Vampire Academy

Rose and Lissa are dragged back to a school for vampires; though it’s a fair bit more complicated than that, with vampires of different sorts and being able to wield magic.

Rose is Lissa’s bodyguard and the school trains their powers, so that Rose will be able to protect Lissa (who is a princess) when the time comes. Their lessons don’t stop them from getting into a whole swath of familiar teenage drama.

This book was more fun for me. Not as serious as most vampire books but it still was very entertaining and kept my attention from beginning to end. I loved the plotline of this story and once again you could tell the author put a lot of thought and effort into the world-building. And the characters. More of a Harry Potter-type feel with a lot of scandal and backstabbing. This book had me interested in the romance between the characters, and it’s a book that keeps you guessing. I'm not much of a romance reader so even recommending this book… show more.

Friendship, loyalty, duty. These form a bond between Lissa, a moroi vampire princess, and Rose, her dhampir guardian. This was one of the first books I read with an unapologetically badass heroine, and I still love it to this day. Rose can be reckless and has enough cheek to share with an army, but she’s a wonderful friend and far more heroic than she gives herself credit for. And her forbidden attraction to Dimitri is fire! Vampire Academy puts a twist on the classic vampire lore, giving free will importance that I found interesting.

I absolutely loved this book from the start. Back when I first read them, the concept was so original that I found myself hanging on every word. With two types of vampires at war, a royal line on the cusp of being eradicated, and a reliance on 'half-breeds' for protection, it was full of action.

I think what got me the most was the close bonds and friendships. I was reading them at a time when I didn't have many connections due to moving areas with my now husband. There is a big undercurrent of love through the pages, including… show more.

I love vampire books. When my friend recommended this one, I was instantly intrigued. The main character is Rose. Rose is a Dhampir, a person who protects the Moroi. There are two types of vampires, the Moroi and the Strigoi. The Strigoi are the typical, evil vampires. Rose’s friend, Lisa, is a Moroi. The story follows their friendship and the problems they encounter in their extraordinary lives.

This book hooked me into reading the entire series. It’s filled with suspense and action. The characters were well-developed. There are only a handful of book series that had me this engaged and… show more.

If you somehow missed the Vampire Academy series when it first came out in 2007, you’re in for a treat. There’s friendship, romance, intrigue, and a whole lot of female badassery. This book really lit the fire for me--and helped inspire my own vampire series--with its creation of a world where it's the young women who are the empowered ones.