You can always tell when I really loved a book, because all of the sudden my reviews become extra long. But the truth is, I didn't want to love this series. I think I've got such a stigma against most YA Paranormals now that I tend to write them off before I actually read them. I'm just positive that they're all going to feel like Twilight imitations, which is bad for me because I wasn't a fan of Twilight. I have to say that the first few books in this series didn't shake my initial impression. Okay books, but nothing I was going to run around telling my friends about. Then I read Blood Promise. By the end of that book I was nodding with a bit more surprised approval. Still, only a 4 star though. Except, I should have known what that would mean for Spirit Bound. There were actually parts of this book that I read twice because they sucker punched me. The emotion that I felt was the real eye-opener. By my standards a bad book leaves the reader empty, wishing they hadn't wasted their time, or angry because the author was way to indulgent. But by those same standards, good books make you fall right into the characters life and feel all of their hurts and aches with them. This was a GOOOOOOD book. I felt Rose's pain. I wanted to scream and yell at those people who I felt were being unfair. I was so angry at Dmitri for pushing Rose away, and I hated Lissa for not having Rose's back. It was the first time that I felt like Rose is a much better friend. I won't say too much more, because I am trying to keep it as spoiler free as possible. I still absolutely love Christian and Adrian. I also love Eddie, and I really came to care for Mikhail. I'm hoping he gets a happy ending...But what really made me fall in love with this installment had nothing to do with the Romance, or the friendship. It wasn't Rose's adventure or her snarky mouth. The reason that this book truly got into that special place in my heart was because of Abe. It was because he seems to always be there when she needs him most. It was because despite his mobster persona, you just know that he loves Rose with everything a father should. Her mother said that he was a good man, and I think that Mead did a wonderful job portraying that in a very subtle touching way. (Sorry! spoiler coming....)It was this moment, right here, that caused my heart to clench and my throat to close up from tenderness:"My fucking future's on the line! They're going to send me to trial and convict me!"Every trace of humor or cheer vanished from his face. His expression grew hard, deadly serious. A chill ran down my spine."That," he said in a low, flat voice, "is something I swear to you is never, ever going to happen."I mean, that is powerful! I get chills with her!And then again:One of the guardians put his hand on my arm, telling me I needed to move. I resisted his pull and leaned toward Abe."The hell I don't! This is my life we're talking about," I exclaimed. I knew what would come next. Imprisonment until the trial. And then more imprisonment if I was convicted. "This is serious! I don't want to go to trial! I don't want to spend the rest of my life in a place like Tarasov."The guard tugged harder, pushing us forward, and Abe fixed me with a piercing gaze that made my blood run cold."You will not go to trial. You will not go to prison," he hissed, out of the guards hearing. "I won't allow it. Do you understand?"As a woman who grew up without knowing much about her biological father, THAT is what I dreamed. Abe was the man I imagined. He's the father I'd always wanted. It spoke to me... and the books that really speak to me are the ones I'm forced to give 5 stars to.I hope the next one has a perfect conclusion.
