Initial Thoughts

I was ready to completely devour this book and I’m glad I picked it up right away. I seriously could not wait to get my hands on this next book.

My New BFF

Sydney just keeps making me happy. She’s growing so much that I can’t keep up with her sometimes. I love how brave she is even though she’s been trained not to care about any of the people she’s with. She looks at her surroundings and sees that these vampires aren’t even that bad so she slowly gets comfortable around them. I’m really, really happy with her character right now. I don’t see any way the author could go wrong with her.

My Crush

One again, Adrian was the centre of my thoughts during this book. He’s just an easy character to fall in love with. My favourite part about him is that he’s not a perfect character. He has tons of little imperfections and it makes him feel very realistic to me. He’s also pretty funny sometime. That helps.

Writing Style

I’m loving the world Richelle Mead has created here. I loved it in Vampire Academy and I love that she has incorporated everything here. There isn’t much not to love about this book. The plot flows nicely and keeps you entertained and the characters are always learning and changing. It’s quite amazing actually.

Closing Thoughts

This is a series that I won’t be able to put down until I’ve read them all. It’s almost addicting, so just a warning to anyone else reading it. The characters are all incredibly complex and there’s nothing typical about them. You’d think in a paranormal ya book that there would be love at first site and a love triangle but there’s nothing typical about this book. There’s only one guy the main character is meant to be with and you know it. The author takes her time developing their relationship and I love that. We need more of this in the ya world. I’m obsessed with everything about this book and I can already tell that I’m going to love this whole series for a very long time. ( )

“Nothing he said could change what I think of you. I've had my mind made up about you for a long time... and it's all good.” ( )

I am left a bit speechless. Even though I could see this end coming. But by Sidney's beliefs I couldn't really imagine this.
The second book of the "Bloodlines"-series is a good one. I enjoyed reading it. But also I think it took too long for some action. But the outcome of the story itself is a really good one. And I am looking forward in reading more about Sidney, Adrian, Jill and everyone else.
So far I am glad Sidney finally felt the intensity and passion of a great kiss. ( )

Golden Lily Review This book was very good but still a little predictable for me. I loved the profession of the stories and the characters thou. I am really growing to love Sydney and Adrian. I also really love seeing the various other characters grow and develop. I still love eddie and am excited to see more of him in future books.
 
This book really set the foundation for the future in many ways. It showed us how sydney is being pulled in so many different directions and how also her values are slowly being changed. I love seeing her change throughout not only this series but in the vampire academy series. I also judge this book to have a lot of self-discovery/ personal growth in this novel that you may see in a new-adult novel. I love seeing her experience all these new things and also in a sense long for me in reference to education and travel. That part of her really struck a cord with me.
 
This book did have some cool fight scenes but again the pacing was still very slow for my liking. I still liked it I just wish the story packed a little bit more punch. The story is still being built and I excited to see where it goes next.
  ( )

Golden Lily Review This book was very good but still a little predictable for me. I loved the profession of the stories and the characters thou. I am really growing to love Sydney and Adrian. I also really love seeing the various other characters grow and develop. I still love eddie and am excited to see more of him in future books.
 
This book really set the foundation for the future in many ways. It showed us how sydney is being pulled in so many different directions and how also her values are slowly being changed. I love seeing her change throughout not only this series but in the vampire academy series. I also judge this book to have a lot of self-discovery/ personal growth in this novel that you may see in a new-adult novel. I love seeing her experience all these new things and also in a sense long for me in reference to education and travel. That part of her really struck a cord with me.
 
This book did have some cool fight scenes but again the pacing was still very slow for my liking. I still liked it I just wish the story packed a little bit more punch. The story is still being built and I excited to see where it goes next.
  ( )

dfudfz. There aren't words to describe what happened in that back. ( )

I hope everyone else laughed as hard as I did at the imagine of a self defence instructor in a skynard shirt taking down a rabid moose with nunchucks. ( )

Em sua última missão, a alquimista Sydney Sage foi enviada a um colégio interno na Califórnia para proteger a princesa Moroi Jill Dragomir, e assim evitar uma guerra civil entre os vampiros que certamente afetaria a humanidade. Porém, a convivência com Jill, Eddie e principalmente Adrian leva Sydney a perceber que talvez os Moroi não sejam criaturas tão terríveis assim - e ela passa a questionar os dogmas que lhe foram ensinados desde a infância. Tudo se torna ainda mais complicado quando Sydney descobre que talvez tenha a chave para evitar a transformação em Strigoi, vampiros malignos e imortais, mas esse poder mágico a assusta. Igualmente difícil é seu novo romance com Brayden, um cara bonito e inteligente que parece combinar com Sydney em todos os sentidos. Porém, por mais perfeito que ele seja, Sydney se sente atraída por outra pessoa - alguém proibido para ela. E quando um segredo chocante ameaça deixar o mundo dos vampiros em pedaços, a lealdade de Sydney será colocada mais uma vez à prova. Ela confiará nos alquimistas ou em seu coração?

