Review ~ The Ruby Circle ~ Richelle Mead

The Ruby Circle
Bloodlines #6
Release Date:
Genre: YA Paranormal Romance
Source: Purchased Hardcover
Rating: 4.5 Bookworms
Goodreads

Synopsis
THEY WILL BE TESTED

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.

Their forbidden romance exposed, Sydney and Adrian find themselves facing the wrath of both the Alchemists and the Moroi in this electrifying conclusion to Richelle Mead's bestselling Bloodlines series.

When the life of someone they both love is put on the line, Sydney risks everything to hunt down a deadly former nemesis. Meanwhile, she and Adrian becomes enmeshed in a puzzle that could hold the key to a shocking secret about spirit magic, a secret that could shake the entire Moroi world and alter their lives forever.

Don't miss their unforgettable final chapter...

LOVE WILL CONQUER ALL

The Ruby Circle is a solid ending for the Bloodlines series. Mead incorporated all the elements she's known for - intrigue, action, mythology, and romance - and tied them all together to render an exciting and satisfying story.

As I said in my Silver Shadows review, I admire the way Mead takes details, from over the course of the series, that a reader might think inconsequential and uses them to create drama and bring everything full circle. Having the entire cast, so to speak, only enhanced my enjoyment. They all joined forces to find Jill and figure out what the Alchemists were up to. There was magic and drama and swoons. I will admit to starting into this a little dismayed with Adrian once again. But he once again proved why he's so lovable. There was on thing Mead left unanswered where Adrian is concerned but it didn't take away from the story.

What I enjoyed most about The Ruby Circle, and Bloodlines overall, has been watching Sydney and Adrian grow as individuals. Sydney was so set in her strict and conservative Alchemist ways that it was heartening to see her open her mind, to use her gifts, and love openly. Adrian was this pompous Moroi royal and, okay, so he didn't lose all his pompousness...this is Adrian we're talking about...but he also opened up, displayed his vulnerabilities and grew into a much more responsible and mature young man.

So, obviously I liked how things ended even if I didn't want things to end. However, I was thrilled to see in the acknowledgements that Mead said we haven't see the last of these characters. And she reiterated this at RT when I spoke with her about it. She said there's nothing definite but that these characters refuse to leave her head. I said "Woohoo!"

Review ~ Silver Shadows ~ Richelle Mead

Silver Shadows
Bloodlines #5
Release Date: July 29, 2014
Genre: YA Paranormal Romance
Source: Purchased Hardcover
Rating: 4.5 Bookworms
Goodreads

Synopsis
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.

In The Fiery Heart, Sydney risked everything to follow her gut, walking a dangerous line to keep her feelings hidden from the Alchemists.

Now in the aftermath of an event that ripped their world apart, Sydney and Adrian struggle to pick up the pieces and find their way back to each other. But first, they have to survive.

For Sydney, trapped and surrounded by adversaries, life becomes a daily struggle to hold on to her identity and the memories of those she loves. Meanwhile, Adrian clings to hope in the face of those who tell him Sydney is a lost cause, but the battle proves daunting as old demons and new temptations begin to seize hold of him...

Their worst fears now a chilling reality, Sydney and Adrian face their darkest hour in this heart-pounding fifth installment in the New York Times bestselling Bloodlines series, where all bets are off.

Silver Shadows was an intense read. With Sydney suffering at the hands of the Alchemists and Adrian suffering at the hands of Spirit, I spent much of the book on edge. There is so much going on and so many unanswered questions. Why do the Alchemists have to be so bigoted in their beliefs? What's going going on in Adrian's head? Is there a conspiracy between certain factions?

I spent the first half of Silver Shadows on pins and needles wondering how Sydney was going to survive her situation. The Alchemists are rather ruthless in their methods and Sydney broke a cardinal rule. But she is nothing if not resourceful. I shouldn't have been surprised by her logic and cunning. I also spent half the book wanting to punch Adrian in the throat. I've been enchanted by him from the beginning but his behavior was over-the-top selfish and made me steaming mad.

Then, naturally, Adrian redeems himself in a grand way. *sigh* Oh, there's still much intrigue afoot and he and Sydney are far from being out of danger, but at least I was back to wanting to hug him rather than throttle him.

It was exciting to have Marcus back in the mix and I also enjoyed seeing Lissa, Rose, and Dimitri - although it was far too short a time. I have a feeling they'll play a greater role in the final installment as things come to a head and everything is illuminated.

One thing I really enjoyed was how Mead pulled in elements from previous installments - things that seemed innocuous or that made me wonder why they'd been included. These elements were made relevant and useful.

I'm anxious to see how it's all going to play out - to have all my questions answered and to see the final image as the last brush strokes are laid. Mead certainly knows how to create excitement and suspense. It's a good thing I have The Ruby Circle lined up. ;)

Teaser Tuesdays ~ #67

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

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The Ruby Circle
Bloodlines #6

THEY WILL BE TESTED

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.

Their forbidden romance exposed, Sydney and Adrian find themselves facing the wrath of both the Alchemists and the Moroi in this electrifying conclusion to Richelle Mead's bestselling Bloodlines series.

When the life of someone they both love is put on the line, Sydney risks everything to hunt down a deadly former nemesis. Meanwhile, she and Adrian becomes enmeshed in a puzzle that could hold the key to a shocking secret about spirit magic, a secret that could shake the entire Moroi world and alter their lives forever.

Don't miss their unforgettable final chapter...

LOVE WILL CONQUER ALL

***Teaser***

"The two of them made a striking combo, one dark and one golden, both utterly fearless in the face of danger. They were beautiful in the deadliness."