Vampire Knight, Volume 10 Book

This manga series was absolutely amazing!! If you've never read a manga before and don't know what to try first, Vampire Knight is the perfect choice.

The action is constant, the characters are perfectly blended, the artwork is absolutely amazing and the plot is original and addicting!

I loved all of the characters! I couldn't decide who was best for Yuki. As much as I loved the tortured soul that Zero harbored, Kaname is steamy and swoon worthy. I loved the scenes where Yuki and Kaname would hold each other, but there is something about Zero and how he is depicted that you can't help fall for him.

Vampire Knight is a must read. Truly a great manga series that should not be missed.

3.5 stars.

For me, this series jumped the shark two volumes ago, but now that my expectations are adjusted, I think I'll continue to enjoy the story to the end. Thankfully, my library carries it, so I won't have to buy any more volumes; I'm planning on trading in the volumes I have bought over the past few years to fill out my collection of Ouran. :D So, it's not a complete loss, and I do enjoy the story overall. BUT -

**Warning - griping ensues along with spoilers if you're not caught up through volume 9**

...Vampire Knight's just not the story I thought it was when I started out reading it. I was extremely disappointed with the revelation that Yuki has always been a vampire, and not only that, but she's a vampire princess! It just ruined the dynamics of the story for me. I really enjoyed her as a heroine, with her spunk and independence. And, what made her so appealing besides those characteristics was that she was supposedly a human girl who could hold her own among supernatural beings all around her. There were hints that there was something more to her - her acrobatics, for example - so this has been a plot twist coming for some time. I just hoped for some other explanation than that she's a vampire. Cliche.

Kaname has also lost some ground with me. So much of the appeal of him was the mystery. Now we're learning too much about him (I suppose it was inevitable), and his motivations are almost too commonplace for the likes of him.

Zero...Zero, the underdog, I've been rooting for him all along; but his angst has reached a whole new level. I can't blame him entirely - the girl he adored turns out to be what he abhors the most in life - a vampire - but still...I'd like him to stop being so moody. I'm holding out hope that he'll get his act together soon.

All complaints aside, this story is not bad, not bad at all. I'm harsh on my critique because I'm annoyed that my expectations weren't met, but all things considered, it's an engaging, intriguing story with interesting likable characters. Vampire Knight is certainly a superior alternative to that gosh awful Twilight series.