by Richelle Mead
To be published by Razorbill
on July 29, 2014
Source: bought
Synopsis from Goodreads: Sydney risked everything to follow her gut, walking a dangerous line to keep her feelings hidden from the Alchemists. Now in the aftermath of an event that ripped their world apart, Sydney and Adrian struggle to pick up the pieces and find their way back to each other. But first, they have to survive. For Sydney, trapped and surrounded by adversaries, life becomes a daily struggle to hold on to her identity and the memories of those she loves. Meanwhile, Adrian clings to hope in the face of those who tell him Sydney is a lost cause, but the battle proves daunting as old demons and new temptations begin to seize hold of him. . . .This review may contain mild spoilers for the Bloodlines series in general but NO SPOILERS for Silver Shadows.
My review: Like the Vampire Academy books, Silver Shadows has a bit of a forbidden romance going on. In VA, Dmitri is Rose's teacher, and guardians are forbidden to date. But I love that the Bloodlines books take the whole forbidden romance thing to a completely new level. Sydney being with Adrian isn't just a little no-no -- it's a HUGE one. And I love the way that their forbidden relationship has developed slowly, over the course of four books. In the kind of relationship in which characters have to take huge risks to be together, the whole thing falls apart if the relationship is insta-lovey, and this relationship is decidedly not.
As I was reading both Fiery Heart and Silver Shadows, I was also thinking about the fact that the Vampire Academy books have an "all is lost" moment that is pretty much unparalleled in the YA paranormal genre. (If you can think of something more shocking than the end of Shadow Kiss, please let me know.) So I was expecting a big, terrible thing to happen sooner or later. Something bad did happen at the end of Fiery Heart, but then Silver Shadows spins this series into a slightly different direction, one in which Adrian and Sydney are not only going to have to choose to be together, but to fight to be together.
Last week, my friend Lauren from Love is Not a Triangle texted me to ask how I was enjoying the book. I didn't want to say too much, but I did say that there were plot elements of Silver Shadows that reminded me of Spirit Bound. (Then she started guessing some things that were NOT the case, so don't read too much into this remark.) But if you've read Silver Shadows, email me and tell me what you think. Finally there were some plot developments in Silver Shadows that I did expect, and one big thing that I did NOT expect at all, but that put a big smile on my face. I know that's vague, but I really don't want to say anything that could possibly spoil this book for you. Just buy the book, enjoy, and then come back and tell me what you think!
Answers to the Silver Shadows Giveway Trivia Questions. Patrick and I want to thank everyone who enthusiastically participated in our trivia questions about Fiery Heart. We love those of you who were unafraid to make wild guesses -- and those wrong answers counted as entries too...
JULY 23 QUESTION:
When Sydney attends her initiation in The Fiery Heart, what secret name does she choose?
A) Ione
B) Iolanthe
C) Iris
D) Ianthe
E) Iona
Bonus: What is the meaning of this name, and what is the significance of that meaning?
The name means purple flower in Greek, and Sydney chooses it because Adrian tells her that there are sparks of purple in her aura.
JULY 24 QUESTION:
In The Fiery Heart, Sydney wants to expand Adrian's reading beyond a bartending dictionary and a copy of Esquire magazine. What classic does he attempt to read?
A) Moby Dick
B) The Scarlet Letter
C) Tale of Two Cities
D) The Great Gatsby
E) Pride and Prejudice
Bonus: Adrian says reading this book made him want to what?
Adrian says: I was trying to think deep thoughts as I read Gatsby, but mostly I wanted to throw some parties.
JULY 25 QUESTION:
In The Fiery Heart, that wacky Malachi Wolfe reveals that he once had a tattoo that said:
A) Tlaloc (an Aztec god of rain, storm, water and thunder)
B) Tocllul (an Aztec princess)
C) Tonatiah (Aztec god of the sun)
D) Tlazolteotl (Aztec god of guilt)
E) Xipe Totec (Aztec fertility god)
Bonus: What does Malachy's tattoo say now?
His tattoo now says "tactful." As if!
JULY 26 QUESTION:
In The Fiery Heart, Adrian decides to cook dinner for Sydney on her birthday. What does he attempt to make?
A) gumbo
B) jambalaya
C) paella
D) risotto
E) chili
Bonus: What does he make for dessert, and who helps him cook the meal?
Cassie helps him. They make chocolate-peppermint cupcakes for dessert.
