I gave this book 3 stars on my first read. I raised my rating after reading and liking it more on my second read.Addition : Why I think you should read VA instead of Covenant The before : September 2010 I was a stubborn brat when it came to reading Vampire Academy. Part of me honestly thought that a vampire series couldn't impress me after experiencing how oversaturated the genre had become with depressing and lackluster characters and stories. Because of this, I went into my first read of VA begrudgingly and with a bad attitude. It didn't make any sense to me why so many people were rabid fans of this series. I think I pre-programmed myself to want to hate the books. So I read the first book and ended up liking it. But I still didn't see what the big deal was. My review reflected the attitude that it was an easy read and somewhat entertaining - but what was the big deal?Apparently, there must have been something sparked because I started book 2 shortly thereafter and then found myself blazing through the rest of the series, getting more and more addicted with each book. The After : September 2012 Two years later and this remains one of my favorite series of all time. Even though book 1 had a few glaring errors, each book got better by massive leaps and bounds. The end of book 3 had me crying, the second half of book 4 had me on pins and needles, and after I finished book 5 I joined the crew of people who were throwing out theories about what could possibly happen in the upcoming release of book 6. Since then, I've devoured the graphic novels and spinoff series Bloodlines (featuring a cast of extras from the original VA books). I had become obsessed. Dimitri is one of my all-time favorite heroes. Period. There is no one I've come across in my book reading history quite like Guardian Belikov. He is bad-ass and lethal. He is loyal and honorable. He is strong, vigilant, and protective. He is the man you want to take home to momma before dragging him off to bed (he is 24 and all man, so I do not feel guilty about admitting this!). He is every characteristic that I'd want to see in a hero, without being turned into an arrogant and controlling asshole like you see in so many books featuring a larger-than-life male lead.Rose is one of my all-time favorite female leads. What? Both the male and female in the same story are great? She is mouthy, stubborn, determined, loyal, brave, and can also kick major ass. If you ever wanted a friend who would go to bat for you, Rose is your girl. Rarely, does a couple balance one another in a story. Now, this isn't to say that these two are an actual couple (I will neither confirm nor deny that they end up together, since another potential love interest does enter the picture in book 2), but the chemistry between Roza and Dimka is off the charts because they are able to challenge each other. Oh, but wait. There's a complication. Rose is being trained to become a guardian by Dimitri. That's right - they are teacher and student. Now, this isn't in the disgustingly creepy pedo way. Rose is almost 18 and Dimitri is 24. Their values and ways of thinking often show them more as equals than mentor and student, so the lines become blurred. But yes...this has the potential to become a forbidden and dangerous love story...if they ever allowed it go there.I'm not telling, of course!Final analysis from then to now :My first read complaints were that I didn't understand why Rose was so down for the cause and had such unfailing devotion to the ruling class. Even after going through a complete series read, I still struggle with this, even though I liked some of the attitude shifts in the later books. Lissa didn't impress me back in 2010. She still doesn't impress me in 2012. I didn't recall book 1 having so much silly teen drama. Because books 3 through 6 are focused so much on fighting and real-life struggles outside of the school, those are the memories I carry with me. This is an extremely mature (and sexy) series for YA because of the older characters and content. So I was surprised to go back and realize that book 1 read younger and sillier than the rest of the books. It was still good. In fact, I appreciate it more now, knowing how much it set up the series, so I'm raising my rating a full star. Make no mistake though, this is the weakest book in the series. If you're unsure about book 1, keep reading because it gets INCREDIBLE from here on out. The world building in the first 30% of the original book was overwhelming imo. Initial info-dumping is one of Mead's only flaws as a writer because otherwise she is a master at getting me to care about her characters (regardless of series).The action and adventure balances the romance excellently. I should have mentioned this earlier, but this is not a paranormal romance series. It is a high-octane Urban Fantasy. Expect adventures in every book. The sexual chemistry is just a bonus, but it doesn't choke out the fun aspect of the series.I have no doubt now that this will stay in my top 3 series for a long time to come. Re-reading only cemented this for me.Oh my Dimka, my Dimka... Dimitri hovered over us, alert and ready for any threat, his body coiled to attack. I felt safe with him beside us.In that horrible moment, with him raging like a storm, I knew why Mason had called him a god.He regarded me with utter seriousness, like he always did. "I think you're beautiful.""Beautiful?""You are so beautiful, it hurts me sometimes."
