Nevada Barr & Vampire Academy
Winter Study by Nevada Barr
My review
rating: 5 of 5 stars
I have been a fan of Nevada Barr for a long time and was surprised to find this book, an Anna Pigeon novel I seem to have missed! This book is set on Isle Royale, a remote wilderness island on Lake Superior, where Anna has been sent in the middle of winter to learn a bit about the predator/prey situation she is likely to be facing at her home park in Colorado.
She meets an interesting cast of characters, and Nevada Barr's descriptions are really fantastic. I found myself caught up in the story very quickly, worrying for some characters and disgusted by others as appropriate.
I very much enjoyed this book and am looking forward to reading the next book which is now out when my turn comes up at the library.
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Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
My review
rating: 5 of 5 stars
I first read this series shortly after reading Twilight, and really enjoyed it. I'm reading it again now and it is really interesting the things I notice differently, knowing what is coming in later books.
The premise of this series is very creative; Richelle Mead has created a fascinating world in which good and bad vampires coexist with dhampirs and, to a lesser extent, humans. Rose Hathaway is a student at St Vladimir's Academy along with her friend Lissa Dragomir, and the first book in this series chronicles their discovery of some unique powers which put them both in danger.
The characters are well developed and Richelle Mead does a good job of inserting bits of necessary background information into the story so the Vampire Academy world is very well explained. I really enjoyed getting to know Rose, Lissa and all of their friends.
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Frostbite by Richelle Mead
My review
rating: 5 of 5 stars
Second in the Vampire Academy series, this book expands on the challenges Lissa and Rose face as Lissa struggles to control her use of Spirit, a mysterious magical ability. At the same time, their entire world is threatened as Strigoi attacks on Moroi royalty begin to increase and winter break at St Vladimir's Academy is turned into a schoolwide trip to a Moroi ski village.
In this book, Rose really struggles with her place as a guardian and what it means for her relationships with others, especially as Lissa's relationship with Christian continues to develop. Then they meet Adrian, who seems interested in both Rose and Lissa, although for different reasons.
The end of the book is very tragic but also begins to hint at Rose's strength and the true abilities of the Moroi, a preview of what is to come in the next book.
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Shadow Kiss (Vampire Academy, #3) by Richelle Mead
My review
rating: 5 of 5 stars
Even though I am just re-reading this book and already knew what to expect, it was still hard to read at times. I know they are just book characters but I *like* them and it makes me sad to read about them hurting.
Once more, Lissa struggles with her use and control of Spirit, while Rose is left on the sidelines to take care of her. On this re-read, I actually began to see some parallels between this series and Harry Potter - which is interesting to me, because it is so often compared to the Twilight series, which is *also* often compared to Harry Potter. Rose is worried for Lissa so she doesn't want to burden her with the concerns and problems in her life, while Lissa is so focused on her own problems that she isn't spending as much time with Rose either.
Rose and Dimitri's relationship continues to be rocky, with the added challenge of the Moroi queen getting involved in Lissa and Rose's life. Adrian is around with his added perceptions and concern for Rose as well.
I don't often cry at books, but this is one that gets me every time. I am impatiently waiting for the next book, which won't be out until August - although I know that one will make me just as impatient for the remaining two books!
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