Book Review: Bloodlines by Richelle Mead

BLOOD DOESN'T LIE. Sydney is an alchemist, one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of human and vampires. They protect vampire secrets - and human lives. When Sydney is torn from her bed in the middle of the night, at first she thinks she's still being punished for her complicated alliance with dhampir Rose Hathaway. But what unfolds is far worse. Jill Dragomir - the sister of Moroi Queen Lissa Dragomir - is in mortal danger, and the Moroi must send her into hiding. To avoid a civil war, Sydney is called upon to act as Jill's guardian and protector, posing as her roommate in the last place anyone would think to look for vampire royalty - a human boarding school in Palm Springs, California. But instead of finding safety at Amberwood Prep, Sydney discovers the drama is only just beginning...

My thoughts:

I have to say I had huge expectations to this book, as I loved both Vampire Academy and the Succubus books also by Mead, and so I had to download Bloodlines to my Kindle as soon as it was released. Needless to say, I did not get a lot done at work or at home yesterday.

Bloodlines picks up where Last Sacrifice, the last book in Vampire Academy, left off. This time the story is told from the point of view of Sydney Sage, the Alchemist who helped Rose earlier. She did not have a big role in VA, but she definitely comes into her own here. It's fun to see how freaked out she is by working with Moroi and dhampirs, even if she's considered a "vamp lover" by her fellow Alchemists, and I loved seeing how she developed and got more used to this when the situation left her no other choice. It was also nice to see how both human Sydney and Moroi Jill had body issues: Sydney envying the vampires' stick thin figure, and Jill thinking she's too skinny. If you've read VA you should remember Moroi bad boy Adrian, and he's back and better than ever. I love how he always has a snarky comment ready no matter the situation, and yet there's a part of him that holds a seriousness he doesn't show off often.

The story starts out with action and excitement, and keeps it up through most of the book. Some parts might feel a little slow, but I had the same feeling when I first read Vampire Academy, and that series picked up the pace a lot from the second book and out. I was completely taken by surprise a couple of times, while I figured out other parts long before the characters, and that's just the way I like it. I loved the small interaction Sydney had with Rose, but it was very weird reading about Rose from someone else's point of view after spending five books in her head with VA. Another thing I really liked is that even if there were hints of a possible romance to come, it was not something that took up a lot of time, which is so much more realistic than all these YA novels where everyone falls in love as soon as they see someone hot. A fair warning: Bloodlines ends on the worst (or best) possible cliffhanger, so if you're anything like me you'll be cursing at Richelle for ending it like that. Either way I am very excited to read The Golden Lily when it is released in May 2012.

The cover:

I like it, but I don't love it. Face pictures on covers have a tendency to ruin things for me as the characters never look anything like what I've imagined.

My rating of this book:

Want a second opinion? Check out these reviews from some of my book blogging friends:

The Crooked Shelf
My Shelf Confessions

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Bloodlines by Richelle Mead

Published: August 23 2011

Pages (hardcover): 421

Publisher: Razorbill

ISBN: 1595143173 (ISBN13: 9781595143174)

Full disclosure: Purchased for my Kindle

This book can be purchased from a number of local retailers and online book stores such as Amazon or The Book Depository (I am not an affiliate of either). The latter store has free shipping to about 100 countries.

The Vampire Voss by Colleen Gleason – 4 *

Title: The Vampire Voss                    
Author: Colleen Gleason
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Rating: * * * *
Publishers Date: March 22, 2011
Paperback: 384 pages
ISBN: 9780778329527
FTC Disclosure: E-copy from Net Galley

“Regency London - a dizzying whirl of balls and young ladies pursued by charming men. But the Woodmore sisters are hunted by a more sinister breed: Lucifer's own. Voss, also known as Viscount Dewhurst, relishes the sensual pleasures immortality affords. A member of the Dracule - a cabal of powerful, secretive noblemen marked with a talisman that reveals their bartered souls - the mercenary Voss has remained carefully neutral...until Angelica. Angelica Woodmore possesses the Sight, an ability invaluable to both sides of a looming war among the Dracule. Her very scent envelops Voss in a scarlet fog of hunger - for her body and blood. But he is utterly unprepared for the new desire that overcomes him - to protect her.”


Having read the “Gardella Chronicles” by Gleason and loving them, I was tickled to death to see her new trilogy of historical paranormals. While the level of mystery and suspense wasn’t there as it was in the “Gardella” books, the sex level was definitely sizzling. I love the world that Gleason has created and especially the albatross that is around the neck of every vampire. The first thing they see upon waking (cat, dog, diamonds, a bird) is something that weakens them and can be used to control them. This is definitely a darker read than a lot of paranormal romance out there and I love this darker vampire world.
While I didn’t care for Voss in the beginning, he did begin to grow on me and by the end I thoroughly enjoyed the bantering between him and Angelica. She is a much younger, livelier young woman than her sister, Maia, who is very straight laced. She’s funny and an excellent match for Voss.  This book was a very fast read for me and I pretty much read it from start to finish in hours. Luckily I have the next two books in this series and can start them immediately.

