REVIEW: INDIGO SPELL by Richelle Mead

Title: Indigo Spell
Author: Richelle Mead
Series: Bloodlines #3
Genres: YA, Paranormal, Magic, Vampires
Publisher: Razorbill / Penguin Group
Release: 2013
Source: Paperback
Pages: 401

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BLURB:
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 finds herself struggling to draw the line between her Alchemist teachings and what her heart is urging her to do. Then she meets alluring, rebellious Marcus Finch--a former Alchemist who escaped against all odds, and is now on the run. Marcus wants to teach Sydney the secrets he claims the Alchemists are hiding from her. But as he pushes her to rebel against the people who raised her, Sydney finds that breaking free is harder than she thought. There is an old and mysterious magic rooted deeply within her. And as she searches for an evil magic user targeting powerful young witches, she realizes that her only hope is to embrace her magical blood--or else she might be next.

If you have not read whole Vampire Academy series this review will contain major spoilers! 

EXPECTATIONS: I am a huge fan of Vampire Academy and started reading Bloodlines spin-off a few years ago. However, as I did not love the Golden Lily that much I was a bit wary while going into this one. 

THE WORLD: I would say same as Vampire Academy but if you are not familiar with well then...Basically the world to our human eyes would look exactly same as we know it. Except that what we don't know is that there is this race called Moroi who are vampires and who have special magic. Basically commonly you have four elements: water, fire, earth and air. What was recently discovered was the fifth element and that was spirit. It allows you to see auras, dream walk and heal people. However, using spirit opposite to other elements has a huge effect on you and that is that eventually you lose your mind. Besides Moroi who are considered this good race of vampires because they only drink blood from feeders and have this whole traditional ruling there are also Strigoi. They are the evil vampires who drink from everybody and kill. They are also much stronger and prefer Moroi or Dhampirs blood therefore Moroi are the target. To protect them there is this race called Dhampirs who are half Moroi half human. Ultimately they lack magic and don't need blood, they have enhanced senses and strenth. They basically train their whole life to protect Moroi from Strigoi. Basically if Moroi kills they become Strigoi. Strigoi also can turn both Moroi and Dhampirs into other Strigoi. So far only few have been brought back from being Strigoi and few brought back from the dead. Both are done by spirit users and where bringing somebody back from Strigoi doesn't create connection with spirit users, bringing back from dead does and they are called shadow kissed. Basically if you are shadow kissed you were brought back from dead by a Moroi and now you are connected to them in way that you feel and see what they see. Tho that goes only one way. Additionally to this whole Moroi, Strigoi and Dhampirs we have Alchemists. They are humans that protect other humans from this knowledge of other races. Tho the way I see Alchemists they are like Big Brother in 1984 book. 

Anyways what the spin-off is about is that in Vampire Academy Lissa took the throne but to be the Queen you need at least one living relative which she has and that is Jill. So basically Jill has to go in hiding because if you want to remove Lissa, the modern queen, all you need to do is kill Jill.

CHARACTERS: So despite Jill being a reason these books exist our main character is actually Sydney Sage. She is an alchemist who is hiding with Jill and taking care of all inconveniences. I wasn't biggest fan of Sydney in second book but in this one I felt right back in love with her. She is extremely smart and resourceful and is also finally coming around that Moroi and Dhampirs are not evil abomination, like Alchemist want her to believe. Next we have Adrian Ivashkov, now if you read Vampire Academy you are well aware who Adrian is but if not, well Adrian is a spirit user who brought Jill back when she was killed. So they are now connected. He is also this royal troublemaker and tends to get seriously depressed because of spirit use. I really loved Adrian in Vampire Academy but in this spin-off I often get ups and downs with him. Then there are a whole bunch more: Eddie, Angeline, Neil, Sydney's teacher, Marcus...am I forgetiing somebody? So Eddie, Neil and Angeline are the Dhampirs who basically function as bodyguars of Jill. Sydney's teacher is an amazing witch who is teaching Syndey forbidden by Alchemists human magic. And then Marcus is a rogue Alchemist. To be honest I could talk and talk about them because I just love them all so so much but I know that would kinda spoil things, so just let me tell you that this world of Moroi and whatnot is the best thing Richelle Mead has ever created! 

ROMANCE: Things are starting to really pick up. I will not spoil but that forbidden romance....it is very much happening! I ship them so so much!

GOOD: Being back in this world is so amazing, I truly can say that from all these vampire series out there this is my absolute favorite. I grew up with Lissa, Rose and Dimitri but whole Palm Springs gang I love just as much. I have never wrote fanfic about this world but I have the whole folders and folders full of stuff related to this world on my computer. 

BAD: Nothing. I freaking love Vampire Academy and Bloodlines series!

OVERALL: It's amazing to go back into this. Needless to say after finishing this book I got up, put it back on the shelf, took next one and went back to bed to continue reading. 

What do you think about INDIGO SPELL?