Frostbite by Richelle Mead

RATING: 🌕🌕🌕🌖🌑

Published: April 10, 2008

Publisher: Razorbill

Format: Paperback

Pages: 327

 

 

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“Balance. Know which things to run forward with – and know which to leave alone.”

Synopsis:

WHEN LOVE AND JEALOUSY COLLIDE ON THE SLOPES, WINTER BREAK TURNS DEADLY…

Lissa Dragomir is a Moroi princess: a mortal vampire with a rare gift for harnessing the earth’s magic. She must be protected at all times from Strigoi; the fiercest vampires – the ones who never die. The powerful blend of human and vampire blood that flows through Rose Hathaway, Lissa’s best friend, makes her a Dhampir. Rose is dedicated to a dangerous life of protecting Lissa from the Strigoi, who are hell-bent on making Lissa one of them.

Rose has serious guy trouble. Her gorgeous tutor, Dimitri, has his eye on someone else, her friend Mason has a huge crush on her, and she keeps getting stuck in her best friend Lissa’s head while she’s making out with her boyfriend, Christian.

Then a nearby Strigoi attack puts St. Vladimir’s on high alert, and the Academy whisks its students away on a mandatory Holiday ski trip. But the glittering winter landscape and posh Idaho resort only provide the illusion of safety. When three students run away to strike back again the deadly Strigoi, Rose must join forces with Christian to rescue them. Only this time, Rose – and her heart – are in more danger than she ever could have imagined…

 

 

Thoughts:

Some books are considered timeless but sadly this is not one of them. Although it may appeal to me still as enjoyable it is not as remarkable as when I first read it.

Frostbite is the second book of the well-known Vampire Academy series. I have loved these books dearly when I first read it. However, at one point in this book, I wish that I did not reread it at this age. The story was enjoyable, though it felt dragging and whiny in some parts. But the ending and the connection of the whole scenes to the climax are something that I appreciated more than I did at my first read of it.

What saddens me most about this reread is how my perspective of Lissa and Rose’s friendship changes. I used to say that their bond and friendship contend to other friendship figures in YA. But I realized that the relationship in this book is one-sided. Rose would always listen to Lissa even though she has a burden of her own. Imagine seeing a massacre scene and being abandoned by your friend because she was with her boyfriend. It is kinda frustrating how Lissa looks selfish and does not bother to even ask about her friend. It makes me wonder if the friendship was really pure or was just out of convenience. And come to think of it, even in the first book, it was Rose who always looks out for Lissa and not the other way around. Some scenes give us an idea of how Lissa cared for Rose but I am questioning the sincerity.

But other than Lissa & Rose’s friendship, there is a matter of family issues and lover issues that are present in this book. I can see how the maternal relationship becomes redeemable in the end but I was still iffy with Rose’s mother. On the other hand, Rose’s love life is still interesting for me though I did not enjoy it that much. But I am still a RoMitri fan. And all these issues were wrapped up nicely in the end. You can see how the problems that occur in the earlier part of the story plays out in the ending.

If there is something that I really want to talk about, it’s the climax scene. First of all, the decisions that have been made here are irrational though it was justifiable because of age but nonetheless, it is stupid. Second, I am dreading the peak of the climax because of what happened. I was heartbroken because that character grew on me. But as we are nearing the end, I can see how this climax is a big turning point in Rose’s character and the story itself. I feel the necessity of such action and it was a brave call for the author to do such a thing.

All in all, I still enjoyed most of the story though I somehow became too adult-minded for most of the part. But it is nice to know that I am growing as a reader. Although I still wish that this series will remain a timeless favorite.

 

That is all for this review.

Until next time!

Maria❤