Lissa Dragomir is a Moroi princes – 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. After two years of freedom, Rose and Lissa are caught and dragged back to St. Vladimir's Academy, a school for vampire royalty and their guardians-to-be, hidden deep in the forests of Montana. But inside the iron gates, life is even more fraught with danger…and the Strigoi are always close by. Rose and Lissa must navigate their dangerous world, confront the temptations of forbidden love, and never once let their guard down, lest the evil undead make Lissa one of them forever…
Reviews
‘Mead's absorbing, debut YA novel, blends intricately detailed fantasy with a contemporary setting, teen-relevant issues..’ Booklist
“..Mead bleeds black for fans of the gothic vampire novel and adds a touch of the sexy with sassy, sly, and hard-hitting Rose. But Rose puts her rogue urges on hold when it comes to her best friend and charge, Lissa-Rose's polar opposite who is in possession of a gift that puts her in danger and demands that her guardian be the most disciplined and altruistic around. This story is no ordinary vampire tale. Mead has done her homework on Romanian folklore and Orthodox Catholic saints, and she uses it to weave a unique and mesmerizing mystery with a whodunit ending that even the most skilled detectives will not predict. With social angst that every teenager can appreciate and sexual tension that leaves Stephenie Meyer's Twilight looking like a children's book, this little gem is sure to be a hit. If readers can get past the trite title, the pages will surely turn themselves.” VOYA
‘This truly engaging and believable novel is on a par with Stephenie Meyer's “Twilight” books but is more risqué.’ School Library Journal
‘Exciting, empowering and un-put-downable.’ MTV's Hollywood Crush