The Forbidden Wish

Author: Jessica Khoury
Series: The Forbidden Wish, #1
Publisher: Razorbill
Release Date: January 24, 2017

She is the most powerful Jinni of all.

He is a boy from the streets.

Their love will shake the world.

When Aladdin discovers Zahra's jinni lamp, Zahra is thrust back into a world she hasn't seen in hundreds of years—a world where magic is forbidden and Zahra's very existence is illegal. She must disguise herself to stay alive, using ancient shape-shifting magic, until her new master has selected his three wishes.

But when the King of the Jinn offers Zahra a chance to be free of her lamp forever, she seizes the opportunity—only to discover she is falling in love with Aladdin. When saving herself means betraying him, Zahra must decide once and for all: is winning her freedom worth losing her heart?

As time unravels and her enemies close in, Zahra finds herself suspended between danger and desire in this dazzling retelling of the Aladdin story from acclaimed author Jessica Khoury.

I was not all impressed by the synopsis, but the writing style had me hooked. Khoury takes you on an extraordinary adventure through the city of Parthenia, where the people are restless, the jinni are hunted, and a rebellion brews in the horizon. In the midst of it all is Zahra, who only seeks her freedong.

[O]nce I am free to run, not even the shadows of the past will be able to catch me.

I love cunning age-old characters deft in the ways of magic. I love transformations into smoke, shadows, and cats. Zahra was a compelling character, whose only fault was her constant self-loathing.

"All I want is to avenge my parents, not start a war we can't win."

For a handsome thief, a character who's usually up right my alley, her love interest Aladdin was annoying. There were instances where I just wanted to take him by the shoulders and say, "Aladdin, my dude. Stop." Although he and Zahra had some cute scenes together, until the end, I could not see them as being anything more than friends. Their attraction to each other was almost convenient.

I loved you, Habiba, and in doing so, I betrayed you.

Instead, my ship lies with the Queen and the Jinni. I desperately hoped that Aladdin was the former's reincarnation, but alas. I was quickly taken with their relationship, which shares a tragic history, even though the author may not have intended for it to be romantic.

There was a lot of diversity and a lot of character in the rest of the cast as well. Princess Caspida and her handmaidens were truly badass. There were no love triangles involving her, only positive female relationships. I honestly wish the author would consider a sequel with Caspida. The weakest characters, on the other hand, were the villains. They were unremarkable, two-dimensional even.

I will grant the thief this: My time with him has been anything but dull.

Unfortunately, the story did not survive my tendency to become bored at the halfway point. I felt that something was lacking, although the writing was solid. I'd like to give heaps of praise for the characters' strong ideals. Overall, The Forbidden Wish was a memorable read.

The Madman's Daughter

Author: Megan Shepard
Series: The Madman's Daughter, #1
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Release Date: December 23, 2013

Sixteen-year-old Juliet Moreau has built a life for herself in London—working as a maid, attending church on Sundays, and trying not to think about the scandal that ruined her life. After all, no one ever proved the rumors about her father’s gruesome experiments. But when she learns he is alive and continuing his work on a remote tropical island, she is determined to find out if the accusations are true.

Accompanied by her father's handsome young assistant, Montgomery, and an enigmatic castaway, Edward—both of whom she is deeply drawn to—Juliet travels to the island, only to discover the depths of her father’s madness: He has experimented on animals so that they resemble, speak, and behave as humans. And worse, one of the creatures has turned violent and is killing the island’s inhabitants. Torn between horror and scientific curiosity, Juliet knows she must end her father's dangerous experiments and escape her jungle prison before it's too late. Yet as the island falls into chaos, she discovers the extent of her father's genius—and madness—in her own blood.

When The Madman's Daughter was released all those years ago, I was completely uninterested. Love triangles are the bane of my existence, and horror is a genre I'm not too fond of. It was only until I had to research examples of the latter that I actually decided to pick it up. Inspired by classic Gothic literature—in this case, H. G. Wells's The Island of Dr. Moreau—The Madman's Daughter had left quite the impression.

I feel obligated to mention that I've already read Her Dark Curiosity, although I do plan to make a separate review for that. As much as possible, I'll try to constrain myself from muddling the two together. This review has been a long time coming, and I'm a little rusty. What I remember most of all were the surprises this story brought to the table, and even an ending that drew a tear to my eye.

