Posts Tagged ‘dimitri’

Spirit Bound (Vampire Academy, Book 5)
Okayyyyy…looking around, everything looks in order. Looks like Lily took good care of my place while I was gone. Smells a bit different, though? Paint? That “new paint” smell, ya know? Wait, is that…a new couch? Wow, a slew of guest comments while I was gone…Lily sure does love to enterta….

PURPLE POOL????!!!! LILY!! You have some ‘splainin’ to do!

Deep breath…deep breath…at least you all had fun while I was away. That’s all that matters. I asked her to keep you company and that, she did!

Alright, so I’m back from my trip and ready to get back to my reviews. You’d think I would have had lots o’ reading time on the plane, but plane’s lull me to sleep, so while I did start a new book on my trip, I will be finishing it later today.

I did however finish a few books before I left, Spirit Bound being one of them. I LOVED it!

This one was also action packed, intense, tense, and everything in between. Emotions ran high (especially mine). I had a one track mind throughout the novel. It was all good, but come on…let’s not fool ourselves! We all know why we raced through this book…Dimitri!

And we’ll be meeting again. With graduation, you’ll be turned out of the Academy, and once you’re outside the wards, I’ll find you. There is no place in the world you can hide from me. I’m watching.

Love,
Dimitri

Quick synopsis (and I mean QUICK cause the most important parts I don’t want to spoil for you by discussing them here):

1. Dimitri’s coming for Rose (to kill her? change her? I think kill her, but who knows with him…). Anyway, he keeps sending her creepy letters so we know he’s up to no good.
2. Rose is hoping the secret she learned in the last book might be her last chance with Dimitri. It’s a “do or die situation”, and this is her last chance for him (and maybe even her last chance for herself if things don’t turn out as planned).
3. They need help to carry it out. And the only one who can help them…well, let’s just say this part wasn’t easy. But when has easy ever been exciting?

While I was somewhat impatient with the “slow-ish” lead in to Dimitri (you know…first let’s discuss our plan…then let’s find a way to break in and get the records and blueprints, then let’s find people we can trust and get our crew together, then let’s find a way to break in and go get you know who, then let’s find the other you know who…and then let’s argggggghhhhh!!!)

Yes yes…it was all necessary, and in fact, helped slow the pace down so we had to “work” for the prize, but I was like “How am I going to get through all of this??!! It’s gonna take tooooo long!!”

And it did take awhile. But then…it was good! So good – and no, not in the way you might have expected (or even hoped). You know…the old adage “Be careful what you wish for cause you just might get it”. Well, Rose gets something, just not necessarily everything. Rose’s plans didn’t turn out so rosy after all (see what i did there? That was fun! ).

OK so I don’t want to break the book for you. Let me just tell you that I’ve got a new found crush on Adrian (he still hasn’t taken Dimitri’s place in my heart, but he sure opened my eyes to a whole new side of him in this one).

Adrian to Rose:

“You forget: I have an addictive personality. I’m addicted to you. Somehow I think you could do all sorts of bad things to me, and I’d still come back to you.”

The relationship between Lissa in Christian is still angsty, and Moroi and Dhampir politics are still changing, and some new found info continues to cause strife within their world.  But best of all, there’s a whole new relationship that forms, one that you didn’t see coming and that will bring back all of those anxious feelings you had in the first couple of books.

You’ll be all….”Oh HELL NO!”

Ha! I can’t wait to hear your reactions! For those of you who read the book…you know what I’m talking about.

Oh GOD there is a quote I want to put here so bad…but I can’t. It’s my favorite line in the book, but it might skew your perception going into it, so I’m zipping it.

Oh! And a quick welcome to Lily’s group that dropped by. Friends of Lily’s are always welcome…especially considering I came home to a “newer” place (extra thankful nod to JimiAnn). And Paula…hrmm…I have a feeling you’re just as bratty as Lily is! Anyway…nice cover job…

What I don’t know won’t hurt me right? Except that…you detailed every little bit of it in the comment log!? What were you all thinking??

LOL!! *hug*

Oh how I have missed Dimitri, and was highly anticipating this book, expecting another beautiful, but difficult, love story. I was hoping that the noble, god-like Strigoi warrior would, somehow, still be himself (if you read the previous book, you were probably heartbroken at how it ended). Alas, it was wishful thinking. While I enjoyed the book, apparently, I spent a great deal of it, frowning.

