Review: 'Last Sacrifice' by Richelle Mead

Last Sacrifice

Richelle Mead 

Goodreads / Amazon 

They come first.
My vision was growing dimmer, the blackness and ghosts closing in. I swore it was like I could hear Robert whispering in my ear: The world of the dead won't give you up a second time. Just before the light completely vanished, I saw Dimitri's face join Lissa's. I wanted to smile. I decided then that if the two people I loved most were safe, I could leave this world.

The dead could finally have me.


Rose Hathaway has always played by her own rules. She broke the law when she ran away from St. Vladimir's Academy with her best friend and last surviving Dragomir princess, Lissa. She broke the law when she fell in love with her gorgeous, off-limits instructor, Dimitri. And she dared to defy Queen Tatiana, leader of the Moroi world, risking her life and reputation to protect generations of dhampir guardians to come.

Now the law has finally caught up with Rose - for a crime she didn't even commit. She's in prison for the highest offense imaginable: the assassination of a monarch. She'll need help from both Dimitri and Adrian to find the one living person who can stall her execution and force the Moroi elite to acknowledge a shocking new candidate for the royal throne: Vasilisa Dragomir.

But the clock on Rose's life is running out. Rose knows in her heart the world of the dead wants her back...and this time she is truly out of second chances. The big question is, when your whole life is about saving others, who will save you?

Join Rose, Dimitri, Adrian, and Lissa in Last Sacrifice, the epic, unforgettable finale to Richelle Mead's international #1 bestselling Vampire Academy series.

The Big Picture: 

The main question is this: was this book a good ending for the series?

My answer is sorta-but-not-really.

I didn't love Rose as much as I did before. Her cheating annoyed me. That isn't a quality I want to see in a beloved character. The plot was split between Lissa and Rose's story. I liked Lissa's much better. Even if it seemed like it belonged in 'Castle'. Rose had some interesting things happen to her, but it seemed to vaguely follow a soap opera's plot. (Illegitimate child much?) The romance was great but terrible at the same time. Again, cheating. I loved that Dimitri and Rose loved each other still. That didn't mean Adrian doesn't exist anymore, though. The ending was satisfactory. I didn't like how things ended with Adrian, but that's what the spinoff is for.

Travel Companion:

If we traveled with the main character Rose Hathaway, she would be:

The Warrior

She would be the fighter. She would be the one to defend the weak. She would defend her loved ones. She would be a soldier. She would be a great soldier. 
We would meet her on her leave. She would be teaching martial arts to children. We would join in on her class and see her fighting spirit. We would invite her to join us to see Russia. She would join because she had heard so much from her instructor Dimitri, and she wanted to see it for herself. 

I liked and hated Rose in this book.
I liked her defiant nature. And she was loyal to Lissa. She would fight to the end for her. She kept her humor. She was a fighter. All the qualities that made me root for Rose. She was still Rose. Those things I liked. She was loyal. Defiant. Brave. Sarcastic. Witty. She defended her friends. She fought for them. I admired her for that.

"Ah, my daughter," he said. "Eighteen, and already you've been accused of murder, aided felons, and acquired a death count higher than most guardians will ever see." He paused. "I couldn't be prouder."

Location 704 'Last Sacrifice' 

But. I hated Rose because of her cheating. She could have let Adrian down nicely. I knew there was always chemistry between her and Dimitri, but that didn't mean Adrian didn't exist. She completely ignored her feelings for him. I could tell she loved him, but it didn't seem like that sometimes. She didn't have to be so harsh.

The Adventure Begins (And Ends):

The plot was divided between What Lissa Is Doing and What Rose Is Doing. I wanted these two parts to have more connection. If Rose communicated, via Adrian, with Lissa, things would have been easier. Surprises wouldn't be revealed without any notice.
I actually liked seeing Lissa get back together with Christian. I liked seeing her try to figure out the Castle-esque mystery. Next time on 'Castle', who killed Tatianna? And seeing her go through the tests made me realize that Lissa was capable and strong. This part of the story was either A) murder mystery or B) Lissa has to go through tests to be queen even if no one can vote or her. The murder mystery wasn't too bad. It made the mystery-loving part of me happy. (Not that I read mysteries a lot.) You find someone who MIGHT be the killer. Oh never mind. Maybe this guy! No...not him. It seemed like a complete surprise when the real killer was revealed. And Lissa didn't even discover the killer's identity, and she was the one looking.
Rose's side of things was complicated. It was full of tension. Sonya Karp. On the run. Finding the Dragomir who could help Lissa become queen. I can't say I enjoyed it entirely. Sure, the action was great. And we met some people from Rose's past. But it was mostly Rose on the run. It was hard for me to enjoy this side of the story when I knew Rose wanted to fight. I knew she did. But she didn't, and I wondered where was her rebellious spirit. I wanted to see Rose fight back. And she did. In a very non-Rose way. Huh...

I'll Wait For You At the Gate:

Ugh. Dimitri and Rose were giving me such pain. They were such a good couple. They just didn't know it. I was relieved when Sonya told Rose about their syncing auras. I was like, 'At last. A voice of reason. Just get back together. Well...first break up with Adrian. Nicely. And then get back together.' They had chemistry. They had the spark. They were like puzzles pieces that fit together perfectly.

"That I do still love you."

Location 5979 'Last Sacrifice'

Where was that self-control? Did you have to do it then? I know you two loved each other, but that didn't mean you could just drop your pants and get to work. And leave a sock on the doorknob if you do!
The way Rose ended things with Adrian really annoyed me. She was so rude to him. Adrian loved her, and she treated him like trash. She barely gave him a reason. She said all the wrong things. Granted, I'm not sure how 'good' breakups go anyways. The things she said to him and the things she did with Dimitri when she was still with Adrian...well...there's just no honor in that.

Perks and Upgrades:

N/A

You Have Arrived at Your Destination:

The ending was just satisfactory. I didn't love it or hate it.
I was reeling from what happened with Jill and the accusations in the Council's hall. (Did Rose really need to do that publicly? And right then and there?) There was no reason for that.
And the romance part? Things with Adrian made me long for the spin-off. I wanted him to be happy. Next to Rose, he was my favorite character. He was kind and true to himself. He flirted, but he was loyal to Rose. I felt like Rose used him and threw him away. I wanted to see him truly happy.
I was pleased with the fact that Rose was finally a guardian to the person she wanted to guard. She got what she wanted in the end.
I had no questions left. (Well...I had one. What about Adrian?) I felt like the story was wrapped up. There was nothing I wanted to know about. The book ended neatly.

Rating:

3/5

Review: 'Spirit Bound' by Richelle Mead

Spirit Bound

Richelle Mead  

Goodreads / Amazon

Dimitri gave Rose the ultimate choice. But she chose wrong...

After a long and heartbreaking journey to Dimitri's birthplace in Siberia, Rose Hathaway has finally returned to St. Vladimir's-and to her best friend, Lissa. It is nearly graduation, and the girls can't wait for their real lives beyond the Academy's iron gates to begin. But Rose's heart still aches for Dimitri, and she knows he's out there, somewhere.

She failed to kill him when she had the chance. And now her worst fears are about to come true. Dimitri has tasted her blood, and now he is hunting her. And this time he won't rest until Rose joins him... forever.

The Big Picture: 

Overall, this was an okay book. It could have been much better.
I saw Rose in a different light. I felt like she was rude to Adrian. The plot wasn't bad. During the first half of the book, I loved it. Things changed once Dimitri got to the Court. I started to get annoyed at how soap opera-y the book turned. The ending wasn't bad. It was full of tension.

Travel Companion:

If we traveled with the main character Rose Hathaway, she would be:

The Warrior

She would be the fighter. She would be the one to defend the weak. She would defend her loved ones. She would be a soldier. She would be a great soldier. 
We would meet her on her leave. She would be teaching martial arts to children. We would join in on her class and see her fighting spirit. We would invite her to join us to see Russia. She would join because she had heard so much from her instructor Dimitri, and she wanted to see it for herself. 

As I read this book, I started to see Rose in a different light. I still thought she was awesome, but I didn't harbor as much respect as I used to have for her. She was still a great fighter. She was still loyal to her friends. She was still reckless.

So what changed?

