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Blue Bloods #1
Blue Bloods
When the Mayflower set sail in 1620, it carried on board the men and women who would shape America: Miles Standish; John Alden; Constance Hopkins. But some among the Pilgrims were not pure of heart; they were not escaping religious persecution. Indeed, they were not even human. They were vampires.
The vampires assimilated quickly into the New World. Rising to levels of enormous power, wealth, and influence, they were the celebrated blue bloods of American society.
The Blue Bloods vowed that their immortal status would remain a closely guarded secret. And they kept that secret for centuries. But now, in New York City, the secret is seeping out. Schuyler Van Alen is a sophomore at a prestigious private school. She prefers baggy, vintage clothes instead of the Prada and pearls worn by her classmates, and she lives with her reclusive grandmother in a dilapated mansion. Schuyler is a loner...and happy that way. Suddenly, when she turns fifteen, there is a visible mosaic of blue veins on her arm. She starts to crave raw food and she is having flashbacks to ancient times. Then a popular girl from her school is found dead... drained of all her blood. Schuyler doesn't know what to think, but she wants to find out the secrets the Blue Bloods are keeping. But is she herself in danger?
The vampires assimilated quickly into the New World. Rising to levels of enormous power, wealth, and influence, they were the celebrated blue bloods of American society.
The Blue Bloods vowed that their immortal status would remain a closely guarded secret. And they kept that secret for centuries. But now, in New York City, the secret is seeping out. Schuyler Van Alen is a sophomore at a prestigious private school. She prefers baggy, vintage clothes instead of the Prada and pearls worn by her classmates, and she lives with her reclusive grandmother in a dilapated mansion. Schuyler is a loner...and happy that way. Suddenly, when she turns fifteen, there is a visible mosaic of blue veins on her arm. She starts to crave raw food and she is having flashbacks to ancient times. Then a popular girl from her school is found dead... drained of all her blood. Schuyler doesn't know what to think, but she wants to find out the secrets the Blue Bloods are keeping. But is she herself in danger?
302 pages, Hardcover
First published March 27, 2006
About the author
Melissa de la Cruz
141 books15.5k followersMelissa de la Cruz is the New York Times and USA Today best-selling author of many critically acclaimed and award-winning novels for teens including The Au Pairs series, the Blue Bloods series, the Ashleys series, the Angels on Sunset Boulevard series and the semi-autobiographical novel Fresh off the Boat.
Her books for adults include the novel Cat’s Meow, the anthology Girls Who Like Boys Who Like Boys and the tongue-in-chic handbooks How to Become Famous in Two Weeks or Less and The Fashionista Files: Adventures in Four-inch heels and Faux-Pas.
She has worked as a fashion and beauty editor and has written for many publications including The New York Times, Marie Claire, Harper’s Bazaar, Glamour, Cosmopolitan, Allure, The San Francisco Chronicle, McSweeney’s, Teen Vogue, CosmoGirl! and Seventeen. She has also appeared as an expert on fashion, trends and fame for CNN, E! and FoxNews.
Melissa grew up in Manila and moved to San Francisco with her family, where she graduated high school salutatorian from The Convent of the Sacred Heart. She majored in art history and English at Columbia University (and minored in nightclubs and shopping!).
She now divides her time between New York and Los Angeles, where she lives in the Hollywood Hills with her husband and daughter.
Her books for adults include the novel Cat’s Meow, the anthology Girls Who Like Boys Who Like Boys and the tongue-in-chic handbooks How to Become Famous in Two Weeks or Less and The Fashionista Files: Adventures in Four-inch heels and Faux-Pas.
She has worked as a fashion and beauty editor and has written for many publications including The New York Times, Marie Claire, Harper’s Bazaar, Glamour, Cosmopolitan, Allure, The San Francisco Chronicle, McSweeney’s, Teen Vogue, CosmoGirl! and Seventeen. She has also appeared as an expert on fashion, trends and fame for CNN, E! and FoxNews.
Melissa grew up in Manila and moved to San Francisco with her family, where she graduated high school salutatorian from The Convent of the Sacred Heart. She majored in art history and English at Columbia University (and minored in nightclubs and shopping!).
She now divides her time between New York and Los Angeles, where she lives in the Hollywood Hills with her husband and daughter.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 5,265 reviews
October 27, 2008
This book had the potential to be amazing: affluent teens learn in their fifteenth year that they are reincarnated vampires who will never really die, only come back to reenter another 'cycle' of life.
unfortunately, it was terrible. One gets the impression that La Cruz either rushed through this, or had a constant bout of writers block. The writing is forced and trite, and things that should have been ommitted (why do we need a description of every single item of food throughout the book?)and some parts were montaged where they should have been described in detail (like when they found out they were blue bloods) and if I hear one more designer clothing reference, I'm going to punch something.
Also, it's not a good thing if the name 'Schuyler' is the most normal in the entire book. 'Bliss?' 'Perfection?' really? If your going to have your book set in a mdern, realistic setting, make it seem like it could possibly happen.
also, the character of Schuyler is much too stereotypical for my tastes. A beautiful-gothic-orphan-outcast becomes a vampire? How original! She had no character faults at all, which makes for a very bland, boring heroine.
It also took La Cruz 248 pages to get to the frickin' point, where the plot starts to... well, exist. Until then, the word 'vampire' isn't even mentioned, and though we all knew what was going on, the fact was presented as though it were a huge surprise, which insults my intelligence, thankyouverymuch.
Fortunately, the last fifty pages were much better then the first 5/6 of the book, and though no definate conclusion is reached, I don't feel inclined to pick up the next in the series.
unfortunately, it was terrible. One gets the impression that La Cruz either rushed through this, or had a constant bout of writers block. The writing is forced and trite, and things that should have been ommitted (why do we need a description of every single item of food throughout the book?)and some parts were montaged where they should have been described in detail (like when they found out they were blue bloods) and if I hear one more designer clothing reference, I'm going to punch something.
Also, it's not a good thing if the name 'Schuyler' is the most normal in the entire book. 'Bliss?' 'Perfection?' really? If your going to have your book set in a mdern, realistic setting, make it seem like it could possibly happen.
also, the character of Schuyler is much too stereotypical for my tastes. A beautiful-gothic-orphan-outcast becomes a vampire? How original! She had no character faults at all, which makes for a very bland, boring heroine.
It also took La Cruz 248 pages to get to the frickin' point, where the plot starts to... well, exist. Until then, the word 'vampire' isn't even mentioned, and though we all knew what was going on, the fact was presented as though it were a huge surprise, which insults my intelligence, thankyouverymuch.
Fortunately, the last fifty pages were much better then the first 5/6 of the book, and though no definate conclusion is reached, I don't feel inclined to pick up the next in the series.
October 2, 2011
So I was reading a Cracked article a little while ago. It told me that you get addicted to pop music because it sets off the pleasure centre of your brain. Cracked also told me that your brain derives pleasure from particularly predictable music because your brain enjoys predicting things and enjoys being right even more.
Finally, humanity's explanation for Nickelback
No... seriously, look at this:
Look at this photograph
Everytime I do it makes me _________
How did our eyes get so red
And what the hell is on Joey's _________
And this is where I grew up
I think the present owner fixed it ________
I never knew we'd ever went without
The second floor is hard for sneaking _________
Your welcome, by the way, for all that brain crack I just gave you.
Now, despite the fact that that article is only 60% exaggerated bullshit (you must agree, that's fairly good for a Cracked article!) I strongly believe there IS something to that predictablility factor that makes things enjoyable to our brains - which explains about 90% of the YA Paranormal genre.
Blue Bloods is brain crack at it's core. Yet I gave it three stars.
Vampires? Check.
Teenagers? Check.
Exclusive vampire school? Check.
Danger? Check.
Vampire hotty? Well, this gets a merit check for the ATTEMPT at a vampire hotty.
Love triangle? Check.
This book was painfully corny and the writing wasn't that great.
If you've read one YA paranormal then you've pretty much read them all.
The only reason this one got 3 stars:
1. Because it actually tried hard to have an original storyline/mystery - even if both ended up nonsensical.
2. The very end with Jack. That was actually satisfying.
Otherwise, keep walking, people. Nothing to see here.
Finally, humanity's explanation for Nickelback
No... seriously, look at this:
Look at this photograph
Everytime I do it makes me _________
How did our eyes get so red
And what the hell is on Joey's _________
And this is where I grew up
I think the present owner fixed it ________
I never knew we'd ever went without
The second floor is hard for sneaking _________
Your welcome, by the way, for all that brain crack I just gave you.
Now, despite the fact that that article is only 60% exaggerated bullshit (you must agree, that's fairly good for a Cracked article!) I strongly believe there IS something to that predictablility factor that makes things enjoyable to our brains - which explains about 90% of the YA Paranormal genre.
Blue Bloods is brain crack at it's core. Yet I gave it three stars.
Vampires? Check.
Teenagers? Check.
Exclusive vampire school? Check.
Danger? Check.
Vampire hotty? Well, this gets a merit check for the ATTEMPT at a vampire hotty.
Love triangle? Check.
This book was painfully corny and the writing wasn't that great.
If you've read one YA paranormal then you've pretty much read them all.
The only reason this one got 3 stars:
1. Because it actually tried hard to have an original storyline/mystery - even if both ended up nonsensical.
2. The very end with Jack. That was actually satisfying.
Otherwise, keep walking, people. Nothing to see here.
January 4, 2011
Book Review
(This pic is from deviantart.com btw)
I've been wanting to read this series for a long time now but unfortunately I was always got sidetracked by other vampire series(e.g. The Black Dagger Brotherhood series, Vampire Academy, House of Night, Evernight Series, Morganville Vampires, Sookie Stackhouse series, The Mortal Instruments Trilogy, Night Huntress). Whoa that was a long list, should I just say I'm a vampire addict? (blame this on Meyer's Twilight).
Okay so yeah I picked it up due to these reasons:
1. My friends Szam, Julie, Gabby and Isamlq (etc. in case I forgot someone) always talked about the series that I felt left out and out of place, so might as well read this so that I can join in their bubble of conversation.
2. It has vampires in it, 'nuff said.
3. It was actually authored by a Filipina-American author(I'm a Filipina too btw), so yeah cool beans, should definitely read this to show some Filipino love.
So now will gonna have pros and cons...
Pros
1. Vampires (check)
2. Filipina Author (check)
3. A heroine that is not whiny, weak, Mary Sue, and stupid (*coughs*shall I just put Bella Swan here*coughs*) (check)
4. Hot guys (check)
5. Cool vampire lore (check)
6. Fashion (check)
7. Vampires and shool life (check)
8. Teen drama (check)
9. Love triangle (check)
10. A surprise that I didn't see coming (check)
11. Writing is not crappy *coughs*House of Night, Fallen, Twilight, and Sookie Stackhouse*coughs*(check)
12. Lovable and quirky characters *my faves were Dylan and Bliss and I'm Team Ollie btw* (check)
13. Sexy (check)
Okay what I found original in this one:
1. The idea that vampires came from fallen angels.
2. The blue bloods, silver bloods and red bloods.
3. The repository thingy.
4. The stages of vampire life thingy.
5. The conduits.
6. The Sacred Kiss thingy.
Cons
1. Similarities (euphemism for rip-off) with other books:
>House of Night
-also use the term vampyre
-the queen bee thingy
-Zoey and Sky has lots of common like they have this prophecy thingy about saving the vampyres blah blah blah
-Bliss and Dylan's relationship reminds me of Rephaim and Stevie Rae
>Gossip Girl
-mention of brands
-parties, clubs, smoking, modeling etc.
