Release Date: 22nd December, 2011Publisher: Razorbill
Pages: 272pgs
The Story
Discover the history of St. Vladimir's Academy, explore the dark psychology behind Rose and Lissa's spirit bond, and find out even more illicit secrets about Moroi society. This ultimate guide will feature everything readers want and need to go even deeper into the world of Vampire Academy, Frostbite, Shadow Kiss, Blood Promise, Spirit Bound, and Last Sacrifice . . . every heartache, every betrayl, every sacrifice, and so much more!
The Review
If you're a fan of Richelle Mead's bestselling young adult series Vampire Academy, then this ultimate guide is a must-have!
Like you didn't already know, I'm a huge Vampire Academy fan. The series alone is written with pretty much everything you love, and within each and every book the plot unfolds with just the right amount of adventure, deceit, danger, and romance that sends all of Mead's fans into a wild frenzy. When I first heard about this book, I was pretty excited to get my hands on this ultimate guide considering it's written by Michelle Rowen, whom I've read a few books of hers, and it seemed like a sweet deal since little "secrets" of the VA world were to be released. I mean, it's another VA book! Unfortunately, it was a major disappointment to me.
The majority of the guide has about 75% or so of pointless recaps of each Vampire Academy book and most of the information I'd already known about. Kind of a bummer there you guys. Since remembering the books so very well, I didn't necessarily see why this book was needed. But I still bought it anyway and I'm still adding it to my VA collection. Despite the recaps, I did enjoy the character biographies featured in the guide, along with Richelle Mead's personal views on the whole Rose, Dimitri and Adrian relationships, and a couple of pages entirely devoted to the Guardian tattoo marks and elemental magics. That was a cool aspect to the guide.
For fans who love VA as much as I do, you will definitely enjoy this book. It may have been a disappointment to me - being a huge fan of the series and all - but since I own every single Richelle Mead book, it's a must to have sitting on your bookshelf!
The Rating
3/5 stars
OMG WHAT?! You're a huge fan of VA? Holy crap... so am I. We should totally be friends.
ReplyDeleteI so know what you mean about this. If you're a huge fan already and have read the books numerous times, you already remember everything about them. So those huuge recaps were just... well, as you said, sorta pointless. I mean, it's great if you forget something and want to quickly skim through that rather than a whole book. But for reading entertainment purposes? I'd rather go back and read the book. But like you, I enjoyed all the NEW bits of info we got a glimpse at.
Anyway, awesome review, Erin!
Oh ha ha Brodie. ;) hehe.
DeleteOh yeah it's great if you forgot certain parts of the books but yeah it was kind of pointless. x
Bah, recaps? I'm a huge fan too...so I already know what happens in each book. In detail :P. Still, the character bios sound pretty cool, and it does seem worth the read. Thanks for the review!
ReplyDeleteAll of us - those obsessive fans - know the book off by heart. But yes, the character bios were really cool.
DeleteI actually do plan to get this book since I recently finished the VA series and absolutely loved it! Awesome review, Erin! :)
ReplyDeleteCeline @ Forget-me-not
Glad to hear you enjoyed it! :)
DeleteI got this a while ago, but haven't had the chance to read it :S Ehhh...75% is recaps? Maybe I'll just skim through those parts; but im definitely looking forward to the new info! ( although the recaps may actually help since I don't own the series and read them ages ago!) Thanks for the review :D
ReplyDeleteI didn't like the recaps but it's just something you need for your VA collection.
DeleteI'm actually surprised you gave it three stars. I don't see how it can say 'written by Michelle Rowen' because like you said, the entire thing was recaps. Then there were Richelle Mead's quotes and illustrations. Michelle Rowen is talented but she really should have stuck to her own work. As for the other stuff, Richelle Mead should have just blogged it.
ReplyDeleteI'm surprised that I gave it three stars too. Yeah I agree. Richelle Mead probably should have blogged about it but I guess that's another book for us fans to buy. It was alright but not as good as I hoped it to be.
DeleteAwwww, this souns like kind of a fizzer. Dissapointing. I only just read the VA books for the first time beginning of this year, so I really wouldn't be up for epic recap essays... but the bits about the tattoos sound coooool, and the insights on the Rose/Dimitri/Adrian relationships... but I think you kind of have a point... maybe a few blog posts? Huh.
ReplyDeleteHmmm... I still think I'll buy it, though :P
Sarah, I think it's one of those times you'll spend the $10 because the series is that dang good. Just like buying the first three in the new covers and the hardcover. It's good as a complimentary thing but not necessarily something you'll read again. There was a reason there wasn't a whole lot of publicity around it's release.
ReplyDelete