In which hosts Bethanie and Ash discuss chapters 21-24 of Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead.

Chapter 21 Summary:

Rose and Dimitri kiss under the influence of an enchanted necklace, which clouds their minds with lust until Dimitri discards it. Rose warns him about Lissa’s kidnapping, but guardians and Kirova are skeptical. Using her bond, Rose tracks Lissa to a cabin where Victor reveals he kidnapped Lissa to make her heal his debilitating illness and admits he and Natalie spread rumors to discredit her.

Chapter 22 Summary:

Victor explains Lissa’s rare elemental affinity: spirit, which allows her to resurrect and heal but damages the mind if overused. He reveals Lissa resurrected Rose after a fatal accident. Victor wants Lissa captive to control her healing for his own survival and plans to claim the Moroi throne by promoting Moroi-guardian combat. Lissa resists but agrees to help under torture. Christian is a stowaway on the rescue convoy as Lissa attempts escape.

Chapter 23 Summary:

Rose pursues Lissa through the woods, fights off psi-hounds sent by Victor, and Christian helps with fire magic but is badly injured. Lissa heals Christian using Rose’s blood, draining Rose in the process. Rose recovers in the infirmary. Victor is imprisoned; Natalie’s fate is unclear but later revealed. Lissa reconciles with Rose, breaks up with Aaron, and starts dating Christian. Dimitri admits their age gap prevents a relationship but encourages honesty about the spell. Rose visits Victor, who reveals the “shadow-kissed” bond and hints at ongoing power struggles. Natalie suddenly attacks Rose as a Strigoi.

Chapter 24 Summary:

Rose battles supernaturally fast Strigoi Natalie until Dimitri arrives and kills her. Dimitri confesses his love for Rose but insists they cannot be together due to their roles and age difference. Lissa is prescribed medication that controls her self-harm urges but suppresses her magic. Rose understands Ms. Karp likely became a Strigoi to escape the mental toll of spirit powers. Rose investigates St. Vladimir’s death, learns he died peacefully, and gains hope for helping Lissa safely use her magic.

Bite Me is a Three Sisters Podcast Network podcast. Hosted by Bethanie Finger and Ashleigh Tanner and featuring the literary works of Richelle Mead. The logo art was created by Bethanie Finger and the intro/outro music was composed by Something Weird.

In which hosts Bethanie and Ash discuss chapters 17-20 of Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead.

Chapter 17 Summary:

Lissa tells Rose that Dimitri and Victor are arranging for Rose to go shopping as part of Lissa’s protection. The trip almost falls apart when Lissa finds a dead dove in her bag, but the outing proceeds. During the trip, Dimitri warns Rose about Strigoi and shares personal insights. At the mall, Rose enjoys a moment of normalcy but injures her ankle when a bench collapses, causing her to faint.

Chapter 18 Summary:

Rose wakes with no serious injury despite the fall, puzzling her. Dimitri cheers her up with gifts, and they share a tender moment. Rose realizes Lissa’s healing saved her from a previous car accident. Rose enters Lissa’s mind and finds her upset in the chapel attic. After a tense conversation with Christian, Lissa self-harms again. Rose manages to return to her body just in time to get help.

Chapter 19 Summary:

Rose worries about revealing Lissa’s self-harm to Dimitri and considers telling him about Lissa’s powers. Gossip about Lissa and Rose spreads, hurting both socially. Rose plans to skip the school dance but agrees to go after Mason invites her. At the dance, Jesse and Ralf apologize for spreading rumors at Mia’s urging.

Chapter 20 Summary:

Rose is shocked by Mia’s ruthless efforts against her and Lissa. She punches Mia to protect Lissa from exposure. Rose finds comfort in Christian calming Lissa’s mind but then sees Lissa attacked by dhampirs in a mental vision. Confused and worried, Rose seeks Dimitri, struggles with her feelings for him, and they share a kiss.

Bite Me is a Three Sisters Podcast Network podcast. Hosted by Bethanie Finger and Ashleigh Tanner and featuring the literary works of Richelle Mead. The logo art was created by Bethanie Finger and the intro/outro music was composed by Something Weird.

In which hosts Bethanie and Ash discuss chapters 13-16 of Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead.

Chapter 13 Summary:

Rose worries about rumors and suspects Lissa uses compulsion to gain popularity. She secretly watches Lissa compel a classmate, and Christian, also seeing it, confronts Lissa. Rose trains with Dimitri, who shares his troubled past and praises her. Their connection deepens as Dimitri flirts with Rose.

Chapter 14 Summary:

Rose feels guilty spying on Lissa but notices Lissa’s growing influence and darker use of compulsion. Christian and Rose are concerned. After being harassed, Mason defends Rose with a fight but frustrates her by treating her like the weaker sex. Rose flirts with Mason to get a message to Christian and access to St. Vladimir’s books.

Chapter 15 Summary:

Rose reads about St. Vladimir and the “shadow-kissed” Anna, learning that his powers caused suffering and he used compulsion to gain followers. Mason “springs” Rose to a party where Lissa drinks and flirts. Rose recalls a past party where Lissa’s loss of control led to violent compulsion. Rose protects Lissa and keeps her secret while managing the present tension with a harassing student.

