Review : The Golden Lily by Richelle Mead

Summary (from Goodreads)

The second thrilling installment in Richelle Mead's Vampire Academy spinoff series

Tough, brainy alchemist Sydney Sage and doe-eyed Moroi princess Jill Dragomir are in hiding at a human boarding school in the sunny, glamorous world of Palm Springs, California. The students--children of the wealthy and powerful--carry on with their lives in blissful ignorance, while Sydney, Jill, Eddie, and Adrian must do everything in their power to keep their secret safe. But with forbidden romances, unexpected spirit bonds, and the threat of Strigoi moving ever closer, hiding the truth is harder than anyone thought.

Populated with new faces as well as familiar ones, Richelle Mead's breathtaking Bloodlines series explores all the friendship, romance, battles, and betrayals that made the #1 New York Times bestselling Vampire Academy series so addictive. In this second book, the drama is hotter, the romances are steamier, and the stakes are even higher.

Personal Thoughts

I think most of you are aware of what a HUGE fan of Vampire Academy I am. I was so sad with how things ended for Adrian in The Last Sacrifice although deep down I knew that Rose and Dimitri were meant to be. When Richelle Mead finally announced that she was writing a spin-off series for Adrian, I couldn't have been more happier for him because I wanted him to have a happily ever after. I'll admit that Bloodlines was a little disappointing, but I can gladly say that The Golden Lily turned out to be a much better book. 

After the events of Bloodlines, Sydney, Jill, Eddie, Angeline and Adrian are going on with their plan to hide Jill at Palms Spring. Dimitri and Sonya join them in order to find more information about Strigoi restoration. Friendships are growing, romances are blossoming and new threats keep arising in the sequel to Bloodlines.

There was some serious character development in The Golden Lily.Seeing their growth was a really enjoyable experience for me as a reader. However, Sydney was the one who underwent the most intense growth. She started out as a naive, studious, narrow-minded and serious girl. In The Golden Lily, she was a lot more relaxed, laid-back and comfortable around the vampires. You could see her gradually opening up to them. Her growing affections for Jill were clearly visible in this installment. Also, her relationship with Adrian blossomed at a lovely pace. One thing I adore with Richelle Mead's stories is that she never rushes her characters into a relationship. She lets them get to know each other before they actually jump into a romance. She allows friendship between to people to develop into something more. Along with all that, Sydney was also still very devoted to The Alchemists although she was gradually beginning to question their integrity. As always, Adrian was his usual witty, sarcastic and flirty self. I loved that he was so open about everything. Plus, he was trying really hard to give up the bad habits he had in the VA series because he cared so much for Jill. The guy was so hilarious that whenever he opened his mouth I was laughing.

The other characters were also really well-written. Richelle Mead has created a truly fascinating medley of personalities. Seeing them interact was a fun experience. Jill was still an innocent young girl, but she was very wise for her age. I thought for a second that she would take really stupid decisions when she started dating a human boy at her school, but the girl proved me wrong. The fact that she was smart made her an extremely likable character. I love characters who think before making any move. Eddie was like a mini Dimitri. It wasn't surprising since he aspired to be a loyal protector as him. It was a little sad to see him hide his feelings for Jill. His protectiveness and faithfulness to Jill as a guardian was remarkable. Dimitri hasn't changed one bit and I loved the small glimpses we got about his character. Overall, I only have to say one thing : Richelle Mead sure does know how to write fantastic and amusing characters !

While The Vampire Academy Series focused a lot more on the action and fights, The Golden Lily was more about the developing relationships. I admit I did miss a little of that action, but I do get that the Bloodlines series is different from Vampire Academy. Richelle Mead is still a wonderful writer who's writing will never bore me, in my opinion. But she still hasn't changed her ways of killing her readers with her deathly cliffhangers. I swear I wanted to hurl the book into a corner after I finished it. I don't know how I'm going to survive waiting for the next book. Regardless of that, I love how she always manages to withdraw all kinds of emotions from me. 

The Golden Lily was a sequel that surpassed its predecessor and truly excelled in all fields. If you're looking for a fun and hilarious vampire book with a wonderful blend of characters that will have you rooting for them, then the Bloodlines series is a must-read. Richelle Mead's writing will definitely pull you in and will have you pining for more once you're done.

Rating

Cover : 5/5
Plot : 4/5
Characters : 4/5
Writing : 4/5