Years ago, I first read these novels when they recently were released and I remember having fond memories of the series and enjoying them for what they were. I was also a young teenager back then when I read them. However, in light of the new tv show adaptation, I decided to revisit the novels reexperiencing them through a different method this time the audiobook versions, and I'll just say that there are multiple things that didn't age too well in retrospect.
6. Vampire Academy
You have to start somewhere and since this is the first novel in the series it had to set up the world, characters, and plot. However, not much really happens in this novel. It revolves around typical high school drama and clique cliches. Not to mention all of the slut-shaming Rose experienced and the fetishization of Rose's "exotic dessert princess features". About halfway through the novel, I found myself getting bored and it was a chore to get through the rest of the book. Rose Hathaway as a character has her moments of brilliance but she does also have her infuriating, annoying, and frustrating moments.
Victor Dashkov was a one-dimensional antagonist and I think he needed to be developed more in order for him to come across as a more threatening villain. I think this novel also suffered because our main heroine Rose was basically confined to only going to her dorm, her classes, the weekly church service, and her training sessions due to her being punished for running away from the academy two years prior with Lissa.
One of the major strengths of the VA series is the action scenes and this novel really only had two major ones: in the beginning when the girls are found by the academy's guardians and are brought back, and towards the ending when Rose, Christian, alongside Dimitri, and other guardians pursue Victor to retrieve Lissa who was captured.
Now we have to address the big elephant in the room--the main romance between Rose who's a minor (age 17) and her teacher/mentor who's 7 years her senior (age 24) Dimitri. I understand writing/narrative wise what the author was going for it's a forbidden romance. Romitri can't be together because of the nature of their duties as guardians (both of them in the future will be assigned to Lissa and the moroi dhampirs guard are supposed to come first), their age gap, and a student being romantically involved with her teacher is inappropriate.
5. Last Sacrifice
This book was disappointing for what is supposed to be the grand finale of the series. This novel was filled with too many Deus ex machinas and plot conveniences. It was quite appalling. One major strength of this novel was the murder mystery plot of who really killed Queen Tatiana. Unfortunately, interesting aspects such as the Keepers were undeveloped and should have been explored further. Last Sacrifice has a pacing issue the novel could have trimmed out some unnecessary stuff as well. It seemed like a never-ending road trip. Furthermore, this book delves very deep into the political elements of the world and it wasn't really all that interesting. I felt that when it came to politics, it worked better when it was in the background and not at the forefront. I also thought the identity of Lissa's half-sibling Jill Mastrano was a nice touch.
Love fades mine has. When Romitri got back together in this book I didn't particularly care for it and didn't find it an endearing moment at all. I strongly believe that Rodrian (Adrian/Rose) could have worked out romantically and honestly were the more interesting romantic pairing. Speaking of politics imagine if a male royal moroi and a female dhampir got together and married that would've been huge and seen as quite scandalous. Queen Tatiana said that moroi men don't marry dhampir girls, they play with them. So imagine the delicious irony if Tatiana's great nephew Adrian went on to prove her and the moroi world wrong? The potential of Rodrian was never given a fair chance because the author decided to make Rose super obsessed with Dimitri even as her love for Adrian continued to grow. It's a tragic shame.
4. Spirit Bound
When the setting left the school and moved to the royal court that was when it got a little stale. Despite, the frustrating moments sprinkled within this book. I immensely enjoyed Victor's prison break in Alaska and all of the action and story that took place in Las Vegas it was fun. Another highlight was when Eddie grilled Rose for not allowing him to kill strigoi Dimitri when he had a clear shot of doing so. Rose's selfishness cost many other people their lives. I loved Adrian and Rose being a couple in love. Lastly, the ending of this novel was shocking Rose being framed for Queen Tatiana's murder was an unexpected twist and cliffhanger.
3. Blood Promise
This book was about closure Rose going off on her own to kill the man she once loved strigoi, Dimitri. The drama going on back at the school with the spirit user Avery Lazar was pretty interesting as well. It was nice seeing Rose visiting with Dimitri's family and while she was out there in Russia coming across another shadow-kissed pair. I also liked the addition of the alchemists and seeing the inner workings of the strigoi and how they operated. I must admit I didn't like how strigoi Dimitri and Rose's relationship was romanticized. It was gross given the fact that he essentially was sexually abusing her, it was not entirely consensual as she was high off of his potent strigoi bites, and he forced himself on her while she was held captive in a fancy opulent hotel room showered with gifts. Big yikes!
However, the whole escape from the strigoi compound once Rose came to her senses all the way to her fight with Dimitri on the bridge was exhilarating. It was a major highlight of this novel.
2. Shadow Kiss
There are many things to like about this book the epic battle when the strigoi invade St.Vladamir's Academy and Rose and Christian team up to take them down, the further development of Rose and Christian's friendship, and the shocking ending when Dimitri is turned into a strigoi.
Another power that comes along with being shadow-kissed came into play as well. I also liked Victor's trial at the Royal court.
1. Frostbite
Where do I even begin with this novel? From start to finish this novel was a fun albeit tragic ride. First of all, a love square or pentagon with Dimitri, Rose, Adrian, Mason, and Tasha Ozera all thrown into the mix. The setting of the luxurious winter ski lodge in Idaho. The relationship between Rose and her mother Janine is explored and developed. Learning more about spirit i.e. spirit dream walking/weaving. The looming danger and threat of humans and strigoi working together. Last but certainly not least the tragic death of Mason Ashford rocks you to the core.
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