Preparations are underway for the ball if the century. But as any true Blue Bloods knows, it's the after-party that counts. And the cunning Mimi Force is getting ready to make sure her masquerade ball is the place to be for the young, fabulous and fanged.
Schulyer Van Alen has more on her mind than fancy dresses, even if her crush jack Force us sure to make an appearance. She's getting closer to finding out what's been preying on the young vamps - and discovering the deadly secrets hiding under the masks...
Rich with glamour, attitude and vampire lore, this second instalments of Blue Bloods saga will leave readers thirsting for more.
Melissa 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.
This second "Blue Bloods" book has one major improvement - the number of pages dedicated to describing various pieces of clothing is reduced from about 150 pages in the first book to about 50. The rest of the book is of the same quality - same flat characters, same obsession with parties, expensive things and good looks, same absence of noticeable climax, and, sadly, same plot (or lack of it).
What goes for these books however is a very intriguing new take on vampire lore. It is obvious this lore comes to de la Cruz easily. Her mythology is elaborate and inventive, skillfully mixed with theology. Unfortunately it is wasted on the stories which are nothing more than fluff. Because seriously, how many centuries will it take these millenia-old fallen angels to redeem themselves in the eyes of God if all they seem to care about are: clothes, modeling, parties, and hooking up? My guess is: very many centuries (and books).
In spite of the obvious low quality of the books, I am still moving on to book 3. Mainly because they are entertaining albeit mindless page turners. However these books will never be something that I re-read, spend my money on or recommend to my friends.
Πολύ πολύ καλύτερο από το πρώτο και με αποκαλύψεις που με άφησαν με το στόμα ανοιχτό. Συναναγνωση με το Μαράκι μου, που αυτό το κάνει ακόμα καλύτερο. Πάμε στο επόμενο!
I think the covers on the books of this series are so pretty. I enjoyed Masquerade and honestly I was unsure if I wanted Mimi to be “saved” so to speak because she is really not likeable so far in this series. I am starting book three right after lunch and plan to read through this series during this coming week but I really hope they move a bit faster on the romance and revelations. I think they will since the sizes of the books are smallish. The ending with Dylan’s words will make readers grab the next book right away.
My quick and simple overall: enjoyable, quick sequel that leaves more questions for readers to continue on.
"Masquerade" is the second installment In De La Cruz's "Blue Bloods" series. It continues where "Blue Bloods" left off, when Schuyler's grandmother was reprocessed through the vampire cycle, where she would eventually be reborn, after an interrupted attack by a Silver Blood. She (along with her Conduit Oliver) goes on a mission in Venice to find her grandfather, Lawrence Van Alen. Her grandmother's last plea was that Schuyler find her grandfather so that he could save the Blue Bloods from the Croatan, or the Silver Bloods. But what they find is a man who does not want to come back to a group that shunned his ideas and cast him out.
Back in Duschene, the intrigues thicken. Bliss' mystery deepens, including the identity of her mother and the whys and wherefores of all of her nightmares and blackouts. Jack's infatuation with Schuyler is given more significance, and I liked the reasoning behind it. The connection between Mimi and Jack through all of their life cycles is explored well, but apart from that their characters are much the same. I was hoping for more development from Mimi. She's turning out to be one of the most one-dimensional characters I've had the chance of reading. Best friend and Conduit Oliver takes a familiar and predictable turn in regards to his feelings for our heroine, Schuyler, who grows a bit more spine. Her character is more well-defined here, and her relationships with Oliver and Jack are explored in more depth in this novel though with no real resolution.
The book didn't start off on the right foot for me because it violated a pet peeve of mine. In the first few pages, it almost blatantly dumped everything on the reader that had happened in the previous book. If people aren't smart enough to start with the first book in the series, then let them swim without a lifejacket and try to pick up what's going on. It felt like a waste of time reading the same descriptions repetitively.
There are a couple of divergences so Bliss and Schuyler can pursue modeling careers which adds nothing to the plot. It felt like the author knew the fashion world settings and couldn't help but show off her knowledge, even though it had nothing to do with the story. Lastly, the arrival of a new boy at school feels contrived--a means to a certain end--and its starting to feel a tad too deux et machina to me.
That said, I think it is time I abandon this series. It was only the vampire lore which has made me buy the sequel but unfortunately De La Cruz's writing style frustrates me to no end. She could've ended the series with the sequel or maybe with the next one, making this a trilogy, but instead she's stretching the plot too thin with news of more books to come. I'm sure there are far more superior vampire fiction out there; I just need to explore my options.
