I was IN LOVE with the vampire diaries books...except this one. Everyone's reviews are true. It seems that author has forgotten the characters we love so much in the 90s. Elena has gotten annoying, not that she wasn't at the beginning because the golden girl who always gets her way is usually a character most people dislike but Elena in this spoiled rotten, she has someone how become not just the most important person of the town but she may be the most unique person in the world? Give me a break. Another thing that I didn't like was the splintering off of the Bonnie Damon story line because I believe the she could have changed him, more than Elena attempted to.

As far as style of the novel goes, I found this hard to read. I was not glued to it like I usually am with books and the thoughts were somehow jumbled to the point where it almost made more sense just to read ever few sentences.

Sorry but this book failed. Hopefully the part 2 will redeem the series. For not though I'm perfectly content with the TV series. ( )

Disclaimer: I read this on my phone and will not be downloading another one to that particular application. I don't know if it was skipping sentences, paragraphs or entire pages, but I missed something. I tried not to let this impact my overall opinion of the book, but who knows? In addition, if you haven't read the first four books in the series, there may be spoilers. You have been warned.

The fact is, I was not impressed with the latest foray to Fell's Church. I was upset with bringing Elena back from the death in the first place. I thought her death was so unexpected and so brilliant that bringing her back negates that completely and utterly. And then to bring her back even more powerful and superior? Seriously? Why? What makes Elena Gilbert so fantastic that she has to have everything? And since I'm going down this road, why does the heroine have to be blonde-haired and blue-eyed? Haven't we gone far enough away from these cliches of true beauty?

I have two major issues that I've never been able to shake. First of all, Elena is just not very enjoyable a character, in my opinion. She's shallow and self-absorbed. I detest the descriptions that she was born to manipulate others, especially men, and takes great pride in that ability. It is not an endearing characteristic. Second, I do not quite buy the love story. The intensity of it feels wrong, or at least forced. As a result, it makes all of Elena's actions seem forced as well.

As for this book, the voices seemed wrong. If I did not know any better, I would swear that she was writing dialogue for completely different characters. Damon wasn't the Damon I've come to know and love. Stefan wasn't Stefan. It was almost as if Ms. Smith forgot her characters, who they were and how they spoke.

I did not enjoy the plot. Hell demons and malach? The story jumped around so much that it felt like continuity was seriously lacking. I had difficulties figuring out what was happening and to whom. I found the plot itself difficult to follow, or at least to understand. In the end, I was left wondering why Ms. Smith felt the need to revisit these characters after so many years. Given the timing of it, I can't help but feel that it was purely a commercial decision rather than one made as a writer. It felt at times as if she was going through the motions and threw the story line together at the last minute, which may indeed explain several of the weak links.

I know this is going to do well among fans, especially considering the fact that the TV show is doing so well. Unfortunately, I do not think this is a well-written, well-plotted, continuation to the series. In fact, as much as I raced through the first four books, I think I am done with the Vampire Diaries as a series. I no longer care what happens to any of the characters, which is a shame because I loved the freshness of the first four. However, I am curious what others think. Have you read it yet? Thoughts? Am I alone in my dislike? ( )

I was not as impressed with this book as I had been with the first books in this series. And to tell the truth, I really wish I had not started this one and just left this series by reading the first boks only. This is sad too, because I really enjoyed the first books - and this one, I expected it to be just as good of a read...and I didn't think it was. The other thing is, I thought this would sum up the whole story - but it leaves you knowing that there is more to come in this series, no real ending - at least that's what I feel like after spending almost 2 months trying to read this one. Sorry. ( )

After almost 17 years, L.J. Smith has returned to the Vampire Diaries series. This continuation picks up where the last book left off, with Elena, a high school girl, and Stefan, her vampire love-interest, reunited after her death and return from the spirit world. Elena has transformed into an angelic creature with powers of Light, which also make her the target for the supernatural residents of Fell's Church. Damon, Stefan's vampiric brother, is still drawn to Elena, but so are a pair of kitsune twins.

This book is a clunky continuation of a popular series and, because there are vampires and it has a new TV show, it will most likely be a highly-requested title. The language is dated and the characters are beyond unrealistic. While the original storyline ended in 1992, this book takes place in the present, which means the author works in many unnecessary references to technology like mobile phones and laptop computers. Elena's transformation is awkward; she has become an "innocent being," but the other characters must struggle with her flying around, Tinkerbell-like, without clothes and often kissing people to recognize them. This book misses the appeal of the earlier series. There are so many better vampire/supernatural books out there - do your collection a favor and skip it. ( )

I find the series is getting a little too ... weird I guess. ( )