so im kinda upset that it dragged on most of the book.. didn't really get into things until the last 60 pages or so.. but still enjoyed it enough to finish .. ending was great tho and im looking forward to the next book.. i'm sure it's going to get even better as the series goes on

I'm a crazy fan-girl of Richelle Mead's Vampire Academy series and the giddy rush of of excitement I feel just talking about the books can be most definitely applied to the Bloodlines series as well. I seriously only have gushing thoughts to share about The Golden Lily! After spending so much time around the Moroi and Dhampir these past few months, the world doesn't seem so black and white to Sydney anymore, making her question everything the Alchemists have ever taught her. She once believed that all vampires were evil and unnatural, while humans were always the side of good, but Sydney now realizes that isn't always the case. Humans are just as capable of being monsters and vampires can be kind of heart. She genuinely cares about Jill, Eddie and the rest of the gang, even when such an affection is bordering on being an act of betrayal against the Alchemists's doctrines. Adrian, oh Adrian... how I love you so! I've been a faithful Team Adrian supporter since he made his first appearance in Frostbite, the second novel of the Vampire Academy series, and my adoration for him has only gotten stronger. Adrian is much more perceptive than anyone really gives him credit for, and seems to know Sydney better than she even knows herself sometimes. Everyone thinks Sydney acts so perfectly, but he senses her insecurities and tries to protect her in his own way. I loved the banter between Adrian and Sydney in The Golden Lily, delighting in the fact they had more moments together compared to Bloodlines. Sydney is intelligent when it comes to facts and academics, but she can be so oblivious when it comes to emotions and feelings. The chemistry between the pair really did seem to leap off the pages! I'm also sure fans of Dimitri will be glad to hear that he's in The Golden Lily. He and Sonya Karp have traveled to Palm Springs in order to study the effects of changing back from Strigoi using spirit... Richelle Mead always knows how to end her novels in a way that leaves you in emotional turmoil and completely desperate to learn what will happen next to the characters. In The Golden Lily, we continue to dig deeper into the world of the Alchemists, uncovering some of their secrets and also getting more of a glimpse into Sydney's talents with magic. I think it will only be a matter of time before Sydney's loyalties are truly put to the test in the Bloodlines series. I absolutely cannot for The Indigo Spell! You can also read this review at: http://midnightbloomreads.blogspot.ca/2012/06/golden-lily-by-richelle-mead.html

Picking up where Bloodlines left off, Sydney is holding onto her role of Alchemist to keep the rest of the world from finding out about the existence of vampires (known as Moroi and Strigoi). While being praised by her elders, she is struggling to maintain a neutral relationship with those who have now become her friends. In trying to stay distant, she starts dating Brayden, a guy who can match her in intelligence and interests and yet Sydney distinctly notices the lack of a spark between the otherwise perfect couple. Her resistance to the magical world is pushed to its limits when she's forced to face some inhibitions and undeniable facts to save one of them. To be honest, it took me a bit of digging through my memory to remember what had happened in the first book. I couldn't remember who was Moroi, Strigoi or Dhampir and while I like that Mead didn't do a full-on recap of the previous book, it still took a few chapters to fully get re-immersed into this world. There were some moments early on that I'm sure were a set-up for the next book, so I didn't quite get the relevance of it but it was definitely around the midway point that really picked up speed for me. You could often see where the interactions with characters was hinting at, and while sometimes it might have been really obvious, it didn't necessarily fully detract from it either. It was a nice nod to the readers that we were in on something that the protagonist wasn't. Which leads me to the ridiculous swoon-worthy build-up of a love interest. By far, my favourite scenes from the book revolved around the tension between these two. Oh goodness, how many times I wanted to smack Sydney upside the head for her oblivious and stubborn ways. Similar to the first book in the series, The Golden Lily has a satisfying build to an action-packed showdown. The (frustrating!) ending will leave you hanging and desperate for the third book, The Indigo Spell (due out in Feb 2013). A great follow-up to the successful first book! This, and other reviews can be found on my blog JustALilLost.com

I thought Golden Lily was a great sequel, it had all the things we all look for in a Richelle Mead book. I thouht the story was very good even though not much really happened but I loved the growth of all the characters, they really grew up. And of COURSE I have to say how cute and awesome and a million other things Adrian is, I love how his and Sydney's relationship is developing. Overall this was an awesome book and I look forward to the next in the series. :0)