Buddy-read set for mid December with my fellow castle dreamers, the delightful Jess & the wondrous Kat (Her review is made of WIN!)!! Vampires! Vampires! Vampires! UNPOPULAR OPINION TIME!2.5 StarsSo, as you might have guessed by that star rating Vampire Academy was a miss for me. Not entirely a miss but a miss nonetheless. My Grievances:Girl-on-Girl Hate: I hate this shit so much... and it’s everywhere in this novel!! Every time I turned a page I was slapped in the face with it! Mia hates Lissa, Rose hates Mia, Rose hates Natalie, Rose hates all the Royal Girls... you get what I’m saying here?! I don’t mind revenge, in fact, I love that shit!, but this was just senseless hate…. ALL OVER THE DAMN PLACE!! And guess what… the worst culprit in my girl-on-girl hate onslaught was over a boy. OF COURSE IT WAS!! Because, apparently, girls CANNOT ever be angry about anything not related to a boy…. NOPE! We are merely flesh machines designed to pump out babies and cater to a man’s every whim, aren’t we?!Slut Shaming: I won’t go into any spoiltastic details but I will say that our MC is promiscuous AND extremely flirty. I would be completely fine with this IF it didn’t create a HUGE plot element of slut-shaming craziness! THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH ENJOYING YOUR SEXUALITY!!! Side note: I though Rose was gay for about half of this book AND I am still not entirely convinced she isn't. (Which I have no issue with BUT I think Mead wrote her and Lissa's friendship bizarrely if she didn't intend this avenue.)Inappropriate Love Interest: I don’t think I need to elaborate on how bad of a decision it is to have a love interest that is SEVEN years older than our 17-year-old MC, do I?! And although, ultimately, this was handled as well as I can imagine I just don’t like it. YUCK! I have known scores of high schoolers with crushes on their teachers…. BUT I can’t help but feel that (view spoiler)[ a 24 year old who has a crush on a 17 year old is pretty emotionally unhinged!! It made me question one of the only characters I enjoyed in this story. (hide spoiler)]
What do You think about Vampire Academy (2013)?
14 Apr '13Future commenters: if you disagree with the review, that is perfectly fine and normal. If you wish to add your own thoughts of the book, that's also perfectly fine. But please keep the ad hominems and accusations (and not just directed at me, but also other commenters) at home.Everyone's free to say what they wish on a public forum. But I am also free to moderate what goes on in my space. I've never deleted/moderated comments before, as that goes against my beliefs on free and public discourse, but any future offensive or judgemental/critical-of-people-instead-of-the-book comments will be ignored and deleted.This is a review of a book, not a fact sheet. Just because I think this book is stupid, does not mean I think people who enjoy it are stupid. No need to be defensive/insulted over it. 11 Dec '12Edit, because I am fucking sick of people coming up to the comments section, especially without reading through the previous pages of comments, and stomp in, guns blazing with accusations of racism and slutshaming.1) Racism / wtf does Race have to do with anything!? / stfu you racist cow! / Stop putting irrelevant topics in your review, bitch!>>please refer to: comment 69comment 742) Slutshaming / How dare you call her the S word! / Girls like you are setting back feminism by a few decades! / Other holier-than-thou commentsFirst of all -- if you're going to start accusing me of slut-shaming simply because of my use of the word "slut", GTFO. I'm going to steal a commenter's words here: slut-shaming is not about the word, it's about a mind set. (view spoiler)[Thanks, Red. Please don't sue me for plagiarism. (hide spoiler)]
—Amanda
Buddyread with the wonderful weirdos: Jess & Karly (Click to read their reviews).Yeah this book wasn’t for me. I’m not gonna rant, I’m not gonna complain. I’m just gonna say it in song. The reviews for this one are insane, so go read my fellow buddyreaders reviews for more info.♫ In the tune of Sir Mix-a-Lot ♪Oh, my, god. Mia, look at her breasts.They are so big. [scoff]She looks like one of those Dhampir guys' girlfriends.But, you know, who understands what Dhampir means anyway? [scoff]They only talk to her, because, she looks like a total bloodwhore, 'kay?I mean, her breasts, are just so big.I can't believe they’re just so round, they're like, out there, I mean— gross. Look!She's just such… a bitch!I like big sluts and I can not lieYou other Morois can't denyThat when a girl walks in with an itty bitty waistWith nothing to put in your faceYou get pissed, what’s with all the fussYou’d rather notice that sweet bustDeep in the “dress” Rose's wearingDimitri’s hooked and he can't stop staringOh baby, Everyone wants to get with youAnd do more than take your pictureLissa tried to warn meBut wait, you two make everyone hornyOoh, Rump-o'-smooth-skinYou say you don’t wanna be friends?Well, excuse me, excuse meBut you’re just that average groupieI've seen them fightin’To hell with this lightin’She's sweat, wet,Ralf's gonna lie and tell everyone she’s his petI'm tired of all these rumorsCreatin’ all these assumersTake the average Vampire and scratch that (ask Dimitri)No Rose isn’t fat--(I mean she’s not a slut)So, fellas! (Yeah!) Fellas! (Yeah!)Do you wanna get in Rose’s pants? (Hell yeah!)Tell 'em to shove it! (Shove it!) Shove it! (Shove it!)Shove it because she’s not interested!Unless she is!Oh damn, Lissa’s better in trig(or calculus) who cares, no bigEither way I’m sending her a dead animalNow here's my scandalWhen you get homeAnd ugh, double-up, ugh, ughThat’s me mimicking killing a foxit’s over there in that boxI want 'em real thick and juicySo find that juicy blood bubbleLissa is always in troubleBut isn’t she so damn lovable?just kidding she’s a bore.Apparently everyone’s walkin' like whoresYou can have them bimbosI’ll go where ever Lissa goes (says Rose)A word to the thick soul sisters, Jesse and Ralf wanna get with yathey won't cuss or hit yaBut I gotta be straight when I say they wanna *fuck*Till the break of dawnOr lie about what’s goin' onA lot of Vamps won't like this song'Cause most of them like to hit it and quit itAnd I'd rather stay and play (Actually I wouldn’t)'Cause this sucks, I’m shit out of luckAnd I'm not down with this fuck.So, ladies! (Yeah!) Ladies! (Yeah)Do you wanna have this books babies? (Hell Yeah!)Then turn around! I’ll stick it out!And you can take it with you.Here’s your baby back!I love you guys!! And I don’t mean to be mean about anything in this book. In fact, I’m glad that it’s so adored by many. This just wasn’t the book for me is all, but I hope you enjoyed this!Another Song review
—Kat Stark
WOW. I was so not prepared for this book to be so good. I'm not a friend of vampires (even though I loved Twilight) so I had my doubts. This book just blew my mind right away! I couldn't stop reading, I just kept on turning pages and repeated to myself like a million times "just one more chapter..." So if you are like me, DO NOT HESITATE TO PICK THIS BOOK UP. Give it a try! This was amazing and deserves easily 5 stars. I loved the characters. Even though I didn't really feel them, I just loved how different each character was. Oh, and by the way, I'M ALL IN FOR DIMITRI AND ROSE. The moment they met, I sold my soul. There were A LOT twists and weird things, but they kept this book interesting. Some of them were a little predictable but in the end I was just like WHAT THE F IS HAPPENING?! This book was also HILARIOUS. I laughed almost in every chapter or at least smiled. I really needed this kind of book in my life because all the books I've recently read have been quite sad. I don't know what to write to the spoilery section, so this time this whole review will not consist of any spoilers. All in all, 5/5 GO READ THIS. *throws the book at you*
—Emma