MAGNIFICO!!! Simplemente genial, ahhhh no creo que sea posible que pueda aguantar hasta el próximo año para la tercera entrega, RICHELLE ERES MI DIOSA!!!! Adrian, Sydney, incluso Jill, wow, parezco una grupie pero es que amo este libro!!! ( )

I liked the Bloodlines series by Richelle Mead but it was not as good as the Vampire Academy series, in my opinion. The writing and story line were still engaging to me but I just did not care for the characters quite as much. It was still really good just not great. ( )

I know this is juvenile, but I just really enjoy the characters in this series and enjoy the mental break I get when listening to the books I this series as well. ( )

This book was better than the first part in the series. It was very exciting and even scary at times. I always like books with action in them. Of course there was also awesome characters in the book. Sydney is in a category by herself and of course there is the sweet but little bit of a bad boy Adrian. He is my personal book crush. And of course there is the big thing called forbidden love. Even though Sydney didn't realize it to me it was very clear from the start, Adrian liked Sydney in a romantic way.

This book was altogether a very good one. Way better than the first book in the series. ( )

Taken from my blog YumYA Books

My Summary:

All Sydney Sage wants to do, is go to college. Be normal. But instead she's stuck in a life of undeserved loyalty and secrets. She's an alchemist - one of a group of humans who work to keep the vampire world from the humans, resulting in keeping them safe.

Sydney's current assignment is to keep princess Jill Dragomir safe from assassins who want to create a civil war at high court, at a boarding school in Palm Springs. She's praised for her loyalty and obedience, and is held as an example of a commendable Alchemist.

Sydney had always wished for such a title, believing that what she did was important, and that all vampires are bad, but as she gets to know Jill, Eddie, and most of all, Adrian, she discovers that maybe what the Alchemists say about the creatures are wrong -- that maybe vampires can be good after all.

And then a shocking discovering is made: that Sydney's blood may be a prevention to the becoming of Strigoi - the most powerful and dangerous of vampires, the ones that don't die. She knows she should let tests be done on her blood, but what if it's true? What if her blood really is special? What if it's... magical? That's exactly what Sydney's most afraid of.

But when her loyalties is tested once again, Sydney finds herself torn.

Should she follow the Alchemists... or her heart?

My thoughts:

I love this book! A little too much, I think. I've been a fan of Richelle Mead's books for-ever, but this one just proves how amazing she is. Vampire Academy series was always a bit predictable (apart from the ending in Shadow Kiss, of course - that was completely unexpected) but Bloodlines is completely new and The Golden Lily (the second book in the series) had me hooked from the very first page, as it leaps right into the story, and even though it might seem a bit slow at places, every part is crucial for the story.

We get to know Sydney more, and love her even more, in this book, which is great.
Other characters we love from Vampire Academy series are present, like Dimitri, Sonya, Angeline and the usual suspects from Bloodlines: Adrian, Eddie, Jill, and Trey.
We're introduced to Brayden, who at first seems to be Sydney's perfect match - loves intellectual chats and appreciates everything she does. Although, I got to know him the more I disliked him. He comes across full of himself, a bit of a know-it-all, and he's just plain annoying.

I love the friendship that develops between Sydney and Adrian.
Adrian is a great character. He's hilarious - he's sarcastically witty which I love.
This is an email he wrote to Sydney when he was staying with Dimitri and Sonya...

Day 24. Situation is growing worse. My captors continue to find new and horrific ways to torture me. When not working, Agent Scarlet spends her days examining fabric swatches for bridesmaid dresses and going on about how in love she is. This usually causes Agent Boring Borscht to regale us with stories of Russian weddings that are even more boring than his usual ones. My attempts at escape have been thwarted thus far. Also, I am out of cigarettes. Any assistance or tobacco products you can send will be greatly appreciated.

