The Vampire Diaries: Till Now: Mid-Season finale

Season 3 of The Vampire Diaries is almost done. Its the Mid-season finale after a successful run of nine episodes and over for the year returning again on 5th January, 2012 (very long wait). And be warned the post below may contain some spoilers for those who have yet to see the ninth episode of the season.

Now lets recap what we know so far - So last season we saw Stefan leaving Mystic Falls with Klaus as condition for the werewolf antidote for Damon who got bitten by Tyler Lockwood in a struggle during he was changing during the full moon. So Stefan is still away and Elena is doing all she can to get him back to town with very little help from Damon, who is being a characteristic jerk and being less helpful than Elena hopes to be. Something else entirely is going on, Damon is actually tracking him along with Alaric, the history teacher and has been marking every place they had seen in a secret closet. Elena thinks all the news clips she procures from Sheriff Forbes about all the deaths are Klaus victims but the case is totally different (more Stefan news than Klaus news). Stefan has literally.....flipped the switch.....true upto a certain extent but there he goes at the season premiere and makes a call to Elena in Mystic Falls.....so maybe the caring Stefan is still in there....maybe there is still hope for him yet.

While Jeremy has his own problems, during the last season when Bonnie brought him back to life without the consent of those dead witches and they said there would be consequences.....well there you have it Jeremy Gilbert can now see the ghost of his two dead girlfriends Vicki and Anna and Bonnie is not in Mystic Falls at the moment so she doesn't know exactly what is going on there back home. Caroline and Tyler on the other....well too much sexual tension there. Alaric on the other feels like a failure - girlfriend dead, ex-wife is also dead and now he must look after Elena and Jeremy but he feels he has failed everything.

On the other hand Klaus and Stefan are a completely different story. Klaus wants to make more hybrids out of the werewolves but something is wrong even if he is doing the procedure as it is (umm... Elena is still alive), all of them are dying. So Stefan is his only companion in all this. After a string of failures in the hybrid making program, Klaus and Stefan go to the windy city....Chicago and there you go dagger out of another original, Klaus' sister Rebecca, who loved Stefan during his ripper period.

So long way from there Damon, Alaric and all the at the moment Mystic Falls residents are trying all they can to keep Elena out of Klaus' radar and Stefan along with Klaus is also trying all he can to keep Mr. Hybrid out of Mystic Falls. And you know what that necklace you saw Elena wear (a present from Stefan) actually belonged to Rebecca and is a talisman of the original witch who set that curse upon him all those years ago. There you have, Mystic Falls just seems to be the perfect place for a mythical creatures confluence and apparently everything dangerous happens there - meaning Klaus suspects that Stefan is not really truthful with him and off they go back there.

Now since I am trying to be spoiler free here in the spirit of those who still need to watch those nine episodes so I'm not going to reveal the story but I'll tell you this the all round invincible Klaus is actually afraid of something. Like Katherine's been running away from Klaus for millions of years Klaus is also running away from someone....a vampire hunter to be exact, Michael. Now why he is running away from this Micheal when the neither the moon nor the sun effect him is a different story altogether.

But i'll tell you this all this details lead up to one hell of a mid-season finale. Where tables are turned, allegiances changed and a plan within a plan rather goes badly. Only one good thing has happened out of all this - Stefan is free of Klaus' compulsion (YAY! ripper Stefan doesn't really set with me) and he wants revenge from Mr. Original Hybrid.

Anyways moving on thoughts for all nine episodes and where it could have been a little better - So I don't really think I need to elaborate much more on all the nine episodes because....well its season 3 and the show is going great keeping us viewers on our toes constantly. Every episode has so much going on there and their formula of ending every episode with a gigantic cliffhanger gives the show a major plus point. But I'd like to point one thing out sometimes all this jumble of story arcs in some of the episodes prove to much and lead it to waste and the episode proves to much of a disaster.

As far as the acting goes I have nothing to say. All of them are so great and no questions asked it is an ensemble of great actors.

So without further ado, the promo for the next episode -

Ohhhhh trouble ahead....and such a long wait....damn!

So see you guys on 5th January, 2012.

The Vampire Diaries: Till Now: Mid-Season finale

"The Vampire Diaries" Season 3 "The Birthday"

Its back in full swing for season 3 and pretty much everything is topsy-turvy since we last had been to Mystic Falls. A strong attribution to the ever changing and ever evolving prowess of The Vampire Diaries writers. And is the model example of the new normalcy.

So lets recap the last season finale and then move onto this season's first episode. As you all clearly remember Tyler Lockwood, our resident werewolf had bit Damon and he was going through the same ordeal like Rose had and Stefan had struck a deal with big bad Klaus that he would do anything to get the antidote or in this case Klaus' blood which heals the wolf bite. So true to his word Stefan is stuck with the bad guy with his internal switch flipped over and going full ripper mode while Damon stays in Mystic Falls.

So its season 3 and as expected everything has taken the sharpest u-turn ever. Stefan has re-entered his dark phase and literally gone full ripper mode and I don't really think I need to elaborate on what that means since he toys with them, drains their blood and when all done puts the body parts back together in an act of remorse.

And like Paul Wesley's character every other of then has transformed but this much is clear Stefan is honorable and an upstanding sort of a guy who'd do anything to save his loved ones and everyone he cares for.

Hitching a road trip with a hybrid is also not the coolest experience. A bloody saga follows everywhere, it is clear enough Stefan is the one doing the dirty work for Klaus while he stands and entertains himself. And their one priority is - find werewolves for Klaus' ultimate race and though it seems that the old Stefan is gone...well definitely not true, he is still in there and taking it all in as it happens - if you have seen the episode you'll know what I'm talking about here.

Damon for a lack of a better word has gone the detective way. We all know Damon is like a free spirit and definitely does not want to be restrained in a place. He has now been bound to stay in Mystic Falls not only trying to prevent Elena from doing anything that might draw the attention of Klaus to the fact that she lived the season 2 ordeal and likewise trying to find out his brother's whereabouts and well in a somewhat relationship with Andie Star - before Stefan puts a stop to it.

Caroline and Tyler as well on the border of friendship and dating. Both are horny and the added bonus of being a vampire and werewolf. Holy crap...the sexual tension was out of control, and the sex itself was even more out of control. Their chemistry is a treat to watch, and not only when half-naked - their back-and-forth exchanges offered some legitimately fun moments. But at the end of the day Mrs. L guns her down with vervain most likely. Double crap she knows something.

While Jeremy is happy with Bonnie (who is sorely missed in the first episode) is seeing his two dead girlfriends as ghosts. Why? It is not certain. But they spring up in situation not expected at all. And it all goes and finishes with a TVD vintage ending with a huge shocker just before the the credits rolled.

So conveniently enough the series premieres with its own style and swagger and all the spooky cliffhangers as the credits roll and I shall again be meeting you with another TVD post as the season goes on hiatus in December.

"The Vampire Diaries" Season 3 "The Birthday"

"As I Lay Dying"

Its finally done......the season 2 of the vampire diaries is finally over.....but not without leaving us with loads of questions. Thats right - after last week's episode with the climactic face-off with Klaus, the ritual in which Jenna, Elena and Jules were all killed, and John's sacrifice of his own life to bring Elena back, this week's episode aka the season finale "As I Lay Dying" seemed almost calm by comparison.


Don't get me wrong I love action but character development is also necessary, so any complaints that this episode did not have enough action will fall on deaf ears, as far as I'm concerned. The episode was packed from beginning to end. The biggest character moment was Stefan's apparent choice to leave his life in Mystic Falls, including his relationship with Elena, in order to save Damon.

Instead of massive amounts of death, Damon (Ian Somerhalder) slowly grows weaker as the poison of the werewolf bite consumes him. His brother, Stefan (Paul Wesley), goes to evil original vampire/werewolf hybrid Klaus (Joseph Morgan), quite likely the most dangerous being on the planet, as Klaus's blood is the only thing that can cure Damon. But Klaus will only hand it over if Stefan gives up the restraint he has carefully constructed and go wild evil himself. It's a tough decision. Can Stefan save his brother knowing that the consequence may be Stefan will not be able to stop killing innocent humans ? But even without watching we know what Stefan would do.

Long have viewers heard of the "evil" Stefan, who is a ruthless hunter, ripping out scores of throats of hapless victims. Never has he been seen. Klaus begins activating him by forcing Stefan to chug blood bag after blood bag, sparking the lust and powerful instincts within him. There is no telling if Stefan can come back from this. He has before, but it is unknown how. It is easy to believe Stefan is just playing along at first, knowing his limits. But to save Damon's life, Stefan may have passed what he can handle.

The series gave us a glimpse into Stefan's dark past on "The Dinner Party," but I never dreamed we'd see that side to him again. Remember his conversation with Elena on that episode? Where Stefan was said to be a monster in the original John Gilbert's diaries. And that's what he now is again. It was shocking to see Paul Wesley with blood tricking down his mouth this week, a sight only made more disturbing by the faint smile on Stefan's lips as he embraced the beast that had been bottled up for so long. A noble act to save his brother? Perhaps. But Katherine pointed out the other side to that seemingly benevolent coin upon delivering the cure to Damon: didn't Stefan also abandon Elena by doing so? And how many innocent lives, starting with that girl Klaus served up, will now die as a result of Stefan's decision?

Oh, the cruel irony. Damon chooses to accept his fate. Just as Stefan was paying the ultimate price for what he deemed to be his ultimate mistake - turning his brother - Damon was realizing that he has no one to blame but himself for the events in 1864. He was manipulated by Katherine back then, he made the decision to love her anyway and it was that triangle which sealed his and Stefan's future. An amazing job, as always, by Ian Somerhalder, bringing every painful emotion to the forefront as Damon lay dying.

During the scene with Klaus 'turning' Stefan by getting him to drink copious amounts of blood, I especially loved the way Katherine watched from the shadows. She was horrified at what was happening to Stefan, but as usual, she had self-preservation at the front of her mind and did nothing to try to stop him from joining Klaus. Nina Dobrev has done a great job throughout the series making Katherine and Elena into two distinct personalities; here she added layers to Katherine without needing any dialog at all.

While Katherine escaped the second she was able to leave, she somewhat unexpectedly followed through and delivered the cure to Damon. It was a less surprising move after she told Elena that it was ok to love them both. Katherine and Elena may both love Stefan, but they have strong feelings, at the least, for Damon as well.

In another reference to a previous episode, when Damon finally reached the end of his strength, it was Elena who came to him, holding him the way he held Rose when she died. Just as Damon's emotional walls were breached by Rose's death, watching Damon succumb to sickness from the werewolf bite brought Elena's compassion to the surface. Any feelings the two of them confessed for each other was obviously colored by the fact that he was about to die, but there will likely be some fallout in Season 3.

Speaking of lasting consequences, the really nasty plot twist was Jeremy’s death and Bonnie’s decision to use her powers to bring him back to life. This never, ever ends well, and Jeremy is already getting a taste of what it means to come back from the other side in this manner. I wasn’t expecting the dead to come calling, and it really felt like the tip of a really nasty iceberg. And it’s almost certainly going to have serious consequences for Bonnie as well. The consequences Bonnie was warned about turned out to be much creepier when later that night Jeremy found himself face to face with two dead girlfriends, Vicki and Anna. What this is all about remains to be seen.

On a seemingly positive note, we see Sheriff Forbes come to terms with Caroline’s nature, and recognize that vampires aren’t inherently evil. I doubt it’s going to mean a complete reversal of the town council’s stance on vampire hunting, and I’m sure this moment of amity will pass once Stefan starts his inevitable rampage.

The season has ended and we are left with a wealth of questions waiting for next season in the fall. What is going on with Jeremy and will he see more than just dead ex-girlfriends? When will Elijah be resuscitated so that we can meet the rest of his Original Vampire family? What will Sheriff Forbes do now that she has seen that not all vampires are automatically evil? With Stefan off creating chaos with Klaus, will the role-reversal be completed by Damon changing his ways after his brush with death? The show would lose a lot of what makes it so fun if Damon were to clean up his act entirely.

"As I Lay Dying"

"The Sun Also Rises" : The Sacrifice, The Aftermath, The Redemption

In this week's episode of the The Vampire Diaries, The Sun Also Rises, the stakes are high, and the outcome heartbreaking. It was the full moon so that meant it was time for Klaus's ritual that promised to release him from the curse keeping him from becoming a vampire/werewolf hybrid. Since the ritual had been built up the entire season it really needed to pack a punch, and I'm happy to say it more than lived up to expectations. 


Surrounded by three rings of fire, Jules, Jenna and Elena.......his own personal harem of Goddesses (GOD THAT'S DISGUSTING) wait their death in Klaus' own temple-of-doom Le grand.


Here the action never ceased, the shockers kept coming and the death toll rose, which was sad to watch in a sense, but befitting of an episode devoted to Klaus and the sacrifice ritual. Even the non-stop changes to the supernatural rule book are sold by terrific storytelling and complex characters one can really invest one's self in, even when you least expect to. Without further delay, let's break down the major events of "The Sun Also Rises," analyze the fallout, and talk about why this dark chapter of TVD was one of its (if not the) best so far.

Jules may have caused trouble in the past with her attacks on the Salvatore brothers, it was still terrible to watch Klaus casually kill her as the first part of his deadly ceremony. But that was nothing compared to tragic loss of Aunt Jenna. Elena was forced to watch her die, trying to help Jenna as best she could by encouraging her to turn off her emotions so that it wouldn't hurt so much. 

Sara Canning will be missed; her final scenes with Elena, showing Jenna's terror and yet also her newfound vampire strength were moving. It was especially sad to see her go right after Jenna finally learned about vampires and was able to participate in the main storyline. Nina Dobrev turned in a touching performance also as Elena had to watch her aunt die and then attend the funeral of yet another parental figure.

Damon was brought to the emotional brink when he learned that Stefan had gone to offer himself in exchange for Jenna. No matter that Damon had the same idea; he was horrified that he might lose his brother to Klaus. In the same way, Stefan, still reeling from the death of Jenna, was devastated to learn that Damon had been bitten by a werewolf. Paul Wesley and Ian Somerhalder have great chemistry as brothers, we have often seen it when they bicker, but it is also evident when they are concerned about each other.

Keeping the brother topic going, Klaus's last-minute revelation to his brother Elijah that the rest of their family's bodies were safe, and that they could be recovered was what caused Elijah to betray Elena and Stefan by rescuing Klaus. The sequence of events was well-done, giving Elijah a decent excuse for his duplicity and also setting up the Originals as a major topic for next season. 

Looking back, Elijah's story about Klaus killing their siblings and parents, and his assertion to Stefan that it was the reason he would have no trouble finishing Klaus, was a clever setup. It gave us the backstory needed to make Elijah's betrayal believable. On a different note, I'm happy that it is more than likely we will be seeing both actors,Daniel Gillies and Joseph Morgan, again next season.

Bonnie this week also got to finally show what the power of 100 witches can do, and it sure was badass seeing her command the elements in this manner, particularly as Klaus was so surprised to see her alive. Damon taking out Great so swiftly was also pretty smooth and ended what Jenna had attempted to do. I hope that next season utilises Bonnie and her witch power, especially as witches are the overseers of all things supernatural and that Klaus has broken this order by completing the ritual.

Speaking of werewolves, poor Matt can't quite figure out what the hell is going on now that he is aware of the supernatural world and he would rather only face the harsh and crappy realities of his life, and not complicate it further with vampires and werewolves. Whilst this decision by Matt leaves Caroline upset it did lead to a cracking scene between herself and Tyler, they really do have fantastic chemistry.

Redemption was a recurring theme throughout the episode, first with Damon who continued his desperate bid to keep Elena from becoming a vampire. With his future still in possible jeopardy because of the werewolf bite, Damon's quest for redemption looks to be the focus of the next episode. And, rhetorical questions in last weeks' review aside, it seems pretty unlikely that the show would really kill off one of the three core characters, although I'm looking forward to seeing how they will save him.

Which brings us on to John Gilbert, a character who has been arrogant and dislikeable since he appeared toward the end of last season. Whilst I have always had a soft spot for this character (most likely because of David Anders) he has often been an irritating obstacle in the way of what Elena et al are trying to achieve. John this week got to be the character that made the "unexpected act of courage" as he sacrificed his life so Elena could live without the burden of being a vampire. The letter that he left for Elena was rather touching as it tried to explain his failings as a parent without asking for forgiveness. It certainly left me misty eyed as they went in to the double funeral scene showing how emotionally broken Elena was by the actions of her surrogate and real parents.

Thus next week is the season finale, everything is on the table. Although I would like to add that after an episode this outstanding, it's amazing there's still one more to come next week.

"The Sun Also Rises" : The Sacrifice, The Aftermath, The Redemption

"The Last Day": The Calm Before The Storm

As i've said it before, but it bears repeating after this stunner. The show's propensity for shocking twists in the final moments is something fans know well, but this week's concluding sequence probably left even more jaws on the floor than usual. For this week's TVD episode The Last Day what had been a slow-building, somewhat melodramatic episode suddenly changed course with not one, but two huge developments heading into next week.

Just when you thought you knew how things were going to go down, Klaus pulls out a Plan B that no one saw coming. Which Damon learns the heard way.

