Shadow Kiss (Vampire Academy #3) by Richelle Mead

Goodreads Summary:
Is Rose's fate to kill the person she loves most? It's springtime at St. Vladimir's Academy, and Rose Hathaway is this close to graduation. Since Mason's death, Rose hasn't been feeling quite right. She has dark flashbacks in the middle of practice, can't concentrate in class, and has terrifying dreams about Lissa. But Rose has an even bigger secret .... She's in love with Dimitri. And this time, it's way more than a crush. Then Strigoi target the academy in the deadliest attack in Moroi history, and Dimitri is taken. Rose must protect Lissa at all costs, but keeping her best friend safe could mean losing Dimitri forever...


My Review:

Shadow Kiss is the 3rd installment in the Vampire Academy series. Rose is doing her 6 week Guardian field experience. This is where she is assigned to guard a Moroi student for 24 hours a day 6 days a week. However things don't go like she thought they would. She's not assigned to Lissa, she's seeing ghosts, and she fails her 1st test.

I really like this book. Rose has spent her entire life preparing to be Lissa's Guardian. She's also been taught that “they come 1st”.  She thinks that she will pass the field experience with flying colors.  She fails her 1st test and suddenly her future doesn't seem so certain. She also discovers that Victor Dashkov may not be spending the rest of his life in prison.

When I was in nursing school we were taught that you can't take care of others unless you 1st take care of yourself. Rose has never been taught to put herself 1st.  She doesn't know how to take care of herself. She is still dealing with the aftermath of Mason's death. She eventually goes to counseling but quickly realizes that she should've started it right after the events in Spokane Washington.

Rose is afraid that she is going insane when she sees Mason's ghost. But in typical Rose style she's afraid to tell an adult. Eventually it all does come out in they figure out why this is happening.

Rose has always thought that her wants and desires must always be secondary Lissa’s needs.  As her Guardian training is coming to a close she realizes that she wants to be able to love Dimitri and take care of her own needs. Life isn't black or white and I like that Rose is learning that .

Many of Rose’s struggles are what a lot of teenagers go through. There are times I really want to smack Rose but if she always made good decisions than it would be a very boring book. I think a lot of people can relate to Rose.

This series is one of my favorite vampire series. I love Richelle Mead’s style of writing and the characters she creates.

The ending of this book is really sad but not totally surprising. I can't wait to read the next one and see what happens to Rose.