Dead flesh and sharpened scalpels didn't bother me. I was my father's daughter, after all. My nightmares were made of darker things.

What had lessened my experience was Juliet, an unsympathetic heroine who tested my patience at the end of every chapter. I feel as if I'm getting tired of women who want to tear off their corsets. I get it. I get the symbolism. But it's starting to come off as, I don't know, edgy? Cliché? While I enjoy stories in which ladies break off the shackles of society, the analogy was very cringe-worthy to read, although it certainly does follow through with her personality.

Juliet is presented as being highly analytical. Her passions are constrained, yet they yearn to break free. I will concede that her character has been well fleshed-out. Her dynamic with her father adds an interesting dimension to her narrative. Even when he isn't in her presence, he keeps her toiling on a string. As his daughter, Juliet desperately wants to see past the monster the public has made him out to be, which prompts her to test the boundaries of her moral compass.

I had thought I was alone in the world. But here he was, the only person who knew me, the only one left who shared my dark secrets.

I want to make one thing abundantly clear: Fuck love triangles. Montgomery all the way. It was obvious who was the third wheel from the get-go, but then the said third wheel would keep popping up like an annoying mole. Juliet would be ripped out of an integral moment in the plot, simply because she was too enthralled in her strange romance with Edward, and there would be plenty of moments where I would shout, "Montgomery is still in danger, you assholes." Pulling out of my rant for a moment, am I the only one who thought Edward was a blonde and Montgomery was a brunette?

The first chapters kept me invested and the middle worried me when its ability to keep me sympathetic, but the second half had been a game-changer.

I was spooked when they went to the village, when it was revealed that the creations had cut the Caesar's tongue. Scary. Shit. And that ending! I did not expect that at all. But I do prefer Juliet going back home alone than Balthazar and the horse

The prose was simply haunting, capturing the essence of Gothic horror. Despite my disdain for its protagonist, The Madman's Daughter is a horrific yet delightful read.

The Star-Touched Queen

Author: Roshani Chokshi
Series: The Star-Touched Queen, #1
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Release Date: April 26, 2016

Fate and fortune. Power and passion. What does it take to be the queen of a kingdom when you’re only seventeen?

Maya is cursed. With a horoscope that promises a marriage of death and destruction, she has earned only the scorn and fear of her father’s kingdom. Content to follow more scholarly pursuits, her whole world is torn apart when her father, the Raja, arranges a wedding of political convenience to quell outside rebellions. Soon Maya becomes the queen of Akaran and wife of Amar. Neither roles are what she expected: As Akaran's queen, she finds her voice and power. As Amar's wife, she finds something else entirely: Compassion. Protection. Desire…

But Akaran has its own secrets—thousands of locked doors, gardens of glass, and a tree that bears memories instead of fruit. Soon, Maya suspects her life is in danger. Yet who, besides her husband, can she trust? With the fate of the human and Otherworldly realms hanging in the balance, Maya must unravel an ancient mystery that spans reincarnated lives to save those she loves the most... including herself.

Stars, soulmates, and supernatural cities hit hard on my aesthetic. Just add the promise of diversity, and you're practically guaranteed to have me on-board for the ride. The Star-Touched Queen is a fantastical retelling of Hades and Persephone—although I believe the more accurate comparison would be Cupid and Psyche—set in a world that has additional roots in Indian folklore.

"You do not trust me, do you?"

"No," I said. "I had no reason to lie. "I told you [...] that trust is won in actions and time. Not words."

"I wish you trusted me."

"I don't place my faith in wishes."

Maya is the princess of Bharata, but she is only one of the many daughters sired by the Raja. Her father's walls hold a strict hierarchy, and she lies at the bottom rung. Bharata, you see, places its faith in the stars. Entire lives have been designed by horoscopes, and Maya has been given the worst one, promising her a marriage of death and destruction.

"Come with me and you shall be an empress with the moon for your throne and constellations to wear in your hair. Come with me and I promise you that we will always be equals."

In order to pacify Bharata's enemies, the Raja arranges a match between her and a neighboring prince. Enter Amar of Akaran, who vows to lay the world at her feet. However, her handsome prince might not be entirely what he seems.

