Summary:
"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?"
Plot: There isn't really a lot of action in The Golden Lily. Yes, there are suspenseful moments, but nothing crazy. Book 2 is definitely meant to build the storyline and all the little mysteries, twists and turns that are to come.
Characters: I feel Sydney definitely grew a lot in this book, from balancing her beliefs to going on dates. I enjoyed watching he struggle with these thoughts and feelings. As usual, Adrian was ever so endearing. He is just too darn stinking cute. I am not sure how I feel about Angeline being brought in. It was random and I really didn't like her in The Last Sacrifice. Towards the end she grew on me, but I could have done without her too. Eddie, is Eddie. Although he grew on me a little more and I look forward to reading more on his love triangle. Jill was basically Non-Existant in book 2, so that kind of sucked and I enjoyed the addition of Sonya and Dimitri. Although, I still would have liked a little more drama between him and Adrian.
Pros: Really makes you think about what the next book brings and some tummy tingling romance.
Cons: Mead's constant repetition of the past. Which she has done on all the books, I have read by her.
Final Thoughts: I am glad I started this series again. I read Bloodlines BEFORE I read the Vampire Academy Series and the whole time I was reading it I felt I was missing something, which made the book overall, "meh" for me. Now That I have read The Vampire Academy Series and I am fully obsessed with it. I could really enjoy Golden Lily more. I still do not think this series is AS good as The Vampire Academy series, but I am glad that the characters stories aren't really over yet and that we can experience it through a new character and different issues going on in their world.
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