Review: Shadow Kiss - Richelle Mead

Shadow Kiss by Richelle Mead

Vampire Academy, 3

Genre: Paranormal romance/YA
Pages: 443
Published: 2008

It's springtime at St. Vladimir's Academy, and Rose Hathaway is this close to graduation. Since Mason's death, Rose hasn't been feeling quite right. She has dark flashbacks in the middle of practice, can't concentrate in class, and has terrifying dreams about Lissa. But Rose has an even bigger secret .... She's in love with Dimitri. And this time, it-s way more than a crush. Then Strigoi target the academy in the deadliest attack in Moroi history, and Dimitri is taken. Rose must protect Lissa at all costs, but keeping her best friend safe could mean losing Dimitri forever...

You might remember that I was not that excited over the first 2 books. This one was better, but...I'll just begin.

The first drama was so unnecessary and stupid. if Rose had just said what was up nothing would have happen. And the reason for not saying anything, drama over nothing. I started grinding my teeth and thinking I would be annoyed for the rest of the book. But it got better and in the end I felt this was an ok book.

Rose will get to practice some when they get 6 weeks of intense guarding duty. They can't be attacked by "Strigoi" at any moment and must protect their Moroi. Everything would be fine if Rose wasn't feeling so strange and is not doing so well. Could that mean she will not be able to graduate? She can't mess this up. Then there is those feelings for Dimitri and she wants him more than ever.

Yes she is an immature idiot, but I must say she (after that first idiotic first 100 pages where I wanted to slap her for being so daft) has improved. Yes I do not feel she is such an idiot, or slutty anymore. And the whole mean girls vampire vibe is gone too.

Left it this romance that I just do not see. Yes I see that she wants to jump his bones but I can't feel that he wants anything really. Nope no chemistry. Also she is like 13, well in the way she acts, and he is so much more immature than his age so that puts him at..35, you get my point. It would be fine if she acted her age and he acted his age. But they do not and I get this icky feeling when he wants her. I get why she want him since he is hot.

Other than those things I like Lissa and Christian and now I feel that Rose shoudl just be with Adrian, he seems to be closer to her mental age. Seeing Mia again and how nice she is, not a fan of mean girl gone good.

But it was ok, some danger and some romance. And it ended with such a cliffhanger, what an evil woman. I can't wait for the next book that comes out here in August (cos not loving them enough to buy.)

Blodeuedd's Cover Corner: Liking this one more than that other one. On a side note the Swedish covers suck!Let me show you.

They are all the same photo, only the color changes! That is just silly.

Reason for Reading: Library Book

Final thoughts: It was ok, improvement from the other two.

Review: Frostbite- Richelle Mead

 Frostbite by Richelle Mead

Vampire Academy, book 2

Genre: YA paranormal
Pages: 336
Published: 2008

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, her friend Mason's got a huge crush on her, and Rose keeps getting stuck in Lissa's head while she's making out with her boyfriend, Christian! 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.

So I found book 2, and dived into it without any high hopes, and yes it was ok this one too. I am not into the whole YA paranormal romance stuff.

Rose is worse than ever, honestly are we supposed to like her cos she is such a "rebel"? Because I just thinks she is rude, and horrible. The things she says, she deserves to get slapped. And why does she want to be know as the school slut when she is a virgin, I wish she could get some self respect. And in this one she is very immature too. I can't handle all the angst and teen drama.

But I know people will love the premise of the book. Some fighting with the evil Strigoi, pining over hot Dimitri, sweet love between Christian and Lissa. Mason following Rose around like a lost puppy. The mean girls taking a break, and Rose's mum arriving!

So yes a lot of drama and love angst promised in this book.

But for me I just can't get over ok, it sucks really, I wish I could but for some reason it is the same time with grown up paranormal romance.  It all tends to be ok, fun to read yes, but perhaps not for me to go crazy over and get it to my keeper shelf. of course now when i say that I will surely find something this year and rave about it for months ;)

To sum up the book, Moroi dying, Rose pining, away to a retreat, royals fight, Rose meets strange hunky guy, still pining over Dimitri, and looking at Mason. Pining some more when pretty Tasha shows up. Some Strigoi fighting.

Though, since the library got them, well I will keep on reading, hopefully she will start to grow up some cos I do not understand what Dimitri sees in her when she is like she is.

Blodeuedd's Cover Corner: Ok it is supposed to look like she is getting bitten or something, but I just thinks it looks like she has neck pains.

Reason for reading: Library book

Final thoughts: Some of you will love it

Review: Vampire Academy - Richelle Mead + guestblogging

Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
Book 1

Genre: YA paranormal
Pages: 336
Published: 2007

St. Vladimir's Academy isn't just any boarding school, t'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, he 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, he world's fiercest and most dangerous vampires, make Lissa one of them forever.

This is about teen vampires, and their guardians. Those are so called dhampirs, half human half vampire. There are also the strigoi, those vamps and alike that have gone over to the dark side. I read that she had borrowed these things from Romanian vampire and I liked the different mixes. That the vampires had noble families and how the dhampirs was treated sometimes. The history and those things were ok.

But it does feel so very YA, teen angst, cliques, drinking, sex. Drama and more drama. Those parts just made me realise why I stopped reading YA in the first place.

Rose, well she is just so so, angry, slutty, made me wonder about her self respect at times. I actually liked Lissa more, too bad we didn't see much of her. She had just more of everything.  And I liked the what if she slips to the dark side angle. But yes they worked together, but I still did not like Rose.

As for other characters, I did like Christian. His anti-social status, no on liking him and darkness. He was a good character. Dimitri, well he was hunky, but can't he look at girls his own age.

Oh and then there was drama girl, oh sighs, the drama, too much to bare. They spent the entire book at the Academy so yes a lot of teens, and drama, and mean girls.

It's not that I did not like it, no it was ok, but too much drama more me. Mean girls with vampires .

Blodeuedd's Cover Corner:The girl looks to bitchy, I do not like this cove at all. Oh and she looks like Angelina Jolie, scary.

Reason for reading: My own copy

Final thoughts: If you like vampires, with a bit of romance and drama then yes. It was ok.

I am guestblogging today over at Booklust. Aarti has this fun feature called Rosie's Riverters. 
Go have a look :)