-Manhattan Elites (even the place- East Side)
-the popular and non-popular group
-the sex
>City of Bones
-Ollie reminds me of Simon
-Allegra reminds me of Clary's mom (both were in coma and have the famous position on their race)
-Incest (Jack and Mimi)
>Evernight
-the mix of vampires and humans in one academy
-the mention that they're vampires also happen in the middle of the plot
>Fallen and Evermore
-At first I thought that Jack and Sky's relationship was similar with Luce and Daniel and Ever and Damen relationships but I was wrong and I didn't see it coming that tuuuuuuut was what Jack old mate(can I say mate? idk maybe lover?)
(extra)
Favorite Scene:
>my favorite scene was the interrupted sacred kiss(and sex) between Dylan and Bliss and I was like this
but then Bliss' father came
Yeah I like it and will still read the next books ^^
___________________________________________________________
I think it's time for me to read a Vampire story told by a Filipina author >.<
(This pic is from deviantart.com btw)
I've been wanting to read this series for a long time now but unfortunately I was always got sidetracked by other vampire series
Okay so yeah I picked it up due to these reasons:
1. My friends Szam, Julie, Gabby and Isamlq (etc. in case I forgot someone) always talked about the series that I felt left out and out of place, so might as well read this so that I can join in their bubble of conversation.
2. It has vampires in it, 'nuff said.
3. It was actually authored by a Filipina-American author(I'm a Filipina too btw), so yeah cool beans, should definitely read this to show some Filipino love.
So now will gonna have pros and cons...
Pros
1. Vampires (check)
2. Filipina Author (check)
3. A heroine that is not whiny, weak, Mary Sue, and stupid (*coughs*shall I just put Bella Swan here*coughs*) (check)
4. Hot guys (check)
5. Cool vampire lore (check)
6. Fashion (check)
7. Vampires and shool life (check)
8. Teen drama (check)
9. Love triangle (check)
10. A surprise that I didn't see coming (check)
11. Writing is not crappy *coughs*House of Night, Fallen, Twilight, and Sookie Stackhouse*coughs*(check)
12. Lovable and quirky characters *my faves were Dylan and Bliss and I'm Team Ollie btw* (check)
13. Sexy (check)
Okay what I found original in this one:
1. The idea that vampires came from fallen angels.
2. The blue bloods, silver bloods and red bloods.
3. The repository thingy.
4. The stages of vampire life thingy.
5. The conduits.
6. The Sacred Kiss thingy.
Cons
1. Similarities (euphemism for rip-off) with other books:
>House of Night
-also use the term vampyre
-the queen bee thingy
-Zoey and Sky has lots of common like they have this prophecy thingy about saving the vampyres blah blah blah
-Bliss and Dylan's relationship reminds me of Rephaim and Stevie Rae
>Gossip Girl
-mention of brands
-parties, clubs, smoking, modeling etc.
-Manhattan Elites (even the place- East Side)
-the popular and non-popular group
-the sex
>City of Bones
-Ollie reminds me of Simon
-Allegra reminds me of Clary's mom (both were in coma and have the famous position on their race)
-Incest (Jack and Mimi)
>Evernight
-the mix of vampires and humans in one academy
-the mention that they're vampires also happen in the middle of the plot
>Fallen and Evermore
-At first I thought that Jack and Sky's relationship was similar with Luce and Daniel and Ever and Damen relationships but I was wrong and I didn't see it coming that tuuuuuuut was what Jack old mate(can I say mate? idk maybe lover?)
(extra)
Favorite Scene:
>my favorite scene was the interrupted sacred kiss
but then Bliss' father came
Yeah I like it and will still read the next books ^^
___________________________________________________________
I think it's time for me to read a Vampire story told by a Filipina author >.<
April 7, 2013
Okay....I have to drag my soap box out...er sckrrrkk (keep in mind this is my opinion and I don't wish to offend anyone). Alright, I began to read junior fiction and young adult books to cut out the undesirable sex scenes and vulgar language. Well, I have had to stop reading highly entertaining young adult books because of the sex and language. I am highly disappointed in the trend now-a-days. Is it any wonder teen pregnancy is a problem, as well as substance abuse and vulgar language, if this kind of crap is being placed in these books? Shame on these authors for putting this kind of stuff in their "young adult" books - if you've got to be dirty, write for a sleazy paperback company instead of slipping your loose morals into books that are allegedly for young adults. If you want a clean cut book about vampires...don't read this book. If you're 18 or younger, don't read this book. I've stepped down from my box and wish you a good day.
May 10, 2017
This book is so fucking stupid that I lost IQ points while reading it. The only reason I didn't DNF it was for the joke material. Because, seriously, this book has to be a joke, right?
The premise had some potential - vampires who came over on the Mayflower, come into their vampireyness at age 15,
and are reincarnated over and over again. (
?)
There are exactly 400 of them, and our special snowflake is a new one!
Oh no! Not a New Soul!? (again...
)
So, of course the powers that be are suspicious of snowflake. (
...anyone?)
Our special snowflake's name is Schuyler. That's right, Schuyler. I know, right? I'm so sick of girls named Schuyler! We had like 6 of them in my homeroom class in school.
So, of course Snowflake goes to an exclusive school that only the richest of all rich kids go to. And, of course she is an outcast who is suddenly noticed by the hottest jock in school. And, of course she has a boy best friend who is secretly in love with her. And, of course there is a mean-girl club that hates her. And, of course there is a modeling casting call at her school that all of the girls go to but they pick Schuyler to be the next supermodel as she just happens to be walking by because she's soooooooo beautiful.
I mean, come on, those things are just a given. Duh!
But, the best part of this book? The thing that will give you mind-numbing pain that only killing all of these asshole characters can alleviate? The endless, and I mean pages and pages of, designer label names that are listed. We know what every character is wearing at all times - each piece, underwear included - and what designer made it. And, the ridiculous descriptions of opulence that we are supposed to believe that these vampire teens live in. Really? It doesn't matter that they are 15, you will serve them cocktails from the bar if they are rich? Oh, and don't forget the heated almonds. Rich bitches love warm nuts.
Oh, Mr. Peanut, you are so hot!
The only good news about this book is that it's only a couple hundred pages long.
The premise had some potential - vampires who came over on the Mayflower, come into their vampireyness at age 15,
and are reincarnated over and over again. (
?) There are exactly 400 of them, and our special snowflake is a new one!
Oh no! Not a New Soul!? (again...
)So, of course the powers that be are suspicious of snowflake. (
...anyone?)Our special snowflake's name is Schuyler. That's right, Schuyler. I know, right? I'm so sick of girls named Schuyler! We had like 6 of them in my homeroom class in school.
So, of course Snowflake goes to an exclusive school that only the richest of all rich kids go to. And, of course she is an outcast who is suddenly noticed by the hottest jock in school. And, of course she has a boy best friend who is secretly in love with her. And, of course there is a mean-girl club that hates her. And, of course there is a modeling casting call at her school that all of the girls go to but they pick Schuyler to be the next supermodel as she just happens to be walking by because she's soooooooo beautiful.
I mean, come on, those things are just a given. Duh!
But, the best part of this book? The thing that will give you mind-numbing pain that only killing all of these asshole characters can alleviate? The endless, and I mean pages and pages of, designer label names that are listed. We know what every character is wearing at all times - each piece, underwear included - and what designer made it. And, the ridiculous descriptions of opulence that we are supposed to believe that these vampire teens live in. Really? It doesn't matter that they are 15, you will serve them cocktails from the bar if they are rich? Oh, and don't forget the heated almonds. Rich bitches love warm nuts.
Oh, Mr. Peanut, you are so hot!
The only good news about this book is that it's only a couple hundred pages long.
February 14, 2009
This book was a massive mental battle for me, between the decent parts of the plot (notice I say PLOT, not book) and the horrendousness of the rest of the book. Okay, let me put this bluntly: "Blue Bloods" stunk.
First of all, the story was not believable. Not because it included a pack of civilized vampires that were conveniently all wealthy and living in New York City. Because the characters' reactions were so obviously fabricated that I rolled my eyes more than once while reading. Schuyler, for one. Her character is ridiculously predictable. Introducing, the average main character in these crappy chick-lit mysteries: A young girl, who dresses "like a street urchin" but is still stunningly beautiful. Uh huh. Riiiiight. Because you see those all over the place. Her tragic situation: parents dead and gone. That's only been done in EVERY FAIRY TALE EVER WRITTEN SINCE THE GRIMM BROTHERS. I mean, come ON, people!
Oh, and then there's the other main annoying factor: the endless descriptions of clothes, hair, furniture, nuts...all bragging (in a not-so-subtle way) about how great rich people have it. I was so bored through the descriptions of lavish hotels, expensive gowns, antique furniture...I thought I was going to drown in the endless drivel!
Maybe if you're a really big fan of vampires (and many are) or you like reading about the lives of millionaires, you'll be able to get by reading this without TOTAL disgust. But if you're like me, you'll hate it. Just walk away.
First of all, the story was not believable. Not because it included a pack of civilized vampires that were conveniently all wealthy and living in New York City. Because the characters' reactions were so obviously fabricated that I rolled my eyes more than once while reading. Schuyler, for one. Her character is ridiculously predictable. Introducing, the average main character in these crappy chick-lit mysteries: A young girl, who dresses "like a street urchin" but is still stunningly beautiful. Uh huh. Riiiiight. Because you see those all over the place. Her tragic situation: parents dead and gone. That's only been done in EVERY FAIRY TALE EVER WRITTEN SINCE THE GRIMM BROTHERS. I mean, come ON, people!
Oh, and then there's the other main annoying factor: the endless descriptions of clothes, hair, furniture, nuts...all bragging (in a not-so-subtle way) about how great rich people have it. I was so bored through the descriptions of lavish hotels, expensive gowns, antique furniture...I thought I was going to drown in the endless drivel!
Maybe if you're a really big fan of vampires (and many are) or you like reading about the lives of millionaires, you'll be able to get by reading this without TOTAL disgust. But if you're like me, you'll hate it. Just walk away.
September 4, 2008
I absolutely hated this book. HATED it. I'm not sure I've ever been able to say that about a novel before, but I can honestly say that about this one. Being a long-time fan of vampires, I picked this up at Barnes & Noble thinking that it might be a quick, easy, interesting read. The book itself is not terribly long, but I had a hard time getting through it.
