The Ruby Circle the last Bloodlines book

                Back to some book reviews. On February 10^th The Ruby Circle came out.  For those of you who are unfamiliar that is the sixth and last book in the Bloodlines series by Richelle Mead.  This is, at this time anyways who knows what the future may hold, the last book in the overall Vampire Academy world.  It was bittersweet.  Like most series ends are, especially those you have been reading for several years.  I counted down the days for this release since finishing book five, Silver Shadows both anxious and happy given how the previous book ended.  I picked this book up, on my third store, the morning it came out, so I could have it with me for my shift at work, all 12 hours for which I could love this book.  I found it and I finished it before I went home that night. Here are my thoughts on The Ruby Circle as a book but also my thoughts on the Bloodlines and by extension Vampire Academy series as a whole.  So it goes without saying that if you are not caught up with both series then you should leave now, but come back when you have caught up, so we can discuss.

                Last chance if you don’t want to be spoiled for the other books. 

                Fellow Bloodlines lovers, you remember we left off in Silver Shadows at both a happy and sad place.  We had some amazing Sydrian moments but then that last line….yeah it brought it all down a notch.  I might be horrible but that was not nearly as bad of a cliff hanger as the previous one, I was royally pissed with how book four ended leaving me hanging.  Don’t get me wrong I was worried about Jill and what that meant for Lissa and such but I was still overjoyed by Sydrian and their nuptials and them finding at least temporary sanctuary in court that I was high on love.  After everything they did to find one another again nothing could bring me down.  And besides Sydney had just showed how bad ass she was, okay we already knew but that helipad stuff was hard core.  I had confidence that everything would be okay.

                Then we pick up in The Ruby Circle and have Sydrian hiding out in court.  They are not on a blissful honeymoon and in tight quarters with Adrian’s mom.  Not being able to go out and help search for Jill because your old people want to find you and lock you up in a torture ward is taking its toll.  Oh and the Mori who are technically hiding you, a majority of them don’t like you because of the taboo nature of it all, it’s rough.  Plus they are dealing with issues together, things they have been working on through the series but didn’t discuss in full depth before with the tight time constraints.  Still they have to work through their issues and risk everything to find their friend.  While Adrian is also pulled into a mystery all his own and that could change everything in more ways than one.

 

Sydrian from the book trailers!

                 There were the things we expect in the books, like Adrian’s witty commentary.  I LOVE him.  Now I always wanted Rose with Dimitri because they were just the right fit but I still loved Adrian and wanted him to be happy and Sydney is perfect for him.  They complement and challenge each other.  Favorite line every might just be “Am I still married to a cat?”  Classic Adrian.  Only he could say some of the things and get away with them.  Sydney is her usual smart and determined self.  She feels responsible for people and she wants to do everything she can to help even if it puts her in harms way.  But what is refreshing about her brand of heroism is that she is also super smart and usually thinks things through a bit whereas someone like Rose would have rushed in ready to kick butt first ask questions later.  We also got more Eddie, Trey, Ms. Terwilliger, Wolfe, Neal, Sonya, Rose, Dimitir, and everyone we love and some we love to hate.  We got a book with our main Bloodlines crew but also we added in the originals which warmed my heart so much.  And to see Sydney, Adrian, Rose, and Dimitri working together.  AWE.  Power couples unite!  Yes I’m a nerd.

                I was shocked.  Normally I have things pretty figured out.  I might be shocked at where things are left for a particular book but I usually have a good feeling about some things.  Not going to lie, I didn’t see some things coming until a few pages before.  Then it was like, oh wow.  Nicely done.  I was also expecting a longer draw out to part of the story but it played out differently than I thought in a wonderful way.

                My heart was filled with happiness and dread as I read through this book.  I knew going in that it was the last book in the Bloodlines series but also as of now, though she said no one can predict the future, the end of the Vampire Academy world.  Meaning no immediate follow up sequel series, but I’ll always be hoping for more.  Plus I was looking to see how everything would wrap up.  I admit there were a couple things that didn’t get resolved for me, that I was hoping might have some type of hint as to the result, but hey again leaves room for a short or more.  Just saying.

More Sydrian because they are the best!

