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    The Indigo Spell
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    The Indigo Spell
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    The Indigo Spell
    Audiobook11 hours

    The Indigo Spell

    Written by Richelle Mead

    Narrated by Emily Shaffer

    4.5/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    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.


    From the Trade Paperback edition.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPenguin Random House Audio
    Release dateFeb 12, 2013
    ISBN9781101601716
    Unavailable
    The Indigo Spell
    Author

    Richelle Mead

    Richelle Mead lives in Seattle and is the author of the Vampire Academy series. When not writing, she can be found watching bad movies, inventing recipes, and buying far too many dresses.

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    Reviews for The Indigo Spell

    4.5/5

    366 ratings30 reviews

    What did you think?

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    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 4/5
      In The Indigo Spell this series finally comes into its own. Funny that it does it by moving its main plot far, far away from Alchemists, Moroi, and Strigoi. The main plot has to do with witches, actually one particular witch who through a convoluted plot hole would be targeting Sydney. Sydney and Ms. Terwilliger go on the offense and this time Sydney participates fully, working out her human magic user issues on her own and therefore feeling much less forced into anything. Sydney also seems to be coming into herself, acknowledging who her friends really are and showing them who she really is.

      [As usual, trigger warning for eating disorders.]
    • 4/5
      *sigh* I think that was another book that had too much hype and build-up for me that I was left to inevitably be let down. Don’t get me wrong. This book was not horrible, or even bad. I actually really enjoyed reading The Indigo Spell, but with all the early reviews, I really expected to be wowed and to LOVE it! Unfortunately, that was not the case.

      What I loved about The Indigo Spell, which I have found to be true with most of Richelle Mead’s books, is that it starts off with a bang. It typically isn’t a huge battle or anything, but enough to get the reader interested and the story rolling right away. On the very first page, Sydney is being dragged out of bed in the middle of the night by her teacher, who starts off the whole scene by asking if Sydney’s a virgin. I thought it was hilarious, and it definitely piqued my curiosity as to why someone would be asking her that!

      Something that I liked a lot about The Indigo Spell was Sydney’s growth. As I said in my review of Bloodlines, Sydney’s Alchemist upbringing had me rolling my eyes and actually finding myself disliking humans! However, in The Indigo Spell, we really see Sydney start to branch out past what she’s always been taught. She starts to realize that all is not as it seems, so she starts asking questions and forming her own opinions. She still has some annoying moments, but they were far fewer in between. I also really enjoyed seeing her grow into her magical abilities. It’s great to see her using them without the constant fear and paranoia from the earlier books.

      Also, as the series goes on, I’m loving Adrian more and more. I’ve said before that I was Team Adrian early on in Vampire Academy, so it’s not hard to make me love him, but I really enjoyed his scenes in The Indigo Spell. Sydney seems to make him a better person, and while he’s still a smart-ass, he also seems much more mature than he did in Vampire Academy.

      I didn’t feel like there was a ton of action in The Indigo Spell, as opposed to the first two books in the series, but there was much more romance. The higher romance content seems to be consistent with book 3 of Vampire Academy (Shadow Kiss), however, I felt that Shadow Kiss had a lot more action. I understand that Vampire Academy and Bloodlines are two separate series, but again, a lot of the early reviews I read and I think even tweets from Richelle Mead, hinted that The Indigo Spell would have a similar book-3 feel. In romance, I was highly satisfied. However, I found the whole book leaving me wanting more in regards to action.

      The ending left me a little disappointed. There was a twist at the end that makes me wonder what’s going to happen in the next book, but it didn’t tear my heart out and leave me breathless, which I kind of was expecting due to Shadow Kiss.

      Overall, I definitely enjoyed The Indigo Spell but may have set my expectations a little too high. It didn’t completely live up to the hype.

      This review is also posted on my blog
    • 3/5
      [Cross-posted to Knite Writes]There was less high school drama in this installment. Yay! Unfortunately, it was replaced by a confusing mix of conflicting priorities that often left me rolling my eyes. There was an evil witch going around sucking the life out of people…and Sydney was, for example, creating living quartz dragons in comedic sequences that ended with meals at a restaurant called Pies and Stuff. Marcus and his gang of “Merry Men” (as they were dubbed by Adrian) are a set of Alchemist deserters, and if they’re caught, or if Sydney gets caught consorting with them, a one-way ticket to re-education is the only foreseeable future. Yet Marcus, instead of being a serious figure, takes Sydney to ridiculous places where they do ridiculous things (like play Skee-ball). He shows up once at her school playing a guitar and actually causes a crowd of adoring girls to gather and swoon over him. Oh, please…really?I was…confused by this book. I’m not sure if Mead is going for something more lighthearted than the original Vampire Academy and is struggling to make it work or…I don’t know what’s going on. But the dissonance between the action sequences/the constant threat of the antagonists/etc. and all the less-serious and awkwardly humorous material in between left me feeling…well, off when I was reading. It’s like Mead can’t quite decide what tone she wants for the series. It’s different from VA, that’s for sure, but it reads like Mead can’t figure out how different she wants it to be. As a result, different parts of the story ending up reading very differently (and not in a good way). The story lacks an underlying consistency of tone and intent. It’s bothersome. It really is.There were a smattering of other issues as well. The plot dragged. Some of the plot points were incredibly predictable. Some of the new characters were not fleshed out very well…There were several general quality issues, basically.Hopefully, some of them will be resolved in the next installment, The Fiery Heart, which comes out in November. (By the way, how on Earth is she writing these books so fast?)
    • 5/5
      After doing a happy dance at finding The Indigo Spell on my Kindle early Tuesday morning on the 12th of February I let it sat there unopened for just over 24hrs without opening it. Why? I really wanted to read it immediately but I knew once I started it I would finish it. Does that makes sense? Well anyway I couldn't wait anymore so I eventually gave in and started it and now I've finished it unfortunately.

      So how was the book?

      It was fantastic, the story continues to surprise me and fill me with swoon worthy moments. Anal retentive, type triple "A" personality Sydney Sage returns with her every present doubts and fears at following her heart and own mind. This time though I could see Sydney teetering on the edge of realizing that no matter if she feels she owes the Alchemist for raising her, there is nothing wrong with making your own decisions and following your heart.

      And swoon worthy, patient, Adrian Ivashkov is there to help Sydney transfer her bravery to her personal life and be honest with herself about her feelings. Adrian is such a sweetheart, he doesn't push Sydney and he understands her more than anyone in her life. I really wish things work out this time for him. I remember believing the hype in Vampire Academy about his reputation and realized that it's was completely blown out of proportion and didn't know he was dealing with the effects of Spirit at the time.

      Enter Marcus Finch, flirt and big talker, he shows up to add another voice to Sydney's conscience. He escaped the Alchemists' control years ago and tells Sydney she's being controlled by the Alchemists more than she realizes. Marcus tells her he knows how to help break the control of her tattoo but only after she proves her allegiance to his cause by carrying out a very risky mission against the Alchemists.

      The rest of the gang is along to add those funny, interesting moments and keep Sydney on her toes.

      Indigo Spell was an adventure filled with magic, action, and intrigue. It was worth the wait and I hoped it would be the never ending story but alas it had to end sometime. And now I await the next installment, can't wait.
    • 4/5
      Loved this book!
    • 5/5
      After the last page in Golden Lily i was itching to get my hands on a copy of The Indigo Spell. Wow just Wow Sydney and Adrian Richelle are you trying to kill us. just there is no words for these two in this book i was jumping around screaming so happy for this couple in this book. i found this book more centred around Sydney and Adrian which i am not complaining but it would of been nice for some more Jill and Eddi timeOK the book starts off with Sydney doing some magic with M.s Terwilliger i just love the first speech line in this book 'Are you a Virgin?''Huh?' i rubbed my sleepy eyes, just in case this was all some sort of bizarre dream...hahahah God love M.s Terwilliger. i really enjoyed Sydney's progress in this book and how she becomes more accepting of the fact that she can perform magic and by the end of the book and she is some pretty cool magic. i also enjoyed how she is coming to terms with Adrian and the emotional battle she goes through with her feelings for him.Adrian what can i say you are just my dream guy waiting to happen without all the vampire issues. the way he cares for Sydney and the little things he does for her just makes your heart swoon. he is very supportive of Sydney in her magic and they become the perfect couple in crime. i also love Adrian's personality this would be one of my favorite lines 'you know' he said, "under normal circumstances, you inviting me to the bedroom would be the highlight of my day"This would have been one of my favorite thoughts by Sydney in the booki have a hickey. i let Adrian give me a hickeyoverall i am in love with this book and the chemistry between Sydney and Adrian but i might say that ending. what are you doing to us Richelle i was so excited for the couple then damn i was like no way. but i can not wait for the next book so the countdown begins again.God love Adrian5 stars out of 5
    • 5/5
      After doing a happy dance at finding The Indigo Spell on my Kindle early Tuesday morning on the 12th of February I let it sat there unopened for just over 24hrs without opening it. Why? I really wanted to read it immediately but I knew once I started it I would finish it. Does that makes sense? Well anyway I couldn't wait anymore so I eventually gave in and started it and now I've finished it unfortunately.

      So how was the book?

      It was fantastic, the story continues to surprise me and fill me with swoon worthy moments. Anal retentive, type triple "A" personality Sydney Sage returns with her every present doubts and fears at following her heart and own mind. This time though I could see Sydney teetering on the edge of realizing that no matter if she feels she owes the Alchemist for raising her, there is nothing wrong with making your own decisions and following your heart.

      And swoon worthy, patient, Adrian Ivashkov is there to help Sydney transfer her bravery to her personal life and be honest with herself about her feelings. Adrian is such a sweetheart, he doesn't push Sydney and he understands her more than anyone in her life. I really wish things work out this time for him. I remember believing the hype in Vampire Academy about his reputation and realized that it's was completely blown out of proportion and didn't know he was dealing with the effects of Spirit at the time.

      Enter Marcus Finch, flirt and big talker, he shows up to add another voice to Sydney's conscience. He escaped the Alchemists' control years ago and tells Sydney she's being controlled by the Alchemists more than she realizes. Marcus tells her he knows how to help break the control of her tattoo but only after she proves her allegiance to his cause by carrying out a very risky mission against the Alchemists.

      The rest of the gang is along to add those funny, interesting moments and keep Sydney on her toes.

      Indigo Spell was an adventure filled with magic, action, and intrigue. It was worth the wait and I hoped it would be the never ending story but alas it had to end sometime. And now I await the next installment, can't wait.
    • 4/5
      I have really enjoyed this series, and was looking forward to continuing. I like the idea of being able to get to know the secondary characters of the Vampire Academy Series. The ongoing storyline thru the series is that Sydney Sage is working to keep Jill (Lissa's sister) under the radar because she is the only other person in her line and without Jill, Lissa cannot be queen. So Sydney was assigned to help protect her, along with Eddie (a dhampir guardian) and Angeline. Also in this book she is looking for the person behind witches that have gone into a coma. It seems like almost too much in one book, but it works well. Sydney is on a mission to find Marcus Finch who is on the run from the Alchemists. Marcus holds answers to questions that Sydney has.

      The story has a well balance between the various story lines. The character interaction is very believable. I am really enjoying the was this series is progressing. Sydney is growing and making her own decisions instead of fully relying on the Alchemists to make them for her. It was full of unexpected twists, also it was good to learn more about the people she interacts with.
    • 5/5
      So far, this is the best of the 3. I had so much fun reading The Indigo Spell.

      Sydney who, up until The Golden Lily, is very strict and hard on herself and the alchemist convictions and religious beliefs, throws caution to the wind when it comes to harnessing the magic in her blood. She takes Mrs. Terwilliger's lessons to heart, does some extra, and with Adrian's help - discovers some of her inner passion, too.

      And speaking of Adrian. OMUnf. That boy... vampire... whatever you want to see him as - He. Is. Perfection. Adrian is really shining in this book. He is open with Sydney about his feelings and wants. He takes his own life in his hands and nurtures his talent. He shows her his support and teaches her to realize her self. He's funny, witty, mischievous and surprisingly - responsible. And I absolutely loved his love for Sydney.

      Then you have the rest of the gang. They are up to their usual shenanigans, but surprisingly manage to take care of themselves most of the time.

      Two new characters introduced in this book are Ian, a fellow alchemist who sets Sydney's blood to boil with agitation and Marcus, an ex-alchemist who now fights against the alchemists in favor of the Moroi and Dhampirs. He tries to recruit Sydney to his cause, and moderately succeeds, but not in the way he wanted.

      And of course, everything comes to a head at the end of the book, but ends in a way that leaves you very curious for the next installment.

      I'm rating this a little higher than 4.5 stars.
    • 4/5
      Aaaaand now I have to wait for the next installment. But at least I have my life back!

      Pleased with the ending -- more than enough to make me itch for the sequel, but not so much a cliff-hanger that I'll be chomping at the bit.

      I remain undyingly fond of the main characters, and get a kick out of all the drama the others are going through completely independently of the protagonist (which she doesn't even hear about until it's over) -- gives a good sense that they have their own lives and don't revolve around her, which is a common hitch in any genre.

      I'm not a big fan of and-then-she-found-out-she-had-magic-powers story lines, so this series isn't as much up my alley as the original Vampire Academy books, but Sydney has a clear enough voice and personality to carry it through. The tiny dragon/demon thing was a bit gimmicky, though.

      Anyway, four stars for this one, as it maintains the trend of being The Funnest of Reads (but doesn't have The Twistiest of Plots or The Highest of Emotions or any of those qualities that would bump it to a fifth star).
    • 4/5
      Sydney is awesome. Adrian is adorable. Together they are priceless. Loving Sydney's conflicted emotions, the dream board-game sequences. The way Mead writes relationships is awesome. Sydney has to be my favourite - gotta love a kick-arse geek who rules as ball sports because it's all just maths! I did feel there were a few too many conflicting plots going on here though, and that it felt a little like a middle-novel-in-a-series. Oh wait, it is. Can't wait for the next! And am (mostly) happy with the ending (well, up to the very last, that is an interesting spanner in the works, as they say).
    • 5/5
      The Indigo Spell is the third installment of Richelle Mead's Bloodlines series, a spin-off series from Vampire Academy. I love Mead's work, but I'm always nervous going into her books. She is such a powerful writer and creates heart-wrenching and soul-crushingly beautiful and tragic plot twists, that I often worry what will happen to my emotional health whenever I go to read another book of hers. However, with this one and with all of the others, it is always worth the emotional roller coaster. This book takes directions that were introduced earlier in the series to a whole new level, as well as providing twists I never saw coming. It is action-packed, fast-paced, and remarkable. The character development since the first book in this series is astonishing. Sydney, Adrian, and the whole gang have come so far, and I can't wait to see what happens to them in the 4th book. My favorite part of this book was of course, Adrian and Sydney. People, if you think you know, you don't know. All the feels, every last one of them. The only thing that worries me is how pleased I was with the ending of this 3rd book. Mead often has a way of changing everything in a wonderful, but crushing way, but I'm still holding out for the events I want to happen. 5/5 full, shiny stars.
    • 5/5
      The third book in the Bloodlines series is packed with all the danger, intrigue, magic and romance that have made this series such a hit with me. When the story begins, Sydney is in denial about her relationship with Adrian. After all, Moroi and Alchemists are not supposed to fall in love. In fact, most Alchemists really, really dislike all Moroi even while their mission is to keep the Moroi hidden from the normal human society. But Sydney's denial is causing emotional pain for all of them and for Jill who is linked to Adrian because he brought her back to life. Sydney's romance is not the only one in this story. Jill loves Eddy who likes her back but is dating Angeline because his duty is to guard Jill, not to love her. And Angeline is falling in love with Trey who is her math tutor and a former member of the Warriors who want all vampires—Strigoi and Moroi—dead. He didn't leave the Warriors by choice and would go back to them in a heartbeat if they would let him. Sydney is also learning more magic from her teacher Ms. Terwilliger and is much less reluctant to use it. Since someone is finding young magic users and draining their magic, youth, and beauty from them, Sydney's new dedication to magic could save her life. Ms. Terwilliger is afraid that it is her older sister who is doing the draining. Sydney is also coming to believe that the Alchemists are not the organization she thought they were. They are keeping secrets from her and, when she meets Marcus Finch—the former Alchemist that the Alchemist says doesn't exist, her doubts gain momentum. Sydney is torn so many ways in this story. Her relationship with Adrian defies logic and everything she has learned as an Alchemist. Her use of magic is against Alchemist beliefs. Her loyalty to the Alchemists is crumbling with each new thing she learns. I can't wait to read what happens in The Fiery Heart which will be released in November.
    • 5/5
      4.5 Stars!

      Only Dislike: Some parts of the book were kind of stretched a little...but with all the action and sizzling romance who cares :D :D
    • 4/5
      I really have enjoyed the spin off series from Vampire Academy. Sydney is great and it is a lot of fun watching her juggle all her responsibilities. I really hope there will be more for her and Adrian. I can't wait for the next book.
    • 4/5
      Although I have reservation with the previous book, I am glad that Mead was on the right track with this book. I was nearly giving up the series after the second book and like her VA books, she did tone down some of her writing flair in favour for the YA audience. The trade off was the development between Sydney and Adrian where surely the sexual tension would satisfies even the most skeptic of RoseXAdrian fans.
      It took a long time for me to see Sydney to be in this way (fyi years). So I was pleased that she did something much more unexpected from what we usually see her in. In this book Sydney was divided from her loyalties toward her friends and alchemist. In the midst of it, her talent as a witch has grown when Ms.Terwilliger announced suddenly that another witch is in town and is sucking the powers of potential witches. Worried about exposing Sydney, she began to drill Sydney with preventive spells and shortcuts to advance magic for protection. Other than this, Sydney is troubled by her doubts over her organization's relationship with the Warriors but without proof, it doesn't go anywhere except to raise suspicions. Hence, she began a quest to find the ex-alchemist who had helped Clarence and the rest in the previous events from Golden Lily.
      I wasn't troubled by character progression but some of the minor character in the book has lost its prominence which made introducing new characters can be redundant. I know that it is crucial in prolonging the book series but I guess its a ploy to keep the fan base going.
      Somehow I felt there's a dissonance between the plot shifts which can be problematic toward the climax. By the end, it was a bit both predictable and unpredictable but I had wished there was more for me to go on with instead of waiting another year for the next book.
    • 5/5
      The only thing I didn't like about this book was that it ended. I realize a lot of people don't like Sydney as a character but I do like her. She's a lot like me - insecure, smart and practical. I really identify with that. And that a super-hot guy like Adrian loves her - well that gives me hope. ;) I love Sydney and Adrian as a couple. They listen to each other, work together well and have faith in one another. I am really curious to see how things continue in book four and absolutely cannot wait for it to come out.

      Emily Shaffer does a great job as narrator in this book.
    • 3/5
      Eeppp... What?! SIX BOOKS? Er... Okay. I'm late for the news. Or maybe I just forgot all about it... But seriously? Six Books? What would happen? Sigh.



      REVIEW:

      For the last three books... Of course, including this one... I always gave out 3 stars... I am a very big fan of Vampire Academy in which Bloodlines originated from. So I feel kinda bad that I'm not rating this series higher. I wanted to... but there's just something in this series that really bored me to the point where I read this for days, one time, for a whole week or two.

      But although I got bored by this book, yet again, I think this one is a bit better than the last two. Well, yes, I still rate it 3 stars. The story or plot is not that appealing to me. I do read magic stuffs, I read magical stuffs, but ugh. I don't know. I can't explain WHY I am not gushing over this series.

      I like Sydney Sage even before this spin-off. And who wouldn't like Adrian Ivashkov? Of course I do too. So when they were introduced in the Vampire Academy series... I feel like I know them already before Bloodlines start. SO, imagine, in this book, I feel like I didn't know them AT ALL. I feel like the characters were re-written all over again. But maybe, that's just me feeling that way. Cause I certainly got friends who liked the books.

      I like how story got something going on. I mean actions. And thrill. Oh. I think that's what's missing. VA is full of actions and thrill whereas Bloodlines is more like... theoretical, if it were based on lessons. And I am NOT a fan of theoretical subjects. I want the actions.

      Oh yeah, I like how Sydney finally decided to go a BIG STEP higher. How she finally thinks for her own good and for her loved ones. I like that she finally embraces things. I was like, "Finally!" and I kinda don't like it when she's being stupid. lol. Well, that's geniuses for you. Stupid when it came to emotions. I hated how she's so undecided about Adrian.

      There's this line of Adrian, too, saying that Sydney was giving him 'mixed signals'. I was like, 'Huh. Remember Rose? You told her that too, Adrian.' >.<

      Anyway, for fans of VA and Bloodlines, a definitely must read because it's so much better than the first two in my opinion. That's saying something. :P
    • 5/5
      A week ago I posted my 5 star review of The Golden Lily and got tons of comments urging me to read The Indigo Spell. So, I ordered it from Barnes and Nobles a couple days after. And...you guys were right! The Indigo Spell was so awesome!

      In this book there are two major plots, one with Marcus Finch and one with Mrs. T’s sister. Although we could say the Sydney/Adrian brewing romance is a main plot! I love both those characters so much! In the beginning we also get to see Sonya’s wedding which I enjoyed. There are so many little plots I could mention, which I think is one of Richelle Meads charms. There is so much happening in each book, each character had their own story or upcoming drama.

      As mentioned in previous reviews, if I had to pick the one character I was almost just like, it would be Sydney. I mean we are in no way exactly alike but our personalities are generally the same. So, for me, reading in her point of view felt natural and sucked me into the book easily. Sydney definitely had her faults though. By the end of the book, however, she was working through all of her faults and started seeing what really matters.

      Adrian, Jill, Eddie and the rest of the cast are as vibrant and interesting as ever! Adrian, and his car, are so awesome throughout the whole book! It is so exhilarating how the broken Adrian we see in the first book grows into a nicer, still sarcastic, more controlled person. Some of my favorites lines came from his mouth whether if the words were sarcastic or sweet.

      And Eddie and Jill! Do not get me started. I feel so bad for both of them! Mead is totally making the suffer! Hopefully in the next book they'll get a well deserved break. Speaking of the next book, Squee! I need it in my hands as soon as it releases. Especially after that cliffhanger. Let’s just say I was right about upcoming sister drama. And, I want to know what’s in store for Sydney and Adrian.

      I love all the mythical and magical aspects. Vampires, Alchemists, Wizards, spells, Warriors, Moroi, Djamphirs, Strigoi... Mead makes all the fiction seem so vivid I forget none of it is real. Also, I never felt overwhelmed by what was happening and all the fantasy aspects, but was never bored!

      All in all, Bloodlines is quickly becoming one of my favorite series. I would recommend this to almost anybody I know!

      5/5 bookcases
    • 4/5
      "No, I just had a romance going on with a vampire, was on the verge of joining a coven, and was investigating secrets no one wanted me to know about. No trouble at all. How in the world was I going to hide all that from her?"—SydneyEver since I finished reading The Golden Lily, I have to say that it was pretty crazy and I couldn't wait patiently enough for it's continuation. So it's only obvious that I managed to get my hand on this book as soon as possible.The Indigo Spell continued where The Golden Lily had left off, opening up with Sonya Karp's wedding and Sydney's duty as an alchemist to attend it. But when a clue arose and led her to Marcus Flinch, a runaway alchemist with the indigo tattoo that she had seen in a photo, she soon began to go on a search that defied all of her belief. And when the one she had always believe proved to be not so believable, will she turn into the one that had always been there for her, or will she try to take one more chance?From the plot line, I have to say that I didn't exactly love this book. It still sagged at some point, and it wasn't really all that engaging to make me read it nonstop. Sure, it wasn't that bad and uninteresting, but it didn't leave any special impression either.I personally think that it had too many subplot. Between Marcus, Sydney-Adrian relationship, chasing the magic user, and , the story became a bit jumpy and didn't flow well enough, and it wasn't really good to be read.What I love about this book though, even if the plot was not really great, was the romantic relationship between Sydney and Adrian, how their story went, and especially the character development. It was unfolded in a nice manner you won't even realize that they were changing, yet if you compared it to the beginning of the book, you'll realized how much they had changed.Sydney Sage, still our main protagonist, showed a lot of emotional progress and development, and it was nice to see that she finally able to act on her own and not dependent on what other people told her to. It made her more human that before, and really helped in making her a believable and flesh-and-bone character.Adrian Ivashkov, our other protagonist as well as Sydney's counterpart, still showed his signature personality, and I love how his characteristic stayed consistent throughout the books. On the other hand, he showed some changes as well, being more open and all, and his growth seemed so true as well.One thing I didn't like from this book was, as I mentioned earlier, its way-too-many subplot. Because there were so many things that needed to be covered, the reader didn't really got an in-depth insight to each issues, and I, honestly, as a reader, would actually love to know more than what was offered in this book.Overall, if you had read Richelle Mead's previous series, Vampire Academy, or you've read the previous book of Bloodlines series, you could give this book a try. Although this one was not very impressive, I think this whole series was really interesting and totally worth a try.
    • 3/5
      Just for the record : Mead is one of my all time favorite authors. She doesn't just pen characters, shee is a word dr. Frankenstein (it's alive!)That said... This book is really more like ~~ 3.5I wanted to love it... tried to love it ... but as I've been swept away by the 'sequel' parade (Boundless, Unravel me, Scarlet...), this one was a bit of a let down. Lots of luv. Lots of action.I'm not sure what really went wrong with me and this book. It was... I don't know... flat compared with the others in the series. Also (as I've stated before), Mead is always so predictable. I think she thinks her readers are dumb (but instead it just makes the "intelligent" characters seem obtuse). But, then again, the book definitely had its moments. To be fair the book might not have fallen flat if I hadn't raise the bar so high.
    • 2/5
      It was fine. I'm over being disappointed in Mead for consistently turning out formulaic junk. She's writing like 1500 books at a time, so what can you expect? My feelings have settled into a comfortable resignation. It was a let down after Bloodlines - hence my petty, mean-spirited two star rating - but I'm still willing to give the next book a try.


      Sigh.


    • 5/5
      Oh my God, who knew that this series could get any better? This book was INTENSE! There were points where I was jumping up and down I was so excited. And Adrian... will you marry me? Please?! You get to see how vulnerable he is in this book, yet at the same time he remains his goofy troublesome self. I felt like I was a part of this mission with these characters. And honestly I laughed out loud a lot. Adrian's so funny. He's so cute. And I'm insanely jealous of Sydney.Something that Adrian said kind of... hit home and made me cry. My late boyfriend used to say something very similar when he was alive. When I read that line I had to read it about 14 more times, and it broke my heart. And then he says it a bunch more times, just in case I didn't get the point. Ouch Adrian, I never thought you'd hurt me like that.
    • 5/5
      Can I just say how much I LOVE this series??? Cause I do!1. Adrian. Need I say more. He alone makes it good enough for anyone to pick up this book.2. Plot. It’s really good and weaved well with the characters. I’m excited now that certain developments have happen, to see where the story will go.3. Love interest. It does go back to Adrian but don’t you think Adrian deserves his own spot? Yes, right? The love between these two is going somewhere and I like it. I love the way Adrian in manipulative in what he wants. When this boy knows what he wants, he goes right after it!4. Mystery. The mystery of certain somebodies kept me in the book. I like that Adrian and Syndey had to work together in order to accomplish goals. Hey, the more time they spent together, the better 5. The end. I think the end opened up doors for some wide possibilities With new characters coming into the story, I’ m anxious to see how Syndey will react in all of this. Will she back out? Or will she become even braver?The Indigo Spell is a fantablous book full of great writing you can never get enough of. Impressive action and great plot twist, The Indigo Spell is brilliant. Ms. Mead keeps the reader engaged, maintaining a pace of excellent characters and plot. Pleasing and a page turner, The Indigo Spell rocks!
    • 5/5
      This is the third book in the Bloodlines series by Mead. The fourth book will be titled, The Fiery Heart, and is scheduled for a November 2013 release date. There are six books planned for this series. This was, by far, the most spectacular book yet in this series. Sydney grows a ton as a character and the plot was absolutely wonderful and engaging. There is a lot more focus on the magic elements that really started showing up in the previous book.I listened to this on audiobook and it was exceedingly well done. I really thought the narrator captured Sydney’s character spot on. The narrator also did an excellent job distinguishing between other characters’ voices and did a wonderful job conveying character emotion as well. This really was an excellent book to listen to on audiobook.Sydney is determined to hunt down the elusive Marcus Finch in an effort to find out what the Alchemists are trying to hide. Unfortunately she has to balance her search with her continued Alchemist’s duties to protect Jill. Of course making things even more complicated are her interactions with Adrian. To add to the whole mess, Ms. Terwilliger, is suddenly pushing Sydney to learn more magic quickly because she believes an evil witch is out to harm Sydney.This was by far my favorite book in this series. There are so many interesting things happening with both the plot and the characters in this book.Sydney will just absolutely blow you away in this book, she really comes into her own. In previous books she hasn’t been my favorite character, but she made up for all of that in this book. In this book she really starts using that brain of hers and decides to hunt down the truth for herself. She takes a lot of risks (so un-Sydney-like) and really starts to think for herself. She is growing in magic potential and finally starting to listen to her heart as well as her mind.Adrian was also amazing in this book. He is so respectful and supportive of Sydney. He’s become this absolute constant that she can always depend on. The relationship the two develop is so sweet and touching. Adrian’s patience with Sydney is incredible and astounding.The plot was incredibly well done. You have three major plot elements: Sydney’s job as an alchemist, Sydney tracking down Marcus Finch, and Sydney learning magic and trying to hunt down an evil sorceress. All three elements are masterfully woven together. All three are incredibly interesting and do a lot to progress the story. These are all things I was so excited to read more about after reading the Golden Lily.I love how there is more magic in this book and I love how the plot is expanding beyond just the vampires and introducing more interesting elements into this world.This book is absolutely wonderful. It is incredibly engaging and well written and very hard to put down. I just loved it! Mead keeps you on the edge of your seat right to the end of the book. Overall an absolutely excellent continuation of this series! I really really loved it. By far the best book in the series yet. Both Sydney and Adrian really grow as characters and became something special in this book. Not to mention there is a lot more cool magic going on and we learn about the history of the Alchemist's even more. I strongly recommend this series to fans of YA paranormal reads; this book really made me happy I am reading this series. Now I am dying to see what will happen in the next book in this series.
    • 4/5
      ****Review also posted over at Paranormalhaven.com as a guest review****

      The Indigo Spell is the third book within Richelle Mead’s Bloodlines series. We follow Sydney Sage, an Alchemist, as she protects Jill Mastrano Dragomir at Amberwood Prep high school. I started reading the Vampire Academy series a few years back, but a big reason why I loved those books so much was because of entire supporting cast of characters. Quite a few of those supporting roles have a larger part to play in the Bloodlines series.

      Sydney is rudely awakened one night by her teacher, Ms. Terwilliger, and is taken out to the desert to practice magical spells. The teacher cryptically tells her that she’ll need the spells for her own protection, but before she is able to elaborate on her statement, Sydney has to leave to attend a Moroi wedding with her fellow Alchemists. To Sydney’s dismay, she discovers that she has to travel with Adrian Ivashkov. The Moroi vampire is in love with Sydney and she finds herself uncomfortably attracted to him as well. A big portion of The Indigo Spell deals with the relationship between Sydney and Adrian and I love the way that it’s handled. Sydney has to come to terms with her feelings for Adrian and dealing with her prejudiced thoughts regarding the Moroi. She knows what her duties are as an Alchemist and how those responsibilities conflict with how she feels about the vampire.

      In turn, we see Adrian grow up from the spoiled party boy that he was in the Vampire Academy series. I never liked the way Rose treated him in the previous books and am very glad he’s found a better match in Sydney. He’s considerate, thoughtful, and all his actions toward Sydney reflect that he cares profoundly for her.

      I do have a small bone to pick but it correlates to how this book was marketed. This, in turn, did affect how I read and interpreted the text. Marcus Finch is an ex-alchemist that Sydney locates by using a magical spell. On blogs and various social networks, there was a big hubbub about who Marcus Finch was and the role that he’s meant to play. Because of this, I was expecting his character to be a lot more than it actually was. He encourages Sydney to not take everything on face value when it comes to the Alchemists, but Sydney already does this. I never once believed that he was meant to come in as a late love interest partly because Sydney never reacts to him in that way, and just the sheer amount of page time that Sydney and Adrien get together. It wouldn’t have made much sense if his character tried to romance Sydney. So I felt a little hornswoggled when it came to all those “clues” about Marcus Finch.