Rose treated Adrian like he didn't matter. She tossed him aside unless he was important to her situation. I was astonished. Rose was such a great character. Why did she have to do that? I started to hate her a little bit.

But...Rose was still Rose. She was reckless. She spoke up for the little guy. When she started to protest the dhampir graduation age law, I felt a glowing pride in my chest. She was defending those teen dhampirs. She knew the consequences. I admired her efforts. Rose was still the defiant girl I admired, but she had a side of her I didn't like.

The Adventure Begins (And Ends):

The first half of this book was amazing. It was filled with action. The trials. Graduation. The prison break-out. And rescuing Christian and Lissa. It was fast-paced and exciting. I loved reading it. It was interesting. I was left wanting more. Every time I stopped reading, I yearned for the next moment. So much happened. The break-out was quite amazing. It showed that Rose was not a bad leader. She could plan things out and put them into action. That doesn't mean her plans should happen all the time, though. Her plans can get reckless.
The second half grew into a soap opera. My excitement levels started to die down. I felt like the plot was something off a reality TV show. An illegitimate child. Gasp! A murder. Gasp! Rejection from the one you love. Gasp! The plot twists thrown at me were nothing. The only thing they were was dramatic. I felt like they were there for the shock factor. (Especially that illegitimate child one.)

I'll Wait For You At the Gate:

I'm not even sure about the romance anymore.

I loved Adrian. He's such a great character. He truly loved Rose. I loved his loyalty. He was a great character. He was fun to read. Adrian would be a great friend in real life.
But Rose wasn't completely into him. She was still into Dimitri. I shipped Dimitri and Rose. I always have. She had no right to treat Adrian the way she did, though. Yes, she could have broken up with him. She could have simply told him her heart was still with Dimitri. It was obvious to me that she couldn't let Dimitri go. No matter how many times he rejected her. She wouldn't let him go. That didn't mean she had to ignore Adrian. Not at all.
What I wanted was this: Rose dumps Adrian and gets back together with Dimitri. Dimitri can't deny his feelings forever. No matter what he says. He still loves Rose, and Rose still loves him.
The love triangle was messy and completely avoidable. If only Rose was truthful to Adrian, this wouldn't have happened. Just admit you still love Dimitri, Rose. That'll make things easier.

Perks and Upgrades:

N/A

You Have Arrived at Your Destination:

The ending was filled with tension. What will happen next to Rose? Will she be okay? I was left wondering. And that last sentence about being guilty at the trial? A punch to the gut.
I have questions. This book didn't end on a high note. It ended in a cliffhanger. You're left wondering what happens next. Thank goodness I have easy accessibility to the next book.

Rating:

4/5

Review: 'Blood Promise' by Richelle Mead

Blood Promise

Richelle Mead

Goodreads / Amazon

Rose Hathaway's life will never be the same.

The recent attack on St. Vladimir's Academy devastated the entire Moroi world. Many are dead. And, for the few victims carried off by Strigoi, their fates are even worse. A rare tattoo now adorns Rose's neck, a mark that says she's killed far too many Strigoi to count. But only one victim matters ... Dimitri Belikov. Rose must now choose one of two very different paths: honoring her life's vow to protect Lissa—her best friend and the last surviving Dragomir princess—or, dropping out of the Academy to strike out on her own and hunt down the man she loves. She'll have to go to the ends of the earth to find Dimitri and keep the promise he begged her to make. But the question is, when the time comes, will he want to be saved?

Now, with everything at stake—and worlds away from St. Vladimir's and her unguarded, vulnerable, and newly rebellious best friend—can Rose find the strength to destroy Dimitri? Or, will she sacrifice herself for a chance at eternal love?

Travel Companion:

If we traveled with the main character Rose Hathaway, she would be:

The Warrior

She would be the fighter. She would be the one to defend the weak. She would defend her loved ones. She would be a soldier. She would be a great soldier. 
We would meet her on her leave. She would be teaching martial arts to children. We would join in on her class and see her fighting spirit. We would invite her to join us to see Russia. She would join because she had heard so much from her instructor Dimitri, and she wanted to see it for herself. 

