Blood Promise: A Vampire Academy Novel

Fourth in the Vampire Academy young adult urban fantasy series revolving around Rose Hathaway, a young Guardian-to-be. My Take Oh man, I cried. It was so hard in Shadow Kiss when Dimitri was taken by the Strigoi but having to encounter him again with the promise of what could have been was just so sad. Mead did an excellent job of building tension and setting us up for the next in the series--I'm on pins and needles! Rose learns so much about herself, about Strigoi, about more advanced skills between a spirit user and the person who holds a bond, who is shadow-kissed. She was also brilliant in creating Galina and Dimitri's Strigoi personalities with their contrast between the living dhampirs and their evil counterparts. Thankfully, Mead created a believable scenario for death and resurrection in Blood Promise; so much more realistic than some "resurrections" I've read recently. The Story Torn between her love for Dimitri and her knowledge of his desire to not live as a Strigoi, Rose has left school and is hunting across Russia for Dimitri, the Strigoi. She can't bear to think of him as one of them and she can't bear that they will never have the life of which they dreamed. Seeing Russia without Dimitri's presence but with the memories of his reminiscences tears at Rose as she views the fairytale-like buildings of which he spoke. Her anger lends her the strength to kill all Strigoi she encounters. A mess she spreads across the city until she comes to the attention of an Alchemist, Sydney. Seems there is some information Rose would have learned when she graduated. Now she'll have to figure it out as she goes. Just as Rose will have to find the strength and the truth when she does find the object of her hunt. And an even greater strength when she must unite with Oksana to save Lissa. The Characters Rose Hathaway is a dhampir who has almost graduated as a full-fledged Guardian, one who protects Moroi. Instead, she is hunting across Russia to release Dimitri, her lover and her teacher, into a true death. Janine Hathaway is her mother and a renowned Guardian. Vasilisa "Lissa" Dragomir is Rose's bondmate, a royal Moroi and the last of her line. Adrian Ivashkov is another spirit user, like Lissa with whom he's working on using spirit at the academy but he copes with the side effects by smoking and drinking. He's in love with Rose. Sydney is an Alchemist. A member of a human organization who protects humans from knowledge. Abe Mazur is a very powerful and influential unknown Moroi dealing in the legal and the illegal with an intense interest in Rose whom he progressively threatens more and more. Dimitri Belikova was one of the best of the Guardians and worked one-on-one at the school with Rose as well as teaching the dhampirs in general. A Strigoi attack ended with their abducting him; the only outcome can be their turning him to Strigoi. Dimitri and Rose loved each other. Olena Belikova is Dimitri's mother, a healer, living in Baia, Siberia; Yeva is his grandmother, the witch with Sight. His three sisters also live with their mother with their children: Karolina with her son Paul and a baby daughter; Viktoria; and, the pregnant Sonya. Oksana and Mark are a spirit-using Moroi and her bondmate with some fascinating tricks to teach. Denis, Tamara, Lev, and Artur are unpromised dhampirs in Siberia who are like Rose; they want to fight and pay no attention to strategy or practicality. When Rose leaves the Belikovas, she throws in with them believing she will have a better chance of finding Dimitri. Galina is Dimitri's old instructor back when he was in school; now she is the head Strigoi with her own estate outside Novosibirsk. Nathan is the Strigoi who awakened Dimitri and is now so angry because Dimitri has a higher status with Galina than he. Eugene Lazar, a royal Moroi, has arrived to replace Headmistress Kirova; his daughter Avery and son Reed are with him. Simon is Avery's Guardian. Jill is a fourteen-year-old student

Blood Promise, the fourth installment of Richelle Mead’s epic, young adult, paranormal romance series, is her most thrilling book yet. Going on a rescue mission with her instructor, the handsome and noble Dimitri Belikov, Rose and her fellow dhampirs fight the bloodthirsty Strigoi and free their captives. Just as they bring out the last captive everything seems hopeful. Then as Rose see’s the love of her life, Dimitri coming out with the last captive, a lightning fast Strigoi grabs Dimitri from behind, and sinks his fangs into his neck. Heartbroken, Rose recalls a promise she made long ago with Dimitri, that if any of them become Strigoi, they would want to be killed. Now Rose feels the need to make true on her promise; and must kill the only man she ever loved. Her search begins now. In this book you will read through Rose’s eyes and go along with her on her emotional journey, as she travels to the one place she is sure she will find Dimitri, his homeland, Siberia. Rose finds Dmitri’s family which gives the reader a more personal feeling to him and the chance to understand his background more. It makes us sympathize even more with Rose’s grief when she delivers the news of his death to the loving family, who adored Dimitri. As days go by, Rose stays with the Belikovs and they treat her like family. Though she is content there, it is not where she should be, there is an undeniable feeling within the reader that she was meant to do more than stay with a family the rest of her life. Soon, Rose makes the decision to leave and search for Dimitri with a group of rouge dhampirs who actively search for Strigoi and kill them on their own. Every second of the book is in anticipation; it makes us question our heroine. Will she find her love? Will she be strong enough to kill him? Could she do it? So many questions constantly run through the readers mind while turning to the next page. Rose is also worried for her friends back at the Academy, Lissa and Adrian. Lissa, her best friend and also her bondmate, is in danger. Since Rose’s absence Lissa has been brokenhearted, she is torn from guilt to do what is expected of her just as her family, who has passes away, would have liked her to do; and with the need to have fun and be free to rid the guilt of not insisting to go with Rose on her plan to find Dimitri. When the new character Avery is introduced as the new principles daughter, Lissa is wary of her, and suspicious, the foreshadowing leads the reader to believe that Avery has a hidden agenda. Soon as time goes by the closer Avery gets with Lissa the more irresponsibly and dangerously Lissa is acting. Adrian, the great-grandnephew of the queen and also good friend of Rose and Lissa, notices this, and warns Rose in her dreams, but she is on the other side of the world and still searching for Dimitri. Will Rose recue Lissa? What is Avery’s influence on her and what does she want? Rose is torn by her promise to her love, Dimitri, and her sisterly responsibilities not only as a friend, but as a guardian to Lissa. How long can Rose wait until something drastic happens to Lissa? Will she make it in time? The twisted plot makes the reader nervous and feel the heavy weight of responsibility on Rose’s shoulders, every decision has a consequence, what will she decide? Blood Promise has everything the reader has been waiting for, thrilling adventure, unexpected twists in the plot, heartwarming romance and much more. It keeps the reader anticipating for what is next and to silently cheer on the heroine hoping that everything works out for her. Not a dull moment in the book, it’s worth five stars. Also, If this you adore this series, you may want to also read the paranormal romance series Strange Angels by Lilli St. Crow, or The Vampire Diaries by L.J Smith, both thrilling romance series.

This was certainly not my favourite book as we don't see much of anyone. It was touching how she wanted to be with Dimitri but with him as a Strigoi it would be different. They discussed when they were in the cabin that if either had ever turned Strigoi the other would have to kill him/her. That is what they wanted. Rose couldn't kill him she stopped the same thing that happened with Natalie from the first book. You can understand this. I mean she loves Dimitri and stalled in killing him.She let him escape her. In the end she returns Lissa forgives her for leaving. Avery was just this girl who added a bit of drama to Lissa and Adrian's life. I'm glad that Rose and Adrian look promising.