For one thing, that characters aren't likable...AT ALL. The vampires are an ancient group of rich, snobby elitists who care more about fashion, money and society than they should for a group of powerful beings that's been around for hundreds of years. They're completely superficial, interested in the most ridiculous, trivial aspects of life, like silly pop culture tidbits, current trends, fashion labels, and designer clothing. The name-dropping in this book is truly horrendous. These are NOT the kind of vampires I fell in love with at a young age, and I doubt anyone could find themselves falling in love with these vampires either.
People think the Twilight books are bad? This is worse.
For one thing, that characters aren't likable...AT ALL. The vampires are an ancient group of rich, snobby elitists who care more about fashion, money and society than they should for a group of powerful beings that's been around for hundreds of years. They're completely superficial, interested in the most ridiculous, trivial aspects of life, like silly pop culture tidbits, current trends, fashion labels, and designer clothing. The name-dropping in this book is truly horrendous. These are NOT the kind of vampires I fell in love with at a young age, and I doubt anyone could find themselves falling in love with these vampires either.
People think the Twilight books are bad? This is worse.
December 13, 2014
I am painfully, painfully addicted. Not entirely in spite of the trashiness (because a small part of me finds the constant detailed descriptions of everyone's outfit deeply entertaining - hi, Laurell K Hamilton for the Gossip Girl set!), but if you dig beyond the uneven pacing, the telling instead of showing, and the constant! references! to everyone's! extreme! wealth!, there is some very, very interesting mythology being crafted here, with some deeply twisted and intriguing relationships as a result.
spoilers for both this book and Masquerade, the sequel
Let's see - rotating 3rd person POV between three main female characters - Schuyler, our old-money-but-now-broke semi-orphan outcast at Extremely Posh School; Mimi, our old-money-and-new-money-and-unbelievably-rich popular girl who is The Queen Bee everywhere and not just at EPS; and Blair, old-money-with-a-new-money-stepmother recent transplant to EPS from Texas who is absorbed into Mimi's social circle but feels an outsider. We've got the three different ends of the EPS social spectrum, but really? EPS is almost irrelevant to this story.
Yes, they're all vampires. Yes, fifteen to twenty-one is when they come into their vampirehood. Yes, being a vampire makes them fast, strong, beautiful, etc etc etc, and they're not allergic to sun. Blah blah standard vampirecakes blah blah.
Here's where the mythology gets interesting. Initially, it's just that vampires are souls that exist beyond the mortal shell, and the Turning Age is when the vampires first start remembering their past lives (and incidentally needing to drink blood, but whatever, that is, like, sooooo irrelevant). So, like, really Old Money. The current crop of characters came over on the Mayflower.
That's all well enough, certainly an interesting twist, but what I like about it even more is that de la Cruz takes it one step further: the vampires' original souls? Angels. Cast down to the mortal sphere, not hell, when they followed Lucifer. So layer on all sorts of Biblically-inspired angel/demon stuff, too.
So vampires (Blue Bloods, literally, hur hur) drink Red Blood and absorb some of the Red Blood's soul. The Uber Bad Guys are Silver Bloods, who drink Blue Bloods' blood and absorb all of that vampire's previous lives, in addition to the individual lives of the Red Bloods the Blue Blood has drunk, making them v. powerful and v. crazy. Lucifer, of course, is the ultimate Silver Blood.
See? Intriguing. More than your normal teen vampire book. What make it even more deliciously awesome is the bonds and relationships that de la Cruz has set up among the angels/vampires/teens all inhabiting one body.
Mimi is soul-bonded to Jack, who in this lifetime is her twin brother. You start to realize something hinky is up when Mimi starts having memories of Jack as her groom at various weddings throughout the ages. And the way it's played, I think you're kind of supposed to root for Mimi and Jack to get together. Yes, Jack is also drawn to Schuyler, our ostensible heroine, and it turns out that he's been drawn to other women (notably Schuyler's mother) throughout the ages, but he keeps coming back to Mimi. He is Mimi's one - I was going to say "humanizing point," but that's not quite right - saving grace, and the only times Mimi is not being almost entirely repulsive is when she's thinking about how much she loves Jack.
Schuyler's mother is soul-bonded to Jack and Mimi's father, who in this instance is her brother, and the reason there has been this great schism between them is because Schuyler's mom left Charles for a human and had the affront to not only marry a human but get knocked up by one (i.e. Schuyler). And then! In the closing pages of Masquerade, somewhere in all that, she may have had time to get knocked up by Blair's dad, producing Blair!
Because, see, Schuyler's mom is Gabriel(le), and Jack and Mimi's dad is Michael, and they are the only two Untainted, or whatever - angels who voluntarily fell in order to stay with their parents, an angel I'm not familiar with and the Metatron! (Now I picture Schuyler's grandfather as Alan Rickman. This is not a bad thing.)
And then, of course, there's the Red Blood/Blue Blood relationship thing. The metaphor of drinking blood = sex is a little heavy-handed (Mimi is precocious, starts drinking early, and drinks around a lot), but the mythology is set up so that it's a meaningful thing, that Blue Bloods are bonded to those from whom they drink, and it is forbidden (not to mention in extremely poor taste) to drain one dry to the point of death.
Then there are the, I can't remember what they're called, but essentially they're Watchers. Families trained to serve as "left-hand men" (I'm not sure if that was a deliberate fumble on de la Cruz's part or not) of the Blue Bloods, and of course Schuyler has a (male) Red Blood Watcher who has been trained since birth to serve her, who's been her best friend forever, and who she's now noticing is pretty cute, as well as tasty-looking. (Naturally, Oliver, her Watcher, comes from a filthily rich family.) You're not supposed to drink from your Watcher, but exigent circumstances (sort of) demand that Schuyler drink from Oliver, which completely changes their relationship, as well as being kind of forbidden and naughty.
(Are you getting the blood=sex thing yet? Are you? Because if not, Blair drinks from some guy on a photo shoot in the Caribbean and tells Schuyler not to share the [insert random Latin term here for bloodsuckin', much like "languisement" in the Jacqueline Carey books really just means "blowjob":] with any random person, because it really does mean something, and she shouldn't do it lightly.)
What photo shoot? Ah, yes, the slightly ridiculous subplot of Schuyler and Blair getting chosen to be models for this one fashion company owned by a fellow Blue Blood ('cause they're all rich and gorgeous, see, and wildly successful), which makes Mimi violently jealous, because she's the It Girl and the only one allowed to have a semi-naked billboard in Times Square, gosh.
Yes. It is that ridiculous. Mimi loves nothing better than to deny people pleasure, to let them know that they are excluded from something to which she is included. She likes it that people hate her.
So there's the Mimi-Jack-Schuyler-Oliver love...rhombus going on, plus you add in the fact that Schuyler has some of her mother in her, who previously tempted Jack and is Jack's father's sister/soul bond, and many of these kids are older souls than their parents and they're just starting to remember this, and there's questions of divinity and all sorts of delicious, juicy mythology to delve into, and it's an addictive combination. For those reasons, I highly recommend these books.
It's this ornate, gothic world with hits of shiny modernity wrapped up in this whole divine trapping, and I love that. I want to know more about the savior who has been prophecized; I want to know more about the horribly messy relationships that are swirling around; I want to know who Schuyler's human father was; I want to know more about this sprawling, baroque society with all its rules and history and social strictures than bind this community of four hundred souls being reborn over and over and over.
I just really, really wish we'd stop getting a brand list of every. single. outfit. and room. for every. single. character. The Gossip Girl-y bits, the constant harping on everyone's wealth, the constant heavy-handed classicism (which is interesting and would be even more so if it weren't constantly played as merely a vehicle for these characters to be able to advance the plot, like fly to Venice on short notice, or as a way to show off the author's knowledge of what's hot and What The Rich People Like) - these are the parts that grate.
Mostly it feels like a writer's weakness, an inability to manage the different parts of her story, to blend them into a seamless whole. (Isn't the point of Old Money that you don't actually talk about Money?) It feels like the author trying to show off what she knows about Rich And/Or Famous People, rather than develop the characters in any meaningful way. A little name-dropping or a little coy lack-of-name-dropping would have gone a long way towards sketching the characters, but instead it comes off a little self-aggrandizing and trying too hard. (Not unlike Blair’s tacky stepmother…)
There is a strong weakness of telling and not showing; a lot of action happens offscreen or is so impenetrable that it really does take Captain Exposition showing up two scenes later to let you know what it is that just happened. This is a much stronger failing in Blue Bloods than in Masquerade, and I have even higher hopes for the next book. The characters start out as pure caricature, and maybe I’m projecting too much onto them, but I really think they grow by Masquerade into something much more believable and much less pastiche.
There are some kickass world-building and relationships set up here, accompanied by weak storytelling and often shoddy character development. It wants to be so much more than it is, and I believe that de la Cruz has the raw creativity to make it happen, but she keeps getting held back by lack of craft (which I think could be remedied by more practice and a really hand-holdy editor) and the tendency to rely on tropes of all the teen books about rich, bitchy girls and their fabulous, empty lives, etc. that have taken over the teen aisle at Target. These characters are interesting because they’re not empty, that they have a larger purpose and a larger life beyond who’s carrying what handbag, so when de la Cruz resorts to the style of character-development-through-accessories, it’s a huge letdown.
spoilers for both this book and Masquerade, the sequel
Let's see - rotating 3rd person POV between three main female characters - Schuyler, our old-money-but-now-broke semi-orphan outcast at Extremely Posh School; Mimi, our old-money-and-new-money-and-unbelievably-rich popular girl who is The Queen Bee everywhere and not just at EPS; and Blair, old-money-with-a-new-money-stepmother recent transplant to EPS from Texas who is absorbed into Mimi's social circle but feels an outsider. We've got the three different ends of the EPS social spectrum, but really? EPS is almost irrelevant to this story.
Yes, they're all vampires. Yes, fifteen to twenty-one is when they come into their vampirehood. Yes, being a vampire makes them fast, strong, beautiful, etc etc etc, and they're not allergic to sun. Blah blah standard vampirecakes blah blah.
Here's where the mythology gets interesting. Initially, it's just that vampires are souls that exist beyond the mortal shell, and the Turning Age is when the vampires first start remembering their past lives (and incidentally needing to drink blood, but whatever, that is, like, sooooo irrelevant). So, like, really Old Money. The current crop of characters came over on the Mayflower.
That's all well enough, certainly an interesting twist, but what I like about it even more is that de la Cruz takes it one step further: the vampires' original souls? Angels. Cast down to the mortal sphere, not hell, when they followed Lucifer. So layer on all sorts of Biblically-inspired angel/demon stuff, too.
So vampires (Blue Bloods, literally, hur hur) drink Red Blood and absorb some of the Red Blood's soul. The Uber Bad Guys are Silver Bloods, who drink Blue Bloods' blood and absorb all of that vampire's previous lives, in addition to the individual lives of the Red Bloods the Blue Blood has drunk, making them v. powerful and v. crazy. Lucifer, of course, is the ultimate Silver Blood.
