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archfeypatrons's review against another edition
2.0
At first I figured this was going to end up like House of Night.
However, I was completely wrong.
Both series are extremely different, and well-written, but I'd have to say I prefer this one.
Vampire Academy startled me. I loved to romance, the action and the diverse characters. I love the fact that I felt angry when Rose did. I felt sad when Dimitri seemed totally unimpressed by Rose.
I loved the way it all turned up as I imagined it in my head. As I read I could vividly see everything going on.
I laughed out loud several times, and sat on the edge of my seat in class in absolute borrow as if a certain someone would end up being a certain something. ;D
Overall I was greatly impressed with the storyline and the characters themselves and I could not wait until I got my hands on the other books in the series.
However, I was completely wrong.
Both series are extremely different, and well-written, but I'd have to say I prefer this one.
Vampire Academy startled me. I loved to romance, the action and the diverse characters. I love the fact that I felt angry when Rose did. I felt sad when Dimitri seemed totally unimpressed by Rose.
I loved the way it all turned up as I imagined it in my head. As I read I could vividly see everything going on.
I laughed out loud several times, and sat on the edge of my seat in class in absolute borrow as if a certain someone would end up being a certain something. ;D
Overall I was greatly impressed with the storyline and the characters themselves and I could not wait until I got my hands on the other books in the series.
rosalindmgh's review against another edition
4.0
3.75 stars. I'm not a fan of the heavy snark and sometimes reckless behavior; Rose displays a lot less thoughtfulness or discipline than I'd expect to see in someone chosen for this role. However, I suspect that if I were a teenaged reader, this would be my Gateway Book to the vampire genre.
gksihat's review against another edition
5.0
A friend of mine recommended the movie to me so I watched with little expectation. I ended up loving Rose and Dimitri so much that I bought the box set. They arrived the morning I was rushed into hospital and while sitting there I ended up finishing the entire first book. I love Vampire Academy! It’s such a fun read. Hoping that the rest of the series lives up to this one now. If it does, Richelle Mead has found herself a new fan!
alise410's review against another edition
4.0
Third time reading it, first time listening to the audiobook. Very fun and light
shelleyd's review against another edition
4.0
When in doubt on what book to read next between finishing a series and starting a new one, always return to Richelle Mead’s world of moroi and dhampirs.
abby9793's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 stars.
I'm a sucker for a good sassy, kind of obnoxious in a way you can't help but love, female character. And this is Rose at her core.
Vampire Academy follows Rose and Lissa as they are dragged back to St. Vladimir's--a school for both Moroi and novice guardians--after two years on the run. Throughout their time there, odd occurrences keep happening around Lissa, including dead animals seeming to follow wherever she goes, and magical abilities that aren't exactly matching up with her peers'. This latter point is especially true when you consider the special bond between Rose and Lissa that allows Rose to feel Lissa's emotions and sense her thoughts. Throughout the story, we see Rose and Lissa put to the test, whether it be Rose having to catch up on training, or both girls getting caught up in romances that perhaps they shouldn't be.
This story does a great job at revealing details at the right time. Instead of Rose filling us readers in right away on the complete story as to why she and Lissa were on the run and the events leading up to the decision to bolt, a trail of bread crumbs is left behind. It prevents a massive information dump from taking over the first few pages, and it also allows for layers of mystery to be developed and unraveled throughout the story. Ultimately, we come to a conclusion that I did not see coming, but like all good plot twists, makes perfect sense. Although, I must say, the actual climax was a bit lackluster. Yes, Lissa was in danger, they had to save her... and then within a blink of the eye, she's saved. There's practically no suspense, no anxiety. There was such a good buildup throughout the entire story, and then it kind of just fizzled out at the end. It just felt too easy. Yet, while this aspect was a little disappointing, the characters themselves more than make up for it.
Rose is a snarky, hotheaded pain in the ass... and I love her. She's not afraid to do what she has to do to get things done, and it usually leads to some highly entertaining comebacks. She's also a total flirt, but she's not sexualized or slut shamed in any way, which is refreshing to see. Rose is just a girl who is confident in her looks and herself. Yet, when there is slut shaming going on, it's clear that it's not something that should be applied to Rose if that makes sense. It's a way of trying to hurt Rose, but we also see her rise above it, which I think is a good message for girls to see. I ultimately love Rose's character, but I still don't know how I feel about her romance with Dimitri.
