To Russian, With Love

“I’d said it before and meant it: 
Alive or undead, 
the love of my life was a badass.”  

--Richelle Mead, Blood Promise

Genre: YA Paranormal

Publisher: Razorbill, 503 pages

Publication Date: August 25th, 2009

Source: Bought
Goodreads
Previous Books in Series: Vampire Academy & Frostbite & Shadow Kiss

Goodreads Description

Rose Hathaway's life will never be the same.

The recent attack on St. Vladimir's Academy devastated the entire Moroi world. Many are dead. And, for the few victims carried off by Strigoi, their fates are even worse. A rare tattoo now adorns Rose's neck, a mark that says she's killed far too many Strigoi to count. But only one victim matters . . . Dimitri Belikov. Rose must now choose one of two very different paths: honoring her life's vow to protect Lissa—her best friend and the last surviving Dragomir princess—or, dropping out of the Academy to strike out on her own and hunt down the man she loves. She'll have to go to the ends of the earth to find Dimitri and keep the promise he begged her to make. But the question is, when the time comes, will he want to be saved?

Now, with everything at stake—and worlds away from St. Vladimir's and her unguarded, vulnerable, and newly rebellious best friend—can Rose find the strength to destroy Dimitri? Or, will she sacrifice herself for a chance at eternal love?

My Thoughts

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD FOR ALL PREVIOUS BOOKS AND THIS ONE...IF YOU HAVE NOT READ IT WILL BE RUINED, YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED

Oh...my...gosh...So, as well all know the end of Shadow Kiss is brutal. Like, Shakespearean tragedy brutal. I thought that it could not get worse for my heart after the end of that book...oh how wrong I was. Richelle Mead, you never cease to amaze, surprise, and gut me emotionally. Seriously, I thought I felt sick to my stomach and emotionally beaten after Shadow Kiss but Blood Promise was so much worse for me. Agonizingly emotional, raw, beautiful, painful. It was so much.

So Rose sets off to Russia to track down Dimitri and kill him *enter first dagger twist here.* We meet Sydney, an Alchemist, a human who essentially cleans up after vampires and keeps their secret. She joins Rose in her journey to Dimitri's hometown. In an odd array of circumstances, she is rescued by a Moroi named Abe (I'm skipping a lot of details, sorry), she finds herself in his home being taken care of by his mother. She has to break the news to his family about his undead status and how it came about. How brave he was, what an amazing teacher and man he was...ugh, it was so sad!! Holy crap. And THEN they have this memorial where they all talk about how great he was and Rose talks about his life as of recent...*second twist and jab of dagger is here*. It is just so raw. The emotions are so real that I felt my chest hurting with Rose's pain. To love somebody that completely and connect with them in such a complementary way only to have them prematurely taken from you...I can't even imagine. 

Eventually, she gets to Novosibirsk, a large Russian city where she thinks Dimitri is. Long story short, she tortures some Strigoi and she finds him...or rather he finds her...and kidnaps her. WHA?! Yep, she is now in a mansion run by Strigoi, imprisoned essentially in a room. Dimitri is...different...but the same. Rose can see him, see his quirks and what makes him Dimitri, but he's got the Strigoi look as well. He is moody, harsh, unkind...but also adoring at the same time. Rose doesn't know what to think. He wants to turn her but have it be her choice...she has no clue what to think. AND THEN he starts drinking her blood putting her into a drug-induced haze that makes her think all of this is okay. 

Oh my gosh, my heart was breaking during this entire section of the book. He was there...Dimitri was right there...but he is so different. She doesn't know what to think. I mean, how would you feel talking to somebody you love so incredibly much...but at the same time are aware that they have been turned into something evil...but they're right there!! Gah! It is such a mind fuck, I just can't! Because of this, sShe eventually comes to realize this is not her Dimitri...and she escapes. SIDENOTE: I don't usually rehash the plot like this but for these moments that occur, I feel I must because of how I felt about them. END SIDENOTE. So, Dimitri gives chase and in the ultimate stand-off, Rose asks him why he wants her to become Strigoi...he replies, "Because I want you"...Rose tells him, "wrong answer"...and jumps off the bridge they're standing on attempting to kill herself rather than succumb to becoming a Strigoi. Dimitri catches her...Rose looks at him...stake in hand...and says..."I will always love you"...and then stabs him...and he falls. *this is the part where I am emotionally disemboweled as well as a trainwreck, hot mess, and sobbing.*

HOLY. HELL. I was a wreck. Their entire story line in this book just gutted me. It was amazing and I loved the struggle that Rose had between wanting Dimitri and doing what she knows he would want and what she knows is right. She is so strong. Like unbelievably strong in every way possible. She is my book hero. I can't imagine the power of will and inner conviction it has to be able to look, speak to, and be with a loved one only to know you have to kill them...the thought rips my heart in half. Even though deep down, you know it isn't them still would be an unbearable decision to make. Oh it is just so intense!!! But oh wait!!! Rose gets back to school....and she gets a letter...from Dimitri...DUN DUN DUN HE'S NOT DEAD...and he's coming for her...holy...shit. It is about to get real up in here...

Oh yeah, Lissa, Adrian, and Christian are back at school with a new girl Avery. They have a bunch of drama which was fun to read about but let's be honest. This book was about Rose's quest so this whole story line, while it sets up a lot of characters for future books, was way on my peripheral field of vision. Still good though, obvi. 

Should You Read This? Are you seriously still contemplating this question?

My Thoughts via texts :)