The Fury and Dark Reunion (The Vampire Diaries)

In this second compilation from L.J. Smith, readers are presented with The Fury and Dark Reunion -- books 3 and 4 of the Vampire Diaries.

I was thrilled by the first half of the book (The Fury), and thought it provided a bittersweet but satisfying conclusion to her Vampire Diaries "trilogy." For the sake of remaining spoiler-free, this last installment of the originally planned series follows Elena and Stefan (and Damon) full-cycle through their complicated relationship, including some genuinely unexpected plot twists and surprises that I didn't see coming. The character development is at its best in this book, with all of the main players showing growth and much more likeablity. I am a huge Damon fan, but then again, I always did have a thing for bad boys. ;-)

However, I can't offer the same praise to the second half of the book, originally the fourth installment called Dark Reunion. In a classic case of "jumping the shark," LJ Smith deconstructs the emotionally charged resolution of the trilogy (probably at her publisher's insistance) and relaunches the story line with a silly and unnecessary addendum. The whole plot of this fourth book feels like an afterthought. Instead of the love triangle and romantic tension taking center stage in Dark Reunion, the entire book plays out like an episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, with all of the supporting characters of the previous three books becoming "Scoobies" and banding together to fight evil in Fall's Church side by side. Unfortunately, the formula change didn't work for me, not at all. And the Big Bad Evil that is thrust into the story just seemed like an example of further shark-jumping.

I'm happy that the "reset" opens the doors for LJ Smith's spinoff series The Vampire Diaries: Revisited (which I believe "stars" my favorite Salvatore brother, Damon), but I wish that the author and publisher could have found a better way to set the stage for new stories without compromising the impact of the original Diaries.

I've watched The Vampire Diairies television show on The CW since it started. It's a decent series, and I like the actors/actresses. I finally decided to read the books, as I figured they were probably better. That is an understatement. I feel like the books and the show are barely in the same universe, let alone telling the same story.

I read this volume in one day, immediately after finishing Vol 1-2 (The Awakening and The Struggle). The characters continue to evolve as the story develops, and I was stunned at how soon the author chose to make such big changes. She really moves this story along, keeping suspense while providing payoff for plot points, and there aren't any wasted words. The supernatural universe that Smith created for this series stays fairly consistent; I remember noticing a few slips here and there that jarred me out of the world for a minute, but not enough to interrupt my enjoyment of the book. I was stunned at some of the events that took place, and what exactly Elena had to go through, and I’ll say she’s a more likeable character here than in books 1 & 2.

I definitely recommend this series, and I look forward to reading the rest of it.

After an interesting cliffhanger from Book 2, I was dying to read the next book. It's a good thing that I had bought both compilations at the same time, so I could get to reading straightaway.

The Fury (Book 3) is an interesting addition to the series. We start off with the fun premise of Elena having becoming a vampire after dying in Book 2, which adds to the tension between the two Salvatore brothers who love her. The book follows her journey as a new vampire, the uncovering of a greater evil than any of them could have ever imagined and the coming together of friends, mortal and supernatural alike, to defeat it. While it was exciting and had new twists at every turn, I thought some of it was a little too far-fetched and fantastical for my taste. It was fun to read though!

Dark Reunion (Book 4) is probably my favorite of the series so far. It's probably because it was really in this particular book that I started to really love the characters and identify with them, especially Stefan, Damon and Bonnie. L.J. did a great job building up the new conflict for this book, and I found myself in awe of the way everything concluded at the end of the book. I was actually immensely satisfied (and mistakenly thought I had finished the series, only to find out there are more books!) with it.

I much prefer this compilation to the initial one, if only because it was more exciting and fantastical.

WARNING.....SPOILERS FOR VAMPIRE DIARIES BOOK ONE AND TWO

The Fury
The Fury might be my favorite out of the Vampire Diaries series so far. To me, it is the only one that had a solid ending. There was more action going on in this novel than the others, and also a bigger mystery. I have to admit, I was thrown for a loop.

