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So, I just got through the first book... I liked it quite a bit. I think I'll be finishing this series.

It had quite a cliffhanger ending, but I think I'll try and wait out the second book until I finish up another book. The books are short and I want to make them last.

Any other people read these books before? Thoughts?

P.S. The books are light years different than the TV show...

Well, there was a time when just about all things involving vampires would grab my interest, but I was about thirteen. And then fourteen. When I was fifteen I had lost most interest in vampires, but wasn't shunning them entirely. Now, I am expanding my horizons and reading more supernatural books, good or bad, whether or not they have anything to do with vampires. I may read the series, simply because I like knowing things, and... it's there. I will sometimes read things simply because they exist.
This may not be my kind of story, so if I do end up reading it, it would be some time in the future after I get finished with more of the stuff I've been wanting to read for a while. Can't guarantee anything, though.

I've never read them, and they really haven't been high on my radar for books to read.... but you never say whether you think they're good. What are your opinions on it?

Well, I've only read the first book so far. I rather enjoyed the first book, but that could change in later books.

NOTE: Since you want my full opinion, I'm going to go on a rather long rant, and compare it to what seems to be the most popular vampire saga out there right now... Twilight. Note once more that this is only judging from the first book, "The Awakening".

Overall, I say it's like a very stereotypical teenage girl/vampire romance, much like Twilight... but still, The Vampire Diaries does have more character development than Twilight does, and Stefan isn't a creepy stalker like Edward is... the creeper aspect of the story is left to his evil brother, Damon, so it's not like it's necessarily viewed as a "good" side of the romance.

Elena can be a bit annoying - especially when she just dumps poor Matt for some guy she really only likes for looks and mysteriousness (Stefan). Regardless, Matt seemed to handle it pretty well.... and Elena gradually got less annoying (I'll admit I'm still perturbed with her character about that, though). AND at least in the book, she had the decency to dump Matt *before* pursuing somebody else.

Elena's character also makes more sense than Bella's. Bella's character really isn't developed very well at all... And despite the fact that she's described as a normal-looking new girl, a lot of the guys in the first book are desperate to take her to a dance. Elena also has a lot of guys who want to take her to a dance, but she's also described as one who's very popular at school and extremely beautiful - makes much more sense, in realistic terms.

I rather like her two friends, Bonnie and Meredith. While Bonnie can be a tad... eccentric (to say the least)... at times, they play off of each other pretty well. It's also pretty neat to see how they all act when Elena enters the picture. They make a rather fun threesome.

The story of the Salvatore brothers' origin, as well as of their ex-love Katherine, is also a very intriguing point in the story... And how it all ties in with Elena makes me all the more curious as to how it turns out in the end.

So, overall, I say The Vampire Diaries is very much a teen/vamp romance that most people would imagine... much like Twilight. But the big difference: I personally like The Vampire Diaries better.

And contrary to what many people think - The Vampire Diaries is not a rip-off of Twilight. Twilight was originally published in 2005, but "The Awakening" (the first book in The Vampire Diaries) was published in 1991. So, it's actually a book that's been around for a few generations and has now returned to popularity.

Wow!

I think that I will go ahead and check out the first book, at least.... when I finish the batch I have right now! XD