Dimitri is twenty-four, and Rose is seventeen. For most of the book, there is little to no acknowledgment that this age gap, mainly because Rose is a minor, is a little... eh. Rose tells herself she shouldn't like him because of the age gap and the fact that he's her mentor, but we don't get Dimitri saying anything similar until the very end. Instead, we see the romance build and build, and I had this persistent feeling of wanting to cheer them on and also feeling uncomfortable with the fact that I did. It's an interesting way to create tension in a relationship as well as a forbidden love kind of thing, but I don't know how I feel about twenty-four-year-olds crushing on seventeen-year-olds. Like i said, it was finally acknowledged at the end by Dimitri, and he was clearly unsettled by it, which definitely made me feel better about it. I just don't know how I feel about those two. Even if you take the age gap away, there's still a power imbalance seeing how he's her mentor and she's his student. They are cute together though, so I'm scattered in all kinds of directions here. I love lissa and Christian though. They have some great similarities they can bond over, but also differences that help the other grow. I love that.
This is ultimately a good read that had me laughing out loud multiple times. The conclusion could have been drawn out more, and I'm still not sure how I feel about Dimitri and Rose, but I can't deny the romance between the two was written beautifully regardless of any uncertainties I have. Overall, good read.
Frostbite review - 4
Shadow Kiss review - 5
Blood Promise review - 4
Spirit Bound review - 3
Last Sacrifice review - 3.5
I'm a sucker for a good sassy, kind of obnoxious in a way you can't help but love, female character. And this is Rose at her core.
Vampire Academy follows Rose and Lissa as they are dragged back to St. Vladimir's--a school for both Moroi and novice guardians--after two years on the run. Throughout their time there, odd occurrences keep happening around Lissa, including dead animals seeming to follow wherever she goes, and magical abilities that aren't exactly matching up with her peers'. This latter point is especially true when you consider the special bond between Rose and Lissa that allows Rose to feel Lissa's emotions and sense her thoughts. Throughout the story, we see Rose and Lissa put to the test, whether it be Rose having to catch up on training, or both girls getting caught up in romances that perhaps they shouldn't be.
This story does a great job at revealing details at the right time. Instead of Rose filling us readers in right away on the complete story as to why she and Lissa were on the run and the events leading up to the decision to bolt, a trail of bread crumbs is left behind. It prevents a massive information dump from taking over the first few pages, and it also allows for layers of mystery to be developed and unraveled throughout the story. Ultimately, we come to a conclusion that I did not see coming, but like all good plot twists, makes perfect sense. Although, I must say, the actual climax was a bit lackluster. Yes, Lissa was in danger, they had to save her... and then within a blink of the eye, she's saved. There's practically no suspense, no anxiety. There was such a good buildup throughout the entire story, and then it kind of just fizzled out at the end. It just felt too easy. Yet, while this aspect was a little disappointing, the characters themselves more than make up for it.
Rose is a snarky, hotheaded pain in the ass... and I love her. She's not afraid to do what she has to do to get things done, and it usually leads to some highly entertaining comebacks. She's also a total flirt, but she's not sexualized or slut shamed in any way, which is refreshing to see. Rose is just a girl who is confident in her looks and herself. Yet, when there is slut shaming going on, it's clear that it's not something that should be applied to Rose if that makes sense. It's a way of trying to hurt Rose, but we also see her rise above it, which I think is a good message for girls to see. I ultimately love Rose's character, but I still don't know how I feel about her romance with Dimitri.
Dimitri is twenty-four, and Rose is seventeen. For most of the book, there is little to no acknowledgment that this age gap, mainly because Rose is a minor, is a little... eh. Rose tells herself she shouldn't like him because of the age gap and the fact that he's her mentor, but we don't get Dimitri saying anything similar until the very end. Instead, we see the romance build and build, and I had this persistent feeling of wanting to cheer them on and also feeling uncomfortable with the fact that I did. It's an interesting way to create tension in a relationship as well as a forbidden love kind of thing, but I don't know how I feel about twenty-four-year-olds crushing on seventeen-year-olds. Like i said, it was finally acknowledged at the end by Dimitri, and he was clearly unsettled by it, which definitely made me feel better about it. I just don't know how I feel about those two. Even if you take the age gap away, there's still a power imbalance seeing how he's her mentor and she's his student. They are cute together though, so I'm scattered in all kinds of directions here. I love lissa and Christian though. They have some great similarities they can bond over, but also differences that help the other grow. I love that.
This is ultimately a good read that had me laughing out loud multiple times. The conclusion could have been drawn out more, and I'm still not sure how I feel about Dimitri and Rose, but I can't deny the romance between the two was written beautifully regardless of any uncertainties I have. Overall, good read.
Frostbite review - 4
Shadow Kiss review - 5
Blood Promise review - 4
Spirit Bound review - 3
Last Sacrifice review - 3.5
kristif's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
emilygem's review against another edition
5.0
Decided to reread this now that I know we’re going to be getting a series soon.
I loved it just as much as I remembered although now that I’m coming at it from an adult lens there were some moments that I picked up on in a way I didn’t in highschool.
I loved it just as much as I remembered although now that I’m coming at it from an adult lens there were some moments that I picked up on in a way I didn’t in highschool.