Polar opposites

As an Alchemist, Sydney Sage has grown up believing that that the Moroi vampires, while tolerated in the course of business, are to be avoided as much as possible. Afterall, they are less than human. But Sydney doesn’t have much choice. She’s been assigned to protect and monitor a Moroi princess, who has been placed in hiding along with her group of half vampire guards. The more time Sydney spends with her charges, the more she begins to question what she has been taught about the Moroi. She finds herself enjoying the company of her new ‘family’, especially the brash, spoilt magic-wielder Adrian…

I think I enjoyed this second installment even more than the first. The characters of Sydney and Adrian are so unlike your typical heroes. Sydney is a perfectionist. She’s intelligent and weighs the consequences of each action carefully. Even something as emotive as a first date has her researching options and possible outcomes. Adrian is her polar opposite. He’s brash, spontaneous, and emotionally driven. Motivated by art and pleasure, Adrian wields the most powerful of Moroi magic, Spirit – something Sydney has been taught to fear – something that does not belong in the human world. The interaction between these two totally opposite characters is humorous and charming to witness. Unlikely as it seems, they really ‘get’ and bring out the softer, stronger sides of one another.

I love that Sydney doesn’t just give in to her burgeoning attraction to Adrian, even though readers are aching for the two of them to get together. This makes her character that much stronger and more believable, as does Adrian’s pride that often gets in the way. I’m dying to find out what happens next!