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Bloodlines #1
Bloodlines
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Favorite Book of 2011 (2011), Nominee for Best Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction (2011), Nominee for Best Goodreads Author (2011)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 humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of humans and vampires. 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 is torn from her bed in the middle of the night, at first she thinks she's still being punished for her complicated alliance with dhampir Rose Hathaway. But what unfolds is far worse. Jill Dragomir - the sister of Moroi Queen Lissa Dragomir - is in mortal danger, and the Moroi must send her into hiding. To avoid a civil war, Sydney is called upon to act as Jill's guardian and protector, posing as her roommate in the 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 in hiding, the drama is only just beginning.
Sydney's blood is special. That's because she's an alchemist - one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of humans and vampires. 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 is torn from her bed in the middle of the night, at first she thinks she's still being punished for her complicated alliance with dhampir Rose Hathaway. But what unfolds is far worse. Jill Dragomir - the sister of Moroi Queen Lissa Dragomir - is in mortal danger, and the Moroi must send her into hiding. To avoid a civil war, Sydney is called upon to act as Jill's guardian and protector, posing as her roommate in the 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 in hiding, the drama is only just beginning.
432 pages, Hardcover
First published August 23, 2011
About the author
Richelle Mead
111 books68.6k followersScorpio Richelle Mead is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of urban fantasy books for both adults and teens. Originally from Michigan, Richelle now lives in Seattle, Washington where she works on her three series full-time: Georgina Kincaid, Dark Swan, and Vampire Academy.
A life-long reader, Richelle has always loved mythology and folklore. When she can actually tear herself away from books (either reading or writing them), she enjoys bad reality TV, traveling, trying interesting cocktails, and shopping for dresses. She's a self-professed coffee addict and has a passion for all things wacky and humorous.
A life-long reader, Richelle has always loved mythology and folklore. When she can actually tear herself away from books (either reading or writing them), she enjoys bad reality TV, traveling, trying interesting cocktails, and shopping for dresses. She's a self-professed coffee addict and has a passion for all things wacky and humorous.
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January 31, 2023
“My God, Sage. Your eyes. How have I never noticed them?"
That uncomfortable feeling was spreading over me again. "What about them?"
"The color," he breathed. "When you stand in the light. They're amazing... like molten gold. I could paint those..." He reached toward me but then pulled back. "They're beautiful. You're beautiful.”
“The greatest changes in history have come when people were able to shake off what others told them to do.”
I love this series! I love this book! Even though there is not romance here, I still love it! It has adventure! I liked Sydney when I read Vampire Academy! Now, I love her character. The book is from Sydney's POV, so we understand her a lot better! I loved Adrian before and I still love him! He is amazing and funny. In half of the book I was laughing at something he was saying. He is unique!!
“Takes a lot of tries before you hit perfection." He paused to reconsider that. "Well, except for my parents. They got it on the first try."
Sydney is an alchemist, a group of humans who is keeping the vampire world a secret from humanity. The alchemists don't trust Sydney anymore because she helped Rose Hathaway, a Dhampir. So, they gave her a last chance! She is assigned to protect Jill Mastrano-Dragomir from a group of Moroi who are agaist the Queen Lissa Dragomir.
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1) I knew from the beginning that Jill and Adrian are bonded. He came at Palm Springs but he didn't want to. Then, Jill always knew what Adrian is doing and why she felt hungover every morning (because of Adrian's drinking). It was so obvious.
2)I loved the relationship and trust between Adrian and Sydney.They understand each other even though Adrian is vampire and Sydney is human. Their relationship is not romantic YET but they are so much fun to watch them! The adventures and the jokes were the best!
“Thanks for looking out for her, Sage. You're okay. For a human."
I almost laughed. "Thanks."
"You can say it too, you know."
I walked over to Latte and paused. "Say what?"
"That I'm okay...for a vampire," he explained.
I shook my head, still smiling. "You'll have a hard time getting any Alchemist to admit that. But I can say you're okay for an irreverent party boy with occasional moments of brilliance."
"Brilliant? You think I'm brilliant?" He threw his hands skyward. "You hear that, world? Sage says I'm brilliant.”
3)Two bad guys...Hmmm.. I will start with the complicated it.Number One: Keith! I didn't like Keith from the start! He treated Sydney bad all the time and he always wanted to find something to incriminate Sydney and send her to re-education.Then, we learn that he raped Sydney's sister, Carly. How ironic. Syndey's father is literally worship him and Keith raped his daughter. He was also supplying Nevermore Moroi blood and saliva. Nevermore was place where a lot of people were having a unusal tattoo to make them stronger. Sydney and Adrian expose him and Keith end up at the re-education.
“They’re waiting for you. Go on in.” Adrian leaned close to Keith’s ear and spoke in an ominous voice. “If.You.Dare.” He poked Keith’s shoulder and gave a "Muhahaha” kind of monster laugh.”
4)Number Two: Lee. I just can't. I liked him. And he was so good to Jill. I will admit that he gave clues. But I ignore it. How could he? I did not see that coming. Lee was a restored Strigoi and he killed several girls( Moroi, dhampirs and humans). He drunk their blood to "reawaken", as Strigoi's say. But we learn something new. A restored Strigoi( like Lee, Dimitri and Sonya) can't turn again. He wanted to try alchemist blood to see if that works. But he couldn't drink from Sydney(hmm..interesting). Then, he called his his Strigoi friends using Sydney and Adrian as a bargain for being re-awakened. One Strigoi tried to turn Lee to a Strigoi but she couldn't and he end up dead. Also, one Strigoi goes to drink from Sydney and once again she couldn't drink from her. They feed both on Adrian. Syndey created fire and she distracted the Strigoi. Just then, Eddie and Jill showed up and with the help of Jill's water magic Eddie kills both Strigoi.
5)The point is that Sydney has magic!! She is a witch! I was so excited at first and then she said she didn't want to use magic again..
Mrs.Terwilliger is amazing! I can't pronounce her name but I can write it. I love her. She is also a witch and with her way she introduced Sydney the human magic. She also calls her "Melbourne" because her fake name was Sydney Melrose.
6) I love Eddie. He wants Jill and I want them together but he is stupid. He wants to sacrifice his love for Micah. Micah is his roommate and he looks like a lot like Mason (his best friend who died).
7)I loved the relationship between Jill and Sydney. Sydney treats her like sister even though Jill is a vampire.
8)Finally, we learn the secret between Abe and Sydney. Sydney obeyed his commands because she asked him to attack on Keith and he ended up with a glass eye. I still love Abe.
9)Adrian was hurting at first because of Rose and Dimitri. He was still thinking about her. But then, Sydney gave him purpose.. To find job at first(that didn't go well) and at last she helped him apply for art classes and that made him happy. But in the ending, Dimitri arrived in Palm Springs.
10)The good thing is that Angeline arrived too. She is so much fun.
“You look too pretty to be useful."
"Truer words were never spoken.”
“I decided the Alchemists needed an entire department devoted to handling Adrian Ivashkov.”
July 17, 2012
My reaction after reading this book.
I have this shock-type face right now, which I usually get when I read a disappointing or a really good book. I don't even know if I am disappointed or happy...
I was so excited for this book. I was screaming with happiness when I got it read it. But Bloodlines was so NOT what I was expecting. I thought it would be an action filled story with awesome characters and some romance here and there. But what did I get after reading this book? NOTHING. Yes, people who loved Vampire Academy series and are dying to read this book, NOTHING.
I wouldn't say I didn't like Bloodlines. It was good but I would point out each and every freaking thing I hated about it. I am so ashamed. I don't know why or on whom... but I am ashamed.....
FAIL#1 What happened to you Ms. Mead? Do you know why people liked your books? Its because of the KICK ASS heroine. Yes, please notice and think about the word KICK ASS for a minute.
I knew it before reading this book that Sydney would not be a fighter or anything but this was so frustrating. I was thinking after reading more than half of the book that when will she actually start fighting or you know do something exciting? It was just like this:
'Protecting Jill-Reminding herself that shes An Alchemist-Protecting Jill'
And that sequence went on and on and stopped when only 100 pages were left. I liked Sydney but the author made her so dull, she had no life. Even though she was the main character of this book, Jill took all the fame.
FAIL#2 I hate Jill from the core of my heart. So all the Jill fans out there... Please don't read this fail. This book was basically ALL about Jill, protecting Jill, loving Jill. UGH! I freaking hate this bitch so much that if she was alive, then I would have shot her or something after reading this book. Why the fuff was everybody attracted to her? EVERYONE?! Tell me one guy, ONE guy who had not fallen in love with her. Because of that dumb bitch, Sydney had no story at all. And WHY ADRIAN WHY?! Do you have be feel sorry for that weirdo? Jill should die. DIE! >.< She always caused trouble, more than half of this book is about her which annoyed me to death, shes just fifteen and attracted like every guy from 18-21... All I want to say is,
FAIL#3 I just blame the author. You made every character, which I loved, behave wrong. From Sydney to Eddie, I was like, "no... noway is Adrian or Eddie like that!" Because of the characters, I was so sad. Even though Adrian was the only male character who behaved like himself, the rest were changed. As if I never knew them. And when I came to know about Eddie's love interest in the end, My hands were on my face and I was shaking my head in disappointment.
FAIL#4 I give Bloodlines an award for the most predictable book ever.
When I thought I couldn't get any more disappointed, the author decides to give us such a predictable story, I didn't even have to use my brain. I guess I have read and seen many thriller and mystery books and movies to know that the villain is the least person you suspect. I am reading and reading and reading, and suddenly the book finishes and I am just staring at the freaking wall and being like, "Thats it?"
FAIL#5 No romance at all. You heard me, NO romance. Not even a tiny bit. I am so shocked. And yes, I will never get to know who is on the cover beside Sydney. I think its Adrian but whatever, I don't even picture Adrian like that anyway. More or maybe 100% like Chace Crawford. xD I was so angry. Poor Sydney. She couldn't even have a tiny bit of romantic thingy with Adrian. This story was all straight and adventure type. No action. No romance. No cliff hanger. No nothing. *Breaks the brick while Banging my head against the wall but still alive*
Now a letter especially for the author Ms. Read
Dear Author,
(Cool down Saniya, Cool down!)
Anyway, I would like to tell you that you should write the next book, The Golden Lily much better or else don't be surprised if you see a creepy figure standing outside your bedroom window with a gun.
*On my knees* PLEASE! Write the second book nicely PLEASE PLEASE!
From your crazy Vampire Academy fan,
Saniya.
If this book was more about Sydney, more about Adrian and Sydney, more action, more romance and a better cliffhanger... I would have rated this book 4-4.5 stars. I am rating this book 2.5/5 stars (half of the book was bearable) I liked Bloodlines, but these points I mentioned above irritated me alot and I am going to read the next book because of Adrian, Sydney and Eddie.
I AM DISAPPOINTED!
(and readers who read my review and then comment like "you are wrong, etc" Please, why did you even bother reading the whole review. You just see my 2 star rating and go read another review.)
July 18, 2015
LOVED IT! This was the perfect book for me to finally shake off the rest of the reading slumpy feelings that were hanging around. I was surprisingly happy with Sydney's character and I love her banter with Adrian! I can't wait to see where this series is going to go and I need the next book pronto.
Definitely recommend if you enjoyed the Vampire Academy series!
Definitely recommend if you enjoyed the Vampire Academy series!
August 26, 2011
118 days, 30 hours, and counting...
IT HAS A COVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
All I have to say is Adrian better be in this series, and he better find someone to love him, or else I'm going to have to jump into the book and make him mine.
Update: According to Mead's blog:
Bloodlines is the spin-off series to Vampire Academy (it's the name of the first book and of the series). It's set in the VA world but will be about different characters: Sydney (our narrator), Jill, Eddie, and one of the love interests from VA. I'm not saying who that last guy is, but it's mostly to protect those who haven't read Last Sacrifice. If you have read it, then it should be pretty obvious who the other character is.
So, clearly, this means it is 100% confirmed that Adrian is in it, so YAY!!! Thank you!!! Also, it sounds to me like it will be in first-person, so I'm not sure why it says otherwise on here, but we shall see!
IT HAS A COVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
All I have to say is Adrian better be in this series, and he better find someone to love him, or else I'm going to have to jump into the book and make him mine.
Update: According to Mead's blog:
Bloodlines is the spin-off series to Vampire Academy (it's the name of the first book and of the series). It's set in the VA world but will be about different characters: Sydney (our narrator), Jill, Eddie, and one of the love interests from VA. I'm not saying who that last guy is, but it's mostly to protect those who haven't read Last Sacrifice. If you have read it, then it should be pretty obvious who the other character is.
