Silver Shadows by Richelle Mead

Title: Silver Shadows (Bloodlines #5)

Author: Richelle Mead

Publisher: Razorbill

Release Date: July 29, 2014

Source: Purchased

Buy the Book: Amazon / Book Depository / Indigo

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.

In The Fiery Heart, Sydney risked everything to follow her gut, walking a dangerous line to keep her feelings hidden from the Alchemists.

Now in the aftermath of an event that ripped their world apart, Sydney and Adrian struggle to pick up the pieces and find their way back to each other. But first, they have to survive. 

For Sydney, trapped and surrounded by adversaries, life becomes a daily struggle to hold on to her identity an the memories of those she loves. Meanwhile, Adrian clings to phone in the face of those who tell him Sydney is a lost cause, but the battle process daunting as old demons and new temptations begin to seize hold of him…

Their worst fears now a chilling reality, Sydney and Adrian face their darkest hour in this heart-pounding fifth installment in the New York Times bestselling Bloodlines series, where all bets are off. 

If you’ve been following this blog since the beginning then you know that I’m a HUGE Richelle Mead fangirl, and an EVEN BIGGER Bloodlines series fangirl. I had been waiting what felt like FOREVER for Silver Shadows. Once I got my hands on my copy of the book, I absolutely devoured it.

Sydney has always been told to follow the rules. And for an Alchemist, following the rules means no fraternizing with vampires. But now, she has risked everything to do what she thinks is right, even if it meant alienating herself from the people who have always taken care of her. Now stuck and surrounded by Alchemists who are determined to change her, Sydney does everything she can in order to hold on to who she is and the people she loves. If she keeps holding on, Sydney knows that Adrian will find a way to get to her. He has to. If he doesn’t Sydney may not be able to come back from it all.

HOLY CRAP this book guys. When I got home to find that my pre-ordered copy had arrived, the only thing I considered doing what drop everything and start reading. And that’s what I did. How could I not? After everything that happened in The Fiery Heart, it felt like I had been waiting forever for Silver Shadows. But knowing what was going to be happening in this book, I was also afraid of what it would do to my emotions. And I definitely felt a lot of emotions while reading. This book brought on ALL THE FEELS, in the way that very few books can. There were parts of this book that were downright difficult to read. What the Alchemists put Sydney through is beyond awful. And seeing everyone else torture themselves over what had happened to Sydney was just as painful. But as weird as it might be to say, that pain was worth it for what came in the last third or so of the book. If I thought the first two thirds of the book had given me a lot of feelings, it was NOTHING compared to ALL THE FEELS I got in that last part. It’s hard for me to say much of anything about that part of the book though, without ruining it for everyone who hasn’t read it. So just go read it, and then come talk to me about it. If you’re anything like me, you will NEED to get your feelings out. 

Silver Shadows is the fifth book in the Bloodlines series, and at this point I feel like I keep saying the same thing about Sydney, Adrian and their friends in each of these reviews. So I apologize in advance if I’m starting to sound like a broken record where these characters are concerned. It’s no secret that I love Sydney and Adrian, and I love that with every book you get to see a different side of them. In Silver Shadows, I got to see Sydney’s strength. Before this book, I knew she was strong, but didn’t know the extent of that strength. With Adrian, I hated seeing him fall back in his old ways, but at the same time I loved his determination when he got his act together. I’ve said it before, but there’s so much more to him than people give him credit for, and the lengths he will go to for the people he cares about, it just warms my heart. And just because it needs mentioning for the billionth time, Adrian and Sydney belong together, no matter what people think. I would be happy reading books about those two until the end of times. And that’s only a SLIGHT exaggeration. 

If you think that I ADORED Silver Shadows, then you absolutely guessed right. At this point, Richelle Mead can write anything, and I mean ANYTHING, that features Sydney and Adrian together and I would read it. It goes without saying that I’m now DYING to read The Ruby Circle. And if you haven’t already read Richelle Mead’s books, you are missing out in a big way.

The Fiery Heart by Richelle Mead

Title: The Fiery Heart (Bloodlines #4)

Author: Richelle Mead

Publisher: Razorbill

Release Date: November 19, 2013

Source: Purchased

Buy the Book: Amazon / Book Depository

In The Indigo Spell, Sydney was torn between the Alchemist way of life and what her heart and gut were telling her to do. And in one breathtaking moment that Richelle Mead fans will never forget, she made a decision that shocked even her…

But the struggle isn't over for Sydney. As she navigates the aftermath of her life-changing decision, she still finds herself pulled in too many directions at once. Her sister Zoe has arrived, and while Sydney longs to grow closer to her, there's still so much she must keep secret. Working with Marcus has changed the way she views the Alchemists, and Sydney must tread a careful path as she harnesses her profound magical ability to undermine the way of life she was raised to defend. Consumed by passion and vengeance, Sydney struggles to keep her secret life under wraps as the threat of exposure--and re-education--looms larger than ever.

Pulses will race throughout this thrilling fourth installment in the New York Times bestselling Bloodlines series, where no secret is safe.

I love Richelle Mead. I loved her Vampire Academy series. And I absolutely love her Bloodlines series. So as you can imagine, I have been waiting for The Fiery Heart since the moment I finished The Indigo Spell. But I was kinda scared of what The Fiery Heart would do to my heart. And I was right to be scared, but I also absolutely loved the story.

Sydney Sage always thought that the hardest part of her life as an Alchemist would be living and working with vampires. But the moment she met Adrian Ivashkov, a Moroi prince, that started to chance. Now, Sydney is ready to turn her back on the Alchemist way of life. But first she has to find a way to protect her sister Zoe from being brainwashed by their father and the Alchemists. And she has to find a way to protect her relationship with Adrian. Because if anyone were to fin out, the Alchemists would send Sydney straight to re-education.

Have I mentioned that I was absolutely terrified of The Fiery Heart? As excited as I was to read the book, I was cared of what it would do to my poor heart. Long before the book was released, Richelle Mead has teased that The Fiery Heart would do for this series what Shadow Kiss did for the Vampire Academy series. And you have no idea how much that scared me. The whole time I was reading, I was also waiting for that crucial moment, the moment that would change everything and break my heart in the process. But as much as that moment hurt, I loved everything that came beforehand. I loved finally seeing the romance between Sydney and Adrian. It felt like I had waited for so long for this to happen and it just warmed my heart to read about the two of them together. What was an interesting new addition to the story this time around was the dual perspectives. The story had previously only been told from Sydney's perspective, but this time I was able to also get inside Adrian's head and I loved it. If anything, my love for Adrian only grew as a result of this.

I've always loved Sydney and I love how much she's changed and evolved since I first person. I love the person's she's become. She no longer lets the Alchemist beliefs dictate her life, choosing instead to rely on her own beliefs. And I love the person Sydney becomes when she's with Adrian. It's almost life when she's with Adrian, it's the only time Sydney gets to really be herself. And that's the side of her I really love: the Sydney who gets to let go and be who she wants to be, not who everyone expects her to be. And now here's the thing about Adrian: in the Vampire Academy books, I fully believed that Rose belonged with Dimitri, but I still loved Adrian. And now I pretty much adore Adrian. Getting into his head has only made me love him more. There's so much more to him than people tend to give him credit for. Everything he does for the people he cares about, no matter how crazy that can sometimes be, just warms my heart. If only he could believe in himself as much as Sydney does, he might be able to be a little easier on himself. But I still love Adrian either way.

Richelle Mead's The Fiery Heart was just what I had hoped it would be. This story may have broken my heart at the end, but it also made me beyond happy and warmed my heart. Though I will admit that it has left me absolutely desperate to read Silver Shadows. July 2014 can't come soon enough!

The Indigo Spell by Richelle Mead

Title: The Indigo Spell (Bloodlines #3)

Author: Richelle Mead

Publisher: Razorbill

Release Date: February 12, 2013

Source: Purchased

Buy the Book: Amazon / Book Depository

In the aftermath of a forbidden moment that rocked Sydney to her core, she finds herself struggling to draw the line between her Alchemist teachings and what her heart is urging her to do. Then she meets alluring, rebellious Marcus Finch--a former Alchemist who escaped against all odds, and is now on the run. Marcus wants to teach Sydney the secrets he claims the Alchemists are hiding from her. But as he pushes her to rebel against the people who raised her, Sydney finds that breaking free is harder than she thought. There is an old and mysterious magic rooted deeply within her. And as she searches for an evil magic user targeting powerful young witches, she realizes that her only hope is to embrace her magical blood--or else she might be next.

Populated with new faces as well as familiar ones, the Bloodlines series explores all the friendship, romance, battles, and betrayals that made the #1 New York Times bestselling Vampire Academy series so addictive--this time in part-vampire, part-human setting where the stakes are even higher and everyone's out for blood.

If you've been following this blog for any length of time then you probably know by now that I absolutely love Richelle Mead's books. So I had been waiting for The Indigo Spell ever since I read the very last page of The Golden Lily last spring. So right when I got my hands on a copy of The Indigo Spell I couldn't help but start reading right away and I wasn't disappointed in the least.

Sydney Sage isn't sure where her allegiances lie anymore. After spending so much time int eh company of vampires, Sydney stars to think that maybe everything she's been told by the Alchemists isn't true. And after Adrian's declaration, Sydney really doesn't know what to do anymore. But she doesn't have time to think about that. Between worrying about her increased magic use an worrying about what the Alchemists might be hiding from her, Sydney barely has time to make sure Jill stays safe and hidden from those after her. But when Marcus Finch shows up in town, Sydney can't stay away, especially if it means finding out the truth about the Alchemists. But it might also mean turning her back on everything she knows and everyone she cares about. 

I had all kinds of ideas about what could happen in The Indigo Spell, especially since Richelle Mead is known for breaking her readers' hearts with the third book in her series. So I was prepared to pretty much have my heart wrenched out of my chest. And with every page I turned, I was afraid of what would happen next. But that didn't stop me from enjoying the story in the least. Right from the first page I was beyond thrilled to be back in this world I love, with the characters I have also come to love. There was so much happening in The Indigo Spell, with every page I turned something new was happening. And the romance was back in full force, leading to some majorly swoon-worthy moments. But I don't want to ruin those for anyone. As it turns out though, my heart wasn't completely ripped to pieces, but that only makes me that much more nervous for what's to come in The Fiery Heart.

I've said this before but I love Sydney Sage. I love how conflicted she is over everything because if I were in her shows I would be the same way. And I love who Sydney has become. She's changed so much since I first met her back in the Vampire Academy books and that change has mostly been for the best. And a lot of that chance has to do with Adrian. You really don't want me to get started on Adrian because as strongly as I believed Rose belonged with Dimitri, I always loved Adrian. And I absolutely love the person Adrian is becoming. he keeps on surprising me every time he does anything, especially if it's for Sydney. Let's just say if you weren't already, Adrian will make you swoon in The Indigo Spell. Marcus Finch on the other hand was a bit of a disappointment. He was so played up in the promotion for the book that I expected him to be so much more. He intrigued me for sure, but I thought he would be so much more than he ended up being. Who knows though, maybe he'll come back in future books.

Once again, Richelle Mead didn't disappoint me with The Indigo Spell. I loved the story from start to finish. And as is often the case with any book in this series, I was just begging for The Fiery Heart by the time I finished The Indigo Spell. And if you haven't picked up the Vampire Academy and Bloodlines series by this point, you really should. 

The Golden Lily by Richelle Mead

Title: The Golden Lily (Bloodlines #2)

Author: Richelle Mead

Publisher: Razorbill

Release Date: June 12, 2012

Source: ARC from Publisher

Buy the Book: Amazon / Book Depository

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. Alchemists 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?

I am a huge Richelle Mead fan and I love both her Vampire Academy and Bloodlines series. Because f that, The Golden Lily was pretty much the book I was looking forward to the most this year. And in true Richelle Mead fashion, The Golden Lily was amazing and left me begging for more.

Sidney Sage is a member of the Alchemists, a group dedicated to keeping the vampire world secret from humans. Her whole life, Sydney has been taught to hate vampires, but her latest assignment is making her doubt everything she has ever been taught. The more time she spends with Angeline, Jill, Eddie and especially Adrian, the more she realizes that vampires may not be as bad and awful as she has always been told. Despite all this doubt, Sydney is being held up as the model Alchemist and she couldn't feel like more of a fraud. But soon enough, a mysterious group threatens the vampire world, and more importantly, Sydney's friends. Suddenly, Sydney's loyalties are put to the test, but she isn't sur who she should trust anymore.

Before I say anything else, I will apologize for any gushing that may follow. I have so much love for both Richelle Mead and The Golden Lily. I had very high expectations for the book and they were more than met. The Golden Lily was incredible, and once I started reading, I just couldn't put the book down. I was completely drawn into the story, not wanting to ever leave. The story itself was fantastic and never even came close to dragging or being boring. And the ending, oh that ending. I sort of saw it coming but that doesn't mean it wasn't a killer. Even though I know things will probably work out, that's still not how I wanted things to go.

While she will never replace Rose in my heart, Sydney is still one of my favorite characters of all time. I am loving the person Sydney is becoming even though I know parts of becoming that person were definitely hard for her This time around, her academic approach to romance definitely had me smiling on more than one occasion. Sydney's just such an overall great character. Like with Bloodlines, I loved being able to see more of Jill, Eddie and Adrian. They are such great characters and finding out more about them just makes me love them even more. Especially Adrian. Because while I never thought he was right for Rose, I always had a major soft spot for Adrian. And with every page of The Golden Lily I read, I loved Adrian more. And of course, having Dimitri Belikov back wasn't so bad. 

The Golden Lily was even better than I expected it to be. Richelle Mead certainly knows how to toy with her readers' emotions, leaving them begging for more. And with that ending, I'm not entirely sure how I'm going to be able to wait for book three.

The Golden Lily ARC Giveaway

If you have been following my In My Mailbox posts the last couple of weeks, you may know that I was lucky enough to receive two advance copies of The Golden Lily by Richelle Mead. Since I only need one copy, I have decided to give you all a chance to win my second copy. I've already read the book and it was absolutely fantastic. If you are a fan of Richelle Mead, you are pretty much guaranteed to love this book. There was definitely a lot going on, and some characters from Vampire Academy make a comeback. But you're going to have to wait for my review closer to the release date to find out more.

To enter the giveaway, fill out the Rafflecopter form below. Due to limited funds, this giveaway is open to US/Canada only.

Good luck to everyone who enters!

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