*****Spoilers for the ending of the series ahead*****

                Overall if it isn’t clear I love this series.  Both of them.  I think The Ruby Circle did a good job at keeping the story and the action we’re used to seeing going while at the same time wrapping up some loose ends and rounding out the series.  The way Sydney wheeled and deals with the Alchemists making it all about logic was perfect, something the Alchemists could understand.  My original idea was for them to blackmail the Alchemists with exposing them, the Mori, and Strogoi something they fight to keep under wraps.  Kind of like a dead mans switch, if you hurt us we take you and everything you work for down too.  That would also hurt the Mori which is the downside of my plan so I like Sydney’s plan better.  Her way was so much cleaner and to the point.  The magic was taken up a notch as well with some new spells to intrigue us.  If only we all could do magic, I know some of those spells would make life so much more interesting. 

                Adrian.  I just love the way he has grown through both series.  He has stayed the same in many aspects, the real part of him, but he has grown as we all do through our experiences.  He comes a long way all the way up to the little one year later bit.  Total awe moment.  The way he battles with his spirit use.  He wants so much to help.  It comes from a good place and Sydney is worried about him and losing him to madness.  She is so used to having answers and solutions for things, sprit is something she has only one solution for.  But it’s up to Adrian and he has to make a choice and make it for himself not to please anyone else.  I liked the symmetry from the first books where he gave up things to impress rose but then later found he wanted to give them up and be better because of Sydney not to impress her but because she made him want to be better for himself. 

Now can we discuss the ending? 

A little normal family.  A cover up.  Sydney living a normal, rather semi-normal, life.  Domestic selves with jobs and Sydney finally getting to fulfill her dream of going to college.  Things didn’t turn out exactly how they planned but nothing ever does.  I understand needing to keep the bebe hidden, I do but I still wonder about what this could mean for others. This could mean something huge for Rose and Dimitri in the future.  Also with Sonya not brought into the fold with this, what happens if she and her hubby have an accident?  Just a small fault I think was overlooked in who was told what.  I understand Olives need to protect her secret, even if it cost her everything.  Neil just walked away for with the best intentions; that could cause trouble later.  I still have my questions as to why he couldn’t stick around as a “friend”.  

"This is the only escape plan we need."

"Centrum Permanebit.  The Center will hold.  Our center will hold."

"Am I still married to a cat?"

 But back to happier things Eddie and Jill finally had their moment.  Only took six books but they finally admitted their feelings.   Nothing like near death loss to put things into perspective.  Poor Eddie he gets put through the ringer in this series for sure; he deserved a happy ending.  Though this does bring up one question, I may have been so excited about everything I overlooked it, but I don’t remember them clearing up the legal issues and what put Jill in danger in the first place.  She went back to court so you assume all got cleared up but I would have liked to know more.  Also Zoe really surprised me.  I hopped she would come around but given her attitude and how eager she seemed to please her dad I was leery. 

I am sad to see the series come to an end.  I’ve been reading these books for years.  They have made me laugh, cry, swoon, scream, and every other emotion on the spectrum.  Sadly the movie, which I adored, didn’t do so well and we never got Frostbite to be made into a movie, which sadly means we probably won’t see the Bloodlines books into a movie either.  Though if they do I would totally vote for them to use the people from the book trailers for Sydrian they are so cute and who I picture.  In the end, this series will always hold a dear spot in my heart and I look forward to re-reading them from the start again in the future and letting the world and the characters pull me under their spell once more.  I have given every book in both The Vampire Academy and Bloodlines 5 Stars, The Ruby Circle is no exception.  I’d also like to make a special rating for the series as a whole, 10 Stars, since both series have 5 Stars each ;)

 How did you feel about the end of the book and the series?  Are you happy with how it turned out?  Sad to see it go?  Share your thoughts below I need to talk to someone about all the feels I have over the ending. 

               

                

The Indigo Spell by Richelle Mead

                I finally had more than lunch breaks, which go by much too quickly, to read and finished this.  The Indigo Spell by Richelle Mead, is the 3rd book in the Bloodlines series (a spin-off series of the Vampire Academy books) so if you have not read them then BEWARE of spoilers…major spoilers.

                So when we left the gang last, rakish misunderstood bad boy Adrian had professed his love for Sydney Sage after kissing her.  Yep we'd seen it building and if you were like me you were ubber excited.  Sydney of course being an Alchemist and having her beliefs that Mori and humans don't mix told him as much.  She may be using magic and being friendly with them against her strict beliefs but she wasn't crossing that line, she was still human after all.

                 They still must work together to keep Jill safe in their hide away in Palm Springs while Sydney begins to question the people she has trusted since birth.  Her whole world is spinning around her as she learns even more from this Marcus Finch.  Uncovering secrets, dealing with her feelings for Adrian, and oh yes a witch on the lose who may be after her.  Can she handle everything in her calm, collected, rational and logical way or has she reached her breaking point?

                I loved this book, I'll go ahead and tell you I give it 5 Golden Lilies easily.  It has all the things you love in this series.  Great overall story and the smaller subplots are on point and really add to the story as a whole.  Then you add in the characters and you have a great time.

                Now I love Sydney, being insider her head especially as she struggles with all of these issues both the obvious ones and her more internal battles she has with herself are well written.  Who doesn't struggle with themselves on what they should do vs. what they want to do and then what ends up winning out.  Grant it I don’t think any of my problems have been this serious but it is always an interesting time in her head.  She has grown over the arch of the books  in a natural progression but still things are a struggle, if even that things being easy is its own struggle.  Then we have Adrian who I have adored since the VA days for his attitude and his essence.  He is so witty and sarcastic, the bad boy with a real good heart *swoon*.  He is a very complex character with a variety of emotions and features and you never know what is going to happen, even more so with his Spirit.  Plus he is determined to help Sage realize they do fit together and he is so cute when he is determined.

A sneak peek at the next cover! Squeal 

                That's all I can say without giving away too much.  So yes you must check it out if you’ve been a fan of Mead's other books in the series.  If you have yet to discover the magic that is The Vampire Academy or Bloodlines go now and start the journey from the beginning, as the next installment is set for November 19, 2013.  Already read it and dying to talk to someone else about it?  Like or dislike my review?  As always let me know below.

                *Coming soon* A bit belated but reviews of A Good Day to Die Hard, Identity Theft, and Safe Haven.  

The Golden Lily

                Well I finally got to finish this book.  It took me for longer than it should have.  Now, that is no fault of the book, it was everything I expected and more.  This is the fault of my crazy schedule.  Yep, real life interfering in my reading, writing, movie watching time, how rude.  Seriously though I hope to get things settled down and back in the swing of things now that I’m officially in my new place.  By officially I mean I’m sitting with my laptop surrounded by boxes. 

                Anyways, enough with me more on the amazing book.  The Golden Lily, by Richelle Mead is the sequel to Bloodlines, the first book in the spin-off series of the Vampire Academy books.  As per usual, my reviews contain as little spoilers as possible for the book/movie in question, however, there will be spoilers for the prior stories so you have been warned.

               

                The Golden Lily takes places directly after Bloodlines and has our little gang returning.  Sydney is pushed further into a world she has spent her whole life training for.  She has grown rather fond of her ‘family’ at Amberwood and if she thinks about it too hard the though unnerves her.  Her whole life she was brought up to believe that Mori and Strogi are evil and bad.  She has come to slowly realize that everyone, Alchemists and humans alike can be just as bad.

                In this tale there is a new threat to their covert life.  This book has more of our dear socially ignorant Sydney still trying to learn the ways of ‘normal’ teenage life.  She’s brilliant and beautiful but doesn’t see it in herself.  She is completely insecure like more other people in school, hell in life.  There is also more of our favorite young guardian Eddie and even more about our new guardian that was briefly mentioned at the end of Bloodlines, as she takes over as Jill’s roommate, Angeline.  There is of course the crazy teacher we got to learn was really more than she let on.  Trey, Sydney’s friend who also supplies her with her favorite substance, coffee.  Also at the end of Bloodlines, we had the arrival of Sonya and Dimitri to work on experimenting with spirit magic and see what makes reformed Strogi different.  Much to Adrian’s dislike.

                Now you thought I’d forgotten about Adrian didn’t you?  Nope not a chance.  I adore Adrian.  He’s such a great and complex character you can’t help but enjoy.  Now don’t get me wrong I loved him in The Vampire Academy books but I was always 100% for Rose and Dimitri, I couldn’t help myself.  I liked him yeah but Dimitri and Rose had captured my heart before he came along.  Anyways, we do get much more Adrian in The Golden Lily.  We get the good and the bad.  One of the things I love most about him is that he is so complex.  He can be completely sweet and adoring one minute and a complete ass the next, all while battling with the darkness that accompanies his gift of being a spirit user.

                This book is so complex I hated every single time something came up and I was forced to put the book down.  The mysteries that unravel and the thrills wrapped up in the perfect balance of romance and drama was a captivating read.  I easily give this book 5 stars, my only regret is that, as usual with all good books I read it seems, I must wait for the next one to find out more.  So if you haven’t read The Vampire Academy series and the first Bloodlines book then you need to get on it right away.  Already read them?  Tell me what you think.  Now off to go unpack a few more boxes before work.