Vampire Academy Saves the Day!

First I just have to apologise if this post doesn’t make any sense at times because I am actually doped up to my eyeballs on painkillers and typing one handed so I can hold a hot water bottle against my face with the other hand. I’ve been suffering for just under a week now with some sort of inflamed nerve in my tooth so I’m not exactly at my blogging best!  But to focus on the positive – my reading slump may finally be over! Woo hoo! The beacon of light in the slump-like darkness was none other than Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead.

I’d heard so many people in the blogosphere talking about this series including the swoon-worthy book crushes and the spin-off series as well so I just had to check it out for myself. Was all the hype justified I wondered? Would I find a new series to hide away from the horrid winter weather with?? Well, the answer to both questions was a resounding YES! This book was exactly what I needed right now – easy to read, not too demanding, wee bit of action, vampires and hot Russian guardians. 🙂

To quickly sum up in case, like me, you’ve been deprived of this series so far, Vampire Academy tells of Rose and Lissa. Lissa is a mortal vampire or Moroi and Rose, her best friend and guardian,  is in training to protect Lissa from the immortal, evil vampires otherwise known as the Strigoi. When the story opens the two have been living on the run for two years after fleeing their school, St Vladmir’s, due to some unknown threat to Lissa. Now the two have been dragged back to the Academy but just how long will they be safe there? Will Rose be able to protect Lissa from the threats from within???

This won’t go down in my reading history as the bestest book I’ve ever read but I did really enjoy it and since you asked, I’ll tell you why. One) the idea of there being two different breeds of vampires was something of a twist on the usual vampire story. More often that not we’re presented with either your typical evil fiend of a vampire or a sexy, troubled one who although they might have fallen off the wagon and killed a few people now and then, they felt really bad about it and are just deeply troubled, misunderstood love gods. Occasionally they even sparkle in the sun. In Vampire Academy we have the very mortal and vulnerable Moroi who depend on their half-human/half-vampire guardians for protection and aren’t necessarily evil, and the Strigoi who can either be turned from a Moroi by choice or by force and are more of the typical, evil bloodsucking fiends we’re all familiar with.

Reason two – the characters. Rose is tough, speaks her mind, causes trouble and is fiercely loyal to Lissa, prepared to defend her with her life. Dimitri…what can I say about Dimitri that hasn’t already been said? Brooding, god-like fighting abilities, intense, angst-ridden and sexy with tattoos… just how I like my fictional men! 😉 Is he a stereotypical love interest for Rose? Perhaps, but I really don’t care! I want a Dimitri and I want him now!

Reason three – I like a book that makes me think and challenges my perceptions of things as much as the next bookaholic but sometimes what you really need is a light-hearted, not too demanding book, that will keep you entertained without having to engage your brain too much, and if it gives you new book crush daydream fodder then so much the better! Vampire Academy is just such a book.

There were some bits I didn’t like quite so much – for example, Lissa is a bit wishy washy but then there is a reason for that which I won’t go into in case you’ve not read it. Overall this book came along just at the right time for me and helped me out the dreaded reading slump for which I will be eternally grateful! The fact that I know I have a whole series of Rose and Dimitri to look forward to doesn’t hurt either! 🙂

Are you a Vampire Academy fan? Are you Team Dimitri?

What books have brought you out of dreaded reading slumps?