Book Review: Vampire Academy The Graphic Novel

Vampire Acedemy - Richelle Mead, Leigh Dragoon, Emma Vieceli 
Release Date: August 23, 2011
Publisher: Razorbill
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 144
Buy the Book: Amazon

After two years on the run, best friends Rose and Lissa are caught and returned to St. Vladimir's Academy, a private high school for vampires and half-bloods. It's filled with intrigue, danger - and even romance. Enter their dark, fascinating world through a new series of 144-page full-color graphic novels. The entire first Vampire Academy novel has been adapted for book one by Leigh Dragoon and overseen by Richelle Mead, while the beautiful art of acclaimed British illustrator Emma Vieceli brings the story to life.

Summary taken from Goodreads. 

My Review:

As a die hard Vampire Academy fan, I have to say that I was truly over-joyed to be able to read the graphic novel! Extras like movies and graphic novels to a book series is always a risk. But I think the risk was worth taking as I actually really enjoyed reading this. I think all the authors did a wonderful job bringing this book and its amazing characters to life. 

But before we delve more into the book, I have to warn readers that if they want to really enjoy this. They have to go into reading it with more of an open mind as it is a graphic novel and thus many scenes from the original novel were missing. 

So this is actually quiet a small book. It is only 144 pages long and it took me only one sitting to finish it. But it was 144 pages of non-stop action! One of the main reasons why I loved the VA series so much was the action and I'm sure that, that is true for many others as well.

The only sort of problem I had with this book was its length as it didn't permit many things to be added to it. I really wished that more of the little scenes between Rose and Dimitri were featured in the book. But I can understand why it isn't there and even without them it is still pretty amazing! 

I think that Emma Vieceli did fantastic job illustrating the book and bringing our favourite characters to life. Rose was just as spunky as I imagined her. Vieceli's illustrations of the characters, I thought were spot on. It really helped me enjoy the book so much more!

Overall, I think this a great graphic novel to read. It was short and sweet and made me want to go and re-read the series! So I recommend it to all Vampire Academy and graphic novel fans. This might also be a great book to help you stat reading graphic novels. I believe that the whole series, so all six of the book will be made into graphic novels. So look out for that!

More on, Frostbite The Graphic Novel: 

Frostbite The Graphic Novel - Richelle Mead, Leigh Dragoon, Emma Vieceli

Release Date: April 14, 2012

Publisher: Razorbill

Age Group: Young Adult

It's winter break at St Vladimir's, and a massive Strigoi vampire attack has put the school on high alert. 
This year's trip away from the academy to the wintery peaks of Idaho has suddenly become mandatory. But Rose's troubles seem to follow her wherever she goes - dealing with the pain of knowing that her relationship with her tutor Dimitri can never be, things get even more complicated when one of her closest friends admits his feelings for her. 
The glittering winter landscape may create the illusion of safety but Rose - and her heart - are in more danger than she ever could have imagined...

Summary taken from Goodreads.

Wrap Up- September

Welcome everyone to my September Wrap Up post. This will be a new type of post that I will be doing in the end of every month to summarize all the books that I read in the month and give a few thoughts on them. I know that Misty at the Book Rat and Carla at the Library Mosaic also do something similar to this. So go and check them out!

Now to make this a little more creative and give it my own touch. I'm going to have book battles. So basically If I read more than one book in a certain genre I will put them up against each other and may the best book win!! I will also have a favourites section.

So I hope you enjoy this!

To start off, September has been a bit of a slow month for me with school starting and all. But I have still managed to read some great books! If you would like to see my review of the books, there will be a link on the title of each book.

Books Read In September:

Chain Reaction - Simone Elkeles (Amazon/Goodreads)

XVI - Julia Karr (Amazon/Goodreads)

Where She Went - Gayle Forman (Amazon/ Goodreads)

Moonglass - Jessi Kirby (Amazon/Goodreads)

Bloodlines - Richelle Mead (Amazon/Goodreads)

Blood Red Road - Moira young (Amazon/Goodreads)

Vampire Academy Graphic Novel - Richelle Mead, Leigh Dragoon, Emma Vieceli (Amazon/Goodreads)

Book Battle:

Contemporary Realistic Fiction: 

VS.VS.

WINNER: Chain Reaction

Alright, so this was one of the hardest pair-ups especially because I completely love all three of these books. How could someone not love Chain Reaction. Especially with not one but three gorgeous Fuentes brothers! The whole Perfect Chemistry Trilogy has become one of my all time favourites. But Where She Went and Moonglass were not far behind as they were both fantastic. These two were more focused on grief, life and death with some romance. After reading them Gayle Forman has become one of my favourite authors while Jessi Kirby's debut novel has me waiting for more amazing things from her!

Dystopian Fiction:

VS.

WINNER: Blood Red Road

Both these books were amazing! As with many others the dystopian genre is quickly becoming my favourite. Somethings that I loved about both of these books was the very intricate world and society that they authors created. In XVI, it was a society that is basically being ruled by media while in Blood Red Road its pretty much post-apocalyptic setting in which the world has turned into a desert and what's left of the people have either ran to isolation or become addicts and crooks. Although I enjoyed both books emensly. There was just something special about Blood Red Road. The main character was strong, world was amazing and not to mention the plot!

Favourites:

Book Title: Moonglass. I really like this title not just because its unique but also because it has a lot to do with the book. It actually tells us a lot about the book which I look for in a title. 

Book Cover: This one was another hard choice as I am a total cover fanatic! But their has to be a favourite and for this month it is Blood Red Road also because the cover tells a lot about the book. You really see the how world looks in the book through the cover and I really like that.

Female Character: My favourite female character will have to go to Blood Red Road. I found Saba to be very strong both physically and mentally. I like how she developed as a character as well. She really reminds me of Katniss from the Hunger Games.

Male Character: My favourite male character is Adam from Where She Went. Gosh, did I love Adam or what! He was just amazing, mind blowing etc etc. I am so glad Gayle Forman decided to write Where She Went in Adams point of view. It really brought the story to life! Adam was such a real, and sweet character. I felt for him and understood him to a point that I was starting to reflect his feeling. 

Side Character: This one is definitely Alex and Carlos in Chain Reaction. I love both of these guys unconditionally and I devoured their books. So I was really happy to get to read about them again in Chain Reaction. I loved the brother moments and the little looks we got of their lives after Perfect Chemsitry and Rules of Attraction. I think it just made the book and them even more memorable! Oh and the amazing dialogue from both of them was just priceless

Plot: Bloodlines! I love Richelle Meads books and her plots are amazing. They always keep you guessing and biting your nails wondering whats going to happen. Bloodlines was nothing less, it was full of twist and turns and plain awesomeness in every corner! Not to mention the crazy cliffhanger!

Ending: This one also has to go to Chain Reaction. The ending was just phenomenal as expected from Simone Elkeles. I'm really happy with how Chain Reaction brought a fantastic end deserving of such a wonderful series!

Quotes:

Chain Reaction:

- “Alex and Carlos—the tag team from hell. They’re the last people I need shit from right now. If they decide to trail me, too, I’ll have an entire entourage.  

“I’m fine.”  

“Then sit up and talk to us.”  

“Okay, in that case I’m not fine. Go away.” I moan. “Unless you want me to puke all over you.” - Luis

XVI:

-"This moment of silence has been brought to you by the Resistance. In quietness, people can think for themselves." - Resistance

Where She Went:

- "You don't share me. You own me." - Adam 

- "Hate me.
Devaste me.
Annihilate me.
Re-create me.
Re-create me.
Won't you, won't you re-create me." - Collateral Damage 

- "But I'd do it again. I know that now. I'd make that promise a thousand times over and lose her a thousand times over to have heard her play last night or to see her in the morning sunlight. Or even without that. Just to know that she's somewhere out there. Alive.” - Adam

Moonglass:

- “I read once that water is a symbol for emotions. And for a while now I've thought maybe my mother drowned in both.” - Anna

Bloodlines:

- “Yeah? Can you draw a skeleton riding a motorcycle with flames coming out of it? And I want a pirate hat on the skeleton. And a parrot on his shoulder. A skeleton parrot. Or maybe a ninja skeleton parrot? No, that would be overkill. But it'd be cool if the biker skeleton could be shooting some ninja throwing stars. That are on fire.” - Adrian  

- “My God, Sage. Your eyes. How have I never noticed them?" That uncomfortable feeling was spreading over me again. "What about them?" "The color," he breathed. "When you stand in the light. They're amazing... like molten gold. I could paint those..." He reached toward me but then pulled back. "They're beautiful. You're beautiful.” - Adrian 

-“Mmm. O positive, my favorite.”
“Is it? I thought it was a cabernet sauvignon.”
“So it is,” said Adrian, straight-faced. “My mistake.”  - Adrian“Is it? I thought it was a cabernet sauvignon.” “So it is,” said Adrian, straight-faced. “My mistake.”  - Adrian

Blood Red Road:

- “Yer in my blood, Saba, he says. Yer in my head. Yer in my breath, yer in my bones...gawd help me, yer everywhere. You have bin since the first moment I set eyes on you.” 

So whats you thoughts? What did you read this month?