The Golden Lily by Richelle Mead
Release Date – June 12, 2012
Publisher Website – Penguin/Razorbill
Publisher Social Media - Twitter
Pages - 418 pages
My Rating- 4/5
**provided from publisher for an honest review**
**SPOILERS FOR BLOODLINES**
Here is the Goodreads synopsis
The second thrilling installment in Richelle Mead's Vampire Academy spinoff series
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.
Romance, action, beloved characters, and enthralling mythology is what readers can expect from The Golden Lily. A new, and dangerous threat emerges and Sydney has a whole new sets of problems including Angeline, and getting asked out on a date.
The mythology is beginning to deepen and become less murky. I am really enjoying learning about the magic side of this mythology and learning more about the alchemist and their backstory. This is something Richelle Mead does really well. She manages to extend the mythology and give you just enough to answer some questions, and yet totally surprise you a few books later with new information.
I liked Sydney in this novel much more than in Bloodlines. She has begun to grow on me. Her flustered and shocked reaction to being asked out on a date was hilarious, and her nervousness while on the date endearing. She’s a young woman being pulled between what she’s been taught to believe, and what she is beginning to believe for herself. As we grow up we begin to realize our parents may not always be right. We stumble and make up our own minds about certain things and this is what is happening to Sydney. The pressures of her assignment, mixed with forbidden feelings, friendships and new relationships make her easy to root for.
Adrian, if possible, becomes even more swoon worthy and captivating. While Dimitri will always be my first love in this series, Adrian is a close second. The burgeoning flirtation and friendship with Sydney in Bloodlines is explored and deepens in The Golden Lily. The connection he has with Jill provided some comedic moments when Jill was seeing Sydney through Adrian via the connection. Seeing his feelings grow, even as he is aware that Sydney does not care for Moroi is bittersweet. Those who grew to care about him in the Vampire Academy series will be glad he is moving on from Rose and falling for someone else, however, this seems destined for heartbreak as well. I literally sighed and swooned when Adrian tells Sydney ‘If I were him, I would have said, 'You are the most beautiful creature I have ever seen walking this earth.” after Sydney’s date tells her a gorgeous dress she is wearing is “historically inaccurate”. Seriously, I don’t know how Sydney keeps her hands off him.
The Rose/Dimitri fan girl in me sighed with happiness whenever he mentioned her, or he received a phone call from her. I am hoping Rose eventually makes an appearance and we get to see them interact again.
The emerging triangle that involves Eddie was one I am one I am not happy to see developed. I really like the thought of Eddie pursuing Jill and wish that would have happened. Hopefully this aspect will be more of a focus in the next books.
While I am not as attached to Sydney as I was to Rose I am still enjoying this series immensely. Adrian and Sydney’s scorching tension and banter is not only well developed but I couldn’t help but become invested in them. Fans of Richelle’s other books will devour this in one sitting and immediately look for more. Her addictive writing, compelling characters and thickening plot all make The Golden Lily a sequel that makes you want more.
