Spirit Bound

I really appreciated the fact that because the publisher wasn't letting the book go Kindle at first, the store stepped up and offered the hardcover in it's place for the same price.

I love this series, it is so well written, the characters are made to feel as though they are your friends. I am going to hate when this series is over, but, I'm sure we will be made to feel the same about the next series.

I pre-ordered this book ever since it was available. I have been waiting anxiously and set my expectation really high - and that usually comes with disappointment. But, NOT this book. My friend and I had been racing each other to finish the book so that we can sit down and discuss in details. We set aside our work, study and everything else. Too bad we had to eat and sleep, else we would have skip those as well. It is THAT good. The first 5 chapters are a bit on the slow pace but after that, I find myself unable to let go of the book. Too much happen and I almost wanted to buy air ticket to fly from Malaysia to Seattle to tell Richelle how much I.. hated her.. Because I swear.. Spirit Bound is almost the death of me. (If I've 9 lives and could die and be revived, this is one of those times I'd die willingly)

I'm an avid reader of paranormal romance. I read an average of 1 to 2 book(s) per week from many authors. Many are good and my bookshelf may not be able to hold more weight. Spirit Bound left me sated. I didn't have the urge to read my next book because I kept thinking about Dimitri, Rose, Dimitri, Adrian, Dimitri, Lissa, Dimitri and everyone else in the book. It is always a grey zone in Richelle's book. The one who appears evil may not be evil, everyone plays an important role. Richelle should change her last name to Mean instead of Mead. Still, as sadistic as it sounds - Richelle is still my favourite writer. 'Nuff said.

Well, I like most of you reading this series, ended the last book in tears about Dimitri and his loss of life. I was thrilled when this book was released, to find out what would happen to him, what would happen with Rose. Wow! I was not let down! Not only does this book take you on a trip around the world, introduce you to more characters and plot/story turns than imaginable, but it leaves you right where you prayed it would.

I don't want to say anything specific about the story, because quite frankly I can't stand reading a review that gives away parts of the story, but I will tell you that I highly recommend this book and even more importantly, the entire series. This book certainly can be read as a stand-alone, but there is so much more involvement and understanding of the characters, their lives and how they got to this point, in reading the entire series. I own every book in this series and can tell you that, although I mainly read (adult) paranormal, as I am 41, this series can be enjoyed by Adults as well as appropriate reading for Teens, it is that well-written.

I have already pre-ordered the next book in the series, due in December I believe, so for those of you that haven't read the entire series, you now have plenty of time to read them all before the next is released. I STILL cant wait to see what happens with Dimitri, as he is my favorite character HANDS DOWN, and I can only hope that Rose & Dimitri are able to find the love they once shared together.

Keep up the incredible writing Richelle!! I am proud to say that you are an Author, from my home city no less, who has managed to bridge the gap between tween-adult stories. So few can do this successfully, writing a story that can and does appeal to all age groups as you have done. I myself know of only one other and her books are now top grossing books AND movies....can we see that in the future for those of the Vampire Academy? Keep this up and I am certain we will!!!!

Oh my lord. Molested this book with my eyes last night and within four hours it was done. I was reading so fast that I didnt realize I was frantically turning the blank pages at the end of the book yearning for just one more chapter! It was sooo suspenseful and wonderful especially if you have been through the crazy ride of the first four books. The cliffhanger at the end was just another stab to the heart of awaiting anticipation for the next novel. ugh.

Absolutely loved this book.

OMG! I Love this series. I want more...and I have to wait until December to get it :(. Spirit Bound took me on an emotional roller coaster but it left me wanting more. Being that I am a hopeless romantic, I truly hope that in the last book "Last Sacrifice" that Rose and Dimitri prove that love conquers all.

This book did not let me down! Most YA series books get dull and looses purpose by book 3 or 4... Not the VA series!! The characters are so much fun & Rose is one of my all time favorite characters. The only flaw I find with her in this book is that I do not like how she is once again using Adrian (financially) to get to Dimitri. I grew to adore Adrian in this book and it hurts to see those scenes. However,I still hope that Rose & Dimitri get a happily ever after, they're past proves too much to go to waste... December can't come soon enough!

I liked this book, although one of the crucial plot points was not explained at all, which was a little frustrating. Normally I can just accept the 'rule changes' because they're explained, but this one was a little weird. I like the fact that Rose and Lissa are growing up more now - if you liked the rest of the series, this one will make you happy.

This isn't a review so much as me just taking an opportunity to vote this book and this series a 5 star rating. These are great characters that resonate and the story has grown to be one of the best I've ever read. Looking forward to the next one with great anticipation.

I was reading earlier reviews and couldn't understand why so many of them were not actually writing about what happened in the book.... now I understand, it's nearly impossible to write a spoiler free review, so much goes on right from the beginning.

Rose is now dating Adrian, while I understand her need to move on and his of love, I really think she should have waited to start a new relationship until the entire thing with Dimitri was settled be it by stake or spirit. I just knew that was going to be a problem later.

Lissa has promised to help Rose bust Victor out of prison, but she is still terrified of him after being tortured for her powers, she also no longer has Christian at his side (last book they broke up) so sometimes she feels just as alone and confused as Rose does.

Graduation means bigs changes after taking a wild 'girls weekend' cough cough to Vegas Rose is threatened with desk duty for the rest of her life, she thinks the Guardian Council is kidding until she realizes they aren't. Then it hits her, this is the big league, she might now get Lissa as her Moroi, but it never hit her before that she might not become an active fighting Guardian, there's a lot of stuff to do around the Court. BUT during the girl's weekend she and Lissa do find what they're looking for in regards to Dimitri, the only problem is that it's impossible to go through with, there is no way... Adrian is hurt (understandably) that Rose is still looking for a way to save her ex, but think about it, what does Rose expect to happen really? Dimitri is saved magically and then he comes running into her arms? What about Adrian? Or if he can't be saved is she really going to have to guts to kill him or watch him be killed? It's a horrible situation and by activity dating some one before she's ready, she's made it that much more complicated.

Ok here's where this spoiler free review is going to get complicated. What happens next in the book is impossible to describe without giving away other secrets. It just is, so many things are interconnected, and so many things happen that I just can't give away anything more.....

For those of you who want just a hint of spoilers look below for those of you who don't STOP READING!

Dimitri takes Lissa and Christian captive to force a show down between him and Rose.
Lissa and Rose learned that a spirit infused stake can heal the Strigoi, however it has to be wielded by a spirit user, Lissa can barely punch let alone stake someone.
The Court has changed the law so all Dhampirs graduate at 16 now. Is the Queen doing this selfishly or for her own good?
Some one is after Rose besides Dimitri, someone in the Court who has set her up for Treason.
Adrian and her almost do 'it'. Ahhh!
Lissa is convinced to train, yet gets captured before she can learn anything.
The Showdown between Rose and Dimitri is indeed epic.
Something happens at Court that will change everyone's lives.... especially Rose's.

The ending is abrupt. It comes upon you suddenly and without warning. Rose is going to trial for Treason, her father is her lawyer, and all the evidence points to her, the ending for this trial can only go two ways, death or innocence, and a lot of Moroi members of the Court want to see her die.

Good luck! You won't be able to put this one down or stop reading it until you're done.

This was a great addition. I could not stop reading it and now it is going to be difficult to wait for the next one till December. If you did not like the previous book, give this series another chance and read this one. You won't be disappointed.

I ordered this book on a Friday and it came in the mail on the following Tuesday. I started reading it once I got it that day and could not put the book down. I finished it at 12:30am in the next morning. It was an a great book but left me hanging at the end and wanting more. I cannot wait for the next book to come out and see what happens to Rose!!!!

This was not a bad book but I do not recomend reading it until the second half of the story is released in Dec. I think it is very wrong to represent this as a compleate book it is not. I have the book on CD and I actualy thought I was missing a CD. The book ends abruptly and resolves nothing.

I find it very challenging to review this book because it was good in so many ways that can't be explained without spoilers. But worry not, this review is Spirit Bound Spoilers Free. I will do my best to express you the passion I felt reading this book, but I'm afraid it's beyond what words can explain.

Spirit Bound starts back at the Academy, it's finally graduation time and Rose has only one more challenge in front of her: The Trials. A final exam planned by guardians to test their ability to protect Moroi "in the real world". But what worries Rose the most is the after-graduation. She always thought it rimed with freedom but reality hit her in the face. She will spend her life protecting Moroi and her own desires won't matter anymore. There's not only the weight of responsibilities though, she knows Dimitri is out there, lurking in shadows, waiting for an opportunity to kill her.

In this installment, Rose is more determined than ever and will use extremely illegal ways to reach her objectives. Desperation to save Dimitri, while she still can, drives her actions and consequences won't be light. She is not risking only her future and her life but also the ones of people she loves.

When we love a book, we all say "I couldn't put it down", well in this case, I loved the book so much I HAD to put it down and take deep breaths because it was just too much. Love, Passion, Treason, Fear, Sadness, Grief, all these emotions laid on paper in a so intense way it almost became unbearable. At times I couldn't believe my own eyes, events happening in that book triggered reactions in me that are beyond words!

I really love both Rose and Lissa for their very distinct qualities, and even though they are very different, they have one thing in common: they would do anything for each other.
Adrian is as snarky as ever but we get to discover a new side to him. I really like the guy and it's clear he cares about Rose and I loved to watch them together.
Dimitri, oh Dimitri! He broke my heart in Blood Promise and Spirit Bound wasn't any easier. At times I really felt like hitting him in the head to knock some sense into him and even though I would have a lot to say, I won't spill the beans and ruin surprises. I will mention though that chapters 20 and 24 nearly killed me.
I was glad that Abe was in SB, he didn't play a major role but it was nice to have him around and I think he will have a bigger role in The Last Sacrifice.

The end is as usual a cliff hanger, if suspense could kill Richelle Mead would be in danger of trial for massive murder, because I really don't know how I will be able to wait until December to know how this epic story ends.

Vampire Academy is my favorite series and Richelle delivered. Spirit Bound was action-packed, full of surprises, emotions and magic. I was in awe so many times during this book, it really was fabulous.
I think Shadow Kiss is still my favorite of the series because I'm such a romantic but Spirit Bound is very close second.

I really hope Rose will have her happy ending in The Last Sacrifice (even though the title doesn't point that way), she's been through so much, she really deserves her happily ever after.

If you are looking for spoilers, you can stop by my SB discussion post: [...]

There will be spoilers ahead, but come on if it’s a review on a fifth book in a series than that’s pretty obvious.

Like Blood Promise this book brought a lot more action to the forefront and had me dreading and anticipating many of Rose’s and Lissa’s harebrained schemes. Especially the scheme that consisted of breaking Victor out of jail. A scheme that they ultimately accomplished, but also failed at by letting him loose out into the world.

However, busting Victor out of jail did lead them to valuable information about curing a Strigoi and reversing them back to their former self. Valuable information we all needed to hear to feel better about Dimitri’s change.

This whole part of the novel was amazing because I wanted to see them accomplish this task and to no one’s surprise they did curing Dimitri, casting away his need for blood, and his psychotic tendencies.

It was the scenes after this miracle that hurt to read. I couldn’t stand Dimitri’s fierce desire to push Rose away. In fact, it pained me and I felt terrible for Rose. And yes I get the whole point of this is to keep them apart so that they can most likely patch things up in the final novel, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it. I really want Rose and Dimitri to get together and seeing them at odds makes me upset, but it didn’t totally ruin the novel it just made it hard for me to read.

The ending however once again reminded me of how good this series can be. Tatiana getting murdered came out of nowhere and blindsided me completely. And Rose being put on trial for it even more so. This novel ended at a great juncture and I have to get my hands on the next novel immediately in order to see the outcome of her fate.

Spirit Bound isn’t my favorite novel in the series, but I understand its purpose and did enjoy it for the most part. Now I will cross my fingers that Rose gets freed, Tatiana’s killer gets caught, the new Dhampir law gets cast aside and that Rose and Dimitri get together in the final chapter Last Sacrifice.

I’ve really been enjoying my journey through the Vampire Academy series and was eager to complete the collection early this year, so I went into book five, ‘Spirit Bound’ with some high expectations.

For some reason I did not enjoy this as much as the others – maybe it was the lack of action? But there was still a lot going on in this novel… I was forced to put it down a number of times because of life commitments, but it is still has an easy flow and allowed me to pick up from where I left off with ease.

I think the biggest thing that stood out to me in this installment was Roses indecisiveness, that and her continual flighty nature – it was getting old. We’ve seen so much development of her character throughout the series, ‘Spirit Bound’ felt like a big step backward.

I enjoyed the typical Rose/Lissa goodness in the first half, but it started to take a back seat by the end and had me asking what was going on – was everyone taking crazy pills? Richelle Mead what are you doing to me?

Besides that, I loved the intrigue and politics with the royals – you really have to keep an eye over your shoulder.

My affection for Adrian, Rose’s new boyfriend, really grew in Spirit Bound – previously I felt he was more of an annoyance, but by the end of this novel my heart went out to him. He is really a lost puppy in a barfly’s clothing.

In true Mead form, there was another plot twist at the end which floored me – I was not expecting that at all. As was the tension between Rose and Dimitri – I’ve invested a lot in the Vampire Academy books and wanted more of a win at the conclusion of this novel – but given it’s the second to last, I’m sure we needed to up the stakes for a fantastic end to the saga.

The romance with the world of dhampir, strigoi and moroi is still resounding strong in my blood, but this story was a little weaker, but I am expecting ‘Last Sacrifice’ to slay me. Looking forward to completing the series and then maybe start to tackle the Bloodlines series.

Though I was way outside of the YA age group when I read this I loved it! The last couple books, this book included, have been quite the emotional rollercoaster!

The world was SO well created and the characters jump off the page. It is easy to fall in love or hate with them. You just want to comfort some and throttle or even stake a few others!

Each book got better as you grew to know the characters, there dynamics and the conflicts in their world! Plenty of action and MUCH better done than the movie that followed years later!

Fibe books into the series and I can't wait for more! Please don't let it end yet!

Richelle Mead has completely broken my heart with this book. WHY, Richelle, WHYYYY? After putting my heart together, you just HAD to break it again and then leave me in need of a really strong drink. Guh. If you haven't realized by now, my love for this series just increases with every book and my emotions are always all over the place, so beware of my rambling review.

Rose has come back to St. Vladimir's and to Lissa. The duo are back together and are planning for their future after graduation. While doing what is necessary to be able to graduate on time, Rose receives words that Dimitri (be still my heart) is on the look for her. This time though, he is set on killing her. Rose concoct a plan in order to be ready for when she and Dimitri are face to face again. Like all of Rose's plan, they are out of this world and crazy.

Spirit Bound is one roller coaster after the other. I always felt like I was trying to catch with Rose and the gang. I love that we got spend more with Rose and Lissa this time. Lissa, after spending the majority of the series being taken care of, is set on helping and being there for Rose. We also get more time with Eddie and Adrian, which is always fun. There is such a different contrast from the last book, Blood Promise, to now. Rose actually has help with her shenanigans and it interesting to see how everyone reacts to them. They always tends to hear about her crazy ideas after the act not while in play.

There's some plot points I don't want to talk about considering it a pretty big ones but I'll say that I had my heart in my throat so many times. I knew what I wanted to happen but I was worried because I wasn't sure how it would work out. But when it DID, I was over the moon. Of course, there was this issue that Rose (and me) hadn't counted on. Which is when my feels just about bubbled over. There is only so much a girl can take, you know. And I'm not even talking about that ending. THE ENDING. What the hell is going to happen? I mean, hello!

But seriously, if you're still reading this, I hope my ramblings somewhat made sense because I'm not sure if it did. I love this book and this series but I can never seem to control myself when talking about it. I always want to talk about the feels, the characters, the plot points, the romance, the action, the everything! I'm looking forward to Last Sacrifice but I'm sad that it'll be the end for the series. I've gotten quite attach to Rose and the gang.

Review can be seen in www.booksandswoons.com

The Big Picture:

Overall, this was an okay book. It could have been much better.
I saw Rose in a different light. I felt like she was rude to Adrian. The plot wasn't bad. During the first half of the book, I loved it. Things changed once Dimitri got to the Court. I started to get annoyed at how soap opera-y the book turned. The ending wasn't bad. It was full of tension.
Travel Companion:

If we traveled with the main character Rose Hathaway, she would be:
The Warrior

She would be the fighter. She would be the one to defend the weak. She would defend her loved ones. She would be a soldier. She would be a great soldier.
We would meet her on her leave. She would be teaching martial arts to children. We would join in on her class and see her fighting spirit. We would invite her to join us to see Russia. She would join because she had heard so much from her instructor Dimitri, and she wanted to see it for herself.

As I read this book, I started to see Rose in a different light. I still thought she was awesome, but I didn't harbor as much respect as I used to have for her. She was still a great fighter. She was still loyal to her friends. She was still reckless.
So what changed?
Rose treated Adrian like he didn't matter. She tossed him aside unless he was important to her situation. I was astonished. Rose was such a great character. Why did she have to do that? I started to hate her a little bit.
But...Rose was still Rose. She was reckless. She spoke up for the little guy. When she started to protest the dhampir graduation age law, I felt a glowing pride in my chest. She was defending those teen dhampirs. She knew the consequences. I admired her efforts. Rose was still the defiant girl I admired, but she had a side of her I didn't like.

Read more at: http://booksinmysuitcase.blogspot.hk/2015/07/review-spirit-bound-by-richelle-mead.html

In "Spirit Bound", the fifth novel in the Vampire Academy Series by Richelle Mead, Rose is back at St.Vladimir's Academy after her quest in Russia. Having failed to kill her newly turned Strigoi lover Dimitri, she just wants to graduate now and focus on her own life. Little does she know that Dimitri won't give up trying to make her his immortal Strigoi mate and is just waiting for her to step outside the protection wards of the Academy to do so. Now Rose has to decide again what to do after graduation: becoming an actual guardian for her best friend Lissa like she has always dreamed of or get rid of the Dimitri problem once and for all.

I must say that this is definitely my last chance for Mead to turn it all around. I wasn't a fan of "Blood Promise", the fourth novel, especially because she decided to flip the setting. I'm happy that we're back at St. Vladimir's now and getting back to all the familiar characters instead of those annoying filler people in Russia. As a fan of Dimitri and Rose as a couple it pains me to say this, but at this point I just wish Mead had killed Dimitri off for good in "Blood Promise". I'm sick of that old chestnut, I just want Rose to focus on herself and becoming a guardian and just let it go. Though Mead made the whole hesitation thing believable and all, it's hard to believe that she actually staked the man and he still survived. Somebody's attached to her characters, eh?

I'm not going to sugarcoat it- I really skimmed a lot of it. Since "Shadow Kiss" (#3) the series has really started to drag and I kind of felt like it's become just another way of beating the dead horse for money. Things that are said to be impossible suddenly work and are used for another super innovative storyline, and seriously, I can't even tell you in a few sentences what happened in the last novel anymore because everything just seems so irrelevant. For stand-alone novels the sequels would have never been published, that's how bad they are in comparison to the first and maybe also the second novel.
The story is solely character-driven and were the characters not already established and well-loved by the readers, I'm pretty sure that this series would have been finished after three books already. For someone that loves the characters dearly it's hard to admit, but the storylines are getting ridiculous. You can just tell that Mead is trying to fill pages and beat around the bush up until she's reached that typical point about 80% in where she finally tells the story she meant to tell in the first place. So yes, the middle to end passage is great again, it always is with Mead, but this doesn't justify a whole novel. Rose just rambles and rambles on and there's so much descriptive and refelctive passages that I started skimming. I just longed for Mead to finally cut the crap and get to it. (Plot 1/5)

As terrible as the non-existant plot is, yet again the character development in "Spirit Bound" is just amazing. I loved that Dimitri got a chance to grow as a person and I also loved how Rose dealt with adult life and realized that it isn't all fun and games just like she had imagined back when she was still at St. Vladimir. A major major MAJOR thing that bothered me INSANELY though is Adrian's ad Rose's relationship. Seriously. WHY WHY WHY do the protagonists always have to start dating any attractive guy that's into them??? Rose made it clear from "Frostbite" (#2) on that she doesn't and NEVER will like Adrian romantically.
I picked up Spirit Bound, didn't expect anything great to happen within the first ten pages or so and suddenly Adrian is Rose's boyfriend?! It's a no-go for me to pack implied relationship development inbetween sequels. We don't find out how and why this thing started and essentially Mead implied that they started hooking up the second Rose came back from Russia- now get this- for the reason that he paid for her travel expenses. Even though Rose makes clear that she kind of likes Adrian it's obvious that she doesn't have good intentions or plans for a future and is just using him. It's baffling to me why a guy that's not only significantly older, more experienced and by no means a complete idiot, would fall for some high school girls shenanigans. I could go on for years why this bothers me, is disrespectful to Adrian's character and absolutely doesn't make any sense in the novel. (Characters 3/5)

I actually find it hilarious, how "Blood Promise" proves to be completely irrelevant and superfluos. You don't have to read the fourth to understand the fifth. All the characters that were introduced don't really matter and it didn't do anything for Rose's character. What Rose did in Russia is merely just briefly mentioned and nobody actually cares. It should annoy me, but at this point my annoyance has transformed into self-pitying chuckles as to why I even bother with this series anymore.

Talk about things that were dealt with poorly: if you're going to have a lot of casualties and risky battles in your novel, make them matter and don't exclusively kill people you just introduced. The world of the Vampire Academy Series is dangerous, we all get it. There's lot of battles, many occasions where guardians have their life at stake (get it)- but the way Mead deals with it, it's not really believable. Her characters, even main characters are sent into battle all the time, but in the end the only casualties we have are people that remain nameless. At least give the main characters some injuries! It's just bad writing to me to only kill off unimportant people. The battles lose meaning.

As a reader I know that my favorites are going to be fine anyway, why bother reading? The only real casualty EVER after Mason (who wasn't really explored as a person in the first place...) is Dimitri. Him turning Strigoi already made me raise my eyebrows, it didn't really make sense and was just another way of saving his character. And yeah, if you've finished "Spirit Bound", I don't need to say any more. I'm not saying everyone should go full-on G.R.R. Martin and kill off your main characters on a regular basis, but at least skip the fights then if you're going to end them predictably. (Writing 1/5)

Rating:
★★☆☆☆

Overall: Do I Recommend?
No. After "Blood Promise", another very weak novel. I only hang on because I'm desperately hooked on the characters. At this point I'm only here for Dimitri, Tasha and Adrian. Just stop at "Frostbite" and get somebody to tell you what happens. It's not worth the time and frustration.

Okay, friends. Turn back now if you want to avoid any spoilers because the deeper I get into this series, the more virtually impossible it becomes for me not to say anything spoiler-y! Mostly for the books that have come before this one, but I need to talk about other things that happened in SPIRIT BOUND too!

Okay, so first off, I definitely enjoyed this one more than I enjoyed BLOOD PROMISE, but still not as much as the first three books of the series. I think in BLOOD PROMISE, I had my second book syndrome except two books late. Usually in trilogies, I have second book syndrome and I just get so disappointed because too many things change all at once and I get lost in the story. I think that was what happened with BLOOD PROMISE. We were far away in Siberia, away from too many of our favorite characters and introduced to too many new ones. Now that Rose is back from Russia and reunited with her old classmates, I totally got on board again.

What I just realized (since I'm writing the review after literally just finishing the book) is wait a second! What happened to Victor? I just realized in all the commotion from the finale of this book that we lose Victor and Robert in the plot. Hm. Anyway, we did gain Dimitri back and in a whole new way! Wow, the interactions between Rose and Dimitri in SPIRIT BOUND were entirely different from BLOOD PROMISE. I went from being afraid for the both of them to being hopeful to being heartbroken all over again. It's just a roller coaster ride - Granted, I did lose a lot of momentum in their relationship and the love I had for this relationship since the first couple of books, but I still have a lot of hope for them yet. I can't wait to see how this evolves in the last book.

Yet another surprise ending from Mead! I'm always amazed each time the plot twists that she throws into our characters paths. I can't wait to see how the series wraps up!

Rose has gone back to the Academy and considering the head mistress didn't exactly file her paperwork for when Rose originally left they just accept her as if she never left. Rose is determined to be the best she can be, be the best to protect Lissa and also figure out a way to destroy Dimitri as she didn't do it the last time she had chance. Instead of looking around to double check she ended up walking away but didn't exactly see that Dimitri had managed to escape, however her new goals are to finish and graduate at the Academy and then go on from there.

The one thing that Rose is scared of is that Dimitri has tasted her blood but because she didn't accept his offer to turn Strigoi with him, so now he is after her for real this time and he wants her to join him forever.

The journey that this book takes you on is mind blowing and you will hardly be able to contain all the emotions that this book brings out in you. You only have one more book left after this one and trust me when I say that things are about to get a lot more interesting so you will want to read it.

I loved the book. Loved the series. Loved the ending to Rose and Demitri's story. It was fitting. Now Of course I love Adrian, but come on... we all knew, if even some of us didn't want to admit it, that Rose was going to end up with Demitri and that Adrian just wasn't for her. Yes, Demitri had some issues to get over, he's not perfect and I think a lot of people held some of his words against him after be became Dhampire again and tried to shone Rose away. Let's put yourself in his shoes shall we? I'm dead, well living dead. I only want blood. Don't care who I hurt, friend, enemy or perfect stranger. "Oh, look... that girl I use to love. I use to have feelings for that I can't recall. I want her. She's mines. Let me take her blood and get her to change into what I am. wait... what, she doesn't want to be what I am? She wont have me? She is trying to kill me over some long ridiculous promise we made back when I was living? Silly girl, I'll kill her now!
OMG! I'm Dhampire again! I've tried to kill the one woman I love more than anything in this world! I still remember every single little thing I did while a Strigoi. I can't be near her, even though I love her. It's because I love her and I'm ashamed of what I did that I can't be near her. Too much pain and memories. "
So yeah, You may have wanted him to buck up and just be all happy and go back to Rose, like nothing happened, but come on it was a traumatic experience that not one of you can relate to and wouldn't know how to handle if it was you, s get off of his back for it! they are soul mates, even with their issues, they were meant to be.

That's my two cent rant. Goodnight, folks!!

In this next installment we experience life in court. Mystery, intrigue, royal decrees, fabulous parties...mountains of paperwork?

Spoiler alert.

Half the book, I was thinking "Ugh. Just kill him already." (It's no secret that I dislike the Rose/Dimitri pairing) and the other half of the book I was wondering where Rose's PTSD was. Honestly. After the events of last book, it's highly unlikely that she would walk away unscathed. It's sick. Especially after the big reveal in this book where D is now treated like the wounded soldier and Rose is ignored. It suddenly becomes her fault that her presence reminds D of what he had done. Sure, blame the victim.

Now don't get me wrong. I do have some sympathy for D. I sympathize with his situation. I'm just saying, don't make the sympathy come at the victim's expense.

I have many, many problems with the main romance in this series. With that stated, I suppose it's obvious that I'm rooting for Adrian--while admittedly not as "passionate" as the D/R couple, it seems healthier. He gives her time to come to terms with D. He shows her understanding and patience. He even quits substance use (okay so that's not AS healthy) for her. Of course... this is all hoping that Adrian doesn't turn out to be a psycho killer. I really hope that's not where this is going. I'll be extremely disappointed.

The plot wasn't as good in this novel as the previous books and the characters seemed a little flatter than usual. Sure Rose kicked butt and was her usual rash, thoughtless, and law-breaking self...But that wasn't new. I would have liked her to have more realistically conflicting emotions regarding D. Not just "why won't he love me anymore?".

D was where I wanted him for the most part. Very Angel-from-Buffy-like.

Lissa was...Used as she always seems to be--less as a friend, more as a plot device? I mean, I like her most times but sometimes she ceases to be a character.

Adrian was trying to be the good boyfriend. I just felt bad for him. Being the rebound is never easy. Especially when the girl you're trying to date is trying to raise her ex from the dead.

Anyway, all of this is why I gave this book a 3.5/5.

WARNING! May contain spoilers.

Out of all the other Vampire Academy novels I’ve read Spirit Bound, so far, is definitely my favourite. A lot goes on in this fifth book and is a MAJOR improvement on the filler heavy Blood Promise.

As Rose prepares for the test that may determine whether or not she’ll be a guardian she begins to worry about the disturbing ‘love’ letters she receives in the male from her old instructor and mentor turned Strigoi, Dimitri. He’s coming for her and this time it won’t be to awaken her. But Rose has a plan. She believes there’s a way to turn Strigoi back and in Dimitri’s case turn him back into a Dhampir. She, Lissa, and with the help of some of their friends plan to do what she never thought she’d do in her lifetime. Break Victor Dashkov out of prison. The one with information to bringing Strigoi back to life just so happens to be Victor’s half-brother Robert and only Victor knows his location. If there is even the slightest chance of bringing Dimitri back Rose would do anything, even put her love life between her and Adrian on the line.

Like I said, this book is possibly my favourite so far, or at least until I read Last Sacrifice. SO MUCH happens in this book it’s amazing. Rose FINALLY becomes a Guardian. Yeah, like that’s a big surprise. Dimitri is still after her. Yeah, like that’s a surprise too. And they all graduate from High School. Again, did you expect anything else? What happens AFTER is the twisting turn of events.

