Definitely the weakest in this series. It's making me wonder if I should continue reading until the end (2 more books). Rose has decided to drop out oDefinitely the weakest in this series. It's making me wonder if I should continue reading until the end (2 more books). Rose has decided to drop out of school only a few months away from graduation, determined to hunt down Dimitri, and refuses to tell anyone else of her plan because they'll think it's crazy stupid (because it is).
This book really suffers from Rose's decision to leave everyone behind. There is no known character for her to converse with, and even the scenes when she's visiting Lissa's mind are lackluster. The two plots going on (Rose's in Russia, Lissa's in Montana) don't really tie together all that well, and both plots seem like filler material. Lots of characters are introduced, then disappear when the need for them is over, and Rose is beyond stupid time and time again.
There were a few interesting fight scenes and revelations throughout the book, but overall, disappointing. The tension of the previous books was missing. The characters were not as relatable. The storylines were dumb. Though I did enjoy parts of the book, there were too many times when I felt like I was slogging through the book in the hopes of it paying off in the end. Well, it didn't. The end was decent, but it set up a plot for the next book that is already making me roll my eyes.
If I do read the next book, it'll be after a long break. I need time to let the disappointment of this book evaporate. I think the author didn't quite know where to take the series after the last book ended and... well, this was the result. Sigh. ...more
2.5 stars. I thought the first two books in this trilogy (I hope) were amusing, but this book really fell flat. When the last book ended, vampires Jod2.5 stars. I thought the first two books in this trilogy (I hope) were amusing, but this book really fell flat. When the last book ended, vampires Jody and Tommy (aka Flood) were imprisoned in a metal statue by their self-proclaimed minion, a goth teen named Abby. Now, a huge vampire cat named Chet is attacking the city, Abby's living in their apartment off stolen money, and Abby's boyfriend is trying to solve the problem of vampires in general.
I loved Abby as a character in the last book. Here, unfortunately, she was featured so heavily that she wasn't very funny; in fact, much of her dialogue - and much of the book in general - felt forced. I laughed only twice throughout the whole book: once when Abby's boyfriend reluctantly lets her borrow his car and she writes in her journal that he may have been right to not want her to drive... but she'd have to continue writing later because the tow truck had arrived. The other time I laughed is when two cops asked a victim's coworkers if he'd had a girlfriend and one of the guys said no, he woke up, got stoned, and then slept until his night shift started, and girls don't put up with that. So I enjoyed those parts, and there were a few other bits that kept me entertained, but overall - meh.
I don't think there was much point to this book. New characters were introduced that I didn't care about, and I don't feel like the book in general had much of a plot. I guess it wrapped the stories of the various characters up nicely, but other than that, it's just an okay way to pass a few hours. ...more
4.5 stars. The third book in the Vampire Academy series, which is definitely the best vampire-related series I've read - dark, well-rounded characters4.5 stars. The third book in the Vampire Academy series, which is definitely the best vampire-related series I've read - dark, well-rounded characters, interesting stakes... good stuff. A little before graduating from St. Vladimir's Academy and becoming an official "guardian" to a Moroi (the living, good vampires), Rose must go through some field experience testing, guarding one of the Moroi and fighting off attacks from pretend Strigoi (the dead, evil vampires). However, although she's proven to be an excellent guardian-in-training, Rose can't keep from seeing inexplicable sights, both on campus and all - ghosts of people she knows to be dead and a sense of impending doom all around.
I was definitely sucked in to this story from the very beginning. I love the fact that Rose is such a strong main character, yet she has virtually no say in how her life will play out because her mission is to protect Moroi at all costs and always put them first. I think this makes her a complicated character, one that is easy to sympathize with but sometimes hard to fully comprehend. The book's action was nonstop, expertly intertwined with personal relationships moving forward and normal school-related drama. There was hardly a point where I felt like I could easily put the book down, and I constantly wanted to know what would happen next; though the book is over 400 pages, it flew by.
