Vampire Academy & Bloodlines series by Richelle Mead (VA group read September 2013)

[Stacia (the 2010 club), groupaholic, YA-MA founder]

If you do not want the Rose's love interest spoiled, you might want to take caution when reading the topic. I think a few of us might have accidentally made a few comments that might be spoilerish without meaning to.

Two separate series interconnected. Vampire Academy is the original and I would recommend reading it first because several of the characters are featured in the spinoff series Bloodlines

Vampire Academy :



Bloodlines :

[Stacia (the 2010 club), groupaholic, YA-MA founder]

I'm a Richelle Mead fanatic, so she can do no wrong by me, whether she's writing YA or adult books. They're all good.

Book 1 of VA is a strong world-builder, so if you struggle with that one, keep going. The books get much better as the series continues.

I like that the male characters are older (24, 21) and that a lot of the VA books revolve around action and fighting. The lore is also well researched and described.

Anyone who likes their vamps to be evil will get to see evil vamps in these books.

The spin-off series Bloodlines only has one book out so far, but it's a good start to a new series.

[Gwennie]

I liked VA alot! I really like Bloodlines too, I have high hopes for that series.

I agree with you that I've read 3 of her series and I'm pretty impressed each time. I really like her alot.

[Angie]

I'm going to start VA when I finish my current book. I'm pretty excited to finally get to this series. :)

[Carina]

I agree. Richelle Mead is one of my favorite authors. Don't believe me? Read some of my Georgina Kincaid reviews. Its like I'm in love with her or something, lol.
VA is one of my fav YA series and I'm sure I'll be re-reading it sometime in the future.
I'll probably wait to read Bloodlines until there are more books out. Aaaand, I will DEFINETLY be reading her Dark Swan series soon.

[Stacia (the 2010 club), groupaholic, YA-MA founder]

There will definitely be a re-read of Dark Swan for me before the last book comes out in a few months.

I had to read Bloodlines when it came out. I was missing my characters. Unfortunately, now I have to wait so long for the next book.

[Jean Valjean (OG 2010)]

I still never read the fifth VA book so I feel weird starting the Bloodlines series without even finishing the last VA book. Interestingly, I've had Bloodlines since May or some ridiculous shit.

[Stacia (the 2010 club), groupaholic, YA-MA founder]

I'd finish up VA first before moving on to Bloodlines. There's sort of a conflict at the end which leads into what's going on in the first Bloodlines book.

[Angie]

I just finished the first VA book and really liked it! There was a lot more sex talk then I'd expect from YA, but I thought it was realistic since not all teens are perfectly chaste. I may start on the second book tomorrow, if not, definitely this week.

[Stacia (the 2010 club), groupaholic, YA-MA founder]

I liked how it sort of danced the line with the sex thing. It didn't go overboard, but didn't gloss over anything either. The lust charm scene was pretty hot, actually.

[Gwennie]

I thought it was pretty realistic to the age range in the books, myself.

[[deleted user]]

I love all Richelle's books! Im gonna start (tho its not ya...!) soon once im done with the one im reading atm. I havent started Bloodlines yet, but i finally got it in the mail today

[Stacia (the 2010 club), groupaholic, YA-MA founder]

So I have a question for all of you who have read Bloodlines.

Did anyone else have the thought that it was strange how (view spoiler)[Jill wanted to get out in the real world and model, after having just survived such a brutal attack where she died and had to be brought back? If I had just been killed, I might be a little scared of the real world, knowing I was still being stalked/in danger. Also, what is everyone's thoughts on Adrian and Jill being spirit bound? Is this too obvious/repetitive, or is this a positive thing because it allows us a chance to be inside Adrian's head, which wouldn't have happened otherwise? (hide spoiler)]

[Gwennie]

(view spoiler)[Them being spirit bound was one of my least favorite things about the book. BUt I guess she needed a reason for Adrian to be there. (hide spoiler)]

[N.B.]

I loved Vampire Academy. So full of emotion. I didn't really fall in love with Rose as a heroine until Blood Promise. Her character development is really well done. As for the males, I rather took a shine to Christian. I'm hoping Blood Lines makes it onto audio soon.

[Samantha]

Love these!! Also I want to smash Sydney's dad's head in with a shovel.

[Shannon]

Nadia wrote: "I loved Vampire Academy. So full of emotion. I didn't really fall in love with Rose as a heroine until Blood Promise. Her character development is really well done. As for the males, I rather took ..."

