The Golden Lily Review

Date Published: June 12, 2012

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Number of Pages: 418

Publisher: Razorbill

First Thoughts:

YaY! I finally got my hands on “The Golden Lily” and man was I excited to read this book, there’s just something about this world that draws me in. But as I read this book I found myself not as into it as I was with Bloodlines…I don’t know it was really good but just didn’t seem as good as the first book, but I guess it just goes along with most other books in series…the first book is always the hardest to beat. I did love that I got to see more of Adrian and Dimitri…I could just sit there and read them all day…sigh. Anyways I did enjoy the overall book and still think it’s worth the read.

Plot:

So the plot in this book was really good, I loved that I didn’t guess all the little things right away; I liked that it made me keep wondering what was going on. The concept of this book and the previous one before it is very unique and intriguing, I really enjoy the idea of all the different races and how they interact and in this story we actually get some answers we were seeking in book one. I can’t say it was more action packed and thrilling because really it didn’t really have a lot of high-action scenes, it did however have a plot that pulled me in and allowed me to keep reading. As far as sub-plots went there were a few, one in particular was pretty interesting…though I don’t know if it really added to the world all that much, I guess it was more for the character than anything. And like I mentioned earlier the pace is fast but the action is slow, so if you’re seeking a high-thriller, with plenty of hard-core fight scenes you’re not going to find many of them in here (though towards the end, there is one that’s pretty awesome!) And the construction of the world was built-up even more in this book; we got to see another added element that added some pretty cool drama and plot setup for the future books to come (I hear there are going to be six books in this series!) But overall I did enjoy the plotline of this book and the concept has yet to grow old on me. So if you enjoyed Bloodlines 

plot I’m sure you won’t want to miss this one!

Romance:

Yes there is some romance in this book (come on you just have to have romance in Richelle Meads books!) and I liked that it wasn’t all that overwhelming though the relationship of a certain character did get on my nerves from time to time…I don’t know I just really couldn’t connect the two together and you’ll know which couple I’m talking about once you read it. And as far as the smaller relationships they were good but not in any way overwhelming to the main conflict. So overall this was a good aspect of the book.

Characters:

Still love them, especially Adrian…he has by far been one of my favorite characters from the very beginning. The author just created him too perfectly, I mean come on I want me an Adrian! And Sydney was just as fun to read along with. She was easy to connect with and though she had a very annoying moments she was overall I good character in the story. And as far as the other characters both old and new they were well placed within this book and I didn’t feel like the author just put them in there for the fans…they actually had a purpose! But overall I really enjoyed the characters; it definitely made me enjoy the book more.

Transformation of the Character:

There weren’t really any major transformations in this book. The only one that really had any impact on me was with a certain character I love. It was just the beginning of it though and you could tell that the transformation wasn’t complete but was well on its way to becoming something beautiful. So I guess this aspect just wasn’t such a big deal in this book but I like that it isn’t; it gives the characters time to gradually change; to make it more realistic.

Description:

Loved the description, the author’s way of describing has yet to bore or disappoint me. She paid great attention to the details of each scenes, she knew just the right amount of description it took to allow the reader to really see each scene as it’s meant to be scene. And the few fight scenes she put into this book were amazing to read and I really was able to really see them through the eyes of Sydney; to see them as if I was really there. I also liked how she described the lily tattoo; I really got a good image of what it looks like stored in my mind. As far as the dialogue I found that there was just the right amount and each line seemed true to the character; actually it might have added another layer to this complicated world. So overall I really enjoyed the description, it allowed the reader to forget where they were and just enjoy another beautiful and fun book.

Style:

This was written in first person and in one POV, it allowed the reader to really focus in on the storyline and keep some of the information that would later be revealed. I liked that this had a more narrow focus; it really allowed me to stay focused and better understand what happened in each scene…it allowed me to experience more of the world. And as for the author’s writing, it’s just as wonderful and beautiful as ever. It’s easy to read and definitely has sophistication to it that only true masters of writing have. It was definitely worth the read. So overall I really enjoyed the style in this book.

Quote of the book:

“He reached out and pulled me to him, one hand on my waist and the other behind my neck. He tipped my head up and lowered his lips to mine. I closed my eyes and melted as my whole body was consumed in that kiss. I was nothing. I was everything.”

Goodreads Summary:

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.

Last Thoughts:

I would recommend this to fans of the vampire academy series and the fans of the Bloodlines series. This is definitely a great addition to the series and I can’t wait to continue reading Sydney’s story in “Indigo Spell” which releases February 12, 2013 (the day after my 22^nd b-day!) I loved a lot about this book and just love reading the author’s writing…I just don’t think I’ll ever grow tired of it. But one thing is for sure…this story has a long way to go and I’m looking forward to discovering the things it has yet to reveal.

My Rating: