Read The Struggle for FREE Online

Before most of the hot new YA vampire series were even a glimmer of thought in their authors’ imaginations, L.J. Smith was captivating readers with the Vampire Diaries series. The four books, all released in the early 1990s, very much shaped the modern YA vamp genre. Now, with the success of the new CW show based on the books (aptly named Vampire Diaries), the series is making a comeback. Smith has even begun a sequel series—Vampire Diaries: The Return. HarperTeen has posted the full text of the second book, The Struggle, online for the time being.

I can’t figure out why they’re offering the second book instead of the first, nor can I figure out when this promotion ends. Check it out while you can.

So, what are you waiting for? Go read it!

You’ll have to look elsewhere for free versions of the books (try your local library!), but all are currently in print and available from your local bookstore or online. The books, in order (with links to Amazon):

1. The Awakening
2. The Struggle
3. The Fury
4. Dark Reunion
5. The Return: Nightfall
6. The Return: Shadow Souls
7. The Return: Midnight—supposedly the final book^*—is slated for sometime in 2011, although I’ve seen December 8, 2010 as a possible date.

You can also grab The Awakening and The Struggle published as a single book.

I’ve enjoyed the CW show so far. It’s very loosely based on the books, but it is a pretty decent story in itself. Right now, it’s wrapping up the first season on Thursdays at 8/9c on the CW. It’s been approved for a second season, though, so that’s promising. It started out a bit high-schoolish with the first episode or two, but it’s a heck of a lot more enjoyable than the other teen dramas on the CW. You can catch some of the episodes streaming online at The CW. Streaming quality isn’t bad. I usually watch it on there, since it airs at the same time as Bones.

Have you read the series? What do you think?

* The original series was published as a trilogy, but readers demanded more, so Smith wrote Dark Reunion. Maybe the same will happen with the second trilogy. Who knows. Back to text