Book Club Disclaimer:
Spoilers ahead! I'm not recapping these chapters in Bloodlines and The Golden Lily, but I do refer to some things that happen in them. These posts are to give some commentary and behind-the-scenes info for people who want to read along (or re-read) with me or walk down memory lane. If you haven't read the books, you might have some surprises ruined. So maybe go grab a copy and read along as we count down to The Indigo Spell! :)

THESE POSTS ARE NOT ABOUT THE INDIGO SPELL! You're safe if you've read the first two books in the series.


Bloodlines, Chapters 15 and 16

Adrian calls Sydney out about her weight, the first time anyone’s done it in the series, telling her she needs to gain ten pounds. She’s not malnourished enough to need quite that much, but it’s definitely a long overdue conversation, one that’ll really come to a head in the next book. It’s significant that he’s the one who does this. Just like in the last chapter, the two of them are really tuning into the other and aren’t afraid to say what no one else will.

This chapter also introduces us to Adrian’s alter ego, Jet Steele, a name rivaled only by Homer Simpson’s Max Power. I honestly have no idea where the idea of him having a secret identity came from. Maybe I’d been seeing too many Chuck Finley jokes on Burn Notice.

We have a nice Eddie line here, when Sydney remarks that vampire hunters would be a game-changer since you wouldn’t be able to tell who’s a threat or not. Eddie’s says: “It’s pretty easy, actually. I just treat everyone as a threat.” He reall is like a mini-Dimitri!

And how cool is it that we finally see Sydney do some Alchemist stuff in this book? So far, she’s been a chauffeur having to deal with high school social life, so this is a good reminder that she’s also trained in some crazy ancient pseudo-scientific arts. I love that it launches her into the dorm’s resident wise woman, with people coming to her for birth control and other needs.

More firsts follow in 16 when Sydney and Adrian engage in their first caper. Having them work together is another stepping stone in their relationship, both because they have to think collectively--and because they actually have to trust each other. Trust is a big part of friendship (and anything beyond that). Of course, I doubt anything could’ve prepared Sydney for Adrian’s tattoo diversion. I do remember writing that scene and that I just kept adding on more ridiculous things as time went on, with the flaming ninja throwing stars being the icing on the cake. As outlandish as the whole thing is, it distracts the tattooist long enough for Sydney to do her thing and also shows us that Adrian has some restraint when he finally draws the line: “...maybe a ninja skeleton parrot? No, that would be overkill.”