So, clearly, this means it is 100% confirmed that Adrian is in it, so YAY!!! Thank you!!! Also, it sounds to me like it will be in first-person, so I'm not sure why it says otherwise on here, but we shall see!
August 5, 2011
2.5 out of 5 stars Here's why I normally love Richelle Mead. Her books always contain:
* Strong, kick-ass heroines
* Fun action sequences
* Completely immersive urban fantasy
* Snarky humor
* Strong emotional story arcs
* Cute, cute boys.
Always, that is, except in the case of her most recent book, Bloodlines, a new spin-off series from her Vampire Academy books. I've read all thirteen of the author's previous novels, including her adult urban fantasy series Dark Swan and Georgina Kincaid, and I'm sorry to say that I've never before had such a hard time getting into one of her books.
Sydney, the main character in Bloodlines, was never all that interesting to me in VA--but if anything, she's even harder to connect with here. Sydney has been maneuvered into a protector/big sister situation with Jill, who has to go in hiding while her sister Queen Vasilissa tries to affect certain changes in court law. The problem starts with the fact that this is a very similar dynamic to the Rose Hathaway/Lissa relationship, and the parallel only serves to remind us how much more interesting and kick-ass Rose was as a heroine. If the shadow of Rose wasn't enough, particularly in how she affects Adrian, she even makes an appearance a few times in person, as if Bloodlines could not stand on its own merits without her.
And I'm not sure that it actually can. Sydney is placed in the thankless position of being a stick-in-the-mud "mom" figure, constantly chiding Jill for this and Adrian for that. She's also fearful, afraid to take action, cowed by her father and by the authority figure Keith, has severe image problems (she thinks as a size 2, she's too fat compared to the thin vamps around her), she has no social skills (she has no clue when boys are hitting on her and is "confused" by why other kids hate her for always volunteering the right answers in class), and if that weren't enough, she's also kind of a racist. Yep, she's terribly suspicious and fearful of vampires and magic in general, which is a pretty big problem when you're totally surrounded by both those things. There are steps taken to show a certain amount of growth and development in her character, but honestly she became so tiresome and uninteresting to me that I really wasn't all that convinced by it. Certainly not enough to care about what happened to her one way or the next.
Other problems included a self-centered, whiny Jill (if you thought Lissa was annoying, wait until you spend time with her sister!), three boys who are into Jill (although why there's even one is beyond me), a mopey Adrian (it's incredibly disappointing to see so little meaningful time spent with one of my favorite characters, although he's technically always there), a villain that's all too easy to spot, and above all, supremely uninteresting plots and subplots. Have we really resorted to juvenile "Oh noes, where is Jill? She's been sneaking out to see her boyfriend!" and "Let's switch Jill's P.E. period so she doesn't get burned by the unfriendly sun!" and "Sweet heaven, will pretty pretty princess Jill get to participate in the fashion show???" type plots in the Vampire Academy world? Really?
While I did enjoy the small amount of time spent on Sydney's Alchemy skills and the mysterious business of the magic tattoos, there wasn't nearly enough magic, action, emotional arcs, strong characters, or plot development to make this book worthwhile, so it felt very off the mark to me. I will keep reading the series in the hope that it will get better, but this first installment is much less thrilling than it should have been.
I am normally such a fan of this author's books, because even when they aren't perfect, they've always had the elements I mentioned above--and I've always found them to be entertaining and fun. But sadly, I can't say that I found Bloodlines to be either one of those things. A big, big disappointment to me, in every conceivable way.
Regardless of my feelings about the book, however, my thanks go out to Flannery over at The Readventurer for loaning me her ARC!
This review also appears in The Midnight Garden.
* Strong, kick-ass heroines
* Fun action sequences
* Completely immersive urban fantasy
* Snarky humor
* Strong emotional story arcs
* Cute, cute boys.
Always, that is, except in the case of her most recent book, Bloodlines, a new spin-off series from her Vampire Academy books. I've read all thirteen of the author's previous novels, including her adult urban fantasy series Dark Swan and Georgina Kincaid, and I'm sorry to say that I've never before had such a hard time getting into one of her books.
Sydney, the main character in Bloodlines, was never all that interesting to me in VA--but if anything, she's even harder to connect with here. Sydney has been maneuvered into a protector/big sister situation with Jill, who has to go in hiding while her sister Queen Vasilissa tries to affect certain changes in court law. The problem starts with the fact that this is a very similar dynamic to the Rose Hathaway/Lissa relationship, and the parallel only serves to remind us how much more interesting and kick-ass Rose was as a heroine. If the shadow of Rose wasn't enough, particularly in how she affects Adrian, she even makes an appearance a few times in person, as if Bloodlines could not stand on its own merits without her.
And I'm not sure that it actually can. Sydney is placed in the thankless position of being a stick-in-the-mud "mom" figure, constantly chiding Jill for this and Adrian for that. She's also fearful, afraid to take action, cowed by her father and by the authority figure Keith, has severe image problems (she thinks as a size 2, she's too fat compared to the thin vamps around her), she has no social skills (she has no clue when boys are hitting on her and is "confused" by why other kids hate her for always volunteering the right answers in class), and if that weren't enough, she's also kind of a racist. Yep, she's terribly suspicious and fearful of vampires and magic in general, which is a pretty big problem when you're totally surrounded by both those things. There are steps taken to show a certain amount of growth and development in her character, but honestly she became so tiresome and uninteresting to me that I really wasn't all that convinced by it. Certainly not enough to care about what happened to her one way or the next.
Other problems included a self-centered, whiny Jill (if you thought Lissa was annoying, wait until you spend time with her sister!), three boys who are into Jill (although why there's even one is beyond me), a mopey Adrian (it's incredibly disappointing to see so little meaningful time spent with one of my favorite characters, although he's technically always there), a villain that's all too easy to spot, and above all, supremely uninteresting plots and subplots. Have we really resorted to juvenile "Oh noes, where is Jill? She's been sneaking out to see her boyfriend!" and "Let's switch Jill's P.E. period so she doesn't get burned by the unfriendly sun!" and "Sweet heaven, will pretty pretty princess Jill get to participate in the fashion show???" type plots in the Vampire Academy world? Really?
While I did enjoy the small amount of time spent on Sydney's Alchemy skills and the mysterious business of the magic tattoos, there wasn't nearly enough magic, action, emotional arcs, strong characters, or plot development to make this book worthwhile, so it felt very off the mark to me. I will keep reading the series in the hope that it will get better, but this first installment is much less thrilling than it should have been.
I am normally such a fan of this author's books, because even when they aren't perfect, they've always had the elements I mentioned above--and I've always found them to be entertaining and fun. But sadly, I can't say that I found Bloodlines to be either one of those things. A big, big disappointment to me, in every conceivable way.
Regardless of my feelings about the book, however, my thanks go out to Flannery over at The Readventurer for loaning me her ARC!
This review also appears in The Midnight Garden.
July 17, 2013
Adrian Ivashkov.
“They’re waiting for you. Go on in.” Adrian leaned close to Keith’s ear and spoke in an ominous voice. “If.You.Dare.” He poked Keith’s shoulder and gave a "Muhahaha” kind of monster laugh.”
“Yeah? Can you draw a skeleton riding a motorcycle with flames coming out of it? And I want a pirate hat on the skeleton. And a parrot on his shoulder. A skeleton parrot. Or maybe a ninja skeleton parrot? No, that would be overkill. But it'd be cool if the biker skeleton could be shooting some ninja throwing stars. That are on fire.”
“Now I see some family resemblance. I was starting to wonder if Jill was adopted, but you two kind of look like each other."
"So does our mailman back in North Dakota," said Adrian.”
“My God, Sage. Your eyes. How have I never noticed them?"
That uncomfortable feeling was spreading over me again. "What about them?"
"The color," he breathed. "When you stand in the light. They're amazing... like molten gold. I could paint those..." He reached toward me but then pulled back. "They're beautiful. You're beautiful.”
“Dimitri Belikov had arrived.”
'Nough said.
September 1, 2011
Whack! Pow! Holy alchemist! Punch in the face Batman! What a beginning and what an ending to a series kickoff that I just know is going to be a helluva ride. Team Adrian fans get ready because what you didn’t get in Vampire Academy, Richelle Mead delivers ten-fold in Bloodlines. Our favorite Moroi is back with a vengeance and fully loaded with squee-worthy moments. Can’t wait for more!
Yes, it’s no surprise I’m Team Adrian, and I have been ever since Dimitri uttered in Spirit Bound those sucktastic words I've given up on you. Love fades. Mine has... to Rose. That was gut-punch harsh and difficult to let go no matter his real purpose and ultimate choice. So when Vampire Academy concluded and Adrian was left shattered and rejected, I knew he deserved so much more and the hard lesson that the good guys don’t always win was waved in the faces of Team Adrian fans. But now we’ve got a whole new story to be told and that’s pure EXCITEMENT!
In this first installment of Bloodlines, the story picks up shortly after Vampire Academy ends. I’m thinking about a couple of months or less. The court is in turmoil over Vasilisa Dragomir’s reign as queen and some people want to see her gone. However, rather than striking directly at the target, they go for her sister Jill because by getting rid of her, Lissa will be forced to forfeit her throne. To circumvent this plan of attack, Jill is tucked away at Amberwood Preparatory Academy with a posse of guardians including the Alchemist Sydney Sage, the dhampir Eddie and our beloved Adrian. They band together to keep Jill safe and try to move on and build some semblance of a life in the aftermath of VA.
I feel Sydney was the perfect choice to narrate this story as the main character. She might not be punk-rock tough like Rose...yet, but you can see her slowly developing from timid, yes-girl to don’t-mess-with-me badass. She has a lot to prove to her people because of her involvement with Rose’s escape. But as the story progresses, she realizes that sometimes she needs to take some risks and make some hard choices to discover the truth and uncover her full potential.
Adrian is absolutely perfect in this book. He delivers his ever-smooth performance of carefree slacker, but when you take a closer look it’s obvious he has some recovering to do in the wake of Rose’s ultimate choice. You can clearly see he’s trying to get away from his past and find a purpose for himself. He’s realizing his love for Rose was misguided and begins to take strides to steady himself after the fallout.
This book covers some heavy ground by showing how life lessons, character development and unpaid debts are just a few struggles to overcome. The bond between the four main players, Sydney, Eddie, Adrian and Jill is forming and I can’t wait to see where their journey will lead. Great series kick-off that Vampire Academy fans will enjoy!
Thank you so much to Alexa for lending me her ARC because she knew I couldn't wait one more day for my Adrian fix. ~HUGS~ XD
Yes, it’s no surprise I’m Team Adrian, and I have been ever since Dimitri uttered in Spirit Bound those sucktastic words I've given up on you. Love fades. Mine has... to Rose. That was gut-punch harsh and difficult to let go no matter his real purpose and ultimate choice. So when Vampire Academy concluded and Adrian was left shattered and rejected, I knew he deserved so much more and the hard lesson that the good guys don’t always win was waved in the faces of Team Adrian fans. But now we’ve got a whole new story to be told and that’s pure EXCITEMENT!
In this first installment of Bloodlines, the story picks up shortly after Vampire Academy ends. I’m thinking about a couple of months or less. The court is in turmoil over Vasilisa Dragomir’s reign as queen and some people want to see her gone. However, rather than striking directly at the target, they go for her sister Jill because by getting rid of her, Lissa will be forced to forfeit her throne. To circumvent this plan of attack, Jill is tucked away at Amberwood Preparatory Academy with a posse of guardians including the Alchemist Sydney Sage, the dhampir Eddie and our beloved Adrian. They band together to keep Jill safe and try to move on and build some semblance of a life in the aftermath of VA.
I feel Sydney was the perfect choice to narrate this story as the main character. She might not be punk-rock tough like Rose...yet, but you can see her slowly developing from timid, yes-girl to don’t-mess-with-me badass. She has a lot to prove to her people because of her involvement with Rose’s escape. But as the story progresses, she realizes that sometimes she needs to take some risks and make some hard choices to discover the truth and uncover her full potential.
Adrian is absolutely perfect in this book. He delivers his ever-smooth performance of carefree slacker, but when you take a closer look it’s obvious he has some recovering to do in the wake of Rose’s ultimate choice. You can clearly see he’s trying to get away from his past and find a purpose for himself. He’s realizing his love for Rose was misguided and begins to take strides to steady himself after the fallout.
