Book review: The Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

 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.

First line:

I felt her fear before I heard her screams.

My opinion:

Finally I got around to reading The Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead. I've read some great reviews of this book, in fact all the reviews I've read of The Vampire Academy have been good ones and mine won't be any exception. I recently finished the audiobook and it was great! The book was read by Stephanie Wolfe and at first I was a little unsure if I would enjoy this audio version but after about five minutes I was all into it and Stephanie became the main character, Rose, to me.

The books starts by introducing us to the two runaways;  the Damphire guardian Rose and her best friend and protégé, the Moroi princesses Vassilissa. The two of them have been hiding out for two years but now someone has found them. They had their mysterious reasons for running away but I cannot tell you what that was.

The protagonist in the book is, Rose. She is a great kick ass heroin! She has got a bad temper, issues with her mother(like many teenage girls, but most girls see their mother each day and most mothers aren't some kind famous vampire slayers. Or maybe most mothers are except for me? LOL), Rose also has an attitude that tends to get her in trouble. Just the way I like my heroines, one cannot always be sensible when saving the day. Last but not least Rose is really popular with the boys because of her looks, but that isn't always necassry such a good thing.

Princesses Vassilissa(called Lissa) Dragomir is Roses protégé and her bestfriend. Lissa is the last vampire left of the Dragomir royal family. All of her closest relatives was killed in a terrible accident. Rose and Lissa was in the same car accident, at least one of them should have been dead but somehow miraculously manganged to survive. Obviously Lissa has been through a rough time in her life and she struggles with depressions and mood swings, but there are other things that makes her depression even stronger. Lissa can do magic most Moroi vampires only can dream of but it wears her out. The only way she can cope with her depression is by cutting herself.

A crazy teacher at the acadamy once told Rose that she needed to make sure that Lissa didn't use her magic. The girls didn't quite understand why but make no mistake they will figure out the hard way.

Guess what! This story also has boys *big grin* We have a dark, mysterious, handsome boy who might be unstable, his name is Christian and he's a Moroi vampire. Then we have a Damphire guardian in training, a red haired outgoing and really likable guy called Mason. Last but certainly not least we have a little older guy, he's got brown hair, brown eyes and he's a sexy Russian Damphire guardian called Dimitri. I won't say much more about the boys, you have to read the book and get to know them. I will say that my favorite boycharacther in this first book is Christian. He really got my sympahti, he's such an outsider, mainly because of some bad stuff his parents did, and that can be really though.

I like they way Richelle Mead has been creative and invented three kinds of different vampires. So before wrapping it up I'll try to tell you a little about each of the three different kinds.
We have the Moroi vampires:
1. They're born vampires.

2. They drink blood(they have volunteer feeders and they never kill them)
3. Every Moroi specialses in one kind of magic(earth, wind, fire or water)
4. They are mortal.

Then we have Damphires, now lets see what's so special about them:
1. They are half vampires; a cross between Moroi and Damphire.

2. A Damphire can only reproduce with a Moroi. Therefore the Damphire race is dependent on the Moroi to reproduce.

3. Most Damphires works as guardians for the Moroi vampires(they really have no choice or else they would be an endangered species).

Last but not least we have the bloodthirsty and evil Strigoi vampires. You might think they're just like the "regular" vampires, let's see if that's right:

1. A Strigoi can be a Moroi vampire or a Damphire that's gone over to dark side(as we all know they have cookies there!). How they do that you'll find out in the book ;)

2. They kill.

3. They are immortal

4. They have no magic powers but they have great strength.

5. They want to get rid of the Moroi vampires.

I really really liked this book and won't hesitate to recommend this book !

My rating of this book:
4 out of 5 stars.




If you have reviewed this book let me know and I'll post a link to your review below.
Want another opinion on this book? Check out these reviews below:

BTT - Dead To The World - Most enjoyable read

I haven't read any sad books lately(which was really this weeks BTT), and to be quite frank with you I don't particularly enjoy reading sad books. There is so much sadness in this world so I try to stay away from sad books. Since I didn't participate in last weeks BTT I'm answering that question instead of this weeks.

Booking Through Thursday is a weekly meme hosted by Deb at Booking Through Thursday. Follow the link and join in on the fun or just to see which books other readers have enjoyed!

What’s the most enjoyable, most fun, most just-darn-entertaining book you’ve read recently?
(Mind you, this doesn’t necessarily mean funny, since we covered that already. Just … GOOD.)

Without a doubt Dead to the world by Charlaine Harris. I have a huge crush on Charlaine Harris viking(perhaps because I'm of viking blood? LOL) vampire Eric Northman. It doesn't hurt that I picture him like Alexander Skarsgård that playes Eric in the show True Blood either. He's a big part of this fourth novel in The Southern Vampire Mysteries series. I think Charlaine has truely created a great character in Eric Northman, he's supposed to be a though vampire and bad ass boss but perhaps that's not all that is to him? He's certainly no one dimensional character, that's for sure.

Synopsis:
When cocktail waitress Sookie Stackhouse sees a naked man on the side of the road, turns out he doesn't remember who he is. But it's Eric the vampire, who's now a kindler, gentler vampire. He's also scared because whoever took his memory now wants his life.

I give you Mr. January, Eric Northman, vampire!

What's on your desk Wednesday? + Award!

I've been tagged by the wonderful Sassy Brit from Alternative-Reads.com in her What's on your desk Wednesday meme! I don't actually have a lot of things on my desk because I really don't have a desk right now(well I do but it is placed so that I almost bump my head in the sealing if I try to sit down there, feels like it anyway LOL). We are redecorating in our basement so hopefully we'll make a small office there when we're finished with that. Meanwhile I just use the kitchentable, that is when we don't eat there, as a desk. Here's what's on my desk(I know the picture is of a losy quality but the cellphone was all I had ATM):

I don't have a lot of stuff there really, or maybe that's because when the picture was taken I've just tidyed the table before dinner ;) The books on the picture is The Woman in the cage(NO. title Kvinnen i buret - reading it for a blog tour) by the Danish author Jussi Adler-Olsen, Moon Called by Patricia Briggs and Knife by R.J. Anderson.

I've also been so lucky that I've received this great award from Sassy Brit @ Alternative-Reads.com Thank you so much! :

This award is designed with one purpose in mind: Pass this on to other bloggers who have awarded you in the past.

And now for the nominees:

Sassy Brit @ Alternative-Reads.com 
Linda Ellen over @ Bambi Reads
Jessica @ Shut Up! I'm Reading 
Jane @ lifeafterjane
Blodeuedd @ Book girl of Mur-Y-Castell


Don't forget to enter my competiton for a chance to win The Demon's Lexicon by Sarah Rees Brennan OR Shiver by Maggi Stiefvater OR To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee OR Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins. International!

Addicted to a new YA tv-series

Thanks to GreenBeanTeenQueen for posting about this new series called Glee, I watched the trailer she posted and I knew that this was a series for me. Tonight I took a break while baking a cake(celebrating our sons 4th birthday with friends and their kids tomorrow) to watch the first episode of Glee with my boyfriend. We both really enjoyed it and we're looking forward to the next episode!

Take a look at the trailer and see what you think: