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Review: The Fiery Heart by Richelle Mead

May 10, 2015May 25, 2015 Andge @ Down the Rabbit Hole

Series: Bloodlines #4

Sydney Sage is an Alchemist, one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the wolds of humans and vampires. They protect vampire secrets – and human lives.

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 smoldering fourth installment in the New York Times bestselling Bloodlines series, where no secret is safe.

4 Drink Me Potions

After committing to Adrian and the love Sydney just can’t deny between them anymore, things should be looking up, right? And then the bomb of a cliffhanger had to drop with Zoe Sage’s arrival.

Although, to be honest, not much really happens in The Fiery Heart by way of action or adventure, this fourth installment was quite enjoyable. There were MANY, and I highlight many , steamy and romantic encounters between Adrian and Sydney throughout. Maybe it was made a lot more fun as their relationship had to be kept secret, even among their close friends living in Palm Springs.

This was also the first book in the series to have alternating POVs between Adrian and Sydney. And my, it was an interesting experience to get into Adrian’s head as well. He really is such a loveable character, even though he has so many vices from spirit’s ups and downs. Maybe it’s because of his brokenness that makes him such a relateable guy. He’s by far from perfect, but his love for Sydney helps balance out his problems and makes him yearn to be a better person.

I love the progression of their relationship being such a main point of this book. When a book is part of such a long series, most books contain crazy plotlines amidst the romance that goes on as an after thought while the protagonists are off fighting whatever problems they have to face. This allowed readers to really explore their forbidden relationship as a major crazy plot line in itself that could ultimately lead towards more problems down the road, particularly the threat of re-education for Sydney.

With Zoe’s arrival, there just seems to be a ticking time bomb on their happiness. On top of that, Richelle Mead still added something big besides romance into the story. The emergence of a possible Strigoi vaccine for the Moroi is a major development for this world, which took up a huge part of Adrian’s POV. As for Sydney’s half of the book, she was exploring the potential ability with her magic to counteract heavier dosages of re-inking that would be able to protect ex-Alchemist rebels if ever captured by the organization. So, even with romance being the forefront of The Fiery Heart, it was by far from boring comparatively to the others as some new discoveries were explored.

And to conclude such a romantic story, Richelle Mead brings us back to the heart of action, as is her style, with that crazy ending. I’ll have to say, I’m just glad I read this series late and didn’t have to wait for the next book.

Overall Recommendation:
A well-written installment alternating between Adrian and Sydney’s POV that focused more on their forbidden romance than any other crazy schemes that have been introduced in the earlier novels. With plenty of steamy moments, Mead takes us to the heart of their strong love and shows us just how perfectly matched they are for each other, no matter how different their worlds were before. For a book that doesn’t necessarily contain too much action, I found it very enjoyable as it truly developed our two protagonists that sets the stage for whatever craziness is to come in the next book. A definite must-read!

Review: The Indigo Spell by Richelle Mead

May 6, 2015May 25, 2015 Andge @ Down the Rabbit Hole

Series: Bloodlines #3

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.

In the aftermath of a forbidden moment that rocked Sydney to her core, she struggles to draw the line between her Alchemist teachings and what her heart is urging her to do.

Then she finally tracks down the elusive, enigmatic Marcus Finch – a former Alchemist who the organization denies exists, and who lives in shadows, on the run. With Marcus’s help, Sydney realizes that the group she’s been loyal to her whole life has been hiding the truth from her. Is it possible that her golden lily tattoo might have more power over her than she thinks?

As she struggles to come to terms with what that might mean, Sydney is compelled to use her magical powers to track down an evil magic user who is targeting powerful young witches. Using magic goes against everything she always thought she believed, but she realizes that her only hope is to embrace her special blood – or else she might be next.

Forging her own way is harder than Sydney ever dreamed. Maybe by turning off her brain – and following her heart – she’ll be able to finally figure out where she belongs.

3 Drink Me Potions

The Indigo Spell diverted from the crazy plots of book 2, The Golden Lily, and had gone into a totally different direction. Boy, does our protagonist Sydney have a lot going on in her life.

1) She totally went against her Alchemist beliefs and has started practicing magic with her witch/history teacher
2) Adrian Ivashkov, aka vampire Moroi, has declared his love from afar for her
3) Some psycho witch is out to get other strong witches, and that road points towards Sydney as well, ’cause you know, she’s got to be a powerful witch on top of excelling at everything else she does
Oh and 4)? She’s found rogue ex-Alchemist Marcus Finch, and now there may be a ton of Alchemist conspiracies and cover-ups she’s questioning

Can things get any crazier? Apparently not. I think. Let’s just set aside the idea of tracking down the vampire hunters, aka the deluded Warriors of Light, for another time because this book is filled with tons of things other than that. Not that I blame Sydney, ’cause that’s already a lot of things to do at the same time.

For once, this 3rd book departs from spending a ton of time with all of the gang that’s been isolated at Palm Springs. Thank goodness for that too, because to be honest, that Eddie and Angeline romance thing freaks me out a little. Can I just shake Jill and tell her to claim her man before it gets even weirder? Please, Jill, just go confess to Eddie. It’s driving me insane! Anyway, that’s most of what goes on with them, although I do miss their banter at times. But like I repeatedly said, there are TONS more crazier things to deal with.