Rose went through so much in this book. She had to go through being a blood whore. She had to go through being addicted. Losing control. Rose didn't seem as reckless as before. She went through so much pain. I can't imagine experiencing the horrors she was put through. Her mind must be a battlefield. 
Rose was grief-stricken. She was uncontrollable. As much as I love her character, I started to hate her a little bit. I didn't like her lack of contorl. But. She was grieving. I had to cut her some slack. All her actions were out of grief. 
But Rose tried to keep her humor. 

Okay, God, I thought. Get me out of this and I’ll stop my half-assed churchgoing ways. You got me past a pack of Strigoi tonight. I mean, trapping that one between the doors really shouldn’t have worked, so clearly you’re on board. Let me get out of here, and I’ll . . . I don’t know. Donate Adrian’s money to the poor. Get baptized. Join a convent. Well, no. Not that last one.

Page 411 'Blood Promise'

In all honesty, I thought that she could have been happy with the Belikovs. She could have patched up things with Viktoria. She could have finished her training and stayed in Baia. But Rose was never meant to settle down. 
The Rose in this book was different than the Rose in any of the past books. She was weakened. I can't imagine Rose Hathaway ever being weakened, but it was possible. She changed. She was reckless. She pursued a dream. I felt like the strong and brave Rose was replaced by this maniac. Her grief made her do things she would regret later. She tortured people. She made them suffer.
And just to save the one she loved. 

The Adventure Begins (And Ends):

I just have to say one thing before I start talking about the plot. 

Oh. My. Gosh.

Okay. 

Let's continue. 

What a ride. I couldn't believe what was happening. This series was, and is, intoxicating. It grabbed me by the hand and dragged me along. 

Rose's escape was amazing. She used her cunning this time. She used her mind, not just her body. She fought like a maniac. She had to, of course. Her life was on the line. And she took Dimitri's advice. She ran. 

I smiled at him. Leaning down, I kissed him gently. He probably thought I was doing it for the reasons I always did, out of attraction and desire. In truth, it was a goodbye kiss. His mouth answered mine, his lips warm and eager. I held out the kiss a little longer, both to fight back the tears leaking out of my eyes and to lull him into an unsuspecting state. My hand closed around the chair leg, which I’d hidden in my hoodie pocket. I would never forget Dimitri, not for the rest of my life. And this time, I wouldn’t forget his lessons.

Page 395 'Blood Promise'

And when she was with the Belikovs? I adored it. I got to see Dimitri's life before he became a guardian. It was a nice interlude of peace. Rose had a step-in family. She had people who loved Dimitri around her. And she could grieve properly. 
And when Rose was with Dimitri? It scared me, honestly. I was worried about Rose's life. He teased her. He sapped her strength. It wasn't right. I felt sorry for Rose. I wanted to drag her out of that situation. 
And the things we saw from Lissa's perspective? It was a stab to my heart. Lissa was turning reckless. She was turning back to her party girl ways. She had to be stopped. I wanted Rose to jump onto the next plane and go help Lissa. I prayed for it. I was pleased when Oksana and Rose worked together to help Lissa. That fight with Avery was insane. I choked it down with wide eyes. Why did Avery do it? Why? There was no reason for it. 

I'll Wait For You At the Gate:

Dimitri. Oh god. I hated how Dimitri acted. I hated how he used Rose. You don't have the right to abuse the people you love. He tortured her. Not in the ways you might think, though. He drained her blood. Left her addicted. Left her yearning for his touch. He didn't love her anymore. He acted like a monster. Nothing could hide that. 
This book explored their relationship in a different way. A grieving Rose. An insane Dimitri. These two were perfect together in the other books, but this book cast Dimitri in a darker light. Yet, Rose still saw her Dimitri. The one who loved her and looked at her as if she was the most precious thing in the world. She saw her Dimitri under the red-rimmed eyes and ghostly pale skin. That just showed how much Rose loved Dimitri. 

I looked him in the eye. “I will always love you.”

Page 426 'Blood Promise'

I have mentioned before how I felt like Dimitri and Rose's romance was rushed. We finally got some backstory to their romance. Snow angels. Dimitri caring for Rose when she was sick. We got to see snippets of their normal lives before any Strigoi attack. It was nice to see how Dimitri treated Rose outside of battle or training. He was kind. Sweet. I was happy for Rose. She needed a calming person to soothe her fire. Dimtri was great. He fit the job description perfectly. 