After summer vacation Lissa will start attend college near the Royal Court but until then she and Rose have plenty of time to settle into their new home. But Rose doesn’t want to settle. She needs to find a way to cure Dimitri, and fast, before he comes to call. This is a lot easier said than done because the one person who can help them just happens to be Victor Dashkov’s brother, and we all know how much Rose and Lissa hate him…

Finally finding Robert and persuading him to give him information they find out the easiest part of the mission is over. The harder part is having Dimitri turned back with a stake infused with Spirit. Yeah, and it just keeps getting better and better, because the person who turns Dimitri back has to be a Spirit user as well. Fun times. *insert sarcasm here*.

Aside from all this FUN STUFF going on with turning Dimitri back there’s also Rose and Adrian’s love life to consider. Like any boyfriend Adrian has a bit of an issue with Rose having feelings for Dimitri. He hates being out of the loop and hates that after all this time she’s choosing some who’s ‘dead’ to someone who’s ‘alive’. After meeting his parents, and deciding that they like her, or at least his mom does, she realizes that no matter how much Adrian loves her she knows they’ll never really be together and that’s pretty harsh.

I think I loved this book because it was pretty Dimitri and Adrian heavy. As opposed to having a book that was all filler and had a REALLY ANNOYING Dimitri, we got both and that made me really happy. I LOVED Dimitri at the beginning of the series just like everyone else and Rose did. He was bad-ass, he was a God, he could do anything, and he loved her! Then he just got really bloody annoying as all hell in Blood Promise and thankfully he didn’t have too…many speaking roles in this book, but when he did speak LATER ON, he was very…whinny and just had this attitude that I didn’t like. He couldn’t FORGIVE himself of all the bad things he’d done, and especially to Rose. I’m telling you… Dimitri gets REALLY FREAKING ANNOYING like I just want to punch him in the face…CONSTANTLY for being such an annoying self-righteous prick!

Then there’s Adrian. Beautiful. Wonderful. Perfect. Sexy. Amazing Adrian. *SIGHHHHHHH* the more I read him the more I

love him. I just want Rose to end up with him because he’s just so much better for her. As a friend said, “Adrian is boyfriend material”. The problem is, which Rose has also realized, is that no matter what she and Adrian will never end up together. He’s a Royal Moroi who, at best, will father a dhampir child with her, but then he’ll move onto marrying another Moroi to further his line. I secretly want to believe Adrian is above that and would marry her and be with her given the opportunity…he’s just so…perfect.

“What are you getting at?” I asked, kind of confused.
“I want you, Rose.” He squeezed my hand more tightly. “I’ve always wanted you. I want to be with you. I’d like to be like other guys and say I want to take care of you too, but…well. When it comes down to it, you’d probably be the one taking care of me.”
I laughed in spite of myself. “Some days I think you’re in more danger from yourself than anyone else. You smell like cigarettes, you know.”
“Hey, I never, ever said I was perfect. And you’re wrong. You’re probably the most dangerous thing in my life.”

UGHHHH ADRIAN WHY YOU SO PERFECT <333 WHY YOU SAY ALL THE RIGHT THINGS!!!?!?!?

I shifted closer to Adrian on the bed and pressed my head against his chest. “We can make this work. I know we can. If I screw up again, you can leave.”
“If only it were that easy,” he laughed. “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. Just keep things honest, okay? Tell me what you’re feeling. If you’re feeling something for Dimitri that’s confusing you, tell me. We’ll work it out.”

This book ends with a surprising cliffhanger, like a SUPER SURPRISE cliffhanger. Thank god I didn’t have to wait a year for the last book to come out or I might have had really high blood pressure. These books just keep getting longer and longer and Last Sacrifice is going to be the longest of them all. Hopefully all the loose ends will be tied up, all our questions will be answered, and MAYBE Dimitri will stop being such a prude!

4/5 Hearts of Love

I'm tempted to give this one a one star rating just because the author took the easy way out in the last book and the first half of this book deals with the aftermath of that cop out ending. The author had the chance to give some emotional weight to this series, to give it some actual substance but, nope, instead we get...this. I don't know, maybe because it's YA this is instead about improbable wish fulfillment rather than telling a meaningful story about a girl who has to learn about loss and how to learn to live again. So yeah, we get...this, and it's just not emotionally satisfying at all.

Rose sets off of her latest, half-cocked "mission" - nevermind that she's done absolutely NO research into whether or not the information she's been given is true or not. Nope, that's too sensible for Rose. And now her stupidity seems to be spreading to her friends. Normally I like Lissa but I don't like the way she's just going around mind raping people, because, really, what else can you call it when she compels people to do things they don't want to do?

People die because of Rose's actions but hey, it's all good because nothing and no one matters more than Rose getting what she wants. Everyone else's life is worth the cost of Rose saving the one life that she's hell bent on saving. If fifteen people, both humans and dhampirs, have to die in order for her to see if this rumor of a rumor is true then so be it.

I'm so glad there's only one more book to go in this series. On the negative side, there's still one more book to go in this series.

“Spirit Bound” is the fifth installment to Richelle Mead’s “Vampire Academy” series, of which I have been a dedicated reader since the beginning. It is not my top rated series, but it holds its own luster. After reading this book, it may have lost some of its shine with me.

I will not say that “Spirit Bound” was a bad book; on the contrary, it carried on the saga, if you will, of Rose Hathaway and Lissa Dragomir. If you have read Ms Mead’s other books in this series, then you must read this one. Perhaps your feelings on this will differ to mine. I hope so.

Many things happened in this book. Rose and Lissa graduated from St Vladimir’s Academy. They both broke into a high profile, well-protected prison and broke out a high profile prisoner. Through information gathered by Rose, Lissa saves, or heals, Dimitri from being Strigoi. Lissa’s courage and gift continue to grow. Relationships develop. However, with all that happens in this book, I felt like there was something missing.

As I read this book, I felt as if I was reading a report, something that Rose may have had to write for the guardians. The story held a fluidity of facts, which allowed you to follow the lives of each character. However, it did not draw me in by my emotions. The only thing keeping me turning the pages were the facts. I wanted to stay connected as best I could, to the characters in this story.

As I said, this read like a report or a retelling of a story. It lacked emotion in parts. There lacked any build up of tension or angst that we are so used to experiencing in this series. Some of the fight scenes seemed to lack description or follow through. There was no strong emotion relayed in the love triangle created with Rose, Adrian, and Dimitri. I kept wondering what kind of a pansy ass Adrian was to take a back seat with Rose. I also wondered why Rose and Dimitri did not either break down into a knock down, drag out fight between each other or a forgiving passionate love affair. Their passion seemed lost. All you really experience is a teen who must deal with rejection. Boohoo. Yes, I did cry when Dimitri spoke out some harsh words to Rose, leaving her to feel his rejection. And. yes, I really hoped that Rose and Adrian would just get it on and have sex. Instead, she did the one thing we have heard her say repeatedly that she would not do … “She would not become a blood whore.” So, instead of sex, she lets him drink her blood.

Finally, about the last few chapters, I felt some emotion, some angst. The ending did leave me wanting more.

I hope that in Ms. Mead’s next installment, “Last Sacrifice”, due out December 7, 2010, that she brings back more of the tense emotion and angst that the whole series holds.

I don’t normally do this, but due to the cliffhangers between each book I must state that there will be spoilers for Blood Promise (book 4) and or any previous Vampire Academy book in this review of Spirit Bound. It can’t be helped. If you haven’t read the four Vampire Academy books before Spirit Bound then PLEASE stop reading here!

Now….Let’s discuss briefly the ending to Blood Promise for just a minute. Rose traveled to Russia to find Dimitri and kill him, thus freeing him for a state of being that Dimitri-the-dhampir would never have wanted to be in, right? Right. Well at the end of Blood Promise, Rose has finally made her decision to kill Dimitri. It can’t be helped. It’s him or her. And she stakes him. Right before finding out that there’s a Spirit user out there in the world that claims to have brought a Strigoi back to his/her previous state of being (Moroi, human, dhampir). How heartbreaking must it be to have killed the person you’re in love with after you’ve tried so hard NOT to kill them, only to find out that there’s possibly a way to save them? BUT…guess what…Dimitri didn’t die! No sir! But now instead of Rose hunting him, he’s decided that he’s going to hunt her. And that’s essentially where we pick up with Spirit Bound.

I was always Team Dimitri in these books, though I like Adrian and am so excited about what’s happening with him in the Bloodlines series. This reading of Spirit Bound I was particularly aware of comments that Rose makes throughout the book to indicate where her heart truly lies. There might be a triangle between these characters, but Richelle Mead makes it clear that the way Rose feels for Dimirti is completely different from the way she feels for Adrian. Because I have a newfound and deeper love for Adrian as a character, I was struck rather brutally with how unfair to him Rose is in their relationship. She rarely sees Adrian as being able to overcome the persona that she’s pinned on him. While I can understand how she’s come to see him the way she does, it isn’t really fair to him or to herself. Or to Dimitri.

Some of the aspects that play a major role in Spirit Bound are so embarrassingly foreshadowed in the previous books that I’m truly, truly ashamed that I missed them in my first reading. There’s that f-word again. I’ve mentioned it in every review of this series, but Richelle Mead’s foreshadowing is some of the best I’ve seen. I can’t wait to see how everything ends with the Bloodlines series so I can go back and re-read it knowing the bigger picture and what foreshadowing details I’ve missed already.

As with the field experience laid out in Shadow Kiss, I love how the trials were set up to test the dhampirs in order for them to rank and then graduate. It seems such a small but brilliant addition to their curriculum and a right-of-passage. I love that Richelle Mead included this in Spirit Bound. And as one would expect, the trials in no way compared to what Rose has already gone through in her real world experience having been kidnapped by Strigoi and decapitating two of those, fighting in the battle at St. Vladamir’s that resulted in countless Strigoi deaths, and her international Strigoi hunt to try to kill Dimitri. Yeah…some Guardians pretending to be Strigoi just isn’t going to match up to that. And of course, Rose’s days of big adventures out in the real world aren’t even close to being over. They’re only just beginning.

I touched on this earlier but with each reading of this series, I’m impressed with how much Rose has to go through things like this. We pick up Spirit Bound with Rose receiving taunting letters from Dimitri which is a constant reminder that he’s no longer the man she fell in love with. She has to take her trials without her mentor there like the other students have. The lengths she goes through to try to save Dimitri and change the rest of the Moroi world is above and beyond someone who has fallen in love and had her heart broken. And she doesn’t even get the credit for all that she’s put in, all that she’s lost.

As I said before, with reading the Bloodlines series I’m more in tune with the things going on with Adrian, and I think more than the things that Rose suffered and went through in this book, Adrian totally beats her on that. He’s done nothing but try to be the supportive boyfriend, even when Rose’s mission becomes about trying to save her ex-boyfriend. Adrian continues to get pushed aside, misunderstood, underestimated, undervalued, and generally kind of walked over. I hate it for him, but I’ve said before that he needed these experiences to change him, to make him stronger, and to get him ready for the events he must face with Bloodlines. It’s all for the greater good.

Typical of the other Vampire Academy books, Richelle Mead peppers this book with the sarcastic, the witty, and the downright humorous. With characters such as Abe, Christian, Adrian and Rose, the comedic relief is all over the place. Rose banters with Stan, with Victor, of course the typical comments to Christian and with Adrian. But Adrian and Christian give it right back. Abe is such a flirt and he uses that to his advantage in Spirit Bound. I can see how easy it would be to fall for his charm. He is still one of my favorite characters in the series despite having such a small role in this book. I love with is being done with his character and how he and Rose are developing their relationship—as strange as it is. (Would it be too much to ask for an adult series revolving around Abe? With Rose's mom too maybe?) Shoot even Lissa had me cracking a smile a time or two, specifically when defending Christian’s good looks to Rose. Mia, Robert. Seems like almost everyone is gifted a line or two. Drunken sod anyone?

Speaking of secondary characters, we see Jill, who’s babbling self seems so different from how she’s grown and matured in the Bloodlines series. There’s Eddie who I’ve said multiple times now that I would love to have his own series. He’s so loyal, he follows Rose into her big master plan without a single question as to why. He literally trusts her that much. Though Eddie doesn’t take Rose’s mission lightly once he finds out what it is. He isn’t afraid to stand up to her and give her a dose of hard to swallow reality that she desperately needs. Everyone needs friends like Eddie in their lives.

I really enjoyed Lissa and Christian’s interactions in Spirit Bound. Because of the bond, Richelle Mead gets the dual narration from Rose seeing into Lissa’s head. So while we left Blood Promise with Lissa and Christian breaking up, it was obvious that both of them still care for each other in Spirit Bound. The way that they find their way back to each other through the means of working on a neutral task was really enjoyable. I liked seeing Christian show his protectiveness over Lissa. Not in a possessive kind of way. No, Lissa has the possessiveness covered. But Christian just genuinely cares for Lissa to the point where he always wants to have her back and look out for her best interests despite how much she’s hurt him in the past. I loved it. Christian knows Lissa better than she knows herself. His observant nature has always been a big draw for me.

Lissa is back to her stronger self now that she and Rose are united. They go into battle metaphorically speaking, and Lissa holds her own. As a matter of fact, so much of this story and plot of Spirit Bound is essential to Lissa. She has a big role to play and she’s eager to fulfill her role, to do her part, to make a difference, not just for her best friend and former guardian, but for the entire Moroi world. Lissa is ready to step into the political role her parents’ death has left in their world, but she has some resistance of course preventing her from doing so. But it doesn’t prevent her from doing whatever she needs to do.

I could spend days comparing Rose and Adrian’s relationship to Dimitri’s or Sydney’s, but time wouldn’t be on my side, you’d get tired of hearing me ramble, and spoilers would ensue. I literally took six and a half pages of notes while going through Spirit Bound this time, and as per usual what I most want to discuss is spoilerish in nature—the best parts always are. Spirit Bound was full of twist and turns my first time reading it. I should have seen certain events coming that I just didn’t. And the ones that were more obvious, I just wasn’t sure how they would play out, if all would be a success, or everything would blow up in the characters’ faces. But so much happens and cliffhangers are left. And well…Spirit Bound still lives up to the 5 Stars I originally rated it on Goodreads for me. Have you read Spirit Bound? What did you think? Let me know!

For more book reviews, check out Somewhere Only We Know - [...].

Rose has returned to the court where Lissa is staying before school starts. However Dimitri still haunts her and now he’s sending her notes letting her know he’s close. She’s also graduating becoming an official guardian hoping that she will get Lissa as planned. Her trip to Russia provided her with lots of information about Lissa and her connection with spirit plus the potential to return Dimitri back to his Dhampire self. But that’s not all she also learned that her father was the mob boss Moroi who wanted her back at school. The only way that they will learn how to cure Dimitri is though Victor the one who kidnapped Lissa in the first book and forced her to heal him.

Rose though she wants to save Dimitri she’s not thrilled with the prospect of having to work with Victor and after confronting him he refuses to give Roberts location while still locked up. With the help of Lissa and Eddie the trio head off to Alaska to break Victor out of prison with the plan that he lead them to his brother. With Lissa’s spirit magic the trio make it in and out of the prison but Victor won’t give up Robert’s location but forces them to take him to Las Vegas to meet up with Robert. They get the way but not the how from Robert but are interrupted when Dimitri show’s up with his Strigoi.

While Rose is in trouble Lissa heads off to visit the college she will be attending in the future accompanied by Christian. The pair with the help of her guardians practices a little fighting learning about using a stake and it’s clear to Lissa she won’t be able to stake Dimitri but gets her chance when he and his undead vampires attack her. With Christians help she’s able to use her spirit infused stake to change him back into a Dhampire but suddenly everything has changed. Lissa has done the impossible and Dimitri knowing what he’s done to Rose refuses to see her. As if that’s not enough the queen has her own agenda that will change things for the Dhampires. Will things work out with Rose and Dimitri? Will Lissa and Christian get back together? What about the queens plans?

I love Rose she’s one of my favorite characters however I didn’t like her as much in this book as I did the prior ones. Maybe it’s because I like Adrian he’s just a good guy and I don’t like seeing him hurt. However she can’t change the fact that she’s in love with Dimitri and aside from his moments of Strigoi in the series I don’t blame her for being in love with him. Grrrr I hate love triangles. I love Lissa and Christian I hate that they broke up to start with but I hope it works out they are perfect for each other.

I loved that this book has more of Lissa in the story she’s growing as a character as well as her skills with her spirit magic. I didn’t care for Rose as much in this book as I did the prior, and it could come back to the love triangle. I like that we had more of Eddie in the story plus we also saw more of the Moroi which I also enjoyed. Just like the prior four books Spirit Bound is an action packed, intense, story that kept me on the edge of my seat. I just had to know what would happen next because there was so much going on. I find the concept for vampire academy unique and exciting one of my favorite series. The author had done a fantastic job creating another installment in the series and I’m dying to read the final book to see how it will all end. A must for all vampire fans.

As far as theme and plot go, the start of this book seemed to go really slowly. Granted, serious stuff takes place but it happens steadily so I myself was not swept away with it. I would like to point out though that perhaps my feelings for how the pacing and stuff like that may be altered because I have read the series before and when it comes to major things in books (this means like who killed who what lead to what blah blah blah, I will forget things like their favourite colour and stuff along those lines) I generally remember everything that happens in the book regardless of how long it has been since I read it. Though it can happen, it can also be difficult to be as overwhelmed by plot and theme points when you know what is coming all the time. However, for at least the first half of the book I feel my lack of emotion was more to do with how it was written, because I became much more caught up in the second half of the book.

Even though I have that warning there before the warning even starts, I’m going to say it again now. I’m going to be talking about things that will totally be serious spoilers and could therefore destroy the book for you.

The moment I became more interested in what was happening didn’t happen until the fight that lead to Dimitri becoming his old self again, well physically anyway. This sparks a whole new level of character development between pretty much every single character in the book. The only one that really wasn’t effected by this was Eddie, who pretty much drops off the face of the planet after this point. So before I start talking about everyone else I should talk about him first. During a point in this book, Rose totally betrays Eddies trust and they pretty much have a huge falling out. If they ever get back to the same level of friendship again I will be surprised. I just add this as a notch on the ‘Rose will plow over anyone who gets in her way and barely look back’ belt. I like her, but God, she only ever has three people on her mind, and one of them is herself.

Moving on now to people who still happen in the books. Lissa and Dimitri develop a relationship now, where they didn’t really have one at all to begin with. She takes on this motherly protection of Dimitri and he looks upon her now as a goddess who freed him from hell. This new relationship, though understandable, seriously ticks me off and gets under my skin. These new outlooks they have for each other seriously affect the way they treat and deal with Rose. Lissa though still interested in her puts Dimitri at the top of her list of things to care about, regardless of how she may be torturing Rose in the process. Dimitri on the other hand has sworn her off completely. Though I get why they may act this way, someone has to look out for Dimitri and he is all filled with guilt and what not, and Rose is kind of a bitch, I think they both need to be punched in the face just a little bit. They are the only two other people that fill Rose’s mind, and they have thrown her off like a soggy towel to care for each other when they never even really used to speak. Specially Dimitri. Regardless of any guilt he may be feeling and the fact that Lissa did the final act of restoring him, Rose did huge, losing every other friend along the way kind of stuff, to get to the point where Lissa could help him. I personally think the guilt should make him want to be with her more, he has a lot of stuff to make up for.

All this also effects poor poor Adrian. Rose keeps tossing him back and forth because she has no idea what the hell is going on with Dimitri and she wants to be with him if Dimitri is out of the picture. I get this, but I like Adrian more than Rose, though I do like her, and I am going to take his side. Everyone treats him like dirt most the time, and he doesn’t deserve the way Rose is treating him. Rose and Dimitri belong together, its just a fact, and poor Adrian is getting hurt cause he is looking for love in a place that is just a lost cause.

The story ends on pretty much the biggest cliff hanger. Dimitri turning evil really has nothing on this ending because you get an idea of whats coming in the next book. With this ending however you don’t get that. I seriously suggest having the next book on hand because I don’t think you will want to stop reading until you get an idea of where things are going next.

(The rating on this review is different than the rating at Goodreads since the descriptions vary between them but the review is the same)

Really good. This fifth installment in the Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead is truly good and a major improvement over the last volume. The writing is tight again, the plot is clear and well-developed. I like a novel that maintains a fast pace and keeps me anxious to turn the page. Mead managed it again with such ease; I'm jealous!

Once again we are with Rose Hathaway, our dhamphir, and her spirit bond-mate Lissa (and her best friend). The usual cast of friends are included, Christian and Adrian, Moroi (living royal vampires), Mia (non royal living Moroi), and the mysterious and frightening once-teacher/love Dimitri, a dhamphir turned Strigoi, the undead vampire. One of Mead's talents is to manage an ensemble cast of characters so seamlessly that every character seems equally important. It is one of the highlights of her stories.

I won't go into details on this review because we're careening to a slam-bang finish in the next book. Suffice to say I was more than emotionally satisfied at the conclusion of this book, with Mead managing to pull off a MAJOR surprises, again!

I can't wait to read the last book in this YA fantasy series. Overall, it has been an excellent series and I do recommend it for everyone. And if you are wondering if Rose finds Dimitri and if she kills him....you'll just have to read and find out. I'm off to the finale!

I was not a fan of vampire novels or anything paranormal until I read Twilight. That started me on the paranormal genre and I've been unstoppable ever since. This is so strange for me, because I'm the kind of person who can't watch The Shining, who still cringes when I think about the little girl ghost in Wait Until Helen Comes and who used to think I couldn't stomach the "weird" stuff likes vampires, werewolves and ghosts. The paranormal books I've read are are just really good stories set in a fantasy world. I think the extra layer of the story happening in a total fantasy world is what makes them so alluring.

Spoiler Alert:
Spirit Bound starts with Rose's guardian trials. Rose and Lissa don't stay at the academy long, with graduation happening in chapter two. From there, they go to court for a very short stay, then the action starts. After they sneak out of court, I became unable to put the book down. The plot moves that fast! Several major questions that Blood Promise left us with get answered in Spirit Bound:

1. Will Rose and Lissa break Victor out of prison?
2. Will Rose and Lissa save Dimitri from being a Strigoi?
3. Will Lissa and Christian get back together?
4. Will Rose and Dimitri get back together?
5. And what about Adrian and Rose's relationship?

End spoiler alert.

I have to say here that I am not a fan of Adrian. Adrian has his moments of tender-heartedness but is mostly a side character to me. He is the equivalent of Jacob in Twilight to me: a big part of the story, but just not "the one." Maybe my diapproval is because of his alcohol use/abuse, maybe it's because I think Rose would really lose her mind if she got too close to another spirit user who battles the depression associated with spirit, but Adrian is the definition of the B-team to me. He's a nice guy but I only have eyes for Dimitri.

Just One Gripe:
Richelle Mead uses the phrase "no pun intended" three times in this book. That's two times too many. This is a very inconsequential gripe, in light of how great Spirit Bound is.

The Best Thing About This Book:
The plot. I was shocked several times---and that doesn't happen often!

WARNING: Review contains spoilers for the previous books in this series. If you haven't read the first four Vampire Academy books, and you don't want to be spoiled, don't read this review.
Rose and Lissa are on the hunt for information about how to change a Strigoi back into a dhampir. The main goal is to restore Dimitri. Unfortunately, the one person who might be able to help them is Victor Dashkov, who was imprisoned for kidnapping Lissa. Also, some intrigue is going down at the Royal Court concerning the dwindling number of Guardians. Should they lower the Guardian age to 16? Teach Moroi to fight for themselves? Some other solution?
This book really upped the ante on the series. I expected a showdown with Dimitri as the climax, but that happened halfway through and then the action kept building. The "twists" of plot are still telegraphed far ahead of time, and the intelligent reader will be able to figure out what's going to happen way before the characters do, but that's okay because their reactions are worth reading about. I'm still a bit annoyed by Rose and Lissa and their somewhat irritating love lives, but intrigued by the Rose/Adrian pairing and wish that would go further and that she'd just give up on Dimitri, but of course that's probably not to be. I am extremely excited to read the final book in this series!

I can't believe I'm saying this, but I am. I was so disappointed with SPIRIT BOUND! (Say what now?) Me, disappointed with an installment of one of my most favorite series! What the hell?! A mix of elements made me feel this way... characters, plot, ending... Oh, hell, I'm getting mad (MAD!) just thinking about it!

First of all, what, for goodness sake, was up with Rose?! Rose, on the list of my top ten heroines, did the unthinkable! She actually *gulps* annoyed me... It was as if suddenly she became immature and unreasonable, making bad, stupid decisions left and right. All I could think was, Where is my amazing Rose? Where did she go? I was so emotionally attached to this girl, and I especially felt for her in BLOOD PROMISE, and I'd always treasured that emotional bond. Here in SPIRIT BOUND, it felt like I didn't know her at all... I couldn't connect with her, and that infuriated me, ticked me off to no end.

Lissa, Rose's best friend, was once my least favorite character - not because she wasn't a great character, but because she never caught my attention (except for when she went spirit-beserk!) - actually gained a few points with me. The tension between her and Christian made me want to ram my head into a wall. Serious *head-desk* syndrome here, people. And I actually fell a little bit in love with Adrian, where that had once been impossible between the last four books...

And *ZOMG*, the whole thing with Dimitri was absolutely killing me. I couldn't stand the agony of him and Rose being so close, yet so far away regarding their struggling relationship. (A relationship that has taken some serious smack downs, I might add.) But, this goes back to me being ticked at Rose. One minute she claims to want to give Adrian a shot, that she means it, the next she's flying at Dimitri, then she's using Adrian to feel better when Dimitri acts cold or slaps her with rejection. I don't like it when people get used by others, no matter the reason. I felt for Rose, with everything she had to deal with with Dimitri. But, her actions really bugged me!

Then, to top it off, that ending! What swept across my mind was, Really? Seriously? That addition to the plot to shape the last book seems unnecessary to me, and it feels like it was added on just to continue the story. *shrugs* Not too happy with the latest development... I'm definitely going to go after LAST SACRIFICE, but mostly to finish the series, not so much because I enjoyed this last one. I'm so sad *cries*.

Ummm woah? I honestly do not know what I else I can add to my Vampire Academy reviews but since I have received until this point I'm going to keep reviewing! It seems like my feelings are the same for the last books in the series.

Spirit Bound takes place at the end of the school year. Rose, Lissa and all their friends are graduating high school and are setting off to Court to receive their guardian assignments and spend the summer "relaxing". Of course, Dimitri is still after Rose and planning on capturing her, promising to find her no matter where she goes. Rose & friends hatch this master plan to discover how to heal Strigoi with spirit... but the plan backfires. And this book ends on the biggest cliffhanger so far!

I didn't want to reveal too much in my "summary" of the book. So much happens in this book... it's so hard to review these books spoiler free, the further I'm getting into the series. So be warned... there will be spoilers ahead: I just can't explain my feelings without revealing some parts :S

As I've said before I love Rose more and more as this series goes on. I absolutely adored her in this book. I think my favorite part about Rose is she is not without faults. She has jealousy, she is working past her feelings of Dimitri while being with Adrian... and she still tries to remain her bad ass self. The one thing that I didn't really enjoy about this book is Rose & Adrian's relationship. I hate how Adrian is getting strung along. I absolutely 100% percent want Dimitri and Rose to be together but I just feel so bad for Adrian because I really like him too. The entire book she more or less ignored the feelings of Dimitri, but you could so tell where the storyline was going with her relationships.

I also love that Eddie was featured so much in this book! I love Eddie and the part in Shadow Kiss that hurt me the most was when I found out that Eddie was captured. I was so scared that he might die. But alas, he is and he is in Spirit Bound so much He plays a major part in this book. We also meet Sonya's(the spirit teacher who turned Strigoi) ex boyfriend. I thought that was an interesting twist and I'm sure they are bound to go somewhere else with this.

The ending was such a cliffhanger! I couldn't even believe that it left off like this... as I write this I am actually half way through Last Sacrifice because I simply could not wait at all.

All in all I absolutely adored Spirit Bound... I see why everyone loves this series so much. It's amazing.

2.5 Stars. I listened to the narrated version of this book, while I read the first four. The narration is done poorly and I would not recommend listening to it. The narrator's voice is annoying and overly exaggerates teenage style of speaking.

I really enjoyed the first four books, including Blood Promise. Rose is a fun character to read about and up until this book, I felt that her actions and choices were authentic and consistent with her character. Throughout this book, Rose's actions baffled me. She simply did not act consistent with her previously developed character. In the first 4 books, Rose is a friend, colleague, and guardian that risks her life and career to save those around her - and she never asks the same to those around her. But this changes in Spirit Bound. In the course of Spirit Bound, Rose routinely puts the lives and careers of her friends and colleagues at risk without thinking twice and without fully informing them. Rose's lack of affection and romantic feelings for Adrian is understandable. Mead could have developed this storyline more fully and fleshed out the stress and pull that Rose feels - caring for Adrian and wanting to be close to him, yet at the same time not being able to fully return Adrian's feelings. There is no crime in not being able to fully love someone. Rose is young and it is understandable that she finds herself in a relationship that is not fully functional nor going anywhere. Additionally, Rose is suffering emotionally and alone in many ways, falling into a relationship is excusable in my opinion. The tension, however, that Rose must feel and exists between Adrian, Dmitri and Rose is never fully fleshed out by Mead. Adrian is absent from much of the book, when they are together, his friends and family continue to condescend to Rose - heck I can understand her fantasizing over Dmitri.

Another failure for me in this book is just that it was boring, climaxing toward the middle of the book. The back and forth, Rose's musings, and the constant recap of the world building make this book drag. Mead forgets or abandons many storylines that she previously developed: Christian being able to aptly and strongly fight the Strigoi with his talent? Apparently not in this book. When it matters the most, Christian doesn't even attempt to use his talent until the very end of an encounter. This just does not make sense, especially given how Christian is first introduced to us in the series. Rose's constant self focus, including her anger and jealousy toward Lissa, just seems silly and again, inconsistent with the Rose I really liked in the first 4 books. Where was Dmitri's family? Doesn't it make sense that someone would call them and tell them about Dmitri's return? After richly developing Dmitri's family and the setting of his hometown, it was a shame that couldn't be worked into this book. I would love for Mead to have developed more of a dhampir critique or rumbling over the structure of Moroi society and the class system. The criticism clearly exists subtlety, we see hints of it. But truthfully, I could have overlooked all of these inconsistencies if Spirit Bound delivered an intriguing plot. Ultimately, the book disappointed me as books 1 through 4 turned me into a true fan of both Richelle Mead and Vampire Academy. But everyone deserves a second chance (including Rose), so I am anxiously moving on to Last Sacrifice and I still care what happens to Rose. Even if Last Sacrifice fails to live up to the first 4 books, I will remember those books fondly and I am very glad to have read them.

I just love this series. I think it has to be one of the best YA vampire series written to date. I was so engrossed and involved in the story and fell in love with the characters. I saw the growth of the characters as well as the writing as the story progressed. I mean, I went from hating Rose in the first novel to becoming her biggest cheerleader, and I went from neutral to totally in love with Dimitri's character. That means something to me. The author and her writing is that good. With that being said, this novel was heartbreaking for me. I even cried. This is how emotionally involved I am with the characters and really testifies to the greatness of this series.

Now, let us get as to why I gave this novel 3.5 stars. Mostly it had to do with Rose and Dimitri's relationship. After he is healed by Lissa, I just wanted to knock some sense into him. He becomes so grateful to her, is in awe of her and refuses to see Rose. I was thinking he was falling in love with Lissa as a side effect of her healing him- that's how heartbreaking it was. After everything Rose did and sacrificed for him, he was thankful to Lissa and pledged his life to her. WTH? Rose did most of the work and brainstorming. She was the one who believed. She was the one who broke Victor Dashov out of jail, so he could take them to his half brother, Robert, a spirit user who knew how to heal Strigoi. But nobody even tells this to Dimitri. They just keep telling him that Rose did the work, but nobody would tell him all the details. It was so FRUSTRATING. I hope that Dimitri gets to know in the final novel because it drove both Rose and I crazy! I totally understood where Rose was coming from. Her jealousy, anger and frustration at Dimitri. After all she did for him. He was more nice to her when he was a Strigoi because at least he acknowledged his love for her.

Most heartbreaking of all is when Dimitri tells Rose that love fades and that his love for her has. This breaks her heart and she goes crying and ends up almost sleeping with Adrian as a result. Dimitri does redeem himself a little bit in the end when the Guardians come for Rose in order to arrest her. He tries to protect her and fights some off, but she stops him in order to protect him and goes with the Guardians. She finds out that Queen Tatiana has been murdered and she is the prime suspect. AHHHHHH, what a twist! Poor Rose never seems to get a break. In the end, her father ends up being her lawyer, and she is charged with treason since killing the Queen is considered treason. And the punishment for committing treason is you guessed it-execution! Again, poor Rose. From her emotional turmoil with Dimitri to now this. Like I said, it was just heartbreaking. I haven't read the final novel yet, but I really, really hope Dimitri redeems himself further and comes into his senses. I hope he realizes just how much Rose has done for him! I cant wait to read the final novel, and I really wish that Dimitri and Rose resolve everything and he finds out everything, so they can be finally together. And so that I can give it 5 stars because this is a stellar series and really excellent writing. I am going to read all of Richelle Mead's work as a result of my love for the Vampire Academy series.

And I've finished another one of the Vampire Academy books and I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Now, I'm not sure if I'm excited to start the last book and have the series come to a close as I'm so excited/anxious to figure out what Ms. Mead has in store, or if I'm completely heart broken to be done with this series. I think the end of the next book will answer that question for me but until I get there, please enjoy this review of book five, Spirit Bound. Once again, I will try and keep the review as spoiler free as possible, but as you know, I'm pretty dang excited about the series so a little something here or there may slip!

Spirit Bound takes our characters to new places. As their training and schooling at St. Vladimir's is coming to a close, reality sets in that our favorite vampires and guardians are going to be out in the real world. They'll begin with a return to Court. For Rose and the other guardians, this means learning of their placements after graduation and for Lissa and the other royals, it's a chance to learn about politics and meet those who they will be associating with for the rest of their lives. As it always seems to be the case with our friends, tragedy and turmoil are lurking around every corner. This book brings intrigue, excitement and shock as Mead writes a story that is no doubt setting up a beautiful finale for the series.

I will tell you that at first, I felt the book dragged a little. I was somewhat disappointed because I felt as though I was reading Blood Promise again, just taking in new information. As the story progressed, Mead began dishing out her typical shocking plot twists and turns and I ended up reading the last two thirds of the book in one sitting.

A lot happens in this fifth installment, and I mean a lot. We are treated to the highest of ups and the lowest of downs as we are forced to suffer along with our characters. Of course I won't be giving away any of the big deal plot twists but I will say that I am thoroughly enjoying Meads unpredictable storyline. So many stories that I've been reading lately are the same ho-hum story or have plots that you figure out after the first 10 pages. With the Vampire Academy series, I'm in a constant state of emotional turmoil as Mead puts my torn heart back together again only to break it once more. Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining because this girl's got talent.

Well I think that's all I'm going to say for this one. I'm keeping it short and sweet so I can get on to Last Sacrifice and see how this wonderful story will end. Time to grab my tissues and a glass of wine.

8 out of 10

Happy Reading :)

Allison
[...]

I did not want this book to end because, at first, I thought it was the last in the series. I wanted to savor it and take the proper time to enjoy every word. Then... Ahhh... there is one more left!!! So, I am not quite finished with my favorite vampire friends. I thoroughly enjoyed this installment of the Vampire Academy series. You have to take it for what it is YA Lit, and just enjoy the ride. Here we see Rose, Lissa, and others try and figure out how to return the Strigoi back life again. This was an emotional roller coaster for me, and I am so glad that there is still one more left in the series! I give this book 5 stars for fun!

Fifth in the Vampire Academy urban fantasy series for young adults.

My Take
Ya know, I do appreciate Rose's spirit and her desire to fix things. Now, if she can only live long enough to gain some maturity, she'll be a force for good. She keeps doing all these irresponsible things. She's brash, she doesn't think. Part of me wants to toss her in jail myself. All she can think of is me, me, me. If Rose can be satisfied and catered to, that's all that is really important. Smack her!!

Then again, the old guard does need things shaken up.

The Story
After Oksana and Mark's revelation about their belief that something can be done with Spirit to return life to a Strigoi, Rose is determined that Victor Dashkov will tell her how it's done. There's just one problem. Dashkov is in a maximum security prison. And Rose has to break him out.

Luckily, the trio manage to get to Las Vegas and see Robert Dashkov before all hell breaks loose and Victor escapes. They also manage to cover up their involvement in his prison breakout although Rose and Eddie still end up with a long punishment detail. Through it all, Dimitri continues to track and threaten Rose's life.

In the meantime, the Moroi council drops the age for dhampirs to graduate to 16; the queen has used Rose's testimony and her high combat grades to justify throwing these children into the trenches and someone uses other testimony from Rose to get her accused of regicide.

And the evidence is stacked heavily against Rose.

The Characters
Rose Hathaway is a dhamphir who has just graduated from St. Vladimir's along with Lissa Dragomir the last royal Dragomir of her lineage. Janine Hathaway is her mother and a famous dhamphir. Abe Mazur is her father and a feared Moroi with a lot of influence all over the human, Moroi, and dhamphir worlds. A bit of a pirate.

Adrian Ivashkov is a royal Moroi and in love with Rose; Rose has promised to commit to being his girlfriend. Adrian may have some concerns now that Abe is threatening him if he should hurt his little girl. Daniella and Nathan Ivashkov are Adrian's parents whom Rose meets when he takes her home for dinner. And parties and funerals. Daniella has a very unexpected attitude about Adrian dating Rose; one that seems to be shared by the queen. Dimitri Belikova is the dhamphir Rose loves but he was turned Strigoi when the school was attacked in Shadow Kiss (Vampire Academy, 3).

Christian Ozera was Lissa's boyfriend. During this period, he and Rose became friends. Tasha Ozera is his aunt and a strong proponent of teaching Moroi to defend themselves. Jill Mastrano is a younger student whom Christian has been tutoring in the use of her Moroi magic to fight the Strigoi. Mia Rinaldi is a former enemy and now a friend whom Rose turns to for help in breaking into Victor's prison. Eddie Castile is another graduating dhamphir who also ranked high; he's about to put it all in jeopardy for Rose.
Queen Tatiana is blowing hot and cold on Rose. It's enough to leave Rose wary and confused. Ambrose is the dhamphir who chose not to become a Guardian instead he's the queen's lover and he brings Rose a note from the queen. One that explains her reasoning for the 16-year-old rule. Rhonda is Ambrose's Moroi aunt who tells fortunes. Mikhail Tanner is the Guardian on duty when Rose breaks in to the archives. He sympathizes with her goal for he had loved Ms. Karp, another spirit user who went mad and chose to become Strigoi to avoid the insanity. Victor Dashkov is a former royal Moroi convicted of abusing Lissa in Vampire Academy Signature Edition: A Vampire Academy, 1. He is Rose's only route to get to his brother Robert who knows how to bring a Strigoi back.

Hans Croft is the Guardian in charge at the Royal Court. Sydney the Alchemist pops in to throw a wrench into the works.

The Cover
The cover is consistent with the earlier ones. A black wrought iron gate with the "VA" initials and the oversized profiles of Adrian and Rose. Adrian bending to kiss Rose as she turns her head away. A very accurate portrayal of Rose's treatment of him.

I think the title hints at Dimitri's condition at the end of the story. I think he's Spirit Bound to Lissa and no one yet knows.

The cover:

Hmmm... I kind of like and dislike this one at the same time.

I adore the UK covers more. My e-books have the UK covers, but since all my previous reviews of the Vampire Academy novels had a US cover, this one will too :).

The storyline:

This is a hard book to judge, review and rate.

I kind of liked the beginning of this book, it was nice to see Rose back with her friends. Dimitri hunting her down too was kind of amusing since he was acting unlike himself, which was fun.

The middle chapters were a bit of an issue, the story went slow and it hurt to see Adrian so in love with Rose while she was trying to lie to herself about whom she really loved. This obviously led to a fight when Dimitri showed up in Vegas trying to get his hands on her.

He failed, not because she was stronger nor smarter but because he wanted to let her go. The only fun thing was seeing Rose planning and executing Victor's escape.

The last chapters were the best, as usual. Lissa and Christian were kidnapped by Dimitri to lure Rose. When Rose went where they've been kept as hostages, there was a huge fight and Lissa saved him.

Back at Court, Dimitri refused to talk to Rose at all and he told her that Love Fades. His Did. This is when she decided she is going to choose Adrian, again!

Yeah, then Tatiana dies and Rose got the blame and the book ends where she's going to prison until a date is set for her trial.

And now, I can't wait to start on the next and the last (already??) book in the series :s.

The characters:

Rose is my heroine this year when it come to fiction books. Imagine what she's been through this entire series?? Without getting to the last novel. Few things I hated about her in this particular book was that she was lying to both herself and Adrian about their relationship which was selfish and lame from her. She should of just told him the truth all along, that she would never, ever love anyone but Dimitri. Anyone who reads the books can see that crystal clear. Also,

Adrian is my hero this time, he's so freaking in love with Rose!! And he would do anything for her. He's funny and direct and doesn't like lies and twists. Love this type of men (or vampires in this case)!

Lissa is the good friend she's been all along. Despite her good relationship with Rose, she bothered me a lot when it came to Christian. Instead of confronting him and trying to solve the problem between them, she kept getting jealous on him which was ridiculous because he loved her!!

You should know, the first thing to learn about Vampires, is that when they love someone, that's it, they can't love anyone else no matter how much time passes or if the other person dies. They are loyal. Which is why I'm a fan of Vampire.

Anyways, back to the review.

Christian is fun to be around as usual. you can't quite get what he's planning or thinking. He knows how jealous Lissa gets when he's with other girls but he goes as far as he can.

Dimitri... I have no idea what happened to him!!! Now, I like him more when he was a Strigoi!! Don't get me wrong, the old Dimitri was super awesome super beautiful, but the new kind of old Dimitri is hard to figure out!. I'll keep my mouth shut and decide to see how things go with him in the next sequel.

Conclusion:

First, I need to say I'm sorry I spoiled this review, a lot! It was just too much to take!

There were a lot of sentiments in this book that were getting to me. This is why I love this series. It's true this book was crazy and a bit slow to digest at first but the bigger picture is what matters.

This is not my favorite book of the series, but I don't hate it at all.

Second, to be fair enough and judge it right, I'll give it 4 out of 5 flowers.

Again the story continues where the last one stopped. All the same characters are back.

So, this book is about Rose trying to find a way to do the impossible. She wants to turn Dimitri back to human... well dhympir actually. But she wants hm to no longer be undead. Which technically is impossible. Or is it?

She and her group of buddies go on a long journey to discover IF it is possible, and if so... how could it be? How could someone bring back to life the undead?

While she goes back to school, to graduate, Dimirti is continuously sending her love/death -threat notes. He loves her and wants them to be together, yet wants to kill her at the same time... creepy much?

Then you have Adrain, who still loves her no matter what, and she cares for him too... but she still loves dimitri and holds out hope for him. Man I so hate love triangles. Especially when you want BOTH sides to win. Like really... there is no way that everyone can be happy. I have come to really like Adrain, but Im still for Dimitri, even though he is being a douche right now.
Things start getting pretty crazy around the end, but I don't want to spoil it for anyone.

Overall, definitely an exciting novel, with a lot of action, tiny bit of romance, and all kinds of craziness!

Review by TheresaMJones.com

Rose is finally graduating from the Academy and only the last trial is ahead. But she hasn't given up on getting Dimitri back and with Lissa's help she uses the information she gathered in Blood Promise. But they need help from Victor who is in prison.

There are times I don't understand what makes me read these books but I can't help myself. I need to know what happens to these people and if they have some sense in the end.

In the last book I thought Rose had finally matured little and damn now were back on square one. Okay, there was parts where she acted like responsible person and the she's back on being childish and selfish.
She's taking guarding Lissa seriously but when her relationships are concerned I just want to slap her. Rose is supposed to be with Adrian, or at least give him a chance but instead she's obsessed getting Dimitri back. And even when Dimitri tells he's no longer interested she just don't get it. And she's still with Adrian! I was reminded how slutty I thought her to be in book 1.

I'm glad that Dimitri is back but oh the drama! I get that he regrets the things he did as strigoi but the way he wants to protect Rose even though she doesn't mind the things he did. Or enough not wanting to be with him anyway.

I'm starting to like Adrian but I wish he finds someone better than Rose to be with. Just saying...

Richelle Mead's Vampire Academy has once again left me speechless. Rose Hathaway is one of my favorite protagonists, EVER!! And Spirit Bound has made no exception.

We start out at St. Vladimir's (again with me wishing I could have gone to some fabulous boarding school - paranormal or not!) and it's Graduation time. Not only is it Graduation, but Rose's Dad is there! And he is getting to know Adrian! **Cue bad flashback to my Dad meeting my boyfriend in high school and even worse memory of him meeting said boyfriends parents. Not good**

After Graduation, we follow the good ol' gang to Court, where they are to resume the lives that have been laid out in front of them. However, Rose has other plans. She's on an obsessive hunt for Dimitri (I'm trying so hard to avoid spoilers. So hard.) And she will do whatever illegal means to accomplish her goal.

Now here's where the roller coaster that we went on with Blood Promise resumes. We run the whole chart of emotions, we see SEVERAL of our beloved Characters in prison. (And unfortunately the single character who SHOULD be there is not.) But it doesn't end where I thought it would - I assumed the entire book would be the quest for Dimitri.

WRONG! He's found and his story is sort of finished at the halfway point, but then there's more. (Again - Really? How do I write this review without spoilers??) I fall more and more in love with Adrian (If it doesn't work out with Rose, he's welcome at my house!)

And the ending? Oh the ending! Richelle Mead had me both laughing and screaming. Rose really needs to learn to think before she speaks!! But the cliffhanger? Well, I'm just glad I already had Last Sacrifice ready to go so I could just pick it up right away. (Which I did!)

In the end? I'm more in love with the Vampire Academy series than I had been before, anxious to find out what happens next but hesitant because I know my journey with Rose and Lissa (and more importantly Dimitri and Adrian!!) is about to close.

My Thoughts: Wow, Spirit Bound blew me away! This series just keeps getting better and better even though I thought that was not possible! I loved the angst and heartbreak of Book #3 (Shadow Kiss) but then came along Book #4 which lived up to the very high emotional intensity I expected and now Book #5 Spirit Bound still managed not to let me down even though I had some pretty high (*cough* maybe impossible *cough*) expectations.

The novel starts with these lines:

"There's a big difference between death threats and love letters - even if the person writing the death threats still claims to actually love you. Of course, considering I once tried to kill someone I loved, maybe I had no right to judge."

Tell me, isn't it an amazing introduction that instantly grips the reader? And so typically Rose.

Rose is back with Lissa at the Academy getting ready to pass her trials and graduate, while Dimitri made it his own personal life goal to stalk her by sending her weekly letters and reminding her that as soon as she sets a foot outside of school he'll be there, waiting for her, waiting there to kill her.

Despite this quite thrilling setting, I have to say the first half of Spirit Bound was so enjoyably light and happy, so far in the previous novels we haven't seen Rose have so much fun and be somewhat carefree. And it was good to finally see her get a break and enjoy her youth.

Lissa completely redeemed herself: even though she was a quite frustrating and irritating character for me in the previous novels (due to her selfishness and not being a good and attentive friend to Rose), in Spirit Bound she finally becomes the girl in whom I can see why Rose chose her as best friend. Finally she minds other things than just herself, she's there for Rose all the way through their neckbraking and mindblowing adventures, and for that I got to like her.

And what adventures they embark on! They break into the best guarded high security Moroi prison and manage to escape, they fly off to Las Vegas and spend a wild night there (with Adrian popping up too). They had mischiefs and adventures more fit to their youth than the previous dark events taking place in the previous books, but of course everything was spiced up with danger just the way we like it with Rose :-)

Rose is now with Adrian, and though I'm a die hard Dimitri fan, I have to say I like him. Love his casual laid-back, devil-may-care attitude, his humour and his intensity towards Rose. Love what a solid rock he is to her.

Then there is the 2nd half of the novel where things take a swift turn. The huge battle, the big showdown between Rose and Dimitri was everything we were led to expect since the beginning of Spirit Bound and wow! The consequences, implications and changes it all brought on certainly stirred up things.. And bam! we were again on the emotional roller coaster readers and fans of this series are so used to. We had that familiar heartache, frustration and agony. Richelle Mead manages to bring such swift and fresh turns that this series keeps rebounding and never getting dull.

I loved reading about Rose and her friends' stay at Court, it was nice to see them have some quiet time and rest from all the action and just go to different events, dress up and mingle and of course try to work through all the emotional complications.

For my biggest joy Christian was back! With him and Adrian present I can almost forgive Richelle Mead for leaving out Mason.

I discovered that the books of this series keep getting more and more adictive with each subsequent book: I devoured Spirit Bound in less than a day, and if Last Sacrifice was available I would attack it without delay!

Here are a few of my favourite quotes of Spirit Bound:

1) Adrian during the dinner at his parents' house when he brought Rose over:

"I don't know, this college would probably have the same problem the last one did."
I frowned. "What's that?"
"Homework."
"Adrian," growled his father.
"It's okay," said Adrian breezily. He rested his arm casually on the table. "I don't really need a job or extra money. After Rose and I get married, the kids and I'll just live off of her guardian paycheck."

2) Dimitri as Strigoi during the big showdown battle to Rose:

"You're beautiful in battle," said Dimitri. His cold voice carried to me clearly, even above the roar of combat. "Like an avenging angel come to deliver the justice of heaven."
"Funny," I said, shifting my hold on the stake, "That is kind of why I'm here."
"Angels fall Rose."

3) Adrian and Rose are getting intimate:

Adrian cupped my face in his hands, his eyes filled with intensity and desire - and a bit of wonder.
"What are you, Rose Hathaway? Are you real? You're a dream within a dream. I'm afraid touching you will make me wake up. You'll disappear."
"Touch me and find out," I said, drawing him to me.

Plot: 9/10
Characters: 10/10
Ending: 10/10
Writing: 9/10
Cover: 8/10 (That is not how I picture Rose, but the guy looks dreamy and hot, would be a great Dimitri. Love his stubble! :-p)

In this fifth installment of the Vampire Academy series, we catch up with Rose and Lissa, a few months after the end of Blood Promise when Rose failed in her attempt to save her former instructor (and secret boyfriend) Dimitri from being turned into a Strigoi, or evil vampire.

I was transfixed in a can't-look-away-from-a-trainwreck kind of way by all the havoc that Rose inflicts on herself. First thing she does when returning to St. Vladimir's Academy is to start dating Adrian. I felt like Rose needed a sassy gay friend to tell her, "Stop! What, what, what are you doing?" because a lot of her decisions made no sense. She's pining for Dimitri, so she decides to date a surly alcoholic jerk? She's like a bull in a china shop! I was glad at least, when Adrian pressured her for unprotected sex, Rose had the good sense to turn him down, since she's definitely not ready for an unplanned baby. She does let him bite her though, something she quickly comes to regret when she's left with embarrassing bite marks that she has to explain the next day.

Dimitri, in the meantime, hasn't given up on Rose. He's determined to hunt her down and turn her into one of his own kind. She's safe behind school wards for the moment, but graduation is very close, and she can't stay on campus forever. Of course, Rose's stress increases when she realizes the graduation exam is being run by her mother, who has no intention of taking it easy on her estranged daughter. Rose is also fearful of not getting a permanent assignment as her best friend Lissa's bodyguard (despite the obvious advantages of their unusual psychic link) and getting stuck with a desk job instead -- a possibility that looks more and more likely, the more people she manages to rub the wrong way in the royal court.

Lissa's character has always underwhelmed me... why is Rose so protective of her, other than the fact that she's been told to all her life? But, in this book, Lissa finally steps up to the plate, using her much misunderstood Spirit powers to achieve a few miracles.

I'm mystified as to why the Moroi (the good vampires) seem content to sit around like cows for the slaughter. The Queen and her court refuse to use their magics defensively against Strigoi attacks, instead, using the dhampirs (half-vampires, like Rose) as meat-shields, even lowering the graduation age and using undertrained children when they need to beef up their security forces before they stoop to consider other options.

I'm itching to see Rose finally get over this whole, "dhampirs are second class citizens" thing. Be warned, Spirit Bound ends with a huge cliffhanger. Now that Lissa's finally of age, she thinks that she's going to be able to vote on the Royal Council. But, it turns out she actually needs a quorum (one other family member) in order to get her vote. With the revelation that she may have an illegitimate half-sibling waiting to be found, the direction of the next book seems clear. There's only one book left to go in the series (although, Mead is considering a spin-off series) so I might have to read Last Sacrifice, just to see how it ends.

4.6 out of 5 stars.

Overall I really enjoyed the story-line in this book and the plot twists. But I feel like there were gaps where time magically jumps forward without a legitimate reason. I also didn't like how after a certain point things with her and Eddie get sort of resolved but then, he completely drops out of the story until the very end where she sees him in the crowd. Granted, yes, he is a side character but you can't string people along and leave them hanging. On to the next.

Oh, Richelle Mead, how you delight and torture me! This is my favorite YA series: I read the first four Vampire Academy books in a few days, then waited for what seemed like forever for Spirit Bound; you made it worth the wait.

(This spoiler-free review is based on the assumption that you've read the previous 4 books)

As the book opens, Rose is getting ready to take her Guardian Trials, which also means graduation. As Rose and Lissa head to Court to begin their adult lives, they end up taking a "field trip" - a very dangerous (and illegal) one. This field trip leads to pieces of information that will change lives well into the next book.

Ms. Mead infuses the wonderful humor I've come to expect and enjoy in her writing - she really "gets" teens and their sometimes ridiculous thought processes:

Mia looked determined when we reached her, though, and I felt encouraged by her attitude - and that she was wearing all black. True, it wouldn't do much in sunlight, but it made this all feel more legitimate.

And yet, the visual images she creates are so real I can imagine myself as a bystander, witnessing events as they happen, my hands clenched and my heart in my throat:

Her face, even marred with the fire's terrible damage, was radiant and filled with compassion. SPOILER had called me an avenging angel, but she was an angel of mercy as she gazed down at him and crooned soothing, nonsense words.

I can't go into much of the plot without spoilers, but here's my thoughts on some of the players:

Tatiana, the queen Moroi was as nasty as I thought she was...or was she?

Rose's dad, Abe, is really growing on me. I think he's growing on Rose, too. We got to see Rose's mother in the beginning of the book, but I felt like she was conspicuously absent in the last half of the book. I don't know why she wasn't there.

We get to meet Adrian's parents! (Rose and Mrs. Ivashkov had a very interesting conversation at that first meeting...)

Christian is a pretty decent guy. I liked him in the previous books and he did not disappoint as a character I can count on to do the right thing.

Lissa: I actually liked Lissa in this book. In previous books she comes off as dainty and selfish. In Spirit Bound, she was pretty kick-ass. Don't get me wrong, there were some scenes were I was like, "Damn, Lissa - what about Rose?", but definitely a big improvement from previous books. I guess Rose isn't the only character who's done some growing up!

I really, really like Dimitri - even though he broke my heart in this book. I have much love for Dimitri and high hopes for him in the next book.

And Adrian, oh Adrian! When Adrian was first introduced into the series I liked him as a character but not as a love interest for Rose. With this book, I fall more in love with Adrian: at one point, I did a mental *fist pump* and thought "yay!" - and then Rose surprised me. Here's the thing - unlike other Moroi/dhampir relationships, I don't see Adrian leaving Rose eventually; he could be The One, if she'd let him. I'm torn - Dimitri or Adrian? I'd be happy and at the same time heartbroken either way.

We also briefly visit a few characters from the last few books: Jill, Mia, Ambrose, and Ambrose's Aunt Rhonda to name a few. And yes, Rose does get another tarot reading :)

And, if the cliffhanger ending wasn't enough, right before we close the pages Rose gets information that could potentially change Lissa's life, AND the lives of current and future dhampirs. Oh, Ms. Mead, how you tease me! The last book in this series, Last Sacrifice, is due out December 7. I've never wanted December to get here so badly!

In Richelle Mead's 5th installment to her Vampire Academy series, the emotions continue to run high and disappointment is never found. As with the previous installments, coming up with the right words to describe how amazing this book (and series) is is rather difficult (actually, very difficult). But here I go...

**** BEWARE A BIT OF A SPOILER ALERT (but not too much)****

After her long journey to Siberia, Dimitri's homeland, Rose is back at the Academy. Unable to fulfill her promise to Dimitri, to end his life as a Strigoi, she now tries to look towards the future, and graduation. After everything Rose has been through Graduation should be a piece of cake... Right??

Rose struggles with the future that is in front of her. At one time she desired nothing more than to be free from the Academy and to graduate, looking forward to being Lisa's, her best friend, Guardian. However, all this entails becomes clear to her. She will be giving up her own personal freedom and devoting the rest of her life to someone else. Where does that leave "her" in that life?

On the other hand, information that Rose learned in Siberia has sparked a new hope in returning Dimitri to his once loveable and ever attractive self. With the help of her friends, Rose embarks on a journey in one last attempt to save Dimitri. At the same time her relationship with Adrian grows and Rose finds herself enjoying life with him.

Once again Richelle Mead has done a flawless job! With each installment the characters grow in front of your eyes. Her skills at plot and character development are beyond this world. There really is not much wrong one can say about Richelle Mead and the Vampire Academy Series - I for one cannot think of anything negative to say. I devoured this book in a few days. Knowing that this is the 2nd to the last book I ended this book with a heavy heart. Not only does the ending make you scream (both out of aggravation because of the MAJOR cliff hanger, but also because of the events), sad (because you know the END is coming soon), but also dieing to read on.

As always, character development for me is key! You become invested in every character, even Adrian (who I personally did not start out liking in Frostbite). You root and cheer for them in their individual "fights" and feel their pain when they are grieving.

There is only one word to describe this book: BRILLIANT!!! If you haven't started reading this series... WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR???? Seriously!

