Bloodlines by Richelle Mead

Series: Bloodlines, Book One

Publisher: Puffin

Format: Paperback

Published: 25^th August 2011

Number of Pages: 432

Book: For Review From Penguin*

Genre: Paranormal, Dark Romance, Urban Fantasy, Magic, Action, YA

Recommended Age: 12+

Contains: Violence, Mild Swearing, Drinking

No Drug References

Author's Blog: Richelle Mead

Warning: Contains Spoilers From The Vampire Academy Series

Sydney protects vampire secrets – and human lives.

Sydney belongs to a secret group who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the world of humans and vampires.

But when Sydney is torn from her bed in the middle of the night, she fears she’s still being punished for her complicated alliance with dhampir Rose Hathaway.  What unfolds is far worse.  The sister of Moroi queen Lissa Dragomir is in mortal danger, and goes into hiding.  Now Sydney must act as her protector.

The last thing Sydney wants is to be accused of sympathising with vampires.  And now she has to live with one…

Review:

Ever since Sydney Sage helped dhampir Rose Hathaway, she has been shunned by the rest of her secret organisation, the Alchemists.  Their goal being to protect humanity from vampires, associating with a half-vampire is not helping Sydney’s case.  So when a job pops up, Sydney sees a chance to redeem herself.  Until she finds out that it involves living with a Moroi.  And not just any old Moroi – Queen Vasilisa Dragomir’s younger sister and only relative, who is a being targeted by rebels.  This will not help Sydney rid herself of the name ‘vamp lover’…  Of course, it doesn’t help that darker goings-on are happening in their new home.  Ones that could prove to be deadly…

I have to admit, when I saw that a spin-off series of Vampire Academy was coming out, I thought: “Oh!  It’s not going to be the same – can’t be the same – without Rose!”  I was, of course, a total fool to doubt the brilliance of Richelle Mead.  Sure, I missed Rose.  But Bloodlines just blew me away completely.  The characters, the action, the humour, the plot, the setting… everything was just perfect!  I loved every single moment, just zooming through the book at break-neck speed.  And, as I read, I just thought how much I wanted the book to go on and on and on…  Yeah.  It was just that good!

Sydney was awesome.  Eighteen, an Alchemist, Sydney was smart, practical and… well, awesome!  When she first appeared in Blood Promise, I wasn’t too keen on her.  But I got past the suits and righteousness quickly and realised I really, really liked her.  She has this wonderful, dry kind of humour about her: she made me laugh – and grin – a lot.  She was also wonderfully bad in social situations – she really didn’t get people.  It was hilarious!  So, ok, Sydney wasn’t a kick-butt guardian like Rose.  But she was smart, funny and would do anything for the ones she cared about – die for them, fight for them.  And, in that way, she was very much like our dear Miss Hathaway.  Oh, and I loved Sydney, if you hadn’t gathered.

Now for the ‘supporting cast’.  Jill: I’ve always loved her!  She’s so full of energy and often nervous, but she’s just so cute!  And all rambly!  But, in the events preceding this book, she’d had to go through so much – it was terrible…  (Intrigued, yet?)  And then we have Adrian Ivashkov.  I have always loved Adrian Ivashkov.  Now, this is how it went down:   Adrian enters the cast.  And, instantly, I’m laughing.  He’s just that brilliant.  And, even better, underneath the sarcastic, snarky, I’m-so-wonderful exterior is someone who is damaged, but amazingly sweet and deep.  This is blatantly obvious whenever he’s around ‘Jailbait’ – Jill for those who haven’t read the books.  I love him!  Oh, and Eddie Castille makes an appearance!  I really liked Eddie – always have, ‘cause he’s sweet and brave, and very sarcastic when needed – which, basically, is whenever Adrian is involved.

I’ll end with a sort-of badguy.  An Alchemist.  Keith Darnell.  Grr.  Sydney didn’t like him – at all.  And I hated him from the moment he walked in.  He was smug, arrogant and just rubbed me the wrong way. 

Bloodlines was super-fast pace and exciting!  Even when there was no action, it was so, so addictive!  And, as usual with Richelle’s books, I guessed some of the more basic twists, but there were more where my guesses were way off mark.  Like out-of-the-park incorrect.

Really, it was so cool to see the problem – and world – from the Alchemists’ point-of-view.  It was amazing to see more into the Alchemist organisation, their secrets and mission.  Even if I didn’t entirely like all of their beliefs and strict social rules.

And, true to all Richelle’s novels, I felt so much throughout the book.  I laughed – a lot – I held my breath, I hoped, I smiled, I felt like crying…  How does she make me feel every.single emotion Sydney does?

I need The Golden Lily.  ASAP.  Now.  Its release honestly can’t come soon enough!  Bloodlines ended on one of the worst one-sentence cliffhangers ever!  And, in the sequel, can we look forward to a few new love triangles?  We’ll just have to wait and see…  But, I’m tellin’ you now, I am packing my bags and moving here, to this wonderful, wonderful world.  I don’t think I can wait until next year!  So…  Bye!

Star Rating:
5 Out of 5

Read this book if you liked:

Finding Sky by Joss Stirling

Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare

Challenges It's Taking Part In:

100 Books in a Year Reading Challenge 2011 (Hosted by Book Chick City)

Vampire Challenge 2011 (Hosted by Parajunkee’s View)

Happy Reading

Megan

* This book was received from Penguin in exchange for an honest review