Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

Genre: YA-Fiction

Author Site: www.richellemead.com

First Line: “I felt her fear before I heard her screams.”

One Word Review: Good

Summary: “St. Vladimir’s Academy isn’t just any boarding school—it’s a hidden place where vampires are educated in the ways of magic and half-human teens train to protect them. Rose Hathaway is a Dhampir, a bodyguard for her best friend Lissa, a Moroi Vampire Princess. They’ve been on the run, but now they’re being dragged back to St. Vladimir’s—the very place where they’re most in danger. . . . Rose and Lissa become enmeshed in forbidden romance, the Academy’s ruthless social scene, and unspeakable nighttime rituals. But they must be careful lest the Strigoi—the world’s fiercest and most dangerous vampires—make Lissa one of them forever.” -GoodReads

My Review: Before Twilight I had never read a vampire book. Now, I seem to be reading them a lot. Overall I enjoyed Vampire Academy. Unlike Twilight, it really had the feel of a vampire novel. It had a lot more vampires, more blood-sucking, human “feeders”, etc. Because of all this it really had darkness to it that some of the other “soft-vampire” books don’t have. Honestly, it was almost better that way. After all vampires are suppose to be creepy and evil, right? I liked the different vampire groups, history and background that Mean created. This is the first in a series so there was a lot of set-up for the next book. I admit, I was a little bored through some of it, and it wasn’t until the end that things really started to pick up and actually make me want to go pick up the second book.

There were a few things that I didn’t like. At first, and through a lot of the book, I just didn’t like Rose. She is cocky, brash, and a little easy (although, I guess she does have some standards since she hasn’t “gone all the way” yet). She starts to take her role more seriously and she did start to grow on me. By the end I was a fan. I liked the relationship with her and Dimitri. However, the relationship with her and Lissa was at times a little creepy. I didn’t really care for the passages where Rose would fall into Lissa’s mind, kind of weird.

I should mention, there is quite a bit of swearing, horny teenagers and lots of creepy vampire images.

Reading Order:
Book One: Vampire Academy
Book Two: Frostbite
Book Three: Shadow Kiss
Book Four: Blood Promise
Book Five: Spirit Bond
Book Six: To Be Announced