) blending into the human world. Blending in obviously never goes as planned, and much drama ensues.
As mentioned, I wasn't sure how I'd feel about following a story from Sydney's POV. I didn't exactly love it, but the overall story was still really good. I think that it will just take me a little time to get out of Rose's head. I kind of wish that Richelle had written this one from Adrian's POV... I just adore him!
It was fun getting to know some characters who weren't exactly stars in the Vampire Academy series. Getting to know Sydney and the history of the alchemists was intriguing. For someone who initially hated vampires and everything surrounding them, I loved watching Sydney's evolving relationships with the Moroi and Dhampir she closely worked with. I'm interesting in learning more about Jill and the Dragomir line. It was great getting to see another side of Eddie, as well. But most of all, I enjoyed spending some time with Adrian who is beginning to patch his life back together.
Richelle's writing is wonderful and so easy to follow! I don't feel bogged down or lost in translation. While the storyline seemed a little predictable to me, it did not retract from the story at all. It was fun, full of excitement and action the entire way through. Definitely one I recommend to all and, if you haven't, read Richelle's Vampire Academy series as well!
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how I'd feel about following the story from someone else's POV, especially Sydney's.Sydney Sage is an alchemist, who basically cleans up after the Moroi, Strigoi and Dhampirs. She is now tasked in protecting Jill Dragomir, which requires both of them (plus a couple extras) blending into the human world. Blending in obviously never goes as planned, and much drama ensues.
As mentioned, I wasn't sure how I'd feel about following a story from Sydney's POV. I didn't exactly love it, but the overall story was still really good. I think that it will just take me a little time to get out of Rose's head. I kind of wish that Richelle had written this one from Adrian's POV... I just adore him!
It was fun getting to know some characters who weren't exactly stars in the Vampire Academy series. Getting to know Sydney and the history of the alchemists was intriguing. For someone who initially hated vampires and everything surrounding them, I loved watching Sydney's evolving relationships with the Moroi and Dhampir she closely worked with. I'm interesting in learning more about Jill and the Dragomir line. It was great getting to see another side of Eddie, as well. But most of all, I enjoyed spending some time with Adrian who is beginning to patch his life back together.
Richelle's writing is wonderful and so easy to follow! I don't feel bogged down or lost in translation. While the storyline seemed a little predictable to me, it did not retract from the story at all. It was fun, full of excitement and action the entire way through. Definitely one I recommend to all and, if you haven't, read Richelle's Vampire Academy series as well!
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LibraryThing member alana_leigh
Fans of Richelle Mead's Vampire Academy series will be quite pleased with the first installment of her new series that takes place in the same world of Moroi, dhampirs, and alchemists: Bloodlines. While the basic story points are a bit simple and predictable as we set up for a new run, Mead's
Our heroine here has a familiar face (as do most of the faces we'll find in the book) -- it's none other than Sydney, the alchemist who played a major role in helping Rose Hathaway in her quests from the last series, albeit against her will as she made good on owed favors to Abe Mazur, the mob-boss-like figure known as zmey, or "the snake" and, incidentally, Rose's father. Alchemists are humans who are devoted to keeping other humans in the dark about the existence of vampires -- and this often means cleaning up after vampires and enforcing a lot of rules (which comes with a great deal of paperwork). Observant folk will notice that alchemists all have a golden tattoo of a lilly on their cheeks -- which gives them a certain amount of power and protection, but also keeps them from revealing too much about their world and activities to those not already in the know. Sydney was in hot water with the alchemists for her part in assisting Rose in Last Sacrifice -- not entirely because Rose was presumed guilty of murder but more because alchemists are not supposed to *like* vampires and Sydney seemed to have become entirely too close to the loathed creatures. So when a young female alchemist is needed for a mission, Syndey is passed over for her inexperienced little sister, Zoe. In her attempt to keep young Zoe out of the world of the alchemists, Sydney offends her by insisting Zoe's much too young and incapable, but it works and she gets the job.
Sydney is sent to Palm Springs help guard Jill, Queen Vasilia's recently-discovered half-sister who was attacked... and not by Strigoi (the evil brand of vamp), but by those who oppose her sister's politics. In order to maintain the throne, Lissa needs at least one living family member, which means Jill's safety is very important. Palm Springs, with the heat and sun, is one of the last places one would expect vampires and so a suitable boarding school has been located to serve as a relatively clear area to stash the young royal. Sydney is to pose as Jill's sister and Jill's dhampir bodyguard, Eddie, is to be their brother, but the family doesn't end there. Adrian, recently broken-hearted by Rose, is also around to post as another brother and, worst of all for Sydney, there's Keith, the alchemist in charge of the Palm Springs. Keith and Sydney despise each other as a result of an incident in their pasts (and not in the sexy "they hate each other now, but when passions rise" kind of way) and the most we can glean is that Keith did something terrible (though not necessarily to Sydney) and now he remains a slimy jerk, but a jerk in charge of her progress reports to their employers and who's playing the role of brother/legal guardian. Brilliant. Rounding out the cast are Clarence, an older vamp in the area that's willing to share his feeder/housekeeper with Jill, and Clarence's son, Lee, who is a shady fellow off the bat and yet Jill seems to have a small crush on him. Clarence's niece was killed a few years prior, presumably by Strigoi, though the circumstances are shady and Clarence blames vampire hunters. Intriguing. I wonder if that information will play in to our tale? (Hint: yes.)
Sydney must keep her eye on Jill while they navigate school, though to be honest, the latter isn't all that bad for Sydney, as she enjoys classes and is wildly intelligent. She even gets the opportunity to serve as a research assistant to a history professor, though that seems to be equal parts note-taking and coffee-fetching. Sydney, who was home-schooled and who loves architecture (even though her strict father thought it a useless subject), manages quite well... but Jill? Not so much. The sun and heat take a real toll on the young vamp and her shyness keeps her from making many friends. It also doesn't help that she attracts the eye of a human fellow that a particularly nasty girl in school wishes were *her* boyfriend and so the mean girl faults Jill and makes her life a living hell. There's also the fact that Jill and Adrian seem weirdly close these days, but not romantically, and Syndey is not pleased when she uncovers what has gone down. Meanwhile, the school seems to have some odd goings-on (beyond the whole vampires secretly attending thing) that has to do with some metallic tattoos that give the wearer strange powers (or at least an awesome high). Sydney's inquisitive nature will not let this lie and, unsurprisingly, things seem to be all wrapped up together.
The big mysteries are fairly easy to suss out early on, but if you're anything like me, you enjoy Richelle Mead for the clear, easy reading and the enjoyable characters. Sydney is an excellent heroine in many ways and she provides an interesting perspective (particularly as a shift away from Rose and the very intense Moroi/dhampir politics). Her dislike of magic will make for interesting future issues as she interacts with the vamps (and others). There's an interesting bit where Sydney is appalled that she receives a size two uniform instead of a zero -- the weight-control issues obviously going back to her disapproving father and the body image drama that must develop from working with model-thin vampires. Thankfully, Adrian is on hand to tell Sydney that she's too skinny as it is, so perhaps we'll move away from those ludicrous size discussions. (It's rather hard to feel too sorry for Sydney when the difference is between size zero and size two.) Even though the story doesn't feature much romance yet, it's obvious that Mead has plans for Sydney to help Adrian get over his broken heart and figure out his own life. Adrian, meanwhile, is still a bit wicked, but is much tamer (for several reasons) than readers might wish, but I suppose concessions must be made if we want to make him a viable romantic lead who's trying to get his life in order. Eddie remains strong and sweet while Jill is a bit petulant, but she's been through a lot, so I'm sure she'll mature quickly. Rose makes a cameo at the beginning of the story and she'll probably continue to pop in and out, but it looks like we might get a good deal more Dimitri in the next book. I'm not particularly enthralled with the Palm Springs setting, but that can obviously change up as things move around -- the real focus will be on Syndey and her relationship with the vampire community, primarily through Adrian and Jill.
Without Rose's mental line to Lissa that kept previous books jumping between the two perspectives, Bloodlines felt like a very focused story -- in a good way. Things were simple here (protecting Jill, placing Adrian in a new setting, a solveable issue at the school), but the scope will undoubtedly widen as we go on and Jill plays a bigger role at Court. I'm betting we can count on the Moroi/dhampir issues to continue and since Sydney is our focus, the alchemist system to come in to question. I'm curious to see where Mead will take us, as it's just not possible that she'll allow things to stay simple forever, and I'm more than content to let her go wherever she likes with this world, as long as she continues to entertain... and not veer Adrian too far away from his devilish nature towards the responsible-and-boring side of things.
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consistently fun characters make for an entertaining read and a promising start to a series that will undoubtedly allow us to enjoy our favorite characters from the past and, in general, delight in the guilty pleasure of reading about teen vampires/those in their strange world.Our heroine here has a familiar face (as do most of the faces we'll find in the book) -- it's none other than Sydney, the alchemist who played a major role in helping Rose Hathaway in her quests from the last series, albeit against her will as she made good on owed favors to Abe Mazur, the mob-boss-like figure known as zmey, or "the snake" and, incidentally, Rose's father. Alchemists are humans who are devoted to keeping other humans in the dark about the existence of vampires -- and this often means cleaning up after vampires and enforcing a lot of rules (which comes with a great deal of paperwork). Observant folk will notice that alchemists all have a golden tattoo of a lilly on their cheeks -- which gives them a certain amount of power and protection, but also keeps them from revealing too much about their world and activities to those not already in the know. Sydney was in hot water with the alchemists for her part in assisting Rose in Last Sacrifice -- not entirely because Rose was presumed guilty of murder but more because alchemists are not supposed to *like* vampires and Sydney seemed to have become entirely too close to the loathed creatures. So when a young female alchemist is needed for a mission, Syndey is passed over for her inexperienced little sister, Zoe. In her attempt to keep young Zoe out of the world of the alchemists, Sydney offends her by insisting Zoe's much too young and incapable, but it works and she gets the job.
