Top Ten Books That Will Be In My Beach Bag

Top 10 Tuesday is a meme by Broke and Bookish, hosted each Tuesday, where bloggers list their top 10 in the chosen topic of the week.

Today's Topic:

Top Ten Books That Will Be In My Beach Bag
 

This is actually a really good topic for me because I'm leaving for the beach this weekend.  It's going to be so much fun, and I was having trouble figuring out which books to bring, because honestly, can I just bring my whole bookshelf?  But here is what I've narrowed it down to.

 

 

 

 

1: City of Bones by Cassandra Clare Yes, I just finished reading this whole series, but I really want to go back and re-read the series and see what I missed and make new connections.  I also want to re-read TID because I flew through that series so fast and didn't really take time to appreciate and remember it.

 

 

 

#2: Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson I read this book last summer and let's just say I wasn't a fan.  But then a few months ago when I was battling the Arctic cold that was our winter, I kept on thinking of how badly I wanted to read this book again.  So I had mom get it for my birthday, and I'm going to read it (and hopefully love it) this summer.

 

 

 

 

 

#3: The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey I'm sensing a theme here.  Most of these books are re-reads.  Actually, technically this isn't a re-read because I couldn't even get half-way through when I first tried to read it.  But, since everyone loves this book, and it's being made into a movie, I figure I have to give it another try.

 

 

 

 

#4: My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick Hey what do ya know, another re-read.  I read this book at the end of summer last year...and it was one of my favorite books of the year, and of all time.  Such an amazing book with a perfect romance and amazing writing.  I freaking love this book!!

 

 

 

 

#5: What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen Really, I want to read all of Sarah Dessen's books.  I own 7 of them, and I hope to read them all.  A few are re-reads, but a few are new, like this book.

 

 

 

 

#6: Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins Yes I am the only person in the world who hasn't read this book. I am extremely ashamed.  I've heard so many amazing things about it and I can't wait to read it, preferably at a beach.

 

 

 

 

#7: Tumble & Fall by Alexandra Coutts This is kind of a random one because "summer reading" doesn't really come to mind when you think of it.  But ever since I got this book like 5 months ago it's been staring at me from my bookshelf with little puppy eyes saying "read me, read me".  So I'll read it haha

 

 

 

 

#8: Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick Yes, another re-read.  But this book is really special.  It's one of the first paranormal books I ever read when I started getting obsessed with YA books.  I remember Nightshade (by Andrea Cremer) being my first one, and then I snuck this one home from the library because I thought my mom didn't want me reading it (she didn't care haha).  But I read it a few years ago and I can't really remember much, so I want to re-read this and the sequel, Crescendo.

 

 

 

 

#9: The Maze Runner by James Dashner This one has been sitting on my shelf for a long time, both my brothers have read it, and the movie will be coming out in the fall/winter.  Need I say more?  I have to read it!

 

 

 

 

#10: Bloodlines by Richelle Mead I want to read this book and then continue on with the series.  I loved Vampire Academy so I can't wait to see what goes down in these books!!!

 

 

 

So, that's my Top Ten.  I want to see what your Top Ten is!

Link it below!!





















{Review} Insurgent by Veronica Roth

Insurgent
by Veronica Roth
Series: Divergent #1
 Pages: 525
Release Date: May 1, 2012
by Katherine Tegen ( an imprint of Harper)

Goodreads / Purchase

Fighting for survival in a shattered world… the truth is her only hope.

The thrillingly dark sequel to No. 1 New York Times bestseller, DIVERGENT.

I have done bad things. I can’t take them back, and they are part of who I am.

Tris has survived a brutal attack on her former home and family. But she has paid a terrible price. Wracked by grief and guilt, she becomes ever more reckless as she struggles to accept her new future.

Yet if Tris wants to uncover the truth about her world, she must be stronger than ever… because more shocking choices and sacrifices lie ahead.

 

**SPOILERS**

 

I can't really put into words what I'm feeling right now.  This book was something, let me tell you.  So much better than the first book.

