Vampire Academy (Vampire Academy #1) ~ Paperback ~ Richelle Mead

ONLY A TRUE BEST FRIEND CAN PROTECT YOU FROM YOUR IMMORTAL ENEMIES . . . 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 night-time rituals. But they must be careful lest the Strigoi – the world's fiercest and most dangerous vampires – make Lissa one of them forever. Reviews ‘Mead's absorbing, debut YA novel, blends intricately detailed fantasy with a contemporary setting, teen-relevant issues..’ Booklist 'This truly engaging and believable novel is on a par with Stephenie Meyer's “Twilight” books but is more risqué. ' School Library Journal “Rose Hathaway, a mythical, half-human, half-vampire dhampir, bears the sole responsibility for innocent vampire heiress Vasilisa Dragomir, the last of the royal Dragomir line with whom she shares a rare and bizarre psychic bond. After being dragged from their secret lair by ruggedly handsome guardian Dimitri Belikov to the Vampire Academy, Rose must face rigid academy rules, brutal physical conditioning, and severe punishments in order to be rated a sanctioned guardian who can protect Lissa from the deadly Strigoi and an unknown predator who seeks to destroy the Dragomir line for all eternity. Mead bleeds black for fans of the gothic vampire novel and adds a touch of the sexy with sassy, sly, and hard-hitting Rose. But Rose puts her rogue urges on hold when it comes to her best friend and charge, Lissa-Rose's polar opposite who is in possession of a gift that puts her in danger and demands that her guardian be the most disciplined and altruistic around. This story is no ordinary vampire tale. Mead has done her homework on Romanian folklore and Orthodox Catholic saints, and she uses it to weave a unique and mesmerizing mystery with a whodunit ending that even the most skilled detectives will not predict. With social angst that every teenager can appreciate and sexual tension that leaves Stephenie Meyer's Twilight (Little, Brown, 2005/VOYA October 2005) looking like a children's book, this little gem is sure to be a hit. If readers can get past the trite title, the pages will surely turn themselves.” VOYA