Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.11 AVERAGE
4.11 AVERAGE
Oh… por… Dios…
Creo que es la única saga que cada término de libro me deja con un apretón en el estómago increíble, Rose… es una guerrera, Lissa… la odié pero luego comprendí los motivos así que se me quitó un poco el disgusto, Adrian… bello como siempre, Ozzera… me encanta, Dimitri… pues es ¡DIMITRI!
Sobre “ÉL”, ¡lo sabía! Mi intuición salió a flote, sabía que era él… y fue genial.
El motivo de la puntuación es porque hubo un lapsus (en el reencuentro) en el que no me gustó, se me hizo como demasiado lento, creo que estaba acostumbrada a que durante todo el libro solo existiese acción así que en ese sentido como que no me llamaba tanto la atención, pero luego que todo volvió a su rumbo, wow, volvió a revivir lo que tanto me gusta de estos libros, creo que me gusta ver (leer) a Rose dando patadas :D
Creo que es la única saga que cada término de libro me deja con un apretón en el estómago increíble, Rose… es una guerrera, Lissa… la odié pero luego comprendí los motivos así que se me quitó un poco el disgusto, Adrian… bello como siempre, Ozzera… me encanta, Dimitri… pues es ¡DIMITRI!
Sobre “ÉL”, ¡lo sabía! Mi intuición salió a flote, sabía que era él… y fue genial.
El motivo de la puntuación es porque hubo un lapsus (en el reencuentro) en el que no me gustó, se me hizo como demasiado lento, creo que estaba acostumbrada a que durante todo el libro solo existiese acción así que en ese sentido como que no me llamaba tanto la atención, pero luego que todo volvió a su rumbo, wow, volvió a revivir lo que tanto me gusta de estos libros, creo que me gusta ver (leer) a Rose dando patadas :D
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Very much hoping Rose is slightly less annoying in the next book
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
slow-paced
4 stars.
I feel like this was the 'growing pains' book. Many YA series go through this phase when the characters have to age up and out of their original setting. When I was younger I usually didn't like these installments in the series as they often feel like the characters doing nothing, but as an adult, I appreciated a lot of the themes that Mead dealt with. In the place of action, one of our characters had to deal with an abusive relationship, another had to deal with feelings of recklessness and depression, and all of this emotional upheaval tested the friendships that had been taken for granted throughout the series.
However, there was QUITE a bit of slut shaming in this book that really got on my nerves, but I'm hoping Mead is using that as a jumping off point for character development rather than establishing a 'pick me' vibe for the narrative voice. That mentality is a pet peeve of mine and if it sticks around for the long run I have a feeling it may strongly affect my enjoyment. For now I'll trust Mead because I've loved her thematic work and character development thus far.
Overall though, this was just as bingeable as the rest of the series and I don't see myself stopping until I finish the last book!
I feel like this was the 'growing pains' book. Many YA series go through this phase when the characters have to age up and out of their original setting. When I was younger I usually didn't like these installments in the series as they often feel like the characters doing nothing, but as an adult, I appreciated a lot of the themes that Mead dealt with. In the place of action, one of our characters had to deal with an abusive relationship, another had to deal with feelings of recklessness and depression, and all of this emotional upheaval tested the friendships that had been taken for granted throughout the series.
However, there was QUITE a bit of slut shaming in this book that really got on my nerves, but I'm hoping Mead is using that as a jumping off point for character development rather than establishing a 'pick me' vibe for the narrative voice. That mentality is a pet peeve of mine and if it sticks around for the long run I have a feeling it may strongly affect my enjoyment. For now I'll trust Mead because I've loved her thematic work and character development thus far.
Overall though, this was just as bingeable as the rest of the series and I don't see myself stopping until I finish the last book!
FIRST REVIEW / APR 2, 2014
The pacing and structure are a bit off in this one, to the extent that it seems a much more ‘setting things up’ book than the rest have been – but god, the content. The shit that happens. The world-building! The new characters! The shit that happens.
Rose Hathaway is my freakin’ everything.
---------------------------------
SECOND REVIEW / OCT 2, 2022
This one remains hard to rate! The first 2/3 of the book is technically valuable character-wise (Rose’s grief, her coping mechanisms, her immersing herself in a dhampir community and a family, learning more about Dimitri, learning more about her own family, her pushing herself on an obsessive quest) and worldbuilding-wise (Sydney and the Alchemists are great). But so much of it is waiting, and — this is a bit of a plot spoiler, but oh well — Rose’s time spent in captivity and addled from bloodloss + Strigoi toxins is slow and abjectly miserable, to the extent that I finally created a trigger warning: addiction shelf for this book.
Because it is rough. Rose is going through hell and we get to see her claw her way out of it (she is! so! great!), but it still means that we suffer in the meantime: nothing much happens, and she and the reader are just kinda spinning our wheels waiting for something to occur.
Then, the last 1/3. The action finally ramps up, it’s thrilling and terrifying and exultant and the stakes are so high, and then we get that ending. Rose fully embracing how much she fucking loves Lissa, and their best friendship being affirmed and back by each others’ side. Perfect feelsy catharsis between Rose and both her parents. The reveals and revelations about [REDACTED]; and it ending on this soaring triumphant badass moment where it’s like, “Hey. Hey Lissa. Wanna come do something really really stupid?
The pacing and structure are a bit off in this one, to the extent that it seems a much more ‘setting things up’ book than the rest have been – but god, the content. The shit that happens. The world-building! The new characters! The shit that happens.
Rose Hathaway is my freakin’ everything.