This isn't to say the episode was boring prior to 8:58. Coming into "The Last Day," I assumed the title ominously referred to the final day before Klaus' big sacrifice. It did, but it also referred, potentially, to Elena's last day as a human. Now as far the season build-up is considered - to a climactic battle with Klaus, the Salvatore brothers have been battling with each other over how to deal with Elena's part in Klaus's ritual. Stefan held firm in his support of Elena's wishes, but as expected, Damon took matters into his own hands, force feeding Elena his blood to ensure that she would survive, even if it was as a vampire. Ian Somerhalder was compelling as the desperately reckless Damon who acted emotionally, as he often does, and then remorsefully struggled to fix the mess he created.

While Stefan taking Elena on that hike felt cheesy and Twilight-esque, they had to discuss the elephant in the room eventually, and now Damon forced it on them. Unlike Bella Swan, Elena doesn't want to be a vampire. Bless her heart and the writers. This is true to her character and presents a new, complex moral dilemma. Nina Dobrev was heartbreakingly sincere as she admitted she had no desire to be a vampire and grieved the impending loss of her human life. Paul Wesley was no slacker in the angst department himself; in the end he let Elena do as she wished and go with Klaus, although the misery Stefan felt was plain to see.

Also returning to town were Tyler and Jules, lured by Klaus ostensibly so that Tyler could be the werewolf in his ritual. Caroline and Tyler's reunion was on the awkward side of things, but luckily they had plenty of time to talk things out while they waited in the tomb. Just as Candice Accola has grown Caroline from the shallow and vain cheerleader we met in Season 1 into a capable and contributing member of the team, Michael Trevino brought a more grown-up Tyler back. No longer panicked about his situation, he didn't even seem that shocked about waking up chained to a wall, waiting to be sacrificed in a vampire ritual. He just took it all in stride.

Matt was packing heat with wooden bullets, making you wonder what would have gone down had he gotten to the tomb first or found only Damon there and not Maddox. After they all escape the tomb, the full moon begins to rise over the horizon. Tyler can't hold off the transition, so Caroline and Matt take shelter in the Lockwood cellar. That was a close one, but everyone's safe ... except Klaus wasn't about to be played so easily. You learn a thing or two when you've been planning this for a millennium.

Just as it seemed like Damon had foiled Klaus's plan, the episode took its most shocking and disturbing twists. Not only did Klaus have a backup plan, but it was horrifying. Instead of using Caroline, Katherine or even Damon as the vampire he needed for his ritual, Klaus had newly minted Jenna as a vampire. I sure did not see that one coming. My first thought? That poor Alaric has no luck with women. Following on the heels of the revelation that Jenna was turned, there was the added twist that Damon was bitten by Tyler as he was changing into a werewolf. Since werewolf bites are fatal to vampires, we were left with a few burning questions. Is it possible that The Vampire Diaries would really kill off one of the Salvatore brothers? With Jenna already being turned into a vampire, will Elena become one too?

With just two more episodes remaining this spring, things are certainly falling into place for a truly epic conclusion. What that entails, however, is anyone's guess. If The Vampire Diaries has taught us anything, it's that the game and its rules change by the minute.

"The Last Day": The Calm Before The Storm

The Vampire Diaries: Stefan's Diaries: #2 Bloodlust

After a tantalizing read that serves the prelude for the Stefan's Diaries a.k.a the beginning for the Vampire Diaries through the eyes of Stefan, I now proceed to the next book in the trilogy #2 Bloodlust. And it was I dare say even better than its predecessor. 


Here is how the summary for the book goes like:

A new beginning . . .When Stefan Salvatore's first love turned him into a vampire, his world—and his soul—were destroyed. Now he and his brother, Damon, must flee their hometown, where they risk being discovered . . . and killed. The brothers head to New Orleans, looking for safe haven. But the city is more dangerous than they ever imagined, full of other vampires—and vampire hunters. Will Stefan's eternal life be forever damned? Based on the popular CW TV show inspired by the bestselling novels, Stefan's Diaries reveals the truth about what really happened between Stefan, Damon, and Katherine—and how the Vampire Diaries love triangle began. 

After going along the ride with the Salvatore brothers as they fall in love with Stefan and Damon and destroy their perfectly calm and peaceful lives in book 1. Vol. 2: Bloodlust, leaves off just days after Stefan and Damon Salvatore are murdered by their father and awaken newly undead.

The book is bloody. Right away it’s bloody. And while that is the only way I like my vampire stories, this time it was a bit unsettling. Our darling Stefan Salvatore, a century and a half away from becoming the hoodie-clad martyr we’ve grown to know and love, is thirsty. And in this time and place a bunny just will not do. The first of his victims we meet in this telling is a girl he once crushed on. It is easy to picture a sinister leer behind his sweet smile as he callously flirts with her before ripping open her jugular. It was enough to give me chills and cause an audible “yikes!!” to escape my mouth. Watching Stefan take his short walk down the human blood path after the events of Let The Right One In left me ill-equipped to witness the kind of vampire Stefan is capable of being. This Stefan Salvatore is truly terrifying.

Unfortunately Stefan’s old flame is not the last of his unwilling and quickly dismissed victims as he and the still death wish-laden Damon make their way to New Orleans. As an avid watcher of The Vampire Diaries television series, it is disconcerting at best to know that there was a time when Damon not only abstained from drinking, nearing the point of starvation, but asked Stefan not to as well. Not that Stefan listened. (Why does this sound familiar?) And after watching Stefan spend his first hours in New Orleans draining as he pleases, Damon has had enough and leaves Stefan to his own thirst.

And while this is all, as I said, unsettling, it is also very exciting. It is our first peek into this part of the brothers’ lives. Not a bit of it had even been hinted at on the television series, let alone shown in flashbacks. Not yet anyway. My favorite part of the story comes not long after Damon takes off on his own when Stefan comes face to face with the girl who will become his best friend: Lexi. Although we don't see Lexi as the same way in season 2 Let the right ones in, when Stefan accounts to Elena that Lexi came to Mystic Falls not the other way round. 