There is just something about this book and series that demands to be read.  You are sucked into the world and you don't want to leave.  This book was miles better than Divergent.  The first thing is the story line.  So much more happened in this book than in the first book.  There was a purpose to this book, whereas I felt like Divergent was kind of pointless.  But this story was fast-paced, complex, and interesting.  That being said...there were still some issues.

Something that can be easily messed up in a book with such a fast story and many escapes is the escapes are too easy.  I did find that that happened a few times in the book [SPOILER: most noticeably when Tris is captured by Eric and she's with a group of other Divergent next to an elevator block (pg 193) and Tris stabs Eric then starts to try to escape.  There are traitor Duantless around and they hold guns that shoot a gas that knocks out everyone but Divergent.  So Tris stabs Eric and LUCKILY the only guns the traitor Dauntless have is the ones that have the knock-out gas...which is stupid because obviously that won't work on any enemy in the room because Tris and co are Divergent.  SO WHY THE HELL WOULND'T THE TRAITOR DAUNTLESS HAVE REAL GUNS?!  Because they didn't have real guns Tris and the other Divergents were able to escape ] but other than that one event and a few others I felt like the escapes were very well done and well-staged as well.

However I felt like Veronica Roth treated the reader like a child.  I consider myself to be pretty smart and quick to catch on, so when a big thing happens in this book I think it through and figure out what it means and what impact it has.  But Roth has to write this huge revelation scene then later go back and explain it.  Readers are pretty good at figuring out things and don't need to be babied with information and have it explained to them.  This happened at least twice and just kind of annoyed me.  One example:[SPOILER: when Tris and Four and company are all with the Dauntless and they're taunting Four because he's “scared” of his father.  So Four is like “This has got to stop” then he goes and punches his dad.  Now I figured out immediately why he did this, but for some reason Roth felt the need to spell it out like her readers could never figure it out. ]

Other than that, pretty much everything else about this book was awesome.  It was a very addictive, enjoyable book, which is why I gave it 4 stars.  As said in my review of Divergent, I was not very impressed with how Roth [SPOILER: slipped in the war in the last 50 pages of the book.  But she developed the war very well in this book and I was very impressed with her comeback.  She kind of did the same kind of bad staging for the next book in this book but she developed it more before the ending so it worked out. ] I still would really like the action scenes to be explained better because from her mediocre descriptions I can't picture a scene.

There were several twists in this book that were like WHERE THE HECK DID THAT COME FROM?!  I have to give Veronica Roth credit for staging things in such a way that later events made perfect sense.  Some things I guessed [SPOILER: like Peter helping Tris escape when she gives herself to Jeneanne ] but other I didn't see coming at all [SPOILER: LIKE CALEB FREAKING BETRAYING HER! ]

 Also, that ending was absolutely crazy.  There was so much going on in that ending and it was so thrilling and crazy.  And OMG THAT CLIFFHANGER!

Now let's talk about the characters.  If you guys remember, I wasn't a huge fan of Tris (actually I hated her) in the first book.  But in this book I grew to like and respect her.  She is super messed up after what happened in the first book and she is much more vulnerable.  But in this book she is emotionally and mentally damaged and she becomes a much deeper, darker character.  I liked that we got to see the vulnerable side of her and it made her seem more human and definitely made her a more likable character.  Plus there wasn't all this shit about how she has to pretend to be weak like there was in the first book, so that helped.

However, I hated Four.  I never really liked him in the first place.  Unlike in the first book, I didn't imagine him as Theo James.  Four is just a very boring, underdeveloped character, even though we learned a bit more about him in this book.  But he was so annoying!  He wants Tris to tell him everything but doesn’t want to tell her anything.  That's not how a relationship works, man!  He shunned her and even when she was hurting and crying and crushed he just assumed “she was fine.”  Come on man, “find your humanity!” (OH YEAH TANGLED QUOTE!  I watch that movie way too much).  So I didn't enjoy the romance at all.

