Review: Bloodlines by Richelle Mead

Title:  Bloodlines
Author:  Richelle Mead
Series:  Bloodlines
Publisher:  Razorbill
Publication Date:  August 23, 2011
Links:  Amazon | Goodreads
Rating:   

From Goodreads:

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.

Review:

So, I was a naysayer in the beginning. I was burned out on vampires and wasn’t willing to give the Vampire Academy series the respect it deserved. It wasn’t until I got a deal on the audiobook for the first installment in the series that I gave it a chance and decided I'd been missing out. Now imagine my surprise and excitement when I found out that the author had created a spin-off series featuring secondary characters from VA. Me -- a nonbeliever -- had stumbled upon not one but TWO awesome series, all thanks to a sale. I love it when that happens!

But then I remembered how Last Sacrifice ended, and my heart broke again. If you have not read the VA series yet, I do not advise starting this series yet. Mead does her summation thing again, but very briefly, so it would be best to familiarize yourself with the characters and back-story from the Vampire Academy world first. Trust me on this.

I really thought I’d miss Rose as the main character, but Sydney’s voice is just as fantastic, if not better. Her snark and over-analysis of the world made for a very entertaining narration. I liked her when she was simply helping out Rose in VA, but I loved her in Bloodlines. She has to contend with a lot of issues that make her uneasy and test her loyalties, and she does it all while dressed like an accountant. You can take the girl out of the alchemist world, but you can’t take the alchemist out of the girl.

I only want to touch on the relationships and friendships briefly because I feel most anything I say will be a spoiler if you haven’t read the Vampire Academy series. (And if you haven’t, what are you waiting for? Didn’t I already tell you I was converted by a mere audiobook??) So, yeah, back to the relationships. I don’t think I’ve ever said, “Oh, huh, I did not see that coming,” to any of the relationships in Mead’s books, but that’s because they are so well-though out. The relationships in VA develop over time, usually with me muttering to myself, “Are those two ever going to make out?” Even friendships don’t happen immediately. The plot may not be the most realistic ever, especially when you consider that there are good vampires and bad vampires in the world of VA, but at least the bonds between characters are.

I think I gave all of the VA series four out of five stars. You’ll notice that Bloodlines got five. That’s cause I like this series EVEN MORE than VA. I don’t know if it was the introduction of Sydney as the protagonist or the fact that there was a lot more Adrian to feast upon, but I loved every second of this book.



I received an ARC of this novel through a giveaway from Jess at Gone with the Words.