My only real complaint is that the book ended on a cliffhanger, with the plot wrapped up but hinting as to what must happen next... so I need to pick up the next book to find out how this new adventure will play out! This series is dark and, at times, a little scary/creepy. I'm really enjoying it overall, and this particular book was no exception. ...more
I'm not the biggest Twilight fan, but I read this novella anyway and surprisingly liked it better than I did the four books in the actual series. BreeI'm not the biggest Twilight fan, but I read this novella anyway and surprisingly liked it better than I did the four books in the actual series. Bree Tanner is the "newborn" vampire created by Victoria to fight against the Cullens; her story begins three months after she was created, trying to survive on the dregs of society to go unnoticed, and believing what she's told about being a vampire until she decides to eavesdrop on her maker, only to discover there is a lot of important stuff that she's not being told.
Bree was a good main character; I actually liked her more than Bella, the star of the Twilight books, simply because Bree actually took maters into her own hands and was smart instead of waiting for someone to rescue her. I really liked that she was self-sufficient and took it upon herself to discover new truths once she knew there were lies out there. She had a decent narration style, and there were reasons behind every action she took, making the story much more cohesive than it would have been otherwise. Though this was certainly not the best book I've ever read, it was a very quick read and pretty entertaining overall....more
4.5 stars. Picking up where the first book in this series left off, St. Vladimir's Academy is now reeling from a string of attacks by Strigoi, immorta4.5 stars. Picking up where the first book in this series left off, St. Vladimir's Academy is now reeling from a string of attacks by Strigoi, immortal evil vampires. Everyone's debating the best way to protect the Moroi, the mortal vampires, and how they can fight back. Because of the attacks, the entire school is required to attend the ski trip. Rose is struggling with her feelings for Dimitri and her friend Mason, and she's also struggling with learning how to fully fight off - and kill - the Strigoi. Last but certainly not least, Rose must deal with the reappearance of her mother, an amazing guardian to Moroi but not much of a parent.
The action in this book felt nonstop. Things unfolded quickly, and I loved Rose's narration. She did a good job being hot-headed and conceited but still likable, and the decisions Rose had to make showed some character growth and determination, which was awesome. There was also a great blend of suspense, action, and romance. The new characters that were introduced had interesting stories, and I liked how everything came together by the end to make one very satisfying read. I felt like I was a part of the school and really wanted to dive into the pages despite the danger. To me, this was a better read than the first book in the series, and I am eager to read the next and continue the story!...more
Though this is the fourth book in a series, the author does a great job of summarizing the major events of the past three books for new readers. When Though this is the fourth book in a series, the author does a great job of summarizing the major events of the past three books for new readers. When Sunny's vampire boyfriend is assigned a gorgeous soon-to-be-vampire as his blood mate, Sunny and her twin sister, Rayne, follow the vampires to Las Vegas, where they proceed to dig up dirt that proves the beauty isn't who she says she is, all the while getting to know family members they haven't met before.
There was a great mix of fun and excitement in this book, and it was such a great change from the more typical angst-ridden vampire books out there. Sunny does a good job digging for clues on her own, with help from her sister at times, and there's a nice blend of drama with the vampire issues and more normal family issues. I especially loved the changing relationship between the sisters, since all their bickering but still wanting to help each other rang true to life.
I didn't predict the end of the mystery until the main character figured it out herself, which was a nice surprise, since it was hinted at but not so obvious as to be predictable. I also really liked the new character additions in this book, especially an emo actor who Sunny finds herself drawn to and a young female computer hacker that she bonds with.
The epilogue of the book led into the cliffhanger for the next installment, and this is probably the only thing about the book I didn't like, since it was very weird and unexpected. But I guess I will have to wait and see how this new twist plays out when the next book is released! All in all, a fun and quick read....more
Vlad's a half-vampire who lives with his aunt and is unaware of other vampires in the area. When one of his teachers disappears, a substitute teacher Vlad's a half-vampire who lives with his aunt and is unaware of other vampires in the area. When one of his teachers disappears, a substitute teacher arrives who seems to know exactly what Vlad is, and Vlad realizes that he's being hunted by multiple vampires for reasons unknown.
The story was okay and kept me entertained for the short time it took to read (it's less than 200 pages!). Vlad was likable enough and I was interested to know how the plot would end. However, I never got fully drawn into the excitement or felt particularly thrilled by any of the scenes, and there were plenty of holes in the thin plot. The plot revolved around vampires trying to find Vlad, and despite them knowing his real name and the city he's in, this drags on for the better part of the school year. Scenes jumped from one season to the next with no warning and no real reason, since things could have easily been solved in less time but the book was determined to cover a whole school year. Also, the writing was really choppy and unpolished; the writing seemed aimed at a really young audience, but the story seemed aimed at teens, which kind of confused me.
