Review--Shadow Kiss

Shadow Kiss

Just finished reading the third book in the Vampire Academy series today and oh man...I am now dying to read the fourth one that's due out next month. Too long of a wait if you ask me.

The covers have recently gotten a makeover as well. I still have the old ones, these new ones are a bit different. The second one is really the only one that didn't change much. The first one just zoomed in on the girl, this one got a whole different look. This way the fourth one will match with the new look. But that's just rambling! Onto the actual book content! Minus spoilers of course!!

Things at the Academy are different. The Strigoi attack during the winter holidays is still fresh on Rose's mind. She is still upset about Mason's death. But now has come for the time when the guardian trainees receive their assignments in a mock trial of sorts. They are assigned to protect a Moroi student and must protect them 24/7 or really 24/6 as the guardians get 1 day off, but that's besides the point. Rose knows she'll get Lissa, because she's going to be assigned to Lissa after graduation, so she's feeling confident. Not even Jesse and his snide comments can bring her down.

But things don't go as Rose had planned. Eddie is Lissa's guardian for the "test" that last 6 weeks and Rose is assigned to none other than Christian. But that's only the beginning of Rose's problems. Adrian, from Frostbite has decided to stay at the Academy and learn the ways of the spirit with Lissa, and his crush on Rose remains strong.

But the fun just keeps on coming as Rose learns that Victor's trial is coming up soon. She, Lissa and the others who were subject to his ways, aren't going to go testify, which enrages all who were involved, namely Rose, Lissa and Christian. They all want to make sure Victor gets put away for good, so he can never harm Lissa or anyone else again. But they are not permitted to go, until an unlikely someone pulls some strings.

I don't want to divulge into too much because then that's when spoilers start sprouting up, but let's say some pretty interesting things occur during and at the palce of the trial. There are some pretty interesting revelations that become known to Rose by the Queen herself.

Rose also learns more and more about herself as being shadow-kissed and what it entails. Not to mention that some students are being attacked, they show up one day with bruises and cuts but don't explain for what happened to them.

Not to mention that Rose begins to question her sanity when she starts seeing someone from her past. It involves being shadow-kissed and that's all I want to say because I feel like this tiny detail might be a spoiler. As would the rest of the details in the novel. But I will say that there are a LOT of revelations for Rose, some good, some bad.

The ending will leave you dying! It did for me! So if you haven't read it yet and are new to the series but have read the other 2, I would almost recommend waiting a little closer to August 25 when Blood Promise will be released, but that's just my advice. If you can't wait to read Shadow Kiss then go ahead, but don't say I didn't warn you.

Richelle Mead's YA series, Vampire Academy, is beautifully written. There are times when I can't believe it's at YA level, the vocabulary is normal, there are no strange words or new ones to come across, which I guess is what makes it YA. It reads simply and wonderfully. The book really drags you into Rose's world and you feel like you're apart of it, like you're one of the students silently watching Rose as she interacts with her friends.

This is definitely a series I will be sticking to from here on out. Technically, I could've said that after book 1, Vampire Academy, but Shadow Kiss is where I really-really got hooked to the point of no return! This is an amazing series that I recommend for all vampire fans who enjoy a good YA every now and then! Trust me when I say you won't be disappointed!

Once again, I'll post what's on the back of the book in case you want a different kind of synopsis. Here it is:

What if following her heart means Rose could lose her best friend forever?

Rose Hathaway 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...

But since making her first Strigoi kills, Rose hasn't been feeling right. Something dark has begun to grow in her mind, and ghostly shadows warn of a terrible evil drawing nearer to the Academy's iron gates. And now that Lissa and Rose's sworn enemy, Victor Dashkov, is on trial for his freedom, tensions in the Moroi world are higher than ever.

Lying to Lissa to Dimitri is one thing, but suddenly there's way more than friendship at stake. Ther immortal undead are on the prowl, and they want vengeance for the lives taht 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?