Audiobook Review: Bloodlines

Title: Bloodlines by Richelle Mead
Narrator: Emily Shaffer
Release Date: Aug. 23, 2012
Publisher: Razorbill
Duration: 12 hours, 50 mins
Genre: Paranormal, Vampires

Goodreads Summary: 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.

Last week, I wrote about how after several unsuccessful attempts at listening to audiobooks, I was trying them again. Well, I’m happy to say that I finished my first audiobook and it was so good! I’m officially a fan of audiobooks and will now be incorporating them into my routine.

I know that Richelle Mead’s Vampire Academy series is incredibly popular but I never got around to reading the books (I’m a lazy reader and sooo reluctant to start any series that already has more than four books in print), but when I heard she started a new series based in the same world, I was eager to check it out. Even though I was not familiar with the original VA storyline, I had no problems figuring out what happened in the previous books and acquainting myself with the characters in Bloodlines.

I’m really fascinated by the world that Mead built. She puts a different spin on vampires – offering us both the good, mortal Moroi and the evil, undead and immortal Stragoi. The lore and magic associated with the different vampire races is also very cool to learn about, but as great as the world building is, the characters are the book’s real entertainment.

Main character Sydney Sage is a brainy but slightly socially inept girl. She is also is also an alchemist, humans who help protect humans from vampires. I liked Sydney’s geekyness and her ability to solve problems. She seems like a doormat to people like her father and her partner, but she is far from it. Sydney fights her battles in a quiet, crafty way that I loved and that no one sees her coming. While I usually don’t like bad boys, Adrian Ivashkov is going to be my exception. This guy has some issues but he is snarky and hilarious. I loved Sydney’s interaction with him and while there is no big romance in the book, there are hints of it to come in upcoming books in the series.

Emily Shaffer’s narration is awesome! She really brought the book and characters alive for me. I’m actually kind of bummed that my library only has the printed copy of the next book in the series, The Golden Lily, and so I’m going to have to read the book instead of listening to Shaffer’s wonderful storytelling. Bloodlines is a really good audiobook and lays the groundwork for a series I am looking forward to. If you are looking for a vampire book with great world building, a twisty and well written plot and well developed characters, this is the one for you.

Have you read the Vampire Academy series or Bloodlines? How did you think of the books? Let me know in the comments, I would love to hear from you!

Content: Kissing, profanity, drinking and violence.

My Rating: Really Good!