Witchlight (Night World #9) by L.J. Smith

Raksha Keller is a shapeshifter. She and her crew have been chosen to track down and protect the new Wild Power. Iliana Harman has no idea that she is a lost witch, let alone the famed Witch Child and a Wild Power. Keller must convince Iliana of her power and to join Circle Daybreak before she is captured by the Night People who are also seeking her. Doubt over Iliana's power arises when she refuses to accept or acknowledge that she is the Witch Child and a Wild Power. The fate of the world is resting on Iliana's decision and her ability to harness the blue fire of the Wild Powers.

Things get even more complicated when Keller meets Galen, the prince of the shapeshifters and finds her soulmate in him. The problem is that he has been promised in marriage to the Witch Child in order to form an alliance between the witches and the shapeshifters. With so much depending on this alliance, Keller and Galen know that they cannot be together, but can they stay away from each other?

This installment of the story was much more action packed and exciting. We have finally reached the point in the story where the millennium is upon the world and struggle between the Night World and Circle Daybreak is heading for its climax. L.J. Smith introduces some new mysterious powers in this book in the form of Dragons. Unfortunately book #10, Strange Fate, has not been published yet and L.J. Smith has not released a publication date. There are rumors that the book will be published in the Fall of 2013, but for now it appears that we shall just have to wait and see. This is the one thing that makes reading series frustrating...waiting for the next book to be released. Hopefully it will be sooner, rather than later. I am also hoping that when the book is published that it will continue the momentum the series has picked up over the last 2 or 3 books. I would hate to take a step backwards, especially when the action is just now starting to pick up and the story is starting to get exciting...

Black Dawn (Night World #8) by L.J. Smith

When Maggie Neely's brother goes missing and is presumed dead, Maggie instinctively knows that something is not quite right with his girlfriend's account of what happened. Determined to figure out what happened to her brother, Maggie follows the girlfriend and soon finds herself taken captive and being transported to the Dark Kingdom as a human slave. She meets Jeanne, P.J. and Cady, who are also captured slaves and together they manage to escape their shape-shifter captives.

Cady is deathly ill and while hiding from the shape-shifters, Maggie encounters Delos, prince of the Dark Kingdom, vicious vampire, and a Wild Power. Maggie quickly realizes that they are soulmates, but Delos refuses to accept that fate. He leads the hunting party away from Maggie and Cady, but threatens her with death if she ever comes to the castle. Meanwhile, Cady is getting worse and it becomes clear that she will not survive unless they can get her to a healing woman. Maggie and the girls get Cady to the castle and healing woman and soon discover that Cady is a witch, an important witch named Aradia, who was sent to the Dark Kingdom as an ambassador to plead with Delos to help the witches in their battle against the vampires.
When Hunter Redfern shows up, it becomes clear that something is amiss and Maggie discovers his plan to kill all of the human slaves and take over the Dark Kingdom.

Maggie, who the slaves believe is the prophesized Deliver, becomes determined to get Delos to prevent the planned hunt and sneaks into the castle to confront him. When Delos finally gives in to the "soulmate principal" he wants to make Maggie a vampire. When she will not cooperate, he throws her in the dungeon until she will. Maggie must convince him to help and if she fails, more than just the fate of the Dark Kingdom is at stake.

I liked the setting of this story a lot. The Dark Kingdom is described like a medieval world and it was almost like Maggie had stepped back in time. I also liked Delos and his initial resistance to the "soulmate principal." I think that Black Dawn was a much more exciting read than many of the other books in the series. It was not filled with a bunch of superfluous side stories and the story flowed relatively well. I was also excited to see some more developments in the upcoming battle for the "End of the World" that all of these books have been eluding to. I tried not to give to much away in my synopsis, but I feel like we are finally making some progress toward this prophesied battle!

On to book 9 - Witchlight.

Huntress (Night World #7) by L.J. Smith

Jez Redfern is a vampire, the leader of a gang of vampire raiders. Her world is in perfect order and she is confident in her place. All that changes when she discovers a secret that turns her world upside down - she is part human. This revelation leads Jez to abandon her former life and become a vampire hunter, protecting humans from the Night People.