Straight off the bat, I thought the prose was beautiful. The author has woven a beautiful setting that drips with culture and magic on every page. There were times, though, when her descriptions were nonsensical. Shatter Me easily comes to mind as a comparison.

The romance was swoon-worthy, at first. I loved the emphasis on Amar's desire for them to be equals. As he says time and time again, he treasures her opinion and perspective. My only complaint would be that they fall in love with each other much too easily, even as I consider the conflict that presents itself later on.

The middle surprised me. Even if a story manages to suck me in, I usually get bored by the halfway point, but the author had snuck in an intriguing surprise. 

I was conflicted about Maya's choice to stab the heart of Akaran. The villain could have easily been seen from a mile away, and stupidity can make me drop a book in a flash. I do appreciate the bold move on the author's part, and the growth Maya received as a result.

Another relationship I would like to touch on is Maya's interactions with other women. She may have her half-sister Gauri and a flesh-eating horse, but The Star-Touched Queen suffers from a lack of positive female relationships. At the same time, the allegations of slut-shaming aren't really well-founded. Gauri's relationship with the harem women is evident of that, and the novella Death and Night explores Maya's bond with two of her best friends.

There was one line, I admit, that toed the line, but I believe it had stemmed more so in the heat of the moment and Maya's history with how she's been treated by those in the palace.

On somewhat related note, I was disappointed that there was no redemption arc for Nritti. She had done some terrible things and yet, I still felt sorry for her.

Despite how well The Star-Touched Queen handles itself, the ending fell flat. Ultimately, it had been the deciding factor in whether to put it on my list of favorites or not. There were a number of unanswered questions. 

​What was that about Maya's stories coming true? Is it because she was a goddess? Because she was tapping on some hidden knowledge she once kept? What exactly curtails a goddess in this world?

At the very least, I liked The Star-Touched Queen enough to read the novella and give its sequel a chance.

Bully

Author: Penelope Douglas
Series: Fall Away, #1
Publisher: Intermix
Release Date: February 18, 2014

My name is Tate. He doesn't call me that, though. He would never refer to me so informally, if he referred to me at all.

We're neighbors, and once, we were best friends. But then, one summer, he turned on me and has made it his mission to screw up my life at every opportunity. I've been humiliated, shut out, and gossiped about all through high school. His pranks and rumors got more sadistic as time wore on, and I made myself sick trying to hide from him. I worried about what was around every corner and behind every door.

So I left.

I spent a year studying abroad and bathed in the freedom of life without Jared. Now I'm back to finish up high school and get the hell out of here forever. I'm hoping that after a year of breathing room, he's moved on and forgotten all about me.

But even if he hasn't changed, I have. I'm not interested in avoiding him or turning the other cheek anymore. We're going to go head to head, because neither of us wants to back down.

Anyone who knows me well enough knows I don't like contemporary romance. Before I read this book, which was years ago, I had only liked one self-published novel, and although I'm open to reading new adult, I had never actually read one. I know fully well about the bad rep on the last two, and a part of me kind of agrees with it. Taking in the fact that I mostly believe that contemporary romance plus new adult plus self-published equals garbage—which, now that I think about it, practically exempts me from reading ninety-nine percent of new adult novels—because I'd never heard of a good example or even a decent summary of this combination before, never had I actually expected to read this... and love it.

No, that was not a typo. I loved it.

Because of this book, Bully, I'm going to give that combination a chance now, and you have to read this, too. I don't care if you're a sci-fi fan, a purely YA lover, or a person who doesn't read books at all. You must read this, and here's why.

"I'll have you in tears in no time."

Understand this: Jared was a complete and utter asshole, along with his dipshit friend Madoc over there. The minute they opened their mouths, I wanted to bury them alive, straight after putting them through years and years of slow, intense, and painful torture. Bullies are awful, awful people, and in real life, don't try to put up with their crap or expect them to miraculously change.

Penelope Douglas makes no attempts to hide Jared's douchebaggery, and to make hundreds of readers sympathize with a jackass like him and even Madoc is an impressive feat. I would not have forgiven Jared for the things he did to Tate, ex-best friend since childhood or not.

