Vol. 1), The Awakening (The Vampire Diaries

I bought this book in the compilation of 1 and 2, but wanted to leave my feedback separately. I really enjoyed this book. I had never read it growing up but got into the series on TV. I knew from basic knowledge of the book that a lot didn't follow the book, but then, which shows based on a book does? I was quite taken with the story and really enjoyed the characters in the book far better than the tv series. The first book(as I haven't gotten to the second one yet) is a must read for teen horror fiction or mystery. As I always write about, I really enjoy the depth of the characters. Highly recommended!

The Awakening is your average vampire novel. Everything was heating up nicely and it looked like the book was going to be some thing to get excited about. Elena is self-centered. Stephen is a tortured soul. Damon is sadistic. Put the three of them together and watch the fireworks. Just when you got to what should have been the climax of the story, the book abruptly stopped. There was nothing more, the book just ended.

I get that The Awakening is the first book in the series and that the ending is supposed to entice the reader to pick up the next book. Unfortunately, that's not what happened here. The book is incomplete. It's as thought the last couple of pages were torn out. It ended with the promise of action instead of any form of resolution or conclusion. I don't expect a series to tie up all the lose ends in every book, but I do expect a complete story.

What there was of the story was good. It felt as though things were really going to get exciting. They still may, later in the series. The Awakening is only worthwhile to read if you are willing to commit to the next book, if not the entire series. I was already planning on reading the series, start to finish, but I'm afraid all of the books are going to have the same problem. The book was good, not great. A book can't be great without an ending.

I first read this series of books (originally four in number) in 1991 and have re-read them many times. Smith creates great chemistry and tension within the Elena-Damon-Stefan love triangle. The books have been re-released (as two books) in the post-Twilight Vampire craze, but I'm not sure they have much in common aside from the triangle. The VD books are well paced and the plot moves along briskly. These novels are not great literature but are an engrossing and entertaining read.

While the characters are flawed, I find them intriguing. Even the minor characters in Elena's family are well rounded, and it's interesting to see Elena grow up a bit and interact with her baby sister. Damon's personality and motivation are especially complex and grow even more so in the second book/installment. Although I'm not usually into the bad-boy thing, I admit I am a huge Damon fan and prefer him to Stefan. His acts of kindness (catching Elena on the roof, retrieving her diary from Caroline, taking care of her after the bridge accident and subsequent events) really melt my heart.

I agree with folks that the events in what was originally the fourth book (Dark Reunion) get a little out there: the bloody bedroom, the "white ash wood," and the final confrontation and return of a specific character. Not quite the ending I was hoping for. But if you like vampire stories I do suggest you give these a read.

Even with distractions, I read this book in about 4 hours. It was totally awesome. If you like vampires and want an interesting read, then you absolutely need to pick up this saga.

The imagery L.J Smith uses is totally amazing. I was turned onto her first from reading the Nightworld series, but I find the Vampire Diaries to be more well written. Maybe it's because she has about 1200 pages to dedicate to one story rather than a couple hundred pages per book for 10 different scenarios and dozens of characters. This book got 5 stars because it totally got me hooked.

This seried didn't escape without harps though. I don't get why Smith likes to have these people be in their later years of high school. I think that makes too much of a boundary. First years of college opens up a whole lot more possibilities. I know these are supposed to be for young adult readers, but Elena and Stefan were so friggin lovey dovey I found myself saying "why don't they just get it on already?! Jeez!" I know why they don't, but if she were in college, it wouldn't be as taboo. I suppose the blood exchange is an equivalent, but still...

This is a depressing saga though. So much sadness and anger and hatred. I mean, the love in it was wonderful, but still, you can't ignore all the dreariness.

I think Damon should have gotten a lot more focus than he did. That is where much was left to be desired. I mean, Stefan seems hott and great and all, but Damon is the bad boy and bad boys have more appeal to me. I wanted more focus on HIM, not on what he had been doing. I wanted to take a glance into his head every now and again.

Some interesting things I've found when comparing Vampire Diaries to the NightWorld. She does tend to change some facts about the vampires. I don't think they needed to be invited into dwellings in the NightWorld Series and I don't think the sun killed them. She still kept a lot of things similar that I suppose are you typical vampire requirements though.

My first impression is that this series is so not meant for adults. The writing is simplistic, repetitive as is the plot. It's very unhinged, lets do it on the fly. It seems like she made up the story as she goes. It isn't worked out or deep. The characters don't evolve, they remain their boring selves.
I'm pretty convinced preteens and teens are the target audience here. If this is the case than I have nothing to say because for that reader level this series is compelling and interesting.

I would also advice people to watch the series. It starts out with the same characters but develops them very well and also deviates from the quite adolescent storyline.

I have noticed that all the series written by this author, seem to be written for teens. Though lucky for her they are all aired and set into shows.

I can't say it enough, I don't advice any of her series to adult readers

This book caught my eye at the bookstore and I finally decided to get it and give it a try. It was a pretty good book. Nothing really outstanding but an enjoyable read. I think these books may have been spectacular back 15 years ago, but with the market so saturated with this subject, they didn't really stand out for me. These books were originally written something like 15 years ago and were re-released as this omnibus which contains the first two of the four original books in the series.

Elena, the most popular girl in school, is intrigued by the new boy in town named Stefan. He is mysterious and will never answer any questions about his past. Elena is determined to make him notice her. Stefan finds Elena disturbing in that she reminds him of someone in his past. Things get tense when killings and attacks start happening in the area and people begin to suspect that Stefan is more than he appears to be.

A lot of people are comparing this to Twilight, and while the theme is kind of similar, the writing style is much different and the topic of vampirism is handled in a more traditional way than it is in Twilight. Personally, I shy away from comparing this series to Twilight because it is just a very different type of story.

This was a well-written and engaging story. It is again a story of star-crossed lovers in a way, as Stefan and Elena struggle to make a relationship work between a human and a vampire. It is also a story of revenge as Stefan's brother, Damon, tries to tear Stefan and Elena apart. This is a book for teens or young adults; it takes place during high school and there is a lot of angsting over who loves who, and who should go to what parties, etc. There is some mystery as they try to solve who is causing the attacks. There are a couple good action scenes but I wouldn't call this an action novel at all. The story itself is more of your classic Romeo and Juliet beginning with a paranormal bent to it.

The ideas behind vampirism are pretty typical and traditional in this book; there wasn't a ton of creativity from that aspect. That book also didn't take place is a very creative world; so not much world-building just the world you and I live in.

If you liked Twilight, the House of Night series, or the Vampire Academy series than you will probably like this book. As far as writing quality I think the Vampire Academy series is more well written than this series and the House of Night series is less well written than this series. It was good enough that I will read the next omnibus that contains the final two books of this series. I am not sure if I will read any additional series by L. J. Smith or not.

Elena, the queen bee of her high school, is confused when the new boy, Stefan, shows no interest in her whatsoever. What she doesn't know is that although Stefan secretly carries a torch for her, he can't bear for her to learn his terrible secret: he's a centuries-old vampire! When Elena eventually finds out the truth herself, the two admit their feelings for each other and try to build up a relationship. Things get dicey when Stefan's evil brother, Damon, shows up in town, and decides to steal our heroine away for himself. Sound familiar? Despite its Twilight undertones, The Vampire Diaries actually precedes Meyer's sparkly vampires by at least a decade. Pushed into reprint by the rising interest in vampire literature, this book unfortunately offers nothing new to the genre. To make matters worse, it's littered with characters that are both flat and uninteresting, and contains plot twists that the reader can see coming a mile away. However, teen readers looking to sink their teeth into more vampire romance will definitely find what they're looking for here. Recommended for Ages 15-Up.

I loved this book. It starts off with Elena's first diary entry. She thinks that something bad is going to happen. The book starts off good and strong on the first page.
When Stefan comes to Robert E Lee High School, Elena must have him. But there is one problem, Stefan is doing everything in his power to ignore her. This just makes Elena more determined to get him. She even uses her ex, Matt to help her.
The book get's even better when Stefan tells Elena his secret. I wanted to share a paragraph that I liked in the book. It is on page 57 and it is the last paragraph. It is describing the cemetary. I love the description of it and this paragraph shows how detailed and wonderful L.J. Smith's writing is.

"The moon had not risen, and she could just make out the graveyard and Wickery Bridge beyond it. The old graveyard dated from Civil War days, and many of the headstones bore the names of soldiers. It had a wild look to it; brambles and tall weeds grew on the graves, and ivy vines swarmed over crumbling granite. Elena had never liked it."

This paragraph makes me smile and gives me chills. I love the detail of the cemetary, I felt like I was there.
Can't wait to read the rest of the series.

I've always been one of those annoying people who would tell others to "read the book" instead of obsess over a show or movie... ALWAYS... Until I read this pile of pathetic.

The show is actually 100 times better than the movie. This book offers no substance, a rushed love story with no rhyme or reason as to why Elena loves Stefan and vice verse.

Anyhow in the show Elena is sweet, reserved and likeable. In the book, she's a self entitled prom queen, a girl hard to relate to, who is mean to her friends and feels entitled to her men just because she is pretty. Barf.

Then you have Stefan, who falls for her and yearns for her... why?

I only liked Damon in the book, who is witty, fun, but Elena does not even deserve him as her character in this book.

Sadly this one is a joke, and does not stick to the shows plot, thank God for that, or it would have been an awful show.

After reading Vampire Diaries: Awakening, I have a really hard time believing that Stephenie Meyer never read vampire fiction. Twilight parallels this book so very closely, it almost seem like she ripped off the story from L. J. Smith. That being said, in Vampire Diaries: Awakening, Stefan Salvatore is a new guy in town and, naturally, he’s a vampire. Elena, the female protagonist of the story is haunted by the recent death of her parents and infatuated with Stefan but Stefan is too troubled about being a monster to truly let Elena into his heart. By the cliff-hanger ending, a love triangle has formed. Sound familiar? To read the rest of my book review, click here: http://thewritereader.blogspot.com/2014/12/87-vampire-diaries-awakening-by-l-j.html

At first I thought I liked this volume, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized that it was really just okay, but good enough to pass the time if you really like YA vamps.

The story's not bad, though it could be better written, perhaps with more suspense. Some of the internal monologue-ing will make those who yelled "saccharine melodrama!" at the Twilight Saga even more nauseous. (And really, if I hear the phrase "inhumanly beautiful" one more time, I may scream.) She also used redundant vocabulary - yes, we know he's from "Renaissance Italy," you can abbreviate now! The Virginia setting is part of what drew me to the series, but the action could happen in Kansas, for all the influence it has on events.

However, I think the main problem was the characterization. It was a start, but it was flat. If you read the description on the cover, you basically know all you're going to know about the three main characters. Elena = "golden girl" + "leader" + "gets any guy she wants." Stefan = "brooding" + "haunted" + "mysterious." Damon = "sexy" + "dangerous" + "driven by revenge." That's it. They're so very static, except perhaps Elena, who starts to care for people other than herself eventually. Added to the flatness, the characters are all pretty unlikeable.

I thought I would never say this in my life, but don't judge the show by the books. The television series is much, much richer in terms of plot/action, setting (the Civil War in Virginia plays a HUGE part), and especially characterization.

So like I said, not a waste of time to read this series, but not the best in the genre either. I'd recommend it to fans of YA vampires who've read everything else (I think I'd recommend Blue Bloods or Vampire Academy first). I wouldn't recommend it to fans of the show.

First off I love L.J. Smith's books. I have had these books for quite a while now just waiting on the shelf to read. I read the Night World series & really enjoyed them. I am glad that I waited to read this series until after the television show aired though. Which just boggels my mind. I mean this because aside from the characters & the fact that Stefan & Damon are vampires that's very few of the similarities to the show. There are characters that are in the show that aren't even in the book & vise versa. Also the story is so totally off how can they even call it the Vampire Diaries??? I absolutely love the show, but the story is just too different from the book. I think the show & the books are two totally different entities & can't even be compared to each other. I love both, but I do wish the writers for the television show would have stuck to the story line. It's the biggest difference between a book & a television show, or movie for that matter, that I have ever seen done in my life!
And second, there are people comparing it to Twilight, to those of you who don't realize it this series was written 14 years before Twilight! So it should be Twilight being compared to the Vampire diaries not the other way around.
Overall this is a great book! ;-)

Ok I admit it, I may have read this book a few times. When I first read it, after watching The Vampire Diaries: The Complete First Season (which I love!) I thought it was really terrible, badly written, trashy. I don't know what compelled me to go back and give it another go, probably how much I love the tv series, but I did and I read every book in the series. I'm just about to start on the latest one Vampire Diaries 11: The Salvation: Unseen (Vampire Diaries: The Salvation) which is released today(!!), even though I think it's not actually by L.J. Smith now. My favorite books of the series are 6 and 7, and I loved these so much I had to go back and read the series again. I saw this first book in a different light, an interesting introduction to the characters. Elena is supposed to be annoying at the beginning - that changes. I originally thought the story line was just so crazy, and was disappointed it was different from the tv show, but now I just see them as two completely different entities - and I love them both. I love Damon in the books as much as I love him in the show too - and there's plenty of 'Delena' action as the series progresses too!!

I was actually a little disappointed re-reading this book. I remember loving the series when I first read them back in middle school. So maybe it is just because I've grown up that the writing style does not really appeal to me as much. Elena starts off as a really superficial character although she vows she wants to become a better person for Stefan. But still it is hard to feel for her right now after watching her break the heart of a perfectly sweet guy by dumping him and then immediately going after Stefan.

Stefan is sort of the equivalent to Edward in the Twilight series. He feeds mostly off of animals or when he does feed on humans he makes sure he doesn't feed enough to hurt them. Damon is the bad boy vampire who wants Elena for himself. Who will win Elena in the end? The ending definitely leaves you at a cliff hanger and wanting to know what happens next.

I think teens will probably enjoy this series if they enjoyed Twilight. Adults might have a harder time getting past the style of writing and the shallowness of Elena's character.

"Vampire Diaries" are the earlier books written by L.J. Smith and, unfortunately, it shows. I enjoyed her later trilogies "Dark Visions" and "The Forbidden Games" very much and therefore had very high hopes for "Vampire Diaries."

To my disappointment, the writing is just not as good as I came to expect from L.J. Smith. The characters are not fully developed and more often than not unlikeable. The romance also is not written very well. It is very hard to believe in passion between Elena and Stefan. The narration itself is just too choppy; multiple POVs are sometimes confusing and distracting.

However, I have to give credit L.J. Smith for creating characters and mythology that were later shamelessly "borrowed" by Stephenie Meyer. The similarities between "Vampire Diaries" and "Twilight" are undeniable. Human-vampire romance set in high school, blood lust, angst, "vegetarian" vampire - all was first written by L.J. Smith.

I will continue on reading this series and hope the books are going to get better.

I really like the show on CW and I enjoyed reading the Twilight Saga so I figured I'd check this book out. The first 100 pages was so bad I flipped forward a 100 pages to try to finish off the book. It is just seriously lacking. The characters are shallow and hard to care about. Elena is a little twit, what 500 year old vampire could seriously love her? Katherine is weak? How can that be? She's a vampire! The end of the first book didn't even make me want to read on. I felt the dialogue was forced and very unnatural. I was imagining some of the dialogue as if it was used in the show (an actual conversation) and it was horrible. Twilight is better written and the characters are better developed. I've seen better stories written by middle school kids and Smith is supposed to be a professional. Please. Don't bother wasting your money. I'm glad I picked this up at the library. I'll be returning it promptly.

I'll fully admit I wanted to read this series because I got hooked on the TV series. I'm not sure if I would have preferred knowing that two are very different. It's one of those cases that if I had read the books first, I would have been extremely disappointed in the series. It's actually almost the other way around for me. It's extremely hard to admit that since it is so rare to like the show/movie better than the book. I did not like Elena at all in this book. She's snotty, selfish, and will stop at nothing to get what she wants. Stefan is interesting, but it's hard to see at first what draws him to Elena besides the obvious. I liked Damon, and the book explained his character more than the show does. The story reminded me a lot of Twilight, but it doesn't have the same intensity as that series does. I'll continue reading because I'm sure the TV series won't satisfy me. Plus, the book I read was a double book (book 2 included) and I enjoyed the second book way more.

The Vampire Diaries were my favorite book when I was younger 8 years ago, I'm nearly 20 now and I still read them from time to time. Twilight loves--this is NOT a Twilight knock off. It was published in 1991-92 nearly a decade and half before Stephenie Meyer's book. What may be considered cliche today, was different when it was published. I don't think there were many young adult vampire books being published during that time.

Vampire Diaries centers around Elena, who is considered the popular "ice queen" of her school who meets and falls in love with new kid, Stefan Salvatore, who turns out to be a vampire. Stefan makes an attempt to stay away because Elena closely physically resembles someone when he was human, but eventually realizes how different she is and falls in love with her. Meanwhile, there are murders and mysterious things happening that seem to all point to Damon, Stefan's older brutal older brother.

