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The Awakening / The Struggle (Vampire Diaries, Books 1-2) [Paperback]

L. J. Smith
3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (242 customer reviews)

List Price: $9.99
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Book Description

June 26, 2007

Elena: the golden girl, the leader, the one who can have any boy she wants.

Stefan: brooding and mysterious, he seems to be the only one who can resist Elena, even as he struggles to protect her from the horrors that haunt his past.

Damon: sexy, dangerous, and driven by an urge for revenge against Stefan, the brother who betrayed him. Determined to have Elena, he'd kill to possess her.

Collected here in one volume for the first time, volumes one and two of The Vampire Diaries, the tale of two vampire brothers and the beautiful girl torn between them.


Frequently Bought Together

The Awakening / The Struggle (Vampire Diaries, Books 1-2) + The Fury and Dark Reunion (The Vampire Diaries) + Nightfall (The Vampire Diaries, The Return, Vol. 1)
Price for all three: $26.66

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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

L. J. Smith has written a number of bestselling books and series for young adults, including The Vampire Diaries (now a hit TV show), The Secret Circle, The Forbidden Game, Night World, and the #1 New York Times bestselling Dark Visions. She is happiest sitting by a crackling fire in a cabin in Point Reyes, California, or walking the beaches that surround that area.


Product Details

  • Paperback: 512 pages
  • Publisher: HarperTeen (June 26, 2007)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 006114097X
  • ISBN-13: 978-0061140976
  • Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.3 x 1.2 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (242 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #14,394 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Let's see, I've known that I wanted to be a writer since I was about six, when a teacher praised a horrible poem I'd written. I wrote my first book in high school, finishing it in my first year of college. Then I became a special ed teacher before I was able to become a writer full-time. That's about it!

Amazon Author Rankbeta 

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#35 in Books > Teens
#35 in Books > Teens

Customer Reviews

The characters were not well developed and the storyline was not so interesting. A. R. Goldstein  |  39 reviewers made a similar statement
A definite cliffhanger at the end so be prepared that you'll want to purchase the next book fast! kristinasparkles16  |  16 reviewers made a similar statement
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
133 of 147 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars What Twilight Wishes it Could Be September 6, 2008
Format:Paperback
The Vampire Diaries is darker than Smith's other books, but every bit as enjoyable and entertaining. The dark edge actually allows for a wider audience... I vividly recall when, over ten years ago, I noticed my copy of The Awakening was missing from my bookshelf, only to find it in my 27 year old brother's room!

To be quite blunt, IMO, Vampire Diaries is what Twilight wishes it could be (sorry, Twilighters, don't kill me!).

As always, Smith is very skilled at showing the depth of her characters. The lead heroine, Elena, is beautiful and the most popular girl in school, but she silently doubts herself and the life she's made for herself so far. She doesn't know where she belongs. As the story continues, she grows as a character as she realizes how much the people in her life mean to her, and how much she is willing to give up in order to protect them.

Stefan, the vampire and romantic interest of Elena, is self-loathing and blind to his own good heart. He lives off of animals, and even then feels guilty when he accidently kills his prey. This conflict with himself only deepens when Elena enters his life, and he is convinced he doesn't deserve her love. Yet, despite this, Stefan fights for what he believes is right, even if it's against his own brother, Damon.

To complete the little triangle, we have Damon, who is also a vampire (and my favorite character... Damon = *swoon*). Damon is snarky, cold, handsome, and darkly hilarious. He knows what he is and he doesn't apologize for it. He also knows what he wants, and that happens to be Elena. But don't write Damon off as a one-dimensional character...
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53 of 58 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Dark and Beautiful (Titles Are Hard to Think Of) July 10, 2007
Format:Paperback
This is one of those books that stick with you long after you've read it. I first picked up the Vampire Diaries 15 years ago when it was first published. Needless to say, because I'm writing a review here, I still adore the books. The novel is beautifully written, with characters I genuinely care about. Sure, my opinion of the characters have changed over time, mainly my impressions of Stefan and Elena... but they're still friends I enjoy visiting . I've reread this series a number of times. In a nutshell, its about finding love and acceptance despite outward appearance. A lot of this book is based on friendship and societal roles. It's a lot like Romeo and Juliet, had Romeo not died, but lived on, waiting to be whole again, never forgiving himself for the mistakes of the past. I like this story because the characters are so multi-dimensional, the world lush and exotic. EXCELLENT book. Don't skip it!

My main concern will be people who see parallels to the Buffy the Vampire Slayer universe. This one came first, and in my opinion, is better.
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40 of 43 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This book caught my eye at the bookstore and I finally decided to get it and give it a try. It was a pretty good book. Nothing really outstanding but an enjoyable read. I think these books may have been spectacular back 15 years ago, but with the market so saturated with this subject, they didn't really stand out for me. These books were originally written something like 15 years ago and were re-released as this omnibus which contains the first two of the four original books in the series.

Elena, the most popular girl in school, is intrigued by the new boy in town named Stefan. He is mysterious and will never answer any questions about his past. Elena is determined to make him notice her. Stefan finds Elena disturbing in that she reminds him of someone in his past. Things get tense when killings and attacks start happening in the area and people begin to suspect that Stefan is more than he appears to be.

A lot of people are comparing this to Twilight, and while the theme is kind of similar, the writing style is much different and the topic of vampirism is handled in a more traditional way than it is in Twilight. Personally, I shy away from comparing this series to Twilight because it is just a very different type of story.