This book focuses on Rose’s search for Dimitri, in his new “Strigoi” form (evil vampire), with the intention to stake him (a promise each of them made to each other if they were ever “turned”). She travels to Russia, and through a few new contacts, and events, eventually finds herself at his family’s residence. Once she delivers the news, the anguished family accepts her as one of their own, and she stays with them for awhile, taking comfort in being surrounded by those closest to Dimitri.

Everyone kept asking me questions. They wanted to know more about Dimitri, more about what his life had been like recently. They also wanted to know about me and Dimitri as a couple. They all seemed to have figured out that Dimitri and I had been in love – and they were okay with it.

Dimitri’s strange, but mystical grandmother introduces Rose to another bonded couple (a husband and wife, who is also gifted with “spirit”), and she learns a little more that could eventually help with her connection to Lissa. They give her a healing ring that helps her with the darkness that she absorbs from Lissa.

Eventually, the fateful moment occurs when she runs into Dimitri, (the moment I had been reading for).

The eyes. Oh God. The eyes.

Even with that sickening red ring around his pupils, his eyes still reminded me of the Dimitri I’d known. The look in his eyes – the soulless, malicious gleam – that was nothing like him. But there was just enough resemblance to stir my heart, to overwhelm my senses and feelings. My stake was ready. All I had to do was keep swinging to make the kill. I had momentum on my side…

But I couldn’t. I just needed a few more seconds, a few more seconds to drink him in before I killed him. And that’s when he spoke.

“Roza.” His voice had that same wonderful lowness, the same accent…it was all just colder. “You forgot my first lesson: Don’t hesitate.”

While I loved every moment of it, (and I really can’t say much at this point, so as not to spoil it for you), I will admit that my heart was wrenched all the way to the end. I felt fleeting moments of temporary relief, when hints of old Dimitri would peek through. Often, however, I was devastated that perhaps, the author had forever “broken” him. In fact, I will admit, that I became so antsy, and could barely stand not knowing how it was going to end, that I actually searched the net for “spoilers”. As my mind, once again, found rationality, I closed every search window, and decided to live through it, and experience it as it was meant to be read, to the very end.

 We do get momentary “breaks” as Rose enters Lissa’s mind, and experiences Lissa’s world through her eyes, despite the emotional and physical distance between them. Adrian, forever sweet, and cocky, is present, along with Christian, and a few new characters (some important enough, that we’ll probably see again). While Lissa’s entourage does help to relieve some of the “Dimitri the Strigoi” tension, Lissa’s strange and rebellious behavior, lead the group into a dangerous situation of their own. Essentially, there are two stories being told here, but Rose’s is the forefront (and the one I was most interested in – sorry Lissa). 

Some of my favorite characters did not get as much “screentime” as I would have liked and the emotional connections were not as deeply entrenched in this novel. Nonetheless, there were moments that had me intrigued, and I could not put the book down. One of my favorite chapters was twenty four. There was a little *something* in there, that my completely “absorbed in the book” frame of mind, missed…but once I clued in, I found it quite clever!

Here is a witty “Rose moment”, (not too spoiler-ish) that had me chuckling despite the tension that was building. Caught in a maze of bushes, she quickly becomes flustered, trying to find her way out:

Instead, I wasn’t entirely sure if I was going backward or in circles or what. At one point, I was pretty sure I’d passed the same jasmine trellis three times. I tried to think of stories I’d read about people navigating mazes. What did they use? Bread crumbs? Thread? I didn’t know, and as more time passed and my ankle grew sorer, I began to get discouraged. I’d killed a Strigoi in my weakened state but couldn’t escape some bushes. Embarrassing, really.

Happy ending? I’m not saying! Did I love the ending? YES! In truth, I am anticipating the next installment, even more then this one. Stupid May 2010!! Why do you have to be so far away!?

I read these three books in two days! I couldn’t get enough, and the third was the best so far! I think I actually *snarled* a few times at whatever interrupted me out of my reading marathon.

It is near graduation for our favorite students of St. Vladimir’s Academy, and Rose is now in the last part of her Guardian training (field experience). For the next six weeks she will be assigned to fully guard a Moroi student, and she is thrilled since she is certain she will be assigned to guard Lissa. To her dismay, Lissa’s boyfriend, Christian, is her Moroi. Despite her insistence that the school has made a bad choice, she reluctantly understands their logic and accepts.

Plus, I was about to spend six weeks with Christian Ozera. He was sarcastic, difficult, and made jokes about everything.

Actually, he was a lot like me.

It was going to be a long six weeks.

Rose faces larger obstacles, though, as she feels certain uncontrollable rages welling inside of her, darkness that seems to have a life of it’s own. All the while, she is also seeing apparitions of her recently murdered friend (that no one else can see). She fears she might be going mad, and along with Victor Dashkov’s upcoming trial, is acutely aware of how the stress is affecting her Guardian abilities and her relationships with everyone around her.

Hiding her fears from those she loves, she tries to cope with the changes, and continues to research other Moroi and dhampir history (learning something VERY important about herself, in the process). The only one who really seems to see past her “walls”, is Adrian, a spoiled rich Moroi Royal with a bad reputation (although he seemingly has an honest affection for Rose). I simply adore his character. He was introduced to us as another older “bad boy”, but his character integrates well with the group. He shares the similar type of ”spirit” magic as Lissa does, and notices that Rose’s aura is off.

“Don’t worry little dhampir. You might be surrounded by clouds, but you’ll always be like sunshine to me.”

While Rose and her crew experience the trials and tribulations of life (Rose experiencing more trauma than anyone these days), evil continues to lurk and Morai’s high society continue to be split in regards to their future. Reluctantly their society realizes that change is imminent and that the only way to cope with the growing threat is for the Morai and dhampir to work together (although some Royals have specific plans of their own). While change is coming, their difference of opinions may contribute to their own demise.

There are MANY touching  and triumphant moments in this book, and I am certain you will be quite pleased with the emotional content throughout. We continue to be tantalized by Rose and Dimitri’s “love triangle”, albeit, a different kind of love triangle (the third angle being their sense of duty and obligation to what is right).

One of my favorite scenes is during a surprise field testing “attack”, when Rose has to take on three of her Guardian teachers at once (one, being Dimitri). The detail is terrific, and you will feel as if you were watching a movie, and the development will put a smile on your face.

And of course, something a little later…(a little “heart candy” to tease you with):

His hands wrapped around my waist, and then one of them slid down the back of my thigh and pulled it up so that it nearly wrapped around him.

At the same time, we pulled back briefly, still oh so close. Everything in the world rested on that moment.

“We can’t…” he told me.

“I know,” I agreed.

Then his mouth was on mine again, and this time, I knew there would be no turning back.

While the plot is thick and intertwined throughout the book, I can’t tell much more without ruining the story. I will just say that it is a perfect compliment to part two, and you MUST read this series.

This third book, however, ends on quite the cliffhanger, and I am anxiously awaiting the next release (August seems so far away! I miss them already!)

Frostbite was very exciting, and really put the story into high gear. Halfway through the novel, I took a short break to purchase the 3rd, as I knew I wouldn’t be ready to stop once this one ended. I must apologize in advance, for how much I quoted some parts. I, myself, couldn’t describe the intensity (the “feel”) of the book and do it justice. I felt the book’s own words say it best…and I’m certain you’ll agree! (Not to worry! I don’t believe I let loose any spoilers in the process)…

So here it goes!

Nearing the Christmas holiday, Royal Moroi families (good, “born” vampires) were being attacked by groups of Strigoi (evil vampires). Evidence indicated that the Strigoi were working with humans to be able to attack during the day, and break through the magical wards that normally kept out the “Undead”.

There had been a ward here, but it had been shattered when someone drove the stake through it. Their magic had conflicted with each other; the stake had won.

“Strigoi can’t touch stakes,” I told him. I realized I was using a lot of can’t and don’t statements. It wasn’t easy having your core beliefs challenged. “And no Moroi or dhampir would do it.”

“A human might.”

I met his eyes. “Humans don’t help Strigoi-” I stopped. There it was again. Don’t.  But I couldn’t help it. The one thing we could count on in the fight against Strigoi was their limitations – sunlight, ward, stake magic etc. We used their weaknesses against them. If they had others – humans – who would help them and weren’t affected by those limitations…

The Academy decides to send all of the students (and their respective families) to an isolated and highly guarded ski resort normally reserved for the Royals. Together, the students would be able to celebrate the holiday season with their families, and everyone would be better protected.

While the school trip excites everyone (lots of fun to be had – and there was), a threat continuously looms over Dhampir guardians and their protected Moroi. Until they figure out exactly what the Strigoi are up to, no one is ever really safe.

As strategies are re-evaluated, the different classes of Moroi end up in their own power struggle for survival. In the recent past, the Royals normally get assigned the Dhampir Guardians, while the common Moroi are finding that they might be left to defend themselves. Since Moroi’s no longer use their magic for attacking or defense (and are not instructed in any combat techniques), their numbers are dwindling, along with the dhampir that protect them. Some feel it is necessary to evolve with the times, fighting side by side to protect each other with the dhampir, while others insist on keeping with tradition.