See? Intriguing. More than your normal teen vampire book. What make it even more deliciously awesome is the bonds and relationships that de la Cruz has set up among the angels/vampires/teens all inhabiting one body.
Mimi is soul-bonded to Jack, who in this lifetime is her twin brother. You start to realize something hinky is up when Mimi starts having memories of Jack as her groom at various weddings throughout the ages. And the way it's played, I think you're kind of supposed to root for Mimi and Jack to get together. Yes, Jack is also drawn to Schuyler, our ostensible heroine, and it turns out that he's been drawn to other women (notably Schuyler's mother) throughout the ages, but he keeps coming back to Mimi. He is Mimi's one - I was going to say "humanizing point," but that's not quite right - saving grace, and the only times Mimi is not being almost entirely repulsive is when she's thinking about how much she loves Jack.
Schuyler's mother is soul-bonded to Jack and Mimi's father, who in this instance is her brother, and the reason there has been this great schism between them is because Schuyler's mom left Charles for a human and had the affront to not only marry a human but get knocked up by one (i.e. Schuyler). And then! In the closing pages of Masquerade, somewhere in all that, she may have had time to get knocked up by Blair's dad, producing Blair!
Because, see, Schuyler's mom is Gabriel(le), and Jack and Mimi's dad is Michael, and they are the only two Untainted, or whatever - angels who voluntarily fell in order to stay with their parents, an angel I'm not familiar with and the Metatron! (Now I picture Schuyler's grandfather as Alan Rickman. This is not a bad thing.)
And then, of course, there's the Red Blood/Blue Blood relationship thing. The metaphor of drinking blood = sex is a little heavy-handed (Mimi is precocious, starts drinking early, and drinks around a lot), but the mythology is set up so that it's a meaningful thing, that Blue Bloods are bonded to those from whom they drink, and it is forbidden (not to mention in extremely poor taste) to drain one dry to the point of death.
Then there are the, I can't remember what they're called, but essentially they're Watchers. Families trained to serve as "left-hand men" (I'm not sure if that was a deliberate fumble on de la Cruz's part or not) of the Blue Bloods, and of course Schuyler has a (male) Red Blood Watcher who has been trained since birth to serve her, who's been her best friend forever, and who she's now noticing is pretty cute, as well as tasty-looking. (Naturally, Oliver, her Watcher, comes from a filthily rich family.) You're not supposed to drink from your Watcher, but exigent circumstances (sort of) demand that Schuyler drink from Oliver, which completely changes their relationship, as well as being kind of forbidden and naughty.
(Are you getting the blood=sex thing yet? Are you? Because if not, Blair drinks from some guy on a photo shoot in the Caribbean and tells Schuyler not to share the [insert random Latin term here for bloodsuckin', much like "languisement" in the Jacqueline Carey books really just means "blowjob":] with any random person, because it really does mean something, and she shouldn't do it lightly.)
What photo shoot? Ah, yes, the slightly ridiculous subplot of Schuyler and Blair getting chosen to be models for this one fashion company owned by a fellow Blue Blood ('cause they're all rich and gorgeous, see, and wildly successful), which makes Mimi violently jealous, because she's the It Girl and the only one allowed to have a semi-naked billboard in Times Square, gosh.
Yes. It is that ridiculous. Mimi loves nothing better than to deny people pleasure, to let them know that they are excluded from something to which she is included. She likes it that people hate her.
So there's the Mimi-Jack-Schuyler-Oliver love...rhombus going on, plus you add in the fact that Schuyler has some of her mother in her, who previously tempted Jack and is Jack's father's sister/soul bond, and many of these kids are older souls than their parents and they're just starting to remember this, and there's questions of divinity and all sorts of delicious, juicy mythology to delve into, and it's an addictive combination. For those reasons, I highly recommend these books.
It's this ornate, gothic world with hits of shiny modernity wrapped up in this whole divine trapping, and I love that. I want to know more about the savior who has been prophecized; I want to know more about the horribly messy relationships that are swirling around; I want to know who Schuyler's human father was; I want to know more about this sprawling, baroque society with all its rules and history and social strictures than bind this community of four hundred souls being reborn over and over and over.
I just really, really wish we'd stop getting a brand list of every. single. outfit. and room. for every. single. character. The Gossip Girl-y bits, the constant harping on everyone's wealth, the constant heavy-handed classicism (which is interesting and would be even more so if it weren't constantly played as merely a vehicle for these characters to be able to advance the plot, like fly to Venice on short notice, or as a way to show off the author's knowledge of what's hot and What The Rich People Like) - these are the parts that grate.
Mostly it feels like a writer's weakness, an inability to manage the different parts of her story, to blend them into a seamless whole. (Isn't the point of Old Money that you don't actually talk about Money?) It feels like the author trying to show off what she knows about Rich And/Or Famous People, rather than develop the characters in any meaningful way. A little name-dropping or a little coy lack-of-name-dropping would have gone a long way towards sketching the characters, but instead it comes off a little self-aggrandizing and trying too hard. (Not unlike Blair’s tacky stepmother…)
There is a strong weakness of telling and not showing; a lot of action happens offscreen or is so impenetrable that it really does take Captain Exposition showing up two scenes later to let you know what it is that just happened. This is a much stronger failing in Blue Bloods than in Masquerade, and I have even higher hopes for the next book. The characters start out as pure caricature, and maybe I’m projecting too much onto them, but I really think they grow by Masquerade into something much more believable and much less pastiche.
There are some kickass world-building and relationships set up here, accompanied by weak storytelling and often shoddy character development. It wants to be so much more than it is, and I believe that de la Cruz has the raw creativity to make it happen, but she keeps getting held back by lack of craft (which I think could be remedied by more practice and a really hand-holdy editor) and the tendency to rely on tropes of all the teen books about rich, bitchy girls and their fabulous, empty lives, etc. that have taken over the teen aisle at Target. These characters are interesting because they’re not empty, that they have a larger purpose and a larger life beyond who’s carrying what handbag, so when de la Cruz resorts to the style of character-development-through-accessories, it’s a huge letdown.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 26, 2011
Where to begin?
I've been devouring a lot of YA fiction lately, especially that of the supernatural kind and, honestly, I'm running out of avenues. I'd been putting off the Blue Bloods novels because they just didn't interest me. Well, today I was bored so I picked this little gem up from the library. It passed a few hours' worth of my time. Was it worth it? Well, I got some laughs.
The book opens with a massive cliche. Which I suppose should have warned me and put me off reading the rest of it, but I like to finish what I begin and, like I said, I was bored. Our main protagonist is Schuyler Van Alan. Tiny, black hair, blue eyes, absolutely gorgeous but, of course, completely unaware of it. She dresses like a bag lady. Well, more like a very lucky bag lady who ransacks the trash bins of wealthy socialites and has revolving credit at fancy consignment shops.
She has only one friend (of course), a boy named Oliver who is (of course) in love with her, while she is (of course) completely unaware of how he feels about her. Next cliche.
Everyone else at her prestigious private school ignores her. Of course.
UNTIL...
Until one night when she's out with Oliver and she sees the ever-popular and completely gorgeous Jack Force. He flirts with her and she's completely confused by his sudden attention to her.
So you would think this eventually goes somewhere. Not really. Jack and Schuyler DO share a couple of scenes together, but nothing all that great. They kiss once, but even that has a very strange vibe, like it just shouldn't be happening. Probably because there isn't a whole lot of build up. They don't manage to kiss for long, either, because they're interrupted by Jack's twin sister, Mimi.
The Jack and Mimi storyline is where things started to get creepy and make less and less sense.
Jack's and Mimi's "relationship" is very quickly revealed to be more than what the average brother and sister share. Creep factor through the roof at this point. I mean, I guessed right away that it was some kind of reincarnation thing, but EWW. Come on.
And Mimi's a total bitch, but not even in a believable way. I got the feeling I was supposed to really hate her, but I couldn't. There just wasn't enough there.
Schuyler has no parents. Her dad is dead, her mom's been in a coma since she was a baby, and she's been neglectfully supervised by her "grandmother" Cordelia. Cordelia is a throw-away character. She exists within the book merely for the sole purpose of providing a quick source of information for Schuyler, then she's killed off. Let's just call her Tissue from now on. Schuyler blew her nose on her and her literary mission was accomplished.
So I trudged through the first half or so of this book wondering why in the hell I was still reading since all I kept hearing about was how rich these people are and the kinds of clothes they wear, the hotels they stay in, the food they eat, etc. But then I got to the good stuff.
Wait for it....
The "Blue Bloods" are nothing more than a group of 400 fallen angels whose punishment for betraying God was being condemned to live their immortal lives on earth until they've reached a zen-like state of contrition. At least, that's their mission; to be allowed back into the "garden" after paying penance for their misbehavior. So they don't kill humans. Not at all, in fact, they try to help us! Did you know that all the beautiful and the humanitarian things in New York City are all thanks to rich angel space vampires?
Anyway, they're reincarnated and, at the age of 15, start undergoing their "transformation" to vampire. Okay.
So yeah, Jack and Mimi? They're "blood bound". Apparently this is some freaky BS wherein two souls are born as twins, but then, through a transition, one twin would assume the role of spouse. This was to preserve the family's fortune. A whole new twist on "keepin' it in the family". Anyone else feel like vomiting?
Intellectually, reading this book is akin to flipping through a toddler's board book. Not a whole lot going on. De La Cruz attempted to weave in some historical references by tying the whole Roanoke settlement mystery into the angel vampires' story, but she apparently expects that none of her readers have ever heard of it before. None of the teen characters in the book have. We're supposed to believe that these kids are attending this super exclusive private school and NONE of them have ever heard of Roanoke or Croatoan? Sure, she tries to tie that up nicely by claiming The Committee (head honcho angel vampires) have altered the memories of their own so they don't remember Roanoke, but these kids do not exist in a vacuum; they would have heard the story eventually and remembered it, ESPECIALLY since they're HUNDREDS OF YEARS OLD AND GET THE SAME MEMORIES BACK WITH EVERY INCARNATION.
*Sigh*
Anyway, Schuyler is a vampire, but she isn't part of the in-crowd because she's half human. She's the product of her mother (an angel vampire) mating with a human. She's a "new soul", not a reincarnated one, and she's super rare. Okay. Also, her mother, Allegra, is the archangel Gabriel (simple explanation, but just don't ask). Gabriel/Gabrielle/Allegra is supposedly the strongest of the angel vampires, but she's in a coma because she swore off of human familiars (blood bags) after her husband (Schuyler's father) died. Gabriel and the archangel Michael (who turns out to be Charles Force, Jack and Mimi's "dad) were not condemned to the life of the angel vampires because of misbehavior, they chose to go with them to help lead them. So they were both "pure-of-heart".
Well, we find out from the human Tissue that Schuyler is amazingly powerful because of who her mother is, and then Schuyler is told (again, by the Tissue) that, according to angel vampire prophecies, the daughter of Gabrielle will "lead them to the salvation they seek".
Okay, so that means that Allegra, Ms. Pure-of-heart leader, super angel vampire woman.....has CHOSEN to stop feeding and slipped into a coma, leaving behind a super powerful, probably very important child who will need guidance....? Right?
Yes, let me try and untangle this; Schuyler is important. She's not a reincarnated angel, true....BUT she's the BIOLOGICAL CHILD of an archangel, powerful and IMPORTANT. Annnd...she's been abandoned by her mom and scorned by her angel vampire peers.
These angel vampires have about as much sense as a moldy sack of rusty hammers. But what else would you expect from New York City's elite?
The characters are two-dimensional and boring. The plot? On the surface it's just plain silly, but when you dig deeper it's inconsistent and completely nonsensical and looks a lot like swiss cheese with all the holes riddled throughout. This book really is the literary equivalent of a socialite; boring, vapid, shallow, narcissistic, and transparent. I can put up with a lot from supernatural YA because I don't ask much. This book, however, asked me to suspend WAY too much of my intellect while not even having the common courtesy of providing any real entertainment.
I know this review is all-over-the-place, but I really don't have the energy to try and rearrange everything so it makes more sense. Kinda like the book I'm reviewing.
I've been devouring a lot of YA fiction lately, especially that of the supernatural kind and, honestly, I'm running out of avenues. I'd been putting off the Blue Bloods novels because they just didn't interest me. Well, today I was bored so I picked this little gem up from the library. It passed a few hours' worth of my time. Was it worth it? Well, I got some laughs.
The book opens with a massive cliche. Which I suppose should have warned me and put me off reading the rest of it, but I like to finish what I begin and, like I said, I was bored. Our main protagonist is Schuyler Van Alan. Tiny, black hair, blue eyes, absolutely gorgeous but, of course, completely unaware of it. She dresses like a bag lady. Well, more like a very lucky bag lady who ransacks the trash bins of wealthy socialites and has revolving credit at fancy consignment shops.
She has only one friend (of course), a boy named Oliver who is (of course) in love with her, while she is (of course) completely unaware of how he feels about her. Next cliche.
Everyone else at her prestigious private school ignores her. Of course.
UNTIL...
Until one night when she's out with Oliver and she sees the ever-popular and completely gorgeous Jack Force. He flirts with her and she's completely confused by his sudden attention to her.
So you would think this eventually goes somewhere. Not really. Jack and Schuyler DO share a couple of scenes together, but nothing all that great. They kiss once, but even that has a very strange vibe, like it just shouldn't be happening. Probably because there isn't a whole lot of build up. They don't manage to kiss for long, either, because they're interrupted by Jack's twin sister, Mimi.
The Jack and Mimi storyline is where things started to get creepy and make less and less sense.
Jack's and Mimi's "relationship" is very quickly revealed to be more than what the average brother and sister share. Creep factor through the roof at this point. I mean, I guessed right away that it was some kind of reincarnation thing, but EWW. Come on.
And Mimi's a total bitch, but not even in a believable way. I got the feeling I was supposed to really hate her, but I couldn't. There just wasn't enough there.
Schuyler has no parents. Her dad is dead, her mom's been in a coma since she was a baby, and she's been neglectfully supervised by her "grandmother" Cordelia. Cordelia is a throw-away character. She exists within the book merely for the sole purpose of providing a quick source of information for Schuyler, then she's killed off. Let's just call her Tissue from now on. Schuyler blew her nose on her and her literary mission was accomplished.
So I trudged through the first half or so of this book wondering why in the hell I was still reading since all I kept hearing about was how rich these people are and the kinds of clothes they wear, the hotels they stay in, the food they eat, etc. But then I got to the good stuff.
Wait for it....
The "Blue Bloods" are nothing more than a group of 400 fallen angels whose punishment for betraying God was being condemned to live their immortal lives on earth until they've reached a zen-like state of contrition. At least, that's their mission; to be allowed back into the "garden" after paying penance for their misbehavior. So they don't kill humans. Not at all, in fact, they try to help us! Did you know that all the beautiful and the humanitarian things in New York City are all thanks to rich angel space vampires?
Anyway, they're reincarnated and, at the age of 15, start undergoing their "transformation" to vampire. Okay.
So yeah, Jack and Mimi? They're "blood bound". Apparently this is some freaky BS wherein two souls are born as twins, but then, through a transition, one twin would assume the role of spouse. This was to preserve the family's fortune. A whole new twist on "keepin' it in the family". Anyone else feel like vomiting?
Intellectually, reading this book is akin to flipping through a toddler's board book. Not a whole lot going on. De La Cruz attempted to weave in some historical references by tying the whole Roanoke settlement mystery into the angel vampires' story, but she apparently expects that none of her readers have ever heard of it before. None of the teen characters in the book have. We're supposed to believe that these kids are attending this super exclusive private school and NONE of them have ever heard of Roanoke or Croatoan? Sure, she tries to tie that up nicely by claiming The Committee (head honcho angel vampires) have altered the memories of their own so they don't remember Roanoke, but these kids do not exist in a vacuum; they would have heard the story eventually and remembered it, ESPECIALLY since they're HUNDREDS OF YEARS OLD AND GET THE SAME MEMORIES BACK WITH EVERY INCARNATION.
*Sigh*
Anyway, Schuyler is a vampire, but she isn't part of the in-crowd because she's half human. She's the product of her mother (an angel vampire) mating with a human. She's a "new soul", not a reincarnated one, and she's super rare. Okay. Also, her mother, Allegra, is the archangel Gabriel (simple explanation, but just don't ask). Gabriel/Gabrielle/Allegra is supposedly the strongest of the angel vampires, but she's in a coma because she swore off of human familiars (blood bags) after her husband (Schuyler's father) died. Gabriel and the archangel Michael (who turns out to be Charles Force, Jack and Mimi's "dad) were not condemned to the life of the angel vampires because of misbehavior, they chose to go with them to help lead them. So they were both "pure-of-heart".
Well, we find out from the human Tissue that Schuyler is amazingly powerful because of who her mother is, and then Schuyler is told (again, by the Tissue) that, according to angel vampire prophecies, the daughter of Gabrielle will "lead them to the salvation they seek".
Okay, so that means that Allegra, Ms. Pure-of-heart leader, super angel vampire woman.....has CHOSEN to stop feeding and slipped into a coma, leaving behind a super powerful, probably very important child who will need guidance....? Right?
Yes, let me try and untangle this; Schuyler is important. She's not a reincarnated angel, true....BUT she's the BIOLOGICAL CHILD of an archangel, powerful and IMPORTANT. Annnd...she's been abandoned by her mom and scorned by her angel vampire peers.
These angel vampires have about as much sense as a moldy sack of rusty hammers. But what else would you expect from New York City's elite?
The characters are two-dimensional and boring. The plot? On the surface it's just plain silly, but when you dig deeper it's inconsistent and completely nonsensical and looks a lot like swiss cheese with all the holes riddled throughout. This book really is the literary equivalent of a socialite; boring, vapid, shallow, narcissistic, and transparent. I can put up with a lot from supernatural YA because I don't ask much. This book, however, asked me to suspend WAY too much of my intellect while not even having the common courtesy of providing any real entertainment.
I know this review is all-over-the-place, but I really don't have the energy to try and rearrange everything so it makes more sense. Kinda like the book I'm reviewing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 30, 2009
This series is basically Gossip Girl meets Twilight. Melissa de la Cruz is obviously a great author...However, she does not follow through with this series. She spends more time talking about designer labels, and what the elite are wearing...than she does building up the plot.
I felt completely let down, because many people had suggested this series to me.
Having said that...
I still want to know what happens, which means I will give Melissa de la Cruz a second chance by reading the second installment of this series.
Melissa de la Cruz writes well, but this book is lacking in the plot...
I felt completely let down, because many people had suggested this series to me.
Having said that...
I still want to know what happens, which means I will give Melissa de la Cruz a second chance by reading the second installment of this series.
Melissa de la Cruz writes well, but this book is lacking in the plot...
December 13, 2009
This is the first book in another paranormal YA series. I've been disappointed with quite a few lately, but "Blue Bloods" seems a little bit better than some.
First of all, it's not based solely on romance. For a change, this book is written in 3rd person, so you don't have to endure hundreds of pages in a mind of some boy-obsessed teenage girl. Cruz also develops a rather interesting vampire lore which even has some well-known historical events weaved into it.
I am not going to pretend however that this book is something extra special. The characterization is superficial, Cruz spends way too much time describing every piece of clothing ever worn by anyone in the book, the brand name dropping is just beyond ridiculous, and emphasis on money and advantages of being rich makes characters at times unrelatable and distant. Yeah, and there is almost no climax or a satisfying ending.
Nevertheless, this book is a page-turner and I am interested enough in the story to give the rest of the series a try.
First of all, it's not based solely on romance. For a change, this book is written in 3rd person, so you don't have to endure hundreds of pages in a mind of some boy-obsessed teenage girl. Cruz also develops a rather interesting vampire lore which even has some well-known historical events weaved into it.
I am not going to pretend however that this book is something extra special. The characterization is superficial, Cruz spends way too much time describing every piece of clothing ever worn by anyone in the book, the brand name dropping is just beyond ridiculous, and emphasis on money and advantages of being rich makes characters at times unrelatable and distant. Yeah, and there is almost no climax or a satisfying ending.
Nevertheless, this book is a page-turner and I am interested enough in the story to give the rest of the series a try.
August 30, 2021
▪️3,5▪️
December 30, 2010
De la Cruz does an impressive job of creating a world of high society New York vampires that date all the way back to Plymouth, to the beginning of time, really, but the book focuses on Plymouth. I loved that she ties her story into a bit of real historical mystery, the Lost Colony of Roanoke, a group of early pilgrim settlers that disappeared without a trace. Family lines and real estate and designer clothes are all important to setting the stage for the New York it crowd, but the name-dropping brands got old about page two. De la Cruz got a little too caught up in her fashion background and forgot that we want to read a story, not see a fashion spread in Vogue.
But that wasn't the thing that bugged me the most about her vampire lore. The angel Gabriel come down from heaven to live as a self-important New York vampire? Did she really have to go there? Twist vampire traditions and angel stories, but please don't mess with sacred scriptural figures. Anything I may have believed about her world lost it for me there.
That bombshell came as a weak answer to an unsatisfying ending. I get that de la Cruz is introducing a series here so there has to be some things left open, but the main struggle I invested 300 pages for should have given me some conclusion, some closure, some reason for this to be the end of this story, but nothing really resolves itself and the answers I did get were weak. There were some interesting aspects to the story and I liked Schuyler (if none of the other characters), but among so many vampire stories there's nothing here that compelled me to read the rest of the series.
But that wasn't the thing that bugged me the most about her vampire lore. The angel Gabriel come down from heaven to live as a self-important New York vampire? Did she really have to go there? Twist vampire traditions and angel stories, but please don't mess with sacred scriptural figures. Anything I may have believed about her world lost it for me there.
