Monday, April 26, 2010

Book Review: Vampire Academy 1


TITLE: Vampire Academy
PART IN SERIES: Book 1 in the Vampire Academy series
AUTHOR: Richelle Mead
PUBLISHED: 2007
GENRE: Young adult, series, vampires, romance, chick-lit
PREMISE: Rose and Lissa are bonded Moroi and guardian and best friends. The two are pulled back into the Vampire Academy against their will and now are struggling to find their place in it.
MY REVIEW: Okay, I was highly skeptical of this series because I kept thinking "another vampire school series? Really?" But now I acknowledge that I was wrong and am now officially a fan of this series. I can't help it, despite the cliche premise this book is very refreshing. One-kick butt female who cares about something other then a dangerous guy. Granted there's still plenty of romance but for once that's not the main focus and the girls kick just as much butt as the guys. Well...Rose does anyway. Two-no rushed romance. FINALLY, a vampire book where the guy and girl don't look at each other and go "oh wow, this is my true love" and have little complications getting and staying together. The romance in both Rose and Lissa's relationships is wonderfully carried out and believeable and I will say this: I love Christian. Dimitri is hot too (and I also adored Mason) but Christian was my favorite.
Three-None of the characters are Mary-Sue/Gary-Stued out. These characters have flaws and PERSONALITY. You may not particularly like them (Lissa got annoying occasionally and even Rose had her moments) but they were characters. Some of the minor ones could have been fleshed out a bit more (I would have liked to know more about Mason but maybe that comes later in the series). There's also plot, actual surprises (it didn't start dawning on me what was happening till about the same time it started dawning on Rose), and again: a plot other then romance.
So in other words: I loved this. Great characters, interesting story, and a refreshing take on the overdone vampire school premise. Well done Mead, I can't wait to read the second book now. I also would like to know: why couldn't THIS have been made into a tv series or movie? Seriously this would be awesome to see on screen. Get on that Hollywood. You're missing out on some cash cow gold here. Assuming you don't ruin it like you do with all the other books you bring to screen.
WHO SHOULD READ: vampire fans, House of Night fans, Twilight fans
MY RATING: Four and a half out of Five Moroi

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