Made with love
© Victoria Gryson 2024
Salvation has its price . . .
The words stunned Adrian for a moment, but he kept going. “You’re lying. What you’re describing is impossible. There’s no way to save a Strigoi. When they’re gone, they’re gone. They’re dead. Undead. Forever.”
Robert’s next words weren’t directed at Adrian. They were spoken to me. “That which is dead doesn’t always stay dead….”
After a long and heartbreaking journey to Siberia, Dimitri’s birthplace, Rose Hathaway has finally returned to St. Vladimir’s—and to her best friend, Lissa Dragomir. It’s graduation, and the girls can’t wait for their real lives outside the academy’s cold iron gates to finally begin. But even with the intrigue and excitement of court life looming, Rose’s heart still aches for Dimitri. 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 has silenced her . . . forever.
But Rose can’t forget what she learned on her journey—whispers of a magic too impossible and terrifying to comprehend. A magic inextricably tied to Lissa that could hold the answer to all of Rose’s prayers, but not without devastating consequences. Now Rose will have to decide what—and who—matters most to her. And in the end, is true love really worth the price?
I tried reading this book once before but didn’t get far before giving up. This time though, I stuck to my guns, even though it took me a long time to get through it… Why? Even after finishing the book, I have no idea. But oh well, one more book to go!
Rose is back at St Vladimir’s and about to do her trials and graduate (if they let her) together with Lissa, Christian, Adrian and more of their friends (and frenemies). The story starts with a bang, we move around a lot during the whole book, but there was never too much info or a lack of details. Very well written!
She has changed so much over the series, and while she still is very headstrong and does the most impulsive (and absolutely not thought-through) things, she’s still in one piece. Well, ish… since her heart has broken and every time she thinks of Dimitri, it breaks a little more. To be honest, being in a sort of relationship with Adrian is pretty confusing, but she’s trying to move on.
Dimitri, once a dhampir and now a strigoi, is hunting Rose. She denied him, and now he wants to kill the one person he feels can destroy him.
Characters feel alive and real. They all have their own stories, broken hearts, hopes and dreams. They have their flaws, but also moments where they shine and try to beat the odds that really aren’t stacked in their favour.
As I’ve said earlier, the book starts with a bang and to be honest, it doesn’t slow down. You get dragged from one situation into another because Rose doesn’t think before acting. Which can be a good orrrr a horrible thing 😀 Outstanding balance between all the action and the conversations.
The book was well written with no (noticeable) errors. There is some sexual content, though no actual sex described (if that is important to you).
The book has 489 pages, spread over 27 chapters and told from Rose’s point of view.
I have no clue why I had such issues with reading the book because it was a good book, so I’m going to say it’s me 😀
With one book to go in this series, I will surely finish it! Though when is a whole other question 🙂
© Victoria Gryson 2024