As the supernatural romance genre has skyrocketed in the last decade or so, you must be looking for your next series to drag you in and make you feel like a part of something bigger than yourself.
The protagonist is the dhampir Rosemarie “Rose” Hathaway, who is studying to become Vasilisa “Lissa” Dragomir’s guardian.
While studying strigoi combat at St. Vladimir’s Academy, Rose discovers herself entangled in an illicit relationship with her teacher, Dimitri Belikov, while forging an unbreakable bond with Lissa.
In 2014, the first book was adapted into a film and in 2022 the entire series was adapted into a television show for fans to watch their characters come to life on screen.
However, one issue you may run into is knowing what order to read the books.
Below is a guide on how to read all 12 of the Vampire Academy Bloodline books in the right order!
About Vampire Academy Bloodline Books
The entire Vampire Academy books series is focused on Rose Hathaway and Lissa Dragomir as they battle against the Strigoi and the struggles of being a teenager in a supernatural world.
Lissa Dragomir is a Morio princess with a powerful gift of harnessing the magic of the Earth.
And she must be protected from the dangers of the world, the Strigoi.
Rose Hathaway has both vampire and human blood coursing through her veins making her a great dhampir (vampire protector). And most importantly, she is Lissa’s best friend.
She is dedicated to being the best dhampir to protect her best friend, but when she begins to fall in love with her instructor, Dimitri Delikov, can she protect her friend from the evils of the world?
Vampire Academy Books In Order
Now that we have the overall consensus of the story of these two best friends, we can begin to take a deeper look into each book and the order in which they should be read.
Rose and Lissa are captured after two years of freedom and taken back to St. Vladimir’s Academy, where vampire royalty and their future guardians prepare for a life of peril.
Lissa and Rose must navigate their dangerous world while maintaining constant vigilance lest the terrible undead permanently adopts Lissa as one of them.
However, soon after, Rose is overcome by the seduction of forbidden love, leaving Lissa vulnerable to a Strigoi attack.
She now has to decide between the man she can’t live without and her best friend, for whom she lives to protect.
Pros
Character Introduction: Being the first book in the series, you are given a first look at each character and who they are.
Writing Style: Mead has mastered the art of writing for a young adult as this book is easy to follow and has great structure.
Cons
Moroi & Strigoi: It can be difficult to differentiate between the Moroi and the Strigoi as both are vampires.
Christmas is on the horizon and Rose would rather be anywhere else than at St. Vladimir’s.
With the school on high alert after a recent Strigoi attack, the Academy is swarmed with Guardians.
And one of the best is Rose’s less-than-warming mother, Janine Hathaway.
With her mother watching her every move, literally, Rose is knocked down once again as her crush and instructor, Dmitri begins to show interest in someone else.
Mason, Rose’s close friend is beginning to show his crush on Rose.
Meanwhile, Rose is stuck in Lissa’s head as she makes out with her boyfriend, Rose is having a less than wonderful time.
In an attempt to escape the dangerous Strigoi, three pals are abducted, and Rose and Christian must work together to save them.
But bravery almost never comes without a cost.
Pros
Plot Line Development: Characters are given a new mission to save those they love most, keeping everything at high stakes.
Romance: While Rose is still in love with Dmitri, the addition of new love interests moves their romance along.
Mystery: Readers are left clutching the end of their seats in suspense about what the Moroi are going to do next.
Cons
Description: Mead appears to have gone overboard with the descriptive writing in this book making it slow in some areas of the book.
Themes: Mean girl, mystery, hero vs villain, romance, lust, suspense, mother-daughter, friendship.
After the winter break incident, Rose cannot wait to graduate in a few months. And since Mason’s death, she is struck with flashbacks at the most unfortunate of times.
She needs to find a way to deal with losing a friend or lose her hopes of freedom from St, Vlads.
However, Rose is keeping something else buried deep inside. Her crush on Dmitri has grown into love and she is not prepared to do something about it.
Dimitri is taken when Strigoi attacks the academy in the bloodiest Moroi attack in history.
At all costs, Rose must keep Lissa safe, yet doing so could result in Dimitri’s permanent loss.
Pros
Love: Rose’s crush on Dmitri has bloomed and readers get to see true emotions from the dhampir.
Religion: Religion is seen as a comfort. With various religions being mentioned throughout the book, many readers can relate and find comfort.
Action: With Dmitri being taken, Rose is forced to protect Lissa and her true skills are put into practice.
Cons
Lissa: Lissa shows less than appropriate appreciation for Rose saving her life time and time again. Her character is given more of a bratty attitude which readers may find frustrating.
After the recent Strigoi attack, the Moroi are tending to their wounds and grieving their loss. However, Rose has something more pressing on her mind.
Dmitri is still gone.
Rose is now forced to decide between following her life’s commitment to protecting Lissa, the sole surviving princess of Dragomir, and leaving the Academy to venture out on her own and find the man she loves.
To find Dimitri and fulfill the commitment he urged her to maintain, she will have to search the entire planet.
But the real question is whether he will still want her assistance when the time comes.
Rose and Lissa are alone and vulnerable, but can she still find the strength to destroy the one she loves?
Pros
Friendship: Rose and Lissa’s friendship is put to the test as they navigate this terrifying and dangerous world.