Jez is recruited by Circle Daybreak to search for the legendary Wild Powers, the group who will stand to protect the humans when the Night World War begins. This requires Jez to return home and rejoin her former gang, including Morgead, the vampire who used to be her second-in-command. Jez finds herself drawn to Morgead and soon discovers that he is her soulmate.

It quickly becomes apparent that Circle Daybreak are not the only ones looking for the Wild Powers. The Night World Council is searching for them as well. Jez and Morgead find themselves in a race to find one of the Wild Powers and they discover it in the most unlikely of places.

I have now read several of L.J. Smith's books and I still can't completely decide how I feel about her as an author. There is always something that bothers me about her novels and I can't quite figure out. I think that it has something to do with the technical aspects of her writing. For me, her stories never seem fully developed. The stories are all very simple and move quickly, which in itself is not necessarily a bad thing, especially considering that it is Young Adult Fiction. But I often find myself wanting...What keeps me returning to her stories is her imaginative stories and her characters. I love her characters and her stories do not lack for imagination. I think I just wish that the writing behind them was a little stronger.

Soulmate (Night World #6) by L.J. Smith

Hannah Snow had a perfect life. She was a happy high school student with friends and dreams for the future. All this changes when mysterious notes begin appearing in her own handwriting warning her of impending doom - dead before seventeen. Hannah begins to question her sanity and seeks the help of a young psychiatrist in an attempt to solve the mystery. Instead she discovers a series of past lives in which she dies before her seventeenth birthday at the hands of a vampire named Thierry.

The problem is Thierry is her soulmate. He is the Lord of the Night World, the first made vampire, and he has searched for Hannah throughout the ages, trying to make amends for the past. Hannah finds herself a pawn in an epic struggle between Thierry and Maya, the first vampire who is determined to have Thierry for herself. This battle has been going on for centuries and always results in Hannah's death, apparently at the hands of Thierry. Thierry is determined to end this cycle, even if it means giving Hannah up.

As Hannah seeks answers in her past lives, she learns that maybe what she has come to believe as the truth about Thierry is not all that it appears. But with Maya out for revenge, can even Thierry save Hannah from her destiny?

Finally my frustration with this series is slightly (yes, only slightly) appeased. There is a slight merging of stories as Hannah meets the members of Circle Daybreak, who are all the characters from the previous novels in the series. It is a very brief reunion, but it was enough to keep me interested in continuing with the series. I hope it is a foreshadowing of an epic battle between the Night World and Circle Daybreak...we shall see. I have a feeling that I am going to end up disappointed in this...

For now it's on to book #7: Huntress

The Chosen (Night World #5) by L.J. Smith

Rashel's life changed forever at the age of 5 when her path crossed with a vampire. From that moment on, she vowed that she would never be helpless again, that she would rid the world one vampire at a time until she found the vampire who destroyed her world.

Now she is a vampire slayer. Out on patrol one night she rescues Daphne Childs and uncovers a secret slave trade operated by the Night World. In an attempt to bring down the slave trade and discover an unknown vampire enclave, Rashel sets out to get herself chosen as a slave by the vampires. Along the way she meets her soulmate in the last person she ever anticipated - John Quinn - a vampire with a dark reputation.

Together Rashel and Quinn discover that there may be some dissent brewing within the Night World - Lamia vs. made vampires, the Daybreakers vs. vampires who view humans as vermin. Trouble is brewing and even members of the Council, those charged with keeping the peace and enforcing the laws, are in on it.

This book was much more developed that the others in this series and I wasn't left wanting like I was after book #4. I am getting slightly frustrated with this series, however. It is clearly building to something. With all of the cross human/Night World relationships going on, the character cross overs and all the illusions to a coup, I am curious to see how all of these stories are going to intersect. It is clear that this is where the series is going, however 5 books in and we are still being introduced to new characters and there doesn't seem to be any merging going on. I am hoping that happens soon, or I might start to lose interest in this series... 

