Posts

Showing posts with the label Bloodlines

Quote of the Day

Image
Was that an inevitable way of life when you loved so deeply? Or was it just those of us who walked on the precipice who lived in such a panic?

I brought my face a mere whisper from hers. "I love you so much."

She blinked in that way I'd come to recognize, when she was afraid she might cry. "I love you too. Hey." She slip her hand up and rested it on my cheek. "Don't look like that. Everything's going to be okay. The center will hold."

"How do you know?"

"Because we are the center."

The Fiery Heart
~~Richelle Mead

Quote of the Day

Image
"Is that them?” My mother called. “I thought I heard the door.”

“It had better be,” I said, taking a pan out of the oven and carefully setting it on the counter. “This roast is at peak deliciousness. I’m not waiting for them to dive in. It would be a crime. A declaration of war against fine cuisine everywhere.”

My mother, used to my theatrics, smiled. “Sydney’s not here yet either.”

“Oh,” I said. “Well, I’ll wait for her.”

The Ruby Circle
~~Richelle Mead

Review: The Ruby Circle by Richelle Mead

Image
It's been a whirlwind of new releases in several of the Wenches' favorite series, and the final installment in Richelle Mead's fantastic Bloodlines series fell right in the middle of that whirlwind. I picked that baby up just as soon as I could get my hands on it, although I was a little sad that it was time to let go of Sydrian. Their story has been so wonderful, as I told you about here and here, that I wasn't sure I was ready to let go. But I finally opened the book and discovered how Richelle Mead wrapped up one of my best finds of last year.

Do I still recommend this series, now that it's concluded, or is it better left at the bottom of your TBR?  Click through to find out if The Ruby Circle gave our intrepid couple an ending they deserved.


Review: Silver Shadows by Richelle Mead

Image
I came quite late to the Bloodlines party, finishing the four available books this past spring, in just a few short weeks, as I told you about here. I loved the series so much that I encouraged anyone who would listen to read them, I reread the four books shortly thereafter, and then I was wrecked for anything else for months afterward. I only had to wait about four months for Silver Shadows to release, rather than the eight months that established readers had, but it still felt interminable with the shocking ending of The Fiery Heart

I read the early chapters as they were released before publication day, and then when Silver Shadows finally hit my e-reader I devoured it rapidly, forgetting about the rest of the world while I took in Sydney and Adrian's journey back to one another.

Did Silver Shadows live up to the expectations left by The Fiery Heart? Did Sydrian find their way back to each other, or are they still searching? Click through find out whether I loved Silver Shadows

Quote of the Day

Image
I focused on her eyes, and the light returned to the world. I still ached for my aunt, but Sydney was here, my hope and my anchor. I wasn't alone. I wasn't misunderstood. Swallowing, I nodded and gave her a weak smile as spirit's dark hand released its hold on me. For now.

The Fiery Heart
~~Richelle Mead

Quote of the Day

Image
“Adrian smiled and clasped my hands, taking a few steps toward me. "And as for who you are, you’re the same beautiful, brave, and ridiculously smart caffeinated fighter you’ve been since the day I met you.” Finally, he put “beautiful” at the top of his list of adjectives. Not that I should have cared.
“Sweet talker,” I scoffed. “You didn’t know anything about me the first time we met.”
“I knew you were beautiful,” he said. “I just hoped for the rest.”
He always got this glint in his eyes when he complimented my looks, like he was seeing so much more than just my actual appearance. It was disorienting and heady . . . but I didn't mind. And that wasn't the only thing I suddenly found overwhelming. How had he gotten so close to me without me even realizing it? It was like he had secret stealth abilities. His hands were warm on mine, our fingers locked together. I still had remnants of that earlier joy within me, and being connected to him amplified those feelings.  The Indigo Spe…

Quote of the Day

Image
Angeline tightened her hold on Eddie's arm and smiled up at him. "If you ever get to see my home, you can fight my brother Josh to show that you're worthy of me."

I had to swallow a laugh. I'd seen the Keepers' community and knew she was absolutely serious. I worked to keep a straight face. "Aren't you breaking a lot of rules by being together without that having happened yet?"

Angeline nodded, looking a little glum. "My mom would be so scandalized if she knew. But I guess this is a unique situation."

Eddie smiled indulgently at her. I think sometimes he thought we were exaggerating about the Keepers. He was going to be in for a shock if he ever did visit them. "Maybe I can fight a bunch of your relatives to make up for it," he said.

"You might have to," she said, not realizing he was joking.

The Indigo Spell
~~Richelle Mead

Quote of the Day

Image
Adrian's smile returned. "If it makes you feel better, you actually looked natural out there - back in the park."
"Doing . . . what? Throwing fireballs?" I shook my head. "There's nothing natural about that."
"You wouldn't think so, but . . . well. You were . . . amazing, throwing that fire like some kind of ancient warrior goddess."
Annoyed, I turned away. "Stop making fun of me."
He caught my arm and pulled me back toward him. "I am absolutely serious."
I swallowed, speechless for a moment. All I was aware of was how close we were, that he was holding me to him with only a few inches between us. Almost as close as at the sorority. "I'm not a warrior or a goddess," I managed at last.
Adrian leaned closer. "As far as I'm concerned, you're both."
I knew that look in his eyes. I knew because I'd seen it before. I expected him to kiss me, but instead, he ran his finger along the side of m…

Quote of the Day

Image
"Nice blouse, Sage," he told me, deadpan. "It really brings out the khaki in your pants."