Elena was killed in the last book, The Struggle. Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately, because she had both been bitten and fed from Damon and Stefan she becomes a vampire. In the beginning she is lost and confused and tries to kill Stefan. Damon is actually very kind to her and could take advantage of the situation, but does not. He brings her diary to her as she requests and wah-la....her memory is cured and she knows she loves Stefan again. Something quite cheesy in that, but oh well.

Elena realizes there is an Other Power at work. There is something more in Fell's Church than just Damon, Stefan, and Elena. Something much bigger and more dangerous. Elena must convince Stefan and Damon to work together with her to figure out who, or what it is.

I thought the ending was great. The discovery of the Other Power, as I said before, totally threw me. The way the characters work together and the sacrifice that is made is perfect. I did have a few things I questioned in the book. On page 69 (okay...no jokes) it repeats the sentence, "something strange in Fell's Church" twice on the same page, in the last two paragraphs. Is it a big deal, no. Did it bug me, yes. Do things bother me too easily, very possible. Next, in chapters 10 and 11, the townspeople are after Stefan. Damon begins to rescue him, but Elena gets there in the nick of time and grabs the gun away from Mr. Smallwood. Now, I was under the impression that Elena didn't want to be seen my the town because she was supposed to be dead. nothing is said about these people seeing her and nothing seems to come from it. Everyone just forgets the saw her I guess. Seeing a dead person might stick in my memory. So, despite those little things, I enjoyed it.

I'm afraid of what book 4 will bring. Book 3 ended so nicely, I just don't want it all to get cheesy!

Dark Reunion
I kind of wish the series would have left this book out. It didn't have the same intrigue as the other three books. Yes, there was mystery and suspense, I just didn't care as much. In my opinion, it wasn't even written as well. I caught myself skimming a few times and had to go back and actually read.

~~~~~WARNING SPOILERS FOR BOOKS 1-3~~~~~

There is nothing I hate more than reading a spoiler that isn't disclosed. While I'm not giving anything away for this book, Dark Reunion, I can't explain without revealing major things that happen in the other books.

It actually took me the first few chapters to remember and figure out what was happening from the last book. Somehow I forgot Elena was dead. I thought they were talking about her being dead but becoming a vampire. But then I was confused because I thought they all knew she was a vampire. I had to go back and read before I remembered that she died in the tomb. Once I figured that part out, reading was a little easier.

Elena may be dead, but she is in no way silent. She is visiting Bonnie in her dreams, warning her of a dark presence. Bonnie is able to contact Stefan and Damon and bring them back to help defeat whatever is haunting the town.

I have to be honest, I was bored with much of this story. The book finally got exciting towards the end. About the last 5 or 6 chapters. I wanted the story to be more exciting throughout, not just towards the end. That being said, I liked the story as a whole. I know that seems to make very little sense. Let me try to explain a little better; the storyline was good, what happens is a good twist to the series, but I thought it wasn't as well-executed as in the other books. I was actually kind of disappointed at the way the series ended. I thought there were many unanswered questions.

L.J. Smith has now come out with The Vampire Diaries: The Return series. Maybe my questions will be answered?! In 2009 she came out with, Nightfall and Shadow Souls is available for pre-order before it's release on March 16th 2010. One thing I did notice is that the new books are a whopping 608 pages for Shadow Souls and 592 pages for Nightfall in the hardcover editions. YIKES! The other books were roughly half of that.

~Jenn

These two books really shouldn't be bound together. I seem to recall hearing that The Vampire Diaries was initially written as a trilogy, ending with The Fury. And it's a perfect ending: clean, complete, and emotionally satisfying. It's not a crowd-pleasing happy ending, but it's the right one. For the best resolution to the trilogy, you should stop here.

And stop reading this review too, because it contains spoilers beyond this point.

Unfortunately, L.J. Smith decided for whatever reason that she didn't want to stop at the natural end of the story, and instead continued on in a way almost reminiscent of fan-fiction. Our heroine had died at the end of the third book, in a beautiful moment of self-sacrifice. But hey--she's back! Needless to say, a lot of the impact of the story is lost. I can't properly express how moved I was by some of the final events of The Fury, like when Elena visits her little sister as a vampire before her final fiery death and convinces her that she's a guardian angel who will always be there watching over her. So of course, the strength of my initial positive feelings was matched by the strength of my subsequent disappointment, when it was revealed that meaningful events don't actually happen in this world, there are no final outcomes, and even death can be reversed for those who deserve it. It's just not satisfying to read about a world that has no rules, where actions have no permanent consequences. It undermines the whole story.

I say this even though I was a huge fan of L.J. Smith in elementary school. The Vampire Diaries was never my favourite of her trilogies, but I hadn't remembered the ending being quite so disappointing. Maybe it wasn't meant to be re-read by adults. I had decided to re-read the series in preparation for the new continuation (yes, there's still more!), but after seeing how badly Dark Reunion fit with the rest, I shudder to imagine how much worse it can get and haven't been able to bring myself to pick up Nightfall. I hope Smith will soon abandon this drawn-out series and move on to something new, though it seems there's not much chance of that.

Stefan has lost Elena. Elena is now a Vampire herself. Stefan will do anything in this wake, even trying to patch things up with Damon. If that wasn't bad enough, there is an Other Power in town, creating havoc and trouble and pain. It is up to them to find this Other Power and put a stop to it. Everyone struggles in this book. Elena is presumed dead by her family and friends (that don't know she is a vampire) and cannot let anyone know of her change, including her family. She is torn apa...moreStefan has lost Elena. Elena is now a Vampire herself. Stefan will do anything in this wake, even trying to patch things up with Damon. If that wasn't bad enough, there is an Other Power in town, creating havoc and trouble and pain. It is up to them to find this Other Power and put a stop to it. Everyone struggles in this book. Elena is presumed dead by her family and friends (that don't know she is a vampire) and cannot let anyone know of her change, including her family. She is torn apart by not being able to see them. Stefan struggles as Elena has changed.

Damon is explored a lot more in this installment. You can't help but like him and feel sympathy for him, as he tries to put a bad boy front on. Elena's friendships are also explored much more. It is clear that at this point, without them Elena would be lost and even more so, the Other Power in town would be impossible to stop without them.