Sydney is sent to Palm Springs help guard Jill, Queen Vasilia's recently-discovered half-sister who was attacked... and not by Strigoi (the evil brand of vamp), but by those who oppose her sister's politics. In order to maintain the throne, Lissa needs at least one living family member, which means Jill's safety is very important. Palm Springs, with the heat and sun, is one of the last places one would expect vampires and so a suitable boarding school has been located to serve as a relatively clear area to stash the young royal. Sydney is to pose as Jill's sister and Jill's dhampir bodyguard, Eddie, is to be their brother, but the family doesn't end there. Adrian, recently broken-hearted by Rose, is also around to post as another brother and, worst of all for Sydney, there's Keith, the alchemist in charge of the Palm Springs. Keith and Sydney despise each other as a result of an incident in their pasts (and not in the sexy "they hate each other now, but when passions rise" kind of way) and the most we can glean is that Keith did something terrible (though not necessarily to Sydney) and now he remains a slimy jerk, but a jerk in charge of her progress reports to their employers and who's playing the role of brother/legal guardian. Brilliant. Rounding out the cast are Clarence, an older vamp in the area that's willing to share his feeder/housekeeper with Jill, and Clarence's son, Lee, who is a shady fellow off the bat and yet Jill seems to have a small crush on him. Clarence's niece was killed a few years prior, presumably by Strigoi, though the circumstances are shady and Clarence blames vampire hunters. Intriguing. I wonder if that information will play in to our tale? (Hint: yes.)
Sydney must keep her eye on Jill while they navigate school, though to be honest, the latter isn't all that bad for Sydney, as she enjoys classes and is wildly intelligent. She even gets the opportunity to serve as a research assistant to a history professor, though that seems to be equal parts note-taking and coffee-fetching. Sydney, who was home-schooled and who loves architecture (even though her strict father thought it a useless subject), manages quite well... but Jill? Not so much. The sun and heat take a real toll on the young vamp and her shyness keeps her from making many friends. It also doesn't help that she attracts the eye of a human fellow that a particularly nasty girl in school wishes were *her* boyfriend and so the mean girl faults Jill and makes her life a living hell. There's also the fact that Jill and Adrian seem weirdly close these days, but not romantically, and Syndey is not pleased when she uncovers what has gone down. Meanwhile, the school seems to have some odd goings-on (beyond the whole vampires secretly attending thing) that has to do with some metallic tattoos that give the wearer strange powers (or at least an awesome high). Sydney's inquisitive nature will not let this lie and, unsurprisingly, things seem to be all wrapped up together.
The big mysteries are fairly easy to suss out early on, but if you're anything like me, you enjoy Richelle Mead for the clear, easy reading and the enjoyable characters. Sydney is an excellent heroine in many ways and she provides an interesting perspective (particularly as a shift away from Rose and the very intense Moroi/dhampir politics). Her dislike of magic will make for interesting future issues as she interacts with the vamps (and others). There's an interesting bit where Sydney is appalled that she receives a size two uniform instead of a zero -- the weight-control issues obviously going back to her disapproving father and the body image drama that must develop from working with model-thin vampires. Thankfully, Adrian is on hand to tell Sydney that she's too skinny as it is, so perhaps we'll move away from those ludicrous size discussions. (It's rather hard to feel too sorry for Sydney when the difference is between size zero and size two.) Even though the story doesn't feature much romance yet, it's obvious that Mead has plans for Sydney to help Adrian get over his broken heart and figure out his own life. Adrian, meanwhile, is still a bit wicked, but is much tamer (for several reasons) than readers might wish, but I suppose concessions must be made if we want to make him a viable romantic lead who's trying to get his life in order. Eddie remains strong and sweet while Jill is a bit petulant, but she's been through a lot, so I'm sure she'll mature quickly. Rose makes a cameo at the beginning of the story and she'll probably continue to pop in and out, but it looks like we might get a good deal more Dimitri in the next book. I'm not particularly enthralled with the Palm Springs setting, but that can obviously change up as things move around -- the real focus will be on Syndey and her relationship with the vampire community, primarily through Adrian and Jill.
Without Rose's mental line to Lissa that kept previous books jumping between the two perspectives, Bloodlines felt like a very focused story -- in a good way. Things were simple here (protecting Jill, placing Adrian in a new setting, a solveable issue at the school), but the scope will undoubtedly widen as we go on and Jill plays a bigger role at Court. I'm betting we can count on the Moroi/dhampir issues to continue and since Sydney is our focus, the alchemist system to come in to question. I'm curious to see where Mead will take us, as it's just not possible that she'll allow things to stay simple forever, and I'm more than content to let her go wherever she likes with this world, as long as she continues to entertain... and not veer Adrian too far away from his devilish nature towards the responsible-and-boring side of things.
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LibraryThing member Jibar
When Last Sacrifice ended I was less than thrilled with the results. I mean, sure I was happy that Rose was not executed or something of the sort. However, the whole Dimitri business did just not sit well with me. I totally admit it: I'm an Adrian Fan through and through. So obviously I had to read
It did give me that. I think Adrian seems a lot more mature than what I was used to (well, considering what happened it's not that surprising) and I have to be honest: He made this book. For me at least. I don't think I would have continued reading it, especially with all the confusion in the beginning. I kept thinking that I had maybe forgotten something from Last Sacrifice because it was so confusing.
I didn't like the concept of Alchemists in Vampire Academy. To me, it felt like they were introduced because Rose needed some help. By now, their purpose and the way they do what they do is refined enough to consider it believable. But it still kind of bugs me they were introduced that late.
On top of that, I didn't like Sydney, neither in Vampire Academy nor in Bloodlines. Jill continously annoyed me with whatever she did, and that showed the fact that she is related to Lissa the most in my opinion. Lissa annoyed me a lot, too.
Still, four stars. Why? Well. I did tear though this one, I wanted to know what would happen, and I did not guess the plot at all I have to say. Especially the later part. It seems to be a definite strength of Mead, her plotting. I think what I missed most was Rose. She was there briefly, but her Ooomph was just missing.
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Bloodlines, since it promised more of Adrian.It did give me that. I think Adrian seems a lot more mature than what I was used to (well, considering what happened it's not that surprising) and I have to be honest: He made this book. For me at least. I don't think I would have continued reading it, especially with all the confusion in the beginning. I kept thinking that I had maybe forgotten something from Last Sacrifice because it was so confusing.
I didn't like the concept of Alchemists in Vampire Academy. To me, it felt like they were introduced because Rose needed some help. By now, their purpose and the way they do what they do is refined enough to consider it believable. But it still kind of bugs me they were introduced that late.
On top of that, I didn't like Sydney, neither in Vampire Academy nor in Bloodlines. Jill continously annoyed me with whatever she did, and that showed the fact that she is related to Lissa the most in my opinion. Lissa annoyed me a lot, too.
Still, four stars. Why? Well. I did tear though this one, I wanted to know what would happen, and I did not guess the plot at all I have to say. Especially the later part. It seems to be a definite strength of Mead, her plotting. I think what I missed most was Rose. She was there briefly, but her Ooomph was just missing.
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LibraryThing member angee1011
This book, like others of Richelle Mead, had a good quality to it that you don't find in a lot of books. The writing flowed. The plot was captivating. And the characters were very interesting.
It was interesting, let alone awesome, to read how Sydney views the world of Vampire Academy and its
As Richelle has said, Sydney's a very different person from Rose and you can really make a comparison after reading Bloodlines. She's obedient, intelligent, controlled. Her main internal conflict was how she really perceived herself.
I think that as this story goes on she'll stand up more for herself and really develop as a character. I really cannot wait to see how each character's own desires and interests intersect with the others.
Richelle Mead is a very good at character develop; it's one thing I admire about her. I feel like she's going to do an amazing job making Sydney, Jill, Adrian, and the rest of the group even more dynamic in the following books to come.
And to touch on what "the big romance of the series", using Richelle's words, it confused me. When she said it was going to sneak up on you, it really does. In Vampire Academy, we knew right in the very beginning chapters who the two would be to have "the big romance": Rose and Dimitri.
And now, we have Bloodlines. There wasn't really any 'romance' in this book. Yeah, at the end, you could tell that Adrian looked at her with new appraisal, but still. I'm not sure. I feel like Adrian and Sydney are going to end up together. I mean, they both effected each other. Sydney does what Rose couldn't: she inspires Adrian to make big changes. I simply cannot express how much I'm looking forward to the sequel.
And as for the cliffhanger at the end, I must say that I've always hated cliffhangers.
It was interesting, let alone awesome, to read how Sydney views the world of Vampire Academy and its
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players, like Rose, Adrian, Jill, etc. As Richelle has said, Sydney's a very different person from Rose and you can really make a comparison after reading Bloodlines. She's obedient, intelligent, controlled. Her main internal conflict was how she really perceived herself.
I think that as this story goes on she'll stand up more for herself and really develop as a character. I really cannot wait to see how each character's own desires and interests intersect with the others.
Richelle Mead is a very good at character develop; it's one thing I admire about her. I feel like she's going to do an amazing job making Sydney, Jill, Adrian, and the rest of the group even more dynamic in the following books to come.
And to touch on what "the big romance of the series", using Richelle's words, it confused me. When she said it was going to sneak up on you, it really does. In Vampire Academy, we knew right in the very beginning chapters who the two would be to have "the big romance": Rose and Dimitri.
And now, we have Bloodlines. There wasn't really any 'romance' in this book. Yeah, at the end, you could tell that Adrian looked at her with new appraisal, but still. I'm not sure. I feel like Adrian and Sydney are going to end up together. I mean, they both effected each other. Sydney does what Rose couldn't: she inspires Adrian to make big changes. I simply cannot express how much I'm looking forward to the sequel.
And as for the cliffhanger at the end, I must say that I've always hated cliffhangers.
