Book Review - Vampire Academy

Vampire Academy
Author: Richelle Mead
Series: Vampire Academy #1
Genres: Paranormal, Fantasy | Young Adult
Release Date: 26 May 2009
Publishers: Razorbill
No. Pages: 322
Source: Borrowed
Rating:

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.

This book centers around two main characters. Rose and Lissa, but is from Rose's point of view. It starts of with Rose and Lissa on the run, for what we don't know, until the Guardian's from the very school they are running from finally catch up with them and bring them back. There we learn that Lissa is a Moroi Princess (Moroi means mortal vampire... strange I know haha) and just before she went on the run her mother, father and brother died in an accident. One that her and Rose walked away from, scratch free.

Upon the return to the school Rose is pushed back into her training as a Guardian, where she will learn the necessary skills and knowledge of how to keep a Moroi safe, one that she's hoping will be Lisaa who she shares a bond with. (something that's very rare). Not only pushed back into her training, but as punishment for running away with Lissa for 2 years, Rose has been put on house arrest, leaving Lissa alone with anyone to talk to. Things at school aren't the way they are when they left and not only do they have to deal with the rumours spreading around about why they left and what they got up to while gone, the new popular girl at school Mia is on a one way mission to make the duo's life hell.

Lissa's one and only friend is none other than the schools outcast, Christian, faced to shoulder the shame his family brought by willingly turning Strigoi (undead vampires). Even though Lissa is starting to feel for him, Rose cant help but think that there is something off about it, and tries everything to keep them away, even if that means lying to Christian and blocking the one thing that keeps Lissa happy during Rose's captivity. Rose's has as much to deal with as her Lissa, as she has started falling for her mentor and fellow guardian, Dimitri. Only problem is he's 7 years older. Not only having feelings for someone she could never be with, she has to find out as much about the specialized magic Moroi have if she is to help Lissa control hers (which are the very rare healing and compulsion on everyone, not just humans) because if she uses her powers too much, she could end up going crazy and turning Strigoi to escape it.

My thoughts? well I'll start of by saying that the only reason I gave this a two and not a one was because I liked Dimitri's character. A lot about this book bothered me. Maybe the repetition of phrases. ( like Rose calling Dimitri a god badass..). I didn't like the chopping and changing from Rose to through Lissa's eyes. I really think a pour job was done there. I didn't like any of the characters (other than Dimitri) they all annoyed me and I hated the power struggle against Mia and Lissa. Coming from England I can honestly say that the only time I've witnessed the bitchiness like you see in this or in mean girls or any other school film/program is when its American, its not something I've witnessed in any schools over here.

And lastly I hated the way this book was aimed at what a 'typical' teenage would like. The silly fallen in love with someone over the space of a few days, the bitchiness, the writing, the feelings, everything. I've read a lot of YA books that even if its not about serious matters, it still doesn't strike you as the author trying to treat you like a child. Ok... no one will understand what I mean by this I'm sure, but this book could have been a lot better. All in all I just really didn't like it. The idea behind it was good, but it defiantly wasn't well executed in my eyes.