Perks and Upgrades:

I noticed Richelle Mead addressed serious problems through her books. She talked about depression in 'Vampire Academy'. In this book, she talked about addiction and grief. 
She talked about serious topics in a different way. It wasn't direct. For addiction, she wrote about the dizziness. The withdrawal symptoms. Rose suffered. She was weakened and lost. The way Richelle handled things was interesting. You knew Rose was addicted, but it didn't seem like Richelle was talking about addiction in the real world. The way she wrote it made Rose's addiction seem like it was just part of the story and nothing else. 
I see what you're doing, Richelle. It doesn't escape my notice. 

I was weak and had been subdued by Nathan and Inna because I was an addict, because I was living a life of blissful ignorance that was taking a toll on my body and my mind. The thought was startling, and I could barely hold onto it. My yearning for vampire endorphins flared up, and the two factions warred in my mind.

Page 352-353 'Blood Promise'

You Have Arrived at Your Destination:

The ending was a great reunion. We met Lissa. Adrian. We met Alberta. We met Janine for goodness sake! It was great seeing everyone safe and sound. I thought it was a lighthearted reunion. With what happened during the book, I thought a lighthearted reunion was needed. 

And with that reunion . . . it was like I was emerging from a cave— one I’d been in for almost five weeks— into the bright light of day. When Dimitri had turned, I’d felt like I’d lost part of my soul. When I’d left Lissa, another piece had gone. Now, seeing her . . . I began to think maybe my soul might be able to heal. Maybe I could go on after all. I didn’t feel 100 percent whole yet, but her presence filled up that missing part of me. I felt more like myself than I had in ages.

Page 472 'Blood Promise'

I felt like this book could have been the last book of the series. Seriously. Rose had made peace with what happened to Dimitri. She had Lissa on her side again. There were more spirit users than before. Things could have ended well. This book could have ended peacefully. 
But. That silver stake negated everything. There was a need for another book.Overall, I adored this book. Rose was completely different. The plot was amazing as usual. The romance was full of tension and regret. It was fascinating to see Strigoi Dimitri act. The ending was great. We got to see everyone together. I thought it was good that Rose saw all these people who cared for her. 

Rating:

5/5

Review: 'Shadow Kiss' by Richelle Mead

Shadow Kiss

Richelle Mead 

Goodreads / Amazon

WHAT IF FOLLOWING HER HEART MEANS ROSE COULD LOSE HER BEST FRIEND FOREVER?

Lissa Dragomir is a Moroi princess: a mortal vampire with a rare gift for harnessing the earth's magic. She must be protected at all times from Strigoi; the fiercest vampires - the ones who never die. The powerful blend of human and vampire blood that flows through Rose Hathaway, Lissa's best friend, makes her a Dhampir. Rose is dedicated to a dangerous life of protecting Lissa from the Strigoi, who are hell-bent on making Lissa one of them.

Rose knows it is forbidden to love another guardian. Her best friend, Lissa - the last Dragomir princess - must always come first. Unfortunately, when it comes to gorgeous Dimitri Belikov, some rules are meant to be broken...

Then a strange darkness begins to grow in Rose's mind, and ghostly shadows warn of a terrible evil drawing nearer to the Academy's iron gates. The immortal undead are closing in, and they want vengeance for the lives Rose has stolen. In a heart-stopping battle to rival her worst nightmares, Rose will have to choose between life, love, and the two people who matter most... but will her choice mean that only one can survive?

Travel Companion:

If I traveled with the main character Rose Hathaway, she would be:

The Thrill Seeker

She would go to all the places for adrenaline junkies. She would dive from high cliffs into shallow waters. She would be the one who wouldn't hesitate to join in a fight to defend her friends. Rose would be the one to choose the deadly, life-threatening adventures. (Which might result in a broken bone or two.) And she would be great at fighting. She would end up as a martial arts instructor if she wasn't busy protecting her best friend.

We would meet her recklessly jumping off a cliff. Of course, we would chicken out and back off. We would be impressed by Rose's reckless attitude and her fearlessness. We would become her friends after we take our own leap.

