Phantom (The Vampire Diaries: The Hunters #1) by "LJ Smith" 4/5 stars

Hey, guys!  So I just finished Phantom, the first book in the fourth Vampire Diaries spin-off that I'm still reading for some reason...  If you missed my first few reviews here they are.  Come back once you've caught up!

Original Vampire Diaries Series Review

Nightfall (The Return #1)

Shadow Souls (The Return #2)

Midnight (The Return #3)

Origins (Stefan's Diaries #1)

Bloodlust and The Craving (Stefan's Diaries 2-3)

The Ripper, The Asylum, and The Compelled (Stefan's Diaries 4-6)

Wow, that's a lot of books.  While I don't think these book deserve any more sequels, they keep coming, and, I guess, I keep reading them.

Phantom, and all of the other Vampire Diaries books, aren't really good nor bad.  They are simply decent, quick reads.  I would not go so far as to recommend them, but if you want to, I will not stop you, like I haven't yet stopped myself.

The Cover:

The Cover:

I did not expect much from this cover and didn't receive much.  It just shows half of a girls face (I'm not even sure which girl's!), as is with the tend for books aimed at teenage girls in this day and age.  Not a fan.

Official Description:

The past is never far. . . .
Elena Gilbert and her friends saved Fell’s Church from evil spirits bent on destroying it, but the town’s freedom came at a price: Damon Salvatore’s life.
Damon’s death changes everything. He and his vampire brother, Stefan, had been locked in a vicious battle for Elena’s heart. Now that he’s gone, Elena and Stefan can finally be together. So why can’t Elena stop dreaming of Damon?
As Elena’s feelings for Damon grow, a new darkness is brewing in Fell’s Church. Elena has been to hell and back, but this demon is like nothing she’s ever seen. Its only goal is to kill Elena and everyone she loves.

My Review:
It was much better than the Return series was. Whether this was because of the situation or the author-change, I don't know.  In case you didn't know, this book and all of the other Vampire Diaries related books from this point forwards are written by ghost-writers, AKA not LJ Smith.  She apparently got fired from writing her own books.  While I am outraged about this in principle, I'm ashamed to say that it was the right move for the series.  It was so much better than the train-wreck that was The Return.
Really, nothing has really changed character-wise.  Elena is irritating, everyone is jealous of each other, and love triangles and fights ensue.  This particular book had an interesting villain, though.  I'm not saying what it was because there is some mystery involved, but I think you guys will like it.

That's all for now.  With summer coming up though, do you guys have any recommendations for books to read?  Comment below with your favorites, and I'll try to read a bunch of them!

Phrase:
An unexpected graduation

Happy Reading!

The Ripper, The Asylum, and The Compelled (Stefan's Diaries #4, 5, and 6) by "LJ Smith", Kevin Williamson, and Julie Pec 3.5/5 stars

Hey, guys!  This is my last review installment for any Vampire Diaries book for the foreseeable future.  This is the second half of the Stefan's Diaries series, and now that I'm done, I'm going to move on for a while.  Just a warning, these will be exceptionally short reviews!

Have you missed my previous posts? Click on these links to read my review: Vampire Diaries (original), Vampire Diaries: The Return (Nightfall,  Shadow Souls, Midnight), Stefan's Diaries 1: Origins, Stefan's Diaries 3 and 4: Bloodlust and The Craving ADD A LINK TO THIS!!!!!!!!!!.

Now, if you're ready, let's start reviewing these three books.
Oh, and if you are wondering, I grouped these three Stefan's Diaries together because they formed a trilogy of sorts.  They all told the story of Damon and Stefan in London during the Jack the Ripper Era.

Book Four: The Ripper:

Official Description: 

Haunted by the past . . .