But I can understand why though. I felt sorry for what had happened to him and made him the way he was. I know people who have been through similar things and have seen how much bitter they've become after. I couldn't untangle the mess of emotions I felt for him in the end and although I still couldn't forgive him for his action, I thought he deserved a second chance. I liked that he didn't make the unbelievable but common complete change into sappy Mr. Nice Guy in the end and still retained parts of his personality.

"You've already made me cry countless times." I raised my middle finger to [Jared] slowly, and asked, "Do you know what this is?" I took my middle finger and patted the corner of my eye with it. "It's me, wiping away the last tear you'll ever get."

I can't believe that I'm actually supporting this relationship between Tate and Jared, but I am. The author managed their power balance just splendidly. If you ever need another relationship like theirs to read about, and I can only think of one at the moment, check out an adult historical romance novel called Lord of Scoundrels, by Loretta Chase.

Even though I've never been in a situation like Tate, I found some aspects of her so relatable and most so likeable. She's strong, brave, funny, quick-witted, and smart. The damage that was done to her, heck, if I were in her shoes, I would have broke under the pressure. You would literally would have to drag my cold, dead body back to that town. There's so much I admire about Tate, and I'm proud of the way she fought back.

The only problem I had with her was her attraction to Jared when he still acted like a douche. I get that it was physical, and left over from her old friendship-crush thing, and that she was fighting it, but it still felt wrong in a way. Some of Tate's comments about a certain girl named Piper also ventured a little too much into s%#t-shaming for me. If this was young adult and not new, I would have taken down a whole point from my rating.

The side characters are equally great and very well-written. Just overall, amazing characterization and development on Penelope Douglas's part. Besides that this is self-published, as I mentioned earlier, I was even more surprised to have discovered that Bully was really the author's debut novel. I've heard about it before but after I finally read this, I really couldn't quite believe it.

Now a good book is not without its flaws. I think what pushed me away a bit was the writing style. Seriously, read this and try not to groan or roll your eyes: "The stabbing sensation in my throat surrendered to the tears wanting their release", or "I tried to blink away the disturbance to my equilibrium", or mood-breakers like, ""His lips devoured me, hard and fast, like I was being eaten alive." Halfway through though, I don't know what happened but I think the author had gotten the hang of writing a normal teenager's voice, and the try-too-hard language toned down while the humor went up.

I repeat, read Bully. You are missing so much, and I am sure you will not regret it.

Hunting Monsters

Author: S.L. Huang
Series: None
Publisher: Book Smugglers Publishing
Release Date: October 7, 2014

"Happy birthday, child. Careful not to shoot any grundwirgen."

Ever since she was a small girl, she has learned to be careful on the hunt, to recognize the signs that separate regular animals from human-cursed grundwirgen. To harm a grundwirgen is a crime punishable by death by the King’s decree—a fatal mistake that her Auntie Rosa and mother have carefully prepared her to avoid.

On her fifteenth birthday, when her mother is arrested and made to stand trial for grundwirgen murder, everything she thought she knew about her family and her past comes crashing down.

Auntie Rosa has always warned her about monsters. Now, she must find and confront them to save her mother, no matter the cost.

Friggin' gorgeous. Just friggin' gorgeous. How dare you do this to me, S.L. Huang? How dare you?

In this retelling of Beauty and the Beast and Little Red Riding Hood. Xiao Hong is a young girl that comes from a family of hunters. She's raised by her mother Mei and her partner Rosa, who have given her everything she needs and everything she needs to know. Although her mother is distant and Xiao Hong spends more time with Auntie Rosa, she loves them both more than anything in the world. So when the King's Men break down the door and take her mother to court, tearing her family apart and accusing her of a terrible crime, Xia Hong does everything to prove them wrong. But the people seemed to have made up their mind, and there's little she could do without a hint of proof leading to her mother's innocence.

We all knew trials in this kingdom were swift and executions swifter.

How perfect can this be? People of Color represented in a medieval setting! A protagonist living in an unconventional household and raised by a same sex couple, one of whom is bisexual! Non-negative reinforcement of these elements! Calling out of abusive relationships! Likeable, human characters! Confrontations with moral questions! Beautiful, evenly-paced writing that hooks you in! People of Color! If I should have any complaints, it's that there should be a follow-up, spin-off novel after. I'd like to write a longer, coherent review, but I can't stop raving about how good it is, and anything I'll say will have me spoiling too much. You'll simply have to trust me when I say that Hunting Monsters is one of the most perfect, awesomesauce short stories I and almost every other reader have and will ever come across.