Book Details:
Title Masquerade (Blue Bloods, Book 2) Author Melissa De La Cruz Reviewed By Purplycookie
Come on, nothing really happen in this book. I guess I just have to read the next one since many of my friends considered Book 3 as the best out of the series .
I just don't like that majority of the book was all about partying and hooking up (meh that's pretty much it).
I really also don't have a favorite character atm so to speak. None of them really strike me as interesting enough to held my interest. And I just felt that the character are very similar to the other characters of YA books I've already read.
I guessed my disappointment was due to the fact that I've read too many YA books lately and it just so happen that when I've read this one it will always be subjected to comparison and yeah it just that I didn't felt surprised or thrilled. It just so happen that I read it recently so it was just very unfortunate, I can assume that if I read it before Twilight, Vampire Academy or House of Night it can be one of the vampire series I would rate higher.
But still I find the book very sexy and still it was a bit different because it talks more about fashion and the vampires are associated with fallen angels and I really loved the author's writing style it was not annoying and I really like how she describe dresses and gowns that sort of stuff.
While the vampire lore was pretty much all that kept me going while reading Blue Bloods, I found a little more to appreciate while reading its sequel, Masquerade. Granted, this book isn't perfect, but it is a slight step up.
One big thing I noticed was the minimal designer name-dropping. It worked against the previous novel, basically since it made the characters even more distant and unrelatable (except the fact that they're, you know, vampires and all), since I don't think any reader had any idea who those designers were anyway. Also, it sped the story along, since the plot wasn't stalled to go into laborious descriptions of every article of clothing and accessory everyone was wearing. Keep in mind that outfit descriptions are in plenty, however, just not to the extent of this novel's predecessor.
With any series, it's nice to revisit characters and their many subplots, and it was nice to do that with Masquerade. I found myself caring a little more about characters, even petty things like (-gasp-) if Schuyler and Oliver were going to get together. All the subplots that were hinted at in Blue Bloods are fleshed out in this novel as well, and I like how they are developing so far.
Of course, the saving grace of this whole series is the vampires Melissa de la Cruz has created. They’re probably some of the most inventive and interesting supernatural creatures in YA literature. The best parts of these books are learning about their pasts, how they fell from Heaven, their memories of past reincarnations, etc.
However, the lack of any climax or satisfying conclusion whatsoever left something to be desired. The main plot of this series seems to only be who the murderous Silver Blood is, and that doesn't seem to have enough substance to sustain a series like this. Masquerade kind of runs the reader in a circle and leaves them right where they started - knowing nothing (except, at the end, you do have one suspect). I don't know, maybe the plot will flesh out into something more, but for the time being, it doesn't seem to have enough substance.
Also, what was the point of the Masquerade ball? Its only point seemed to be the filling of the first 150 pages. Well, I suppose it also shows how much these fallen angels love to party down, but I think anyone could have figured that out by now, since that’s all they seem to do, except maybe buy designer clothes. Do these people seriously except to get back into Heaven?
What would you do if you could bring the dead back to life? I didn't like Masquerade, I loved it beacuse it will leave you with so many questions that you will have to read the next book. Schulyer Van Alen goes on an adventure to figure out the truth. Even things seems to be going fine as she connects with long lost faminly members. Unfortunately, her world is turned upside down when a explosion goes off in the most secure place for a Blue Bloods. And when people start making assumtions about who did it, Schuyler has to save her worst enemy. As Schuyler continues to find out all about the deaths by Silver Bloods the effects are worst then anyone could have imagined. I would definately recommend Masquerade by Melissa De La Cruz if you read the first book and you are thirsting for more romance drama and vampires.
Reviewed by Randstostipher "tallnlankyrn" Nguyen for TeensReadToo.com
When we last left off with Schuyler Van Alen, she was just getting used to the news of being a Blue Blood, or what we normally label them as, a vampire. She gets invited into the New York Blood Bank Committee and, before she knows it, Schuyler is swept away into the unknown world of the Blue Bloods. Unfortunately, it seems like Schuyler discovered her true self at the wrong time, since three Blue Blood teens have been murdered.
Still not satisfied, Schuyler wants more information for why young vampires are dying and the only way she can find out more is by visiting her grandfather, who lives in Italy. And so in MASQUERADE, Schuyler is off with her best friend to get to the truth. But while Schuyler is trying to learn more about her new world, the Four Hundred Ball is being held in New York, and it seems like the party, before and after, are more than what she bargained for.