      Much of the book is spent with Sydney and Adrien trying to track down Ms. Terwilliger’s sister, Veronica, who is absorbing magical energy from young girls and killing them in the process. The pacing is quite good, the relationship develops wonderfully, and I’m very eager to see what Richelle Mead has in store for Sydney, Adrien, Jill and the rest of the kids at Amberprep High School.
    • 5/5
      Indigo Spell cast its spell on me, that is for sure. From the first page, I didn't want to put it down. Adrian is hot as ever and comes out with lines like this:Because I can't help doing it. And hey, if I keep loving you, maybe you'll eventually crack and love me too. Hell, I'm pretty sure you're already half in love with me." p. 30Remember--no matter how ordinary things seem between us--I'm still here, still in love with you, and care about you more than any other guy, evil or otherwise, ever will. p. 30 So, yeah. I am glad that he is in the process of getting his happy ending. Because, surely Richelle can't be that cruel and not eventually get these two together, right?? Right??? The pacing is awesome. There are multiple plot threads going on, but it kept me on the edge of my seat and I began to see how they all worked together to help Sydney become stronger and discover who she wants to be, instead of who she has been told to be. There are some steamy moments, that I wanted to read over and over... To put myself in Sydney's body because then Adrian would be talking to me, touching me, thinking about me, and loving me. I should have just stopped before the last two pages, because then I would have been okay waiting a bit for Fiery Heart. (well, who am I kidding? Even if neatly tied up, I would still want more Adrian and Sydney) But of course, Richelle had to be a little mean and throw a huge obstacle in their path. One that I have no idea how they are going to combat. Non-stop awesomeness going on. There is magic, hot Adrian, a new mystery character, kick ass Eddie, and Sydney is changing so much! I loved watching her come into her own, and want to think for herself.Bottom Line: Great installment in a must read series.
    • 5/5
      I just finished reading this book, and I absolutely LOVED it!! Adrian is really starting to grow on me, and I can't wait for the fourth book in this series to come out!
    • 5/5
      The Bloodlines series has eclipsed the Vampire Academy as my favorite series from Richelle Mead. This series keeps getting better and better. This story centers around Sydney's feelings about Adrian and how her feelings are starting to change the way she sees the world she has known her entire life. Sydney grows a lot in this book and Mead also shows us clearly how much Adrian has grown and developed in this book as well. Sydrin fans will not be disappointed with this book. Outside of the Sydney/Adrian story the remaining cast of characters create havoc for Syndey with problems of their own. The story continues to give us new twists and facts about the Alchemist which will satisfy not only readers looking for romance but those following to story as well. I can't wait to see what happens next.
    • 5/5
      Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.Quick & Dirty: A fantastic progression of the story showcases the growth of the characters, filled with amazing writing. Cannot get enough of this series.Opening Sentence: This wasn’t the first time I’d been pulled out of bed for a crucial mission.The Review:I have been coveting The Indigo Spell ever since I finished The Golden Lily. Richelle Mead’s third book in the Bloodlines series has been one of the most talked about books in the book bloggersphere. There is so much to learn after where Mead ended The Golden Lily, and I was one of the lucky ones to read it early. Everything about The Indigo Spell screams amazing, and I think this is my favorite book of this series (at least to date). I promise not to say any spoilers, but I will say that you will enjoy every minute of it.The Indigo Spell starts shortly after the end of The Golden Lily. Not much time has passed, and Sydney is already involved in something adventurous. There are different story arcs happening within The Indigo Spell, one figuring out who Marcus Finch is, the elusive Alchemist rogue, and Sydney’s further involvement of magic. While both arcs test Sydney’s faith and beliefs, she finds herself compromising who she is as an Alchemist, but not as a person. Sydney finds out more secrets than she has ever been exposed to, each one as dire as the next.I loved Sydney in The Indigo Spell. I don’t think I’ve ever admired a female character as much as I am with her. Mead has written her to be a realistic young female, who has expectations and responsibilities along with the rest of us. In The Indigo Spell, I connected with Sydney more so than I ever have in the previous books. She is a little more vulnerable and a little more imperfect. She discovers so many things not only about her world, but also about herself. It’s human and raw. Plus all the emotions that she goes through. I don’t think I’ve enjoyed reading through an emotional roller coaster as much as I have reading Sydney’s life.I won’t talk much about specifics, but know that Mead brings the characters into a more involved level. The relationships that Sydney has with the characters changes, some for the better and some for the worse. The characters test Sydney’s resolve, and I enjoyed it. Sydney has always been this composed person, but mixed in with Jill, Eddie, or even Adrian, it changes.Okay, I’m going to have to talk about Adrian and Marcus Finch. Adrian has grown as a character, in a way that I find appealing. He is no longer the young man who is just laissez-faire about life, but instead has a relaxed attitude of enjoying life. It’s a subtle difference, but Adrian has a reason to care and be responsible about certain things. Marcus Finch is an ex-Alchemist that Sydney has become obsessed about. Not only is he the reason why she questions her beliefs and the whole world, he is also the reason for this quest of finding out the real truth. Mead changes the story dynamic bringing him in, and it shakes the very being of Sydney’s world. It’s interesting to see it all unravel.The world changes in The Indigo Spell. Mead brings things to another level of dark paranormal elements. She adds a little romance and some mystery. I truly enjoyed reading The Indigo Spell, with all of the jaw-dropping revelations. Mead’s writing style just compliments everything that has been going on with the story, and I have never had a dull moment. It’s paced nicely, allowing me to fully comprehend what’s going on.I highly urge you to pick up The Indigo Spell. Such a great story from beginning to end.Notable Scene:“What are friends for?” He caught the door from me and motioned for me to go inside.“Yeah, but you went above and beyond tonight for something that has nothing to do with you. I appreciate that. You didn’t have to help. You don’t have the same reasons I have for cracking open the Alchemists.”Not knowing what else to say, I gave him a small nod of thanks and went inside. As the warmth and noise of the crowd swallowed us, I thought I heard him say, “I have different reasons.”FTC Advisory: Penguin/Razorbill provided me with a copy of The Indigo Spell. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.