I read this book back in November 2011. In honor of the book cover release of The Indigo Spell (the third book in this series set to come out on February 12, 2013) I am going to fully review Bloodlines and The Golden Lily here on the blog. Bloodlines is a spinoff series featuring characters from Richelle Mead's hit series - Vampire Academy.
We first met Sydney Sage in Blood Promise, book four of the Vampire Academy series. 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. In this book Sydney has everything to prove after some un-alchemist like behavior in the last book of the Vampire Academy series. This will be hard considering she will be under the watchful eye of Keith Darnell, someone who Sydney despises with all her being for what he done to her sister. (You will find out what that is later in the book) Sydney's job in this book is to watch over Jillian Mastrano, Queen Vasilisa Dragomir's illegitimate sister. After a near fatal attack against Jill, she must disappear for a while. Living among humans is difficult for most Moroi, Sydney will need to help Jill blend in and remain inconspicuous.
Also joining us in the Bloodlines series we have Eddie Castile, and none other than Adrian Ivashkov. Ahh Adrian, he holds a special place in my heart. Adrian will be staying with a local Moroi named Clarence who has a feeder on site, while Eddie, Jill, and Sydney are enrolled in a local private school, Amberwood, as siblings. Sydney, who is rooming with Jill, is uneasy at the arrangements. She does not want to sleep in the same room as a vampire.
While Sydney and Eddie blend into society Jill sticks out like a sore thumb. She struggles to make friends, and to fit in with those around her. She is becomming depressed. Add on to the fact that P.E. is outside and the sun is very draining and hurtful to her she cant seem to find a groove. In an attempt to rectify the situation of Jill being in the sun too long she takes up the issue with Keith, who immediately shoots her down telling her he dont care if Jill is miserable and in agony.
There is something weird going on with these tattoos called Celestials. Some of Sydney's friends thought that she was so smart because of her Lily tattoo on her cheek. After convincing them that her tattoo was not like that they told her about these tattoos that give some a kinda high like feeling for a week or so, others give you an athletic boost, making you stronger and faster than normal. When Sydney mentions this to Keith he puts her down telling her to stop making things up.
Something weird is going on with Jill and Adrian, but Sydney cant put her finger on it. Jill seems to know things about Adrian that he hasnt told her. They also seem appear to have some unseen connection. One night Jill wakes Sydney up begging her to go and rescue Adrian, who is stuck at some girls house with no way to get home. She wont leave until Jill tells her what is going on. Turns out the attack on Jill was more deadly than anyone knew. Jill died and Adrian used spirt to bring her back to life. They are bonded as Lissa and Rose were, Spirit Bonded. Jill can feel and see almost everything that Adrian feel and does. This includes feeling hung over when Adrian drinks to much. Sydney is furious that she was not told about this, and even more furious with Adrian for putting Jill though some of the shit that he has. While picking him up they learn from one of the girls about another 'Strigoi' attack, oddly enough though they didnt turn her or drink all of her blood, they slit her throat too.
After one of Sydney's friends has some kind of allergic reaction to the celestial tattoos Sydney decides it is time to investigate further. Meanwhile Jill is still having problems fitting in. One girl in particular is making it exceptionally hard for her. Laurel has it out for Jill and is making her life a living hell. While driving Adrian home one night Sydney spots the tattoo shop Nevermore where everyone is getting those celestial tattoos. Recruiting Adrian to distract the man in front Sydney breaks into the back and steals some of the ingredients used for the tattoos to investigate what exactly is being used in the tattoos. Turns out they are using vampire blood in the tattoos.
Jill is forming some romantic attatchments with Lee, Clarence's son. While he is a good deal older than her, he seems to really care about her. The group approves of Lee over Micah who is Eddie's roomate, since Micah is just a mere human. Micah also happens to look almost identical to Mason, who we know was Eddie's best friend that died. Sydney's fear of all things magic makes itself known, and not just around her group, but also with a teacher who Sydney is doing extra credit for by copying latin text into english. Her teacher gives her an assignment to not only transcribe the book but to literally do a spell. In this case it is to make an incineration amulet. Torn but resigned Sydney agrees since the teacher is doing her a favor to get Adrian into college.
Sydney proves she is not one to be messed with when Laurel ups the antics against Jill. Meanwhile Jill is getting her chance to shine in the spotlight, while still remaining hidden. On a hunch Sydney decides to visit the tattoo shop Nevermore. While there she discovers the ultimate act of betrayal and enlists Adrian's help to out the betrayer. This is not the end of the groups problems though, there is another threat that is all too close to home. What some believed were Strigoi attacks turns out to be something even worse.
*Sigh* There are always some books that you get so emotionally involved with that when you finish reading them, it takes you days to recover. I couldnt even attempt to read another book after this for the next three days. I couldnt get this book out of my head. Like I already said Adrian holds a special place in my heart and I am dying for him to get some happiness in his life. Sydney, while such a polar opposite of Rose, can hold her own. I love reading the book from her perspective. She is such an awsome character and I love seeing her flourish. When Sydney first made her debut she was so on edge just being around non-humans it was a bit hard to like her. I love how far she has come.
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