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LibraryThing member poetrytoprose
As a big fan of the Vampire Academy series, I was beyond excited when I snagged this at the Penguin booth at Comic-Con. I was really looking forward to getting more of Adrian (hello, fangirl here!) and Bloodlines delivered just that and then some!
I really enjoyed Sydney’s character in the first
Adrian, I missed you!!! He was my absolute favorite character from the Vampire Academy series and, though I obviously knew what would be the result of Rose’s relationship woes, his last scene in Last Sacrifice left a bitter taste in my mouth on his behalf. It was completely realistic, and I did love it, but his pain was also very palpable and…OUCH. Needless to say, I was thrilled that he would be involved in this spinoff series. Dimitri/Rose mentions would be inevitable, of course, but I liked the idea of him being the leading man and stepping out of their shadow. Adrian was in top form here, with his usual humor and charm. He’s obviously still broken over the Rose situation, but I liked seeing that he hasn’t closed off from everyone and there is SO much potential from him.
The two other characters that the book focuses on are Eddie and Jill, both familiar faces from the previous books. I can’t say I cared for them much before, but attachments are definitely forming now. The dynamic of them with Sydney and Adrian is so much fun and it’s only going to get more interesting from here. The mysteries didn’t have me hooked as much as I hoped — there was a certain degree of predictability there — but I’m sure this was only a taste of what’s to come and there were some other surprises along the way.
That ending! Oh, boy. It was 4AM when I finished the book, so my outward reaction was simply my jaw dropping, but inside I was basically screaming. Way to end the book with a bang, Richelle! The wait for The Golden Lily is torturing me already because I’m dying to know how things will play out, eeeeek! All in all, I’m so excited for the progress of this spinoff. It’s great to have a new perspective on this familiar world with some awesome characters.
I really enjoyed Sydney’s character in the first
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series, but stepping into her shoes here was a very refreshing experience. I liked her so much that I now have the urge to go through her scenes in the VA books to revisit her actions in those. She’s a lot more subdued than her predecessor, with a different kind of determination and strength, and I found it a lot easier to relate to her. She has her socially awkward moments, which only made her that much more endearing to me, she’s fiercely protective, and she’s amazing for putting up with the BS from her father and Keith (HAAAAAAATE). Plus, this girl holds her own with Adrian. We all know how unpredictable he can be, but she keeps up and even begins to ground him in reality a bit. Things between these two are going to get good!Adrian, I missed you!!! He was my absolute favorite character from the Vampire Academy series and, though I obviously knew what would be the result of Rose’s relationship woes, his last scene in Last Sacrifice left a bitter taste in my mouth on his behalf. It was completely realistic, and I did love it, but his pain was also very palpable and…OUCH. Needless to say, I was thrilled that he would be involved in this spinoff series. Dimitri/Rose mentions would be inevitable, of course, but I liked the idea of him being the leading man and stepping out of their shadow. Adrian was in top form here, with his usual humor and charm. He’s obviously still broken over the Rose situation, but I liked seeing that he hasn’t closed off from everyone and there is SO much potential from him.
The two other characters that the book focuses on are Eddie and Jill, both familiar faces from the previous books. I can’t say I cared for them much before, but attachments are definitely forming now. The dynamic of them with Sydney and Adrian is so much fun and it’s only going to get more interesting from here. The mysteries didn’t have me hooked as much as I hoped — there was a certain degree of predictability there — but I’m sure this was only a taste of what’s to come and there were some other surprises along the way.
That ending! Oh, boy. It was 4AM when I finished the book, so my outward reaction was simply my jaw dropping, but inside I was basically screaming. Way to end the book with a bang, Richelle! The wait for The Golden Lily is torturing me already because I’m dying to know how things will play out, eeeeek! All in all, I’m so excited for the progress of this spinoff. It’s great to have a new perspective on this familiar world with some awesome characters.
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LibraryThing member Bookswithbite
I don't want to spoil this book but I do want to brag about it! I loved reading every moment of this book. I adored Adrian along with the other characters.
What can I say that will do this book justice? I can say that the plot is dynamic and breathtaking. As soon as you start reading you are swept
If you have read The Vampire Academy series then you will know most of the characters in this book and be introduce to some new ones. I can tell you that all of the characters are well developed. Relationships sparked up when you least expect it. Characters that you missed will be there (Hint: Adrian) and you will fall in love with them all over again!
Did this book totally rock my socks off? YES! Should you go out and pre-order? YES! I have! This is a must book, a must read for ALL Vampire Academy fans.
What can I say that will do this book justice? I can say that the plot is dynamic and breathtaking. As soon as you start reading you are swept
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in the world that we all know feeling in our place again. The plot pacing is great with secrets coming out, betrayals happening, and a main characters who is always on her toes.If you have read The Vampire Academy series then you will know most of the characters in this book and be introduce to some new ones. I can tell you that all of the characters are well developed. Relationships sparked up when you least expect it. Characters that you missed will be there (Hint: Adrian) and you will fall in love with them all over again!
Did this book totally rock my socks off? YES! Should you go out and pre-order? YES! I have! This is a must book, a must read for ALL Vampire Academy fans.
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LibraryThing member pollywannabook
Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy
BLOODLINES is the first book in a new series of the same name by Richelle Mead, a spinoff of her hugely popular Vampire Academy series. BLOODLINES pairs a gentle, somewhat shy Moroi vampire with a much tougher, bolder protector at an exclusive boarding
The Moroi vampire is Jill, the sister of Vasilisa, and the protector is the alchemist Sydney, who helped clear Rose’s name in the Vampire Academy series. And poor Adrian may not have gotten the girl last time, but things are looking much better for him in BLOODLINES. While, it's not necessary to have read the Vampire Academy series to enjoy BLOODLINES, I will say that if you haven't read them, you are missing out on the finer details of this world and much of the intricate backstory of the characters, specifically Adrian.
Sydney was not a character I really ever warmed up to in the Vampire Academy series, but launching out on her own in BLOODLINES, I came away with a much improved impression of her. She had a naïveté that did irritate me from time to time as I tended to be a step or two ahead of her at all times when it came to figuring out who was deceiving her, and I do not understand how she could breath the same air as Keith once it was revealed what he had done, but she also had an honest and very compassionate demeanor that made it so easy to root for her. She has a lot of baggage from her upbringing as an Alchemist, mostly in regards to the unnaturalness of vampires, that I cheered to see get chipped away as the story progressed. She has a long way to go, but I'm looking forward to seeing that aspect of her personality change.
Adrian was the real star of BLOODLINES for me. I loved him in the Vampire Academy series, and even though I’m glad that the romances worked out the way they did in that series, I’m thrilled to see Adrian get this second chance at happiness. As you can imagine, he’s a mess in BLOODLINES. He moves from one excess to the next while trying to stamp out the pain from loosing the one he loved. He still has that trademark sarcasm and charm that allows him to get away with a lot and still have readers loving him.
I don’t have room here to discuss how wonderful this world is. I will say that both Vampire Academy and now Bloodlines share all the hallmarks of great paranormal YA series. Gripping characters, blurred moral lines, epic romance, and stellar supernatural details. The next book in the Bloodlines series is called THE GOLDEN LILY and will be published on May 1, 2012.
Sexual Content:
References to sex. References to rape.
BLOODLINES is the first book in a new series of the same name by Richelle Mead, a spinoff of her hugely popular Vampire Academy series. BLOODLINES pairs a gentle, somewhat shy Moroi vampire with a much tougher, bolder protector at an exclusive boarding
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school. There is also an illicit romance that develops where one party would be violating certain societal rules if they pursued it. Sound familiar? Richelle Mead has no problem continuing with the relationship dynamics that made the Vampire Academy series so successful and, in this case, I’m so glad she did.The Moroi vampire is Jill, the sister of Vasilisa, and the protector is the alchemist Sydney, who helped clear Rose’s name in the Vampire Academy series. And poor Adrian may not have gotten the girl last time, but things are looking much better for him in BLOODLINES. While, it's not necessary to have read the Vampire Academy series to enjoy BLOODLINES, I will say that if you haven't read them, you are missing out on the finer details of this world and much of the intricate backstory of the characters, specifically Adrian.
Sydney was not a character I really ever warmed up to in the Vampire Academy series, but launching out on her own in BLOODLINES, I came away with a much improved impression of her. She had a naïveté that did irritate me from time to time as I tended to be a step or two ahead of her at all times when it came to figuring out who was deceiving her, and I do not understand how she could breath the same air as Keith once it was revealed what he had done, but she also had an honest and very compassionate demeanor that made it so easy to root for her. She has a lot of baggage from her upbringing as an Alchemist, mostly in regards to the unnaturalness of vampires, that I cheered to see get chipped away as the story progressed. She has a long way to go, but I'm looking forward to seeing that aspect of her personality change.
Adrian was the real star of BLOODLINES for me. I loved him in the Vampire Academy series, and even though I’m glad that the romances worked out the way they did in that series, I’m thrilled to see Adrian get this second chance at happiness. As you can imagine, he’s a mess in BLOODLINES. He moves from one excess to the next while trying to stamp out the pain from loosing the one he loved. He still has that trademark sarcasm and charm that allows him to get away with a lot and still have readers loving him.
I don’t have room here to discuss how wonderful this world is. I will say that both Vampire Academy and now Bloodlines share all the hallmarks of great paranormal YA series. Gripping characters, blurred moral lines, epic romance, and stellar supernatural details. The next book in the Bloodlines series is called THE GOLDEN LILY and will be published on May 1, 2012.
Sexual Content:
References to sex. References to rape.
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LibraryThing member thehistorychic
Bought for Myself
Overall Rating 4.00
Story Rating 4.00
Character Rating 4.00
NOTE: I was excited to hear that there was a spin-off to the Vampire Academy series featuring Sydney. Her character was one that I felt there was so much more too while reading the original series. To me, this was a good
What I Loved: With Richelle's books, I can always start with characters. She has a fantastic way of creating incredibly complicated characters with so many layers. In Bloodlines, each of the mains come with their own set of baggage, problems, preconceived notions, and hangups. Without specifics (no spoilers here) I can't tell you exactly how many different times I wanted to slap a character upside the head then give them a hug! I love when I am that invested in the characters of a story.
