As a 20 something, I do admit that I frequently indulge in the world of teenage book series but I rarely expect to find more than a few hours of frivolous fun that is soon forgotten. As with many teen novels, I found the Vampire Diaries series on a whim, not previously knowing anything about the characters or the plotline of the story. 
 The series centers around our heroine, Rose, who is fated to guard her best friend, Lissa, from the dangers of the Strigoi, an evil breed of immortal vampires set to kill and destroy. While Lissa too is a vampire, she is a Moroi, one of the "good," albeit weaker, breed. 
 Rose is "shadow kissed" because she, herself, has faced death and been healed, and is now spiritually bound to Lissa, her healer, in such a way that she can embed herself into her friend's feelings and interactions, both of which make her an ideal protector. We learn in "Shadow Kiss" (book 3) that Rose can also see spirits, although the characters are initially unsure whether this is a functional gift or a symptom of madness. 
 In "Shadow Kiss" Rose must choose her priorities and test her strengths as she struggles to balance a deepening bond with Lissa with an intensifying series of Strigoi attacks and a blossoming (forbidden) relationship with Dimitri, her trainer. 
 I was pleasantly surprised with the complexity of the plotline, something I have not come to expect from the typical teenage paranormal series. The ending completely took me by surprise, and the writing style was refreshing, drawing the reader in without resorting to an overly simplistic style that may be more common in books of this type.