Review: Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

Author: Richelle Mead
Genre: Urban Fantasy

Pages: 332

Published: August 16, 2007

Publisher: Razorbill

Rating: 4/5 Stars

"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 being 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 fiercest and most dangerous vampires—make Lissa one of them forever." ~Goodreads

 Well, I finally did it.  I finally read Vampire Academy!  The series has been out since 2007 and hoards of adoring fans rave about it, but I just never got around to reading it.  So, when I saw a super cheap copy of the first book at my local used book store I decided to pick it up.  I'm so happy I did!  This is really a different kind of vampire book and the characters are honest and refreshing.  The story is mysterious and captivating while still being fun.  I can't say I loved everything about it but I still think Mead is deserving of all the praise she has received, at least based on the first book.

LIKES:

• Rose and Lissa.  The friendship that these two share is really incredible.  Rose is headstrong and wild and fiercely protective of her best friend, the sweet, unstable Lissa.  Lissa, in turn, trusts and respects Rose, despite her lower social status and questionable reputation.  There were definitely times where I forgot that this book was about Vampires at all because Rose and Lissa's friendship was so commanding.  Lissa is intensely vulnerable after the deaths of her parents and brother.  Although she is a royal Moroi vampire, she has few real friends at school but Rose makes up for this completely.  Rose, in addition to being her best friend, is also her guardian and has devoted her life to protecting Lissa.  However, Rose does not act out of duty but rather out of love and loyalty.  There's really nothing like a best friend, even if you're a vampire.
• The Vampires.  I was really expecting the vampires in this book to be tough, powerful, bloodthirsty immortals - you know, vampires.  I'm usually a purist when it comes to these sorts of things, but Mead really put the humanity back into these guys.  At least, some of them.  There are two types of vampires, Strigoi and Moroi.  Strigoi are more like the classic vampire: undead, ruthless, soulless monsters.  Moroi, though, are alive and connected to the earth.  And while they are strong and need blood to survive, they also need regular food and sleep and protection.  They are hunted by the Strigoi and they need half-vamps to protect them.  Their vulnerability makes them relate-able and easy to understand.  It also makes it necessary for them to bond with their protectors.  I just really liked they weren't huge bad-asses.  And that surprised me.
• It doesn't feel like an intro.  Finally, I like that this book doesn't feel like it's just here to set up the rest of the series.  There are so many first books that do this and it is one of my pet peeves.  Vampire Academy could almost be a stand-alone novel.  It isn't a cop-out.  

DISLIKES:

• Adult Themes.  First, let me say that I don't have problems with adult themes in YA books, as long as they are dealt with tastefully and responsibly.  Part of being a teenager is learning how to deal with "adult" things so I see no problem with putting them in YA literature.  There were a couple of things about this book that bothered me.  First of all, the language was a little iffy.  I was sort of surprised by the amount of cursing throughout the book.  I am no prude when it comes to language, but I thought Mead went overboard sometimes.  Second, self-mutilation is a huge issue in this book.  This is something that real teenagers sometimes have to deal with, whether it be with their friends or themselves, but I think it was handled a bit too lightly in some place.  For instance Rose refers to Lissa's cutting as "her weird way of coping" at one point.  I think that's a bit flippant, personally.  To be fair, this issue is dealt with on a more responsible level later on, but it still bothered me.  
• Lots of dead/mutilated animals.  This sort of goes hand-in-hand with my first problem.  The shear amount of animal mutilation in this book is a little startling.  I get it, it's a book about vampires, who cares if a bunny gets ripped apart when people are dropping like flies.  But, it was just a little gratuitous.
• Pedo-alert?  Okay, this one might make some of you angry because I know how much you all love Dimitri, but seriously, Rose is in high school!  He's in his mid-twenties.  I'm 25 and I would go to jail if I were involved with a high school-er.  Plus, yuck.  I know, he's super hot and moody and ripped, but couldn't they be a little closer in age.  Maybe as the books go on this gets less creepy as Rose gets a little older.  Here's hoping.

Overall, I really enjoyed Vampire Academy.  I think it was just what I needed after a stressful couple of weeks.  It has adventure, action, horror and romance.  It's a great summer read and I can't wait to get my hands on the next one!

Armchair BEA Day 4: Beyond The Blog

Armchair BEA

I don't think anyone starts a blog because they hate writing.  In fact, I would venture to say that most of us start our blogs in order to fill the need for written expression.  I, personally, haven't gotten to the point of finishing a full-fledged novel  yet but I definitely have aspirations as a writer and all-together literary person.

I've been writing almost as long as I've been reading and for me it is the most important creative outlet I have.  True, many times I look back at those old poems, short stories and diary entries and cringe,  but the truth is that at the time, they helped me get through some not so great stuff and celebrate some pretty amazing stuff.  

While I would love to be a novelist, I'm not sure that is the path I'm going to pursue in the near future.  More than anything else I want to be a teacher.  Being able to teach kids about literature and language and history is, for me, my biggest dream.   The impact that a good teacher has on the world is, I think, one of the greatest and most far-reaching things imaginable and I would to add "world-changer" to my resume.  