Personally, one of the reasons I love this book is that the character is different. She's a bitch. As a person, she is far from likable. She manipulates her friends (though in my opinions seems obliviously so) and her ex-boyfriend. But because of that, it is refreshing and different. Elena is fierce and strong and to her change over the course of the series is a delight. I think that's what makes a good character--when they progress and you eventually start to like her. In a way, it somewhat reminds me of Cordelia from Buffy. The change from selfish to selfless is what I love.

While a romance is an aspect of the series, it is the history and plot that kept my interest. You have a whole town rich with history, but you need to read past The Awakening to find out. Considering when the book was officially published, many of the crueler things seems to be light, but its what LJ Smith does well. The book is dark in some parts, but only subtly so, which LJ Smith excels at. You know it's "really bad", but she doesn't details it much.

The absolute most boring book I’ve ever read. So uneventful and nothing at all like the show. I loved the show and expected to atleast like this book but it’s absolutely terrible. The book is so and even at chapter 7 there’s nothing happening. There are tons of grammatical errors which makes it difficult to read.

I loved the original Vampire Diaries Trilogy when I read them in High School, in the 90's. I loved that they didn't have a happy hollywood ending, that the characters were super flawed and that it portrayed high school hierarchy pretty d**m well.

I read all the subsequent books out of curiosity for a beloved series from my childhood and because, well, I love all things vampires! (From Bram Stoker, to Anne Rice to Richelle Meede, to Charlaine Harris to any and every vampire book I can find!)

I found the later, follow-up books to be kind of ridiculous, although the very last 3 were almost as good as the first 3. And yes, I have to admit, I liked the ending of the very last book and who she ends up with.

That being said, now, I'm an adult with a child of my own and I love the TV series. It's cast brilliantly and the storylines don't drag out FOREVER.

I love both the books and the TV Series - but treat them as separate entities.

This is the story of young, beautiful, high school senior. When a mysterious, handsome, transfer student from Italy arrives in school on the first day, Elena makes it her project to have him to herself. What she does not know is that Stephan (the love of her life) is a vampire, who is trying hard to ignore her (despite his great love for her) in order to avoid horrible, painful memories. Elena and her two friends Bonnie and Meredith work hard and finally Stephan agrees to date Elena. What she does not know is that Stephan's older brother, Damon, also loves Elena and is much more powerful and seductive than his younger brother. Read as the two brothers battle it out over Elena and their past. Who will Elena choose, and what will come out of a love with a vampire.
Like his other exciting stories, LJ Smith is able to weave a web of lies, secrets, and pain. In doing this, Smith creates a wonderful novel that is virtually impossible to put down. You find yourself through with the book and looking for the sequel. This is one of the best books ever writen and is a must read for anyone who likes a mix of suspence, love, and drama.

I read this series when I was 12. And I loved it! I loved the characters, I loved the story, I loved the romance.

I read it over and over as a teenager and even picked it up again recently. I start to see the flaws in the storyline, now that I'm older but I quickly push those thoughts to the back of my mind. I don't want to see them. It's a favorite book (and series) from my childhood. I don't want to see this book as anything but perfect.

This story instroduced me to the world of science fiction and fantasy and a slew of other types of books that are still with me and I continue to read.

The best thing about this book is that the female lead is brave, bold, knows what she wants and isn't afraid to go after it. So few books (even now, over 10 years later) don't have many strong women who can take care of themselves. Elena doesn't just swoon and wait for a man to take care of her. She takes care of them (okay, so sometimes she needs help too) but she is a lot more real than some characters. Mainly because she isn't always the "nicest".

I have to admit that the only reason I picked this up was because I am a fan of the TV series. In my experience, nearly 100% of the time, the original novels are better than what the TV or film producers turn them into, for various reasons. Not so in this case! The TV series is far more interesting, complex and multifaceted than this book (which, although composed of "the first two novels in the series" is really just the first half of a 900+ page single novel, all written at the same time and published in 1991).

This is billed as young adult (YA) fiction, and it is. But unlike the very best of YA fiction (think JK Rowling, Rick Riordan, and Pathfinder by Orson Scott Card that I just read and enjoyed very much), this one really is just for a YA audience. The writing - the vocabulary and sentence structure is ultra simple and rather boring. And the plot elements and characters are also extremely juvenile. I think If I were a 12 year old girl, my rating might have been substantially higher. But I am neither 12 nor a female, and I found myself reading only to see how things were resolved in the end (which happens at the end of the second volume that I struggled to finish).

The book is ultra sanitized. No bad language, no steamy scenes, not much of anything but "Oh Stefan", and "Elena!!" by way of emotional projection. And the "rules" for vampires are sort of bizarre. If you can be around in the daylight, don't have to kill humans and drink their blood to survive, can still eat and drink regular food plus have these really great mental and physical superpowers and be immortal, well then shucks,sign me up! Who WOULDN'T want to be a vamp?

Overall, very disappointing.

JMT

I first discovered the books of L.J. Smith in 8th grade, and now as I head off to college, I know I will continue to buy her new ones and reread her old ones, esp. this series. This first book, while not as riveting as the rest in the series, does an excellent job of introducing the main triangle between Elena and feuding vampire brothers Stefan and Damon. There are also engaging supporting characters, such as Elena's best friends Meredith and Bonnie, and an engrossing mystery they all find themselves involved in. As an avid reader, I admit that there are times when the dialogue becomes trite and cliched, but the almost poetic beauty of Smith's writing in most passages cancels out those flaws. These are books both teens and adults can enjoy, and I urge those who like this series to read Smith's other series, esp. The Forbidden Game, Dark Visions, Night World, and The Secret Circle. While I admit more action-minded readers might be bored, I think everyone will find at least one L.J. Smith book they enjoy.

-I would have given it one, but I think tween/young teens getting started on vampire books might like it
WARNING!! This review contains spoilers!! And it's long-I had a lot of venting to do!

With a TV show coming this Fall and Vampire Lit the hot genre, this book has been consistently checked out at my library. A co-worker mentioned she had enjoyed them as a teen and my teen volunteer read it and loved it, so I thought I'd give it a try. I am so annoyed that I wasted my time.

This is one example of when I think the TV Show might turn out better than the books. I never felt any true chemistry between Elena and Stefan, but the previews for the show seem to add more depth to their relationship.

Elena is your typical beautiful popular girl. Everyone kept referring to her as the "ice princess" but I never really saw it. She's mostly selfish, childish, and only is interested in Stefan because he's new, hot and she gets whatever she wants. (She even has a boyfriend in the beginning of the book, but dumps him because "it doesn't feel right" and Stefan is hot) We're supposed to feel sorry for her because her parents died a few years earlier, but that never really seems important, except to give Elena a reason to say "you're not my mother" to her aunt towards the end of book two. She also for some reason spent the summer in Paris, but that's really never explained-I guess it's there to make her seem rich and snotty?? Maybe she gets better by the second book, but she's pretty annoying throughout. She also never tells her friends anything so half the time they have no true reason for being there, other than to prove Elena is popular.

Stefan is handsome, brooding and your typical tortured vampire. He's haunted by his past love, who he and his evil brother Damon fought over, and centuries later he's still not over it all-until of course, he meets Elena.

Stefan ignores Elena, the two barely say anything to each other, but once Stefan saves Elena on Halloween (after he snubbed her at the dance) she tells him she loves him. The two start "dating" and sharing blood (the equivalent of sex for these books) and by Thanksgiving Stefan proposes and they're engaged!!! Ok, read that again, it's not even been a month, she's in high school, and they're engaged?? What the crap???

The thing I really hated about this one, and the few vampire novels I've read, is that the guy is tortured by his past, he's a victim, and claims he only wants to protect the girl and pushes her away. The girl in turn believes she can save him with her love, tries to change him/help him, and believes she's not whole without him, her world would end if she left, blah blah blah. This is not romantic-it's a pattern for a bad relationship. Maybe I'm just too cynical.

There was supposed to be action/suspense, but I didn't think it ever got that exciting. The author isn't that great of a writer (I've heard from those who have read her stuff that in the later books her writing improves) but I found Elena's diary entries too angsty "I can't bear the thought of losing him","we didn't touch each other much-we didn't-but we talked and looked at each other a lot. I want to touch him. More than any boy I've ever known." There's also a point where the bad brother vampire Damon refers to Elena as a "beauteous damsel"-beauteous?? Ooh-you really seem scary now!!

I think if you have middle school vampire fans who are eager to read anything with angsty vampire romance, this series would do. The first two books were pretty tame and although the characters are supposed to be seniors in high school, they acted like middle schoolers. Even though they were written in 1991, they don't feel super outdated. The only things I thought really seemed to age the books were the fact that the girls made a blood pact (I remember adults always telling us never to do that but does anyone even do that anymore?) and that they're all impressed with Stefan's leather jacket.

Maybe if I had read these as a young teen, I would have enjoyed them. I just don't think Vampire Diaries has adult appeal. One good thing about reading this series is that I have even more appreciation for today's young adult literature. These books are the perfect example of why I didn't read YA when I was a teen!

It was apparent to me within the first few pages that the book is way different than the series. Some very big changes involve Elena. In the book she is blonde, concieted, and a bit of a snotty brat. I can kind of see why you might want to change this for a television series.

Some other changes involve supporting characters. I'm not so bothered about the changes in physical appearence of the characters, but there are some major ones left out or morphed into someone different. The book has Elena having a very little sister named Margaret, and of course if you've seen the series she has a younger teen-aged brother named Jeremy. One of her best friends, Meredith is absent and replaced with only Bonnie on the TV show.

Another major difference is the way in which Stefan and Elena meet and interact. In the book, Stefan tries to stay away from Elena, whereas in the series he seeks her out from the beginning. Oh, also Stefan is a bit naughtier in the book and dines on the occasional human.

Okay, away from all of the difference, because they really don't matter. A book is alway going to differ from a live-action production, be it a movie or a series. Sometimes changes are a necessary part of the filming process. They are separate forms of entertainment and for this series at least, I am going to try and do my best to keep them that way. I am going to attempt to enjoy the story of Stefan, Elena, and Damon in both forms!

A deeper delve into the background behind Stefan, The Awakening explores why he became a vampire and I think portrays Stefan as a very romantic being. You are almost instantly treated to flashbacks of his former life with the lovely Katherine, his overbearing father, and his rebellious brother Damon.

As I said before, you also get a peek inside Elena and she isn't the pretty, super-nice, girl-next-door that she is portrayed as in the series. She is real. She is the queen of the school and she knows it. She is that girl who knows she is pretty and can have anyone she wants, and she has no problem stepping on others to get there. She isn't likeable, especially in the beginning, but she is realistic. Who went to school where the most popular girl in school was not only beautiful, but nice and humble? Not me, thats for sure! The popular girls in my school were stuck up little snobs...just like Elena.

One thing that did strike me when I was reading the book was the names of the characters. They all seemed so out of place. Stefan and Damon were okay, because they are meant to be out of place. The others; Elena, Margaret, Meridith, Bonnie, Judith...it was almost like you stepped into an old folks home!!

Dare I say it? Part of me likes this story better than Twilight. I think I will just say that I like the story of Twilight better, but the writing of Vampire Diaries better. If that makes any sense at all??!

There is good interaction between the characters. The vocabulary in the writing was rich, the narrative passages were smooth and descriptive, I was pleasantly surprised. I was expecting a much more teen-directed book.

I read this book quickly. It was fast-paced and it held my interest. In fact, I did not want to put it down. I'm not sure why the books are two not one. Also, the ending was a bit too much of a cliffhanger for me. I read the 1st 2 chapters of The Fury and was satisfied.

[...]

Elena wasn't my favorite person on Earth but her story was phenomnal. Stephan was beyond georgus. I would also like to state the trend of L.J.Smith. She seems to be a cult like author. If you met someone that read one of her books they have read them all. And my obsession started with the Vampire Diaries. I love Vampires and the way she makes them appear in VD and NW is just right. Never does she make them all sex and they aren't. In most vampire ledgends vamps don't even have sex organs at all. The abolishment of the sun and garlic was a nice touch as well. And Catherine...well, can we say Interview With a Vampire flash backs? I think Ms. Smith is a Anne Rice for us kids. My only complaint is the way she ends her books. Everything isn't all right all of the time. But the rollercoaster ride of her stories is worth the crash at the end. And I am eagerly awaiting Strange Fate.... (And would love to see a repeat of Kait and Gabrielle from Dark Visions. He was a hunk and she was totaly cool.)
Keep the books coming.

I thought the Awakening was a really good because of all the mysteries that left you hanging off a cliff. L. J. Smith is a very inspiring author. Her ability to write horror and romance books is just amazing.
Elena finds out some pretty crazy stuff that she never thought would exist, but she didn't expect she would fall in love with it. Elena falls in love with this mysterious guy and finds out about all this crazy stuff, which would be pretty scary, but she doesn't get afraid. She does the complete opposite and gets closer to this mysterious guy, but here comes the question, would she become just like him just so she could be with him forever? The setting is in this really small town called Fells. All of the creepy accidents happen in the Fell's cemetery, which makes me scared to go into a cemetery ever.
So about the characters now, Elena she's supposedly the most popular girl in school and can have anybody she wants. She's actually a really nice person once you get to know her. She has two best friends Bonnie and Meredith, Bonnie is supposedly a druid and Meredith would be her normal friend. They would do anything for Elena if she asked them to. Now Stephan on the other hand is a really big mystery, he doesn't really talk much and doesn't like to socialize and almost every girl in the school likes him, but yet he has a really big secret that nobody knows. Matt is Elena's ex-boyfriend, he's a really sweet guy and helps Elena out whenever he can.
At first I thought this book was just going to be just another Twilight series, but I was completely wrong. This book is no where near Twilight and is a lot more scarier then Twilight. Yet I still think that this book is amazing because of the romance of Elena and all the secrets she gets told. I couldn't put this book down once I started it, it was like a magnet. I highly recommend this book to everyone that loves vampires and romance stories.

Unless you live in a cave you already know about the television show, The Vampire Diaries. Well, forget everything you know because, it's true, the books are NOTHING like the show. Okay, not nothing, but the differences outweigh the similarities. I don't know about you, but it worked for me. I watched the first season of the show, most of the time it was exciting enough. During the second season I lost interest as it lost excitement and became more dramatic, and I haven't watched it since.The book didn't do that. It actually left me on the edge of a cliff, needing to continue the story with The Struggle. So, yeah, I definitely recommend reading the book, but I am not recommending the show. Books rule!!

Why didn't I read this series when I was 12? I'm 31 now and enjoyed it, but I think this would have been much more magical at 12.

Elena comes off on the pretentious and shallow side at first - the self-titled "queen of the school". But she slowly blossoms throughout the book and you eventually start to like her. Her obsession turns to devotion, and her conceited demeanor transforms into a single-minded determination to become someone worthy.

Stefan is handsome, brooding and your typical tortured vampire. He's haunted by his past love who he and his evil brother Damon dueled over, and centuries later he's still not over it all-until of course, he meets Elena.

Damon although evil - I found to be a very captivating character. Even in the first installment of this series, it is difficult to dislike him. He is the embodiment of sexuality and temptation that I can assume will only become more appetizing as the series enfolds.

My only gripe would be that I found Elena and Stefan's relationship to be slightly rushed and not very credible. One moment he's avoiding her like the plague - the next moment she's telling him she loves him. I just don't think that's a positive note for kids to read about when they're young and impressionable. I feel that the "love" word should have a bit more substance than that.

With that said, I can definitely see why this series is popular - especially with the tween crowd. There were foggy cemeteries, dead teachers, dark and stormy nights, girls being held in thrall, you know, all that great classic stuff. Ms. Smith's writing is succinct and to the point - but you can still enjoy all the details that are necessary to create the dark atmosphere surrounding Elena and Stefan. I will forewarn, the ending is a cliffhanger, so there is no doubt that I will be picking up the next book in the series.

This is a story of love, betrayal, revenge, second chances... but also so much more. Although it is geared for a teen/young adult crowd - I think adult readers will find it a fun, enjoyable read.

Author: LJ Smith
Pages: 492
Publisher: HarperTeen (June 26, 2007)

Elena: the golden girl, the leader, the one who can have any boy she wants.
Stefan: brooding and mysterious, he seems to be the only one who can resist Elena, even as he struggles to protect her from the horrors that haunt his past.
Damon: sexy, dangerous, and driven by an urge for revenge against Stefan, the brother who betrayed him. Determined to have Elena, he'd kill to possess her.
Collected here in one volume for the first time, volumes one and two of The Vampire Diaries, the tale of two vampire brothers and the beautiful girl torn between them.

VAMPIRE DIARIES: THE AWAKENING
A great first book in the series, it was captivating and bone-chillingly real. It started out somewhat predictable, but LJ Smith manages to throw you for a loop as the story progresses. And you can't help but love each of the characters, even the unlovable ones. The ending leaves off on a cliff-hanger, but the next book picks up right where it left off.
LJ Smith is one of the most amazing vampire authoresses there are in today's YA market. If you're looking a phenomenal read, pick up this book. (Or any book by her.)

