The Stefan's Diaries are six novels based on the TV series, attributed to Lisa Jane Smith but actually ghostwritten. They tell Stefan and Damon's past since Katherine's arrival. As they were written during the series broadcast, some things differ, such as the story of the original Vampires. Interview with L.J. Smith part deux". Archived from the original on October 26, 2011 . Retrieved April 27, 2013. Maybe if I had read these as a young teen, I would have enjoyed them. I just don't think Vampire Diaries has adult appeal. One good thing about reading this series is that I have even more appreciation for today's young adult literature. These books are the perfect example of why I didn't read YA when I was a teen!

Elena: the girl who can have anyone finds herself in the middle of a love triangle . . . one that might turn deadly. This second book was better than the first. Had to be, since pretty much nothing happened in the first. Of course, the main character still carries a sense of petulance with her like a shadow, for no good reason. Damon is un-redeemably evil and unlikable, and so I was truly disappointed at the end when the author chose to make Elena a vampire (that was fine) and then make her magically fall in love with Damon instead, and also become more vague and bubbleheaded than she already was. If this author was more talented, she could have slowly brought the reader (and Elena) around to liking Damon more, and then created a legitimate love triangle. Instead she was like, "ooh, it would be cool if she loved Damon for a while. I will just magically make that happen with no explanation and neither character's personality will get in the way." Which means Elena's personality is basically erased (not that anyone would miss it). It's just, after a certain point, if you create a world and then ignore its principles, it ceases to be relevant.

Now, I can finally talk about the last couple of chapters. Yes, the scene where Elena drives her car of the bridge (accidently of course). Damon, on the other hand, is actually interesting. He's unpredictable. He may do some good things, but he's still definitely evil. There's a lot of potential there for a sexy doomed attraction between him and Elena, but so far I don't think it has been well executed, unfortunately. Once again, Elena's feelings are just explicitly stated rather than shown through scene. It's weird because I thought that the mutual attraction in Smith's The Forbidden Game series was actually shown well, so I don't know what's going on here... Not bad, not great. I will probably give the next book in line a try just to see if it improves..... This felt a little bit too much like a vamped out version of “Mean Girls”, and I didn’t really get into the story or care about any of the characters at all. They’re all so selfish, juvenile, and petty, and okay, I get that it’s a young adult series, but it felt really immature and teen angsty to me, waaay more so than Twilight. Bella at least is an identifiable, lovable heroine with insecurities, awkwardness, and compassion, but Elena in Vampire Diaries is the rich, spoiled, perfect, popular, blonde, reigning queen of the school, who only seems to want aloof, brooding, mysterious, new guy in school Stefan just to prove that she can have whoever and whatever she wants. And there wasn’t enough (any) relationship building between Elena and Stefan to make me really give a hoot about them; so when dark, dangerous Damon comes to wreak total havoc, I was just glad that it finally spiced things up a bit, ‘cause I was honestly rather bored with the story. The Hunters: Phantom is the starting novel of a new arc, this time written by a ghostwriter. It begins with Meredith Sulez's fiancé-to-be Alaric Saltzman returning from Japan with a fellow researcher Celia Conner. Since the Guardians changed the realities of Fells Church (so that all the evil that Klaus, Katherine, and the kitsune twins committed never happened), Elena is no longer dead and she is able to see her Aunt Judith and her sister Margaret again. Alaric and Celia arrive by train just after her name is mysteriously spelled out in blood. Other names begin to appear first Meredith, then Damon, Bonnie, Elena and Matt. Damon manages to escape from the Dark Dimension after it is revealed that the embers of the star-ball Elena destroyed revived him after his death in The Return: Midnight. Stefan begins to suspect Caleb Smallwood (Tyler Smallwood's cousin) of committing the crimes after he finds out that he still remembers the original timeline with Klaus and Katherine. Stefan tries to kill Caleb but is unsuccessful because Elena intervenes. Stefan and Meredith interrogate Caleb only to realize that he was not causing the accidents around Fell's Church. Simultaneously the bodies of Matt, Bonnie, and Elena have all been taken into the Dark Dimension where Damon is trying to hunt the villain. Damon reveals that the monster is an Original Phantom and that it feeds on your emotions the same way a vampire feeds on blood. After the Phantom is summoned to Fells Church, Alaric tries to use old magic to cast the phantom out, but the Phantom is able to play on peoples minds and forces Stefan and Damon to battle. They eventually cast the Phantom out after revealing all of their jealousies and burning down the garage in the process. They prepare to attend Dalcrest college in the coming fall.

