Gabriela

She really is much more saracastic that most protagonists I like that her flaws are really pretty good flaws to have...she has a temper but it's usually in relation to protecting someone she cares about or righting some wrong...it's rarely just her being mad for the sake of being mad.

kitsune

I just finished the first two books. I like that Rose is more headstrong, sardonic, and stubborn than 90% of females in vampiric literature, but at times she can be very childish and lovesick. I was happy to see her take control and kiss Dimitri at the beginning of the second book, but then she spent the rest of it using Mason as a substitute and making catty remarks toward Dimitri because of a rumor he was going to shack up with Tasha. At times I like her, so I continue reading, but at other times I can find her very "young" as Dimitri would say and it can grate on my nerves.

I wasn't too impressed with the writing either. The descriptions that Richelle uses seemed like something out of a Hot Topic ad and Rose uses words like "badass" and "god" in almost every paragraph that Dimitri is in. I enjoyed the Christian/Lissa relationship in the first book, but in the second one I found myself hoping that Christian and Rose would start a romance, as they are both as stubborn and sarcastic as the other and I enjoy the banter. It also brings about the human/vampire relationship and Rose would have to learn how to control her bloodlust around him too. I feel like Lissa became very cardboard in the second book as well, any time she was in a scene she was talking about Christian or wanting to get rid of her medication, just constant whining. I really liked and sympathized her in the first book. I love when she had a shift in character and started using compulsion on everyone, that made her more interesting and gave her a sort of edge. This time it was like she became a Mary Sue. I think it would've been a good idea for this writer to write each book from a different perspective so that we wouldn't lose sight of so many of the supporting characters emotions. Rose doesn't seem concerned with too many people outside of Dimitri in this book, even her love for Lissa has shifted (which was a relief, because in the first book it felt like borderline obsession). I'm glad to see Rose finally being able to take care of herself, whereas in the first book she seemed to be all talk and no walk.

Adrian had an interesting introduction and I hope he is here to stay. He reminded me of Chuck Bass from Gossip Girls (but in a good way). I'm off to purchase Shadow Kiss and I'm hoping things improve.

Does anyone know any other vampire series that have a headstrong female? I seem to have difficulty finding them.

Gabriela

Let's remember to keep things spoiler-free for the second and third books since some people may not have read them yet

I agree that Rose definitely has her "young" moments - I'm hoping that as the books go on we see a change in that, and I think we will since it is a Young Adult series and a lot of books in that category involve the growth of the main character from child to adult (at least in my experience). I like the contrast we see between Rose's regular teen side and her guardian side, and the struggle it creates within her as far as wanting to do regular teen things but also needing to grow up fast because soon she will be a full-time guardian and her life won't be all hers anymore.

As far as the writing, I guess since it's from Rose's point of view, I expect it to be not as mature as it would be in the third person POV.

I really appreciate the struggle Mead writes in Rose - between her guardian duties but also wanting to be a teen, as well as the entire "blood whore" concept and the thoughts Rose has about that...it kind of amazes to think of someone so young having to deal with those issues and handling them pretty well for how young she really is.