Shadow Kiss (Vampire Academy, #3)

by Richelle Mead

[Angie]

My heart hurts! Even though I knew what was coming at the end of Shadow Kiss, I still couldn't believe that it did. Plus, I had forgotten almost everything leading up to that one moment, so I was anxious as I furiously flipped through those last several chapters. I loved this one even more the second time around. It just tugged at my heart until finally ripping it out. Richelle Mead is an evil genius, and I both love and hate her for it.

Shadow Kiss takes events from the previous two books and puts them back in the spotlight. Instead of being their own contained story lines, they've become more important and actually a solid part of the overall story. First up, there's the problem of Victor Dashkov's trial. Rose and Lissa assumed he'd already been found guilty, so the possibility of him going free is a huge source of stress for both of them. Victor also has some very interesting information for Rose regarding something strange that's happening to her. He may be one of the bad guys, but he is smart. The other thing is that Rose is seeing Mason's ghost. Some think she's suffering from PTSD, but Rose knows that's not it. Mason is visiting her for a reason, and it's not something anyone could have prepared for.

One thing I hadn't noticed before, but became very clear in Shadow Kiss, was how Rose and Lissa's relationship mirrors the struggles between Moroi and dhampirs. Guardians are always told that the Moroi come first, always. Rose has always put Lissa first because of this and because she's her best friend and they have that special bond. However, Rose is forced to actually think about this relationship and try to imagine what she wants out of life. At the end when Rose has a mission she's set on, Lissa tries to use this all against her to make her stay. But Rose is finally putting Rose first. I really liked this scene, since it showed just how much Lissa depends on Rose. Now she's going to have to stand on her own two feet.

Rose and Dimitri! Those two make me very, very happy in Shadow Kiss, but they're also the source of my heart ache. The romance level is definitely amped up in this book, but it's still not so in-your-face. Dimitri has realized some things, and it's allowing him to be more open and affectionate with Rose (away from prying eyes, of course). This is the book where everything changes for them. I was giddy as heck, because I LOVE them together! LOVE! Then I was in near tears, because why is this happening to me (again)! Emotional overload.

The only part of Shadow Kiss that I didn't like was how info-dumpy it felt at times. There are no several page long dumps, but Rose does explain a lot of new things to us. The main one being the field experience for the novice guardians. She's in the midst of that, so of course we get to learn all about it. Then we're given even more information about vampire politics, Anna and St. Vladimir, and spirit. It's a lot to take in, and I didn't think all of it was necessary, but it didn't bother me enough to rate down.

The end of Shadow Kiss is the turning point for the series, at least for me. It's where things go from great to amazing. There are a lot of a little details that I hadn't noticed the first time. The author throws in scenes that may seem random or like a distraction, when in reality they're somehow super important and change everything. She's a genius. That ending killed me though. Of course, I know how it all turns out, but that didn't keep me from getting pulled in like it was my first time reading it. From here on out, things are intense.

Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.