Last Sacrifice (Vampire Academy #6) by Richelle Mead

Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead

*Spoilers for anyone who hasn't read up to book five in this series.*

Last Sacrifice is the final book in a series that has been very tumultuous for me. I started out loving the Vampire Academy series, then became dismayed after some twists and turns that I did not love. This lead to a very looonnnggg break between the reading of books four and five. Now, with the conclusion of book six, I can finally say that I have finished Vampire Academy.

Last Sacrifice began almost where the fifth book left off. Someone has murdered Queen Tatiana, not exactly Rose's favorite person, and framed Rose for the murder. Now, Rose is awaiting trial in her cell with no hope to cling to except a mysterious note passed to her supposedly written by Tatiana herself prior to her untimely death. What did the note say? That she knew someone wanted her dead and that Lissa was not, in fact, the last Dragomir. As Rose ponders whether or not this could actually be true, she is suddenly surprised by a daring escape planned by her friends. After Rose comes to terms with the fact that her friends were the ones to plan and execute a ridiculous and dangerous plan for a change, she begins to hatch her own scheme to track down this mystery Dragomir. Even though Rose and Lissa are separated for 99% of the book, we, of course, get to see what's going on back at Court with Lissa because of the bond her and Rose share.

Last Sacrifice is certainly an adventure. Rose and her companions/accomplices, Sydney and Dimitri, travel to many different locations throughout the book (including an unusual, rural village where Moroi, dhampirs, and humans coexist, which was one of my favorite parts of the book), in order to escape the guardians hunting down Rose and solve the Dragomir family mystery. Along the way we get to see the Alchemist, Sydney, finally develop a personality (no doubt to set up her spinoff series), Dimitri begin to heal from his time as a Strigoi, and Lissa try to solve Tatiana's murder while stuck at Court. I was torn throughout the book as to which I was rooting for, Dimitri or Adrian. Rose has wonderful moments with each throughout the story.

Mead wrapped up the series nicely and I was satisfied with the ending. Some of it was very predictable, but what did you expect? I'm okay with a little predictability in a series six books long that had plenty of other surprises. Rose and the gang have certainly come a long way since we were first introduced to them back at St. Vladimir's. I'll miss them, but at least I have Bloodlines to look forward to!