Series: Bloodlines #5
Author: Richelle Mead
In The Fiery Heart, 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. . . .
Their worst fears now a chilling reality, Sydney and Adrian face their darkest hour in this heart-pounding fifth installment in the New York Times bestselling Bloodlines series, where all bets are off.-Goodreads
Review: I wasn't a huge fan of the 4th book in the series but I could not wait to read this one. I'm happy to report that this was a huge improvement and overall a fun read. The book starts slow and is told in alternating narratives. Sydney is stuck (held prisoner would be more accurate) in re-education and I absolutely loved her sections. Several new characters are introduced and while I didn't particularly bond with of any of them, I enjoyed seeing Sydney keep her wits about her, try to work the system and figure out a way to help those around her.
After being unsuccessful in his attempts to reach Sydney, Adrian finds himself back at court and falling back into some bad habits. He starts partying heavily and has a new best friend, Nina who is looking for more than friendship. I think Mead missed an opportunity here to have someone (maybe a Moroi who is feeding information to the Alchemists in secret) to take photos of Adrian and use this to try to "turn" Sydney. I think that would have added a great element to the story.
**minor spoiler alert**
Marcus Finch ends up teaming with Adrian and Eddie (I don't believe Eddie would have left Jill for one minute, but this was a necessary to the finale of the book) to help break out Sydney and it was nice to see the boys in action. Once Sydney is broken out of of re-education, the books gets really good. Sydney and Adrian are on the run from the Alchemists and the cards are stacked against them. The Alchemists are intelligent, focused and well funded. They will stop at almost nothing to take Sydney. Bottom line-they are a strong enemy and pretty evil. Watching them play cat and mouse with each other was fun. While the resolution with Adrian and Sydney was cliche, I can't wait to see how it plays out in the next book.
Grade: 4/5
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