VAMPIRE DIARIES: THE STRUGGLE
If the first book was great then this book was fantastic. We see much more of Damon--which is a great thing--and Elena is constantly being tested. But her friends Bonnie, Meredith, and Matt are always behind her, along with Stefan of course. Before you know it, you've turned the last page and are running to buy the next book.

5 stars.

The premise of the novel is a little cliche, but it's a guilty pleasure read. I'll admit that the vampires felt like actual non-Twilighty sparkle vampires, which was a major plus for me. Despite some of the grammer mistakes, this was a very good read.

Elena wasn't exactly my most favorite main character, but I think that's because she was created to be like that. She's selfish and bratty, but she was also a popular girl so her character was kind of sterotypical. I don't believe that she and Stefan were in love for having so little contact with each other, so I think it was just lust.

Damon and Stefan's interaction in the story were fairly intense. I liked the fact that they were rivals.

The ending was kind of open ended so I'll be checking out the second book in the series.

So first of all, I checked this book out because a friend recommended it. I might as well as look at a few non-spoiler reviews to see what the community thinks. It didn't go so well.
So apparently nobody got the point that L.J Smith intentionally meant for Elena to be so high school snob, instead of a selfless, kind soul. Put it this way: All this heroine-epic books are releasing, and you can't find a way to make yours stand out. The way is most likely to make the heroine a snob, because some readers may want to know if she dies or not. I admit, I hate the whole Stefan-in-shining-armor sort of thing, but I digress....

OMG! I can't praise L.J Smith enough! I picked the Vampire Diaries when I was in 7th grade...which lead me to The Secret Circle Series and The Night of the Solstice and The Heart of Valor. Anyways, I'm am now entering my senior year in high school, and I found the books and re read them...I finished every book that i own by LJ Simth and was totally enthralled by them...i still cryed at the ending of the 3rd volume of the Vampire Diaries and I rejoyced w/ Bonnie at the end of the 4th volume...I fell in love with Stefan and Damon and Matt all over again..The Vampire Diaries and every other book LJ Smith has ever written are MUSTS in everyones home library...regardless of age...I can't seem to get enough of those books now...readers of any age can relate to the characters...like i said, they are MUSTS and you would be depriving yourself of great writing by not reading them...

this was a good vampire series focused on a main character that i expected to hate. In the beginning of the series i was somewhat hesitant to like elena because she is one of those self centred, bossy personalities one usually acquaints with the antagonist, Elena herself was oblivious of the fact that she was so selfish of course. but even though she was so unforgivingly forward, the reader is compelled to appreciate her personality and interpret her methods of accomplishing something as strength. the first task we see her trying to accomplish is the wooing of stephan, and though this plot development seems typical, the way in which elena throws herself whole heartedly into what she wishes to accomplish really connects her to the reader and makes the reader want to support her. she has this energy and strength of will throughout the entire series. She also grows tremendously. in the beginning, as i've said, she's somewhat focused on herself, but as the series progresses, her focus shifts to those around her and to those she cares about. all in all elena was a very proactive heroine and i recommend this series to those who appreciate a good vampire romance.

As the Author of Possessions (The Possessions Saga) I love stories about vampires or containing vampires. This story is a enjoyable read about a young girl named Elena Gilbert who is Torn between two very hunky vampire brothers Stefan and Damon. The mouth watering triangle in this book leaves you dying for a bite of the action. In a way it reminds me of so many other love triangles I have read, and yet it still somehow seems better. This book has so much going for it, but I guess everyone knows that since it has been made into a t.v series. I hope everyone enjoys this book as much as I did. This book is a must have in your book library for anyone over the age of 16.

The Awakening

I started watching The Vampire Diaries on TV as soon as it started - this whole thing is right up my alley! I wasn't in love with it at first, but after a few episodes it really brought me in and has become one of my favorite shows.

Which means that I had high expectations for this book, perhaps too high. The first book, The Awakening, is a mere 255 pages and...there's a lot to fit in with a small amount of book space to do it. We have to be introduced to our main cast of characters, Elena and Stefan have to meet each other, scary things have to happen, etc. It's a fast read, but the action went waaaaaaaaaaaay too fast for my taste.

Let's take the relationship between Elena and Stefan - she is immediately obsessed with him, which is fine by me, that's part of what high school is about. She's determined to have him, and I also have no problem with this, we all knew those girls in school. Stefan basically ignores her, because she looks like Katherine. When, after merely a few weeks, he stops ignoring her, they have like one kiss and suddenly, Elena is in love with him. Umm, what?

Oh, and although we only get glimpses of Damon, and don't know who he is, he's going to have Elena no matter what. All because Stefan wants her. BORING!

Maybe I'm tainted by my opinions of this world by watching the TV show, but I just couldn't love this the way I wanted to. Somehow, something was missing. Perhaps it's the magic I feel Ian Sommerhalder brings to the show in his portrayal of Damon, or the slightly slower pace and real legitimate danger that brings Stefan and Elena together. Either way, this book was not my favorite.

*****

The Struggle

The Struggle starts off right where The Awakening ended, which was a little annoying in terms of...what on earth would you do if you hadn't just read the last book? That being said, this one wasn't as annoying as the first book and I did enjoy it quite a bit more.

As a side note: true to the TV series, they seem to have a party, dance, or other outing like every week. This amused me since I laugh at it almost every week on the show.

The action moves very fast in this one, needing to get through a whole lot of stuff in a short amount of time. Damon has a much larger presence in the second book, which I think was part of why I enjoyed it more. Damon Salvatore = my Vampire Diaries boyfriend!

There are fewer deaths, yet more suspense, in The Struggle - a lot of the time is spent trying to avoid Damon, but also Elena trying to keep Stefan's secret from her family and friends, yet keeping his name clear from suspicion around town. It wouldn't be a high school setting without some good old friend betrayal, which is happily provided in the form of Caroline.

All in all, a decent follow up to the first book, and although this will not be my favorite series, I will read through to the conclusion of the original set.

Like many people, I chose to read this book because I saw that there is a TV show coming out based on the series and I was intrigued. Now to start with, I am not the target audience of this book--it's most definately meant for preteens and high school students. I'm an adult who's read a lot of paranormal romance, fantasy, and horror, so my tastes are a bit more particular.

Basically the story is about a very popular girl named Elena who experiences a strong attraction toward the new guy at school, who's name is Stefan. What Elena does not know is that Stefan is a vampire, and that he's hundreds of years old. Stefan in turn finds himself drawn to Elena--mostly because she reminds him of a girl he knew when he was young. The plot and themes are very simplistic. I believe anyone over the age of twelve would be perfectly comfortable reading this, so mission accomplished there.

The main problem I had with this book was Elena--I found myself both loving and hating her. She's self-obsessed, determined, immature, and utterly stupid. I guess you could say that since she's so flawed and develops so much , she's actually fairly well-written. But she is annoying. As for Stefan, he was less well-written in that I really couldn't get a grip on his personality or motivations at all. Additionally, some of the high school social drama had me rolling my eyes at the silliness of it all.

Upside to this book--there are some nice romantic moments, decent imagery, and a few good action sequences. As an adult I'd say skip it, there are better vampire stories to be had in the paranormal romance world. But for the 12-15 crowd, it might be somewhat enjoyable.

CONTAINS SPOILERS: The first book moved at a good clip, but nothing was happening. Elena was just drooling over Stefan. The ending picked up a little bit, so I read the next book since it was attached. The Struggle was much better. It had more character interaction and not stuck entirely on Elena's crush. Damon is kinda crazy. The wife-beater syndrome Elena is developing isnt cool. I wish she'd fight back. Killing her at the end of the struggle was expected. I am wondering what was chasing her and now I'm gonna have to get the next book. If you like plot rich stories, this isnt it. If you have a teenage daughter who talks about boys and glittery vampires non stop, she'd totally like this book.

This book is another high school vampire/human romance that was originally published in the '90s. This is actually the first two books of the series published in one volume. I liked the overall story but the romance between vampire Stefan and human Elena was seriously lacking in chemistry and development. For one thing, they spend almost no time together because they are always being attacked, avoiding being attacked or recovering from being attacked. Secondly, Stefan is the wimpiest vampire ever! Most of the time Elena is rescuing and taking care of him. I'm all for girl power but he's a vampire for Pete's sake - he needs to buck up.

The book ended with a doozy of a cliff-hanger so I'll definitely read next installment of the series.

I don't generally mind fluffy bunny-style vampire stories, after all I like Twilight, but this book was a bit too fluffy for my taste. As with other young adult vampire stories, the two books were filled more with purple prose than anything that might be even slightly meaningful to anyone over the age of 10 or 11. I probably shouldn't have said that, since that might be an insult to ten or eleven year olds out there.

The characters lacked any significant development and it seemed like the author was afraid of exploring anything other than cliches and stereotypical teen behavior. By the time this volume started getting anywhere interesting, I was almost done reading the second story. The supposed arcs that were taking place were not defined well enough and made the stories seem more amateurish than some fanfiction that I have read over the years.

This book does make me thankful that the television show, which I love, is not anything like these books. If it were, I have a feeling that it wouldn't have lasted more than 3 or 4 episodes. Since I love the show, I really wanted to love these books but unless there is some dramatic increase in writing skill (and talent) I don't know how that could ever happen. It does make me appreciate other books in this genre, and makes me wonder why everyone villifies the "bad writing" of Stephenie Meyer while ignoring the fact that she's so much better in her stories of broody vampire romances than Smith . Clearly some folks don't realize that sparkly vampires might not be as gag-worthy as 500-year old vampire brothers who are still acting like toddlers fighting over a toy or, in their case, a pretty blonde. It also makes me thankful that I didn't read these when they were new. If I had, then it probably would have soured vampires, fantasy/supernatural themes, and even the English language for me forever.

The original three novels in this series were a revelation to my preteen self and are the books I credit with spawning my love of vampire fiction. How the author has attempted to re-vamp the series with modern-day continuations (thanks, in great part to the Twilight phenomenon) leaves much to be desired (to say nothing of the loosely-based television adaptation. Horror!) but the original trilogy stands alone as a beautiful, intelligent, and heart-breaking series: a shining example of how YA novels once treated their readers as an intelligent and emotionally mature audience. This series is a must read...just stop after book 3. Really.

I was introduced to LJ Smith through The Vampire Diaries seven years ago, and I have been an avid fan ever since. I am 20 years old now, and these books are still a major part of my universe -- I can't imagine a time I never knew Stefan, Elena, Damon, Bonnie, Meredith, or Matt -- hell, even Tyler and Caroline and Katherine. Rereading these books as many times as I have...the magic never dies. It is still there.
I was heartbroken when I learned the series was out of print, and that a whole new generation of LJ's fan would never know how incredible this series is. When I heard they wree being reprinted this year, I couldn't help myself. I sincerely hope The Secret Circle trilogy will be next.
Please, please read these books. They'll change your life. Okay, maybe not, but I promise, you will NOT be sorry.

Actually purchased this book after hearing all the hype and having seen TV series which is a totally different to the books BUT both are good to great in their own way.

The books are easy to follow, with plenty of description so you can imagine the story line, its been a few years since leaving school but still easy to follow what is happening.

The plot mainly revolves around Elena Gilbert and her friends Bonnie / Meredith, "ex" Matt, her female "competitor" Vicky, Tyler Lockwood all attend the Robert E Lee High School but things change when a new student begins attending Stefan Salvatore from then on people start getting attacked and some cases killed.

There have been some negative comments made about such things as "teen brooding" reality very little especially in comparison to TV show, the author jumping from one "scene" to another reality - what is the author supposed to write about after the character has gone to bed - use some common sense.

TV SHOW Differences - I wont ruin your reading but simply the characters are the mostly the same - Elena Gilbert the girl desired by both Vampire Brothers, Bonnie the witch, Meredith, the "ex" Matt, the jock Tyler Lockwood, history teacher Alaric Saltzman(apologise on the spelling), Elena has a sister in the books, and of course the brothers Damon and Stefan Salvatore.

AND lastly the Vampires dont sparkle in the daylight

The Vampire Diaries is often compared to the Twilight Saga. I think that it is in no way similar to Twilight, other than the fact that there are vampires. I have read both series and I am definitely more favorable of The Vampire Diaries than Twilight. I think Twilight had more/longer pauses between the action than the Vampire Diaries; this was part of the reason that the Vampire Diaries was much more entertaining and I never found myself bored while reading this series.

I don't think that I can pick out something that I don't necessarily like about this book. I enjoyed all of the characters, I didn't find anything to be very predictable which was another thing that I really liked. You seemed to always be guessing with this book, which caused this book to be just that much more exciting.

The characters do things that maybe you won't necessarily agree with, but it keeps you reading. A lot of times I found myself being kind of angry with the main character, Elena, for doing something that I disagreed with, but it kept me reading to find out what was going to happen next.

Overall, I obviously enjoyed this book, probably a lot more than others, especially because I am a teenage girl who typically loves the idea of a crazy love story involving vampires. I recommend this book to not only teenage girls, but also teenage guys, possibly even adults of both gender. You may not enjoy it as much as I did, but I promise you won't regret reading it.

The version of the book I read had The Awakening and The Struggle in one edition. This is probably the only time I will ever admit that I liked the show/movie a lot better than the book. This is a typical love triangle. The heroine, Elena is not a very likable or relatable character at all. This story, to me, is like a mashup of Mean Girls and Twilight, the only difference is that the vampires don't sparkle. I will continue reading the books that I own of this series, but only because I bought them and my OCD forces me too. If, however, the series doesn't improve to my liking I will not continue past the few books I own.

I spent a summer in Long Island and during this summer, I came upon this series in a public library circa 1998-1999.
I began reading it and immediately became mesmerized by Stefan Salvatore's mysterious character, his handsome, chiseled face and most of all, his dark past and how it would effect Elena, a popular highschool girl.I could not put this book down .... and within two days, I was back at the library borrowing the second book.

At this point in time, these books were hard to come by because they were mainly out of print. I was lucky to have been in Long Island that summer because the libraries in Toronto (around that time) did not carry a single LJ Smith novel.

Having read the Vampire Diaries as a child, I couldn't help but notice so many similarities that it had to Stephanie Meyer's Twilight trilogy (which did not exist until the mid-2000s). I decided never to read the Twilight series because my sister told me all about it and I thought it was a knock off of LJ Smith's Vampire Diaries.

It's sad that the Twilight series rose to fame so rapidly within the short period of time in which it had been released while LJ Smith had to wait around 20 years for her Vampire Diaries to be "known".

I really enjoyed reading the books....and it brings back a lot of childhood memories.
I don't really like that the series has turn into a TV show, which has completely changed the story line. Sometimes it's better for books to remain books so we, the readers, can perceive them the way that we had always imagined them to be.

This is a spectacular book about a girl and two brothers torn apart over her; however, the two brothers also happen to be vampires that have hated each other for years. At first the younger of the two brothers tries his hardest to keep away from the girl, but she is determined to have him. The older of the brothers wants to have the girl, but she becomes too lost in the younger brother to want the older brother. Some questions that I had when I was reading the book were things like Will this become deadly? Who will the girl choose? and Will the younger brother get close to the girl? I hope you buy this book, it is amazing and will keep you awake at night.

I will never understand how come this series didn't catch on like wild fire. Like how the Twilight series is. This series, in my opinion, far surpasses the Twilight series. With this said, and my high and mighty opinion stated. ^_- I'll review.

The writing for this book (series) is superb. Adults will love it, and younger audiences will appreciate the change of reading level. The book enters the mind of a teenage girl, without trying to be a `teen' mind set of to day. Making it easy for anyone to sink into the skin of the main character, and of course the other characters. Although the main character is spoiled and gets every thing that she wants, it's fun, and quite enjoyable to watch her grow up.

All the characters have their own emotions and style that makes them interact well with each other. Even if friends break up, they care enough to work things out. The writing also focuses on these splendid side characters. Which is really nice, because it is such a great cast.

The plot never stops. Even after the characters fall in love, nothings perfect they have to fight and work together. And the reality of having a vampire boyfriend is nicely played out. So that it's not just happy easy perfect life, it's nitty gritty real life. Of course it is still a book.

The two brothers are great together. They conflict well and there background is well thought out. They were so well thought out that not only did I like the good brother, I also didn't mind the evil brother. Even though his deeds were terrible and I'm rooting for him to die. ^_-

Then there's the ending to this book, which is the first two in the series combined into one. It leaves you wanting the next one. Leaving on the best cliffhanger that only this book could pull off. It's like another climax in the story.

**** This is the perfect book for any vampire/urban fantasy collection. With the great mature writing that is refreshing to the youth, and perfect for the old. Plot that never stops turning, and way to many climaxes, which is a good thing. If you buy this book be warned: buy the next one. Because the cliffhanger begs you to read the next one!

So-so book. It's the first time I've ever wished the heroine would 'get hers'. Elena is a shallow, petty girl who only wants Stefan because she thinks he doesn't want her. She's the typical narcissistic prom queen who usually ends up the first victim. What was the author thinking? I honestly don't find how this book fits in with the others since it says that Damon and Stefan were made vampires in 15th century Italy. In follow-up books, they're supposedly from Mystic Falls and only 170 years old. Very confusing.