Of course, with all of this mystery and drama, Schuyler's life also has to be filled with a little boy drama. It's not enough having mixed-up, obnoxious feelings toward Jack, but with the new guy in town, things just happen to get messy.
Melissa de la Cruz continues her amazing series, BLUE BLOODS, with full force in MASQUERADE. Some problems are solved while even more are unleashed, and you just can't help but fall deep into this wonderful series. The relationships that Schuyler has with everyone around her are just amazingly sweet. The good part about this series is that there is definitely more to come. The drawback just happens to be waiting for the next one.
I bought this book yesterday and finished yesterday too.
Urgh. I was too intrigued by the first book's whole IDEA to let this one go by without a read. I buy books out of habit, one I should VERY much stop until I have read it before since this one too was a waste of my money.
Urgh again! More blandness. I want to punch Charles force in the face, slap Mimi and the whole Kingsley thing was random and just .... what was the fracking point? Also, Mimi said in the first book that she couldn't remember anything before Roanoke and now suddenly she remembers ROME and PARADISE and Lucifer himself? WTF again! Mimi just rubs me wrong.
de la Cruz focuses to much on random modeling crap and should focus more on scenery and setting and STOP skipping key pieces of time. Like, whole hours will go by and she will sum it up in A sentence. Come on now. Flesh out your stories.
I would rather have a story with too much detail than barely any at all.
I have read the reviews of the third and have decided that I will go to the library for that one. The other two are going to a friend ... or the trash.
Masquerade is the second installment within the Blue Bloods series. Just like the first book, I'm left with a lot of unanswered questions and an interesting cliffhanger. The thing I'm mostly confused about is the whole Jack and Mimi situation. I just don't get it and I basically cringe the entire time.
Don't get me wrong, I don't really like Jack with Schuyler either. No, I like her with Oliver, and I hope that doesn't get ruined. If it does, I will riot. Then there's Mimi and she's honestly pretty awful. She deserves a whole lot of karma coming her way. I doubt I will ever find anything likable about her and the day I do, well, the world is obviously going to end.
Other than that, the action and mystery of the silver bloods just leaves me questioning everything. Definitely need more information and I'm hoping to get that soon. If not, I'm not sure how I will feel with everything else happening.
Again, a whole barrage of info dumping and more telling the story than showing it. I really dislike stories being told that way. I also don’t see what’s so necessary about name dropping every single fashion designer brand. I also feel uncomfortable that the twins are long lost lovers and in this shell they’re supposedly brother and sister. This series would have probably intrigued me when I was younger, but now? Not at all.. I’m sorry that I have to donate all these books that are signed but at least they might go to a home that will enjoy it.
Masquerade was a lot of fun to read. The writing hasn’t improved much from book one, but the characters and the plot sure did! This book had great pacing, and an even amount of plot development as well as scenes showing past events/explanations for things. Nothing ~super~ significant happens in this one, but there is a lot of learning that suggests there are some pretty exciting things coming up next. There also isn’t an enormous amount of character growth in this book, but I feel like the stage is setting for some major improvements among characters and their relationships with one another. Overall this book is your pretty typical sequel, lots of filler and interaction among the characters. It sets things up nicely for the rest of the series. I left this loving these characters even more than I did at the end of book one. I remembered less of the plot for this book, but it also reminded me of why I loved this series so much, so yeah *shrugs*
This review may suggest I wasn’t super crazy about this book, but I devoured it and I really did love it!! There were a lot of surprises in this book that I didn’t remember. Lots of character interactions that had me grinning from ear to ear, I honestly couldn’t get enough of it. I think it was an improvement from book one, just not as wild of a ride. I think I'll skip going crazy about the characters in this one because I know that the next book reveals a LOT of "secrets" and that there are some significant relationship developments (including one of my fave ships ever ayyyyy)
Genre: Young Adult; Paranormal; Vampire Love Triangle/Insta Love?: triangle. Cliff Hanger: yes! Rating: 4 Stars
Score Sheet All out of ten
Cover: 8 Plot: 7 Characters: 7 World Building: 7 Flow: 6 Series Congruity: 6 Writing: 7 Ending: 9
Total: 7
In Dept
Best Part: Vampire Action! Worst Part: No help moving from book 1 to book 2. Thoughts Had: I remember nothing; Holy shit; WTH just happened?!?