It was thrilling to read how she helped Stefan get his bloodlust under control, teaching him how to exist in his new life, much in the way Stefan has done with Caroline in season 2 of the series. Seeing this through Stefan’s eyes makes it that much more heart-crushing to know that she is eventually taken from him. She was written well, her tone and movements easy to envision being brought to life by Arielle Kebbel.

Another character written exceptionally well was Damon. I found it to be highly believable that being captured and kept as a caged animal would put him over the edge in his hatred for Stefan. Having to fight for survival at the hands of barbarian humans could make anyone ready to unleash the monster within. His biting sarcasm and devilish smirk came across as if being watched on screen rather than read from the page. And while savage and violent, the cold-blooded way in which he murdered and drank Stefan’s latest love felt very in character for the Damon we first met on television in the Pilot.

It really tugged at me to see him still dreaming of Katherine and feeling lonely without her despite his hatred for what she had done to him and his family. Yet while feeling it was a great deal more shallow than his falling for Katherine, his quick love for Callie was a strong reminder that even though now a cold-blooded killer, he is also still a 17-year old boy. His end statement after losing Callie that he would never again fall for a human girl made me both squeee and groan.

Stefan goes through a lot of character development in this book. He starts off as a monster, but because of what happens during this story, he changes and grows. Stefan is in a new city, and is forced to face a myriad of new challenges. Damon goes through his own tough times, but his character doesn't grow much. And don't go thinking that you could go through a whole Vampire Diaries novel without any romance, oh no there is plenty in this book.

Even though L.J. Smith isn't the true writer of these books, nor is Kevin Williamson or Julie Plec, the ghostwriter for this series is doing a tremendous job. I like to think of Stefan's Diaries as a separate entity from the show or the original novels by Smith, and I advise anyone interested in this series does so as well, if you are looking to enjoy them fully.

Bloodlust has a very interesting storyline. Within New Orleans, readers get to experience the nightlife of the city, a circus that may just be the end to the Salvatore brothers, and a house filled with vampires. Suffice to say, the story was quite unlike anything I've read before.

The Vampire Diaries: Stefan's Diaries: #2 Bloodlust

The Vampire Diaries: Stefan's Diaries: #1 Origins

Now we all know how The Vampire Diaries tv-series and the novels are different from one another.....with major proportions so yes this book that i'm about to write about i.e., #1 of the Stefan's Diaries: Origins is actually a prequel for the show not the books.Stefan's Diaries trilogy comprises of these following books in its catalogue - #1 Origins, #2 Bloodlust & #3 The Craving. Interesting enough the Stefan's Diaries trilogy does not mention an author on the cover page just "based on the novels by L.J. Smith and the tv series developed by Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec". Who knows who the writer is but I definitely devoured this book.

So without much further ado this is how the summary goes like:

Set during the Civil War, against a backdrop of grand estates, unimaginable riches, and deadly secrets, three teenagers in Mystic Falls, Virginia enter a torrid love triangle that will span eternity. Brothers Stefan and Damon Salvatore are inseparable until they meet Katherine, a stunning, mysterious woman who turns their world upside down. Siblings turned rivals, the Salvatores compete for Katherine's affection, only to discover that her sumptuous silk dresses and glittering gems hide a terrible secret: Katherine is a vampire. And she is intent on turning them into vampires so they can live together-forever. 

TV show tie-ins can often be hit or miss, especially if they don’t stay true to cannon or the spirit of the characters. However, “Origins” manages to do both. We’ve seen bits and pieces of Stefan’s birth as a vampire throughout various flashbacks on the show, but this new book really fills in the blanks. A lot of familiar characters also appear throughout its pages, including Damon, Katherine, Jonathan Gilbert, Stefan’s father and vampires Pearl and Anna. A bit of the history of Pearl and Anna is also revealed. There are a few inconsistencies between the show and the details in the book, but they’re not really glaring enough to detract from the enjoyment.

Although a large number of errors can be found in the book if one decides to look but overall a great work of literature by the 'ghost writer'.......we don't really know the writer for this trilogy so its not exactly against the rules to give an obvious name to the one who penned it. The book gives us the backdrop or more specifically the origins of the series........of how the Salvatore brothers who were notably inseparable but were driven apart for the love of the mysterious and elegant Katherine Pierce. 

Origins details out Stefan's history. Prior to becoming a vampire he had been forced into an engagement to a woman named Rosalyn by both of their fathers. He didn’t love her, but wanted to follow his father’s wishes, no matter how much he wanted to rebel like Damon did. The book takes place over several weeks (possibly even a few months), where Katherine arrives in Mystic Falls and starts getting under Stefan’s skin, even with his engagement. When tragedy strikes, Katherine is there to ease Stefan’s pain. Because the story is told from Stefan’s point of view, the story between Katherine and Damon is somewhat limited. We only really know what Stefan knows. 

Going over some of the errors some would think that this series will not appeal to the fans but I believe  that this new series could easily stand on its own (as I believe L.J. Smith’s original series does) and be heartily enjoyed by those not even watching the show.


Despite its errors there were a few question that kept popping up. 


What happened to Emily Bennett? Was she playing both sides throughout the events of 1864 or was Katherine aware of/insistent upon all she did to help the Founders entrap the vamps? Somehow her grimoire ended up in Giuseppe Salvatore’s coffin who, according to the book, was buried a week after the death of his sons and the fire at the church. Did she die shortly thereafter? Did those she help with taking down the town’s vampires kill her and take her book by force? Where were the children Damon swore to protect?


Where on heaven or Earth did “Uncle” Zach Salvatore come from? I had hoped that this book might hint at another relative either in Mystic Falls or residing somewhere else. Though he’s been gone from our TV screens for at least a year, I can’t stop wondering about him (and the other “uncle” they mention being killed in 1953). Perhaps this is something that will be explained later with the construction of the Salvatore Boarding House.

