Last Sacrific: A Vampire Academy Novel by Richelle Mead

Synopsis:
Rose Hathaway doesn’t like feeling caged, but jail will do that to you. What she really resents is that she didn’t do it—she didn’t kill Queen Tatiana. But tell that to the throngs of Moroi and Dhampir—half vampires like her—gathered for the funeral…and calling for her blood!
Last Sacrifice is the final novel in Richelle Mead’s epic vampire series…and she’s saved the best for last. Murder…love…jealousy—it all plays out in this last chapter as Lissa, Rose’s best friend, faces foes who don’t want to see her ascend the Royal Throne. When Rose is rescued from confinement by her one true love, Dimitri, time is of the essence. She must prove her innocence and save her friend, even if it means having to make the ultimate sacrifice.

My Review:
(Spoiler Alert!)
It was SO good! I have been anticipating this book release since I finished “Spirit Bound” a few months ago. The wait was absolute torture so all I have to say is thank goodness it was only a few months for this book! I have loved this series since the first moment I discovered the Vampire Academy (VA) world and it is one of my favorite series of all time. The plot, the pacing, and the character development were all so well done and I became invested very quickly in the lives of the characters. Rose is someone to be admired for her ability to put others first while also being able to stand up for herself, fight her own battles, and be her own person. And speaking of battles, Rose’s love life throughout this series was heart wrenching and I so badly wanted her to end up with the love of her life, Dimitri, in the end. Dimitri takes the prize for my biggest book-character-crush and it will be very hard for someone to take his place. I pretty much smiled and swooned whenever he entered the scene.

I thought this book had a great mix of intensity, romance, and humorous moments. I laughed out loud so many times at things the characters would say and felt for them when they had to face tough situations. Part of me wanted to cry when I finished but a bigger part of me was so happy that it ended on a satisfying note. It ended in a way that is even better than what I had imagined and I had such a good feeling when I read the last line that I could not stop smiling. I wanted to go back to the very first book and start over. I have heard that Richelle Mead is planning a spin off series involving some of the other VA characters so I am completely thrilled about the chance to be a part of this world again in the future. Can’t wait!!!

Spirit Bound: A Vampire Academy Novel by Richelle Mead

Synopsis:
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. Only this time, he won’t rest until Rose joins him…forever.

My Review:
Yet another entertaining read by Richelle Mead from the Vampire Academy series. I thought this story could not get any crazier. Yet again I was wrong. Wow, I mean where is this story even going to go after this? And we are left with a cliff hanger no less! Thank goodness I did not start reading this series until now because the wait would be so painful. Luckily the final installment “Blood Promise” is only a few months away as opposed to a year. This series has entertained and captivated me from the beginning and I have looked forward to staring every book.

Man, lets talk about Dimitri and what happened. I think I could make a serious case for Dimitri having PTSD after that whole Strigoi episode (hey, I am a social worker so I am going to pay attention to these things).I mean who could go through something like that, killing innocent people, and not end up in a darker place. I mean deep down I wanted him to miraculously be ok and cool with everything but let’s get real, things like that do not just happen. He just needs some therapy and it will all be good. It hurt my heart to read about all of the things that went down between Dimitri and Rose. I wanted to cry hearing him say he did not love her. I mean, what the crap! I can’t imagine a world where Dimitri does not love Rose which is why I know he is lying. He can’t forgive himself for what he did to her and that overrides everything, even his feelings for her.

Blood Promise: A Vampire Academy Novel by Richelle Mead

Synopsis:
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 or, dropping out of the Academy to strike out on her own and hunt down the man she loves.

My Review:
I loved it but it was almost painful for me to read for reasons you would understand if you have read the other books. We are introduced to new characters and Rose’s world grows because she realizes what kind of role the Moroi and Dhampirs play among humans and then we throw Alchemist into the mix. We also get to meet Rose’s father which I found really interesting and that just added a whole other element of surprise. I enjoyed getting a chance to read about Rose in another part of the world away from the Academy but with that comes a price. She has to interact with Adrian and Lissa through her mind instead of in person and that was frustrating at times because she could not talk back to Lissa. Rose grows through the series but does so especially in this book and reflects on her actions and how that affects her relationship with other people. She also always analyzes what is happening to her and how she is changing and says what she needs to say without beating a dead horse with a stick, so to speak. Rose learns something towards the end that will forever change her world and spurs her on her next quest in order to save the man she loves. Can’t wait to see where the next one is going!

