Saturday, April 26, 2014

[Book Review] Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead

Summary (from Goodreads):
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.



Author: Richelle Mead

Series: Vampire Academy #6 

Edition: Hardcover

Pages: 594

Genres: Fantasy/Paranormal, Young Adult, Romance 

Published: December 7, 2010

Reading Level: Teens 



Plot: 
It’s the final book of the Vampire Academy series, so naturally, there’s going to be a lot of stuff happening. More problems are going to arise that will have to find a way to get resolved by the end of the book. Some of those problems won’t find their solution. That’s where I believe the Bloodline series comes to play.   


Characters: 

Looking back, there was so much character growth since book one. All of the characters, or most of them (you’ll understand once you read it), have found a way to be strong not only as a united group, but also as individuals.


Relationships: 

I think it’s funny how Lissa and Rose’s friendship is one of my favorite fictional relationships yet they spend a majority of these books being torn apart. Maybe that’s part of the reason I like it so much. Even when they are apart, they have a really strong friendship. 


Romance: 
As far as relationships go, this was the hardest of the books to get by. There are two guys Rose could be with. Only one will end up with her. One of them is going to get their heart broken. That, in my opinion was really hard to watch. 
But at the same time, I felt like Rose ended up with who she was supposed to be. I won’t spoil who it is, but the Richelle Mead picked the right guy.  

Writing: 
I’ve come to really love Richelle Mead’s writing in the last year. Based on the internet following she has, I’m not the only one. That’s a lot of components about her writing that I love, but I think it all goes back to how strong her characters are.   

Hopes for Spin-Off:
I only know a list of things about the spin off. I know who the main girl is. I know who the love interest (or at least one of them) is. Other than that, nothing. I look forward to reading about it cause I feel like it’s gong to be a story of it’s own.   
 
5 OUT OF 5 STARS FOR LAST SACRIFICE BY RICHELLE MEAD.


Check out my reviews for the other book in this series. 

Vampire Academy (Vampire Academy *1)

Frostbite (Vampire Academy #2)

Shadow Kiss (Vampire Academy #3)

Blood Promise (Vampire Academy #4)

Spirit Bound (Vampire Academy #5)


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Tuesday, April 8, 2014

[Book Review] Spirit Bound by Richelle Mead


Summary (from Goodreads):
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.




Author: Richelle Mead
Series: Vampire Academy #5 
Edition: Hardcover
Pages: 489
Genres: Fantasy/Paranormal, Young Adult, Romance 
Published: May 18, 2010 
Reading Level: Teens 


Over the last couple of weeks, I’ve hated the idea of staying still. So rather than have my sister yell at me because I didn’t do the dishes or fold the laundry, I’ve been doing it on my own as I should be. But I also knew I wanted to get through the Vampire Academy series as soon as possible.

I never really thought about listening to audiobooks until I learned that Molly Quinn who plays Alexis Castle on ABC’s Castle, voiced some of The Mortal Instrument books. With that idea in mind, I looked for the audiobook on Youtube and stumbled across a Youtuber who reads chapter by chapter in each video. It was perfect. When I was done with chores, I would find exactly where I was on my hardcover copy and jump straight in.   


Plot: 
So much happened in the fifth book of the Vampire Academy Series. Looking back at how it started and how it ended, it’s almost weird how much changed just in one book. With one thing that was solved, another problem would rise. 


Characters: 
The reader really gets to know more about Adrian than the previous three books he was in showed. Sure, the readers know his history and what status he has, but in Spirit Bound, the reader gets to know more about Adrian’s character. We get to see a softer side of him.
There’s also a different side of Lissa that is shown. In the other four books, it’s pretty clear that Lissa isn’t really a fighter. In Spirit Bound, she is forced to show that fighter and stronger side of herself. 


Relationships: 
I’ve always said I’ve loved the Lissa and Rose friendship. Each book they prove more and more how much they are willing to do for each other. How far they will go just to help the other one out. A lot of that has been Rose doing things for Lissa. In Spirit Bound, Lissa does a lot for Rose.  


Romance: 
I’ve always been Team Dimitri. Even though I liked Adrian, I didn’t care for Rose and Adrian as much as I loved Dimitri and Rose. However, in showing more of Adrian’s softer side, Richelle Mead made me start to like the idea of Dimitri and Adrian.
The triangle was stronger than ever. During Frostbite there was a Dimitri/Rose/Mason triangle, but it was clear Dimitri was the front runner. Here it’s not so clear. Rose has a connection between both boys in two different ways.


5 OUT OF 5 STARS FOR SPIRIT BOUND BY RICHELLE MEAD 



Check out my reviews for the other books in the series:
Vampire Academy (Vampire Academy #1)
Frostbite (Vampire Academy #2)
Shadow Kiss (Vampire Academy #3)
Blood Promise (Vampire Academy #4)


Here is the audiobook videos I was talking about:

And if you're new to the series, check out the first chapter of the first book:



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