This being the main part of the story (essentially, the beginning stages of evolution of a society), the reader is satiated by the way of personal interactions, and emotional connections. Lots of human feelings that allow us to get involved in the story on a deeper level and to care for the characters that are in danger.

There are a few new love interests for Rose to contend with, the main one being Christian’s beautiful aunt, Tasha. She has the heart of a warrior due to a terrible attack that she had to overcome, and as a result, has kept up with her own physical and magical abilities. Her advanced thinking, and insistence in the necessity of change allows her an independence most Moroi do not realize they should have. She becomes the voice of a new revolution, and many begin to admire her. Including Dimitri…

I felt like someone had ripped my heart out and tossed it across the other side of the room. There was a burning, agonizing pain in my chest, and I had no idea how it could ever be filled. It was one thing to accept that I couldn’t have Dimitri. It was something entirely different to realize someone else could.

Poignant….

While she continues to struggle with her emotions for him, he continues to deny her.

“Of course,” he said, showing no indication we’d discussed anything other than class matters. “It’s like everything else. Balance. Know which things to run forward with – and know which to leave alone.” He placed a heavy emphasis on the last statement.

Our eyes met briefly, and I felt electricity race through me. He did know what I was talking about. And like always, he was ignoring it and being my teacher – which is exactly what he should have been doing.

Their romantic tension escalates… While they continue learning about each other, he persists in resisting her emotionally. Rose, adamant in getting her way, forges on, sometimes, to a breaking point.

“Okay can we just stop this for once?” I demanded, hands on my hips.

“Stop what?”

“The whole profound Zen crap thing. You don’t talk to me like real person. Everything you say is just some wise, life-lesson nonsense. You really do sound like a Christmas special.” I knew I wasn’t entirely fair to take my anger out on him, but I found myself practically shouting. “I swear, sometimes it’s just like you want to hear yourself talk! And I know you’re not always this way. You were perfectly normal when you talk to Tasha. But with me? You’re just going through the motions. You don’t care about me. You’re just stuck in your stupid mentor role.”

He stared at me, uncharacteristically surprised. “I don’t care about you?”

“No.” I was being petty – very, very petty. And I knew the truth – that he did care and was more than just a mentor. I couldn’t help myself, though. It just kept coming and coming. I jabbed his chest with my finger. “I’m another student to you. You just go on and on with your stupid life lessons so that-”

The hand I’d hoped would touch my hair suddenly reached out and grabbed my pointing hand. He pinned it to the wall, and I was surprised to see a flare of emotion in his eyes. It wasn’t exactly anger…but it was frustration of another kind.

“Don’t tell me what I’m feeling,” he growled.

I saw then that half of what I’d said was true. He was almost always calm, always in control – even when fighting. But he’d also told me how he’d once snapped and beaten up his Moroi father. He’d actually been like me once – always on the verge of acting without thinking, doing things he knew he shouldn’t.

“That’s it, isn’t it?” I asked.

“What?”

“You’re always fighting for control. You’re the same as me.”

“No,” he said, still obviously worked up. “I’ve learned my control.”

Something about this new realization emboldened me. “No,” I informed him. “You haven’t. You put on a good face, and most of the time you do stay in control. But sometimes you can’t. And sometimes…” I leaned forward, lowering my voice. “Sometimes you don’t want to.”

“Rose…”

Their terrible longing  is incredibly palpable (just what I love in a romance saga). The turmoil, here, is substantiated (not just thrown in there for dramatic effect). The feelings seem real, the characters - genuine.

I loved this installment even more than the first one. While the first book was an introduction to the cast, and their stories, this one seamlessly leads us into their souls.

I must admit, I am completely mesmerized by this series. Absolutely, captivated. I tried to fool myself into thinking that since these were considered “Young Adult” (and I am… not so much…), that perhaps I might not find myself enjoying these as much, but I was wrong – dead wrong!

There may not be “adult content” per se, but the passion, intensity and emotional connections have ensnared me to no end. What I love is that there are many characters, all very vital to the progression of the tale, but each one is special, and highly likable.

The story is completely relatable (setting aside the fact that these characters are all born vampires or half vampires, and have powers, and evil enemies to contend with). The students run through the gamut of high school “clique” issues, that range from wealth & race (being Royal Moroi, a “commoner” Moroi, or a Dhampir, the future Guardians of the Moroi race), to social over achievers, and sullen outcasts.

The story focuses on two seventeen year old high school girls who have been best friends all of their lives. 

