Vampire Academy

[Bethany]

I keep passing up on this series but I am drawn to it everytime I am in the bookstore. When I read the back it just seems so much like the house of night series. Has anyone read both? Should I give this a chance?

[[deleted user]]

I've read both and VA is so much better. Not like HON at all, except for the school part.

[Kourtni]

I tried to start reading HON and could NOT get into it whatsoever. The writing bothered me quite a bit. But I loooooved Vampire Academy!! I say give it a try and see what you think. :)

[Jaimie]

way better than HON. I guess I enjoyed the first 2 or 3 of HON but in reality they were crap. I steered clear of this series for a little while because 1) I thought the name was super cheese and 2) I thought it would be another HON/twilight/insert tween vamp book here but I am so glad I gave it a go. By the third book I was hooked am and now so sad that they are over.

[Tiphaine]

I can't stand the HON (and I've tried!) but VA is really amazing. Definitely worth a try. And lucky you, all books are out so no need to wait for the next one. That was awful!!

[Kourtni]

Agreed Tiphaine. I only had to wait for the last one and it was awful!

[Stacia (the 2010 club)]

Oh there is no comparison. This series is WAY better than HoN. Much more mature and the plot is well written and researched (Mead studied the lore in college iirc). The guys are also great love interests, both of them for completely different reasons.

[Bethany]

Ok I am sold, I enjoyed the first two HoN but they were not my Fav's which is why I was scared to start the VA!! Thank you all for the input I have another one to add to my list that keeps growing :)

[Tiphaine]

You have to tell us what you think of it once you've started but I'd be very surprised if you don't like it!

[Bethany]

Ok finally finished my last series and started this one!! I am only about 100 pages into it and I am hooked you guys are right its really nothing like HON!!! So excited to keep reading. Thanks for all the help!!

[Kourtni]

Glad you're enjoying it Bethany!

[Samantha]

I just finished the series and LOVED IT! Wow it was so phenomenal. Wish I could erase my memory and read it again ;)

I love the dynamics between Dimitri and Rose, and seeing Rose grow and mature throughout the books was really interesting. I am looking forward to reading the off shoot series, for sure. There is a lot she can do with it.

I'm so glad Bethany asked about it on here, because she and I both had the same reaction every time we saw it in bookstores... that it was going to be like HoN which was not even close. Thanks for the recommendation everyone!


SPOILER!!!!!!






Does anyone else think that Adrian should end up with Jill?? I can totally see that.

[Rebecca]

Samantha wrote: "I just finished the series and LOVED IT! Wow it was so phenomenal. Wish I could erase my memory and read it again ;)

I love the dynamics between Dimitri and Rose, and seeing Rose grow and mature..."

SPOILER!!!!!!









No, I think Adrian should end up with Sydney! Jill seems to young for him. I think Jill and Eddie!!

[Tiphaine]

Samantha, I was thinking exactly the same thing, I totally see Adrien and Jill together!! I don't think she's too young for him, Rose and Dimitri have at least 5 or 6 years and maybe more between them and it wasn't an issue for me.

I'm so glad you and Bethany enjoyed this serie as much as I did, can't wait for the spin off!

[Samantha]

Rose and Dimitri are 7 years apart I think.

I think Adrian would get along with Jill better than he would with Syndey although who knows, maybe she could balance him. Still, I seriously doubt she would ever date a Moroi. I think it would be more likely she would date a Dhampir and even then that would be a stretch!

[Rebecca]

Really? Don't you remember when Sydney was asking Rose about the stolen documents and she asked Rose if Adrian was her bf. Rose said yea and Sydney said hes cute! I think thats a sign that they are going to get together!

How old is Jill anyways?

[Samantha]

I think that Jill is 2-3 years younger than Rose. I can't remember how old Adrian is... maybe 2 years older than Rose?

I don't remember that part but I was reading super fast so I know I missed stuff. I'm going to start rereading the series probably tonight.

I still think Sydney wouldn't be with a Moroi. She opened up a lot to Dimitri and Rose but I remember Rose noticing her discomfort around the other guardians and Moroi at Court...

[Tiphaine]

I don't think Sydney would be with a Moroi either but we could be surprised!
We still don't know what Abe did for her to be so much in debt that she would help Rose escape.
Also Jill has a huge crush on Adrian which is why I think they might end up together especially since I just read that Jill will be the main character in the spin off!

[Rebecca]

I think Adrian is 21. I thought Sydney was going to be the main character. Richelle said on her blog that she is the narrator.

[Tiphaine]

This is were I read that Jill is going to be the main character but maybe she changed her mind since then: Bloodlines (it's the name of the spin off serie)

[Rebecca]

"We're still in the same universe, the same rules, all of that. But characters who were in a peripheral role are now our leads. The narrator is Sydney, a human. She's an alchemist. Jill, a Moroi vampire, also has a key role. The male lead is going to be the big surprise. I'll only say that it's one of the love interest from Vampire Academy."