The year is 1888, and the scent of blood lingers heavy in the London air. Stefan Salvatore thought he could escape his violent origins by settling in the peaceful countryside of England, but when a heinous murderer named Jack the Ripper surfaces, Stefan fears darkness will always follow him. Drawn into the investigation, Stefan assumes the worst: This is the work of a vampire. And the more he learns, the more he becomes convinced that the killer is someone close to him—and that he can never outrun his past.
Based on the popular CW TV show inspired by the bestselling novels, Stefan’s Diaries reveals the truth about what really happened between Stefan, Damon, and Katherine—and how the Vampire Diaries love triangle began.

My Condensed Description:

Stefan assumes the murders in London were committed by Damon and decided the best move is to snoop around London.  Stefan meets Violet and tries to help her.

My Too-Short Review:

It wasn't quite as good as the others on this series, but it was still enjoyable.  I was mostly just disappointed that this book was about Jack the Ripper rather than "Ripper Stefan".  This book was just a bit whiny.  I'm not as interested in this storyline than I was in the plot of the previous three books.

Book Five: The Asylum:

Official Description:

The hunters become the hunted. . . .

Driven from their hometown of Mystic Falls, both Stefan Salvatore and his brother, Damon, arrived in Europe looking for a fresh start. But Samuel, a wealthy and cunning vampire, has other plans for them. First he ruined Stefan’s peaceful existence and now he’s framing Damon for the most gruesome murders London has ever seen.
United against their common enemy, Stefan and Damon are stunned when they realize that the source of Samuel’s rage lies in their past—tied up with the woman who forever changed their lives. Haunted by the memory of Katherine, the brothers find that their uneasy alliance is tested. Can they overcome their rivalry to defeat Samuel before he exacts his final revenge?
Based on the popular CW TV show inspired by the bestselling novels, Stefan’s Diaries reveals the truth about what really happened between Stefan, Damon, and Katherine—and how the Vampire Diaries love triangle began.

My Condensed Description:

Damon and Stefan argue amongst themselves while a vampire, Samuel, kills more girls.  Samuel frames Damon for these murders and creates a vendetta against Stefan and Damon that they, in turn, attempt to reciprocate.  Also, Stefan and Cora bond.

My Too-Short Review:

I have to admit that I don't like this Jack the Ripper storyline, which spans 3 books now as much as the early storylines. I hope they change soon! (They didn't.)  This book went a lot slower than the past ones have.  I don't believe they should've stretched this over three books.  Two books is pushing it.

Book Six: The Compelled:

Official Description:

Control or be controlled . . .
Stefan and Damon thought they knew evil. But nothing compares to Samuel, the ruthless vampire hell-bent on avenging Katherine's death by destroying the Salvatore brothers.
Reeling from Samuel's latest attack, Stefan and Damon find help in the most unlikely of places—a secret coven of witches. Together they discover Samuel's plan is more sinister than they ever could have imagined. Their only hope is to stop him before he secures the power to control humans and vampires alike. If they fail, not only Stefan and Damon but all of London will fall victim to Samuel's spell.
Based on the popular CW TV show inspired by the bestselling novels, Stefan's Diaries reveals the truth about what really happened between Stefan, Damon, and Katherine—and how the Vampire Diaries love triangle began. 

My Condensed Description:

Damon and Stefan finally band together to attempt to stop Samuel once and for all.  They recruit a few witches to help them on their mission, but things are more complicated then they appeared. There was a reason for Jack the Ripper's dismemberments, and it could lead to the end of London.

My Too-Short Review:

This was definitely better than the last two books in this series.  It had more action, a better plot, and more complex interactions between characters. 

Quote:

This was just too melodramatic not to include:
"But washing the dirt from my face did nothing to scrub the blackness from my soul" - The Ripper

Does anyone know if there will be anymore books in this series? Comment!

Happy Reading!

Follow me on twitter: @BookshelfSecret

Bloodlust and The Craving (Stefan's Diaries #2 and 3) by "LJ Smith", Kevin Williamson, and Jullie Pec 4.5/5 stars

Hey, guys! Just so you know, this will be a very short review.

