Monday, January 6, 2014

Vampire Academy by: Richelle Mead

Vampire Academy By: Richelle Mead
(Vampire Academy #1)

Edition: Paperback
Pages: 332
Published: August 16th, 2007
Publisher: Razorbill

Purchased: Amazon | Book Depository

Goodreads Synopsis: 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:
Rose is like a bodyguard who has been protecting Lissa from something unknown...  She will go through great lengths in order to ensure Lissa's safety, even if that means neglecting her own needs.  Lissa, at times has a strong sense of someone following her but Rose does everything in her power to reassure Lissa that everything will be ok.  This is not a hard task especially sense their bond is so strong.

This book had a very different take on vampires which I was thankful for. The Vampire Academy is a school that young vampires learn things, such as dealing with their powers that they specialize in.  It is also a place where people like Rose go through education and training in order to become a guardian to protect the vampires (Moroi) since their race is dying out.  Rose was a very likable main character and extremely selfless, always being their for Lissa when she most needed it.  Lissa was not a character I liked very much because she did not really stand out to me.  I think the reason she did not stand out was because she seemed very helpless at times always needing someone (Rose) to rescue her.  And then when she did try to take situations in her own hands she would go to deep extremes in order to save her friend, which seemed unnecessary at times.  I did like the concept of Lissa's gift that will truly unravel towards the end of the book.  It seems like a gift most would love to have and yet a curse at the same time. Dimitri was to die for! Something about him just made him seem so adorable even though he hardly said anything and was mostly "statue-like" through this book. The reason I held off from reading this book is because people said that the ending was very predictable.  After reading this all the way through I have to disagree.  I did not see the ending coming the way it did, which turned out to be really weird (weird in a good way). This book is slow paced but I feel that it gives you enough detail about the history of the Moroi and Dhampir's which is something you need to understand, especially sense this book is not about ordinary vampires.
I think this is a great book, that has just enough action to keep you wanting more.

Final Verdict: 5 stars

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