The Vampire Diaries: The Struggle

L.J. Smith

253 pages

A deadly love triangle.

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.

The Vampire Diaries, a tale of two vampire brothers and the beautiful girl torn between them.

Girls cannot resist from egomaniac, wild, sexy bad boy’s charm. I’ll be melting inside out under his lazy smile and hypnotizing black eyes. Forget Edward Cullen, erase Jack Force. Meet Damon Salvatore. He makes me drooling like an idiot. He’s the perfect vampire guy from all the book I’ve read about that blood lover.  It’s just too bad he doesn’t show up a lot.

Elena’s character changes slowly. From bitchy popular girl to sympathetic ordinary high school girl. Suddenly she didn’t give attentions to everything happened in her surroundings. She only thinks of Stefan, and Damon (she doesn’t want to say it out loud, of course).

The Vampire Diaries: The Awakening

L. J. Smith

253 pages

 

A deadly love triangle.
 

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.

The Vampire Diaries, a tale of two vampire brothers and the beautiful girl torn between them.

This is the only book that have popular girl at school as main character. Beautiful, blond, has “cheerleader” group, being a little bitch sometimes.

Usually books in a series are the same with a single stand-alone book. They have beginning part, problems (I forget what the exact word), climax, anticlimax and conclusion. But, it’s different with this series. The first book is exactly the beginning part of the story. It doesn’t have climax like one by one battle or war between two families or competition of two girls to get a guy.

Curious. That’s a simple word from me after I know a tv series is made based on this. I never watch it so the story is happening in my imagination purely. And I can’t wait to read about Damon. I can’t stand of character like him.

Blue Bloods: The Van Alen Legacy

By Melissa de la Cruz

Publisher Hyperion CH

Published Date Oct 6, 2009

The story told in three third point of views: Schuyler’s, Mimi’s and Bliss’. Schuyler, Bliss and Mimi have their chapters in turn. But it’s too short to absorb. For a whole book, their third point of view fill the story little by little.

I don’t like it when I left Schuyler’s part. It made me read faster so I can get past on Mimi’s and Bliss’ parts and back to Schuyler again. I don’t know why. Maybe because I like it when Oliver is around (the ending doesn’t happen as I expected). it can be said he is the main male character in book 4. And as other book, the main character ended with the one they love. Unfortunately, love doesn’t meet Oliver’s way. He becomes a wise grown up man. And that makes me love him more.

I hope to read great war between Abaddon and Azrael in the next book. It kindly to happen since Jack left his bonded twin to be with Schuyler, a nothing halfblood.

Intertwined

By Gena Showalter

Harlequin Teen

August 25, 2009

Most sixteen-year-olds have friends. Aden Stone has four human souls inside him: One can time-travel. One can raise the dead. One can tell the future. And one can possess another human.

With no family and a life spent in and out of institutions, Aden and the souls have become friends. But now they're causing him all kinds of trouble. Like, he'll blink and suddenly he's a younger Aden, reliving the past. Or he'll walk past a total stranger and know how she's going to die. He's so over it. All he wants is peace.

And then he meets a girl who quiets the voices. Why? Mary Ann Gray is his total opposite. For her sake, he should stay away. But it's too late....

Somehow, they share an inexplicable friendship. A bond about to be tested by a werewolf who wants Mary Ann, and a vampire princess Aden can't resist.

Two romances, both forbidden. Still, the four will enter a dark underworld of intrigue and danger--but not everyone will come out alive....

Review

A vampire-werewolf book. Again. With a schizophrenia boy as a male character. You think vampire and werewolf story has ended, don’t you? Nope. Everything can happen. Not just the two ancient enemies, there are gblins, fairis and witches, too.you can find them all in this one book (yeah, I’m like commercial break on TV).

I don’t get the story. It is running in circle. A boy who has four souls trapped inside his head – schizophrenic?, a vampire princess, a werewolf guard and a normal teenage girl. Its topic is too wide.

In every book, there is always one charming (attractive) character to one spesific reader. To me, that is Riley. I don’t know how I can stuck to non-main protagonist. On most book or story I always drawn to non-main protagonist. The friend of the main character, the family or even the bad guy. Riley is fascinating. Handsome, cool, wild and a shapeshifter. But I don’t like it when Riley drawn to Mary Ann and Victoria to Aden. It doesn’t make sense it happened so simple. I need more reasons to see it as logical thing. Nevermind, just enjoy the story. Don’t think too much.

Blue Bloods: Revelations

Melissa de la Cruz

2008

Schuyler Van Alen's blood legacy has just been called into question: is the young vampire in fact a Blue Blood, or is it the sinister Silver Blood that runs through her veins? As controversy swirls, Schuyler is left stranded in the Force household, trapped under the same roof as her cunning nemesis, Mimi Force, and her forbidden crush, Jack Force.

When an ancient place of power is threatened in Rio de Janeiro, however, the Blue Bloods will need Schuyler on their side. The stakes are high; the battle is bloody; and through it all Schuyler is torn between duty and passion, love and freedom.

Romance, glamour, and vampire lore collide in the highly anticipated third book in best-selling author Melissa de la Cruz’s Blue Bloods saga.

