Vampire Academy Books 1-4 by Richelle Mead

If you haven't read the series yet and plan on doing so, you may not want to read the summaries past book one, as some major plot spoilers are contained within.

Vampire Academy:

St Vladimir's Academy isn't just any boarding school-it's a hidden place where vampires are educated in the ways of magic and half-human teens train to protect them. Rose Hathaway is a Dhampir, a bodyguard for her best friend Lissa, a Moroi Vampire Princess. They've been on the run, but now they're being dragged back to St Vladimir's-the very place where they're most in danger...

Rose and Lissa become enmeshed in forbidden romance, the Academy's ruthless social scene, and unspeakable night-time rituals. But they must be careful lest the Strigoi - the world's fiercest and most dangerous vampires - make Lissa one of them forever.

Frostbite:

Rose loves Dimitri, Dimitri might love Tasha, and Mason would die to be with Rose.

It's winter break at St. Vladimir's, but Rose is feeling anything but festive. A massive Strigoi attack has put the school on high alert, and now the Academy's crawling with Guardians, including Rose's hard-hitting mother, Janine Hathaway. And if hand to hand combat with her mom wasn't bad enough, Rose's tutor Dimitri has his eye on someone else, her friend Mason's got a huge crush on her, and Rose keeps getting stuck in Lissa's head while she's making out with her boyfriend, Christian! The Strigoi are closing in, and the Academy's not taking any risks.This year, St. Vlad's annual holiday ski trip is mandatory.

But the glittering winter landscape and the posh Idaho resort only create the illusion of safety. When three friends run away in an offensive move against the deadly Strigoi, Rose must join forces with Christian to rescue them. But heroism rarely comes without a price.

Shadow Kiss:

Is Rose's fate to kill the person she loves most? It's springtime at St. Vladimir's Academy, and Rose Hathaway is this close to graduation. Since Mason's death, Rose hasn't been feeling quite right. She has dark flashbacks in the middle of practice, can't concentrate in class, and has terrifying dreams about Lissa. But Rose has an even bigger secret ... .She's in love with Dimitri. And this time, it's way more than a crush.

Then Strigoi target the academy in the deadliest attack in Moroi history, and Dimitri is taken. Rose must protect Lissa at all costs, but keeping her best friend safe could mean losing Dimitri forever...

Blood Promise:

Just days before graduating from St. Vladimir's Academy, guardian-in-training Rose travels to Siberia to drive a stake into the heart of the boy she loves, the monstrous vampire Dimitri.

I was hesitant to start reading this series, because to be quite honest I was fairly certain I had exhausted myself when it came to vampire literature. Don't get me wrong, I love me some great vampire stories especially when they involve romance, but I felt like I needed a break from it all. However, once I started reading these novels, I couldn't stop. They're fast paced, fun, and highly addictive.

Vampire Academy and the novels that follow it tell a great love story, but it offers so much more than that. The series explores not only romantic relationships, but the character's important relationships with their parents and friends as well. The bond between Rose and Lissa is fascinating and very important to the story. I loved reading about how their bond worked, and how it came to be. Thrilling stuff! The characters in the book are strong. I love Rose's kick ass, take charge attitude. And if you're into characters whose hotness just leaps off the page, look no further. Move over Edward Cullen, Dimitri and Christian are some of the hottest Characters I've ever had the pleasure of reading.

There are quite a few story lines taking place at once throughout the series, and I really liked that! The pace of the books never slowed, and while there was always something big happening, it was never too much. It was just enough to sweep the reader away in a tale of passion, excitement, intrigue, and hot vampire action!