Rose was still the awesome girl we all know and love. I will always love Rose's character. No matter what. She was outspoken and brave. She was reckless. She didn't always think before she acted. And the darkness made her even more reckless. (If that's believable.) She didn't think at all in this book. She didn't hesitate. She jumped into a fight because of her boiling blood and the darkness in her soul.

We didn't get too much character development in this book. Rose started to trek down the path of darkness, but it wasn't touched upon a lot. I thought the trek towards darkness and the gates of death were interesting touches to her character. The ghosts appearing and scaring her were interesting. They made her jumpy, and it changed how she reacted to things (aka Stan's 'attacks' during field experience.)

But in the end...she was broken. I felt it. I imagine anyone who read this book felt it. Rose was crushed. Her soul was broken into a million pieces. She wasn't thinking. Everything was just a blur. She could only focus on the pain of losing someone she loved. I can't imagine the pain she was going through. And I hope I never have to experience it first hand.

The Adventure Begins and Ends:

The plot was great. It was a wild ride. I was devouring this book. The action was fierce and quick. I held onto the story, riding along.

The beginning was fantastic. That first page? On point. It was hilarious and definitely captured Rose's voice. It took only one page for me to get excited for the rest of the book. That takes talent. I typically could care less about the beginning. I end up waiting in anticipation for a good action scene to happen, and those happen mostly during the middle.

My blood burned within me, and I felt more alive in that moment than I ever had. I loved him, loved Christian so much that— Christian? Oh no.

Page 1 'Shadow Kiss'

This book had lots of action sequences. The Strigoi attack was one. That was a great battle. Great to read; terrible to actually fight in. And the rescue mission to the caves? Awesome. Rose was very clever to notice Mason's signaling.

I thought it was interesting to read the time at the Court. Rose met Ambrose there. Ambrose was a male blood whore. It was interesting to see her values being tested. She was taught 'They come first' for her entire life. Seeing Ambrose confused her. Partly because he was a blood whore and partly because he was a male blood whore. And Rhonda. What a cryptic woman. I honestly would prefer a more straightforward fortune, thank you very much.

And we got to see Christian fight. And, man, he was good. He wielded fire like it was an extension of his mind and soul.

I have to agree that the Moroi should learn how to defend themselves. Christian was a perfect example of this principle in action and its importance. Only the ones who want to, though. People won't enjoy doing anything if you force them to do it. The Moroi needed to defend themselves. There aren't that many dhampirs out there. And it's not like you can just force the novices into battle. There will be more casualties if you do that.

Yeah. We were badasses.

Page 361 'Shadow Kiss'

And page 419. Dear god. Page 419. I was, and still am, in denial. I knew it was coming, but it was still a train crashing into me. (I knew because I read the description of the fourth book. Description can give away certain plot twists.) It was terrible to read. I couldn't handle it.

I couldn't believe it. Things like that don't happen to the love interest. They happen to the enemy or, at least, a side character.

Richelle Mead, why do you do this do us?

I'll Wait For You At the Gate:

Oh, Rose. Oh, Dimitri. Your relationship is ripping my poor heart into two.

The feels! The feels!

These two had heat. They had chemistry. They had the spark most couples lack. I ship these two. They are perfect for each other. Dimitri cools Rose's hotheaded temper. He calms her when no one else can. And Rose makes Dimitri smile. She makes him happy.

These two work. I wanted them to get together earlier in the series. Maybe book one? I'm hopeful, you know.

And the cabin scene. Hot and heavy. Steamy. Whoa. Just whoa. I loved that these two are so in love. These two went all the way.

“I love you, Roza.” He kissed me again. “I’ll always be here for you. I’m not going to let anything happen to you.”

Page 345 'Shadow Kiss'

Perks and Upgrades:

N/A

You Have Arrived at Your Destination:

Imagine this. You're a badass hero who saves the world from Super Bad Stuff. Right now, you're in battle. Your best friend friend is there but so is your lover. There are Super Bad Creatures about to attack both of them. You have the ability to only protect one of them.

Which one do you choose?

That's the decision Rose had to make at the end. (Well...not really. I was going for a metaphor.) Lissa or Dimitri? I felt like she followed her heart. I wanted her to tell Lissa where she was going, though. I wanted her to keep in touch. Lissa was, and still is, her best friend.

