One of the questions we’re asked most (other than “Does Paul Wesley have a Twitter account?”) is “What happens in the books?” We’ve come to expect a flood of breathless emails following every cliffhanger, fans begging us to tell them what happens next because they may fall down and DIE, DIE I tell you! before the following week’s episode. And our answer is always the same:

We don’t have a clue.

As we write this, the Vampire Diaries TV series is preparing for its second season, and we’re as excited as you are to follow the romantic entanglements, twisted family dynamics, and, yes, those heart-stopping cliffhangers that have come to define Thursday nights.

Because, again, we have no idea what’s going to happen next.

And that is why the show is fun for those of us who have read the books. We have the benefit of experiencing every surprise the writers throw at us each week and the background information to pick up on the subtle and not-so-subtle book references scattered throughout the series (Druid Room! Honoria Fell! Oh my, that’s a very large full moon you’re standing under, Tyler!). As different as the story translation is from book to screen, and how much certain characters have been altered from their book origins, book DNA runs through the TV series’ veins, and it’s a treat when the writers toss out nuggets for the fans.

This is not to say you’re missing out if you’re a fan who hasn’t  …