This book covers some heavy ground by showing how life lessons, character development and unpaid debts are just a few struggles to overcome. The bond between the four main players, Sydney, Eddie, Adrian and Jill is forming and I can’t wait to see where their journey will lead. Great series kick-off that Vampire Academy fans will enjoy!
Thank you so much to Alexa for lending me her ARC because she knew I couldn't wait one more day for my Adrian fix. ~HUGS~ XD
December 3, 2023
2011 FANTASY SIMPLY DOES IT BETTER 💅💅
I DID NOT expect this book to be THAT good. Before we start with the actual review, a couple thing to know:
The original series set in this universe is Vampire Academy, this is a spin off surrounding one of the main characters from the original books. The original series is also made of 6 books that have to be read in order, but don't let that intimidate you! You'll fly through them! I've read those books in 2017, it took me about half a month to complete all six. That series is like a drug, more guilty pleasure than a high quality read, I must admit that, but enjoyable and addictive nevertheless. Ever since I read the main series, I've been obsessed with this universe and these characters and been wanting to read the spin off for the LONGEST TIME. Yes, it took me 6 years to pick them up but A SECOND to fall in love with this world all over again.
So, if you haven't read VA, I would recommend finishing that series first. I suppose that this one CAN BE read on its own but I still suggest the full experience. It'll be so much fun, I promise you! If you've read VA but forgot everything and can't remember any events, don't worry and don't reread, just start Bloodlines. Richelle Mead is AMAZING at world-building, avoids info dumps like an expert but reminds you of all key elements.
Let's get on with the review:
THIS WAS AMAZING. Such a good first book in the series, this will forever and ever be on of my favorite fantasy worlds. I'm a huge sucker for urban fantasy from the early 2010s (The Mortal Instruments, I'm your biggest defender). This felt like a contemporary angsty teenage gossip magazine, but WITH VAMPIRES. And I loved every second. My reading hasn't been great lately (so dissapointed with myself) BUT BLOODLINES REMINDED ME OF WHY I LOVE THIS HOBBY. Can't wait to binge read the next 5 books!
Sydney is such a great protagonist. Honestly, these fantasy books almost ALWAYS have cringe and annoying protagonists. It does sound awful, but tbh, being in their heads throughout my teenage year was a TORTURE of its own kind. SYDNEY IS NOT YOUR TYPICAL FANTASY GIRL, SHE'S A BADASS, I'm genuinely so excited to read the rest of this story fron her POV. For all you VA fans, I love her more than I love Rose, SORRY. AND I DID LOVE THAT GIRL TOO. Miss Mead mothered a bit too close to the sun!
I loved Adrian in VA and I love him here. What's a male performance where he's just so pathetic?
YOUR HONOR, IT'S THIS ONE!
I love this himbo with my whole heart.
Mind you, romance was practically non-existent in this one but the SPARKS were everywhere. I'm so excited for things to go down.
Genuinely, in terms of quality, this book is so much better than Vampire Academy. The writing was actually decent, the plot was interesting, the pacing was good, overall such a solid first book in the series. GIVE ME MORE RICHELLE!❣️❣️
I DID NOT expect this book to be THAT good. Before we start with the actual review, a couple thing to know:
The original series set in this universe is Vampire Academy, this is a spin off surrounding one of the main characters from the original books. The original series is also made of 6 books that have to be read in order, but don't let that intimidate you! You'll fly through them! I've read those books in 2017, it took me about half a month to complete all six. That series is like a drug, more guilty pleasure than a high quality read, I must admit that, but enjoyable and addictive nevertheless. Ever since I read the main series, I've been obsessed with this universe and these characters and been wanting to read the spin off for the LONGEST TIME. Yes, it took me 6 years to pick them up but A SECOND to fall in love with this world all over again.
So, if you haven't read VA, I would recommend finishing that series first. I suppose that this one CAN BE read on its own but I still suggest the full experience. It'll be so much fun, I promise you! If you've read VA but forgot everything and can't remember any events, don't worry and don't reread, just start Bloodlines. Richelle Mead is AMAZING at world-building, avoids info dumps like an expert but reminds you of all key elements.
Let's get on with the review:
THIS WAS AMAZING. Such a good first book in the series, this will forever and ever be on of my favorite fantasy worlds. I'm a huge sucker for urban fantasy from the early 2010s (The Mortal Instruments, I'm your biggest defender). This felt like a contemporary angsty teenage gossip magazine, but WITH VAMPIRES. And I loved every second. My reading hasn't been great lately (so dissapointed with myself) BUT BLOODLINES REMINDED ME OF WHY I LOVE THIS HOBBY. Can't wait to binge read the next 5 books!
Sydney is such a great protagonist. Honestly, these fantasy books almost ALWAYS have cringe and annoying protagonists. It does sound awful, but tbh, being in their heads throughout my teenage year was a TORTURE of its own kind. SYDNEY IS NOT YOUR TYPICAL FANTASY GIRL, SHE'S A BADASS, I'm genuinely so excited to read the rest of this story fron her POV. For all you VA fans, I love her more than I love Rose, SORRY. AND I DID LOVE THAT GIRL TOO. Miss Mead mothered a bit too close to the sun!
I loved Adrian in VA and I love him here. What's a male performance where he's just so pathetic?
YOUR HONOR, IT'S THIS ONE!
I love this himbo with my whole heart.
Mind you, romance was practically non-existent in this one but the SPARKS were everywhere. I'm so excited for things to go down.
Genuinely, in terms of quality, this book is so much better than Vampire Academy. The writing was actually decent, the plot was interesting, the pacing was good, overall such a solid first book in the series. GIVE ME MORE RICHELLE!❣️❣️
June 8, 2019
When nothing more needs to be said.
June 20, 2021
“Takes a lot of tries before you hit perfection." He paused to reconsider that.
"Well, except for my parents. They got it on the first try."
You are perfect. I love you, Adrian Ivashkov.
#AdrianDeservesTheWorld
#AdrianIsEverything
#CurseYouRoseForHurtingAdrian (jk jk I love Rose, but still...)
#IDon’tKnowWhyIKeepDoingHashtags
If you haven’t noticed already, this infuriating lovable goofball has my heart.🥺
I can't believe there's barely any fanart of the Adrian Ivashkov?!?! Adrian is worthy of all the fanart in the world.
No, no, no this is unacceptable.
Anyways, Bloodlines is actually the spin-off series to Vampire Academy and although you don't have to read that first, I'd go there because the ending of VA is brought up here, so... spoilers and then there's the references to VA/old characters, which is really just nice seeing them all again.🥰
You'll also be able to understand Adrian and Sydney A LOT more, especially where they're coming from. Adrian's broken heart *cries*
I can't imagine how one wouldn't love him.
Now Sydney Sage is an Alchemist—one of the few who actually know about vampires and make sure that humans know nothing about them... lest there be chaos.
Honestly what I love most about this is that Sydney is actually not the reckless, "kung-fu-pow" kind of heroine. She's one of the NERDS who knows the most the random facts, doesn't people well, and does homework/extra work for fun.
And she's totally not some amazingly strong girl who can beat up anyone. She's completely normal.
Not saying I hate the opposite of her traits, but it's nice seeing relatable characters
And yet despite being a genius, she's very clueless when it comes to some stuff ahaha omg
"Do you know anything about silent films?"
"Sure," I said. "The first ones were developed in the late nineteenth century and sometimes had live musical accompaniment, though it wasn't until the 1920s that sound become truly incorporated into films, eventually making silent ones obsolete in cinema."
Bryan gaped, as though that was more than he'd been expecting. "Oh. Okay. Well, um, there's a silent film festival downtown next week. Do you think you'd want to go?"
I shook my head. "No, I don't think so. I respect it as an art form but really don't get much out of watching them."
"Huh. Okay." He smoothed his hair back again, and I could almost see him groping for thoughts. Why on earth was he asking me about silent films? "What about Starship 30? It opens Friday. Do you want to see that?"
"I don't really like sci-fi either," I said. It was true, I found it completely implausible.
Bryan looked ready to rip that shaggy hair out. "Is there any movie out there you want to see?"
I ran through a mental list of current entertainment. "No. Not really."
Poor Bryan trying to ask her on date smh Sydney.
AND THEN THERE'S MY ONE TRUE LOVE ADRIAN IVASHKOV—
(Just replace Aladdin with Adrian and we're good)
He's arrogant, cocky, selfless, impulsive, brave, funny, hot . . . I could go on forever. I basically squealed every time he appeared or was mentioned. I want to kill someone every time someone thinks less of him because this guy deserves the world.🥺😭
His scenes were literally golden:
“They’re waiting for you. Go on in.” Adrian leaned close to Keith’s ear and spoke in an ominous voice. “If.You.Dare.” He poked Keith’s shoulder and gave a "Muhahaha” kind of monster laugh.”
He's such a bully to Keith hehehe I love it. Serves him right, that bastard ...
Then there's part 1 of Adrian in a job interview😭😂
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 fourth one, she told me I could go."
And part 2:
He shrugged. ""How?" I demanded. "How could you have screwed this one up?"
"When I got in, they said the manager was on the phone and would be a few minutes. So, I sat down and ordered a drink."
This time, I did lean my forehead against the steering wheel. "What did you order?"
"A martini."
"A martini." I lifted my head. "You ordered a martini before a job interview."
"It's a bar, Sage. I figured they'd be cool with it."
Note to Sydney: Never set up job interviews for Adrian.💀
═══*.·:·.☽✧ ✦ ✧☾.·:·.*═══
And so I say this again: How could anyone not love Adrian Ivashkov???
August 28, 2011
The short of it: I'm going to offer the unpopular opinion here and say that I enjoyed this book more than some of the VA books (and this is coming from someone who gave all the books three to four stars each). I love Sydney, Adrian, Jill, and Eddie, and I love the chance to learn more about the Alchemists.
August 23, 2018
Έχοντας λατρέψει τη σειρά va, φυσικά και θα συνέχιζα με τα bloodlines!
Πολύ καλή συνέχεια, Όχι στο επίπεδο του va βέβαια, Αλλά δεν είχα τέτοια απαίτηση μιας και εδώ η πρωταγωνίστρια δεν είναι η Ροουζ. Παρόλα αυτά η Σίντνεϊ είναι πολύ συμπαθητική
Η σειρά βαδίζει στα χνάρια του va. Έχει ήρωες που γνωρίσαμε εκεί και τώρα τους βλέπουμε να χαράζουν δική τους πορεία. Είχα αγαπήσει τον 'Εντι από το τρίτο βιβλίο του va αλλά τώρα τον λατρεύω.
Δεν χρειάζεται φυσικά να μιλήσω για τον Άντριαν.
Η ιστορία, αν και κάπως πιο ήπια από το πρώτο βιβλίο va (η σύγκριση είναι αναπόφευκτη), έχει δυναμική, αναπτύσσεται και χτίζεται αργά αλλά σωστά. Είχε μυστήριο και προς το τέλος δράση και ανατροπούλες. . Και φυσικά έχει ακαδημία! Οι ακαδημίες θα είναι πάντα στη μόδα και δεν θα πάψω ποτέ να τις αγαπώ. Φέρτε μου βιβλία με ακαδημίες!
Η καημένη η Σίντνει προσπαθεί να τα φέρει βόλτα με όλους τους τρελούς, αλλά βάζω στοίχημα ότι στο τέλος θα την κάνουν σαν τα μούτρα τους. Βασικά ανυπομονώ γι' αυτό!
Πολύ καλή συνέχεια, Όχι στο επίπεδο του va βέβαια, Αλλά δεν είχα τέτοια απαίτηση μιας και εδώ η πρωταγωνίστρια δεν είναι η Ροουζ. Παρόλα αυτά η Σίντνεϊ είναι πολύ συμπαθητική
Η σειρά βαδίζει στα χνάρια του va. Έχει ήρωες που γνωρίσαμε εκεί και τώρα τους βλέπουμε να χαράζουν δική τους πορεία. Είχα αγαπήσει τον 'Εντι από το τρίτο βιβλίο του va αλλά τώρα τον λατρεύω.
Δεν χρειάζεται φυσικά να μιλήσω για τον Άντριαν.
Η ιστορία, αν και κάπως πιο ήπια από το πρώτο βιβλίο va (η σύγκριση είναι αναπόφευκτη), έχει δυναμική, αναπτύσσεται και χτίζεται αργά αλλά σωστά. Είχε μυστήριο και προς το τέλος δράση και ανατροπούλες. . Και φυσικά έχει ακαδημία! Οι ακαδημίες θα είναι πάντα στη μόδα και δεν θα πάψω ποτέ να τις αγαπώ. Φέρτε μου βιβλία με ακαδημίες!