--Prisoner 24601

So funny. I love the reference to Les Misérables. Adrian's definitely my favourite character.
A lot of people don't like reading about Sydney as much as other characters, but I do. Unlike feisty Rose from Vampire Academy, Sydney is studious and responsible and dedicated - although not always...
Adrian and Sydney spend most of their spare time together, and even though she keeps reminding herself that she's doing it because it's part of her job, it's obvious that Sydney just wants to spend time with him, which she feels guilty about all the time.

The story was a lot more intriguing than Bloodlines, as it's really starting to take off now. Pieces are starting to connect together, and I know they will even more in the next book.
And don't hate me for saying this, but... I actually enjoy reading about Adrian a teensy bit more than I do Dimitri.

I was glued to the pages of The Golden Lily for two days straight until I finished it, and I wasn't disappointed. The cliff hanger is massive, so now I'm counting down the days until the next book, The Indigo Spell comes out. ( )

I love Adrian, love, love, love him. And of course as well as the ever so sexy Dimitri. Sydney however she irritates me she's too uptight, I hope in the upcoming books she starts to relax and calm down a bit. Buut I am highly intrigued with the whole Adrian and Sydney love affair. As well as the secrets of the allchemist and the now new War over and with the Hunters. ( )

To read more reviews in this series and others, check out keikii eats books!

71 points/100 (3 ¾ stars/5)

Sydney Sage has been tasked by her fellow alchemists to protect the princess Jill Dragomir from assassins. She has a problem, though. She is growing closer to the moroi and dhampir she is helping, especially Adrian. This is putting her in danger of going to "reeducation" with the alchemists, because they abhor familiarity with the vampires. Equally troublesome, she has found herself going on dates with a human, one who doesn't know anything about the secrets available in the world.

The Golden Lily is a solid addition to the Bloodlines series. It does suffer somewhat from second book syndrome. The series knows what it wants to do by the end, and the series knows how long it wants to take to get there. It just has to find something to fill in the middle with. I can't help but wonder if this would have been a better series had it been shorter, as I was rather bored until the last five minutes of the book.

The conflict of this book was the characters and their problems. Okay, that isn't exactly true. There is a major problem, but it has almost essentially no airtime, is over incredibly quickly, has no real consequence to the rest of the series except to introduce a new secret society, and I almost completely forgot about it. Otherwise the entire book is about drama related to the characters. Every major character has a part of this neverending drama cycle.

The problem in the book is almost an afterthought. This is a first person narrative series, and that leaves Sydney running around being a mother to everyone and putting out all the fires. Every single person in this, except Sydney, needs a keeper so she ends up being it. And they get into sooo much trouble. In addition to all this, Sydney also has to play scientist and help the moroi figure out why former strigoi can't become strigoi a second time.

Then there is her "boyfriend", of which no one can even remember his book. Every single time anyone talks about him, he gets a new name. Hell, even I can't remember it now. He is an absolute asshole. He is only around to make other characters realise things about themselves. I hate him. I was glad I forgot about him until I went to write this review. He is so annoying. He is exactly like Sydney, but even more clueless when it has to deal with people. Awful relationship.

To contrast, Adrian is doing everything he can to be together with Sydney. It is so obvious he likes her. It is also absolutely adorable. I ate up every moment of it. It was the best part of the book, by far. Even if it requires Adrian to lie to Sydney. I honestly cannot wait to read more of their relationship together. Adrian has always been my favourite character, he needs someone good. I'm not quite convinced Sydney is good enough for him, but that is a high bar to hit. She is growing on me, though. And, if he thinks she'll make him happy, I guueeesss I'll have to deal with her.

Though...what the hell is it with Richelle Mead and secret societies in this world? I can't even remember how many there are now. There is so many. And no one seems to care. Someone always seems to know about them, and it is just no big deal? Bah. Now there are two more. The first is a branch of the alchemist that broke off centuries ago, and are even more violent. As you can imagine, they are exactly what you think they are. No surprises, nothing new, boring. The second is witches, of which apparently Sydney is one. Only, Sydney thinks it is unnatural. So we get the whole book of Sydney complaining how she won't do magic again and everything to do with this guilt. Yawn.

While I did tend to be bored, I did enjoy parts of this book. I'm mostly just looking forward to where the series as a whole goes. This seemed just like a small step to the end. ( )

I really enjoyed listening to this book. The story is well written and paced so I'm never bored. The narrator did an amazing job with the different voices and accents and is pleasant to listen to. I ship Sydney and Adrian so much and I love seeing them slowly come together. The side characters are fun too, especially Jill and Eddie. I like that we get to Dimitri still and I'm hoping for Rose and Lissa at some point as well. I can't wait to listen to the next book! ( )

Review from July 23, 2012
HOW MANY KINDS OF STUPID DOES A GIRL HAVE TO BE TO PASS UP ADRIAN IVASHKOV?!?!?!?!?!?

