Series · young adult paranormal romance

Bloodlines

The Bloodlines series by Richelle Mead has 6 known books (6 published). It is best read in publication order, starting with Bloodlines (2011). The Ruby Circle is the latest book with a fully recorded publication date.

Books
6 known books (6 novels)
Published
6
First published
2011
Status
completed
Shelved under
Start here: Bloodlines (2011) — then read straight through in publication order.

Reading order

The date order of published books and any announced future entries — the default way to read the series.
  1. Book 1:

    Bloodlines

    Novel
    Bloodlines (2011) opens Richelle Mead's spin-off series at 343 pages, sending Sydney Sage -- an Alchemist trained to view vampires as unnatural -- into protecting Jill Mastrano Dragomir, with The Golden Lily following. Alternative text for cover: Cover of Bloodlines
  2. Book 2:

    The Golden Lily

    Novel
    At 417 pages, The Golden Lily (2012) is the longest entry in Bloodlines, continuing Sydney's slow-building, forbidden romance with dhampir guardian Adrian Ivashkov as her Alchemist training keeps clashing with her closer-than-ever contact with the vampire world. Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Golden Lily
  3. Book 3:

    The Indigo Spell

    Novel
    The Indigo Spell (2013), 385 pages, is the third Bloodlines novel, deepening the political plot around the Moroi royal succession and the prejudices Sydney's Alchemist upbringing never had her examine from the inside. Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Indigo Spell
  4. Book 4:

    The Fiery Heart

    Novel
    The Fiery Heart (2013) followed The Indigo Spell later that same year, running 382 pages as Sydney and Adrian's unlikely romance -- complicated by her Alchemist conditioning -- becomes the emotional spine of the series. Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Fiery Heart
  5. Book 5:

    Silver Shadows

    Novel
    Silver Shadows (2014), 380 pages, is the fifth Bloodlines novel, continuing the guardians-versus-Strigoi stakes Mead carried over from Vampire Academy while pushing Sydney and Adrian's relationship toward its hardest test yet. Alternative text for cover: Cover of Silver Shadows
  6. Book 6:

    The Ruby Circle

    Novel
    The Ruby Circle (2015) closes the six-book Bloodlines series at 370 pages, resolving Sydney and Adrian's slow-building romance and the wider Moroi political plot that's run through the series since the original book. Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Ruby Circle

Key facts about the Bloodlines series

The Bloodlines series has 6 books on our list. Since all 6 are out now, you can read the whole list today.

Start with Bloodlines, since it opens the publication order in 2011. The Golden Lily is book 2, from 2012. The Indigo Spell is book 3, from 2013.

The Fiery Heart is book 4, from 2013. Silver Shadows is book 5, from 2014. The Ruby Circle is book 6, from 2015.

Each title links to its own page, while the list keeps them in date order. Each book page shows its dates and editions.

The Ruby Circle is the latest book with a full release date, out on 10 February 2015. Since the catalogue marks the series as complete, we list no next book.

The books came out between 2011 and 2015, while their length runs from 343 to 417 pages. That is a run of 4 years.

Richelle Mead has 29 books on our list. Additionally, they write Georgina Kincaid, Vampire Academy and Dark Swan, plus 2 more series. We shelve the books under young adult paranormal romance.


About the Bloodlines series

Bloodlines is Richelle Mead's direct sequel series to Vampire Academy, shifting focus from Rose Hathaway to Sydney Sage, an Alchemist -- a human sworn to keep the vampire world secret and, historically, to view vampires and their guardians as unnatural. Bloodlines opens with Sydney assigned to protect Jill Mastrano Dragomir, sent into hiding at a boarding school after a plot threatens the fragile Moroi royal succession, forcing Sydney into far closer contact with the vampire world -- and the dhampir guardian Adrian Ivashkov -- than her Alchemist training ever prepared her for.

Mead uses Sydney's outsider, rules-bound perspective to interrogate the prejudices Vampire Academy's Rose never had to examine from the inside, while continuing that series' central conflicts around Moroi politics, Strigoi threats, and the guardians who protect against them. The romance between Sydney and Adrian -- unlikely, slow-building, and complicated by Sydney's Alchemist conditioning -- becomes the emotional spine of the series.

Complete at six books, Bloodlines is widely considered essential reading for Vampire Academy fans and the natural next series once the original sextet is finished.

Frequently asked questions

How many books are in the Bloodlines series?

Six: Bloodlines (2011), The Golden Lily (2012), The Indigo Spell (2013), The Fiery Heart (2013), Silver Shadows (2014), and The Ruby Circle (2015).

What order should I read Bloodlines in?

Publication order, starting with Bloodlines -- but read the original six-book Vampire Academy series first, since Bloodlines is a direct sequel that assumes that history.

Do I need to read Vampire Academy before Bloodlines?

Yes. Bloodlines is set right after Vampire Academy's ending and follows characters and events introduced there; starting with Bloodlines will spoil the original series.

Is Bloodlines finished?

Yes, the series is complete at six books, concluding with The Ruby Circle (2015).

Who is the main character of Bloodlines?

Sydney Sage, an Alchemist -- a human sworn to keep the vampire world secret -- who narrates in first person, unlike Vampire Academy's Rose Hathaway.


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