Η καημένη η Σίντνει προσπαθεί να τα φέρει βόλτα με όλους τους τρελούς, αλλά βάζω στοίχημα ότι στο τέλος θα την κάνουν σαν τα μούτρα τους. Βασικά ανυπομονώ γι' αυτό!
May 5, 2016
It was a likable enough read especially with that twist in the ending. I just thought it was a bit too long or perhaps it just felt that way. My own fault, I guess, because I read it without reading Vampire Academy series and because of my own human flaw, reading stuff I shouldn’t be reading yet, I had to pause several times to Google characters’ backgrounds, terminologies and so on. That reduced my total enjoyment of the book, of course- that and the fact that I’m not really a huge fan of vampire books, unless they’re funny or they’re not the main focus of the story. But I’ve been more than 200 pages through the book and still no snorting or grinning except for a few smiles induced by Adrian but that’s it. Sydney’s attempt at humor?
“I’d name it Latte, hoping my love of coffee would soon transfer to the car.”
(What’d she say?)
I also couldn’t care for the characters except for this Adrian guy (I think he’s kinda cute!). I would have liked Sydney enough for being really smart and caring but she’s also a bit self-centered. I just couldn’t love a gal who thinks size four is huge (*rolls eyes*) although I also felt bad for her because the other character, Jill, who gets everybody’s attention took the entire stage from her. It’s as if the story’s really about Jill in the POV of a supporting character, Sydney (poor gal). Overall, it was an okay read, an interesting one but I wasn’t invested enough to continue the rest of the books in the series .
Sorry about this lame review, Naomi. I know you loved it and so did many of my friends. Again, it’s just me, not the book. Happy early birthday, my lovely friend. (May 8 is her birthday) For your birthday, I read something I don’t usually read so maybe that counts, right? Lol. Have the most wonderful, inspiring day! <3
P.S. For a more positive review, do check out Pearl's.
September 8, 2011
There has been so much talk about this book in recent months. Those lucky enough to get their hands on ARC’s have seemed to think that Bloodlines isn’t as good as VA and while I do see what they mean, I don’t exactly agree. Going into this book I was sooo excited about it. VA remains one of my all time fave series and I had high expectations for Bloodlines and, for me, it didn’t disappoint. I can see the differences in this and VA, but I loved it none-the-less.
The world within this book is very different from that in VA. The minor characters in VA now have a larger role and they have the chance to shine. The world within the Amberwood boarding school was quite normal, and the book lacked the Moroi magic found in VA, but I discovered that I actually didn’t mind that. The pace of this book was slower as Richelle Mead set up the characters and storyline, but I enjoyed the pace and everything that happened.
It was nice seeing the new characters in this book. After the way the Vampire Academy series ended, there were a lot of questions left unanswered and a lot of loose ends left untied. In Bloodlines those characters whose stories weren’t completed are front and centre and we get the beginning of their own tales. Sydney, Jill and Eddie are all back and their lives are now our focus.
I wasn’t sure how I would feel about Sydney. I liked her in Blood Promise and I knew she had promise, but I wasn’t expecting to love her as much as I did. And I did actually love her....a lot. She has her issues and fears in regards to Moroi and vampires, but she’s strong too. One of the things that was a stand out about her for me was her morals. I liked that she still has issues with vampires and still considered them and their world to be evil and unnatural at times, and yet unlike the other alchemists, she treated them with respect and decency; interacting with them in a way that was kind and not unnecessarily cruel. Throughout this book Sydney continued to grow and her ideas change and I think she has the potential to be an incredible heroine as the series continues. Personally I can’t wait to witness her becoming the kind of lead I know she can be.
I can’t say enough how much I love Adrian. While Dimitri always had my heart in the previous series and I always wanted him to be with Rose, I’ve always thought highly of Adrian—ever since he appeared in the VA books. He’s such a great character. He’s funny and charming and underneath he’s got such a great heart. There’s so much about him that’s a front and not completely the truth that I adored the moments when his kindness and his true feelings shone through. It’s clear from this book just how much Rose’s betrayal hurt him at the end of Last Sacrifice, but at the same time I could see that he’s ready to move on and that he can be okay again. There’s nothing I want more than him to reach his potential. The relationship he has with Jill is so adorable. He’s always cared about her, but in this book it’s finally clear how strong that affection is. He treats her like a little sister and I don’t doubt that he’d do anything to keep her safe and happy.
I can’t deny that Bloodlines lacked the romance that VA did and yet I wasn’t disappointed by this—not in the least. The chemistry is there between Adrian and Sydney and Mead has set up a great stage for what I can foresee being a terrific romance. The seeds have been sown and I’m excited about the prospect of seeing their relationship develop over time. It’s obvious from the way they interact with each other that something really deep could develop between them in future books. While they’re very different in a lot of ways, they’re also very similar and I think they could find strength in themselves from each other. Adrian certainly is charming enough to help change Sydney’s thoughts on Moroi and sweep her off her feet and I can’t defiantly see her helping to heal his broken heart. I cannot wait to see how this relationship changes in the next few books—it’s so exciting.
I liked the side story of Jill and Lee, although I saw Eddie and everything he feels coming. I’m eager to see where this leads and what it means. There were enough twists and turns in this book to keep you on your toes and the entire time I was reading I didn’t want to stop. I think there a tonnes of possibilities for the characters in this book and the ending was one that left me wanting more....stat!
Bloodlines proves that Mead can indeed keep her VA world alive and has captivated me once again. I think this the start of what looks to be a brilliant series and I for one cannot wait to get my hands on The Golden Lily, although the wait is going to kill me!
The world within this book is very different from that in VA. The minor characters in VA now have a larger role and they have the chance to shine. The world within the Amberwood boarding school was quite normal, and the book lacked the Moroi magic found in VA, but I discovered that I actually didn’t mind that. The pace of this book was slower as Richelle Mead set up the characters and storyline, but I enjoyed the pace and everything that happened.
It was nice seeing the new characters in this book. After the way the Vampire Academy series ended, there were a lot of questions left unanswered and a lot of loose ends left untied. In Bloodlines those characters whose stories weren’t completed are front and centre and we get the beginning of their own tales. Sydney, Jill and Eddie are all back and their lives are now our focus.
I wasn’t sure how I would feel about Sydney. I liked her in Blood Promise and I knew she had promise, but I wasn’t expecting to love her as much as I did. And I did actually love her....a lot. She has her issues and fears in regards to Moroi and vampires, but she’s strong too. One of the things that was a stand out about her for me was her morals. I liked that she still has issues with vampires and still considered them and their world to be evil and unnatural at times, and yet unlike the other alchemists, she treated them with respect and decency; interacting with them in a way that was kind and not unnecessarily cruel. Throughout this book Sydney continued to grow and her ideas change and I think she has the potential to be an incredible heroine as the series continues. Personally I can’t wait to witness her becoming the kind of lead I know she can be.
I can’t say enough how much I love Adrian. While Dimitri always had my heart in the previous series and I always wanted him to be with Rose, I’ve always thought highly of Adrian—ever since he appeared in the VA books. He’s such a great character. He’s funny and charming and underneath he’s got such a great heart. There’s so much about him that’s a front and not completely the truth that I adored the moments when his kindness and his true feelings shone through. It’s clear from this book just how much Rose’s betrayal hurt him at the end of Last Sacrifice, but at the same time I could see that he’s ready to move on and that he can be okay again. There’s nothing I want more than him to reach his potential. The relationship he has with Jill is so adorable. He’s always cared about her, but in this book it’s finally clear how strong that affection is. He treats her like a little sister and I don’t doubt that he’d do anything to keep her safe and happy.
I can’t deny that Bloodlines lacked the romance that VA did and yet I wasn’t disappointed by this—not in the least. The chemistry is there between Adrian and Sydney and Mead has set up a great stage for what I can foresee being a terrific romance. The seeds have been sown and I’m excited about the prospect of seeing their relationship develop over time. It’s obvious from the way they interact with each other that something really deep could develop between them in future books. While they’re very different in a lot of ways, they’re also very similar and I think they could find strength in themselves from each other. Adrian certainly is charming enough to help change Sydney’s thoughts on Moroi and sweep her off her feet and I can’t defiantly see her helping to heal his broken heart. I cannot wait to see how this relationship changes in the next few books—it’s so exciting.
I liked the side story of Jill and Lee, although I saw Eddie and everything he feels coming. I’m eager to see where this leads and what it means. There were enough twists and turns in this book to keep you on your toes and the entire time I was reading I didn’t want to stop. I think there a tonnes of possibilities for the characters in this book and the ending was one that left me wanting more....stat!
Bloodlines proves that Mead can indeed keep her VA world alive and has captivated me once again. I think this the start of what looks to be a brilliant series and I for one cannot wait to get my hands on The Golden Lily, although the wait is going to kill me!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 14, 2016
Richelle Mead does not disappoint! I've proven it in her Vampire Academy series, and yet again, she proves her excellence in this book. Bloodlines is another masterpiece I have unraveled from this author!
Bloodlines is a spin-off of the Vampire Academy series. The first installment of Bloodlines series, this book introduces us to another adventure of a lifetime. In this book, the story takes place soon after the events of Last Sacrifice (the last sequel of Vampire Academy). But in this book, we get to discover different characters that were featured in Vampire Academy-- the main characters Adrian Ivashkov and Sydney Sage.
I won't be describing more details about the synopsis to avoid spoilers, but all I can say is that, this book is really, really awesome! It's absolutely well done. The writing style, as usual, was perfection! The premise was also surprisingly good. In Vampire Academy series, most books seemed to have a light air. But in Bloodlines, it was so much darker. So many secrets, intrigues, and puzzles were plotted. Perhaps it was the way Richelle Mead created a much bigger scope to the Moroi, Strigoi, Dhampirs, and Alchemists' world that made the book a lot more intriguing.
This is the kind of vampire book that really hooks me from page 1 up to the last. The mystery, the humor-- they've gone beyond my expectations. I also love Sydney's character here. I love how she thinks before she acts. For me, she's a very responsible, mature, and ideal character. And to top it all, ADRIAN IVASHKOV . He is an absolute bae of all baes! Despite his snarky attitude, well, he's the kind of fictional character that is hard not to adore. He really made my heart ache with his inner struggles. T.T
Perhaps the thing that prevented me to rate this book 5 stars was the predictability of the story. I found almost everything easy to foretell. But overall, I really enjoyed the book!
P.S. I highly recommend you to read Vampire Academy first before jumping into this book to avoid spoilers (There were actually a lot of VA spoilers here.) :)
Rating: 4 Stars
Bloodlines is a spin-off of the Vampire Academy series. The first installment of Bloodlines series, this book introduces us to another adventure of a lifetime. In this book, the story takes place soon after the events of Last Sacrifice (the last sequel of Vampire Academy). But in this book, we get to discover different characters that were featured in Vampire Academy-- the main characters Adrian Ivashkov and Sydney Sage.
I won't be describing more details about the synopsis to avoid spoilers, but all I can say is that, this book is really, really awesome! It's absolutely well done. The writing style, as usual, was perfection! The premise was also surprisingly good. In Vampire Academy series, most books seemed to have a light air. But in Bloodlines, it was so much darker. So many secrets, intrigues, and puzzles were plotted. Perhaps it was the way Richelle Mead created a much bigger scope to the Moroi, Strigoi, Dhampirs, and Alchemists' world that made the book a lot more intriguing.
This is the kind of vampire book that really hooks me from page 1 up to the last. The mystery, the humor-- they've gone beyond my expectations. I also love Sydney's character here. I love how she thinks before she acts. For me, she's a very responsible, mature, and ideal character. And to top it all, ADRIAN IVASHKOV . He is an absolute bae of all baes! Despite his snarky attitude, well, he's the kind of fictional character that is hard not to adore. He really made my heart ache with his inner struggles. T.T
Perhaps the thing that prevented me to rate this book 5 stars was the predictability of the story. I found almost everything easy to foretell. But overall, I really enjoyed the book!
