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tiana_king's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Classism, Grief, Kidnapping, and Stalking
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Suicidal thoughts, Addiction, Torture, Sexual content, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Minor: Death of parent
scarlettereads's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
2.0
I’m going to put some of that down to the audio narrator who shouldn’t try for a Russian accent for any reason at all, but a lot of it is down to the writing.
The major issue I take with this book (and I felt the same fifteen years ago), is that the love interest is literally a paedophile. What was it about the 2000s that had YA authors writing about “older guy” love interests like their lives depended on it?
I hated Dimitri Belikov way back when, and I hate him even more now.
This is going to sound extremely bizarre, and perhaps it’s like when Michael Gary Scott imagined a unicorn before he’d ever seen one but hear me out: Before I even knew of the existence of Tommy Wiseau it was Tommy Wiseau who I pictured when I pictured Dimitri. To fifteen year old me that was how much older than seventeen a twenty-four year old looked. Also, how the hell did I do that?
Even after watching the terrible but bingeable TV adaptation where Dimitri is just some British guy who slipped into a sort of Russian accent about twice, I still see Tommy Wiseau when I picture Dimitri Belikov. Just wearing a leather duster coat and fewer belts.
Is it kind of iconic of me to read a book with a love interest who is kind of part vampire, who looks EXACTLY like TOMMY WISEAU, who I believe to be kind of part vampire—it explains a lot about him, just think on it for a minute—when I had never seen or heard of Tommy W? Incredibly. The accent is somewhere in the wheelhouse of what the audiobook performer went with, so why the hell not?
(But my sincerest apologies to Mr. Wiseau for picturing him when I envisioned a child predator in 2009. I know now that he’s just an “American guy” who is so super good at playing “American football” but is probably not a fan of garlic or holy water.
Anyway, this book is bad. Rose is pretty horrible. Dimitri is literally a paedophile. Etc etc etc. How the librarians at my catholic high school snuck this series onto the shelves I’ll never know, but I kind of wish they hadn’t 😬
Graphic: Self harm, Pedophilia, Adult/minor relationship, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, Violence, Mental illness, Animal death, Blood, and Grief
theworldof11's review against another edition
4.75
Graphic: Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, and Mental illness
dixiecarroll's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Infidelity, Abortion, Blood, Bullying, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Animal death, Car accident, and Death of parent
bookswithlauren's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Death of parent, Gaslighting, Grief, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Car accident, War, Sexual content, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Bullying, Chronic illness, Death, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence
lovelymisanthrope's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
"Vampire Academy" is a YA story that follows Rose, a mix of human and vampire, who is dedicated to protecting Lissa, a Moroi princess. Two years ago, Lissa and Rose ran away from St. Vladimir's academy because of the dangers that lie within its gates. Unfortunately, the pair have finally been caught and are dragged back to the school. Now, the best friends have to work together to protect Lissa from the undead that want to make her one of them.
I never got into the early 2000s obsession with vampires, so out of curiosity, I have been dipping my toes into the vampiric world now (in the 2020s). With that in mind, I did not have very high expectations for this story, but I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. This novel is definitely not amazingly written, nor do I think it has aged super well, but it was just a fun book about best friends who happen to be vampires.
My absolute favorite aspect of this book was the depiction of Lissa and Rose's friendship. Both of these girls will stop at nothing to help the other. When one of them needs something, both do not hesitate to jump in and help their friend. I love seeing depictions of friendship, especially in a YA book. I think it is so important to highlight the importance of friendships, depict what makes a good friend, and show teenagers that there is more to life than romantic love. I am a firm believer that a soul mate does not have to be a romantic relationship, sometimes the people that light your soul on fire are in fact your friends.
I am definitely intrigued, and I will be curious to pick up the rest of this series.
Graphic: Bullying, Toxic relationship, Blood, Death, Death of parent, Self harm, Kidnapping, Stalking, Toxic friendship, Torture, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Gaslighting and Sexual content
Minor: Adult/minor relationship
sweetchocolatez's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Graphic: Bullying, Kidnapping, Self harm, Sexism, Animal death, Sexual harassment, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, and Misogyny
Moderate: Chronic illness, Murder, Terminal illness, Adult/minor relationship, Car accident, Classism, Infidelity, Alcohol, Panic attacks/disorders, Torture, and Mental illness
Minor: Pregnancy, Stalking, Abortion, Death of parent, Grief, War, Death, Suicide attempt, and Cursing
zoeelora's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, Stalking, Gore, Medical content, Terminal illness, Violence, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Classism, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Emotional abuse, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Chronic illness, Sexual content, Torture, Bullying, Cursing, Kidnapping, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, Blood, Mental illness, Car accident, and Physical abuse
hoffmann's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Graphic: Self harm, Blood, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Death of parent, Death, and Animal death
Minor: Mental illness, Adult/minor relationship, Drug use, Terminal illness, and Murder
sarahsbookss's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Alcohol, Animal death, Blood, Infidelity, Torture, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Bullying, Car accident, Death of parent, Grief, Self harm, Death, Mental illness, and Panic attacks/disorders