There are A LOT of Adrian and Sydney times though, much to my delight. After what went down at the end of The Golden Lily, I was intrigued to see how Sydney could get over her Alchemist beliefs. Might be helpful considering she’s hanging out with ex-Alchemists and shoved into Adrian’s path at every which way. I love their chemistry and the patience Adrian has with her. Out of all the characters, the two of them have grown the most so far. There are so many different facets that Richelle Mead has shown in Adrian here. Sure, he’s still that witty and charming young guy who flirts with girls and with trouble. But he’s also sensitive and loving and romantic.

If that was considered character development, I don’t know how to describe Sydney’s almost 360 degree change. She’s someone so tangibly real to me. Maybe it’s because we share a love of knowledge, though I must say, she takes it to the way, WAY extreme than most academics I know. Her growing attraction to Adrian isn’t something she can deny and it was deliciously fun to see her breakdown to his charms and patient love for her.

Amongst the romantic scenes, there are also the dangerous, action scenes. From witch chasing and warning young girls from getting their life sucked out of them (literally) to breaking all the rules she’s grown up with to do something for Marcus, there’s plenty of things to satisfy just about anyone. Who said any good romance story couldn’t also contain an equal amount of excellent butt-kicking action? Once again, no true closure for any of the plots that were laid out here, but I think I’ve resigned myself to wait for some epic conclusion in the last installment. Better not disappoint me, Richelle Mead!

Overall Recommendation:
The Indigo Spell is no disappointment. In fact, it adds onto the already big list of crazy things that’s going on in Sydney Sage’s life. With plenty more action and danger coming her way, Sydney is forced to be with Adrian at nearly every turn, which makes it harder for her to deny the attraction that is there between them. Although missing the ever-present interaction of her dear vampire friends, the banter and excitement of what Sydney and Adrian are attempting to do with a witch hunt more than makes up for it. Here’s to another chapter of the Bloodlines series that continually makes for a good read.

Review: The Golden Lily by Richelle Mead

May 5, 2015May 25, 2015 Andge @ Down the Rabbit Hole

Series: Bloodlines #2

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. Formorly 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 her 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 Braydon, 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?

3 Drink Me Potions

Book 2 in the spin-off series, Bloodlines, from Richelle Mead’s Vampire Academy, continued the pace of what was set in Bloodlines. There was definitely more romance in it. Come on, that Brayden guy that Sydney tried “dating” was hilarious. Sydney’s charm lies in her sweet ability to remember the most random things in the world, but his similar ability to do that was just downright annoying. In a funny way.

With a forbidden romance looming ahead for Sydney down the road, the main focus was the building plot of….insert dramatic music here. The so-called vampire hunters that were postulated from the previous book by a dear old, yet slightly crazy, Moroi. There was also the amazing appearances in this series with Dimitri (from Vampire Academy, of course) and Sonya Karp (also, an interesting person from that series). It’s like watching a show and having cameo appearances of some favourite characters, albeit not the most important people, from the original show. It’s definitely a nice trick to draw in readers who loved them from before. Also, kind of ruins a little of what happens in that series, but ah well. Minor sacrifice to pay. So, it’s preferable to finish reading some of the earlier books in Vampire Academy.

I digress. The pace was set nicely, as usual. It wasn’t as unpredictable. I guessed the “twist” a mile away, even from book 1. The characters are all still their crazy usual self, with the addition of a new dhampir, Angeline. She’s even more whack than Jill, Eddie, Adrian and Sydney put together–well, maybe minus Adrian. He’s kinda whack when he’s high on Spirit using, which is the element that he controls. I just love that Mead makes all the main characters so essential and…just loveable. Yeah, they’re imperfect and have the craziest quirks, but that’s what makes them real and distinguishable from each other. Flat, boring characters drive me insane.

Although there was some action in this installment, I guess being part of a rather longer series limits the amount of epic actions that each one can have. I was sad to see that there really was no closure. Maybe just more questions about Alchemists and their ways.

Before I end this review, I just have to go back to the romance, ’cause you know, a good romance is hard to find and love. From book 1, I wasn’t immediately sure who was the particular love interest for Sydney as…well, there was no romance for her in it. With this second installment, I love that Mead took the time to make a plausible connection between Sydney and Adrian, who was still hung up on his ex-girlfriend at the time of their initial meeting. It wasn’t love at first sight. But with the building attraction simmering just underneath the surface whenever they hung out, it made the wait worth it to see two completely different people complement each other just so well. I truly look forward to seeing how this crazy romance is gonna turn out.

Overall Recommendation:
Another interesting installment in the world of Alchemists, Moroi and dhampirs, Richelle Mead gives more tidbits to the crazy things this series has to offer. From protecting a princess Moroi to attending to their love affairs, Sydney has too much on her plate. Action abounds and intrigue is at its highest as she continues to navigate human high school all the while trying to maintain her Alchemist ways. With the same loveable characters from before, witty dialogue and a forbidden romance makes the plot a definite read for those who loved the world the author has created with these 2 series. Another recommendation, although I hope there would be more action and closure next time.