Im definitely betting my money on Sydney and Adrian. I think the fact that she doesn't like the "evil creatures of the night" will make it that much better when she finally gives in to Adrian! IMO : )

[Samantha]

That would definitely make it interesting, Rebecca! I would still like to see Jill with Adrian although I can kind of see how maybe a more mature, serious person would be better for him...

Who knows. I'm exciting to find out though!

[Rebecca]

I think Eddie will get assigned as Jill's guardian and they will fall in love! Just my guess though! I cant wait to find out either!!

[Stacia (the 2010 club)]

I feel like I'm the only person on the planet that doesn't really like Sydney. I want Adrian to get someone better. :(

[Rebecca]

I dont really care for Sydney either, but Im hoping that once we get to know her I will like her more. I just love Rose so much, I dont think Adrian can find anyone better.

[Tiphaine]

I'm hoping I will love Jill as much as I love Rose even if it doesn't seem possible right now!! But I have hope since I already kind of like Jill.
I'm not fond of Sydney either but I do want to know why she owes Abe.

[Zara]

Richelle Mead is releasing a spin off in the summer called Bloodlines, I am really looking forward to that :)

[Samantha]

I'm looking to get the Succubus series also. LOVE Richelle Meade.

Wooo Bloodlines. I'm antsy to read that as well. I was talking to Bethany last night and we are both so thankful that we started these books after the series was complete. I think I would have lost it had I read Shadow Kiss and not been able to get Blood Promise immediately! Same goes for BP and Spirit Bound.

I truly don't know how you all were able to stand waiting. Although I'm waiting for the 8th Outlander to come out but I am dying a little inside each day ;)

[Gwennie]

I'm with you on the Outlander wait. It's excruciating!

[Corrine]

Love love love this series, can't wait for the spinoff and I'm really hoping they don't mess up the movie!!

[Bethany]

Finished them! Loved them! SPOILER



I was bummed out they lost the bond, I just thought it was a great part of both of them. I mean I understand why she did it but I was sad about that.

[Rebecca]

I was too! And now I worry about Lissa!

[Stacia (the 2010 club)]

I'm pissed that Dimka didn't go see his family or at least call. What kind of son goes missing for that long and doesn't at least let his family know he's at least alright?

[Wendy Darling]

I really liked Vampire Academy, and I didn't expect to at all. Rose is such a fierce, amazing character--it was so great to watch her develop during the books. The action and battle scenes were also really good.

There are just a couple of things I wasn't so keen on as far as the last book was concerned.

First, I had a hard time with the way the whole Adrian thing was handled. For all the not-playing-by-the-rules that she does, I didn't think Rose would take him as much for granted as she did. I understand why she seized the chance to get Dimitri back, but what I find difficult to forgive her for is the way she didn't seek Adrian out to come clean--especially after he found out on his own. He had to be the one to find her. (But hopefully he'll get a happy ending in the next few books!)

Also--I wish there had been more time spent on resolving things between Dimitri and Rose at the end. I know they wrapped things up, but I'm not sure he appreciated how much she sacrificed for him. I mean, the girl gave up her best friend and school, crossed an ocean to save his soul, forgave him for trying to turn her into a Strigoi, found a way to free him without killing him, and then he betrays her and is totally ungrateful. A little more groveling after he came to his senses would've been nice!

[Samantha]

I totally agree with you Mimi. I really wanted Dimitri to realize what Rose did for him, because it never fully came out. He got part of it but I felt like he was so wrapped up in his own guilt that he didn't think about what she went through. I hope that in future books they will still play a role and perhaps we could see Dimitri learn about it however I don't think it'll happen since they will no longer be the lead characters.

It bothered me with Adrian, too, but I just felt like she shouldn't have gotten so involved with him in the first place when she knew she wasn't over Dimitri. It is very similar to what she did with Mason, it just lasted longer. Although to be fair, Adrian is a very smart and very perceptive man and he saw what he wanted to see. He knew that she wasn't over Dimitri and didn't want to believe it.

[Wendy Darling]

Samantha, I'm glad I wasn't the only one who felt this way! The books are still really great, though, and definitely my favorite in the vampire/paranormal genre.

I'm looking forward to seeing where the next few books will go with Jill, Sydney, etc, though I'm going to miss having Rose as the narrator. She kicks major ass. And she's going to be hard to live up to.

[Samantha]

I know- I love the badass female lead. Sydney is badass in her own way and she is coming into herself. I suspect that we will see her change a lot throughout her book(s). I'm still definitely going to miss Rose and Dimitri!


MTA: I think that Rose NOT telling Dimitri all she went through for him was another sign of how mature she had become at that point. It wasn't about her sacrifices anymore, it was just about him being back and himself again. She knew it would only hurt him worse should he know what she did for him.