---------------------------------
SECOND REVIEW / OCT 2, 2022
This one remains hard to rate! The first 2/3 of the book is technically valuable character-wise (Rose’s grief, her coping mechanisms, her immersing herself in a dhampir community and a family, learning more about Dimitri, learning more about her own family, her pushing herself on an obsessive quest) and worldbuilding-wise (Sydney and the Alchemists are great). But so much of it is waiting, and — this is a bit of a plot spoiler, but oh well — Rose’s time spent in captivity and addled from bloodloss + Strigoi toxins is slow and abjectly miserable, to the extent that I finally created a trigger warning: addiction shelf for this book.
Because it is rough. Rose is going through hell and we get to see her claw her way out of it (she is! so! great!), but it still means that we suffer in the meantime: nothing much happens, and she and the reader are just kinda spinning our wheels waiting for something to occur.
Then, the last 1/3. The action finally ramps up, it’s thrilling and terrifying and exultant and the stakes are so high, and then we get that ending. Rose fully embracing how much she fucking loves Lissa, and their best friendship being affirmed and back by each others’ side. Perfect feelsy catharsis between Rose and both her parents. The reveals and revelations about [REDACTED]; and it ending on this soaring triumphant badass moment where it’s like, “Hey. Hey Lissa. Wanna come do something really really stupid?
2.5 Stars
I think this was a decent follow up. The actual focus of the story isn't one of my favorite ships, but the love felt real. But I think for a portion of this book, about fifty pages, it seemed very out of the world she set up. We see Strigoi, and with Dmitri and Rose, they just weren't acting very strigoi like aside from snide comments and the mention of red eyes. I think the detours Rose took were much longer than they needed to be. I also wanted a smidge more insight into what Lissa was doing. I just thought more would have painted a better picture. But I liked the mysterious aspect of what was happening with Lissa. But some of it felt all over the place. There is this sub plot of Queen Tatiana, that sort of just pops up, and doesn't really end or go anywhere in this book, I assume we'll see it in the next one, maybe, and it seems the main plot now is going to be carried over to the next book somewhat. I loved Rose's determination in this book, though her choice and overall recklessness and somewhat rudeness made me uneasy. It was hard to see Lissa go through what she did, but it made it interesting. The new characters and extra worldbuilding was great, including the new setting, Russia. Overall, I think this was an imperfect fourth book, with a somewhat slow and crazy plot, but some fun action and interesting twists that made it a good story.
I think this was a decent follow up. The actual focus of the story isn't one of my favorite ships, but the love felt real. But I think for a portion of this book, about fifty pages, it seemed very out of the world she set up. We see Strigoi, and with Dmitri and Rose, they just weren't acting very strigoi like aside from snide comments and the mention of red eyes. I think the detours Rose took were much longer than they needed to be. I also wanted a smidge more insight into what Lissa was doing. I just thought more would have painted a better picture. But I liked the mysterious aspect of what was happening with Lissa. But some of it felt all over the place. There is this sub plot of Queen Tatiana, that sort of just pops up, and doesn't really end or go anywhere in this book, I assume we'll see it in the next one, maybe, and it seems the main plot now is going to be carried over to the next book somewhat. I loved Rose's determination in this book, though her choice and overall recklessness and somewhat rudeness made me uneasy. It was hard to see Lissa go through what she did, but it made it interesting. The new characters and extra worldbuilding was great, including the new setting, Russia. Overall, I think this was an imperfect fourth book, with a somewhat slow and crazy plot, but some fun action and interesting twists that made it a good story.
3,5 stars
Many mixed feelings...
The first half of Blood Promise doesn't add much to the plot, but it does a lot for Rose's character development. I enjoyed reading about Rose's adventures in Russia as well as her interactions with many new characters such as Sydney, the Belikov family, Mark and Oksana and Abe. However, I missed Rose's snark and sass. She still has it when it counts, but due to her processing her grief as well as the shift to a more darker tone in the series, there's not so much of it.
I also missed the interactions between Rose and Lissa. The separation between Rose and Lissa means that the only way to interact with Lissa is through Rose's head and it didn't feel like a natural part of the story. The plot involving Lissa wasn't that interesting either.
The second half of Blood Promise is where it's at. The changing dynamics in Rose's and Dimitri's relationship is extremely interesting and Dimitri seems to have more of a personality, albeit, an evil one. It's ironic that he seems more human as a Strigoi than as a Damphir. However, the Rose and Dimitri flashbacks felt a little out of place and added very little to the plot.
Blood Promise: a lacklustre first half and an awesome second half. I love that spirit is explored more in Blood Promise and I'm looking forward to all good stuff in Spirit Bound and Last Sacrifice.
Many mixed feelings...
The first half of Blood Promise doesn't add much to the plot, but it does a lot for Rose's character development. I enjoyed reading about Rose's adventures in Russia as well as her interactions with many new characters such as Sydney, the Belikov family, Mark and Oksana and Abe. However, I missed Rose's snark and sass. She still has it when it counts, but due to her processing her grief as well as the shift to a more darker tone in the series, there's not so much of it.
I also missed the interactions between Rose and Lissa. The separation between Rose and Lissa means that the only way to interact with Lissa is through Rose's head and it didn't feel like a natural part of the story. The plot involving Lissa wasn't that interesting either.
The second half of Blood Promise is where it's at. The changing dynamics in Rose's and Dimitri's relationship is extremely interesting and Dimitri seems to have more of a personality, albeit, an evil one. It's ironic that he seems more human as a Strigoi than as a Damphir. However, the Rose and Dimitri flashbacks felt a little out of place and added very little to the plot.
Blood Promise: a lacklustre first half and an awesome second half. I love that spirit is explored more in Blood Promise and I'm looking forward to all good stuff in Spirit Bound and Last Sacrifice.