I just read both Bloodlust and The Craving, sequels to Origin (LIIIIIINNNNNKKKKK) and part of the Vampire Diaries /  The Return  (Book 1  Book 2  Book 3) series.  I'm liking the series so far.  All of the books are action-packed, short and fun.  If a book is only 200-some pages, I don't tend to expect more than good characters and an actual plot, and you most certainly get that in these books. There are pretty good books that just breeze by.  I am by no means saying that they're the best books I've ever read, but if you just want some quick entertainment, go for this series.  It will probably exceed your expectations for a vampire book.
I also love it when books are set in the Victorian Era.  It just makes every interaction so scandalous! For example, "he just touched her hand in public! *gasp*"  This makes the book better for me, in the same way that it made The Infernal Devices better.  I'd recommend reading these books if you have a free day. They may be guilty pleasure books, but as long as there is still pleasure, why not?

P.S. These covers are just awful.  I'm so glad I'm not reading paperback copies so no one sees these covers and judges!

Happy Reading!

Visit me on Twitter: @BookshelfSecret

Origins (Stefan's Diaries #1) by "LJ Smith" and Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec 4.5/5 stars

Hey, guys! I decided to go down a different path from here on out in the Vampire Diaries series.  Let's ditch the awful writing of The Return series and the original Vampire Diaries series for something a bit different.  This is a book based on the Vampire Diaries TV show which was based on the Vampire Diaries books.  The reason I put LJ Smith in quotes is because, while her name is on the cover, she had no input in this book's writing process, and I'm grateful.
The Cover:

The Cover:
This is a boring cover.  End of story.  It has Stefan's face on it.  (Have I mentioned I hate the half-face on book covers? Because I do)

Official Description:

A love triangle that will span eternity… 

The year is 1864 and the Civil War rages on. But seventeen-year-old Stefan Salvatore is fighting a battle all his own. Engaged to marry someone he does not love, Stefan falls for a mysterious girl named Katherine. With her gleaming curls and mischievous brown eyes, Katherine is beautiful and seduction…but she also harbors a dark secret: She’s a vampire.Based on the popular CW TV show inspired by the bestselling novels, Stefan’s Diaries reveals what really happened between Stefan, Damon, and Katherine—and how the Vampire Diaries love triangle began.(Note: This book is written by a ghostwriter)

My Review:

This was infinitely better than the original Vampire a Diaries series and The Return series. Both of those series were decent at best and trash at worst. However, I really enjoyed Stefan's Diaries book one. 
My reasons:
1. Stefan is a much less irritating main character than Elena. He's just a strong character who I can relate to.
2. The writing style was much better than LJ Smith's (who didn't write this book).  
3. The plot was interesting and not stupid. 
This book was by no means that best book I've ever read, but it was much better than I expected. 

I got really involved in this books plot and felt for all of Stefan's difficulties throughout the story.

I would definitely recommend Origins to anyone really.  It's definitely more of a girl book than a guy book, but do what you want to do.

Quote:

"It was ironic that while I'd spent my entire life trying to get my father's approval, what made him happiest was an act that made me feel dead inside"

Phrase:

Oblong ball

Happy Reading, everyone!

Midnight (Vampire Diaries: The Return #3) by LJ Smith 3/5 stars

Hey, guys!  I know that I promised to give Vampire Diaries a break for a bit, but that didn't happen, I'm afraid.  If you haven't read my previous reviews, check them out: Vampire Diaries (original series) and Nightfall and Shadow Souls.

The Cover:

The Cover:
....Yeah.... I have no idea who is on the cover.  Is it Bonnie? This girl looks just plain evil so I doubt it.  Anyone know? Comment!

Official Description:
The devil you know . . .
With the help of charming and devious Damon, Elena rescued her vampire love, Stefan, from the depths of the Dark Dimension. But neither brother returned unscathed.
Stefan is weak from his long imprisonment and needs more blood than Elena alone can give him, while a strange magic has turned Damon into a human. Savage and desperate, Damon will do anything to become a vampire again, even travel back to hell. But what will happen when he accidentally takes Bonnie with him?
Stefan and Elena hurry to rescue their innocent friend from the Dark Dimension, leaving Matt and Meredith to save their hometown from the dangerous spirits that have taken hold of Fell's Church. One by one, children are succumbing to demonic designs. But Matt and Meredith soon discover that the source of the evil is darker and closer than they ever could have imagined. . . .