Honestly I'm scared for this next book.  [SPOILER: Roth killed off a few more loved characters in this book (Marlene and Lynn, and of course Jenneane even though I hate her) ] so I'm scared to see what she does in the final book *bites nails*.

 

 





4 stars

{Review} Divergent by Veronica Roth

Divergent
by Veronica Roth
Series: Divergent #1
Pages: 487
Release Date: April 25, 2011
by Katherine Tegen Books (an imprint of Harper)

Goodreads / Purchase

In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue--Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is--she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are--and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her.

Debut author Veronica Roth bursts onto the literary scene with the first book in the Divergent series--dystopian thrillers filled with electrifying decisions, heartbreaking betrayals, stunning consequences, and unexpected romance.

**MAJOR SPOILERS THROUGHOUT!**

Even though I started re-reading this book with the specific goal to love it as much as everyone else on this planet, I just couldn't.  I'm sorry, but I just couldn't.  I liked it better on the second read than on the first read, but still.

Mostly my problem is Fourtris.  But I'll get to that later.  I liked the writing, and I liked the idea.  It was the execution that was lacking.  A long initiation into a faction and oh yeah there's going to be a war that will be sneaked in during the last 50 pages or so.  Sounds good.  There was no build, no complex staging of any kind for the attack.  It was mostly Tris getting her ass kicked, acting like a child, and Four prancing around with Tris following him.  Plus the staging was really poor.  I thoroughly enjoyed the first half of this book when I thought the story line was very good and fast paced.  A lot happened.  It was during the second half that everything went to shit.  I think that it would also be nice to have the action scenes described a little better.  They were very hard to follow and imagine in my head and that really bugged me.

 

Just so many things didn't add up in the ending.  Why on earth would Tris shoot Eric in the foot and leg but not kill him? I'm sorry but what was she thinking?  And it was never explained how Four snapped out of it when he was about to shoot Tris because of the serum.  He “just heard her voice”?  Bullshit.  She had been talking to him for like 5 minutes before it got to the “I'm gonna shoot you” part.

 

But I was impressed with how courageous Veronica Roth was when it came to killing characters.  She doesn't care about your feels, she'll kill who she wants.  She killed off Will, Tris' mom and dad.  I couldn't believe it, so I definitely have to give her credit for that.

The characters were a problem.  I knew I hated Tris when I read this book for the first time so I tried REALLY HARD to love her this time round.  I'm sorry but I just can't.  She's so freaking annoying!  She's weak, no she's strong, actually she's emotional, nope she's a rock.  Back and forth.  I've figured it out.  Veronica Roth over-developed Tris.  She stuffed so many different personalities into one character that it just didn't work.  In the beginning I liked Tris...up until the first night after transferring when Al is crying and Tris is angry about it even though she was crying a second ago and she calls him weak.  From then on, I hated her.

Now I enjoyed Four's character a LOT more this time round.  Not because I suddenly felt a connection to his character, but because I imaged him as Theo James.  It made the experience of reading this book again much more pleasurable.  But if I wasn't imagining Four as Theo I would hate him because I just feel like we don't get a description of him.  We don't know what he looks like.  Okay, he has blue eyes and long fingers.  That's it!  So I didn't feel like I couldn't connect with him that way.  Plus his character is extremely underdeveloped and just like a piece of wood.  Also, that one scene where Tris says she's not pretty...HELL TO THE NO!  Here's a direct quote:

*looks for 20 minutes for the page because for some reason I didn't think to mark it when I read it I am an idiot*

“I just don't get it.  I'm younger.  I'm not pretty. I--”

He laughs, yadayadayada
“Don't pretend,” I say breathily.  “You know I'm not.  I'm not ugly, but I'm certainly not pretty.”
“Fine.  You're not pretty. So?”

 Acca-scuse me.  What did I just read?!  Okay yes I realize that saying “You're perfect just the way you are” or “You're beautiful to me” is cheesy, but you DO NOT tell a girl she isn't pretty and then make out with her.  What kind of sick man are you, Four?!  That's just not okay!!

Rant over.  Off to read Insurgent then Allegiant before I get spoiled.

