Release: March 1st 1999
Format: Ebook
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Source: Amazon
Find it at: Goodreads, Amazon, B&N
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A DEADLY LOVE TRIANGLE
Elena: in effect, the golden girl, the leader, the one who can have any boy she wants.
Stefan: in effect, 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: in effect ,sexy, dangerous, and driven by an urge for revenge against Stefan, the brother who betrayed him. Determined to have Elena, he’d kill to possess her.
Collected here in one volume for the first time, volumes one and two of The Vampire Diaries, the tale of two vampire brothers and the beautiful girl torn between them.
About the Author:
L. J. Smith has written over two dozen books for young adults, including The Vampire Diaries, now a hit TV show. She has also written the bestselling Night World series and The Forbidden Game, as well as the #1 New York Timesbestselling Dark Visions. She loves to walk the trails and beaches in Point Reyes, California, daydreaming about her latest book.
The Awakening by L.J. Smith Review:
I have seen a few TV show episodes and thought I would get my hands on the book series. Usually, the books are supposed to be better than their adaptations. However, this book has nothing to do with the TV show, other than the fact that the characters share the same names.
The one thing that annoyed me about this book was Elena’s character. It’s hard rooting for her when she comes off as this arrogant girl who must have anything and anyone. She dumps Matt when she is not interested in him and then asks him to help her get Stefan, showing complete disregard for his feelings. Then, her friends Meredith and Bonnie make a blood pact with her in the cemetery to ensure that Stefan becomes hers (who does that?). When she is titled Homecoming queen (that she feels was her entitlement), Elena does a complete 360 and goes with a guy she doesn’t even like to make out with him at the cemetery!
Similarly, Stefan comes off as the typical blooding wealthy vampire who doesn’t talk that much, which is very cliché. Damon, on the other hand, is slightly better but makes an appearance only towards the end. I found their flashbacks more interesting than the actual story-line, but that fizzles towards the climax. Bonnie is one character that stood out because she was this quirky psychic that spiced up the scenes, but sadly she is hardly mentioned in the book.
The writing is sub-par, as there is no consistency in the storytelling or the characterization. It somewhat becomes exciting only towards the end, where Damon makes an appearance. I will continue reading the series to find out what happens. However, this book was somewhat below average as a standalone review.
