Spirit Bound by Richelle Mead

**SPOILER ALERT** DO NOT READ THIS REVIEW IF YOU HAVE NOT READ BOOKS 3 & 4.


The fifth book in The Vampire Academy series begins where the last book left off. Rose is back at St. Vladimir's Academy to complete the trials for becoming a guardian. Although she managed to escape Dimitri, her former lover and now enemy, he has stayed in contact via letters threatening that when Rose graduates and leaves the academy's protective wards, he will hunt her down and kill her. Dimitri has reached the conclusion that they can't be together as he had hoped, but despite Dimitri's death threats and her feelings for new boyfriend Adrian, Rose still has hope. A slim beyond-a-longshot hope. Rose has heard that the brother of the man she put in prison is a spirit user who has brought a Strigoi back to life. She intends to find this man and learn the secret of restoring a Strigoi to life so she can do it to Dimitri, no matter how many lines she has to cross. Rose's best friend, Lissa, has agreed to help even though she has a few concerns of her own.

This book is about Rose's obsessive journey to do the impossible. This girl needs to get herself some impulse control. I won't ruin it by telling you if her plan succeeds, but I will say that, in the end, she ends up in the world's biggest mess. Now I can't wait for the next book to find out what happens. Things do not look good for our heroine.

BEST FEATURE: The ending. Talk about cliffhangers. The wait for the next book is going to be excruciating. Release date December 7, 2010 people!

WORST FEATURE: The agony of the love triangle. Most of the time, I have a clear favorite. Since I can't choose between Dimitri and Adrian, I don't know how Rose will manage it.

PARENTAL WARNING: Violence and minor sexual content; appropriate for teens.

MY RATING: 4.5 - The hits just keep on coming.