What I Liked: It took a bit but I like the fact that Richelle moved this series to a new place. I think it gives a whole new landscape to the story. It also has limitless possibilities. I can't wait to see how some of the arching stories play out. Also, the teen angst was kept to a minimum!
Complaints: DANG DANG DANG ---not really a cliffy but sort of a cliffy :) *evil laugh* most you are getting out of me :)
Why I Gave it a 4: This was a fantastic beginning to the spin-off series for me. I am really excited about learning more about the Alchemist and the world outside the original Vampire Academy setting.
Overall Rating 4.00
Story Rating 4.00
Character Rating 4.00
NOTE: I was excited to hear that there was a spin-off to the Vampire Academy series featuring Sydney. Her character was one that I felt there was so much more too while reading the original series. To me, this was a good
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beginning to a new series and did not disappoint!What I Loved: With Richelle's books, I can always start with characters. She has a fantastic way of creating incredibly complicated characters with so many layers. In Bloodlines, each of the mains come with their own set of baggage, problems, preconceived notions, and hangups. Without specifics (no spoilers here) I can't tell you exactly how many different times I wanted to slap a character upside the head then give them a hug! I love when I am that invested in the characters of a story.
What I Liked: It took a bit but I like the fact that Richelle moved this series to a new place. I think it gives a whole new landscape to the story. It also has limitless possibilities. I can't wait to see how some of the arching stories play out. Also, the teen angst was kept to a minimum!
Complaints: DANG DANG DANG ---not really a cliffy but sort of a cliffy :) *evil laugh* most you are getting out of me :)
Why I Gave it a 4: This was a fantastic beginning to the spin-off series for me. I am really excited about learning more about the Alchemist and the world outside the original Vampire Academy setting.
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LibraryThing member purelush
I loved seeing all my favourite Vampire Diaries characters return from a very different perspective. Syndey's worldview is such a startling contrast to Rose's - she makes for a great narrator to mark the shift into the spin-off series.
LibraryThing member SupaGurlbooks
5x5 Outstanding Start to the spinoff series!!
I have waited for this book to come out and yeah, not patiently! If you have read Vampire Academy and loved it or even just liked it (but how could you not love it??) Then you will LOVE this. We pick up where Last Sacrifice left off but now it's from
I cannot give this enough praise and OMG really my jaw is still on the floor from the last line of the book! REALLY! whoot. June 19, 2012 is too long for the next one: The Golden Lily
I have waited for this book to come out and yeah, not patiently! If you have read Vampire Academy and loved it or even just liked it (but how could you not love it??) Then you will LOVE this. We pick up where Last Sacrifice left off but now it's from
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Sydney' point of view. She has a totally different outlook on things, which is great and well frustrating because we all know and heart our Vamps and dhampirs. Also Adrian...need I say more? No I didn't think so :)I cannot give this enough praise and OMG really my jaw is still on the floor from the last line of the book! REALLY! whoot. June 19, 2012 is too long for the next one: The Golden Lily
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LibraryThing member VykiC37
Find this review and more at On The Shelf
Bloodlines is a spin-off series of the very popular Vampire Academy series that follows the young Alchemist Sydney Sage. After helping the vampire Rose Hathaway, the Alchemists question her loyalties and abilities when it comes to her new assignment of
Secrets, secrets, secrets! This novel is filled with a ton of secrets, but don’t expect them to be answered very quickly, some aren’t even answered until the very end. I am someone who likes to know the answer now, so I had to be patient through this book, and there is still a mystery left by the end (there’s gonna be a sequel of course). The whole movement of this novel is not very fast, so there isn’t much action for this story, but it’s still pretty good since it has a little more depth to it.
I loved the characters of this book, and Adrian is definitely a favorite of mine. Jill seemed to act a lot of times like she was older than fifteen, where as Sydney was slightly more high strung for my taste, but I liked her, too. There were a couple of points where Sydney got on my nerves with how she dealt with a few things.
I have never read a book with alchemists in it, so this was a new idea for me. I found the plot interesting and a fresh take on a world with vampires and alchemists, though I wasn’t too impressed with the Alchemists in this book, to me they were kind of like glorified chemists/ vampire secret service.
The author has a good writing style and great descriptions. The personalities of the characters are fantastic and easily made into real people in my mind. I liked the book’s cover and coloring. All in all, I didn’t think the book was super fantastic, but it wasn’t bad either. I liked it enough to want to read the next in the series, and after reading the synopsis of the next book (The Golden Lily) I’m more excited about it than Bloodlines.
Not much action, great descriptions, wonderful characters, secretive, dramatic.
Bloodlines is a spin-off series of the very popular Vampire Academy series that follows the young Alchemist Sydney Sage. After helping the vampire Rose Hathaway, the Alchemists question her loyalties and abilities when it comes to her new assignment of
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keeping a new vampire princess safe and making sure people don’t find out vampires exist. Secrets, secrets, secrets! This novel is filled with a ton of secrets, but don’t expect them to be answered very quickly, some aren’t even answered until the very end. I am someone who likes to know the answer now, so I had to be patient through this book, and there is still a mystery left by the end (there’s gonna be a sequel of course). The whole movement of this novel is not very fast, so there isn’t much action for this story, but it’s still pretty good since it has a little more depth to it.
I loved the characters of this book, and Adrian is definitely a favorite of mine. Jill seemed to act a lot of times like she was older than fifteen, where as Sydney was slightly more high strung for my taste, but I liked her, too. There were a couple of points where Sydney got on my nerves with how she dealt with a few things.
I have never read a book with alchemists in it, so this was a new idea for me. I found the plot interesting and a fresh take on a world with vampires and alchemists, though I wasn’t too impressed with the Alchemists in this book, to me they were kind of like glorified chemists/ vampire secret service.
The author has a good writing style and great descriptions. The personalities of the characters are fantastic and easily made into real people in my mind. I liked the book’s cover and coloring. All in all, I didn’t think the book was super fantastic, but it wasn’t bad either. I liked it enough to want to read the next in the series, and after reading the synopsis of the next book (The Golden Lily) I’m more excited about it than Bloodlines.
Not much action, great descriptions, wonderful characters, secretive, dramatic.
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LibraryThing member B00KAH0LIC
I saw nearly every twist coming way before it hit. There were a few things I didn't predict, but for the most part the entire story was obvious. I didn't really mind it, though; I was too eager for every predictable twist to be officially revealed.
In the Vampire Academy series each book was more
Sydney is a great character; she's cautious, smart, and relatable. She tried to protect people, and her efforts kept being thrown back in her face. I know her sister, Zoe, will eventually be thrown into their world. And Jill, she tried so hard to take care of Jill, but she went about it in ways that weren't helpful and Jill became frustrated. I wasn't sure how her personality would turn out, and I'm happy to say she's likable in a completely different way from Rose.
I was delighted to read Sydney's thoughts on Rose. Little things would make her think about Rose, and I was struck by how she touched people. I was so used to being in her head that I didn't think much about her influencing others.
I'm glad Adrian was still hung up on Rose. There was no way he could have been over her that quickly. When he came into Vampire Academy I was against him because I loved Dimitri so much. Now I had the chance to completely appreciate him and sigh over the good and bad pieces of him.
VA is my all time favorite YA series and I am overjoyed that I loved this book. I can't wait to get my hands on The Golden Lilly!
In the Vampire Academy series each book was more
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intense than the ones before it. The first book had conflict with irritating people in school, but the later books had so many astonishing twists that the petty kids didn't matter. There were petty teenagers in Bloodlines and I felt like they were fillers for more intense drama to come. Don't worry, there was still fighting, mystery, and a hint of romance that I'm sure will be explored later. This book is easing us into the story and letting us get to know the characters. Sydney is a great character; she's cautious, smart, and relatable. She tried to protect people, and her efforts kept being thrown back in her face. I know her sister, Zoe, will eventually be thrown into their world. And Jill, she tried so hard to take care of Jill, but she went about it in ways that weren't helpful and Jill became frustrated. I wasn't sure how her personality would turn out, and I'm happy to say she's likable in a completely different way from Rose.
I was delighted to read Sydney's thoughts on Rose. Little things would make her think about Rose, and I was struck by how she touched people. I was so used to being in her head that I didn't think much about her influencing others.
I'm glad Adrian was still hung up on Rose. There was no way he could have been over her that quickly. When he came into Vampire Academy I was against him because I loved Dimitri so much. Now I had the chance to completely appreciate him and sigh over the good and bad pieces of him.
VA is my all time favorite YA series and I am overjoyed that I loved this book. I can't wait to get my hands on The Golden Lilly!
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LibraryThing member BookPurring
Thoughts:
Well this is the kind of review where I eat up all my snark, because I honestly didn't expect to like this book and I did, a lot. I wasn't a fan of the last few Vampire Academy books and I mostly finished the series out of habit :/ and I haven't had a good experience with spin off, so
The Good:
I always enjoy Adrian and Christian's snark, and Adrian showing up made this book far more entertaining. Still LOL'ing at the skeleton parrot, want to know what that's about? Read it :D On a side note, I'm not sure why I like Adrian, it has to be his one-liners because really he is just an insufferable drunk for the most part. The story is told from Sydney's point of view, I can't say if I liked Sydney, she's kind of goody-goody and has a strict personality (which you can kind of see letting go of by the end of the book), but I can tell you she didn't annoy me. And that's a lot, because that's one of the things that irked me from the previous series, I just couldn't stand the protagonist! Obviously one is expecting romance (being on the PNR shelve on B&N and all), but I have to say it's not insta-romance-just-add-water. In fact I was very pleased with how everything is being set up between Adrian and Sydney, it's going slow but it makes sense. Adrian is still hurting and Syndey needs to overcome her prejudice against vampires. I can only say I want more of these two, trust me I haven't fangirl over a couple in a long time.