Armchair BEA Day 3: Networking...in real life?!

Armchair BEA

Networking is the driving force behind any successful organization.  This is especially true for fields where your success depends on keeping in touch with people in your community.  With book blogging that would be the literary community.  Obviously bloggers do a ton of networking online.  We use social media outlets such as Facebook, Twitter and Tumbler to promote our blogs while also using our fellow bloggers, publishers and authors to find out what's new and relevant in the world o' books.  A lot of us tend to hind behind our computer screens and leave out and incredibly important part of networking - actual human contact.  I am a social creature by nature, but when it comes to this blog you can usually find me in a basement room like some kind of serial killer staring at a computer screen until all hours of the night.  Sure, I've only had this blog for a couple of months, and so I haven't had the opportunity to go to conventions, meet-ups, etc.  but a couple of weeks ago I was presented with a challenge and it surprised me how easy it was to get out there and actually talk to people about what I love - reading.

So here's the challenge:  Daniel Marks, author of Velveteen, had a giveaway on his YouTube channel.  He sent out signed bookmarks to 20 people and their job was to give out some of those bookmarks to local bookstores, libraries, etc. in order to promote his new book.  Then he would randomly select one person to win a signed ARC of Velveteen.  I was super excited when I won the bookmarks but then I had to actually go out and talk about the book and my blog and books in general with strangers (oh no!).  Here's the thing though, once I got to the bookstore, it was so easy!  First of all I came bearing gifts which is always good, but  more importantly I was talking to someone who worked at an indie book store.  Someone who loved reading as much as I did and wanted to talk about books.  Even though we only talked for a little while, that's one more person who knows about the blog, when she uses that bookmark or sees that book on the shelf I'll pop into her mind.  When someone brings up that book she may say "Hey a few months ago there was this crazy lady with fake mustaches (don't ask) who has this blog...".  It all sounds very simple but it really is.  The more people you talk to about your passion and your work within this community, the more people will know about it.  So don't be afraid to get out there, be weird and be seen! 

And now for your amusement my grandma and I wearing those fake mustaches I was talking about.  It was supposed to be gimmicky but just ended up being weird.  The author seemed to think it was funny though so that's a plus!

Armchair BEA Day 2: What I'm Excited For in 2012

Armchair BEA

Here's what I'm excited about in 2012:

Undead by Kirsty McKay

Zombie slaying cheerleader on a ski trip from hell?  Yes, please!  This book just looks like a lot of fun and that cover is too awesome.

Never Let You Go by Emma Carlson Berne

This book looks super unsettling and spooky.  Seriously, I would not want her after me.

The Suburban Strange by Nathan  Kotecki

     This seems like a supernatural coming of age story with some thriller mixed in.  Right up my alley.

Blind Spot by Laura Ellen

This seems sort of similar to One Moment by Kristina McBride which I just read and loved, except that in this book the main character is legally blind and the dead girl has been murdered.  Sounds like a great thriller.

Burn For Burn by Jenny Han and Siobhan  Vivian


Who doesn't love a good revenge novel?  This one looks great and I have to say it's probably the one I'm most excited for.

So those are the five titles I'm most looking forward to this year.  Let me know below which books you can't wait to get your hands on and make sure to link up at Armchairbea.com!

Review: One Moment by Kristina McBride

Author: Kristina McBride

Genre: Contemporary, drama

Pages: 272

Published: June 26, 2012

Publisher: Egemont USA

Rating: 4/5 Stars

Source: I received this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

"Maggie Reynolds remembers hanging out at the gorge with her closest friends after a blowout party the night before. She remembers climbing the trail hand in hand with her perfect boyfriend, Joey. She remembers that last kiss, soft, lingering, and meant to reassure her. So why can’t she remember what happened in the moment before they were supposed to dive? Why was she left cowering at the top of the cliff, while Joey floated in the water below—dead?
As Maggie’s memories return in snatches, nothing seems to make sense. Why was Joey acting so strangely at the party? Where did he go after taking her home? And if Joey was keeping these secrets, what else was he hiding?
The latest novel from the author of The Tension of Opposites, One Moment is a mysterious, searing look at how an instant can change everything you believe about the world around you." - Goodreads description

One Moment is a story of loss, betrayal and letting go.  After Maggie loses her boyfriend in a tragic accident she discovers that he might not have been who she thought he was.  This discovery threatens to send her entire world into a tailspin and she has to come to terms while also trying to figure out whom she can still trust.  This story is not just about Maggie and Joey though.  It is about six best friends and what happens to that bond when it is really tested.  I will jump straight in (no pun intended - terrible, just terrible) and say that I loved this book, but, at first, I didn't think I was going to.  So lets start this one with the dislikes and work up to what I really loved.