If Other Powers weren't enough, a werewolf is introduced. I quite enjoyed the plot of the werewolf. Not only was it intriguing but it really brought all the characters together to fight for a main goal: to overcome yet another evil.

Again, L.J. Smith's simple writing makes this a very enjoyable and quick read. The plot definitely thickens and becomes more exciting. A must read for any Vampire fan!

This book is the second Omnibus in the Vampire Diaries series. I have also heard that these are the final two books in the original Vampire Diaries that Smith wrote in the 90's. This was a satisfying conclusion to the series.

In the first book (the Fury) Elena has been changed into a vampire. As she struggles to deal with her change, strange things are happening in town. Peoples pets are attacking them and darkness threatens to take over. Can Elena get Stefan and Damon to work together to help stop the forces against them. In the second book (Dark Reunion) dark forces are again converging on the town and Elena needs to work with her friends to stop yet another threat to her home.

These books are much more traditional vampire books than the Twilight series; there is also a lot more fighting in these. I am hard-pressed to discuss these books much without given things away. Suffice to say that if you liked the first couple books in the series, these books won't disappoint. They are non-stop action, with the love triangle between Damon, Stefan, and Elena causing lots of tension. The side characters are well developed too. I enjoyed these books and couldn't put them down; a very quick read.

Everything is nicely wrapped up at the end of Dark Reunion; I don't plan on reading the latest book released in this series because I have heard it's not all the great and not part of the original series. As for reading more of Smith's work, I probably won't do that either. Her writing is good, but it is not all that creative and it is typical to a lot of other young adult series that are out there. If you liked Marked (House of Night, Book 1),Evernight, or the Vampire Academy (Vampire Academy, Book 1) you will probably like this series; this series has more in common with those series than it does with Twilight (The Twilight Saga, Book 1).

I can't believe I survived reading this. While I did enjoy Book 1 and 2,Book 3 was horrible. Well not completely horrible since I really did enjoy the scenes with Katherine. By the end of 3, I was debating whether I should bother reading the next one. With the lead character dead, I didn't think the next one would be interesting. I went ahead and read #4 and couldn't help thinking throughout the book how annoying Bonnie and her "journal" writing was. It was tolerable when Elena did it, well sort of, kind of. Anyway...Tyler the talking werewolf, the ghosts of soldiers defeating Klaus led by the ghost of Elena! Are you kidding? AND the worst part ever was when Elena miraculously reappeared! Really? Poof and she was there alive and naked...they hugged and kissed and everything was peachy. Stupidest ending ever. I'm stopping right here with this series. Apparently Book 5 and 6 are WAY WORSE and involve Japanese twins or something like that. Maybe I'll try out the Vampire Diaries Series that's based on the TV show...I heard LJ Smith doesn't write those, so they might actually be good.

SPOILERS----
This is the second collection in the series. It starts with the third book, the Fury. Elena is vampire now and madly in love with Stefan. Something is killing in Fells Church, something dark and evil, but not Damon. Elena is not as selfish in this book as the first. The ending of this book is shocking; I was very surprised to discover who the evil was and what happens.

When I started the fourth book, Dark Reunion, I wasn't too happy with the series. The ending of book three shocked me too much and I couldn't imagine how this series could go on. Without Elena what story was there really? This book will deal with a lot of sadness and Bonnie. The ending of this book is shocking as well but not impressive. Elena is now like the best girl that ever lived; she's so unselfish it's kind of disgusting. And the ending, bringing her back from the dead; I wasn't prepared for this at all.

The fury turned me off from the series, the ending did, and Dark Reunion felt like the author decided they didn't want to stop writing the series and are trying to make it into something again. Needless to say, I won't read the rest of the series. But the first three books are excellent.

This book contained the third and fourth installments of the Vampire Diaries series. If they were two separate books, I would give the third book four stars and the fourth book two and a half stars. There was a major continuity glitch in the fourth book that I could not get over. A character that was said to be killed in The Fury was not dead in Dark Reunion and there was no explanation as to how this was possible. I was also very disappointed with the ending of Dark Reunion - to me it didn't ji...more This book contained the third and fourth installments of the Vampire Diaries series. If they were two separate books, I would give the third book four stars and the fourth book two and a half stars. There was a major continuity glitch in the fourth book that I could not get over. A character that was said to be killed in The Fury was not dead in Dark Reunion and there was no explanation as to how this was possible. I was also very disappointed with the ending of Dark Reunion - to me it didn't jibe with the overall mythology of the series.

Elena: transformed, the golden girl has become what she once feared and desired.
Stefan: tormented by losing Elena, he's determined to end his feud with Damon once and for all-whatever the cost. But slowly he begins to realize that his brother is not his only enemy.