It's graduation day, but Rose has other things on her mind. What with the weekly love/death threat letters Dimitri sends her( Rose calls him her "undead stalker"), the possibility Strigoi can be saved, and how to get Victor Dashkov cooperation, Rose has already a plan in mind. A plan that involves escaping with Lissa again, breaking into a maximum security prison, and all to save the man she loves. Seems like poor Adrian wrote that love proposal and quit his bad habits for nothing. It only took 5 seconds of Dimitri and all her promises to Adrian flew out the window. But even after the big rescue Rose still can't have her happy ending. Machinations at court have Rose and the others outraged, but only Rose gives voice to everybody's thoughts.

Meanwhile, Dimitri is filled with the horror and guilt of the things he's done, and his heart can't love anymore (or so he says). Rose tries over and over again, and their encounters are just heartbreaking, making her think there can really be nothing again between them.

Just as she's given up (and given in to Adrian) and is about to go on her merry way... a murder occurs at court! And she is the main suspect! (Total brain melt when this happens). With Rose behind bars, it's up to her family and friends to sort the whole mess. And they better do it soon because the sentence for murder isn't prison...its death.

The Vampire Academy series is the BEST vampire series out there, in my opinion. If you haven't read this series yet because you are hesitant to read yet another vampire series, don't be! This one is so different than the other ones out there.

The one thing that amazes me most is how every book in this series just gets better than the last. Spirit Bound was no exception. From the beginning when we see Rose finally going through her trials to become a guardian, to the epic surprise at the ending that I never saw coming, I was entirely invested in this story.

Rose is still the snarky badass chick we all fell in love with. Her "take no crap" attitude and compulsive behavior always makes for some exciting times to read about. But of course Rose is still broken over Dimitri, so there was still those heartfelt scenes that had me crying just as bad as the last book.

I was was happy to see Lissa step up a bit in this book. As much as I love the friendship between Rose and Lissa, and how they fight for their friendship at all costs, Lissa has always bugged me a little. She never really has to make the kind of sacrifices that Rose does for their friendship. But this time we see her really fighting for Rose's happiness. That made me like her all the more.

While I am team Dimitri all the way, Adrian still has a place in my heart. How could you not love Adrian? It is so obvious how much he cares for Rose. I just hope somehow we get to see him happy at the end of all this.

It's not just the major characters in this story that are awesome. Mead writes every character, no matter how big or small, in a way that gives you such a good feel for who they are. Mead does one of the best jobs with character development that I have seen. But it's not just the characters, her writing style is highly addictive and her plots are perfectly paced.

Spirit Bound is another fantastic installment in the Vampire Academy series. Just like the other ones, it left me desperately thirsting for more (pun intended). As a last note, You. Have. To. Read. This. Series!

from Murphy's Library

"There's a big difference between death threats and love letters--even if the person writing the death threats still claims to actually love you." These are the opening lines on Spirit Bound, with Rose back at St. Vladimir Academy, and she's getting ready to take her last tests there. She's graduating, the day that seemed impossible to come on Vampire Academy. And, well, if you've come so far, you already know Rose and you can imagine how she'll do on the tests, right?

Rose is trying to move on. She's been dating Adrian and planning Victor Dashkov's escape from prison--he's her only chance to try to save Dimitri. With Eddie's help, Rose and Lissa go to Tarasov, in an exciting break of the Moroi prison. But she knows it won't be easy to get Victor's information about his half-brother, Robert, the only Moroi who has ever brought a Strigoi back to life. Victor knows Rose needs his information, and he's going to bargain it for as long as he can.

Back at the Court, Rose has to deal with the consequences of her trip with Lissa: she's been punished by the guardians and has to do some heavy work that nobody does. Meanwhile, Lissa is working with Christian to bring Dimitri back, something that pisses Rose off. If that weren't enought to keep her mind busy, the Queen has just approved a new law, something that will probably change the life of the dhampirs forever.

Spirit Bound broke my heart. Actually, Dimitri in Spirit Bound broke my heart. I already knew I'd read this book fast--but, wow, I held my breath with the ending. After this book, I really admire the Vampire Academy fans who managed to wait for Last Sacrifice.

THESE BOOKS ARE FREAKING AMAZING!! LIKE BREATH-TAKING GORGEOUS!! AND FANTASTIC!! I just read them Honestly, I cant be glad or thankful enough that I have read them. They changed my life. They added a whole different world into mine. They made my imagination and perspective bigger. They made me believe more. They made me excited, and happy, and sad and so many another emotions. If you haven't already read them, I'll tell you this; you're missing out A LOT. So hurry and read them. You wont regret it ;) I'm fifteen and I think these books are good for anyone and everyone. Rose's character is a whole another story,m she is amazing. Sometimes, I wish I was like her, she is so badass!! She is like a goddess, she's completely amazing!! And she is definitely one of the best narrators I have ever read!! I DO DARE SAY IT WAS PRETTY MESSED UP AT THE END! I WAS REALLY ANGRY AND FRUSTRATED AND GOT QUITE ANXIOUS! I EVEN THREW THE BOOK AT THE WALL, BUT LET ME TELL YOU THIS RICHELLE MEAD NEVER FAILS TO SURPRISE SO IT GETS BETTER, SO JUST KEEP READING ;)

Spirit Bound is the fifth book in the Vampire Academy Series. Rose Hathaway is finally graduating from St. Vladimir's Academy (a school that teaches dhampir (a Strigoi slayer) and Moroi( Vampire who do not harm humans)and is looking forward to her new assignment protecting her best friend Princess Lissa Dragomir(a Moroi Royalty who has spirit binding abilities). But she longs to free her true love Demitri (a Strigoi who once was a dhamphirs teacher and a dhamphir himself) from a demonic life. When she sets out to save Demitri she finds herself torn between her past love and her new love Adrian (a Moroi who is kin to the High Persists as well as being royalty himself). Rose takes her friends Lissa, Adrian, Christian (a Moroi with fire powers as well as Lissa's ex-boyfriend), Eddie (a dhamphir plus one of rose's closes friends) on several death deifying adventures to try to save Demitri.

The author tells a little bit about the characters' past in the book which helps a little to catch up on the plot line. I liked the book even though this wasn't the first book in the series i felt that i could keep up because of the back story. I couldn't put it down.

*4.5 stars*

Minor spoilers alert!!!

This was another thrilling installment in Rose’s guardian adventures. I absolutely loved Dimitri’s letters to Rose. And, wow! Lissa really stepped up her abilities when push came to shove. Adrian also revealed some hidden depths that surprised me as much they did Rose.

I definitely didn’t see the fantastic plot complication that comprises the last portion of the novel coming at all. Rose certainly didn’t help herself with the insults that she hurled at Tatiana earlier at court. Abe’s surprising role was also a nice touch.

Up next is Last Sacrifice (Vampire Academy #6). I’m anxious to see how this final installment in the series plays out.

(I don't recommend reading this review unless you have read the rest of the series) Rose finds her way back into life at St. Vladimirs. And graduation is coming. But Rose still has things she hasn't settled. Dmitri for example. He's still out there waiting for her. Waiting to end her. But Rose is confident she can take him. Maybe... Lisa and rose start court life and the queen is making things impossible. Will rose be able to survive court life? Will she be able to survive dmitri? I gave this a 3 out of 5 stars on goodreads I liked it and I'm anticipating the last book but I also think the story got kinda flat after dmitri changed. I still like it though. It's a fun read.

SPOILER ALERT: If you haven't read the first four books in this series, this review will contain spoilers.

So I really have fallen in love with the Vampire Academy series. I can't get enough of them. Sadly, I did not love this one nearly as much as I have the previous four books. I enjoyed it, of course, but it was definitely not the best of the series.

What I really did not like about this book was the plot. It was fast-paced at the beginning, slowed way down in the middle, and then picked back up at the end. Normally I fly through these books but I didn't with this one. I just wasn't hooked.

Rose also kind of bothered me in this book. She was whiny at parts and all "poor me." I could not believe it. Normally she is very strong and funny. She was still plenty hilarious at parts which helped make up for the whiny parts. Her relationship with Adrian also confused me but I won't go into details so I don't give anything away.

Overall, I enjoyed Spirit Bound but it is my least favorite of the series so far. Fans of the first four books will enjoy it but expect it to be a little slower than normal.

After leaving St Vladimirs to hunt Dimitri, Rose has returned and has promised to continue her schooling so she will Graduate and maybe stand a chance of being Lissa's guardian. But, she has left unfinished business. Dimitri has survived and now he's the one hunting her and she knows that this time he will kill her if he catches her.

Rose knows that it's either Dimitri's life or her own, only she can't forget the rumours that there might be a way of saving Dimitri. Will Rose be able to find the answers to this magic or will she be able to sacrifice her love to save the one's that matters most when the time comes?

The fifth installment of Vampire Academy sees the characters graduating from St Vladimirs. I have grown to love these characters. Rose is very loyal but very headstrong who won't put up with any bull. She does have a weakness and that is in her love for Dimitri, and this weakness might end up getting her and everyone around her killed.

The one character I felt really sorry for was Adrian. He would do anything for Rose, but she's still infatuated with Dimitri. Parts of the story made him feel like a doormat for Rose rather than the guy she was currently involved with.

While the story, at the mid-way point tended to drag a little as Mead focused a lot on the political aspects of her society, it built up to a perfect cliff hanger to lead into the final book of the series, Last Sacrifice.

I look forward to seeing how this series ends.

Rose is back at Vampire Academy at the beginning of Spirit Bound. She returns to graduate. We get to see her performance in the trial and watch her become a full-fledged guardian. The problem is that she's been getting letters from Dimitri. He's determined to find her and kill her, and she knows he has spies everywhere. Rose still believes she can save him, but she must break Victor out of jail. Lissa comes along this time, and their adventure takes them to Las Vegas, then to the Royal Court. When Dimitri kidnaps Lissa and Christian, Rose is determined to protect them at all cost.

That's about all I can say about the plot without giving some definite spoilers. There are lots of twists and turns to make it interesting. For much of the book, Rose is torn between Dimitri and Adrian. In the past two books, I've grown to love Adrian and can't believe how devoted he is to Rose. Lissa develops a backbone in this book and finally becomes worthy of Rose's devotion. Overall, the romance is lacking (despite the cover). Lissa and Christian finally get together again, but Rose is in limbo. Since she can't make up her mind, her relationship with Adrian isn't able to mature and grow, and Dimitri certainly doesn't make it any easier. I'm hoping there will be plenty of time for Rose and her choice in the next installment.

I'm really enjoying this series, and found Spirit Bound to be one of the best in the series yet.

Again, Rose has to make difficult choices, and puts herself in mortal danger to help those she loves. This time, Rose and Lissa have graduated from St. Valdimir's and are at the royal court. Adrian plays a pretty big role as he is now dating Rose.

I still love how strong and independent Rose is, how she is smart and tough and able to take care of herself, though sometimes she still needs help from her friends and has a certain amount of teenage moodiness. I also like how Lissa is becoming more independent too, and more considerate of how things are affecting Rose. Then there is Adrian. I like Adrian, how genuine and caring he really is, but how no one looks to him to save the day.

Like the other books in this series, it is full of action, suspense and twists. I absolutely loved the twist at the end and can hardly wait to read the next (and I believe) last in this series.

This has been a favorite series of mine since page one of Vampire Academy! Fantastically written and completely enchanting! And each book only gets better and better.

Spirit Bound just blew me away. Mead sure does know how to keep a reader on the edge of their seat. I got an idea of what I thought might happen, but before I fully finished processing my thought, something else had already happened. The plot kept me guessing until everything was literally spelled out for me. I love books where I can't figure anything out. Makes everything more exciting.

All the characters were well-developed. There is no other way to describe Rose Hathaway except that she's one kick-ass heroine. She's got a strong voice, loyal to those she cares for, but best of all she makes mistakes other teens can relate to and sympathize with. I just love Adrian. He's as cocky as ever, but we also get to experience his sweet side. Go Team Adrian!!

This series has everything a paranormal reader would want...action, surprises around every corner, magic, and romance. This is one series that should not be missed! Even if you aren't a big paranormal fan, I guarantee you will still enjoy it.

This is the first book I've picked up recently that I didn't have to review or read for any reason other than I really wanted to. I loved the first four books in this series, and have been dying to read the rest ever since. This book will contain spoilers from the previous books.

Spirit Bound by Richelle Mead picks up where we left off in the previous book. Dimitri is Strigoi, and Rose has returned from trying to kill/save whatever it was that she was thinking of doing (but knowing Rose she wasn't really thinking, just doing). She's just found out that there may be a way to turn him back to a dhampir, but of course, this possibility is riddled with both doubt and also complications to get the answers she seeks. That said, this is Rose Hathaway we're talking about, so she'll do what it takes, no matter how messy it is. Joined by the rest of the great cast, including the sexy Adrian and the golden Lissa, we blaze to the end, which of course is a cliffhanger.

I have great admiration for Richelle Mead. She's created a cast of characters that are so real and believable and let's face it, just plain fun, that we WANT to read six books to see where the characters and plot are going. Most series have issues staying good for two books. Mead has also perfected the art of figuring out how to do an entirely first person book, but seeing into the minds of others and getting us perspectives in a third person way. It's a trick that I still marvel about since the first book. Also, all the characters (and there are many) are easy to keep straight. They are so unique, and characters that I haven't read about in a year, I still remember like yesterday. That's darned hard to do. Lastly, she creates a world that is intriguing and unique. Even though it's been several years since the first one was written, I don't have any other stories to compare it to. That's staying power for you. There are definitely some books I've read recently that I wonder if I would have enjoyed reading three years ago when they came out. I don't think it would have mattered when I read this series. I would have loved it anyway.

Specifically to this book, it wasn't my favorite in the series because of certain plot points that were necessary. So my rating has nothing to do with the pacing, characters or anything like that. I just personally liked it slightly less than some of the others in this series.

That said, I've already picked up the last book, and can't wait to see what happens to these characters. I have conflicting feelings because while I want to see the end, I don't want it to end! And that, my friends, is what every author strives to do. And Mead does that with flying colors. Can't wait to start the next of her spin off series.

Man, this series rocks. Richelle Mead is an amazing writer and she really knows how to keep a story going without dragging it out to an annoying point.

I went into this book thinking that there would be no resolution to a certain problem, that it wouldn't even happen until the very end of the last book, but I was so wrong. The storyline that we dived into at the start of Spirit Bound changed so dramatically by the end, and in an awesome way.

And the characters in this book broke my heart. Especially Dimitri. Ahh, how I cried for Rose. I really loved how determined and strong she tried to be throughout this book, because it was definitely so Rose-like. I loved the development of Lissa as well. She's definitely got to be my favourite secondary character because she's so strong in her own way and she's got such a dramatically different future than Rose does.

I know this is a short review, but there's not much more that I can say other than this series rocks. If you haven't read it, please do start. It's fantastic, really.

One of my all time favorite series. I have honestly probably reread this entire series at a minimum of 20 times. I recommend this series to any reader especially if you love vampires . I didnt put anything really in the book on this review as I had spoilers but you will love the main characters and their love lives. I was truly invested the entire series through.

I loved this book, don't get me wrong. But something about it was not up to par with the others. I feel like a lot of time was spent on Rose's relationship, or lack of, with Dimitri and we sort of lost some focus on the other characters. Granted, this is Rose's story, but I felt that Mead took a small plot point and stretched it long enough to get us to the last book in the series. Not that this book is merely filler - it is still a great story and Richelle Mead's writing is amazing. After reading Blood Promise and seeing so much character development, I think I wanted that to continue, though people don't grow as fast when they are back in a familiar environment. The ending will blow your mind. Luckily Last Sacrifice is out now so you don't have to wait for the conclusion like I did but WOW. I did not see that coming. Fans of the series will really be left wanting more! I highly recommend this series for teens and adults - Mead's writing and plot twists are enough to satisfy adult readers without going above teen's heads.

***This review has spoilers! Proceed at your own risk!!***

This book was probably the most painful to read of the five (with the possible exception of Blood Promise), but I still thought it was fantastic. In terms of character development, it might be the best one yet. I want Rose and Dimitri to be together so badly, but if it had happened immediately after he turned back to dhampir, it would have been unrealistic and untrue to the characters. Of course Dimitri would feel this level of remorse, of course he wants to put a distance between himself and the people he loves. This intense guilt and vulnerability is a whole new side of Dimitri, but it's completely believable and makes his character that much more complex. I look forward to seeing his emotional progression in the next book...hopefully he'll get some knight in shining armor action scenes that will help him snap out of this (completely understandable) depression.

As for Rose, I hate that she turns to Adrian (or Mason, in the past) every time Dimitri hurts her. I don't want her to be with Adrian or anyone except Dimitri. It is so obvious that Dimitri is her soul mate. But...Rose is immature - she's still only 18 - and also insecure, not to mention rash, impulsive, and occasionally petty. These are not her finest traits or her most important ones, but they are still part of her character. So while I was tempted to skip over all the mushy parts with her and Adrian...especially that scene towards the end after Dimitri rejects her in the church (ughhh) - I could understand her choices and I think in the end, it will make her union with Dimitri (which is inevitable! it has to be!) all the more powerful. Rose is a very strong person in many ways, and her few negative traits make her more real and in a way more lovable, from the reader's perspective.

One more thing about Rose, which has been mentioned in a few other reviews: I do hope there will be some heart to hearts with her and Dimitri, or even Lissa, about her own personal guilt for the consequences of her pursuit of and inability to kill Dimitri when he was still a strigoi. A lot of people died as a consequence, and while I think we can all agree that Rose did the only thing she could in trying to save Dimitri, I do feel like we need at least a scene or two where she expresses some guilt. Hopefully this will happen in Last Sacrifice.

Lissa! I cannot say how thrilled I was that Lissa finally got a chance to fight and that she was the one to save the day. Her role as the gentle, soft spoken, sweet best friend was getting a bit boring. She is really coming into herself and her powers. Dimitri was right when he told Rose in "Shadow Kissed" that Lissa is stronger than Rose realizes. As for the closeness between Lissa and Dimitri after she saves him, which some readers were bothered by, I think it is very fitting and poignant. Rose's jealousy is natural, but Lissa was right when she chastised Rose for her persistence in talking to Dimitri. Rose's personal frustration and grief at feeling "invisible" in Dimitri's eyes is painful for all of us. But it's petty and childish of Rose to put her own emotions above the greater good--in this case, giving Dimitri time to heal and making sure she doesn't create any scenes that would make him appear dangerous and to others who still view him as a potential strigoi. Rose doesn't ever handle jealousy very well, whether with Lissa or Dimitri, so her behavior isn't surprising. But it's one of those traits that she needs to grow out of as she continues to develop and mature.

I can't believe we have to wait 7 months for last sacrifice! If I had the option to turn strigoi, I might seriously consider it, in order to spare myself this anxiety! (can't imagine a strigoi would get too worked up over the suspense of waiting for a new book...)

actual rating: 3.5

After reading Blood Promise, I was a little apprehensive about continuing on, but I braved through doubt and read Spirit Bound. Honestly, I'm glad that I did since Spirit Bound is so much better than Blood Promise. Of course the book isn't near the status of Frostbite or Shadow Kiss, but it's still a good read and installment in the Vampire Academy series.

Spirit Bound starts out with the trials at St. Vladimir's Academy. The very trials Rose needs to pass in order to become a full fledged Guardian. What she's wanted to be for as long as she can remember. But before the trials begin, Rose is busy rereading yet another note that Dimitri has sent her. If there's one thing that's creepy, it's getting set notes about how someone you used to know is stalking you and waiting to take you out once you've left the comfort of a secure place. I just wish that we could have gotten more notes than just the one in Spirit Bound and the one at the end of Blood Promise.

Apparently they were a weekly thing with spies watching Rose's every move. Reporting back to Dimitri about whether or not she'd leave the Academy or not. Why we only got two notes I'll never understand since it seemed to be something to up the creep factor with the world of Strigoi.

Of course Rose passes her trials with flying colors. (Anyone who would have doubted that hasn't been reading the same books I have, to be honest. There was no doubt that she wouldn't pass) So now Rose, finally, has her promise tattoo and both she and Lissa have graduated St. Vladimir's. If only there was more about the graduation ceremony rather than the brief tattooing for Rose and talk about Lissa's since it's different than the Dhampir's. Wishful thinking, I know, but sometimes glossing over certain events really puts a dent in certain occasions.

Since Lissa made up her mind and accepted Queen Tatiana's offer back in Blood Promise, she, Rose and the gang are now headed to Court where Lissa will live and attend Leigh University, which isn't too far from Court. It's here where things begin to get kicked up a notch. If you remember in Blood Promise, we were told this ridiculous fairy tale about a spirit user restoring a Strigoi back to their former self. In Spirit Bound we have Rose taking Lissa and Eddie, the amazing guardian friend we were introduced to in Frostbite, on a crazy, suicide mission to Tarasov. The maximum security prison in which Victor Dashkov, the only person who has information on where his brother Robert Doru lives, is currently residing. I think you can figure out what happens next.

After a few flights from Court, the threesome travel to Alaska where Lissa and Rose pretend to be feeders and Eddie pretends to be the driver working for the company who delivers said feeders to the prison. In order to conceal their actual identities, Lissa has charmed jewelry to fool others into believing that she and Rose are human, Since Lissa isn't quite experienced with charming anything with spirit, there's a bit of a falter going on, but it's nothing to worry about since it's enough to get the three of them inside. I'll waste going into more detail, but Rose and Lissa manage to get Victor after Lissa compels a couple of guards and Rose basically knocks some out.

On the escape back to the room Eddie is in, they take a short cut and are lead towards the psychiatric ward where Lissa senses two more spirit users. This is where I get curious just like Lissa, but of course since Rose had the great idea to break into prison, taking a detour and looking at the other spirit users wouldn't be such a good idea. For me, I'm curious whether or not one of the users is Avery Lazar, the spirit user we met in Blood Promise. (The same one who wanted to be bonded with Lissa, but ultimately failed and basically fried her own brain from being bonded with more than one) However, now that I think of it, Avery was moved to a mental institution God knows where. Still, it would have been interesting.

Fast forward to Victor informing them that Robert lives on the outskirts of Las Vegas and cue us traveling to Vegas. Here is where Adrian finally figures out where Rose and Lissa had gone. (Since she left a note informing him that she and Lissa decided to have one last 'girls night out' before Lissa went away to visit Leigh.) Obviously this doesn't go over well considering he see that Victor is with them which forces Rose to finally tell him about the crazy plan she has about restoring a Strigoi. (Keep in mind that the only one aside from Rose and Adrian who knows about this 'trip' is Lissa. Eddie hasn't been informed about any of this.) Obviously Adrian stays and helps Rose even though he thinks this entire thing is ridiculous. (Hey, don't worry, so do I!)

We meet Robert and of course he's crazy, but that's probably due to most of it being spirit … or maybe he's just really crazy with or without the spirit. Who knows really. Conversation goes on, most of it about the whole restoring a Strigoi and how to do it, oh and of course Eddie finally knows the reason for him being with Rose and Lissa. Needless to say, he's not happy about it at all. (I wouldn't be either, to be quite honest.) Sometime later when the awkward late lunch is done with, the gan heads back up towards their hotel room with Robert, but Dimitri has found them along with other Strigoi that are with him. A fight breaks out and Rose and Eddie take care of the Strigoi, but the alarm to the door leading outside (the emergency exit) rings loud and clear causing guards to come rushing towards them. Eddie has a clear shot at staking Dimitri, but Rose knocks him off causing his aim to no longer be precise. Eddie and Rose leave once the guards reach them, but obviously Dimitri is going to take care of them.

Victor and his brother have escaped with the chaos that happened leaving Rose, Eddie, Lissa, and Adrian. After some talking they decide to get tickets back to Court, but will stay the remainder of the day since they just had an attack. Word about Victor breaking out of prison has hit the Moroi world and obviously people are upset and panicked. Typical Vegas shenanigans happen with gambling and such before they head back home. Oh, Rose heard from a Moroi information about Lissa's father, but I'll get to Eric Dragomir later on.

Rose and the gang are in trouble once they're back at Court, but not to worry, the only ones really receiving any punishment are Rose and Eddie because hey, they're Dhampir and not Royal! They get work to do, some hard labor, some filing. It gets really boring actually. Then Christian actually gets to go in Rose's place to Leigh after saying he would give Lissa lessons on, you know, training and whatnot. But really, she just needs to learn how to stake a Strigoi. Which is something she, kind of, learns to do while on said trip. But this trip has another plan when after dinner (?) one night go awry, and Dimitri shows up kidnapping both Lissa and Christian. Rose, obviously watching through the bond, finds out and is sent on the rescue mission with other Guardians.

A big fight happens, Strigoi and Guardians alike both falling. Rose finally finds Dimitri, words are exchanged and some fighting, but this is where is gets pretty interesting. Christian uses his element of fire to surround Dimitri and Lissa takes the stake, the one that she charmed and managed to keep secret from Rose, and stakes Dimitri. This takes a few tries, and she gets badly burnt, but then a bright white light shines causing everyone to freeze and the bond to fizzle out and go numb (but not going away). And thus with the white light, Dimitri is made Dhampir again. Nobody really believes that he's back to himself and is taken away as is Rose, but only because she was fighting to get to him to make sure he's all right. Lissa is also separated and put in a vehicle with Christian.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is the first half of the book. This is probably some of the better stuff that happens until the last few chapters of Spirit Bound. And I think that this is where I begin my rant, because wow there is so much do-not-want in the second part of the book that I don't even know where to begin.

Rose has been fixated on Dimitri being restored to his former self and has been trying to gain access to where they're keeping him. At first she doesn't get any access since Lissa has informed her that he doesn't wish to see him. But after going to the Death Watch (a 'party' for those who've died in the line of battle, including Dhampir's, and one which Adrian snuck her and a few others into even though it's elite blood only, etc.) Mikhail finds rose and says that he can get her in. Once she's in he tells her that he's no longer capable of loving anyone and this hurts her. Then she's dragged out after he beings yelling for her to be taken away.

Some other things happen that I forget, but then Adrian finds Rose in her room not too long after the encounter happens. (My sense of everything with the second part of the book is all mixed up at this point. Even if I gloss over something, you still get the point) Hormones run wild, but stop when Rose realizes that there's no protection. So what does she do? She offers her neck to him. Let's put on the breaks right here. There's a lot of parallels going on in Spirit Bound that go against other scenes from previous books. One of them is from the first book, Vampire Academy, where in the first few pages we meet Rose and Lissa and Rose offers Lissa her neck in order to feed. Now this I can understand since the two of them weren't at the Academy and were basically on the run.

However, in Blood Promise, Dimitri as a Strigoi basically turned Rose into what she never wanted to be: a Bloodwhore. Now here she is offering Adrain her neck. There is no logical reason stated for her to do such a thing except that it's apparently a taboo thing or something or other just like having sex and drinking blood during. At this point, she's basically lowering herself to exactly that, a bloodwhore. Unless I've missed something, there was absolutely no point in her doing so. Obviously she's eighteen now and is capable of making her own decisions, but that doesn't make them the right ones.

On the topic of Rose and Adrian, I would just like to say that this relationship is no. Seriously, Rose is way too obsessed with Dimitri. In Blood Promise she left the Academy to Russia to kill him, but that obviously didn't happen. When she came back to the Academy she did say, at the ending of course, that she would give Adrian a shot at dating. Okay, no harm in that considering the poor guy has been pining for Rose since Frostbite. But now she's just stringing him along. Her own quest in restoring Dimitri to a Dhampir has basically killed any shot that the two had at a decent relationship. She's too fixated on a fairy tale, even though it turned out to be true. But now that he's a Dhampir once more, she still won't stop at nothing since she still loves him.

At this point I'm basically doing some heavy sighing and eye rolling wishing I could throw this book at her and just yell for her to drop one or the other. This is such a strange and awkward 'love triangle' that I want to cringe every time Rose says and/or tries something with Dimitri. I mean, you've got Adrian who actually cares for Rose despite his reputation, and she's just using him as a doormat. The guy deserves better than Rose.

This is literally the second half of the book. Aside from a council meeting about lowering the guardian age to sixteen and how controversial that is and Dimitri's questioning, it's about Rose and her feelings towards Dimitri and stringing some poor guy along and blah blah blah.

Rose is arrested for the murder of Queen Tatiana after she was found dead in her bed with a silver stake through her heart. Of course this is Rose's stake, who's else would it be? So she's hauled away before taking a stand at a hearing to see whether or not she will be going to trial. Obviously she is and Abe shows up as her attorney and is hell bent on keeping her out of jail. But as the story wraps up, she's handed a note that basically says that there is another Dragomir out there and that Lissa isn't the last of her line. This note is from Tatiana which is just impeccable timing. But this is so Lissa has a fair shot on the council.

Eddie is basically never heard from again after he and Rose build a wall or something, except for a small cameo at her hearing, and that's sad. For a character to have such a larger role in the beginning, he certainly was dropped like he was nothing. Sydney actually has a small cameo of her own with information that someone has broken into the Alchemists files and stole a file on Lissa's father. It was nice to hear from her again (and not just because I'm biased towards her or anything.)

To be honest, I wished that Rose had just killed Dimitri. It would have saved a lot of ridiculousness that happened in Spirit Bound, and just have the political aspect and the Queen's murder be the plot for this book. But of course that's my opinion, and we already know the set up to the next book: find out who really killed the queen and find out who Lissa's sibling is.

And this turned out to be a lot longer than I thought, so I'll just end it right here.

I became a fan of the Vampire Academy books for their unique take on the vampire canon: Richelle Mead's vampires are either living vampires, the magic-wielding Moroi, or Strigoi, vampires that have become evil by killing humans. The Moroi are protected by dhampirs, half-human, half-vampire guardians. Their universe is heavily influenced by Russian culture: Russian-style family names, snippets of Russian, Russian Orthodox churches, and Russian folktales wind through the five books in the series. The first several books Vampire Academy (Vampire Academy, Book 1),Frostbite (Vampire Academy, Book 2), and Shadow Kiss (Vampire Academy, Book 3) detail the bond between Rose Hathaway, dhampir Guardian-in-Training, and her Moroi charge Lissa Dragomir, last of the Dragomir royal family. Rose and Lissa share a psychic link that allows Rose to see things through Lissa's eyes (but it only works in one direction). Rose is also "shadow-kissed;" brought back from the dead, she sees ghosts, while Lissa is a rare spirit user, able to heal grave injuries, manipulate people, and charm objects.

In the first three books, Rose, Lissa, and some of their classmates at the Academy, including Adrian, the consummate sexy bad boy and fellow spirit user, go on a series of dangerous adventures involving Strigoi plots. These books were filled with action, plenty of kick-butt adventure, camaraderie, and hot romance between Rose and her mentor Dimitri. In Blood Promise (Vampire Academy, Book 4), Rose literally went to the ends of the earth trying to rescue Dimitri. Now, in Spirit Bound, the penultimate Vampire Academy book, things have taken a downhill turn for the series.

There were simply too many improbable moments that required massive suspension of disbelief. The foremost: imagine a couple of college-aged kids getting away with an impromptu break-in at Fort Leavenworth with no one the wiser despite high security and dozens of guards. Epic fail. Or Rose's turnaround on her formerly spunky, independent self: when her former relationship with Dimitri doesn't have the fairytale ending she'd envisioned, she becomes a "blood whore" to Adrian for all the wrong reasons and keeps stringing the poor guy along throughout the book. Much like Breaking Dawn (The Twilight Saga), Rose's supposedly-important graduation is but a flash in the pan so the novel can get down to other business. There are a lot of Moroi politics that bog the book down to the detriment of what should have been the central story. And again similar to Breaking Dawn, past characters are randomly thrown in for cameos, and then promptly disappear again with no real purpose. There's also a super-high body count of Guardians and Moroi as Rose relentlessly pursues her dream of restoring Dimitri, which she pretty much shrugs off, even though those deaths were preventable.

Spirit Bound just wasn't a pageturner for me; I read it out of a sense of duty to the Rose, Lissa and other characters I knew and loved from previous entries, but the spirit of derring-do and butt-kicking that made Rose such an appealing heroine have been replaced by a moody, angry, whiny young woman who suddenly decides that the "real world" after graduation might be more than she wants to deal with. I'm hoping that the final novel Last Sacrifice (Vampire Academy, Book 6) is an improvement over Spirit Bound.

After coming back from her heartbreaking trip through Siberia Rose can't wait to move on with her life and with Lissa. But she failed in her mission and not Dimitri is the one that is hunting her.

This want one of my favorite books of the series but the overall storyline and plot progression was still good. I think in the story as a whole I didn't like how the characters interacted with each other in this one there was so much tension going on. My favorite person in this book had to be Adrian just because he was so understanding despite everything and I felt his character really shines through the others. I was overwhelmed with what happened and can't wait to jump into the last book to find out how things are going to play out!

I started reading this book 2 years ago, since then I had read 4 other Novels that had gotten my fool attention. Reason why I say this it's because I still can't find the attraction to this book, it is so confusing how it jumps from one think to the next, to different characters and back. Since I feel that I want to get to the end, is the reason I haven't completely giving up on it. Will be my first and last to read from this series. Im a person that loves to read novels since I was a kid but never have I confronted a book that is so complicated to get into the story.

I loved this series (and I love vampire/paranormal books in general). It’s not completely out there from an originality perspective, but it is different enough from the seemingly thousands of vampire books publishing she’s around the same time. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

This was my least favorite book in the series. It was entertaining, but I didn't LOVE the story like I did with the rest of the series. I found the first half of the book a little boring and annoying actually. Some of the storywriting seemed to be long-winded and could have been summed up so much quicker. I guess I was ready for Rose to move on with her life and not throw a promising future away by going on a crazy mission like she did. I was reading this book while on a road trip so maybe reading while traveling played a part in my frustration. I got more into the second half but still didn't connect with the story like I did with the other books. Despite all this, it's still a must read for anyone interested in the series!

I loved all of the previous VA books exactly for what they were. Fun, fast, energetic, funny, sexy and at times captivating. Rose is one of my favorite heroines. The first three books introduced and developed characters into what book four would show off. Book four showed Rose somewhat maturing and fighting a very personal and heartbreaking battle. She gained a lot from her journey, which I hoped she would actually implement in this book ...

Now fast-forward to book 5. Spirit bound. *SPOILERS*
This book was full of easy coincidences, seemingly random plot points and boring 'Moments in Lissa's Head'. Getting Dashkov out of jail was one of the only taxing situations. Everything else seemed to fall right into place. Dashkov found Doru, who gave up his secret Strigoi-fixing plan to a bunch of strangers. Lissa infused the stake with spirit in like two days, but could not effectively do it to any jewelry the whole first half of the book. Lissa could not be part of the court because of some rule? Don't worry, she has some illegitimate relative somewhere that we will have to find later (saw that coming a mile away)who will save the day (sounds slightly like the end of Breaking Dawn, no?).

I know this review sounds really harsh, because there were a few good things about the story. Now, people are complaining about Dimitri being all emo-ed out. I totally disagree. I really think Dimitri would feel shame for what he unwillingly did to Rose. He can't forget his actions and he probably knows that if he gets too close to Rose, he would be reminded of them. He doesn't want to love her because its dangerous and its scary and wrong. BUT WE KNOW that its dead sexy when Dimitri is trying to keep his hands off Rose all the time. I love it. That gets 5 stars.

I love this series and I hate giving it such a lame review; however, I waited and waited for this. I took my last final for school this semester and sat down to read into VA oblivion. I am disappointed, but I will hold my breath like a fool for the next one. I love Rose and Dimitri. I just hope they don't skip off into their happily ever after without some good tension and a fight.

I was disappointed. I got through most of the book okay, though with qualms about how utterly everyone's character arcs has NOT changed, but it was when I got to the part where Rose rescues Dimitri that I really got frustrated. I mean, come on. From the start, Dimitri has always been the possessed amazing bravery and fortitude. That was what I loved about him. But breaking down in the square, crying? Groveling before Lissa, and refusing to see Rose like some pathetic excuse for a guy, too afraid to face the consequences of his actions? I would have accepted it if he had just exiled himself. He's an honorable guy. But it feels like his entire character went out the window, and he turns into some sniveling, disraught other person. I had been looking forward to Rose getting back together with Dimitri, but this just ruined it for me.

Rose Hathaway has returned from Europe a little wiser, and bent on finding a way to restore Dimitri to his previous state, or destroy him in the process. But first she has to get through her guardian trials and graduation, and move to the Moroi court with Lissa, who refuses to let Rose disappear again. But now that the girls have left Sr. Vladimir's, they have to face their uncertain futures: Dimitri wants to kill Rose, and Lissa is finding herself more involved in the twisted politics of court. And as the girls work together to bring about change that continues to bewilder the vampire world, they are acquiring enemies--dangerous ones that would go at great lengths to make sure that Rose won't reveal the secrets she has learned...by shutting her up permanently.

After the cruel cliff-hanger of an ending in Blood Promise, readers will want to tear through Spirit Bound. Picking up a few months after the previous book left off with the girls' graduation, this latest installment follows strong and fiery Rose as she soars through her trials. Though she seems to be physically invincible and a tremendously talented guardian, Rose grapples with a lot of doubt and uncertainty. Her less than stellar record might mean that she won't be able to become Lissa's guardian, and she still hasn't accepted the fact that Dimitri's soul may be lost forever. Add on top of that the confused jumble of feelings she has for Adrian and the tense political situation concerning the interactions between Moroi and dhampirs, and there is plenty of drama going on. Like always, Mead packs the pages with plenty of action scenes that will have you biting your nails and flipping the pages nervously. Readers will really be torn as Rose must make important decisions and faces heartache after heartache, getting herself into more trouble. Mead certainly raises the stakes in Spirit Bound and like before, will leave readers with a sudden ending that will have them squirming anxiously for a sequel and rooting for Rose.

Doing this review spoiler free is going to be quite a challenge. I sure hope I'm up to it!
The last book in the series left us with quite a cliffhanger, this book immediately picks up the dangling threads and runs with it. It starts with Rose and Lissa graduating, but it won't be long before Rose realizes that graduation doesn't equal freedom, it equals more responsibility. She will go on a crazy journey to save the one she loves, endangering not only herself, but those she cares about most along the way. I cannot believe all places that this book took us, so many directions, you never see what's coming next. It's like being on a roller coaster, and right when you expect to start a climb you get a drop, and you can never see around the curves!

Rose, still the strong girl she has been through out the series, is growing into an amazing woman, who faces each challenge thrown at her with determination. Although not always graceful and eloquent, she gets the job done her own way, and she's willing to face the consequences when she realizes that her way wasn't the best. Her passion is inspiring.

Lissa, is growing as well. Becoming more accustomed to being a spirit user and learning how to wield that power. She grows more independent of Rose and is starting to become more like the royal she is everyday. Her and Rose's devotion to each other is a true look at how friendship should always be.

Once again Richelle Mead has left us all breathless. This series isn't fizzling out, it's picking up speed with every turn. When I had to put this book down, all I could think about was hurrying up so I could get back to it. The characters in this book deal with grief, loss, heartache, trials, and are still standing through it all. It was a stunning read that once again left us with a huge cliffhanger. I cannot wait for the next installment.

Book five in the Vampire Academy series begins with Rose Hathaway, world-class dhampir guard, reading a letter from Dimitri, her fighting instructor-turned boyfriend-turned soulless Strigoi vampire enemy. He's been writing her love letters that are more like death threats, telling her that he's sorry she wouldn't let him turn her into a Strigoi, but since she's refused eternal life, he'll have to kill her. As far as emotionally charged beginnings go, this one doesn't pull punches.

After book four's side trip to Russia, we're back in the world of St. Vladimir's Academy for Moroi (good vamps) and dhampirs, and Rose is about to finish her senior year. She's nervous about taking her guardian finals, though she's basically already killed a small country's worth of Strigoi, because her performance will determine whether she gets a guard assignment with her best friend Lissa Dragomir, a Moroi princess with whom she shares a psychic bond. Rose and Lissa are planning to sneak away to a high-security prison to hunt down some information that might help Dimitri get his soul back, though the chances are slim indeed.

I was glad to be back in the environment I grew to like so well in the first three books, and to see Rose interact with familiar characters, as opposed to the Russian setting of the last book which was filled with an almost totally new cast of characters. But even with the established cast plenty has changed, such as Rose dating Adrian Ivashkov, a Moroi spirit user and reformed royal hellion. This development shocked me. I know in the last book Rose promised to really give Adrian a chance when she came back from chasing Dimitri, but by "give him a chance" I thought she meant "smile at him occasionally while mourning Dimitri". But this is a good development. Adrian has grown up a lot, and his inclusion in the story thickens the plot in all kinds of helpful ways.

My longstanding favorite character Christian Ozera has a pretty big role, too. He and Lissa have broken up, which I can't help but appreciate because they were both interesting before they became a couple, and they're interesting again now that they're separated. These two seem to generate more awesomeness when they're not being gushy and lovey, which declaws Christian too much for my liking.

Almost any further commentary on the plot would be spoiler-iffic, but I will say that Spirit Bound was an intensely fun ride. It does what a good series book should: it's an engaging read in itself and it makes you anticipate the next book. Grade: A-

In Richelle Mead's fifth installment to the VAMPIRE ACADEMY series, Spirit Bound (Vampire Academy, Book 5) takes the reader back to St. Vladimir's Academy where Rose and Lissa are preparing to set out into the real world. Dimitri, still in his Strigoi state, is stalking Rose with the intent to kill her; Rose is frantically searching for a way to use spirit to cure him; and both Lissa and Rose are graduating and moving on to court, where Rose's guardian role will be assigned and where Lissa hopes to move into her royal role as the last in her family's line.

SPIRIT BOUND was a marked improvement over the past two books, and I was excited for that. Mead's writing style remains easily readable, and pacing was better, with the resolution of Dimitri's Strigoi state (one way or another - no spoilers) resolved within the first half of the book. Lissa's character grows in many ways, including her role in court, her personal strength, and her willingness to take risks for others. Adrian and Christian also develop as characters, with each getting more attention in this book; their wry and humorous dialogue adds much to the story.

Even with these strengths, the book fell short in other ways. The plot is unsurprising with resolutions to many points that you can see far in advance, and other events are so implausible that it takes away from the credibility of the story arc. The book ends with another cliffhanger, with a set up that comes out of nowhere and makes the book feel unfinished. Even though pacing picks up soon into the book, the first 100 pages are slow, with lots of backstory and reiteration from previous books. As for characters, Rose's development seemed stunted throughout. She shows no compunction about putting her friends and fellow guardians in mortal and professional danger for her own ends, and she acts out multiple times like a petulant child. While her actions annoyed and frustrated me, I couldn't decide whether it was 1) good characterization to show Rose's traits as they are or 2) bad characterization because she doesn't grow or change. Also, while it was nice to see Adrian play a significant role, he becomes little more than a simpering fool for Rose, despite her recurring misuse of his feelings.

Overall, the Vampire Academy series continues to be leaps and bounds ahead of other YA paranormal series, but it still could see some improvement with more consistent pacing, fewer predictable plot points, and more character development for Rose. I hope that the final book in the series, Last Sacrifice (Vampire Academy, Book 6), brings the resolution everyone been looking for, along with some significant growth for Rose.

I don't think I can rave any more about Richelle Mead's Vampire Academy series without sounding like a fan girl. But I am going to try.

Once again, Mead delivers a fantastic installment of her series, set to conclude with its sixth and final novel, Last Sacrifice, in Decemeber 2010. In Spirit Bound, dhamphir Rose and her best friend, royal Moroi, Lissa, have graduated from St. Vladimir's Academy and are on their way to the Real World. Lissa plans to live at Court -- at the request of Queen Tatiana -- and attend Lehigh University with Rose by her side. The chance of Rose still serving as Lissa's official guardian is a slim one, despite their blood bond. Rose is still paying the price for her reckless mission to save Dimitri in Siberia. Unfortunately, Dimitri is still very much alive, and bent on destroying Rose as soon as she leaves the protection of school or the Court.

Rose, however, is driven by her belief that she can restore Dimitri's soul and turn him from Strigoi back to a dhamphir if she only had the guidance of the right spirit user. Despite her budding romantic relationship with Adrian, she is almost singularly focused on this seemingly impossible task. With the help of her friends -- and some major deciet - Rose stages a risky jailbreak to gather the information she needs to set her plan in motion.

Rose and Dimitri's continent-spanning game of cat and mouse ends in fantastic and dramatic fashion, but not in the way Rose envisions. She's left to pick up the pieces and try to move forward, even though her heart tells her to do otherwise.

Unfortunately, this climax is not the end of Spririt Bound. A surprise twist left me stunned and set the series on an unexpected path toward its conclusion. Rose is falsely accused of a horrible crime she didn't commit, and her Mafioso father, Abe, may be the only person that can save her.

I was blown away by this book. The change of venue from the Academy to the adult Moroi world at Court was a good one, and provided a good turning point for the political intrigue at work in the novel. Mead actually seems to be ramping up her series, despite the conclusion looming on the horizon one mere book away. I will anxiously await to see how she pulls together all the loose ends in Last Sacrifice, and will try not to be TOO sad about the end of this fantastic series.

I started reading this around 11:30 pm and finished it 13 hours later... with a little sleep in between. I literally couldn't put it down - and it's killing me that I now have to wait 24 hours to get my hands on the final book in this series. I would even comtemplate phoning in sick tomorrow if that would speed up my access to the next instalment.

Another rollercoaster that had me alternately cheering Rose on, crying with her and raging at the things going on in her life. Adrian, poor Adrian - you just KNOW his heart is going to be broken big time. Lissa - so brave and selfless... and Dimitri. Oh god, I had to physically put the book down several times and walk away to compose myself. He's back... and yet he never really went away. He's just different. Heartbreakingly so.

Dimitri gave Rose the ultimate choice. But she chose wrong...

After a long and heartbreaking journey to Dimitri's birthplace in Siberia, Rose Hathaway has finally returned to St. Vladimir's--and to her best friend, Lissa. It is nearly graduation, and the girls can't wait for their real lives beyond the Academy's iron gates to begin. But Rose's heart still aches for Dimitri, and he's out there, somewhere.

She failed to kill him when she had the chance. And now her worst fears are about to come true. Dimitri has tasted her blood, and she knows in her heart that he is hunting her. And if Rose won't join him, he won't rest until he's silenced her...forever

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Rose has just returned from her trip to save Dimitri from himself by killing him , but she failed and is reminded every time she gets a note or letter from Dimitri. He tells her that she is not safe, she should have chosen to live and eternal life with him but since she chose not to she must die buy his hands before she is killed by some one else. This is very worrisome for her. Still with hope she can save him she seeks out the only man who can give her the info she needs to save him. The only hitch is he is locked up in one of the most famous prisons heavily guarded. Not to mention he wouldn't give the information away for anything short of a free pass out of this prison. Rose and Lissa bust him out of jail and get the info out of jail only to find the info they were looking for is not a possibility . The only person who can save a stongori is a spirit user with the power to heal like Lissa , but Rose refuses to put her in this position , not when her life would be at such a risk. So maybe there is no way to save him after all.

I enjoyed this book a lot . I enjoyed Rose and Adrian getting closer. I like that Christian and Lissa are at least talking again . There is a lot of other things going on in this book but if i tell you all of it would spoil it for you. But it is a great addition to this series and i am excited for the last addition to this series book 6 Last Sacrifice Coming December 7, 2010. I know that as in a few of my books my heart will probably be broken because its over but i will be excited to read it all the same.

With the overload of vampire series in the market since the twilight hoopla, many fall short. This series does not, it is catching, enticing, and full of drama and acton. A balance that I love. I am a Laurell K. Hamilton Reader, and I am partial to the Bullet (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter). However, this series has really caught my attention and I am eagerly looking forward to the next book. You should pick the first book Vampire AcademyVampire Academy (Vampire Academy, Book 1) and give it a shot, the following books only ramp up the story more and more and just when you don't think that any more surprises are left. Richelle puts one out there from left field the just leaves you breathless!
Also, check out Richelle's other series the adult Georgina Kincaid books.Succubus Blues. I have just started this series and am I hooked, I ordered the rest of the currently available books up through book 5.Succubus Shadows (Georgina Kincaid, Book 5)

My first big surprise in this book was Rose actually taking Adrian's interest in her seriously, especially since I know that she is still head-over-heels in love with Dimitri, no matter his present state. This boggled my mind from cover to cover, even though I do like Adrian, but I am guessing she did it at first to honor her deal with him. Later on it became obvious that she does have real feelings for him - so the question is, what about Dimitri? I guess this becomes another Team Dimitri vs. Team Adrian. I don't think I am going to choose a side on this one, I'm just going to grab the final book in the series, Last Sacrifice (Vampire Academy, Book 6), as soon as it hits the shelves!

In other matters, I found it a bit unreal how fast and easily that Dimitri was able to track Rose - I would have liked to know some of the details behind that, such as how extensive Dimitri's connections are in the Strigoi world. Lissa's connection with Dimitri is intriguing, even though it is non-magical, especially since it so strongly resembles a parental role. What I immediately started wondering after that event is why isn't anyone notifying Dimitri's family, expecially Rose? Queen Tatiana makes me think of a grown-up version of Mia, before she became Rose's friend. I wish I understood more of her motives for what she does throughout this book, since it seems like she goes back and forth between tolerating Rose and hating her. I could be completely off-base on this, but I keep getting the feeling that Lissa is/was being groomed to inherit Tatiana's title. With the way that many of the Moroi and Dhampirs view Lissa as a goddess, it would certainly fit. Also, by the end of the book, it seems that Rose has all but forgotten about the escaped convict, Victor Dashkov. Maybe she just thinks that the "authorities" would handle him?

Wow, so I had a lot of questions while reading this book, but that's only because I really enjoyed it, and I am anxious to read the last one to get them answered! I read the first five books back-to-back and ugh, I really hate waiting!

Being a huge fan of the Vampire Academy Series, I was eagerly anticipating the latest installment, and was thrilled that it was an action-packed book, though not as loaded as the previous books. But by the end of the book, poor Rose Hathaway's troubles are far from over--in fact, she gets into more trouble than she could have imagined, leading back to the title of this review and the Chekhov's gun of the story: your previous actions WILL come back to haunt you. Review will be maintained spoiler-free, so no need to fear any large revelations:

The book begins with Rose completing her guardianship at St. Vladimir's. As she and the main characters graduate and move onto the Moroi-Dhampir world at Court, Dimitri remains a constant presence on Rose's mind, in spite of the fact of her trying to convince herself and everyone that she has moved on. Although her friendship with Lissa is repaired and her attachment to Adrian grows, Rose cannot forget that Dimitri is still out there--not that he lets her forget. The action has Rose battling to save the person she loves once again, but this time, it is a far cry from her vigilante mission in Russia months previously. Spirit Bound has Rose breaking laws--both legal, and moral--to obtain what she wants. Her behavior and attitude, always cheeky, does not shy from confrontation and expressing what she believes is right. From the combating Moroi politics to orchestrating a prison break, Rose does what she can to complete her goal.

Yet, as Rose finds out in the end, saying and getting what you want doesn't guarantee a happy ending. And no doubt the sixth book will show just how far Rose has gotten herself entangled in the Moroi world of politics, backstabbing, and power.

Everyone else has said their two cents and then some...there are only a few things that I can really emphasize.

One: Most of the angst from the last two books is OUT. WOOOOOO!! There is more actual thinking and less boohooing. I know that sounds terrible, but high school-type drama can only go so far before it starts becoming a mind-numbing loop.

Two: The beginning is oh so slow, even with a most notorious venture on Rose's part. Honestly, even the mega fight halfway through the book didn't get me going. The last halfish (perhaps the last third) totally makes up for all of this.

*SPOILER*

Three: HE'S BACK!! Before the Adrian shippers start in on me, I love both men. I think they should just learn to share Rose as they are both amazing love interests.

Four: Adrian was, for the most part, not as snappy and fun as he has been in the past. His scenes saddened me greatly. However, while the early Dimitri scenes left me somewhat shocked, after regaining a bit of freedom, Dimitri's conversations with Rose were spot on, thrilling me just as he did in the first two and a half books.

*END SPOILER*

Conclusion for those who don't want to be spoiled:

While this book is sluggish at first, stick with it and you will given the most amazing ride since Vampire Academy. This is a far cry from what we experienced in (the, in my opinion, horrible, terrible, far too angsty for me) Blood Promise. The action is back and readers of the series will be thrilled as Mead once again balances many forces to create a top-notch book.

AS we watch the evolution of Rose from a shadow kissed student to coming into her own as a guardian, we see more struggles her way. While Rose hot handedness and stubborn streak are what makes her Rose they also cause her a lot of problems in this book. The book ends with one of her greatest person missions being fulfilled to her greatest challenge being faced. I cannot wait to see what lies ahead for Rose and her band of Morris and Damphirs in the next book. This one had me reeled in from the beginning and now I'm onto the final book!!!!

Spirit Bound was a fantastic book. I read this entire book in one sitting, I just couldn't put it down. This book had so may twists and turns that it just sucked me in. Spirit Bound is fast paced and just an overall delightful read. At the end of this book, you are left with so much mystery that you can't help but want to jump into Last Sacrifice. I am sad that after Spirit Bound, Last Sacrifice is the last book in this series. I don't want it to end!

After Rose's graduation test, she joins the real world. While she awaits her assignment, she heads for the royal court with Lissa. While they're there, Rose plans an adventure neither of them will ever forget.

If they're ever going to save Dimitri, it's going to be now. After some research and with a plan in mind, they travel to Alaska - home to Victor Dashkov. He alone has the information Rose needs to find and save Dimitri. Unfortunately, he's under strict lock and key.

Once they break him out and uncover the truth, it's only a matter of time before Dimitri tracks down Rose. While she's determined to save him, he's determined to kill her so they can be forever joined. When they finally do meet, who will win the battle of wills and emotions?

I loved this book, as I have the previous books in the VAMPIRE ACADEMY series. They're filled with raw emotion: love, betrayal, disbelief, misunderstanding, jealousy, and horror. The fast-paced action plus the intensity of emotions makes this addition to the series a very quick read.

While the final book in the series, LAST SACRIFICE, will be published in December 2010, a spin-off series is thankfully in the works.

Reviewed by: Jennifer Rummel

Spirit Bound was a bit of a let down only because my expectations have grown so high after I finished reading Blood Promise.
I loved where Mead was going to Rose and Dimitri's characters but unfortunately, for me, things got back to normal on this segment. Rose was her full egotistical self again and Dimitri the boring wallflower.

But I can't deny that Mead knows how to keep her readers on the edge of their seat, always wanting and hoping for more. And If i say I'm not curious to know how the Vampire Saga ends, I would be lying,

I have waited anxiously for this book since the release of Blood Promise. I was not disappointed at all. This story went high above my expectations. Once again, as with the rest of the series, if Mead had written the story any other way it would not have been right. Rose's sacrifice and determination to save Dimitri is heartbreaking and hope inspiring. Lissa's dedication and determination to help Rose and to sacrifice everything for her the way Rose always has for Lissa is refreshing. I was so glad to see that their friendship got back on track. The way Mead writes Dimitri was perfect. She writes it true to his character in every sense of the word. I can't say too much as I don't want to spoil the story for other readers but I will say I am counting down the days till the next book. I can't wait to see where this story takes Rose, Dimitri, Lissa, Christian and Adrien. I'm hoping to see more of Siberia and maybe even Dimitri's family...as this next book is the final book I am excited to see how Mead decides to end this story and hopes it brings Rose and Dimitri to where they deserve to be - finally happy. I know whatever she writes it will be action packed, funny and with a story line we can't even begin to figure out.

This book is crap and Rose is a shameless (blood) whore.

Yes-yes, I am in a minority here, but it won't be the first time, nor the last. Spirit Bound is a bad book and I am contemplating to remove Richelle Mead from the list of the authors whose writing I care to follow. She can join my black list next to Beth Fantaskey and Maria V. Snyder. I was willing to give VA another chance after the disappointment Blood Promise was, but no more, this series is taking its path into oblivion along with Richelle's Georgina Kincaid books. Mead just can't produce this mediocre mess, destroy her characters for the sake of cheap relationship melodrama and contrived "love triangles" and expect me to eat it up. No, thanks.

Now, for the good. We are back to the cast of characters we came to love in the first 3 books - Eddie, Mia, Christian (As I expected reading Blood Promise, almost none of the million characters introduced in it are back, they have served their filler purpose and now dead and gone). Lissa comes into her own powers and is an admirable person now. Lissa's and Christian's relationship is back on track, which is great because I still have no idea why they broke up in the first place.

Now, for the bad. Where do I start? How about, the only feelings Spirit Bound was able to elicit in me were boredom and mild annoyance?

It is surprising how a book so action-packed can be so thoroughly boring. A lot of things happen in it - Rose takes her final pre-graduation trials, she steals important prison files, she breaks into a maximum security vamp prison, then there is a final altercation with Dimitri. But just like in the latest installment of Mead's Georgina Kincaid series, these events are glossed over, everything happens without much effort, there is no tension build-up before each and every one of them, the characters don't experience too many obstacles and therefore there is no real feeling of something important happening.

Also, the highest point of the book happens at about 300-page mark. What comes after is just added-on drama that comes out of nowhere (is Richelle paid per page?). I just can't believe that this kind of story is what Mead had pre-planned for the series (according to her, she plots her series in advance). If I knew that's the shape the series would take, I wouldn't have bothered to read Vampire Academy.

Another thing. What kind of relationship do Rose and Adrian have? It's not only unhealthy, it's just wrong. What Mead has achieved with it is that now I am all on board with Rose/Adrian pairing in the end (I used to be a Team Dimitri girl), but not because I like Adrian now, but because they would make a mighty good couple: Rose can fantasize about Dimitri while blood-whoring with Adrian (he seems to be just fine with his status of sloppy seconds/doormat) and Adrian can get drunk, continue spending his daddy's money and drag Rose around to parties to get a kick out of his parents and get Rose humiliated by Moroi snobs. What a pair they make!

Then there is Rose's inconsistent behavior (one minute she wants to kill Dimitri, another she will do anything to save him; one moment she is in love with Dimitri, another she is getting it on with Adrian), deus-ex machina (Mikhail anyone? how convenient!); redundant conversations; masked party (what was the point?); miraculous prison break, etc., etc...

I can go on and on with this tirade, but honestly, why? I think I am done with this series. For all I care, the entire cast of characters can die (well, they are sort of already dead to me due to the author's "skillful treatment") and I won't blink an eye. Why, oh why did I buy previous installments? There is no chance I will ever re-read them!

Richelle is an excellent story teller. She weaves the characters lives together as no other can. Anyone interested in the supernatural will enjoy this series even though it starts with teenagers. Spirit bound moves from the under aged to the adult and the trials experienced as adults as well as the difficulties of relationships. The ideas do devotion, loyalty,love and morality are all explored as well as the dedication of those who strive and devote their lives to the protection of the people. The series is complex and fun all at the same time. I cannot wait for the next book in the series.

Spirit Bound is book five in the series Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead. This book is another whirl wind wonder, it leaves the reader wondering what are these characters gonna do next, theyve caught criminals, traveled the world for love, and snuck into high security places what else can and will they do?
Rose is back at the academy with all her friends, besides for her beloved Dimitri who is alive or is it undead and sending her letters after her attempt of finishing what was between them didn't work out. Graduation is looming for all those at the school and Rose in order to become a guardian must pass her trials which for her is less a worry then the other trials in her life currently that are all consuming. She still has feelings for Dimitri and hes out to get her once she's out from behind the walls of the academy. In the last book she found out there is a possibility to still save him through a spirit user and Lisa is the only one who could do it but Rose doesn't want to risk her friends life. Of course there is still the whole dilema of whether its possible and Rose must find that out first and there is only one person that knows the truth and they have to find a way to get to him. Once these problems get solved there is still the issue of if Dimitre does get turned back into a dhamphir will the love between Rose and him be the same with all that has happened between them. Also there's Adrian who has wiggled his way into Roses heart, what will happen with that romance? Rose has got alot on her plate as usual and shes bound and determined to find the answers she needs but will it come at too great a cost to pay? Besides her love life Rose has to deal with the council and court and things are looking awful suspicious, will these friends all survive the ordeals that are going down and of course theres the strigoi who are always out there reeking havoc on the human and vampire societies.
It is hard to resist these wonderful characters...Rose with her tenacity and her ability to find trouble, Lisa and her gentle spirit, Dimitri who tugs on the heartstrings of Rose and readers alike, and all the other ingaging characters. This author keeps readers on their toes with this series, its hard to tear yourself away once you start reading this tale and watch everything as it unfolds. The world created by the words of this talented author leaves you enthralled craving more.

Unlike many Vampire Academy fans, I read the entire series in one shot. I have to say, the characters are nothing if not compelling. Lissa can be amazingly annoying and Rose has the badgirl image down to a science while having a marshmallow center when it comes to Lissa. That having been said, the story is great, you can't wait till the next part comes and you can really believe some of the relationships.
I actually got online to pre-order the next book -- not an option yet.
Without giving away any of SPIRIT BOUND - it was the only one of the 5 books that had the cliff-hanger ending down pat. It was weird coming to the end and thinking, "No way this can be the end - that's just not fair."
Let's face it - when you're disappointed the book ends - that's been a good read.
This is pure escapist pleasure - a wonderful series. The romances aren't sickenly sweet, there is jealousy, pride, all the really human stuff - these people are easy to relate to. You take sides on which guy you like better and you're pulled in all the way. I loved this series and I'm anxious to get to #6.

This is a great series. I find myself needing to know about what is going to happen next and I connect with Rose on a personal level. I didn't expect much from such a popular series, but the twists and turns keep me wanting more and more. I do have a few issues with the writing -- sometimes it seems like Mead backtracks too much from book to book and I get bored in the beginning chapters where I just <i>want something to happen.</i> I'm all about the overall plot, however. I would never have been able to tell you that Rose and Lissa end up in this situations that they do from the first book. I just long for a little more depth. And Dmitiri.

4.5 out of 5 stars!! This book leaves you with more questions then answers, but it was a great lead up story to what will be the final book in this series Last Sacrifice: A Vampire Academy Novel. It was heartfelt, funny, intriguing, suspicious, and all-around entertaining! The characters got more developed in this book, with major twists that you don't see coming. I hope that things will turn out well during the last book and answer all of my questions .... I can't wait to find out!

Review By: From Me to You ... Book Reviews
(read more of this review and a teaser on my blog)

But... It's somewhat disappointing. Especially since Mrs. Mead's potential is well known. She is a talented writer, but this book fell flat.

There were just too many plot holes, too rushed, less organized and lots of redundant dialogue.

It is my belief that most sequels that are good books have an unpredictable plot with predictable characters. The plot was predictable (other than the very end which made no sense), and the only predictable character was Dimitri as he the only one that acted consistent with his character.

Rose was erratic, as she usually is, but this time her actions were also brainless, which she usually isn't. Lisa was a bit too brave, for someone how was so timid all her life. Seriously, stake Dimitri? The "God" as Rose has called him in fighting?

Adrian was Adrian. He was entertaining before, now he's just a nuisance.
The rest of the characters didn't make much impression at all.

The plot, oh well, just so much that didn't fit. The masquerade was pointless, not even a decent filler. The card reading was even more pointless. The only thing that was interesting were the court politics, but since we only saw them through Rose's eyes, they were not, how do I put it, informative enough? Her politics involvement was summed up by "it's stupid" and "she is a bitch".

So, the end is the only surprise in the book. I hope the next and the final installment is much better than this one.

"Mother of ... all intense literature!" I know it was extremely lame but that's all I could come out with on a second when I look up I saw my 8 year old son looking at me with wide eyed fascination. My face must have shown a lot of emotions while reading this book. (carried away much? what's new?) You see this was that part of the book where I Rose was face to face with Dimitri "inside" that warehouse plus a delayed reaction on how Rose treats Adrian. I understand the feelings churning inside of Rose, Mead made sure that I understood and it was nowhere cheesy on how she detailed those feelings. Dimitri broke my heart. being I too was conflicted whether Rose should kill him or not. The Strigoi cure was a bit sketchy too. Sure Robert "said" he had done it before but this coming out from the mouth of a mentally unstable Spirit User yet Rose's faith in that cure was so firm she made is sound like people around her are the ones who are crazy for not even considering it.So it was really crazy when the result was written up.

Rose never fails to amuse me. Conducting that prison break was a new record but calling the Queen - a sanctimonious bitch and insulting the Moroi law was probably the best part. That smart mouth has finally got her in trouble. Too much trouble that the only way that she could get out of it is they escape or if a miracle happens.

I have developed a new respect for Lisa. I have always dub the Moroi as a wimp, selfish and a bunch of individuals who keeps complaining about the security of their race. Lisa should have been an exception because Christian, Jill and the others that stand by Tasha Ozera's idea of Moroi fighting beside the Guardians certainly had yet Lisa just stands there give moral support sure but a lot of it too was worrying. I understand she had this gentle healing heart and all that soft girly stuff but so much has happened already and it is time to toughen up, physically. And then that wished happened. I am so proud that she can actually get into that level with her overpowering determination to save someone. All through out the four books and I am just now getting why Rose would actually die for her.

The ending was climactic. As usual, who will Rose choose Dimitri or Adrian? I don't think any of us can deny how worthy is Adrian now. Not even the most heartless of females can resists all those pledge of love and heartache. What will happen to Rose? Who is the real perpetrator? Again this is all torture. Why do we have to wait for December...

After Rose's graduation test, she joins the real world. While she awaits her assignment, she heads for the royal court with Lissa. While they're there, Rose plans an adventure neither of them will ever forget.

If they're ever going to save Dimitri, it's going to be now. After some research and with a plan in mind, they travel to Alaska - home to Victor Dashkov. He alone has the information Rose needs to save Dimitri. Unfortunately, he's under severe lock and key.

Once they break him out and uncover the truth, it's only a matter of time before Dimitri tracks down Rose. While she's determined to save him, he's determined to kill her so they can be forever joined. When they finally do meet, who will win the battle of wills and emotions?

My Thoughts: I Loved this book -as I have the previous books. They're filled with raw emotion: love, betrayal, disbelief, understand, jealousy, and horror. I'm so looking forward to the spin-off series coming next year.

"Limitele spiritului" este volumul 5 din seria "Academia vampirilor", carte care mi-a placut enorm de mult. A fost plina de suspans, actiune, emotie si iubire :) Rose isi da testele de gardian, in urma carora obtine cel mai mare punctaj. Pur si simplu este fenomenala la acest capitol - de mi-ar fi si mie la fel de simplu la examen : )

Oricum, ajunsa gardian,viata ei ia cu totul si cu totul alta turnura Problemele de aceasta data sunt mult mai grave, si sa va explic de ce. Rose are un nou obiectiv: vrea sa-l faca pe Dimitri, de fapt, nu-l face, si-l readuce la starea lui initiala de dhampir. Problema e ca secretul acestei transformari este detinut de Robert, fratele maleficului Vikton Dashkov, care acum este inchis intr-o inchisoare de maxima securitate. Chiar asa, Eddie, Lissa si Rose pornesc dupa Viktor, pentru a-l elibera din Tarasov - si chiar reusesc !

Esentialul este ca pentru a transforma un strigoi in dhampir este necesar ca strigoiul sa fie ucis cu o tepusa vrajita de spirit, si sa-i fie implantata in inima de acelasi utilizator al spiritului. Intorsi la Academie, Rose si ceilalti (inclusiv Adrian care li se alatura ) sunt pedepsiti. Partea asta mi s-a parut pur si simplu enervanta - cu pedeapsa - nu ca ar fi vina autoarei, insa ma enerveaza genul de personaje care arunca in stanga si-n dreapta cu acuzatii si pedepse. Daca in romanele trecute Rose era aia care ascundea chestii de Lissa, acum situatia s-a inversat, Lissa fiind mica secretoasa.

Tot acest farmec ar trebui sa aibe loc pana la urmatorul atac al lui Dimitri, insa se pare ca el loveste din nou, ca strigoi, si cu toate ca Rose si Eddie au avut ocazia sa-l omoare, Rose l-a impiediat - ce sa faci cand iubesti pe cineva intratat de mult ? Ca oglindire in lumea reala, am observat sa Rose este modelul dupa care ar trebui cu totii sa ne luam - mai mult sau mai putin -. Ea nu este perfecta. Daca in primele doua carti am zis ca este prea super-eroina, apoi se intampla mai incolo sa decada intr-atat doar din cauza iubirii. Oricum ar fi, pe un grafic al evolutiei, ea devine din ce in ce mai buna, mai priceputa, mai inteligenta simai ambitioasa(daca este posibil ) . Lissa, prietena ei cea mai buna, ii este mereu alaturi, si pot spune ca mi-a placut mult de ea.

Nu am avut o parere prea buna in privinta relatiei Rose- Adrian deoarece, cu toate ca el este indragostit de ea, Rose nu-l iubeste cu adevarat.

"Limitele spiritului" a fost plina de actiune, avand un titlu ideal si extrem de sugestiv. Mi-a placut ! A fost foarte buna ! Si inainte de a incheia aceasta recenzie, va mai spun ceva: Dimitri o sa atace din nou. Iar de data asta .. oare il pot salva sau va trebui sa fie ucis ? Si mai mult, oare este reala toata aceasta chestie cu salvarea sau doar isi risca vietile personajele in mod iinutil ?

I liked this book better than Blood Promise. For me Blood Promise didn't hold my attention. However Spirit Bound did. Spirit Bound is the latest Vampire Academy novel. This book is action packed. It starts with Rose's trials for graduation and takes off from there. Rose is still on her quest to save Dimitri while giving Adrian a shot at love. Personally I'm for team Adrian. Dimitri is on a quest to kill Rose. Also Rose and Lissa's friendship is stressed over the uncertainty of the future. This book is full of complicated relationships, plus the fact that Rose usually acts before thinking which leads to all sorts of trouble. I liked this book from beginning to end. If you are a fan of the Vampire Academy series you will definitely like this book, plus it's got one heck of a cliff hanger. I can't wait until the next book comes out in December. This is definitely a to read!

After pining over this book for months I have ran through it in just days, and find myself in waiting all over again. Such a tremendous author that has me cursing and ranting for hours after finishing the final pages of every book. Rose's journey has been long, but well worth every minute spent reading. I have been torn to find the determination of Rose's future. After having traveled to Siberia in the last book, she is back at Valdamir long enough to graduate in this novel. So largely this book takes place at Court that was visited in an early novel. I was astounded by the amount of action all in this one book. It was almost like three stories wrapped into one. At 489 pages I was impressed this this book didn't have a rushed feel while reading. On to the goods, I am ecstatic about the outcome of Dimitri. Although I found myself torn over the liking I have taken to Adrian. I can honestly say that I have no idea how I would like it to turn out.

As a whole Spirit Bound has taken the safe and comfortable world, and twisted it upside down leaving no one to trust. Mead's twist in that leaves in Rose imprisoned was a hard punch to the gut, and I don't know who Mead plans to get her out of this predicament. In light of these events Rose's Dad has taken on a lot larger role in this book, and I anticipate he will be a large role in the upcoming Last Sacrifice. Usually after reading a series this one long; one begins to have feelings about where the next novel with lead but with this author I am at a total loss. I can not wait for December, so that I can jump on reading the six and what I believe will be the final book.

This amazing series carries tremendous followers, and I believe that is largely to due with the quality of these stories. The VA series may be told from Rose's point of view, but with her ability to see through Lisa it is almost like having another main character. The amount of emotion rolled into each book allows for more input from many of the other characters, as well and they are all powerful characters. Lastly, I like to note about covers. VA Covers are one of the best looking I come across. Not much for the mystery, but they are amazingly beautiful artwork. So here's to waiting for December.

I was eagerly anticipating Spirit Bound and this book does not disappoint. The action is non-stop in this book as Rose graduates and puts a plan into place to save Dmitri. Even if Dmitri can be saved, will he be the same man? Well this book answers that and more.

The book surprised me in many ways and I liked how the author did not save everything till the end. The spirit binding occurred early in the book and set the stage for some of the most heart-wrenching scenes in the series. The romance isn't settled and was written in a realistic way. Does love triumph all or are some things unforgivable?

The appearances by Abe were hysterical and had me laughing right after chapters (especially 24) had me crying. The book is truly a roller-coaster of emotions that kept me on the edge of my seat. I can't wait till the next one.

**spoiler alert** Okay I know I will probably get some "WTH" questions from all my reading friends but this book has made me a Mead fan all over again. I know I had harsh things to say about Blood Promise and I was very leery about reading this but I am very very happy with this book. I am so glad that I didn't give up on this series.
The story starts right after Blood Promise ends. Rose is back at school getting ready to take her final test to become an official Guardian and her former love, who is now a Strigoi, continues to write her letters about her upcoming death by his hands. Like I said I thought this book would not resolve much and be filler just like its former, but to my surprise Mead takes the story in a great new direction and gets there at a fast pace. I really liked how Lissa has become a strong character. I was afraid she would remain the fragile little Mori, but Mead has made her not only likable, but a kind of badass. I think she gives Rose a run for her money in the leading lady department. What can I say about Rose, she is the one character who bothered me. Yes she did what she had to do, but she could have been a little less selfish and whiny about it. I think she took all of Lissa's bad qualities and made them her own. I really hope that she gets her stuff together in the final book and realizes that she has to just accept what Dimitri decides and leave Adrian alone. I am a team Dimitri fan, but I feel sorry for Adrian. He takes so much from Rose that I wonder why he is so devoted. I guess time will tell.
This book pacts a lot of surprise and I am very happy that Mead wrapped up the Dimitri storyline at least the part that I was hoping for nicely. I am very excited to read the final installment!

When I first read the first three books of the Vampire Academy series approximately two and a half years ago I did not feel book withdrawals. Instead I experienced a disappointing anxiety that I would have to wait for the fourth book to find out what happens to Rose and Dmitri. When the fourth book came out, I had the pleasure of experiencing my first author event signing when Richelle Mead had a book tour in California and Books, Inc. in Palo Alto was one of her stops. It was incredible! I purchased two books for her to sign and I brought my previous three which she also gladly autographed! I could have succumb to my eagerness to read the fourth book, but I did not want the same anxious feeling to come back. I decided to wait for the fifth and final books to come out, and only then will I come back to the world of St. Vladimir's.

Unfortunately it did take a couple of years. The friends I have introduced this series to were ahead of me, and bless them for not mentioning their impressions or stating any spoilers. On my part, it also took a lot of control to avoid Richelle Mead's website in case I might get a hint of what happens next. Even the books I preordered would immediately find its way in the corner shelf of my library where I kept my other favorite Young Adult novels. I hesitated to even glance at the covers or read the synopsis. But finally at the end of the year 2010, the sixth and final book of the Vampire Academy series was released on December 7.

Because of the lapse in time, it was only fitting to begin the story again. I had to reacquaint myself with the characters, the surroundings, the plot, and build the momentum. Doing this did not disappoint.

Spirit Bound, 5th installment in Richelle Meads Vampire Academy series.
On one hand, I really liked it. On the other....there were some things I had issues with.

I can't review without spoiling the book, so...don't want to be spoiled on anything stop here.

*SPOILERS* *SPOILERS* *SPOILERS*

Cons: I didn't like the way the prison breakout went down. It was too easy. A few other reviewers have mentioned this and I quite agree. There was really no suspense to it at all. Quick in, quick out. Ta-da! Victor is saved.
*Lissa saving Dimitri, I thought was too easily done, even with Christian's fire help. With as strong as Dimitri has been portrayed as a Strigoi, I found it a little hard to believe that Lissa could have done that, especially with as many times as it took her to drive that stake in.
*Not much to any of the Strigoi fights. I understand why Rose is weak when it comes to Dimitri, but compared to the last few books, I thought Mead eased up on the action in this book. Just a personal disappointment for me.
*Some of the language, I didn't care for. Sorry, but I just don't care for the F-bomb.

What I liked/loved:
*ADRIAN!! I've never been a big fan of Adrian, but this book changed that. I'm only saddened by the way that Rose treated/used him in this book. She knows it too, she basically admits it. Her 'moment' with Adrian was pure rebound from Dimitri telling her that his love had faded. I want Adrian to be happy, but am not sure I'd like to see him with Rose.
**Abe! Hee hee. I liked Abe a lot in the last book and am glad he made a comeback for this book.
***Rose and Dimitri. I didn't believe for a second that Dimitri doesn't love Rose anymore. The way he tensed up when she was near him. And I think I got my proof when he tries to protect her (with such fierceness too) in the cafe from all the Guardians. If he truly didn't love or care for her anymore, then the memories of what he done wouldn't bother him the way it does. His behavior wasn't that odd. He's in love with Rose. He can't handle the things he done to her as a Strigoi. It went against everything that he believed as a person before being Strigoi. Having those memories, knowing what he did, especially to someone he loves would be difficult. All he needed was what Lissa kept saying, time. Does Rose act a little whiny and selfish? Yes. Can you blame her? Yes and no. I think Rose was so determined to free Dimitri and reminiscent of the life they were living BEFORE he was Strigoi, that she didn't take the time to think of what could happen after he was saved and was only thinking of the fairytale ending she was so desperately hoping for. Can't blame her for that. However, her trying to push herself on Dimitri after he kept telling her to stay away, she became a little obsessive, and she should have just backed off and given Dimitri time.
****Lissa & Christian! =D =D =D I'm so happy to see them where they ended up. The whole time I kept wishing one or the other would take the first step, throw aside the fight and let the other know what they were truly feeling! Finally at the end, it happened! I'm happy about these two. Now if they can just keep it that way =D
****The ending! Wow! I didn't see that coming. I kind of had another Dragomir figured out before Tatiana's letter. All the talk of Lissa's father in Vegas, and how he 'loved the ladies' was kind of a giveaway. But what happened to the Queen was a shocker to me.

Overall, the pros of the book outweighed the cons for me and after turning the last page, I found it to be another enjoyable installment in this series. As usual, the first four books are must reads before this one!
Now I'm back in anticipation mode and can't wait for December to find out how this series ends!

This book was a non-stop, heart-wrenching tale of two young dhampirs in love, that were both set on killing each other, for the greater good as far as Rose was concerned. Well, as for Dimitri, as much as I swooned over him in the first few books of this series, I was utterly appalled at what type of monster he became when he turned Strigoi. Rose's journey to "bring him back" is incredible and well thought out on Mead's part. I was stunned at the imagery of their surroundings, the thrilling action scenes, and the engrossing saga of two dhmapirs I would consider to be "starcrossed lovers" for most of the book.

Not only did this book have me feeling the ups and downs of Rose and her best friend, Moroi princess Lissa Dragomir, I also felt a strange affection for Adrian (another royal Moro) who is also in love with Rose. (Some girls have it all, right?) Not so much for Rose. So many characters had me cheering and wanting them to come out on top, but I can honestly say that even though Adrian is so unbelievably caring and loving of Rose while Dimitri is - undead - I couldn't help but hope that Dimitri could be brought back and into the loving arms of Rose Hathaway. But everything does come with a price and that price is usually at the expense of others. Regardless, I cannot wait to see how the final book of this series turns out. Richelle Mead has truly created a world that is filled with turmoil, but also with unconditional love and friendships.

I really like that the characters have developed so much during this series, I didn't like most of the characters when I was first introduced to them but now I love them all. I can't believe how much I despised Adrian and now I am totally rooting for him. I actually didn't like the first two books very much, they just seemed too childish, but Rose seems more adult like now, all of the characters do. I almost didn't continue on with the series but I am so glad I did, I can't wait to start the next book.

I'm very impressed with this one, didn't even see what was coming, not to mention there was plenty of action throughout the book. The end wow, big surprise, I can't wait for the next book to come out.
The things that are going on Rose's life are so dramatic. I love Rose as a character cause she says what she means, and i like that. I love the whole book and definatley recomened this series, this book was a definate comback from the previous one which was a little slow. But all together i enjoy the series and so do many of my friends!

Vampire Academy is one of the best YA series written in years. I came to it, as I imagine many others did, after reading Twilight and wanting to read other vampire books. Vampire Academy definitely satisfies the Twilight lover. It has fascinating, unique vampire mythology. Strong character development. Lots of romance. So many fabulous guys throughout the series - Dimitri, Adrian, Mason, Eddie, Christian... Vampire Academy also satisfies many Twi-haters. It contains many elements that people think Twilight lacks. A very strong female (sometimes too strong) character in Rose and occasionally even Lissa. More action and less brooding. Excellent writing. Guys who treat their girlfriends as an equal.

Spirit Bound was just as enthralling as the first four books. The book begins after Rose returns to St. Vlads from Russia following her failed attempt to kill Dimitri the Strigoi. It's graduation time and Rose is facing her Guardian Trials. As expected, she passes the series of interesting tests with flying colors. Then real life begins very quickly for Rose and her friends. Rose is at Court with her fellow guardians, as well as Lissa and Adrian awaiting her first guardian assignment. But she's obsessed with investigating the vague idea that strigoi can be "cured." In typical headstrong Rose fashion, she doesn't hesitate to take crazy, dangerous risks to get what she wants. Her loyal friends are right behind her. She does find out a possible way to "cure" Strigoi but is horrified to realize the sacrifice it would require. If she has to choose between the love of her life and her best friend, who would she choose?

Amazingly, this complex plot was only half the book. Every chapter brings new danger or adventure that left my stomach in knots and my fingers with paper-cuts from turning pages too fast. It was so suspenseful that I couldn't resist turning to the end of the book about 2/3 of the way through. That was a stupid thing to do. There is a huge plot twist at the end. The rest of the book was hard to read. I kept yelling at Rose not to do this or to do that. I actually had to put the book down for a day to calm myself.

All the suspense and plot twists are, ironically, what keeps this book at 4 rather than 4.5 or 5 stars for me. The series is starting to feel a little over the top (if it wasn't already). It makes me think of a TV show that's been on the air for a few too many seasons and has to create increasingly wild storylines to keep things fresh. I think I see the greater point of the V.A. plot twists, but I still wonder if the series should have wrapped up sooner. I won't really have an answer to that until the last book comes out.

Putting my few quibbles aside, Spirit Bound made me love all the characters more. Rose has matured quite a bit from the first book. I say only "quite a bit" because she still opens her big mouth far too quickly and puts herself and friends in danger without adequate reflection. But she's does think more - about her future, about Lissa, about Adrian, about politics, about consequences. Lissa has really grown. She shows more backbone in each book. We also get to see her flaws - her stubborn refusal to forgive Christian unless he forgives her first. Adrian is...sigh...wonderful. I was always so-so on Adrian in previous books. Now I am thoroughly Team Adrian. He is head over heels in love with Rose. He's still the handsome, devilish playboy in many ways, but he also would do anything for Rose. He is endlessly loyal and treats her with the understanding and respect that few guys would.

Every page of Spirit Bound pulls me into the plot and makes me root for the characters more. I can't wait until Last Sacrifice comes out!

I waited months for this book to be released. The end of Blood Promise left me with such high hopes for Spirit Bound. I was sadly disappointed. SB was a little hard to read after the first four books were so Rose/Dimitri heavy. How can you go from that incredible love story to Rose being a blood whore for Adrian??? Also, Adrian annoys me. I think he is a spoiled rich moroi with no ambition. All he seems to want to do is follow Rose around. Why??? He should be in college or get a job...I just don't see the chemistry there. I was surprised by some of the intense scenes with Rose/Adrian and found them hard to read. I wasn't too surprised with Dimitri's reaction. I mean he used to feel guilty about killing strigoi when he was a guardian. However, he said some really mean things, although I know he didn't mean them. It was still hard to hear and very sad. Then towards the end he tries to save her from the guardians. Then it is back to Adrian looking at Rose with love in the courtroom and Dimitri staring at her intently??? I'm so confused...I'm a little worried about how LS will end. All in all, I'm not sure Rose should or could have a truly happy ending. I mean she will be guarding someone 7 days a week at some point. It would be really hard to have a relationship. Plus, Rhonda's upside down two of hearts also makes me wonder...Maybe she will sacrifice love to be a guardian like her mother did. I sure hope not, but who knows...Richelle Mead has definitely set this up so that anything can still happen, nothing is certain, and all cards are on the table. It will be interesting to see how it all unfolds. I just hope LS is better than BP and SB. My faves are still 1-3.

I like a lot of people that have left reviews have been waiting for this book for a long time and was really looking forward to it coming out. Well...I was rather disappointed. This book was longer than Mead's other books in the series but I felt like nothing really happened.

The characters didn't seem to be consistent with how she has developed them through the previous books. And I was really disappointed with how Rose's relationships with both Adrian and Dimitri went no where, there was no development in that area at all. I was also disappointed with the way you were built up to this secret masquerade ritual for royals which turns out to be absolutely nothing?!? I wasn't really into the book until the very end when the trial takes place but it gets cut off right in the middle of things happening leaving you just hanging there.

I feel bad for writing such a negative review as I do love the series but I was really let down with Spirit Bound. However, I am still a lover of the characters and hope that the next book will make up for this one.

4 Stars. This one kept me on my toes. Strigoi can be given life from a Spirit Moroi. Victor is free and hiding. Adrian and Rose are attempting a relationship, as taboo as that is. Dimitri has spies on Rose and he promises that he will end her life. The list of plot and character twists is long and surprising.

The following review is spoiler-free for those who haven't yet read 'Spirit Bound'. But there are spoilers of books 1 - 4

*****Loose ends*****

`Blood Promise' started out on a somber note, with Rose going off on a journey to kill her lover turned Strigoi, Dimitri. `Spirit Bound' has a somewhat more peculiar beginning. At the start of this, the 5th installment to the `Vampire Academy' series, Rose is intending to find Dimitri... and undo his Strigoi `undead' curse. Yet she also understands that if worse comes to worse, she will kill him.
It's a slightly less crystal-clear mission statement, and as a result `Spirit Bound' gets off to a shaky start. It's made even rockier by Richelle Mead's need to tie up loose ends at the Dragomir Academy. Since `Spirit Bound' takes place primarily outside of the school grounds - minor characters like junior Jill Mastrano are all but given a send-off (but also a hinted return... possibly for the VA spin-off?) and Rose passes her final guardian test.

I'd say the first 100 pages of this 496-page book are dedicated to tying up loose ends, setting the scene for this and the final 6th installment and just generally meandering along until Rose discovers the secret to saving Strigoi souls.

It's not until halfway through that you appreciate those first 100-pages of filler and calm, because once the action starts, it does not let up. Richelle Mead is a master of suspense - be it action or emotion - she leaves readers in a constant state of heart palpitating, blood boiling, edge-of-your-seat wonderment.

*****'A Rose by any other name...'*****

Rose has definitely changed. Over the course of four books she's become a bit harder, a bit tougher and a lot meaner. Fair enough. Rose has had to grow up quickly since returning to St. Vladimir's - she's seen people she loves die, she's killed more Strigoi than Vladimir's can give molnija marks for... heck, she's even set-out on a mission to kill the man she loves. And all of those trials and tribulations have come to form this new Rose Hathaway in `Spirit Bound'. She is a woman changed, and I found myself not liking all of those changes. In this novel she does the unthinkable and consciously puts her friends, including Lissa, in danger. This is something Rose of previous books would have never even considered, but in `Spirit Bound' she is desperate - hell-bent on obtaining hope and proof of Dimitri's salvation.

This is not to say that Rose is any less impressive. She's still the same ballsy, brash, sharp-tongued, kick-ass heroine we've come to know and love. Just with slightly sharper edges. And if you still think the beloved Rose of past books is gone for good, look forward to a hilarious scene in which Rose hands moroi queen, Tatiana, her ass on a plate. That's the Rose I love.

