Blood Promise (Vampire Academy, #4)

by Richelle Mead

[rakesandrogues]

Review Overview:

Slow beginning but halfway through the book, I couldn’t put it down
I need to get my hands on the next book

BLOOD PROMISE doesn’t quite start where the last book left off which left me a little disoriented as a reader. I actually had to look up the book I was reading just to make sure it was the right one. After a few chapters, I did start getting back into the flow of Mead’s writing. I really loved the change of scenery. Rose is on a set to find and kill Dimitri and her quest takes her to Dimitri’s home country Russia. I wouldn’t say that I cling on to stereotypes of Russia as much as Rose did, but I do admit I thought of Siberia as some kind of barren wasteland. Based on BLOOD PROMISE, I take that back. There’s a lot more to Siberia than I once thought.

The summary calls this a “nail-biting” installment in the Vampire Academy series. I won’t deny that there were some parts that had me clinging onto the edge of my seat, but for the most part, the pace of this book was very slow. I felt that the story dragged on at some points, but just when I was about to lose my patience and put the book down for a while, the action kicks back up again. The beginning is slow, but I think that getting through it is worth it at the end.

About halfway through the book, I couldn’t put it down. I had to know what was going to happen. I eventually did have to take a break for dinner, but I was so giddy with excitement and all I could think about was getting back to the story. Saying any more would give out too much for those who haven’t read it, so I’ll just leave it as that.

Throughout the book, Rose does check up on Lissa through her shadow-kissed abilities. It was nice to see the characters I grew to like during the series and it created a nice sub-plot for the book. It was kind of clever to use Rose’s abilities as a literary device to weave in the sub-plot to the story.

The book doesn’t really leave off in a cliffhanger, but Mead definitely wrote it well enough: I want to rip my hair out in frustration and quickly get my hands on the next book. I am craving for more and now I see why my best friend is obsessed with this series.