P.S. I highly recommend you to read Vampire Academy first before jumping into this book to avoid spoilers (There were actually a lot of VA spoilers here.) :)
Rating: 4 Stars
June 10, 2015
4.5 stars - I knew that I would love this book! The Vampire Academy series definitely makes my top 10 favorite list, so naturally I was excited to read on! I wasn't that happy to hear that it would follow Sydney though. Rose was mentioned in the very beginning, but it was very brief. Truthfully, the reason why this wasn't a perfect five star book for me was because I did find parts of this a TAD slower than the VA series. But it definitely wasn't bad and I was interested ALMOST the whole time. I mean, I read it in like three sittings, so obviously it wasn't a slow book.
The only other negative thing I can think of, is Sydney. It's definitely different to go from the fierce, intense Rose to her. The way she dresses and acts. The way she runs and hides when someone does magic... Sometimes she reminded me of a younger Hermione always worrying about the rules. It just made me want to yell at her to relax! haha I DO like that she's so into school though. At least she thinks before she acts!
Definitely can't wait to read The Golden Lily (which I already have!!) I'm sure I'll fly through that one too!
The only other negative thing I can think of, is Sydney. It's definitely different to go from the fierce, intense Rose to her. The way she dresses and acts. The way she runs and hides when someone does magic... Sometimes she reminded me of a younger Hermione always worrying about the rules. It just made me want to yell at her to relax! haha I DO like that she's so into school though. At least she thinks before she acts!
Definitely can't wait to read The Golden Lily (which I already have!!) I'm sure I'll fly through that one too!
August 30, 2011
I do not relish, nor have I ever relished writing negative reviews. I would like to be able to say that Bloodlines exceeded my very high expectations. I would love nothing more than to write a glowing review for it. Unfortunately, that's not going to happen. My love for the Vampire Academy series is the sole reason why I haven't abandoned this book after about 40%.
Let’s start with the most obvious reason: the narrator. When it was announced that Richelle Mead chose Sydney as the viewpoint character, I can’t say that I was thrilled, but I decided to give her the benefit of the doubt. It is now clear to me that she made a mistake. Not only does Sydney fail to evoke sympathy, but she inspires hatred with her racism and plain stupidity.
Eddie, who in my opinion had the most potential, was left on the sidelines and only brought in when it was strictly necessary. Adrian… I would rather not go into that at all: spoiled, selfish, mopey, reckless, utterly self-absorbed… do I really need to continue? He was my biggest disappointment. Those few funny moments Mead generously threw in didn’t even come close to the Adrian I used to adore. And Jill… poor little princess. My heart bleeds for her. Except that it doesn’t.
After reading 11 of her books, I obviously know how Mead’s brain works. There wasn’t a single thing that surprised me in Bloodlines. The only real surprise was how weak I found it plotwise. However, I must give credit where credit is due: she still writes excellent dialogues. It is such a shame that terrible characters prevented me from enjoying them more.
Nevertheless, my plan was to go with three stars until I read the very last sentence. That made me so angry! Was it really necessary to resort to such cheap tricks? Those of you who’ve read the book will know exactly what I’m talking about. I should be anxiously awaiting the sequel because of the main characters, not because she decided to bring HIM back on the last page of Bloodlines. It doesn’t matter that her trick worked. In fact, that makes it even worse.
So to conclude thisrant review, of course I’ll read The Golden Lily. What choice do I have? But it makes me infinitely sad that I’m not looking forward to it at all.
Let’s start with the most obvious reason: the narrator. When it was announced that Richelle Mead chose Sydney as the viewpoint character, I can’t say that I was thrilled, but I decided to give her the benefit of the doubt. It is now clear to me that she made a mistake. Not only does Sydney fail to evoke sympathy, but she inspires hatred with her racism and plain stupidity.
Eddie, who in my opinion had the most potential, was left on the sidelines and only brought in when it was strictly necessary. Adrian… I would rather not go into that at all: spoiled, selfish, mopey, reckless, utterly self-absorbed… do I really need to continue? He was my biggest disappointment. Those few funny moments Mead generously threw in didn’t even come close to the Adrian I used to adore. And Jill… poor little princess. My heart bleeds for her. Except that it doesn’t.
After reading 11 of her books, I obviously know how Mead’s brain works. There wasn’t a single thing that surprised me in Bloodlines. The only real surprise was how weak I found it plotwise. However, I must give credit where credit is due: she still writes excellent dialogues. It is such a shame that terrible characters prevented me from enjoying them more.
Nevertheless, my plan was to go with three stars until I read the very last sentence. That made me so angry! Was it really necessary to resort to such cheap tricks? Those of you who’ve read the book will know exactly what I’m talking about. I should be anxiously awaiting the sequel because of the main characters, not because she decided to bring HIM back on the last page of Bloodlines. It doesn’t matter that her trick worked. In fact, that makes it even worse.
So to conclude this
August 12, 2021
I can't believe I forgot these books existed.
And I can't believe another ship in the VA universe would top Romitri in terms of sexiness, but I've always had a thing for snobbish, sassy blondes with big brains and sarcastic, miserable hotties with nice hair and Russian names so...book two better be full of Sydrian, I guess??
ACTUAL RATINGS 3,5/5
#PenguinOnATBRMission: book #23
◾this hashtag is something I self-indulgently created for fun when I decided to thin out my immense tbr list as a new years resolution starting from books I added on GR back in 2017/2018/2019, and since I can't seem to do anything quietly and I'm well known for being an overachiever, I had to go and turn it into an official thing. Feel free to check out the shelf with the same name if you don't mind keeping up with this insanely over-hyped adventure I got myself into. Take it as a chance to rediscover some books from a few years ago that might have accidentally flown under your radar, or to simply share with another fellow reader your very own reading experience. Happy reading and stay penguin-y!◾
To Be Continued...🐧
And I can't believe another ship in the VA universe would top Romitri in terms of sexiness, but I've always had a thing for snobbish, sassy blondes with big brains and sarcastic, miserable hotties with nice hair and Russian names so...book two better be full of Sydrian, I guess??
ACTUAL RATINGS 3,5/5
#PenguinOnATBRMission: book #23
◾this hashtag is something I self-indulgently created for fun when I decided to thin out my immense tbr list as a new years resolution starting from books I added on GR back in 2017/2018/2019, and since I can't seem to do anything quietly and I'm well known for being an overachiever, I had to go and turn it into an official thing. Feel free to check out the shelf with the same name if you don't mind keeping up with this insanely over-hyped adventure I got myself into. Take it as a chance to rediscover some books from a few years ago that might have accidentally flown under your radar, or to simply share with another fellow reader your very own reading experience. Happy reading and stay penguin-y!◾
To Be Continued...🐧
March 8, 2012
Up until around page 320 I was resigned with giving this book 2 stars, but thanks to a well placed plot twist, Bloodlines gets and upgrade to 3 stars.
I think it's important to point out I am a fan of Richelle Mead's work. I really enjoyed the Vampire Academy series (even with the second half less than stellar) and equally enjoyed the Succubus series. I enjoy Mead's witty writing style. It's both entertaining and down right hilarious at times.
However, with the exception of Last Sacrifice, I usually do not see where the plot is heading until it is revealed. Unfortunately, Bloodlines will sit right up there with Last Sacrifice on my shelf of predictability.
Plot
I won't retell the book here, but the gist is that Sydney, along with Eddie and Adrian, travel to a prep school in Palm Springs, California to keep Jill safe while she is in hiding. While they are expecting clear skies and smooth sailing, we all knew it wouldn't be that easy. A new problem arises for our gang which includes a threat no one expects...vampire hunters.
I think one of the biggest problems with this book lies with the fact that most readers have already read the Vampire Academy series. As such, we already understand the world Mead is describing through Sydney's eyes. This often led to me guessing at the plot's outcome before Sydney even realized something was off in the beginning. I think this book could have scored more points with me had I never known the back story of Adrian, Rose, Jill, Eddie, and Lissa. As a result, Sydney is left to look incredibly slow on the uptake, which is kind of ironic because she is supposed to be depicted as a very intelligent person.
What saved this book, as I mentioned before, is the plot twist that seems to be setting the tone of the series as a whole. I'm actually looking forward to the next books in the series for this reason. One thing I have noticed from reading Mead's works is that she does very well plot wise mid-series. I'll be very interested to see where she goes with this new concept.
Characters
While I was looking forward to read Bloodlines simply due to is being a VA spin-off, I was not looking forward to being in Sydney's head. When we first met her in Blood Promise she seemed dry, boring, and stuck up. I'm happy to say, I didn't get any of those vibes while reading this book. Now, Sydney's head is not as fun to be in as Rose. Not by a long shot, but it wasn't as bad as I originally thought it would be. Sydney is analytical in every sense of the word (except when she couldn't put the pieces to the mystery together, that is. -_-), thus approaching every scenario she encounters with a scientific explanation. It was so bad, she couldn't tell when a boy was trying to ask her out. Basic human, social interactions went right over her little blond head. Hey, there's another piece of irony for you...While Sydney was busy thinking of the vamps as unnatural sins against nature, they seemed to have a better understanding social norms and she remained in the dark.
Now, I know other reviewers regarded Sydney as discriminatory and racist against the vamps, but I'm going to slightly disagree with that. This is not another ethnicity or race Sydney was dealing with. It's another species that feeds off of humans.
Let's say you are a human and you meet a vampire. Would you:
Bring him back to your place of dwelling and cuddle him, swapping secrets?
Frolic around in the forest on his back while he adoringly refers to you as "Spider Monkey?"
Daydream of him biting you, turning you into his undead lover?
Oh you would, huh? Well, perhaps the Alchemists need to send your crazy ass to a re-education center.
If you are sane, then perhaps your reaction would be similar to mine:
I'd spare no haste in hightailing my ass right outta there.
But, the one thing I will say about Sydney is that her reaction to Vampire magic makes no sense when she has their blood tattooed on her skin. Call it a necessary evil all you want Sydney, but I'll call it BS.
Lissa-----wait, scratch that----Jill seemed to almost be a carbon copy of a previous character. I just can't seem to put my finger on it. Oh, that's right! Lissa.
I'm really hoping that this is just my first impression of Jill on our first date. Maybe when we get to know each other better, I'll feel differently. I also found her to be a bit whiny and many times her and Sydney's relationship resembled a mother daughter relationship.
I was really happy to see Eddie again. It's weird, even though he was there, I don't feel his character was remotely explored enough. I'm hoping this will change too.
Adrian, Adrian, Adrian. He still remains my favorite character. Damn you Rose for breaking him!! He is rather depressed in Bloodlines, but he still maintains that cocky little grin we have all come to know and love.
The Writing
As usual, Mead's dialog never disappoints me. There were plenty of times I chuckled at the banter between Adrian and Sydney.
--------
Now, let's talk about some things I didn't really like. First and foremost is Sydney and her OCD tendencies about her weight. I didn't like how she constantly strived to be paper thin like Jill. There is a part in the book where she is upset that her uniform is a size 4 instead of size 2 (her old size) or even a size 0 (which is Jill's size, thus further infuriating her). Add this to the fact that she is described as just moving her food around on her plate or not eating much at all and it becomes quite disturbing. It's just not healthy. I just feel it's going to send the wrong message to young girls.
Second, it seems we are going to dive further into the machinations of Spirit users and what they can do. That's great and all, but I noticed a little hole in that:
And lastly, some parts of the book were a little dry. It wasn't to the point that I would stop reading, but it was there nonetheless.
Overall, it was an ok read, which will probably be a hit or miss for fans of the original series.
More reviews and more at Cuddlebuggery Book Blog.
I think it's important to point out I am a fan of Richelle Mead's work. I really enjoyed the Vampire Academy series (even with the second half less than stellar) and equally enjoyed the Succubus series. I enjoy Mead's witty writing style. It's both entertaining and down right hilarious at times.
However, with the exception of Last Sacrifice, I usually do not see where the plot is heading until it is revealed. Unfortunately, Bloodlines will sit right up there with Last Sacrifice on my shelf of predictability.
Plot
I won't retell the book here, but the gist is that Sydney, along with Eddie and Adrian, travel to a prep school in Palm Springs, California to keep Jill safe while she is in hiding. While they are expecting clear skies and smooth sailing, we all knew it wouldn't be that easy. A new problem arises for our gang which includes a threat no one expects...vampire hunters.
I think one of the biggest problems with this book lies with the fact that most readers have already read the Vampire Academy series. As such, we already understand the world Mead is describing through Sydney's eyes. This often led to me guessing at the plot's outcome before Sydney even realized something was off in the beginning. I think this book could have scored more points with me had I never known the back story of Adrian, Rose, Jill, Eddie, and Lissa. As a result, Sydney is left to look incredibly slow on the uptake, which is kind of ironic because she is supposed to be depicted as a very intelligent person.