Conclusion
Continuing the Series: yah Recommending: yah
Short Review: It's been about 2months since i read the first book, and i remembered nothing. The author doesn't do a good job of helping you remember either. I was so lost, and still am a bit lost. I liked the book, but there wasn't a whole lot going on. The plot was moving forwards but i felt like there was wayyy too much side stuff going on. And i keep getting Bliss and Mimi mixed up. I hope book 3 is a big more straight forward.
While this did have some interesting action, especially in the last third or so, I found this to be slow and not as interesting as the first book. We still aren't sure about the silver bloods, Mimi is even more horrible than before, and now there are crazy things happening with Bliss. I want more answers about what's happening and Allegra to wake up and face what's going on.
Too slow in the beginning/middle. Need more of the Silver blood mystery throughout rather than just at the end! Still pretty interesting, excited to see what happens next :)
So, this is a pretty damn good vampire series so far but I am so ready for something to happen to Allegra already! Wake up! We also see a bit of what happened to begin with, but obviously there is more to that story. It did get a bit exhausting with the explosion and finding out who has responsible but it is interesting to know that Schuyler inherited some of her mother's abilities. I still don't like Mimi and for some reason I like Bliss even less? Maybe it has something to do with the idea that she is the lost daughter of Allegra and I need to know what the heck is going on. But I also have a feeling that she's going to turn evil. Maybe it has to do with her being attacked and seeing Dylan so much, but I think she will turn to the dark side. I really like Oliver and it breaks my heart to see that he's being used as a familiar now, especially because of how he feels about Schuyler.
Blue Bloods are the highest level of elite modern New York society. The teen Blue Bloods attend Duchesne School, enjoy the most fabulous parties and share a dark secret. Blue Bloods are vampires; they literally bleed blue blood and sprout fangs when hungry. But that doesn't stop them from partying in this second installment of Melissa de la Cruz's fantasy/horror series, which has even more mysterious secrets and action than its predecessor.
Schuyler Van Alen and her destined human assistant, Oliver, begin the book by traveling to Italy in search of Schuyler's outcast grandfather. Her grandmother just passed away in this cycle and advised her to get help from her grandfather. She finds him, but he doesn't seem to be interested in helping her fight the Silver Bloods, who have tried to get rid of the Blue Bloods throughout history. No one believes her insistence that they're back, but she knows that some teens and her grandmother had help dying from the Silvers.
Mimi and Jack Force are leading the Blue Bloods in getting ready for the traditional Four Hundred Ball. They will be presented officially at the ball, with their vampire names and identities. Mimi begins to plan an exclusive afterparty for the teen vampires, but she is most looking forward to letting everyone know that she and Jack are destined to be together from history. He may be attracted to Schuyler, the half-Blue Blood, but in each life he and Mimi have ended up together.
Bliss, the Blue Blood who moved from Houston with her Senator father, finds herself in strange locations. One time she wakes up at the bottom of a lake, and an unknown vampire helps her. She blacks out more and more frequently and doesn't know why. She still feels that Dylan, her boyfriend who disappeared in the first book, is alive. He must be the one helping her, she thinks. On a modeling gig with Schuyler, she feeds for the first time with a crew member, only to regret it as they then share a bond.
At the afterparty, Schuyler is kissed by a masked vampire, but she thinks it's Jack. He has ignored her ever since she announced her feelings that the Silver Bloods have returned. She grows weaker and weaker as vampire and human mixed bloods fight in her for dominance. It becomes clear that she must feed for the first time on a human. She wants it to be Oliver but wonders if that will change their friendship forever.
A very attractive new student, Kingsley, enters Duchesne and gets to know all the important players right away. He encourages Mimi in her jealousy of Schuyler, and when some dark magic affects several of the teens, Mimi lands in serious trouble. Could she really be a Silver Blood?
Loyalties are tested, and Schuyler struggles the most with this question. Get ready for more surprises and dark secrets in this compelling series. Fans of both vampire stories and Gossip Girl-type New York chick lit will love these books.
This wasn't as good as the first one. I actually went back, and flipped through the first one to make sure I wasn't imagining things. de la Cruz's writing style gets much more stilted and awkward in this book, and her exposition gets much more awkward. The first ten pages are full of INFORMATION BEING THROWN AT YOUR HEAD, HEY GUYS REMEMBER FROM THE LAST BOOK?!?