However, there was one part near the end that made me laugh out loud. Another vampire asks Vlad if he has a "drudge" who will do whatever Vlad orders him to do, and Vlad is like, "Uh, I guess that'd be my best friend." The best friend is then brought over and the other vampire keeps saying, "Do this, drudge" and the friend is confused as to why he's being called "drudge." It was pretty funny. Unfortunately, this campy humor didn't save the book as a whole from being only mediocre, so I wouldn't really recommend it to others....more
It took a number of chapters to really get into this book, since much of the beginning was filled with backstory and specific world explanations, but It took a number of chapters to really get into this book, since much of the beginning was filled with backstory and specific world explanations, but once I got into it, I quite enjoyed it. Lissa is a peaceful mortal vampire and Rosa, her best friend, is her guardian-in-training. Both attend an academy devoted to teaching these vampires and guardians how to use their powers and survive in the world, especially learning how to protect themselves from the Strigoi, immortal vampires who no longer know the difference between right and wrong and will kill indiscriminately. The story is told from Rosa's point of view as she tries to improve her skills as a guardian and keep Lissa safe from an unknown enemy, all the while dealing with their school's social scene.
I thought this was a fun new take on a vampire story. The world was pretty easy to understand once it was explained, and the pacing kept big revelations coming throughout the book, keeping me in suspense. Rosa was an interesting narrator, since she was far from perfect and made many mistakes while believing that she knew it all, but I liked that she was flawed, even if she may not have been the most likable all the time. Her friendship with Lissa was pretty realistic, too, since the girls frequently fought and argued but still had each other's interests at heart. I also really liked the ending of the book, since I didn't see it coming and had not figured it out ahead of time, but it made sense and was believable. The characters and their relationships were all great, and the book kept me entertained until the end. I'm looking forward to reading the next book in this series....more
After hearing so much about this series and the TV show it spawned (True Blood), I figured it was time for me to read the first book in the series. MyAfter hearing so much about this series and the TV show it spawned (True Blood), I figured it was time for me to read the first book in the series. My verdict: ehhh, not so great. Sookie is a waitress in Louisiana with the ability to read minds. One day, a vampire (they're public knowledge) comes into the bar where she works, they fall in love, and then a string of murders happens in the area that everyone is intent on solving, trying to figure out its link to vampires.
The plot was okay, but the book overall was boring. The writing was extremely poor, the characters not particularly likable, the romance was completely flat, and I was only mildly interested in finding out the killer's identity by the end. The ability to read minds is cool... but even that was boring the way it was described! On a related note, it was a big stretch to believe that the reason Sookie didn't figure out the killer's identity sooner is because she hadn't properly read the killer's mind. Uhh.. what? The characters had little to no depth, excitement never once leapt off the page, and the writing was so lackluster that it continually made me want to skim. Also, the way certain scenes were written, it made me wonder how old the author was, simply because SUCH old fashioned terms or phrases were used.
I'm not really sure why this series has such a following. While this wasn't the worst book I've ever read, it was definitely not something I'd ever recommend. ...more
I read this (obviously) because I've seen and loved the show based on the books. However, this is clearly a case of some producer seeing the glimmer oI read this (obviously) because I've seen and loved the show based on the books. However, this is clearly a case of some producer seeing the glimmer of a good idea in a book and significantly changing the characters and the story to make a show that is actually entertaining.
This book was BAD. I couldn't even finish it, it was so terrible. The writing is poor, the characters are like walking cliches, and the likability factor of anyone in the pages is completely nonexistent. The dialogue is wooden and makes me wonder when the author last heard teens speak. The main character, Elena, is described as a flawless beauty, able to have anyone and anything she wants, and there is absolutely no depth to her at all. All of the characters, in fact, are transparency-paper-thin. Why should I care about any of them? I can't believe how terrible this was!...more
I know, I know - another teen vampire book. There have been all too many of these released lately, much like the swarm of magic books after Harry PottI know, I know - another teen vampire book. There have been all too many of these released lately, much like the swarm of magic books after Harry Potter. But, that aside, this was actually a pretty good book. Mina (named after the character in Dracula) has always known her parents are vampires, but now she's being forced to decide whether she wants to become a vampire herself. To prepare for the decision, Mina is enrolled in classes, where she learns about the history of vampires, rules of conduct, and so on. She also makes some new friends there, all of whom plan to soon turn into vampires, and is struggling to balance these new friends (and new responsibilities and decisions) with the life she has with her best friend (and human) Serena, plus a crush on a guy at her school.