I consider myself more into science fiction and fantasy than any kind of romance. Yet, I seem to be a sucker for vampire romance stories after having watched the movie Twilight. Then read all four books. Then I started reading this series and am up to Dark Reunion. I feel that a great many people make the grievous mistake of 'comparing' this story to Twilight. I think that the story is fantastic and I sincerely hope that the author is writing more as I type this. I am also ordering some other books to of Smith's to see if I like them as much as this.

I think that the mistake is made because both stories have a couple glaring superficial similarities. Yet, if you actually 'read' and comprehend the stories that are told, I feel that they are distinctively unique in their individual way. Instead of rushing to judgement, I suggest that the reader might read the first two books of the series. And, if you have read Twilight with the knowledge that there is much more meat to this steak, than a few superficial similarities. This is only to help readers enjoy the story that is told more than to color it by comparing it with anything.

This book def. got me reading again! Before this book I hardly read. Unless you counted a few R.L Stine books and Sweet Valley High Senior Year (which isnt that bad of a series) But compared to this book they looked like a waste of space on my bookshelf! I mean COMPARED to this particular book that is. But anyway I was in the library scanning the shelves when I came across this book. It looked pretty interesting. So I got this one and #2 The struggle. When I started reading I completely lost myself in this book. Well it took me all day and night reading this book. I finished a little after midnight. But RIGHT after I finished I went straight to my dresser got THE STRUGGLE and slipped it under my pillow so I could read it the following morning. That is how intense these books are. That is the reason Im not really explaining the book. But Im explaining the feelings that come from the book. Because me explaining this book (or ANY of L.J Smith books for that matter) doesnt give it justice once you read it you'll get all the explaining needed. PLEASE buy the book. Because this is one book I could almost guarantee you wont regret buying. I reccomend it to ANYONE! Unless you dont like horror/romance/suspenseful novels...or if you dont like vampires! But personally I think its a PERFECT combination! So I repeat BUY THE BOOK!!![....]

This is a very good read. The main character, Elena, is strong and can hold her own.
Hard to put the book down. Anyone who likes this genre of book will love it.
On the author's web page, she gives you a special free what if Vampire Diaries "story" to read called Blood Will tell.
Remember that this was originally 4 separate books and books 1 & 2 are in one book and books 3 & 4 are in the second.
A new continuation to the series called The Return is out 2/24/09.
I can't wait!

PS- I have to say I am more than just a little concerned that the word "TWILIGHT" has been mentioned at LEAST 5 times by the time I got 2/3 through the book. I got tired of counting after that.
HMMMMMM... DID Stephenie Meyer read Vampire Diaries as a teen??????
These books were originally released in 1991 and well before Twilight...
Just as the other reviewer wonders...so am I! That's all I am saying on it-LOL

This was the only series of L.J. Smith's that I didn't get a chance to read before all her books went out of print. Imagine my shock and delight to find them not only reprinting one of her series, but the very one I'd missed out on!

I love her writing as much now as I did when I was 10. It's been twice that long since I got to read a different work of hers, and I admit I feasted.

Elena startled me at first with her shallow attitude, but it's plain to see her character is evolving by the end of this novel (or technically, the second novel). Stephan was a bit of a let-down at first, but as soon as his relationship with his brother, Damon, came into play, everything started looking up.

I can only hope and pray more attention is drawn to this series. L.J. Smith still hasn't delivered us her final book of the Night World series, and if the sales of this book would be an incentive, I'm all for it!

Thank you, Harper, for bringing back the novelist who inspired me to write as well.

I previously watched all of the seasons of vampire diaries on hulu and had high expectations for the books. Those expectations definitely wasn't met when I read the book. Elena in the show is nothing like her character in the book. The book character seemed to be a snotty, popular girl who always had to get her way. She wasn't a character you could easily relate to or root for in the books. I always felt like her relationship with Stefan could have better developed better like in the show. In the book, Elena was already "in love" with Stefan after only having a conversation with him like twice.

The Vampire Diaries: The Awakening.

Where do I start? It's a story about a girl who falls for a mysterious guy and finds out he's no "normal" boy. There's other twists and turns in there, but that's the general plotline.

First of all, I didn't hate this book, but I didn't love it either. I started reading it because I started watching the TV series it is based on, and wanted to know more of a backstory. The disappointing part is I didn't get any more of a backstory from reading the book than reading the synopses I found online. It just didn't have a lot of depth. I felt like it could have been fleshed out a little more.

I really didn't like Elena. She's spoiled and selfish. Inside she does care about other people, because she talks about not wanting to hurt them, but then she goes and does it anyway. She's the queen bee of the school, and she uses people. I just didn't like her. Maybe her character will develop a little more throughout the series, but in this particular book, I couldn't stand her.

The love stories weren't that great either. I have no idea why Elena decided she had fallen for Stefan, the love story wasn't really told very well. I don't understand why they fell in love. Right now it seems like Stefan fell for her b/c she looks like Katherine, and Elena just wanted to "have" him- like a conquest. Their relationship seems purely physical to me and I just don't like it.

All of that being said, I did like parts of it. It was a quick read, and it did get me hooked a little at the end, so I actually wanted to finish it. I have the next book in the series, and I plan on reading it, but it's not one of those series that I just HAVE TO read the next one as soon as humanly possible. It was just okay. And I don't plan on keeping it in my library to read again. It just wasn't that good.

Pros:
Quick, easy read
Made me want to finish it
Made me want to read the next book in the series, but not right away

Cons:
Flat characters
Not enough detail or backstory
Seems like there is a lot of physical attraction, but not real love, more like infatuation
Predictable

Be warned, this is an extremely typical and cliche read. Beautiful girl falls for unbelievably sexy guy. Surprise surprise, he's a vampire!

The plot is maybe half decent but I'm not dying or even looking forward to the next one. It's not written smoothly at all. The author has a habit of breaking and moving onto the next scene or character when the scene was NOT truly over. It seems as though L.J. Smith gets bored with her own writing and moves on to the next part as quickly as possible. I really can't blame her, what with everything being vague and dull except the "exciting" parts, which are very few but take up pages whereas other building scenes may only get a few paragraphs.

The story and characters themselves are really too boring to bother mentioning.

I'd only recommend this for those looking for a quick series; even though I haven't read the others yet it's pretty obvious that it's going nowhere way too fast. The "Blue Bloods" series and "Twilight" series had much more finesse and development. Granted, both of those series have present time in their favor, but even the one-shot "The Silver Kiss", which was published only a year later than this novel, beat it by a long shot.

I have to say, I really didn't expect much from this book when I first bought it. A friend had recommended it to me, so I decided it was worth a shot. I am extremely glad that I gave it a chance!

Elena- you love her and hate her at the same time.
Stefan- your heart will go straight out to him
Damon- gotta love him!
Boonie- the sweet, caring girl we all love
Meredith- cool, calm, and collected, which is everything i'm not!
Matt- man i love this guy! so sweet!

The character development is deep and realistic, and the plot takes numerous unexpected twists and turns. At times, I found myself so immersed in the story that I wouuld forget where I was and scream outloud. It has everything- romance, adventure, mystery, murder, hate, friendship, jealousy, you name it!

The name and cover may seem like a mix between Twilight and the Clique, but trust me, these books are more than meets the eye!

Blood and Sunlight: A Maryland Vampire Story

The TV seris is a guilty pleasure of mine (don't tell my wife) so I definitely wanted to check out the books. The first thing that surprised me is just how many elements of Twilight were borrowed from this book. Girl from a disjointed home moves in with another relative to another town, the mysterious, hunky boy with a troubled supernatural past. And hey, let's throw in another supernatural rival. Meyer obviously borrowed heavily.

The other thing that surprised me was just how little I liked Elena in the book. She's self-absorbed, shallow and never really undergoes any sort of transformation (except now she's shallow, self-absorbed and infatuated with a vampire). There also isn't a great deal of merit to their attraction or continued relationship (I wanted more beyond loaded looks).

The most interesting character is the brother (probably on the show as well). He's dark, hell-bent on revenge, and very, very powerful. I'm sure the author didn't intend for me to be rooting for the bad guy though.

For now, I'll stick with the tv series.

Elena is the most beautiful girl in school and she's dated many guys. Still, she's never even been close to falling for any of them. Then she meets Stefan, a handsome and mysterious new student. Elena really thinks she could be in love with him but there's one thing she doesn't know... he's a vampire. Stefan also has a vampire brother named Damon who, unlike Stefan, doesn't have any qualms about taking a human life. Will Elena be able to avoid getting caught up in their sibling rivalry?
This is my least favorite L. J. Smith book I've read so far. I couldn't really get attached to any of the characters. Elena is a bit too full of herself to be really likeable and Stefan and Damon are really cliche. The book is still a decent read and fans of teen vampire books will enjoy it. I'll most likely be finishing the series.

The Vampire Diaries: The Awakening and The Struggle (Vampire Diaries)
Elena is cool, blond and slender - the girl every boy wants and every girl wants to be. Always in comtrol, no boy has ever stirred her innermost feelings-until she meets Stefan. Drawn to him with a fightening intensity, overwhelmed by desire, Elena knows that she must make Stefan hers. But Stefan is hiding a terrible secret. Centuries earlier, his love for another left him with a terrible legacy, the curse of living forever as a vampire. Aching to respond to Elena, he struggles to resist. For if he and Elena should come together, he fears his passion would demand the ultimate gift of love...

THIS WAS THE SECOND SERIES I HAVE READ OF LJS'S THE SECRET CIRCLE TRILOGY WAS AND FOREVER WILL BE HER BEST WORK, BUT THE OTHERS ARE COMING VERY CLOSE. SHE RESEARCHES HER BOOKS DOWN TO THE MINUTE DETAIL...BUT IF ASKED IN A WICCAN SHOP THEY DONT HAVE AN HERB CALLED MIGONETTE (MAGNET OIL). CASSIE IS A GREAT CHARACTER BUT FAYE DOES STEAL THE SHOW...I HAVE EVEN PURCHASED A STAR-RUBY IN HER HONOR. (PRICEY) THE CHARACTER DAMON IN THE VAMPIRE NOVELS IS THE TRAGIC HERO...STEFAN IS OK BUT A LITTLE TOO WISHY-WASHY FOR ME. ELENA IS, TO ME, ANOTHER FAYE. LJS, WRITES ABOUT POWERFUL WOMEN THAT INSPIRES US ALL TO STRIVE FOR MORE...AND NOT TO TAKE WHAT IS JUST DEALT TO US. HAVING A SOULMATE AND BEING ABLE TO HEAL IS JUST THE BONUS.

I actually enjoyed this book quite a bit. It differs from the TV series in a number of ways, so it's best not to compare the two. Just let each stand on its own.

I was struck by the similarities with Twilight as I was reading this book. Of course, The Vampire Diaries came out years before Stephenie Meyer even had the idea for Twilight. I've read the Twilight series, and I have to say that I much prefer L. J. Smith's take on the vampire mythology. The characters are more interesting, the story has more meat, and I didn't want to slap the main character for being an annoying little twit. There are some corny moments but, overall, this is a far better story.

My main complaint was with the ending. That was one heck of a cliffhanger. I would have preferred a little more resolution (but I guess the idea is to force readers on to the second book). I may read it in the future. The first book was good enough to whet my appetite for more.

All in all, The Vampire Diaries: The Awakening is worth reading, especially if you enjoy paranormal romance with hot vampire guys.

I've been tentatively watching the TV series, and think it's okay so far. I've curiously skimmed through a few reviews, and noticed how some people dislike the series. I'd like to remind everyone that this series was originally published in 1991. Young adult books back then weren't as mature in content or writing as they are nowadays.

I read these books as a middle-schooler, and absolutely loved them. I went back and read a bit of the book a few years ago, only to find that it hasn't held up well with the years (a bit cheesy and flimsy in writing). But do remember this came before Twilight, and that these books are enjoyable for what they are. I would still highly recommend it if you are a fan of vampire or paranormal stories.

The book was impossible to put down and creepy as hell. It's like eating scary candy -you just can't stop. If they ever do a comic book on this I'll order extra copies for my store. It's that good.

If this is not enough for you, Check these out, you'll have to keep the light on all night long:
VARNISS THE VAMPIRE: A ROMANCE OF BLOOD
The House of the Vampire
Dracula: The Original Bloody Masterpiece
Frankenstein
Famous Modern Ghost Stories: Selected by Dr. Dorothy Scarborough of Columbia University

I had so much fun reading this book that by the time I got to the end I was tearing my whole house apart looking for the next, I stole the first from my older sister and I never found the next :( so now I'm waiting for them to come in the mail, its really hard just sitting here typing about the first. I was so into the first that I read the whole intire thing in only three days. This book like all L.J Smith book is a must read. So far I've only read it two times in the last month, trust me thats good for my nirotic brain to function on any other books (but they happen to be by L.J Smith of course). So just take my word for it and read it. You'll never regret it!

I actually picked this book up on a whim while getting Breaking Dawn. I had finished the first two books of the Twilight series and wanted to test the waters to see if this was a genre that I wanted to get into. I have never been a huge fantasy/vampire reader. So I figured what the heck. After reading the Twilight series I felt that I was spoiled. I adored Stephenie's books and it took me a few months to actually want to pick up another series or another book to read. Finally one day I picked up The Vampire Diaries. I ended up finishing it in one day. I had to run around town trying to find the next volume in the series.

I have to say I hate that there are readers that are comparing the two series. In my opinion they are very different. LJ Smith has a much different writing style than Stephenie does. Each has a way of capturing your attention quickly on and they both kept my attention through both series. If you are a fan of a good read I say give it a try.

Elena is a character that I didn't think I would like. She is very selfish and self centered at first. I love the way that she slowly but surely grows up. It's a nice to watch the transformation.

I know I was suppose to be cheering on Stefan but I have to say that I was a bigger fan of Damon for a good portion of this series. Stefan is great don't get me wrong maybe it was the who cares attitude of Damon's and not so do good that drew me more to Damon.

I adored Bonnie and Meredith. I have best friends that remind me of both characters. I did find myself feeling sorry for Matt at times. That was sort of a shock to me.

Over all this was a great start to a wonderful series. I do hope that there are other fan of Twilight that make the journey and give this series a chance.

I, like many others, became a fan after watching the show on The CW. Though the book and show are quite different and almost comepletey uncomparable, I must say that I love them both! I've heard it said that Stephanie Meyer ripped off LJ Smith, and I've gotta say that there are some SERIOUS similarities. However, this book had some pretty fierce heat that Twilight just simply didn't deliver. I wasn't expecting that out of this novel, and I was actually pretty annoyed in the beginning of the book because Elana seemed so ridiculously shallow and selfish, but it grew on me quickly and now I can't wait to read The Struggle!

Recently I've gotten really into the CW series Vampire Diaries. And when I say that I've gotten really into it, I mean I've REALLY gotten into it. Like ewatching-the-whole-series-in-a-weekf into it. I love the characters and the story line and I've become borderline obsessed with it. So, after catching up with the series and watching the season three finale, I was left incomplete. I needed to know what happens next and there was no way I could wait until september for the season 4 premier. The fix for this situation seemed to be obvious: I needed to read the books that this series was based on.

I have not been able to read all four books, but I have recently finished the first one. The Vampire Diaries: The Awakening, written by L.J. Smith, was a very easy read. It's very obviously written for young adults around the ages of 13-18 with a large portion of the book being centered around high school. The first book centers around Elena Gilbert who is essentially the queen bee in everything she does. Elena, after suffering the loss of her parents, meets Stefan Salvatore. Stefan is the brooding vampire of the novel with an interesting story that Elena just canft wait to hear. The book ends with the clear intent of a sequel with Stefan missing and the introduction of his brother: Damon Salvatore.

What I find really interesting about this story is that it came out around the beginning of the whole Vampire fascination. It came out before Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Twilight, yet it has just recently been introduced as a series. The book was definitely popular enough to have become a tv series or a movie back in the 90s but it wasnft. Instead the series was brought back to life nearly 20 years later. The CW's adaption is extremely successful and is completely different from the book. It's obvious that the intent of this series was to bring back a series that was once very popular and now has the potential to capture readers once again.

I'm currently working on the second book and am definitely seeing a developing story line that is keeping me reading. I give this book a 3 out of 5 stars and would recommend it to fans who are in my situation and simply canft wait for the return of the CW's Vampire Diaries.

For more reviews, visit noveldreamer.wordpress.com

It's unfortunate that this book had to become a miniseries on TV for it to be seen. I read (and still have) the original books from the 90s and I LOVED them then and now!! I was soo disapointed by the show on TV and after watching 1 or 2 episodes I felt cheated out of a great story!!! The plot and the darkness in the books are lost in the TV episodes! Bonnie's abilities, Caroline as her friend in the begining..etc I was VERY upset that she had an older bro when in the books she had a younger sister. Everything was and is wrong to me and I cannot watch the show anymore. I was looking forward to the beautiful story coming alive in front of me and it was killed when Elena showed up with brown hair!!! The color of her hair was such a huge detail in the books!!!

Overall the books are now and have always been young adult so take them as such and ENJOY!

I had no idea that this was reviewed by the friend I helped order this book. I'm glad she liked it so much.
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Okay, I first want to mention that I am a huge vampire fan. So when I saw this book in one of the NY public libraries I just had to read it. I had already read LJS's "Dark Visions" trilogy and loved the story of Kait's visions and Gabriels's dark personality. Gabriel's character kind of reminds me of Damon's character in the "Vampire Diaries" series only Damon doesn't have someone "special" to put him in his place. It became so intense that when I was reading the "Vampire Diaries" Vol. 1 it felt as if the words were no longer words but instead pictures of what was happening - this occurs in all of LJS's books because they are written so superbly. I couldn't put it down. You might think this book sounds like just another story about another unrealistic immortal romance that's not worth your time but it is so worth it. Despite the flaws the characters may have you grow attached to them - to Bonnie's fearful psychic powers, to Meridith's mysterious, closed off personality, even to Elena's self-absored beauty. You grow as they grow. It's always cool when you piece together the clues before the characters do and then wonder if you were accurate as the story progresses. I thought this was a trilogy until, at the back of the 3rd book, I found out that a 4th book existed. I couldn't find it anywhere! After three years of searching, I finally found it on the store.com ... I just had to get it. No matter the cost, I was left in that much suspense. You know what? It was so worth it! The 4th one was the BEST! I literally read it in a matter of about 3 hours, only putting it down to wipe tears away. It was that intense. I felt as if the things were really happening to me. To sum this all up I have to say that the whole series took me to a whole new world. Damon is this gorgeous & powerful vampire whom Elena can't resist. Stefan is the type of vamp that keeps everything inside & fights his nature with the kind of sensitivity & beauty no girl can resist. I think LJS blends characters from one trilogy into another one to make a new identity. Like, Matt is similar to Adam, in the "Secret Circle" trilogy & Elena is similar to Jenny on the "Forbidden Game" trilogy. So my suggestion = don't just read this book, but buy it before it goes out of stock again. And I totally agree with the other reviewers who say that this should become a larger series. IT ROCKED!

GREAT book! Highly recommended.
Original Twilight? It seems Ms. Stephanie Meyer took themes from this book and twisted them and just ran with it. It starts off a bit like Twilight but with less detail. Towards the end it's HARDLY like Twilight.

This book was unputdownable. I love Stefan. I just wish there was MORE. I can't put my finger on it but something was missing...more romance? More Stefan? More detail? More character development? Perhaps all of the above.

I guess that was my biggest issue. The relationship between Stefan and Elena. I mean maybe they were physically attracted to each other but I don't really get why they're in love. I couldn't relate to Elena on any level either.

The writing is easy and uncomplicated. The plot leaves me to feel that we the reader don't know the whole story yet and that will all be revealed if we just keep reading and that's what I LOVE in a book...and some sexy vampires. haha
Really good overall and I can't find myself to hate Damon...hmm...

Off to buy the second installment!

It's the best series ever! It might not be like the show but it's still really good I love them both. It's nice to actually read the real story of The Vampire Diaries it makes a lot more sense. At first I was hesitant to read the books cause people were saying its nothing like show so I didn't even bother to read them. Then I starting to get curious what it's like in the books and when I read the first one I was instantly hooked. So with that I give this 10 stars and would recommend this to anyone that is curious about the book series.

Before I got this book, I read the reviews. People were praising it. So I got it, expecting to finally read a good vampire novel, but actually this book is not what I would call "award winning". The way the story was written didn't really make chills run up and down my spine. It is not really scary. I like books that are fiction at the same time, but with a little bit of reality. The life Elena Gilbert is living is not reality. It is like that whole town, Fells Church, is just this barbie world. Yeah, with its once in a while frights. The plot was okay, but I think it should have been better. It is not unique or original. Thge whole series is a 'terrifying story of a beautiful girl, torn between two brothers', but that topic was just pushed into the story . What with all the "I have got to have him" petty fights between friends there was no more room fo the whole meaning of the story to take place. Readers, if you want to read a real terrifying book, I advice you not to get this book. You should get books by Laura K. Hamilton and try the Annita Blake series. It is more unique and really chills you to the bone.

I read both the positive and negative the store reviews regarding this book before I started on my own. I am a female, who loves romance and a good vampire story, but I found it quite average. I know, personally, I couldn't relate to Elena, her being the most popular girl in the school and all of that. Im more likely to barrack for the underdog. I think the romantic tension between her and Stefan is a little forced. It doesn't flow too nicely, because its trying so hard to be intense. And you think, well this girl has beauty and popularity - why cant someone else get the drama? I think I better just stick to watching Buffy on TV - and barrack for willow and xander!

This is one of the rare instances where I actually like the tv version better than the book (99% of the time I think the book is always better than the movie or tv show- this is the exception for me). The best description I can come up with for the book is "stiff." Everyone was so ridiculously formal & strained it was almost painful. It was okay, but didn't make me want to keep reading- the characters were very different than the tv show & I can see where it's clearly going to take a different direction in some ways, I just don't think I care.

I first bought the Vampire Diaries many years back when I started out reading L.J.'s novels. Basically the premise is about a popular high school girl name Elena who is caught in a triangle between two Italian vampire brothers name Stephan and Damon, one good and one evil. But that's not all. Not wanting to give anything else away, it starts out decently, and only by the second book that things start beginning to get real interesting, though I must say it's been a while since I last read them.

Either way, it's good to see that the books are now reprinted to introduce to a new audience. And good to see L.J. back to writing again after a long time.

I would have liked this book a lot better if the main character was a more interestingperson than Elena, who seems to be the personification of the stereotypical boy-crazy mallrat teenagegirl. I LOVE vampires, but this is ridiculous. Like when Stefan starts going to high school - oh please. He's hundreds of years old; as if he needs to learn about algebra. School is bad enough when you HAVE to go. Books like this are why I prefer Anne Rice and Poppy Z. Brite, even if Anne *is* getting too religious, and Poppy too violent - at least they don't show the entire world from a teenage perspective.

I read this fifteen years ago before Twilight even was invented and it did not live up to my expectations. When I heard that a television show was being created, I nearly cringed at the thought until I gave it a chance and got hooked on it. I figured I would give these books a chance and re-read the first to the fourth volume. Sadly, it is one of those situations where the television show is ten times better than the book. With that said, I never found the novel's protagonist Elena likeable in any way. She's vapid, self absorbed, and just plain obnoxious.

Even Stefan and Damon were parodies of themselves as Italian Renassiance men. To summarize the series as a whole, I agree with the reviewers that the books would appeal to the preteen crowd of 12-14 year old demographic. Look it did wonders with the Twilight marketing! I would stick with the tv show.

I really like the show on CW and I enjoyed reading the Twilight Saga so I figured I'd check this book out. The first 100 pages was so bad I flipped forward a 100 pages to try to finish off the book. It is just seriously lacking. The characters are shallow and hard to care about. Elena is a little twit, what 500 year old vampire could seriously love her? Katherine is weak? How can that be? She's a vampire! The end of the first book didn't even make me want to read on. I felt the dialogue was forced and very unnatural. I was imagining some of the dialogue as if it was used in the show (an actual conversation) and it was horrible. Twilight is better written and the characters are better developed. I've seen better stories written by middle school kids and Smith is supposed to be a professional. Please. Don't bother wasting your money. I'm glad I picked this up at the library. I'll be returning it promptly.

"Vampire Diaries" are the earlier books written by L.J. Smith and, unfortunately, it shows. I enjoyed her later trilogies "Dark Visions" and "The Forbidden Games" very much and therefore had very high hopes for "Vampire Diaries."

To my disappointment, the writing is just not as good as I came to expect from L.J. Smith. The characters are not fully developed and more often than not unlikeable. The romance also is not written very well. It is very hard to believe in passion between Elena and Stefan. The narration in "The Awakening" is too choppy; multiple POVs are sometimes confusing and distracting. "The Struggle" however is significantly better written, the ending really pulled off the entire second book for me.

In spite of all this criticism, however, I have to give credit L.J. Smith for creating characters and mythology that were later shamelessly "borrowed" by Stephenie Meyer. The similarities between "Vampire Diaries" and "Twilight" are undeniable. Human-vampire romance set in high school, blood lust, angst, "vegetarian" vampires - all was first written by L.J. Smith.

I will continue on reading this series and hope the books are going to get better.

I do love the Twilight Series, but this series is so much darker. IT IS AWESOME!!! I too am a fan of the television show and got antsy during the break in the season. I had heard that the TV show was different than the books and was very nervous to read the series. I started reading... Now, I love the show and I love the books too. They are very very different but both entertaining with the same core story. For me, it's just additional adventures for Damon, Stefan, and Elena. I must admit that right now it seems like Fells Church has much much more going on then Mystic Falls. But I'm sure that in time the TV show will catch up. Mainly, I just want to convey that this series is very dark and fascinating and pulls you in. But what is wonderful is that its separate from the show and the story stands on its own without being butchered by television (unlike my beloved Sookie).

I read these books when i was first learning to read. They were the only book to ever suck me in and make feel along with the characters. Since then i have read these books over and over at least once a year and at 28 years old, i still love them. I'm obsessed with vampires and read every book i can get my hands on. In my opinion these books are the best ever, with Black dagger brotherhood coming in second. I urge everyone to read this set as every books just gets better and better. I will say it starts slow but by the end of the first one you'll be hooked.
I have to say that some people will see a resemblance to twilight and i would like to point out that these books were out FIRST!!! (1991) I liked the twilight series but i like good/evil struggling vamps over flighty, shiny, no teeth ones any day.
This set of books has it all, not just vamps, so there is something for everyone.
I truly hope you love these books as much as i do.

I am twenty three years old now, and have loved these books since I stole them from my older sister years ago. They're dark, romantic, and creepy. Now that I'm older I recently reread them, I admit that they sometimes feel like a cheap Anne Rice rip off, but they're still fun. Elena is everything every girl wants to be, brave, beautiful, and smart all rolled into one, she rolls with even the most outlandish punches, and still manages to feel real. Even in the midst of a vampire brother love triangle, you can still relate. She's not always sweet and pure, and the vamp brothers have their issues too but that adds to their charm. This trilogy is totally worth reading, especially if you still find Anne Rice a little tough going. They'll give you the creeps, and make you cry eventually, but always in the best way possible.

I admit that I was a little apprehensive before reading this series because it is marketed as a teen novel and I like more mature reads. However, I ended up really liking it! Like others have said, it is very similar to Twilight (although mentioned before, this was published more than ten years before Twilight) but it has differences than Twilight that I like. A definite cliffhanger at the end so be prepared that you'll want to purchase the next book fast! If you love vampire series than this is a definite must read!

I actually started watching the television show from the first season. I am usually a big believer that the book is always better, but in this case, I feel quite the opposite. The TV series is only loosely based on the books and is in fact much more interesting. I don't feel these books are very well written. I will say one more thing..from the moment I started reading, I couldn't help but think the Twilight author totally ripped off the idea. There are too many similarities.

I read these books the first time when they had first come out, when I was in high school. Somehow along the way they were lent out and never returned. I was SO happy to see them re-released. Part of me wondered if I'd like them as much now.

Having re-read the books as a 30 year old, I stand by my original opinion. These books are wonderful. I love L.J. Smith's books, and this series is the best, in my opinion.

The characters are complex and distinct in their personalities, even the more minor characters.

The main character, Elena, is likeable despite her somewhat shallow outlook on life at the beginning of the series. She enjoys being popular, and isn't afraid to admit it. But it's fun to watch her character grow throughout the series.

To those who compare these books to the Twilight series, don't! They are similiar only in the love triangle aspect of the general storyline. These books are far more complex and beautifully written. They don't 'feel' like a YA series, but rather just an excellent paranormal romance.

I ordered this book after reading all the Twilight and Sookie Stackhouse books and was very disappointed. I only read about fifteen pages and gave up because the book was so childish! I know that the Twilight books are young adult books also, but the story was so good I finished the entire series in a week. This book is nothing in comparison. It is only about 200 pages and has huge type. It reminded me of the books I read in sixth grade! The Sookie Stackhouse Southern Vampire Series are short books also, but at least they deal with adult topics and the type is of normal size. I really wanted a new vampire series to read after I finished Twilight and Sookie Stackhouse since I enjoyed the books so much and wasn't ready to leave the world of vampires yet, but the Vampire Diaries just doesn't cut it. The characters aren't developed and the writing is very immature. I think I'll try the Anne Rice vampire books instead!

This book was simply awful. I bought it because I've gotten hooked on the tv series. What a disappointment! Elena is not at all likeable, and she and all the other characters are as flat as dishwater. She falls in love with Stefan over about three pages.

Speaking of pages, this book is short - not as in "short and sweet", but as in "it's only the first third of a decent book". It says it is 300+ pages, but the typeface is HUGE. It is only the first part of a decent book in terms of substance as well. Absolutely nothing happens. Elena meets Stefan and Damon (briefly) and finds out they're vampires. That's it. (Must be the reason the first 2 books are now sold together in some listings.)

Having read this book, I have SO much more respect for the tv show. It is a tremendous improvement over the source material. I will just have to be patient and wait for more episodes, because I will not be buying the remaining books in the series.

This was a good read, but I thought it was nothing like the TV show. I mean I know that book and their TV shows will be different but there were a lot of differences that I notices from the books and the TV shows. No offense to the author, but I kind of liked the TV show better. In the book, I believe Elena is a blonde and I don't picture her at a blonde. In the TV show she had dark hair. I think that Elena looks better in the show. Same with some of the other characters: Bonnie, Caroline, etc. I enjoyed reading this book though, because I love vampire stories. I would recommend this to anyone who likes vampire stories but just be aware of the changes if you have read the books AND watched the TV show.

I picked this book up on a whimp because a co-worker said she enjoyed it. I found it pretty dissapointing. I had to force myself to get through this first book in the hopes that the next 4 are not so miserable.

I find all the characters to be very shallow and unbelivable, especially Elena's 2 best friends and their unquestionable loyalty. I also found the romance to be so cliche. How many times do they have to say "oh, stefan!" and "Oh, Elena..." really now...

All in all, if you are about 12-15 you might like it because it is very childish. I am currently reading the 2nd book, and find it picking up a bit. But I, like many other raters, prefer the much more mature version on the TV series.

I read this series when it first came out, when I was still in high school. I have read a wealth of other authors who write adult novels but still have to say this is my favorite story of all time...that has to tell you something. No other story I have EVER read has inspired the obsession I have with this one. And I do mean obsession; there is no other word for it. It is beautiful, absolutely beautiful. LJS brings these characters to life; they live and breathe, and you suffer their pains and celebrate their triumphs right along with them. You cry with them, you laugh with them, you *are* with them. And when it's over, the emptiness of being without them makes you go back and start all over again. Elena is strong and courageous, with an arrogance only those readers who would be jealous of her in real life would despise. Understand her circumstances, and she is everything you wish you were, and everything you try to be. Stefan is a tragic figure, tortured by guilt and healed by Elena's unconditional love. Damon is dark and beautiful, utterly charming and seductive and fearsome, with an arrogance only Damon is worthy to possess. He will astoud you, frighten you, he will get a hold on you from which there is no escape. Bonnie and Meredith and Matt are the most loyal friends anyone could have, and each has their role to play, and each plays it to their fullest extent. Bonnie's psychic powers are awesome despite her charming inhibitions; Meredith's tragic family history is wrenching and she handles it with admirable strength. Matt's devotion to Elena is almost heart-breaking, and the lengths he will go to for her will never cease to amaze you. Read this story. Treasure it. Let it become your world, and it will truly change you. I speak from experience; it has inspired me in ways I will never be able to describe. And it will continue to do so for years to come.

I've enjoyed The Vampire Diaries tv show and hoped the books would be just as engrossing. I enjoyed reading this, but it wasn't as satisfying as I'd hoped it would be. Perhaps I didn't like it as much as I would have if I hadn't seen the show first; the two are very different, and that was hard for me to get used to! I'll probably finish reading this series, and I do like it. However, it's not my favorite (and certainly not up to Twilight standards).

It is a great book idea, but i personally feel the tv show is so much better, although it drags on and starts to bore me. L.J. Smith is a good author and should write others than tvd. Good price for this.

The first time I ever read Vampire Diaries, I couldn't put it down (I still can't). It has become my favorite book series of all time.I love Elena and Stefan, they are the perfect couple, I also cried at the end of the third book when I thought they could never be together.I relate alot to Elena and I am inspired by the Story.L.J. Smith is my favorite author, I hope she keeps writing more books! I also enjoy reading her other books, such as The Secret Circle and Night World series.

My sister told me to read this book and I was a little skeptical at first because I am so much older than the main characters but I could totally relate to them. I couldn't put the books down. I actually read the first 2 books in 1 day. (all I did was read!). I have finished the whole series and have my calender marked for when the next one is released! I highly recommend if you like paranormal love stories, with some action.

