Audiobook Review: Vampire Academy

Vampire Academy (Vampire Academy #1) by Richelle Mead
Release Date ~ August 16, 2007 (Audio: March 31, 2008)
Razorbill ~ Penguin
ISBN13: 9781595141743
Audiobook purchased from Audible
Goodreads Synopsis:
St. Vladimir’s Academy isn’t just any boarding school—it’s a hidden place where vampires are educated in the ways of magic and half-human teens train to protect them. Rose Hathaway is a Dhampir, a bodyguard for her best friend Lissa, a Moroi Vampire Princess. They’ve been on the run, but now they’re being dragged back to St. Vladimir’s—the very place where they’re most in danger...

Rose and Lissa become enmeshed in forbidden romance, the Academy’s ruthless social scene, and unspeakable nighttime rituals. But they must be careful lest the Strigoi—the world’s fiercest and most dangerous vampires—make Lissa one of them forever.

So I FINALLY jumped on the VA bandwagon - I feel like I'm the last person to have read it! I was lucky enough to get an ARC of Bloodlines last summer for review and decided to give it a shot - much to my surprise, I totally fell in love and it wasn't until I read Bloodlines that I actually had a desire to read VA!

I can totally see what all the fuss is about - I'm not a huge fan of vampires or paranormal books in general, but I really love that VA doesn't feel like every other vampire book out there. And a pretty awesome, strong lead female definitely helps too!

1. This isn't your standard YA vampire fare:
   
   I love that Richelle incorporated her own twists on vampires and different elements. To be honest, the vampires in the VA world very rarely felt like traditional vampires - or even vampires at all - for most of this first book. They just seemed so normal and, well, more like fancy humans. Especially since Rose is a dhampir. And I LOVE the magic aspect to it.
2. Great blend of paranormal and contemporary:
   
   I also love that this one isn't overloaded with paranormal events and elements; there's a distinct contemporary feel to it, similar in the way that a lot of the characters go through very real, very familiar struggles. It definitely makes them easier to relate to, it's just more exciting than any of the highschool drama I ever witnessed haha.
3. Rose is a very different sort of main character:
   
   I think in YA, we kind of get used to reading about the misfit characters - ones who aren't entirely confident, or just don't feel like they fit in. In some ways, Rose definitely is a misfit and there are times when her confidence is a bit lacking... but overall, she isn't like that. She's very confident about herself, overall, and often does find ways to fit in and roll with the punches. It's nice to live vicariously through characters like her at times. And while there were a few times where I could easily see how immature and young she was (which isn't a bad thing, it's factual) I also know that there's plenty of room for improvement in that area too (seeing as there are a whole bunch of books in the series).
4. Strong female friendships:
   
   I know that there are some special reasons why Lissa and Rose are bonded together, but I find it so heartening to read about two characters who can be so close as friends. Too often I feel like the good friends take the backseat in books, or turn out to be jerks. But these two such depths of loyalty and mutual concern for each other, something which I wish we saw more of in YA books.

And yes, there's definitely action. And mystery. Plenty of other elements to keep you intrigued and easily hold your attention for the book and leave you looking for more at the end.

But at the same time, I could definitely tell that this book was really more of a set up for later books because it lacked a lot of the excitement and action I was highly anticipating after hearing so much about these books. And there were too many times when people just felt far too oblivious to what was going on around them. I definitely have the impression that I'll love the later books though.

Lastly, I also don't feel like I missed out by reading Bloodlines & The Golden Lily first. Yes, I am definitely spoiled for some things - but honestly, I never would have read VA without Bloodlines. And I didn't find Bloodlines confusing without having read VA, but I believe I'm in the minority on that one.

Thoughts on the audio:

The other bit that might have taken away from my experience was the audio and narration itself. I didn't love the narrator, but I did get used to her voice. The problem was when she switched to different voices for other characters - Lissa and Mia were just far too annoying, and I really can't stand the Dimitri voice. My sister told me at one point that it reminded her of an old Russian lady, and after that I just couldn't picture anything else.

Purchase Links

United States	Canada	International
Amazon	Amazon Canada	The Book Depository
Barnes & Noble	Chapters Indigo (Signature Edition for only $7!)	Audible

Review: The Golden Lily

The Golden Lily (Bloodlines #2) by Richelle Mead
Release Date ~ June 12, 2012
Razorbill ~ Penguin
ISBN13: 9781595143181
ARC won from whatchYAreading?

My review is spoiler-free but the synopsis may have a few spoilers for Bloodlines- you can also check out my review for Bloodlines (the first book in the series) here. And the top 10 things I loved about Bloodlines :)
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.