Chapter 16 Summary:

Academy gossip swirls around Lissa and Aaron’s rekindled relationship, which Rose suspects is driven by revenge rather than real feelings. Concerned about Lissa's use of compulsion and her mental health, Rose connects her powers to those of Ms. Karp and St. Vladimir—both of whom showed troubling signs. Meanwhile, tensions rise between Rose, Lissa, and Christian, but despite their differences, Christian and Rose begin to form an uneasy alliance.

Bite Me is a Three Sisters Podcast Network podcast. Hosted by Bethanie Finger and Ashleigh Tanner and featuring the literary works of Richelle Mead. The logo art was created by Bethanie Finger and the intro/outro music was composed by Something Weird.

In which hosts Bethanie and Ash discuss chapters 10-12 of Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead.

Chapter 10 Summary:

Mia reports Rose and Lissa for passing notes, leading to an embarrassing public reading. Jesse begs Rose to clear his name, but she finds him cowardly. Rose recalls a past incident where Ms. Karp caught them reviving a dead raven, warning them to keep it secret. Mason criticizes Rose over Jesse and reveals he found no info on Anna. Rose regrets not returning Mason’s feelings.

Chapter 11 Summary:

Rose and Lissa prepare for an assembly attended by Queen Tatiana. Rose struggles with feelings for her mentor Dimitri. The queen shames Lissa, who then seeks comfort from Natalie. Rose and Mia exchange insults until Dimitri intervenes. Rose lies to Christian to protect Lissa.

Chapter 12 Summary:

Rose and Dimitri find Lissa self-harming after receiving a threatening note and dead rabbit. Rose protects Lissa from questioning and urges her not to use her powers again. Rumors about Rose feeding Lissa blood spread, causing tension. Rose confronts the rumor-spreaders but holds back. Lissa vows to protect Rose despite feeling weak.

Bite Me is a Three Sisters Podcast Network podcast. Hosted by Bethanie Finger and Ashleigh Tanner and featuring the literary works of Richelle Mead. The logo art was created by Bethanie Finger and the intro/outro music was composed by Something Weird.

In which hosts Bethanie and Ash discuss chapters 6-9 of Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead.

Chapter 6 (Summary):

Rose gets permission to attend church just to be near Lissa. There, she becomes intrigued by the term “shadow-kissed,” used to describe St. Vladimir’s guardian Anna. Rose learns that Anna and Vladimir were bound after he saved her life. She realizes their bond mirrors hers with Lissa. Later, Mia humiliates Rose and Lissa using her water magic. Rose discovers Mia isn't royal—her parents are servants—and learns about controversial dhampir-Moroi relationships, including the stigma of “blood whores.”

Chapter 7 (Summary):

Rose continues her training but questions Dimitri’s methods. She senses Lissa’s fear through their bond and rushes to find a dead fox on Lissa’s bed. The message feels personal and threatening. Rose suspects the attacker knows about Lissa’s powers but hides this from Dimitri.

Chapter 8 (Summary):

Driven by anger over the fox incident, Rose intensifies her training. Natalie milks the situation for attention, while Jesse and Rose plan a romantic moment. Christian uses fire magic to defend Lissa, causing concern among students. Rose warns Lissa about Christian, but Lissa refuses to cut ties. Rose begins experimenting with entering Lissa’s mind.

Chapter 9 (Summary):

Through their bond, Rose sees Lissa and Christian grow closer. Christian believes Moroi should fight Strigoi using magic. He defends Lissa’s use of compulsion, making her feel both nervous and excited. Meanwhile, Jesse tries to bite Rose, hinting he knows she let Lissa feed from her. Dimitri catches them and scolds Rose, warning her to take her guardian duties seriously. They agree to resume serious training.

Bite Me is a Three Sisters Podcast Network podcast. Hosted by Bethanie Finger and Ashleigh Tanner and featuring the literary works of Richelle Mead. The logo art was created by Bethanie Finger and the intro/outro music was composed by Something Weird.

In which hosts Bethanie and Ash discuss chapters 3-5 of Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead.

In this episode, Bethanie and Ashleigh dive into Chapters 3–5 of Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead. Rose is back in training, but it's anything but smooth sailing. Instructor Stan thinks she’s all luck and no skill, while Victor Dashkov praises her—but with a suspiciously keen interest in her psychic bond with Lissa.

Meanwhile, Lissa faces social drama of her own as Rose steps in to defend her from Mia’s cruel taunts. The girls reconnect with Natalie Dashkov, who dishes out gossip, but something about Lissa’s sudden lack of visions has Rose on edge. And then there’s Christian Ozera—Strigoi family baggage and all—creeping into Lissa’s heart and Rose’s worries.

With psi-hound chases, parental emails, dark magic flashbacks, and a growing mystery surrounding Victor, the tension is building fast at St. Vladimir’s. Tune in as we unpack the drama, danger, and deepening bonds in this week’s episode!