My questions are NON-SPOILERS...
JULY 27 QUESTION:
After Sydney's birthday dinner, Adrian quotes poetry. What was the quote?
A) Two roads diverged in a wood, and I took the one less traveled by...
B) She walks in beauty like the night...
C) Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?
D) All that we see or seem is but a dream within a dream...
E) Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold...
Yes, things fall apart in Silver Shadows....
Hope you get to read it soon :)
Great review and fun trivia! I like the comparisons to the VA series; things I hadn't even thought of. Also, how Mead is following some common genre patterns. I can't wait to read Silver Shadows!
ReplyDeleteWith every book, I just love this series more and more!
DeleteI can't wait! I anticipate being very tired Wednesday morning from staying up late Tuesday to read this book!
ReplyDeleteKate @ Ex Libris
While it's exciting to get a book early, it's looonely with no one to talk to...
DeleteGreat review! I"m really excited to pick this one up! By review copy is coming soon and so pumped up for it! Thanks for always being up to doing these trivias Jen!
ReplyDeleteHappy Reading
Patrick @ The Bookshelves
Hope you love it. And the trivia was so fun :)
DeleteDamn I got all answers wrong. Even though I have read all books in this series but Silver Shadows. You do ask really good questions. Anyhow I'm really curious now to see what happens here as I love when something unexpected happens. Cannot wait to read it. Great review :)
ReplyDeleteI'm terrible at remembering details too...
DeleteI heard the audio of this one and it reminded me of Blood Promise. With Sydney and Adrian spending so much time apart at the beginning and then a whole bunch of craziness happening at the end. And Shadow Kiss has THE WORST CLIFFY EVER! The only other one I could think of that might be worse is from Drink Deep by Chloe Neill.
ReplyDeleteI'm excited to see where things go next but there is so much to wrap up with only one book left. I sense another spinoff...Jill and Eddie?
Jill is not my favorite character, but she has become somewhat less annoying over the last couple books...
DeleteDude...you and Tressa are adding way too many books to my TBR pile.....hehehehe! I love it! Hi, my name is Becca (aka Paij) and I am a book addict :)! That was a fun post!
ReplyDeleteHa -- sorry/not sorry!! ;)
DeleteI held off on reading your review until I finished Silver Shadows and wow! This book took things to places I was not expecting. Ironically, I actually guessed the BIG THING that happens months ago, and as I read the first few chapters I was more and more convinced it was going to happen. And then it did happen and I was bouncing around and grinning like an idiot (still am, btw) because 1. it HAPPENED! and 2. It happened in a way that didn't feel cheesy or forced. Because you're right, this series doesn't have even a trace of instalove in it. The relationships all feel organic and natural.
ReplyDeleteYou guessed it? I guessed just about everything that happened except that. But I liked it!!!
DeleteI have read the first book, and I did enjoy it. I would love to continue the series, it seems to be a really good one. Great review.
ReplyDeleteIt is!!
DeleteEeee, I'm excited you like The Big Development, too! I wouldn't normally be a fan of such things in YA, but I think the way it was presented made it all feel palatable and yes, exciting. I think it also helps that we've known Adrian for, jeez, 10 books now and the author's done such a good job with the last few Bloodlines books that it doesn't feel like it's coming out of the blue.
ReplyDeleteI loved your review--you're totally right about the WTF moments in VA, I still don't think there's another YA series that has presented those kinds of stakes and done it in such a brutally emotional way. You're right about the forbidden romance being an even bigger taboo in Bloodlines, too. I've forgotten how big a deal that is until this book--although Sydney's referenced it in her internal dialogue in previous installments, they've been sort of cocooned in Palm Springs, so it isn't until this book that you really see how it's perceived by outsiders. I thought the court scene at the end was handled well, too.
Wendy @ The Midnight Garden
I was surprised, but I really thought it worked!! I'm going to be sad when this whole story world comes to an end - unless Nereyda is right and we get another spin-off series!
DeleteThanks for the warning of spoilers for earlier in the series. I'll admit that I didn't read it because I am dying to read this series, but I love that you were thoughtful enough to put this warning in there! I am totally looking forward to this series!
ReplyDeleteThis was so very, very fun!! Still haven't started this series so I didn't participate, but I'm planning on rectifying that this year. :)
ReplyDeleteI have heard the ending is KILLER! So excited to read this myself.
ReplyDelete