Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

Vampire Academy
by Richelle Mead
Pages: 332 (paperback)
Publisher: Razorbill
Source: bought
Summary:

Only a true best friend can protect you from your immortal enemies... 

Lissa Dragomir is a Moroi Princess: a mortal vampire with an unbreakable bond to the earth's magic. She must be protected at all times from Strigoi; the fiercest and most dangerous vampires - the ones who never die. 

The powerful blend of human and vampire blood that flows through Rose Hathaway, Lissa's best friend, makes her a Dhampir. Rose is dedicated to a dangerous life of protecting Lissa from the Strigoi, who are hell-bent on making her one of them....more info at Goodreads.

 I'll admit it, I was so nervous to read this novel.

I avoided it for as long as possible, until I recently found it for a great price I couldn't pass up. I'm always a little wary with "vampire" books, because they always seem so lame and unrealistic to me (well, the one's I've read in the past did). As the novel progressed, I found myself falling deeper and deeper into Rose's world and her voice. I could easily believe every single word of this book, it was that great.

Rose is strong, fearless, and believable as a protagonist - she can take care of herself. I loved how she was such a well-rounded character, but still full of her own insecurities. I equally loved how strong the plot was, and how I never quite knew what would happen next. Even the reason why Rose and Lissa left in the first place was a complete mystery, and it was only as the novel progressed that little bits of their story surfaced.

Highlights: Rose and Dimitri's relationship, for sure. The two of them are just so amusing together...Plus, I loved the "bad" guys. I was not expecting them at all, and I usually have a skill for guessing the bad guys.

Lowlights: At times, Lissa really bothered me. She was so weak, I wanted her to be stronger. However, in the end, I ended up changing my mind about her entirely.

Rating:  5 out of 5

Update: I've long since finished the entire series, and I can guarantee one thing - it keeps getting better. Give this series a chance, it may surprise you.

My reviews in this series:
Frostbite #2
Shadow Kiss #3
Blood Promise #4