Richelle Mead's Vampire Academy, the first book in a series of the same name, was excellent. After running away from school, Lissa, a Moroi princess, and her unofficial guardian/best friend, Rose, are caught and forced to return to St. Vladimir's Academy. There, the two girls must figure out who's after Lissa, all while trying to navigate a high school filled with vampires.
I loved this book; I especially enjoyed how Mead wrote Rose as a strong female character that seemed like a real teenager instead of an invincible savior. The one criticism I have for this book is that the high school drama played too much of a role in this story and limited the development of more exciting storylines. Overall, this novel's concept and execution were fantastic; I just wish it focused less on trivial drama. 4.5 stars.