Release Date: August 16, 2007
Published By: Razorbill Books
Pages: 332
Goodreads: Add it to your reading list

Rating: 4 out of 5

Synopsis: 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: Okay I put aside my preconceived notions and listened to some of my fellow blogger friends, Brodie, Jaz, Hannah and some encouragement from Penguin Books I was convinced I needed to do it - I needed to read Vampire Academy.

I am really glad I did as well. Everyone had told me the same thing… that it was unlike all the other YA vampire books that are on the market, and they were 100% right of course!

Vampire Academy tells the story of Rose Hathaway who is a Dhampir. Basically a Dhampir is someone who is half vampire and half human. Their job is to protect the Moroi. Her best friend Lissa is Moroi. A Moroi is a mortal full blooded vampire. They are hunted down by the Strigoi - immortal full blooded vampires who try to turn the Moroi into one of their own… it feels complicated, but once you start reading, it all falls into place. Trust me!

Lissa and Rose are sent back to St. Vladimir’s Academy after spending two years on the run when Lissa’s life was in danger. Now they are back, and they are finding that it isn’t as easy for them to settle back in amongst the other students. And in order for Rose to catch up on everything she has missed, she needs to take extra combat lessons with one of the guardians, Dimitri. PS, to all the fans out there - I get it okay. NOW I get it Dimitri is smoking hot!

There’s more drama than I anticipated in Vampire Academy - sure it’s about vampires, however there was still that heavy high school element where gossip and being popular rules all. There wasn’t a huge focus on blood sucking and all things vampire, which was surprisingly good. This book could have very easily become cheesy, but the story itself is so solid that even a few years after it was written it hasn’t aged.

Definitely keen to keep reading this series, I am told that the books only get better (and I felt this one was a damn good start as it was!), and with the movie release only a year away, I’d like to have read the whole series before that time.

If you haven’t read this book, don’t wait any longer like I did! Pick it up and read it. It’s a quick read and highly entertaining from start to finish. Huge action packed scenes and a clever storyline with a big twist in the end. Get to it. :)

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