Dark Angel (Night World #4) by L.J. Smith

Gillian Lennox is invisible and yearns to be part of the popular crowd. After a near death experience, Gillian returns to her body accompanied by Angel, who claims to be her guardian angel. With Angel's help, Gillian is finally able to achieve the popularity she has always desired, as well as catch the eye of David Blackburn, who turns out to be Gillian's soulmate.

Angel even helps Gillian discover her true nature - she is a lost witch. As he introduces Gillian to her heritage and the Night World, Angel begins making some requests that have Gillian wondering whether Angel is in fact an angel, or something else entirely.

I think the concept of this story is by far the best in the series. However, the execution of the story leaves something to be desired. The whole thing felt rushed and under-developed. The potential for greatness was there, but in my opinion was not achieved. There were so many times throughout the book where I had anticipated more suspense, more action, more mystery than what I got and it was so disappointing.

For example, when Gillian finally figures out that Angel may not be what she thought him to be and realizes that she is in fact possessed, I had expected some great struggle of wills between her and Angel as she tries to banish him from her mind. Not the case! He simple just leaves! No struggle at all! How can you have a possession without the possessed having to fight the possessor? Another disappointment came when Gillian then had to figure out what Angel's unfinished business was so that she could send him back to the "Other side." That mystery lasted about a page and a half! Angel simply told her! No detective work involved! Very frustrating!

There are several other examples that I could give you, but I don't want to give the whole story away. I really feel like this book could have been developed so much more than it was. It was almost too simplistic and it felt very rushed. The story never had the time to truly develop, which is very disappointing because I feel like it has all the elements of a great story. Even the love story and soulmate principal was somewhat lacking in this story.

On to book #5: The Chosen... 

Spellbinder (Night World #3) by L.J. Smith

Thea and Blaise are witches. Blaise has powerful black magic and is uses it to control men and have them do her bidding. Thea is a white witch and usually has to deal with the consequences of Blaise's actions. They are sister-bonded and while Thea does not often agree with Blaise's actions, the bond between the two witches is strong.

Thea and Blaise live with their Grandmother Harman, who also happens to be a very powerful witch. They find themselves having to start over at another school after Blaise's actions got them expelled from their previous school, just one of many they have been expelled from. Thea is praying that Blaise will behave, as their grandmother is threatening to send them to live with their aunt if they get into trouble again.

Trouble begins almost immediately. When Thea saves a boy named Eric from a snake, she finds herself instantly drawn to him. The problem is that he is a human, and humans are not supposed to know about the Night World. When Blaise sets her sights on Eric, Thea is bound and determined to protect him at all costs. He is her soulmate and Thea finds herself breaking the Night World's most strict laws - do not reveal the secret and do not fall in love with a human. In her efforts to save Eric from Blaise's attentions, she works a forbidden spell and accidentally unleashes an evil spirit who goes on a murderous rampage. Thea must now face the ultimate question - is she willing to risk everything to save Eric?

Nothing terribly exciting or different about this book from the previous ones. Just another well written YA Fiction novel. On to book #4: Dark Angel!

Daughters of Darkness (Night World #2) by L.J. Smith

Daughters of Darkness is the second book in the Night World series by L.J. Smith. Mary-Lynnette and Mark Carter live in a small town named Briar Creek in Oregon. Nothing exciting ever happens in Briar Creek. Nothing until three mysterious young girls move into town to live with their aunt. Mary-Lynnette soon realizes that something is not quite right about their new neighbors, and she and her brother soon find themselves caught up in the Night World because Rowan, Krestrel, and Jade are vampires.

