Review: Blood Promise by Richelle Mead

Title: Blood Promise
Author: Richelle Mead
Series: Vampire Academy, #4
Publisher: Razorbill
Release Date: August 25, 2009
Pages: 503
Rating:

Rose Hathaway's life will never be the same. 

The recent attack on St. Vladimir's Academy devastated the entire Moroi world. Many are dead. And, for the few victims carried off by Strigoi, their fates are even worse. A rare tattoo now adorns Rose's neck, a mark that says she's killed far too many Strigoi to count. But only one victim matters . . . Dimitri Belikov. Rose must now choose one of two very different paths: honoring her life's vow to protect Lissa—her best friend and the last surviving Dragomir princess—or, dropping out of the Academy to strike out on her own and hunt down the man she loves. She'll have to go to the ends of the earth to find Dimitri and keep the promise he begged her to make. But the question is, when the time comes, will he want to be saved?

Now, with everything at stake—and worlds away from St. Vladimir's and her unguarded, vulnerable, and newly rebellious best friend—can Rose find the strength to destroy Dimitri? Or, will she sacrifice herself for a chance at eternal love?

And Again, we have another OMG moment at the ending that leaves you craving for book 5, Spirit Bound. The ending of BLOOD PROMISE left you surprised and most definitely was set up for book 5, Spirit Bound. Oh, yea. The ending will drive you mad wanting to get your hands on Spirit Bound.

In the last book, Shadow Kiss Rose found out that the love of her life had been turned Strigoi and so she decided to keep to the promise they made each other, if each one of them had been turned Strigoi they would rather die. So Rose decided to keep to that promise. Rose set out on her journey to kill the man she loved. The real question is would she be able to do it?

In BLOOD PROMISE, we find Rose traveling to Russia, Dimitri's home country. And she meets quite a few new people. But she finally comes face to face with Dimitri, but now he is not the Dimitri that Rose loved, He's is a Strigoi. At the Academy, we keep in contact with Lissa and Adrian and it is just not the same with Rose gone and they end up facing a few problems of their own.

I admit BLOOD PROMISE was a little different than the other three books because Rose was not at the Academy. She is in the real world by herself. It was just so different no having her at the Academy for the majority of the book. This book at a slow start but it did really pick up. While Rose is on her journey we meet a few new characters. Sydney, who is a alchemist Rose meets. Abe, is the mysterious Moroi who saved her life and brought her to safety.

The Belikov's, who is Dimitri's family and a new couple who is shadow kissed just like Rose and Lissa. I really enjoyed all of these new characters and hope we see more of them in the future. A character I really liked was Abe. This man is really mysterious and I am kind o thinking throughout the whole book, who is this man? We do find out who Abe really is at the end, and it was a complete shocker! I can't wait for more Abe in the next book.

"Abe shook his head, and now the smile was gone altogether. "That's not the reason either. Don't lie to me little girl." I felt my hackles going up. "And don't interrogate me, old man."

We still get a glimpse at what is going on at the Academy because Rose is still shadow kissed to Lissa and she can see through the eyes of Lissa. At the Academy some new students get transferred and cause a bit of trouble for Lissa. And Lissa needs to learn to fight for herself because Rose is not going to be there for her forever.

I think up until the end of the book Lissa was acting too reckless and was hurt that Rose left. I think that she does not know the feeling of being alone because she has always had Rose by her side and I think it is good for her to learn that Rose is not always going to be there. She has to learn to be strong herself, especially since she is in line to be queen.

Dimitri and Rose. Even though Dimitri is Strigoi now, I couldn't help but love the bad boy side of him. Dimitri seems to not have lost his wanting Rose which keeps her alive for a while. But he is not the same Dimitri that Rose saw last. He is a completely different person. I know that some people don't like the new Dimitri, but I like this dangerous side of him and I am glad that we got to see it.

"I’d said it before and meant it: Alive or undead, the love of my life was a badass."

It is really hard to say what I want to say without giving too much away though. Rose and DImitri get to spend quite a bit of time together and when that time is over she has to pull it all together, remember who she is and what she beileves in and fight for her life. Even if it means she will never she the face of her beloved Dimitri again.

The ending was mind-blowing, well maybe I should say the last 200 something pages, it was hard to put the book down. I really enjoyed this book and can't wait to read Spirit Bound. There was so many questions at the end of BLOOD PROMISE that changes things for out heroine, Rose Hathaway.

But she is a strong woman and will be able to handle whatever is thrown her way. Only two more books left and I really wonder how this Series will end. Richelle Mead is an author you guys really need to check out.