I increased my rating by a half star because I liked the first part of the book.  You're welcome ;P

2 stars



{Top Ten Tuesday} Top Ten Books On My Spring 2014 TBR List

Top 10 Tuesday is a meme by Broke and Bookish, hosted each Tuesday, where bloggers list their top 10 in the chosen topic of the week.

Today's Topic:

Top Seven Books on My Spring TBR List

 

Yesterday it was 70 degress...today there's snow on the ground.  WTF weather?! WTF?!

 

Sometimes it feels like spring, sometimes it feels like winter, but here are the books I'm planning to read while soaking up the sun this spring.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

The Evolution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout

All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill

Bloodlines by Richelle Mead

Tumble & Fall by Alexandra Coutts

The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa

 

 

What's your Top Ten this week?

Link me up!



{Review} Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead

Last Sacrifice
by Richelle Mead
Series: Vampire Academy #6
Pages: 594
Release Date: December 7, 2010
by Razorbill (an imprint of Penguin)

Goodreads / Purchase

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?

One of the most epic series ever has come to a close.  What am I going to do with my life?  So many emotions, so many feels, so many laughs and tears.  I’m so glad I read this series.

This book was a perfect finish to a perfect series.  It had action, a complex story, twists, turns, and explanations.  It was everything you could ask for in a last book.  I can’t even begin to describe how epic, painful, and beautiful this book was.  There was non-stop action, non-stop humor, non-stop feels.  The beginning was so exciting and from then on it just blasted off into a fast-paced, thrilling ride.  The writing was so good and the story was so good and the romance was so good.

Can we just talk about the two really big twists in this book?  [SPOILER: Jill being Lissa’s sister and Tasha being Tatiana’s killer.  What. The. F**k.  I couldn’t believe it.  First, Jill.  That caught me completely by surprise.  But the big thing that just completely blindsided me was Tasha.  When Mead started hinting at how Rose knew the murderer I started going through all the characters that were women. I counted out Lissa immediately, but I kind of thought Rose’ mom did it (but I only thought that for like 5 second).  Then I thought Mia might have done it.  But when it was revealed that Tasha did I was like “WTF!” ]  What an amazing twist.

But it all made sense.  Everything was staged so well and the mystery was unraveled in a completely believable way.  The ending summed up everything…except for one thing.  [SPOILER: Rose’s death.  To me it wasn’t ever really explained.  From what I can gather, Rose just brought herself back…what?  That’s it?  No explanation?  Just “you were hurt badly but sometimes people can heal themselves”.  No.  Not when you’re shot at least twice in the chest. ] That was the only big thing that I felt needed more of an explanation.

Rose is by far one of my favorite heroines.  It’s really hard to describe her…but I think the best word is difficult.  She is so freaking difficult and she never listens and she’s stubborn and sassy and kick-ass and she’s amazing. I absolutely freaking love her.  The amount that she has sacrificed and done in her short lifetime is amazing, and I have great respect for her.

I feel like I have to mention Lissa.  For me, Lissa is ok.  I don't particularly like her.  She comes off as selfish and entitled sometimes and annoying. I don't really know what Rose sees in her to be so devoted to her.  But sometimes Lissa has her moments of goodness so I guess that's it.  But she's not my favorite.

I definitely need to mention Adrian.  Even though I am one hundred million trillion percent team Dimitri, Adrian is still a really great guy. I feel bad for him, but I love Dimitri more than I feel bad.  Adrian really loved Rose, but they just weren’t meant to be together.

Dimitri and Rose – Romitri – however, were destined to be together.  They just had to be.  After all they went through, after all the little arguments and flirting and training sessions and sneaking around…they just had to be together.  It was so painful reading this book and [SPOILER: seeing Dimitri just refuse to admit he loves Rose.  This whole book was leading so perfectly up to the best possible scene where Dimitri finally allows himself to love Rose and it was everything I had hoped for. ] Dimitri is the sexiest, nicest, strongest love interest I have ever read.  Rose, move out of my way, he’s mine!

I’m so sad to see this amazing series come to an end.  This world was so well-developed and I don’t want to leave.  The story and characters have come so far and done so much and this series will forever sit on my shelf and be re-read many, many times.  I have been through so many emotions reading this series, pain over Romitri, laughing, crying, loving, hating…this series is amazing.

 

5 stars

 

 

Richelle Mead's other YA books:

 

Vampire Academy series (6 books)

 

Vampire Academy - Frostbite - Shadow Kiss - Blood Promise - Spirit Bound

 

Bloodlines series (5 and counting books)







{Review} Spirit Bound by Richelle Mead

Spirit Bound
by Richelle Mead
Series:
Pages:
Release Date:by Razorbill (an imprint of Penguin)

Goodreads / Purchase

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.

This series is killing me.  Each book somehow manages to one-up the previous book and twist and turn the series so much.  It’s killing me!

This book was so full of feels, I was an emotional wreck the whole time. [SPOILER:  I honestly wasn’t expecting Dimitri to be turned back until the last book, so I was totally not prepared for him to come back. ] The story keeps on building on itself, and the twist [SPOILER: with Lissa being able to bring back Strigoi ] was amazing.  The action in this book is so good and breathtaking, and the story doesn’t let you go for a second.  When one thing ends, another begins.  Now yes I realize that these books are by no means the best written, but as far as enjoyment goes, they are number one. I am so invested in this series, it’s not even funny.  The world that Mead has managed to create is so complex and interesting, and her story is so complicated and exciting, that you can completely overlook any minor flaws in the writing.  Her writing is by no means bad!  Just not the best haha.

Honestly, it was really painful to see Dimtri in the state he’s in.  He is damaged and feels guilty [SPOILER: from being a Strigoi, and he’s pushing away Rose. ] He is so vulnerable, but still the same sexy confident Dimitri, and I miss him as much as Rose does. He is really affected by [SPOILER: what he did as Strigoi ] and we get to see a much more vulnerable, depressed side to the “Russian God”.

Rose – where do I even begin with her?  She has got to be the most crazy, funny, and entertaining main character I have ever read.  She is so impulsive and annoying (in a good way.  If that makes any sense) and smart-ass, and she never thinks before she talks and she’s so reckless and I absolutely love her.  She is one of my favorite female heroines ever.

I feel like I HAVE to talk about Adrian.  Now, I am TOTALLY Team Dimitri, but Adrian is such a nice, sweet guy.  Even though I don’t ship him and Rose, he really does love her and would do anything for her…I just don’t think he’s going to end up with her.

Also, Richelle Mead, I DO NOT appreciate you ending each book with a cliffhanger.  It’s like I’m spirit user and whenever you write a cliffhanger I lose my mind a bit, just like I would if used my spirit powers.

 5 stars

 





Richelle Mead's other YA books:

 

Vampire Academy series (6 books)

Bloodlines series (5 and counting books)

{Review} Blood Promise by Richelle Mead

Blood Promise
by Richelle Mead
Series: Vampire Academy #4
Pages: 503
Release Date: August 25, 2009
by Razorbill (an imprint of Penguin)

Goodreads / Purchase

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?

Am I okay?

No.

This book has completely destroyed me and fried my emotions and I am dying a slow death and this series is my obsession now ugh.  This book was just wow.  Not at all what I was expecting, first off.  This book went way out of line with what I thought was going to happen, but I liked it. I was really annoyed with the beginning though because there was a lot of going over the previous books and boring stuff and talking about Sydney’s obsession with cars and love scenes with Dimitri.  [SPOILER: When your favorite fictional dhamper is turned Strigoi you don’t want to read about cars, you want your sexy guardian to come back! ]  So that was annoying, but once the action started, it was like I couldn’t come up for air.  I literally sat huddled in my bean bag all day reading and crying and moaning and dying. (Sing that in Rapunzel’s voice ;P ).  The writing was very smooth and good, and the story line was so well done that I couldn’t believe it.  The staging, while not very smooth at times, was still very good, and everything flowed in the story perfectly.  And there managed to be like no dull moments once the story got going.  As I mentioned in my last review,  the scenes in this book were very well described, [SPOILER: especially the fight scene at the bridge with Dimitri and Rose (that was so EPIC!). ]