That bombshell came as a weak answer to an unsatisfying ending. I get that de la Cruz is introducing a series here so there has to be some things left open, but the main struggle I invested 300 pages for should have given me some conclusion, some closure, some reason for this to be the end of this story, but nothing really resolves itself and the answers I did get were weak. There were some interesting aspects to the story and I liked Schuyler (if none of the other characters), but among so many vampire stories there's nothing here that compelled me to read the rest of the series.
March 6, 2009
I read all three of these books in a day apiece. They're badly written, ludicrous candy. Seriously, rich NYC socialite vampires? Who are also ANGELS? And models, apparently? And are almost 100% undeveloped as characters?
Don't get me started on how "Croatan" actually refers to one of the native American tribes in the barrier islands of NC, and was probably meant to serve as a direction for the rest of the Roanaoke colonists when they came back from England. I mean, yes, the whole subject of the Roanoake colony's disappearance is a fascinating mystery, but there is no way "Croatan" meant "super-vampires are hunting the regular vampires in the original colonies help help!"
Don't get me started on how "Croatan" actually refers to one of the native American tribes in the barrier islands of NC, and was probably meant to serve as a direction for the rest of the Roanaoke colonists when they came back from England. I mean, yes, the whole subject of the Roanoake colony's disappearance is a fascinating mystery, but there is no way "Croatan" meant "super-vampires are hunting the regular vampires in the original colonies help help!"
January 31, 2009
Oh, my silly love of teen vampire books. Melissa de la Cruz makes a fun world, easy to read, with characters that you love and hate. Full of all the angst and envy of a proper high school novel, but with the added bite of the supernatural.
I'm charmed by Schuyler, the accidentally beautiful protagonist. She is endearing in her inability to fit in, which is something I'm sure many of us can relate to.
The Force Twins. How can you help but love to hate Mimi Force? A girl who has everything, and knows that she really has been queen of the world.
It's a fun, light read. It took me all of 4 or 5 hours, after which I promptly bought the next two books, which also took that long to read. Not as deep or detailed as they could have been, as I really, really wanted them to be. My Robert Jordan-primed brain wanted the two-page scenes to stretch out for chapters. Unfortunately, this is teen fiction, not overdrawn adult fantasy.
It's excellent for what it is.
I'm charmed by Schuyler, the accidentally beautiful protagonist. She is endearing in her inability to fit in, which is something I'm sure many of us can relate to.
The Force Twins. How can you help but love to hate Mimi Force? A girl who has everything, and knows that she really has been queen of the world.
It's a fun, light read. It took me all of 4 or 5 hours, after which I promptly bought the next two books, which also took that long to read. Not as deep or detailed as they could have been, as I really, really wanted them to be. My Robert Jordan-primed brain wanted the two-page scenes to stretch out for chapters. Unfortunately, this is teen fiction, not overdrawn adult fantasy.
It's excellent for what it is.
February 22, 2015
Read the full review here @A Perfection Called Books
The Concept:
Blue Bloods is a trio combination of Gossip Girl, angels, and vampires. The idea and premise of this series is original and great! Basically the angels who sided with Lucifer were cast down from heaven and now they are Blue Bloods, vampires, who live in 100 year long cycles, trying to achieve redemption. I like it! It's a cool concept :) Some parts of the concept are a bit hard to grasp. Cruz doesn't do a very good job of explaining things and constantly contradicts herself: "So in a way, we are all related, but we are not related at all" Yup that totally makes sense.
The Setting:
Helloooo Upper East Side !! Oh the opulence and wealth. Quite fun to read of, but wayyy too much time was spent describing the luxury and the name-brand clothing and furniture. Most of this book was spent describing everyone's designer-brand things, I'd have liked more of the story to be about, oh I don't know, the plot perhaps?
The Writing:
Cruz's writing is fine. It's simple; she writes fluffy, light stories. I caught a grammar mistake or two in the writing. Cruz is great at describing, sometimes she goes overboard though. This book lacks humor and fun. I wish Cruz would incorporate that into her books (please, anything to liven up this series)!
The Plot:
There is a plot! It just goes NOWHERE. There's so much that could be done with this series but the execution is so poor that it goes nowhere! It hurts my bookworm heart because this series could be so good if written the right way. But alas, we instead are forced to read 250 pages of nothingness and 50 pages of actual story and plot development and movement. The focus of this book is completely wrong. Stop focusing on the wealth of the Blue Bloods and the Upper East Side scene. Focus on the threats, the Silver Bloods! Have some character and plot development. Have meaningful scenes, not just randomly thrown-in ones.
The Characters:
I don't like any of the characters. It's sad. Schuyler is okay. She's so dull though. Jack is mysterious and hot but besides that he doesn't have much going for him. I loathe Mimi, and her pride and vanity make me want to slap her. Bliss is a dolt. And she's way too obsessed with what people think of her. All of these characters get on my nerves.
The Romance:
It goes from zero to sixty in 3.5. What. The. Heck. Jack and Schuyler hardly know each other and then they suddenly love each other? And I think a love triangle might be forming? And there's definitely some incest...
EW INCEST. I just want to puke when I think of Jack and Mimi together. Bleh :P If I see any incestuous things happening in this series I will chuck the book across the room and start purging. Bleh. Mimi and Jack?! Ew. And Mimi WANTS Jack? Ew. I don't care about the little technicalities and how it's like "hey we're kind of siblings kind of not. We just so happen to be called back to live in this cycle as twin siblings," don't even. That's called incest. Cruz, don't even try to make it better by confusing me even more with the bonding rituals that Blue Bloods have that they renew with that same partner during each cycle... Ew. Incest. No. Ew.
The Cliches:
There are so many cliches that made me roll my eyes in this book:
- The plain protagonist is suddenly found out to be gorgeous
- The popular guy who's never given her two words suddenly is all interested in her
- Protagonist's mom is in a coma
- Missing father
- Ordinary girl finds out she's not so ordinary
- BFF in love with protagonist, protagonist can't see it even though it's obvious
- Unique protagonist first name that you've never heard of before
- Spoiled queen bee who does evil things (especially to the protagonist)
Overall:
Blue Bloods was a bad start to the series. I'm holding onto the hope that this series gets better. It's an interesting concept and a great plot idea. Now if only the execution could improve...
The Concept:
Blue Bloods is a trio combination of Gossip Girl, angels, and vampires. The idea and premise of this series is original and great! Basically the angels who sided with Lucifer were cast down from heaven and now they are Blue Bloods, vampires, who live in 100 year long cycles, trying to achieve redemption. I like it! It's a cool concept :) Some parts of the concept are a bit hard to grasp. Cruz doesn't do a very good job of explaining things and constantly contradicts herself: "So in a way, we are all related, but we are not related at all" Yup that totally makes sense.
The Setting:
Helloooo Upper East Side !! Oh the opulence and wealth. Quite fun to read of, but wayyy too much time was spent describing the luxury and the name-brand clothing and furniture. Most of this book was spent describing everyone's designer-brand things, I'd have liked more of the story to be about, oh I don't know, the plot perhaps?
The Writing:
Cruz's writing is fine. It's simple; she writes fluffy, light stories. I caught a grammar mistake or two in the writing. Cruz is great at describing, sometimes she goes overboard though. This book lacks humor and fun. I wish Cruz would incorporate that into her books (please, anything to liven up this series)!
The Plot:
There is a plot! It just goes NOWHERE. There's so much that could be done with this series but the execution is so poor that it goes nowhere! It hurts my bookworm heart because this series could be so good if written the right way. But alas, we instead are forced to read 250 pages of nothingness and 50 pages of actual story and plot development and movement. The focus of this book is completely wrong. Stop focusing on the wealth of the Blue Bloods and the Upper East Side scene. Focus on the threats, the Silver Bloods! Have some character and plot development. Have meaningful scenes, not just randomly thrown-in ones.
The Characters:
I don't like any of the characters. It's sad. Schuyler is okay. She's so dull though. Jack is mysterious and hot but besides that he doesn't have much going for him. I loathe Mimi, and her pride and vanity make me want to slap her. Bliss is a dolt. And she's way too obsessed with what people think of her. All of these characters get on my nerves.
The Romance:
It goes from zero to sixty in 3.5. What. The. Heck. Jack and Schuyler hardly know each other and then they suddenly love each other? And I think a love triangle might be forming? And there's definitely some incest...
EW INCEST. I just want to puke when I think of Jack and Mimi together. Bleh :P If I see any incestuous things happening in this series I will chuck the book across the room and start purging. Bleh. Mimi and Jack?! Ew. And Mimi WANTS Jack? Ew. I don't care about the little technicalities and how it's like "hey we're kind of siblings kind of not. We just so happen to be called back to live in this cycle as twin siblings," don't even. That's called incest. Cruz, don't even try to make it better by confusing me even more with the bonding rituals that Blue Bloods have that they renew with that same partner during each cycle... Ew. Incest. No. Ew.
The Cliches:
There are so many cliches that made me roll my eyes in this book:
- The plain protagonist is suddenly found out to be gorgeous
- The popular guy who's never given her two words suddenly is all interested in her
- Protagonist's mom is in a coma
- Missing father
- Ordinary girl finds out she's not so ordinary
- BFF in love with protagonist, protagonist can't see it even though it's obvious
- Unique protagonist first name that you've never heard of before
- Spoiled queen bee who does evil things (especially to the protagonist)
Overall:
Blue Bloods was a bad start to the series. I'm holding onto the hope that this series gets better. It's an interesting concept and a great plot idea. Now if only the execution could improve...
January 24, 2024
I ran across this title when reading reviews after reading the first Twilight book... and I have to say, this vampire teen series is much better written than the Twilight series, but having said that, I must admit that it wasn't the page turner I had hoped it would be. Twilight definitely has something this book doesn't-- a heck of a romantic male lead.
I loved how this book included some early American historical lore... it was a surprising contrast to all the Manhattan sights and fashion name dropping.
Looking forward to reading the next one in the series.
(Reviewed 10-12-08)
I loved how this book included some early American historical lore... it was a surprising contrast to all the Manhattan sights and fashion name dropping.
Looking forward to reading the next one in the series.
(Reviewed 10-12-08)
July 9, 2022
Blue Bloods is the introduction book to the series and a pretty interesting one too. Mostly because of the all the vampires, fallen angels, and everything in between. Although, I was confused for a little bit when they started talking about the different bloods: blue, red, silver, etc. Mostly when silver came into play because then I kept thinking one supernatural species instead of what I was actually supposed to be thinking - ya know?
Other than that, the characters were also pretty interesting to a point though. At times, I liked them and then something would just rub me the wrong way. Okay, it was mostly Jack giving me whiplash but details. Then there's Mimi, who I definitely didn't like for most of this book. Not sure if I ever will but the month is young. There's still time and maybe some room for improvement.
In the end, I'm pretty excited to jump into the rest of the series because I have lots of questions that need answers. Hoping to get less confused with each book but also expecting more confusing things to come my way at the same time.
Other than that, the characters were also pretty interesting to a point though. At times, I liked them and then something would just rub me the wrong way. Okay, it was mostly Jack giving me whiplash but details. Then there's Mimi, who I definitely didn't like for most of this book. Not sure if I ever will but the month is young. There's still time and maybe some room for improvement.
In the end, I'm pretty excited to jump into the rest of the series because I have lots of questions that need answers. Hoping to get less confused with each book but also expecting more confusing things to come my way at the same time.
January 25, 2019
Re-read to finish the series from my bookshelf. I was happy to get reacquainted with this amusing world and characters.
October 16, 2024
Some of the lore here is cool. That's it though. There's not much of an actual plot to critique and the characters have so little personality they could pass as statues.
August 27, 2016
ACTUAL RATİNG:2.75 stars
The Ingredients:Add The Gossip Girl. Mix it with Beverly Hills. Add a bit of Twilight. And a little piece from every YA novel you can remember reading.
The Final Taste/The Verdict:Doesnt leave a bad taste in your mouth but it definitely could have been better.
The Story:The glamorous life of the Upper East Side citiziens
-with a vampire twist.
What Went Wrong:What the book focuses on is completely wrong. The author should have focused on the story than what the characters were wearing.All these brand fixation is so annoying. This is supposed to be a vampire book not a fashion show!
Does it have potential?Yes.Definitely gonna check out the other books. Never judge a series by its first book (IF the first book it not a huge let down of course. I heard this one gets better so we shall see)
The Vampire type:They are not your 'ordinary vampires. Even though, I liked the world-building I dont think this one was a good vampire novel. Not enough vampire stuff until 50% of the book. Well, at least they dont sparkle, thats something. Cause;
Still,
Come on, man.
Damn, I miss Buffy.
The Friendly Reminder:Before saying;
...remember that this was written in 2007. Sooo today's every cliche YA novel I’ve read may have copied stuff from this series.
And thats exactly why this one gets 3 stars and not 2 or 2.5
The Characters:None of them are likeable AT ALL.
Mimi- doesnt have a likeable bone in her body.
Bliss- what kind of a name Bliss is?!
Schuyle– too cliche.(And Schyle, really? I cant even pronunce it!!!) Meet with the plain girl who discovers she isnt plain at all. Oh look she is suddenly beautiful.
I wonder how it happened. Could it be…YA magic?
Oliver– is a douchebag! Oliver had stopped speaking to Schuyle because she had moved Jack from the "Not" to the "Hot" column, without campaigning for Oliver's approval? Thats the reason he cuts her off?
Seriously?
Oliver continues to refuse to even acknowledge her existence but what she does instead of confronting him; she takes his side and goes to apologise.
I'm supposed to forget about what happened because suddenly it turns out he is such a good guy? I'm supposed to see this shit as Schuyle being mature?!
Although, I never saw it coming. I thought he was just gonna be a jealous BFF without a purpose. Now he has one but I still dont like where his story might be going. It's so predictable, unfortunately.
Jack–
Well...to tell you the truth I find him more interesting than Oliver but *Sighs*
The love interest(s)(Oliver and Jack): This one doesnt have a ‘open’ love triangle so far but you can smell it coming from miles away. And you can also smell who is gonna get picked from miles away too.
A couple of cliches this book may or may have not started:
-MC's best friend who is secretly in love with her
-Not so plain girl. Oh wait Bella made that one popular. Sorry.
-The parent is in coma
-A unlikable queen bee character doing unlikable things and acting as a spoiled brat
etc. etc. etc.
A couple of random thoughts:
-
So confusing! Damn, if I’ve tried to make a family tree it would be way too complicated.
-
What an explanation. Wow. Never saw that one before, so original!
-Vampires...recycling?
I dont know what to feel about this. I'm not exactly sold on the idea.
-The twin plot.
It is creepy and weird. Who cares about their 'history' together.
-Bliss suddenly realizes how pretty Schuyler is.
Bliss darling;
a)It is called 'YA magic'. It's not your fault. You are not blind.
b)Also, it's called make up. It can create wonders.
-
-Dylan
- I was like ‘Totally saw it coming. Why is it hard to suprise me these days? Sigh, it’s been like forever I saw a good twist.‘ then when they confract him and learn he is - oh shit, I didnt saw it coming!
That was a great twist. Probably the only good twist this book had. Had me for a moment there!
-
Good luck ever making it sense.
OVERALL; MY REACTION FOR MOST OF THE BOOK WAS:
Hope the series gets better!
The Ingredients:Add The Gossip Girl. Mix it with Beverly Hills. Add a bit of Twilight. And a little piece from every YA novel you can remember reading.
The Final Taste/The Verdict:Doesnt leave a bad taste in your mouth but it definitely could have been better.
The Story:The glamorous life of the Upper East Side citiziens
-with a vampire twist.
What Went Wrong:What the book focuses on is completely wrong. The author should have focused on the story than what the characters were wearing.All these brand fixation is so annoying. This is supposed to be a vampire book not a fashion show!
Does it have potential?Yes.Definitely gonna check out the other books. Never judge a series by its first book (IF the first book it not a huge let down of course. I heard this one gets better so we shall see)
The Vampire type:They are not your 'ordinary vampires. Even though, I liked the world-building I dont think this one was a good vampire novel. Not enough vampire stuff until 50% of the book. Well, at least they dont sparkle, thats something. Cause;
Still,
Come on, man.
Damn, I miss Buffy.
The Friendly Reminder:Before saying;
...remember that this was written in 2007. Sooo today's every cliche YA novel I’ve read may have copied stuff from this series.
And thats exactly why this one gets 3 stars and not 2 or 2.5
The Characters:None of them are likeable AT ALL.
Mimi- doesnt have a likeable bone in her body.
Bliss- what kind of a name Bliss is?!
Schuyle– too cliche.(And Schyle, really? I cant even pronunce it!!!) Meet with the plain girl who discovers she isnt plain at all. Oh look she is suddenly beautiful.
I wonder how it happened. Could it be…YA magic?
Oliver– is a douchebag! Oliver had stopped speaking to Schuyle because she had moved Jack from the "Not" to the "Hot" column, without campaigning for Oliver's approval? Thats the reason he cuts her off?
Seriously?
Oliver continues to refuse to even acknowledge her existence but what she does instead of confronting him; she takes his side and goes to apologise.
I'm supposed to forget about what happened because suddenly it turns out he is such a good guy? I'm supposed to see this shit as Schuyle being mature?!
Although, I never saw it coming. I thought he was just gonna be a jealous BFF without a purpose. Now he has one but I still dont like where his story might be going. It's so predictable, unfortunately.
Jack–
Well...to tell you the truth I find him more interesting than Oliver but *Sighs*
The love interest(s)(Oliver and Jack): This one doesnt have a ‘open’ love triangle so far but you can smell it coming from miles away. And you can also smell who is gonna get picked from miles away too.
A couple of cliches this book may or may have not started:
-MC's best friend who is secretly in love with her
-Not so plain girl. Oh wait Bella made that one popular. Sorry.
-The parent is in coma
-A unlikable queen bee character doing unlikable things and acting as a spoiled brat
etc. etc. etc.
A couple of random thoughts:
-
So in a way, we are all related, but we are not related at all
So confusing! Damn, if I’ve tried to make a family tree it would be way too complicated.
-
“There's nothing that can hurt us. But you know Hollywood. They had to think of ways to kill us off some how. I don't know how we got such a bad rap. It's all created by The Conspiracy, you know. They like to mislead the Red Bloods.”
What an explanation. Wow. Never saw that one before, so original!
-Vampires...recycling?
"But we die after a hundred years?”
"Only the physical shell. If you choose.Your memories last forever, so you're never really dead."
I dont know what to feel about this. I'm not exactly sold on the idea.
-The twin plot.
It is creepy and weird. Who cares about their 'history' together.
-Bliss suddenly realizes how pretty Schuyler is.
God, she was really pretty, Bliss thought. Pretty wasn't even the word—that would be like calling Audrey Hepburn good-looking. Schuyler was transcendent. Why hadn't she ever noticed that before? Bliss wondered
Bliss darling;
a)It is called 'YA magic'. It's not your fault. You are not blind.
b)Also, it's called make up. It can create wonders.
-
-Dylan
- I was like ‘Totally saw it coming. Why is it hard to suprise me these days? Sigh, it’s been like forever I saw a good twist.‘ then when they confract him and learn he is - oh shit, I didnt saw it coming!
That was a great twist. Probably the only good twist this book had. Had me for a moment there!
-
The tangled Blue Blood family history was too complicated for Schuyler to make sense of it at the moment
Good luck ever making it sense.
OVERALL; MY REACTION FOR MOST OF THE BOOK WAS:
Hope the series gets better!
January 1, 2016
"Survival of the richest, the city's ours before the fall
They're Monaco and Hamptons bound, but we don't feel like outsiders at all."
- Halsey, "New Americana"
3.5 Stars
Better than I thought it would be, and my random book of the month, decided through a fair bit of weird numerology and enough "eeny meeny miney mo" the reference librarian probably thought I'd gone crazy.
The Summary (that they don't give you): So there's this girl Schuyler (pronounced Skylar, I think) who doesn't fit in :( at her exclusive NYC private school, but after strange things start happening to her, she gets an invitation to an exclusive group of Manhattan socialites who are actually (gasp!) vampires. There are two other perspectives, Mimi Force, proud vampire, ice queen, and clique head at Schuyler's school; and Bliss, transplanted Texan and Mimi's reluctant sidekick, who is growing into being a vampire. At similar schools, emerging vampire teenagers are getting murdered, but none of the adult leaders will tell them how, because vampires are supposedly immune to everything, including stakes, crosses, and holy water. (Suspicious, right?!?)
Now for the review. A fun, light read that is kind of like Pretty Little Liars crossed with City of Bones. It's a glamour-filled book with just as much social backstabbing and fancy parties as bloodsucking, but manages to pull it off without being shallow. I gave it the extra half star, because for being what looked like another stupid chicklit, it was actually surprisingly fun. (Hence the label "fluffy fun chicklit.") It entertained with enough paranormal suspense and eye candy without transforming into a meangirl parade.
Out of the 3 main characters/perspectives (3rd person btw), I liked Bliss the best. Schuyler is OK for the most part, but she was such a Mary Sue underdog- effortlessly pretty enough for a modeling shoot, outcast who scorns the blonde "Mimi clones", and bearer of vintage clothes and a weird name. Mimi's perspective is fun because she's such a classic mean girl (a la Meangirls), but she doesn't have very many notable characteristics, and has a frozen solid ice queen heart. Bliss is perhaps the most likeable, because she's not sure whether she should follow Mimi and her clique or do what she wants. Sure, this sounds a little tropey, but overall, I could empathize with her the most, and she seemed like a nice character.