*****Much Ado about Adrian*****

I didn't like the way Rose treated Adrian Ivashkov in this book. At the beginning of `Spirit Bound' we discover that Adrian's hot-pursuit in `Blood Promise' paid off, and he and Rose have been dating for a few months. I admit, I didn't start warming to Adrian until `Blood Promise', but in that book he proved how much he cares for Rose, and he really stepped up to the plate. He will never be on-par with Dimitri as a love interest for Rose, but I do like Adrian.
In `Spirit Bound' it feels as though Rose is using and disregarding him - he seems very disposable to her and she never takes their relationship too seriously, though it seems Adrian does. I wish Rose had treated him better. He may not be her HEA, but in `Spirit Bound' he is a romantic casualty to Rose's hardening character and I couldn't help but sympathize for him.

I really hope Adrian has a big role in the VA spin-off. It feels like he will. We won't know until the final book, of course, but Richelle Mead has done such a great job at reforming his character and making him into a fan-favourite. It feels like Mead is saving up his storyline for the upcoming spin-off series, but that's just my own speculation (and hope!). It just seems like such a waste if she built his character up to such great heights, only to write him as Rose's cast-off, silver-medallist to Dimitri.

*****Lissa steps up*****

This is the first book in which I started liking Lissa. I know, I know! She's Rose's best friend - but I never responded to Rose's impassioned speeches about how much she treasured Lissa - I could never get past my interpretation of their friendship as being master/slave. Lissa the dragomir princess, and Rose her lowly bodyguard. In this book Lissa really holds her own and has Rose's back. It only took four books, but I can finally see Rose and Lissa's kinship. Lissa certainly steps out of her role as dainty dragomir princess, and shows her worth.

*****School's out*****

One of the concerns I had going into this fifth instalment, was setting. I liked but didn't love `Blood Promise' - partly because a good chunk of the action occurred in Siberia, although Mead used the shadow-kiss bond to keep a portion of that book on school grounds. It's tricky, because the series is called `Vampire Academy', but the way the way that the storyline has progressed means the series will have to adapt and depart from the Vladimir school grounds. Hey, even Harry had to leave Hogwarts eventually.

`Spirit Bound' takes place in Alaska, Las Vegas and the Moroi Royal Court. With these scene settings the story expands and becomes more layered - particularly when court politics becomes the focus. And when some big changes are made to dhampir/moroi society Mead effectively ensures the longevity of this series. I really loved all the court politics. It's adding a new perspective to the series and effectively taking it out of the small-scale school setting to play-out on a much grander stage.
There are HUGE repercussions and upheavals in this book, ones that will impact the upcoming VA spin-off as well as the sixth and final instalment. I won't give anything away, except to say; `the times, they are a changing'.

*****Rose/Dmitri - the saga continues*****

And what's a `Vampire Academy' book without the Rose/Dimitri saga? Rose and Dimitri are epic. True love, star-crossed, heart-meltingly epic. But I was a tad disappointed with their storyline in `Spirit Bound'. I won't say too much, except that I expected a bang and got a whimper. To be fair, a lot of their arc in this book is laying groundwork for 6th instalment, `Last Sacrifice'.

I got the feeling that Mead is holding her cards close to her chest regarding these two, and things won't become explosive until the end. If you're a Richelle Mead fan and read her other series' then you know that the path to true love never did run smooth in Mead's worlds - I'd say keep that in mind when reading `Spirit Bound'.

*****Finally...*****

I loved this book. Loved, loved, loved. I stayed up until 1AM so I could finish reading and now I fully intend to go back and do a re-read. I am a Richelle Mead fan-girl, from `Georgina Kincaid' to `Dark Swan' - she never fails to please, and that's certainly the case with `Vampire Academy' and this 5th book. Mead had a lot of cliff-hangers to tackle, and scene-setting to pave for `Last Sacrifice' - and she does both in `Spirit Bound', to the nth degree.

`Last Sacrifice' comes out this year, December 14, and will be the last VA book narrated by Rose Hathaway. But Richelle Mead has a spin-off series secured... but we won't know who the narrator or other players are until the curtains are drawn on `Last Sacrifice' and we know who the lasting characters standing are.
I. Can't. Wait.

I have to say i really Like this series it has stayed strong from first to final and this book does not disappoint. I don't want to give to much away but this gripping novel with give you your vampire and romance fix and have you so involved in the story you would think you were there. I love when a book can have you picturing it in your mind as you read, this is one of those books. A must own and got a place on my book shelves right next to the rest of this series

I really like this series, but this book is not quite like the others. Many readers are slamming the book because of the plot progression, or they don't like what some of the characters do. Looking back at all the characters I feel like their actions make perfect sense. Goodness! Even Rose's treatment of Adrian was understood by Adrian himself (those who read it: you know what I mean, those who didn't yet: read it and find out). Rose, Dimitri, Adrian, Lissa and Christian are all doing what they're supposed to do in the situations they are put in, especially considering who they are as characters.

I agree with some others that there were moments in which the speed of the plot slowed down a bit, however, I believe that there's a reason for that. This book is the ULTIMATE set up for the final story. There were many times when I got to a point and asked myself why did Richelle Mead put this part in? Why was it even necessary? But having read her past books I believe (at least I hope) that it is all part of her master plan. Still, it was interesting nonetheless.

All in all, her writing is still quick, witty, and sassy. The story was entertaining, and we were introduced to some new characters with ties to Rose's past. There are more emotionally charged scenes as opposed to action-packed scenes, but hey, we're dealing with young men and women, of course that's bound to happen!

Just read the book and enjoy it!

I loved the Vampire Academy series from book one and I have to say that I enjoyed Rachelle Mead's work through out the series. Her twist amd turns in the book made you want to not put the book down, and thats exactly what I did. I read as much as I could when I could. Rose's life gets complicated (as it always does) and I wasn't surprised to see that she pulled through again. If you haven't read the book and don't want spoilers, look away. In book four, she got that note from Dimitri and she gets couple more, not a big surprise, and it turns out that Lissa gets kidnapped not even halfway through the book! and it's kind of obvious that Rose will do anything to save her. But it turns out that Lissa does something unforgettable to Dimitri.
Towards, sadly, the end of the book, Rose is faced with something that she might not be able to get through. Despite Tatiana's attitude towards Rose half the time, and Rose's attitude back, Tatiana trusts Rose, with what I think, her own life. But, Rose is framed for murder and I think we all know that she wouldn't murder who was murdered. For how important this person was, the penalty is execution.
So I'm not going to say anymore other than that these are really good books and I suggest that you start readung Spirit Bound immediately!

Without talking too much about the summary of the book (spoilers!), I just wanted to briefly describe why I LOVED this book so much. The last book in the series where Rose heads to Russia to destroy newly turned Strigoi Dimitri, had its moments, it really did; however, there was just so much "nothing" while the anticipation of the Dimitri/Rose reunion and the possible romance between Adrian and Rose seemed anticlimatic.

With "Spirit Bound", I never felt like I was just dragging my feet through the words to get to the "good stuff" - the entire book was full of action, adventure, lust, love and OMG moments that keep me eagerly anticipating the next installment!

So many reviews tell you the story and I don't want to do that. Heres my opinion because I just put the book down.

I love the series, it kidnapped me and I did not want to be found. More action thn Twilight and I think this might even be a better movie if made. BUT....

i'm conflicted with Spirit Bound. I waited for it because Blood Promise ending was amazing and left me on edge.

This series there were some dragging parts. But when it picked up it really picked up. You couldn't help but adore Adrian but LONG for Dimitri. The whole Christian and Lissa drama was a little immature and not as captivating in the previous books. I am proud however, that Lissa wasn't the damsel in distress so much and actually had a little Rose fire to her. Court parts where a lot boring.

Something amazing happens which keeps you on edge only to frustrate you later.

Rose is even more amazing in this book as her being a guardian. HONESTLY...i needed more from Dimitri and Rose.

6 months is too long for the next one, I feel a little cheated i didn't get the Dimitri Rose high from this book, I didn't even get teased, I got left hanging.

Wow,,, that is my first impression! There was a lot going on in this book, but I won't go into detail and become too spoilery, because you DON't want to be spoiled! In this book, as with Blood Promise, I cried over Dimitri and his relationship with Rose, but we also got to see more of Rose and Adrian together, and that was refreshing. This is one of the best in the series and highly recommended. Although you could probably read this without reading the other 4 books in the series, I would highly recommend running right out and buying the other 4 before you dig into this one. Richelle Mead rivals Stephenie Meyer in her writing style and storytelling ability.

*Spoilers!
So I've loved this series from book one, but to be honest, Rose started to annoy me in this one. I don't like the girl-obsessed-with-guy angle so much. It's not as bad as Bella in Twilight, thankfully. But I don't like how Rose is so willing to hurt Adrian whenever it suits her. She's so obsessed over Dimitri. She's willing to put Lissa and anyone else in danger. I don't like it when the obsession with these girls becomes so unhealthy--not what you want to see in a real relationship or a fiction relationship. Anyway, having said that, I thought Lissa and Christian were great in this book. I would have liked to have seen even more of them. And I love Adrian, he's the comic relief you need as well as just being totally devoted to Rose. I thought the book ended on a great cliffhanger, even though the Rose/Dimitri storyline continues to drag out into 6 books at this point. But the new direction of finding Lissa's long-lost sibling is definitely new and fresh. For anyone hooked on the series, this book is a must-read. But be prepared that Rose can be a little annoying. Her self-absorbedness can be tiresome.

I couldn't stop reading the book.I really loved it,but here is what I liked most about it.

Usually the authors start to chew the subject and the puzzle is not solved till the end of the book and the book ends as soon as it is solved.That sucks.That was how I felt with "BURNED" (house of night series book)

However that was not what R.Mead did.She was definitely not affected by the book number quota she has to fill.Dimitri issue is solved in the middle of the book.We learn if he can be saved or not.That was definetely not what I expected.My guess was that it was going to take ages to put Rose's plans into action with a lot of barriers appearing in front of them.BUT NO!!!Thanks to R.Mead I got what I hoped for.

The end was so sudden though.I do not know how I am going to wait till December,but I am also happy that I do not have to wait for a year or more.

Richelle Mead has done it again. This is a wonderful book and it really contributes to the series. It's much better, in my opinion, than Blood Promise. It's got a lot of action, and lots of drama. But you would expect that with Rose around, wouldn't you. It was a really great read. Hard to put down. I was really shocked by some of the twists that the plot took. But in a good way. Lissa discovers something incredible that her spirit powers can do that could change the whole vampire world. The action never stops. Whether it's breaking into a high security facility and releasing a dangerous convict or fighting off Strigoi to save the ones she loves, Rose will constantly have you guessing what she'll do next. Rose kicks ass in combat once again. And she seems to be growing as a person as well. She's perceived to be immature and reckless by the conservative Moroi, but really she's just bluntly honest and doesn't wait around for things to worsen. She's a fiery, take-action kind of girl. Also, the emotions that Rose and Dimitri face when they are reunited had me completely engrossed in the book. Rose is in a bit of a pickle in the boy department. Can she reconcile with Dimitri and leave Adrian? It's obvious that she loves Dimitri a thousand times more than she loves Adrian, but so far that's only hurting her. Dimitri's hurting her, emotionally. Or will she choose Adrian, the safe choice. The guy who is completely addicted to her and would do anything for her just to be with her. Rose should have time to contemplate that while she's in prison. That's right, Rose is in prison. You've seriously got to read this book.

I cannot tell you how much I looked forward to this book coming out. VA has been my favorite series for years and every book (prior to this one) was better than the last. It literally was getting better and better. The height of awesomeness was reached somewhere between the last half of Shadow Kiss and Blood Promise. Then Spirit Bound came out.

Granted, my expectations may have been a little high. But Spirit Bound left me feeling empty. The first few books were thick with plot, character development and pure intrigue. Spirit Bound left me feeling like I'd just read a magazine. There was no suspense...nothing builds. Like expecting a meat and three dinner and only getting the side salad. The first 4 books, I distinctly remember my heart pounding until I didn't think I can take any more. That never happened in this book. There are a couple scenes which I think were supposed to be suspensful. But things just happened, out of the blue, and then they were over. It was all very confusing.

That being said, I still love this series and Richelle is still one of my favorite authors. She has it in her to deliver the goods in the final book. Let's hope she can tap into that raw emotion she displayed in Blood Promise and end this thing with a bang.

If you still haven't read Vampire Academy book series, then it's the last time to do it!

This 5th book in the series had everything I expected from it. It captured my attention till the last page and I simply couldn't put it down. Now, I know that's been said about lots of books - them being a page turner. But in this case it's more true than for any other book I've read, and believe me - I've read MANY. These books are ALIVE, the characters are so vivid that it makes you feel their pain, their joy, their happiness and finally - their love! Rose's and Dimitri's story is an EPIC one! I've also read Twilight, but it has absolutely nothing against Vampire academy. Here you can see the growth of characters, especially Rose's, also Lissa's, a true love, never loosing it's power. While reading "Spirit Bound" I saw what real "never giving up" means, I saw the power of hope!

Now I can't wait for the 6th and final book of Rose's story. An for all of those who are still deciding whether to buy and read this series, I say - don't hesitate any minute more! Just go to the closest book store or buy it on the net. You'll never regret it, that I can promise you!

I have to say that SB was probably my favorite book so far in this series. I LOVE the tension and the twists involved with Rose and Dimitri and Adrian. Although, as a Romantic, I want Rose to be with Dimitri, I love Adrian almost as much and would love to see her with him! It's a little frustrating but that is why I love this book. Nothing is simple in SB and more things are added into the story. I've read reviews saying that there was no plot to the story but in my opinion, the plot is all about Rose risking everything for one small hope in bringing Dimitri back, as well as Rose trying to earn her way (and failing of course, because, well, Rose is just Rose) back into being Lissa's Guardian.

The ending of the book was extremely abrupt and was infuriating to me when I read it. Like other reviews, it was like I had only read a half of the book. However, I do not feel bad about reading SB before LS comes out in December. I read SB in 2 days, reading 350 pgs the last day because I was completely captured by the story. If you are on the fence about getting this book, let me push you over the edge toward purchasing it. IT WAS GREAT! Do yourself a favor and get the book because I don't think you'll be disappointed at all. The only thing that may aggravate you is te abrupt ending...but be honest with yourself. Don't books that have such amazing characters and end their books like Vampire Academy just leave you craving more? I was upset SB ended like it did but nothing will keep me from reading LS when it comes out in December. NOTHING! LoL :)

I am a huge Richelle Mead fan and have been anxiously awaiting the release of Spirit Bound. I just finished reading it and it was a fantastic book!! The continuation of the storyline was handled beautifully and as usual she kept me on the edge of my seat wondering what would happen next. Like all her books it was the perfect mix of action, love, and friendship. I am always so impressed by Mead's storytelling ability with each new novel that she writes into her various series. All her books are so entertaining and Vampire Academy is my favorite book series ever! I am so stoked for Last Sacrifice!!

I love this series. I'll always love this series. Every few years I find myself rereading these books. If only she would have kept going. Not even a whole book but maybe a short addition that wrapped up all the loose ends.

VA series is amazing! Addicting, satisfying and thrilling. Spirit Bound takes us further with our favorite characters, Rose, Lissa, Adrian, Christian and of course Dimitri! There is enough pain and suspense to make force you to stay up late neglecting your sleep, need for food or a shower for that matter. I know it has been put in the YA category, but really... love, pain, death, remorse, forgiveness... there are lessons for everyone. This will be enjoyed by everyone. SO good. Read it... you won't be sorry!

This was a great book; however, it had a really slow start. It took me about 12-15 chapters into the book before it really began to get interesting; I almost gave up. I am so used to VA books drawing you in right from the beginning and keeping its hold on you the whole way through. >:-( I gave the book 4 stars rather than three because although it was difficult to stick through the first half of the book, the second half was action packed and had me on the edge of my seat! The last half of the book was amazing and I am now looking forward to the next.

Loved this book. Read it in a day. I do have to say that I wish Dimitri was in it more and that the ending was both disappointing and hopeful all at the same time. Lots of fun twists and turns. Leaves you analyzing who did what until you are blue in the face, but that is always fun. I think I have book six figured out. Not sure if I can wait until December though. Better start a new series to keep me occupied!! Still can't stop thinking about Dimitri and Rose. My favorite fictional couple ever!! :+)

Thanks to Richelle for being such an awesome author!! This series blows Twilight out of the water and I am a huge Edward fan. Bella is just lame.....Rose kicks butt!! Hope movies are to follow very soon.

After the sad and powerful ending of book four the series seems to be more on track when things began to be going right. School ends and Rose shows us once again that she the best guardian in her class. Rose and Lissa hunt down Victor to find out more about changing Dimitri back to his old self.

However when Lissa succeeds in breaking the strogi curse on Dimitri he seems to care more for Lissa then his beloved Rose. Rose and Dimitri relationship has even more bumps in the road as she is in a commited relationship with Andrian and Lissa has a long lose half sibling, which I suspect is Jill.

Rose is also up for murder, as her stake is found stabed in her heart. I think that it clearly a member of the queen's family, I think it maybe Andrian's mother, so her husband can become king and of course they can come their law intact, about dhambir becaming guardians at sixteen instead of eighteen. I can't wait for the sixth and last book in the series

Darcy Kath, Author Of Tyson Stone And The Legend Of All Legends

Absolutely amazing!! It was everything I wanted and more! I must admit, I don't read a lot of young adult novels but believe me when I say that you'll definitely want to add the Vampire Academy series to your MUST read list. If you're into the whole paranormal fantasy world, you will not be disappointed. In fact, this is probably one of my favorite series - and that's saying a lot as I go through books left to right.

Shadow-Kissed left me so so so miserable. I was so miserable that I couldn't even read other books for a while, lol. Blood Promise gave me hope - to learn of that a Strigoi could possibly be saved? Heck yeah. But Spirit Bound? Like I said... It was everything I wanted and more. There were definitely parts of the story that left me aching, crying (I don't cry easily), and upset. I don't want to give too much away but just be prepared to be truly affected after reading this book. I think it's great when an author can make you feel all this and more.

Uhhhhh! This was such an amazing book! So much happens within the 300 pages. It's well written and has an intriguing story line that keeps you captivated. I literally didn't put it down until I was done...then screamed in frustration that book 6 isn't already out. I liked this one better than the last, which I also liked, but it was more in keeping with the first couple in the series.

There are plenty of book synopsis posted here already, I just wanted to add my "stars" and give my two cents.

I take back what I said about the previous book in this series...THIS is the best one so far. Rose's adventures in this book are above and beyond anything in the other four. And the end of the book? Cliffhanger extraordinaire!!

This was one of the best book series that I've read. This series was 6 books long and each book made you want to read the next one. And, books 2 - 6 were better than book 1. I thoroughly enjoyed this series. Hated it to end!

You want a book that keeps you guessing through out it all just wondering what is going to happen, this is it! Because it's the second to last installment. It's a good read, and a good series book all together.

So what that it's not on the Kindle? I have the other 4 books on my Kindle also, but when I noticed that this was not available on Kindle yet - what did I do? I got it SOMEWHERE ELSE! They still print BOOKS, you know the ones made from (gasp!) paper and you can also hold in your hand and and turn the page with your finger. I'll give you a review from a Kindle owner who isn't whining that it's not on Kindle.

I really enjoyed Spirit Bound. While it dragged in a few places, it kept me drawn to the story. It shows you the bond between Lissa and Rose and how far a friend would go to help out another friend in need. Actually the character that I loved the most was Adrian. I think he's grown up a lot in this book and shows how he truly does love Rose. I'm also glad how the brought back other characters for the other books.

Now to patiently wait for the 6th book - which I'm sure I'll enjoy, regardless if it's on the Kindle or not

Ok where to start- I got my pre-ordered the store copy yesterday - got home from work and promptly read until I finished at 3 am. It was worth it even though this was my least favorite book I still could not put it down, even yelling out at some scenes.

It's hard to write a review without giving stuff away so sorry if this is a little bland. While there are TWO MAJOR events that occur in this book, some of it I found just a bit too unbelievable and the ending cliffhanger was like huh? It was not a good place to end but left me on edge so I guess Ms. Mead knows what she's doing.

I liked that everyone was out in the real world but court sort of reminded me of school and they spent a great deal of time there. I wish we heard about Dmitri's family but they are nowhere to be found in this book. I thought it was brilliant what Ms. Mead is doing with the storyline of the Moroi-Dhampir overall system of life - a lot of that is brought to life now that they are adults & at Court. However, the love story that makes me sit on edge with Dmitri & Rose just didn't do it for me in this book - that's all I'll say because I don't want to give away any more.

Despite my dislike of the end and a sadness over some of the set-ups I still could not put this down so that, I feel, is the best test of a great book. Now I have to figure out what the heck I'm going to do until December!!!

Good read? Yes
Was I bummed when I was finished? Yes
Will I read the next book? Yes
Would I buy or reserve the library copy? LIBRARY for sure. This is not re-read material.

Big let down was that by the time the book really heated up it ended. The plot and story was easy going- with a few rush moments. Bottomline is that R. Mead will sell lots of #6 book when she publishes. The characters are developed but Rose was left in quite a pinch.

This book was another great read that left me running to the next one. So many twists and surprises, and yes, the love story to rival all love stories. Very well written, with not a single detail left out. This series has all the elements to be a bestseller.

This will contain SPOILERS so if you don't want them, don't look.

I'm not sure how I feel about this book. Sure, I liked the idea of them breaking Victor out of prison, but come on, it does seem a bit extreme that they broke into such a high security prison. If I was a Moroi, i'd be a bit worried. But that is something I can get over. I thought the information that Victor and his brother provided about how to change a Strigoi back was interesting. I liked the little twist that Lissa had to be the one to do it. I was okay with the capture of Lissa and Christian by Dimitri, but that was a bit predictable. I got a little annoyed with how Rose kept treating Adrian throughout the book.

What annoyed me was how Dimitri treated Rose. Look, I understand that he appreciated Lissa a lot for what she'd done, but c'mon, give Rose some credit too. I mean the way he acted made me feel like it was Dimitri, but at the same time like it wasn't. He almost seemed too different to be Dimitri...Was that how we were supposed to feel? I just didn't like how he was acting towards her. I just wanted to shake him. I know he'd been through a lot, and he was shaky, but I didn't like him right after he changed. But I felt like he was a little closer to being himself when they saw each other in the cafe before she got arrested. I don't think i'll ever think of Dimitri the same unless he becomes a well respected guardian again. But that's more of a personal thing than a critique.

Like I said before, I didn't like how Rose treated Adrian. I like Adrian. I like his character a lot. For awhile I almost wanted Rose to end up with him. What I really didn't like was how Rose let him feed off of her. It made me feel disgusted and dislike her for that. But Rose was kind of annoying throughout the whole book. I felt like it was Rose from the first book opposed to how Rose had progressed through the last three. She was immature and it annoyed the hell out of me.

I liked Lissa and Christian's situation. I always enjoyed when it went to their point of view, and was even speed reading through some of Rose's parts just to read theirs. Mead did a nice job of keeping the tension between them, knowing that they both wanted each other but neither was willing to admit it, and she held off until the end. They slipped up in moments when they couldn't help it, and I loved that. THEY were the Rose and Dimitri of this book. I found their story more interesting than most of Rose's.

I liked how Dimitri protected Rose at the end, and was thrilled by how she described the way he took on all those guardians, but it almost seemed a little out of place. Yeah, it was nice to see what he'd do to protect her, but jeeze, I don't know how to feel. I felt like Mead should have approached their relationship differently. A lot of this is just personal stuff, but i'll say that I think this could have gone better.

Overall, I liked the book, but I wish it had been done differently. Rose seemed to have out-Rosed herself this time and I could barely feel any sympathy for her when Dimitri wouldn't give her the time of day. I wouldn't want some whiny, clingy, girl around me either after i'd just had my world turned upside down. Don't get me wrong, I love Rose and her attitude, but she just seemed overdone this time.

To conclude this horribly long review, i'll say that while there was some things i'd like changed, I still liked the book. I just hope the next, and last one, will make me fall in love with Rose and Dimitri again. Or maybe even Rose and Adrian. I just want the characters back that we've had in the last books. Not these new ones that seem so out of character.

As Rose Hathaway's story continues in Spirit Bound, she confronts danger, adventure, and love. At the end of Blood Promise we found Rose back at school, after several months in Russia hunting for her lover turned Stroigi. Her failed mission has put her at his threats to find and kill her as soon as she leaves school grounds. But Rose finds herself on a wild goose chase trying to hunt down a rare spirit user who might have changed a Striogi back. And on top of this Rose is still waiting for her guardian assignment. After her dropping out of school and getting into fresh trouble it is looking less and less likely that Rose will be able to guard her best friend, Lissa. The New York Times Bestselling series continues to bring suspense, action, and laughs in the fifth novel.

The Good: Rose, whose point of the story is written, takes us on another exciting, thrilling adventure. Her guardian "always in action" personality makes her take on the story interesting. I also enjoy when Rose goes inside Lissa's head through the bond and comments on what she is doing. Rose is always very passionate about everything she does. It makes the novel refreshing and intense. Spirit Bound does not disappoint in the twists and secrets that the previous four novels had. The story is always actively moving, not just stagnantly waiting for the "big climax" to come. This means you won't be able to put the book down.

The Bad: This contains one of my worst pet peeves: Cliff-hanger endings. I feel that books in a series should have a definite conclusion, while leaving some loose ends; because it is, of course, a series. Huge cliff-hangers, like the one in Spirit Bound, make me very annoyed. The other thing I disliked about this novel was the placement of the climaxes, I felt that the first came too early (almost the middle of the story). The second came too close to the end, leaving cliff-hangers like I stated earlier.

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Oh nooooo!!!!! I have to read the last book!!! Then it's over!!! No more Rose Dimitri and Lissa!!!! Great book as always but now I'm sad because the series is almost over!!! Good thing Rachel Meed created the spin-off Bloodlines!!!!

Holy cow this book was good!!!! Like really really good! It's my favorite so out of the first five...(not happy about the ending, but I'll live!) I will start the next and final book as soon as I'm done writing this! :)

This books is amazing! Fans will not be dissapointed. I know many other authors do, specially when spectaions are high, but not Richelle Mead. I've seen this book best described as a roller coaster, and it is correct. Once it's over it is worth the long wait and makes you beg for more. I cried, I laughed, and had my heart thumping like a samba drum. I could not put it down. The ending is such a great cliff hanger that makes a fall from Mount Everest look like a hill roll. It will be torture waiting for the next and last one.

Kudos to Richelled Mead. I read many of the speculations and questions ppl had before the book was published. Mead did not wait to answer those questions and shock us all. I have read all of Richelle other books and her talent shines in all of them. She really is a great writer.

I just finished this book and I am dying for the next one. Just like the others in the series, it had a slow start (first 20% of the book) then became one of the best books I've ever read. If you like YA paranormal romance, this is a must-read!!!

OK LOVED the 5th installment to the VA series. Although, I am a bit bummed where it ended. I feel like it ended abruptly. Didn't have enought fighting scenes, but that is just me. I was very suprised at Liss's character growing/maturng. Very happy about that. Was getting a little tired of "fragile" Lissa. Rose...well Rose is Rose and that is why I LOVE the series. She is a strong, independant, witty, lady! Love it!

this book is amazing! i only started to read the books because i could find nothing else and so i thought the title sounded intresting and read it and a now hooked to the series,it is full of twists and turns. i think this book is the best in the series and can't wait for the next book in december. i really want lissa and rose to patch things up. i also want dimitri and rose back together. i wonder if they will find mor spirit users and also want victor dashkov found. the next book is sure to be amazing(hopfully). richelle mead is an awesome author and the series so far is great. cant wait for the next book but at least i have school to distract me till then:)

That is all I am saying, I do not want to be a spoiler. This book was amazing. I can't believe how this went, I totally did NOT expect any of it. Mead said on her site the next book would be the last of Rose, how can she do this to us? I hope her and D get together in the final book and she is not in Lissa's head the entire time.

A little synopsis: SPOILERS!

Rose does her guardian trials with flying colors and gets the highest score. Rose, Lissa, Eddie and Christian all graduate and say goodbye to St. Vladimir's.

They go off to Royal Court in order to decide on their futures. Eventually they discover how to make the fairy tale come true, but it is so difficult and dangerous that Rose has second thoughts about getting it done.

Of course Dimitri finds them and attacks. Rose hesitates once again and Dimitri ends up killing a lot of innocent bystanders. Suffice to say that they escape, but with Rose harboring a guilty conscience for not taking care of Dimitri at the cost of human lives.

Lissa and Christian go on a college visit to Lehigh University (and because Rose was being Rose, she gets in trouble and is not allowed to go). Despite all their security, Dimitri and his band of Strigoi manage to kidnap them and use them as bait for Rose.

In the battle between the guardians and the Strigoi, Rose realizes that Dimitri has tipped the scales by messing with Lissa and she no longer hesitates when she gets the chance to finally stake him.

But...but...this is nowhere near the end of the book!

END OF SPOILERS

Fans of Richelle Mead's Vampire Academy series who think of the second to the last book in a series as "filler" before getting to the good stuff in the last book will be thrown for a loop by Spirit Bound. As readers, we are conditioned to expect that quests are extremely difficult and will last till almost the last chapter of the last book, maybe with a nice epilogue to wrap things up. It seems to me that the author is going for the bigger picture here. The VA series, in addition to love, longing, despair and hope, has also been about the inequalities between a "more superior" race and a race that cannot survive without them. Nowhere is it more evident to Rose Hathaway when she graduates at last and goes out into the real world. Out of school, she finally, fully realizes that as a guardian, her life is truly no longer her own.

