Vampire Academy

Review: The Ruby Circle by Richelle Mead

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The Ruby Circle by Richelle Mead

Title: The Ruby Circle (A Bloodlines Novel, 6)
Author: Richelle Mead
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy, Young Adult
Publisher: Penguin Books (10th February 2015)
Blurb:

THEY WILL BE TESTED . . .

THEIR FORBIDDEN ROMANCE EXPOSED, ALCHEMIST SYDNEY AND ROYAL MOROI VAMPIRE ADRIAN FIND THEMSELVES FACING THE WRATH OF BOTH OF THEIR KIND.

When the life of someone they both love is put on the line, Sydney risks everything to hunt down a deadly former nemesis. Meanwhile, Adrian becomes enmeshed in a puzzle that could hold the key to a shocking secret about spirit magic, a secret that could shake the entire vampire world and alter his and Sydney’s lives forever.

LOVE WILL CONQUER ALL.

Rating: **** (4 stars)
Review:

THE RUBY CIRCLE brings Richelle Mead’s fantastic Bloodlines series to its conclusion. Sydney and Adrian are living with the consequences of their actions at the end of SILVER SHADOWS (review), but things don’t seem to be going anywhere and they feel trapped. That is, until an unexpected arrival sets a chain of events in motion.

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Review: The Fiery Heart by Richelle Mead

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The Fiery Heart by Richelle Mead

Title: The Fiery Heart (A Bloodlines Novel, #4)
Author: Richelle Mead
Genre: Urban Fantasy, Young Adult
Publisher: Penguin (19th November 2013)
Blurb:

WHEN PULSES QUICKEN NO SECRET IS SAFE.

SYDNEY ALWAYS BELIEVED THAT ALCHEMISTS WERE BORN TO PROTECT VAMPIRE SECRETS AND HUMAN LIVES – UNTIL SHE MET MARCUS AND TURNED HER BACK ON EVERYTHING SHE ONCE KNEW.

But she’s not free yet. When her sister Zoe arrives, Sydney can only tell her half-truths about her past. And with every word she risks exposure – and the fatal consequences.

Consumed by passion and vengeance, Sydney must choose her path once and for all. Even if that means harnessing her magical powers to destroy the way of life she was raised to defend . . .

THE SMOULDERING FOURTH INSTALMENT IN THE BESTSELLING BLOODLINES SERIES.

Rating: *** (3 stars)
Review:

THE FIERY HEART is the fourth book in Richelle Mead’s brilliant BLOODLINES series which is a spin-off from her VAMPIRE ACADEMY series. It tells the story of Sydney Sage an eighteen-year-old girl who grew up in an Alchemist family – a group of humans sworn to keep vampire secrets and to protect humans. In THE FIERY HEART Sydney is faced with a choice, one final choice, between the rhetoric she grew up with or breaking away from its familiarity.

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Review: The Indigo Spell by Richelle Mead

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The Indigo Spell by Richelle Mead

Title: The Indigo Spell (Bloodlines #3)
Author: Richelle Mead
Genre: Urban Fantasy, Young Adult
Publisher: Penguin Books (12th February 2013)
Blurb:

AN ANCIENT MAGIC.
A HEART-WRENCHING DECISION . . .

SYDNEY SAGE IS AN ALCHEMIST.
SHE PROTECTS VAMPIRE SECRETS –
AND HUMAN LIVES.

In the aftermath of a forbidden moment that rocked Sydney to her core, she is struggling to decide between following her Alchemist teachings – or her heart.

Then she meets alluring, rebellious Marcus Finch, a former Alchemist who is now on the run. As Marcus pushes her to rebel, Sydney finds that breaking free is harder than she thought.

There is an old and mysterious magic rooted deeply within her. And as Sydney searches for the person attacking powerful young witches, she realizes that she must embrace her magical blood – or else she will be next.

Rating: **** (4 stars)
Review:

The Indigo Spell is the third book in Richelle Mead’s Bloodlines series, and it continues Sydney’s story. I really enjoyed the first two books in the series, so much so that I then went back and read Mead’s Vampire Academy series from which the Bloodlines series is a spin-off.

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Review: Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead

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PLEASE BE AWARE THAT THIS REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS FOR THE VAMPIRE ACADEMY SERIES AS LAST SACRIFICE IS THE FINAL BOOK IN THAT SERIES.

Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead

Title: Last Sacrifice (Vampire Academy #6)
Author: Richelle Mead
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Young Adult
Publisher: RazorBill (7th December 2010)
Blurb:

IT ALL COMES DOWN TO NOW.

THE QUEEN IS DEAD AND THE MOROI WOULD WILL NEVER BE THE SAME.

Rose Hathaway is awaiting wrongful execution and there exists only one man who can stall this terrible fate. Rose must look to both Dimitri and Adrian, the two great loves of her life, to find him.

With her best friend, Lissa, in a deadly struggle for the royal throne, the girls find themselves forced to reply upon enemies and questioning those they thought they could trust . . .

But what if true freedom means sacrificing the most important thing of all? Each other.

Rating: *** (3 stars)
Review:

Last Sacrifice is the final book in Richelle Mead’s brilliant Vampire Academy series. Having read and enjoyed the other books in this series, I decided it was time to read the final installment. Like my reading of Spirit Bound, I think my reading of this book was influenced by my reading of Bloodlines and The Golden Lily. Last Sacrifice is a brilliant end to the Vampire Academy series, and Richelle Mead does a brilliant job in answering the majority of my questions.

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Review: Spirit Bound by Richelle Mead

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Spirit Bound by Richelle Mead

Title: Spirit Bound (Vampire Academy #5)
Author: Richelle Mead
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Young Adult
Publisher: RazorBill (18th May 2010)
Blurb:

ROSE’S LIFE WILL NEVER BE HER OWN.

ROSE HATHAWAY HAS BEEN OUTRUNNING DEATH EVER SINCE SHE SWORE TO BE THE PROTECTOR OF HER BEST FRIEND, LISSA. NO MATTER WHAT.

She’s finally made it back to the haven of St. Vladimir’s but with Dimitri, the boy she once loved, stalking her, Rose can only run so far.

She failed to kill him when she had the chance, and now her worst fears are about to come true. Dimitri has tasted her blood, and she knows in her heart that he is hunting her. And if Rose won’t join him, he won’t rest until he has silenced her . . . forever.

Rating: ***(3 stars)
Review:

Spirit Bound is the fifth – and penultimate – book in the Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead. In a lot of ways my reading of this book was compromised by my reading of both Bloodlines and The Golden Lily, but it was an enjoyable read nevertheless.

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Review: Blood Promise by Richelle Mead

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As this is the fourth book in the series it may be possible that this review will contain spoilers for previous books in the Vampire Academy series.
Vampire Academy #4

Blood Promise by Richelle Mead

Title: Blood Promise (Vampire Academy, #4)
Author: Richelle Mead
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Young Adult
Publisher: RazorBill (4th February 2010)
Blurb:

HOW FAR WILL ROSE GO TO KEEP HER PROMISE?

THE RECENT STRIGOI ATTACKS AT ST. VLADIMIR’S ACADEMY WAS THE DEADLIEST EVER IN THE SCHOOL’S HISTORY, CLAIMING THE LIVES OF MOROI STUDENTS, TEACHERS AND GUARDIANS ALIKE.

Even worse, the Strigoi took some of their victims with them . . . including Dimitri. He’d rather die than be one of them, and now Rose must abandon her best friend, Lissa – the one she has sworn to protect no matter what – and keep the promise Dimitri begged her to make long ago.

But with everything at stake, how can she possibly destroy the one person she loves most?

Rating: **** (4 stars)
Review:

Blood Promise is the fourth book in Richelle Mead’s fantastic Vampire Academy series. At the end of Shadow Kissed Rose made a difficult decision, and in Blood Promise we see her choice played out.

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Review: Shadow Kiss by Richelle Mead

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Shadow Kiss by Richelle Mead

Title: Shadow Kiss (Vampire Academy #3)
Author:  Richelle Mead
Genre:  Paranormal Romance, Young Adult
Publisher:  Razorbill (4th February 2010)
Blurb:

WHAT IF FOLLOWING HER HEART MEANS LOSING HER BEST FRIEND – FOREVER?

ROSE HATHAWAY KNOWS IT IS FORBIDDEN TO LOVE ANOTHER GUARDIAN. HER BEST FRIEND, LISSA, MUST ALWAYS COME FIRST. UNFORTUNATELY, THEN IT COMES TO THE GORGEOUS DIMITRI BELIKOV, SOME RULES ARE MEANT TO BE BROKEN.