[Wendy Darling]

I totally agree. (She also wished him well/told him he should take the chance to find happiness + babies with Tasha, too!)

I really, really like Rose. It's hard to create a character that's such a strong warrior but who is also compassionate and womanly and finding her way in the world all at once, but Richelle Mead did a fantastic job.

[Bethany]

Have any of you guys read Blue Bloods that's another one I keep seeing but passing up on. It has great reviews on the barns and noble website.

[Traci]

I just finished this series last night and I am blown away. I, too, kept passing on it because of the cheesy title and the fact that the girl on the cover of the first one kind of looks like Angelina Jolie haha..

but wow. This series was wonderful. However, I was totally pro Dimitri the whole time. I didn't understand Rose and Adrian.. their relationship just didn't work for me. It seemed like he only liked her because his parents/Tatiana wouldn't approve and she only liked him because he was convenient.

I also wanted to see more groveling, Mimi. I know she became a bigger person and everything but she totally deserved some gratitude. And the whole Lissa protecting Dimitri from Rose thing really made me mad. If I was Rose and my BFF who I would've done anything for tried to pull that on me... oh man.. There would've been a brawl. But then again, Rose is a lot stronger than I am haha.

I'm pumped for the spin-off, and I will now be anxiously awaiting any movie news!

[Wendy Darling]

Hah Traci, I know what you mean about the cheesy series title and covers. They really don't do justice to how good the books are. I'd rather have that than the other way around, though, I've been disappointed by a lot of books that had gorgeous cover art with terrible content.

Yes, I wasn't crazy about how Lissa handled the post-Strigoi Dimitri situation, either. Oh, well, at least things ended the way they should overall. Just so long as Adrian eventually gets some happiness in the spin-offs!

Bethany, I haven't read any of the Melissa de la Cruz books. I keep picking up Blue Bloods and skimming it because people like them so much, but I haven't been interested enough to read it, mostly because I can't get past all the labels and name-dropping. I don't mind occasional product placement, but there is so much of it that it was really distracting.

[Wendy Darling]

Incidentally...the new cover for Bloodlines is out.



http://shelf-life.ew.com/2011/02/08/r...

As with the VA series, I'm not crazy about this style of cover, but they seem to be working for her sales, so...!

[Smiliepeople]

Is it just me or does the bottom of the cover look like some sort of gothic christmas card? I didn't mind the other covers that much, not the British ones at least. I've seen the American ones and some of them do look a bit more...cheesy teen romance than I'd like, as does the new one. Then again, I guess teenagers is the target market so it probably makes sense...

[Traci]

ooh man. I am not a fan of that cover lol.. and yes, I have to agree.. it does kind of look like a Christmas card!

[Lena]

I also loved the series so much more than I thought I would. I kept trying to picture someone for Rose or Dimitri but nothing ever came up. Like me, I am sure most readers pictured Alex Pettyfer as Jace with the Mortal Instruments series. It was only after I had read the entire series that I realized the perfect person for Dmitri. Marat Safin is a tennis player and looks exactly like what I imagine Dimitri to look like. I am going to have to reread the series now.

[Samantha]

OMG Lena he is gorgeous! He does look similar to what I picture Dimitri like in my mind.

[Tiffany]

Bethany wrote: "I keep passing up on this series but I am drawn to it everytime I am in the bookstore. When I read the back it just seems so much like the house of night series. Has anyone read both? Should I g..."

I've read both of these series and prefer VA over HON. VA's characters are just mature and more believable ! It's a great series!

[Jess]

Stacia *airhead with street cred wrote: "I feel like I'm the only person on the planet that doesn't really like Sydney. I want Adrian to get someone better. :("

Maybe she'll grow on you Stacia? I like her. I want Adrian to end up with Sydney, Jill is wayyyy too young for him and I think he'd feel weird about dating her because (view spoiler)[ she's Lissa's sister (hide spoiler)]

[Holly]

Jaimie wrote: "way better than HON. I guess I enjoyed the first 2 or 3 of HON but in reality they were crap. I steered clear of this series for a little while because 1) I thought the name was super cheese and 2)..."

Well Jaimie, they aren't completely over, did you hear about her series that is coming out? I believe it will be about some of the minor characters from v.a. but i can't wait to get my hands on it! Was hooked on Vampire Academy from less than half way into the 1st book. i recommend v.a. to everyone i know!!!!

[Niven]

I liked this series, especially the first two and the last one. I felt as if she dragged out the third and fourth but the fifth was great. Someone earlier said they couldn't imagine her with anyone other than Dimitri and I liked her much much more with Adrian, he was comical and less gushing romance than Adrian. I think by the end I was fed up with how she treated Adrian because I liked him so much that my dislike carried over to Dimitri.