It is the best story I've ever read. What can I say about it? The first time I ever read the series- well, let's just say I've rarely ever cried that much. It'll get to you. LJ's just got this way of telling you in just the right perspective that makes you feel it is you that all this has happened to. You will feel for these character's & you will become so involved that when it ends you'll want more. I can't recommend the Vampire Diaries experience more: It's a must!

Elena, our main character, is entranced by Stefan Salvatore, a exchange student from Italy who just recently came to school. What Elena doesn't know, is that her love is a vampire. Tormented with memories of his dear Katherine(who does look like Elena)he tries to stay away from her and Caroline takes advantage. There has been recent murders about the city and people are scared. That's all I'm going to say or else I'm going to ruin the book. A must-have in your book collection

Okay I watched the entire season of Vampire Diaries and then I decided I'd read the books. I think that makes me a little judgemental, but honestly.

Okay first, drama drama drama. And not in a good way. I think in the first book, Stefan is underdeveloped and so is Stefan and Elena's relationship. I felt like a missed a chapter that evoked some of the depth. Nope, just wasn't there. I'm sorry but you can't say poof, I know your insides like my own within ten pages. It's weird. Second, Damon, even though he's the "bad" character, I have to admit, he was more entertaining than the entire book. It might just be me, but I felt like Bonnie was a clearer picture than Elena. The whole, "be with me forever" that happens all of a sudden literally killed the book for me. I'm going to keep reading just so I have background for the show. Maybe it'll get better, but the whiny Elena character really grates on my nerves.

I've always thought it a travesty and an insult to the author whenever an adaptation of a book, whether it be film or telivision, does not hold true to the original story line; however in this case I can see why they didn't. Technically I found the book daunting to read let alone finish. The story itself did hook me briefly in places but I found myself so irritated by the writing that I was unable to get lost in it. The characters are all so terribly one dimentional and similar that it was difficult to know who the hero or heroine was or who to root for. It seems that everyone is the villan, all out to get our "Heroine" Elena, who is herself a petulant, conceited brat who has no problem stepping on those around her in order to get what she wants; even her attraction to Stefan is born out of his rejection of her and her inabillity to accept that she is not coveted by him. Oddly, the character I found to be the most multi-faceted and endearing was Damon Salvatore; he was the one character who had his own personality and voice - and he was suppose to be the bad guy!! The cliff-hanger ending was the most frustrating of all because I cannot bear the thought of reading anymore in order to find out how it all ends.

I guess I take back my earlier statement about being unable to decide who to root for; I am pulling for Damon in the hopes that he will eat everyone, thus ending the series.

This is one of those books that stick with you long after you've read it. I first picked up the Vampire Diaries 15 years ago when it was first published. Needless to say, because I'm writing a review here, I still adore the books. The novel is beautifully written, with characters I genuinely care about. Sure, my opinion of the characters have changed over time, mainly my impressions of Stefan and Elena... but they're still friends I enjoy visiting . I've reread this series a number of times. In a nutshell, its about finding love and acceptance despite outward appearance. A lot of this book is based on friendship and societal roles. It's a lot like Romeo and Juliet, had Romeo not died, but lived on, waiting to be whole again, never forgiving himself for the mistakes of the past. I like this story because the characters are so multi-dimensional, the world lush and exotic. EXCELLENT book. Don't skip it!

My main concern will be people who see parallels to the Buffy the Vampire Slayer universe. This one came first, and in my opinion, is better.

I always thought movies and TV adaptation were inferior to novels. This proved me wrong. I finished the series hoping that something good would turn up. I was so disappointed. TVD on TV was much better because they thankfully moved away from novel. thank god they did. I could not fall in love or get obsessed with the female protagonist as the writer was, from human to vampire, to so angel to some divine child, what the hell was happening....Hated it.

The first time I read this book I was amazed and shocked the way that LJ Smith had kept the audience in the dark about characters even when they were staring you right in the face.
Coming back to it six years later I can still remember reading it and not knowing that a major character was there the entire time. However I also believe that it should have ended after Dark Reunion for the storyline.

I'm a little disappointed. I love the TV show and thought I might get some insight into the characters from reading the books. However the characters seem undeveloped, and the relationships that exist between the characters in the show are either nonexistent in the books or shallow and petty. I'm undecided if I'll bother with the next in the series.

This book was amazing. As a vampire fiction fan I have to say this is the best one I have read so far and it out beat twilight by far! Stefan and Damon are far superior then Edward and Jacob. I can’t wait to read the second book and find out what happens!!

Before Buffy and Angel lite up the tv screens spinning off book series there was L.J. Smith's series 'Vampire Diaries". This was one of the first vampire books I ever read back when I was about 12. Ten years later, and heavy dog eared copy of "The Awakening" volumn #1 of the "Vampire Diaries" the story and plot is still fresh as ever, keeping me coming back again and again. If you love the paranormal, a bit of romance, adventure, two good looking vampires, and of course the age old struggle of school politics then you'll love this book. Stefan, the sweet vampire, with his brother Damon, the 'bad boy' vampire, keep the thrills coming as Elena works through the story finding unknown twists and turns.

Well, when I first began reading this book, I HATED the main character. I mean, I really hated her. She was so annoying to me with her "omg he didn't even look at me!", when she first saw Stefan. And THEN she practically stalks him because he doesn't give her attention? Come on! So she uses her "friends" to get the dibs on him, meanwhile making Plan A and Plan B to make him hers. Seriously? How ridiculous is that? No one wants to read about someone like that.
But as I kept reading, I liked it more and more. It got really good, good plot and everything.
But when Katherine came into the picture, I expected a little more from her...
She was too crazy. Why would she want to kill the lover of her life? She was the typical enemy, scheming in front of them tied up, with threats and the whole thing.
Overall, it was a good read, and I would recommend it.
The end left lots of unanswered questions, though.
I don't know, I still liked it.

I originally read this when I was a young adult, and with the release of the new one I read it again. It is a classic love story about forbidden love - engaging, dark, moody, romantic, and perfect in its simplicity. A very strong story line. Characters that develop. Just enough of a fantasy element to tell a great story and keep it believable. I hope they do make it into a tv series, and I hope they do it justice.

I have a hard time being hard on authors, I'm an avid reader and collect a lot of books but when it comes to L.J. Smith's work...all I can say is she's just boring. The Vampire Diaries has amazing potential and yet the story she wrote for it is just so bland and awful. Now I didn't start reading until the show came out and I started reading with an open mind knowing it would be different from the show but all I can say is the show's writers are amazing compared to these books. The show is awesome, I'm glued to the tv every thursday night it's so good. But the books don't come close to the kind of excitment the show brings. So Ms. Smith I'm sorry but I won't be wasting anymore money on your work. I don't mind Night World (which I am almost done with the first volume) because that's okay but that's it for me.

As soon as i started reading i couldn't stop! It was entertaining,cute,yet full of action. Although Elena (female protagonist) was pretty shallow and annoying, she got better as the book went on. Btw everyone whose comparing this to Twilight needs to stop because these books were published in the 90s -__- Besides these books are much better than the Twilight books.

The first time I had ever heard of Vampire Diaries was the CD-ROM game "The Vampire Diaries" it's a very challenging and intriguing game. It led me onto the book series which I found just as intriguing after experiencing the multimedia experience. I loved them, they were VERY well written and I encourage everyone to pick up a copy and start from the beginning, you won't be able to put it down until you're done!

Definitely aimed at teens, I still enjoyed this book - actually 2 books. I've never seen the show before, but I think I might try to get my hands on it before too long. I am thinking that as the series progresses, we may get to see some real good development of the 2 brothers, who both are intriguing, and beguiling. It is no wonder that Elena falls for them both.

A friend of mine in elementary school introduced me to this series. I think she actually gave me the second one first, then let me read the series in order 1-3. I went out and bought my own copies because I loved it all three so much. And I was so geeked when the 4th came out! The series is about a teenage girl, Elena, who lives with her aunt and meets two brothers who are vampires. She starts dating one, Stefan, not knowing at the time that he is a vampire. (In this series, they can be out in daylight, they just have to shield their eyes with sunglasses). The whole series I have read countless times. These 4 books were all I read for close to 2 years. I pick them up again once in awhile to reminisce. Highly recommended for a preteen that doesn't like "typical" teen series (although now-a-days there are so many more choices than Sweet Valley High and Babysitters Club!!). I wish I had known at the time that she had other series available, although I've always been passionate about vampires.

Hmm..well I have to say that this book is amazing. The characters are well developed, and draw you in from page one. However, I will say that in my opinion, there are many of the same nuances and ideas in TWILIGHT, and I found this a bit disturbing. Vampire diaries was written 12 years BEFORE twilight. I suppose that I feel as if L.J Smith has been cheated of her glory. So, when you read this book, really pay attention to the plot and ideas of the book, and you will start to see some of the same thoughts and ideas as in Twilight. Stefan practically mirrors Edward in almost every way.
I enjoyed Twilight, but this is not about Twilight, this is about Vampire Diaries- a much better and well thought out book.

Opposed to the overrating of fan favorite Twilight, this book series is actually really good. I started reading this book with the mind set that it was going to be another corny teen vamp romance. This is so far from that. This book has mystery, romance, danger, and might I mention a really hot vamp named Damon. I read this combination of two books in two days and followed with the rest in the series. I am now reading the sixth book and am looking forward to reading Midnight, L.J. Smith's latest book in the vampire series.

I am embarrassed to say how many times I have actually read this whole series. It must be more than 10 or 11. I'm telling you right now that they are captivating. All four. Intriguing, really. READ THEM. It won't hurt you. Other books L.J. Smith has written that I highly recommend: The Secret Circle. Almost better than The Vampire Diaries. It just depends whether you like vampires or witches. You pick

The Awakening is the first books in one of L. J. Smith's early series, The Vampire Diaries, and was first published back in the early 90s. This series is one of the better teen horror ones. Leaving at least some of the formulas behind, #1 The Awakening sets up the main characters and the center love triangle: vampire brothers Stefan and Damon Salvatore, whose fight over young vampire Katherine in Renassaince Italy led to their turning, and Elena Gilbert, the human high school girl that will renew their centuries-old feud. Highly reccomend for horror and vampire fans.

I recently downloaded this onto my kindle after being a fan of the show. And yes - it's VERY different from the tv series but I still enjoyed it, and will probably purchase book two. From an adult's perspective, it's not the best written piece of fiction, and because of that I'd usually only give it three stars. But it wasn't written for adults, it' was written for teenagers, and so I've rated it higher!

omg!! words cannot describe how wonderful this book is!! at first i thought...o this is just another icky vampire book like all the others...but i was wrong! i read the first one and couldnt put it down b/c i needed to know wut was gonna happen next!! the story is sooooo sad and full of sooooo many secrets. stefan is sooooo lonely and elena is hopelessly in luv w/ him but she reminds him of a love he once had and he tries to avoid her. but dont worry, b/c he will be happy again soon for the first time in centuries!! this book cleverly introduces the characters who are very well described. the 2nd and 3rd books tell the story of how elena lives w/ her relationship w/ stefan and his brother damon and the problems she faces. but the 4th book was not the best. and the ending really stunk b/c there r sooooo many unanswered questions and i really think another book should be written to conclude the lives of all the characters! but please buy this book and all the others b/c u really wont understand what ure gonna miss out on. this story changed my life. literally! it made me think about my life and what i feel about it!!

The Vampire Diaries The Awakening is the first book of this series by L.J. Smith. This novel is 253 pages. The novel starts off with Elena Gilbert writing in her diary about how summer is over and she doesn't know how to face school again after the death of her parents. Elena is stuck in a boring house living with her Aunt Judith and younger sister. Even though Elena is the most popular girl in school and has so many friends she feels empty inside. Then, Elena meets Stefan Salvatore, the new guy in high school. Stefan is the mysterious type of guy which interests Elena. She makes it her goal to get to know Stefan as best as she could, even though he has many secrets.
During the school's Halloween dance, an incident occurs that has everybody frightened. Mr. Tanner, the history teacher was murdered. All the students think that the new guy, Stefan had something to do with it. Stefan is forced to disappear for the night, but Elena follows him and learns a deep dark secret about Stefan. He is a vampire. Instead of being frightened, Elena realizes that she loves Stefan. Later, they discover that Stefan's evil brother, Damon has been the one behind all of the murders going on in the city of Fairview. Damon is also a vampire, but unlike Stefan, he is bad and murders innocent people. The book ends with Damon kidnapping his brother. Elena is left in the dangerous presence of Damon hoping to find her vampire boyfriend.
I decided to read this novel because I started watching the T.V. series on the CW, which I really enjoy. However, the book is very different from the show. I personally found this book boring and predictable. It is written in third person, therefore it is a bit slow. I feel like I couldn't get interested in the words. This novel disappointed me and did not reach my expectations. I don't think that I will continue reading this series. I recommend the T.V. show The Vampire Diaries, not the novels.

I was at the public library that my aunt accompanied me to...while looking through the horror section (prefferably R.L.Stine) I came across L.J. Smith the 'Vampire Diaries' Since I find vampires amusing I borrowed the first book in the series, The Awakening. I read it for 2 nights and I soon finished. I really liked it. And I am looking forward to go to the library and borrow the other 3 books in this marvelous series... I assure you that you wont regret reading, for this i can say cuz ive read it but as for the other 3 i have a pretty good feeling that they'll be good... i swear once you start reading this book it will be hard to put away! I also reccommend the DARK ANGEL, GATHERING OF GARGOYLES, & THE PEARL OF THE SOUL OF THE WORLD, trilogy by Meridith Ann Pierce, i am sure u will love those books as much as i did! -$arah H.

LJ Smith does things in this first trilogy that i don't think she's ever done again. Elena is cool because she's a flawed character, she's a superstereotype of a selfabsorbed peopleeating prom queen at the beginning and i don't think she ever quite resolves into ms. wholesome-america. her affection for stefan still wavers until nearly the end - this series somehow lacks the dour sense of absolute moral certainty that waterlogs most of LJS' other books for me. Every character is an outrageous cliche but that itself can be a good thing; think david lynch and blue velvet or twin peaks, this series creates a similarly eerie and funny and grotesque sense of mythical applepie americana. LJS is so good with creating powerful symbols and here they work as plot devices. it's just an engrossing read; i love it cuz, as other people have complained, it *is* the ultimate wishfullfillment fantasy but always with an ironical quirk in the tail...

Like many others, I fell in love with the TV show. I figured if I loved the show, I'd love the books. I was wrong. L.J. Smith is a great author. She writes well, has good storylines, and knows how to captivate her audience. But, I just didn't like the books like I do the show and I decided not to read past the first two books.

I decided to read the Vampire Diaries after hearing that the CW was turning it into a series this fall. Last summer I was obsessed with Twilight, now I've pushed it aside for vampire diaries. The Vampire Diaries is about a vampire from Italy named Stefan who moves to a small town and tries to blend in with humans. Elena is a popular girl who is instantly attracted to Stefan and desperately tries to get his attention. Stefan at first tries to resist Elena because she reminds him of his lost love Katherine. Quickly after they get together, Stefan's estranged older brother Damon comes to town and tries to lure Elena from Stefan. The book slowly turns into a triangle between Damon/Elena/Stefan that is continued in The Fury/Reunion. There is much more to the story, but I won't ruin anything. I'm not a teenager who is obsessed with the vampire stories, but I was addicted to the book and couldn't put it down. The writing is simple and it is very quick reading. My only problem is that the main character, Elena is somewhat unlikeable at the beginning and does take some getting used to, but she's not whiny, needy, and passive like twilight's Bella.

The books were great!! They were very different from the story plot that wasn’t on T.V. though, i expected them to be more similar since I watched all of the seasons of the show first but they were still really interesting!!

I have not problem reading books in the YA category, however, this book just didn't have much substance. The characters didn't have much time to develop, either. The author should give more credit to young readers by providing a solid story. Another issue with the book is that it doesn't have a proper ending. It's basically a cliff hanger that screams, "You have to read the next book to continue this uprupt ending." As a result, I am close to finishing the second book becuse I hate incomplete stories, and I find that I keep asking myself why I am still reading. Just walk away.

I thought this book was great. I loved it from the moment I picked up the book. I started watching the show and was captivated by it (I have to say I am 41 years old). I decided to try out the books. I like the fact that they made the show different from the books - the fact that you don't know what is coming up in the show or the books are nice. Elena does start out very conceited at the begninning but then changes as the book goes on. If you watch the show and want to read the books just open your mind up to the fact that they will be different from each other - it is much more enjoyable that way.

This thrilling book was teriffic. Elena has here eye on a new, Stefan Salvator. She is determined to make him hers, even if it kills her. Stefan is holding back his secret and his painfull memoryof Katherine. One night Elena finds out Stefans secret. Will she run from him like he expects, or will she surprise him and help him through his troubles? Only one way to find out, READ

As I flew through the pages of this book, I kept thinking it was much too simple. Much simpler to read than something like the Twilight series or Lord of the Rings. More along the lines of The Hobbit in the young adult genre. Nothing really compels me to continue reading this series. Going to sample the Beautiful Creatures series and see if it's any better.