It's on audio. I listened to the book when I read it.

[Ellie]

I absolutely loved the entire VA series...however I am feeling very apprehensive about Bloodlines because Sydney was never one of my favorite characters. For those who have read both, how was the comparison (just a general overview please :D)?

[Shannon]

Sydney isn't as an exciting character as Rose. But if you go into the story not expecting it to be like VA, you should enjoy.

[Samantha]

Shannon wrote: "Sydney isn't as an exciting character as Rose. But if you go into the story not expecting it to be like VA, you should enjoy."

She kinda loosens up a bit. She's also good for Adrian, which makes me happy because I felt like he got screwed in VA.

[Ellie]

Thanks, Shannon and Samantha! And my love for Adrian is undying so I guess I have no excuse not to read it now.

[Shannon]

Samantha wrote: "Shannon wrote: "Sydney isn't as an exciting character as Rose. But if you go into the story not expecting it to be like VA, you should enjoy."

She kinda loosens up a bit. She's also good for Ad..."

I do like Adrian. And I wasn't suggesting that Sydney wasn't interesting. I just meant she wasn't Rose. Rose is a fighter. Sydney is a thinker.

[Stacia (the 2010 club), groupaholic, YA-MA founder]

Shannon wrote: "Sydney isn't as an exciting character as Rose. But if you go into the story not expecting it to be like VA, you should enjoy."

This. I didn't really care for Sydney in VA, but I found a respect for her in Bloodlines. Plus, her scenes with Adrian were priceless.

And I'm with Louise. Any series that Mead writes is going to be good. If you like this one, definitely try out her adult series too. Her humor makes the books.

[Gwennie]

I was going to come say the same thing Stacia said, that I really started to like Sydney in Bloodlines. Instead, I'll just say I wholly concur. LOL

[thesebooksiread]

I liked Sydney "okay" in VA but didn't really care either way about her. I was really nervous when I found out it was from her perspective but after reading it I really like her now and I am really excited for this series! I love reading things that we, the readers, know about the characters but Sydney doesn't and reading along as she figures them out. I really like it and it is a whole new perspective on this world, whats not to love about that? I loved all the VA books but I think it would have gotten to the point where books would start to disappoint if she kept going. but now we get more from this world with new characters and storylines and I think it was perfect timing. LOVE IT!

[Gwennie]

I also really love the relationship between Sydney and Adrian. Which I know we kinda already talked about.

With Rose and Dmitri it was almost instantaneous, which usually drives me crazy, but it seemed to work. But I think because of that it's especially nice that whatever is going to happen between Sydney and Adrian (if anything) seems to be developing slower. It's a nice change of pace.

[Stacia (the 2010 club), groupaholic, YA-MA founder]

Adjusted the original post to mention that Rose's love interest for the last book might be spoiled based on comments we've made about the Bloodlines series. If you are just reading this comment as your first post and do not want to know who Rose ends up with ahead of time, you might want to wait to read this topic until after you've finished the Vampire Academy series.

I apologize that we were not on top of spoiler tags for this topic. Although I will say that by this point, it's pretty hard to get through VA series without having that part spoiled by someone, simply based on who appears in the spin-off series and people mentioning those books.

[Stacia (the 2010 club), groupaholic, YA-MA founder]

Wendy F wrote: "I also really love the relationship between Sydney and Adrian. Which I know we kinda already talked about..."

Which is why this new blog post of Mead's of the summary for the new book The Golden Lily frustrated me a bit :

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?

We all know that she is going to probably end up with Adrian, but did we really need another "side-guy" distraction? I would have preferred the obstacles to be something other than another guy. Maybe some sort of separation due to her work or something.

Cheesy trailer, but what do you guys think of Adrian? Does he look like how you imagined?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhbrbU...

[Carina]

Ugh!! <---Very frustrated here.

Another 'side guy' is EXACTLY what I didn't want for this series. I haven't even read Bloodlines and I'm already alittle disappointed...maybe not in the book, but in the way things are headed.
I'm with you Stacia. Any other obstacle to A and S being together, would have been better than this. I'll watch the trailer when I get home.

[Stacia (the 2010 club), groupaholic, YA-MA founder]

Especially since Adrian (view spoiler)[was hurt by Rose. He doesn't need a round 2 to compete for someone's heart. (hide spoiler)]

[Regina]

Mead is such a good writer, such doesn't need to use love triangles to create false tensions!

