The Silver Lining | Bookanistas Review: Bloodlines + giveaway!

The Silver Lining

Bookanistas Review: Bloodlines + giveaway!

Posted on Posted in bookanistas .

This week I’ve got the much anticipated spin-off series to Richelle Mead’s Vampire Series, and I’m giving away an ARC at the end of this post!

Please note, this review contains SPOILERS about the Vampire Academy series. This is your warning. Turn away if you don’t want to know anything more.

What It’s About:

The first book in Richelle Mead’s brand-new teen fiction series – set in the same world as Vampire Academy.

When alchemist Sydney is ordered into hiding to protect the life of Moroi princess Jill Dragomir, the last place she expects to be sent is a human private school in Palm Springs, California. But at their new school, the drama is only just beginning.

Populated with new faces as well as familiar ones, Bloodlines explores all the friendship, romance, battles and betrayals that made the #1 New York Times bestselling Vampire Academy series so addictive – this time in a part-vampire, part-human setting where the stakes are even higher and everyone’s out for blood.

What I Thought:

I’m not exaggerating when I say the Vampire Academy series is my favorite. I mean, how can it not be with that gut-wrenching cliffhanger ending to SHADOW KISS? And Rose Hathaway is my all time favorite book protagonist. The only solace I had in that series ending was knowing there would be a spin off with the most intriguing secondary character as the protagonist…and the love interest who didn’t get chosen by Rose would become the love interest in Bloodlines. I LOVED Adrian. But I wanted Rose to end up with Dimitri. They were perfect together. So I’m thrilled I get more Adrian in this 6 book series and can continue loving him for that many more books!

Cracking open this book was like reuniting with old friends. Instantly I felt at home in the world I’d grown to love. I connected immediately to Sydney and loved learning about her family in the opening scene. The opening had a very Hunger Games-like beginning that made Sydney extremely sympathetic while also establishing some mystery that kept me turning pages. In fact, there were several mysteries going on and that worked to keep me guessing. And I loved the way it all came together.

I wasn’t sure which new character I could trust, which amped the suspense. And speaking of characters. Adrian. I’m sorry, I mean ADRIAN. SWOOOOOOOON. I loved him even more in this! He brings the perfect blend of humor, bad boy goodness, and oh yeah, sexiness! I’m so impressed with the way Mead makes this guy who drinks and smokes in excessive amounts extremely likable. In most YA, a guy who does this would be the bad guy, not the love interest. But it’s good to see a love interest who isn’t morally perfect, who does wrong things when he knows they’re wrong, and still makes me love him while doing it! So snaps for that!

It was also great to get more Jill and Eddie. Eddie was another favorite of mine from Vamp Academy. He started as sort of a background character whose name was tossed around here and there but you didn’t really know him or care about him in Book 1. In Book 2 he got the brunt of the abuse and my Care Meter for him rose. (haha, pun.) By Book 3, I adored him and wanted more more more. So I’m thrilled by his presence here. I love how very Guardian he is. And Jill’s a character that radiates personality from the moment she first entered the series. Like Lissa in Vamp Academy, she’s the one everyone needs to protect.

Speaking of that, ever since I heard this book would take place in a human high school in Palm Springs, California, and that Sydney would be the narrator–and I knew she was already out of school, I wondered how the dynamic would work. And I have to say it’s all pretty brilliant how it happens! Reading about these vampires in the normal human was a refreshing change of pace from the original Vamp Academy series, which was set almost entirely in the vampire world. This time the characters dealt with friend issues, mean girl issues, crazy homework assignments, and oh yeah, magical tattoos.

Wait…tattoos? We know that alchemists have magical tattoos. That was one thing I wanted to learn more about. And learn more I did! All I have to say is just you wait and read on. I found that particular plot line to be captivating! And it’s no coincidence that book two will be called THE GOLDEN LILY (Sydney’s cheek tattoo is a golden lily).

I was also fascinated by Sydney’s alchemist abilities and how they worked into the story. Each time she created an alchemist potion, I was riveted to find out what it would do. I loved the blend of science and magic. She solved both human and vampire problems using her alchemist skills. Unlike Rose, Sydney fights with brains instead of brute force. In fact, she’s the opposite of Rose in a lot of ways. Rose acts without thinking, Sydney overanalyzes. Rose blows off school work, Sydney excels at it. Rose is fully immersed in the vampire world, Sydney has to work through her prejudice against vampires. I loved seeing the same vampire world from the opposite perspective. And even though Sydney thinks a lot, this book has plenty of that good old fashioned Buffy-like action I loved so much in the original series.