My Review:

What can I say about this book? It wasn't bad or good. It was probably a waste of time to read it, but for some bizarre reason, I haven't given up on this series yet. I think I'm holding out hope that it will miraculously get better? I know the next part is not written by the same author, and while I'm disgusted that LJ Smith got fired from her own books, I kinda hope it will re-jumpstart this series to at least the point of the first Vampire Diaries "series". Who knows? I think I'm definitely going to take a break for a while though. 

I just feel so offended when I read it. Seriously all of the girls literally FAINT at the sight of trouble. Elena is hopelessly playing with two boy's hearts. The villains are stupid. Elena has wings (I will never not be upset by that). And LJ Smith DOESN'T BOTHER TO USE TRANSITIONS!!! How can I possibly know what's going on if things happen with no explanation. I had to read entire pages like 7 times in order to figure out what on earth was going on. Honestly though, it was on par or maybe even better than the rest of The Return series (the others were bad with a single good moment while this book was simple Ehh... the whole time).  I think that this was partially because Elena was not as much the center of attention as she normally is. I'm not sure.
If you made it through the tragedy that was the rest of this series, go ahead and read Midnight.  If you are debating whether or not to read this section of the Vampire Diaries series, I would suggest you read a different book.

Phrase:
Virgin tears

Until next time, Happy Reading!

Shadow Souls (Vampire Diaries: The Return #2) by LJ Smith 3.5/5 stars

Hey, guys! Sorry about all of the Vampire Diaries books that I've been posting lately.  After this one, we'll get back on the normal schedule of me posting on books as I randomly read them!  If you haven't read my earlier reviews of this roller coaster of a series. This is my original Vampire Diaries series review and my review of Nightfall, the first in this series Go read those first since there may be spoilers ahead for those books.

The Cover:

The Cover: 

The cover just shows Damon's face.  It's really plain.  Though, I cannot tell if his face is the face of a model or if its computer generated.  Anyone know? Comment! Also, I think that the title doesn't make much sense.  There are no shadow souls involved in this book... Maybe its because they go into a shadows world and they are souls? It's a cool title but it doesn't make much sense in the context of the book.

Official Description:
On the run . . .
Elena Gilbert's love, the vampire Stefan Salvatore, has been captured and imprisoned by demonic spirits who are wreaking havoc in Fell's Church. While her friends Bonnie and Meredith explore the evil that has taken over their town, Elena goes in search of Stefan.
In order to find him, she entrusts her life to Stefan's brother, Damon Salvatore, the handsome but deadly vampire who wants Elena, body and soul. Along with her childhood friend Matt, they set out for the slums of the Dark Dimension, where Stefan is being held captive. It is rumored to be a world where vampires and demons roam free, but humans must live enslaved to their supernatural masters. . . .
Elena will stop at nothing to free Stefan. Yet with each passing day the tension between Elena and Damon grows, and she is faced with a terrible decision: Which brother does she really want?
Back in Fell's Church, Bonnie and Meredith have made some dire discoveries. They hastily try to follow Elena and warn her—only to be caught up in Elena's most dangerous adventure yet.

