Vampire Academy

By Richelle Mead

Vampire Academy is a story about vampires, but it's also about friendship, loyalty, and finding yourself.

Rose is a dhampir, a half-Moroi (vampire) and a guardian.  Her best friend, Lissa, is a royal princess in Moroi society. Rose and Lissa have a special relationship, one where Rose can sense Lissa's emotions. Rose also feels very protective of Lissa and will do whatever she needs to keep her safe. They should be at the Vampire Academy in Montana, but Rose helped Lissa escape 2 years ago to help keep her safe from an unseen danger. After 2 years on the run, the Academy has finally caught up to them and are determined to bring them back.

The reception back at the Academy is chilly, but they are expected to stay and work on catching up in their classes. Rose struggles to keep keep up with the others in her class, but she's extra determined...and has extra practices with Lissa's new extra guardian, Dimitri. Dimitri is from Russia and is beyond hot. He takes his work very seriously, but he starts to warm up around Rose.

As the months roll on by, things start to happen, startling things to Lissa. She finds dead animals in her room, bloody and violently killed. Lissa struggles not to panic and fights with depression. But through it all, Rose is there to help her. Rose, however, can't keep her safe all the time. She will need help from Dimitri and others to rescue Lissa from herself and from one who kidnaps her for her special abilities. In the end, Lissa is saved, the bad guy is put away, and Rose and Dimitri have to fight their attraction to each other. Action, adventure, romance, heartache, and tears...it's all there in the Vampire Academy. 

What I like about this book: It is the beginning of a new series, so that means I have more time to get to know the characters. Also Rose is a complex character, and I like complex characters.  Rose is loyal and fiercely passionate about Lissa and protecting her. But Rose is also impulsive and vulnerable at times.

What I didn't like about this book: While the story line is great and the characters are pretty cool, there are a few things that make me pause about this book. First off, there are a bunch of swear words in the book. Now, I'm not against swear words, but I'm not for them either. There is a time and place, but using them over and over when not necessary is not the time or place. And though the characters are older (17 or 18) and it's more realistic that they use swear words, I don't feel comfortable sharing those kinds of books with middle school students. Also, there are a lot of sexual references. Rose is considered gorgeous compared to the Moroi with her bigger chest, and there is a time when she's shirtless with a boy. There's also another time when she and Dimitri are under a lust spell and she's pretty much naked.  Another thing that gives me pause is that Lissa struggles with depression and to help, she cuts herself. I understand that that is a way that some people cope with their emotions, it is, again, not something I want my middle schoolers to be exposed to.

I would recommend this book to UPPER middle school students and young adults who are mature. It is probably more of a girl book. I don't think boys would like this one very much.