Mary-Lynnette cannot walk away now. Mark has fallen for Jade, claiming she is his soulmate, and they have to figure out who murdered the sisters' aunt. The truth is they are all in danger. The strict laws of the Night World have been broken...Mary-Lynnette and Mark, who are humans, know the secret, and Jade has fallen in love with a human. There is not turning back. Mary-Lynnette's world is further turned on its axis when Ash (you will remember him from book #1) shows up with the intention of returning his sisters to the island from which they came. One touch confirms it - Ash and Mary-Lynnette are soulmates. Only Mary-Lynnette is not sure whether or not she is ready to join the Night World, to always live in darkness. After solving the mystery Ash leaves to smooth things over with his father so that his sister can remain in Briar Creek, promising to return for Mary-Lynnette in a years time. The question remains...will Mary-Lynnette be ready?

I enjoyed this book just as much as Secret Vampire, and possibly a little more. Again, this is a total quintessential Young Adult Fiction novel, so if you are not into that, don't pick it up. I have to admit that the hopeless romantic in me is loving the idea of the "soulmate principal" - the idea that each person has a perfect match that understands them and completes them. Having never actually experienced this principal myself, the skeptic in me still finds myself rolling my eyes at the idea that it only takes one touch for the characters to realize they have met their match, while the 13 year old hopeless romantic is sighing...it's an interesting dual experience of emotions. I especially loved it when it happened to Ash, who we met in the Secret Vampire. I liked watching his character struggle with the new feelings he experienced - guilt, compassion, love. They stand in stark contrast to the usual reactions we get from him and plays so nicely into that notion that love, true love, is transformative and can overcome any obstacles. It will be interesting to see how Ash and Mary-Lynnette's love story plays out in future books as they both are still experiencing some hesitation, unlike the love story we saw in book #1 with James and Poppy.

On to book three: Spellbinder!

Secret Vampire (Night World #1) by L.J. Smith

Poppy is sixteen years old and she is going to die. She has just been diagnosed with cancer and the doctors tell her there is no hope. She will die, or at least she believes so until James, her mysterious best friend, appears in her hospital room. James has a secret, a secret that can save Poppy is she is willing. James is a vampire and offers to turn Poppy so that he will not lose her. If James does this he will be breaking three very important laws of the Night World - the supernatural group consisting of vampires, werewolves, and witches - do not revel what you are, do not change a human into a vampire, and most serious of all, do not fall in love with a human.

James is willing to risk everything for Poppy because she is his soulmate. All appears to be going to plan when Ash, James' cousin and an evil and vindictive vampire, shows up and convinces Poppy that she must leave in order to save James from being punished for breaking the secret laws. Poppy leaves with him reluctantly and James sets off after them when he discovers Poppy is gone. Barely escaping exposure, James and Poppy set off to start their new lives together.

The Night World series is another series by L.J. Smith, writer of The Vampire Diaries series. While each book in the series is connected by a central thread, each volume follows a different protagonist who must face various challenges involving love, the "soulmate principle" and the Night World's strict code, which is why I have decided to blog about each book separately as I read them.

I liked Secret Vampire, as will anyone who enjoys vampire lore, because L.J. Smith mixes in some new with the old. For example, James was born a vampire and has vampire parents, but can still be killed by a stake through the heart. The book is quintessential Young Adult Fiction, so if you are not a fan of the genre, don't pick this book (and I'm assuming the rest of the series) up. Even I found myself rolling my eyes at some of the more ridiculous passages, that would have probably sent my heart a flutter and made me sigh, had I been 13 years old. Nevertheless, I enjoy L.J. Smith's writing and I am intrigued enough by the series to continue reading it. Next up is book two: Daughters of Darkness.

The Vampire Diaries: Stefan's Diaries Vol. 1-6

For those of you who are fans of the show, this is the series for you. These books are loosely based on the novels created by L.J. Smith and follow the story line of Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec, who create The Vampire Diaries TV show. If you have not checked out the TV series, I highly recommend it. Season 4 of the show premieres on Thursday, October 11th @ 8 pm!

