The Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead

This is the final chapter of the Vampire Academies series and I have to tell you that I am so sad that it is over! I found Rose Hathaway to be a captivating character. she was not the weak-willed lead. She was tough, mouthy, and reckless. She did not fail me in this novel either.

Rose is on trial for a murder that she did not commit and like the fourth book, Lissa and Rose spend much of this book apart. But through the shadow-kissed bond, we, as the readers, keep up with what is going on in court, because Rose is not there! She was broken out of her cell by some expected and unexpected friends. And what is even more shocking is the "friend" that helps her in solving who really killed the Queen.

A long the way, she continues to battle her love for the handsome Dimitri and her love for the addict loving Adrian. I could not wait until I got to the end to find out who she ended up with!!!!

However, it is sad that after six books, it's over. I wanted to know what happened to each character after the wrap up. It is one of those series that the characters became "alive" to me and they simply cannot end.

The Vampire Academy Series

The Vampire Academy Series is a great follow-up to the Twilight Series. Since Stephaine Meyer's series, I have had an abundance of teenage girls looking for vampire style books. They fly off of my shelves before I even know they are back. It is a wonderful sight to behold.

I have had several of my students burn through the four novels that are currently out there and they are all patiently awaiting the next release. Spirit Bound.

The series includes a different twist to vampires, moroi (good vampires) and strigori (bad vampires) with a further twist with dhampirs, who are half-human and half-moroi and sworn guardians to moroi. In the novel you meet a dhampir Rose Hathaway, a reckless, loud-mouth who is devoted to her best friend, Lissa, a moroi.

The current four books that are released encompass the girls' senior year at St. Vladmir's Academy. However, (because I refuse to book spoil), something is not quite right with Lissa. She was supposed to come into an element (air, water, earth, fire) when she matured but hasn't and she always seems angry to Rose and she can use compulsion better than anyone. It isn't normal in the world of Moroi Rose searches into the past of St Vladmir to discover the truth about what is going on with Lissa and then Lissa has to learn to control it.

And then there is poor Rose, the heroine of the story. She desperately tries to do the right thing but always finds herself in a jam. But because of this, she also spends time with the handsome Dimitri (I think he is one of the reasons my girls love these books) who is to be her trainer and mentor and Rose and Dimitri cannot help but fall in love. Throughout the four books, you see this couple come together several times and then ripped apart again and again.

And all the while Lissa is figuring out her powers, and Rose is trying to become better and stronger, Strigori, soulless, murdering vampires attack the student body of St. Vladmir's. Rose always finds herself in the middle of the battle showing how she is growing up throughout the series.

I cannot tell you enough how I enjoyed this young adult piece. If you have a Twilight junkie, I would pass on this title as well. And another series would be The Blue Blood Series, a high-society vampire series with a twist using Roanoke Island.