Bite Me is a Three Sisters Podcast Network podcast. Hosted by Bethanie Finger and Ashleigh Tanner and featuring the literary works of Richelle Mead. The logo art was created by Bethanie Finger and the intro/outro music was composed by Something Weird.

In which hosts Bethanie and Ash discuss chapter 2 of Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead.

Chapter 2 Summary

Dimitri keeps the girls separated on the flight back to St. Vladimir’s so that they cannot plot an escape. As they get closer to St. Vladimir’s in remote Montana, Rose recognizes that escape is increasingly unlikely. Lissa’s fear is so potent that Rose is drawn into her mind via their psychic connection. Through Lissa’s eyes, Rose sees molnija marks on Dmitri, which indicate that he has killed six Strigoi— vampires who have grown feral with bloodlust. Rose forces her mind away from Lissa’s, alarmed by this connection that neither she nor Lissa understands. Dimitri eventually comes to sit by Rose, asking her why she attempted the “stupid, but still brave” (22) act of attacking all the guardians for Lissa’s sake. Rose asserts that she is Lissa’s guardian, which Dimitri seems to accept.

They arrive at St. Vladimir’s at sunset, which marks the start of the school day for the vampiric students. On the way to see Headmistress Kirova, Dimitri and the guardians march Lissa and Rose through the center of campus, making them a spectacle for the other students. Rose notes that their classmates have changed little in her and Lissa’s two-year absence.

In the headmistress’s office, they find Prince Victor Dashkov, Lissa’s uncle, whom she embraces happily. Rose is horrified to find Victor prematurely withered by a disease that targets Moroi and that will prevent him from becoming king. Kirova scolds the two girls but places the blame on Rose, claiming that as Lissa’s guardian, Rose should have stopped Lissa from recklessly running away. Furious, Rose retorts that she kept Lissa safe when the school didn’t, but stops herself from saying more. (The narrative later reveals that Lissa is endangered by her powers of compulsion and healing, which are collectively known as “spirit.”) Now, Kirova decrees that Lissa, as a Moroi princess, must continue her education and that Rose will be expelled.

Lissa protests that her late parents wanted Rose to remain her guardian, but Kirova is unmoved until Dimitri argues that the two have a psychic bond. Kirova is shocked by this information, as it has been centuries since such a phenomenon has occurred between vampire and guardian. Dimitri, as Lissa’s new official guardian, believes that Rose should remain. Kirova agrees on the condition that Dmitri mentor Rose.

He reluctantly agrees, citing the diminished numbers of guardians in the ranks—particularly girls, who are often forced into sex work that includes allowing Moroi to drink their blood. Lissa cautiously adds her compulsion to influence the situation in the girls’ favor. (Rose notes that it is dangerous to use this tactic against another Moroi, who might detect the trick.) This time, nobody notices. Rose is put on probation, which she recognizes is an effort to separate her from Lissa.

Bite Me is a Three Sisters Podcast Network podcast. Hosted by Bethanie Finger and Ashleigh Tanner and featuring the literary works of Richelle Mead. The logo art was created by Bethanie Finger and the intro/outro music was composed by Something Weird.

In which hosts Bethanie and Ash introduce their new Vampire Literary Podcast!

They begin their Vampire podcast with a chapter by chapter deep dive into Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead.

Vampire Academy Chapter 1

Seventeen-year-old Rose Hathaway is a dhampir (half human, half vampire), and has a psychic connection to her best friend, Vasilisa Dragomir (known as Lissa), who is a Moroi, or full-blooded vampire. Now, Rose senses that Lissa is having a recurring nightmare, so she wakes her friend and soothes her, aided by their housemate’s cat, Oscar. Rose notes that cats dislike dhampir but have a great deal of affection for Moroi. Seeing that Lissa is weak from a lack of blood, Rose scolds her and says that Lissa should have asked to feed from her sooner. Lissa bites Rose’s neck, triggering the characteristic rush of pleasure that comes from a vampire’s bite.

Afterward, Rose follows Oscar’s gaze to the window and sees that a man is watching them from the street. She worries that the man witnessed the vampirism, but when Oscar hisses at him, she deduces that he must be a dhampir like her. She urges Lissa to use her magical powers of compulsion to secure their human housemate’s car keys and force him to forget that he ever saw the two girls. They flee, just as they have been doing for the past two years whenever other vampires or dhampirs get close to them. Rose hopes that she merits Lissa’s unwavering trust.

They almost make it to their housemate’s car, but suddenly a dozen dhampir guardians surround them, led by the man Rose saw across the street. Rose tries to fight, but her weakness and inexperience are no match for the guardian’s skill. He sees the bite on Rose’s neck as she prepares to attack again, but Lissa sends calming energy her way, causing Rose to pause. The head guardian introduces himself as Dimitri Belikov. He calls Lissa “princess” and says that he has come to return her to St. Vladimir’s Academy.

Bite Me is a Three Sisters Podcast Network podcast. Hosted by Bethanie Finger and Ashleigh Tanner and featuring the literary works of Richelle Mead. The logo art was created by Bethanie Finger and the intro/outro music was composed by Something Weird.