Book Review: Vampire Academy

I've had VAMPIRE ACADEMY by Richelle Mead on my shelf for a while now. I met her last weekend and decided I needed to read this before meeting her. I was halfway through when I got it signed, and just now finished it. I really enjoyed it. Despite it being about vampires, it was very different from other vampire novels.

Rose, a Dhampir, is the narrator. She's a half-vampire. Her mother is a Dhampir, like her, and her father was a Moroi. A Moroi is a full vampire, though they are living and therefore mortal. The Stirgoi are the baddies. Regular blood-thirsy fiends, immortal, and bad. Any Moroi or Dhampir can be changed into one, against their will or by choice.

As a Dhampir, Rose is destined to protect the Moroi, specifically her best friend, Lissa. They ran away from the academy for a number of reasons, but basically to protect Lissa. They're found and brought back in chapter one. The academy is safe... supposedly.

I loved Rose and Lissa's friendship, and Dimitri... *swoon* I can't wait to read the next in this seires: FROSTBITE, followed by SHADOW KISS, BLOOD PROMISE and SPIRIT BOUND (due out later this month).

Synopsis:

St. Vladimir's Academy isn't just any boarding school - it's a hidden place where vampires are educated in the ways of magic and half-human teens train to protect them. Rose Hathaway is a Dhampir, a bodyguard for her best friend Lissa, A Moroi Vampire Princess. They've been on the run, but now they're dragged back to St. Vladimir's - the very place where they're most in danger...

Rose and Lissa become enmeshed in forbidden romance, the Academy's ruthless social scene, and unspeakable nighttime rituals. But they must be careful lest the Strigoi - the world's most dangerous vampires - make Lissa one of them forever.