Book Review: Bloodlines

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...

I loved Vampire Academy but after I bought this book it ended up just sitting on my shelf.  I decided it was time to pick it up and I'm so glad I did.  I'll try to keep it light on spoilers, but you really should read Vampire Academy first if you're going to read it at all.  This book is a minefield of "inside jokes" and Easter eggs. 

Like all the VA books this one was perfect.  The mundane mingled with the action in a perfect balance.  You know it's going somewhere and you're dying to find out where.  There are so many different plots and things going on it's like a tangles web that is remarkably straightened out by the end of the book.  I just love the magic Richelle Mead can work with these. 

Many of the characters we already know but seeing them again, from a new point of view, was refreshing.  The story is told by Sydney, who is a little hard to warm to at first because I was so used to Rose.  They are pretty different in forms of narration, although you can still tell there are some similarities.  Sydney is more comfortable with vampires then most other alchemists, and sometimes I feel like too comfortable.  She's painted in a light where you expect her to be a little more wary around them, but she melts into their little group with near perfect precision.  That's my only complaint.  My only one for the entire book.  Honestly.

Quickly we meet Keith who is one jack-ass.  I really can't elaborate more then that.  I'm glad with where the book left him.  Of course, everyone's favorite Ivashkov returns in this series.  I loved Adrian in VA (sometimes more then Dimitri, yes) and I loved him even more then this.  Spirit Bound left him (and me) heartbroken.  I'm so glad he's getting this chance at redemption.  I'm starting to see some sparks fly between him and Sydney (fangirl squeal).

Other characters who grace the pages of this book are Eddie and Jill, with cameo's from Rose, Abe, and Dimitri.  Eddie and Jill play major parts in this book and, again, I was glad to see them there.  Rose was good friends with Eddie in VA but here I think we get a different side of him- a softer side.  He was always a good character, but now he's been promoted to great character in my books.  We also get a closer look at Jill, which comes with several surprises of it's own.  I honestly thought Jill was a little bit annoying in VA, but here she's really not, and I'm glad.

New characters (besides the aforementioned Keith) include Clarence, an older vampire who believes vampire hunters killed his niece; Lee, Clarence's son and Jill's boyfriend; and Micah, a human at the school who has a crush on Jill.

Returning to this world was nice, and seeing behind the Alchemist's curtain was even better.  It peels back the layers of how complex this series really is.

I also enjoyed the story line.  It fits nicely into the way VA ended and doesn't make it seem like it was unfinished.  Instead it takes a leap and, while keeping old plots and happenings closed, opens new ones that make perfect sense.  I couldn't put this book down most of the time.  I really fell back in love with everything.

At the moment I'm basically foaming at the mouth for the next one and hoping I can somehow scrounge up the money for it.  For now, my rating is *****4.45***** stars. 

SPOILER ROOM BELOW:  READ IF YOU DARE
Micah looks just like Mason!!!!  Oh my goodness that was just cruel!  I started crying just thinking about it!  Cruel, cruel sorceress of words, how can you do this to your loyal fans!  Make their hearts bleed and break! 

That revelation deserves 5 stars all it's own, and if Micah ends up dying I'm going to be very angry.

:)