Review: "Shadow Kiss" by Richelle Mead

Title: Shadow Kiss

Series: Vampire Academy #3

Author: Richelle Mead

Publisher: Razorbill

Year: 2008

"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."

Man.. just… man… I always thought reviewing the book right after I finished it is the way to go. But not when you finish “Shadow Kiss”. I should have given myself more time to recover.

Okay, lets see what is making me all emotional rollercoaster.

This story had a lot of what I usually like to get out of the first books of the series. You get to live the world of the characters, before it is all turned upside down. Most of this book is around the field-experience for novice dhampirs. They have to protect a Moroi assigned to them for weeks. And when I said that I like to get this out of a first book, then that does not mean it was not fun in the third one. It was actually great, maybe even better. We already have the world. Plus you can have various subplots that would otherwise be hurried. 

Also, this is where the story starts to get darker. Why things are so out of hand for Rose is explained towards the end. Speaking of the end. I think I almost cried. I don’t cry over much. But a single, very manly’ish tear might have escaped my eye when I read the last line in the book. I have read this before but it gets me every time. 

Rose is still Rose in this. We see her kick some major ass. And for the times that she herself is an ass… well there is an explanation. No spoilers, so that’s all I will say about this.
Lissa and Christian are still awesome together, but will have a few problems down the road. I think Lissa was a little blind about some things and in my eyes, Christian was more right. I also liked that Christian and Rose got more bro-bonding time. Those two bickering are always fun.
I also liked that Eddie got more of a role in this book. After what happened in book two it would have been very weird if he would have remained in the background. Plus he is actually a really sweet character. And I like that there is a male who is purely a friendly interest.
Dimitri is interesting in this one. Seeing as we get the story from Rose’s point of view and Richelle Mead is an amazing writer then I for one have to say that it was a blast and maybe sweet (sometimes so sweet felt like I had to check my bloodsugar levels) to see how he had to admit more and more of his feelings about Rose. Or Roza as he likes it.
Adrian does not get as much action in here as I would like him to. But he does keep pursuing Rose. And again, at the end, I really felt for him. He is underrated. 

So yeah. Needless to say that I loved “Shadow Kiss”. I will keep loving this book and series for years to come. Five stars, as always for Richelle. I bid thee good night. 

  This review has been brought to you by your Book Mistress for the day.
 

-Linda