I don’t know, but I’m pretty sure there’s only one girl in the universe who is that level of stupid. That’s right, boys and girls: Sydney.

Okay, so, if it’s not enough that Adrian and Sydney AREN’T together at this point, Sydney starts going out with some random douche bag named braydon. I probably didn’t even spell his name right, and I don’t care.
Before reading this book, I read the description, where it said, and I quote: Equally daunting is her new romance with Brayden, a cute, brainy guy who seems to be her match in every way.
My reaction to this line: WHAT?!? if you’re not gonna go out with Adrian, my next choice would be Trey, because he’s pretty awesome (and also that little theory I concocted about him towards the end of Bloodlines.)
Sorry, but I just don’ get the attraction to... well, let’s face it, anyone, with Adrian RIGHT THERE.
As if there’s not enough drama going on with the regular high-school-and-vampire stuff, (because, of course, there’s not) there’s also more on Sydney being a witch.
Sorry, Sydney. You really can’t fight destiny, no matter how much you want to. and there are two things happening here that are destiny: you are a witch, and you belong with Adrian. And that’s just that.
Also, to anyone who formulated the same theory about Trey that I did in Bloodlines, the first 356 pages of this book will be TORTURE for you, as there are continually dropped hints about something we already know that are SO obvious but Sydney (and everyone else) pretty much... no, they just plain old MISS it.
(btw, I was SOOO right about Trey. Ha)
Also, it’s so obvious through out this book that Adrian is in love with Sydney. If he’s not being obvious enough about it himself, it leaks through to Jill! How could she miss THAT?
Sorry, that’s just how I feel about it.

Now, I’ll leave you with some of my favorite quotes:

His words were meant as a compliment, but they echoed too close to what the Alchemists had told me. And Mrs. Weathers. And Jill. Everyone thought I was so amazing, so responsible and controlled.
But if I was so amazing, then why was I always so unsure if I was doing the right thing?

I can almost hear the sarcasm in this quote. It’s kind of a defeatist sarcasm, but it’s sarcasm, and I love it.
Also, (I’m speaking to Sydney) because there may not be one single right thing to do. In all situations, all actions have good and bad consequences and intentions. Your situation is particularly hard because you’re being pulled against two groups and neither one seems to be more right or wrong than the other, but if one is right, than the other must be wrong, but you can’t tell. (I can, but telling you that won’t help you in this at all)

sometimes when I was down, Adrian’s personality had the same effect.

The goldenrod-walls effect. Yep. (His personality has that effect on me too).

That was it? That’s what the big deal was? It hadn’t been terrible, but it hadn’t sent me soaring to new heights either. It had been exactly what it seemed like, lips on lips.

I love this new take on kissing. It’s like: Bad? No. Epic? Not really. That was it? Yep. (of course, that’s probably because she was doing it with the WRONG person, but I promised myself I wouldn’t get bitter about that.)

Everyone was always going on about how socially inept I was. Did it extend to romance as well? Was I so cold that I’d my life never feeling anything?

No, Sydney. Again, I think you’re having this problem because you’re attempting romance with NOT ADRIAN.
Because, of course, there’s now way it could fail WITH Adrian)

And, lastly:
On my cheek, the lily reminded me who I was.
I turned from him and walked away, refusing to look back.

Why, Sydney, why?

The Indigo Spell needs to come out right now, before the world ends. That’s all I’m saying.


( )

The Golden Lily is by far the weakest book in the series, in my opinion. I enjoy Sydney questioning her beliefs, but this book is Sydney running in circles and chasing her tail over all the things she doesn't understand. We get it, she's socially awkward, but enough's enough when she constantly misses things that are happening right under her nose. It's gone from adorable quirk to annoying one-dimensional character trait. I also find Sydney's independent study with Ms. Terwilliger to be disturbing because from Sydney's point of view she's being coerced into doing something that goes against her beliefs. As readers we know these are Alchemist beliefs that have also been forced onto her, but since Sydney doesn't know that it's disturbing to read her discomfort.

