Borders Book Description:
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. . . .
Category: MUST READ
I decided to post this as an overall view of the series vs. each book. I figure I can always go back and review each one later, but I feel like Sassy and I need to get some good recommendations out there. You might notice as time goes by that I, Izzy, am a fan of young adult fiction even though I am well past the target audience age. I truly do look for books in other sections. I think I just have an infatuation with reading about first love. It doesn't hurt if the book contains a bit of the supernatural as well. I guess it makes it more interesting to me. Anyway, I don't dwell on this fact, I just keep on reading...
Sorry to be side tracked, but I felt I needed to address this as ALL of my posts have been YA novels besides Water For Elephants.
On to the series...
I loved these books. I bought all six of the books for my reader at once. Call it a good feeling or presumptuously wasting money, but I got lucky because it turned out I couldn't have waited to purchase the next book each time I finished a book. I literally read the last sentence of one book and immediately started reading chapter 1 of the next book. I stayed up way too late each night, ate lunch at my desk so I could read...you get it...these books owned me. Sassy still hasn't ready these, much to my dismay. I need to know if it is just me or if these are really as great as I think. I think it is the latter considering I see tons of 5 star ratings for these books.
The story line was pretty intense. It is a whole new world and set of rules for vampires. See that's the thing, I thought I had picked up a book on vampires and really the main character is a Dhampir. So, I had to learn all these rules about Richelle Mead's vampires, Dhampirs and Strigoi.
The main character is for once kick ass. She doesn't need rescuing (most of the time). She has a smart mouth that spouts off before she thinks and often gets her into trouble. I loved her character. She was strong, both physically and emotionally. Normally in a love story, the female is the weaker character. Rose, however, is actually stronger than Dimitri when it comes to control and emotions.
Since we are honest here, one negative comment I can make...the main character stays true to her age. She is a 17 year old teenager. I didn't like how the author would send Rose on tangents. Often, Rose would stray off in her own thoughts that were completely separate from the story line being dealt with. I'm not sure about anyone else, but I got very frustrated with her. I wanted to find out what was going to happen next and then you are stuck reading five pages worth of Rose's thoughts about something that sometimes seemed completely irrelevant. That being said though, the author kept Rose true to her nature as a teenager. What I am trying to say here, in a million words or less, is the plot can be slow to develop throughout the series.
This was a great series. I feel like I need to go back and reread the series because I blew through it. The story line definitely kept me on the edge of my seat. It was creative and unique with so many twists and turns. Some scenes actually took my breath away. This is a must read if you like action, suspense, and a good love story.
Spoilers ahead...do not read if you haven't read the whole series...
I can't wait for Sassenach to read this series so we can break this story down...I had so many conflicting feelings throughout this series.
Did anyone else feel like it would just suck to be a dhampir instead of a vampire (I know, I know, I am writing about this as if it were real, but isn't that the authors point...to make the world they create almost seem real.) Anyways, the vampires get special powers, can be with anyone they want while the dhampirs train their whole lives to defend the vampires. They don't really have much of a choice, sure they could choose not to but that decision, of course, does not come without consequence as they are looked down upon. The dhampirs can't even procreate without vampires. They have to have an affair (yes affair because a vampire almost never marries a dhampir) just to have children.
Then my next conflicting emotion...Rose's relationship with Dimitri. Don't get me wrong, I was/ am an avid supporter of their relationship. I was rooting for them throughout the series. It was kinda hot...the whole fight training and denying their feelings in the beginning. But I digress, he was her teacher! Yeah, he was only like 6 years older than her and they had an undeniable connection, but somewhere in the back of your mind you have to question that, right? I am a fan of the whole forbidden love thing, but teacher / student romance is pushing it. I'm not really faulting it because it works itself out and it never crossed into the creepy territory.
Adrian - Am I the only one that felt absolutely horrible for him by the last book? I know someone is always going to get hurt when there is a love triangle involved. But, it took me so long to trust Adrian and connect with him. I was invested in his character after a while and really liked him. I always knew that Rose belonged with Dimitri and if at all possible that they would be together. But, Rose and Adrian did have something good together too. He was funny, sweet, and charming. I ended up loving his character. I needed him to do something horrible to Rose in order to justify her choosing Dimitri over him. He helped her SO much to save Dimitri. I felt that she misled him; I knew it was coming, but I still felt so bad for him.
Lissa - I thought she came off as selfish sometimes. I get she's the princess and Rose's sole job in life is too protect her, but I wanted Rose to be able to talk to Lissa about some of the things she was going through. In a way, it was Rose's nature to harbor her problems and take on Lissa's as if they were her own. I mean she literally absorbs Lissa's "darkness". If I am remembering correctly, Lissa gets mad at Rose in one of the later books because she leaves her at the Academy to go find Dimitri. What kind of friend is that? She should want her to be happy. I guess I wanted Lissa to redeem herself throughout the series by not expecting everything from Rose as a dhampir, but to at times just be her best friend.
Spoilers OVER...
So what do you think? Have you read it? Are you going to read it? I'd like to know what you think...tag your it...
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