Vampire Academy

Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead is the story of kickass, tough girl, Rose Hathaway and her vampire best friend, Lissa.  In the world Mead created, there are three types of supernatural beings: 

There are the Moroi vampires, which are living, breathing beings with a magical connection to the earth and the elements.  Twelve Moroi families are considered vampire royalty and Lissa is the last remaining member of the Dragomir line, making her the heir and princess of that family. 

There are the dhampirs, the half human, half Moroi guardians of the royal families.  

Then, finally, there are the Strigoi.  These are the villains of the series, and basically, they are the Moroi gone bad.  The Strigoi are almost what we'd consider typical vampires.  Undead, no direct sunlight, but they feed on the Moroi, not on humans.  

The story starts with Rose, a guardian in training, and LIssa on the run from the Strigoi.   They had left the Academy that served as home for Dhampirs and Moroi two years previously and, through their rare mental bond and pure luck, had managed to stay alive.

So, when they are found by the Academy guardians and taken right back into the dangers they left, life becomes complicated and dramatic.  Rose is pulled in all directions, trying to keep Lissa safe, detecting who is trying to kill them and fighting her increasing attraction to her older guardian mentor, Demetri.  Try as she might, there are some things even Rose can't conquer with a sarcastic comment.  

I have to say, I read this one because it was on a list of book-to-movie must reads for 2014 and I had no expectation of it being any good.  

Boy, was I wrong.  

I loved it. The dialogue was witty and snarky, the characters and situations were relatable, there was enough drama and intrigue to keep me guessing and I honestly did not see the ending coming.  

Still, the best part of all would have to be Rose herself.  Most main characters in this genre are charming, slightly innocent, and somehow either find themselves getting softer or getting tougher.  Not Rose.  No, she's already tough and really, the growth she goes through is really just admitting that she still has a lot to learn and her determination to do so increases.  She is the party girl who flirts with all the boys, slacks off in school and won't hesitate to punch someone in the face, especially if they hurt her friends.  Basically, she's a girl after my own heart.  

My rating: 8 out of 10.