Crushed

Author: Eliza Crewe
Series: Soul Eaters, #2
Publisher: Self-Published
Release Date: September 22, 2014

Meda Melange has officially hung up her monstrous mantle and planted her feet firmly on the holy and righteous path of a Crusader-in-training. Or, at least, she’s willing to give it a shot. It helps that the Crusaders are the only thing standing between her and the demon hordes who want her dead.

The problem is, the only people less convinced than Meda of her new-found role as Good Girl are the very Crusaders she's trying to join. So when a devilishly handsome half-demon boy offers escape, how’s a girl supposed to say "no?"

After all, everyone knows a good girl's greatest weakness is a bad boy.

Way to pull on my heartstrings, Ms. Crewe. I hope you're happy, perhaps smirking behind a computer screen out there, while somewhere, one of your readers is—er, was doing everything from shouting profanities to making soundless expressions at an open book in the middle of a lecture hall.

Which is a good thing, I guess.

If the message wasn't clear when I wrote my review of Cracked, you, dear reader, need to pick up the Soul Eater series right now. Almost everything I loved about the first book carried on to Crushed—engaging writing, complex relationships, exceptional character development, characters diverse in race and disability, and fast-paced, action-packed plot. And it's just so nice to indulge in narrative that isn't so serious all the time. How do authors manage to do this so effortlessly?

No, Meda, you can't eat that guy.

Meda is back, bitches. She may have saddled herself with the Crusaders—with good intentions and as a true Beacon, this time—but she's not about to let herself be held on a tight leash. And she'll be damned before she becomes a pet for these goody-two shoes humans, ready to bark and roll over at their beck and call.

I am what I am and I am not ashamed.

But if the Crusaders are going to trust her, she'll have to keep her head bowed or lose the only protection she has against the army of pissed-off hell spawns who want her and their revenge. Or she could run away with a hot demon halfling for a weekend of superhero antics. Which sounds pretty good too. If a war's coming, might as well cherish these moments while it lasts, eh?

Meda's been through her share of growth, but that journey of hers is far from over. The demon and human halves of her personality still struggle to fit together. She feels guilty for causing her friends trouble, but she can't quite resist the temptation of being bad, which she doesn't feel sorry for and doesn't need to. If her friends are in a pinch, she'll stay good and true, being loyal to a fault.

No one else will know I snuck out, but [Jo's] stellar bullshit-o-meter always knows when I'm up to no good.

I can't ever get enough of Meda and Jo, one of the best friendships I've ever read about in literature. Their friendship, thankfully, wasn't torn apart over trivial matters. Jo still calls her out for her bullshit and Meda for hers. Honestly, I liked that these characters were so multi-layered. You can't really hate anyone for anything, even the villains.

"Well, if it isn't the delectable Meda Melange." [...] His name isn't nearly as memorable as his face, so I just gasp "You!" Rude, maybe, but I figure "half-demon-boy-from-the-demon-dungeon" would really give my ignorance away.

Smooth-talking Armand makes a comeback! Totally called it. But whenever he came into the picture, though no fault of the author's, I kept on thinking about this motherfucker. Not the same name, but similar enough. It was hard to imagine Armand being seductive and charming when I keep hearing Takahata101's voice from TeamFourStar's Attack on Titan Abridged. Still, the flirtation between Meda and Armand had me struggling to hold back a smile.

He grins at me and I grin at him, two Cheshire smiles brilliant in the dim and dingy living room...

I wish Armand and Meda had been given more scenes together to drive home their feelings for each other. I believed in it, but I felt like something was lacking.

Can we talk about that ending? Armand's betrayal and Meda's resolve hurt so much, but I'm a true masochist that eats these kinds of things up and I wouldn't have liked it more any other way. But I would totally take Armand back as a love interest. In the realm of fiction, of course. Anyone who does what he did in real life should be punished, no question. I may be sick, but I do have standards. Somewhere.

"How exactly do you see this..." I wave between the two of us, unable to come up with a descriptor.

"Beautiful friendship?" he supplies with a devilish grin.

"...going?" I finish, ignoring him. "Us being mortal enemies and all."