Regency Dracula
1. The Vampire Voss (2011)
2. The Vampire Dimitri (2011)
3. The Vampire Narcise (2011)

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Manifest by Artist C Arthur

Title: Manifest

Author: Artist C. Arthur

Genre: YA

Rating: * * * 1/2

Publishers Date: Aug 1, 2010

Paperback: 256 pages

Publisher: Kimani

ISBN: 037383196X

FTC Disclosure: PBS

When fifteen-year-old Krystal Bentley moves to Lincoln, Connecticut, her mom's hometown, she assumes her biggest drama will be adjusting to the burbs after living in New York City.

But Lincoln is nothing like Krystal imagined. The weirdness begins when Ricky Watson starts confiding in her. He's cute, funny, a good listener - and everything she'd ever want - except that he was killed nearly a year ago. Krystal's ghost-whispering talents soon lead other "freaks" to her door - Sasha, a rich girl who can literally disappear, and Jake, who moves objects with his mind. All three share a distinctive birthmark in the shape of an M and, fittingly, call themselves the Mystyx. They set out to learn what really happened to Ricky, only to realize that they aren't the only ones with mysterious powers. But if Krystal succeeds in finding out the truth about Ricky's death, will she lose him for good?

I don’t like a book where most of the teen’s angst is due to a parent not telling them the whole story or keeping it from them for the teen’s sake. In fact I don’t like it in an adult book either.  That said, I did enjoy the storyline. It’s nice to see a paranormal that deals with other traits than those of a vamp or shifter.

I didn’t like the character of Krystal in the beginning as she was the “typical” 15 year old, moody, whiny and a brat. However, as she settled more into her new school and made friends with others who had the same mysterious “M” mark on them, it was enlightening to see her come to care about others as they try to solve the mystery of Ricky’s death. I loved seeing her deal with her ability to talk to the dead but was disappointed that she didn’t seem to be inclined to go to her mom or the police about the strange texts she got. She and the other Misfits begin to understand a bit more about their powers as they solve the mystery. I think this new type of paranormal will be a hit with the teens as what teenager hasn’t felt they were a misfit at some time in their life. Can’t wait to read more in this series as I suspect there may be other Misfits who do not use their power for good but for evil purposes.

Misfits

1. Manifest (2010)

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Locked away at Pecan Place, Jessie finds her situation to be even more dangerous than she feared. While she struggles to maintain her sanity and discover answers about the group that seems less and less like any legitimate government agency, Pietr fights to keep their relationship alive. But very aware that his mother’s time is running out, Pietr makes a deal he doesn’t dare tell Jessie about. Because the deal Pietr’s made could mean the death of far more than his tenuous relationship with the girl he loves.

The Goddess Test by Aimée Carter- 5 *

      Title: The Goddess Test

Author: Aimée Carter

Genre: YA Fantasy Romsnce

Rating: * * * * *

Publishers Date: April 19, 2011

Paperback: 304 pages

ISBN: 0373210264

FTC Disclosure: Net Galley

“It's always been just Kate and her mom-and now her mother is dying. Her last wish? To move back to her childhood home. So Kate's going to start at a new school with no friends, no other family and the fear her mother won't live past the fall.
Then she meets Henry. Dark. Tortured. And mesmerizing. He claims to be Hades, god of the Underworld-and if she accepts his bargain, he'll keep her mother alive while Kate tries to pass seven tests.
Kate is sure he's crazy-until she sees him bring a girl back from the dead. Now saving her mother seems crazily possible. If she succeeds, she'll become Henry's future bride, and a goddess.
If she fails...”


OMG, I started this just last night and finished by lunch today. Awesome, simply awesome fantasy romance. I so loved the mythology sprinkled throughout the story and the mystery suspense kept me flipping the pages to see what happened next. The final mystery, I did figure out before the author told me but the rest, wow, not a clue. She kept me guessing right up till the final pages.
I really loved the main character Kate. In the beginning, I felt a bit sorry for her as she had basically given up her teenage years to care for her mother who was dying of cancer. Despite spending her whole life in NYC, she agrees to move to a small town, Eden, because her mom wants to die in the town she was born in. She starts her senior year at a new school amongst kids that she has nothing in common with just to make her mom happy. She is way more mature than most 18 year olds are but her unselfishness was a lot of what made me enjoy this book. I heartily get tired of the typical whiny teen depicted in a lot of the YA fiction.
Kate basically agrees to sacrifice her happiness and freedom so that others may live. She must pass 7 tests to show the council that she is worthy of taking her place beside  Henry and ruling the Underworld. While Kate is determined to learn as much about Henry’s world, she must be vigilant as the last dozen girls before her died only months into their time in Henry’s world.
This is by far the best of the YA books I’ve read this year and I imagine that even 8 more months down the road, it will come out on top. I’m already looking forward to the next book in the series, “Goddess Interrupted” and up to now have only occasionally read fantasy. The romance, mystery, and suspense has upped my enjoyment to the level that I won’t hesitate to pick up the next fantasy I come upon.