Maybe I was on less cold medicine this time around, but I wasn't as enthralled. The story is still interesting (I like how de la Cruz worked Roanoke and Croatan into her plot, and I really like the idea that the elite of New York aren't just freakishly rich, they're also kind of, well, freaks.)
I didn't like the new developments between Schuyler and Oliver. I really didn't like Schuyler because of it - I'm a sucker for the pining childhood friend, so I came down on Oliver's side.
I'm not wildly interested in the namedropping and the clothes, but it certainly serves its place in forming a picture of the world they live in. I could do without the constant reminders that they're all freaking gorgeous. Yeah, yeah. And they have super powers and will live forever, oh, and they're rich. I wish someone in the book would have a flaw besides bad taste in make-out partners.
Speaking of their make-out partners - is everyone in this society related? Well, yes. A small population with "bonds" that span centuries isn't anything wildly original. But these pairs are frequently born as twins, which gives it a new twist (for me, at least, since I don't spend much time in the fantasy genre). I'm really interested to see where she goes with it. And by this point, everyone is already related, so there can't be many more DUN DUN DUN moments. ... I think.
I certainly plan on reading the rest of the series, because they're fun, light, gossipy books (Gossip Girls with Fangs?), but they make me crave a fat, boring, un-"special" heroine. It'd be a nice change of pace. They're out there somewhere, right? Anyone know any?
... I think I took longer writing this review than I did reading the book. Yikes.
I really enjoyed this book much more than I enjoyed the first book, Blue Bloods. There were some things that I thought were annoying but the rest of the book was really great. It ended with a cliff hanger, which I hate, and the thing with the Silver Bloods is starting to annoy me.
Schuyler: Schuyler, in my opinion, was a better character in this book than in Blue Bloods. I really want to know how it goes with her and Jack, but now with Oliver, she just got into one big mess. But I am curious how it is going to be with Jack. It was obvious to me who was her sister.
Jack: I really, really like Jack. I hate the bonding with him and Mimi though. I hop things work out between him and Schuyler. Although, it was pretty weird when the author writes that Jack says he is going to have to pretend that Schuyler doesn't exist, but through the rest of the book he doesn't do that at all.
Bliss: There are so many clues in front of her and she is being very stupid with not putting in the pieces already. I am still confused with Dylan and her, but I hope to know more about that in the next book.
Mimi: I do not like Mimi. Why is it that she can start flirting with all the guys she wants to, but doesn't allow Jack to like anybody. She takes things really far, which is good because she is the one in the book that would go to extremes. I am glad I didn't get bored in this book like I did with Blue Bloods.
In some of the parts in my review, it may sound that I didn't like the book, I am just critical. I really liked this book a lot. There are lots of cliff hangers by each chapter but then the answer comes within another two chapters. But that ending! I seriously need the next book. I am glad I chose to continue this series.
Since I hated everything about the first book, I was scepitcal to continue with the series. HOWEVER I did enjoy the second book LOTS more than the first book. I felt like there was actually something happening this time - we had a plot with action and everything. The characters are still very flat, and to be honest most of the storyline is very predictable. I felt myself enjoying this book. It was a quick and easy read.
I liked book 2 a lot better than book 1 but what a cliffhanger! Sometimes I am very thankful I collect whole series before I even start to read them. The back story for these characters is really interested and there was less mentioning of clothing in this one. I mean, it was still there but not as overly abundant as book 1. Which is probably what made this one more enjoyable. I will definitely continue on with this series.
I'll admit, I'm beginning to really like this series. I'm even gonna start book three right now, since that ending didn't even deserve to be called an ending. It was the biggest cliffhanger in all of Cliffhangersville.
Masquerade is a thrill ride. Many things came out into the light. It is definitely a change from the first book because this one leaves you more satisfied. (=
This is the second book in the Blue Bloods series.
I read the first one a couple of years ago and I really liked it so I wanted to continue with the series. This series is the prequel to Witches of East End and I loved that trilogy so I want to know more!
In this one we learned more about the mystery and the Blue Bloods and it's quite interesting.
There's still a lot of teen drama and I'm here for it. There's also a bit of romance, I wish there was more but this series has eight books out and one in the works so I know whatever happens it'll be slow.
The vampires and their history are fascinating. I don't want to say much in case of spoilers.
The story hooked me even when I thought it wouldn't, I thought it be an okay read but it's more. I really want to keep reading the series!