This was a well-written and engaging story. It is again a story of star-crossed lovers in a way, as Stefan and Elena struggle to make a relationship work between a human and a vampire. It is also a story of revenge as Stefan's brother, Damon, tries to tear Stefan and Elena apart. This is a book for teens or young adults; it takes place during high school and there is a lot of angsting over who loves who, and who should go to what parties, etc. There is some mystery as they try to solve who is causing the attacks.
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11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
2.0 out of 5 stars GreenBeanTeenQueen Reviews January 1, 2010
Format:Paperback
-I would have given it one, but I think tween/young teens getting started on vampire books might like it
WARNING!! This review contains spoilers!! And it's long-I had a lot of venting to do!

With a TV show coming this Fall and Vampire Lit the hot genre, this book has been consistently checked out at my library. A co-worker mentioned she had enjoyed them as a teen and my teen volunteer read it and loved it, so I thought I'd give it a try. I am so annoyed that I wasted my time.

This is one example of when I think the TV Show might turn out better than the books. I never felt any true chemistry between Elena and Stefan, but the previews for the show seem to add more depth to their relationship.

Elena is your typical beautiful popular girl. Everyone kept referring to her as the "ice princess" but I never really saw it. She's mostly selfish, childish, and only is interested in Stefan because he's new, hot and she gets whatever she wants. (She even has a boyfriend in the beginning of the book, but dumps him because "it doesn't feel right" and Stefan is hot) We're supposed to feel sorry for her because her parents died a few years earlier, but that never really seems important, except to give Elena a reason to say "you're not my mother" to her aunt towards the end of book two. She also for some reason spent the summer in Paris, but that's really never explained-I guess it's there to make her seem rich and snotty?? Maybe she gets better by the second book, but she's pretty annoying throughout. She also never tells her friends anything so half the time they have no true reason for being there, other than to prove Elena is popular.

Stefan is handsome, brooding and your typical tortured vampire.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
2.0 out of 5 stars Mildly Entertaining
As far as vampire stories are concerned, and I have read (and watched) quite a few, this was a simple read that was mildly entertaining. Read more
Published 1 day ago by GO
4.0 out of 5 stars Great transaction!!
The book arrived promptly. It was a little wore on the cover & binding, but that was expected. The seller was truthful about the condition & offered a great deal on price.
Published 7 days ago by Robin Morrow
3.0 out of 5 stars ok
Good book, just couldnt get into it as much as i wanted. I love the show so i thought i should read the books. not sure that was a good idea
Published 14 days ago by Leslie Diaz
4.0 out of 5 stars Haven't read it
Haven't read it yet but if it's like the show the book is going to be much more detailed and thus better lol. Read more
Published 25 days ago by Judith Eubanks
3.0 out of 5 stars For the young
The writing is a little too teenage for me, though I do enjoy watching the T.V. show. It definitely is different than the show as I expected for all movies and shows try to add or... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Cindy Barat
5.0 out of 5 stars amazing
Ok I admit it, I may have read this book a few times. When I first read it, after watching The Vampire Diaries: The Complete First Season (which I love! Read more
Published 1 month ago by lovesbooks
5.0 out of 5 stars Its amazing just like the show is too
I was afraid of buying this book reading more bad reviews then good ones if you love the show give this book a chance you won't regret it :)
Published 1 month ago by Jose
5.0 out of 5 stars Good product
The book is in very good condition upon arrival. It is the same copy as sold locally for a few dollars more. Not all of the editions were available so we bought it online. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Crawf
4.0 out of 5 stars Okay
Book is pretty good, although I would not read it again. Came quickly. Very happy with my purchase. Thank you very much.
Published 2 months ago by Jamie O'Neil
1.0 out of 5 stars Dragged through muck
Reading these books is the equivalent to speaking with a high school girl whose vocabulary consists of using "like" after every word. They are tough get through. Read more
Published 3 months ago by MM
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Topic From this Discussion
new covers?
um... okay. is there a particular reason you prefer the old covers or is it just a knee jerk reaction to seeing something new?

do not fear change. change brings a new understanding of the self. *for some reason being zen today?*

anyway, i've been wondering about the subjects of the new... Read more
Aug 24, 2007 by Savannah Brooks |  See all 3 posts
How many books in the series?
Not counting Nightfall, there's the first four books: Awakening, The Struggle, The Fury, and Dark Reunion. The latest in the series is called Nightfall and it's in hardcover. It's in bookstores already, and there's another one coming out next year in February called Shadow Souls.
Sep 11, 2009 by Dee |  See all 4 posts
Guess What?
Yeah, I just saw it now. Here's the official CW link: http://www.cwtv.com/shows/the-vampire-diaries

Um. Who the hell is the brown haired girl? That had better be Meredith, and not Elena. I don't tend to be a stickler for characters looking exactly as I see them (an impossibility because... Read more
Jul 14, 2009 by Hellion |  See all 2 posts
I want to start a new series...
TVD is YA. You might want to check out the Hollows series by Kim Harrison=)
Jun 29, 2009 by S. L. Betts |  See all 5 posts
sexual content
As far as I remember, there isn't really any sexual content. There are some kissing scenes, but that's as far as it goes.
Sep 5, 2009 by Alyssa |  See all 6 posts
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