Action: Rose is on her own when it comes to protecting Lissa, and she is finally able to show that she is capable.
Plot Line: With more focus on Rose and Dimitri, romance lovers can really dig their teeth in.
Cons
Ending: The ending may not hold all the answers readers are expecting which can make this installment less than exciting.
Themes: Life or Death, broken promises, abandonment, heartache, suspense, violence.
Rose is finally on St.Vladimir grounds and is reunited with her best friend, Lissa.
And with graduation just around the corner, the pair are ready for freedom beyond the gates.
Filled with excitement, Rose can’t help but long for Dmitri.
When she had the chance to kill him, she chose not to, and now her worst nightmares are going to come true.
She knows in her heart that Dimitri is after her because he has tasted her blood. If Rose doesn’t follow him, he won’t stop until he has permanently silenced her.
With the promise of dark magic in the back of her mind, Rose has to have a watchful eye over the princess and decide if true love is really worth losing everything.
Pros
Action: This book is filled with action and suspense right from the beginning. Rose has a new beau and Lissa is ready for a new mission.
Hope: With graduation on their minds, the girls are ready for their future to begin.
Character Development: Lissa is given the spotlight to show her growth and development throughout the series.
Cons
Pacing: Mead seems to pack all the action into the beginning of the book, leaving the ending slow and moral confusion heavy on the reader’s mind.
Bloodlines introduces us to Sydney, an Alchemist tasked with using her magic to connect the worlds of humans and vampires.
Protecting secrets and saving lives is no easy feat.
Since her last contact with vampires, Sydney’s loyalty is being questioned, especially when it is discovered that she has a rather unusual alliance with Rose Hathaway.
When Queen Lissa Dragomir’s younger sister, Jill, is sent into hiding, Sydney is posted as her protector.
Placed in a human boarding school, Sydney battles her moral struggles to keep her reputation intact.
However, both are oblivious to the trouble brewing right in their school…
Pros
Introduction: You are introduced to a new line of characters and plotlines within an already-established world.
Audience: This series can be read without reading the first series.
Still detailing the aftermath of a forbidden moment, Sydney finds herself once again in the middle of something when she meets Marcus Finch.
A former Alchemist, Marcus is ready to teach Sydney the true reason behind the Alchemist’s plans. Will she be able to break free from their hold?
She carries a powerful ancient magic that is shrouded in mystery.
She also knows that her only chance is to embrace her magical blood because if she doesn’t, she might be the next target of the wicked magic user who is hunting down strong young witches.
Pros
Romance: Fan favorite Adrien is once again showing his charm.
Plot Line: The storyline for the Bloodline series really thickens in this book.
Magic: Magic becomes a factor in the series and introduces new possibilities.
Cons
Loyalties. With conflicting loyalties, it can be confusing and muddled.
With everything torn to shreds, Sydney and Adrian fight to put things back together. Although, survival may come first.
Sydney’s life becomes a daily fight to maintain her identity and the memories of those she loves since she is trapped and surrounded by enemies.
Adrian fights to maintain optimism despite those who tell him Sydney is hopeless, but the fight is difficult as he is being overtaken by both old demons and fresh temptations.
Pros
Engaging: Emotions are high for both the characters and the readers in this installment.
Action: The last portion of the book is filled with action and suspense.
Cliffhanger: The last chapter gives a hint of what is to come.
Cons
Plot Line: The plot focuses more on romance than action making it less exciting than others.
Sydney and Adrian are forced to deal with the anger of both the Moroi and the Alchemists once their secret relationship is revealed.
When someone they both care about is in danger, Sydney sacrifices everything to find a dangerous former foe.
She and Adrian become involved in a mystery that may hold the solution to a startling revelation regarding spirit magic, a revelation that might rock the entire Moroi universe and change their lives for good.
Pros
Completion: The series is brought to a complete end.
Characters: Old characters give readers the closure they need.
Romance: Adrian and Sydney get the ending they deserve.
Cons
The End: The Vampire Academy series has to come to a complete end.
There you have it! You can now read all 12 of the Vampire Academy Bloodlines series in order.
Enjoy meeting Rose and Lissa as they grow into strong, independent women before joining Sydney as she discovers love and unearths the secret everyone is so desperate to keep hidden from the world.
These action-packed stories are so much more than fighting scenes.
Romance, friendship, and most importantly, self-growth are all dominating themes throughout the series and show that even in times of great despair, there is strength to be found.
Start with Vampire Academy and complete the series with The Ruby Circle for the full experience of reading this captivating series!
Frequently Asked Questions
Should Vampire Academy Be Read Before Bloodlines?
Yes, reading Vampire Academy first is required; otherwise, Bloodlines won’t be nearly as good.
What Age Group Is the Vampire Academy series for?
The Vampire Academy series is graded a PG-13. Meaning children 13 and above can enjoy the series without any worry about inappropriate themes or dialogue.
Noah Burton works as a Librarian full time, and is a blogger in his spare time. His goal is to write compelling recommendations for all of the most popular books he can find, from science fiction to romance.
With a passion for books, a drive to find new reads to get stuck into, and a love for sharing book recommendations with others, Noah can help you find the next novel for your bucket list.