Lying to Lissa about Dimitri is one thing, but suddenly there’s way more than friendship at stake. The immortal dead are on the prowl and in a heart-stopping battle, Rose will have to choose between life, love and the two people who matter most.

But will her choice mean that only one survives?


Rating: **** (4 stars)
Review:

Shadow Kiss is the third book in Richelle Mead’s brilliant Vampire Academy series. In this book Rose Hathaway is faced with some difficult choices. Still recovering from the aftermath of Frostbite Rose needs her friends, but life has never been that simple.

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Review: The Golden Lily by Richelle Mead

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Bloodlines #2

The Golden Lily by Richelle Mead

Title: The Golden Lily (Bloodlines #2)
Author: Richelle Mead
Genre: Urban Fantasy, Young Adult
Publisher: Razorbill (12th June 2012)
Blurb:

WILL LOVE LOSE HER EVERYTHING SHE KNOWS?

SYDNEY IS AN ALCHEMIST.
SHE PROTECTS VAMPIRE SECRETS –
AND HUMAN LIVES.

In hiding at a Californian boarding school, Sydney’s life has become irrevocably intertwined with Jill Dragomir, the vampire Moroi princess she has been tasked with protecting. She has grown close to those in Jill’s circle – and to someone in particular. Someone that forces her to question everything the alchemists believe in. Someone forbidden.

When a shocking secret threatens to tear the vampire world – her new world – apart, Sydeny’s loyalties are tested more than ever. Should she trust the alchemists – or her heart?

Forbidden temptation lies behind the iron gates . . .

Rating: **** (4 stars)

Review:

The Golden Lily is the second book in Richelle Mead’s brilliant Bloodlines series (you can find my review here), a spin-off from her amazing Vampire Academy. The Golden Lily follows and is narrated by Sydney Sage, an Alchemist in charge of keeping Jill Dragomir safe and hidden.

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Review: Frostbite by Richelle Mead

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Vamprie Academy #2

Frostbite by Richelle Mead, UK edition cover.

Title: Frostbite (Vampire Academy #2)
Author: Richelle Mead
Genre:  Paranormal Romance, Young Adult
Publisher:  Razorbill (1st October 2009)
Blurb:

. . . WINTER BREAK TURNS DEADLY

A MASSIVE VAMPIRE ATTACK HAS PUT ST. VLADIMIR’S ACADEMY ON HIGH ALERT. WITH THE DEADLY CREATURES CLOSING IN, THIS YEAR’S TIP TO THE WINTER PEAKS OF IDAHO HAS JUST BECOME MANDATORY.

But Rose Hathaway can’t escape her (guy) troubles. Her relationship with gorgeous tutor Dimitri can never be and her closest friend has just confessed to his huge crush on her . . .

The glittering winter landscape may seem like the perfect hideaway – but Rose, and her heart, are in more danger that she ever imagined.


Rating: **** (4 stars)
Review:

Frostbite is the second book in the Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead. Rose and Lissa have settled back into life at St. Vladimir’s, but things are starting to heat up and the Strigoi are getting bolder.

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Review: Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

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Vampire Academy #1

Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

Title: Vampire Academy (Vampire Academy #1)
Author: Richelle Mead
Genre:  Paranormal Romance, Young Adult
Publisher:  Penguin (26th May 2009)
Blurb:

Lissa Dragomir is a mortal vampire.

She must be protected at all times from the fiercest and most dangerous vampires of all – the ones who will never die.

Rose Hathaway is Lissa’s best friend – and her bodyguard.

Now, after two years of illicit freedom, they’ve been dragged back inside the iron gates of St. Vladimir’s Academy. The girl’s must survive a world of forbidden romances, a ruthless social scene and terrifying night-time rituals.

But above all, they must never let their guard down, lest the immortal vampires take Lissa – forever . . .


Rating: **** (4 stars)
Review:

Vampire Academy is the first book in Richelle Mead’s Vampire Academy series. Although this series has been out for around five years, this is the first time I’ve read it. I read its spin-off Bloodlines first (read my review here) so I had a bit of an idea what I was getting into when I started this book.

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