What saved this book, as I mentioned before, is the plot twist that seems to be setting the tone of the series as a whole. I'm actually looking forward to the next books in the series for this reason. One thing I have noticed from reading Mead's works is that she does very well plot wise mid-series. I'll be very interested to see where she goes with this new concept.
Characters
While I was looking forward to read Bloodlines simply due to is being a VA spin-off, I was not looking forward to being in Sydney's head. When we first met her in Blood Promise she seemed dry, boring, and stuck up. I'm happy to say, I didn't get any of those vibes while reading this book. Now, Sydney's head is not as fun to be in as Rose. Not by a long shot, but it wasn't as bad as I originally thought it would be. Sydney is analytical in every sense of the word (except when she couldn't put the pieces to the mystery together, that is. -_-), thus approaching every scenario she encounters with a scientific explanation. It was so bad, she couldn't tell when a boy was trying to ask her out. Basic human, social interactions went right over her little blond head. Hey, there's another piece of irony for you...While Sydney was busy thinking of the vamps as unnatural sins against nature, they seemed to have a better understanding social norms and she remained in the dark.
Now, I know other reviewers regarded Sydney as discriminatory and racist against the vamps, but I'm going to slightly disagree with that. This is not another ethnicity or race Sydney was dealing with. It's another species that feeds off of humans.
Let's say you are a human and you meet a vampire. Would you:
Bring him back to your place of dwelling and cuddle him, swapping secrets?
Frolic around in the forest on his back while he adoringly refers to you as "Spider Monkey?"
Daydream of him biting you, turning you into his undead lover?
Oh you would, huh? Well, perhaps the Alchemists need to send your crazy ass to a re-education center.
If you are sane, then perhaps your reaction would be similar to mine:
I'd spare no haste in hightailing my ass right outta there.
But, the one thing I will say about Sydney is that her reaction to Vampire magic makes no sense when she has their blood tattooed on her skin. Call it a necessary evil all you want Sydney, but I'll call it BS.
Lissa-----wait, scratch that----Jill seemed to almost be a carbon copy of a previous character. I just can't seem to put my finger on it. Oh, that's right! Lissa.
I'm really hoping that this is just my first impression of Jill on our first date. Maybe when we get to know each other better, I'll feel differently. I also found her to be a bit whiny and many times her and Sydney's relationship resembled a mother daughter relationship.
I was really happy to see Eddie again. It's weird, even though he was there, I don't feel his character was remotely explored enough. I'm hoping this will change too.
Adrian, Adrian, Adrian. He still remains my favorite character. Damn you Rose for breaking him!! He is rather depressed in Bloodlines, but he still maintains that cocky little grin we have all come to know and love.
The Writing
As usual, Mead's dialog never disappoints me. There were plenty of times I chuckled at the banter between Adrian and Sydney.
--------
Now, let's talk about some things I didn't really like. First and foremost is Sydney and her OCD tendencies about her weight. I didn't like how she constantly strived to be paper thin like Jill. There is a part in the book where she is upset that her uniform is a size 4 instead of size 2 (her old size) or even a size 0 (which is Jill's size, thus further infuriating her). Add this to the fact that she is described as just moving her food around on her plate or not eating much at all and it becomes quite disturbing. It's just not healthy. I just feel it's going to send the wrong message to young girls.
Second, it seems we are going to dive further into the machinations of Spirit users and what they can do. That's great and all, but I noticed a little hole in that:
And lastly, some parts of the book were a little dry. It wasn't to the point that I would stop reading, but it was there nonetheless.
Overall, it was an ok read, which will probably be a hit or miss for fans of the original series.
More reviews and more at Cuddlebuggery Book Blog.
September 4, 2020
2019
Absolutely loved this reread, if possible, more so than the first time around!
2012
I had high expectations with this book, mostly because I love Richelle Mead's Vampire Academy and I loved the characters within those books. Bloodlines held a couple of those characters, therefore my expectations were, as I said, high!
Firstly, those expectations were met... Secondly, they flew through the roof!
Sydney, my lovely little Sydney who I loved in Vampire Academy, played the leading lady in Bloodlines and had to work closely with Jill, Lissa's little sister, and princess! Adrian was part of this group and so was the lovely Eddie... Together, and with new characters, this group formed this fantastic first story...
I love the emotions that Richelle sets off inside me but on more than one occasion, I had to put the book down to breathe... I was so dam angry I wanted to climb into the book and slap a few people... one being Keith (ugh) and the other being Sydney's own father... and obviously a few others were lined up for that slap too!!
However, my feelings calmed towards the end and I am now eagerly awaiting the next installment... I LOVED LOVED LOVED this book and it is a must to follow on from Vampire Academy!!
Absolutely loved this reread, if possible, more so than the first time around!
2012
I had high expectations with this book, mostly because I love Richelle Mead's Vampire Academy and I loved the characters within those books. Bloodlines held a couple of those characters, therefore my expectations were, as I said, high!
Firstly, those expectations were met... Secondly, they flew through the roof!
Sydney, my lovely little Sydney who I loved in Vampire Academy, played the leading lady in Bloodlines and had to work closely with Jill, Lissa's little sister, and princess! Adrian was part of this group and so was the lovely Eddie... Together, and with new characters, this group formed this fantastic first story...
I love the emotions that Richelle sets off inside me but on more than one occasion, I had to put the book down to breathe... I was so dam angry I wanted to climb into the book and slap a few people... one being Keith (ugh) and the other being Sydney's own father... and obviously a few others were lined up for that slap too!!
However, my feelings calmed towards the end and I am now eagerly awaiting the next installment... I LOVED LOVED LOVED this book and it is a must to follow on from Vampire Academy!!
June 24, 2024
|| 3.0 stars ||
Oddly enough, this was surprisingly entertaining. I didn’t care that much about the characters or the relationships because they were very surface-level and without much depth or complexity, but I somehow still found myself enjoying this book from start to finish. The plot was strangely addicting, even though it wasn’t anything too special or elaborate. I genuinely can’t explain why I had fun with this book, but somehow I just did.
Honestly though, I do have to say that I mostly felt a little indignant on the main character’s behalf. Not only was Sydney surrounded by halfwits who refused to lend her a hand in keeping them save, they also didn’t seem to care about her whatsoever. She seemed to be completely insignificant to all of them and it pissed me off.
I was especially annoyed since everyone did seem to have a hard-on or some other kind of obsession with Jill, who was basically just a whiny, useless brat. Sydney deserved more attention, more recognition, more adoration, and especially more love. None of these people deserved her.
Not Adrian either, who I remember loving so much in the Vampire Academy series, but who was now only a broken shell of the man he used to be. He was beyond pathetic and self-pitying, and maybe I could have felt sorry for him if I remembered what happened to him in the previous series better, but oops, I don’t, so now he genuinely just made me roll me eyes and sigh in exasperation. I can’t imagine how a romance between him and the smartly capable Sydney is ever going to happen… I know they’re supposed to be endgame, but if I had to ship Sydney with anyone right now it would actually be Trey. At least he seemed to pay some sort of attention to her.
'Bloodlines' series:
1. Bloodlines - 3.0 stars
2. The Golden Lily - 3.5 stars
3. The Indigo Spell - 2.5 stars
4. The Fiery Heart - 3.5 stars
Prequel 'Vampire Academy' series:
1. Vampire Academy - 3.5 stars
2. Frostbite - 4.5 stars
3. Shadow Kiss - 4.5 stars
4. Blood Promise - 3.0 stars
5. Spirit Bound - 3.0 stars
6. Last Sacrifice - 3.5 stars
Oddly enough, this was surprisingly entertaining. I didn’t care that much about the characters or the relationships because they were very surface-level and without much depth or complexity, but I somehow still found myself enjoying this book from start to finish. The plot was strangely addicting, even though it wasn’t anything too special or elaborate. I genuinely can’t explain why I had fun with this book, but somehow I just did.
Honestly though, I do have to say that I mostly felt a little indignant on the main character’s behalf. Not only was Sydney surrounded by halfwits who refused to lend her a hand in keeping them save, they also didn’t seem to care about her whatsoever. She seemed to be completely insignificant to all of them and it pissed me off.
I was especially annoyed since everyone did seem to have a hard-on or some other kind of obsession with Jill, who was basically just a whiny, useless brat. Sydney deserved more attention, more recognition, more adoration, and especially more love. None of these people deserved her.
Not Adrian either, who I remember loving so much in the Vampire Academy series, but who was now only a broken shell of the man he used to be. He was beyond pathetic and self-pitying, and maybe I could have felt sorry for him if I remembered what happened to him in the previous series better, but oops, I don’t, so now he genuinely just made me roll me eyes and sigh in exasperation. I can’t imagine how a romance between him and the smartly capable Sydney is ever going to happen… I know they’re supposed to be endgame, but if I had to ship Sydney with anyone right now it would actually be Trey. At least he seemed to pay some sort of attention to her.
'Bloodlines' series:
1. Bloodlines - 3.0 stars
2. The Golden Lily - 3.5 stars
3. The Indigo Spell - 2.5 stars
4. The Fiery Heart - 3.5 stars
Prequel 'Vampire Academy' series:
1. Vampire Academy - 3.5 stars
2. Frostbite - 4.5 stars
3. Shadow Kiss - 4.5 stars
4. Blood Promise - 3.0 stars
5. Spirit Bound - 3.0 stars
6. Last Sacrifice - 3.5 stars
June 11, 2023
I have to admit that I didn’t start this with a smile on my face. My first thought when I saw this spinoff start was "But why?"
I have a problem with authors (and not only) milking their products too much. That was exactly my impression when I saw this book. But then I said “Hey, maybe I’m wrong. Maybe this will be the start of something beautiful.”
And a gif is worth a million
BORING!
Sydney could never be another Rose and Bloodlines will never be another Vampire Academy. I thought this spinoff was useless when I first saw it and I know now that I was right.
They took the most boring characters, minus Adrian of course, and placed them all together. The poor dude can’t make the book good now, can he?
A total waste of time! I’m not continuing this series…
I have a problem with authors (and not only) milking their products too much. That was exactly my impression when I saw this book. But then I said “Hey, maybe I’m wrong. Maybe this will be the start of something beautiful.”
”A picture is worth a thousand words”
And a gif is worth a million
BORING!
Sydney could never be another Rose and Bloodlines will never be another Vampire Academy. I thought this spinoff was useless when I first saw it and I know now that I was right.
They took the most boring characters, minus Adrian of course, and placed them all together. The poor dude can’t make the book good now, can he?
A total waste of time! I’m not continuing this series…
August 16, 2012
My review can also be found on my blog Collections.
I liked the Vampire Academy series. It was entertaining enough, but I never felt that reading it was a top priority. For some reason, though, I REALLY wanted to read Bloodlines. I was way more excited for it than Last Sacrifice. I think knowing that Sydney, a human and an Alchemist, would be the main character made it sound very interesting to me. I liked Sydney from the VA series, and I wondered how different her story and her character would be from Rose's. Also, although I might not have cared as much for Adrian as other readers did, I was still really curious about what happened to him. So when I had the opportunity to read an ARC of Bloodlines, I went for it.
About a month after events in Last Sacrifice, Sydney Sage's life continues to be effected by her decision to help Rose Hathaway. Other Alchemists, including her father, don't trust her, and she has nightmares of being sent to a re-education center, a secretive place where an Alchemist who has gotten too close to vampires is taken to "learn the errors of their ways" and eventually become a person less than themselves. When she is given orders to pose as Jill Dragomir's sister at a California human boarding school in order to prevent a Moroi civil war, she accepts so that she can protect her younger sister Zoe and prove her loyalty to the Alchemists. Right away, though, Sydney learns just how difficult it is protecting a vampire princess in a human world and that Alchemists may not know as much about vampires as they believed.
I don't feel like you should go into Bloodlines without at least knowing what happened in the Vampire Academy series; however, if you haven't read it, you'll just be like Sydney, missing details and information that VA readers would already know. The great thing about Sydney is that she's very intelligent. Her intelligence is her biggest strength, and she'll eventually figure out what she doesn't already know. People's first impressions of her is that she's spineless and lacking in some social skills. She is a little oblivious in certain social situations, but that's part of who she is and I really liked that about her. And the truth is Sydney's an observer and someone who likes to make sure her job is done efficiently without any problems. She likes to follow rules, but knows there are times when rules shouldn't always be followed. And she may not be a kick-ass fighter, but she's kick-ass in her own way. She has a sharp mind and is smart enough to handle herself in dangerous situations. I just thought Sydney was such an awesome character, and I found myself able to relate to her more than I could with Rose. She's part of the reason why I cannot wait to read the next book.