Volume 1: Origins tells the story of two brothers - Damon and Stefan Salvatore.  Damon is the older brother, who does what he wants regardless of what others think. Stefan is the younger, more responsible one who always does what is expected of him. Their world gets turned upside down when an orphaned border named Katherine Pierce comes to live at Veritas, their family estate in Virginia. Katherine is unlike any girl the brothers have met and she has a dark secret...Katherine is a vampire. Both Damon and Stefan fall for Katherine, both unaware of the game Katherine is playing and her plan for the future. When a series of animal attacks and attacks on fellow citizens alerts the town to the presence of vampires, Stefan's father, Giuseppe Salvatore, helps form a secret council whose goal is to eradicate the demons tormenting their home. Stefan finds himself torn - on one hand he is frightened and repulsed by what Katherine is, but on the other hand he loves her...or does he?  When Katherine's true nature is discovered, Stefan and Damon desperately attempt a rescue mission that results in both of their deaths. Both awaken to discover that Katherine has begun the process of turning them into vampires. Both brothers now face a decision - to feed and complete the transition, or to not feed and die. Stefan is the first to complete the transition and forces Damon to feed as well to complete his transition. Now the question becomes, what will they do with the eternity before them?

The series continues with Volume 2: Bloodlust. Damon and Stefan are driven from Mystic Falls and make their way to New Orleans. Stefan is lost in his bloodlust, feeding and killing indiscriminately. Upon separating, Damon finds himself taken prisoner by a freak show and Stefan is taken under the wing of Lexi, a vampire who feeds on animals. Lexi helps Stefan gain control over his bloodlust and get in touch with his human side again, which he thought was lost to him. When Stefan discovers that Damon has been captured, he sets out to rescue his brother. Along the way, Stefan meets and falls for Callie, the daughter of Damon's captor. Stephan's failed rescue attempt get him captured as well, and the two brothers are forced into a fight to the death, until Callie's intervention allows them to escape. All does not end well, however. Damon's captivity awakes a darkness in him which results in him taking revenge on Stefan and in Callie's demise. Stefan retreats from New Orleans searching for a way to atone for all his sins and appease his guilt.

In Volume 3: The Craving Stefan travels from New Orleans to New York determined to begin a new life - apart from humans and without feeding on human blood. When he comes across a damsel in distress in Central Park, Stefan cannot help but step in to help and finds himself being welcomed into the Sutherland home and family. In his desire to belong to a family, to have companionship, Stefan allows himself to become apart of this family even though he knows it is wrong. He ignores the warnings in his head and soon finds himself wrapped up in one of Damon's plots, leaving tragedy, destruction, and death in its wake. To make matters worse, Stefan and Damon are now being hunted by an old vampire seeking revenge for the death of Katherine. The Salvatore brothers barely manage to escape and make their way to Europe.

The story flash forwards 20 years to 1888 in Volume 4: The Ripper. Stefan has settled into a quiet country life in England working on a farm for the Abbott family. Stefan has finally found some semblance of the peace and companionship he so desires. When Stefan accompanies Mr. Abbott to London he learns of a serial killer, known as the Ripper, who is murdering in the slums of London. Stefan quickly recognizes the Ripper for what he is...a vampire. As he seeks the identity of the Ripper, he becomes increasingly alarmed that the Ripper may be someone close to him. Damon and Stefan's paths cross again as Stefan becomes determined to solve the mystery, and Stefan encounters others of his kind, besides the old one he met in New Orleans, with dire consequences. Stefan fears that death will always follow him, as those around him continue to suffer because of their apparent association with him. He is determined to help Damon seek revenge on the vampires who caused them so much trouble in London.

Volume 5: The Asylum is a continuation of the story from Volume 4: The Ripper. Damon and Stefan find themselves united against Samuel, a vampire out for revenge for the role the Salvatore brothers played in the death of Katherine. Samuel has successfully framed Damon as Jack the Ripper and all of London is looking for him. Stefan is determined to to help Cora find Violet and to help Damon kill Samuel and his brother for all of the harm they have caused. When Stefan discovers that Samuel is using a local asylum, under the guise of philanthropy, as his own personal feeding grounds, he and Damon with the help of Cora hatch a scheme to get their revenge. When their plan does not turn out accordingly, Stefan realizes that in order to save his brother he will need to enlist powers beyond those that he posses. One thing is for certain, he is determined to save Damon, no matter the consequences.

