Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Tags: dhampirs, forbidden-love, badass-heroines, vampires, paranormal-romance, slow-burn, protective-men, found-family, cece-favorites
“If I let myself love you, I won’t throw myself in front of her. I’ll throw myself in front of you.”
I have read this series SO MANY TIMES, and to this day, it is and forever will be one of my all-time favorite series EVER.
I genuinely don’t know how anyone could read this book and not get completely addicted. The writing, the characters, the relationships, the drama. EVERYTHING. I love this series.
And if you haven’t met Rose Hathaway yet, allow me to introduce you to your new favorite badass heroine.
ꣁThe Charactersꣂ
Rose Hathaway is seriously one of the best fucking heroines I have ever read.
She’s a Dhampir, which means her job is to protect the Moroi. And trust me, this girl takes that responsibility VERY seriously.
Rose is gorgeous, feisty, bold, stubborn, headstrong, sassy as all fuck, and absolutely incapable of keeping her opinions to herself.
She’s reckless sometimes? Absolutely.
Does she always think before she acts? HA. No.
But Rose is also BRAVE. Fiercely loyal. Protective. And the kind of girl you can’t help but want as your best friend.
She has that perfect combination of attitude, vulnerability, humor, and heart that makes you fall in love with a character.
And then there’s Dimitri Belikov.
Oh, Dimitri.
Another Dhampir, Dimitri is Rose’s training instructor, a legendary guardian who is practically described as a GOD.
Sexy, strong, ridiculously fast, level-headed, brave, and a total badass. He’s the kind of man who walks into a room and you immediately understand why everyone takes him seriously.
But underneath all that discipline and legendary guardian energy, there’s a softer side that not everyone gets to see.
And Rose gets to see it.
ꣁThe Romanceꣂ
Rose and Dimitri are one of those iconic forbidden loves.
THE TRAINING INSTRUCTOR. THE STUDENT. THE TENSION. THE REASONS THEY SHOULDN’T.
And yet…
“If I let myself love you, I won’t throw myself in front of her. I’ll throw myself in front of you.”
EXCUSE ME???
This is the kind of romance that makes you emotionally invest in every little interaction. I love their dynamic, the tension, and the fact that these two characters have so much going on beyond simply falling in love.
ꣁThe Series Rantꣂ
One of my favorite things about this series is getting to watch these characters grow. You start with Rose and her world, and the further you get into the series, the more invested you become in the people, the relationships, and everything happening around them.
And because I have read this series multiple times, I have opinions about ALL OF IT.
- Book 1 – Vampire Academy: 5 stars (you’re here)
- Book 2 – Frostbite: 5 stars
- Book 3 – Shadow Kiss: 3 stars
- Book 4 – Blood Promise: 3 stars
- Book 5 – Spirit Bound: 3 stars
- Book 6 – Last Sacrifice: 4 stars
Also, I need to give Spokane, Washington, a little shoutout because apparently Richelle Mead had some thoughts about our neck of the woods.
“Spokane?” I asked incredulously. “Spokane, Washington? Who makes Spokane their hideout?” I’d been there once. It was about as boring as every other backwoods northwest city.
😂😂😂
I BEG YOUR FUCKING PARDON.
Spokane catching strays in the middle of a vampire series was not on my bingo card.
ꣁOverallꣂ
This is one of those series that has earned its permanent spot on my bookshelf.
Even with a few installments that didn’t hit quite as hard for me, the overall experience, the characters, and especially Rose and Dimitri make this a series I will happily revisit.
Rose Hathaway is a heroine worth meeting, Dimitri is an absolute dream, and the world Richelle Mead created is one I have never stopped enjoying.
If you love paranormal romance, vampires, forbidden relationships, badass heroines, and men who are both ridiculously competent and ridiculously attractive…
PLEASE GO MEET ROSE HATHAWAY.
Some book couples are memorable. Some heroines are iconic.
And some series become part of your reading personality forever.
Vampire Academy is firmly in that last category. ♥
Next up: Frostbite (Vampire Academy #2) →
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