There is just something about these books / this series. There were things that occurred in this book that I didn't really think moved the overall storyline along and other points that were done really well in pushing our characters into new places. 
 I liked that Rose's anger was explained in this book a little, but I hope it's not the excuse used everytime Rose is angry. She still has a lot of growing up to do. With the way this book ends, and Rose going off on her own, I expect we will see a lot of growth in the next novel (I'm hoping so anyway). There were times when I was so frustrated with Rose. She really acts so childish at times. I know this is probably intentional because she is only 17 but she's in a world / position where she needs to be responsible for other people she still acts childish. I dislike that if she hasn't thought of the answer then it's not right (example: when she's talking to the therapist and decided the therapist didn't know what she was talking about because the questions didn't match Rose's answers). Another thing that I didn't like was how she wouldn't talk to ANYBODY. She and Lissa are supposed to be friends, yet for the entire book she's keeping secrets that are obviously hurting her. She really doesn't think anyone else is as strong as her. No one else can handle what is going on with Rose so she has to keep it to herself. 
 Rose does have good qualities. She is very dedicated to what she is going to be doing with her life. Until this book she really doesn't think about anything that she wants. Also, she is honestly as good as she knows she is. I was really happy for her when she got her chance to show everyone how well she could fight and handle a Strigoi attack. And I also felt very upset alongside her when the teachers tried to tell her what her actions' inentions were. I like that Rose is very self-assured. She knows what she can do / what she wants and will take it. Also, despite her keeping secrets from Lissa, Rose is still very protective of her. It's nice to see a relationship where friends are as very connected as Rose and Lissa. I do think that Lissa, probably unintentionally, takes advantage of this as can be seen in one of the last scenes of the book. I liked that Rose finally put what she wanted first even though it goes against their tradition. Honestly, it will do neither Rose nor Lissa any good if Rose eventually resent Lissa for keeping her from going out on her own. 
 I have mixed feelings about the relationship between Rose and Dimitri. I understand a love story. But there are so many things that shouldn't be happening there that I can't overlook them entirely. I don't really mind about him being her instructor. He himself is still young so the fact that he's in the role of an instructor doesn't feel like a normal teacher / student relationship. If Dimitri was older than he is then the whole teacher / student relationship would start to be weird. I do have a little problem with their ages. He's 24 and Rose is 17 in this book. She's about to turn 18 and I just wish that anything that would have happened between them could have waited until then. If they were really trying so hard to be responsible for their feelings they could have waited a couple of weeks. I understand the decisions that author made, but when I'm reading it part of me has to suspend my beliefs a little. I understand in the real world people have bigger age differences than this but usually the realtionship starts when both parties are of age. That's my only compaint on that point and the fact that Rose is now 18 at the end of this book, the point is now moot. 
 Other than the above I thought the realationship between Rose and Dimitri grew a lot in this book (not just in that way!). There wasn't any angst as there was in the last book where Rose was doubting Dimitri's feelings. They both seemed to understand how each other felt and they worked with that more instead of trying to supress it which caused less tension. Honeslty, in the last book there were times I was hoping that Dimitri would take Tasha up on her offer and leave so Rose could focue elsewhere. I appreciated the Mead didn't focus all Rose's attention on Dimitri's every move. She didn't have to know where he was at all times or how he was feeling at all times. I liked that Dimitri really made efforts to understand what Rose was going through even though at times she sounded crazy. I liked that both of them (in addition to their feelings) had other priorities in their lives because when the single focus of someone's attentionis one person and that's all it can get tired and boring. I think they also showed (to an extent) that they could still remain professional even with their feelings for one another. 
 While there are things about Rose that bother me, I'm willing to put that aside in order to see the progression to the end of the series. I really hope that we see Rose grow and come into her own with the remaining three novels. Until Then!