RELEASE DATE : FEBRUARY 10, 2015
The epic conclusion to Richelle Mead's New York Times bestselling Bloodlines series is finally here...So we have come to the end of the Bloodlines series. Sads. I must say this was a really fun ride.
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.
After their secret romance is exposed, Sydney and Adrian find themselves facing the wrath of both the Alchemists and the Moroi in this electrifying conclusion to Richelle Mead’s New York Times bestselling Bloodlines series. When the life of someone they both love is put on the line, Sydney risks everything to hunt down a deadly former nemesis. Meanwhile, Adrian becomes enmeshed in a puzzle that could hold the key to a shocking secret about spirit magic, a secret that could shake the entire Moroi world.
For those that don't know, the Bloodlines series is a spinoff from Richelle's very popular Vampire Academy books. Series follows the always handsome Moroi prince, Adrian Ivashkov, and his lady love, Sydney Sage.
This might be my longest review yet.
MAJOR SPOILER ALERT FROM HERE OUT!
The Ruby Circle continues a month after book 5, Silver Shadows. Sydney has escaped from the reeducation center, where the Alchemists were holding her, and her and Adrian got a quickie marriage. This gave them protection, although not approval, under the Royal Court. During all this chaos, Jill, the sister of Queen Lissa Dragomir, is kidnapped.
We start with Adrian and Sydney trying to get used to married life while searching for Jill, with a little help from some friends. This turns into some wacky hijinks with Sydney and a cat, that actually works in helping sneak Sydney out of the Court.
Sydney and crew discover that an old enemy is responsible for the missing Jill and has teamed up with an even bigger former foe from the beginning of the series. Honestly, Jill's whole rescue plot is very much a series flashback and history lesson. I thought this part was very well done in showing Sydney's growth within the magic field.
Now while that story is taking place, Adrian has his own mystery to solve, all while trying not to lose whats left of his sanity. Olive, the half-sister of another spirit user, has also gone missing! Adrian is asked to help the sister, Nina, in her search for her. Nina and Adrian have a bit of a touchy past, and Nina has a very shaky relationship with her use of spirit.
Adrian decides to help despite the dangers to his own mental stability, also known as, the dead aunt who wont stay quiet in his head. Yeah.
Adrian manages to find Olive in a dream and makes a very shocking discovery. Olive is pregnant and living in a dhampir community. This new information brings in my favorite twosome from the Vampire Academy books, the perfect Rose and Dimitri. GAH! Missed them so much!
Cut to the chase where they all find Olive and try to understand the whys of her disappearance. Seems shes pregnant by a fellow dhampir, Neil Raymond. One problem with that though.
That's not possible!
Two dhampirs shouldn't be able to breed!
Well here's the trick, Olive is a restored Strigoi (undead). This has given her some "spirit" that has broken the former rule.
The best part of this though, is Adrian realizing that Rose and Dimitri could actually be parents one day. I LOVE THAT!
In the middle of this, however, is one hell of a bomb drop IMO. Prepare yourself. Ahem....
Adrian's uncle Rand is revealed to be Dimitri's dad!
Like, what the fuck?! Say Whaaat?? Adrian and Dimitri are cousins? Rose kept it in the family? LOL
My big problem with this is that it wasn't brought up again. How could you just drop this and not flesh it out just a little bit more?
Anyway, back to Olive and baby. There is an unfortunately timed strigoi attack that saw Olive trying to escape but instead losing her life after birthing baby Declan. She asks that Adrian and Sydney let Neil know of the child but to protect him from any possible harm that may come from his "miracle" birth.
Well, shockingly, Neil doesn't want the child to be linked to him or Olive, and he thinks its best that Sydney and Adrian pass the child off as theirs.
I kind of saw this coming and thought it was sort of awful to do the marriage and a baby deal so back to back.
As we close out the final Bloodlines book and say goodbye to these characters from both series, we are left with a great visual of them all at a table, reunited and happy. Most of all, Rose and Dimitri announce their engagement and I just love it.
Thanks to Richelle Mead for such a fun cast of characters and great adventures.
I encourage you to snatch up the rest of the Bloodlines books, as well as the Vampire Academy books. Very entertaining.
The Ruby Circle: A Bloodlines Novel by Richelle Mead via @amazon
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