Book Review: The Vampire Diaries: The Hunters

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.

The Vampire Diaries: The Hunters; Phantom picks up right where the last book left off.  Elena, Stefan, Bonnie, Matt, and Meredith all made it back to Fell’s Church and the actions of the kitsune’s has been erased.  It’s as if Elena never died.  She’s been stripped of her wings and is having a hard time adjusting to be normal.  But things aren’t normal.  Damon didn’t make it back to Fell’s Church and he’s dead.  It took him dying for Elena to know how she felt about him which makes it all the worst.  

 When the gang all heads out to the train station to meet up with Alaric, Meredith’s boyfriend, and his research partner Cecily Bonnie’s hand is cut by a mysterious rose and the name Cecily forms with her blood.  But what does this mean?  That she’s supposed to die which is what almost happens when she almost is drug by her scarf when it gets closed in the door of the train.  Luckily Stefan saves her but her scarf forms another name, Meredith’s.  It seems that Fell’s Church can’t catch a break and it’s up to Elena and her friends to save it yet again.  But without Damon is it even possible?  And what are the meanings behind the mysterious death roll?  On top of it all Elena’s five year old sister Margret seems to know that Elena had been gone.  The Vampire Diaries latest installment is full of love, heart break, action, and a super natural presence that is often missing from even the greatest fantasy books.

I Rate This Book

One of the things I love about these books is that I’m invested.  I have read all of them, from the original series to the newest, The Hunter’s therefore I truly care about these characters and what happens to them.  I love that Elena is so strong no matter what she’s been dealt, that Bonnie seems like the weakest link but in reality she’s the strongest because of the love for her friends, Matt is the wholesome all American guy, Stefan is a deep Italian Renaissance vampire who’s too moral to feed on humans, and Meredith is cool, calm, and collect always except when she’s practicing her bounty hunter kills.

*Spoiler Alert* I love that that the book goes back and forth between point of views.  I especially love that you, the reader, knows that Damon is in fact alive, and fighting to stay that way all the while everyone is mourning him.  My favorite thing about any book that does this is that you get a bigger insight on the story than even the characters have.

L.J. Smith is the author of the best selling books The Vampire Diaries, The Secret Circle, and The Nightworld.  The Vampire Diaries and The Secret Circle have been made into hit tv shows.  She lives in Northern California.  To learn more visit ljanesmith.net