So while what most of us have been hoping for happens in this book, I believe that more significant quests await our heroines and heroes. Redemption. Letting go. Radical changes in way of life. And most of all, True Love. I am too much of an optimist not to believe in Happily Ever After.

I had mixed emotions while I was reading Spirit Bound. Shock over what happens sooner than I thought it would. Frustration over how some people can be so stubborn. A great increase in my affection for Adrian. Another big heartbreak just when I thought everything was going to be all right. Relief at the reemergence of sanity and self-control. Once again, Richelle Mead has made me live vicariously through Rose. I don't know how she does it, but I, for one, am glad to go on the journey and can't wait where she takes us in Book 6!

This was the first book in this series that I actually thought about quitting. I was so bored after the first 150 pages that I actually wanted to throw it in the trash. But I forged on and actually started to enjoy it somewhere along their trip to Vegas. I started to feel at home with the characters again. I'm so glad that I stuck with it. It was definitely worth it in the end. WOW!!! What a cliffhanger. I can't wait to see what happens next!!!

When a series becomes this long, I think it's important for each book to have a sense of completion. This last book leaves you hanging out there with no idea how it will resolve or when. Now we have to wait for the next book to find out what happens. This book had a lot of filler and not much real content to it. The "big event" between Rose and Dimitri is glossed over in only a few chapters. I can't believe I was counting the days for this book!

i really loved this book i was both mad,annoyed,happy,sad,heart broken, and disapointed while reading everything.i dnt want to sound like bad person bxc ppl call me too nice nd tell me to stand up for my self,but, i realli dnt likelissa as much she seems wrong nd annoyin in ways im team rose all the way nd i realli wish lissa wuld stop being well an annoyin mouth head......i hope dat wasnt too mean it just my silly oponion but far all it was soo goooooooood and dimitri sounds soooooo hawtttt

I love Richelle Mead and really like this series. This is my favorite so far. The complexity of the story does not disappoint. I read it through in one sitting and when I got to the end I just kept looking for more. This was exciting and heartrending at the same time. I can't wait for the next book!

Wow! I am so addicted to this series. "Spirit Bound" is yet another amazing read by Richelle Mead. There is so much emotion and intensity in this series; Its so captivating. The personality of every character were very well expressed. This one was action packed; I must say Dimitri's character is heartbreaking in a good way... I guess I can't wait to read the last book, "Last Sacrifice" Wonder what would Rose have to sacrifice...

this has got to be one of the best books I've ever read! I never thought a book could be so filled with passion and romance and still have a main character like Rose, it is an absolutly fantastic book that should be read by everyone who loves fantasy. Sorry Stephanie Meyer but in some ways its better than Twilight...

I've read many, many books, specifically vampire books and this series is one of the best I've EVER read. This book in my opinion was the best of the entire series so far and the best book I've read out the many I've read this year. Absolutely AMAZING!!! Could not put it down, it has everything, Mystery, Love, Action, etc. So many things happen in this book it's insane. But the pace is not rushed. It keeps you on the edge of your seat and unable to stop reading. This is one of my favorite books by far. A must read.

I read all the other reviews, so I'll comment on what's been mentioned:

- The prison break. Really? 3 kids just out of school take a long weekend to break the "the crown's most evil villain" out of jail? All possible bc Rose got some out-dated maps of the area. OH, that's convenient. So, if we google any local jail, we can all just waltz in and take care of things? Make sure to disguise yourself first though. Snap, easy! I thought Victor had all these loyal and powerful followers....yet, they couldn't do it?? Yea...unbelievable, I scanned the whole process bc it was just silly to me.

- They're in Montana, Pennsylvania, Alaska, Los Vegas....sooooo much traveling in like one week....why not the moon next? Again, just unbelievable and silly....

- Rose.....whiny! Why?? She's brooding and sobby and pining over Dimitri. Understandably, but action, less whine. I hate the way she is using Adrian. Its just like Mason....and we all know what happened to him. The fact she even makes that connection and yet STILL doesn't break things off w/ him, that's just mean and selfish.

- Rose.....childish outbursts! Grant it, I sometimes can picture myself as Rose w/ snide remarks and what-not, but I believe if I was in the Supreme Court listing to them voting on raising taxes (again), I don't actually see myself shouting out profanities to the President. Even for Rose, that was just kind of beyond "her". Yes, the age law was crazy, but her actions were just over the top. At the way she was acting, stomping her feet and sticking her lower lip out, I expected the queen to put her in "time out".

- Lissa staking Dimitri? Spaghetti arm Lissa driving a stake through "one man army" Dimitri? He just stands there (too occupied by the fire that Lissa is strong enough to ignore??) to even stop her THREE attempts?? Ummm, no. I could have grasped it better if Rose had finally helped Lissa drive it in....but Lissa, by herself...nope.

- All the threats of making Rose an "office worker". They are going to make 16 yr old kids fight strigoi, and Rose a filer. That was a very lame attempt for "tension", I think. Threaten her with being a guardian to a really snobby family....that's believable. But filer...umm, no.

- Rose letting Adrian take blood from her. Not in the heat of the moment (it had passed), just a "nothing to watch on TV, so here's my neck" kind of moment. Yea, I felt really super disappointed with her for that. Dimitriti taking blood when strigoi was "bad", but she loved him and it was intoxicating. Rose being like, "Here's my neck, have a sip." It was a little hookerish for me. Her attachment to Adrian is weak (from her POV), so offering him her blood was just cheap....cheap cheap cheap.

- I HATE love triangles! Repeat: I HATE love triangles! Seriously, it absolutely KILLS true romance in books for me! Fine, have some curiosity, some flirting, even an experimental kiss.....but let the LOVE stay between the lovers! Rose and Dimitri...it was always them! Their love was forbidden, hot/cold, strained, dead and then brought back to life (sob)....and I loved every minute of it! So now, we have Rose and Adrian. All the love emotions in the book are for Dimitri, and yet all the physical stuff is with Adiran?! I'm not torn between the two...I feel like Rose is just being mean to Adrian and that makes me lose oober respect for her as a main character. With my opinion of her being so low, Dimitri is too good for her! At least as stigoi, he was faithful to her...sure, he wanted to kill her...but at least it was just her! Kind of a silly point on my behalf, but you get what I'm saying, right? Loyalty is what makes true love true!

- I like Adrian. I want him to be happy. I love Dimitri. I want him to be happy. Rose should be thrown in jail and Adrian can run off with Mia, Dimitri with Tasha. The end.

Ok, so I don't want it to really end like that....but I am just disappointed with the twisted love stuff. I am a HUGE fan of loyalty! Nothing is sexier than a man (or woman) standing by their love no matter what!! Confusion happens...but loyalty is a must! I'll read the next book bc I want to really see what unfolds, but I already feel the bitterness of one of 2 guys which I really really like being hurt!! (or if Adrian is a shadow of Mason, dead!!) I hope things can turn around and in the next book I can somehow find my faith in Rose and her worthiness of Dimitri....but where I stand now, I don't see that possible. This book really tainted Rose, in my opinion.

It really screws up other peoples outlooks on the books. It's really infuriating when a five star book gets a lower rating because of all the people complaining about the Kindle books not being available or costing too much. It's not fair to anyone looking for a good book and it's not fair to the author. If you have a problem with anything other than the contents of the specific book you're reviewing, please go find somewhere else to vent about it other than the review page for the book.

Basically...I'm pissed off at all the characters for one reason or another. This is the first book in the series I didn't rate a five star. I hope she brings back the characters I love (and their personalities)!

When you think Vampire story... You probably jump to all the regular cliche's.
The Vampire Academy is better than all of those. It contains passion, love, lust, betrayl, and everything you could ask for in a series. This is coming from a major twi-hard, the Vampire Academy trumps Twilight.
Spirit Bound was the most addicting for me so far. I had to leave my book at home before going to work just so i wouldn't be tempted to sneak into the back to read it, and when i wasn't reading it, thats all i could think about??
Delicious book to read, i didn't want to put the book down once, the supense is killer. Spirit Bound will leave you dying to know what happens next and leave you counting down the days until its sequel.

Richelle Mead does not dissapoint with her next installment of Vampire Academy! Awesome read that was hard to put down. Eventhough I couldn't get the kindle version and had to go to the store to buy the hardcover. It was well worth it!! Can't wait for the next book due out in December!!!

I loved this book. I read it in one day, i just could not put it down. My only problem is the cliffhanger...i can't wait until the next book comes out in December. Hopefully that book will be released on the Kindle. I ended up having to purchase the ebook somewhere else. I can't bring myself to purchase a paperback version when i'll only end up using it for a day or two.. then a few times afterward to just review it. Well hopefully with the next book Rose will finally be able to have thing fall into place, so far nothing has been able to in the series, and once it seems close everything just turns upside down.

What else can I say about Richelle Mead's writing style...simply mind blowing! All her books are well written and the character development in her stories is fantastic. I cannot wait to see how she will finish off the series; hopefully Rose and Dimitri will get the happy ending they deserve! I also want to add that unlike other authors that drag a series on and on to the point of boredom Richelle really knows when this story has to end; sadly for us the next book will be the last. This is my favourite series by far! Lastly I really liked this book but my all-time favourites are Shadow Kiss and Blood Promise. Team Dimitri <3

I wanted to cry when I read this. I have been waiting so long (like all of us have) and knew how great these books are and well this one felt like it was written by someone else. It totally fell short for me.

Reviewer:AppleAllen
My 24 year old daughter Rebecca is a stay at home mom to 3 young children.The Twilight series saved her sanity by introducing her to her best friends Lisa and Jen, and the girls are all huge fans of Richelle Mead. I have been an avid reader since I was 4, and I'm grateful to authers like Ms. Mead and Ms. Meyer for giving this generation of young adults an incentive to read and engage in dialoges with other fans. Keep up the great work, and thanks from a grateful mom.

Okay... so im am basically in love with this series... i waited it felt like a million years for this book to come out to finally find out if demitri would become normal again..... ahh... i really hope that there is ANOTHER book coming out because i almost died when i finished this one.... it left me hanging on some many things.... i really hope that wasn't the end... i need to be reasured that another book is coming for me... but really if you haven't read this series... YOU MUST!.. i loved these books soooo much the first ones my favorite :)

This book was so GOOOD!!!! Affected me in so many ways! It's fast paced and action packed. I reacted so strongly when reading this book. I smiled, gasped and swore through the whole thing. I literally cannot wait until the next one! December seems like an impossibly long time to wait!! This has to be the best one by far.

I struggle to finish the first three chapter, I put it down three time and came back, still find it very boring.
Really nothing happened, but if the writting is great I may forgive the boring story line.
Unfortunately the writting was like high school essay. I really find hard to believe spirit bound was from the same writer of the last four books.

I would hope last sacrifice would as good as first four books.

I won't write a full review or give out spoilers. However, I will say this book is worth reading. There were a few spots that got a little long winded but most of the book is great. It has a great ending that leaves you wanting the next book now!

All right, that's it. I'm giving Vampire Academy one more book before I give it up completely. What started as a series about two intelligent, spunky, independent girls finding their places in an often harsh magical realm while encountering action-packed adventures (and some cute guys) and taking each new twist in stride has now devolved into some occassional burts of interesting ideas from people who seem to mostly sit around all day and whine. Maybe I loved the series when it focused on just a few, real, highly developed characters rather than having new names and faces thrown at me every two pages and then disappearing before I could form a conscious thought about them. I miss the relationships I felt I had with Rose, Lissa, Dmitri and Christian. When I had to put a book down, or, especially, inbetween books, I worried about them. Now I cringe at the thought of having to read pages and pages where virtually nothing happens except them acting completely out of character.

My head and heart were simply not into these last two books. There seems to be nothing that the books are clearly heading towards and nothing that really makes me want to keep reading. The series needs focus and resolution and it needs it fast.

okay first of all ms. mead is awesome writer. what you really need to know is if you have not readed the other books exspecially the last one this is going to be hard to follow! My heart went out to Rose alot with what she goes through. Adrain is such a sweetie she is lucky to have him

This was another get Vampire Academy book I looked it. Vampire Academy is my favorite books I have read and can't get enough of them and can read them over and over. So much happens in this book it keeps you wanting to keep reading and not put it down. Great job Richelle Mead on another great book and thank you.

I believe this to be one of the best V.A. books yet. Action, love, heartache, mystery, loss, and unexpected turns. The ending is a true cliffhanger that will leave litterly screaming at the book for more. Well at least I did. I cant wait for the next one. I need some more Rose, Lissa, Dimitri, Adrian and Christian....can't wait!

I have always really enjoyed this series and felt that in the last volume (Blood Promise), the story and the characters had really come into their own. I have long felt that Vampire Academy stands head and shoulders above the rest in the very crowded supernatural teen fiction genre because of it's great writing and the author's ability to combine pulse pounding action and believable romance. Unfortunately, this addition to the series does not live up to it's predecessors. I found the plot to be contrived and the ease in which Rose and her crew accomplished their rescues to be totally implausible. The battle scenes generated no suspense or tension. Gone was the urge to coninue flipping pages long into the night. I knew how this was going to turn out, so it didn't matter. Key turning points in the plot seemed rushed, and elements of the story that could have generated suspense were glossed over or ignored. I felt the ending was abrupt and the "cliffhanger" not really much of one at all.

The characters have continued to develop and as always, I enjoyed Rose and her continued steadfast refusal to play by the rules. I was glad to see Lissa growing in confidence, and if there is one thing I look forward to in the next volume, it is to see what happens with Dmitri. All in all though, this book just seemed rushed and poorly plotted. I hope this series gets back on track with the next one, or I will continue to be very disappointed. Not a recommend.

I'm a huge fan of this series as much as the next person but what the hell ? I was bored and disappointed with this book. And I'm glad others loved it but you can't deny that this book series is starting to get stale and the chemistry is starting to get old and boring. Yes there's action but what else ? I've been getting bored with the last three books. And I hate that this has topped it off. And it's sad that I don't give a crap about Rose or Demetri now. And it's even sadder that I've never cared about anybody else in this series.
A good book series should give you a love for other characters other then the main people. It's just too bad I feel this way because I still care about the first three books mostly the first.
And I honestly think that it could get 3 stars for certain scenes and I think some of the fans are just bias and aren't really looking at it the right way. Where's the tensity? Plus Rose is a big mouth character who needs to learn some humility ! I use to respect her but sometimes a girl needs that quietness about them.
Kicking butt and voicing your opinion in a certain rude way doesn't make you a strong kick butt character all the time which I appreciate about Bella.

am i the only person who didnt really like this book?
It started of alright but once they got to the court i thought it was rushed everying happened so fast and perfect, i felf like Richelle was trying to get the book finshed really fast, but once they got to vagas it suddenly got better i loved the end of the book and im a huge vampire acdemy fan but i thought this book lacked the spark that the other four had. I think that maybe some flashbacks like in the fourth one would have been good.
-SPOILERS- I hated how close lissa and dimitri became and i to felt jealous like rose did, i cant believe dimitri he acted like a totaly douche he owed rose just as much as lissa.
Im gonna try and read the book again to see if its wasnt as bad as i thought but i did still enjoy it and i cant wait for the next book.

I agree with everyone. Loved the book. Frustrated with the cliff hanger ending only because I enjoyed it so much I wanted it to go on forever. I know the next book will be even better if the story line goes where I think it's going.

Spirit Bound had me reading into early morning hours!! OMG!! I can't wait to see what happens with Rose & the gang in the final book Last Sacrifice! This book will have you so enthralled & consumed you will be shocked you made it through to the end so fast!

I don't even know where to begin with Spirit Bound. I've been waiting for this book for a while and was really anxious to read it, so it was sort of a disappointment in parts and I really liked others.

If you read this series from the beginning, you get to this book prepared to Rose and her way - stubborn, impulsive, selfish and unselfish at the same time, high-handed, courageous, sharp-tongued, amongst other adjectives. What you're not prepared to is seeing Rose go back to her old ways after everything she's gone though in the previous installment. She's back to being the same Rose from the first three books just a little meaner and more bad-a s s. She hasn't really grown up as you'd expect, she keeps going head first on everything and no worries about consequences, this time she even puts her friends in danger because of that. Though this may be seen as courage, I have to say it's lack of thinking most of the time. Yes, she's brave, but she never puts herself on other people's shoes. She has her ideas and wants to impose it to everyone else, and when things don't go the way she wants she throws tantrums. I've seen that there will be just one more book in this series and it would be really sad if it finished and the main character didn't get to grow up in the process.

In terms of plot, I really thought it was weak though it had various aspects to it. You get three main locations with specific events in it, the court part was the worst of it, in my opinion. You get pages of Rose trying to think, brooding in her room (or wandering), not talking to anyone, having fits, while nothing really happens. She's always snapping, conflicted about Adrian, suffering for Dimitri, but no action really takes place. There's no big mystery to be revealed, nothing to keep us going. Then, finally the pace picks up, you feel like serious things are about to happen and...the book ends. Just like that! When you finally get involved in a real plot, there are no more pages to read. It's frustrating, to say the least.

The feeling I got by the end of this installment was that I was only allowed to read half of a book and they haven't published the other half yet. If I'd known this prior to reading I would have probably waited for the other one to come out and read both at once. I feel a little cheated after waiting this long only to get something I felt was incomplete. Having said that, I will definitely read the next one.

What can I say! Each book get's better and better! Some series like this pitter out... not this series! Each book gets better! You fall for each character more and more! Start from the first book in the series and hold on! Can't wait for the next one!

Lots of reviews on this one giving it 5 stars but I just can't agree. I waited so expectantly for this 5th book and it feels like a real let down. Not enough meat on the bones here- like the other half of the story is missing. I put the book down and basically felt like "hmm, should I even bother with this series anymore?" May have jumped the shark.

I absolutely love this series. I think it keeps getting better. I must say though I absolutely hated the end of this book...only because it left me wanting a whole lot more. Why did you have to end that way? I cannot wait for the next one. I am already making up endings in my head, but I am probably going to get it all wrong lol.
I am a big fan of Adrian and I am really hoping things work out for them. Dimitri kind of gets on my nerves.

You know when you read a series, and you get such anticipation for the book that your expectations become amazingly high and then you read then book and you go...well that was ok. Well that was NOT this book! I can't believe all the places Richelle Mead takes you with this story. The roller coaster your stomach takes because there are so many twists and turns.
I really dont want to say much because it'll give away so much.
But if you have enjoyed the other books in this series thus far then you will definitely not be disappointed!!
I would definitely not read this book if you haven't read the 4 others before it though.
I will always advocate for Richelle Meads writing because it is just amazing, and has a way of just sucking you in.

Will all of the Vampire Academy books be coming out on CD's? I see the last book has been realeased on CD; but not everone has the computer space to download all the audio books to there computers, The audio books take up to much space. I like the first two books so far but I would love to have them on CD.

as always i sat for an hour after finishing thinking about roses latest adventure. i cant belive what happened. i need the next book. it must come out soon. this book is an amazing book telling the story of a girl caught between rules logic and most of all love.

Really?!? That was it?!? From beginning to end this book was boring, depressing, and demeaning to the main character. I basically had to scan through all the filler because I was desperate to find the meat, which sadly I found little of. Betrayal, lack of concern, unbelievable actions from pretty much everyone... I'm confused, ticked-off, and most of all, let down. This whole book was a big downer.

Rose and Lissa graduate form St. Vladimir, they go to court to see how they are going to integrate the real world, but Dimitri is still trying to get to Rose and kill her, and she is trying to restore his soul, meanwhile there is a secret council vote that will change the way their world works.

Oh men! This was the second book that I was anxiously waiting this year and the second time I got disappointed, don't get me wrong I really like this series, the originality, the world, the characters, everything, but in this book I was really, really annoyed with Rose. I was annoyed that she use the past tense every time she talk about Dimitri (I loved him) when she, you and I perfectly know that that is still present. I was annoyed when she told Adrian about four times in the book that she want to work things out with him and the second he was out of sight she went back to you know who, why don't let the guy go and start healing his broken heart. I was annoyed that she beg and beg and beg again to Dimitri to be with her and that they can work everything by the force of powerful and true love. I was annoyed that she wanted credit for the things that happen along the book and not just one, like three times she said: "it was because of me", aren't heroines suppose to be altruistic? And beside half of the bad things in the book were because of her but that doesn't matter, there it was just a fleeting feel of guilt. I was annoyed that she talked about four times about not wanting let the barriers down to see if ghosts were around when ghosts aren't around St. Vladimir or the Court because of the protection of the four kinds of Moroi magic. I was annoyed to no end that she couldn't keep her mouth shut when everyone was begging for her to stop talking and making things worse. I was annoyed when she made references to Adrian's drinking and smoking putting him down when she knows the side effects of spirit users. I was annoyed when she looked into Dimitri's eyes and she saw a fairy tale of three of four paragraphs even though he was telling a different story. And finally I was annoyed with all the whining when things didn't go the way she wanted them, but maybe if she'd put some thought behind her actions and stop being reckless, impulsive and wanting her way every time, then maybe things wouldn't go so bad for her POV.

Besides that and that alone is enough for me to be dissatisfied, there was this kidnapping scene of two persons, but that was the most ridiculous thing ever, because to accomplish the reason behind the kidnapping they only need one person and the other person represented a big danger for the one doing it, and this person was suppose to be really smart but for the great miracle in the story we need that person in that place at that time even when it was lame. Third the book was predictable; I knew what was going to happen every time before it happened and sometimes the "mystery" was only in the characters mind, come on for a bunch of intelligent people they were real dumb, the secret vote was obvious in the moment they make the first question to Rose, but I guess they forgot what they lived and discussed in previous books unfortunately that wasn't my case. And finally I'm really sick of these love triangles when you got two great guys, you know who's the one, who'll get the girl but lets make people make teams and ride the wave, so it doesn't matter that the poor B guy will get his heart broken, smashed and thrown to the garbage because whatever the A guy and the girl lived happily ever after, subsequent to much debacle about being able to have two guys at the same time.

I liked poor Adrian, I liked the cliffhanger (not so much of a cliffhanger, every book ended kind of similar), I liked that Lissa grew more confident, I liked Cristian, I liked the guardian's attitude and I liked the action, and I liked that Dimitri reacted exactly as I thought he will, at least something is constant in this story, but all of that wasn't enough.

So I guess I don't have to tell you this was my least favorite book in the series, and I will still read the last one, well because is the last and I didn't invest this much time to not know how it ends. Now go nuts with the unhelpful button, these were my two cents.

I would first like to state that I have been a fan of this series for a long time. I have rejoiced at Rose's triumphs and had my heart crushed by the tragedies. I have fallen in love with the characters (or hate, as the description is appropriate) time and again. In that vein, I feel rather betrayed by this installment of the series. We begin the book with Rose's coming-of-age as she graduates, and then we as readers are made to suffer her childish rantings for the rest of the novel about how the world is not going her way. To avoid spoilers, I will not list any specific situations, but those who have read the book can certain spot the obvious change in her attitude. In this, the fifth book, we are faced with the childishness that we suffered through during the first book. We are faced yet again with a whining character who, instead of trying her best in situations, cries and throws tantrums when the world does not go her way.

Also, the main other departure from the earlier books and the general quality of this series is the general linearity of the storyline. The "plot twists" are very obvious and all of the actions taken by the major players are blatantly obvious and rather uncreative. It was difficult to read through page after page of predictable actions and conversations (most of which are overly-foreshadowed earlier in the series or in the book). All in all, this book was a sad departure from the creativity, ingenuity and the reading enjoyment that the first four books engendered.

I loved the background of this series and the supporting characters, but I absolutely despise Rose. Her smart mouth, whiny attitude in the first 3 books really irritated me. I had 2 teenage daughters and neither came even close to this girl's annoying attitude. In fact I never met a single female friend of my daughters who came close to behaving like this girl. If I had to go home to a daughter like this every day, I would stay at work as longer every day!

*SPOILERS AHEAD*

This series as far as I am concern, has survived on its story line and its supporting characters. I have listened to this many books in the series because I wanted to know what was going to happen to the supporting characters AND I kept hoping against hope that Rose would finally grow up and be rid of her hot hotheadedness. I book 4 it looked like it finally happened and I was starting to warm up to her. Then in this book Richelle Mead destroyed any positive feelings that I had for her AND her close friends when they all agreed to break Victor out of prison!! What is Richelle trying to tell us, that it is okay to commit horrendous crimes, as long as it is for love?! And what she put Adrian through for her love for Dimitri, was a crime also. And I have no compassion for Dimitri at all. He had his tragic role in the series and should have been moved out. I would rather find out more about the people in Russia. What happened to the unpromised guardians whom Rose was leading for a time? What happened to Dimitri's sister Viktoria? Did she stay away from that guy she loved who was just using her? And did Rose tell the Guardians about the estate Dimitri had taken over and if so, did they raid it?

I HONESTLY wished that he had left Rose's Las Vegas room, then called his aunt the queen and told her where the Guardians could find both Victor and the criminals who broke him out of prison. They all deserved to go to prison as far as I am concerned. Eddie and Rose had just graduated into the organization that they turned around committed SERIOUS CRIMES against! And Richelle Mead thought it was okay for Rose to drag all of her friends into these criminal activities. Richelle I don't what you are thinking about, but your story is not about a young woman who is struggling with love, but a young criminal who will USE ANYONE TO GET WHAT SHE WANTS!

I can not listen to this book for another minute as I am that angry in what Richelle has put in this book. I don't care how she tries to justify them breaking Victor out of prison. That was the last straw for me and this series.

Two words come to mind when thinking about Spirit Bound: Boring and disappointing. All this time I spent eagerly awaiting to read it, and now that I've read it, I feel so let down, it's not even funny. How could Mead do this to us?? Is she too burnt out on the series or does she want us to hate Rose and Dimitri? Seriously, I had such great expectations for this book, I was literally counting down the days to May 18. Today, I'm here at Barnes & Noble, returning the book for a refund.

Rose is a blood whore, and Dimitri should have been killed or remained strigoi. He should've never been brought back if he was going to be such an a**hole. First off, the whole prison break was so contrived and far fetched, that it shattered my suspension of disbelief.

Still, I pressed on just to see the miracle of Dimitri's rescue. Out of all the possible reactions Dimitri could have had after his restoration, Mead had to go a choose the absolute worst. And then to top it off, she tries to make us believe that Dimitri is going to give a rat's arse about helping Rose fight off the guardians who come to arrest her in the end.

Sorry, I don't buy it. I don't buy the part when Lissa managed to stake Dimitri, fire or not. I don't buy the part about Rose standing up to the queen publicly. I don't buy the part when Dimitri suddenly hates Rose. It's almost like Richelle Mead wasn't the author of this book. What the heck happened to her??

Did she grow overconfident because of her relatively moderate success? Was she so focused on shocking the readers that she destroyed the one element that made her series successful in the first place? (This being the awesome affair between Rose and Dimitri). What about Dimka's family in Russia? He didn't even have the decency to write them a letter to tell them he was okay???

I'm really upset, as anyone reading this review will notice. The irony was that I'd been so anxious, waiting for May 18th to arrive, that I started reading Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles just to kill the time, and, once I finally got a hold of Spirit Bound, I found myself longing to go back to Anne Rice.

And what's up with that ending? Was it supposed to be a shocking surprise? Because I saw it coming from the moment they announced that the queen had been murdered. And, c'mon, we all know that there's one more book left in the series, and Rose is not going to get executed, so what a disaster of an ending. I'm not looking forward to the next one.

I'll read it but I'll just wait until someone uploads a free pdf copy to rapidshare so I can read it for free. I won't spend a penny on the next book, that's for sure. I'm so let down by this book, that I no longer consider myself a Richelle Mead fan. I'm going to have to write my own Rose/Dimitri story if I even have enough energy to do that anymore. Honestly, after reading this book, I dislike them both. I was so in love with Dimitri, I never thought this would be possible.

And Rose?? Could she get any more clingy, needy and nagging? Is she really only 18? Because she acts more like a desperate singleton about to reach menopause. Does she even know the meaning of the word dignity?

In the last book, it was understandable for her to become a blood whore. She was Dimitri's prisoner and she didn't have much of a choice, but with Adrian??? She doesn't even love Adrian and now she's his blood whore?

Disastrous, appalling, nauseating, a complete and utter waste of time. Maybe it's time for Richelle Mead to move on to her next series. This one is done.

I will not buy any book published by Penquin after they cancelled my preorder on this book and raised the price. Morally this was a sales contract and they and the store failed to comply with it so they have lost my business forever - hope they have to close their doors and self publication (ebook publication) and smaller publishers that are being honorable take over. I hope Richelle Mead is reading these and see's this - she is a great author that needs to get away from this publisher!! One star for poor business practices.

I've been waiting a long time for this book. All the other series I bought on my Kindle. When it came to the date (yesterday) I was really looking foward in buying this book! Then I find out it's NOT on kindle. I'm not happy about that what so ever..

Why is this book not on the Kindle? Every other book of the series is so why the change? I have been looking forward to this book since the last one came out. I'm very disappointed with the author and the store!