The Golden Lily By Richelle Mead

Cover Rating: 3.5/5
Overall Rating: 5/5 stars
Synopsis: Tough, brainy alchemist Sydney Sage and doe-eyed Moroi princess Jill Dragomir are in hiding at a human boarding school in the sunny, glamorous world of Palm Springs, California. The students--children of the wealthy and powerful--carry on with their lives in blissful ignorance, while Sydney, Jill, Eddie, and Adrian must do everything in their power to keep their secret safe. But with forbidden romances, unexpected spirit bonds, and the threat of Strigoi moving ever closer, hiding the truth is harder than anyone thought. 
Populated with new faces as well as familiar ones, Richelle Mead's breathtaking Bloodlines series explores all the friendship, romance, battles, and betrayals that made the #1 New York Times bestselling Vampire Academy series so addictive. In this second book, the drama is hotter, the romances are steamier, and the stakes are even higher.


Time for the long awaited review of The Golden Lily. I started this knowing I was going to love it because, well, it has Adrian in it. Yes I was right I did love it but I read it during a reading slump which lessened my enjoyment of it. I will probably reread it sometime to enjoy it more. Anyway I was very excited to read this especially after the huge cliffhanger of Dimitri coming back in the last book. This book had a very similar plot to the last one but it was a LOT more exciting than the last. Lot's more drama! This one focused more on a different threat  than all of the previous books, instead of Strigoi they have a new enemy.


Ah, I just love so many of the characters. Sydney is one heroine that I'm yet to hate, well I am angry at her at the moment (can't tell you why) but I do still love her. She's smart and doesn't depend on any guys. Her beliefs in the Alchemists are still strong but she does what she can for her friends. Adrian, Adrian, what to say about Adrian? I loved him even more in this one, he is a lot less depressed in this one but he does have the odd moments which just makes his character more believable. Also I'm positive his hilarity increased! We saw a very protective side of him which was just amazing. Anyway enough fan-girling. I really like the more minor characters like Eddie and Trey still, both are just believable and I love it! I wasn't keen on Jill or Angeline, neither really connected with me but I don't hate them. Ugh, Dimitri was so boring! I really liked him in Vampire Academy but he seems to have lost all the badass personality though luckily Adrian picked it up. Adrian is the best kind of badass.


I think I'm in love with this book, I laughed at every witty comment from Adrian and even a few from Sydney. The ending made me write a very hysterical email to Richelle Mead which I luckily deleted before sending but I can't tell you any more about that just yet. I was very disappointed that Christian hasn't made an appearance just yet, he better do at some point though because he was a great character. Lissa can stay away though she doesn't bother me. Overall I adored this book and if you haven't yet read it you need to. Now.


My favorite quotes - because one isn't enough!


“Sage," he said. "What are you wearing?"
I sighed and stared down at the dress. "I know. It's red. Don't start. I'm tired of hearing about it."
"Funny," he said. "I don't think I could ever get tired of looking at it.”
...
“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.” 


“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” 


OKAY I'm done... Nearly.


“Adrian, I'm on a date. Why are you here? On my car?” 


Email me at: confessionsofabookaholic@LIVE.CO.UK

The Golden Lily And Black Dawn First Chapter's Released!

Hey everyone, very short post here and about The Golden Lily again - hopefully your as excited for it as I am and not getting annoyed at my constant posts. The first chapter has been released! I just read it and It was SO good. It should tide you over until the book comes out in June. Less than three months but still way too long!! Anyway without further ado, to read it click here. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Remember that last dramatic sentance in Bloodlines?

And we have the first two chapters of Black Dawn by Rachel Caine. Another book I am totally excited for! Black Dawn comes out a bit sooner than The Golden Lily; It comes out on the first of May. A little over a month! Anyone who read Last Breath will know just how epic - and I don't use that word very often - it was. So to read the first two chapters go here.

And read my reviews of Last Breath and Bloodlines!!

Email me at: confessionsofabookaholic@LIVE.CO.UK

The Golden Lily - New Synopsis

Hello everyone, I know what your thinking. 'You've already shared the synopsis with us Emily!" And yes you would be correct in thinking that but...

I went with the Goodreads synopsis and I just found a waaay better one on Richelle Mead's website. I must warn you it is quite spoiler-ish so if you haven't read Bloodlines DON'T READ THIS! I'm so excited!!!

Here it is (It's long!):

"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. They 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. Formerly 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 the 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 Brayden, 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?"