There are such good ratings for this book, so I had high expectations. But reading the book, I quickly noticed the author's average style of writing. While I love cheesy romance and vampires, the romance in this book was not realistic enough to be believable. As someone said, it was too "lovey-dovey." The main character was somehow annoying. For one, her "friends" are more 1-dimensional side-kicks than actual people of free will. It was very dramatic for a slow paced book.

Overall, I gave it 2 stars b/c the storyline was at least acceptable.

This book and the other series are spectacular!I was In love with Stephen from the beginning till now.I loved the ending.I t was simply magical it took my heart away and from that moment on your books became an addiction for me.I go out of my way to buy them.Use my bus fair, Spend my christmas money,and even beg my family to buy one when I see it and that's something I never do.

Elena is queen of her school and she's bored with all the boys in her class and is looking for some excitment. Enter the new boy Stefan. With his dark good looks and black sunglasses shading his eyes he is an alluring mystery to Elena. Stefan holds a secret to terrible, to alarming to tell though, about a girl long,long ago with golden hair and lapis lazuli eyes...a girl who looks exactly like Elena.
Can Stefan's immmortal heart once again learn to love? Or will the evil menacing the once peaceful town throw everything into darkness as crows fly overhead like an omen of warning and an invisible force attacks innocent towns people?
This series does not rank high on My L.J. List the top spots go to The Secret Circle series and The Forbidden Game. But this being an L.J. trilogy it ranks only below my other L.J. Books which are in my top spots of favorite read.
Also recomendded-Sweep Series, Samuria girl (sorry if I spelled it wrong) and Fearless series starring super heroine Gaia Moore.

I liked this book because it was mostly entertaining. The character Elena was what you'd expect of a stereo typical blond girl who is popular in high school. The book's been around for a long time, but it is still interesting to read in present day. I liked reading about Stephan who was the "good" brother in the story, but I actually found Damon more interesting. He was the "bad" brother in the story, but his character drew me in. I think the novel would be more enjoyable if he was the one Elena falls in love with instead of Stephan. Overall, this book is fun to read to pass the time, but didn't excite me like some other books do. As far as fantasy books go, I like Annette Curtis Klause books better.

Uh oh, Mrs. Meyers... did Twilight really come to you in a "dream" or were you reading The Vampire Diaries before bed? The Vampire Diaries is a WONDERFUL book. Like many other people I was looking for something to fill the reading void I had when I finished the Twilight Saga. After reading the first chapter of The Awakening my void was filled. The set up is very simular to Twilight... vampire boy, Stefan falls in love with a human girl, Elena after they meet in Highschool, but he knows its wrong and tries to stay away from her. The thing I like about The Vampire Diaries is Stefans vampire brother Damon... Damon isn't like Stefan, he drinks human blood and does what ever he wants... and of course what he wants is Elena. The plot is awesome and the character development great. I can't wait to finish the 4th book :)

If you want to read a new released YA fantasy adventure trilogy novel check out Crepuscular Light In The Night. It's the first one in the series and it has all the right ingredients you want for a page-turning book with new creatures you've never heard about before. Dragon Vampires have been with us longer than Vampires have and the werewolfs have known about their secret for a long time. Now it's time to hear their story. Ones you start reading you will be hooked. Love, adventure, family, friendship and betrayal will leave you wanting more.
Crepuscular Light In The Night

If you enjoy the hit CW TV show, be sure to read L.J. Smith's entire series:

The Vampire Diaries: The Awakening and The Struggle (Books 1-2)
The Vampire Diaries: The Fury and Dark Reunion (Books 3-4)
The Vampire Diaries: The Return: Vol. 1 Nightfall
The Vampire Diaries: The Return: Vol. 2 Shadow Souls
The Vampire Diaries: The Return: Vol. 3 Midnight
The Vampire Diaries: Stefan's Diaries Vol. 1 Origins
The Vampire Diaries: Stefan's Diaries Vol. 2 Bloodlust
The Vampire Diaries: Stefan's Diaries Vol. 3 The Craving
The Vampire Diaries: Stefan's Diaries Vol. 4 The Ripper
The Vampire Diaries: Stefan's Diaries Vol. 5 The Asylum
The Vampire Diaries: Stefan's Diaries Vol. 6 The Compelled
The Vampire Diaries: The Hunters Vol. 1 Phantom
The Vampire Diaries: The Hunters Vol. 2 Moonsong

Not ONLY does L.J. Smith write in the beginning of these characters, she sets up a working reality that we, as the reader, can lose ourselves in. Luring you in with a timeless romance and a dark seduction, all with a haunting past, you won't want to put this book down. When I bought this book, I thought: "What the Hell, I might as well give it a read" (since I am a vampire book addict.) Come to find, I was at the same store the next day, buying the next in the series. Since then, I've read these books at least three more times.

You have to bear in mind, also, this book is not meant to be complex or complicated or frightening, even. It's suspenseful and filled with romance.

Considering this was written before the Twilight craze, I have to say that L.J. Smith's Vampire Diaries is a good series that won't dissapoint old & new fans of the paranormal genre. What stood out for me was that no matter how dark the darkness, the love still shone thru. This is the kinda love that never gives up and that can survive anything. I can't say it's as great as Twilight, but it is a good read and escape into a different world. And I look forward to reading more by this author.

A light teen read. Not a bad little story. Popular snob girl falls for dark, mysterious handsome vampire. Feelings are also tempted and torchered by handome vampire brother Damen. Different from the TV series, a delight to read. Star crossed and eternally doomed (or damned) are these players which makes the tale interesting.

This book, THE AWAKENING, seems like the beginning of a really dull and droned out series by L.J. Smith which I don't for any reason want to continue reading. The thing is that all her books are getting repetative, and at times the plot's loose and loses track of what the story was about in the first place. But well, that's what you get when you write an abundance of books simutaniously.

If write this word it's because I want to say to you thatnobody is better than Lisa Jane Smith for to speak about vampires. Shedoesn't talk about horror but she built a story who can to do dream the young's people. I'm sorry because I don't speak well english but I want to say that you must read Lisa Jane Smith's books because they are different that others.

I only started reading this because of the hype. I didn't even make it half way through. When I was in elementary school, I was really into the Fear Street books.. maybe Vampire Diaries would be great if you're at that age. Just couldn't get into this book.

The vampire Diaries Vol. 1- The Awakening is possibly one of the best books for young adults that there is. It has a great love story and is a very good vampire book. The characters are both complex and interesting. Stefan and Damon are very well thought out characters and the relationship between them and Elena is very suspensful. L.J. Smith did an excellent job weaving this unforgetable tale. It's a book that you can read over and over again and never tire of. The only problem that I have with this book is that you don't really get to know Damon very well and it leaves off in a really suspensful part. I suggest that if you buy it, you buy all of the books. Its horrible to read this story and then have to wait to get the next one. And besides the sequels get better. If L.J. Smithis reading this, we need another sequel to find out what happens between Stefn and Elena after the 4th book.

This book is what started it all for me. My first vampire book and in some ways still the best after all these years and countless series. I have reread this book so many times the covers are falling apart. Maybe it is mostly nostogia, but I think there's something so haunting and beautiful about the characters, and so real (she manages to BE the voice of a teenager, unlike so many who fail beause they are merely imitating being a teen. She really is a master to capure that wrinkle in time (youth) when we are still innocent, but not a child anymore.its not just this series, she does it in mostly all of her books. I started reading Twilight series since it sounded similar to this and it just didn't click at all in the same way. I have a hunch that this is one of those books that you have to read at that age 13-15? and it will stick with you FOREVER.

Before I start this review I would like to say that I am Shiloh Barrows, the daughter of jeff, and I am just using his account for this review. Vampire Diaries is a very interesting book. Of course I love vampire books, so naturally I would say that this book was great.

This book is unique in many ways and is one of my favorites out of over 20 vampire books that I own. By the way thats alot of books considering that i'm 14 years old and most 14 year olds don't like to read for fun. This book is very intresting and the parts where they are in school is very realistic.

Over all its a very decent book but personally my favorite vampire books is the Night World series!! By the way the Night World series is also by L.J. Smith and if you want something to read I recomend reading the Night World series!

This book is ok, I guess. I never finished it, so I don't know how it turned out. I guess the whole "main character is popular" thing, kind of created a kind of abyss, between me and Elena. Stefan was reachable. I sympathised greatly for his suffering (plus he reminds a little of the character Edward in the "Twilight" series). From what I read of this book, ("The Awakening" and a bit of "The Struggle"), Damon seems to be evil and selfish. In my opinion, he doesn't deserve Elena.

The reason I'm giving this book three stars, is not because its a bad book. Really, I think it is just not my type of book. So go ahead, buy this book or check it out from the library, if your a fan of vampires and love triangles.

I read this book in 2 days. It had a great love story with a twist even some mystery involved. If you like the Twilight series and are looking for something similar to read you will really enjoy this book! I can't wait to finish the series and even check out the t.v. series!

On the look out for something after reading Twilight, I picked up The Vampire Diaries - because I heard about the show, so I thought it would be neat to read the books before the show comes out...well they were ok...though lacking. I felt that I did not "know" the characters, it was all just kinda fluffy...where as in the Twilight books I felt as though I knew the characters, like they were sitting there next to me, with these sadly I did not feel that, even after I read the last book book 5...It's an OK book - but left me wishing I knew more about who the characters were.

I cannot begin to describe how great this series of books is. I am a guy, and I still loved them all. I cannot remember how long ago I first read these books (I read the Vampire Diaries and The Secret Circle around the same time). Anyhow, I have never found a book, or series that has touched me so profoundly as this series did. I am dead serious. Do yourself a favor, at least check one out from your local library. I really hope one day a mini-series or movie of some sort will be made. I can't believe the WB or UPN has not picked this stuff up yet, though it is way better than Buffy or Angel (though those two are good). Bottom line: I loved these books. I would recommend them to anyone and everyone. They (the series) are certainly on my top ten list of best all time books (and I am 24 going on 25)...

Ok, so. Pet me start off by saying that I love the tv show.Damon is the most beautiful creature to ever walk the fantasy universe(he makes Edward Cullen look like a wimp). And I know this isn't a true review, because I didn't actually read the book.Butt after reading all the other reviews saying pretty much the same thing.I definatly won't be. I mean, it's almost as if the screenwriters for the show took a Middle Schoolers fan fiction, and did something wonderful. I love to read, but be wont be reading this book, because I dont want it to ruin the show for me(I'm awaiting it's 3rd season on Netflix, because we don't have cable, and if you do want to watch it. It comes on CW-channel 6(for me)) gah, this is going against my nature as an avid reader.but I remember after watching "The Lying Game" (also book by Sara Shepard) it was a huge let down, I mean, Sutton and Ethan???? Nonononono! No!....ok, now that my little rants over, I don't want to think Elena's mean and two-deminsional.having Elena act like Carolynne would be the saddest thing in sad-ville. And, if you comment on my review, please, don't give anything away! I'm still wanting Elena and Damon to fall in love! Season two cliffhanger....or was that the ghost vamp lover thing going on with Jeremy? Bah, dont remember. Antiways! Have a nice day the storeers! Don't read the book!!!!! Watch the show!

I had high expectations for this book. Unfortunately, I was quite disappointed. I had heard many good things about this book and bought it swiftly. I didn't like the main character to start off. I found her to be shallow and immature. The story was slow and unbecoming. I have read many of L.J. Smith's books and I've liked all of them, excluding this book. It wasn't believable, and it took me awhile to get through this one.

I am a big LJ Smith fan. I read the vampire daries when it firs t came out and I must say it was one of the best experiences in my life. It turned me on to read more and more and made it possible for me to be in 7th grade reading leval when I was in the 4th grade so to anyone who did not like it YOU HAVE NO TASTE WHAT SO EVER.

Before I saw the show on the CW I didn't know about the book series. And I think the book is always better than Movie but this one is totally opposite, I like the show so much better than the book, and I like the character Elana in the show, gentle and humble. when I first read the book, I am surprised and dissappointed that Elena is such a annoying character, I mean she is the Queen in the school!? and what's with the romance in the book? sucking each other's blood is romantic? Stefan and Elena cannot kissing without sucking each other's blood everytime, and Stefan is the good guy and love Elena so deeply, I suppose. And what I don't understand is as a human why Elena is also enjoy sucking Stefan's blood so much everytime when they are kissing? That is not romantic at all, it is disgusting and bloody disturbing, and does the author know the concept of romance at all?
However I am thrilled by the first book The Awakening And The Struggle and the first half of the second book The Fury and Dark Reunion, but from the second half of the second book to the third book, the story line is becoming "Superheros" fight evil, chase monesters with friends save the day in Fall's Church. It is irrelevant whatsoever with the title and the previous book. I am sorry that the change of the story line didn't work for me. I hope the show won't follow the books too much.

While I'm not entirely certain I've forgiven the author for making such utterly shallow and somewhat materialistic characters, I have to admit, I really loved the story and it kept me glued to the book.

Like most of her books The Awakening, was just one of those books I couldnt put down. Its about a beautiful girl called Elena who all her life has felt like shes been missing something. Then she meets Stefen.
But stefen is not like anyother boy Elenas ever met, beacause Stefens a Vampire,haunted by his past love (who Elena has an uncanny resembalance to) and by his older (and increddibly mysteryious) brother Daemon.

When I first started listening to this series I thought to myself, "I really like the voice of this narrator". Rebecca Mozo sounds like your best friend or maybe she just reminds me of my best friend. She has a very pleasant but serious timbre that just goes with this story.

First of all, there is not enough character development. Second, the actions that some of the characters undertake are a bit incredulous. Throughout the book, I thought to myself, "Really?? Is that how you would react?." Anyway, I advise yall to not read this book. I was really disappointed. I thought this book would be really really good considering the fact that it's on the New York Times Bestseller list and that it has been made into a TV show. I was dead wrong.
I'm supposed to like Elena and Stefan, but I just can't. The author did a poor job of making the protagonists in the story likable and relatable.

I read these books for the first time almost 10 years ago, and they are still part of my collection - as are all of L. J. Smith's wonderful books. They were one of the first vampire paranormal romances that I had ever read, and I still enjoy the love triange and her entire story. I recommend picking up these, and look for her incredible Night World series.

I liked the Stefan and Elena story. The rivalry between brothers Stefan and Damon was great. I was not happy with how the book ended. I am excited to see how the tv show compares to the book. It was very catchy and I got hooked easy on the book but I'm not complete in love.

After reading this latest book by L.J. Smith, I am prepared to the worst this series has to give. I didn't like this volume in particular, too much lovey dovey females aimed situations, but I'm still hopeful that Smith still has the power to pump out powerful and beautiful books in the future. Get well!

This book was a unique take on the vampire genre. There are all types of elements involved including shape shifting. The main focus of the book is the love story between Stephen and Elena which is charged with strong emotions. The struggle they face is his thirst for blood and her mortality. Overall this book was fun to read and is directed towards young adults. I would recommend this book for teenage girls.

The Vampire Diaries series awakened desires in me I didn't know I had. I am 18 years old and I first began these books before I as much as started junior high. Every summer I go over these four books again and again. . . and every time something sparks a light inside. . . how cliche, I know, but it's true. I have loved to write since I first learned how to make the letter "a," but The Vampire Diaries made me really desire writing, made me want to keep going. LJ Smith is one of the greatest young adult writers and I hope that she can inspire others the way she did me. If you're looking for a good book, a good series, I beg you to read these! You won't be unsatisfied. Trust me.

This was the first L.J.Smith I ever read, and having done am now hooked. It all starts when Elena is given a strange prophecy by one of her friends, and then that prophecy coming true when Stephen turns up. Elena vows to get Stephen to go out with her, and after several attempts manages to do just that. However, she soon finds out about Stephen's dark side (him being a vampire). The struggles still arise for the couple as Stephen's demonic brother Damon turns up intend on winning Elena over to his side, but only time will tell. The book does end in a cliffhanger, so if you buy this book, I would advise buying all the books in series, as once you start you will not find it easy to put it down.

From the get go you get the sense The Vampire Diaries is more about a girl capable of being loved by two vampire brothers because she is beautiful, strong, special. The tension is there and you can see the lure of Elena to Stefan, and Damon's lure to Elena. The love story blends well with the supernatural in this vampire romance. Although at times Elena can be unbelievably perfect, you want to believe anything between the brothers and her is possible.

I read these novels when I was in high school many years ago and absolutely loved them. I didn't remember much of the plot (except Elena in her Halloween dress), so rereading it was very enjoyable!!! The romance between Elena and Stefan is very tender and sweet! All the characters are vividly written, and the plot is totally addictive!!! Please release Volume Two, and also The Secret Circle, we love these books!!!

