Shadow Kiss

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It's a hit!

"Shadow Kiss" is the third installment in the Rose Hathaway/Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead. The longest of the three books this one packs... (show more)

"Shadow Kiss" is the third installment in the Rose Hathaway/Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead. The longest of the three books this one packs in more punches - physical and emotional - than both the previous books.

As the title suggests the plot of this book centres around discovering and understanding the implications of Rose's shadow kissed nature. To be shadow kissed is to have been brought back from the dead, and as Rose's trade as a guardian exposes her to more and more death her link to the world of the dead grows stronger. This has new and frightening consequences for Rose and all the people she loves.

While reading the second book, "Frostbite", I was ready to write this series off as a reasonably lightweight piece of teen fiction. The shock ending of that book left me surprised, and "Shadow Kiss" picks up where that left off and runs with it. This book is much darker, much more complex, than anything I would have expected from a series of this type. The closing chapters of this book were some of the most gripping, and gruelling, I have read.

Kim Harrison is the only other author that has been able to illicit this reaction in me. I view this series with newfound respect and I am desperate for the publication of the fourth book so that I can discover what happens following the shock conclusion of "Shadow Kiss".

Brilliant. (show less)

 

 

by Heather Dalgarno

No, it's a flop!

This story ended being absolutely tragic. It wasn't sad to the point where you had to cry about it. I instead was just infuriated with the fact tha... (show more)

This story ended being absolutely tragic. It wasn't sad to the point where you had to cry about it. I instead was just infuriated with the fact that they built something up since the beginning of the story (I don't want to go into specifics because I don't want to ruin the book for anyone) and then right at the end of this book they ruin the entire thing. I'm pretty sure I still will read the next book, but only because I'm really hoping that something turns for the better in some impossible way.
Otherwise, I really enjoyed the ghosts part of the plot. I liked how they played that in, and used Mason. I was really sad when Mason died but I like how it played out. I like most of the characters in the book, which is probably another one of the reasons I will continue to read this series, but I was extremely disappointed at the same time. That's why I gave it just 2 stars as a rating. (show less)

 

 

by Gillian Palmieri-Sparrow

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  Fantastic! This book made me much happier than Frostbite. This series is looking up again.

  The story starts out with Rose adjusting to the loss of Mason at the end of book 2. Rose is still training with Dimitri but her field tests have started. To her shock she is assigned Christian Ozera instead of her bonded best friend, Lissa. Rose must curtail her anger at this development and figure out some way to protect Christian when a bond does not exist between the two. Lissa also is trying ne... (show more)

  Fantastic! This book made me much happier than Frostbite. This series is looking up again.

  The story starts out with Rose adjusting to the loss of Mason at the end of book 2. Rose is still training with Dimitri but her field tests have started. To her shock she is assigned Christian Ozera instead of her bonded best friend, Lissa. Rose must curtail her anger at this development and figure out some way to protect Christian when a bond does not exist between the two. Lissa also is trying new things, spending alot of time With Adrian to help develop their mutual powers of Spirit... much to Christian (and Rose's) annoyance.

  I'm trying to judge this book fairly even though I discovered fairly early on in my reading of it a major plot spoiler that ruined the ending of the book for me. I blame no one but myself... I didn't have to look on the internet or on Goodreads about this book before I was done with it... I am entirely to blame. However, knowing the spoiler did hamper my ability to enjoy the tragic climax. I hate spoilers. Hate them. Hate that I knew what was going to happen up front. However... I am not judging the book on that knowledge. The book, the plot, the characters...everything...was still a great read. I'm sorry that I knew ahead of tiume the ending of this. I will not make that mistake again. These books are just too good to ruin ahead of time. (show less)

   

  by Facebook User on Dec 24, 2009 at 04:33AM

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  The third book in the Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead continues the story of Dhampir Guardian (in training), Rose Hathaway. Rose is shadow-kissed. When the car accident that took Princess Vasilissa Dragomir's family also killed her best friend and guardian, Rose, Lissa unknowingly used her ability to wield spirit magic to bring her back. Lissa is learning more and more about spirit, and Rose is discovering the not-so-awesome side effects of being shadow-kissed.
  Since Mason's tragic death at ... (show more)

  The third book in the Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead continues the story of Dhampir Guardian (in training), Rose Hathaway. Rose is shadow-kissed. When the car accident that took Princess Vasilissa Dragomir's family also killed her best friend and guardian, Rose, Lissa unknowingly used her ability to wield spirit magic to bring her back. Lissa is learning more and more about spirit, and Rose is discovering the not-so-awesome side effects of being shadow-kissed.
  Since Mason's tragic death at the hands of a Strigoi, Rose has been having dark flashbacks. She can't concentrate at practice and her temper is hotter than usual. Being so close to the man she loves and not being able to have him doesn't help her. Then the school is victim to one of the worst Strigoi attacks in history, and everything is at stake.

  This book is, so far, my favorite. It's action packed, the romance between Rose and Dimitri thickens and Lissa takes on a whole new level of awesome (and scary). I am amazed and inspired by Mead's ability to weave so much into her books. There is always something going on, even when there isn't. (show less)

   

   

  by Facebook User on Dec 10, 2009 at 03:43AM

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