It's no secret that I'm a huge fan of Bloodlines (and Sydney Sage!) ever since I first read the new Vampire Academy spin-off last year. I've yet to read Vampire Academy, but I still highly recommend Richelle Mead's new series to those new to her VA world; you'll be spoiled for a few things but it's kind of intimidating at times to start a new series with a large number of books that are already released. So this is another good way to immerse yourself in Richelle's world and writing :)

I loved Golden Lily- it had all the same elements I loved about Bloodlines, just amped up a bit more! Which is fantastic because I like a strong sequel that picks up where the first book left off and then improves on a solid foundation.

1. Real issues that we can relate to:
   Not everyone is going to have the same problems that Sydney has, but I love that she's a realistic character with issues often found in real life, so that the Bloodlines books blend the distinction between paranormal and contemporary. Usually we think of paranormal books as largely (or only) dealing with paranormal issues (you know, like vampire problems). And contemporary books tend to deal with real issues (like eating disorders or relationships). But I LOVE it when a book can have both and The Golden Lily is another fantastic example of this (another good book that does this, if you're interested, is Storm by Brigid Kemmerer). And while they aren't completely dealt with, we do get to see a better picture of how toxic Sydney's self-esteem issues are and even relationships with others, such as Adrian's failing relationship with his father.
2. More EVERYTHING (including romance):
   One of the biggest complaints I read about Bloodlines was that there wasn't enough romance for readers- I think The Golden Lily will amend this for them! I actually didn't mind the lack of romance in Bloodlines (I'm a fan of the anticipation/build up, what can I say!) and The Golden Lily doesn't involve a LOT either. But it's there and it's good- Richelle's talent for writing chemistry between two characters and gradually amping it up is phenomenal! Plus there's more development for characters- we get to see some different sides to Sydney, Adrian, Trey and Jill in particular. And more drama (of course- what's a good book without drama?) but the good kind. Action too, because that's necessary in a good paranormal book ;)
3. Sydney & Adrian:
   I know that everyone and their mother is rooting for Sydney and Adrian to hook up finally, but I want to talk about how much I love their pre-romantic relationship as well. I adore that we can see all the little ways they pay attention to each other, and the ways they show that they care. They have a friendship, a bond, that just seems to grow stronger with time. And while it isn't perfect, especially since he's a vampire and she's an Alchemist so they really shouldn't get along that well, it's refreshing to see two people that care about each other... as friends. It's sweet and I love it!
4. And I just really love Sydney:
   I love Sydney for a multitude of reasons, but largely because she isn't your typical YA character. She's extremely awkward (and not always in an endearing way), she's realistic and analytical to a fault (there aren't that many analytical characters out there- they tend to be more impulsive in YA) but it's nice to see a type of personality that stands out. Sydney is a lot more what I'm like, both as a teenager and even at my age now. She's a control freak and picky, and she doesn't want to let anyone get to close to her... but somehow she starts to let a few people see the real her. I love her, and she's one of my favourites because of this.

We get a few more answers in this one about what's going on, but the sense of mystery stays strong. I still have so many questions regarding some of the weird things happening! But there's so much packed into this book, I couldn't put it down! An excellent sequel for a fantastic series that I'd recommend to most YA readers :)

Purchase Links

United States	Canada	International
Amazon	Amazon Canada	The Book Depository
Barnes & Noble	Chapters Indigo

Waiting on Wednesday {25}

Jill @ Breaking the Spine hosts this weekly meme where we can share a book that we are so excited for and are anxiously awaiting their upcoming release!

This week my WoW pick is...

The Golden Lily (Bloodlines #2) by Richelle Mead
To be released ~ June 19, 2012

Note: even though this is a sequel, the synopsis and my comments are basically spoiler free. I hint at one detail, but I don't give anything away. So read away!

Goodreads Synopsis:
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.

Bloodlines was my first introduction to Richelle Mead, and I know that it's almoost blasphemous in the YA world to say I haven't read Vampire Academy yet but... I haven't! I have plans to, and I actually have the first few books. I'm just trying to find the time to read them soon :) but the real reason I decided to go back and read them was because of Bloodlines.

I have a soft spot for Sydney as a character, and I LOVED Bloodlines but it was especially the last couple chapters where it really picked up speed that I had a hard time putting it down. And now I'm incredibly excited for the release of The Golden Lily! I just HAVE to know what happens to them, and see how the appearance of a certain person (*cough*) might change the dynamics...

Also, it's probably a good thing that the description says the romance is steamier because it was pretty non-existant in Bloodlines. I didn't think it was a bad thing personally, because I like to see some development of romantic relationships BUT anything is an improvement in The Golden Lily when it comes to that! ;)

Have you read Bloodlines? Are you as excited for the sequel as I am?

Crossover Authors

A couple of months ago I was contacted by HarperCollins Canada about doing a special post for the release of Sara Shepard's new book: Everything We Ever Wanted, and since I was such a fan of her and the Pretty Little Liar books I am ecstatic to be a part of it!