Damon: at last, he possesses Elena. But will his thirst for revenge against Stefan poison his triumph? Or can they come together to face one final battle?
Just so its clear. I really enjoyed this book. The hatred and love between the vampire brothers amazes me. Especially over Elena. Something though, the tv show is nothing like the books. And I enjoy both. I am looking forward to the next read from the vampire diaries and I will get it soon, hopefully. Until then,
XOXO,
~S~

This book wasn't bad... it was actually pretty good. The next book (books 3&4 combined) was pretty decent too, but after the first 4 the stories get ridiculous and hard to follow. The story lines are absurd and I just plain hate them. I can't get into them. I watch the show and am a huge fan. I started out a huge fan of the books but I can't even finish the one I'm reading now (forgot the title, but it has Damon on the front)

I say if you want to read the first 2 (combined) books then go for it... but don't expect greatness afterward.

The author skips ahead like 15 years and all of a sudden everyone has fancy video cell phones. And that's just one change in the newer books that I hate. It is just so disappointing.. I had high hopes for this series. :(

I read the first three books after finding them at my old school library years ago. And I must admit, I ALMOST didn't read them and that is mainly because I thought the covers looked old and boring. Of course, there is the old rule: "Never judge a book by its cover!" I'm so glad I did decide to read them! I fell in love with "The Vampire Diaries" series and have continued to reread them again and again.

I was very excited when I found the fourth one, and it's just as great as the others! The fact that Bonnie was the main character made it even better, as she is one of my favorite characters.

Not everybody will like these books. The main character, Elena Gilbert, would probably turn many away. Elena is a popular, beautiful girl in her high school. She is admired by the girls and drooled over by the boys. And when Elena sees something she wants (Stefan Salvatore, a mysterious, attractive boy), she does whatever possible, never quitting, until she gets it.

However, things don't stay perfect forever in Elena's world. Soon, one of her best friends, jealous and spiteful, turns on her, and people are being attacked by some kind of animal. We don't find out what is really harassing Fells Church until the third book "The Fury"(the first book in this one), and my personal favorite.

Through all the books she has three good, trusting friends---one of them her ex-boyfriend---sticking by her side, along with Stefan Salvatore, the one she falls in love with. And the one that happens to be a vampire born during the Italian Renaissance.

I recommend this book, and the first one, to anyone that likes reading vampire books or if you just want something to read. And if you like these go read some of L.J. Smith's other books.

The love-hate relationship between the reader and Elena is back! But this time, Elena is much less self-centered and popular. After the cliff-hanger at the end of the first volume, I was dying to read the second!

Stefan, Damon, Matt, Bonnie, Meredith, and the rest of the crew are back. This time, they face more than two mysterious vampires. Many might think this book is a Twilight spin-off, but if you check the publication date, this series was published before Twilight. If you loved or hated Twilight, you will still enjoy this series!

holy vampire cheesecake 5 out of 5 stars.

first things first I love vampire Elena on the cover. what can I say, it was an action-packed thrill ride of an Adventure. I love d elena a lot more in this book and I did in the first two. I'm still a huge fan of the Vampire Diaries. and I'm so excited to start the return volume 1 nightfall. 5 Amazing stars. really really enjoyed.

I absolutely love Vampire Diaries, that is the TV version. The books are horrible especially this one! You can't have everything in life, or death for that matter! Elaina is dead how the heck can that give her super powers? It seems like everything ran according to plan no one died that couldn't come back to life all the bad guys got what they deserved blah blah blah...Get it at the library before you decide to waste your money buying it.

This conclusion was definately an unexpected and welcomed surprise. The usual predictable senarios were absent. In place was a twisted plot that unfolded into a much grander and viscious eclipse of events.

With a great and terrible unknown rising power in Fell's Church, Elena must force the alluring Vampire brothers to join forces despite their differences to combat evil.

Twisted and evil, the way these books should be written.

Getting better as we go along. So much action and the new evil characters are very exciting. Elena is so much stronger in the books and it makes it so much more enjoyable to read. Don't get me wrong thou, I still like the TV show very much.

The first book was a fun, quick entertaining read. In the final book the author left much unanswered. If an author is going to have everything magically fixed in the last few pages it would be better if there was an explanation. I speculate that it had something to do with Summer Solstice, but I cannot be sure. The happy ending was unnecessary, but I am noticing this happens a lot in young adult novels. Also I would have liked more character development with Damon. He really should have his own book. There are many things left a mystery about him, and he seems more interesting than Stephan.

