The Indigo Spell by Richelle Mead

Title: The Indigo Spell
Author: Richelle Mead
ISBN: 9781595143198
Publisher: Razorbill
Series: Bloodlines #3
Released: February 12, 2013
Page #: 401
Source: My public library

Summary:
"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.

In the aftermath of a forbidden moment that rocked Sydney to her core, she struggles to draw the line between her Alchemist teachings and what her heart is urging her to do.

Then she finally tracks down the elusive, enigmatic Marcus Finch - a former Alchemist who the organization denies exists, and who lives in shadows, on the run. With Marcus's help, Sydney realizes that the group she's been loyal to her whole life has been hiding the truth from her. Is it possible that her golden lily tattoo might have more power over her than she thinks?

As she struggles to come to terms with what that might mean, Sydney is compelled to use her growing magical powers to track down an evil magic user who is targeting powerful young witches. Using magic goes against everything she always thought she believed, but she realizes that her only hope is to embrace her special blood - or else she might be next.

Forgetting her own way is harder than Sydney ever dreamed. Maybe by turning off her brain - and following her heart - she'll be able to finally figure out where she belongs."
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First Lines:

"This wasn't the first time I'd been pulled out of bed for a crucial mission. It was, however, the first time I'd been subjected to such a personal line of questioning. 
'Are you a virgin?'"
Page 1
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Review:

If you haven't read the first two books in the Bloodlines series, I highly suggest you do so. Especially before reading this review. I can't be responsible for any spoilers I accidentally let slip from those. Plus, they're really good. Especially if you were a Vampire Academy fan.

Sydney has finally come to terms with her assignment. She has to be friends with vampires - and sometimes more than friends - but she has started to realize that not all is well with the Alchemists. They are hiding things... and people. She realizes that there is a lot about her organization that she doesn't know. Now there is a rogue group who is trying to bring her in - to help her cope. Not to mention that some crazy witch is after her. It's a crazy time just when she was learning to cope with everything.

I really do love the Bloodlines series. Almost as much as the VA series. I think Sydney makes an awesome leading lady and the parallels to the other story are fairly seamless. You feel like you're still in the original story. Just looking at things from another perspective. Mostly I am thinking about the relationship between two that have the bond. This story is about someone outside of that bond and how it changes everything. I sort of like that aspect of this book.

There's a lot going on in this story. And plenty of things go unanswered, so I know they will come up in future books. I sort of wish I could just have them all at once, but I always have to read them when they come out... like a dufus. Ah well. At least they are reliably good books. And I can't help but get completely lost in the stories. There's a lot more romance in this book than the others. Things start to get figured out and Sydney has a bit of clarity about it all.

Can I just talk about the cliffhanger ending? I mean, not totally cliffhangery, but you definitely close the book wanting more. There's a huge change at the end and I can only imagine how things are going to turn out. Of course, I'm already hooked... so maybe I'm blinded by the awesome that is Ms. Mead. This is another great installment of a wonderful series. If you haven't started it yet, you should. You don't have to have read VA to get any of it, so don't let that deter you. Solid vampire stories.
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