Review: The Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

 

Title: Vampire Academy
Series: Vampire Academy
Author: Richelle Mead
Publisher/Publication Date: Penguin Group-Aug. 16, 2007
Source: bought, paperback, 332 pages


Goodreads 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




My Feelings:


I picked up Vampire Academy way back in February not really sure if I was going to like it or not.  It sounded like a really great story but I wasn't sure if I wanted to get sucked into another series about vampires and schools.  
I am so glad I gave this book a chance because I really enjoyed it!
This story is much more than your typical vampire romance.  There is strong emotions going on here and situations that, even though vampires are dealing with, many young adults go through even in real life.  
Lissa and Rose are too pretty amazing BFFs.  At first I thought it was going to be Lissa being childish and Rose always having to put up with her but again, I was wrong.  
Rose is tough but she is gentle with Lissa who is almost more than her best friend, like a sister.  Rose stops at nothing to ensure Lissa's safety, sometimes overlooking her feelings in the process, but definitely embodying what a true Guardian should be.  
Lissa is adorable.  She is such a sweet and angelic vampire.  That sounds like a contradiction doesn't it?  But Lissa does find her toughness and is able to pull through some pretty messed up situations.  
I love how Mead is able to show us the absolute love they feel for each other.  Everyone hopes for that best friend that can feel your emotions and with Rose and Lissa it is there.  
The plot is intriguing too.  I like how you have Mori- living vampires,  Strigoi- the undead vampires, and Dhampirs-half human, half vampire guardians.  
I love how Mead takes on these perspectives and weaves it in to create a unique story line.  
This is a Young Adult paranormal romance but it is a dark one.  There is cursing in it, sexual situations, and even some of the violence is harsh.  But I feel like Mead wrote the story this way because it is harsh out there.  Teens do curse and they do go through bullying in school and life.  
Some of the problems that Lissa is dealing with I was able to connect with on a personal level, even though this is book about vampires.  I feel like it is much more than that too.  
Usually the author will write the vampire being much stronger than the human, but in this story the roles are reversed(for the Mori) and there is a symbiotic relationship between the humans and the vampires, physically and psychologically.  
There were parts, though, that would get confusing when Rose would remember scenes from the past or get sucked into Lissa's mind.  It would have been nice to have more of a warning when Rose would just drift off into the past.  
I would have liked to see more of the Strigoi presence in this book but I guess Mead will give us more of them in the next books... I hope.  
As I type I am itching to pick up the second book in the series right now... I cannot wait to see more of Dmitri in future.  


I gave Vampire Academy four hearts.  








Would you like to pick up a copy of Vampire Academy?  


Amazon / Barnes and Noble