I liked this book because it was fun. Nothing horrible happens, there is no inane drama (though a few parts are a tad predictable), and the characters are likable. The friendships between Mina and Serena, plus Mina and a few guys, are well developed, but for all Mina claims to be friends with some of the girls from her vampire classes, these friendships aren't really shown, aside from a few short phone calls.
I saw on the author's website that she's working on a sequel, and I'm sure I'll read that. This was a quick, fun read, so I'd easily recommend it to teens - or adults - looking for something cute in vampire fiction....more
The more I think about this book, the less I like it, which is (obviously) the opposite of how it should work. But this book read like poorly written The more I think about this book, the less I like it, which is (obviously) the opposite of how it should work. But this book read like poorly written fan-fiction - both prose and the plot! - and there was very little to like. The writing was just okay (like the previous books), the plot was beyond stupid, all the "twists" were obvious (nothing "subtle" about the foreshadowing...), etc. etc. How did this book get published?!? Even the ending was a huge let down; virtually nothing of interest happened and all possibly interesting conflicts were glossed over. Bella wants to become a vampire and should be having difficult as a "newborn" and giving up her old life... but that all went smoother than anticipated! What a cop out. In fact, the whole book fell under that category...
The characters were less likable than in previous books and it was actually painful to read about Bella, Edward, and Jacob. How, I wondered time and time again, could a person be so stupid? Parts were creepy (not in a good way...), parts were icky, and parts were just so bad that I wanted to burn the book. I am cringing right now just thinking about it all. I can't even begin to list all the times I wanted to put down the book but didn't because I kept thinking it had to get better and that if I wanted to discuss this mess with others, I should finish the whole thing, just to see how it ends. Oh, and the name "Renesmee"???? A HUGE "wtf" is in order here!
Aside from the mind-numbing plot and no character development, I also hated the way everything just worked out. Bella didn't have to give up anything to have everything she wanted and the stakes were pretty much non-existent, even though I think I was supposed to feel that all their lives were in danger. Even Bella's dad was kind of like, "Ok, I'll be kept in the dark about everything! It's all fine!" Uh, what? No conflict? Nothing of interest? Nope - everything was glossed over. Cop out. It was all just so boring. And pretty weak for what's supposed to be the final book in a popular series. Very, very disappointing. Although in one regard it succeeded - I don't want to read anything more in the series by this author, not after this book! So it did cement the series shut, just probably not in the way the author hoped.
I am at least glad I just checked this out of the library; I feel sorry for those who bought it! It's probably hard to write a final book in a series and please readers, but this one didn't even come close to being half decent. It makes me sad to think how many copies this book has probably sold......more
I got almost halfway through this book before having to stop. The book started off okay but not especially enthralling; it felt like a knockoff of TwiI got almost halfway through this book before having to stop. The book started off okay but not especially enthralling; it felt like a knockoff of Twilight, with a little Harry Potter thrown in the mix. Bianca is sent to boarding school where everyone is seemingly perfect and she falls for a guy, Lucas, who thinks it's best they keep apart.. but they can't. For starters, the love plot seemed totally forced. Bianca keeps thinking about Lucas and thinks she's sooo in love with him, even after he's rude to her and starts fights with people who are trying to defend her. Yeah, it's pretty bad... and incredibly painful to read. I started to read a little faster, hoping to get to the "good part" of the book. And then this happened:
***Spoilers***
At the dance, Bianca and Lucas go outside and Bianca can't control herself and bites him. Other students appear and ones says that it's about time Bianca becomes a vampire like the rest of them. Next thing you know, Bianca is mentioning that she's known she was a vampire for years, how her parents always kept her informed about stuff like that, etc. Whaaat?? I couldn't buy the twist at all. It totally came out of nowhere and it didn't make the least bit of sense; if she'd known this all along, the bite wouldn't have been such a shock AND she wouldn't have spent time wondering about everyone else at the school because she would have already known!! At any rate, it was so dumb that I could only read a few more pages, hoping for something that would make everything make sense, and eventually I just put the book down.