The Bad:
The story has a couple of twists that probably aren't that shocking in you pay attention to the cues, so don't expect to rock your socks off. As well, I'm soooo bored of the private school setting, it's not even funny. If you're familiar with Mead's vampire mythology, I'm sorry to say you'd have to read about it yet again.
The Ugly:
That cover! I guess we're moving away from just having covers without foreheads in YA. But IDK I wanted to imagine how Sydney looked like, not know for sure! Also, needs more Adrian.
Well this is the kind of review where I eat up all my snark, because I honestly didn't expect to like this book and I did, a lot. I wasn't a fan of the last few Vampire Academy books and I mostly finished the series out of habit :/ and I haven't had a good experience with spin off, so
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that's why I had low expectations of this book. However, from the beginning I found this book easy to read, I won't say it's "action-packed," it's not, but it has a very good pacing that keeps you reading.The Good:
I always enjoy Adrian and Christian's snark, and Adrian showing up made this book far more entertaining. Still LOL'ing at the skeleton parrot, want to know what that's about? Read it :D On a side note, I'm not sure why I like Adrian, it has to be his one-liners because really he is just an insufferable drunk for the most part. The story is told from Sydney's point of view, I can't say if I liked Sydney, she's kind of goody-goody and has a strict personality (which you can kind of see letting go of by the end of the book), but I can tell you she didn't annoy me. And that's a lot, because that's one of the things that irked me from the previous series, I just couldn't stand the protagonist! Obviously one is expecting romance (being on the PNR shelve on B&N and all), but I have to say it's not insta-romance-just-add-water. In fact I was very pleased with how everything is being set up between Adrian and Sydney, it's going slow but it makes sense. Adrian is still hurting and Syndey needs to overcome her prejudice against vampires. I can only say I want more of these two, trust me I haven't fangirl over a couple in a long time.
The Bad:
The story has a couple of twists that probably aren't that shocking in you pay attention to the cues, so don't expect to rock your socks off. As well, I'm soooo bored of the private school setting, it's not even funny. If you're familiar with Mead's vampire mythology, I'm sorry to say you'd have to read about it yet again.
The Ugly:
That cover! I guess we're moving away from just having covers without foreheads in YA. But IDK I wanted to imagine how Sydney looked like, not know for sure! Also, needs more Adrian.
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LibraryThing member brandileigh2003
This is very different from Vampire Academy, and that's good, and bad... Bad because I adore and miss Rose, and wish that I could've seen a bit more of her, and known what she's doing. The flip side of this is that if I would've gotten any more then I would have just wanted to be entrenched in her
It's a good thing because the minor characters from VA really got to step up and we get to see a different side of things. Sydney is a different kind of character from Rose and that is refreshing... her voice and thought patterns are different, and it was neat to see a new perspective on a world that I love and never want to leave.
Another wonderful thing about Bloodlines is: Adrian. He's still his same awesome snarky and unpredictable in that predictable way--and can still only be boiled down to... well, he's Adrian. We got to see advancement in his character, and more of the inner struggle and the hints of resolution. I just hope that he's strong enough that he doesn't wholly revert after what happens at the very end. I really fell for him in Spirit Bound, and even though after re-reading the first four, in addition to Last Sacrifice-it was really Rose and Dimitri's story and they belonged together, I really hope that he will get the fulfilment and happiness that he deserves.
I can't wait for the next book, and I def recommend this one and will read the next one.
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world. It's a good thing because the minor characters from VA really got to step up and we get to see a different side of things. Sydney is a different kind of character from Rose and that is refreshing... her voice and thought patterns are different, and it was neat to see a new perspective on a world that I love and never want to leave.
Another wonderful thing about Bloodlines is: Adrian. He's still his same awesome snarky and unpredictable in that predictable way--and can still only be boiled down to... well, he's Adrian. We got to see advancement in his character, and more of the inner struggle and the hints of resolution. I just hope that he's strong enough that he doesn't wholly revert after what happens at the very end. I really fell for him in Spirit Bound, and even though after re-reading the first four, in addition to Last Sacrifice-it was really Rose and Dimitri's story and they belonged together, I really hope that he will get the fulfilment and happiness that he deserves.
I can't wait for the next book, and I def recommend this one and will read the next one.
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LibraryThing member xXlovelyxladyXx
I was DYING to get this book for months! It would be more dramatic to say years but I only discovered the writing goddess Richelle Mead. It took a few years for me to fall in love with the Vampire Academy world that she had created and once I had finally read Rose's story, I just had to go out and
There was only worry I had when I read the description oh so long ago: Sydney.
When I first read about Sydney in Blood Promise - which was tied with Last Sacrifice as my favorite vampire academy book - I didn't really know what to think of her. I was so put off by her that I was actually nervous for this book. But I trusted that Richelle would not let me down with this book so I put it to the top of my to read list.
And let me just say: I LOVE SYDNEY. Undeniably. I instantly clicked with her when she introduced her hatred for Keith and as the story continued, my respect for her grew. There were moments that made me love her so much that I wished she was my sister. I loved how protective she was, how strong she was, and how willing she was to overlook her prejudices for those she cared about. Even if she wasn't perfect, reading this from her perspective made me so happy. She may not be as passionate as Rose but she's a fighter and that's what counts.
That being said, I can't stand her father. Really I can't. He didn't even seem to care for any of his daughters and there was not one redeeming quality about him. I have no idea why her mother was still with him. We didn't really get to see much of her or Zoey but I'm hoping that will change in the future books.
But overall, I HATE KEITH. Seriously, I have never in my entire reading experience witnessed a character I despised so much. I wanted to set him on fire. I wanted to beat him. I'm just thankful he had what was coming to him at the end. His idle threats to Sydney pissed me off to no end but what really made me grind my teeth was the "father/son" relationship between Sydney's father and Keith. Treating him like the son he never had and using double standards really made me think how many people do this. It was interesting to finally see it in writing.
We also saw some old faces that made me excited: Abe Mazur. Rose's dad. He always makes me laugh. But I feel like he's still got secret ulterior motives that have yet to be discovered. Rose also showed up :D It was so weird to see Rose through someone else's eyes. I really can't wait to see more of her in the next books. We also got to see Jill. We never really got to meet her officially so it was nice to see more of her.
But what really made me squeal was my undying love for two men in this book: Adrian Ivashkov and Eddie Castile. I fell madly in love with Eddie after what happened to him in Frostbite and I was so happy to see more of him in this book. I hope he finds love because he deserves it after all the heartbreak he's been through. He is also really bad ass in this book. Love him. And I love Adrian. I have the perfect picture of him in my mind. He's just so...flawed. Him and Sydney...they have some chemistry. They're great together. Can't wait for more from the two.
Overall, I loved this book. We were never really introduced to the world of the Alchemists but I'm happy it was explained in the plot, as well as the whole business with the tattoos. And although the mysteries were predictable at times, they were very well executed. The plot was so incredibly exciting - a bit slow at times but whatever - and I am itching for the sequel, The Golden Lily which doesn't come out until May...I don't know if I can wait that long.
Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars
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buy all the other five immediately after. Thank god they were all out. And I practically screamed when I discovered that Richelle was going to be writing another series that took place in this world. I had so much faith in this series because this writer has always impressed me with her writing.There was only worry I had when I read the description oh so long ago: Sydney.
When I first read about Sydney in Blood Promise - which was tied with Last Sacrifice as my favorite vampire academy book - I didn't really know what to think of her. I was so put off by her that I was actually nervous for this book. But I trusted that Richelle would not let me down with this book so I put it to the top of my to read list.
And let me just say: I LOVE SYDNEY. Undeniably. I instantly clicked with her when she introduced her hatred for Keith and as the story continued, my respect for her grew. There were moments that made me love her so much that I wished she was my sister. I loved how protective she was, how strong she was, and how willing she was to overlook her prejudices for those she cared about. Even if she wasn't perfect, reading this from her perspective made me so happy. She may not be as passionate as Rose but she's a fighter and that's what counts.
That being said, I can't stand her father. Really I can't. He didn't even seem to care for any of his daughters and there was not one redeeming quality about him. I have no idea why her mother was still with him. We didn't really get to see much of her or Zoey but I'm hoping that will change in the future books.
But overall, I HATE KEITH. Seriously, I have never in my entire reading experience witnessed a character I despised so much. I wanted to set him on fire. I wanted to beat him. I'm just thankful he had what was coming to him at the end. His idle threats to Sydney pissed me off to no end but what really made me grind my teeth was the "father/son" relationship between Sydney's father and Keith. Treating him like the son he never had and using double standards really made me think how many people do this. It was interesting to finally see it in writing.
We also saw some old faces that made me excited: Abe Mazur. Rose's dad. He always makes me laugh. But I feel like he's still got secret ulterior motives that have yet to be discovered. Rose also showed up :D It was so weird to see Rose through someone else's eyes. I really can't wait to see more of her in the next books. We also got to see Jill. We never really got to meet her officially so it was nice to see more of her.
But what really made me squeal was my undying love for two men in this book: Adrian Ivashkov and Eddie Castile. I fell madly in love with Eddie after what happened to him in Frostbite and I was so happy to see more of him in this book. I hope he finds love because he deserves it after all the heartbreak he's been through. He is also really bad ass in this book. Love him. And I love Adrian. I have the perfect picture of him in my mind. He's just so...flawed. Him and Sydney...they have some chemistry. They're great together. Can't wait for more from the two.
Overall, I loved this book. We were never really introduced to the world of the Alchemists but I'm happy it was explained in the plot, as well as the whole business with the tattoos. And although the mysteries were predictable at times, they were very well executed. The plot was so incredibly exciting - a bit slow at times but whatever - and I am itching for the sequel, The Golden Lily which doesn't come out until May...I don't know if I can wait that long.
Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars
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LibraryThing member BookLizard
I really liked the Vampire Academy series, and I wanted to like this series as well, but it took me a long time to get into this book. None of the characters were particularly likable, and it got SO annoying how secretive they all were - except they weren't all that secretive because they kept
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exchanging glances and giving other people strange looks and making cryptic statements. I wanted to say, "OK, I get it. Something's up. Can we move on to the story now, please?" The whole first half of the book is all background and set up - nothing really happens until page 213. After that, it gets interesting and the second half of the book reads much more quickly. It took me 5 days to read the first half of the book and 5 hours to read the second. Fans of Adrian from the Vampire Academy series will want to pick this up, but I wouldn't recommend it to someone who hasn't read VA. Show Less
LibraryThing member gwenythlove
I am a HUGE fan of Richelle Mead's Vampire Academy series. As such, I assumed, set in the same world, with many of the same characters, that I would LOVE Mead's newest series, Bloodlines. So far I've been proven wrong. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't terrible, it just wasn't as good as Vampire
To begin with, the pacing was much slower than I am used to in Richelle's books. There was all this tension of waiting for something to happen, and really nothing did until the end. I like my action to be strewn about throughout the whole length of the novel. It was more of a social, he said, she said, he's dating, she's dating, who wants to be dating who kind of story. I guess you'll enjoy it if you are into those kind of stories, but I like a little more action with my story line.
I was lucky to have read the Vampire Academy series previously. I have heard others mention that Bloodlines was a standalone novel and reading the Vampire Academy series first was not required, but I have to disagree. As much as you can understand the basis of what is going on without having read VA first, you will truly miss out on the complete depth of the story if you haven't read it. Adrian's true pain might come off as mere whining, the sections regarding mason will completely fly over your head, and the truth and meaning behind what having a spirit bond will be completely lost on you. I highly suggest that if you haven't read the VA series yet that you immediately do so, especially before reading Bloodlines. And if you happened to read Bloodlines already, still go back and read VA and then reread Bloodlines. You'll do yourself a huge injustice if you don't.
One of my main issues with this novel was Sydney. I just don't think she had the personality to be the voice for this story. There was nothing wrong with her per say, but she wasn't vibrant and alive and interesting like Rose was in VA. I read Adrian's Lost Chapter, where Richelle tried switching between characters to tell the story, and I have to say, Adrian's voice was so much more powerful. Was he right to be the voice for the whole story? Maybe not...we might have learned too much too quickly through him...but Sydney just didn't cut it either.
I do appreciate that Richelle created a strongly unique character with Sydney however. I at first expected she would come off sounding like a replication of Rose, with a different name and face, but Sydney was very definitely a character of her own. I find authors often have a hard time making their characters, especially lead characters in multiple series, not be mirror images of each other. For example, I find Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake from the Vampire series and Merry Gentry from the Fairy series so much alike it's really more like reading one really, really long series.
Overall...will I read the next book, of course. I am curious where the story is heading especially now that a few other characters from VA have made an appearance. Would I recommend it? If you are a fan of the series, then yes, if you have't read VA yet...the probably not. I just don't think it's enough to stand on by it's own. But of course that's my opinion.
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Academy. Of course this is only the first book. Hopefully it will grow and mature in future books. (Let's hope so because according to Goodreads there is to be at least 6 in the series. I can't handle the torture if they are all the same as this one was.)To begin with, the pacing was much slower than I am used to in Richelle's books. There was all this tension of waiting for something to happen, and really nothing did until the end. I like my action to be strewn about throughout the whole length of the novel. It was more of a social, he said, she said, he's dating, she's dating, who wants to be dating who kind of story. I guess you'll enjoy it if you are into those kind of stories, but I like a little more action with my story line.
I was lucky to have read the Vampire Academy series previously. I have heard others mention that Bloodlines was a standalone novel and reading the Vampire Academy series first was not required, but I have to disagree. As much as you can understand the basis of what is going on without having read VA first, you will truly miss out on the complete depth of the story if you haven't read it. Adrian's true pain might come off as mere whining, the sections regarding mason will completely fly over your head, and the truth and meaning behind what having a spirit bond will be completely lost on you. I highly suggest that if you haven't read the VA series yet that you immediately do so, especially before reading Bloodlines. And if you happened to read Bloodlines already, still go back and read VA and then reread Bloodlines. You'll do yourself a huge injustice if you don't.
One of my main issues with this novel was Sydney. I just don't think she had the personality to be the voice for this story. There was nothing wrong with her per say, but she wasn't vibrant and alive and interesting like Rose was in VA. I read Adrian's Lost Chapter, where Richelle tried switching between characters to tell the story, and I have to say, Adrian's voice was so much more powerful. Was he right to be the voice for the whole story? Maybe not...we might have learned too much too quickly through him...but Sydney just didn't cut it either.
I do appreciate that Richelle created a strongly unique character with Sydney however. I at first expected she would come off sounding like a replication of Rose, with a different name and face, but Sydney was very definitely a character of her own. I find authors often have a hard time making their characters, especially lead characters in multiple series, not be mirror images of each other. For example, I find Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake from the Vampire series and Merry Gentry from the Fairy series so much alike it's really more like reading one really, really long series.
Overall...will I read the next book, of course. I am curious where the story is heading especially now that a few other characters from VA have made an appearance. Would I recommend it? If you are a fan of the series, then yes, if you have't read VA yet...the probably not. I just don't think it's enough to stand on by it's own. But of course that's my opinion.
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LibraryThing member BeguileThySorrow
Though it wasn't a thrilling read exactly, I love Richelle's writing too much to doubt that this is going somewhere good. It's a spinoff of the VA series, and follows Alchemist Sydney (who is human) on her on path. Adrian makes an appearance as does Jill ("jailbait" from VA) and some all new
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characters. It wasn't exactly slow but there also wasn't much action. It was very much a "book1" of a series in that there was a lot of setup and solidifying of characters. It's an easy read (I read it in one night when it released lol) and so I think people will like that Show Less
LibraryThing member Booklovingmommy
I LOVED this book! I loved the Vampire Academy series and this one lived up to my expectations too! A must read in my opinion!
Sydney takes a job hiding the Moroi princess Jill so her sister Zoe isn't made to live the life of an alchemist. Well, and Sydney wants to gain the approval of both the
Sydney, Jill, Eddie and Adrian are sent to Palm Springs, CA. It is pretty much safe as the Strigoi hate the sunshine. They enroll in a prestigious private school and try to lay low. Except when you are a vampire, a guardian and an Alchemist, laying low isn't really easy.
Sydney uncovers a crazy scheme with tattoos and knows it's her chance to prove herself to her father again. She is working on getting all the evidence she needs as well as trying to keep Jill safe. She's also trying to find out who is killing young girls, human and Moroi alike. She's a busy girl.
There were some great twists in the story but I was able to figure out who was behind the tattoo scheme and eventually who was behind the murders of the girls. It wasn't hard to predict so I was wishing there was a little more mystery there.
I did love how there were still characters from Vampire Academy. Rose made an appearance as did Dimitri. I loved Adrian in Vampire Academy so was so happy to see him in this series. Jill is obviously a major character but Lissa was mentioned numerous times as well. It made the ending of Vampire Academy a little easier to take!
Sydney is a great character. She is strong but has her flaws and insecurities. She really wants to please her father but almost too much. I felt like she should take some risks and tell him what he could do with himself. I love her interactions with Adrian. I am hoping that eventually there will be a romance there as they seem to be made for each other.
Jill was a little too quiet and timid for my liking. I felt like she shouldn't care so much about being different and try to make friends. Sometimes she had a little too much "pity party" going on but towards the end I could see her confidence blooming.
I really did enjoy this book! Mead has a way of writing that makes you feel that you are right there with the characters. They are all so vivid and real you feel like they are your friends. I cannot wait to read more from her!
Sydney takes a job hiding the Moroi princess Jill so her sister Zoe isn't made to live the life of an alchemist. Well, and Sydney wants to gain the approval of both the
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Alchemists and her father after helping out Rose in the last Vampire Academy book.Sydney, Jill, Eddie and Adrian are sent to Palm Springs, CA. It is pretty much safe as the Strigoi hate the sunshine. They enroll in a prestigious private school and try to lay low. Except when you are a vampire, a guardian and an Alchemist, laying low isn't really easy.
Sydney uncovers a crazy scheme with tattoos and knows it's her chance to prove herself to her father again. She is working on getting all the evidence she needs as well as trying to keep Jill safe. She's also trying to find out who is killing young girls, human and Moroi alike. She's a busy girl.
There were some great twists in the story but I was able to figure out who was behind the tattoo scheme and eventually who was behind the murders of the girls. It wasn't hard to predict so I was wishing there was a little more mystery there.
I did love how there were still characters from Vampire Academy. Rose made an appearance as did Dimitri. I loved Adrian in Vampire Academy so was so happy to see him in this series. Jill is obviously a major character but Lissa was mentioned numerous times as well. It made the ending of Vampire Academy a little easier to take!
Sydney is a great character. She is strong but has her flaws and insecurities. She really wants to please her father but almost too much. I felt like she should take some risks and tell him what he could do with himself. I love her interactions with Adrian. I am hoping that eventually there will be a romance there as they seem to be made for each other.
Jill was a little too quiet and timid for my liking. I felt like she shouldn't care so much about being different and try to make friends. Sometimes she had a little too much "pity party" going on but towards the end I could see her confidence blooming.
I really did enjoy this book! Mead has a way of writing that makes you feel that you are right there with the characters. They are all so vivid and real you feel like they are your friends. I cannot wait to read more from her!
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LibraryThing member Loyet
Fantastic. Not quite as amazing as Vampire Academy, but I think that's really because Sydney's great, but she's not as awesome as Rose (who the hell could be??). The bonus is lots of Adrain, which is wonderful.