Volume 6: The Compelled wraps up the story from Volumes 4 and 5. Stefan is desperate to save Damon, who has been taken captive by Samuel, but knows that he does not have the power to defeat him on his own. When Stefan saves a seemingly ordinary girl, named Mary Jane, from Samuel's attack, he finds the solution to defeating Samuel once and for all, or so he thinks. Mary Jane is a witch and together they discover that Samuel's plan involves so much more than destroying the Salvatore brothers. He is seeking a power which will allow him to not only compel and control humans, but vampires as well, and Stefan becomes even more determined to destroy Samuel and save the innocent lives of London. While the side of good prevails, there is always a cost - innocent lives are always lost. At the end of the story Damon and Stefan find themselves again at a proverbial fork in the road - Damon remains in London to return to his life of privilege and indulgence, while Stefan heads to New Zealand with the hopes of starting a new chapter.


I felt like Volumes 4-6 really could have been condensed into one book and the story did seem to drag on a bit. I was a little skeptical of the whole Jack the Ripper idea. The story did not have any element of historical fiction to it and I was a little leery of how they were going to tie it in. That element of the story seemed to drag on and started to feel like a superfluous detail that kept cropping up. It makes much more sense when you get to Volume 6 and I felt like the explanation behind it should have been introduced a bit sooner.

I hope that more books in this series end up being published. They are very quick reads - most of them are about 300 pages - and I like reading more of the back story of the characters I love on the show. Stefan and Damon talk about reuniting in Mystic Falls in 1913, so I am thinking that is were the story will pick up when and if more are published. Here's hoping!

The Vampire Diaries: The Return Trilogy by L.J. Smith

Those of you who are on Team Delana will love this series. People like me who are firmly on Team Stalana had a harder time swallowing this series, although I can certainly see Damon's appeal. Stefan appeals to me more I think because his love is innocent and pure, which is like wine to a sorry romantic sap like myself. He loves Elena so much that he is willing to do anything, be anything, and give her anything she desires. It kinda makes him seem like a pushover, but the innocence of a love like that is sweet and endearing. Damon's love for Elena, on the other hand, is dark, passionate, and slightly frightening, which has its own appeal. I guess I'm just more of a Romeo and Juliet kind of girl...what can I say? LOL! I did not like this one as much as the previous series, but L.J. Smith is an imaginative writer and she weaves a very imaginative and inventive world. If you are a fan of the 1st series and enjoy vampires and good YA Fiction, this is a good series to get into.

**Might contain some spoilers so proceed with caution!**

The Return Trilogy is the next chapter of the series The Vampire Diaries. Defying explanation, Elena has returned from the Other Side alive and human. All appears well as we left our motley crew celebrating after defeating Klaus and chasing away Tyler Smallwood, his werewolf sidekick. However, Elena's return is not without a hitch, as she quickly evolves into a child-like spirit. Elena loses the ability to walk, talk, read, write, etc. and must rediscover all of these things. One thing she has not forgotten is her intense love of Stefan. While Elena slowly recovers her abilities, it becomes clear to Stefan that Elena is more than human. Her blood contains a new power, which quickly proves to be desirable force. 

As Stefan plots a new way to keep Elena safe so they can build a life together, evil forces, drawn by the ley lines (lines of power) that cross Fell's Church and Elena's essence, once again descend on the small town. Strange things begin to happen again as the young women of the town appear to be possessed by some unknown power. Damon is determined as ever to have Elena by his side as his princess of darkness and makes a deal with kitsune twins, named Shinichi and Misao who are evil fox spirits, to get Stefan out of the way and secure Elena. Unbeknownst to Damon, these evil twins have other plans and Damon finds himself victim of their possession. Elena must now find a way to save her friends, the town, and Damon, a seemingly impossible task, until she discovers she possesses powers and gifts bestowed on her in the afterlife. With crisis averted for now, Elena must now find and rescue Stefan.