While all this is completely mind-boggling to comprehend , there were enough things done right to make me jump up and down with impatience and excitement, waiting for the next installment. And, as a tried and true member of Team Stefan, I could not help but smile throughout as his voice was so true to character that it felt like Paul Wesley himself was reading the book aloud to me. The love doesn't end there, of course. In Bad Moon Rising, we heard Stefan tell Caroline a bit about his human self in an effort to explain the way one’s personality becomes more pronounced when he or she is turned. In Stefan’s Diaries, we get to see first hand why in present day he can hardly go more than an hour without a bit of self-flagellation. Evan as a human he was prone to send himself on long and torturous guilt trips over his feelings for Katherine, his perceived duty to his father and, though mutually exclusive, his struggle to remain loyal to both his brother and his town.

Another highlight as I have already mentioned above was finally getting a peek inside Stefan’s head while in the act of what I believe to be one of the most cringe-inducing moments on the show thus far. The book allows the reader to not only watch Stefan walk home to his father in mid-transformation but to walk with him – to feel his desperation as he begs his father for understanding, to feel his hurt and anger as he learns the truth of his own murder. And, finally, to feel his bloodlust as he gives in to drinking his father’s blood right from his own hands. Truly chilling and heartbreaking at the same time.

While I don't believe it is the best book I have ever read, as a fan of the Vampire Diaries series(i actually find the tv series much more appealing than the original series). I loved reading the details of how Stefan and Daemon became what they are in present day Mystic Falls.

The Vampire Diaries: Stefan's Diaries: #1 Origins

"Klaus" proves to be much more twisted than we knew!!!!

Is it just me or does the vampire diaries keep getting better, devious and creepy with all the twists and turns each episode? Well yes now that I have just seen this week's titular episode "Klaus", i'll certainly say one thing WOW. This episode unloaded a lot of information upon us viewers......a whole bunch of secrets, and of the important element mythology without seeming forced and definitely did not feel like a letdown.


Writers Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec focused a lot of the episode on Elena's independence and ability to think for herself, qualities that make her so likable as a character. Nina Dobrev is great at bringing Elena's strength to the forefront, yet keeping her vulnerable at the same time. She was excellent as present-day Katherine also, yet in the opposite way. Imprisoned by Klaus, Katherine found herself to be vulnerable, but her undercurrent of strength was always present. Not only Elena but Incorporating flashbacks without diminishing the drama playing out in the present, and revealing secrets that, incredibly, made Klaus seem even more dangerous and hard core, this may have been The Vampire Diaries' best episode to date.

So this week we not only see the truth behind Klaus' obsession with the doppelganger but also the debut episode of Joseph Morgan a.k.a. the real Klaus and well as Daniel Gilles' return to the living world (at the end of the last episode). Non-permanent death has become something of a staple on The Vampire Diaries, and when Elijah was taken out of commission a few episodes ago, I wondered why Stefan and Damon didn't take extra steps to kill him in a way that might stick. This episode answered the question of why the writers didn't have Elijah killed, although it didn't quite explain why Stefan and Damon didn't get rid of him in a more permanent way. 

No matter the reason Elijah was left lying around, it was good to have a chance to see more of Daniel Gillies and to learn about Elijah and Klaus's relationship. Flashbacks to 1492 showed a pre-vampire Katherine being introduced to Klaus and Elijah, with the revelation that they are brothers. That would have been interesting enough on its own, but it was disappointing when it was added that Klaus and Elijah were in conflict over Katherine. The brothers-fighting-over-a-girl storyline is being covered quite thoroughly with Stefan and Damon already; it seems unnecessary to add this to the storyline with Klaus and Elijah as well.

That being said, both Gillies and Joseph Morgan as Klaus were convincing in their roles as centuries old vampires. Gillies showed an Elijah who was much more easygoing back in 1492, while he was understandably aloof and reserved around Elena in the present. Morgan's Klaus, on the other hand, was refreshingly power-hungry and evil both then and now, not an ounce of angst to be found.

What made it so amazing was that unlike some shows, the buildup to these revelations proved worthwhile. Seemingly impossibly high expectations were met. After last episode I called "Know Thy Enemy" a game-changing episode. It was a good one, yes, but I can only laugh now, as "Klaus" was the mother of all game-changers.

Let's break down the secrets Elijah revealed that not only altered the entire scope of the show, but made us more interested in TVD and its increasingly complex characters than ever.

Klaus and Elijah are brothers. Interesting way to start the long list of secrets to be spewed upon us.....the loyal viewers. Their mom had seven children, and are basically the First Family of Vampires. Every vampire came from them. Although he didn't delve into the matter about how one family became the family of original, i.e., the family of the oldest vampire to walk this Earth but this means there are five originals more, that alone is startling and to think we are just getting started.

The Sun and the Moon curse is totally BS. Yup you all heard it the one curse that has our resident mystic falls townies on their toes is not even the real deal. Klaus planted the Sun and the Moon curse and how it originated from the Aztecs, but it's not even true. Just part of Klaus' master plan. I loved this because even though it undid so much of what we learned so far, it actually makes more sense. Why would Klaus care about the Sun and the Moon curse so much? Vampires are doing quite well as it is (especially the originals). His agenda had to be bigger, and it turns out it is. The sun/moon thing is just a deeply-rooted, clever diversion. He wants all vampires and werewolves on the lookout for the doppelganger, because she WILL reverse the curse ... the real curse, which is way worse and impacts only Klaus, since ...

And wait for it the most important and the creepiest detail of all in an Underground-esque way Klaus is a hybrid. Now I know you all wanna know what does this mean with Klaus as a hybrid....well he is not only a vampire but also a werewolf......he is both half and half........Klaus is practically an abomination of nature. Seriously. Elijah reveals a stunner: his mother had an affair and Klaus' real father was a werewolf, making Klaus extraordinarily dangerous. The witches wouldn't allow such an all-powerful supernatural being to exist, so they placed a curse on Klaus (and only Klaus) and his werewolf half has been kept dormant. This is what Klaus is hell-bent on undoing, so that he may realize his true power and create an entire race of ... whatever he is. Basically, the whole world hangs in the balance. Again, with all the mystique surrounding Klaus before we met him, it was a tall order for TVD to make him live up it, but last night accomplished that and then some.

Klaus must die during the sacrifice. The dagger covered in white ash won't work on him. A witch has to do the job during the sacrifice when he's at his most vulnerable. 

However, because Elijah was in love with Katerina, he says he knows a way to perform the ritual without killing the doppelganger, too. 

That's obviously good news for Elena, but on top of his history with Klaus, Elijah definitely harbors some resentment toward Katerina, and it's unclear what his endgame is.

These bombshells not only increase the pressure on Elena and Elijah to take him down once and for all, but also with her newfound or should I say renewed alliance to drive a wedge in between Damon and Stefan. The riveting Elijah/Klaus backstory would have been plenty for this episode, but it was woven in perfectly with the already-escalating tension tearing the Salvatores apart. Differing views on whether they can trust Elijah was ostensibly behind the feud, but then Stefan put it all out there: Damon is in love with Elena, but he'll never have her. Stefan adds that he has something Damon never will: Her respect. This understandably hit too close to home, sends Stefan flying across the room after Damon uncorks a vicious uppercut, and nearly ends in Andie Star becoming dinner. Damon barely has enough self-control to stop. Amazing. Was Stefan right? Does Elena not respect Damon? Jealousy of his brother is one thing, but this really set him off.


In another shocking moment, one that has been a long time coming, Aunt Jenna finally found out about vampires and everything else that has been going on around her for the past two seasons. Poor Jenna found out in the worst way possible – by seeing Stefan's vampire face as he fought off her boyfriend Alaric who was possessed by Klaus. Similar to Matt who recently learned the truth about vampires in Mystic Falls, waiting to see how Jenna will deal with this makes her character more interesting and relevant than she has been in a long time.

Finally, the real Klaus shows up in Mystic Falls in a thoroughly creepy coffin-like box (the man knows how to make an entrance) as his entourage de-possesses Alaric. One last twist here that was practically glossed over? Greta (Luka's sister) is part of that witch entourage, and seems happy as can be. Wonder how long that will last.


Overall, a stunning episode. Between the vampire lore and the Salvatores' feud boiling over, I don't know what more it could've offered. A mythology-heavy installment like this could have fallen short so many times, but it used the characters so flawlessly and if anything, the secrets raised the stakes. 

So now next week is the episode "THE LAST DAY"

"Klaus" proves to be much more twisted than we knew!!!!

Cheers to Deception for "the last dance"

If anything the small town of Mystic Falls is good at is staging a party. This week's event was a 60's themed dance, with special guest original vampire Klaus, out to kill Elena.....although i his intentions are still not clear yet. Most of the characters dressed up in 60's outfits, the cutest couple of course being Caroline and Matt as Jackie O and JFK. Klaus's costume was a little more devious however, since he was dressed as Alaric. 


Nina Dobrev already excels in the area of double role so it was nice to see Matt Davis enjoying the arc of double role as well. "The Last Dance" had a lot of things going for it, one of the best being Matt Davis's performance of Klaus masquerading as Alaric. Between his smug infiltration of the Salvatore mansion, where he casually listened to the "secret" plan for Bonnie to kill him, and his cocky attitude toward Alaric's life in general, Davis had fun and made the most of this turn of events for his character. Klaus's half-hearted attempt at teaching and his double-take of affront when Damon told "Alaric" that he wasn't impressed with Klaus were hilarious. He was disturbingly gleeful torturing Katherine, and also took great delight in thinking of ways to throw everyone off balance with his threats against Elena. If this is what they had planned for Davis all season long, then I almost forgive them for under-utilizing Alaric so far this year. 

Bonnie came into her own with her new powers this week. It has been great to watch Bonnie evolve from the self-righteous downer she was at the beginning of the season into this new, powerful champion, fighting to save her friends. Plus, she is still a strong moral center of the group, so they have not discarded that aspect of her personality. Her relationship with Jeremy continued to be very sweet, and kudos to Steven R. McQueen for bringing Jeremy's anger over Bonnie's potential death to the forefront. 


So much was made of the certainty of Bonnie's death if she fought Klaus that it was not too difficult to figure out that the twist was going to be that Bonnie would survive. But the revelation that Damon and Bonnie were working together to fake her death was still well done. Elena's devastation and subsequent happiness at seeing her friend alive were touching, it is always good when the friendship between Elena and Bonnie is showcased this way (although it is even better when Caroline is included). 

So, theme as well as the burning question of the week: How far will you go to save the ones you love? Bonnie will apparently go all the way not thinking twice about the consequences and amazingly the reverse is also true, on Elena's Part. Her desperate resurrection of Elijah towards the end shows that she'd rather put herself at greater risk than let Bonnie die killing Klaus.

The revelation that Damon allowed Elena to believe Bonnie was dead, and didn't clue Stefan in on the plan either, gave Stefan and Damon yet another chance to take their opposing positions around protecting Elena. The love triangle between Stefan, Elena and Damon continues to work, even though Stefan and Elena have not wavered in their commitment to each other. When Damon told Elena that he will always choose her safety over others' it is an echo of both Elena and Katherine's repeated choice of Stefan over Damon. He said, "If it comes down to you and the witch again I will gladly ley Bonnie die. I will always choose you." Yet while Elena may appreciate Stefan's honesty with her, she seemed to understand and respect why Damon did what he did. 


And what about Elijah's desperate resurrection by Elena towards the end, how will that pay out? With Elijah now poised to rise again, will he join the team's bid to kill Klaus? or did Elena just allow a total wild card back into the mix when she removed that 'damned' dagger.


So next week's episode is named "Klaus", very appropriate. 

Cheers to Deception for "the last dance"

"Know Thy Enemy" - A huge game-changing dice is thrown our way

How is it that TVD goes on holiday that feel eternity and return with much more problems and twist & turns than before, even the books weren't that great? I have been asking this question to myself or my cousins who watch it too a lot but still haven't been able to answer it. 


So, this thursday the Vampire Diaries returned from it break, these breaks sure feel like eternity with the next episode of season 2 ''Know Thy Enemy'' showcased all that we love about TVD: Deception, betrayal, shocking twists, things you didn't even know were possible and obviously Damon shirtless. Now TVD may be the only show that crams up all the mentioned factors in one episode and still manage to look the greatest.


Let's break down the storyline, where we stand and what's next now shall we:

Mommy a.k.a. Isobel returns, lies a lot and eventually dies. Man, does it get any harder to figure out what's really going on than when Isobel, John and Katherine are ALL plotting? Elena's biological parents (something that's still hard to wrap your head around) say that all of their actions were geared toward making sure Klaus didn't know about her. Sounds almost sweet. But, Isobel then reveals to Katherine that she made a deal with Klaus to keep her safe if they give him the doppelganger and the moonstone. Uh oh!

Katherine stumbles upon that very gem in the worst hiding place ever (we'll forgive this only for the ensuing Damon scene), building the suspense for the double-cross.

Or should I say double-double-cross?

Isobel has a giant witch dude kidnap Alaric, then temporarily "kills" John - I loved Damon's nonchalant reaction - in a plan orchestrated so Katherine can kidnap Elena. Then, naturally, she calls Katherine and drops the hammer. She was playing Kat too. The giant witch appears to abduct Katherine, while Elena is saved by her mom.

Of course, Klaus is the true puppet master in all of this, having compelled her the entire time, but Isobel follows it up with her first-ever act of selflessness ... or was it?

It's unclear if Klaus also prompted her shocking demise, but in any event, she tore off her necklace and let the sun incinerate her, fittingly standing over her own grave.

I shall now sandwich the bad between the two really good parts of this episode. I’m starting to have a massive problem with the women on this show and how they sacrifice. Hear me out. We’ve spent the better part of a season with Elena wanting to sacrifice herself to save her friends and family. Now that we’ve reached a point where she’s not about to go and throw herself onto Klaus’ weapon of mass destruction, we have Bonnie wanting to sacrifice herself.

So, Bonnie can kill an original, but it'll kill her too! Upon finding the ancient burial ground, Bonnie harnesses her predecessors' power so that she may one day off Klaus. The only caveat....If she uses too much witch power at once, she herself will die. Obviously, taking down the oldest vampire in the history of time will require every last bit. This is a great development, as it sets the stage for Bonnie making the ultimate sacrifice for others, as Elena as already vowed to do. She seems hell bent on doing so, too. It would also make sense that Klaus' death, if that occurs, comes at a heavy personal cost for the show's core characters. 

I get it, I do. It’s nice of her and it makes her badass and it amps up the tension (and there’s little I love more in this show than an emotional Jeremy), but it’s just so boring now. Who’s going to sacrifice herself next? Caroline? Jenna ?

Speaking of, what’s going to happen with Jenna now, where earlier in the episode she left abruptly? Elena can’t exactly say ‘by the way, Isobel really is dead now’. But then poor Jenna’s boyfriend is now an ancient vampire, so I suppose explaining Isobel’s disappearance is going to be fairly low on Elena’s ‘to do’ list. 

Going towards Matt and Caroline - He sold out Caroline out! I absolutely love this twist, because Matt just got really interesting. Guess what Caroline revealed in the previous episode was simply too much. I still never expected he had this in him though. After making Caroline tell him everything, playing on her own emotions and guilt, he asks that she compel him to forget. Only Matt was strung out on vervain and only acted like he was compelled! He's in cahoots with Caroline's mom, and reveals all of C's secrets to the sheriff at the end. Caroline and Matt, much as I like them, were somewhat fringe characters at times. Now they find themselves enmeshed in a plot line that could be fascinating to watch.

And the biggest dice of them all - Klaus is in Alaric's body. The episode could have ended with Isobel's death, Bonnie's revelation and Matt's meeting with Sheriff Forbes and been great but this is The Vampire Diaries, though, and we were thrown another jaw-dropping cliffhanger to top it all off. Like Matt, Alaric is suddenly back in the mix unexpectedly. Unlike Matt, he doesn't know it. That's because in the closing moments, the huge witch who kidnapped Katherine is seen casting an elaborate spell on Alaric, then kneeling. Bowing down was a great touch. It said everything while saying nothing. Is that ... no ... it can't be......oh my Oz! What a well-conceived way of introducing Klaus ... 

Klaus greeting Katherine with an entirely different voice from Alaric's body was a shockingly eerie way to end the episode and a great precursor to the coming weeks. Alaric has to be doomed now, right? It's hard to see this ending well, given that we know Klaus will be arriving in earnest soon enough. But on TVD, you just never know. What's Klaus' goal in possessing Alaric? Does it get him closer to Kathrine/Elena without exposing himself? Will this ultimately fail, thus leading to him actually showing up? So much for answering a few of the many unanswered questions and so much to debate. All I know is that for all the confusing twists and turns "Know Thy Enemy" took, it was a great ride throughout.

So, next week we have the new episode "The last Dance" - As the high school prepares to throw a “1960s Decade Dance,” Elena starts receiving disturbing messages from Klaus via an unusual source. Bonnie tries to reassure Jeremy that she is strong enough to help Elena, but a worried Jeremy asks Stefan for advice. Caroline talks Matt into taking her to the dance. Expecting Klaus to show up at the dance, Damon (Ian Somerhalder) and Alaric (Matt Davis) attend as chaperones, but Klaus is playing a complicated game that keeps them on edge. Finally, Damon comes up with a new plan of action that shocks and upsets everyone.

"Know Thy Enemy" - A huge game-changing dice is thrown our way