First I will admit, this book is written for teens and I am a 30 something mom of 3. That being said, I decided to pick up the series after watching and loving the initial episodes of the TV series. As I began the book, I was perplexed by the character of Elena. I was expecting someone that I would actually care about, but really she is just plain annoying. There seems to be little depth of character for many of the characters in the book, which seems odd since the books each have about 250+ pages. I won't be getting any of the other books after reading the plot descriptions, because basically after reading these two I just plain don't care what happens to the characters. I will plan on watching and loving the TV series, and just hope they don't follow the books too closely and can do better writing of the characters than the author could (so far they already have in my opinion).

This story is about Elena Gilbert. She is the most beautiful and popular girl in Fell's Church, Virginia and she can have any guy she wants. Enter Stefan Salvatore the sauve, mysterious, new guy to whom Elena is immediately drawn to. Elena vows to make him hers and does everything in her power to have him. What she doesn't know is that Stefan is a vampire who is haunted by his tragic past and a girl he once crushed on named Katherine. The problem: Elena and Katherine look almost exactly alike. But Elena gets her way and soon Stefan is hers. But there is another problem Stefan's older brother Damon shows up. He is handsome, dark, and seductive, and he wants Elena too. What's a girl with two vampire loves to do?
OMG I want Damon. Woo. He sounds soo yummy. L.J. makes the best bad boys around. Terrific book.

I am a big fan of The Vampire Diaries. SO I decided to check the books out, granted I didnt expect them to be exact. Much to my surprise I found myself wanting to set these books on fire. They are HORRIBLE. Who ever adapted them has a vivid imagination because I dont know what they pulled from. This write needs some coaching. After awhile I felt as if she was telling the story from about 3 or 4 persons point of view. I wish i could get my money back seeing how i bought the series because of the show. Bad Bad Bad..if you love wasting money and time then buy them!!!!!!

I enjoyed the show so much that I decided to give the books a try. It took every ounce of patience I had to get through this book and I love reading! I always make myself read at least half the book before giving it up, but I couldn't understand how the book could be so flat and unlike the brilliant show that I regretfully dragged on to the end. You couldn't pay me to read the rest of the series. Very disappointing. Two decades ago this book would have been scary, but still not a good read. The TV show really brings the characters and plot to life, by not just saying things, but showing through actions that leave you in shock and awe. Each Season just keeps getting better! You will regret not checking the show out!

This book and the following in the series are the best books I have ever read.They have about everything I need in a book.Supernatural stuff,humour,tragedy and a love that will never die.I have read these four books at least three times and I will definetly read them again. I feel that I don't have enough words to say how much I loved them and I hope you will buy them and love them too because they are really worth reading.
They are books both to laugh and cry with and the first time you read them(and if you forget fast) they are full of excitement and surprises.So if you want a good book,read this one and if you like it,read the other three!!!

I loved this series ! It was exiting and had a really well written storie line . My mom and I bolth read the series and we bolth loved it ! The charectors have very difforant personalitys and back ground . exept for the brothers Damon and Stefen ! Eleana who is torn between the two brothers is from a hole difforant backround . I loved this book and the series is very exiting , and somthing is always happening ! I would recomend this book to anyone . It was defenetly a book you can't put down !

Sorry to all of you who write that is book is sooo bad. It seems obvious that you started reading with the notion that you would hate the book,open your mind a litte! So what if it is not filled with great meanings? It is about life! love! taking chances!!
I am sorry that it is not for "the die-hard sci-fi male" there are tons of sci-fi books that I read where the women are nothing more than love-toys, sorry that females want to read good sci-fi with characters we connect with.
I am sorry that you guys wrote so many 1 star reviews and the book still has a 4 average, then Smith's books are not for you. GET OVER IT

So i bought this book to fill the need to buy something before my beloved book (Breaking Dawn) came out because i need to read about vampires and love to help me wait so i saw the guy on the cover and he is gorgeous of course he looks like Edward....Anyways this book was not as realistic as the twilight series but it was still good in that fanasy way but i do have one problem Stefan and Elena fall in love too quick i mean less than two months and thier over heels in love? Damon would be my favorite part of the story sexy and dangerous and the hate between the two brothers fighting over this beautiful girl is just damn good. I also apreciate PG rating with no sex or drugs and lots of explicit content and no swearing!! i think it degrades the book when there is and wonderfull twist in the end went to the bookstore right after i read it to find out what happens next!!!!

I love this series, the tv show sucks! How can a girl famous for golden hair, have an actress that's a brunette! I love Damon and Bonnie (who isn't a black bad girl), but I think they got Damon dead on, except I pictured him a little shorter. I think the Stefan actor is really good to at playing the responsible, self-exile. I love Elena's bravery and I honestly think,without a doubt that this is a series to be read over and over again.

I read this book on a whim and I have to say I'm sorry I did. I loved the show "Moonlight" and was missing it terribly. I found out the CW was going to have a new series, "Vampire Diaries" and wanted to get my vampire fix so I thought I'd read the first couple of books just to see if it might be interesting. The main character in the book, Elena is so shallow and love-sick, I just couldn't relate her to any other teenage girl I've ever known. Of course she is the most beautiful girl in town, blonde perfection, wearing the best clothes, blah, blah, blah. All she cares about is being popular, pretty, and is crazy, madly in love with the brooding Stephan after about 5 minutes. Definately not the kind of girl I want my teen daughter to waste her time reading about. The other characters in the book are one-dimensional and watered down stereotypes. The book is poorly written, the language and feel of the book is as dull as dishwater and somewhat dated, certainly boring for any adult and not much better for any teen. I will not waste my time or money on any more books in the series. If you like the tv series, which is far better than the books, you will not like the books.

I read this series 6 years ago and have reread it so many times i can not even count it...but i do know that this is one of the books that lured me into reading, i used to detest reading any books for school but after getting into these books i felt excited that there were so many books out there that can totally make you feel like theres a whole world out there that you havent read about...these books (like all others by LJ) captivate you and make you stay up all night wanting to finish them so you'll know what happens to elena, stefan, and damon..three amazing characters whom you'll love forever..even if after reading the summary and all these reviews you dont feel like you'll like just read it, give it a try...you'll probably be surprised!!!!

I picked up this book hoping to get as addicted to it like I am with Twilight. But was very disappointed. It takes until book 3 to get interesting. With the Twilight books it is easy to identify with the main characters and minor ones too. But I found that Elena's was way over the top. I can't truly imagine that there are girls in High School that use guys like tissues and just throw them away. I will definitely finish the series, but I really don't recommend these books as strongly as I do the Twilight series. Forgive the pun, but I couldn't sink my teeth into this one.

The only reason I gave this book 4 stars instead of 5 is because of the attraction between Elena and Stefan. It seemed as though she only wanted him because he was a challenge and then a trophy (not to mention sexy and mysterious), and he only wanted her because she reminded him so much of an old love. There was no attraction because of similar interests or anything. They fell in love for the wrong reasons. However, the volumes were very interesting and I liked the twist with their ability to withstand sunlight. The background story with Stefan, his brother, and the other female was very interesting as well. I'm excited for the next volume.

It's been over almost 15 years since I first read this series, and it is still one of my favorite books. Smith never writes down to her audience, which makes this as enjoyable a read to me as a 26-year-old lawyer as it did to me as an 11-year-old middle-schooler. Also, though the books are rich in detail, those details are clever enough not to date the books (i.e., "her dress was the color of sugared violets," as opposed to "her dress was just like that girl's in 'Footloose'.")

Well written, dramatic, and original in plot, YA fiction doesn't get any better than this.

I bought this because of the new show on the CW. I'm really sad I spent money on this book... Really, if you feel the need to read it, go to your local library and get it!

It feels like the author was writing for a juvenile audience, except the subject is a bit mature for that age-- which is why it's found in the young adult section. Unfortunately, I think young adults need something with more depth to it! The main characters are shallow, and you never really get inside their heads. I honestly didn't care what happened to the character Elena, because she was so unlikable. The interactions were extremely unrealistic. It lacked any real emotion. The story-line was too jumpy.

It did have some interesting bits. But overall I would not recommend it.

I read Twilight before the film came out. I myself am an Anne Rice fan, but love any vampire type of series. I was not taken in by the Twilight craze - enjoyed the book while reading it, but quickly to be forgotten. I understand the tween hype for the Twilight series, but after learning about the Vampire Diaries (from the CW commercial), I decided to check it out. Not only was this book written a decade before Teilight, but I'm second guessing Stephanie Meyer's idea that came from a "dream". There are quite alot of similarities (including the word twilight being mentioned alot in VD, maybe an homage on Stephanie's part?), but what I like more is the complexities of the characters rather than the one-dminesional characters (and acting) for the Teilight series. My recommendation? Read both Twilight and Vampire Diaries. If you like one, you'll most likely like the other. Whichever one you read first you might have more loyalty too, of course, but if you are the type to follow the hype then maybe you'll lean towards Myers' series. I think Vampire Diaries is great in it's own respect, especially among every type of vampire series coming out nowadays. I also hope the TV series does it justice.

I read the series when I was in high school and my friends and I could not finish reading them fast enough. I have the original books in the original cover art (which I still happen to really like) stored away for safekeeping. I still remember the first day Elena had seen Stefan at school and the days after that where she would try to find out more information on him. To that day where she realized he loved her. So much angst, longing and love in these volumes. Awesome characters, awesome writing. I'm so glad they decided to publish the series again. Readers are getting this for a steal now, 2 for 1 for less than two volumes would have cost separately. If you like vampires, love triangles and the supernatural, you will love this. Forget Buffy! This was way better!

Vampire Diaries, by LJ Smith, was a good book. If you are a fan of the show, like me, you may expect a similar plot; however, they are completely different. In fact, I think the only similarity between the two is the character's names. Overall I give this book four stars. The only reason I don't give it five is because of the way it ends. It honestly ends the way a chapter should end. It's too much of a cliffhanger! I was not disappointed though, and I will definitely be reading the sequel!

I enjoyed this book, although i wouldn't say it was one of my favorite books. Its slow and hard to get into at first but picks up more in the second story. I think that the storyline is very interesting but it wasn't in depth enough for my liking. If the author had developed the characters more or go more in depth with feelings i think this would have been an awesome book.

I could not put this book down. It was great. The story was a little unbelievable even for a vampire story. The book was still good though. It had me on the edge of my seat the whole time. I couldn't wait to finish it. The story is about two brother vampires, one weak and one strong, and a human girl who falls in love with the weak vampire. I can't wait to read the next book.

I had trouble just getting through the first two books. The characters in the book are so underdeveloped. The main character is shallow and petty. The love between Stefan and Elena is utterly ridiculous and superficial and happens without them saying more than two words to one another, which is not a good premise to set for teenagers. Although the tv show did base the main plot and names of the characters on the books, that was as far as it goes. I was extremely disappointed in the books. This is the case where you should really watch the show. Its characters are well developed and believable and the story line is great. Bottom line: Don't bother reading the books and start watching the show!!

I fell in love the first time i watched the show. I had already read the book so I thought i knew what to expect. But was taken by storm. Show Elena and Book Elena are soooo different... Show Damon and Book Damon are a lot different as well. (Must say i love the Show Damon A LOT more)

This was one of the best books I've ever read, and I loved the whole series. Elena was awesome, Bonnie was so cute, Meredith was so mysterious, Matt was so All-American, and as for Stefan and Damon, oh boy. I love them! For some reason especially Damon. I think that Meredith and Damon should have gotten together. Maybe they still will, hint, hint Lisa Jane. This series has to be continued, beacause the only thing wrong with it is that it ended at a place where it should have been beginning again! Oh, and if you loved this series, you have to read the Night World books, also by L.J. Smith.

This book is excellent for anyone who loves vampires. L.J. Smith creates a powerfully seductive world centering around the sometimes self-absorbed Elena Gilbert and her friends, and enemies, at Robert E. Lee high. She spins a tale of love and hate, good versus evil, with her tale of the two vampire brothers that love Elena. This book keeps the reader glued to it's pages, wanting to know more about this love triangle. Can Elena resist the temptation of evil and learn to love and accept Stefan for what he is, or will she be lost to him forever?

This is the series that started my whole LJ Smith trip. Since I've read The Awakening, I've read all her other books (Night World, Dark Visions, Forbidden Games, Secret Circle). I've read these 4 books, I've had to read them over again. Since I read them for the fourth time, and my sister wanted something to read, I let her borrow the first book. Normally she's not into the whole love thing (but she likes vampires and stuff like that)but so far she's loving them. She's on the third book (The Fury). I finished one of them in 2 and a half hours. I couldn't put it down. It's a must read.

It doesn't make sense to say this book is unrealistic, but that's the impression I'm left with. These characters don't talk or act like high schoolers - they come off as middle aged soap opera stars at best. I hoped for better.

I have had this in my bookcase for a while now and have only just started to read it. I'm a big fan of the TV show and thought I should read the book one day.
So now I have read the first 2 books in the series and while it is different to the TV, I'm still liking the book

Reading these books is the equivalent to speaking with a high school girl whose vocabulary consists of using "like" after every word. They are tough get through. They had wonderful potential. The only reason I continue to read these terrible books is because she leaves you hanging and I absolutely adore Damon. He's fantastic. And I sincerely hope he and Bonnie end up together. Although now that a different author is taking over I doubt that will happen. Elena is insufferable and she's only slightly better in the show. I'm so glad the creators of the show improved Caroline's character in leaps and bounds. I feel like I'm chained to these dumb books because I HAVE TO KNOW what happens. Stupid author.

Good -vs- Evil, but the line is blurred... It always keeps you guessing!

True teen horror/romance.

From what I understand, she ended this series only to write one more book later on -- some say they are upset by the ending -- but I love a story that ends on a good note!

Overall a good read not what I was expecting much different from the tv show and with me being a huge fan of the show I wanted to read the books and honestly I'm just going to stick with the television show

I loved this book and the rest that followed in the series. This book first introduced me to vampires and I have been hooked ever since. I am so glad these books are coming back. I loaned my books to someone who lost them and I have mourned there lost ever since. I can't wait to read them again. I hope the Secret Circle series comes back again.

I am a huge fan of L.J. Smith. (Can't you tell?) I especially like the Night World and Vampire Diaries, but I highly reccomend them all. To the reader from Florida: Don't be embarrassed; you're not the only one!

that is so frightening that its almost real as you read it. I tend to read it hours on end only stopping to eat and such. I wouldnt recommend ready it to try to get to sleep though. It might keep you awake!

I've been a fan of vampire books since I was a little girl. The very first vampire book I ever read was Interview With the Vampire. Since then I've read the Sookie Stackhouse, Books 1-7 and the The Twilight Saga Collection. I know what you're thinking. This will be another review that compares these books to Twilight, but you're wrong.

Last week, I began reading this book series. Its been on my "to read" list for a couple years. Many of my friends told me that they were great and I'd love them. I didn't. It isn't that there aren't interesting parts, because there are, but I found it kind of boring really. Plus, I couldn't relate to any of the characters. AT ALL.

There is a huge difference between being self confident and self absorbed. Elena seems to think that everyone owes her something and that the world should revolve around her. She was the girl I avoided and hated in high school. Just because the author gave her a personal tragedy, doesn't mean that this girl should be excused for her horrible attitude and the way she treats people. If I were her friends Bonnie and Meredith, I would have told her to piss off a long time ago.

As for Stefan, he makes me crazy. His incessant blubbing is really annoying. There wasn't enough back story that compelled me to believe that there was any reason he should have loved Katherine so much. His rivalry with Damon could have been great, if we had been given more. Aside from them both wanting the same one dimensonal girl, I saw no reason for their hatred of one another. All I could think while reading was "Louis, Louis... Still whining, Louis." Suddenly, I'm channeling Lestat.

Damon was pretty flat, but I saw potential in him. As I mentioned with Stefan, I wish that we had been given more in way of back story. I'm sure if I actually finish the series, I might get this. However, knowing your characters within the first two books and understanding their motivation is kind of CRUCIAL. I really wish that Elena AND Katherine had been more likeable. Then I could have bought into the love triangle. I really wanted to like these books, because I went in expecting to love them. Right now, I'm contemplating whether to read "The Fury" and "Dark Reunion". I've not yet purchased the fifth book, nor pre-ordered the sixth books. We'll see.

oh my gosh! i loved loved loved this series. ive read it twice in a row! and once last year. its such a great series. if u cant stand any type of luv thing in books than this isnt 4 u. but trust me i was never into the luv thing either but i luved the supernatural stuff. so a friend leant me these books and the love thing grew onto me and rele makes it a great story. ive read other teen love books but i HATE them. it makes me sick. but this isnt just all about love. its forbidden and unnnatural and survival and strength and oh my gosh theres soooo many emotions i love it. i rele wanna write a letter to lj to tell her 2 make a special fifth vampire book for all the luvers of this series. she ends it so abrupt. i understand there rele arent anyt more exciting ideas for the books anymore but come on. wut happend 2 devilish damon-did they never c him again? college? did elena turn back into a vampire? wut about matt and bonnie? or alaric? or tyler? so many unanswered things. but pleez give this book a chance. its great