BLOODLINES - RICHELLE MEDE

This month Sam, Elena and Rhonda did a group read of the newly released, Bloodlines by Richelle Mead. Read ahead to see our reviews:

http://www.richellemead.com/

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

REVIEWS:

I am a huge fan of the Vampire Academy series, and was sad when it ended, but it ended the way it was suppose to.  So I find out to my delight that we’re getting this spin off…Bloodlines.  One piece of advice, this series is going to be enjoyed much more to those who have read the Vampire Academy series. IF YOU HAVEN’T, you won’t appreciate the characters as much, and you won’t understand what has gone on with them, and what leads them to this point in their lives. Our heroine Sydney, first appears in “Blood Promise” which is book 4 in the Vampire Academy series.  The other characters, Adrian, Eddie, and Jill have all been around since the beginning.  Let me say this before continuing on: I love Richelle Mead,  I have loved every one of her books,  but this book fell a bit short for me.  Let me explain…..

Now that Jill’s sister, Lissa is the Moroi Queen,  Jill is now in danger because in order for Lissa to remain the queen she has to have at least one living relative, and Jill is the only one.  As much as Lissa is loved, there are Moroi who would like to see her stripped of her crown.  Since the queen has so much guard around her, some have decided to go for the easier target, her sister.  Sydney is (human) an Alchemist, and she is responsible for keeping the human world oblivious to the vampire world.  She has been called upon for various things during  the VA series,  and she even got herself into some trouble trying to help Rose, which helping a vampire is a no no to the Alchemist’s.  After narrowly avoiding serious trouble, and possibly being sent to a “re-education center” she gets herself sent on a job, and now feels the necessity  to prove herself.


Here’s where this book fell short….  Jill is being hidden by the Moroi.  They send Sydney to watch out for Jill, (not guard her) at a human boarding school in Palm Springs.  Sydney and Eddie, accompany her as her siblings, and Adrian is along too, but not at the school. 
There was way too much time spent in setting up the school scene, and way too much time spent there. I didn’t really start getting into the story until about 65 to 70% into the book.  Except for Jill who is 15yrs old, the rest of the characters are out of high school, and yet, we find ourselves being thrown back in there.


Now as for the plot, it was solid Mead!!  We have a couple of mysteries going on here. There is someone in town using Alchemist tattooing techniques, and mixing some kind of chemicals in with the tattoos that gives off a high to some, and greater athletic abilities to others, and the kids from the boarding school just love these things.  And then there are girls being murdered.  So this added a lot to the story, but like I said 65-70% before it started rolling.


NOW, let’s move on to Adrian…..  Adrian has been through a lot leading up to this series, and I love him very much!  If Mead doesn’t make him happy soon, I’m boycotting this series!  I can’t take it anymore,  in this book, Mead dangles some happiness in his face, then snatches it back, and then gives him a “punch to the gut” at the end. 


There are some serious racial barriers for Sydney to overcome with the vampires.  She was raised to believe that they’re unnatural, and terrible creatures.  Her time spent with Rose in VA has softened that some,  but she still has a way to go.  And the poor girl is terrified of vampire magic, which is going  make for an interesting story considering the direction of Sydney’s character, and I love what she’s turning out to be. 


I’m looking forward to the continuing story, and Sydney’s self discovery in more ways than one.
And I hope Mead finally lets Adrian have some real happiness

3.5 STARS

Mead did it AGAIN!!

Unbelievable! It took me a while to get into the novel, I started getting warmed up at 85% and then bang at 99% I got slapped in the face. Hard!

This series started off A-okay for me. I liked running into many characters from the Vampire Academy series;Such as Abe, Rose,Eddie,Sydney, Jill and best of all Adrian. Which by the way, when will Adrian ever hitch a break? Poor Guy!!! He was becoming the man I wanted him to be, now I'm not so sure what will happen in the next book.His temporary happy cloud just went up in smokes. YEESH I expected the plot of the story to be "different" it was to similar to the VA series.

Now that all my thoughts are out there. I'll try to simmer the main part of the story;

Until the Moroi can undo the law that makes Vasilisa's throne so vulnerable. Holding her sister Jill Mastrano with the Alchemists people is the safest way to keep her from being killed off by her own people.With Jill dead Lissa has no further ties as becoming Queen of the Moroi.Small tiny recap from the VA series:Vasilisa (Lissa) Dragomir was a Moroi princess of a rare bloodline and the last of the Dragomir royal family. She went from being princess to royal queen.

Sydney being an Alchemists, is assigned to accompany Jillian into hiding away from, Moroi,Strigoi and keep their existence from humans.

When the story unfolds, there's an evil villain killing off innocent girls for his own purpose. And another villain engaging with tattoo artists and selling Vampire blood to up the high in tattoos to boost the performance of students who are active or just wanna be smarter then others. 

There isn't to much connection between the Hero and Heroine. But it was there. I hope it continues and I get to read more between the two in the next release.

3.5 stars

I started this book with some pretty high expectations. Those expectations mostly stemming from my wild imagination that I let run wild with fantasies of Adrian falling wildly in love with Sydney and then making little Vamp cross Alchemist babies. Ok, so I may have gone a tad too far with that, but hey – A girl can dream! But then the reality set in and I started thinking ‘this book is reaaallllyyy slow’ and well, boring. I’m sitting here now after finishing the book and I have a WTH look on my face.

To explain, in the end, Bloodlines was so far from what I expected. I thought It would have the usual busting sexual tension, action and great characters that I have already come to know and love. Instead I got ZERO romance and barely even one scene with some action in it. It wasn’t until about 85% in, that I actually felt like it was drawing me in.

Sydney was basically an epic fail as a heroine. She was too timid. I get that she is not some crazy kick arse vampire slayer, but she has trouble speaking up for herself.  I hated the people were walking all over her and she didn’t think she could have any opinions or feelings of her own.

Adrian had his classic smart arse, self absorbed ego happening. But that’s what I love about this character, because simply – it reminds me of myself. He was majorly hung up on Rose who kind of caused a downer on him being in the story.

As for Jill, I don’t like her. Never did, never will. Is it just me, or is she just a replacement Lissa – whom I didn’t like either.  I thought she was utterly careless in the face of grave danger and had no remorse for her actions. Mead spent a lot of time having boys fawn all over Jill. But who really care about a 15 yr old having 19yr old boyfriends. When the real romance that was right in front of our faces never eventuated.

If this book was more about Sydney and Adrian, then the book would have kicked arse! I’m hoping that this first book is just the opening for the rest of the series and that the next book – ‘ The Golden Lilly ‘ – leads to some kick arse action, hot romance and all round a better book.

If you are a fan of VA – don’t expect to be as enthralled by this as you were by VA. I don’t suggest reading this book if you haven’t read and are intending to read VA – it will have spoilers.

Maybe I’m being a little harsh with this review, and to tell the truth, I HATED the first VA book. But I persisted and the series prevailed. Imp gong to stand be Mead and have faith that with the last line cliff hanger, comes a new and better book.