(Originally posted at www.lostatmidnightreviews.blogspot.ca/) This is one of the hardest reviews I've had to write. How can I properly describe the tug on my heart when I think about The Golden Lily? The smile that wants to form on my lips? Can I really explain why this book makes me completely giddy and happy? I certainly hope I can, but I will say this: it was everything I wanted and so much more. I had been counting down the days until The Golden Lily was released since turning the last page of Bloodlines. It was the perfect spin-off series and I couldn't wait until I got to continue the story. Luckily, my fellow Ottawa blogger Emilie from Emilie's Book World received an ARC that she was willing to loan me. I read it obsessively! Richelle Mead has a way with stories. All the elements from the characters to the plot to the intrigue etc., are woven together with precision and dedication. This isn't just a bunch of words thrown on a page, it's a carefully crafted world that hits no false note. Something I think Mead has perfected in The Golden Lily is character development. Every single character has their own unique and distinct personality. The major characters feel like they're your friends and the minor ones have a presence all their own. Mead makes you committed to the characters. She makes you have an emotional investment in each and every one. Even the villains! Speaking of characters, I have loved Sydney Sage since she popped onto the page in Blood Promise. I think she's just a fantastic character, with many different layers to her. She is so witty and intelligent; a woman to look up to. The banter and charisma between her Adrian was one of the best parts of the book! And Adrian. Oh, Adrian. I have always been a hardcore Team Dimitri fan (seriously, I have a shirt that says "Belikov" on the back) but Adrian has won his own place in my heart. I loved getting to see the softer, scarred side of him that he always hides. It made me love him even more. I also was really happy to have Dimitri back in the story (*cheers really loudly*). Although he wasn't a main character, it was great to have his stoic, sweet self. The plot itself, although easy to guess, kept my eyes glued to the page. I desperately needed to see what would happen. I feel like the over-arching plot line of the series has been introduced, which makes me really excited for the next few novels. I am really interested to see how it will all tie together. Overall, I love love loved this book. It made my emotions soar, and kept a smile permanently glued to my face. Still whenever I think about it, my heart gives a little squeeze and all I want to do is pick it up again. This was one of my favorite Richelle Mead books, and considering she's one of my favorite authors, that's saying a lot. Read. This. Book. You will fall in love with it. - Ciara who is lost at midnight

It's no secret that I'm a huge fan of Bloodlines (and Sydney Sage!) ever since I first read the new Vampire Academy spin-off last year. I've yet to read Vampire Academy, but I still highly recommend Richelle Mead's new series to those new to her VA world; you'll be spoiled for a few things but it's kind of intimidating at times to start a new series with a large number of books that are already released. So this is another good way to immerse yourself in Richelle's world and writing :) I loved Golden Lily- it had all the same elements I loved about Bloodlines, just amped up a bit more! Which is fantastic because I like a strong sequel that picks up where the first book left off and then improves on a solid foundation. Reasons to Read: 1.Real issues that we can relate to: Not everyone is going to have the same problems that Sydney has, but I love that she's a realistic character with issues often found in real life, so that the Bloodlines books blend the distinction between paranormal and contemporary. Usually we think of paranormal books as largely (or only) dealing with paranormal issues (you know, like vampire problems). And contemporary books tend to deal with real issues (like eating disorders or relationships). But I LOVE it when a book can have both and The Golden Lily is another fantastic example of this (another good book that does this, if you're interested, is Storm by Brigid Kemmerer). And while they aren't completely dealt with, we do get to see a better picture of how toxic Sydney's self-esteem issues are and even relationships with others, such as Adrian's failing relationship with his father. 2.More EVERYTHING (including romance): One of the biggest complaints I read about Bloodlines was that there wasn't enough romance for readers- I think The Golden Lily will amend this for them! I actually didn't mind the lack of romance in Bloodlines (I'm a fan of the anticipation/build up, what can I say!) and The Golden Lily doesn't involve a LOT either. But it's there and it's good- Richelle's talent for writing chemistry between two characters and gradually amping it up is phenomenal! Plus there's more development for characters- we get to see some different sides to Sydney, Adrian, Trey and Jill in particular. And more drama (of course- what's a good book without drama?) but the good kind. Action too, because that's necessary in a good paranormal book ;) 3.Sydney & Adrian: I know that everyone and their mother is rooting for Sydney and Adrian to hook up finally, but I want to talk about how much I love their pre-romantic relationship as well. I adore that we can see all the little ways they pay attention to each other, and the ways they show that they care. They have a friendship, a bond, that just seems to grow stronger with time. And while it isn't perfect, especially since he's a vampire and she's an Alchemist so they really shouldn't get along that well, it's refreshing to see two people that care about each other... as friends. It's sweet and I love it! 4.And I just really love Sydney: I love Sydney for a multitude of reasons, but largely because she isn't your typical YA character. She's extremely awkward (and not always in an endearing way), she's realistic and analytical to a fault (there aren't that many analytical characters out there- they tend to be more impulsive in YA) but it's nice to see a type of personality that stands out. Sydney is a lot more what I'm like, both as a teenager and even at my age now. She's a control freak and picky, and she doesn't want to let anyone get to close to her... but somehow she starts to let a few people see the real her. I love her, and she's one of my favourites because of this. We get a few more answers in this one about what's going on, but the sense of mystery stays strong. I still have so many questions regarding some of the weird things happening! But there's so much packed into this book, I couldn't put it down! An excellent sequel for a fantastic series that I'd recommend to most YA readers :) ARC won in giveaway from blog (whatchYAreading)