Shadow Kiss: A Vampire Academy Novel by Richelle Mead

Synopsis:
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 about Dimitri is one thing, but suddenly there´s way more than friendship at stake. The immortal undead are on the prowl, and they want vengeance for the lives that Rose has stolen. In a heartstopping 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?

My Review:
Another great one! In this one Dimitri and Rose’s relationship is taken to a whole new level when they realize they cannot ignore the feelings they have for each other anymore. I think I have a love/hate relationship with this book which I am not going to explain because I do not want to spoil anything. We finally get to see Rose show everyone what she can do when all the guardians are having their final exams. We also get more detail about what exactly it means to be shadow-kissed and how that affects Rose and the bond between her and Lissa. This one still had lots of tension, great lines, and full of action! I have enjoyed them all so far but I am wondering how this is all going to play out considering what happened in this book. Going on to the next book to find out!

Frostbite: A Vampire Academy Novel by Richelle Mead

Synopsis:
Rose loves Dimitri, Dimitri might love Tasha, and Mason would die to be with Rose... It's winter break at St. Vladimir's, but Rose is feeling anything but festive. A massive Strigoi attack has put the school on high alert, and now the Academy's crawling with Guardians--including Rose's hard-hitting mother, Janine Hathaway. And if handto- hand combat with her mom wasn't bad enough, Rose's tutor Dimitri has his eye on someone else, and her friend Mason's got a huge crush on her. The Strigoi are closing in, and the Academy's not taking any risks....This year, St. Vlad's annual holiday ski trip is mandatory. But the glittering winter landscape and the posh Idaho resort only create the illusion of safety. When three friends run away in an offensive move against the deadly Strigoi, Rose must join forces with Christian to rescue them. But heroism rarely comes without a price...

My Review:
Loved this one too! We are taken to a different setting away from the Academy to a ski resort. I really hate the description of this book on Richelle Mead’s website because it makes the story, the characters, and their problems sound trite. I have to confess I have a serious crush on Dimitri and pretty much love every scene he is in (and yes I know he is not real, I don’t need that clarification). I love how Dimitri and Rose’s relationship continues to grow. While Rose tries to move on and give her friend Mason a chance we know who she has already given her heart to. We are introduced to Adrian who makes suggestive comments and smokes like its going out of style but you can’t help but like him. We also meet Rose’s mother Janie Hathaway which adds to the strain that Rose is under to be who she is without her mother’s disapproval. Man, my heart started racing when Rose’s friends went off to hunt Strigoi. I was not sure how that one was going to end but it kept me reading and I was highly entertained throughout this book!

Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

Synopsis:
St. Vladimir’s Academy isn’t just any boarding school—it’s a hidden place where vampires are educated in the ways of magic and half-human teens train to protect them. Rose Hathaway is a Dhampir, a bodyguard for her best friend Lissa, a Moroi Vampire Princess. They’ve been on the run, but now they’re being dragged back to St. Vladimir’s—the very place where they’re most in danger. . . . Rose and Lissa become enmeshed in forbidden romance, the Academy’s ruthless social scene, and unspeakable nighttime rituals. But they must be careful lest the Strigoi—the world’s fiercest and most dangerous vampires—make Lissa one of them forever.

My Review:
I loved this book!!! I hate making comparisons because I believe every author and every series is unique but if I don’t make a comparison you would not understand how much I loved it. I am a big Twilight fan and not many books have captured me in that way. I dare say I loved it almost as much as Twilight which if you know me is saying something. I read this book in less than 24 hours and defiantly lost sleep over it because I wanted to keep reading. We are talking major page turner. I was reading three other books at the time, but all those stopped once I started reading this book.
I kept hearing it was a popular series and now I understand why. At first I was adamant not really thinking I was going to get into the story-I was so wrong.
I was intrigued by the story line, the vampire (Moroi) and guardian (Dhampir) and Strigoi world, and the characters. I love Rose because she relatable and I feel like I can find pieces of myself in her. She says things without thinking, makes big and small mistakes, and is fiercely protective of the people she loves. I love Richelle Mead’s writing style and even though I have never read her adult series I can say she has a knack for writing great YA books. She presents the readers of the YA genre with real world issues set in a fantasy setting. The core elements are all the same things humans have to deal with everyday: life changing decisions, strained relationships, love, hate, loss, friendship, ect. Cannot wait to go on to the next one!