The Return Trilogy continues with Shadow Souls. Elena and Damon, armed with the clues given to them by Misao, must travel to the Dark Dimension to locate two half of a fox key in order to free Stephen from the Shi no Shi, the prison where he is being held. Elena sets off with Damon and Matt across the country to Arizona to a gate that will allow them to enter into the Dark Dimension. While traveling, Elena finds herself increasingly drawn to Damon and has difficulty resisting his advances. Elena comes to care for Damon and is desperate to find a way to help him unlock his humanity, which he so carefully keeps chained up inside of him. Damon is trying to help Elena gain control of her newly acquired powers. Matt, who becomes increasingly suspicious of Damon and Elena's relationship, leaves and returns to Fell's Church to help Mrs. Flowers defend against the ever increasing darkness that is spreading throughout the town. Meanwhile, Bonnie and Meredith show up in Arizona and travel with Elena and Damon into the Dark Dimension. The only hitch is that the girls must travel as Damon's "slaves." In the end and with a lot of help, Elena is able to rescue Stefan and returns to Fell's Church. Just when she thinks she is in the clear, Shinichi shows up with the promise of more mischief to come. Damon, who lets his curiosity get the best of him, finds himself human after opening a bunch of flowers given to Stefan by a good kitsune. Now that Elena has rescued Stefan, she must deal with all the fall out of what's to come...

The Return Trilogy concludes with Midnight. Damon, having inadvertently become human after using the gift given to Stefan by a good kitsune he was imprisoned with, is determined to make it back to the Dark Dimension to find a powerful vampire to change him. He steals Misao's star ball and uses the power to open a doorway to the Dark Dimension. When Bonnie tries to stop Damon, she finds herself stuck in the Dark Dimension and shut up and abandoned in a room awaiting Damon's return. When Bonnie leaves her room, she is arrested as a runaway slave and is taken to a slave holding to be sold.

Meanwhile, back in Fell's Church the chaos is reaching new heights. Elena and Stefan head off into the Dark Dimension to rescue Bonnie, while Matt and Meredith remain to defend Fell's Church with the help of Mrs. Flowers. They quickly learn that everything they thought they knew about the evil poisoning their town and each other is not what they expected. Having "rescued" Bonnie, Damon, Stefan, Elena, and Bonnie set off on a quest to recover a powerful star ball, after Bonnie has a premonition, in the hopes of using its power to cleanse Fell's Church of evil once and for all. Along the way they face many challenges and one of them is lost forever, or so it seems...

I don't want to give too much more away about this book, other than to say that it did not end how I expected it to and it is totally and completely left open for a sequel...which there is! The Vampire Diaries: The Hunters...volumes 1 and 2 are out now, volume 3 is due out in October.

The Vampire Diaries: Volumes 1-4 by L.J. Smith

This is another reread for me. I first picked up this series in 2009 when I heard that they were making a television series based on the books. Because I love all things vampire, I was intrigued by the show and quickly got hooked, which led me to pick up the book series as well. On a side note, if you haven’t checked out The Vampire Diaries on the WB, you should. Even though it is geared towards a young adult demographic, the writing for the show is excellent. In fact, I think I almost prefer it to the books, which is not something I normally say. Plus, there are a lot of hot guys in it J. But I digress…

Three years ago I read Volumes 1-4 and Volume 1 of The Vampire Diaries: The Return, which is the sequel. I had to stop there and wait for the next volume to be published, which is one thing I hate about reading a series. Needless to say in the meantime I read several other books and the series got pushed further down my “to read” list. Since I first read the series, there have been several more books published, including Volumes 2 and 3 of The Return and Volumes 1-6 of Stefan’s Diaries, a spin-off series, which means I have a lot of catching up to do! However, it’s been awhile since I’ve had a good vampire fix, so I figured it can’t hurt to start back at the beginning (especially since I can’t get my weekly fix since the TV show is now on summer hiatus and the new season of True Blood doesn’t premiere until June 10th).

