Shadow Kiss (Vampire Academy, #3)

by Richelle Mead

[catiebug]

ORIGINALLY POSTED AT: http://escapetowonderland.org/2011/08/shadow-kiss-by-richelle-mead/ ‎

While Frostbite got the plot moving, Shadow Kiss finally gave you everything you were hoping for. There was such a slow build up with the first two books, but it all becomes worth it. Shadow Kiss is so much more intense and has times where your heart is literally pounding in anticipation.

I was so upset about Mason dying in Frostbite, but it was really cool how he was trying to contact and help out Rose. I was for her being with Dimitri all the way, but I loved Mason because he was a good guy and a great friend to her. I understand her hesitation with it at first because she saw him killed and then he's standing right in front of her. And she never experienced any of this before, even for the two years she and Lissa were gone so why and how could it be happening now.

The field experience was probably one of the coolest parts of the whole book. You get some insight into the life of a guardian, but mostly just her training. And even with having a bad start, Rose ended up making up for it like the bad ass she is. And I think it helped her grow more protecting someone who wasn't Lissa because she can learn to prepare and handle things many ways if she needs to.

There has been so much sexual tension between her and Dimitri. I love how things finally ended up turning out. I understand how much it upset her when he said he wasn't going to put in to be someone else's guardian, but in the end, it would be better for them because they wouldn't have to worry getting distracted.

I knew something big was going to happen, but I never expected what did happen. There was so much built up and it just broke my heart and I cried right along with Rose. From when the strigoi attacked till the very end, my heart was pounding and I was in shock. I loved how much action there was and the way it was described made you feel like you were right in the middle of it watching it all happen around you. I was really angry as to what happen because how in the world can you come back from that?! How can you fix that? I think that is what made me want to read Blood Promise so much more, even though I was angry and tempted to stop before things got worse.