The supporting characters in this book were Adrian, Jill, and Eddie. Adrian played a much bigger role than I expected. I'm really glad for that because he was amazing! Hilarious and perceptive. Usually bickering with Sydney and protective of Jill and everyone. I feel like I understand him a whole lot better now, and I can't believe I never noticed how great he was while reading Vampire Academy. I know readers are wondering what happened to him after Last Sacrifice, and well... Like I mentioned, Bloodlines starts about a month after LS. He really is trying though. He just needs people to trust and believe in him. So far he's doing a very good job, and I admire his efforts. I'm definitely rooting for him; he deserves it!
Another thing I'm sure readers are wondering about is the romance and if it involves Adrian. If you're looking for romance in this book, I think you'll be disappointed. Romance was not a main focus in this book. I do believe something is developing, and I'm completely fine with the pace because I would much rather prefer a relationship and a romance to grow gradually instead of occurring instantly. That being said, I really can't wait to see where it goes! I'm crossing my fingers that it ends up how I'm hoping it will.
Now that I've read Bloodlines, I have to say that I'm already liking it more than Vampire Academy! I didn't want to put the book down. There wasn't as much fighting in Bloodlines (only because Sydney isn't a guardian like Rose), but there was definitely enough action and everything to keep me interested. I highly recommend Bloodlines to VA fans looking for a fresh start and a new heroine to root for and for those who just love Adrian! I know I'm extremely excited for book two, The Golden Lily!
Thanks to Once Upon a Twilight for hosting the ARC tour!
First read: June 7 - 9, 2011
Second read: July 24 - August 16, 2012
May 13, 2019
*3.5*
November 26, 2023
3.5 ⭐️
This was a lot of fun!! 🥰🥰 i think if you want more Vampire Academy content and something easy to read & entertaining, it's definitely worth the read 🤍🤍
“My God, Sage. Your eyes. How have I never noticed them?"
That uncomfortable feeling was spreading over me again. "What about them?"
"The color," he breathed. "When you stand in the light. They're amazing... like molten gold. I could paint those..." He reached toward me but then pulled back. "They're beautiful. You're beautiful.” ~ 🥹🥹
Bloodlines is the start to a spinoff series from Vampire Academy and we follow a side character from that series- Sydney. When someone important needs to go into hiding, the Alchemists task her with posing as their roommate to keep them safe. But going undercover turns out to be harder than Sydney thought when secrets in their remote location come to the surface- and her own past threatens to catch up with her.
This was a pretty enjoyable read! 🤍 I had such a great time with Vampire Academy so obviously i had to give this series a try. And while I definitely prefer VA, this was still fun 🫶🫶
There was a lot i really liked!! ✨️ I thought Sydney was a pretty good mc- i didn't love her in VA but i liked seeing more of her backstory in here and she was very easy to root for 🥰 I obviously loved seeing Adrian again- he's basically the main reason i wanted to read this & he did not disappoint 🤭🤭 He definitely did not deserve what happened in VA but this book definitely did him justice. We got to see him growing a lot as a character and ughh i just love him sm 🥹🥹❤️🩹❤️🩹
This was also such an easy read and very bingeable! 🫶🫶 The plot was interesting enough but it got really crazy at the end omg. That plot was actually soo good and it's definitely got me interested in picking up the next book!! 🤭🤭
“They’re waiting for you. Go on in.” Adrian leaned close to Keith’s ear and spoke in an ominous voice. “If.You.Dare.” He poked Keith’s shoulder and gave a "Muhahaha” kind of monster laugh.”
However, i do think some of the characters were really annoying (i kept wanting to slap Jill 😃) and i wish there was a bit more romance. What we did get was pretty cute, but there were literal crumbs 😭😭 I really hope there's more in the rest of the series 🙏🙏
“You look confused," said Adrian.
I shook my head and sighed. "I think I'm just overthinking things."
He nodded solemnly. "That's why I try to never do it.”
“I decided the Alchemists needed an entire department devoted to handling Adrian Ivashkov.”
Overall, i enjoyed it!! 🫶🫶 I would recommend if you want:
✔ Easy and entertaining
✔ Great plot twist
✔ Enjoyable characters
✔ Vampires ✨️
If you enjoyed Vampire Academy and want more content, this is definitely worth the read! 🤍🤍
《 2023 Challenge: Book 143 of 110 》
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This was pretty fun!! 🥰🥰 a very easy entertaining read & I just loved being back in the Vampire Academy world 🥹🥹❤️🩹❤️🩹
RTC!
This was a lot of fun!! 🥰🥰 i think if you want more Vampire Academy content and something easy to read & entertaining, it's definitely worth the read 🤍🤍
“My God, Sage. Your eyes. How have I never noticed them?"
That uncomfortable feeling was spreading over me again. "What about them?"
"The color," he breathed. "When you stand in the light. They're amazing... like molten gold. I could paint those..." He reached toward me but then pulled back. "They're beautiful. You're beautiful.” ~ 🥹🥹
Bloodlines is the start to a spinoff series from Vampire Academy and we follow a side character from that series- Sydney. When someone important needs to go into hiding, the Alchemists task her with posing as their roommate to keep them safe. But going undercover turns out to be harder than Sydney thought when secrets in their remote location come to the surface- and her own past threatens to catch up with her.
This was a pretty enjoyable read! 🤍 I had such a great time with Vampire Academy so obviously i had to give this series a try. And while I definitely prefer VA, this was still fun 🫶🫶
There was a lot i really liked!! ✨️ I thought Sydney was a pretty good mc- i didn't love her in VA but i liked seeing more of her backstory in here and she was very easy to root for 🥰 I obviously loved seeing Adrian again- he's basically the main reason i wanted to read this & he did not disappoint 🤭🤭 He definitely did not deserve what happened in VA but this book definitely did him justice. We got to see him growing a lot as a character and ughh i just love him sm 🥹🥹❤️🩹❤️🩹
This was also such an easy read and very bingeable! 🫶🫶 The plot was interesting enough but it got really crazy at the end omg. That plot was actually soo good and it's definitely got me interested in picking up the next book!! 🤭🤭
“They’re waiting for you. Go on in.” Adrian leaned close to Keith’s ear and spoke in an ominous voice. “If.You.Dare.” He poked Keith’s shoulder and gave a "Muhahaha” kind of monster laugh.”
However, i do think some of the characters were really annoying (i kept wanting to slap Jill 😃) and i wish there was a bit more romance. What we did get was pretty cute, but there were literal crumbs 😭😭 I really hope there's more in the rest of the series 🙏🙏
“You look confused," said Adrian.
I shook my head and sighed. "I think I'm just overthinking things."
He nodded solemnly. "That's why I try to never do it.”
“I decided the Alchemists needed an entire department devoted to handling Adrian Ivashkov.”
Overall, i enjoyed it!! 🫶🫶 I would recommend if you want:
✔ Easy and entertaining
✔ Great plot twist
✔ Enjoyable characters
✔ Vampires ✨️
If you enjoyed Vampire Academy and want more content, this is definitely worth the read! 🤍🤍
《 2023 Challenge: Book 143 of 110 》
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This was pretty fun!! 🥰🥰 a very easy entertaining read & I just loved being back in the Vampire Academy world 🥹🥹❤️🩹❤️🩹
RTC!
July 8, 2022
This first one just didn’t hold up. I think I’ll listen to the rest of them but trade them all in, my hardbacks that is. NEVERMIND, I’m just going to trade them in. My library doesn’t have the rest of the books on audio and I’m not reading my hardbacks so they will just keep their 5 star ratings and I’ll trade them in.
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
December 17, 2014
It was so nice being back in the world Richelle Mead created! I'm really enjoying Sydney, and of course Adrian with all his hilarious lines. This book was pretty predictable but super fun, a lot like Vampire Academy, so I'm going straight into Golden Lily!
August 31, 2011
Today I'd like to hone some of my (poor) mathematical skills and entertain you with some simple but self-explaining equations:
Bloodlines: Richelle Mead= x: Cassandra Clare
Hint: Spin-offs? Bad idea. You either planned them from the very beginning or anybody in this solar system can see that you're clutching at straws here.
Lissa : Rose = Adrian : x
Hint: Spirit users have a most peculiar ability. If you're familiar with Aladdin like I am, you'll know it's one of the wishes that the genie cannot grant. The gifted Moroi can, but with, uhm, side effects.
Rose : Dimitri = Sydney : x
Hint: Ah, forbidden love. While in VA we followed the illicit affair of a then underage student and her infinitely hot professor, we are now presented with the blossoming affection between a (racist) human and a Moroi. It's not declared yet but there are 5 more books to go, can't waste it all in the first one, can we?
Should I go on? Not necessary? I'll give you one more:
Mia Rinaldi : the b!tch in VA = x : the same b!tch in Bloodlines.
I could go on and on but then I'll be spoiling all the book for you, in case you want to read it.
Have you guessed all the unknowns of my very simple equations? If you have, then you also have figured out that, in Bloodlines, Richelle Mead has taken a lot of Vampire Academy, given it a touch up and presented it to us AGAIN.
Sub plots differ, of course, but the general idea? The same.
And possibly worse. One element that really, really infuriated me in Bloodlines is the underlying motif of racism and discrimination that permeates the whole book.
I could not decide whether to compare Alchemists to the Holy Inquisition or to KKK. This hate group's radicated belief (including Sydney's) that vampires are untouchable, disgusting and revolting unnatural beings did not sit well with me. The way it was developed and treated sounded very discriminatory and backwards (and a bit unbelievable too, IMO), you could just take out the word vampire and insert any other ethnic minority that has been persecuted in history and it would have fit perfectly.
Hence, I did not like Sydney. I was pulling my hair out when she was naming her car and complaining about its color. I was scratching my nails on a blackboard when she got miffed because the freakin' fitter of the school gave her a size 4 instead of a 2 and she started getting paranoid about being fat. I was trying gouge my eyes out when she came out with stuff like not accepting food from vampires, checking that the water bottles were sealed not to drink from where they drank and stuff like that. I DESPISE RACISTS. Enough said.
Not to mention the fact that this book is like a DIESEL car. VERY slow to warm up. The action picks up at about... yeah, 80% into the book. Before that it's a whole lot of racist comments, car rides around Palm Springs and mini-golf. Yes, you read correctly.
So... are my 3 stars justified? Probably not.
Yet, after being infuriated for about 80% of the book, when it finally started to take off, I have to say I quite enjoyed myself. Mead sure knows how to write some good action scenes and I foresee, in the far, far, far horizon, character development and possible redemption.
Also, I liked Adrian. He's such an ass I cannot help it. His sarcastic and cocky comments were the highlights of my reading experience. And frankly, after the way he got treated by Rose in VA, I could not help but feel indulgent towards him.
So, mathematical rant aside, I will pick up the next book in the series. This book is not as good as any of the Vampire Academy series but it MAYBE got potential, to be determined by further installments and consequent agonizing wait.
Bloodlines: Richelle Mead= x: Cassandra Clare
Hint: Spin-offs? Bad idea. You either planned them from the very beginning or anybody in this solar system can see that you're clutching at straws here.
Lissa : Rose = Adrian : x
Hint: Spirit users have a most peculiar ability. If you're familiar with Aladdin like I am, you'll know it's one of the wishes that the genie cannot grant. The gifted Moroi can, but with, uhm, side effects.
Rose : Dimitri = Sydney : x
Hint: Ah, forbidden love. While in VA we followed the illicit affair of a then underage student and her infinitely hot professor, we are now presented with the blossoming affection between a (racist) human and a Moroi. It's not declared yet but there are 5 more books to go, can't waste it all in the first one, can we?
Should I go on? Not necessary? I'll give you one more:
Mia Rinaldi : the b!tch in VA = x : the same b!tch in Bloodlines.
I could go on and on but then I'll be spoiling all the book for you, in case you want to read it.
Have you guessed all the unknowns of my very simple equations? If you have, then you also have figured out that, in Bloodlines, Richelle Mead has taken a lot of Vampire Academy, given it a touch up and presented it to us AGAIN.
Sub plots differ, of course, but the general idea? The same.
And possibly worse. One element that really, really infuriated me in Bloodlines is the underlying motif of racism and discrimination that permeates the whole book.
