Vampire Academy (Vampire Academy, #1) by Richelle Mead

Final Rating: 4/5 Stars

Pages: 332

Edition: Paperback

Time Read: 12.4.14 - 12.5.14

Summary:
"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. "

Review:

Oh Vampire Academy, the nostalgia you give me. I read these books sans the last one in high school and loved them, and when I saw that Walmart had the last three books in the series, I was hooked.  Of course I had to buy the first three, because you can’t read the end before the beginning.  So I sat and waited for a long time to get them (ordered off of Amazon), and when they came I dove right in.

I was a little apprehensive about reading at first. What if I spoiled the fond memories by rereading and not liking them the second time around? Turns out I had nothing to worry about!  The books are as wonderful as I remember them.

Let’s start with Rose. If you’re an avid follower of my reviews you know that I have a thing for strong, kickass heroines.  Rosemarie Hathaway is the definition of a strong, kickass woman.  She thinks only of protecting her best friend throughout the entire book and does a pretty good job at it.    She is snarky, flirty, sarcastic, talks back, confident, and a whole slew of other good vocabulary words.  On the other hand, she is also immature and impulsive, resulting in some interesting situations.  Rose stays very true to her character throughout the book, and while she learns and grows from experiences and Dimitri’s lecturing, she still retains a bit of immaturity and carelessness.

Speaking of Dimitri; wow.  If you’ve ever dreamed of tall, dark, and handsome, he’s probably who you pictured.  Throw in a Russian accent, and you’ve got McDreamy.  Dimitri seems forever patient and immune to Rose’s charms, but deep down, he is as impulsive and passionate as she is on the outside.  They butt heads and first, and as the story goes on, they become friendly and then much more than friendly.

The relationships in the story are deep and very thought out.  Rose’s relationship with Lissa is exactly what it should be based on that society; Lissa comes first. Rose does whatever she can for Lissa to keep her safe and happy, even at her own expense.  Rose is always there to listen to Lissa and make sure she knows everything is going to be okay.  Rose’s relationship with Dimitri is incredibly complicated; not only is he her mentor, but he is also 7 years older than her and Lissa’s current guardian.  Feelings between the two are exactly what they DON’T want, and somehow it’s exactly what happens.  The buildup between the two is very clear and you can feel the sexual tension a mile away.

The plot is pretty light in this one, sticking to mostly high school drama with a little added vampire touch.  It’s obvious this is the first book in a series as it’s very informative, however it still manages to hold its own and remains interesting throughout the story.  There was never a time that I felt was dragging.

While this story was absolutely wonderful, I couldn’t give it a 5 due to the kind of shallowness in Rose’s personality and the fact that when I think back it’s hard for me to remember the main villain sometimes.  Otherwise, it’s a brilliant read.  There is a bit of swearing and mature situations, so a word of caution to anyone who dislikes it.   If you’re someone who doesn’t mind, then make sure you go get this book and read it.  Like, right now. Go.