Golden Lilly (book 2) - Richelle Mead

***SPOILER ALERT***

This is a series book. This is book 2 in the Bloodlines Series. Please see the bottom for links to reviews on each book thus far.

Overview:
Tough, brainy alchemist Sydney Sage and doe-eyed Moroi princess Jill Dragomir are in hiding at a human boarding school in the sunny, glamorous world of Palm Springs, California. The students--children of the wealthy and powerful--carry on with their lives in blissful ignorance, while Sydney, Jill, Eddie, and Adrian must do everything in their power to keep their secret safe. But with forbidden romances, unexpected spirit bonds, and the threat of Strigoi moving ever closer, hiding the truth is harder than anyone thought.

Review:
Wow, Richelle has done it again! She always amazes me with her attention to detail in her characters, and Bloodlines is no different. In this book we carry on after the episode with Keith and Lee and start out with Sydney meeting up with the alchemists for what one would think would be a debrief after the whole tattoo debacle. This is the first twist in this book and unfortunately I in this book it doesn't seem to tell you any more, kinda like a geisha showing her hand to give you a small tease into the world of alchemists. Carry on and we start all of the testing for figuring out why someone who has been "unturned" strigoi can never turn back. And never fear, Ms. Terwilliger is still there stirring up trouble in Sydney's already torn mind. She continues to press into Sydney by way of forcing her to copy spells in her extra period.

This review earns four hearts, not because this book was bad in any way really, it was just slightly predictable. However, I'm starting to wonder if any book is ever not going to be predictable for me anymore... Overall, the characters are still developing and yet, they are still so perfectly whole! You see into the mind of not only Sydney in this venture, but one other character and get to know them quite well. (as if you didn't already know them! HA!)

Bloodlines Series

1. Bloodlines

2. Golden Lilly

Vampire Academy Series

1. Vampire Academy

2. Frostbite

3. Shadow Kiss

4. Blood Promise

5. Spirit Bound

6. Last Sacrifice

Thanks for listening to my opinions!
~Raschel

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Bloodlines - Richelle Mead

Overview:
I wasn't free of my past, not yet.

Sydney's blood is special. That's because she's an alchemist - one of a group of himans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worls of humans and vampire. They protect vampire secrets - and human lives. But the last encounter Sydney had with vampires got her in deep trouble with the other alchemists. And now with her allegiances in question, her future is on the line.


When Sydney torn from her bed in the middle of the night, at first she thinks she's still being punished for her complicated alliance with dhampir Rose Hathaway. But what unfolds is far orse. Jill Dragomir - the sister of Moroi Queen Lissa Dragomir - is in mortal danger, and the Moroi must send her into hiding. To avoid a civil war, Sydney is called upon to act as Jill's guardian and protector, posing as her roommate in the unlikeliest of places: a human boarding school in Palm Springs, California. The last thing Sydney wants is to be accused of sympathizing with vampires. And now she has to live with one.

The Moroi court believe Jill and Sydney will be safe at Amberwood Prep, but threats, distractions, and forbidden romance lurk both outside - and within - the school grounds. Now that they're hiding, the drama is only just beginning

Review:
This series doesn't disappoint from the Vampire Academy Series to this Mead doesn't drop the ball. She keeps it rolling. I am happy to say that we follow through with Sydney in the lead of this series and venture down the path to learning more about her radical belief system and get an in-depth look at her views on magic and the need to keep a line in the sand between herself and the vampires (and dampirs) she's protecting.

This review gives Bloodlines a full five hearts. We learn more about the hierarchy in the Alchemists and how much trouble Sydney wound up in from the Vampire Academy Series. Without tripping out with some valuable details some of your favorite characters come back to visit in this series and their development doesn't disappoint, then again, neither does Sydney's. Cheers to you Richelle Mead, another wonderful book well done.

Thanks for listening to my opinions!
~Raschel

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Blood Promise - Vampire Academy #4

***AGE ADVISEMENT***
FOR AGES 17+
***THIS IS A SERIES BOOK***

PLEASE READ SHADOW KISSED FIRST!

Overview:
Author: Richelle Mead
The recent Strigoi attack at St. Vladimir’s Academy was the deadliest ever in the school’s history, claiming the lives of Moroi students, teachers, and guardians alike. Even worse, the Strigoi took some of their victims with them . . . including Dimitri. He’d rather die than be one of them, and now Rose must abandon her best friend, Lissa—the one she has sworn to protect no matter what—and keep the promise Dimitri begged her to make long ago. But with everything at stake, how can she possibly destroy the person she loves most?

