The astonishing first book that kicked off the number 1 international bestselling Vampire Academy series. Entertainment Weekly 'Humorous, kick-ass, action-packed. ' The Guardian ONLY A TRUE BEST FRIEND CAN PROTECT YOU FROM IMMORTAL ENEMIES . . . 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. 'Vampire Academy heroine Rose Hathaway is a combination of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angelina Jolie in Tomb Raider. ' The Seattle Times ' Richelle Mead brings new blood to the vampire genre. - Vampire Academy (Book 1) By Richelle Mead