My one big problem with the book? It's a small scene, but it still bugs the crap out of
My one big problem with the book? It's a small scene, but it still bugs the crap out of
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me. Sydney's getting fitted for her school uniform is so upset that she's given a size 4 instead of the 2 she usually wears. Really? Is this the type of crap that should be in a young adult novel? Teenage girls are already given enough pressure to fit into societal norms that we have to make them feel bad about being a size 4?? I was hoping it would be dealt with but there are only a few little lines from Adrain about how she needs to eat more. Show Less
LibraryThing member MaryinHB
Please note: I have not read the Vampire Academy series. I own them, but just haven't had the time to read them yet. I don't know anything about the characters in that series except what the blurbs say. This is supposed to be the adult spin off for the series, but after reading it, I think that
It took me about 150 pages to really get into it. I thought it was mostly a set up for the series to come but since I really like Richelle Mead's humor and writing style, I stuck with it and was glad I did. Sydney is an Alchemist and is selected to protect Jill against a plot to murder her step sister, the new vampire queen. Sydney has done something terrible in her past and is now trying to overcome that issue (she helped a vampire -- which I guess is akin to helping dirt), and with better living through chemistry she learns to blend into the high school without being too much of a nerd. Overall, there is a lot of action towards the end of the story and I think I would read the next one in the series. You should probably the Vampire Academy series first to really enjoy this one. I need to start reading them.
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since it mostly takes place in a private high school setting with a character just out of high school, it should probably qualify as young adult. The whole thing reminded me a bit of 21 Jump Street, where adults infiltrate a high school to solve crime, except they are there to protect a vampire princess from being murdered.It took me about 150 pages to really get into it. I thought it was mostly a set up for the series to come but since I really like Richelle Mead's humor and writing style, I stuck with it and was glad I did. Sydney is an Alchemist and is selected to protect Jill against a plot to murder her step sister, the new vampire queen. Sydney has done something terrible in her past and is now trying to overcome that issue (she helped a vampire -- which I guess is akin to helping dirt), and with better living through chemistry she learns to blend into the high school without being too much of a nerd. Overall, there is a lot of action towards the end of the story and I think I would read the next one in the series. You should probably the Vampire Academy series first to really enjoy this one. I need to start reading them.
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LibraryThing member LizzieBeth95
Life hasn’t exactly returned to normal for Sydney Sage. The Alchemists are angry with her over the fact that she helped Rose and Dimitri out in clearing Rose’s name of the Queen’s murder. Her father is displeased about this because he feels she’s now tarnished by her dealings with the
When it’s decided she’s to go to scholl and protected Vasilisa Dragomir’s little sister from harm, Sydney finds herself looking forward to doing just that, albeit a little reluctantly. Yet she never imagined that a simple task would actually turn out to be a little more than she bargained. While Jill appears to be willing to do as she’s been asked, appearance are certainly deceiving. There’s more than meets the eye, most especially when Adrian Ivashkov makes it onto the scene.
Determined not to let the recent changes get to her, Sydney decides that perhaps it’s best to let go of some of her aversion to the Moroi’s. While this is hard for her to do, at first, she knows it’ll ensure that they all get along. After all, Jill needs to maintain a semblance of normalcy and she can’t really do that unless Sydney is willing to portray the role she’s given to the full extent.
I honestly enjoyed the book. Pace was consistent and there wasn’t much action, at first, but I think Richelle did beautifully in developing the plot. I like that it picks up where Last Sacrifice left off. Seeing a lot of the Vampire Academy characters was refreshing, although Adrian’s ‘woe is me’ wasn’t too endearing. Can’t wait to see what happens next with The Golden Lily.
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Moroi. Despite the fact that she’s receiving backlash over everything she’s done from every side imaginable, she’s willing to give it all she’s got in order to right all the wrong’s she’s committed in the past.When it’s decided she’s to go to scholl and protected Vasilisa Dragomir’s little sister from harm, Sydney finds herself looking forward to doing just that, albeit a little reluctantly. Yet she never imagined that a simple task would actually turn out to be a little more than she bargained. While Jill appears to be willing to do as she’s been asked, appearance are certainly deceiving. There’s more than meets the eye, most especially when Adrian Ivashkov makes it onto the scene.
Determined not to let the recent changes get to her, Sydney decides that perhaps it’s best to let go of some of her aversion to the Moroi’s. While this is hard for her to do, at first, she knows it’ll ensure that they all get along. After all, Jill needs to maintain a semblance of normalcy and she can’t really do that unless Sydney is willing to portray the role she’s given to the full extent.
I honestly enjoyed the book. Pace was consistent and there wasn’t much action, at first, but I think Richelle did beautifully in developing the plot. I like that it picks up where Last Sacrifice left off. Seeing a lot of the Vampire Academy characters was refreshing, although Adrian’s ‘woe is me’ wasn’t too endearing. Can’t wait to see what happens next with The Golden Lily.
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LibraryThing member yabotd
If you haven't yet read the Vampire Academy series:
1) What are you doing? Go read it!
2) You might not want to read this review because some information may be spoilery to the Vampire Academy books.
After reading the Vampire Academy series, I knew I needed to get my hands on Bloodlines ASAP.
Adrian was a difficult character for me in the Vampire Academy books. I really, really liked him...but I wanted Rose with Dimitri more. I always assumed they'd end up together, so the sweeter moments with Adrian actually hurt me. I knew his heart would be crushed when he couldn't have Rose. I'm so glad to have Bloodlines so we can see what happens with him (and Sydney) next.
As a protagonist, Sydney is such a contrast to Rose. While Rose was strong, impulsive, and sexy, Sydney is obedient, strategic, and self-depricating. By all means, she's no whiny push-over. Sydney has such a different kind of strength. Her position within the Alchemists is even more tenuous than Rose's was with the guardians (when she was getting into trouble). I get the sense that Sydney has less options available to her, so she always thinks critically before acting and picks the path of least resistance (though that is changing). Her strength is her ability to buckle down and do what's necessary. If it needs to be done, she'll make sure it gets done, regardless of how inconvenient or unhappy it will make her.
Throughout the novel, I enjoyed watching Sydney grow as a character. She starts out feeling very stuck and, in many ways, helpless. Throughout the story, she finds her voice. She's no longer content to just do whatever anyone tells her to do, though she knows the boundaries and restraints in place in her world. I also really liked reading about the view Alchemists have of Moroi, Strigoi, and dhampirs, and how Sydney is torn between loyalty to the Alchemists and forming her own opinions based on her experiences.
Overall, Bloodlines is a really enjoyable read. While you don't have to read the Vampire Academy books to read Bloodlines, I'd highly recommend reading Vampire Academy first. If you have any inclination that you may be interested in reading Vampire Academy, DON'T read Bloodlines first. You'll be majorly spoiled.
Final thoughts: Buy it.
1) What are you doing? Go read it!
2) You might not want to read this review because some information may be spoilery to the Vampire Academy books.
After reading the Vampire Academy series, I knew I needed to get my hands on Bloodlines ASAP.
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Sydney was an interesting character and I was always intrigued by the Alchemists, so I expected a pretty good read. Once I began, I was even more pleasantly surprised to see so many familiar faces pop up, particularly Adrian.Adrian was a difficult character for me in the Vampire Academy books. I really, really liked him...but I wanted Rose with Dimitri more. I always assumed they'd end up together, so the sweeter moments with Adrian actually hurt me. I knew his heart would be crushed when he couldn't have Rose. I'm so glad to have Bloodlines so we can see what happens with him (and Sydney) next.
As a protagonist, Sydney is such a contrast to Rose. While Rose was strong, impulsive, and sexy, Sydney is obedient, strategic, and self-depricating. By all means, she's no whiny push-over. Sydney has such a different kind of strength. Her position within the Alchemists is even more tenuous than Rose's was with the guardians (when she was getting into trouble). I get the sense that Sydney has less options available to her, so she always thinks critically before acting and picks the path of least resistance (though that is changing). Her strength is her ability to buckle down and do what's necessary. If it needs to be done, she'll make sure it gets done, regardless of how inconvenient or unhappy it will make her.
Throughout the novel, I enjoyed watching Sydney grow as a character. She starts out feeling very stuck and, in many ways, helpless. Throughout the story, she finds her voice. She's no longer content to just do whatever anyone tells her to do, though she knows the boundaries and restraints in place in her world. I also really liked reading about the view Alchemists have of Moroi, Strigoi, and dhampirs, and how Sydney is torn between loyalty to the Alchemists and forming her own opinions based on her experiences.
Overall, Bloodlines is a really enjoyable read. While you don't have to read the Vampire Academy books to read Bloodlines, I'd highly recommend reading Vampire Academy first. If you have any inclination that you may be interested in reading Vampire Academy, DON'T read Bloodlines first. You'll be majorly spoiled.
Final thoughts: Buy it.
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LibraryThing member JacobsBeloved
As a huge fan of the Vampire Academy series, I anxiously awaited this book. What little I knew of the Alchemists fascinated me, and I felt like Adrian got the short stick in the final book of the series, Last Sacrifice. Richelle Mead does not disappoint in this book, and she keeps just enough
Sydney is the central character, and at first glance she seems to be the antithesis of Rose's personality. She wants to be obedient and cooperative with her bosses, and she had no interest in rebelling against the system. Unfortunately, her innate desire to do good and root out evil forces her into some rough situations. Her extreme phobia of magic also creates some interesting conflicts and a very promising revelation that I can't wait to see play out in further books.
Adrian's role is at first a secret, but with a few clues from the previous series allowed me to figure it out before Mead revealed it. Gone is the Adrian that Rose brought out -- instead he is back to as much smoking and drinking as at the beginning of the previous series, back when I did not like his character. BUT, this all seems to be a facade after awhile, when Adrian shows an avid interest in painting.
Jill is the one that Sydney is protecting, along with a collection of other new and old characters. As a fifteen-year-old girl also striving to have some semblance of normal life, Jill gets mixed up in problems of her own as she strives to define who she is. While her character could have had more development, as the first book in the series, there is plenty of room for growth.
I could not get through this book fast enough, and I can't wait for the second book, Golden Lily.