I just finished reading the first four books of this series after reading comments that this series is as good as or better than Twilight. Personally, I thought Twilight was ok, but just as in fixing a recipe, there was something missing that I couldn't put my finger on. This was not the case for the first three books in this series. The first three books are better written, and yes there are a few similarities, but I'm not sure if I would say that this is just another Twilight story. In the first three books of this series all the right ingredients are there in just the right amounts, at just the right places.

First off this has packaged together stories #3 and #4, with the first one titled The Fury, and the last one titled Dark Reunion. Personally, I think that the first three books could be packaged together, for they flow one into another very nicely, but the forth one is almost a stand alone story. The third book wraps up the story very well (but bittersweetly), but the fourth one, although it contains the peripheral characters, it does not have Elena as the central character as the first three did.

It is true that at least the first three books are better written than the Twilight series (fans don't kill me), for although it is set in high school, the story does not agonize over the petty teenage qualms of "does he like me, or doesn't he" that Twilight goes into. Yes, Elena is the Queen of the School, and schemes to get Stefan to notice her (and in person I may not like her, but don't hate her in the story), but the story doesn't go overboard with it.

I'm wondering if the author wrote the third book, intending that story to be the end, and later decided to extend the series further into the fourth book, but since Elena dies in the third, she has to go with another character as the main character. The change of the point of view so deep in the series is a little disconcerting, disappointing, and disheartening, for the reader has gotten used to Elena as the main character, and wants to continue to see what happens to her, but really can't have that character arc in the fourth book. Even though it is the fourth book in the series, change and growth are still a requirement for a good story, and it just really was not there in the fourth. It's a tired story line at least near the beginning of the fourth book, if not the very beginning. Or even if it isn't a tired story line it just doesn't get off to a good start and never really recovers. I also have to agree with another reviewer that there could have been a lot more character development for Damon in the fourth book, but it just doesn't happen. The reader still doesn't know what makes him tick at the end of it all. It's nice that a little bit more is revealed, but so very little is revealed it just creates more confusion than real understanding. Also the ending in the fourth book just seems a little too far fetched to take place, and a little too convenient to make it a happy ending. It was as if the author was determined to end on a happy note, not matter what. In short, somethings are left unexplained, or left hanging and isn't tied up anywhere nearly as nicely as the third one did.

I would give a rating 1-10 (with 10 being the highest) for the first three books at about a 7-7.5, the fourth one around a 5.5-6.0 rating, and Twilight series overall about a 5.5 rating. Not bad overall, but not really the genre that I admire. On writing ability the first three books of this series would get a solid 8 (possibly an 8.5), while Twilight would get a 5.5 rating. The fourth book, due to a break with the main character, missed chances to increase character development in general, but more specifically of Damon, and a too convenient happy ending, would get a lower rating, but hard to say what that number would be, but quite possibly ranked a little lower than at least some of Twilight, if not the whole series.

If you like a very good vampire story, that is well written, and faced paced, try the Cirque Du Freak series by Darren Shan. I would give Cirque Du Freak at least a 9 on writing ability, maybe even a 10 (which almost no story ever has received a 10 from me). Yes, this series isn't focused on romance, but does has a few parts that have a romance theme in it. I took a Children's Literature class (studying to be a librarian) and that was one of the required books to read for the class. Before the class, I would not go anywhere near a vampire story, but that story was so well done, it introduced me to the genre in general. The Cirque Du Freak series is at about an 8th grade reading level, and I can get through one of the books in about 4-6 hours of reading, where as in the Vampire Diaries it took me a day each (almost non-stop) for the grouped stories #1-#2, and #3-#4, so about half a day non-stop for the individual stories.

New readers and old fans alike will enjoy reading (or re-reading) The Fury and Dark Reunion. Written over a decade ago, the books are timeless examples of good, quality YA literature. In The Fury, the events of the original trilogy come to a head, as Stefan, Damon, Elena, and the rest of the gang battle the evil that's been plaguing Fell's Church. The portrayal of the brothers' relationship - and the shocking conclusion at the end - are the highlights of The Fury. Smith's tight writing style and strong grasp of her characters brings the story to life.

In Dark Reunion, a new evil is menacing Fell's Church, and it's up to Stefan and Damon to stop him. Though not part of the original trilogy, DR is perhaps the strongest in terms of plot and characterization. The annoying teen love triangle is gone, leaving room for the development of secondary characters and some awesome dialogue and scenes. The new villain is a huge improvement over Katherine: dangerous, psychotic, vicious, and smart. Events culminate in an amazing fight scene, and a tense, emotional moment between the brothers. Although Smith nearly ruins it in the last few pages of the book, Dark Reunion is still well worth the money.