The ending was full of action. I was on the edge of my seat, wondering what would happen next. Rose's abilities as a dhampir were highlighted. Her strength. Her fight. Her viciousness. Rose was truly the best novice dhampir at the Academy.

The ending had the rescue mission. Thank goodness Mason was there to help. At the same time, I wish he hadn't. Dimitri would be okay if the rescue mission hadn't happened at all. I felt torn between wanting the dhampirs to help the kidnapped and wanting Dimitri to be okay. Rose had that conflict of interests as well.

This book ended on a cliffhanger. I want to know what happens next. I have to know. (Aka I scramble to get book four.)

Overall, this wasn't a bad book. Rose was still awesome, and her character changed drastically by the end of the book. And I liked the change. The plot had its action scenes. It also had some great plot twists I didn't see coming. (And one that I knew was coming.) The romance was steamy. Rose and Dimitri really were meant for each other. The ending was a terrible cliffhanger, and I can't wait to know what happens next.

Rating:

4/5

Review: 'Frostbite' by Richelle Mead

Frostbite 

Richelle Mead 

Goodreads / Amazon

WHEN LOVE AND JEALOUSY COLLIDE ON THE SLOPES, WINTER BREAK TURNS DEADLY...

Lissa Dragomir is a Moroi princess: a mortal vampire with a rare gift for harnessing the earth's magic. She must be protected at all times from Strigoi; the fiercest vampires - the ones who never die. The powerful blend of human and vampire blood that flows through Rose Hathaway, Lissa's best friend, makes her a dhampir. Rose is dedicated to a dangerous life of protecting Lissa from the Strigoi, who are hell-bent on making Lissa one of them.

Rose has serious guy trouble. Her gorgeous tutor, Dimitri, has his eye on someone else, her friend Mason has a huge crush on her, and she keeps getting stuck in her best friend Lissa's head while she's making out with her boyfriend, Christian.

Then a nearby Strigoi attack puts St. Vladimir's on high alert, and the Academy whisks its students away on a mandatory holiday ski trip. But the glittering winter landscape and posh Idaho resort only provide the illusion of safety. When three students run away to strike back against the deadly Strigoi, Rose must join forces with Christian to rescue them. Only this time, Rose - and her heart - are in more danger than she ever could have imagined...

Travel Companion:

If I traveled with the main character Rose Hathaway, she would be:

The Thrill Seeker

She would go to all the places for adrenaline junkies. She would dive from high cliffs into shallow waters. She would be the one who wouldn't hesitate to join in a fight to defend her friends. Rose would be the one to choose the deadly, life-threatening adventures. (Which might result in a broken bone or two.) And she would be great at fighting. She would end up as a martial arts instructor if she wasn't busy protecting her best friend.
We would meet her recklessly jumping off a cliff. Of course, we would chicken out and back off. We would be impressed by Rose's reckless attitude and her fearlessness. We would become her friends after we take our own leap.

Rose was still the same Rose. Reckless and crazy. Fearless and defiant.

Everything was always fast and intense with me.

Page 213 'Frostbite'

But she became more reluctant because of what she saw at her Qualifier exam. I would be reluctant as well. She had to worry about the safety of her friends. And what she saw showed that the wards wouldn't always protect the Moroi from danger. She wanted to fight, but she also had a small part of her telling her not to fight.
Dare I say it? Gulp. She became cautious. (But not enough to cancel out all of her fighting spirit and recklessness.) Her emotions were a tumultuous mess, though. She had Lissa's dark emotions flowing into her. She had the fear of losing Lissa or Dimitri or any of her friends.
And at the ending...she became wiser. Older. She gained knowledge. She finally learned to use a silver stake. She also went through trauma and true struggle. Starvation. Dehydration. She watched her friends suffer. She suffered. And she grew wiser because of this. And more wary of the world around her.
I loved how Rose started to change in this book. In 'Vampire Academy', she was reckless. Nothing held her back. But with the pain she saw, she slowly became cautious. She became reluctant to throw herself into dangerous situations and dance around. She learned to not act like a child. (Even though she still was a child in the end.) She learned through experience. What she did that was right. What she did that was wrong. The filter she needed started to fall into place.