My Review: I struggled through this book at a start and stop pace for weeks. The first half was agonizing. It was just awful. The summary of the first half: Elena and Damon go on a road trip. It was just long and boring. Roughly 300 pages of driving along and complaining about various things. (Matt and Damon don't get along, Damon likes Elena, etc.)  The first half ranked a 2.5/5 star rating. However, one night I picked it up again and read the last half in almost a single sitting. The last half was probably a 4.5 star rating. It was exciting and the pace picked up considerably. There were cute moments and gut-wrenching moments. I'll definitely read the next book, and I'm glad that I gave Shadow Souls a chance, though I was considering permanently abandoning it. 
That being said, the problems still remained: boring side story in Fell's Church, irritating characters, long descriptions of dresses when your BOYFRIEND IS LITERALLY BEING TORTURED RIGHT NOW!!!, Elena has wings (I'm still not getting over that), and it has a title that makes no sense in the context of the book.
It was decent. If you made it through the trainwreck of Nightfall, go ahead and read it. If not, don't bother.

Phrase: 
That night at the motel...

Happy Reading!

Nightfall (Vampire Diaries: The Return #1) by LJ Smith 2/5 stars

Hey, guys! Earlier this week, I reviewed the original Vampire Diaries series, so now it is time to review the first book in the first rebooted series.  Just so you guys know, this series was written a decade after the original series and is very, very different.  For one, the writing style changes drastically (I had to check to make sure the same author wrote it since it was so different). Also, the book is twice as long as the original books.
While I absolutely despised this book, Nightfall, the sequel, Shadow Souls, was much better (though still not necessarily good)
The Cover:

The Cover:

While this is a boring cover, it is a lot more modern than the original Vampire Diaries's 90's covers. It shows Elena... staring.

Official Description:

The first book in a new trilogy from L. J. Smith!
Elena Gilbert is alive--again.
When Elena sacrificed herself to save the two vampire brothers who love her--the handsome, brooding Stefan and the sleek and dangerous Damon--she was consigned to a fate beyond death. Until a powerful supernatural force pulled her back.
Now Elena is not just human. She has powers and gifts that were bestowed on her in the afterlife. What's more, her blood pulses with an overwhelming and unique force that makes her irresistible to any vampire.
Stefan wants to find a way to keep Elena safe so that they can make a life together. Damon, however, is driven by an insatiable desire for power, and wants Elena to rule as his princess. When Stefan is lured away from Fell's Church, Damon seizes his chance to convince her that he is the brother she is meant to be with. . . .
But a darkness is infiltrating the town, and Damon, always the hunter, is now the hunted; he becomes the prey of a malevolent creature that can possess him at will, and who desires not just Elena's blood but her death.

My Review (taken from right after finishing Nightfall):

I'm not sure what happened to these books but I hated it. This was by far the worst book I've read in a long time. I expected it to be at least comparable to the other books in this series but no. This book was TWICE as long as the other books and THREE times as bad. 

It was a struggle to get through. First of all, it was as if the physics of the Vampire-Diaries-world randomly shifted. Now Elena can just randomly float and has wings? Seriously, what? And trees can now attack! And there are also these werefoxes because normal supernatural creatures aren't enough!Also, the characters all decided to get weird. Really weird. Stefan spent a lot of the book calling Elena his "little lovely love". To say that that creeped me out would be an understatement! You know what this book needed? TRANSITIONS! I was hopelessly lost in the plot at certain points. My timeline for Nightfall was warped beyond recognition. I was so disappointed in this book. In LJ Smith. In the publishing industry as a whole, since they allowed this book to be published without, as it seems, revisions. To be honest, I'll probably read the next book, but only in a last ditch effort to salvage the series, which I'm doubting can be saved at all. (UPDATE: While not necessarily saved, my opinion still has hope of recovering after finishing Shadow Souls)

I was disappointed in Nightfall.  I can't say that I would recommend it to anyone, but if you've already read the original Vampire Diaries and can survive 586 pages of disappointment, go for it.  I won't stop you.  Read Nightfall if you are curious, but be careful, your opinion of this series and these characters will probably plummet. 

Phrase:
Lovely love

PS After finishing this book, I went on a review reading rampage, where I discovered that I'm not the only person who hated this book.  In fairness, quite a few people rated it positively, as well, but the majority had some ranting review.  Just a word of advice, if you hate a book that you've read, go read angry reviews that others have written.  You will not regret it. 

Happy Reading!