Bloodlines #2: The Golden Lily - Richelle Mead

While I still very much prefer the Vampire Academy series over Bloodlines, it is still one of my favorite book series of all time. It's so fascinating to see Richelle delve into a part of the vampire world that we haven't seen before, introducing us to different kinds of forbidden romances and magic. For all Vampire Academy fans who are wary about reading it, DO IT. It is worth every page and you won't regret it :) 

Warning! There will be spoilers!

The Golden Lily 
Published: June 12th, 2012

Page Count: 418

"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. Alchemists 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. Formorly 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 her 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 Braydon, 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?"

~

The Golden Lily is a big turning point for Sydney. I don't have a lot to say on the plot itself except that I think this book is where her entire thinking begins to change quite drastically. She starts to question a lot of things that she has been brought up to believe by the Alchemists - especially in regards to the Moroi and dhampirs, as well as magic. That's right folks, this is where Sydney - our innocent, 'untainted' and good Alchemist - starts to dabble with some seriously badass powers she possesses. 

I especially love how Richelle introduces the entire process. Sydney is by no means a rebel yet, and she will forever be a logically wired person, but I think her spirituality has opening itself up, both in love and magic. 


Sydney dating Brayden was extremely funny in my opinion. Seeing Sydney begin to experiment in an area of her life that she has had no training in whatsoever in was hilarious, and having her think things like 'I'm going to have to research kissing later' made me laugh out loud. What was also great was Sydney's reaction to Brayden breaking up with her and once again shows how her perception of everything has changed, and also that she has begun to realize that Brayden just wasn't treating her the way she wanted to be treated.  

"I'd been called a lot of things. But never, ever had I been called irresponsible. And I kind of liked it." 

What really fascinated me was the fact that Sonya herself mentioned that she couldn't see the purple in Sydney's aura, which Adrian seemed to have spotted immediately. This is something that widens our knowledge that we have previously have about auras - that they are also influenced by the spirit users relationship to the person. I love how both Sydney and Adrian have things that only they have noticed about the other person:Adrian being able to see Sydney's hidden passionate and spiritual side and Sydney being able to see Adrian's true potential. The two of them compliment each other perfectly and it just breaks my heart when Sydney decides to reject Adrian's love declaration at the end of the book. I do think that it truly is a hard thing for her though - her dedication to the Alchemists as well as the love that she feels towards her vampire friends. I think her thinking has definitely altered slightly, but is not quite strong enough that she can go against one of her ingrained Alchemist principles.  

"He shouldn't have said that," repeated Adrian, eerily serious. He leaned his face toward mine. "I don't care if he's not the emotional type or the complimentary type or what. No one can look at you in this dress, in all that fire and gold, and start talking about anachronisms. If I were him, I would have said, 'You are the most beautiful creature I have ever seen walking this earth."

"I tried to be a better person for her– but it was to impress her, to get her to want me. But when I’m around you, I want to be better because… well, because it feels right. Because I want to. You make me want to become something greater than myself. I want to excel. You inspire me in every act, every word, every glance. I look at you, and you’re like… like light made into flesh. […] You have no clue how beautiful you are or how brightly you shine."

"But perhaps the best part of all was that I, Sydney Katherine Sage, guilty of constantly analyzing the world around me, well, I stopped thinking." 

I have to be honest and say that I saw Trey being a part of the Warriors of Light coming from afar. His tattoo was a big tip off in the first book and although maybe not everyone could have picked up on it, I have come to the conclusion that Richelle always writes everything with a purpose, which is why I love her writing so much.

~

Other Favorite Quotes:

"Every relationship is different. Everyone loves differently." 

"Why on earth would you buy a car like this if you can't drive a stick? There are dozens of cars--new cars--that have automatic transmission. It'd be a million times easier."  

Adrian shrugged. "I like the color. It matches my living room."

"I feel like I've just crashed someone's date. Like I'm intruding on you two. If you want to drop me off somewhere, I'll understand." 

"You have a great one, one that most humans would kill for - and you'd look even better if you put on a little weight. Five pound would be a good start. Hide the ribs. Get a bigger bra size."