So who do you think the 'forbidden' person is? I'm positive I know. The synopsis doesn't tell us anything about it but I'm still hoping for a bromance between Adrian and Dimitri. It could happen! So tell me your predictions.
Email me at: confessionsofabookaholic@LIVE.CO.UK

More Golden Lily News (Spoiler Alert)

Hello everyone, More Golden Lily news Yaaay! For those of you who love Richelle Mead's books as much as I do here is a few teasers to make the long wait a little more bearable (if that's possible). Here they are:

“You made your own jeans shorts…. with a butter knife?”
Very random one but in context undoubtably hilarious, probably from Adrian.

“Too bad you got so bogged down in books. You’ve got the spirit of a warrior.”
Probably directed at Sydney, probably from Dimitri.

“Adrian, I'm on a date. Why are you here? On my car?”
Noooo Sydney not a date! Luckily it seems Adrian found the need to interrupt.

“I found the candles—atrocious air freshening ones that smelled like fake pine.”
Definately Adrian!

And my personal favorite.
“You need me? You yell. You want me to leave? We go. I’ll get you out of here, no matter what."
So sweet right? I hope Adrian says this, I really do!

So who do you think said what? What do you want to happen in Golden Lily? An Adrian/Sydney romance? An Jill/Eddie romance maybe? Or most unexpected of all an Adrian/Dimitri bromance- that I have to see! I personally just hope Adrian finds love. I'm so excited!!! Tell me your predictions!
Email me at: confessionsofabookaholic@LIVE.CO.UK

BLOODLINES: THE GOLDEN LILY NEWS!

I'm sure as that you, as I am are eagerly awaiting the release of Richelle Mead's The Golden Lily. It is the second in the vampire academy spin off series Bloodlines. If you have read Bloodlines the like me you will understand when I say the last line of the book made me throw the book halfway across the room out of frustration. I loved that book but the huge cliff hanger was just SO unfair! I suppose it did make me a lot more excited for The Golden Lily though.

Anyway the synopsis, release date and some comments from Richelle Mead herself about The Golden Lily has been released (yay!). So if you haven't read Bloodlines then I suggest you don't read any further, and if you do it's your own fault if you find out something before you read it. Don't say I didn't warn you! Here's the synopsis:

“Tough, brainy alchemist Sydney Sage and doe-eyed Moroi princess Jill Dragomir are in hiding at a human boarding school in the sunny, glamorous world of Palm Springs, California. The students - children of the wealthy and powerful - carry on with their lives in blissful ignorance, while Sydney, Jill, Eddie and Adrian must do everything in their power to keep their secret safe. But with forbidden romances, unexpected spirit bonds, and the threat of Strigoi moving ever closer, hiding the truth is harder than anyone thought. Populated with new faces as well as familiar ones, Richelle Mead's breathtaking Bloodlines series explores all the friendship, romance, battles and betrayals that made the #1 New York Times bestselling Vampire Academy series so addictive. In this second book, the drama is hotter, the romances are steamier, and the stakes are even higher.”

You are probably thinking 'Those were rubbish spoilers!' and you are correct the actual spoilers are what Richelle Mead herself had to say about the unreleased Golden Lily.

"I'm still writing it, and in the past we have had major plot lines completely deleted, and so I'm like, I'd hate to tell you something that never shows up,"

(That would be disappointing)

"I can tell you Sydney will get a little romance in her life. It's probably not going to be what readers are expecting-slash-hoping for initially. That's been a lot of fun for me, writing Sydney dating."

(So in other words the Sydney/Adrian relationship is not happening- Yet anyway)

"We're going to learn a little bit more about something that was hinted at in 'Bloodlines,' about whether or not there are such things as vampire hunters in the world. They start to pick up that maybe that's not such the myth that they thought. It's going to be the usual split of an action plot going on along with various romantic entanglements."

(Dimitri will probably take the lead in the mystery investigation things - POOR ADRIAN)

"I know a lot of readers are geared up for romance, and there's plenty of that, so they can rest easy, especially as the series progresses the first one is a little light. I'm going to get some more of those."

(Interesting)

It sounds absolutely fantastic doesn't it? The Golden Lily will be released on the 1st of May 2012. I CAN'T WAIT! I would rate it 5/5 stars and I haven't even read it yet! What do you think will happen, get in touch with me with your predictions.

Email me at: confessionsofabookaholic@LIVE.CO.UK