Review: The Golden Lily by Richelle Mead

The Golden Lily (Bloodlines #2)

By Richelle Mead

Published June 12th 2012

Publisher: Razorbill

Hardcover, 418 pages

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? --Goodreads 

 5 Stars

 

Review

Let me just get this over with and have my gush/swoon fest with Adrian. I absolutely love him and would totally take him if he didn't already love Sydney. He is just about on of the greatest guys ever, being so sweet, sexy and misunderstood. I just feel so sorry for him, being put down by his father his entire life, and having to deal with his father's disappointment when he doesn't live up to his expectations. Most people think of Adrian as a lazy, rich kid who likes to drink, party, and smoke, overall he isn't taken seriously. The only person who sees the true Adrian is Sydney, she realizes that Adrian is actually a really amazing person who is totally different than he pretends to be, and that he can really be a hero. I am really hopeful for Sydney and Adrian's future relationship.

Altogether, I think Sydney has grown quite a lot in this book. She drops her barriers and really comes to care about all of her Moroi friends, especially Adrian, and begins to question her beliefs. Let me tell you, that is an incredibly hard thing to do, to start questioning everything you know and have been brought up to think for your entire life. I give her major points for that, and I believe that she will eventually overcome all of her prejudices, and be with Adrian. 

I have also come to like Jill. All she wants is to have a normal and casual relationship with Micah, but she quickly realizes that it isn't possible. It is just too hard to keep so many secrets and date a human. I hope that things with her and Eddy come around, and that they start dating. The only thing that annoyed me was that she was still a bit naive with the whole modeling gig, I get how she really wants to do it (because she is really good at it), but still, it is a foolish idea that won't work out because she is Moroi and supposed to be in hiding. 

I am very happy and satisfied with where this book has gone with all of the romance, character development, and action and I can't wait 'till the next book comes out. I am going to die waiting for what happens with Adrian and Sydney's relationship! Why oh why does the next book have to come out in 2013? Sigh . . . I guess I'll just have to wait . . . anyway I greatly recommend this book, but before reading this you should read the first book, Bloodlines.   

  
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