She still was outspoken. (I don't think you can get rid of that.) She still was Rose, but she was a different Rose. A wiser Rose. A Rose who knew better. Rose learns by experience, by seeing things turn out terribly. She learns from that. The things she learned in this book were what made her who she was in the end. A haunted soul, almost like Christian. (If that is even possible.)

The Adventure Begins (And Ends):

The plot was what drew me in. The plot had more action in this book. More tension. I had to continue the book. I read way more that I should have in one sitting. The plot was a roller coaster ride. The threat of Strigoi looming above. The attacks. The unrest with the Moroi. Those who wanted to fight versus those who wanted the guardians to fight. The characters were placed in the face of adversity. They had to fight back or surrender. It was their personal choice.
So much was happening in this book. The plot was fast-paced. It was great that it was fast, though. You had to keep reading to catch on to everything. You couldn't blink. Who was killed? What was their importance to someone else? What happened?

I'll Wait For You At the Gate:

The romance. This was what I expected. The ending scene was amazing. Those two bonding and becoming closer than ever. Dimitri showing he cared. Even if he knew he shouldn't love Rose. The chemistry started to grow.
They had problems. Dimitri couldn't be with Rose. Rose wanted to be with Dimitri. She kept wanting him. Her passion for him was crazy.
And the tension. Rose now had a competitor. And Dimitri acted differently. He joked more with Girl B. (Haha. Spoilers.) He was relaxed with her. The jealousy was apparent. (If only Dimitri saw...sigh...)
And Rose kept stringing along Mason. (It was expected. Book one had Mason crushing on Rose, and Rose wanted a distraction from Dimitri's rejection.) She did like Mason, though. Why didn't she just let Mason be, though?
I wanted Dimitri and Rose to talk more. I can see why they don't, though. Rose was busy being a teenager in a world of Strigoi, Moroi, and dhampirs. And Dimitri was busy being an adult.
I just wanted some ship action! Gimme!

Perks and Upgrades:

We met Rose's mom in this book. At first, I hated her like Rose did. She was never there. She was always cold and cut off from Rose. As the book progressed, I started to see Rose's mom as a person not just as a missing mom character. She had a personality as with all the other characters. She was quick on her feet. Smart. A great leader. I started to like her.
The moment I realized I gained respect for her mom as a mom was on the plane ride back to safety. She acted like a mother then. She held her child together as her child broke down. And I respected that.

_______________

Mason... When I read that part, I started to tear up. And what Rose's mom did on the plane? I started to tear up even more. The ending gave me feels.

No. The feels! 

It was terrible what Rose saw. And, as Dimitri has said time and time again, she really is a child sometimes. And children haven't seen struggle. Sure, she survived in the human world for a while with Lissa, but she hasn't seen true struggle. She hasn't seen death in the flesh.

She showed her loyalty in that scene. She stayed by his side through thick and thin. She wouldn't leave. And that showed that she cared about him even if she didn't love him.

“I can’t.” The words hurt coming out. “I can’t leave him alone. I have to protect him.” 

"You have,” said Dimitri.

Page 308 'Frostbite'

You Have Arrived at Your Destination:

The ending had such a bittersweet feeling to it. Rose went through so much in the ending. She lost so much. She gained some, but she lost more.

It was an action-filled ending. An ending with a lot of tension and fear. I was clinging to my phone. I was worried about the teens. What would happen to them? I had to force myself to read. I feared for them. Worried for them. (That is a terrible thing for me to go through but a sign of a great book.) And the escape slammed into me. It was terrible. I couldn't handle it. I started to tear up in grief. Rose's emotions were my own for a bit.

I wanted the ending to be different. I wanted Rose to be happier. I wanted to go and change the ending. (Which is rare, guys. I don't want to change endings often. Or at all. This book really affected me.) I hated how this book ended.

But, at the same time, I wanted more. Next book, please!

Overall, this was a great sequel. I got the action I wanted. The plot was interesting. Rose changed into a different person. There was the blooming romance. It was a solid sequel. A great follow-up to a great first book.

I can't wait for what happens next!

Rating:

4/5