I received the first book, The Awakening,for my birthday in 6th grade; which was a very long time ago since I will turn 30 on my next birthday. I read them and every other L.J. Smith book and looked forward to Strange Fate for years. I actually haven't reread them in a few years, but I am excited to be able to buy them again. My original books from the Vampire Diaries are literally being held together with packing tape, I read them so much as a preteen and teenager. These books were my entrance to the genres of urban fantasy and now I can reread them once again and my kids can have them and not have worry about missing a page!

I like Dark Reunion for it being told from Bonnie's point of view. Only complaint is the I wish they had been all four together in one book. Heard a rumor this is a hardback of the first four together but I have never seen it.

***SPOILER ALERTS****STOP READING IF YOU DON"T WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS!!!*** YOU'VE BEEN WARNED!!!*****

Let me start off by saying this--I didn't think that another series would make me fall in love with a character more than I fell in love with Edward and Bella in "Twilight". Being a vampire fan, I've read all the "Sookie Stackhouse" books, all the "Twilight" ones and have tackled the huge volume of a book that is "Interview with the Vampire". I cried when Edward left Bella, I was REALLY upset when Stephenie Meyer said that "Breaking Dawn" was the last book in the saga, Eric Northman makes my toes curl (in the good way), and LeStat is quite possibly the vampire that I would never want to meet in a dark alley. I'll admit that I hadn't given much thought to "The Vampire Diaries" books until the CW decided turn the books into a TV series. And why shouldn't they? The Twilight Saga is HUGELY successful on the big screen and True Blood on HBO had me hooked from the first bite :) I was wary to pick up another vampire book though, thinking that nothing would compare to the ones previously talked about. My interest was peaked, however, after watching the pilot episode for "Vampire Diaries" a few weeks ago. I immediately went to the store and snatched up a copy of the first book. It took a few chapters to hook me--I picked up on too many editing mistakes and it bothered me, but I trudged on, deciding to give it a chance. And let me tell you-it was worth staying up until 7am to finish. I think that I may love the relationship between Elena and Stefan MORE than Bella and Edwards or Sookie and Erics (even though it's hardly one at all). This series is everything that Twilight isn't in respect to maturity. While the cheesy romance lines in Twilight are cute, the realness of the relationship between Stefan and Elana once they finally get together is beautiful, and my heart literally breaks in two whenever LJ Smith paints a picture of what Stefan's eyes look like when he thinks of his past. The plot lines are darker in this series than that in Twilight as well, making it feel, again, that it's an older read. True, they both hail from the YA category, but I don't necessarily feel like I'm reading fluff with these books. Definitely give this series a shot. As soon as I was finished with book one and two, I went and bought three and four and just finished them tonight. In book 4, I'm fairly sure that my heart shattered when Elana was pulled back into the darkness and Stefan screamed her name. LJ Smith wrote it SO beautifully that you would have to have a heart made of stone to NOT be affected by it. I had tears flowing out of my eyes for the entire rest of the book. Frankly, this series is better written than Twilight was and it came out WAY before Twilight was even a dream in Stephenie's head. READ THIS SERIES--I promise that you won't regret it!

The Vampire Diaries: The Fury and Dark Reunion (The Vampire Diaries)
This book, which is a combination and reprint of books 3 and 4 (the Fury and Dark Reunion) is a classic vampire story of two constantly feuding brothers who struggle to attain the attention of the beautiful and now transformed Elena.

I had picked up the four series and although they were not great, they were good enough that I kept reading to find out what happens in the end. I think they way the teen girls were portrayed in the first two books were unrealistic. I have teens and they do not speak or act like this to one another..but the book is fiction. Overall I would recommend this book for an easy read, but not a book that I would keep on the shelf to read again at a later date.

I love the Vampire Diaries. I was so against them because I intially thought it was a copy cat off of Twilight but I found out that it was written many years before hand. I loved book 1 and 2. When I finished book 3 I was so upset that I didn't want to read book 4 but I am so glad I did! Totally a happily ever after! :)

These books were compared to the Twilight series, which is why I purchased them. I LOVE TWILIGHT! These books are sad in comparison. The plot line is not nearly as developed. They aren't bad for a 8th grader, but for an adult, they weren't worth it. Twilight is much more enticing and entertaining...these were just...shallow.

It took almost an entire month before I received the books I ordered from this company. Although they were definitely in "like new" condition, I waited so long for them to ship that I was ready to file a complaint when ONE of two finally arrived. If you are buying for leisure reading and have the time to spare, then this is the company for you. However if you are on a deadline and are expecting them in the standard 7-10 business days, then I HIGHLY suggest you move on. I will not be ordering from them again.