Number one lovely character of this series: Oliver. If Schuyler doesn’t love him, I will. How can I not like him? He is so dedicated to her, cared and loved her without to much thinking. Bad Schuyler.

Almost half of the book consist of Schuyler-Jack-Mimi things. I waited for the war between Blue Bloods and Silver Bloods (Thank God, there is a little war in the end of the book). Readers can only guess of what happened next, who killed the Blue Bloods, why Dylan lost his memories, blah blah blah. But I can’t change the book I’m reading. I wanna know the triangle (or square if I count Oliver) loves’ fate. So tempting with Melissa de la Cruz’s own style: confusing and making readers blind of where they’re taking to. 

I realized in this book, Cruz used “Audio Recording Archieve” part as the timeline while in book 1, she used diary of Cordelia Van Alen’s former shell. I can’t remember what she used in book 2. I think there are no such things, right? *creased my forehead to think hard* AH! I remember now. Book 2 used news from old papers about the missing Maggie Stanford.

Blue Bloods: Masquerade, a novel by Melissa de la Cruz

2007
309 pages

Schuyler Van Alen wants an explanation for the mysterious deaths of young vampires. With her best friend, Oliver, Schuyler travels to Italy in the hope of finding the one man who can help - her grandfather. Meanwhile, back in New York, preparations are feverishly underway for the Four Hundred Ball, an exclusive gala hosted by the city's wealthy, powerful, and unhuman - a true Blue Blood affair.

But it's at the after-party, a masquerade ball thrown by the cunning Mimi Force, that the real danger lurks. Hidden behind the masks is a revelation that will forever change the course of a young vampire's destiny.

This book is more interesting than the first one. I’m not too confused anymore as I read Blue Bloods. I think I’ve got de la Cruz’s style. The tension is higher. It’s needed to sequels so as to attract readers. I like the twists here. I was surprised reading this because I didnot expect the flow. Very surprising.

I’m torn in two, between Jack and Oliver. But I prefer Oliver. He loves Schuyler without hesitation and he wil sacrifice himself if he has to. Unlike Jack. I don’t know whom he loves. He attracted to Schuyler and he realized he loves her but he loves Mimi, too. How can it be?

Vampire here has different meaning than all we know. And I’m hard to understand “the bond between twin vampires”. It’s weird twin vampires are couples.

Blue Bloods, a novel by Melissa de la Cruz

Schuyler Van Alen has never fit in at Duchesne, her prestigious New York City private school. She prefers baggy, vintage clothes instead of the Prada and pearls worn by her classmates, and she lives with her reclusive grandmother in a dilapidated mansion. Schuyler is a loner—and happy that way.

But when she turns fifteen, Schuyler’s life changes dramatically. She has a mosaic of blue veins on her arms, and craves raw meat. The death of a popular girl from Duchesne is surrounded by a mystery that haunts her. And strangest off all, Jack Force, the most popular boy in school, is showing a sudden interest in her.

Schuyler wants to find out the secrets the Blue Bloods are keeping. But is she herself in danger?

I feel a little confuse reading this. Melissa de la Cruz’s style is different from books I’ve read before. She used all kind of point of view each chapter. I had to think for a while to get it. She described all the socialites life. Social committees, pretigious mansions, bilionaires families, branded fashions, private schools. I can hardly imagine all that.

The story is up not until the third of the books. Although I feel dizzy with the flow and where it took readers, I kept on reading. And I was right. The story was attracting me. I can’t put it down until I am too tired to open my eyes. Too bad, I still have to go to work. I can’t finish it in once reading.

The Saga of Darren Shan: Lord of the Shadows & Sons of Destiny, novels by Darren Shan

Perfecto!

It’s the best ending for time travel things. It’s true that you’re better don’t change the past to effect the future. In other books, it said that if you change the past, you will change the future. If you don’t look what you will do and be careful, you will be the cause your parents didn’t meet and there weren’t you in the future.

It’s different in these two last Darren Shan saga books. You can change the past but the future will always happen as the destiny said. For example, you kill Adolf Hitler to avoid World War II, but there will be another Adolf Hitler to trigger the war. Same event with different person.

In Darren Shan’s case, he is modified to be one of Mr. Tiny’s dwarf (what’s it called in here?) and got back to his past. He gave his own diary to Mr. Tall so the tall man can give it to adult Darren Shan in the past. Darren hoped that diary will give other effect of his future although the destruction of mankind will still last.

It’s cool enough, huh?

I prefer book 12 than book 11. Darren looked cool when he chose his future: made Steve killed him then with his last effort, took Steve with him drawn in the river. He sacrificed himself to avoid Steve or him became Lord of Shadows who will terrorize the world. Of course, Mr. Tiny got big angry. I can’t imagine how Mister-always-smile-and have-high-confidence-of-himself-in-taking-control was angry. Maybe his face reddened, smoke came from his head, his glass broken or he crumpled his heart-shaped pocket watch incidentally. Ha-ha-ha…

Darren Shan: The Lake of Souls, a novel by Darren Shan

Darren and Harkat face monstrous obstacles on their desperate quest to the Lake of Souls. Will they survive the savage journey? And what awaits them in the murky waters of the dead? Be careful what you fish for...