Also: A HUGE eating disorder trigger warning for this book. ( )

I really like this series. Sydney is a character that I can relate to and the books are well written. I love how the relationships develop. ( )

I won't lie, it took me a while to get into this book. It was just so slow at first! I was so worried it was never going to pick up and I love Vampire Academy, so I didn't want that let down. Well, it finally picked up and I loves it! I love the way Adrian is changing for Sydney, and I love the way Sydney is so oblivious to Adrian and his subtle, but oh so obvious, ways of flirting with her. A lot of people don't like how there is not as much action as in the Vampire Academy books, but that is idiotic. Instead of dealing with Dhampirs who are literally all about fighting and protecting, you are dealing with Alchemists who are book smart and try to resolve conflict with logic and peace. I think this book was great and I can't wait to read the next one! ( )

Complaint number one: why is the story interrupted in the second chapter to make some strange weight reference? She's apparently very skinny, so in order to prove a point she makes a bet in which she'll have to drink a can of non-diet soda if she loses? She then internalizes her struggle to fit into size 4 jeans? Are you serious? What does that add to the story and what are you saying to size 8 or 16 readers? It just wasn't necessary.

( )

Mead's books are always great reads to me. I love the world that she's created with the Vampire Academy and Bloodlines series. This book was no different. I was intrigued with the mystery of the attack and the new group of people. I felt for Adrian throughout the whole book and I hope something better comes of this situation in the next installment. And I'm totally invested in the triangle that's come to light in the other characters' lives. I was of course left hanging at the end and can not wait for book three! ( )

[Cross-posted to Knite Writes]

Plot

In the balmy Palm Springs, alchemist Sydney Sage continues her mission to protect Moroi (good vampire) princess Jill along with her entourage of friends and comrades. After the events in Bloodlines, everyone believes that the danger has passed. Of course, seeing as this is a sequel…

Anyway, long story short: Sydney gets a boyfriend, Jill gets a boyfriend, both break up with their boyfriends, and then Eddie, who spends the entire novel pining over Jill, considers dating Angeline (a new character) at the end of the book just before Jill decides she might actually like him. Drama. Drama. Drama.

Oh, yeah. The “vampire hunters” jokingly mentioned throughout Bloodlines actually exist, and they kidnap Vampire Academy character Sonya Karp, who’s come to town to do experiments after learning that the bad guy from the previous book (Lee) couldn’t become Strigoi again once he was returned to normal through the use of spirit powers. Sydney goes to the hunters to save her, fails, and then a horde of dhampir (half-vampire) guardians descend on the hunters in an epic battle that mostly happens off screen. Sydney runs into Adrian during her escape from the hunter complex, then reveals she’s been practicing magic and uses it on the random hunter bad guys. They escape. Yay!

And after everything is over and everyone’s been saved, Adrian kisses Sydney. She freaks out and leaves.

The end.

-cue sequel-

My Take

I felt like there was too much high school drama in this book. While the hunter plot line was interesting (as was Sydney dabbling in human magic), it felt overwhelmed at times with so and so is dating so and so and boo hoo, relationship problems. I get this is YA, but like in my previous review, I wish the action was more evenly distributed throughout the plot. As with Bloodlines, there’s a long buildup to a short, explosive ending, and while the book reads quick, it’s too little for such a lengthy lead in.

The characterization is still pretty consistent, although I wish Mead would stop having Sydney point out over and over again what her issues are with the vampires. We know them already. We’ve been told about them a hundred times. And given Sydney’s (platonic) relationships with several vampire characters, I find her rejection of Adrian incredibly hypocritical. While I understand her hesitation, the fact that she clings to alchemist teachings she knows are wrong irks me, and I want to see her character develop more quickly. (What I hope is) Her ultimate decision to cast off her alchemist upbringing is dragged out over several books (I’m assuming it will be resolved in the forthcoming novel, The Indigo Spell or…-sigh- an even later Bloodlines novel) but I feel this is contradictory to her obviously already in-depth relationships with Jill, Eddie, Angeline, Adrian & co.

___

Writing

Same as Bloodlines. Nothing to complain about. Nothing spectacular.

___

Is it Worth Reading?

Also same as Bloodlines. It’s a quick, casual read. So if you have some spare time, go right ahead and pick it up.

___

Rating

3/5

( )

Started December 25th, 2013.
Wow, action, more romance and Sydney in between, who is totally different from Rose, but just as interesting.
Breakups and some interesting choices, with more than one looking to be a wrong one and ending with a Cliffhanger.
Highly recommended.
Looking forward to reading the next book in the series, but not so soon, as I had promised myself to read a few books I already paid for, and not buy anymore books this year. ( )

What a great and horrible ending. I want the next book now. ( )