First Look: CW’s Vampire Diaries

This latest teen drama is based on a series of books (prior to Twilight) by L.J. Smith, which I will now be trying to find.

Synopsis:
Elena Gilbert has always been a star student; beautiful, popular and involved with school and friends. As the fall semester begins, Elena becomes fascinated with mysterious new boy in school, Stefan Salvatore, and she has no way of knowing he is a centuries-old vampire. While Stefan struggles to live peacefully among humans, his brother Damon is the embodiment of violence and brutality. Now these two vampire brothers – one good, one evil – are at war for Elena’s soul in the small town of Mystic Falls, Virginia.