**I will try not to reveal too much, but be forewarned that there may be some spoilers, so proceed with caution.** 

The Awakening introduces us the Elena Gilbert – the golden girl who is used to getting whatever and whomever she wants – who has just returned from Paris after escaping there to recover from her parents’ sudden deaths in a car crash leaving her and her younger sister orphans and in the care of her aunt and her aunt’s fiancé. Elena is anxious to begin her senior year of high school and reclaim her position as queen of Robert E. Lee High School. Enter Stefan Salvatore – a mysterious and brooding newcomer with a dark secret. Stefan is a vampire. Despite Elena’s best attempts, Stefan seems determined not to become involved with the beautiful blonde as he fights to protect her from himself. However, Elena and Stefan are increasingly drawn together and fall in love. All seems to be going well until a series of murders rock the town of Fell’s Church. The townsfolk become increasingly suspicious of Stefan’s involvement in these murders, and he can’t be sure himself that he is not the murderer. There is one other possibility – Damon Salvatore, Stefan’s older brother who also happens to be a vampire, has returned. Damon is determined to seek his revenge on Stefan and to have Elena for himself, and Elena finds herself caught between the two brothers.

The story continues in The Struggle as Elena finds her world turned upside down. A new history teacher, Alaric Saltzman, arrives in town and there is something not quite right about him. The town remains suspicious of Stefan and people have become wary of Elena as well because of her association with him. Elena knows the truth – Damon is the murderer. However, any evidence she has to prove it could easily be turned against Stefan and make him look guilty. When Elena’s diary goes missing and mysterious messages begin appearing threatening to expose Stefan as the murderer. Elena becomes desperate to discover the culprit. Adding to her distress is Damon and his relentless pursuit of her. Damon is determined that Elena will be his and is not above going after her loved ones to obtain his goal. Although Elena loves Stefan, she cannot deny that she feels a certain pull towards Damon. As his pursuit intensifies, Elena finds herself on the brink of destruction, her own survival hanging in the balance.

Just when you think Elena is dead, the story continues in The Fury, with Elena waking up in the woods as a vampire. She sets off to find Damon and Stefan locked in a furious battle, and her only thought is to protect Damon. In her new state, Elena has forgotten her love for Stefan and is convinced that she loves Damon. Stefan, devastated by this turn of events, reluctantly relinquishes Elena to Damon's protection. As Elena continues to adjust to her new existence, her memories return to her and she remembers her love for Stefan. Their reunion is short lived however when strange things begin to happen in Fell's Church again. The weather changes, animals turn on their masters, and it becomes clear that the town is under attack from something evil. Elena convinces Damon and Stefan to enter into an uneasy truce as they set out to find this "Other Power" and destroy it. It quickly becomes clear that no one is what they seem and everyone is a suspect. In the battle to destroy the Other Power Elena is once again confronted by the ghosts of Stefan and Damon's past, and is forced to make the ultimate sacrifice in order to say the ones she loves.

This part of the story concludes with Dark Reunion. Elena is gone. Stefan, in his grief, has followed Damon to Italy in an attempt to fulfill his final promise to Elena – to take care of Damon. He is summoned by Bonnie, who is descendant from witches, with a summoning spell back to Fell’s Church after Elena visits her in her dreams and warns her that danger has once again returned. Strange things begin happening in Fell’s Church and new horrors, including werewolves, threaten the entire town when Klaus, Katherine’s maker, returns seeking revenge on the Salvatore brothers. An epic battle between Klaus and the Salvatore brothers ensues, and when all hope is lost, Elena returns from the other side with the spirits of Civil War soldiers to save the day. Just when it appears that Elena and Stefan will be separated again, this time forever, Elena returns to them as a human.

After everything they have been through, a ray of light has returned to Fell's Church. The question is, will it last? The story continues in The Vampire Diaries: The Return, Volumes 1-3.