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mystery in the plot to keep me engrossed to the last page. Rose and Dimitri even make a few appearances, which was neat to see how other characters viewed them.Sydney is the central character, and at first glance she seems to be the antithesis of Rose's personality. She wants to be obedient and cooperative with her bosses, and she had no interest in rebelling against the system. Unfortunately, her innate desire to do good and root out evil forces her into some rough situations. Her extreme phobia of magic also creates some interesting conflicts and a very promising revelation that I can't wait to see play out in further books.
Adrian's role is at first a secret, but with a few clues from the previous series allowed me to figure it out before Mead revealed it. Gone is the Adrian that Rose brought out -- instead he is back to as much smoking and drinking as at the beginning of the previous series, back when I did not like his character. BUT, this all seems to be a facade after awhile, when Adrian shows an avid interest in painting.
Jill is the one that Sydney is protecting, along with a collection of other new and old characters. As a fifteen-year-old girl also striving to have some semblance of normal life, Jill gets mixed up in problems of her own as she strives to define who she is. While her character could have had more development, as the first book in the series, there is plenty of room for growth.
I could not get through this book fast enough, and I can't wait for the second book, Golden Lily.
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LibraryThing member DarkFaerieTales
Review Courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales
Quick & Dirty: A solid start to a new spin-off of the Vampire Academy Series by Richelle Mead, a bit slow at the start but an intriguing story with plenty of possibilities none-the-less.
Opening Sentence: I COULDN’T BREATHE.
The Review:
I was apprehensive about
I never really connected with Sydney in the Vampire Academy books. She came across to me as a stuck up, prissy girl who thought she was superior to everyone else. She pretty much comes across the same way in Bloodlines at the start but you can see the development and growth that is coming. She is not Rose and I can appreciate that she is a different character with different strengths and weakness. It was interesting to see her family and the alchemist side of things. The alchemists have very extreme views and see only black and white, never any gray and this leads Sydney to have over the top feelings and attitude against anyone not human, including vampires and dhampirs. She is wholly against magic and feels that it is evil and even has panic attacks when exposed. Sydney’s upbringing was very strict and allowed for no individualization and she is very naïve about a lot of things. I can see the potential for her character to grow.
I love Adrian and was excited to learn that he would be a main character in this series. I feel that he was slighted in the Vampire Academy series, even though I agreed that Rose and Dimitri belonged together. Adrian is still the same snarky, sarcastic character as before only now we can see his pain. He is having a hard time dealing with the past and then there is the surprise plot twist that leaves him a bit unbalanced. I can’t wait to see where his character goes. He shows some growth and maturity in this book and the hinting of a new romantic interest may be a good thing, but I will have to wait and see how I feel about that because I still haven’t decided.
Eddie has such a strong presence but I felt he wasn’t given the attention he deserves. There could have been so much more to him than what was shown. Jill is a bit immature and really needs to grow up. I was on the fence about her in the last series and I am still on the fence now. I loved to hate Keith. He was such a jerk from his entrance and the more I learned about him the more I hated him. Overall, I wasn’t impressed with the initial development of the characters, but this is the start of a new series and growth is expected to continue.
The first half of Bloodlines dragged but it picked up some as the story moved along. There was little action until the very end and no real romance, just hinting to several possible hook-ups. The premise of the story was good to me, learning more about the alchemists’ and their political and belief structure was interesting. There was suspense and mystery as the plot unfolded with two different storylines. The tattoo angle was right up Sydney’s alley and watching her and Adrian working together to get to the bottom of it was fun. The strange “Strigori” deaths in an area where there shouldn’t be any also had me intrigued and kept me guessing until the end.
Although, I had high expectations, I was not overly disappointed. It still wasn’t what I have come to expect from Richelle Mead but the potential is there to make this a great series. I look forward to seeing where she will go with the characters and storyline and I will definitely buy The Golden Lily.
Notable Scene:
“Adrian,” I whispered, catching his sleeve. “You want to tell the truth? Do it in there. Do not embellish or make up crazy claims that you were a district attorney.”
“Got it,” he said. “This is going to be a breeze.”
If by breeze he meant fast, then he was right. He emerged from the office door five minutes later.
“I don’t suppose,” I said, once we were in the car, “that she gave you the job based on looks alone?”
Adrian had been staring off but now flashed me a big smile. “Why, Sage, you sweet talker.”
“That’s not what I meant! What happened?”
He shrugged. “I told the truth.”
“Adrian!”
“I’m serious. She asked me what my greatest strength was. I said getting along with people.”
“That’s not bad,” I admitted.
“Then she asked what my greatest weakness was.” And I said, “Where should I start?”
“Adrian!”
“Stop saying my name like that. I told her the truth. By the time I was on the forth one, she told me I could go.”
I groaned and resisted the urge to beat my head on the steering wheel. “I should’ve coached you. That’s a standard trick question. You’re supposed to answer with things like ‘I get too devoted to my work’ or ‘I’m a perfectionist.”
He snorted and crossed his arms. “That’s total bullshit. Who’d say something like that?”
“People who get jobs.”
Bloodlines Series:
1. Bloodlines
2. The Golden Lily
FTC Advisory: Razorbill provided me with a copy of Bloodlines. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review. In addition, I don’t receive affiliate fees for anything purchased via links from my site.
Quick & Dirty: A solid start to a new spin-off of the Vampire Academy Series by Richelle Mead, a bit slow at the start but an intriguing story with plenty of possibilities none-the-less.
Opening Sentence: I COULDN’T BREATHE.
The Review:
I was apprehensive about
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Bloodlines, a spin-off of the highly popular Paranormal YA series Vampire Academy. Rose was such a kick-ass heroine that I felt it would be hard to top her. At the same time, I was excited to see which characters would make appearances and where this series could go. I was also hoping for some sort of closure with the secondary characters from the first series, which many were just left hanging in limbo. I was a bit put off when it was revealed that Sydney was going to be the narrator, but because I love Richelle Mead and Vampire Academy, I decided to give this book a chance.I never really connected with Sydney in the Vampire Academy books. She came across to me as a stuck up, prissy girl who thought she was superior to everyone else. She pretty much comes across the same way in Bloodlines at the start but you can see the development and growth that is coming. She is not Rose and I can appreciate that she is a different character with different strengths and weakness. It was interesting to see her family and the alchemist side of things. The alchemists have very extreme views and see only black and white, never any gray and this leads Sydney to have over the top feelings and attitude against anyone not human, including vampires and dhampirs. She is wholly against magic and feels that it is evil and even has panic attacks when exposed. Sydney’s upbringing was very strict and allowed for no individualization and she is very naïve about a lot of things. I can see the potential for her character to grow.
I love Adrian and was excited to learn that he would be a main character in this series. I feel that he was slighted in the Vampire Academy series, even though I agreed that Rose and Dimitri belonged together. Adrian is still the same snarky, sarcastic character as before only now we can see his pain. He is having a hard time dealing with the past and then there is the surprise plot twist that leaves him a bit unbalanced. I can’t wait to see where his character goes. He shows some growth and maturity in this book and the hinting of a new romantic interest may be a good thing, but I will have to wait and see how I feel about that because I still haven’t decided.
Eddie has such a strong presence but I felt he wasn’t given the attention he deserves. There could have been so much more to him than what was shown. Jill is a bit immature and really needs to grow up. I was on the fence about her in the last series and I am still on the fence now. I loved to hate Keith. He was such a jerk from his entrance and the more I learned about him the more I hated him. Overall, I wasn’t impressed with the initial development of the characters, but this is the start of a new series and growth is expected to continue.
The first half of Bloodlines dragged but it picked up some as the story moved along. There was little action until the very end and no real romance, just hinting to several possible hook-ups. The premise of the story was good to me, learning more about the alchemists’ and their political and belief structure was interesting. There was suspense and mystery as the plot unfolded with two different storylines. The tattoo angle was right up Sydney’s alley and watching her and Adrian working together to get to the bottom of it was fun. The strange “Strigori” deaths in an area where there shouldn’t be any also had me intrigued and kept me guessing until the end.
Although, I had high expectations, I was not overly disappointed. It still wasn’t what I have come to expect from Richelle Mead but the potential is there to make this a great series. I look forward to seeing where she will go with the characters and storyline and I will definitely buy The Golden Lily.
Notable Scene:
“Adrian,” I whispered, catching his sleeve. “You want to tell the truth? Do it in there. Do not embellish or make up crazy claims that you were a district attorney.”
“Got it,” he said. “This is going to be a breeze.”
If by breeze he meant fast, then he was right. He emerged from the office door five minutes later.
“I don’t suppose,” I said, once we were in the car, “that she gave you the job based on looks alone?”
Adrian had been staring off but now flashed me a big smile. “Why, Sage, you sweet talker.”
“That’s not what I meant! What happened?”
He shrugged. “I told the truth.”
“Adrian!”
“I’m serious. She asked me what my greatest strength was. I said getting along with people.”
“That’s not bad,” I admitted.
“Then she asked what my greatest weakness was.” And I said, “Where should I start?”
“Adrian!”
“Stop saying my name like that. I told her the truth. By the time I was on the forth one, she told me I could go.”
I groaned and resisted the urge to beat my head on the steering wheel. “I should’ve coached you. That’s a standard trick question. You’re supposed to answer with things like ‘I get too devoted to my work’ or ‘I’m a perfectionist.”
He snorted and crossed his arms. “That’s total bullshit. Who’d say something like that?”
“People who get jobs.”
Bloodlines Series:
1. Bloodlines
2. The Golden Lily
FTC Advisory: Razorbill provided me with a copy of Bloodlines. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review. In addition, I don’t receive affiliate fees for anything purchased via links from my site.
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Language
Original publication date
2011-08-23
Physical description
416 p.
ISBN
0141337117 / 9780141337111
Local notes
Behind the gates of St Vladimir's exists a dangerous world for a brand new generation of royal vampires and their guardians.