The Golden Lily

The Golden Lily (Bloodlines #2)

Richelle Mead

Pages: 418

Publisher: Razorbill

Format: Hardover

Source: Library

Age Group: Young Adult

Date Published: June 12, 2012

Sydney Sage is an Alchemist, one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of humans and vampires. They protect vampire secrets—and human lives.
Sydney would love to go to college, but instead, she’s been sent into hiding at a posh boarding school in Palm Springs, California–tasked with protecting Moroi princess Jill Dragomir from assassins who want to throw the Moroi court into civil war. Formerly in disgrace, Sydney is now praised for her loyalty and obedience, and held up as the model of an exemplary Alchemist.
But the closer she grows to Jill, Eddie, and especially Adrian, the more she finds herself questioning her age–old Alchemist beliefs, her idea of family, and the sense of what it means to truly belong. Her world becomes even more complicated when magical experiments show Sydney may hold the key to prevent becoming Strigoi—the fiercest vampires, the ones who don’t die. But it’s her fear of being just that—special, magical, powerful—that scares her more than anything. Equally daunting is her new romance with Brayden, a cute, brainy guy who seems to be her match in every way. Yet, as perfect as he seems, Sydney finds herself being drawn to someone else—someone forbidden to her.
When a shocking secret threatens to tear the vampire world apart, Sydney’s loyalties are suddenly tested more than ever before. She wonders how she's supposed to strike a balance between the principles and dogmas she's been taught, and what her instincts are now telling her.
Should she trust the Alchemists—or her heart?

dhsfkdfksdfdfgjk THIS BOOK WAS SO FANTASTIC. (I've been doing AP English homework for the past three hours... it may show) Adrian was always my favorite, even back in the VA series, I liked him better than stupid Dimitri, and to have him play a major part in a series? My heart is like soaring. The plot was intense and the characters ROCK (hello? Adrian?), and that cover is so darned pretty, I just need The Indigo Spell NOW.

So, plot: Sydney has a boyfriend! And he's a total stick in the mud, who gets all hot and bothered over windmills, but hey, she liked him.... sorta.... and they made each other happy! He did always smell like coffee, so there's something going for him. The vamp gang + Sydney also gets mixed up in some pretty crazy business with "witches" and some people who hunt people like the vamp gang. It's so awesome. And then Dimitri is there, and he plays a big role in how Adrian sort of feels about himself (after the who Rose debacle, he still feels really inadequate). And Adrian's daddy comes into play, too. It's all great and so like VA, but with a brainy nerd for a heroine (she's kind of like me.... only a lot more stick-in-the-mud-ish). Yes. This is the plot (my brain is fried).

Ahhh the characters! Sydney is pretty awesome, even if there were a few moments when I wanted to throttle her. She's really smart and is struggling with the lines her alchemist beliefs have drawn between her and the vamp gang (this is what we are calling them now). I mean, they all treat her like she's one of them, but she keeps reminding herself that they can't be friends, and it's just so sad. I really felt for her, you know? And then she's always had this weird thing with food and comparing herself with the Moroi, and that gets addressed (in the most amazing way possible) in this book, which I really liked.

OK so I'm more coherent now (the first part of my review makes me laugh, so it's staying). Time to talk about the rest of the characters! So, Adrian. Adrian is amazing. (I've said this, no?) He notices everything, and is so kind and gorgeous. Everything he says is almost poetic, even when he's being sarcastic. He has this awesome dry sense of humor that I am just so in love with. He's even awesome when he's drunk, like when does that happen??? I can't believe Rose picked Dimitri over him, and I so can't believe Adrian feels crappy about himself when he's around Dimitri. But, yeah, this happens. Sydney's teacher, Mrs. Terwilliger, is in this one, too, and I like her a lot. She's like the coolest teacher EVER, even if she makes Sydney mad. And Jill is adorable and so funny! Eddie is too darned sweet.

That cover is also super gorgeous. Cover-Sydney looks exactly like how I would picture Sydney, and I always love that on book covers. And the colors are so perfect.

So yeah, this book rocked aaaannnnnd you should go read this series (if you haven't read VA already, go read that first, and then read this.... but if you haven't read VA yet I've kinda spoiled stuff for you....). :D I'm definitely giving this 5 staches.