The romance, though, was kinda dumb. Instalurve with Mimi's twin brother Jack, whom Mimi is creepily possessive of. He was so cardboard. The whole romance pretty much mirrored that of City of Bones, outcast "Clary-sue" falling for perfect hot guy who is ripped and super popular, and then her BFF who wants to be more than friends, fellow geek Simon/Oliver, is kind of like, "Hi, I'm still here too..."
Overall, the worldbuilding looked a lot like that of City of Bones. I'm not saying one copied the other, though since Blue Bloods was published first, it seems near impossible, but the whole fallen angel thing is like the whole Shadowhunter thing. But the whole modern world of the rich and famous was unintentionally funny for me, because since it's almost 10 years old, the pop culture references and tech made me laugh a little. Bliss "flipped open" her brand-new, top of the line phone? Ah, I remember the days of yore... I think they mentioned a few pop musicians I have never heard of, and all the characters were like, "Oh my gosh, they are so in right now!"
Okay, so don't expect War and Peace, but all things considered, I had fun reading this.
They're Monaco and Hamptons bound, but we don't feel like outsiders at all."
- Halsey, "New Americana"
3.5 Stars
Better than I thought it would be, and my random book of the month, decided through a fair bit of weird numerology and enough "eeny meeny miney mo" the reference librarian probably thought I'd gone crazy.
The Summary (that they don't give you): So there's this girl Schuyler (pronounced Skylar, I think) who doesn't fit in :( at her exclusive NYC private school, but after strange things start happening to her, she gets an invitation to an exclusive group of Manhattan socialites who are actually (gasp!) vampires. There are two other perspectives, Mimi Force, proud vampire, ice queen, and clique head at Schuyler's school; and Bliss, transplanted Texan and Mimi's reluctant sidekick, who is growing into being a vampire. At similar schools, emerging vampire teenagers are getting murdered, but none of the adult leaders will tell them how, because vampires are supposedly immune to everything, including stakes, crosses, and holy water. (Suspicious, right?!?)
Now for the review. A fun, light read that is kind of like Pretty Little Liars crossed with City of Bones. It's a glamour-filled book with just as much social backstabbing and fancy parties as bloodsucking, but manages to pull it off without being shallow. I gave it the extra half star, because for being what looked like another stupid chicklit, it was actually surprisingly fun. (Hence the label "fluffy fun chicklit.") It entertained with enough paranormal suspense and eye candy without transforming into a meangirl parade.
Out of the 3 main characters/perspectives (3rd person btw), I liked Bliss the best. Schuyler is OK for the most part, but she was such a Mary Sue underdog- effortlessly pretty enough for a modeling shoot, outcast who scorns the blonde "Mimi clones", and bearer of vintage clothes and a weird name. Mimi's perspective is fun because she's such a classic mean girl (a la Meangirls), but she doesn't have very many notable characteristics, and has a frozen solid ice queen heart. Bliss is perhaps the most likeable, because she's not sure whether she should follow Mimi and her clique or do what she wants. Sure, this sounds a little tropey, but overall, I could empathize with her the most, and she seemed like a nice character.
The romance, though, was kinda dumb. Instalurve with Mimi's twin brother Jack, whom Mimi is creepily possessive of. He was so cardboard. The whole romance pretty much mirrored that of City of Bones, outcast "Clary-sue" falling for perfect hot guy who is ripped and super popular, and then her BFF who wants to be more than friends, fellow geek Simon/Oliver, is kind of like, "Hi, I'm still here too..."
Overall, the worldbuilding looked a lot like that of City of Bones. I'm not saying one copied the other, though since Blue Bloods was published first, it seems near impossible, but the whole fallen angel thing is like the whole Shadowhunter thing. But the whole modern world of the rich and famous was unintentionally funny for me, because since it's almost 10 years old, the pop culture references and tech made me laugh a little. Bliss "flipped open" her brand-new, top of the line phone? Ah, I remember the days of yore... I think they mentioned a few pop musicians I have never heard of, and all the characters were like, "Oh my gosh, they are so in right now!"
Okay, so don't expect War and Peace, but all things considered, I had fun reading this.
January 2, 2018
(3.5 stars)
it was kinda superficial and filled with designer clothing descriptions, but some of the plot twists were quite good and i do like the overall vampire lore. i think i'll read the second one in the series, but only time will tell if i can make it to the last book, lol.
it was kinda superficial and filled with designer clothing descriptions, but some of the plot twists were quite good and i do like the overall vampire lore. i think i'll read the second one in the series, but only time will tell if i can make it to the last book, lol.
Read
November 6, 2015I almost felt like I was in NYC again while reading this book. Love the idea of the silver bloods and the connection to the pilgrims. Very creative!
July 22, 2022
would i recommend this? not exactly, but oh my god this was entertaining! i ate it up!!
August 16, 2015
I've just started this book, and there are a number of things in which this book is disappointing.
For one, Melissa de la Cruz keeps on nagging about what everybody is wearing. On and on. I couldn't care less. It also contributes to annoying fact #2. The books moves damn slowly. I'm on page 97 and nothing has happened so far. And the same plot-hints are being dropped over and over. I'm laying the book away now, perhaps I will finish it later...
... And I picked it up anyway, like 3 hours later.. and finished it. The story does have some potential, but I'm not really enthousiastic about it. Also, the latin in the book wasn't correct, I'm definitely subtracting points for that. And why is it latin in the first place? If Gabriel and Micheal and all those others were cast down from heaven, and all the bla bla bla, shouldn't it be hebrew? Rome didn't even exist yet. I also skipped all the lines about describing outfits, I think it reduced about 10% of the lines per page. She describes what everbody is wearing, on every occasion. That's so non-interesting. I'm glad a finished this book, and I'm pretty sure I'm not reading any more books of this series.
I'm going to include some of the clothing descriptions, to illustrate my annoyance;
#1 Schuyler always looked like she was drowning in fabric. The black sweater reached almost to her calves, and underneath she wore a sheer black T-short over a gray thermal undershirt; and under that, a long peasant skirt that swept the floor. Like a nineteenth century street urchin, her skirt hems were black with dirt from dragging on the sidewalks. She was wearing her favorite pair of black-and-white Jack Purcell sneakers, the ones with the duct-taped hole on the right toe. ...
10 lines below that:
#2 He was wearing a severe military greatcoat over a flannel shirt and a pair of holey blue jeans. Of course, the flanel shirt was John Varvatos and the jeans from Citizens of Humanity...
#3 They'd settled on a sexy-but-in-an-off-beat-bohemian-way-with-straps-just-falling-off-the-shoulder-just-so-Marni camisole, a tiny denim Earnest Sewn miniskirt, and a sparkly Rick Owens cashmere wrap.
#4 But somehow, she'd arrived for the first day wearing a pastel Ralph Lauren sweater with a plaid Anna Sui kilt (in en effort to look more like the girls featured in the school catelog), with a honking white leather Chanel purse on a gold chain slung over her shoulder, only to find her classmates dressed down in grotty fisherman sweaters and distressed corduroys.
And so on and so forth...
For one, Melissa de la Cruz keeps on nagging about what everybody is wearing. On and on. I couldn't care less. It also contributes to annoying fact #2. The books moves damn slowly. I'm on page 97 and nothing has happened so far. And the same plot-hints are being dropped over and over. I'm laying the book away now, perhaps I will finish it later...
... And I picked it up anyway, like 3 hours later.. and finished it. The story does have some potential, but I'm not really enthousiastic about it. Also, the latin in the book wasn't correct, I'm definitely subtracting points for that. And why is it latin in the first place? If Gabriel and Micheal and all those others were cast down from heaven, and all the bla bla bla, shouldn't it be hebrew? Rome didn't even exist yet. I also skipped all the lines about describing outfits, I think it reduced about 10% of the lines per page. She describes what everbody is wearing, on every occasion. That's so non-interesting. I'm glad a finished this book, and I'm pretty sure I'm not reading any more books of this series.
I'm going to include some of the clothing descriptions, to illustrate my annoyance;
#1 Schuyler always looked like she was drowning in fabric. The black sweater reached almost to her calves, and underneath she wore a sheer black T-short over a gray thermal undershirt; and under that, a long peasant skirt that swept the floor. Like a nineteenth century street urchin, her skirt hems were black with dirt from dragging on the sidewalks. She was wearing her favorite pair of black-and-white Jack Purcell sneakers, the ones with the duct-taped hole on the right toe. ...
10 lines below that:
#2 He was wearing a severe military greatcoat over a flannel shirt and a pair of holey blue jeans. Of course, the flanel shirt was John Varvatos and the jeans from Citizens of Humanity...
#3 They'd settled on a sexy-but-in-an-off-beat-bohemian-way-with-straps-just-falling-off-the-shoulder-just-so-Marni camisole, a tiny denim Earnest Sewn miniskirt, and a sparkly Rick Owens cashmere wrap.
#4 But somehow, she'd arrived for the first day wearing a pastel Ralph Lauren sweater with a plaid Anna Sui kilt (in en effort to look more like the girls featured in the school catelog), with a honking white leather Chanel purse on a gold chain slung over her shoulder, only to find her classmates dressed down in grotty fisherman sweaters and distressed corduroys.
And so on and so forth...
July 1, 2022
Interesting take on vampires
Mixing fallen angels with vampires and reincarnation is definitely a unique idea. I enjoyed the plot and the story was well paced. Being the first book with a complicated plot, there are a lot of unanswered questions that I'll have to keep reading to get the answers to. I don't like Jack and how even though he likes Schuyler, he drops her because his family tells him to. Hopefully he grows a backbone and goes after what he wants. Schuyler is interesting and smart, I'm excited to see what she does in the next book.
Mixing fallen angels with vampires and reincarnation is definitely a unique idea. I enjoyed the plot and the story was well paced. Being the first book with a complicated plot, there are a lot of unanswered questions that I'll have to keep reading to get the answers to. I don't like Jack and how even though he likes Schuyler, he drops her because his family tells him to. Hopefully he grows a backbone and goes after what he wants. Schuyler is interesting and smart, I'm excited to see what she does in the next book.
August 14, 2009
I didn't love it, but I didn't hate it either. It has the potential to be an interesting series, but the ending was a little too abrupt for my taste. I thought the diary entries from Plymouth were a nice touch, though. I liked it enough to read the next book, but it didn't grab my attention so much that I'll run out and get it right now.
March 14, 2019
Blue Bloods has the makings of a very addicting series, but it fell flat to me. The premise of fallen angels turning into vampires in modern was interesting but it wasn’t enough for me to enjoy it. I more or less skimmed through to find out a bit of their history. The story was merely an info dump of knowledge, no story-telling anywhere to be found. I dislike books like these where I want to be shown as a reader how the story goes from one plot point to another. There were too many character point of views and I didn’t even get a sense of personality from any of them. I didn’t really care what these characters were wearing either and why is everyone supposedly slim and tall and model-like? No varied beautifies either. Maybe I’ll give the second book a try, I do have the whole series and it’s such a waste if I don’t at least give it another chance.
December 6, 2020
This was fine - I’m really curious about where the story is going so will definitely be picking up the next book!
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