Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

4/5 Stars

B&N:

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.


My Review:

Hmm..I'm between liked it and really liked it. The beginning- I liked...the middle and end I really liked.

At first it gets...not really confusing, but you have to pay attention to what's going on because there's all this made-up terminology that goes along with the series. Once you get that down, the book flies.

I liked the characters. I ended up feeling for Rose and wanting things to happen to her and getting frustrated when bad things happened. I also really liked Dimitri and Christian...oh and Mason. Lissa- the other main character was ok. I think because the book takes place from Rose's perspective you get more of her. I think that there needed to be a bit more with Lissa if we are to believe and agree with her bond with Rose.

I would like to put this in my 8th grade class library, but I'm not sure I'm going to. The author mentions drinking and smoking weed countless times---and really, it wasn't necessary. The drinking- I could see why it was put in there...realistically teens do that. Yes, I know they smoke weed as well, but that wasn't necessary. Especially seeing it was mentioned in the beginning of the book...I think the author could have just stuck with the drinking. Some may ask why have either in them...well to make it realistic. But also, I can see why the drinking made some events happen- well not necessarily happen- but added to some parts of it.

Also...the sex thing. Them talking about it- never showing it- but the mention of it...again...it's realistic, but did it need to be there? It added to the book yes- but could it have been done without it.

These things for me reading it were fine- minus the weed- that just annoyed me- but to put in my classroom...those are the things that will stop it.

Oh- also...did one of the characters really have to be a cutter? I felt that the author just put that in there because, unfortunately, cutting is a popular thing.

Overall, I did enjoy the book. I'm actually planning on going out tomorrow and buying the rest of the series. Once I got into the book I needed to keep on reading it to see where it was going. It wasn't a very predicable ending- which is nice.

So- even though I didn't like some things- I did give it 4/5 stars.