The Golden Lily
~~Richelle Mead

Quote of the Day

Image
“But when I touch you, your aura … it smolders. The colors deepen, it burns more intensely, the purple increases. Why? Why, Sydney?” He used that hand to pull me closer. “Why do you react that way if I don’t mean anything to you?” There was a desperation in his voice, and it was legitimate.” {snip} "My body doesn't know any better. I'm as susceptible to lust as anyone else." There was probably a book about that or at least an article in Cosmopolitan. The hint of a smile played over his lips. He was fully in tune with my again. "No, you aren't. I mean, you are, but not without reason. I know you well enough to realize that now. You're not the kind of person who's 'susceptible to lust' without some emotion to back it."  He moved his hand back to my hip, sliding it down my leg. I shuddered, and his face moved closer to mine. There was so much in his eyes, so much desire and longing. "See? There it is again. My flame in the dark." 
&quo…

Quote of the Day

Image
"...well, Adrian was pretty much the least scary vampire I'd ever met. He was too bratty for me to feel any
real fear, and actually...as much as I hated to admit it, I kind of looked forward to seeing him. It made no sense, but something about his infuriating nature made me forget about my other worries. Weirdly, I felt like I could relax around him."

Bloodlines
~~Richelle Mead

Phenomenal Women

Image
My Four Favorite UF/PNR Heroines
One of the best things about urban fantasy and paranormal romance is that there is no shortage of amazing female lead characters. You can't throw a rock in the UF/PNR section of the bookstore without hitting a female who is not only strong, but faceted, smart, romantic, cynical, optimistic, vulnerable, honorable, damaged, and generally real. And one would think that with so many wonderful female characters, both leads and supporting cast, it would be challenging to narrow down which ones are the best to just a few. However, I have absolutely no qualms about pointing out exactly which heroines are the best, the feistiest, the smartest, the snarkiest, and just plain the best.

Zee told us about her favorite heroines in this post, although that has changed a bit. And you may notice that my favorite heroines list bears a striking resemblance to my favorite series list. What can I say? I'm a sucker for a great female protagonist, and it's not coi…

Quote of the Day

Image
"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.' "

The Golden Lily
~~Richelle Mead

Quote of the Day

Image
I put my hands on my hips and turned toward him. This seemed to amuse him more. "Adrian, we're focusing on Jill here. This isn't about your personal entertainment."

"Not true," he said, green eyes sparkling. "Everything's about my personal entertainment. The world is my stage. Keep it up--you're becoming a star performer in the show."

Bloodlines
~~Richelle Mead

Quote of the Day

Image
"Is that what bothers you? My past? That maybe I'm an expert in a area you aren't?"

"One I'm sure you'd just love to educate me in. One more girl to add to your list of conquests."

He was speechless for a few moments and then held up one finger. "First, I don't have a list." Another finger. "Second, if I did have a list, I could find someone a hell of a lot less frustrating to add to it." For the third finger, he leaned toward me. "And finally, I know that you know you're no conquest, so don't act like you seriously think that. You and I have been through too much together. We're too close, too connected. I wasn't that crazy on Spirit when I said you're my flame in the dark. We chase away the shadows around each other. Our backgrounds don't matter. What we have is bigger than that. I love you, and beneath all that logic, calculation, and superstition, I know you love me too..."

The Indigo Spell
~…

Quote of the Day

Image

Quote of the Day

Image
"No, you will listen. For once, you're going to hear something that doesn't fit into your neat, compartmentalized world of order and logic and reason. Because this isn't reasonable. If you're terrified, believe me--this scares the hell out of me, too. You asked about Rose? 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. I said it on Halloween and meant every word: you are the most beautiful creature I have ever seen walking this earth. And you don't even know it. You have no clue how beautiful you are or how brightly you shine."


The Golden Lily
~~Richelle Mead

Review: Bloodlines Series by Richelle Mead

Image
As I told you recently, I broke my Young Adult boycott by reading the entire Vampire Academy series in just a few weeks. There was enough left up in the air, and I enjoyed the world so much that I moved right on to the Bloodlines series, a spin-off of VA featuring characters that we had already met.

Having been spoiled, badly, for major VA plot points I was diligent about avoiding anything that might give me clues about the Bloodlines events. I knew which characters were moving into the next series, but that was about it--I didn't even know who the main pairing was going to be--and I was happy to be clueless. Richelle Mead did such a good job with VA, crafting a well fleshed-out world with interesting stories and wonderful touches, like a unique take on a typical UF plot line, that I was confident enough to go into Bloodlines blindly.

So after devouring all four available books, I absolutely loved this series, and I'm going to try and keep spoilery information to a minimum as I …