While my actual review of Everything We Ever Wanted will be posted on the actual release date of the book, in anticipation of it I'm doing a special post to highlight some extremely talented authors that have done an excellent job of genre blending and crossing over to different types of books.

Because while Sara Shepard is best known for her success with Pretty Little Liars, Everything We Ever Wanted is definitely adult fiction. And there are so many other authors that do the same thing, and it's incredible to realize just how talented they are for doing so, because it isn't easy.

Sara ShepardShepard's Pretty Little Liars series has done so well that she's written nearly a dozen books in it (number 12 is to be released in 2014), and it now has its own spin off show. On the rise of this success, it seems appropriate that she'd try something a little bit different from what she's been doing for a few years now- and I will give a small tidbit of my review about Everything We Ever Wanted, which is that it struck me as containing some of the elements which made Pretty Little Liars popular and enjoyable, but she carries it over in such a way that those readers who've grown up since reading PLL will enjoy her new book for the similar ideas, although they're expressed in a very different way.

So without further ado, my lovely list of 5 other authors (besides Sara Shepard) who can bring out both the child AND adult in you:

1. Lauren OliverAs well known as she is for her Young Adult novels Before I Fall and Delirium, Oliver is also the author of a new middle grade book titled Liesl & Po (which really is as good as her previous books, just written for a different audience)
2. Suzanne Collins Because yes, while she's best known for her outstanding Hunger Games series, Collins also wrote the Underland series which is a Middle Grade story about an 11 year old boy.
3. Marianne de Pierresde Pierres is an Australian author who has previously written adult fiction novels, until the first of her Night Creatures trilogy was released in early 2011 (so far, it hasn't been released in North America yet) as her YA debut- and it is personally one of my new favourites! You can tell she has her roots in adult fiction though, since parts of it do come across as darker than the typical North American YA releases.
4. M.J. Putney (a.k.a. Mary Jo Putney) While Putney is extremely well-known for her romance novels, she took the pen name M.J. for her YA debut, Dark Mirror, in order to help keep the two separate.
5. Richelle MeadOne of the most well known contemporary writers, Mead is currently the author of four rather involved series; two of which are adult fiction, and two of which are written primarily for a young adult audience. All of which have done extremely well, proving that you don't need to stasy within one narrow genre to be a successful writer.

Now, these are just some authors that have crossed over into writing different genres. And they've done an excellent job of proving there's no need to limit yourself as an author- let those creative juices flow! Branch out, try new things! I'm sure this is something we'll be seeing more of in the future, since there does appear to be a lot of overlap in readers from adult to young adult to middle grade books.

How do you, as a reader, feel about authors who crossover or blend genres? Do you think it can be done well? Is it something you appreciate in an author?

And for any of you who are writers- have you written books which could target various age groups? Did you find it difficult?

Any other authors you can think of who've tried this? Did they succeed, in your opinion?

Bloodlines Blog Tour & Giveaway

Starting on August 23, there were 20 blogs participating in a blog tour event organized by Penguin Canada! And today I'm stop #16, so welcome!

Penguin Canada very kindly provided all of us with ARCs of Bloodlines, so I read it back in July- and I have to say it was amazing. I was so pleased with it, and I really can't wait for all of you to read it as well! It was the first book I read by Richelle Mead, so I'm now hoping to go pick up some more of her books soon. You can read my review of it posted here, where I gave it FIVE shiny gold stars!

And because I loved it so much, I'm going to give away a copy of Bloodlines from The Book Depository. Contest will run until September 20, when you can come back here to find out who won and stop by for the blog tour that day! The entry form is found at the bottom of this post, my regular contest rules apply. Since it's from TBD, this is open internationally as long as they ship to you.

But in honour of Penguin Canada's Bloodlines blog tour, I decided to post the Top Ten things I loved about Bloodlines:

1. Sydney Sage
   Simply put, I love Sydney. I totally related to her, and I think she's going to prove to be a fantastic heroine, one with real, applicable issues that are important ones to deal with. Plus, she comes across as such a different character from Rose (so I hear, and have that impression) that it's refreshing.
2. The Alchemists
   As much as I enjoyed the Bloodlines vampires, I have to admit that I adore the concept of the Alchemists. One of my favourite parts about Bloodlines was getting to read all the history and background information Sydney provided about the Alchemists.
3. Character development
   I like interesting and complex characters, with their own issues to work out. And Bloodlines only hints at the kinds of problems which will arise later on, but I'm already pleased to see teensy bits of development happening.
4. Vampires that are actually creepy
   I like reading about vampires that actually drink human blood (because that's just what vampires do!) and I thought it was great how Richelle Mead worked out a system for them to do so, even with difficulties.
5. A stand-alone spin-off
   I haven't read Vampire Academy. But I had NO problem at all following along with Bloodlines. Sure, there are some spoilers that I pick up from Bloodlines about VA, but reading this has actually convinced me to go and read VA sometime soon!
6. Adrian
   I like Adrian, even though I don't know him from Vampire Academy. But he was significantly less angsty and depressing than I thought he would be at first.
7. That ENDING!
   I won't spoil anything. But the ending is good. I REALLY can't wait for The Golden Lily now! Full of action and surprises.
8. The lack of insta-love
   I'm kind of getting sick of books where the main characters just see each other across a dark room and are instantly in love, and do everything to end up together. So needless to say, I appreciated that there was very little romance in Bloodlines- I know, I know. I enjoy some good romance as much as the next person. But I'm confident that when Richelle Mead actually DOES bring up more romance in this series, it will be amazing. Epic.
9. The nifty lily tattoos
   You know what? I actually really liked the Bloodlines cover. And I like the lily tattoo, I think it's a neat idea. Plus I think it's really pretty- so pretty I went and actually bought a necklace of it from Cadsawan.
10. The twists
    Confession: I didn't see most of them coming. And I really liked that they were surprising, and kept me guessing so that I wasn't sure of what to expect.

If you're curious about Richelle's new series, make sure to check out the Bloodlines official website: there are tons of trailers, extras, and info on the book there.

As well, if you want just a little teaser of the book before you buy it, you can read the first chapter!

Bloodlines by Richelle Mead, Chapter 1


Make sure to check out the rest of the stops on the Bloodlines tour, even if you missed some of the earlier ones! :)
Aug 23 Tynga's Reviews
Aug 24 Me On Books
Aug 25 A Cupcake and a Latte
Aug 26 whatchYAreading
Aug 29 Dreaming of Books
Aug 30 Just a Lil Lost
Aug 31 He Followed Me Home
Sept 1 Evie Bookish 
Sept 2 Ever Expanding Library
Sept 5 Knit Purl Stitch Read & Cook
Sept 6 Wicked Lil' Pixie
Sept 7 Hands and Home
Sept 8 Snowdrop Dreams of Books
Sept 9 Just Another Story
Sept 12 Bibliomama
Sept 13 Esther's Ever After
Sept 14 Simply Stacie 
Sept 15 Krystal's Stellar Book Blog 
Sept 16 Today's Adventure
Sept 19 Lost for Words

Bloodlines

Bloodlines by Richelle Mead
Release Date: August 23, 2011
Razorbill/Penguin
ISBN13: 9781595143174

5/5 Stars!

Goodreads Synopsis:
When alchemist Sydney is ordered into hiding to protect the life of Moroi princess Jill Dragomir, the last place she expects to be sent is a human private school in Palm Springs, California. But at their new school, the drama is only just beginning.

Populated with new faces as well as familiar ones, Bloodlines explores all the friendship, romance, battles and betrayals that made the #1 New York Times bestselling Vampire Academy series so addictive - this time in a part-vampire, part-human setting where the stakes are even higher and everyone's out for blood.

I have a small disclaimer to add first:
I have never read Vampire Academy. Or anything by Richelle Mead for that matter.

So, Bloodlines was my very first taste of this living and breathing world created by Mead.

Bloodlines didn't disappointed me at all, even though I was wary of reading it since I hadn't read VA and I'm not into vampires that much. But I can happily say that I am HOOKED. I won't speak for those who are VA fans, but for those unfamiliar with VA or Mead, Bloodlines is the perfect introduction. You want to meet this book and be best friends with it.

Sydney was the perfect main character. I don't think I have ever related more to a character than I did with her. Mead writes her story excellently, and I was fascinated by this alchemist trying to fit in, but not fit in too much with vampires who are trying to blend in with humans. I actually enjoyed reading about the alchemists more than the vampires, because it offered such a unique and refreshing perspective.

The relationships in the book are executed to perfection. Your heart literally breaks watching Sydney struggle with the expectations thrust upon her, and in particular the strain between herself and her father. I was annoyed at first when she would obsess over not being small enough until you realize why she feels that why- and then I just melted completely. No one should ever have to go through that, but at times haven't we all felt like no matter what we do it'll never be enough?

Other reviewers have commented that there's no romance in Bloodlines. And... that's pretty much true. Sydney doesn't have a love plot, but that's amazing in and of itself! Bloodlines wants its relationships to develop gradually. With time. I can't remember the last time I read a YA book that did this; which of course means that if it ever actually reaches that point, the romance will just be THAT much better since we've been (im)patiently waiting for it. ;)

And...I don't think I have a single bad thing to say about this book. I truly loved it and I could honestly sit here and rave about it if you'd let me.

HUGE thank you to Penguin Canada for providing me with an ARC for the upcoming Bloodlines blog tour! The tour will be stopping at Esther's Ever After on September 13th!