I could not decide whether to compare Alchemists to the Holy Inquisition or to KKK. This hate group's radicated belief (including Sydney's) that vampires are untouchable, disgusting and revolting unnatural beings did not sit well with me. The way it was developed and treated sounded very discriminatory and backwards (and a bit unbelievable too, IMO), you could just take out the word vampire and insert any other ethnic minority that has been persecuted in history and it would have fit perfectly.
Hence, I did not like Sydney. I was pulling my hair out when she was naming her car and complaining about its color. I was scratching my nails on a blackboard when she got miffed because the freakin' fitter of the school gave her a size 4 instead of a 2 and she started getting paranoid about being fat. I was trying gouge my eyes out when she came out with stuff like not accepting food from vampires, checking that the water bottles were sealed not to drink from where they drank and stuff like that. I DESPISE RACISTS. Enough said.
Not to mention the fact that this book is like a DIESEL car. VERY slow to warm up. The action picks up at about... yeah, 80% into the book. Before that it's a whole lot of racist comments, car rides around Palm Springs and mini-golf. Yes, you read correctly.
So... are my 3 stars justified? Probably not.
Yet, after being infuriated for about 80% of the book, when it finally started to take off, I have to say I quite enjoyed myself. Mead sure knows how to write some good action scenes and I foresee, in the far, far, far horizon, character development and possible redemption.
Also, I liked Adrian. He's such an ass I cannot help it. His sarcastic and cocky comments were the highlights of my reading experience. And frankly, after the way he got treated by Rose in VA, I could not help but feel indulgent towards him.
So, mathematical rant aside, I will pick up the next book in the series. This book is not as good as any of the Vampire Academy series but it MAYBE got potential, to be determined by further installments and consequent agonizing wait.
March 14, 2019
▪4,5 αστεράκια▪
Δύο χρόνια έχουν περάσει από τότε που ολοκλήρωσα τη σειρά vampire academy και πιάνοντας τώρα το bloodlines ένιωσα μια ζεστασιά, σαν να γυρνούσα κατά κάποιο τρόπο σπίτι μου μετά από μεγάλο διάστημα.
Οι περισσότεροι χαρακτήρες μου ήταν ήδη γνώριμοι. Η Σίντνεϊ είναι η ήρεμη δύναμη. Προσπαθεί να κρατάει παντού τις ισορροπίες και, αν και αρχικά ήταν πιο συγκρατημένη σαν χαρακτήρας, στη συνέχεια βγήκε ο δυναμισμός της.
Για τον Άντριαν δε θα πω πολλά. Τον λάτρευα από το VA, τον λατρεύω ακόμα περισσότερο τώρα. Ετοιμόλογος και με απίστευτο χιούμορ, παρ'όλα όσα πέρασε και συνεχίζει να περνάει, αν και ξέρει να το κρύβει καλά. Από το πρώτο βιβλίο της σειράς ανέβηκε ήδη αρκετά νούμερα πιο ψηλά στην ατελείωτη λίστα των bookboyfriends.
Τον Έντι ήδη τον συμπαθούσα από το VA και θέλω πολύ να δω την εξέλιξη του, καθώς και της αξιολάτρευτης Τζιλ.
Μπορεί το συγκεκριμένο βιβλίο να μην είχε μεγάλη δόση δράσης, οι ανατροπές όμως ήταν αρκετές, δυνατές και καθόλου προβλέψιμες. Το bloodlines τελειώνει με δύο από τις πιο αγαπημένες μου λέξεις στο λογοτεχνικό κόσμο και ανυπομονώ να πιάσω το golden lily.
Δύο χρόνια έχουν περάσει από τότε που ολοκλήρωσα τη σειρά vampire academy και πιάνοντας τώρα το bloodlines ένιωσα μια ζεστασιά, σαν να γυρνούσα κατά κάποιο τρόπο σπίτι μου μετά από μεγάλο διάστημα.
Οι περισσότεροι χαρακτήρες μου ήταν ήδη γνώριμοι. Η Σίντνεϊ είναι η ήρεμη δύναμη. Προσπαθεί να κρατάει παντού τις ισορροπίες και, αν και αρχικά ήταν πιο συγκρατημένη σαν χαρακτήρας, στη συνέχεια βγήκε ο δυναμισμός της.
Για τον Άντριαν δε θα πω πολλά. Τον λάτρευα από το VA, τον λατρεύω ακόμα περισσότερο τώρα. Ετοιμόλογος και με απίστευτο χιούμορ, παρ'όλα όσα πέρασε και συνεχίζει να περνάει, αν και ξέρει να το κρύβει καλά. Από το πρώτο βιβλίο της σειράς ανέβηκε ήδη αρκετά νούμερα πιο ψηλά στην ατελείωτη λίστα των bookboyfriends.
Τον Έντι ήδη τον συμπαθούσα από το VA και θέλω πολύ να δω την εξέλιξη του, καθώς και της αξιολάτρευτης Τζιλ.
Μπορεί το συγκεκριμένο βιβλίο να μην είχε μεγάλη δόση δράσης, οι ανατροπές όμως ήταν αρκετές, δυνατές και καθόλου προβλέψιμες. Το bloodlines τελειώνει με δύο από τις πιο αγαπημένες μου λέξεις στο λογοτεχνικό κόσμο και ανυπομονώ να πιάσω το golden lily.
February 1, 2020
“The greatest changes in history have come when people were able to shake off what others told them to do”.
¡Ah! ¡No puedo creer que dejara pasar tanto tiempo para empezar esta saga! Desde que acabé de leer Vampire Academy hace unos 4 años, dije que quería seguir inmediatamente con este mundo. No sé por qué no lo leí inmediatamente, vaya. ¡Pero ya está, ha caído y mi corazón fangirl está orgulloso de mí!
En Bloodlines nos encontramos con Sydney, una alquimista, como protagonista. Después de su debacle ayudando a Rose y a Lisa, sus pares, los otros alquimistas, no la ven con muy buenos ojos. Se supone que los alquimistas deben evitar que los humanos se enteren de la existencia de los vampiros, no ayudarlos con sus misiones. Así que un día, cuando sacan a Sydney apresuradamente de la cama, ella piensa que la van a enviar a uno de los centros de re-educación por todas sus fallas, pero en realidad lo que tienen es una misión para ella: debe proteger a Jill Dragomir, la hermana de Lisa, la nueva reina de los moroi, pues han recibido muchas amenazas y ataques en su contra. Para alejarla del peligro, debe pretender que es su hermana y estar con ella en un instituto de Palm Springs en California. Pero lo que Sydney piensa que va a ser una misión rutinaria pronto se convierte en un entramado de secretos y conspiraciones que involucrarán magia, la aparición de Adrian Ivashkov, la sangre de los alquimistas, un traidor y a un psicópata que quiere volver a ser un strigoi.
Debo decir que empecé a leer el libro con la esperanza de que mi amado Dimitri apareciera muchísimo, pero cuando entendí que no iba a ser así, me conecté inmediatamente con la historia de Sydney y dejé que mi interés recayera en Adrian. Que sí, también lo amo profundamente. Me gustó muchísimo ver la evolución de Sydney dentro de esta historia, pues empieza siendo una alquimista súper acartonada que lo único que quiere hacer es seguir las reglas y no salirse de su papel, pero luego entiende que la historia se cambia cuando te atreves a desafiar las reglas y lo que siempre te han impuesto.
Por otra parte, sé que Jill debería ser una parte importante de mi reseña y, en general, del libro, pero es que, como me pasaba un poco con Lisa, no me importa en lo más mínimo lo que suceda con ella. Para mí, Jill está en la trama como un catalizador para que las cosas les pasen a los otros personajes que sí me fascinan. Sorry not sorry.
Hablemos de Adrian y de cómo está sufriendo aún por Rose. Ay, es que de verdad me parte el corazón recordar que, en algún punto de Vampire Academy realmente pensó que podía tener a Rose. Estaba tan perdidamente enamorado, pobrecillo. Y luego, claro, reaparece Dimitri y con él se va cualquier oportunidad que hubiera podido tener con Rose. Así que ese es el Adrian que nos encontramos en Bloodlines, un chico que oculta su corazón roto bajo capas de arrogancia y mucho, mucho alcohol. Sin embargo, poco a poco él y Sydney van a ir acercándose, no románticamente aún, pero sí como amigos y como personas a las que les importa lo que esté sucediendo con el otro. Es absurdo, lo sé, no ha pasado nada, pero ya los shippeo y necesito que sean felices.
Tendría que hablar de un par de personajes más, pero haría spoilers, así que lo único que puedo decir es que Richelle Mead es muy buena escondiendo a sus villanos. Los hace retorcidos por dentro, pero con fachadas tremendamente amigables y aparentemente inofensivas. No vi venir ninguna de esas traiciones ni planes secretos y, wow, sí que le dan un giro a la trama en su momento.
Definitivamente necesito leer los próximos libros pronto porque quiero saber qué sucede con Sydney, Adrian, Jill y, sobre todo, quiero que aparezca Dimitri.
¡Ah! ¡No puedo creer que dejara pasar tanto tiempo para empezar esta saga! Desde que acabé de leer Vampire Academy hace unos 4 años, dije que quería seguir inmediatamente con este mundo. No sé por qué no lo leí inmediatamente, vaya. ¡Pero ya está, ha caído y mi corazón fangirl está orgulloso de mí!
En Bloodlines nos encontramos con Sydney, una alquimista, como protagonista. Después de su debacle ayudando a Rose y a Lisa, sus pares, los otros alquimistas, no la ven con muy buenos ojos. Se supone que los alquimistas deben evitar que los humanos se enteren de la existencia de los vampiros, no ayudarlos con sus misiones. Así que un día, cuando sacan a Sydney apresuradamente de la cama, ella piensa que la van a enviar a uno de los centros de re-educación por todas sus fallas, pero en realidad lo que tienen es una misión para ella: debe proteger a Jill Dragomir, la hermana de Lisa, la nueva reina de los moroi, pues han recibido muchas amenazas y ataques en su contra. Para alejarla del peligro, debe pretender que es su hermana y estar con ella en un instituto de Palm Springs en California. Pero lo que Sydney piensa que va a ser una misión rutinaria pronto se convierte en un entramado de secretos y conspiraciones que involucrarán magia, la aparición de Adrian Ivashkov, la sangre de los alquimistas, un traidor y a un psicópata que quiere volver a ser un strigoi.
Debo decir que empecé a leer el libro con la esperanza de que mi amado Dimitri apareciera muchísimo, pero cuando entendí que no iba a ser así, me conecté inmediatamente con la historia de Sydney y dejé que mi interés recayera en Adrian. Que sí, también lo amo profundamente. Me gustó muchísimo ver la evolución de Sydney dentro de esta historia, pues empieza siendo una alquimista súper acartonada que lo único que quiere hacer es seguir las reglas y no salirse de su papel, pero luego entiende que la historia se cambia cuando te atreves a desafiar las reglas y lo que siempre te han impuesto.
Por otra parte, sé que Jill debería ser una parte importante de mi reseña y, en general, del libro, pero es que, como me pasaba un poco con Lisa, no me importa en lo más mínimo lo que suceda con ella. Para mí, Jill está en la trama como un catalizador para que las cosas les pasen a los otros personajes que sí me fascinan. Sorry not sorry.
Hablemos de Adrian y de cómo está sufriendo aún por Rose. Ay, es que de verdad me parte el corazón recordar que, en algún punto de Vampire Academy realmente pensó que podía tener a Rose. Estaba tan perdidamente enamorado, pobrecillo. Y luego, claro, reaparece Dimitri y con él se va cualquier oportunidad que hubiera podido tener con Rose. Así que ese es el Adrian que nos encontramos en Bloodlines, un chico que oculta su corazón roto bajo capas de arrogancia y mucho, mucho alcohol. Sin embargo, poco a poco él y Sydney van a ir acercándose, no románticamente aún, pero sí como amigos y como personas a las que les importa lo que esté sucediendo con el otro. Es absurdo, lo sé, no ha pasado nada, pero ya los shippeo y necesito que sean felices.
Tendría que hablar de un par de personajes más, pero haría spoilers, así que lo único que puedo decir es que Richelle Mead es muy buena escondiendo a sus villanos. Los hace retorcidos por dentro, pero con fachadas tremendamente amigables y aparentemente inofensivas. No vi venir ninguna de esas traiciones ni planes secretos y, wow, sí que le dan un giro a la trama en su momento.
Definitivamente necesito leer los próximos libros pronto porque quiero saber qué sucede con Sydney, Adrian, Jill y, sobre todo, quiero que aparezca Dimitri.
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