I just realized that there were multiple triangles going in both directions in the Succubus series - -not sure why I didn't see that before. But still, I love Succubus. :)

[Gwennie]

I'm really upset about that too! I was looking forward to just reading a slow progressing relationship with just Adrian. I'm really bummed that she's bothering with another triangle.

I hope that it at least doesn't go past this book.

[Carina]

Stacia ~ platonic wrote: "Especially since Adrian [spoilers removed]"

Exactly!



Wendy F wrote: "I was looking forward to just reading a slow progressing relationship with just Adrian."

Me too!


....still very upset....

[Carina]

Stacia~ platonic wrote: "Cheesy trailer, but what do you guys think of Adrian? Does he look like how you imagined?"



NO! lol....what is going on with this guys hair?? haha

[Stacia (the 2010 club), groupaholic, YA-MA founder]

I actually didn't think he was too far off from how I had imagined Adrian but I agree that the hair is off.

I have no idea who this is, but if he didn't have the tattoo, he would remind me of Adrian.



And my Abe




Anyway, I didn't come in here to post fancasting pics, but since I was replying, I had these pics handy.

I saw Richelle Mead's new blog post and she announced her new adult series here :

http://blue-succubus.livejournal.com/

So yay for another series from her. :)

[[deleted user]]

I LOVE that first pic stacia. Thats so Adrian!

[Gwennie]

The first pic is DEF Adrian, so hot. I also love your Abe pics.

[Carina]

Love your Adrian picture AND your Abe pic(although he looks nothing like that in my head, lol)

I'm always excited for more Richelle Mead. YA or Adult, I'll read ANYTHING by her.

[Mimi]

Yes, the pic is Adrian alright. I still haven't read Bloodlines. I didn't really get to love Adrian in VA(possibly 'cause of the Dmitri/Rose thing), so I'm not overly enthusiastic. I'll definitely read it, though.

As to the Dark Swan series-I'm thinking NO on that one.

I am excited to hear about the new series, though.

[Stacia (the 2010 club), groupaholic, YA-MA founder]

I still have friends who are upset over the Adrian thing. He gets a new series - what more do you want? I think it was important for the story to show how much he got hurt, in order to make his journey in Bloodlines more interesting. To me, the author laid impressive groundwork.

Carina, he's the only actor I can find who looks sort of Turkish (which Abe is) to me with the features and skin color. That's why I chose him.

I'm with you though. Any series from her is a must-get for me. Her humor and unique characters make her books extremely readable.

[Carina]

Even her Dark Swan series, which is by far my least favorite, I'm still really glad I read it.
Richelle does have some of the most interesting characters out there.

[Stacia (the 2010 club), groupaholic, YA-MA founder]

I just realized that Bloodlines number 2 comes out in a month and hear that it's better than the first one. I may try to beg for an arc from someone.

Was on RM's blog and thought these pics were cute because Mead is swiping from Seth's t-shirt collection. It's so weird because I swore I'd posted these before but can't find them. If I did post them in this group in another topic, let me know and I'll delete this. Don't want to be all spammy.

She-Ra AND Jem. I want to kiss this woman. In a very romantic way, I think.



Guess who she's posing with? That's Francine Pascal of Sweet Valley High fame.

[Gwennie]

Oh my gosh, I really want that She-Ra tshirt! That is so kick ass.

(And I loved Sweet Valley High!)

[Carina]

I'm finally and hopefully gonna read Bloodlines this month and maybe I'll read book 2 soon-ish.

[Stacia (the 2010 club), groupaholic, YA-MA founder]

Post 35 of Adrian. That should be some incentive.

[Carina]

No shit. I love that pic of him.

[Stacia (the 2010 club), groupaholic, YA-MA founder]

So I'm having trouble remembering who Trey was from book 1 of Bloodlines. Anyone care to refresh my memory?

[Gwennie]

was that the (view spoiler)[guy who was pretending to like Sydney and turned out to be the badguy (hide spoiler)]?

[Stacia (the 2010 club), groupaholic, YA-MA founder]

Nope. This guy Trey appears to be friends with Sydney. It's bugging me that I don't remember who he is!

[Gwennie]

Damn... I don't remember either. I'll have to look it up.