"I prefer the term 'star-crossed lovers'."

I snort. "Regardless, it can't end well."

"The best romances don't."

City of a Thousand Dolls

Author: Miriam Forster
Series: Bhinian Empire, #1
Publisher: HarperTeen
Release Date: February 5, 2013

An exotic treat set in an entirely original, fantastical world brimming with deadly mystery, forbidden romance, and heart-stopping adventure.

Nisha was abandoned at the gates of the City of a Thousand Dolls when she was just a child. Now sixteen, she lives on the grounds of the isolated estate, where orphan girls apprentice as musicians, healers, courtesans, and, if the rumors are true, assassins. Nisha makes her way as Matron's assistant, her closest companions the mysterious cats that trail her shadow. Only when she begins a forbidden flirtation with the city's handsome young courier does she let herself imagine a life outside the walls. Until one by one, girls around her start to die.

Before she becomes the next victim, Nisha decides to uncover the secrets that surround the girls' deaths. But by getting involved, Nisha jeopardizes not only her own future in the City of a Thousand Dolls—but her own life.

To think I actually thought about turning away this novel because it had factions. Just another reason to curse the growing number of dystopian novels of late, and to thank the heavens for the book's beautiful cover, charming author, disability and South Asian representation convincing me otherwise. And don't worry, City of a Thousand Dolls comes nowhere near to the awfully-done Stormdancer.

"You have been invaluable to me as an assistant and as a source of information." [Matron] hesitated. "And I'm afraid that your value to me has put you in great danger."

Nisha is the Matron's bitch. She tidies her room, does her errands, and reports to her whenever something peculiar catches her eye, allowing Nisha to move freely between Houses. Shockingly, her recent report doesn't contain the usual out-of-stock hairpin notice or the occasional girl unhappy with her House, but a body found at the very center of the City of a Thousand Dolls. As the Redeeming, the most important event of the city, approaches and the Matron's hands become full with the new Council Head who seeks to take her city for himself, Nisha, with the help of a sarcastic clan of talking cats, is sent to investigate.

"There are more secrets in the City than you can possibly know. Which ones do you really care about?"

While City of a Thousand Dolls may sometimes lack the maturity or complexity of similarly-themed novels, I enjoyed reading it for what it was. Nisha, though a touch bland, had turned out to be a strong-willed protagonist that I've come to adore. She makes mistakes and she learns from them, a simple thing I can't say for most young adult protagonists. She tries so hard to do the right thing, no matter what tries to bring her down. I empathized strongly with her sense of loneliness and feelings of being trapped within the estate, finding parallels with my current situation to hers. I won't get into that, for obvious reasons, but I think you get the picture.

She was just Nisha. And she needed to be free.

Much of the first half of the book is comprised of world-building, and the synopsis was right. For once, the "entirely original, fantastical world brimming with deadly mystery" was not a lie. Miriam Forster's love for her work shone between the lines, a first for me, and I share in that love. The author had clearly done her research and expressed it in a respectful way. People of Color and disabled characters are in abundance, as well as powerful women and women of power. There's no shame in what the House of Pleasure does. I loved how she handled Nisha's romance with the men in her life and how it isn't the only kind of love that's touched upon. And if an author can make you ship a human with a cat, you know they have some serious skill. Although I wish there was something... more, City of a Thousand Dolls was amazing by itself and not a novel any reader should pass up. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to go draw some terrible fanart.

Bloodlines

Author: Richelle Mead
Series: Bloodlines, #1
Publisher: Razorbill
Release Date: August 23, 2011

I wasn't free of my past, not yet.

Sydney's blood is special. That's because she's 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. But the last encounter Sydney had with vampires got her in deep trouble with the other alchemists. And now wither her allegiances in question, her future is on the line.

When Sydney is torn from her bed in the middle of the night, at first she still thinks she's being punished by her complicated alliance with dhampir Rose Hathaway. But what unfolds is far worse. Jill Dragomir—the sister of Moroi Queen Lissa Dragomir—is in mortal danger, and the Moroi must send her into hiding. To avoid a civil war, Sydney is called upon to act as Jill's guardian and protector, posing as her roommate in the unlikeliest places: a human boarding school in Palm Springs, California. The last thing Sydney wants is to be accused of sympathizing with vampires. And now she has to live with one.