DISLIKES:

The first half of the book was really hard for me to get into.  After Joey died, the rest of the first half just sort of dragged for me.  I liked the characters for the most part (except for Pete who didn't seem to have much purpose) and there were some bright spots where Maggie's grief was very tangible, but there was a lot of repetition going on.  See, Maggie can't remember anything about the accident, so much of the first half is her rehashing what happened with different people and lamenting the fact that she can't remember.  Also, her boyfriend is dead, so naturally she's coming apart a bit at the seams.  She kept flashing back to happier times and that could get a little confusing.  More importantly, it is pretty apparent from the first chapter that Joey was sort of a tool.  I mean seriously, this girl was in total denial.  But, I suppose, that is all part of young love.  Overall, I felt like the first part of the book could have been condensed into about a third of the size and still had all of the background that we needed.  Luckily the second half made up for that.  Finally, this book was just super super sad and depressing.  I usually really enjoy sad books but this one was just really hard to push though sometimes.  And it wasn't like I was sobbing on every page, I think if I would have cried it would have been better.  It was just so dreary and the depressing atmosphere really stayed with me, but I guess that is a credit to the author.

LIKES:

The biggest positive with this book was that it was very well written and the author really had a grasp on what it is like to lose someone when you're in high school.  Most of us probably new someone who died while we were in high school.  Maybe they weren't your best friend or your boyfriend but it still had an impact on your life.  There is nothing quite like the feeling of helplessness that goes along with losing a friend, and when you are still at an age where your life is pretty much controlled by others and you aren't even always in charge of your own emotions, it just makes the loss all the harder to deal with.  Your mom might be able to tell you it's going to be alright, but she can't make the hurt go away, and you can't put your life on hold because someone else's is over.  And there are really very few feelings that are stranger than going home after a funeral and studying for an Algebra test.  McBride does a great job of capturing the normalcy that continues even in the midst of tragedy and this makes the story all the more sad.  Along those same lines, the author explores the duality of death.  We are all humans, we make mistakes, but immediately following someone's death, those mistakes tend to get brushed aside, at least for a little while.  No one likes to speak ill of the dead and I've never been at a funeral and heard someone say  "It's really too bad about Dave, and by the way did you hear that he was having an affair with his neighbor?".  No, we leave well enough alone until the smoke has cleared.  But when someone has wronged you and then they have the gall to die, it's really hard to deal with the grief and your anger.  You feel like you don't have the right to be mad anymore.  But death doesn't erase the sins of the past and McBride is so good at making the reader grieve for Maggies loss while still being angry with Joey.  It's just great.  Finally there's Adam.  Adam is one of Maggie's best friend and he is adorable.  He is sweet and loyal while also letting his pain and anger through.  This allows Maggie to feel those same emotions and their friendship gives the reader something to hope for.

Altogether, One Moment is a poignant and sad homage to loss and forgiveness.  It is really hard to read this book without feeling what the characters feel and McBride is a master at understanding the complexity of grief.  I would definitely recommend this if you are in the mood for a serious and sad read.  Four stars!

Armchair BEA day 1: Introduction

Armchair BEA Site

Okay so not all of us can go to the happiest place on Earth, BEA, but for those of us who are forced to stay home for whatever reason there is a great alternative Armchair BEA.  I'm so excited to be participating and of course things are kicking off with introductions all around, so let's get this party started!

Please tell us a little bit about yourself: Who are you? How long have you been blogging? Why did you get into blogging?

  I'm a hopeless bibliophile who doesn't get nearly enough sleep or social interaction lately.  I've only been blogging for a couple of months.  I had been following a few book blogs and back in April I finally decided to bite the bullet and start my own.  So far it's been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.  I've already met some great people and this community has been so incredibly welcoming it's overwhelming (hold on guys I have to go grab the Kleenex).

What are you currently reading, or what is your favorite book you have read so far in 2012?

Right now I'm reading The White Queen by Philippa Gregory and I just finished One Moment by Kristina McBride, I'm trying to figure out what to read next.  Right now it's between Vampire Academy and Hush, Hush.  Thoughts? Opinions? Complaints?

Tell us one non-book-related thing that everyone reading your blog may not know about you.

That I fail at hyperlinking images in Blogger?  Also that I misuse question marks!

What is your favorite feature on your blog (i.e. author interviews, memes, something specific to your blog)?

I really am loving all of the memes, especially the Friday memes.  It's great to see everyone's answers to bookish questions.

Where do you see your blog in five years?

Oh god, hopefully still up and running, other than that, it's a bit too soon to say.

Which is your favorite post that you have written that you want everyone to read?

Although it may be everyone else's least favorite, I quite enjoy my rant about Before I Fall  by Lauren Oliver. 

If you could eat dinner with any author or character, who would it be and why?

Alison Weir, because I adore her and would follow her over a cliff.  You should go out right now and buy everything she has ever written. Long live history nerds!

What literary location would you most like to visit? Why?

Thornfield Hall of course.  Because that's where Mr. Rochester lives...

What is your favorite part about the book blogging community? Is there anything that you would like to see change in the coming years?

I love how welcoming you all are.  No one makes me feel like a Noob even when I act like one.  Don't ever change!

Have your reading tastes changed since you started blogging? How?

Well it's only been a couple of months but I do find that I'm more open-minded.

Until next time guys!

Book Haul! (5)

BOUGHT:

  

  

EBOOKS:

  

FOR BOOK TOURS: