Bloodline by Richelle Mead

I wasn't free of my past, not yet.

Sydney's blood is special. That's because she's an alchemist - one of a group of himans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worls of humans and vampire. They protect vampire secrets - and human lives. But the last encounter Sydney had with vampires got her in deep trouble with the other alchemists. And now with her allegiances in question, her future is on the line.

When Sydney 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 orse. 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 unlikeliest of places: a human boarding school in Palm Springs, California. The last thing Sydney wants is to be accused of sympathizing with vampires. And now she has to live with one.

The Moroi court believe Jill and Sydney will be safe at Amberwood Prep, but threats, distractions, and forbidden romance lurk both outside - and within - the school grounds. Now that they're hiding, the drama is only just beginning.

I am a huge Mead/Vampire Academy series fan. When that series ended, it was one of those series that made me legitimately sad that it was over. Then the spin-off happened, and I was really hesitant about reading it. Why? I just worried that characters, like Adrian, would be some how change and then my beloved (not being dramatic) series wouldn't be perfect, so I put it off.

I liked Sydney in VA and I liked her in this. I didn't think she was terribly special, like Adrian, Eddie, or Jill, but I think it's rare to see the perspective of the "over-seer" and that's what Sydney is to me. She's like the mother hen for all the misfit toys. I think she's relatable because she made a big mistake based on the alchemist standards, but at no point do I feel Sydney regrets it. I think this says a lot about her character.

Adrian. Poor, poor Adrian - Hey go over to the YA sisterhood and vote for him today - He's still heartbroken about Rose picking Dimitri. I loved how Mead made Adrian mad in installment six. I really felt for him in that moment, and that heartbreak is carried over in Bloodlines. Adrian is still himself, but he takes some steps to be a better person in this novel.

Jill, I'm not sure how I feel about Jill. For someone who is in mortal danger and under advisement from her government, she sure is unwilling to cut Sydney any slack. Several times I wanted to be like, seriously? Do you want to be discovered?

The two Jack wagons in the book - hated them from the beginning - happy they get what they deserve.

While I was extremely happy to see Rose again, I don't know, I thought if Lissa was in any type of danger, she wouldn't have left her, for any reason. I also think she would have steered clear of Adrian, because she broke his heart. So while, I was happy to see her, I thought it was "off."

The last line of the book - the person I had been waiting for - sigh.

Two non-vampire things
one. THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU WHO VOTED FOR MAGNUS! We won by a landslide!
two. Go down two posts for a giveaway - 7 book and/or manuscript editing