Frostbite (Vampire Academy #2)

Title: Frostbite (Vampire Academy #2)
Author: Richelle Mead
Rating: 5/5
Summary: Rose loves Dimitri, Dimitri might love Tasha, and Mason would die to be with Rose…

It's winter break at St. Vladimir's, but Rose is feeling anything but festive. A massive Strigoi attack has put the school on high alert, and now the Academy's crawling with Guardians—including Rose's hard-hitting mother, Janine Hathaway. And if hand-to-hand combat with her mom wasn't bad enough, Rose's tutor Dimitri has his eye on someone else, her friend Mason's got a huge crush on her, and Rose keeps getting stuck in Lissa's head while she's making out with her boyfriend, Christian! The Strigoi are closing in, and the Academy's not taking any risks… This year, St. Vlad's annual holiday ski trip is mandatory.

But the glittering winter landscape and the posh Idaho resort only create the illusion of safety. When three friends run away in an offensive move against the deadly Strigoi, Rose must join forces with Christian to rescue them. But heroism rarely comes without a price…

My Thoughts: The second book opens with a large Strigoi attack and everyone at St. Vlad's school is sent to an Idaho resort so they can spend time with their families and still be protected. In this book, Rose has serious man troubles. The man that has her heart (Dimitri) has told her that they can't be together because it would get in the way of their jobs protecting Lissa. If that wasn't hard enough to take, Christian's aunt Tasha is in town and it seems Dimitri might run off to be her guardian and much much more. Then there's Mason the guy who is love-sick for Rose, but she just can't warm up to. And finally there's the mysterious Adrian...what does he want from Rose? In the middle of all this a famous dhampir is in town, someone Rose is very familiar with, her long-absent mother. If that wasn't bad enough, Rose keeps slipping into Lissa's head when she's getting it on with her boyfriend, Christian. 

For me, the last 80 pages of this book were heart-stopping. Rose and a friend rush off to rescue a group of students who are hellbent on killing some Strigoi. I couldn't put down the book until I read the last word and could then let out a shaky breath. So action packed and such a surprise and heartbreaking at moments...I loved it! 

I loved these lines, "I felt like someone had ripped my heart out and tossed it across the other side of the room. There was a burning, agonizing pain in my chest, and I had no idea how it could ever be filled. It was one thing to accept that I couldn't have Dimitri. It was something entirely different to realize someone else could." (pg. 125) 

I'm really loving this series...and each book seems to be getting better and better. This one particularly, brought me back to high school. It really captured the high-school element - the angst, the crushes, the jealousy, and first love. In the middle of that is a very action-packed story. Can't wait to read the next one..