Riri

This book doesn't grab me right off the bat. It takes a while before I can truly get into the story and magic, but the fast pace and the clear, concise writing style made it engaging nonetheless. Ceony is a nice and relatable heroine. She has her flaws, of course, but she acknowledges them and tries to be a better person. She doesn't dwell on things she can't do anything about, and instead tries to make the best of her life—even if it's different from what she wanted.

The romance is thin, but adorable. Emery's past gives so much depth to his character, and Ceony only starts to fall in love after she learns more about him. No instalove, no drooling over his hotness considering he's pretty much average in everything aside from his eyes. The 12 year of age difference doesn't bother me a single bit, but that's my personal taste... and also because Emery doesn't feel like an old man despite his age.

And because I'm closer to his age than Ceony's. You didn't see that.

That aside, it'd have been nice if we get to learn about Ceony herself. Emery's life and past takes up a large portion of the story, but Ceony's only came out in a desperate moment that made it feel kind of rushed. This is only the first book in a trilogy though, maybe that's for the next ones to reveal. I didn't really like Lira though. I feel like she lacks depth as an antagonist, so hopefully this part gets better as the story moves along.

I love this book a lot. Though I read almost every kind of fiction, usually I'm more interested in the fantasy children books rather than YA. Yet, I enjoyed Vampire Academy thoroughly. The protagonist is interesting, as Rose is not your typical heroine — she kicks ass, she's flirtatious, hot-headed and reckless. While Lissa is more like an angel than a vampire. Even though you might find her less angelic when she becomes the ‘Queen Bee' later. Some of the minor characters also have depths, and that's what I really like from this book. Now, I have to admit that the male character I like the most is actually Christian. :)

Story-wise, the theme of friendship and social scenes are stronger compared to the romance aspect. Not that it's a bad thing. I especially like how the attraction between Rose and Dimitri develops, and it looks like things will start getting complicated for them from now on. But that only makes the story more interesting.

Overall it's a nice and addictive read. I love it, and will definitely get the next books! ♥