Lissa is a Royal Moroi Princess, who is under constant protection by her best friend Rose (a Dhampir, training to be a Guardian and hoping to be assigned to guard Lissa once they graduate). They are “bonded” in a way that allows Rose to constantly know what Lissa’s feeling, and she can even enter and read Lissa’s mind, and help ease her fears.

Rose is concerned that Lissa’s occasional depression stem from using her magical abilities. While all Moroi have certain powers, Lissa’s are apparently different and mostly undocumented, from those of her peers. A bond such as theirs is also a rare ability between Moroi and Guardian.

Rose and Lissa escaped their highly guarded Vampire school, due to Rose’s suspicions that Lissa was not safe there. They lived in hiding for two years amongst the regular human population, but were tracked down by the “Guardians” of the school, and brought back to finish their education.

Rose is assigned extra “guardian” training before and after school to help her catch up with all that she has missed in two years, and 24 year old Dimitri (a Guardian warrior that has successfully slain and aided in the war against the many evil Strigoi vampires) is assigned as her trainer.

Rose and Dimitri are like fire and ice. Rose is a sassy, tough and outgoing. She has a sarcastic wit, is gorgeous and usually the center of all male attention (not always good). She has a laisser faire attitude with an apparent disregard to the trouble her good lucks and flirtatious side might bring her. She simply bulldozes her way through authorities and anyone that might restrict her from what she wants. She has a physical strength and fearlessness, along with an inner strength, despite the vulnerability that she tries to hide.

Her whole purpose in life, is to protect the Moroi (and specifically, her best friend, Lissa).

Dimitri is a zen-like warrior. No nonsense, complete self control, and unfazed in the petty dealings of high school drama. Publicly, he carries himself as a teacher/mentor should, no matter whether he is training Rose, or whether he is guarding the students during school activities. Inside however, he has a sadness and personal torment that he fights every moment to control.

He does this for his sense of duty. His whole purpose in life, too, is to protect the Moroi.

“It doesn’t matter how I feel. It doesn’t matter how any of us feel.”

“But it does bother you.” It suddenly became very obvious to me. I could read his pain, though he clearly worked hard to hide it. “You hurt. Every day. Don’t you? You miss him.”

Dimitri looked surprised, like he didn’t want me to know that, like I’d uncovered some secret part of him. I’d been thinking he was some aloof, antisocial tough guy, but maybe he kept himself apart from other people so he wouldn’t get hurt if he lost them. Ivan’s death had clearly left a permanent mark.

I wondered if Dimitri was lonely.

The surprised look vanished, and his standard serious one returned. “It doesn’t matter how I feel. They come first. Protecting them.”

Dimitri frequently finds Rose in compromising social situations, and despite being exasperated with her lack of self preservation, finds that she has much true potential and senses that she has a deeper more apprehensive side to her that she carefully guards. She is wiser and older in spirit than her actual age suggests.

“I’m glad you’re better.” he said. His mouth sounded like it was almost in my hair, just above my ear. “When I saw you fall…”

“You thought, ‘Wow, she’s a loser.’”

“That’s not what I thought.”

He pulled back slightly, so he could see me better, but we didn’t say anything. His eyes were so dark and deep that I wanted to dive right in. Staring at them made me feel warm all over, like they had flames inside. Slowly, carefully, those long fingers of his reached out and traced the edge of my cheekbone, moving up the side of my face. At the first touch of his skin on mine, I shivered. He wound a lock of my hair around one finger…”

They also discover that they have a mutual attraction to one another, despite the multiple taboos that would accompany such a relationship. The commonalities they share, the respect for each other’s abililities and the constant close contact and interaction cause an eventual bonding that cannot be denied (despite being well hidden).

“Because we can’t be together.”

“Because of the age thing right?” I asked. “Because you’re my mentor?”

His fingertip gently wiped away a tear that had escaped down my cheek. “That’s part of it,” he said. “But also…well, you and I will both be Lissa’s guardians someday. I need to protect her at all costs. If a pack of Strigoi come, I need to throw my body between them and her.”

“I know that. Of course that’s what you have to do.” The black sparkles were dancing in front of my eyes again. I was fading out.

“No. If I let myself love you, I won’t throw myself in front of her. I’ll throw myself in front of you.”

*sigh*

Danger lurks from all angles in this book, and you will find yourself pleasantly surprised at how neatly this tale comes together. This series is extremely well written, believable, and highly captivating. I couldn’t put it down.

This book may be considered “young adult” but there is nothing childish about it!