Blood Promise (Vampire Academy Series #4) » (Unabridged)

Richelle Mead graduated from the University of Michigan and has an M.A. in Comparative Religion from Western Michigan University. She currently lives in Seattle with her husband, and is at work on her next Vampire Academy novel.

How far will Rose go to keep her promise? The recent Strigoi attack at St. Vladimir's Academy was the deadliest ever in the school's history, claiming the lives of Moroi students, teachers, and guardians alike. Even worse, the Strigoi took some of their victims with them. . . including Dimitri. He'd rather die than be one of them, and now Rose must abandon her best friend, Lissa—the one she has sworn to protect no matter what—and keep the promise Dimitri begged her to make long ago. But with everything at stake, how can she possibly destroy the person she loves most?

Children's Literature

In this fourth installment of the "Vampire Academy" series, Guardian Rose Hathaway sets out on a private mission to find—and kill—her mentor and lover, Dimitri Belikov. At the start of the novel, Rose has to choose between protecting her best friend Lissa, the last surviving Dragomir princess and student at St. Vladimir's, and tracking Dmitri to fulfill her final vow to kill him so that he cannot be part of the Strigoi. Rose chooses to follow her heart and fulfill her promise to Dmitri, leaving Lissa depressed and vulnerable at the Academy. Rose's mission takes her to Siberia, to Dmitri's hometown, and into his family member's lives. At the same time, Rose travels into Lissa's mind and sees that all is not well with her friend. Worse, Rose does not find Dmitri. He finds her, and he takes her prisoner in the Strigoi stronghold. Dmitri tries to convince Rose to allow him to "awaken" her by biting her and drinking her blood. Rose struggles with her decision, but ultimately escapes from Dmitri and manages to drive a silver stake through his heart. Rose then rushes to help Lissa escape from the mind-bending clutches of nefarious Avery. By the end of the novel, Rose has saved Lissa and discovered that Dmitri isn't actually dead; he has sent Rose a letter telling her that she should have made sure to finish the job and that he will come after her. Fans of the "Vampire Academy" series who are already familiar with the characters' backgrounds and the dynamics of vampire society will undoubtedly find this installment exciting. Readers new to the series will likely have difficulty sorting out the complicated relationships of the characters, as well as the details of the alternate worldin which the book is set. Recommended for young adult readers who are fans of the vampire romance genre. Reviewer: Lauri Berkenkamp