****If you have not read Vampire Academy series in FULL yet, you may not want to read anything about Bloodlines since there is a crucial plot point discussed that carries over from the VA series - Bloodlines takes off pretty much where VA left off, so I want to give everyone fair WARNING.****

Alchemist Sydney Sage is sent to a private boarding school on assignment to protect the vampire Queen’s only living relative, Jill Dragomir. According to ancient vampiric law, their ruler cannot remain as head if they do not have any family, with Jill under threat, the Moroi and the Alchemists work together to forge a plan for her safety.

Sydney is not only given the responsibility of keeping everyone safe but also forced to adapt to her new social environment: high school with all of its drama.

Can Sydney walk the fine line between keeping the vampires safe and avoid becoming a traitor in the eyes of the alchemists who consider vampires soulless and unnatural? As the temperature of Palm Springs rises so does the tension, will Sydney be the one to get burned?

This is one review I am going to have a hard time not SQUEEING about; I mean this is Bloodlines from the same world as Vampire Academy we’re talking about here! OK. Now onto the rest of the review.

I am so happy that Mead chose to continue a series within the same world as Vampire Academy. I seriously love this world she has created. I wouldn’t mind living in it – as I mentioned in this past Follow Friday post.

I loved all the characters Mead included in Bloodlines. The characters she chose to bring over to this series are all people I wanted to get to know better from Vampire Academy. With Rose and Lissa not the focus, these characters were able to shine and we learn more about their personalities. I was also thrilled at the “cameo” appearances of some of the characters from VA in Bloodlines.

I’m torn on whether to recommend people read Vampire Academy FIRST or just go straight to Bloodlines and then work your way through the VA series. I was able to solve some of the mysteries in Bloodlines a little TOO early on because I’d read VA. So, in that regard, it would’ve been nice to be a little more “in the dark” about some things. However, there were several references to other characters from VA and you won’t understand them or feel that JOY of the cameo appearances, if you don’t read VA first.  I’m definitely torn on that aspect.

I loved the twist at the end, and what it means for the next book – which I was dying to get my hands on as soon as I finished Bloodlines! I also LOVED Sydney and learning about her world and all it entails since the Alchemists have their own society and leadership separate from the vampires.

All in all, I cannot WAIT to read more and I want to thank Razorbill from the bottom of my Vampire Academy loving heart for providing me with an early reviewer’s copy.

Bloodlines is available:

Amazon / B&N / Penguin | Razorbill / Richelle Mead’s Website

The next book in the Bloodlines series – The Golden Lily – is up on Amazon!