Oh, OH. That ending. WHY MUST I HAVE TO WAIT SO LONG FOR BOOK 2?!??!?!

All in all, I loved this book so much. And the events in this book set up what promises to be another favorite series of mine.

And now’s your chance to win my copy! The rules are simple.

  • Enter as many times as you like.
  • Each comment will be one entry (you may comment on either my livejournal blog or the one at http://www.shana-silver.com).
  • Each retweet advertising the contest with a link to this blog entry (http://bit.ly/iulzJN) and including @shanasilver (so I can find it) will count as an entry.
  • The context closes Wednesday June 22nd at 11:59pm EST. I will announce the winner next Thursday during my Bookanista review.
  • US and Canada only please.
  • Random.org will pick the winner.

Don’t forget to check out what the other Bookanistas are reading this week:

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220 Responses

  3. I LOVED those books, though Lissa’s delicate-princessness annoyed me. I can’t wait to see what happens to Sydney!

    Reply

  4. WOW!! I absolutely love Richelle Mead. Her writing is phenomenal. I cannot wait for this series to begin 🙂 So can I just keep commenting?

    Reply

  5. I’m crying right now 🙁
    I sooooooooo wish I could enter this, but I live in Brazil D: god I hate not living in the US. Good luck to everyone who participates! *sobs*

    Reply

  31. I tweeted @thereadventurer.

    Thanks for running this giveaway–I’ve been dying to read this one and anxiously awaiting its release:) After reading a friend’s review of it, I can’t wait to see what Mead does with Sydney’s character.

    Thanks again!
    Flannery
    http://www.thereadventurer.com
    thereadventurer(at)gmail(dot)com

    Reply

  38. However, Adrian is so charming and funny. I just can’t help but love him.

    Vivien
    deadtossedwaves at gmail dot com

    Reply

  39. Alright the quote is from Blood Promise

    “If your eyes weren’t open, you wouldn’t know the difference between dreaming and waking.”

    Vivien
    deadtossedwaves at gmail dot com

    Reply

  72. I hope that Richelle get’s into where the mythology came from in the guide.

    Vivien
    deadtossedwaves at gmail dot com

    Reply

  77. Another book that I’ll have to get ASAP is the guide….I need to add it to my shelf!

    Vivien
    deadtossedwaves at gmail dot com

    Reply

  78. I do need another guy to go crazy for….I’m still in Dimitri withdrawals.

    Vivien
    deadtossedwaves at gmail dot com

    Reply

  82. Oh for sure! Adrian is amazing. How Rose treated him completely broke my heart.

    Vivien
    deadtossedwaves at gmail dot com

    Reply

  89. I think I will really enjoy Sydney…she did put Rose in her place a few times.

    Vivien
    deadtossedwaves at gmail dot com

    Reply

  142. I also prefer the US cover….I’m not really sure what to think about the other one 😯

    Vivien
    deadtossedwaves at gmail dot com

    Reply

  147. But I really covet my signed copies of Spirit Bound and Last Sacrifice

    Vivien
    deadtossedwaves at gmail dot com

    Reply

  155. ‘Not that a happy ending for him [Adrian] will be easy to come by. “Oh, there’s all sorts of romantic entanglements, as usual—people who love people who don’t love them; the usual epic tragic things standing in the way of love,” Mead teased.’

    …makes me suspicious. 🙁

    Reply

  183. But I’ve learned from the past, don’t let stereotypes take you in the wrong direction. Especially with Richelle

    Vivien
    deadtossedwaves at gmail dot com

    Reply

  186. Yea Sydney and Adrian would be interesting. She seems like a great match

    Vivien
    deadtossedwaves at gmail dot com

    Reply

  203. I remember reading on Mead’s blog that she planned on writing Bloodlines in third person at first, but then decided to stick with Sydney.

    Reply

  206. However, if she considered doing third person, it makes me wonder if she actually plans on writing the rest of the books in Sydney’s POV.

    Reply

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