Rec a Day #3

[cynchick]

Sharing is Caring:
For one week, recommend / share:

Day 1: a song
Day 2: a picture
Day 3: a book/ebook/fanfic
Day 4: a site
Day 5: a youtube clip
Day 6: a quote
Day 7: whatever tickles your fancy

I had this one in mind anyway, but ironically, some of the things I've been posting about lately make this rec relevant and necessary. The Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead. In my opinion this is the best vampire series currently being written. Its everything a vampire story should be, without all the cliches. Rose is a strong and charming heroine that everyone can identify with. Its a bestselling series, but I'm honestly surprised its not more famous. It blows Twilight out of the water in terms of plot, characterization, and overall skill on the author's part, and its targeted at a similar audience.

I actually want to recommend all of Richelle Mead's work. She has two other urban fantasy series that are geared toward adults. All of her protags are strong, fiesty, independent women with very relatable personalities and traits. Her plots are engaging and well thought out. Her writing style is very real and down to earth, which I think is why we can all put ourselves in the heroine's shoes.

I'm currently reading the new, 4th book of the VA series (will probably finish today). If anyone has read them, or reads them soon, I'd love to discuss them with you! :D

Comments

[xdeaddoll.livejournal.com]

Thanks for recommending her, I just looked her up and her series' sound really good. I'm going to try read them soon(ish), when I finish up the books I'm required to read for English.

[cynchick.livejournal.com]

Awesome. I've read all the Vampire Academy and Georgina books, and both are very entertaining.

[keysotosoto129.livejournal.com]

Yay! Someone else who read it! :D

I already read the new book and I can't wait for the next one next year :3

I'd love to chat with you about it sometime.

I <3 Dimka

[cynchick.livejournal.com]

I love Dimitri, but from what I've seen so far in book 4, its just not the same guy anymore. I loved Dimitri/Rose, but to be honest, in the time between book 3 and 4 I'd accepted him as gone. I don't want her to end up with Dimitri or find a way to save him. Maybe its the angst whore in me, but I think its a better story for that tragedy. Now I'm actually hoping for an Adrian/Rose outcome, and as a writer myself, I see it coming a mile away. XD

[keysotosoto129.livejournal.com]

OH JUST FREAKING WAIT TILL THE END.

PLOT TWIST.

:D Which will make both of us (hopefully) very happy.

I actually still like Dimka as an evil vamp. >> I like the semi-psychos.

Aww, Adrian :) He makes me very happy.

Do you like Lissa? Because I don't... I do like Christian though.

[cynchick.livejournal.com]

Lol ok.

Adrian is probably my favorite character, because I love people who are more than they seem.

Ive never really thought about it, but I guess I don't feel any connection to Lissa at all. I don't dislike her (though her behavior in book 4 so far isn't cool), but I don't find her endearing like I do the other characters.

[keysotosoto129.livejournal.com]

I like him because even though he's a flirt and drunk most of the time, he is still really nice! And is always there for Rose (even when she doesn't want him to be).

Right? I'm at disinterested and leaning towards dislike. Obviously, not being the main character, she'll lack some of the things that Rose does. But still, she seems so plain and just... ugh. Bad character. D:

[omizu.livejournal.com]

Now I'm going to have to think hard for another series to rec tomorrow! Curses! Foiled like a baked potato. :3

btw I can't wait for the next book, if it goes how the foreshadowing seems like it's going to go...*dances*

[cynchick.livejournal.com]

Haha. I haven't finished book 4 yet, but my sister spoiled me to the potential outcome. Like me, she wasn't happy. See my above comment. :/

[omizu.livejournal.com]

I can see that point. Author's should be willing to kill off their characters. And once dead, they should really stay dead.

[cynchick.livejournal.com]

I agree. When things go too easily in a protag's life, we cant genuinely care for them. When the story has no conflict, it becomes boring. Richelle Mead knows how to make things tough for her heroines, and I hope she stays on that track. I know from experience how hard it is to kill off a character you love, but keeping them around out of sentiment can ruin the story.

[omizu.livejournal.com]

I can only hope that one day Laurel K Hamilton learns this lesson! She was once a favorite author of mine, but..just...her books all went downhill. They're terrible now, imho.

[cynchick.livejournal.com]

Everyone says that. I haven't read her series and I don't intend to, because I know I'll end up hating it.

[water-faerie.livejournal.com]

I honestly thing Twilight is my LEAST fav vampire series that's out right now :P

I love Trueblood and I love Vampire Academy as well as the True Blood series. So much better with REAL vampires haha

[cynchick.livejournal.com]

Honestly, I don't consider Twilight a vampire series. Because, uh...they aren't vampires. Just like you cant write sci-fi and not involve space travel, you cant write about vampires and not include certain things. They have no fangs. Most of the scenes take place in daytime. There is a distinct lack of sensuality, and I don't mean sex. Yeah. Not a vampire story.

[water-faerie.livejournal.com]

They're like psuedo-vampires. I mean there wasn't any allure to them. I did like some of the characters, but I agree that the book was lacking. I mean did she do any research about vampires obvs not. Like, she can't just make stuff up, even though it's a 'fantasy' being there's still things that need to be followed and considered.

[cynchick.livejournal.com]

Oh she did research, because she took several ideas from other vampire series. The stone-like skin from the Vampire Chronicles (which was also slightly refractive, like quartz. sparkle inspiration, anyone?), the "my supernatural powers work on everyone but you" from the Sookie Stackhouse series...there are others I cant remember off the top of my head, but I noticed them while reading it.

She claims she doesn't like vampires (wtf, then?) and has never read a vampire book, but she's obviously lying.

[inniyah.livejournal.com]

Uhm... Edward character is a rip off of Stefan Salvatore of Vampire diaries of LJ Smith...

Characters being stupid High school students, where the main girl is persued by every boy BUT the vampire boy, who acts like "I hate you", when he is smitten with her, is also LJ Smith plot.

The origin of vampires in Italy... also LJ Smith idea...

And yeah, it's not a vampire's book... it's a book about Fairies that suck animal's blood.

[crazzy-green.livejournal.com]

well i didn't actually read book, i downloaded audio book and listened it and now i love VA, geez i love books with vampires...