This is not a book I'd recommend to anyone. It's one thing to like twists in a book, but there needs to be at least a little set up for it and have the twist actually make sense. This was awful. There are way better books out there to read. ...more
I thoroughly enjoyed this installment of the series! As with most books this long, there were a few dull moments, but the pacing in this was fabulous I thoroughly enjoyed this installment of the series! As with most books this long, there were a few dull moments, but the pacing in this was fabulous and the story kept me engrossed. Perhaps the author just needed a few books to get her full momentum or potential with this series.
In this book, we get more background on some of the characters, giving depth to their personalities and allowing me to understand a little more of why they are the way they are. Tensions also run high at times between characters and though it could be frustrating at times, I fully understood that this is how teens sometimes act.
The stakes were higher in this book than the preceding two, leading to the best climax yet. I think perhaps this is another reason why I enjoyed this book between than the other two; the build up felt real and I was not let down by the ending....more
I enjoyed this installment so much more than Twilight itself. The writing seemed to be a little more polished and the passive voice, while still preseI enjoyed this installment so much more than Twilight itself. The writing seemed to be a little more polished and the passive voice, while still present, was not quite as distracting or glaring. With the characters already known, there was no having to wait 100+ pages for the action to start - in this, the action started almost immediately, which I loved.
The beginning of the book was great, and then Edward announces that he and his family are leaving. Even though the reasoning is explained (and the author further explains it on her website), I still felt like this was more of a convenient plot twist rather than something that would actually have happened. I wasn't completely sold on the reality of something like that actually happening. Regardless, it propelled the plot forward.
I liked seeing Bella's developing friendship with Jacob and I thought it showed her growth as an individual, though I did think she was too eager and altogether too interested in forgiving Edward and seeing/hearing/being with him again to pay attention to anything else in life.
I had a great time reading this book and thought the pacing was much better than in the first one. My only real complaint is the number of times Bella begs to become a vampire and how she requests that this is put to a vote by Edward's family. Uh.. what?!? That part was painful to read. But, overall, a fun read and I look forward to reading the 3rd one!...more
This book was so strange yet so entertaining. I even laughed out loud a few times. The narration switches between 3rd person and 1st person diary entrThis book was so strange yet so entertaining. I even laughed out loud a few times. The narration switches between 3rd person and 1st person diary entries of a 16 year old goth girl, and her writing is hilarious - exactly what you'd picture a 16 year old goth writing. What a funny writer....more
Since everyone else seemed to be reading or have read this book, I figured it was about time I did too. And I enjoyed it; I just didn't overwhelminglySince everyone else seemed to be reading or have read this book, I figured it was about time I did too. And I enjoyed it; I just didn't overwhelmingly love it. The plot itself of a teen girl falling in love with a vampire was entertaining, and I liked how many vampire myths were debunked by these vampires, but there were also things that detracted from my enjoyment.
The author uses the passive voice a lot, which both distracted and irritated me, and it took about 100 pages for the plot to really begin. It felt like there was so much excess wording that could have gone - like, instead of just getting to the point, the author wrote a few paragraphs about what the character did in the meantime. For example, at one point, instead of just saying the internet took a while to load, the author wrote how the internet was slow and that Bella, in the meantime, went downstairs, ate breakfast, etc. and then came back up to go online. Why didn't the editor cut all this excess stuff out?? Very distracting. I also didn't fully understand how the two main characters fell so much in love because I certainly didn't feel like I knew them (or they knew each other) well enough for that to happen. They've only known each other for a few weeks and not very well at that, yet Bella says how she's hopelessly in love with him. I would have liked a little more buildup for the romance (and not just the hundreds of pages that passed by - I wanted more interaction between the two, getting to know each other, etc.).
Despite these complaints, there was still a lot to like about the novel. The non-main characters were all interesting and well-developed, giving the plot a lot of support from the sidelines, and the scenery was described beautifully. Plus, the plot itself was entertaining once I got past the long beginning and stopped getting annoyed with the main character for continually thinking she could do everything on her own and didn't need help... and then constantly having to be rescued by Edward.
All in all, a decent debut novel, and I will continue to read the series, hoping that it only gets better as it goes along. All the rave reviews have to be for a reason, right? ...more