[SPOILER: I had a really hard time accepting Dimitri as a Strigoi.  When he brought Rose back to that house and they eventually started kissing and making out and Dimitri would drink her blood, I was so mad.  It was so wrong.  I couldn’t believe that my sweet, caring Dimitri had turned into a monster that essentially treated Rose like a blood whore.  That’s not my Dimitri.  I hate to say it but I was glad when Rose killed him because he wasn’t right.  I have honestly never been so invested in a love interest before.  He was put out of his misery…only he wasn’t. I knew even before I read it at the end of the book because right after he “died” I had a moment of weakness and read the summary of the next book so I knew he wasn’t dead. ]

So many things happened in this book.  I really can’t wrap my head around it all.  One thing that I didn’t like was Lissa.  She was horrible in this book and, [SPOILER: just like Dimitri, ] she was so wrong. [SPOILER: I KNEW something had to be going on with Avery, I just didn’t know what.  That was a huge twist in the book and completely caught me off guard.  The same goes for Abe being Rose’s dad – completely blind-sided by that one! ]

There were just so many things wrong with this book.  Not wrong as in “ruined the book” but wrong as in “morally wrong in the world of Moroi and Strigo”.  I will admit, I hated Rose for a while in this book [SPOILER: when she was kissing and letting Dimitri drink blood from her. ] I was so pissed off at her until I realized Mead was showing Rose’s strength and developing her by showing her so down and then building herself back up into the confident, kick-ass Rose we loved.  I have complete respect for her again.

[SPOILER: I just don’t know how, when Dimitri is turned back, which better freaking happen, they’re going to move past what happened between them when he was Strigoi.  I doesn’t seem like it would be right. ]

Here are my theories for the next book: [SPOILER: I guessed during this one that spirit (Lissa specifically) could turn Strigoi back.  I don’t expect that to happen in the next book, but it better happen by the end.  Lissa and Christian are going to get back together.  I honestly think that Rose is going to take Lissa and go after Victor Dashkov. ]

5 stars

 

 



Richelle Mead's other YA books:

 

Vampire Academy series (6 books)

Bloodlines series (5 and counting books)

{Review} Shadow Kiss by Richelle Mead

Shadow Kiss
by Richelle Mead
Series: Vampire Academy #3
Pages: 443
Release Date: November 13, 2008
by Razorbill (an imprint of Penguin)

Goodreads / Purchase

It's springtime at St. Vladimir's Academy, and Rose Hathaway is this close to graduation. Since making her first Strigoi kills, Rose hasn't been feeling quite right. She's having dark thoughts, behaving erratically, and worst of all... might be seeing ghosts.

As Rose questions her sanity, new complications arise. Lissa has begun experimenting with her magic once more, their enemy Victor Dashkov might be set free, and Rose's forbidden relationship with Dimitri is starting to heat up again. But when a deadly threat no one saw coming changes their entire world, Rose must put her own life on the line - and choose between the two people she loves most.

First Read: June 25-June 25, 2013
Review:

There was a long gap between when I read Vampire Academy, Frostbite, and now this book.  Usually when that happens I forget most of the details and have no clue what's going on.  It's a testament to how amazing this series is that I actually had no problem remembering all the details.
This book had it all: action, writing, amazing cast, everything.  The idea was great and really carried on the story from book 2.  Richelle wrote this book very well, perfectly staging all the events and creating a great story line.  In Vampire Academy, there was non-stop action throughout the book.  I feel like this one didn't have as much action.  It was kind of boring at times, but, I must admit, the ending totally made up for it.  It was simply amazing.  Sexy, kick-ass, and so freaking suspenseful.  I coulnd't stop reading!  And OMG!!!  I couldn't believe what happened.  I seriously wanted to start crying.  When it first happened I was like, "No.  Way.  Mead can't do that".  And then I was like, "Oh crap, she just did that."  Those of you who have read this book know what I'm talking about, and I'm sure you will agree with me.
I must admit that Rose ranks pretty high up on my Most-Kick-Ass-Fictional-Chicks list because she is super kick-butt.  She's fearless, kick-ass, and a really really strong character.  I love her.
I actually forgot how freaking sexy Dimitri is until I started this book.  I fell completely in love with him in Vampire Academy, and now I'm falling for him again.  He's so cute, nice, sexy, and kick-ASS!  I love him!!!  *drools over keyboard*  Rose is so lucky.
Wow, wow, wow, wow, wow.  After an ending like this one I really need to get my hands on the fourth book ASAP!


Disclaimer: Like I said before, if you've read this book you probably know what happened at the end.  If you decide to comment on this review please don't put any spoilers in those comments so as not to ruin it for anyone who hasn't read this fabulous book yet.  Thanks! :)

4 stars

Second Read: January 15-January 20, 2014
Review:

Let the feels begin

I don’t really know where to start with this book, or this series.  It’s just amazing.  Granted, it isn’t very well written, but the story is just so interesting and the world is so engrossing that it doesn’t even matter.  This book was funny, thrilling, sad, and feel-inducing.  I loved how Mead continued the series and the world that she has managed to create is so amazing that I don’t want to leave.  The story line and staging were both very well done and there was, I felt, a lot of information in this book, not just action.  I have to give credit to Mead because she describes everything so well that I feel like I’m actually there when something is happening.  It completely draws me into the book.  The ending was absolutely heartbreaking.  [SPOILER: You have the moment of elation when you think “Yes, Dimitri and Rose will FINALLY be able to be together and gosh they just love each other so much” and then shortly after you have this sinking feeling and think “They just finally truly accepted that they love each other and they’re so happy and then Dimitri has to go and be turned Strigoi and now my heart is broken.”]  Gee, thanks Mead.  But, other than that, I loved the ending, with all the action and fighting, and also all the change that is going to happen.  This book did a lot of world building and setting up for the rest of the series.

On a theoretical note, [SPOILER: I can’t figure out what is going to happen to Lissa.  Rose is going to kill Dimitri, but I think that, somehow, Dimitri is going to come back.  So I guess Lissa will be out of the series for a while. ]  That’s an interesting way for Mead to take the series.

This cast is one of the best I’ve ever read.  Rose Hathaway is like my favorite person ever.  She’s my spirit sister. I really wish I was her so I could be a kick-ass fighter and of course so I could get Dimitri.  I love Rose’s spunk, attitude, big mouth, personality, and inability to follow orders.  I’d like to think we’re kind of the same because we both have short tempers and dark hair haha.  But yeah, Rose is awesome.

I also feel the need to mention Eddie because he was in this book a lot.  I really liked him.  He was so damaged but at the same time so strong.  I kind of have mixed feelings about Lissa though, [SPOILER:  because she refused to heal Dimitri (even if he was still human) and was so selfish when it came to Rose leaving for Dimitri. ] I sometimes find Lissa annoying.  Even though her and Rose are best friends I don't think Lissa realizes just how much Rose is giving up for her.

Dimitri “Russian God” Belikov, get in my bed.  Now.  I don’t even know where to begin with Dimitri.  This man is just perfect.  He’s dark, he’s brooding, and he’s deadly.  But at the same time he’s sweet and caring and gentle and reads Western books and always wants to do the right thing and [SPOILER: I just can’t believe he’s gone and I cried and my feels are hurting and IT’S NOT OKAY!  I’M NOT OKAY!  MY BABY HAS TO COME BACK! ]

I HAVE to know what happens next.  [SPOILER: Dimitri is hanging in the balance and I need to know how this all ends. ] I love the characters and the world for this series, and I don’t want it ever to end.

 5 stars

Richelle Mead's other YA books:

Vampire Academy series (6 books)

Bloodlines series (5 and counting books)