Elena Gilbert is a popular girl in high-school and she always gets what she wants. Boys want to be with her, girls hate her, or want to be her best friends. And when this new boy Stefan comes into town, all mysterious, Elena wants him. But Stefan is hiding a deadly secret that Elena might now be ready for just yet. And her life, as well as the life of everyone living in Fell's Church is in grave danger... Elena finds herself between two brothers - one who came for a new life, and the other, who came for revenge... There was supposed to be action/suspense, but I didn't think it ever got that exciting. The author isn't that great of a writer (I've heard from those who have read her stuff that in the later books her writing improves) but I found Elena's diary entries too angsty "I can't bear the thought of losing him","we didn't touch each other much-we didn't-but we talked and looked at each other a lot. I want to touch him. More than any boy I've ever known." There's also a point where the bad brother vampire Damon refers to Elena as a "beauteous damsel"-beauteous?? Ooh-you really seem scary now!! In the second book, Elena is a touch more palatable, but that might have been because the story as a whole got marginally better, leaving less time (but still ample, believe me) for Elena to wax poetic about the unexplainable love for Stefan that seemingly flourished after one kiss.LMAO I COMPLETELY FORGOT I HAD READ THIS BEFORE, look I read it so long ago that my review differentiates between "Netflix Instant" and my "Netflix discs"!!! an adorable time capsule. There had been too much fear, too many blows tonight. She could react no longer. She could only stare up at him with a kind of wonder." / "He laughed shortly, without humor, and saw her flinch. It made him hate himself more." Elena is an uptight snobby girl who gets what ever she wants and when she doesn't she pouts like a 2 year old out to get revenge and sneak in her mothers pantry to steal chocolate!

The Struggle continues where The Awakening ends; Elena is looking to talk to Damon, knowing that he has something to do with Stefan's disappearance. There was nothing to lead them up to there romance. Elena thought of him as a challenge and for Stefan, Elena just reminded him of a girl he use to love... The Shadow Souls Twin Fox Ring Contest and Lots More". Ye Olde Blog by L.J. July 19, 2012 . Retrieved April 27, 2013.The Struggle is the continuation of the Vampire Diaries Series by L.J. Smith. The second book that features the life of popular girl Elena Gilbert and her endeavors with the mysterious vampire brothers Stefan and Damon Salvatore. Stefan - the mysterious new guy in school. The guy that tries to stay away from the girl he really wants because he's a danger to her. A little bit of Twilight vibes, but we can get past that. Because there is one thing that Twilight didn't have, that you can find reading The Vampire Diaries... What it boiled down to for me: A teen vampire novel populated with obnoxious, under-developed characters and a plot that just screams "OH LOOK AT ME AND MY DRAMA QUEEN SELF!" I wish we saw more chapters with Bonnie and Meredith. Even though best friends, it didn't feel like they were too involved in the story. We didn't get to know them properly and it has already been two books. I really hope book three will let us meet these two characters better.

and if you know who Paul Denton is I’ll freaking marry you (apologies in advance for providing my current spouse with any unwanted brother-husbands). Alone, it would have probably gotten a 2.5 star.... up until that ending!!! I did not see that coming. Props for that! So an extra 1/2 star shall be added. I like Damon, at least he's consistent as the "bad guy" in the book. His character is very sexy and very mysterious. In 2020 I finally got around to watching the show on Netflix (instant). Also recording a podcast about it.And I love L.J. Smith, guys.... I do! I've read her Nightworld series many, many times... and her Dark Visions has one of my favourite love interests of all time..... Gabriel *swoons* :D. So hating these bothered me, A LOT, and not just because I love the show!! I either read an interview or saw one with Stephenie Meyer who remarked that she got her plot to Twilight from a dream that she once had. After having read this, I can say in all certainty that if she got the idea from a dream, it was at some point after reading this series. Look no further for her source material, here it is. Stephen Salvatoreis the new transfer student at Mystic Falls and with his good looks, reserved attitude, and secretive nature everyone there seems to fall under his spell, that is of course until the sexy steadfast Damon Salvatore comes to steal Stephen's fame. However, though they appear to be the normal fighting brothers underneath the service lies something no one in Mystic Falls is prepared for, will only destruction and chaos from these to dangerously handsome brothers or will it be them who saves the day. Elena is our spoiled, popular, idiotic MC.... and I hate her, she gets everything she ever wants! She has no compassion and is completely self absorbed - how is this different than any other teenage girl you ask? She is the embodiment of all that times ten!! I HATE her!!