The Vampire Diaries - L.J.Smith

[GinBee, Founder & Mod]

[Kimberley]

Watching the series on Sky at the minute, are the books better?

[Literary Ames]

I would say no, the books are definitely not better. I read the first two a couple of months ago in anticipation of the TV series. The show is good if a little slow, I think they're trying to drag out the storyline. The guy playing Stefan is yummy but I do like bad boys too.

[Mariya]

agreed. i just read them b/c i saw that this was comming out and i kinda had to force myself to read the books. in my opnion the tv series is 10x better. i seriously dont what people like about these books & i dont see how twilight & TVD r simular. the tv series is amazing. and omg. i love paul wesley who plays stefan...so HOT!!!!! especially wit his shirt off.

[Krysta]

*Semi-spoiler* (talks about differences between show and books)
I think the TV series is a lot better too.
The books aren't bad...but I like the pace the Show is moving at, and I actually prefer the show's differences. I like Damon more (Good lord Ian Somerhalder is good looking!) I like the fact that Elena has a brother instead of a sister, and I like the way the Salvatore brothers turned better..just to name a few.
Now, I've only read The Awakening and The Struggle so far, but I can already tell I prefer the TV series by a long shot.

[Kimberley]

Ok, I bit the bullet and read the first series (first four books before it went to The Return) and I will say I enjoyed the first 3, I am nearly half way through the 4th book and have to say it has taken a drastic fall, all I have read on line is that the series was originally only supposed to be 3 books and the 4th was written because of demand, it just isn't working, having killed off a main character this book just doesn't gel, seams like it was written as a filler between the original VD and The Return series, I'm going to finish it and hope that it gets back to speed for the next books or I won't be bothering.

[Angela]

Read the first book and quit there....the show is so much better, and that doesn't happen often. Usually the book is better (IMO)

[Krysta]

Angela wrote: "Read the first book and quit there....the show is so much better, and that doesn't happen often. Usually the book is better (IMO)"

I COMPLETELY agree.
I was super excited to read the books because I absolutely love the show. I was highly highly disappointed after reading the first book, but I kept reading hoping it'd get better. When will I ever learn?
Twilight didn't get any better, neither did The Vampire Diaries.

[Carmen]

I have read all the books, but missed watching the tv series...I have heard though they are almost two different stories. My favorite of the books was definitely the last one, The Return: Shadow Souls.

Damon is my favorite Salvatore brother by far (and the last book is mostly about him)...just something about him!

[Krysta]

Carmen wrote: "I have read all the books, but missed watching the tv series...I have heard though they are almost two different stories. My favorite of the books was definitely the last one, The Return: Shadow So..."

I've read the first four, and they are VERY different. Basically, the same characters (mostly) that do different things.

I LOVE Damon in the show (then again, I think Ian Somerhalder is a total hottie), but in the books he feels a little different.

[Mariya]

100% AGREE
i read them before the show so i just havent read the recently released book and i dont plan on doing so. i really didnt like these books. but the show is simply amazing. dying for the season premire. looks soooo good.

[Angela]

I love the show....Damon is such eye candy too!

[Smiliepeople]

I read the first two books but I just couldn't bring myself to read the rest. I picked them up mainly because I enjoyed the TV show so much, but only ended up dissapointed. I should've known it would happen, I did the same with the Sookie Stackhouse novels. I get attached to characters and things that happen in the TV series then get dissapointed when the books don't have the same depth and detail, mostly because they only focus on one character.

It also doesn't hurt that Ian Somerhalder is the perfect bad boy vampire and I could just watch him all day...

[DarkHeart "Vehngeance"]

I picked up the first omnibus book in a couple of her series a couple of years ago, having heard such great reviews. I read the first Vampire Diaries and was completely underwhelmed. When I heard they were making a series out of it, I couldn't believe it as there are so many really strong YA series out there that I thought would be much better suited. I'll admit I wasn't initially hooked on the show either, but it's really grown on me and I think they've done a great job with it. I traded away the books on paperbackswap though. =)

[Lisa]

I stopped reading these books. They stopped interesting me after the first two it was sad.

[Lacy]

I like the show, but the books were very slow.

[Vikki]

I love the show! Have to agree with what some of you guys have said about Ian Somerhalder as Damon... very hot! Definately an added bonus!

I got hooked on the show from the first episode. I'd heard some people saying about how much they loved the books. When I finally got them and started reading... huge disappointment. I read the first 3 in May/June 2010, and then the 4th in January 2011... it was a struggle to finish any of them. The main similarities between the book and show are main characters have the same names, there's vampires in it...

I have 2 books from The Return... they're in my to-read pile but I have no desire to read them.

[Terra]

Love the original series, hate the tv show.

[Nikki]

I read and was obsessed with this series when I was a tween, which is around the time that they were originally released. I think the re-release without an update damaged her from gaining new fans. Everyone now is so accustomed to being hit over the head with sexual innuendo and "adult" situations that something gets lost in translation with the more "innocent" period that they were originally released into. Same as how I loved R.L. Stine but those wouldn't really be fitting now either. Girls wore "blouses" and pulled their hair back with ribbons.
I am still nostalgic about this series but it's not anything I plan to sit and re-read often.

[Cmkage]

I read the four books of the original series just before the TV show came out. I somewhat liked the first two books, but the series declined with every book and I absolutely hated the fourth one. The series should have ended after the third. I couldn't believe that the author had come up with such interesting characters and then managed to completely ruin it with the most unbelievable and boring plot.

So I had little hope for the TV show, but was very pleasantly surprised. This is probably the only time I enjoy the tv adaption more than the source material. Admittedly, the first few episodes of the first season were a bit boring and chliched, but the series has been getting better and better. By the end of the first season I was completely hooked and now it is one of my favorite shows.

[Erin *Proud Book Hoarder*]

I love the TV show. I read the first two books and thought them very average. Didnt care for the direction they started going, and based on the synopsis and plot of the third didnt continue reading.

[Timothy]

Is there a reading order for the books:


The vampire diaries
The return
the huners
Steffan's diaries orgin

[Jojobean]

I love the books and the TV show as well. Its like two different versions of the same world