Well I read the books before I watched the T.V series, but I'll talk about the television series tomorrow or later today since it's 1A.M. Anyways, what can I say. First off, in my opinion, I actually enjoyed this more then twilight. It is different from Twilight and I don't want to start a argument, but after hearing that Stephenie Meyer got sued I must say that if I were to pick who should of sued Stephenie Meyer (this sounds totally mean, I know, but it's not intended to) I would pick L.J Smith. But anyways this book is very fast paced and doesn't drag on. Well Damon is kept out of it for a while, but that's all. It's not boring. I didn't really find any scenes that I thought should've been cut. This book is two books in the series in one. I liked the second book the best and the first book was good but the second one was better. The first one was fast paced but it didn't have enough action and the ending wasn't so good in my opinion. The Second book ending made up for that because I think it had the best ending I've ever read. Also L.J Smith does a fantastic job of creating a world that is very vivid to the mind. She also lets her readers see a super natural world that is to good to resist. With a hot, good-guyVampire and bad-boy vampire who are brothers. At first you'll hate Elena (protagonist) but after a while you'll begin to see her point of view and understand her pain and suffering. I must say that the emotions are well described and it defiently is a amazing book. The only thing I would suggest is that it weren't a cliffhanger in every book because if you don't have the next book you'll be sad. I suggest for any future buyers to buy the first volume and second volume. So you'll have the first four books in your hand. ( )

I had somewhat high hopes for this book, as it appears to focus on a vampire who is at least genuinely tortured about his nature. We're even given tantalizing hints that he has killed for pleasure, and may again... But by the end of the first book, it is revealed that, like every other member of this new vampire revolution, he is a "good guy" who never slays without good reason and quenches his thirst with dove blood. Boring!

Extra points for at least showing him mid-feeding, his face a gory mess of blood. Twilight is always coy about those scenes. ( )

These books were not my favourites. I read them because of the new TV series that is out but I have to say I like the TV series way more. The books tend to drag things out. I give these books 2 out of 5 ( )

The first two volumes of this series is about a girl named Elena. Elena falls in love with the seemingly mysterious Stefan. Of course, he has every reason to shroud himself in mystery. He is a vampire, one who loathes himself more than everything else. Well, almost everything; if you count out his brother Damon. They hate each other more than anything, because of a girl they had both lost. They point the finger at one another and promise to kill each other. Now-to make things even more refreshing- Elena looks startlingly like the deceased girl. Elena will do whatever it takes to have Stefan. Damon will do anything to get Elena. See a pattern here? Elena will soon find herself in more of a "pinch" than she ever imagined. I recommend this book to anyone who loves reading a complex and tragic love story that's stained with blood. ^.^ ( )

Anyone reading this book would be forgiven for thinking that it was rather derivative of a certain other one, (Twilight that is!). It even has an apple on the black cover ... Amazingly, it was published over ten years before Stephanie Meyer had even started hers. Understandingly, the publishers have jumped on the bandwagon with a new edition. I didn't discover it until I had already read Twilight though, so my thoughts about Smith's book can't help but but be influenced by the other.

The Vampire Diaries was originally written as a trilogy in 1991, and extended to 4 parts a year later. This edition contains parts 1 & 2. Smith is now adding another new trilogy to the series, and inbetween also created the 'Night World' series of novels featuring many different supernatural races.

Smith's heroine is beautiful and popular, and when a new boy Stefan comes to school, she just has to have him. Sure enough he's a vampire with an evil older brother Damon. Back in the Renaissance they both loved the same woman, who became vampire and then when they forced her to choose between them, she took both, but Stefan still thinks she really loved him before she died. Elena reminds him of her - so they're made for each other. Then nasty things start to happen in this little town - there's a big black crow always around, then people get scared in the old ruined church, and an old guy is killed under bridge over the river. Then at the school's Halloween Haunted House party, someone dies - all fingers point to Stefan, but we know that Damon lives and he wants what his brother wants ...

Arguably, more happens than in Twilight, however I found the Vampire Diaries rather ordinary and humourless, somewhat full of stereotypes and also lacking the former's subtlety. Also, for a book with the word 'Diaries' in the title, the few diary pages included were strangely uninvolving to me. I would describe the book(s) as competent, and fans of her Night World series will surely enjoy these vampires. ( )