I started reading this series because the tv show is a guilty pleasure of mine. The two are very, very different. And I'm not just talking about physical appearances. I'm glad the two books were combined into one volume. I was not a fan of "The Awakening". There was too much "I like Stefan, I love Stefan, He's my life" and not enough plot. While "The Struggle" wasn't perfect, it did make me want to see what will happen in future volumes.