The Moroi court believe Jill and Sydney will be safe at Amberwood Prep, but threats, distraction, and forbidden romance lurk both outside—and within—the school grounds. Now that they're in hiding, the drama is only the beginning.

There's nothing like reading a good book to wash the horrid taste of the last.

First, I must say that the series that preceded this, Vampire Academy, was nothing special for me. Every time I finished one book, I always would feel unsatisfied or annoyed by something Rose and the rest of the cast had done. I would skim through pages just to get it over with, stopping only when I spotted the odd interesting scene. When the final book Last Sacrifice was over and done with, the conclusion left a bad taste in my mouth, and I gave away the books, never wanting to see them again. I wouldn't have went on to read the spin-off at all if someone hadn't gifted it to me, and I thought it would have been a waste if I didn't give it a shot. So you can see how surprised I was to find myself loving Bloodlines all the way.

The author offers great, short recaps every so often in Sydney's narrative, but I think for new readers to fully appreciate the baggage these characters' carry and not be spoiled on the previous series's events, I suggest you read through Vampire Academy first.

Sydney has been raised to fear vampires and their half-breeds her entire life. Moroi, Strigori, Dhampirs—it didn't matter whether they were good or evil. They were all unnatural, bloodsucking creatures to be abhorred and hidden away from mankind. Any alchemist that was known to even think of them kindly would be sent to the Re-education Center to be tortured until their lesson was learned. For a while, Sydney was the same in alchemist thinking and had even been the perfect role-model for the profession with her cold, controlled, and responsible personality. Until Rose Hathaway entered the picture.

Little by little, the dhampir earned her trust and later embroiled her in a search to clear her name of murder, which marked Sydney as a traitor when she was caught. Rose had eventually found her evidence, but Sydney would now be looked upon with eyes of suspicion. Bloodlines deals with the aftermath of Last Sacrifice, of all the people Rose in some way hurt.

What makes Sydney different from Team Human's Mel is that Sydney was raised with her prejudice. She was brainwashed, never given time to think for herself or formulate her own opinions about these other species. I know firsthand how it feels to be raised to be intolerant, and it took me a while to realize how wrong I was and that the people I thought I hated for being different didn't deserve to be judged or mocked. And while Sydney has her reservations against vampires, at least she treats them almost as if they were the same and slowly but surely starts to grow to realize that Moroi and Dhampirs aren't the monsters the alchemists claim.

Laurel's words suddenly rang back to me. You know, you can be as scary as hell sometimes. 

I loved that where Rose is brash, impulsive, and insensitive, Sydney actually thinks about the situation and its consequences. She may have an aversion to violence, but this in no way makes her weak. In her own quiet, clever way, she fights back. She cannot verbally or physically rebel against her fellow alchemists without being severely punished or having her sister become a slave to them. Her supervisor, whom she holds a mutual distaste, is a golden boy who could have the higher-ups believe in any twisted version of the truth he says. She already is on thin ice due to the incident with Rose, and one misstep could have her sent to the Re-education Center. I wanted to console her whenever she was feeling frustrated, which was often when having to babysit a teenage princess and her overprotective and sometimes unreasonable entourage.

"Takes a lot of tries before you hit perfection." [Adrian] paused to reconsider that. "Well, except for my parents. They got it on the first try."

Her future love interest, Adrian, is still hung-up over Rose after a month of having broken up with her. There is no Sydrian yet, (which is terrific since that would be highly unrealistic) but the chemistry between them so far is great. I loved that they're just building up trust between each other and in turn, a friendship, which we so rarely see. I loved that they generally bring out the best in each other and help each other grow as a person. I loved knowing that in the next book there will most likely be them battling out forbidden feelings, because I love the desperation of wanting characters to be together than the satisfaction of them actually getting together. While reading Vampire Academy, I did not give a flying fudge bar on whether or not Rose and Dimitri would ever be together. Here, my inner shipper came to fore.

I had no problem with the rest of the characters. I even liked the recurring ones much better here than in the previous books, including Rose. I was immensely satisfied with how the secrets were strung together—I never would have guessed the answer to each one—and how the book was wrapped up. I have to say that Richelle Mead really stepped it up in Bloodlines, and I hope she keeps it up for the rest of the series.