Shocking! I couldn’t say a word when I knew Harkat Mulds is, – was – the vampire traitor *spoiler alert* Kurda Smahlt. If Harkat is Kurda, how could Harkat and Kurda be together in the same place and time? I was confused, too, as Darren and Harkat himself as well. Then mister-everything-in-the-world-is-my-business, play-with-human’s-fate Desmond Tiny said he traveled to the future and brounght Kurda’s soul to the past to get redemption.

This was time travel thing. I can’t never understand novel or film that have time traveling – time warps or whatever you call them – thing. When we read – watch – something connecting with TIME, it’s God’s job. I can’t solve the mysteries of someone from present time (who has duty, e.g to save the world from extinction) appear in the past, saw his/her ancestor then ran away from the bad guys. Besides, h/she can change the past accidentally. It’s thrilling if it really can happen. I’m always thinking about it when and after I read/watch time travel novel/film.

I’m almost at the end of Darren Shan’s adventure. It’s the 10^th book. Two more and I know the whole story. I think the end is simple: Darren and his vampire clan win from the neverending battle with vampaneze. But what’s between them? That’s interesting thing I must read.

Darren, wait for me in the next two books!

Vampire according to... (3)

Twilight Saga (Stephenie Meyer) – 2005-2008
- Nomads and hunt people, except The Cullens who live in Forks and hunt animals
- Gods-like human
- Don’t sleep in coffin, even don’t sleep at all
- No need ordinary food though they can
- Sunlight doesn’t hurt them but make their skin sparkling. Not afraid of cross and garlic
- Live forever
- Pale, cold and hard skin
- Can run fast and have strong power
- Don’ turn into bats
- Charmed people without purpose and they don’t even know they do that
- Many of them has special ability. Mind reader like Ewdard and precognition like Alice
- The color of their eyes change according to their mood
- Werewolves are their enemies ... End

Vampire according to… (2)

The Saga of Darren Shan (Darren Shan) – 2000-2003
- Have organization with princes as the leaders and have many generals
- Almost look like human (not always good looking)
- Sleep in coffin
- Cut the victim’s skin (not only human, but animals as well) and drink their blood they need to then seal the wound with their saliva. Still eat ordinary food
- Have marks in finger tips. They change human to vampire with flowing their blood into human’s and vice versa
- Afraid of sunlight, but not cross and garlic
- Live longer than human but still can be killed with knife, wood stake, guns or fell from high ground
- Have human-sized canines
- Strong and can move fast, have better senses
- Can’t change into bats although bats (and rats) like them
- Vampaneze is vampire’s enemy. Vampaneze is vampire’s counsin with purple skins, red eyes and love killing people for blood ... Continued

Vampire according to… (1)

We know vampire is fictitious figure. Good looking immortal human-like with canines and love human bloods. But recently, vampire is not like that anymore. Many authors describe new class of vampire of their own.

Dracula (Bram Stoker) – 1897
- Father of vampire clan
- Good looking
- Live in castle in Transylvania
- Sleep in coffin
- She-vampires as his servants
- Drinks and sucks human blood. If drinks til dry, the human will die. If drinks a little, the human will be vampire within few days.
- Afraid of sunlight, cross and garlic
- Immortal, unless stab with wood stake through the heart or cut the head off
- Pale skin
- Sharpened longer canines
- Turn into bats or vanish in the smoke Continued...

The Saga of Darren Shan, a novel by Darren Shan

This saga follows the story of Darren Shan, a normal human boy who is coerced by the vampire Larten Crepsley into becoming his assistant and a half-vampire.


In the first trilogy, known as Vampire Blood, Darren learns about and comes to accept his vampirism.
1. Cirque du Freak
2. The Vampire’s Assistant
3. Tunnels of Blood


In the second trilogy, known as Vampire Rites, Darren learns about the vampire clan and seeks their acceptance.
4. Vampire Mountain
5. Trials of Death
6. The Vampire Prince


In the third trilogy, known as Vampire War, Darren learns he may have a larger role to play in the fate of the vampires (and of the world) than he had ever thought.
7. Hunters of the Dusk
8. Allies of the Night
9. Killers of the Dawn


In the fourth trilogy, known as Vampire Destiny, Darren is forced to make some difficult decisions, finally taking his destiny into his own hands and dealing with the consequences.
10. The Lake of Souls
11. Lord of Shadows
12. Sons of Destiny



So far, I’ve read 8 of 12 books. The author is the main character. It’s like we read his diary. Inside the story, Darren Shan did write diary. I think 12 books are too much. These series divided into 4 trilogies, 200 pages each. If each trilogies merged into a book, we get 4 books instead. I think it would be better.



I like Darren Shan’s character. He was adult in child’s body because of his vampire blood. He turned from half vampire who didn’t like human blood into vampire prince whom the existence of his clan depends on. Such a long journey, like vampire itself who can live hundreds of years.I think this story is segmented for young adult. Fights, wars and blood everywhere although it’s only in our imaginations. Losing eye, hand or any parts or the body is common theme in vampire world of Darren Shan.

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