Review:

 Many series have one book which readers recognize as being a mere filler--that is, not much substance plot-wise and the writing is mediocre at best. BLOOD PROMISE stamps out that myth and shines like a beacon on its own and is a testament to Mead's growth as a writer and storyteller. The fourth novel in the six-part series outdoes itself with incredible fight scenes, mysterious characters, and fascinating plot-twists and revelations that bring more questions than answers.The heart of the story focuses on the hero Rose Hathaway's journey to fulfill the promise she made to herself and Dimitri. During this journey, Rose finds herself in situations she would never have imagined--mob-like characters whose intentions are ambiguous, other aspects of Moroi life she was not privvy to, along with her first encounter with a dhampir commune, meeting other dhampirs with a vendetta like her, and finally, her heart stopping confrontation with Dimitri. No spoilers will be given, for that would take away at the amazing story Mead has created, but rest assured, you have seen absolutely nothing yet.

Five hearts to this novel, which was a mind-blowing experience full of amazing adventures and action that showed no signs of letting up at any point during the reading. Richelle Mead's writing has grown more sophisticated and despite the dark setting is full of humor and will make you race through the pages, leaving yourself blinking at the last page wondering where all the time went.



Thanks for listening to my opinion!

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Shaddow Kiss - Vampire Academy #3

***AGE ADVISEMENT***
FOR AGES 17+
***THIS IS A SERIES BOOK***

PLEASE READ FROSTBITE FIRST!

Overview:
Author: Richelle Mead
Is Rose's fate to kill the person she loves most? It's springtime at St. Vladimir's Academy, and Rose Hathaway is this close to graduation. Since Mason's death, Rose hasn't been feeling quite right. She has dark flashbacks in the middle of practice, can't concentrate in class, and has terrifying dreams about Lissa. But Rose has an even bigger secret .... She's in love with Dimitri. And this time, it-s way more than a crush. Then Strigoi target the academy in the deadliest attack in Moroi history, and Dimitri is taken. Rose must protect Lissa at all costs, but keeping her best friend safe could mean losing Dimitri forever...

Review:
Rose now views her relationship with Lissa differently, she starts to question her purpose in life and the choices that have been thrust upon her. The life of a dhampir is one of duty and hardship. She'd always thought the only other choice was to be be a blood whore, so of course, being a guardian for her best friend, the Dragomir Princess was a better life. Then comes tragedy. I can't write about it. I don't want to spoil the book for anyone, I will say this though, I spent over half the book cringing at each page I turned, hoping that I was wrong, that Ms. Mead wouldn't do what I was terrified she would do in the end. So by the time it happened I was a mess; weepy and depressed.

I give this book as well, 5 hearts, for making me weep so badly I know I was in love with it. I think even those of your friends who hate to read would get into this series with ease!

Thanks for listening to my opinion!

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Frostbite - Vampire Academy #2

***AGE ADVISEMENT***
FOR AGES 17+
***THIS IS A SERIES BOOK***

PLEASE READ VAMPIRE ACADEMY FIRST!

Overview:
Author: Richelle Mead
It’s winter break at St. Vladimir’s, but Rose is feeling anything but festive. A massive Strigoi attack has put the school on high alert, and now the Academy’s crawling with Guardians—including Rose’s hard-hitting mother, Janine Hathaway. And if handto- hand combat with her mom wasn’t bad enough, Rose’s tutor Dimitri has his eye on someone else, her friend Mason’s got a huge crush on her, and Rose keeps getting stuck in Lissa’s head while she’s making out with her boyfriend, Christian! The Strigoi are closing in, and the Academy’s not taking any risks….This year, St. Vlad’s annual holiday ski trip is mandatory.

But the glittering winter landscape and the posh Idaho resort only create the illusion of safety. When three friends run away in an offensive move against the deadly Strigoi, Rose must join forces with Christian to rescue them. But heroism rarely comes without a price…

Review:
This is an astounding follow-up. The prologue has Rose re-introduce the basics of this developing series, as well as a couple key roles. It's a good refresher on the events of the previous novel, and brings long-awaiting readers back up to speed.

This time, Rose's life becomes even more exciting. For starters, Strigoi are attacking in coherent, organized groups, slaughtering royalty and their guardians with frightening ease. Then, Rose's previously-absent mother appears--unwantingly for Rose--at the academy while the Moroi in the northwest gather to strategize defense. As if that weren't enough, her feelings for Dimitri, while returned, are constantly being rejected and turned down, as they have a duty to protect Lissa, and the risk of emotion cannot get in the way of that.

It sounds like a lot of drama, and it is. But Mead narrates to us flawlessly in the voice of Rose, who is clearly growing up, albeit struggling. Older teenage girls and even young adult females are likely to find themselves empathizing with our heroine. Mead's style is fresh and exciting, making it hard to put down the book even for a moment. Some of the action gets a little hot and heavy, but Rose is 17, something parents should keep in mind when considering this for younger girls.

This book receives five hearts as well, "Frostbite," put simply, has surpassed its predecessor. I wish I could give it more stars, and I simply cannot recommend this series enough. It will be agonizing to wait 'til next fall for the sequel, "Shadow Kiss."

Thanks for listening to my opinion!

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