I've said this before when I first reviewed Bloodlines and I'll say it again... Adrian Dimitri plain and simple. And once again.. "Any arguments you may have that Dimitri is "awesomesauce" are invalid here. Adrian is #1, tis the rule of the universe so you might as well live with it. [insert evil laughter]" (I totally just quoted myself right there.) After absolutely adoring Bloodlines, Richelle Mead's first installment in her Bloodlines series, I absolutely couldn't wait to see how things would develop in The Golden Lily. With that said, it should be mentioned that I absolutely adored the Vampire Academy series and initially, upon the news of Bloodlines, was especially wary about whether or not Sydney would work out for Rose fans. Luckily she did! In Bloodlines, Sydney wasn't exactly a likable character right off the bat. She came across as extremely unrealistic, untouchable, and unrelatable - my reader/protagonist connection with her was pretty much nonexistent. Luckily, things quickly changed when I finished off Bloodlines. Not only did she suddenly become the kick-ass heroine I was hoping for, but she proved to be much more entertaining for me than Rose was. With that said, a lot more about Sydney's personality is revealed in The Golden Lily, and unfortunately I can't exactly say I was all that happy about it. I didn't initially realise it the first time in Bloodlines, however in The Golden Lily I began to notice how freakishly obsessive Sydney was about her weight. In fact, her views on her weight and food consumption were incredibly unhealthy, however Mead wonderfully tackled the issue like the kick-butt author that she is! Moving on, let's talk about Adrian. *Sighs, swoons, faints, and then gets back to review writing* I honestly don't see how anyone could dislike this guy. Not only is he charming, aside from his unhealthy smoking and drinking habits, but he's also supportive and determined when the situation calls for it. In fact, in The Golden Lily, I found myself seeing a whole new side to him that I never did in the Vampire Academy series. Seriously, if you aren't already Team Adrian before diving into The Golden Lily, then I can pretty much say that this installment in the series will have you wanting to convert. As I mentioned in my review for Bloodlines last year, readers who aren't familiar with Richelle Mead's Vampire Academy series do not have to worry about being lost when diving into her Bloodlines series. However, I would highly recommend that you do for the full experience. Addictive, potent, heart wrenching, and full of action - The Golden Lily by Richelle Mead, the second installment in the Bloodlines series, will leave you begging for more.

Oh how I want to gush and gush about The Golden Lily! And Sydney and Adrian and Jill and Eddie and everyone and everything in this series. My absolute favorite part of The Golden Lily was the escalation of magic. Of course, magic was prevalent in the Vampire Academy series, as well as Bloodlines, but not quite to this level. I so hope this continues in the next sequels! I can’t get over Mead’s ability to make me worship characters! First Rose, and now I can add Sydney to my list of favorite female characters. She’s tough in a different way than Rose was, in a more mental and emotional way. Although I adore Sydney, and getting to see a more vulnerable side to her was so nice to see, the secondary characters and Sydney’s relationship with her “motley crew” continue to shine and be the heart of this series. Their impact on each other is getting deeper and deeper and I just love those kinds of intense bonds. I’m loving Sydney’s slow acceptance of the vampires in her life because of their loyalty and her affection for them as people. And, of course, Adrian! How can I write this review and not give Adrian, who just gets better and better, a mention? He’s so great in this series. As much as I loved him in Vampire Academy, it’s nice to see him change and grow up a little, but obviously keep some of that same old sarcasm and witty remarks. One thing I didn’t get about Bloodlines was the hype of potential romance between Sydney and Adrian. I felt like there was no chemistry between them and it felt a bit forced, but after reading The Golden Lily, I can now appreciate the slow build between the two and I completely fell for them! There are so many amazing, adorable moments between these two. I’m really interested to see how Mead will eventually go about them being together since Sydney’s upbringing still prevents her from fully accepting her newfound relationships with vampires. If you’ve read Bloodlines (and if you haven’t GO! GO! But read Vampire Academy first!), you will not want to miss the magical, heart-warming, and heart-racing (in more ways than one!) sequel that is The Golden Lily!

ughhhhhhh can june be any further away? D: I really can't wait till this book comes out! I heart me some adrian 3